Monday, December 3, 2012

Wild By Cheryl Strayed; Review By Nancy Gillard Doran


Sadly and reluctantly, I just finished reading Wild, a memoir by Cheryl Strayed. I first heard about this book after reading an essay by the author in The Sun magazine. Captivated by the engaging writing style and subject matter (grief over the untimely death of the writer’s mother), I put a hold on the book at the local library. Months later, I finally got notification that the book was mine for the borrowing. I picked it up that same day and then had trouble putting it down until I very slowly turned the last page.

Ms. Strayed was in her early twenties when her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. One of three children, the author was the only one who didn’t flee when her mother became ill. In fact, she was almost constantly with her, doing all she could to help. Nothing did help, however, and her mother soon passed. Without her mom, the anchor of the family, the author spiraled into a long period of depression and reckless behavior. She lost contact with her stepfather and siblings. Except for the hapless, kind man she had married too young and couldn’t stay faithful to, and a few friends, she seemed to be dangerously adrift.