Behind schedule

I haven't had very much time for reading lately! I'm almost finished with part three of Wild. How about everybody else?

If you've finished parts three and/or four, what are your thoughts?

Discussion: Wild, Part 2

Have you finished part two yet?

Overall, I've enjoyed the progression of this book. The text has kept my attention as Strayed sets out on the trail and faces many obstacles, including a broken camp stove with the wrong type of fuel, injuries from falling, multiple trees over the path, an angry longhorn bull, and a 'brown' black bear sighting.

I think I was almost as excited as she was for each of the people she met out on the trail. I can't imagine how lonely it must have been for her. Under normal circumstances, going several days or a couple weeks without human interaction might not be so bad but I imagine the unfamiliar outdoor elements and physical strain would add a few degrees of intensity!

For me, the mixture of Strayed telling her story about being on the trail and the flashbacks that describe her life before deciding to hike the Pacific Crest Trail are well-balanced. I enjoy both the brief insights into her past and the action on the trail.

One of my favorite passages from part two was when Strayed talks about fear.

Has anybody else tried this type of mind control? Has it worked for you? One of the most influential mentors in my life once told me, "If you can't make it, fake it!" and that mindset has stuck with me since I was a teenager. Sometimes, giving up or failing simply haven't been options. During those times, it's been her words that have pulled me through. This part of the book struck me as similar.

One thing I don't like about the book is Strayed's casual attitude about drug use. I don't mind the fact that she did drugs or that she wrote about that time of her life, I just don't care for the way she makes it seem like one day she decided "Oh, I'm going to do drugs," and then later, "That's enough, I'm done doing drugs." I know this is her story and her experience and maybe that's how using drugs was for her, but I don't think that is what most people's addiction to drugs is like. The people I've known to struggle with alcohol and drug abuse didn't have the power to start and stop so easily. I think her nonchalant attitude toward drug use downplays the severity of addiction . For me, it would have been easier to tolerate if during one of the moments that she looks back in time she emphasized how dangerous her decisions were and how fortunate she was that the outcome wasn't worse. And maybe she will. I'll wait to see!

Moving on to part three now!

What if...

Imagine you had to leave your house in a rush and could never return, what three books would you pick off the bookshelf to pack in your suitcase? Remember, you're in a hurry!

I'd pick:

1. Gone With The Wind, by Margaret Mitchell - I've never read this book but have always meant to. I enjoyed the movie so I have a feeling I will like the book even more. I have a 1961 copy that I picked up free at a garage sale. I love old books!

2. The Rescue, by Nicholas Sparks - I've read this book several times and could easily occupy my time reading it again and again!

3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J.K. Rowling - I haven't read any of the books from this series but I hear they're sort of a big deal and maybe my boys would enjoy hearing the story?