What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wilder Way: A Memoir of Adventure, Freedom, and an Uncharted Life
From the internationally beloved YouTube adventurer and National Geographic TV host, a singular and fearless new travel memoir packed with inspiration for leading a more vibrant, wild, and authentic life.
Are you living with a capital “L”? When was the last time you truly felt you were your wildest, most free, most alive self? Eva zu Beck, professional storyteller and avid adventurer believes our best life is available to each of us, in every moment. But we have to seize it. The comfort we crave can also be “a silent killer of dreams.” Whether your dream is to scale a foreign mountain, hike a local trail, or pick up a paint brush, Eva’s message is The world belongs to the brave.
But it wasn’t always this Seven years ago, Eva was a young, well-paid corporate executive living the high life in London, dressed in designer clothes with a handsome, equally successful fiancé on her arm. But as she walked down the aisle on the day of her wedding, the tears she shed were not tears of joy as their guests thought, but of a deep, unnamed sadness. Nearly a year later, Eva quit her high-paying job, left her picture-perfect marriage, and bought a one-way ticket to Nepal.
What she didn’t know then was that she was embarking on a seven-year journey that would take her from Mongolia’s wilderness to Yemen’s remote islands to the Arctic Circle—and ultimately to a life of profound meaning and purpose. This extraordinary memoir chronicles one woman’s transformation from someone living society’s idea of a best life to a person discovering the truth of her own.
Through heart-pounding adventures and raw, intimate storytelling, Eva reveals how stepping off life’s conventional highway—what she calls the path of “mortgage, marriage, lineage”—opened her world to experiences she never imagined learning to trek solo with horses across Mongolia, surviving three months alone on a desert island in Yemen during COVID, driving an eighteen-year-old truck from Mexico to Alaska, and attempting a 300-mile ultramarathon in the Arctic Circle. But this isn’t just a collection of daring feats. Each chapter not only details a life-altering experience but reveals the hidden lessons Eva learned along the way. It’s a blueprint for anyone who feels trapped by society’s expectations and longs to create a life of genuine adventure, connection, and meaning.
Eva’s story arrives at a crucial moment, when many are questioning traditional definitions of success and seeking alternatives to lives spent largely indoors, in front of screens, disconnected from nature and authentic human connection. Through her experiences learning rare indigenous languages, living with remote communities, and pushing her body and spirit to their limits, Eva demonstrates that extraordinary lives aren’t just for the wealthy or specially gifted—they’re available to anyone brave enough to step off the beaten path and trust their heart.
Are you living with a capital “L”? When was the last time you truly felt you were your wildest, most free, most alive self? Eva zu Beck, professional storyteller and avid adventurer believes our best life is available to each of us, in every moment. But we have to seize it. The comfort we crave can also be “a silent killer of dreams.” Whether your dream is to scale a foreign mountain, hike a local trail, or pick up a paint brush, Eva’s message is The world belongs to the brave.
But it wasn’t always this Seven years ago, Eva was a young, well-paid corporate executive living the high life in London, dressed in designer clothes with a handsome, equally successful fiancé on her arm. But as she walked down the aisle on the day of her wedding, the tears she shed were not tears of joy as their guests thought, but of a deep, unnamed sadness. Nearly a year later, Eva quit her high-paying job, left her picture-perfect marriage, and bought a one-way ticket to Nepal.
What she didn’t know then was that she was embarking on a seven-year journey that would take her from Mongolia’s wilderness to Yemen’s remote islands to the Arctic Circle—and ultimately to a life of profound meaning and purpose. This extraordinary memoir chronicles one woman’s transformation from someone living society’s idea of a best life to a person discovering the truth of her own.
Through heart-pounding adventures and raw, intimate storytelling, Eva reveals how stepping off life’s conventional highway—what she calls the path of “mortgage, marriage, lineage”—opened her world to experiences she never imagined learning to trek solo with horses across Mongolia, surviving three months alone on a desert island in Yemen during COVID, driving an eighteen-year-old truck from Mexico to Alaska, and attempting a 300-mile ultramarathon in the Arctic Circle. But this isn’t just a collection of daring feats. Each chapter not only details a life-altering experience but reveals the hidden lessons Eva learned along the way. It’s a blueprint for anyone who feels trapped by society’s expectations and longs to create a life of genuine adventure, connection, and meaning.
Eva’s story arrives at a crucial moment, when many are questioning traditional definitions of success and seeking alternatives to lives spent largely indoors, in front of screens, disconnected from nature and authentic human connection. Through her experiences learning rare indigenous languages, living with remote communities, and pushing her body and spirit to their limits, Eva demonstrates that extraordinary lives aren’t just for the wealthy or specially gifted—they’re available to anyone brave enough to step off the beaten path and trust their heart.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 2, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
May 25, 2026
I made it!
A couple of weeks ago, YouTube's algorithm recommended Eva zu Beck's channel to me. After watching Sarah Foss and her dog, Koa, living in a van full-time and showing us incredible places all over the US, I hoped Eva zu Beck's channel was doing something similar, only internationally. Boy, was I wrong!
Theoretically, she is traveling the globe and showing us incredible places. However, for Eva it's more about ... Eva. After 3 videos I knew she and I could never be friends. The whining is strong in this one. Don't get me wrong, I don't relish others suffering from existential dread or blowing up their lives, but I also don't make excuses for stupid people.
If you want examples of just what set me off while reading this book, please check out my numerous status updates.
Here, I'd like to point out one more thing that is typical for the author: in her maniacal need to be the victim 24/7, she's trying to convince herself and us that life is hard, especially if you simply travel, live free, and don't have a conventional life. Therefore, she often mentions a lack of funds. DON'T FALL FOR IT. It struck me as odd while watching her videos already and it really got to me while reading this book. So I checked.
Before she was hired by National Geographic, she made something between 67 and 92k per year in ad revenues on YouTube alone (more than I make and I can live on my salary). She is also on Instagram though AND then got hired by National Geographic which AT LEAST pays for her travel expenses. She has no rent to pay (she bought a large meadow and forest in the Carpathians), always bought everything in cash (incl. that land I just mentioned, and she admitted in the book that she paid premium), has no utilities bill, no or only one or two insurances (car, maybe life insurance - though for whom, I don't know), lives off the grid most of the time, ... and now she has a book deal by Penguin Randomhouse (one of the biggest publishers).
In short, she barely has any cash going out and A LOT of cash going in. Currently, she is estimated to have a net worth of around $1 to $1.5 million (and yes, she's still whining)!!! So all her whining is just ANOTHER attempt at garnering attention and pity.
I really don't like people like that.
However, that is not the only thing that makes her unauthentic. There is way more.
No idea where I got the strength to actually finish this book. The writing itself isn't too bad - if you don't mind Hallmark-Greeting-Card pseudo-intellectual bullshit served as something deep and profound. *rolls eyes*
Anyway, I'm glad I didn't waste my money on the print edition and have already returned the audiobook on Audible because the credit I used was a waste. But I'm sure other "poor and broken people" (her words, not mine) will lap this up as something "inspiring".
P.S.: Oh, and the delicious irony of now having read the ending of this book after already having seen videos that were recorded after this book was written. Bwahahahahahahahahaha!
A couple of weeks ago, YouTube's algorithm recommended Eva zu Beck's channel to me. After watching Sarah Foss and her dog, Koa, living in a van full-time and showing us incredible places all over the US, I hoped Eva zu Beck's channel was doing something similar, only internationally. Boy, was I wrong!
Theoretically, she is traveling the globe and showing us incredible places. However, for Eva it's more about ... Eva. After 3 videos I knew she and I could never be friends. The whining is strong in this one. Don't get me wrong, I don't relish others suffering from existential dread or blowing up their lives, but I also don't make excuses for stupid people.
If you want examples of just what set me off while reading this book, please check out my numerous status updates.
Here, I'd like to point out one more thing that is typical for the author: in her maniacal need to be the victim 24/7, she's trying to convince herself and us that life is hard, especially if you simply travel, live free, and don't have a conventional life. Therefore, she often mentions a lack of funds. DON'T FALL FOR IT. It struck me as odd while watching her videos already and it really got to me while reading this book. So I checked.
Before she was hired by National Geographic, she made something between 67 and 92k per year in ad revenues on YouTube alone (more than I make and I can live on my salary). She is also on Instagram though AND then got hired by National Geographic which AT LEAST pays for her travel expenses. She has no rent to pay (she bought a large meadow and forest in the Carpathians), always bought everything in cash (incl. that land I just mentioned, and she admitted in the book that she paid premium), has no utilities bill, no or only one or two insurances (car, maybe life insurance - though for whom, I don't know), lives off the grid most of the time, ... and now she has a book deal by Penguin Randomhouse (one of the biggest publishers).
In short, she barely has any cash going out and A LOT of cash going in. Currently, she is estimated to have a net worth of around $1 to $1.5 million (and yes, she's still whining)!!! So all her whining is just ANOTHER attempt at garnering attention and pity.
I really don't like people like that.
However, that is not the only thing that makes her unauthentic. There is way more.
No idea where I got the strength to actually finish this book. The writing itself isn't too bad - if you don't mind Hallmark-Greeting-Card pseudo-intellectual bullshit served as something deep and profound. *rolls eyes*
Anyway, I'm glad I didn't waste my money on the print edition and have already returned the audiobook on Audible because the credit I used was a waste. But I'm sure other "poor and broken people" (her words, not mine) will lap this up as something "inspiring".
P.S.: Oh, and the delicious irony of now having read the ending of this book after already having seen videos that were recorded after this book was written. Bwahahahahahahahahaha!
January 29, 2026
Eva zu Beck is one of a new generation of independent women travellers who have made their name through YouTube by showing what it means to be a traveller in the twenty-first century. In this book, she narrates her adventures, among others, in Nepal, Mongolia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Iraq, which are not countries typically visited by a young, lone female content creator. She is unique in writing about these less-visited destinations.
Zu Beck leaves behind her gilded cage life in London – a high-flying job, a marriage, friends who conventionally get engaged, married, and have children - to follow her “uncontainable desire for freedom”. She writes, “I knew that if I continued my life in London, I would arrive at a point of complete self-annihilation.” She wants to challenge herself and be alone, despite feeling afraid.
Zu Beck’s style is refreshingly vivid and expressive. She books a one-way ticket to Nepal, settles in Pakistan for months, goes on a horse-riding trek with two horses in Mongolia, lives with a family on a Yemeni desert island in lockdown – all by herself. She buys a puppy, whom she calls Vilk (wolf), and an old Land Rover, named, appropriately, Odyssey, for a road trip in the USA. A burnout means she has to cut this adventure short. And then she challenges herself to a 320-mile footrace in the depths of a Swedish winter.
