Thursday, February 27, 2014

Wild - Book Beginnings on Friday and Friday56

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I just featured WILD - From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail on my Teaser Tuesday post (here), but I thought the book deserved more than two sentences so I'm posting about it again today. This story really impressed me. It's the nonfiction tale of a woman who hiked the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert of California to the Oregon-Washington border. What a feat!

 Here's the book's beginning (prologue):
The trees were tall, but I was taller, standing above them on a steep mountain slope in northern California. Moments before, I'd removed my hiking boots and the left one had fallen into those trees, first catapulting into the air when my enormous backpack toppled onto it, then skittering across the gravelly trail and flying over the edge. It bounced off of a rocky outcropping several feet beneath me before disappearing into the forest canopy below, impossible to retrieve.

 And here are a few sentences from 56% on my Kindle:
I ate the Slim Jim first, washing it down with the last of my Budweiser, and then the butterscotch candies, all six of them, one after the other, and then--still hungry, always hungry--turned my attention to the can of baked beans. I pried it open in tiny increments with the impossible can-opening device on my Swiss army knife, and then, too lazy to rummage through my pack for my spoon, I scooped them out with the knife itself and ate them--hobo-style--from the blade.

 Genre: Nonfiction / Women's Adventure
Length: 338 Pages
Amazon Link: Wild

If you're curious about the Pacific Crest Trail or would like more info, here's a link to a beautiful video: Tell It On The Mountain

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32 comments:

  1. JC JonesFebruary 27, 2014 at 5:22 PM

    That does not sound like something you want to happen out on the trail. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. VonnieFebruary 28, 2014 at 12:08 AM

    I've already added this one to my list :)

    My Post

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  3. jacquieFebruary 28, 2014 at 4:58 AM

    What a wonderful cover! Love it!

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    1. Sandra NachlingerFebruary 28, 2014 at 7:58 AM

      I guess she took this picture before her boot flew over the edge of the trail!

      Delete
  4. Juli RahelFebruary 28, 2014 at 5:45 AM

    Oh God, whenever we go hiking in the Alps and I take of my boots for a minute I hold onto them terrified they'll fall into a ravine or something! Thanks for sharing, it sounds really good :) I hope you have a great weekend

    My Friday Post

    Juli @ Universe in Words

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    1. Sandra NachlingerFebruary 28, 2014 at 7:59 AM

      If you read the book, you'll be surprised at how she dealt with this crisis.

      Delete
  5. CherylFebruary 28, 2014 at 6:21 AM

    Yikes. Doesn't sound like a good place to be, but looks like a fascinating read.

    Hope you'll visit me at http://www.thebusymomsdaily.com/2014/02/the-friday-56-week-167.html

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  6. UnknownFebruary 28, 2014 at 7:02 AM

    I just finished a non-fiction and loved it. This one sounds very interesting I will have to check it out. Great share.

    Hugs
    Caroline

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    1. Sandra NachlingerFebruary 28, 2014 at 7:59 AM

      It's written in such a way that you'd think it was fiction. I was fascinated.

      Delete
  7. gautami tripathyFebruary 28, 2014 at 7:38 AM

    Very intriguing. I would pick it up..

    Here is my Book Beginning post!

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    1. Sandra NachlingerFebruary 28, 2014 at 8:00 AM

      Thank you for stopping by. I'll check out your post too.

      Delete
  8. A Darker Shade of RosieFebruary 28, 2014 at 9:03 AM

    I have this book on my TBR and on my Nook! It sounds so good- thanks for the sneak peeks :)

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    1. Sandra NachlingerFebruary 28, 2014 at 9:07 AM

      I think you'll enjoy the story. Thank you for visiting my blog today.

      Delete
  9. LindsayFebruary 28, 2014 at 11:12 AM

    I really like the cover of this book, and enjoy walking and going on walking holidays but nothing to this extent! Glad you enjoyed this one, thanks for highlighting it.

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    1. Sandra NachlingerFebruary 28, 2014 at 11:55 AM

      I agree. It's really a great cover. Even if you can't remember the book's title, you'll remember the hiking boot!

      Delete
  10. YvonneFebruary 28, 2014 at 11:36 AM

    I'm glad you featured this on both the Tuesday and Friday posts. This book sounds really good.

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    1. Sandra NachlingerFebruary 28, 2014 at 11:55 AM

      I'm glad you enjoyed the posts. This was a book that will stay with me.

      Delete
  11. DNAPLFebruary 28, 2014 at 12:52 PM

    Hummm - I have seen this book around and been vaguely interested. A hiker without their boots is like a cowboy without their hat - just begging for something terrible to happen so I will be putting this on my TBR list just to find out what she did.

    I have to say though I have opened plenty of cans with my Swiss Army knife and never had a problem with it. Those things work just fine if you know how to work them.

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    1. Sandra NachlingerFebruary 28, 2014 at 1:10 PM

      This hiker was not at all prepared for her trek, but she met a lot of helpful people along the way.

      Delete
  12. AnonymousFebruary 28, 2014 at 3:48 PM

    Wow! She is a lot braver than I am. What a feat! Thanks for introducing me to this book.

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    1. Sandra NachlingerFebruary 28, 2014 at 3:56 PM

      She's braver than I am too! The Pacific Crest Trail is approximately 2,650 miles long.

      Delete
  13. fredamansFebruary 28, 2014 at 5:39 PM

    I'm really intrigued by the beginning! Happy weekend!

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  14. HazeFebruary 28, 2014 at 7:09 PM

    I recognized the cover and remembered checking this book out before. There's a movie based on this book, starring Reese Witherspoon, coming out later this year. I was gonna watch the movie and not read the book, but it sounds like the book is worth the read! Thanks for sharing! =)

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    1. Sandra NachlingerFebruary 28, 2014 at 8:34 PM

      I just found out about the movie too. It should be a good one. I usually like to read a book first and then see the movie.

      Delete
  15. Linda aka Crafty GardenerMarch 1, 2014 at 9:50 AM

    makes you wonder how the hike finished

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    1. Sandra NachlingerMarch 1, 2014 at 11:38 AM

      Absolutely. Nobody carries a spare pair of boots in their backpack.

      Delete
  16. BeaMarch 1, 2014 at 10:46 AM

    Well, that's an attention grabbing opening! I'm glad it wasn't me. The book sounds fascinating.

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    1. Sandra NachlingerMarch 1, 2014 at 11:37 AM

      The opening grabbed me too. I wondered how she could possibly handle that catastrophe. Of course I had to read on to find out.

      Delete
  17. ElizabethMarch 1, 2014 at 5:14 PM

    I keep hearing good things about WILD. THANKS for sharing and for stopping my blog earlier.


    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My Book Beginnings

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