I could say that Cheryl Strayed's memoir "Wild" is beautifully written, perfectly paced, vividly detailed and enlighteningly deep, but I would not be saying enough.
Rarely have I read a book that is so right on so many levels as "Wild." And yet, this is true in spite of the fact that there seems to be almost nothing about her that I can relate to. In fact, Cheryl reveals things about herself that I usually would find repulsive, but instead I honor her for the strength to show us. I shouldn't like this book, but I do. In fact, I love this book, and Cheryl deserves the utmost praise for creating this work of art.
When I think of what I want from a book, I realize that Wild has everything I could ever ask for. So many books disappoint on many levels, even if they entertain, provide useful information, reveal the depths of life or display beautiful sentences. I had resigned myself to accepting less and focusing on the good aspects of whatever I read. What I found most often was that something was missing. If a book had a compelling story, it would lack depth; if it had fleshed out characters, it would have a weak story; if it had beautiful writing, it had little meaning; if it were deep and meaningful, its writing was dreary and ponderous. When I chose to read Wild, I did so because it was apparently about a journey across the Pacific Crest Trail. That subject is interesting to me, and I wanted insight into what the experience might be like. I chose to read Strayed's memoir in spite of criticisms I had read saying it was too much about the author dealing with personal problems. All I hoped for was to find the book interesting and informative about the PCT, and it is that; that and much more.
It is one of the most raw, poetic, insightful, meaningful and well written books I have ever read. I am in awe of Strayed's bold honesty and her profound discoveries about life. Her writing is impeccable to the end, revealing just the right details at a perfect pace that brings her experience to life in a way that is as deep and alive as her actual journey. As with her journey, her writing never takes a short cut because of weakness or laziness. She's given us everything here. I felt a connection to her experience without finding empathy for her choices. I could not relate to most of the things she did in her relationships because I often found that her choices and actions went against what I would do. But her blunt, yet lyrical, telling of her story led me to relax judgment and accept things as they were. In this way, the book became my own journey of discovery, leading me to conclusions similar to hers, and revealing something about what it means to be alive. When a book can do that for me, it is doing something very special.
To those who may criticize Strayed for writing something other than what they wanted or for not doing things the way they would have, I say you are missing the heart of this book. Do not read this book for what you want it to be, but read it for what it is. If you can do that, you will discover a work of art that transcends mere story-telling, and you will know in your soul that you have experienced some part of Cheryl's journey with her and maybe discovered something about yourself, too.
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
4.4 | 74,658 ratings
Price: 18.9
Last update: 01-11-2025
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