In The Wilder Way, zu Beck honestly explores both her outer and inner world. Her intriguing stories about travelling are interlaced with her agonizing about being a well-known single female content creator. As a famous YouTuber with nearly 2 million followers in 2026, she is aware of the (white) privileges she enjoys in holding a European passport. She also reflects on the downsides of being an influencer, and the attention she receives as a result of her online fame.
On the practical side, however, she needs her YouTube income for further adventures. At the same time, she encounters real dangers from men, such as a Yemeni driver who tries to rape her and a stalker who tracks her down at her remote mountain hut base, convinced she should marry him.
One of the book’s most unsettling conclusions is that men are her greatest danger. As a single female traveller, she reflects on her relationships, which are initially passionate but break up mostly because of her strong desire for independence. She writes fervently about deciding on a childfree life and the fear that she also often experiences: “It’s a common misconception that people who are brave are fearless”, she writes. She is an example of a woman who confronts her fears and is aware of her limited time on earth, time she wants to use fully, in pursuit of her dreams. And her introspection is well-balanced with her travel tales: she isn’t self-absorbed.
Zu Beck was inspired in part by stories written by her Polish grandfather, writing in his journal, “To be a true traveler requires strength of character”. This, she definitely has. She kept me reading from start to finish, wondering what her next adventure would be and whether she would find her own answers to life’s questions. She hasn’t found the answers, yet, imagining that at the end of her life, people will say “she continued to seek, forever after.” Her story is about the seeking, and occasionally catching glimpses of answers.
As an older reader in my sixties, I was entranced by the book, perhaps because I have also travelled the world as a lone female. However, its audience will probably be younger than I am. I haven’t yet watched zu Beck’s videos, so I can’t reveal how much this book repeats their content, but the book has definitely motivated me to check her out online. One more follower!
Highly recommended for anyone, but particularly for lone women travelling the world, searching for meaning. I am sure there is more to come.
Thanks to NetGalley for a review copy of this book.
Zu Beck leaves behind her gilded cage life in London – a high-flying job, a marriage, friends who conventionally get engaged, married, and have children - to follow her “uncontainable desire for freedom”. She writes, “I knew that if I continued my life in London, I would arrive at a point of complete self-annihilation.” She wants to challenge herself and be alone, despite feeling afraid.
Zu Beck’s style is refreshingly vivid and expressive. She books a one-way ticket to Nepal, settles in Pakistan for months, goes on a horse-riding trek with two horses in Mongolia, lives with a family on a Yemeni desert island in lockdown – all by herself. She buys a puppy, whom she calls Vilk (wolf), and an old Land Rover, named, appropriately, Odyssey, for a road trip in the USA. A burnout means she has to cut this adventure short. And then she challenges herself to a 320-mile footrace in the depths of a Swedish winter.
In The Wilder Way, zu Beck honestly explores both her outer and inner world. Her intriguing stories about travelling are interlaced with her agonizing about being a well-known single female content creator. As a famous YouTuber with nearly 2 million followers in 2026, she is aware of the (white) privileges she enjoys in holding a European passport. She also reflects on the downsides of being an influencer, and the attention she receives as a result of her online fame.
On the practical side, however, she needs her YouTube income for further adventures. At the same time, she encounters real dangers from men, such as a Yemeni driver who tries to rape her and a stalker who tracks her down at her remote mountain hut base, convinced she should marry him.
One of the book’s most unsettling conclusions is that men are her greatest danger. As a single female traveller, she reflects on her relationships, which are initially passionate but break up mostly because of her strong desire for independence. She writes fervently about deciding on a childfree life and the fear that she also often experiences: “It’s a common misconception that people who are brave are fearless”, she writes. She is an example of a woman who confronts her fears and is aware of her limited time on earth, time she wants to use fully, in pursuit of her dreams. And her introspection is well-balanced with her travel tales: she isn’t self-absorbed.
Zu Beck was inspired in part by stories written by her Polish grandfather, writing in his journal, “To be a true traveler requires strength of character”. This, she definitely has. She kept me reading from start to finish, wondering what her next adventure would be and whether she would find her own answers to life’s questions. She hasn’t found the answers, yet, imagining that at the end of her life, people will say “she continued to seek, forever after.” Her story is about the seeking, and occasionally catching glimpses of answers.
As an older reader in my sixties, I was entranced by the book, perhaps because I have also travelled the world as a lone female. However, its audience will probably be younger than I am. I haven’t yet watched zu Beck’s videos, so I can’t reveal how much this book repeats their content, but the book has definitely motivated me to check her out online. One more follower!
Highly recommended for anyone, but particularly for lone women travelling the world, searching for meaning. I am sure there is more to come.
Thanks to NetGalley for a review copy of this book.
June 3, 2026
The Wilder Way by Eva zu Beck — 5/5 ⭐️
The Wilder Way is a memoir that hit me on a deeply personal level, not just as a reader, but as someone whose own adventures were shaped by Eva’s storytelling.
When I was planning my drive to the Arctic Ocean, I stumbled onto her Dalton Highway videos on YouTube and fell straight into her world of grit, curiosity, and wide‑open landscapes. What I didn’t realize at the time was that Hilo and I had actually met her months earlier at the inaugural PNW Overland Expo. She walked up with her pup Vilk, asked if they could say hello, and we shared one of those small, warm moments that only dog people understand. Only later did I connect that the woman behind that kindness was the same creator inspiring my northern journey.
Her book pulls back the curtain even further. It’s raw, thoughtful, and full of the inner reflections that never make it into a vlog. Eva writes honestly about leaving a life that looked perfect on paper and choosing one that felt true in her bones. Through Mongolia, Yemen, the Arctic, and everywhere in between, she shows what it means to trade comfort for meaning and to build a life that’s fully, unapologetically lived.
This memoir isn’t just about adventure — it’s about awakening. It’s about choosing the path that scares you because it’s the one that calls you. And for anyone who’s ever felt that pull, her story lands with real force.
5/5 ⭐️.
Wishing Eva and Vilk endless miles ahead — and gratitude for the stories that helped shape my own.
Happy journeys from The Void 🚐🐕📚
The Wilder Way is a memoir that hit me on a deeply personal level, not just as a reader, but as someone whose own adventures were shaped by Eva’s storytelling.
When I was planning my drive to the Arctic Ocean, I stumbled onto her Dalton Highway videos on YouTube and fell straight into her world of grit, curiosity, and wide‑open landscapes. What I didn’t realize at the time was that Hilo and I had actually met her months earlier at the inaugural PNW Overland Expo. She walked up with her pup Vilk, asked if they could say hello, and we shared one of those small, warm moments that only dog people understand. Only later did I connect that the woman behind that kindness was the same creator inspiring my northern journey.
Her book pulls back the curtain even further. It’s raw, thoughtful, and full of the inner reflections that never make it into a vlog. Eva writes honestly about leaving a life that looked perfect on paper and choosing one that felt true in her bones. Through Mongolia, Yemen, the Arctic, and everywhere in between, she shows what it means to trade comfort for meaning and to build a life that’s fully, unapologetically lived.
This memoir isn’t just about adventure — it’s about awakening. It’s about choosing the path that scares you because it’s the one that calls you. And for anyone who’s ever felt that pull, her story lands with real force.
5/5 ⭐️.
Wishing Eva and Vilk endless miles ahead — and gratitude for the stories that helped shape my own.
Happy journeys from The Void 🚐🐕📚
May 30, 2026
I picked up this book excited to read about Eva's many travels and all the interesting places she has been too. And I really liked the parts that are about travelling. I loved reading about her trip in Mongolia in the wilderness with just two pony's, or her visit to a woman in Pakistan living in a house far away from civilization to tend to her animals. Unfortunately a lot of the book is more about Eva herself. And I don't really care that much for those parts. If feels a bit mean to say that, but I guess YouTube isn't always so different from more common jobs, where it's a lot more about the work (in this case travel videos) you put out and not about you as a person.
I have the same "problem' with her YouTube videos. I really like watching her travel content, but don't care for the personal videos. She's been to so many places and writes so much about being independent from others, so it's a bit disappointing to me that a lot of the book (and her reasons for traveling certain areas) revolve around her relationships. It's not wrong, it's just something that's not interesting to read about to me.
This review is more negative than I want it to be. It's not wrong for Eva to want to write about her life, and if you are curious about her reflections on herself and her relationships I'm sure you'll enjoy the book. I just wish there was much more travel and a lot less personal reflection in the book. I guess this is my mistake going into the book with the wrong expectations.
I have the same "problem' with her YouTube videos. I really like watching her travel content, but don't care for the personal videos. She's been to so many places and writes so much about being independent from others, so it's a bit disappointing to me that a lot of the book (and her reasons for traveling certain areas) revolve around her relationships. It's not wrong, it's just something that's not interesting to read about to me.
This review is more negative than I want it to be. It's not wrong for Eva to want to write about her life, and if you are curious about her reflections on herself and her relationships I'm sure you'll enjoy the book. I just wish there was much more travel and a lot less personal reflection in the book. I guess this is my mistake going into the book with the wrong expectations.
April 8, 2026
The Wilder Way is an inspiring and escapist read. We get to experience Eva’s travels in another format following her YouTube and filmmaking career. I hadn’t heard of her before but appreciated the personal insights and experiences that were shared. A good travel book is able to transport the reader and I felt this read achieved it well. Feminist issues are well documented with the risks involved in solo travelling but there are also positive and uplifting moments to balance this out. I think this is great for anyone exploring the meaning of life, questioning where they want to be and also for those who want to explore. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-copy. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.
June 17, 2026
I always feel somewhat awkward rating and reviewing autobiographies. I would not presume to judge somebody's journey through life or their experiences, so please read this review as a summary of my reading experience and enjoyment of Eva's story. This is not in any way a critique of her as an individual.
I was introduced to Eva Zu Beck's Instagram account by a friend who thought I would like her adventures, based on some of my own. He was right because I see in her another woman who somehow wound up going off out to sea in her own little boat in a direction quite different from the rest of the flotilla and the expectations society had for her. Likewise, I identified with many of the adventures and observations Eva shares in this book. Having also gone to a lot of places and done a lot of things my own friends thought were completely batty, courageous, or just downright dangerous, I see a lot of my younger self in Eva's memoir.
I really appreciated the themes running through this book. That if you take that leap of faith and keep your eyes, heart and mind open to the world around you, it will blow your mind because the world really is wonderful. That nothing can deliver the sense of peace, of being grounded and calm, or beauty, wonder and connection quite like being in the wilderness. That so much of what stresses us out and makes us miserable is self-inflicted; living is actually pretty simple. That if you just keep taking one step after another, you will get to where you are going, the excess energy fueling your anxiety will fall away, and things will be clearer and simpler. That what works for others will not necessarily work for you. That you sometimes need to hit rock bottom and build yourself back up from the foundations. That this whole world over, wherever you go, people are people.
