Salvaje

Much better than the movie, of course. I enjoyed her detailed experiences and explanations of her motivations. By the end, she remains WILD still, wiser, but untamed by her odyssey. Do read this.

Nach dem Tod ihrer Mutter verliert die 22-jährige Cheryl völlig den Halt. Nach einem mehrjährigen Strudeln mit Scheidung, Drogenkonsum und wahllosem Sex wandert sie sehr spontan auf dem Pacific Crest Trail. Diese 1700 km lange Wanderung bringt Cheryl dazu, sich mit ihrem Leben auseinanderzusetzen, den guten und schlechten Seiten der geliebten Mutter, dem gewalttätigen Vater, dem Verlust des Ehemannes und vielem mehr. Das Buch schafft es, den schmalen Grad zu umschiffen, an dem Selbsterfahrungsbücher unerträglich werden. Denn die Autorin beansprucht nicht, allgemeine Lebensweisheiten zu verkünden, sondern schildert ihre eigenen Erlebnisse in teilweise sehr eindrucksvollen Szenen. ( )

It's really important to wear the right-size boots. But if your boots are the wrong size, keep walking anyway. ( )

I did very much enjoy this book. After reading many of the reviews, I can see where the negative comments came from but I do disagree with them in many ways. After her mother died, it appears that she got depressed. That is how I can see why she threw away a good marriage and lost. She was lost. Yes, her deciding to hike the PCT alone with no experience was not a smart thing to do. She was very lucky that she ran into so many kind hearted people. To me, that shows how most people are good after all. She made many mistakes and was very lucky. Yes, she got off the trail many times but only bypassed in a few areas. She stuck with it though she was unprepared. I respect that she kept going with an overweight backpack, lack of supplies, and lots of pain. The critics need to remember that she was so young when this happened. We aren't the smartest at that age. She learned a lot about herself and grew a lot on her journey. I don't know what has happened to her since but I hope that she has found happiness and continued to grow in strength and confidence. ( )

This was my beach book for summer of 2015. It was so very much better than the movie that I saw first. I felt like the movie was just lacking in depth and story so I wasn't disappointed when I opened the book and found more depth. Was it "Eat, Pray, Love" which is my favorite travel memoir? No. I also didn't feel the her story was that remarkable either. But, it was a light summer beach read that I enjoyed. That is all that matters. ( )