This book engaged me on many different levels. First, anyone who has hiked 1100 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail by herself, has to be incredibly gutsy. Add to that, no experience backpacking, combined with escaping from some really bad life choices, and still making it and clearly finding self-understanding at the end without moralizing about it, and you've got an amazing book. As a backpacker, I related to her early experience on the trail, with the wrong size boots, and an overloaded pack. (My first longer than a weekend trip, I had the wrong size boots, an old uncomfortable pack with a string for a waistband, a plastic bag for a rain jacket and only a wool sweater for warmth. In my case, we aborted the trip after a couple of days and imminent snowfall.) Cheryl Strayed sticks with her goal and writes about it in an page-turning manner without being overdramatic or even whining, when whining was justified. All I can say is, well-done. If you like books about individuals who push themselves through incredible odds, I would recommend this book. (And if you like this book, I also suggest Pearl in the Storm and vice versa!)