Thirst - by Heather Anderson (Paperback)

About the Book

"Beautiful and deftly written and intimate and searing in its honesty, Anish's is a quest to conquer the trail and her own inner darkness." --Kristine Morris, Foreword Reviews

Book Synopsis

"Beautiful and deftly written and intimate and searing in its honesty, Anish's is a quest to conquer the trail and her own inner darkness." -- Foreword Reviews

"Filled with ruminative self-reflection, soaring natural descriptions and delightful accounts of the gracious, life-sustaining 'trail magic' of hiking culture, Thirst is a testament to human endurance, inspiring to hikers and non-hikers alike." -- Shelf Awareness

"A refreshingly candid account of how an average person can harness a steadfast determination to achieve the spectacular." ― Outside

Named "50 Best Hiking Books of all Time" by BACKPACKER MAGAZINE

By age twenty-five, Heather Anderson had hiked the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide Trails--a combined distance of nearly eight thousand miles with a vertical gain of more than one million feet. Then, feeling it was time to settle down, Heather retired from long-distance hiking, married, and started a career. But her urge for wilderness was too strong, and she realized that nothing could replace the comfort she found while hiking. Her marriage crumbled. She quit her job. And she walked back into the mountains.

In Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home, Heather, whose trail name is "Anish," explores her motivations in returning to the trail--and to her record-setting success on the PCT when she hiked 40-plus miles a day, often walking late into the night by glow of a headlamp, and facing down rattlesnakes, mountain lions, bears, raging rivers, snow, and lightning. She shares her joy in leaving behind a mundane life, and amid the rigors of the trail--the pain, fear, loneliness, and dangers--she discovers the greater rewards of both community and self-fulfillment. She learns that setting records is merely a catalyst, teaching her how to live a life of courage, confidence, and purpose.

Review Quotes

Thirst by Heather "Anish" Anderson is a wonderfully written memoir rich in autobiographical detail of her record-setting fastest known thru-hike (FKT) of the Pacific Crest Trail. For Anish, her Thirst was able to overcome every physical or psychological obstacle in her path and there's a lesson in that for us all.--Philip Werner "SectionHiker.com"

Thirst: 2,600 Miles to Home...draws from exhaustive journal entries written on the trail to track all 60 days, 17 hours, and 12 minutes of her record-setting PCT hike in captivating detail. But perhaps more impressive is the way it paints a complex portrait of the strong-willed yet vulnerable human being behind what seems like a superhuman feat.... A refreshingly candid account of how an average person can harness a steadfast determination to achieve the spectacular.--Shawnté Salabert "Outside"

[Thirst's] narrative is much more than a tale of the rigors of trail life. For someone whose now well-known feats of physical endurance make her seem like a superhero, Anderson's story is an open and vulnerable exploration of her inner frailties, self-doubt and search for purpose.--Kim Himstreet "The Bulletin"

Early in her new memoir, Thirst, Heather "Anish" Anderson finds herself under the punishing sun on the Pacific Crest Trail, without water and debating whether to press the button on her emergency beacon. She keeps going--and that's the lesson at the core of the book. Keep going. Put one foot in front of the next.... Her message--be courageous and do what makes you happy. You're more capable than you might believe.--Sheila Miller "1889 Magazine"

Filled with ruminative self-reflection, soaring natural descriptions and delightful accounts of the gracious, life-sustaining "trail magic" of hiking culture, Thirst is a testament to human endurance, inspiring to hikers and non-hikers alike.--Hannah Calkins "Shelf Awareness, STARRED review"

Heather Anderson's book is much like her extraordinary trail accomplishments: extremely personal yet universally inspiring. She exposes the value of following a path apart from the mainstream, and convinces readers of their own ability to unleash personal reserves of endurance to push beyond mental limitations and cultural expectations.--Jennifer Pharr Davis "author of The Pursuit of Endurance"

Impressive as her hiking accomplishments are, [Heather Anderson] can now add one more accolade to the list: author. In her memoir Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home, Heather details her 2015 FKT attempt of the PCT while offering readers glimpses into her personal life and background that led her to hiking.-- "The Trek"

