For 3 months Cheryl Strayed hikes the Pacific Crest Trail. A thousand miles across the undulating, harsh wilderness from Mexico to Canada. Alone. Using the hike as therapy, Cheryl writes about her internal discussion with herself, disecting her life to that date. The loss of her mother, the serial infidelities that broke her marriage, her unfinished degree and her propensity toward self destruction. During the discussion on the book, we came to the conclusion that the gulf between the US and the UK is wider than we thought. This book is big in the US and we in the UK could not see why? It's not that it's a bad book, it's not badly written, it's just too...............internal? Self introspection not being high on the British agenda. Perhaps we all felt uncomfortable inspecting someone else's life, but on the whole most 'liked' the book, but didn't love it. It did however generate a good discussion.
Words used to describe it: shallow despite the height, unsatisfying, pedantry, too long, unfinishable, uneventful, stagnant, naval gazing. Marks out of 10: between 3 - 6.5
Next Book
The Tenant of Wildfeld Hall by Anne Bronte
the other option was
The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
Next Meeting
Wednesday 19th June at The Shed with Albert in attendance
for the diary the meeting after that will be 17th July hosted by Judy at 127 Harbord St
