July 2015: Wild by Cheryl Strayed - Discussion Highlights

We had a great summer meeting with remarkably high numbers for July (I think the doodle for summer meetings really helps.  Note to self: let's do that again!) and a invigorating discussion about Wild by Cheryl Strayed

What we liked:

• the writing itself was very well done; most of us had no troubles reading the book and even found ourselves hooked in places; although as one lady mentioned, sometimes it was the can't-look-away-as-you-pass-a-car-accident kind of hooked!
• we really admired CS for the accomplishment of actually walking the trail.  That was a real physical feat and it must have been incredibly tempting to just give up... especially with danger from animals, lost boots and aching body parts.
• we liked the very real picture of grieving: the time this takes, the very real toll of grieving and how sad it is that in the absence of a hope of resurrection in Christ, there is very little real comfort to be found 
• that CS takes books along on her journey and we wondered what books we might have taken... because, of course, we would have taken books too!

What we didn't like:

• we pretty unanimously did not like CS.  Her life was a bit of train-wreck - and you wanted to feel sorry for her - but much of the wreck was her own making, and she seemed oblivious to her part in the mess of her life.  We were bothered by the fact that she takes so little responsibility for the hurts that she caused - her resentments, her treatment of her husband, her affairs and subsequent sleeping around (even the way she continues to eyes men on the trail as potential conquests), her episode of foolish drug use and her unintended pregnacy and the casualness of her abortion. 
• we were frustrated by how poorly prepared and unaware of danger CS was.  She definitely did not have enough fear... although if she did, she likely never would have begun this journey!

What we ate:

• well, we covered a lot of the foods that CS indulged in at her stops along the trail - and we did it all in one go!  Thanks for all the delicious treats, ladies!  

Who we would recommend this book too:

• we didn't think that this book was either a must-read or a fun beach-read
• maybe as a warning to anyone thinking of a long distance hike like this: be prepared!
• autobiography fans :-)
• that said, many of us expressed interest in watching the movie to see if CS was more likable and how the movie told the story, which really is lots of painful walking with flashbacks