In the High Peaks
















Friday, March 23, 2012

Hospital Reading: Wild by Cheryl Strayed

I'm home now, but I spent the last four days in the hospital because the blood clot in my leg "shattered" and traveled straight to both my lungs. Isn't this saga becoming absurd? Fortunately, I made it through okay. Whew!

After the first horrible day, I was glad I had the Nook with me. I had been waiting for Cheryl Strayed's  Wild to be published, a memoir of hiking solo on the Pacific Crest Trail, and on Wednesday I was thrilled to download it. Strayed tackled the trail decades ago during a difficult period in her life when she was in her early twenties. I'm enjoying it, particularly the details of her confrontation with and defiance of the elements that threatened to either stop her or kill her. Yet anyone looking for details about the natural world or an intense experience with the flora and fauna may be disappointed. Strayed writes about nature, but not as a naturalist or a person intimate with or fascinated by the natural world. Wild is a bit more of an Eat, Pray, Love sort of memoir, though interesting nonetheless.

I've had the pleasure of receiving a number of packages of books in the past week or so. I hope to post an entry about them tomorrow.

6 comments:

  1. Gosh, that sounds dangerous! I had a PE once and was on warfarin for a few years after. I hope you are taking care, and that doctors are taking care of you!

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    1. Maxine,
      Oh, to have to be on warfarin for so long--how awful, and I'm so glad you recovered from your PE!

      Fortunately, I developed a condition that necessitates that I not take warfarin ever again. As a result, I feel very lucky to have had what the docs call a "Greenfield filter" inserted that will prevent any leg clots from reaching vital organs.

      I feel much better now, especially to be off warfarin.

      Here's to no more blood clots for either of us!

      Judith

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  2. Oh no. This must have been so scary. I'm glad you are OK.
    I like the tone of Wild. I'm one of those who liked Eat,Pray, Love to be honest.
    I'm curious to see what books you got.

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    1. Caroline,
      I'm glad you like Wild. I thought Cheryl Strayed was incredibly gutsy and so right to do the PCT solo, which gave her the chance to really look inward.

      Judith

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  3. I'm glad you're on the mend now Judith, what a terrible time you've had recently.
    I've just bitten the bullet and ordered a Kindle, I've hung off because I'm such a real book person. I want to see what books you got too!

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    1. Katrina,
      You've ordered a Kindle! I wonder which one. I'll search back through your late March and early April posts to see if you discuss the purchase.

      And now I'm wondering how you like it!

      Judith

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