I was surprised by how brutally honest and open she was about some of her struggles. I appreciate that she shared some of these doubts, fears, and stuff ups. None of us comes out of this thing called life without making boo boos. Part of me really wanted to give younger her a hug. Other escapades left me shaking my head thinking "Oh dear... this isn't going to go well!" It was relatable.
Anyway, all this to say that this book led me to reflect on life, travel, adventure, dreams, and what it means to be authentic to yourself. I enjoyed it.
I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by the author. I thought it was well done.
I was introduced to Eva Zu Beck's Instagram account by a friend who thought I would like her adventures, based on some of my own. He was right because I see in her another woman who somehow wound up going off out to sea in her own little boat in a direction quite different from the rest of the flotilla and the expectations society had for her. Likewise, I identified with many of the adventures and observations Eva shares in this book. Having also gone to a lot of places and done a lot of things my own friends thought were completely batty, courageous, or just downright dangerous, I see a lot of my younger self in Eva's memoir.
I really appreciated the themes running through this book. That if you take that leap of faith and keep your eyes, heart and mind open to the world around you, it will blow your mind because the world really is wonderful. That nothing can deliver the sense of peace, of being grounded and calm, or beauty, wonder and connection quite like being in the wilderness. That so much of what stresses us out and makes us miserable is self-inflicted; living is actually pretty simple. That if you just keep taking one step after another, you will get to where you are going, the excess energy fueling your anxiety will fall away, and things will be clearer and simpler. That what works for others will not necessarily work for you. That you sometimes need to hit rock bottom and build yourself back up from the foundations. That this whole world over, wherever you go, people are people.
I was surprised by how brutally honest and open she was about some of her struggles. I appreciate that she shared some of these doubts, fears, and stuff ups. None of us comes out of this thing called life without making boo boos. Part of me really wanted to give younger her a hug. Other escapades left me shaking my head thinking "Oh dear... this isn't going to go well!" It was relatable.
Anyway, all this to say that this book led me to reflect on life, travel, adventure, dreams, and what it means to be authentic to yourself. I enjoyed it.
I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by the author. I thought it was well done.
June 14, 2026
4 ⭐️ | An inspiring and deeply personal memoir that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Having followed Eva's adventures online for several years, I was curious to see how her story would translate to the page. What emerged was an honest account of a woman determined to live life on her own terms, even when that path is uncertain, unconventional, or lonely.
Part travel memoir and part personal journey, the book follows Eva through some remarkable landscapes and experiences, but its real focus is the search for freedom, identity, and meaning. I particularly appreciated her reflections on catholicism, choosing not to have children, solitude, and the challenge of creating a life outside traditional expectations. As an ex-Evangelical and fellow childfree woman, many of those passages resonated deeply.
Eva writes with warmth, intelligence, and refreshing self-awareness. What I admired most was her willingness to question her beliefs, change course when necessary, and embrace uncertainty rather than pretending to have all the answers. There is a humility to her writing that I found genuinely appealing.
I will admit I went into the book hoping for something a little more philosophical, but that is more a reflection of my own expectations than any shortcoming of the book itself. At its heart, this is a memoir, and a very good one. The insights Eva shares are earned through experience rather than abstract theorising, and many of them lingered with me long after I turned the final page.
I closed the book feeling both inspired and challenged. Eva may not have found all the answers she was searching for, but her curiosity, courage, and determination to forge her own path make for a compelling journey. 🦋
Having followed Eva's adventures online for several years, I was curious to see how her story would translate to the page. What emerged was an honest account of a woman determined to live life on her own terms, even when that path is uncertain, unconventional, or lonely.
Part travel memoir and part personal journey, the book follows Eva through some remarkable landscapes and experiences, but its real focus is the search for freedom, identity, and meaning. I particularly appreciated her reflections on catholicism, choosing not to have children, solitude, and the challenge of creating a life outside traditional expectations. As an ex-Evangelical and fellow childfree woman, many of those passages resonated deeply.
Eva writes with warmth, intelligence, and refreshing self-awareness. What I admired most was her willingness to question her beliefs, change course when necessary, and embrace uncertainty rather than pretending to have all the answers. There is a humility to her writing that I found genuinely appealing.
I will admit I went into the book hoping for something a little more philosophical, but that is more a reflection of my own expectations than any shortcoming of the book itself. At its heart, this is a memoir, and a very good one. The insights Eva shares are earned through experience rather than abstract theorising, and many of them lingered with me long after I turned the final page.
I closed the book feeling both inspired and challenged. Eva may not have found all the answers she was searching for, but her curiosity, courage, and determination to forge her own path make for a compelling journey. 🦋
June 28, 2026
may i have an ounce of eva’s courage for my own life
June 14, 2026
Saw the author at Mrs. Dalloway's and got Emilia's book signed! I love that it features color photos of the author's travels
May 17, 2026
5 Stars
I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Eva for her Bristol Waterstones' book launch, and oh boy what a person, what a book.
This book is an incredibly well written journey of several lifetimes through a single individual's 20s and 30s. It is both a memoir and a travel book, but leaning heavier on the memoir side, and the introspection of a solo, contemporary female traveller. She does not shy from any aspect of her journey, from the early mistakes made and the personal reasons behind them, to the encounters where her life was threatened by weather, wilderness or other wanderers. She is acute in her sense of decision making and the repercussions on herself and others around her, and how she learned and adapted because of those decisions.
This is a book that discusses freedom, the cost of freedom, mental health, safety, fear, and ethereal joy. It is, as described by Eva herself, a book about finding freedom and what it might mean to any one person. However I think its also a book about Choice. Its got a running theme of radical optimism, and when given a choice how do you respond? The choice infused with radical optimism, is to look towards a future that your brain may be worried about, or plotting a negative imagined twist and choosing to say, what if the next decision is going to be extraordinary? What if the next moment goes towards a small improvement, answering a question I have had about this little world of ours, taking a step into a larger, stranger, more extraordinary future?
After all, there is no blueprint for finding yourself, or finding freedom, There is only you, and the trust that you have in yourself.
A genuinely epic retelling of Eva's life so far (I am told no.2 is already in the works). If I were to compare it to a male travel writer (which seems a little on the nose considering the subject matter), I would compare it her style with Levison Wood. But a far better comparison would be to Isabella Bird, Freya Stark, or Dervla Murphy, all incredible, accomplished travellers in their own right and set what women's solo travel can really be, their hunger for freedom and to choose to experience the world in their own dramatic ways with an insatiable curiosity.
Thanks to Eva for an incredible chat in front of a truly curious crowd, and thanks to Waterstones and Century books for an advanced copy.
To finish, it would only be right to end on how we ended the talk, and how she ends the book, with a passage (more like a mantra/lintany for the modern traveller) written by her grandfather (to whom the book was dedicated), that would be perfection to open her biopic if one ever got made; 'I don’t get anxious about the slow, snail like pace. I simply get into my vehicle and I drive so far and for so long, in absolute peace, until I finally reach the destination that I have set for myself. I also don’t let the discomforts bother me, be it a hard seat, heat, dust, or the lack of water. All of this, in its own way, is beautiful and wonderful.'
I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Eva for her Bristol Waterstones' book launch, and oh boy what a person, what a book.
This book is an incredibly well written journey of several lifetimes through a single individual's 20s and 30s. It is both a memoir and a travel book, but leaning heavier on the memoir side, and the introspection of a solo, contemporary female traveller. She does not shy from any aspect of her journey, from the early mistakes made and the personal reasons behind them, to the encounters where her life was threatened by weather, wilderness or other wanderers. She is acute in her sense of decision making and the repercussions on herself and others around her, and how she learned and adapted because of those decisions.
This is a book that discusses freedom, the cost of freedom, mental health, safety, fear, and ethereal joy. It is, as described by Eva herself, a book about finding freedom and what it might mean to any one person. However I think its also a book about Choice. Its got a running theme of radical optimism, and when given a choice how do you respond? The choice infused with radical optimism, is to look towards a future that your brain may be worried about, or plotting a negative imagined twist and choosing to say, what if the next decision is going to be extraordinary? What if the next moment goes towards a small improvement, answering a question I have had about this little world of ours, taking a step into a larger, stranger, more extraordinary future?
After all, there is no blueprint for finding yourself, or finding freedom, There is only you, and the trust that you have in yourself.
A genuinely epic retelling of Eva's life so far (I am told no.2 is already in the works). If I were to compare it to a male travel writer (which seems a little on the nose considering the subject matter), I would compare it her style with Levison Wood. But a far better comparison would be to Isabella Bird, Freya Stark, or Dervla Murphy, all incredible, accomplished travellers in their own right and set what women's solo travel can really be, their hunger for freedom and to choose to experience the world in their own dramatic ways with an insatiable curiosity.
Thanks to Eva for an incredible chat in front of a truly curious crowd, and thanks to Waterstones and Century books for an advanced copy.
To finish, it would only be right to end on how we ended the talk, and how she ends the book, with a passage (more like a mantra/lintany for the modern traveller) written by her grandfather (to whom the book was dedicated), that would be perfection to open her biopic if one ever got made; 'I don’t get anxious about the slow, snail like pace. I simply get into my vehicle and I drive so far and for so long, in absolute peace, until I finally reach the destination that I have set for myself. I also don’t let the discomforts bother me, be it a hard seat, heat, dust, or the lack of water. All of this, in its own way, is beautiful and wonderful.'
June 1, 2026
Honest, inspiring, relatable and very well written memoir! Thoroughly enjoyed it.
June 29, 2026
Loved hearing all about Eva’s adventures. I could have done without hearing so much about her armpit hair, but that’s just me.
June 9, 2026
Eva Zu Beck is a female adventure Youtuber, and The Wilder Way is her memoir. The strength of any memoir is going to be based upon the writing of the author and the presentation of the content. All of us have a life story, and for many of us, that story may be profoundly interesting, or theoretically, boring, regular. Eva's life is certainly unique, but the strength of The Wilder Way must be found in the presentation of her unique life.
Eva's writing is of a quality higher than what you'd expect from the average internet-famous person. She has a knack and a gift for it. Her descriptions are economical yet entrancing. She pulls the reader into the narrative and has great voice, her own style and flare evident immediately. I also appreciate her honesty, and at times, even some of her self-reflection and the mistakes she admitted to. Her life is by no means clean and clear, but messy, and she embraced those mistakes (I have read other memoirs where the author failed to own up to any mistakes, a most insufferable read). She spent much of her time searching for meaning and purpose in the narrative, and it was really that quest which gave form to the narratives she chose to include in this memoir. In total, it worked and it was enjoyable.
Eva talks about her various relationships at all sorts of different levels of detail. She talks about her time becoming adjusted to wild living in Socatra. She dictates her history with the Catholic church. She explains her experiences traveling as a woman, putting a particular lens on dubious or downright obsessive men. Eva narrates her own personal journey toward singleness. She spends a great deal of time describing the outworking of her own personal philosophy (which, at its center, is selfishness, that as a Christian misses our design under God--and much more, but I digress). She considers the land, her connection to it; and the search for safety, comfort, and companionship; landing on an optimistic and future looking view of growth.
