Four years after her mom passed away,  Cheryl Strayed made the decision to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert to Washington State, a total of over 1,000 miles. With no backpacking experience, this decision came after a culmination of events that made her question who she really was as a human being and where she wanted to go in her life.

Wild was an extremely emotional, yet insightful and empowering memoir about finding your true self. I thought Strayed’s writing was straightforward and clear, and her story was captivating. Mostly, I connected with Cheryl over the fact that, by time I was 26, both of my parents were deceased. I could understand her emotions and it felt nice to be able to connect with someone, even though I never met her before.

I would highly recommend Wild to anyone, whether you are going through a tough time in your life or not. The memoir has shown me that it’s possible to accomplish anything if you set your mind to it, have enough determination, and never give up. Although I have no desire to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, I think it is an amazing feat for someone who had no backpacking skills to accomplish, and I believe Strayed is an inspiration to anyone feeling lost, no matter where they are in their life.