This month’s book was Almost Somewhere: Twenty-Eight Days on the John Muir Trail 
by Suzanne Roberts (my affiliate link). This was a really fast read for me…something about the story just compelled me to keep on reading. In a nutshell, it is the account of the author and two girlfriends who decided to hike the John Muir Trail right after graduating from college. They meet and hike with various other people during their trail time and each person brings a little something to the story.
The hike took place back in 1993, a time when girls hiking the JMT alone was still a novelty. The author shares the story from notes in a journal she kept during the hike and each day is described as it unfolded and features mileage, weather, and association they have with other hikers and each other. Each girl brings a different personality and life experience to the hike and I ended up seeing a little of myself in each of them.
Although I may never hike the complete John Muir Trail, this book gave me another perspective on just how rigorous but doable it could be with planning and people who have a goal to achieve something great.
Some Quick Thoughts
- This book creates a good sense of the struggles and triumphs associated with hiking the JMT. The author has a nice storytelling style and she includes just enough detail in the plants, animals, scenery, and weather to make it interesting to the reader (at least this nature loving reader).
- There are lots of quotes from John Muir in the book that really add such a nice seasoning to the accounts shared in each chapter.
- I loved the way the book ends with a positive note and reflects on how the hiking experience had changed each person.
- This is definitely not for children or teens, but women twenty years and up will probably glean something from reading this book.
- There are adult themes like anorexia, bulimia, drug use, nudity, and unmarried sex discussed. The language is a little on the foul side at times but not overpowering. I usually don’t tolerate bad language but in this book it wasn’t a glaring annoyance. Evolution is referred to in several spots if that is an issue for you…it wasn’t for me.
Previous Month’s Books and Reviews
- The Wild Muir
- The Forest Unseen
- Grand Canyon-The Complete Guide
- Last Child in the Woods
- Keeping a Nature Journal
