Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

Put together Eat, Pray, Love and A Walk in the Woods plus brutal honesty and you get Wild.  Torn down by her mother's cancer and unexpected death, her own destructive behavior, and the eventual demise of her marriage, Strayed embarks on a solo journey along the Pacific Crest Trail.  She starts her 3 month trek in Southern California with pennies to live on, too small boots, zero trail experience, and an overly packed and terribly heavy backpack, nicknamed Monster.  In Wild, Strayed intertwines her past experiences that have led her to the PCT and the challenges she faced almost every day on the grueling and lonely hike.  From wild animals, constant thirst and hunger, pain all over, to record snowfall, blistering heat, and descents that cost her toenails, Strayed had one catastrophe after another.  However, she clearly had the determination to accomplish her goal to get from the Mojave to the Bridge of Gods.  This was another great book to follow along with Google Images and has left me with the desire to explore the PCT myself.  Thanks Dad for the suggestion!