It has everything that a memoir should have, although perhaps not as deep as the average reader might hope for (but, I mean, it is a memoir). For me in particular, that was somewhat disappointing based upon the content I am aware that she reads.
There are, however, some weak points or areas of disappointment.
I had hoped there would be more time spent talking about the land and places she visited, highlighting her adventures in a less esoteric sense and more concrete sense, bringing the details to the reader and immersing them into the longer form content that writing enables. An example of this is in David Quammen's more scientific and/or culturally focused literature. I am happy to read about Eva's life as it is a memoir, however I had hoped she would step out of that genre somewhat and into naturalist musings. She has the ability to do so.
Similarly, spending more time outlining her philosophical musings where appropriate (however much I might disagree with them) would have been beneficial from a reader's perspective, instead of merely relegating descriptions to some form of becoming "wild", "a witch", or "alone". These are sufficient descriptions, yes, and while they communicate the overall thrust of the narrative that there is a "Wilder Way" to do life in the 21st century, it would have added some meat to the work overall.
Eva will most likely find success as a writer, although I do wonder where she will draw inspiration from and what she will write next.
All-in-all, I can't complain. I wasn't devouring it but I never got bored either; that is a win for a book of any length, so therefore it deserves 4/5.
Eva's writing is of a quality higher than what you'd expect from the average internet-famous person. She has a knack and a gift for it. Her descriptions are economical yet entrancing. She pulls the reader into the narrative and has great voice, her own style and flare evident immediately. I also appreciate her honesty, and at times, even some of her self-reflection and the mistakes she admitted to. Her life is by no means clean and clear, but messy, and she embraced those mistakes (I have read other memoirs where the author failed to own up to any mistakes, a most insufferable read). She spent much of her time searching for meaning and purpose in the narrative, and it was really that quest which gave form to the narratives she chose to include in this memoir. In total, it worked and it was enjoyable.
Eva talks about her various relationships at all sorts of different levels of detail. She talks about her time becoming adjusted to wild living in Socatra. She dictates her history with the Catholic church. She explains her experiences traveling as a woman, putting a particular lens on dubious or downright obsessive men. Eva narrates her own personal journey toward singleness. She spends a great deal of time describing the outworking of her own personal philosophy (which, at its center, is selfishness, that as a Christian misses our design under God--and much more, but I digress). She considers the land, her connection to it; and the search for safety, comfort, and companionship; landing on an optimistic and future looking view of growth.
It has everything that a memoir should have, although perhaps not as deep as the average reader might hope for (but, I mean, it is a memoir). For me in particular, that was somewhat disappointing based upon the content I am aware that she reads.
There are, however, some weak points or areas of disappointment.
I had hoped there would be more time spent talking about the land and places she visited, highlighting her adventures in a less esoteric sense and more concrete sense, bringing the details to the reader and immersing them into the longer form content that writing enables. An example of this is in David Quammen's more scientific and/or culturally focused literature. I am happy to read about Eva's life as it is a memoir, however I had hoped she would step out of that genre somewhat and into naturalist musings. She has the ability to do so.
Similarly, spending more time outlining her philosophical musings where appropriate (however much I might disagree with them) would have been beneficial from a reader's perspective, instead of merely relegating descriptions to some form of becoming "wild", "a witch", or "alone". These are sufficient descriptions, yes, and while they communicate the overall thrust of the narrative that there is a "Wilder Way" to do life in the 21st century, it would have added some meat to the work overall.
Eva will most likely find success as a writer, although I do wonder where she will draw inspiration from and what she will write next.
All-in-all, I can't complain. I wasn't devouring it but I never got bored either; that is a win for a book of any length, so therefore it deserves 4/5.
June 15, 2026
Wat heeft Eva een inspirerend en ontroerend verhaal neergezet! Ik heb enorm genoten van alle avonturen, maar misschien nog wel meer van haar mentale en persoonlijke reis die ze heeft doorgemaakt.
In dit boek volgen we Eva tijdens haar zoektocht naar wat haar écht gelukkig maakt. We krijgen een kijkje achter de schermen van het ontstaan van haar YouTube-kanaal, het fulltime reizen en we ontdekken welke keuzes en ervaringen haar hebben gebracht naar het vrije leven.
Van hiken bij de Mount Everest en de gastvrijheid in Pakistan, tot de eindeloze vlaktes van Mongolië, het overleven van de coronapandemie op Socotra, ruige roadtrips door Amerika en uiteindelijk het vinden van een eigen plek in Europa; er komen zó veel bijzondere avonturen voorbij dat je er alleen al van gaat dagdromen.
Toegegeven: in het begin moest ik even inkomen en wennen aan Eva’s schrijfstijl. Het is geen boek dat je snel wegleest; je moet er wel even je aandacht bij houden. Maar ergens halverwege verdween dat gevoel volledig en zat ik helemaal in haar verhaal.
Wat ik bij reismemoires vaak mis, is verdieping in de persoon achter de reis. Het draait dan vooral om bestemmingen en avonturen, terwijl ik juist benieuwd ben naar iemands gedachten en ontwikkeling. Dat is in dit boek juist heel sterk gedaan. Natuurlijk gaat het over reizen en avontuur, maar uiteindelijk draait het ook veel om Eva zelf, en dat vond ik juist ontzettend mooi. Eindelijk een avontuurlijke memoir die ook echt persoonlijk voelt.
Een quote van Eva die voor mij perfect samenvat waar dit boek over gaat, is: “Misschien moest ik leren op te houden telkens te reageren op anderen, maar te leven zoals bij mezelf paste.” Ik vind dat een mooie gedachte. Er bestaat in onze maatschappij vaak één standaardplaatje van hoe een leven eruit hoort te zien, en zodra je daarvan afwijkt, wordt daar al snel iets van gevonden. Juist daarom heb ik veel respect voor hoe Eva uiteindelijk haar eigen pad heeft gekozen.
Ook als je Eva niet kent van haar video’s, laat dit boek goed zien waarom zij voor veel vrouwen een rolmodel is, en vooral voor iedereen die nieuwsgierig is naar een leven buiten de gebaande paden.
Ik sluit graag af met mijn favoriete quote uit het boek:
“Ik denk niet dat mijn verhaal zal eindigen met ‘en ze leefden nog lang en gelukkig’. Ik denk dat mijn verhaal zal eindigen met “en ze bleef zoeken, voor altijd’.”
Grote dank aan Kosmos Uitgevers voor dit inspirerende recensie-exemplaar! Ik heb ervan genoten.
In dit boek volgen we Eva tijdens haar zoektocht naar wat haar écht gelukkig maakt. We krijgen een kijkje achter de schermen van het ontstaan van haar YouTube-kanaal, het fulltime reizen en we ontdekken welke keuzes en ervaringen haar hebben gebracht naar het vrije leven.
Van hiken bij de Mount Everest en de gastvrijheid in Pakistan, tot de eindeloze vlaktes van Mongolië, het overleven van de coronapandemie op Socotra, ruige roadtrips door Amerika en uiteindelijk het vinden van een eigen plek in Europa; er komen zó veel bijzondere avonturen voorbij dat je er alleen al van gaat dagdromen.
Toegegeven: in het begin moest ik even inkomen en wennen aan Eva’s schrijfstijl. Het is geen boek dat je snel wegleest; je moet er wel even je aandacht bij houden. Maar ergens halverwege verdween dat gevoel volledig en zat ik helemaal in haar verhaal.
Wat ik bij reismemoires vaak mis, is verdieping in de persoon achter de reis. Het draait dan vooral om bestemmingen en avonturen, terwijl ik juist benieuwd ben naar iemands gedachten en ontwikkeling. Dat is in dit boek juist heel sterk gedaan. Natuurlijk gaat het over reizen en avontuur, maar uiteindelijk draait het ook veel om Eva zelf, en dat vond ik juist ontzettend mooi. Eindelijk een avontuurlijke memoir die ook echt persoonlijk voelt.
Een quote van Eva die voor mij perfect samenvat waar dit boek over gaat, is: “Misschien moest ik leren op te houden telkens te reageren op anderen, maar te leven zoals bij mezelf paste.” Ik vind dat een mooie gedachte. Er bestaat in onze maatschappij vaak één standaardplaatje van hoe een leven eruit hoort te zien, en zodra je daarvan afwijkt, wordt daar al snel iets van gevonden. Juist daarom heb ik veel respect voor hoe Eva uiteindelijk haar eigen pad heeft gekozen.
Ook als je Eva niet kent van haar video’s, laat dit boek goed zien waarom zij voor veel vrouwen een rolmodel is, en vooral voor iedereen die nieuwsgierig is naar een leven buiten de gebaande paden.
Ik sluit graag af met mijn favoriete quote uit het boek:
“Ik denk niet dat mijn verhaal zal eindigen met ‘en ze leefden nog lang en gelukkig’. Ik denk dat mijn verhaal zal eindigen met “en ze bleef zoeken, voor altijd’.”
Grote dank aan Kosmos Uitgevers voor dit inspirerende recensie-exemplaar! Ik heb ervan genoten.
June 15, 2026
I truly enjoyed this memoir. Eva’s story is honest, authentic, and deeply inspiring. Beyond the beautiful places she traveled to and the adventurous lifestyle she embraced, what stands out most is that her reflections on resilience, self-discovery, and personal growth clearly come from the heart.
I was skeptical at first after following her for so long online, but after meeting her in person at the book launch, I was happy to discover a kind, smart, thoughtful, and remarkably well-spoken woman (the book is wonderfully written), rather than just another YouTuber showing off what a great traveler and adventurer she is while trying to monetize every single view she has.
I was skeptical at first after following her for so long online, but after meeting her in person at the book launch, I was happy to discover a kind, smart, thoughtful, and remarkably well-spoken woman (the book is wonderfully written), rather than just another YouTuber showing off what a great traveler and adventurer she is while trying to monetize every single view she has.
June 13, 2026
Absolutely in love with this book, I just wish I could erase it from my mind and re-read it! Also how cool is reading something that you "kinda" already know? It felt like a director's cut or a really cool behind the scenes from the YouTube and Instagram journey I've been following along for all these years!
June 19, 2026
Reisverhalen en mensen zoals Eva die kiezen voor een leven buiten de gebaande, verwachte paden, vind ik altijd inspirerend. Een mooi boek dat haar persoonlijke verhaal met uitgebreide reisverslagen combineert.
June 21, 2026
Inspirational! It made me want to run out into the woods barefoot in the aftermath of a storm!! And I did!!
I also started converting my Honda fit into a mini camper so my dog and I could go on adventures!
