Five stars should mean that the book is worthy of a National Book Award, a Pulitzer or at least Susy's favorite book thus far. It's not perfect but what book is? For me, it came at the right time; my mother had recently passed away although the circumstances were far different than those of Strayed's mother. I totally related to the sorrow and loss the author describes although I chose to deal with those emotions in a far different way. But the book hooked me from the point that the Pacific Crest Trail hit her radar. I know it's there as I look at the mountains that parralel the north south highways of the roads I travel from California to Washington, but what is it like to walk the path? Strayed is the least prepared hiker I can imagine to tackle the trail, but it serves her purpose. Her introspection and doggedness while in the wild are gritty and singleminded. I could never do what she did, but it made for a fascinating read. Her story is raw but powerful and came to me just when I needed to process some of my own grief. Her journey helped me immensely.