Author Cheryl Strayed discusses her experience hiking more than 1,000 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail — a trip that inspired her New York Times–bestselling memoir, Wild — during a talk at the Moss Arts Center on Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Presented in partnership with Virginia Tech’s Department of English Visiting Writers Series, “A WILD Life” will be held in the Moss Arts Center’s Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre, located within the Street and Davis Performance Hall at 190 Alumni Mall.

At the age of 22, Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered, and her own marriage was soon destroyed. With no experience or training and driven only by blind will, she would take to the Pacific Crest Trail, traveling over 1,000 miles alone.

Strayed describes this trek in her book, Wild, which was the basis of the Oscar-nominated movie of the same name starring Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern.

The author will discuss what she learned about how to bear the unbearable, how to move from grief and anger to acceptance, and how to keep walking even when it seems impossible to stand.

Strayed is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Tiny Beautiful Things and Brave Enough, as well as the novel Torch. Her essays have been published in The Best American Essays, the New York Times, Washington Post Magazine, and Vogue. She is the co-host of WBUR’s hit podcast “Dear Sugar Radio” with Steve Almond.

This program is supported in part by a gift from Donna Mitchell.

Immediately following the event, Strayed will be available in the Moss Arts Center’s Grand Lobby for a book-signing event. Her books will be available for purchase.

In conjunction with her visit, the author will also lead a free craft talk, where she will discuss her approach to writing and engage in an informal question-and-answer session. Registration for the craft talk is currently full.