Official Review: Almost Somewhere by Suzanne Roberts

[kayla1080]

Since I liked Wild, my friend Grace suggested I read Almost Somewhere, a woman’s account of her and her two friends hiking the John Muir Trail after graduating college.

I felt that Suzanne, the author, shared a more honest and straightforward narrative than Wild by Cheryl Strayed. She recognized the obstacles and vulnerabilities of women hiking any long-distance trail without throwing herself blindly into it. She also tried to put herself in John Muir’s shoes, sharing his famous quotes and appreciation of the great outdoors. She just charged along with her friends, over 230 miles, without complaining much. I liked that very chapter started out with a John Muir quote and her connection to nature (my favorite being, “The mountains are calling, and I must go”).

There were times when Suzanne could’ve felt down and out. She hiked the JMT with a sick friend (Dionne), and a competitive adventurist, Erika (who Dionne and Suzanne nicknamed the Commander). While the three girls hiked together most of the way by themselves, there were times when they picked up men, sometimes ones who were a little sketchy or ones they vied for their attention, in turn changing their group dynamic and competitiveness with each other.

It is quite impressive for anyone to go on a long-distance hike like that and to travel on your own two feet for a month. It takes a lot of courage and endurance, no matter how prepared you think you are and who you hike with. There’s always the fear of injury, other animals, and the preserving threat of other people. Suzanne had her share of adversity- she walked too slow, they ran out of food, she lost the map. There were times when she questioned if she would make it, but couldn’t give up, especially with her friends alongside her. Karma always seemed to give back in mysterious ways which kept them going, too.

Despite complications that you’re bound to have out there, Suzanne managed to observe the beauty of wildflowers, animals, and feel gratitude in the expanse of the Sierras. The girls met interesting people- drunk men on the top of Half Dome, a young cowboy who shared his poetry, a fighting couple who Erika had to flash to get out of their campsite, and freeloading hippies. The ways they dealt with intruders was quite entertaining. But Suzanne kept a certain distance and remained cautious of the strangers they hiked with. She noticed a difference in her own behavior when it was just them (she wasn’t quite as lazy when it came to completing manlike tasks). They hiked together and went the whole distance from Mt. Whitney to Yosemite, and Suzanne learned a little more about herself along the way (and developed her love of writing).

I thought Almost Somewhere was well-written and entertaining, therefore I would rate it 3 out of 4 stars. It had more of a connection to the outdoors than Wild did, maybe because of John Muir’s influence. This book is more relatable to females, although Wild is more heart-wrenching. They are both completely different writing styles, though. I will end with this quote on life, whether hiking or not: “No right way is easy in this rough world”- John Muir

[bookowlie]

Nice review. Although I didn't care for Wild by Cheryl Strayed, this book sounds great!