Into the wild

Been trying to look for this book. Saw part of the movie and thought it seemed rather interesting. The book talks about the travels of Chris mcCandless, who despite having a scholarship for college, dropped everything and wandered the US with the bare minimals. He later hitchhiked his way to Alaska and even adopted a moniker called Alex supertramp. Unfortunately, the young man was later found dead in an abandoned bus in Alaska. The cause of his death is still under speculation. I just find it rather interesting how someone could one day wake up and decided to change the course of his life. Most people would have followed the crowd and took the path most travelled- College, career, marriage,kids. To pursue the life of a homeless man when you have a bright future ahead of you seems counterintuitive. Thought it might be interesting if the book, written by Jon krakauer, could tell the readers why Chris chose the life he did.

Trapped

Here I am lost again.
Trapped in your web of lies.
I've gotten myself entangled again.
In that make-believe world you've built.
I long to leave.
I long for that taste of freedom.
Which eludes me yet again.
I have nowhere to run to
No safe haven.
Running in circles
Back to that darkness
I long to escape from.

Half Broke Horses-Jeannette Walls

Another compelling book by Jeannette Walls. This is sorta like a prequel to The Glass Castle, which I had previously reviewed. Half Broke Horses is a biography on Jeannette Walls' late grandmother, an amazing woman who was fearless and unafraid to break traditions. Interestingly, the book was written in the first person and I am pretty impressed at how Walls managed to revive the spirit of her grandmother. You can almost believe that the book was written by Lily Casey Smith herself.

Lily Casey Smith was born on a farm and at a young age, was able to tame half broke horses that people might have given up on. She was the tough one amongst the three Smiths, while her youngest sister was the pretty one that everyone thought would have a bright future. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Lily's sister had dreams of Hollywood but never quite made it. Instead, she got herself pregnant and later killed herself when she could not live with the humiliation.

Lily's resume would have impressed many, even at this age and time. She was a rancher, teacher, pilot, horse tamer (she could put many a cowboys to shame), etc. She had a lot of gumption, uprooting herself from home on a horse and travelled for months just to accept a teaching job. She seemed to be invincible! I wished we could all be a little more like her, be a little less fearful, not afraid of taking risks, love adventures a little more....

I think all women should read this book, in the hope of finding that adventurer hiding in us...