In no uncertain terms, Heather 'Anish' Anderson is a legend in the long-distance hiking community. Thirst delivers an emotional, inspiring, and beautifully written narrative about the achievement that first put her on this map.--Zach Davis "editor-in-chief of The Trek"

Just like Heather thru-hikes the PCT from Mexico to Canada, you will thru-read Thirst cover to cover for insight into her impressive accomplishments.--Gina Lucrezi "founder of Trail Sisters"

Thirst is the kind of book that sits in your bones. It makes you want to push harder at whatever it is you do. Anish is possibly the greatest athlete in the world, but she didn't start that way. This book gives you hope and courage by showing that no matter who you are or where you are at now, you can do more.--Liz "Snorkel" Thomas "author of Long Trails: Mastering the Art of the Thru-Hike"

With humility and vulnerability, Heather 'Anish' Anderson reminds us that the most impressive feats of strength and endurance are entirely human endeavors, achieved one step at a time. Thirst takes the reader to the trail, but also to the heart.--Ben Montgomery "author of Grandma Gatewood's Walk"

With 28,000 miles to her name, National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Heather Anderson has made history on America's most iconic trails.... What makes [Heather] tick is nothing more than the determination to keep walking...that attitude applies whether the 36-year-old Anderson is seeking another hiking record or writing her book, Thirst: 2,600 Miles to Home.... The "thirst" of the title is both literal (she's stuck without water on the Southern California desert sections of the trail in June) and metaphorical (the force that her keeps her pursuing thru-hiking records).--Doug Schnitzspahn "National Geographic"

A Triple Crown backpacker (AT, PCT, CDT) by age 25, Anderson met a whole-life meltdown by walking through the pain. It was the only way she could find the home she was looking for.--Peter Moore "Backpacker "50 Best Hiking Books of All Time""

Cheryl Strayed became famous for Wild, her bestselling memoir of (mis)adventure as a novice backpacker on the Pacific Crest Trail. But that's only one third of hiking's "Triple Crown." By the age of 25, Heather Anderson--or "Anish," as she's known on the single-track--had already completed not only the PCT, but the Appalachian Trail and Continental Divide Trail, as well. She didn't get it out of her system, either; the experience sparked profound life changes spurred her on to even more feats, including FKTs (Fastest Known Times), ultramarathons, and another circuit of the Triple--achievements that compelled National Geographic to designate her their 2019 Adventurer of the Year.--Jon Foro "Omnivoracious, The Amazon Book Review "Recommended""

An exhilarating personal tale of a legendary feat.--Mary Vermillion "Cascadia Daily News"

Beautiful and deftly written and intimate and searing in its honesty, Anish's is a quest to conquer the trail and her own inner darkness.--Kristine Morris "Foreword Reviews, STARRED review"

How does someone go from an overweight high-schooler to a record-breaking endurance hiker? Certainly not by the conventional route. Averaging 40-plus miles a day, despite dehydration, sleep deprivation, and nighttime encounters with wild animals, Anderson simply never stops walking. Along the trail, she makes peace with her recent divorce and her decision to shuck societal pressure in order to live a non-traditional lifestyle. For her, a purposeful life means to dream big, live courageously, and move in sync with nature.--Brenda Barrera "Booklist"

In an illuminating debut memoir about her solo, glass-ceiling and record-smashing thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, Heather Anderson heralds the simple empowering act of putting one foot in front of another.--Lauren Matison "Shape"

The book peels back the layers of accomplishment to uncover the hard, real parts, and to show the emotional ups and downs that come over the course of the 2,650 miles, especially when you have a record in mind, and you're running from the disappointment of your former life.--Heather Hansman "REI Co-op Journal"

The reader is transported onto the trail with her. If you liked Wild, you'll want to read this one.--Jaime Herndon "Book Riot"

Thirst reads quickly and is well written... It's personal, with open discussions of Anish's failed marriage, unfulfilling attempt at conventional life, and her struggles as an overweight child. Finally, it's a unique book--Anish's experiences put her in rare company.--Andrew Skurka "Outside"

You don't need to be a thru-hiker to feel inspired by the grit on every page of this book--part trail log, part redemption story.... Consider yourself warned: Once you pick this one up, you won't want to put it down.--Ashley Brown "REI Co-op Journal"