I also started converting my Honda fit into a mini camper so my dog and I could go on adventures!
June 10, 2026
5 Stars!! TLDR: A life changing book that came to me at the perfect time <3
I first learned about Eva Zu Beck through her ultra-marathon documentaries. As a long-distance-runner-wanna-to-be, I devoured ultra-marathon documentaries with such hunger. Something about running through the wildest terrains for days on end bought a sense of freedom and motivation as I sat in my cozy college dorm overlooking the calm Charles river and procrastinating on my impending homework. Eva’s ultra-marathon stood out like no else’s. I still remember her saying something like “Every ultra-marathon has that few minutes or hours of absolute high - the type of high that you would never feel anywhere else, that brings clarity, that you run 300+ miles to chase. Mine didn’t come the whole race - until the last five miles, when Vilk came to join me.” Vilk is a dog. Like a normal overly excited dog to see their owner for the first time in days. But somehow, those words and that imagery of her sprinting towards the finish line with her dog - crying and wanting to savor every second - stayed with me.
I clicked onto her channel, and watched more of her videos. Her YouTube caption caught my eyes. “Self-proclaimed feral woman”. No one, especially no woman in my life or I have ever read/heard/known, has willingly called themselves “feral” before. “Oxford-educated” “Living in a no-electricity, no-water land in the middle of nowhere Poland” Parts of her life feel like inherent contradictions. I couldn’t help to learn more.
She spoke of being alone, being in the wild, with such empowerment and grace. Her life feels so FULL despite being so alone. She seemed like a super-woman, so un-human and un-womenhood because she challenged every pre-conceived notion of what a “good” life is - not just a “good” life, but what a life could be. Her world was just HER house on HER land with HER dog, and it was such a FULL life that is HERS.
I knew I had to get her book. I bought the book on Kindle because I couldn’t bear the wait of the book being shipped.
Flipping through the first few pages, I couldn't find the table of contents. Like her wild adventures, there’s no clear picture of what happens next. Only dreams, best wishes, and a not so small sliver of fear.
As I started reading, I learned quickly that she is not super-human. Her story started as an almost-cliche of most “crazy” marathoners or adventurous person I have met. She once held tight onto societal definitions of success as the only way to happiness. But when she finally got everything she thought she wanted, she realized that wasn’t it. So rather than going to therapy (She even admitted this in the book!! “I should have gone to therapy” hahahah), she bought a one-way ticket to the farthest place from London, geographically and symbolically.
While reading the book and taking in all of her moments of “This is just me with the world. I feel SO free.”, I couldn’t help but to fight the urge to book a flight to Hawaii or where ever else I last found this deep sense of freedom. But I know that’s not why she wrote the book. More importantly, that’s not what I want to take away from the book. I want to figure out how I find this sense of deep deep freedom and fulfillment in my daily life. In my “normal” life. Because I can’t be Eva zu beck (I probably would have gone to therapy before she did lol).
Those 300+ pages flew by. The photos at the end of the Kindle lit up the black screen with white words that became my world for the past many hours. It was so bright. With nature, sun, and Eva’s (and Vilk’s) smiles. All of these are real. This past few days almost feel like a dream - reading through her stories. They felt so unreal. Yet, she is. Not the super-woman I thought, but a woman, a person, a being on this world trying to live more freely, more autonomously, and yes more feral and more wildly.
She isn’t fearless. “It’s a common misconception that people who are brave are fearless. The bravest are the ones who have experienced fear to the deepest core of their being and fought through it. If courage is all about overcoming fear, then fear is the very foundation that courage stands on. The two cannot exist without each other” (143). She was scared through a lot of her trips, of her own abilities, of things beyond her control, of men (lots of men unfortunately). That’s what makes her courage so extraordinary.
She also isn’t immune to loneliness. She isn’t completely unbothered and unenticed by romantic relationships. In fact, for many many years, even as she continued on her wild adventures, she defaulted to somewhat-questionable relationships with various men for safety and for reassurance. This all made her final decision of being alone more significant. Because it was a choice. “Loneliness happened to you… I had always been taught that to ‘end up alone’ would be the darkest scenario for a human life. [Espeically when] freedom and aloneness could feel so good” (153). I don’t know if I could ever reach this level of comfortability with being alone. But the next time I anxiously wait for my crush to text me back, I will remind myself that deep down, I know I am capable of giving myself the stability and making my life so full to feel lonely.
Even Vilf wasn’t born as the angel, the perfect champion, that I grew to believe as I watched him through Youtube. He was once the “demon wolf” (chapter 21).
“Radicalize yourself into living more wildly” (181). By the end, I knew her magic to be a feral woman isn’t because she was born different. Rather, she gave herself the permission to choose. To make decisions, as wild and as incomprehensible to others. “To have chosen to live like this against everyone else’s better judgment had been hard. But I had chosen it, and now it was mine.” (264) She is like the witch in the forest. But I know I am not the only one who got “radicalized” by her in the book. To also begin choosing in my own life. After all, “freedom is never granted; it is always fought for and earned” (315).
This book lit up a fire within me. It’s PERFECT. I knew it was going to be perfect before I even picked it up. It was exactly what I need at this point in my life. I have no idea what the fire is yet, but I am not scared. Because I am not quitting my whole life planned out in front of me to go ride horses in rural Mongolia (at least not yet). Rather, I am feeling more grounded in my own path, in my own self. And the rest is unwritten. For me to start. Writing. Running. Chasing, LIVING.
Quotes (and my very subjective interpretations):
- “This time, the sense of belonging would be of my own creation. It would be mine, tattooed onto my very being” (45). I could even tell from the writing style that this was earlier in her adventure. When freedom and belonging felt like a rejection of society. There is an anger fueling. A need to proof something. To the world. But towards the end, that drive for belonging comes less as a response to others, but a call from within. She wants to belong in her own land, because she owns that freedom. “I wanted to live in a world where I could feel safe living alone wherever I chose to. That was what I would always fight for.” (303)
- “Taking my life into my own hands and molding it into a unique shape was the only thing I could feasibly do with my limited time here” (57). - Again, there is that extreme urgency in her voice that mellowed out throughout the book. At the beginning, Eva almost carried that corporate-clock with her. But as she chilled on her land with Vilk, she knows that slowness of her “limited time” was exactly why she is there.
- “I was finding it liberating to admit my own ignorance, because admitting it meant that I was free to explore a whole new planet that had been hidden by my limited perceptions” (67). - Like the children story of a frog in a well thinking the sky they see is the entire sky.
- “This intermingling of hard and soft mimicked the landscape in which the language had evolved: canine peaks that swept into vast plateaus and fragrant meadows before plunging into deep ravines and river valleys” (73). - What a beauty way to describe a language
- “When you find yourself in a position of privilege, your mind quickly identifies a million reasons why you deserve to be there” (109). - Tell this to all the affirmative action opposers. This and imposter syndrome truly come side by side.
- “When you take on big, life-changing challenges, you may never feel fully ready. When faced with something that will truly test your character, skill, and endurance, you should feel a little terrified, a little humbled. This shows that you have a healthy amount of respect for the perilous journey ahead” (124).
- “Isn’t this what they speak of when they speak of immortality? Everything becomes something else. There is no death. There is merely transformation in a massive and cosmic cycle that was here long before us, and will be here long after we’re gone, churning everything that once existed into everything that will ever exist” (138).
- “If I had been a man, I wouldn’t have hesitated to stop by for a tsai, or even a cup of airag, the local moonshine made out of mare’s milk. But I wasn’t a man. And that meant I couldn’t afford to take any unnecessary risks. So I rode solo and quickly learned to cherish my solitude—I was free to pursue the things that made me happy. Climbing the big boulders at sunset. Treasuring the trees that gave me respite from the sun in their shade…” (141)
- “I GOT TO ROLE-PLAY A HERMIT. A FERAL WOMAN” (142) - wait until you became one
- “This sudden aloneness—the most intense and profound I had ever experienced—jolted me into a state of such physical, emotional, and spiritual freedom that I felt myself drawn deeper and deeper into it.” (142)
- “I felt intensely that I was living in a world so old that man had no place there” (150)
- ““Aull gua’aresh?” He uttered the traditional Sokotri greeting, which literally translates to “Is anyone sick?”(151) - Greetings tell you so much about what this culture cares about - what it needs to care about. In China, it’s “have you aten?” Bc for so long, that’s a luxury. In Us, it’s “how are you” because emotions and individualism are prioritized. In Sokotri, there are a hundred words for rain (179)
- “They never needed a piece of paper to confirm that they existed. Their existence was all the proof required.” (152)
- “I realized that my newfound minimalism was in fact just another luxury and a different form of privilege. I had chosen to give away my valuables. Had chosen to live out of a suitcase…Hamid didn’t have that choice” (154)
- “I don’t expect I’ll see you again” (156)
- “We are such romantic pirates...cuddled up with a little brown-and-caramel-colored goat that I’d befriended and named Toffee” (165-167)
- “I suspected that his meticulous efforts in decorating Cindy had something to do with the fact that I was the only female rider on the island. He wanted everyone to know that this was my motorbike” (175)
- “It was more useful than therapy, I claimed, perhaps a little too self-assuredly, but a long run always helped me clear my head” (250) - Literally every long distance runner ever
- “I was there not to own but to take care of this land … I was speaking to the land, to the trees, to the birds and the insects, the flowers and the springs. I was speaking to the spirits of this land and to all the souls that had once wandered it—and, on some level, I was speaking to myself. I will keep the land wild, in the hope that it will keep me wild, too. And for the first time in my life, I knew what it felt like to be home.” (290)
- “Yes, I no longer aspire to find myself. At this juncture, I’m happy to keep seeking. That sounds a lot more fun.” (318)
I first learned about Eva Zu Beck through her ultra-marathon documentaries. As a long-distance-runner-wanna-to-be, I devoured ultra-marathon documentaries with such hunger. Something about running through the wildest terrains for days on end bought a sense of freedom and motivation as I sat in my cozy college dorm overlooking the calm Charles river and procrastinating on my impending homework. Eva’s ultra-marathon stood out like no else’s. I still remember her saying something like “Every ultra-marathon has that few minutes or hours of absolute high - the type of high that you would never feel anywhere else, that brings clarity, that you run 300+ miles to chase. Mine didn’t come the whole race - until the last five miles, when Vilk came to join me.” Vilk is a dog. Like a normal overly excited dog to see their owner for the first time in days. But somehow, those words and that imagery of her sprinting towards the finish line with her dog - crying and wanting to savor every second - stayed with me.
I clicked onto her channel, and watched more of her videos. Her YouTube caption caught my eyes. “Self-proclaimed feral woman”. No one, especially no woman in my life or I have ever read/heard/known, has willingly called themselves “feral” before. “Oxford-educated” “Living in a no-electricity, no-water land in the middle of nowhere Poland” Parts of her life feel like inherent contradictions. I couldn’t help to learn more.
