The Cactus Eaters: How I Lost My Mind-and Almost Found Myself-on the Pacific Crest Trail (P.S.)
The Cactus Eaters: How I Lost My Mind-and Almost Found Myself-on the Pacific Crest Trail (P.S.)
The Pacific Crest Trail stretches from Mexico to Canada, a distance of 2,650 grueling, sun-scorched, bear-infested miles. When Dan White and his girlfriend announced their intention to hike it, Dan’s parents—among others—thought they were nuts. How could two people who’d never even shared an apartment together survive six months in the desert with little more than a two-person tent and some trail mix? But when these addled adventurers, dubbed “the Lois and Clark Expedition” by their benevolent trail-guru, set out for the American wilderness, the hardships of the trail—and one delicious-looking cactus—test the limits of love and sanity.
User Ratings and Reviews
3 Stars Travelling the Lower G.I. Trail
This book started with a lot of momentum and seemed to fizzle out at the end. But overall it’s a decent read, especially if you have an interest in hiking or trekking. I agree other reviewers that it was not so much intended as a blow by blow trail guide as a “finding myself” story. So I’ll forgive the lack of detail about the trail and scenery. Still, I would imagine many who are interested in reading the book are looking for the PC Trail experience rather than introspection and self analysis.
I found the seeming fascination with bodily functions rather unappealing, From start to finish, the reader is given an unforgettable tour of White’s ailimentary canal and follow various meals from intake to output…if you know what I mean. I would rather have read more trail descriptions than endless discussions about elimination of bodily waste.
The best thing about the book were the colorful characters who walk the trail or who are “trail angels” helping hikers along their merry way. They made the story rather than simply being background.
2 Stars A retreat into narcissism, via the PCT
The story engages one’s interest on many levels through a telling that is jam-packed with fascinating details and portraits of interesting characters–much in the style of John McPhee (one of my favorite authors). Unlike McPhee, however, White’s own (progressively more annoying) personality impinges on the reader’s ability to actually enjoy the story. I’ll admit that this may be something of a hollow critique, owing to the fact that the title doesn’t specifically advertise the book as strictly an account of hiking the PCT. The story is of the author’s “almost finding” of himself.
But particularly on that level, the story is lackluster and pointedly disingenuous fare. Aspects of the author’s mindset and personality that are initially somewhat charming become, within a surprisingly short space, almost nausea-inducing. White’s toxic mixture of infantile narcissism, insecurity, and inexcusable incompetence becomes evident early-on and only gets deeper with each page. If it ever led anywhere–if the author would actually lower shields and offer a glimpse into the effects of the trip on his true self–it might all be tolerable. Instead, however, the reader is subject to a non-stop onslaught of White’s desperate, cloying attempts to illustrate how his asinine behavior, selfishness, and barely-masked contempt for the wilderness are, in the end, great character strengths which we are to witness with reverence and awe. Fairly trivial inconveniences and unplanned events–inconveniences and events well-known to every weekend backpacker–become, in the hands of the author, tremendous and overwhelming ordeals that he surmounts through the force of sheer strength and superhuman will. (As a reasonably-seasoned backpacker and through-hiker, I look at every event described in the book and can’t help think: `Um… Yeah? So? Big deal!’)
Another particular point of great annoyance is White’s incessant need to remind the reader time after time and time again that his girlfriend-companion on the trip is really, really exceptionally attractive, and that they had sex a lot. The set-up for these childish, winking reminders comes early in the book, where the reader is treated to an inexplicably detailed and lengthy accounting of the author’s gawky (and utterly commonplace) boy-meets-girl story. Besides being pointlessly detailed, the account is so fastidiously one-sided and sexist that it is actually difficult to read. The girl, Allison, is reduced–truly reduced–to a robot-like non-entity. She is set-up as a barely sentient sex-object who serves dutifully, with a smile and nod, at the behest of White’s pleasure. (Spoiler alert) The fact that White doesn’t “end-up” with Allison is the most pleasing thing about the book. I’m happy for her.
I’m glad, too, that White inserted that “almost” into the subtitle, for he doesn’t even come close to “finding” himself. It’s not so much that he doesn’t quite manage it as he doesn’t even try. Far from it–he clearly doesn’t want to find himself, for fear of who he really is. This seems clear enough from the sense one gets that White’s “self-deprecating” style is really more self-congratulatory than deprecating (`Hey, look at me! See how self-deprecating and down-to-earth I am!’). A more accurate subtitle might be: `how I set-out to use the PCT to retreat further into my narcissism, and succeeded brilliantly, as usual.’
5 Stars Great adventure-journey read
I am a bit of a “connoisseur” of adventure journey books… Well, I mean I just love reading them. Have read just about every one I can get my hands on… Cactus Eaters is one of the very best I have read, comparable to bill bryson’s book. I love White’s humor, use of unusual language and terms, open and honest descriptions, and coverage of the psychological aftermath of a through-hike.
2 Stars Not as impressed with this book as its author is.
Because I came to this book as someone interested in actually hiking the trail, I might not be the right audience for Cactus Eaters. Who would be the proper audience for this book? Someone I suppose who is very interested in the author and his girlfriend, maybe. I stuck with it to the bitter end even though the phony baloney “edgy-nerd” routine got on my nerves pretty early on and even though the author has an annoying habit of having his characters speak in long, uninterrupted (and unconvincing) paragraphs. I even stuck with the book after it was clear the whole quest thing (of actually completing the whole trail) was just a marketing ploy. A lot of the scenic descriptions are well written and the author manages to convey the unpleasant realities that must be endured on a months long trail walk. It’s also true that the book is just interesting enough to make one root for the protagonists most of the way. But none of that makes up for the disappointment at the end when so much of what was promised doesn’t happen, and the narrator either doesn’t realize it or doesn’t have the capacity to comment on it.
Also, for what it’s worth, a personal pet peeve: I hate when authors use the phrase “my students” when reporting what people said about their writing. Like this guy thinks he’s Socrates or something. It’s just a way of letting the reader know, even though he can quote rap music, he still a learned academic. Bet the kids call him “dude,” when he takes them out for beer after workshop.
4 Stars innisfree23
i did enjoy this book. i am a long time hiker who always dreams of taking off from the contraints of conventional life! i have yet to do it. but in the mean time i do enjoy stories such as this one. i’m not sure i could say it was brilliant, but it was very good. i absolutely would recommend reading it to folks like myself…we hike, and we DREAM.
Filed under: Mental Health Book Reviews