Adventure, travel, science, feminism, and nature all rolled into one.
From a home of mundane normality in England, follow nineteen-year-old Erin as she journeys across the Atlantic, through Iceland, Greenland, and Canada, to reach the wilderness – Alaska.
Erin seeks to document her own adventure and explore the idea of the ‘Mountain Man’. She questions why men are able to live so freely among the wilds, celebrated for their bravery and achievements, rather than shunned by society. She wonders why it is only ever men she sees as adventurers – so decides to seek adventure herself.
Her goal is to survive in a cabin within the snowy landscape of Alaska, living off minimum rations and taking what she can from the land. Throughout her journey, Erin muses on topics ranging from the pill, Rachel Carson, the moon landings, Ted Kaczynski, Inuit culture, Chris McCandless, nuclear weapons, and an array of other diverse subjects.
There have not been many times where after finishing a book I’ve had to sit and contemplate what I had just read. Whilst reading, I often had to pause between chapters and sit with my thoughts. There were viewpoints that challenged me, and at times I found myself disagreeing with – but this is what I loved about this book. Great writing should challenge you and change the way you think.
Throughout the book, there is an openness to Erin’s thoughts. It is this vulnerability that I feel resonated so deeply with me; this complete honesty, of which is very much needed when you are laid bare before nature. The Word for Woman is Wilderness is incredibly immersive, thought-provoking, and inspiring. As soon as I finished the last page and closed the cover, I wanted to pack my bags and seek my own adventure.