She spoke of being alone, being in the wild, with such empowerment and grace. Her life feels so FULL despite being so alone. She seemed like a super-woman, so un-human and un-womenhood because she challenged every pre-conceived notion of what a “good” life is - not just a “good” life, but what a life could be. Her world was just HER house on HER land with HER dog, and it was such a FULL life that is HERS.
I knew I had to get her book. I bought the book on Kindle because I couldn’t bear the wait of the book being shipped.
Flipping through the first few pages, I couldn't find the table of contents. Like her wild adventures, there’s no clear picture of what happens next. Only dreams, best wishes, and a not so small sliver of fear.
As I started reading, I learned quickly that she is not super-human. Her story started as an almost-cliche of most “crazy” marathoners or adventurous person I have met. She once held tight onto societal definitions of success as the only way to happiness. But when she finally got everything she thought she wanted, she realized that wasn’t it. So rather than going to therapy (She even admitted this in the book!! “I should have gone to therapy” hahahah), she bought a one-way ticket to the farthest place from London, geographically and symbolically.
While reading the book and taking in all of her moments of “This is just me with the world. I feel SO free.”, I couldn’t help but to fight the urge to book a flight to Hawaii or where ever else I last found this deep sense of freedom. But I know that’s not why she wrote the book. More importantly, that’s not what I want to take away from the book. I want to figure out how I find this sense of deep deep freedom and fulfillment in my daily life. In my “normal” life. Because I can’t be Eva zu beck (I probably would have gone to therapy before she did lol).
Those 300+ pages flew by. The photos at the end of the Kindle lit up the black screen with white words that became my world for the past many hours. It was so bright. With nature, sun, and Eva’s (and Vilk’s) smiles. All of these are real. This past few days almost feel like a dream - reading through her stories. They felt so unreal. Yet, she is. Not the super-woman I thought, but a woman, a person, a being on this world trying to live more freely, more autonomously, and yes more feral and more wildly.
She isn’t fearless. “It’s a common misconception that people who are brave are fearless. The bravest are the ones who have experienced fear to the deepest core of their being and fought through it. If courage is all about overcoming fear, then fear is the very foundation that courage stands on. The two cannot exist without each other” (143). She was scared through a lot of her trips, of her own abilities, of things beyond her control, of men (lots of men unfortunately). That’s what makes her courage so extraordinary.
She also isn’t immune to loneliness. She isn’t completely unbothered and unenticed by romantic relationships. In fact, for many many years, even as she continued on her wild adventures, she defaulted to somewhat-questionable relationships with various men for safety and for reassurance. This all made her final decision of being alone more significant. Because it was a choice. “Loneliness happened to you… I had always been taught that to ‘end up alone’ would be the darkest scenario for a human life. [Espeically when] freedom and aloneness could feel so good” (153). I don’t know if I could ever reach this level of comfortability with being alone. But the next time I anxiously wait for my crush to text me back, I will remind myself that deep down, I know I am capable of giving myself the stability and making my life so full to feel lonely.
Even Vilf wasn’t born as the angel, the perfect champion, that I grew to believe as I watched him through Youtube. He was once the “demon wolf” (chapter 21).
“Radicalize yourself into living more wildly” (181). By the end, I knew her magic to be a feral woman isn’t because she was born different. Rather, she gave herself the permission to choose. To make decisions, as wild and as incomprehensible to others. “To have chosen to live like this against everyone else’s better judgment had been hard. But I had chosen it, and now it was mine.” (264) She is like the witch in the forest. But I know I am not the only one who got “radicalized” by her in the book. To also begin choosing in my own life. After all, “freedom is never granted; it is always fought for and earned” (315).
This book lit up a fire within me. It’s PERFECT. I knew it was going to be perfect before I even picked it up. It was exactly what I need at this point in my life. I have no idea what the fire is yet, but I am not scared. Because I am not quitting my whole life planned out in front of me to go ride horses in rural Mongolia (at least not yet). Rather, I am feeling more grounded in my own path, in my own self. And the rest is unwritten. For me to start. Writing. Running. Chasing, LIVING.
Quotes (and my very subjective interpretations):
- “This time, the sense of belonging would be of my own creation. It would be mine, tattooed onto my very being” (45). I could even tell from the writing style that this was earlier in her adventure. When freedom and belonging felt like a rejection of society. There is an anger fueling. A need to proof something. To the world. But towards the end, that drive for belonging comes less as a response to others, but a call from within. She wants to belong in her own land, because she owns that freedom. “I wanted to live in a world where I could feel safe living alone wherever I chose to. That was what I would always fight for.” (303)
- “Taking my life into my own hands and molding it into a unique shape was the only thing I could feasibly do with my limited time here” (57). - Again, there is that extreme urgency in her voice that mellowed out throughout the book. At the beginning, Eva almost carried that corporate-clock with her. But as she chilled on her land with Vilk, she knows that slowness of her “limited time” was exactly why she is there.
- “I was finding it liberating to admit my own ignorance, because admitting it meant that I was free to explore a whole new planet that had been hidden by my limited perceptions” (67). - Like the children story of a frog in a well thinking the sky they see is the entire sky.
- “This intermingling of hard and soft mimicked the landscape in which the language had evolved: canine peaks that swept into vast plateaus and fragrant meadows before plunging into deep ravines and river valleys” (73). - What a beauty way to describe a language
- “When you find yourself in a position of privilege, your mind quickly identifies a million reasons why you deserve to be there” (109). - Tell this to all the affirmative action opposers. This and imposter syndrome truly come side by side.
- “When you take on big, life-changing challenges, you may never feel fully ready. When faced with something that will truly test your character, skill, and endurance, you should feel a little terrified, a little humbled. This shows that you have a healthy amount of respect for the perilous journey ahead” (124).
- “Isn’t this what they speak of when they speak of immortality? Everything becomes something else. There is no death. There is merely transformation in a massive and cosmic cycle that was here long before us, and will be here long after we’re gone, churning everything that once existed into everything that will ever exist” (138).
- “If I had been a man, I wouldn’t have hesitated to stop by for a tsai, or even a cup of airag, the local moonshine made out of mare’s milk. But I wasn’t a man. And that meant I couldn’t afford to take any unnecessary risks. So I rode solo and quickly learned to cherish my solitude—I was free to pursue the things that made me happy. Climbing the big boulders at sunset. Treasuring the trees that gave me respite from the sun in their shade…” (141)
- “I GOT TO ROLE-PLAY A HERMIT. A FERAL WOMAN” (142) - wait until you became one
- “This sudden aloneness—the most intense and profound I had ever experienced—jolted me into a state of such physical, emotional, and spiritual freedom that I felt myself drawn deeper and deeper into it.” (142)
- “I felt intensely that I was living in a world so old that man had no place there” (150)
- ““Aull gua’aresh?” He uttered the traditional Sokotri greeting, which literally translates to “Is anyone sick?”(151) - Greetings tell you so much about what this culture cares about - what it needs to care about. In China, it’s “have you aten?” Bc for so long, that’s a luxury. In Us, it’s “how are you” because emotions and individualism are prioritized. In Sokotri, there are a hundred words for rain (179)
- “They never needed a piece of paper to confirm that they existed. Their existence was all the proof required.” (152)
- “I realized that my newfound minimalism was in fact just another luxury and a different form of privilege. I had chosen to give away my valuables. Had chosen to live out of a suitcase…Hamid didn’t have that choice” (154)
- “I don’t expect I’ll see you again” (156)
- “We are such romantic pirates...cuddled up with a little brown-and-caramel-colored goat that I’d befriended and named Toffee” (165-167)
- “I suspected that his meticulous efforts in decorating Cindy had something to do with the fact that I was the only female rider on the island. He wanted everyone to know that this was my motorbike” (175)
- “It was more useful than therapy, I claimed, perhaps a little too self-assuredly, but a long run always helped me clear my head” (250) - Literally every long distance runner ever
- “I was there not to own but to take care of this land … I was speaking to the land, to the trees, to the birds and the insects, the flowers and the springs. I was speaking to the spirits of this land and to all the souls that had once wandered it—and, on some level, I was speaking to myself. I will keep the land wild, in the hope that it will keep me wild, too. And for the first time in my life, I knew what it felt like to be home.” (290)
- “Yes, I no longer aspire to find myself. At this juncture, I’m happy to keep seeking. That sounds a lot more fun.” (318)
June 22, 2026
A great view into a lot of the "behind the scenes" of the adventures Eva has been on. And a peak into some of the things not talked about in the videos.
I just read through it myself, but will be getting this book for my mother who just retired and set about on a "van-life" adventure.
I just read through it myself, but will be getting this book for my mother who just retired and set about on a "van-life" adventure.
June 30, 2026
I wish this book existed when I was 20. We need more women like Eva Zu Beck in the world - women who are brave enough to unwind the programming to truly live self directed, subversive and free. Very refreshing.
June 21, 2026
I absolutely loved this book, great read and very inspiring as a woman to go into these amazing places. Loved the stories of Vilk and the relationship you got with this special dog. 🥰
Hoping for more stories in the future.
Hoping for more stories in the future.
June 23, 2026
The greatest conflict is and will always be experienced in how we choose to exist in this reality. How we escape it and how and whether we accept it.
Human beings are strange. They long for everything they don't have. Everything is absolute. And always something is missing. That's why all stories of "total freedom" miss one important detail: Very often the person telling the story almost always knows that they can come back. It's a psychological safety net. If things go wrong, they have a passport, they have a bank account, they have the Internet, they have friends, they have a country, they have a hospital, they have a plane.
And sometimes a person imagines that suffering makes them more real. That deprivation purifies them. That the more they give up on a certain way of life, the closer they get to meaning. But there's pride in that. Arrogance. Because you have a choice where many, many people do not, because of health, politics, war, famine. There's something unfair with wanting to show your own self-inflicted pain like a moral superiority.
To me, the limits of biology are important. There's something called the "privilege of health." In fact, while we are here on this earth, we ARE this body. And, yes, the mind, consciousness and psyche are a great power and can help a lot, but only if we take the role of the respectful, wise Adult, and not of the Abuser who "breaks" the body at will, because this has a very salty price.
When the values of your life are autonomy, freedom, movement, (non)belonging and self-sufficiency, the line between
"Freedom is my value" and "Closeness is dangerous and I must escape from it" becomes very thin. The first is a philosophy. The second is a defense mechanism.
For some people, every time an opportunity for settling down, home, depth or a more intimate relationship with someone arises, they return to movement, to travel, to (for me) to escape. Every life can seem like an "Ode to Freedom", for example, someone refuses a life that is not theirs. Leaves. Takes a risk. Discovers the world. Becomes themselves.
This is the version that the audience loves because it has a clear conflict and resolution.
