By Marnie Kunz,
Certified trainer and run coach

This Will to Wild book review is based on my experience reading the book Will to Wild: Adventures Great and Small to Change Your Life by Shelby Stanger. This inspiring book offers a variety of stories of people embarking on outdoor adventures around the world. Also, it includes the author’s own personal story of how she went from being a journalist to pursuing her dream of surfing and outdoor expeditions. Author Shelby Stanger is also the host of Wild Ideas Worth Living. In this REI podcast, she interviews people pursuing epic outdoor feats, which gives her lots of material for the book. The book offers insights and tips on how to go on your own wild adventures and highlights the possibilities through other people’s stories.

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Will to Wild Book Review

Summary

Will to Wild begins with Shelby’s own personal experience, beginning from her career as a journalist who grew restless and dissatisfied with her daily life. She decided to pursue her own wild idea to surf in some of the most challenging waves in the world, moving her life across the world to embrace more adventures in the great outdoors. On her surfing journey, Shelby teaches her first surf class and goes on to teach more beginning surfers, bringing her passion for the sport to the lives of her students.

Shelby shares anecdotes from others who also made transformative life decisions and set out to explore and experience the raw beauty of nature. This is her first book, and Shelby offers an inspiring instructional manual for how to embrace more adventure in life and achieve a healthier work-life balance. From journeying along a remote portion of the Amazon River to tackling death-defying waves, Shelby offers a buoyant mix of inspiration from her own experiences as well.

In the book, Shelby details the journeys through wild terrain of people ranging from seasoned ultra-runners to a suburban mom in her mid-fifties who picks up rock climbing and becomes a certified instructor to her peers. She tells the stories of longtime thru-hikers on epic trails who push through their comfort zones to hike the South Pole and achieve higher levels of personal fulfillment.

Will to Wild provides practical tips and advice on everything from overcoming fear and self-doubt to planning and executing adventures. Throughout the book, Shelby emphasizes the transformative power of nature and how spending time outdoors can lead to personal growth and fulfillment.

Themes

No Will to Wild book review would be complete without exploring the overall relationships between nature, exploration, and conquering inner demons. The book delves into the phenomenon of trail signs, which offer inspiring clues as to wild adventures that beckon thrill seekers into the unknown. Trail signs may appear at any time during outdoor excursions, encouraging folks to embrace adventures that are meant for them.

The book also highlights the power of resilience, connection with the environment, and the power of challenging oneself. Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or a new hiker learning to pitch a tent, enthusiastic outdoorswoman Shelby Stanger encourages you to continue pursuing the urge to embark on your own wild adventures.

Will to Wild is a guidebook that offers an actionable tip at the end of each chapter to encourage readers to enjoy more outdoor experiences. The book shows how different outdoor people have encountered and overcome death-defying challenges, and offers insights and tactics to help you push past challenges that may arise on your own outdoor adventures.

Writing Style

Podcaster Shelby Stanger's accessible, relatable writing style makes Will to Wild an engrossing read. Shelby’s stories of her own outdoor expeditions and the experiences of other athletes offer endless inspiration to get outside and embark on more adventures. This step-by-step instruction manual also includes common challenges that can arise and offers tips at the end of each chapter to encourage readers.

From the moment the first inkling of inspiration hits to crossing the finish line of an epic outdoor feat, the book explores the limitless potential of exploring nature and conquering our fears. Shelby has a personal, easy-to-read writing style, and her skill at telling others’ stories shows how she also became the creator of the hit podcast Wild Ideas Worth Living, a REI Co-op Studios production.

As a woman, I also appreciated reading a diverse range of tales from adventurers in the book. Sometimes outdoor sports can be very male-dominated, and I enjoyed reading about women pursuing their own wild ideas.

My Reaction to Will to Wild

I really enjoyed reading Will to Wild. As a growing trail running enthusiast, it inspired me to take a leap of faith and sign up for more challenging trail races. The book offers the ultimate guide to pushing yourself to greater heights while enjoying the incredible natural world.

Since the author, Shelby Stanger, is also a podcast host who interviews outdoor adventurers, she has a wealth of stories about outdoor feats and experiences that defy the odds. I enjoyed learning about other people’s explorations around the world. The author’s instructional style tips are also helpful for making concrete plans to embark on your own adventures. Overall, this book inspired me to get outside more, to take on new challenges, and to follow my love of the trails.

Will to Wild Book Reviews from Peers

Shelby’s adventure junkie peers have weighed in with their own praise for Will to Wild. Here are a few snippets:

“A rollicking operating manual for navigating modern malaise,” says James Nestor, an award-winning science journalist who has written for publications like Outside magazine and NPR.

“With Shelby’s characteristic strength and vulnerability, Will to Wild is the ultimate guide for anyone looking to try something new,” says Captain Liz Clark, author of Swell, who has sailed over 20,000 miles of ocean.

Order Will to Wild

You can order the Will to Wild book from Bookshop.org, the best resource for books from local, independent booksellers.

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Happy exploring to you!

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach, dog lover, Akita mom, and writer based in Brooklyn, NY. She is the founder of Runstreet and Book of Dog.

Will to Wild Book Review - Inspiration for Adventure