What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedWild
Film · 2014
If you loved Wild, start with Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail (Cheryl Strayed, 2012) — a book from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Wild across media.
If you loved Wild, you will appreciate these stories of individuals finding personal transformation through the crucible of deep, raw adversity.
Start with the source
The source
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
Cheryl Strayed · Book · 2012
Books on the same thread
Educated: A Memoir
Tara Westover · Book · 2018
Shares a thread with Wild: Self-discovery.
Like the protagonist of Wild, you will find a mirror in this memoir of self-discovery, where the struggle to overcome a fractured past leads to a hard-won personal independence.
Untamed: Reese's Book Club
Glennon Doyle · Book · 2020
Shares a thread with Wild: self-discovery.
Much like the internal journey depicted in Wild, this memoir invites you to break free from societal expectations and embrace a path of radical, authentic self-discovery and personal liberation.
Hatchet
Gary Paulsen, Peter Coyote · Book · 2004
Shares a thread with Wild: Resilience.
If the wilderness survival in Wild resonated with you, you will appreciate this story of a youth relying on resilience and self-reliance to endure isolation after a traumatic event.
Educated
Tara Westover · Book · 2018
Explores: Survivalism, Generational trauma, Academic ambition.
This memoir echoes the themes of resilience found in Wild, documenting how a woman leaves a restrictive past to forge her own identity through grit and intellectual pursuit.
Series on the same thread
Lost
Jeffrey Lieber · Series · 2004
Explores: Survival, Secrets, Moral Ambiguity.
Just as the Pacific Crest Trail tests the lead character in Wild, this series forces survivors to confront their inner demons and secrets while navigating a harsh, isolated environment.
Sybil
Series · 1976
Shares a thread with Wild: Biographical Drama.
This story of navigating childhood trauma parallels the psychological weight carried by the lead in Wild, offering a deep look into the process of healing from a fractured history.
True Detective
Nic Pizzolatto · Series · 2014
Explores: Moral Ambiguity, Existentialism, Corruption.
If you were drawn to the dark, introspective nature of the protagonist in Wild, you will find a similar exploration of existentialism and hidden trauma within this investigative narrative.
Enlightened
Mike White · Series · 2011
Shares a thread with Wild: Personal Transformation.
This series captures the same spirit of messy, nonlinear personal growth seen in Wild, focusing on one woman’s attempt to find redemption after a life-altering public breakdown.
Podcasts on the same thread
We Can Do Hard Things
Treat Media and Glennon Doyle · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Vulnerability, Personal growth, Emotional support.
This podcast serves as a conversational companion to the themes of vulnerability in Wild, providing a supportive space for the ongoing, difficult work of honest personal growth.
Grief to Growth
Podcast
Shares a thread with Wild: resilience.
This podcast mirrors the emotional arc of Wild, offering a raw look at how one navigates the profound landscape of grief to build a new life through resilience.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Wild based on a book?
Yes, the 2014 movie Wild is based on the 2012 memoir titled Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. The source material details the author's real-life experiences hiking one thousand miles along the Pacific Crest Trail to recover from a tragic past.
What is the plot of the movie Wild?
The movie Wild follows a woman struggling with a tragic past who decides to begin a new life by hiking one thousand miles on the Pacific Crest Trail. The story focuses on her solitary journey of physical and emotional endurance throughout the trek.
Should I read the book Wild before watching the movie?
Reading the 2012 book Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail before watching the 2014 movie is a personal choice. Both versions cover the same central narrative of a woman hiking one thousand miles on the Pacific Crest Trail to overcome her tragic past.
How long is the journey depicted in Wild?
In both the 2012 book and the 2014 movie Wild, the protagonist undertakes a challenging journey that spans one thousand miles. The trek takes place along the Pacific Crest Trail as she attempts to move forward from a tragic past and start a new life.