Second reading "Ode to Avoidance". This is the more uncomfortable reading.
Someone feels a strong sense of suffocation from closeness, structure and belonging. Every time something starts to become a home, an impulse to escape appears. Freedom becomes not only a value. It becomes a regulator of the nervous system. Then one does not travel because one wants to. One travels because stopping becomes unbearable. Painful. One can escape from one's family, one's country, one's old life, but not from one's consciousness.
It happens that when freedom is a supreme value, one reaches a constant escalation. Not just a journey. Extreme journey. Not just solitude. Radical solitude. Not just independence. Almost a war against dependence. Not just discomfort. The search for the strongest discomfort. This is a different psychological phenomenon.
Being able to withstand deprivation, however, is not moral superiority. And I don't understand why we have to divide ourselves on that. Women who can live wild and women who are city girls. Women who want children and women who don't. Women who are looking for a partner and those who don't. Where does comparison end and acceptance and support begin for ALL women?
Why do we now have to compare ourselves on a new basis: Whose life is more authentic? The person who lives in the mountains because they want to is free. The person who lives in the city because they want to is just as free. But the person who runs away because they can't stand closeness, dependency, or belonging is not free. Regardless of the fact that they are in constant motion.
There is something that therapists sometimes call "identity through opposition." Every person is so strongly defined by what they are NOT that they begin to lose touch with what they are. I don't want an office. I don't want a city. I don't want children. I don't want marriage. I don't want comfort. I don't want routine. I don't want to belong to the modern world.
At some point you start to ask yourself: Okay, what do you want anyway? That's a different question.
Because true freedom can stay in one place and still be free. If freedom constantly requires movement, then we can't just talk about freedom anymore.
A story can be neither about freedom nor about escape. It can be about a person in transition. A story of a person who hasn't yet found the their answer.
I think I'm just annoyed by the implicit message: "This is a more authentic way of life." No.
Because my life over the past few years has shown me that regulation has a price, safety has a price, predictability has a price, access to medicine has a price, clean water has a price. And when you can die those things become priceless. And these things are no less authentic than life in the Carpathians, or on a wild beach, or anywhere in the world.
People are addicted to stories of the extreme. Ordinary life doesn't make a bestseller. While: "I left everything. I settled down with a super career and a super husband. I disappeared into the desert. I climbed a mountain. I lost myself. I found myself. I almost died. I was resurrected." This is a story. The human brain loves a good story. Loves transformation. Loves drama. Loves the hero.
The audience often turns the controversial person into the sage of the mountain. Not because they have found the answers. But because they are in conflict. Conflict generates a story. A story generates an audience.
The audience sometimes mistakes a story for wisdom. It asks, "How impressive is this person?" Not, "How aware is this person?" "How adequate is this person?" "What is the price of this way of life?" These are different questions.
Sometimes the greatest achievement is not to escape into the wilderness, but to build a life that you can inhabit for a long time without fighting with yourself. Whether in a tent in the wilderness or in an apartment in the city.
p.s. I really enjoyed the book, not just because of the stories, but because it made me think.
Human beings are strange. They long for everything they don't have. Everything is absolute. And always something is missing. That's why all stories of "total freedom" miss one important detail: Very often the person telling the story almost always knows that they can come back. It's a psychological safety net. If things go wrong, they have a passport, they have a bank account, they have the Internet, they have friends, they have a country, they have a hospital, they have a plane.
And sometimes a person imagines that suffering makes them more real. That deprivation purifies them. That the more they give up on a certain way of life, the closer they get to meaning. But there's pride in that. Arrogance. Because you have a choice where many, many people do not, because of health, politics, war, famine. There's something unfair with wanting to show your own self-inflicted pain like a moral superiority.
To me, the limits of biology are important. There's something called the "privilege of health." In fact, while we are here on this earth, we ARE this body. And, yes, the mind, consciousness and psyche are a great power and can help a lot, but only if we take the role of the respectful, wise Adult, and not of the Abuser who "breaks" the body at will, because this has a very salty price.
When the values of your life are autonomy, freedom, movement, (non)belonging and self-sufficiency, the line between
"Freedom is my value" and "Closeness is dangerous and I must escape from it" becomes very thin. The first is a philosophy. The second is a defense mechanism.
For some people, every time an opportunity for settling down, home, depth or a more intimate relationship with someone arises, they return to movement, to travel, to (for me) to escape. Every life can seem like an "Ode to Freedom", for example, someone refuses a life that is not theirs. Leaves. Takes a risk. Discovers the world. Becomes themselves.
This is the version that the audience loves because it has a clear conflict and resolution.
Second reading "Ode to Avoidance". This is the more uncomfortable reading.
Someone feels a strong sense of suffocation from closeness, structure and belonging. Every time something starts to become a home, an impulse to escape appears. Freedom becomes not only a value. It becomes a regulator of the nervous system. Then one does not travel because one wants to. One travels because stopping becomes unbearable. Painful. One can escape from one's family, one's country, one's old life, but not from one's consciousness.
It happens that when freedom is a supreme value, one reaches a constant escalation. Not just a journey. Extreme journey. Not just solitude. Radical solitude. Not just independence. Almost a war against dependence. Not just discomfort. The search for the strongest discomfort. This is a different psychological phenomenon.
Being able to withstand deprivation, however, is not moral superiority. And I don't understand why we have to divide ourselves on that. Women who can live wild and women who are city girls. Women who want children and women who don't. Women who are looking for a partner and those who don't. Where does comparison end and acceptance and support begin for ALL women?
Why do we now have to compare ourselves on a new basis: Whose life is more authentic? The person who lives in the mountains because they want to is free. The person who lives in the city because they want to is just as free. But the person who runs away because they can't stand closeness, dependency, or belonging is not free. Regardless of the fact that they are in constant motion.
There is something that therapists sometimes call "identity through opposition." Every person is so strongly defined by what they are NOT that they begin to lose touch with what they are. I don't want an office. I don't want a city. I don't want children. I don't want marriage. I don't want comfort. I don't want routine. I don't want to belong to the modern world.
At some point you start to ask yourself: Okay, what do you want anyway? That's a different question.
Because true freedom can stay in one place and still be free. If freedom constantly requires movement, then we can't just talk about freedom anymore.
A story can be neither about freedom nor about escape. It can be about a person in transition. A story of a person who hasn't yet found the their answer.
I think I'm just annoyed by the implicit message: "This is a more authentic way of life." No.
Because my life over the past few years has shown me that regulation has a price, safety has a price, predictability has a price, access to medicine has a price, clean water has a price. And when you can die those things become priceless. And these things are no less authentic than life in the Carpathians, or on a wild beach, or anywhere in the world.
People are addicted to stories of the extreme. Ordinary life doesn't make a bestseller. While: "I left everything. I settled down with a super career and a super husband. I disappeared into the desert. I climbed a mountain. I lost myself. I found myself. I almost died. I was resurrected." This is a story. The human brain loves a good story. Loves transformation. Loves drama. Loves the hero.
The audience often turns the controversial person into the sage of the mountain. Not because they have found the answers. But because they are in conflict. Conflict generates a story. A story generates an audience.
The audience sometimes mistakes a story for wisdom. It asks, "How impressive is this person?" Not, "How aware is this person?" "How adequate is this person?" "What is the price of this way of life?" These are different questions.
Sometimes the greatest achievement is not to escape into the wilderness, but to build a life that you can inhabit for a long time without fighting with yourself. Whether in a tent in the wilderness or in an apartment in the city.
p.s. I really enjoyed the book, not just because of the stories, but because it made me think.
June 21, 2026
The Courage Behind the Adventure
I have followed Eva on YouTube for years, and before stepping away from social media, I followed her on Instagram as well. A few years ago, in one of those wonderfully improbable moments, I even had the pleasure of randomly running into her in our hometown while she was passing through on her U.S. adventure. That brief encounter made reading The Wilder Way feel unexpectedly full circle. Yet even after years of following her journeys, I was not prepared for how much more she would reveal on the page.
What makes this memoir so powerful is not simply the scale of the landscapes or the daring of Eva’s adventures, though both are extraordinary. It is the courage behind them.
Eva writes with a degree of authenticity and honesty that strips away the polished mythology often attached to brave lives. She allows us to see the fear, self-doubt, loneliness, mistakes, longing, and personal cost that can accompany the decision to live differently. In doing so, she reveals something far more meaningful than conventional fearlessness. She shows that being fearless does not mean living without fear. It means facing fear honestly, refusing to let it make every decision for you, and continuing toward what feels true.
Longtime followers will recognize many of the places and turning points, but the book gives us what a camera cannot always capture: the interior journey. It fills the spaces between the videos. It introduces us to the woman behind the adventurer, not as an untouchable symbol of courage, but as a human being learning, unraveling, rebuilding, and repeatedly choosing truth over appearance. That vulnerability made me admire her not less, but far more.
My copy is crowded with notes and underlined passages. I kept stopping, not because the story lost momentum, but because Eva’s reflections demanded attention. This is the kind of book that quietly turns its questions back on the reader. Where have I mistaken comfort for fulfillment? Which parts of my life are truly mine? Where am I living according to expectation rather than conviction? What might become possible if I trusted myself a little more?
Importantly, The Wilder Way does not suggest that we must imitate Eva, leave everything behind, or pursue extreme adventures. Its deeper invitation is much more universal. It asks us to stop sleepwalking through lives shaped entirely by convention, to listen more honestly to ourselves, and to find the courage to take the next true step, whatever that step may look like.
That is why this book is worth reading far beyond the usual audience for travel and adventure memoirs. It is for travelers and homebodies, risk-takers and careful planners, people beginning again and people who simply sense that something within them has gone quiet. It is for anyone thinking about freedom, identity, belonging, love, solitude, purpose, or what it means to feel fully alive.
Eva has given readers more than the account of an unconventional life. She has offered an honest reckoning with the bravery required to become yourself. This book inspired me, challenged me, and stayed with me. I know I will return to my many underlined passages for years to come.
The world may belong to the brave, but Eva’s greatest gift is reminding us that bravery is not reserved for a special few. It begins whenever we choose to live more truthfully.
The framing reflects Eva’s own description of the memoir as a candid search for meaning, as well as her belief that adventure can help ordinary people reconnect with their own strength, whether the adventure is enormous or close to home.
I have followed Eva on YouTube for years, and before stepping away from social media, I followed her on Instagram as well. A few years ago, in one of those wonderfully improbable moments, I even had the pleasure of randomly running into her in our hometown while she was passing through on her U.S. adventure. That brief encounter made reading The Wilder Way feel unexpectedly full circle. Yet even after years of following her journeys, I was not prepared for how much more she would reveal on the page.
What makes this memoir so powerful is not simply the scale of the landscapes or the daring of Eva’s adventures, though both are extraordinary. It is the courage behind them.
