Full Title:
Wild: from lost to found on the Pacific Crest Trail

Genre:
Non-Fiction, Autobiography, American, Coming-of-age, Mental Health, Psychology

Summary:
Wild is the true story of Cheryl Strand’s adventurous journey into the uninhabited wilderness of the Pacific Crest Trail. A daunting endeavour, the PCT is 2,663 mi (4,286 km) long, running the span of the U.S./Mexico and U.S./Canada borders. Strayed takes on the challenge of hiking the trail alone- at the age of 26 – after a devastating sequence of events leaves her feeling utterly confused and hungry for change. The trail, in all its majestic and ruthless beauty, will show Cheryl what it means to be human again and what it takes to go from lost to found.

My Thoughts:
Strayed is one of those authors that pulls at your heart strings, revealing both the immense wonder and immense sadness of the human experience. Her courageous decision to upheave her life and embark in a new direction is an example we can all learn from. Instead of becoming paralyzed by a series of heart wrenching events, Strayed uses them as fodder to become her best self – to live, love and set herself free.

I always find it inspiring to read true stories of redemption. Stories about people who didn’t let life knock them done. Stories about people who fought their way out of the trenches. Strayed’s story doesn’t disappoint either. I hope you will join her in the pursuit of life’s most elusive and magical thing – happiness.

Borrow Wild: from lost to found to found on the Pacific Crest Trail from your local Vaughan library.

And also from Strayed: Tiny Beautiful Things: advice on love and life from Dear Sugar. Review to follow!

Full Title:
Sleeping Naked is Green: how an eco-cynic unplugged her fridge, sold her car, and found love in 366 days

Genre:
Non-Fiction, Memoir, Canadian, Environmentalism, Social Commentary

Summary:
Join Torontonian and National Post journalist Vanessa Farquharson as she pledges to make one environmentally conscious decision everyday for one year. During her journey she will have to make sacrifices both big (selling her car/unplugging her fridge) and small (sleeping naked/showering in the dark). Throughout the challenge, Farquharson documents her experiences in a blog she names “Green as a Thistle.” Farquharson will discover much about herself, making friends and finding love along the way.

My Thoughts:
Farquharson’s memoir exudes wit, enthusiasm and energy. It was also a pleasure to connect with a locally based writer. Her ironic and humourous tone had me engaged from start to finish. I consider myself a fairly eco-friendly person, but I was surprised to see just how many things can be ‘greened’ in your life!

Check out Farquharson’s blog here: http://greenasathistle.com/.

Borrow Sleeping Naked is Green: how an eco-cynic unplugged her fridge, sold her car, and found love in 366 days from your local Vaughan Library today!

Genre:
Psychological Fiction, Realistic Fiction, International

Summary:
Edward and Florence are newlyweds in July 1962 when they reach their honeymoon destination – a beachfront hotel on the Dorset coast.

The two are flushed and excited from their recent marriage. But the air is thick with trepidation as their minds flood with thoughts of the night ahead.

Edward worries about his lack of sexual experience, while Florence wonders how their chaste relationship will make the leap to physical intimacy.

As the two struggle to work out their thoughts – and reminisce about their courtship – consummation looms ominously ahead and neither seem quite prepared for what happens next.

My Thoughts:
I had a hard time with this novel, not because it wasn’t sufficiently interesting or suspenseful, but possibly because it was too short and yet overly descriptive all at once. There is a lot of information to absorb in such a deceptively slim 166 page novel!

At the same time, it’s one of those novels I couldn’t put down. Ian McEwan takes the human experience, and all of its ironies and incoherencies, and successful transcribes them into paper form.

To Edward, Florence is at once elusive and impenetrable. To the reader, she is almost painfully translucent. I could not help but relate to Florence on some levels. Bound by convention and her own rigidity, Florence is ill prepared for the night that awaits her. But it is Edward too who must come to terms with his own inhibitions.

Borrow On Chesil Beach from your local Vaughan Library today!