Eva writes with a degree of authenticity and honesty that strips away the polished mythology often attached to brave lives. She allows us to see the fear, self-doubt, loneliness, mistakes, longing, and personal cost that can accompany the decision to live differently. In doing so, she reveals something far more meaningful than conventional fearlessness. She shows that being fearless does not mean living without fear. It means facing fear honestly, refusing to let it make every decision for you, and continuing toward what feels true.
Longtime followers will recognize many of the places and turning points, but the book gives us what a camera cannot always capture: the interior journey. It fills the spaces between the videos. It introduces us to the woman behind the adventurer, not as an untouchable symbol of courage, but as a human being learning, unraveling, rebuilding, and repeatedly choosing truth over appearance. That vulnerability made me admire her not less, but far more.
My copy is crowded with notes and underlined passages. I kept stopping, not because the story lost momentum, but because Eva’s reflections demanded attention. This is the kind of book that quietly turns its questions back on the reader. Where have I mistaken comfort for fulfillment? Which parts of my life are truly mine? Where am I living according to expectation rather than conviction? What might become possible if I trusted myself a little more?
Importantly, The Wilder Way does not suggest that we must imitate Eva, leave everything behind, or pursue extreme adventures. Its deeper invitation is much more universal. It asks us to stop sleepwalking through lives shaped entirely by convention, to listen more honestly to ourselves, and to find the courage to take the next true step, whatever that step may look like.
That is why this book is worth reading far beyond the usual audience for travel and adventure memoirs. It is for travelers and homebodies, risk-takers and careful planners, people beginning again and people who simply sense that something within them has gone quiet. It is for anyone thinking about freedom, identity, belonging, love, solitude, purpose, or what it means to feel fully alive.
Eva has given readers more than the account of an unconventional life. She has offered an honest reckoning with the bravery required to become yourself. This book inspired me, challenged me, and stayed with me. I know I will return to my many underlined passages for years to come.
The world may belong to the brave, but Eva’s greatest gift is reminding us that bravery is not reserved for a special few. It begins whenever we choose to live more truthfully.
The framing reflects Eva’s own description of the memoir as a candid search for meaning, as well as her belief that adventure can help ordinary people reconnect with their own strength, whether the adventure is enormous or close to home.
May 19, 2026
beautiful read. i've followed Eva on YouTube for some time and i've watched most of her catalogue. she truly is an inspiration to so many people, especially young women out there. she is a refreshing voice of reason for those who do not want to live the patriarchally-aligned dream.
the worlds she outlines are so vivid, and what a treat that so many of the adventures she's spoken about have accompanying footage on her YouTube channel. i really appreciate the pacing of this book, too; there's a lot of content to cover, yet each chapter was the perfect length.
i also think Eva did a decent job at adding feminist undertones when describing some of the places she visited, as well as exploring uncomfortable topics like her white privilege. she paints a generally favourable view of many individuals she's met during her travels, making a welcome distinction between people and their governments. this is tremendously important given the way the west depicts other nations.
however, at times, i found myself wondering how much of the warmth she experienced might be shaped by benevolent patriarchy and her identity as a white woman, and how those same interactions might differ for solo female travellers who are women of colour. it's hard to believe that many of the men she had positive experiences with would treat their wives, daughters or non-white women who visited in as high esteem, which is why i think i felt a little dismayed reading this memoir as a woman of colour.
however, i understand that Eva is just recounting her own experiences, and they were enjoyable to read nonetheless, even if my heart breaks at the lack of basic freedoms many women have in these countries (which Eva also implicitly addressed), and also reading about how often Eva was harassed by men too. just to make it clear, i think most men globally are patriarchs, and not just men in any one particular country.
overall, i think the memoir left a really strong and positive impression on me, even if i feel like some of her advice and radical positivity cannot be as easily applicable to Black and brown women. however, the memoir left me feeling refreshed and inspired to solo travel to places i deem safe enough. while whiteness perhaps played a role in facilitating some of Eva's travel experiences, it feels incredible to read the memoir of an unapologetic and raw woman, paving out her own blueprint for the first generation of women who have the autonomy to do so. for that, i'm grateful.
the worlds she outlines are so vivid, and what a treat that so many of the adventures she's spoken about have accompanying footage on her YouTube channel. i really appreciate the pacing of this book, too; there's a lot of content to cover, yet each chapter was the perfect length.
i also think Eva did a decent job at adding feminist undertones when describing some of the places she visited, as well as exploring uncomfortable topics like her white privilege. she paints a generally favourable view of many individuals she's met during her travels, making a welcome distinction between people and their governments. this is tremendously important given the way the west depicts other nations.
however, at times, i found myself wondering how much of the warmth she experienced might be shaped by benevolent patriarchy and her identity as a white woman, and how those same interactions might differ for solo female travellers who are women of colour. it's hard to believe that many of the men she had positive experiences with would treat their wives, daughters or non-white women who visited in as high esteem, which is why i think i felt a little dismayed reading this memoir as a woman of colour.
however, i understand that Eva is just recounting her own experiences, and they were enjoyable to read nonetheless, even if my heart breaks at the lack of basic freedoms many women have in these countries (which Eva also implicitly addressed), and also reading about how often Eva was harassed by men too. just to make it clear, i think most men globally are patriarchs, and not just men in any one particular country.
overall, i think the memoir left a really strong and positive impression on me, even if i feel like some of her advice and radical positivity cannot be as easily applicable to Black and brown women. however, the memoir left me feeling refreshed and inspired to solo travel to places i deem safe enough. while whiteness perhaps played a role in facilitating some of Eva's travel experiences, it feels incredible to read the memoir of an unapologetic and raw woman, paving out her own blueprint for the first generation of women who have the autonomy to do so. for that, i'm grateful.
June 8, 2026
I've been following Eva since I saw her post from the Tatra Mountains just before she set off on her adventure to Nepal—basically from the very beginning. Her journey has been very inspiring to me for many years, so I was very excited to read this book.
The book is well written, although at times I found it a bit difficult to follow. Personally, I would have preferred the story to be told in a more continuous way rather than jumping between different events at the start of each chapter. I occasionally found that structure a little confusing.
While reading about some of her past relationships and the decisions she made, I often came away with the impression that she was immature and sometimes irresponsible in her adventures. For years, I wondered whether she had ever been afraid of men or experienced harassment or assault, because that vulnerability rarely came across in her YouTube videos.
I never expected her to share such deeply personal experiences publicly, and I completely understand why she might choose not to. However, the book made me realize that the image I had formed of her as a completely fearless traveler was not entirely accurate. Like many women who travel alone, she has faced risks and difficult experiences.
I'm saying this as an adventurous woman who has had similar experiences myself. While I understand that social media can never show the full picture, I sometimes felt that her online presence presented a version of solo travel that overlooked some of the realities and threats that many women encounter on the road.
Eva's goal was clearly to inspire people to get out there and live a wilder, more authentic life. However, I found it somewhat tiring to be repeatedly convinced that not showering and living off-grid is a path that is accessible or desirable for almost everyone. She has often shared this perspective on social media, but I found it repetitive to read similar statements throughout the book about not shaving or showering.
Not everyone can afford to live this way, sometimes because of health limitations. As someone who loves camping, trekking, and being active outdoors, I found parts of the book surprisingly difficult to read because my own health issues don't allow me to do those things as often as I would like.
I think that if you're healthy and interested in embracing a more "feral" lifestyle, this book could be very inspiring. For me personally, though, it was a somewhat sad read.
The book is well written, although at times I found it a bit difficult to follow. Personally, I would have preferred the story to be told in a more continuous way rather than jumping between different events at the start of each chapter. I occasionally found that structure a little confusing.
While reading about some of her past relationships and the decisions she made, I often came away with the impression that she was immature and sometimes irresponsible in her adventures. For years, I wondered whether she had ever been afraid of men or experienced harassment or assault, because that vulnerability rarely came across in her YouTube videos.
I never expected her to share such deeply personal experiences publicly, and I completely understand why she might choose not to. However, the book made me realize that the image I had formed of her as a completely fearless traveler was not entirely accurate. Like many women who travel alone, she has faced risks and difficult experiences.
I'm saying this as an adventurous woman who has had similar experiences myself. While I understand that social media can never show the full picture, I sometimes felt that her online presence presented a version of solo travel that overlooked some of the realities and threats that many women encounter on the road.
Eva's goal was clearly to inspire people to get out there and live a wilder, more authentic life. However, I found it somewhat tiring to be repeatedly convinced that not showering and living off-grid is a path that is accessible or desirable for almost everyone. She has often shared this perspective on social media, but I found it repetitive to read similar statements throughout the book about not shaving or showering.
Not everyone can afford to live this way, sometimes because of health limitations. As someone who loves camping, trekking, and being active outdoors, I found parts of the book surprisingly difficult to read because my own health issues don't allow me to do those things as often as I would like.
I think that if you're healthy and interested in embracing a more "feral" lifestyle, this book could be very inspiring. For me personally, though, it was a somewhat sad read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Eva zu Beck seemed to have it all: great job, picture-perfect marriage, etc but it didn't feel right & the pull to travel was so strong that she bought a one-way ticket to Nepal & hasn't really stopped since. From working with horses in Mongolia, to a very long-distance drive through the US, the book follows zu Beck on her travels & urges everyone to find their own path in life - even if it isn't a conventional one.
I had not heard of this author or her YouTube channel before reading this book, & I requested it based on the cover & synopsis. I rather enjoyed this, it was honest & soul-searching about living an unconventional life & I can empathise with certain aspects of the author's journey of self-discovery, however, solo travelling would not be for me. Although zu Beck acknowledges that women face particular challenges & safety worries & it's fair enough wanting to view the world through the lens that most people are kind & helpful, for me you only need to meet one that isn't & that's the end of the road. In more ways than one. Maybe I've read too many true crime cases.
I would have liked a bit more about the preparation for some of these trips as that's part of the journey too. For example, one moment zu Beck is contemplating quitting on one continent & the next she is partway through a trek in the Arctic - what? When was this decided? When the reader comes in partway through, it’s quite jarring. Also we go from her living on savings to now earning enough from travel vlogs & sponsors - like when did this all happen? Overall I enjoyed reading this (& absolutely loved Vilk, her German Shepherd dog, who seems such a good boy) but I'm most definitely a homebody & like my comforts too much. 3.75 stars (rounded up)
SUMMARY:
Research: Not Applicable.
Writing Style: Good - Honest & soul-searching about living an unconventional life.
Enjoyment Level: Moderately High - I would have liked a bit more about the preparation for some of these trips. When the reader comes in partway through, it’s quite jarring at times.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Random House UK/Cornerstone/Century, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
I had not heard of this author or her YouTube channel before reading this book, & I requested it based on the cover & synopsis. I rather enjoyed this, it was honest & soul-searching about living an unconventional life & I can empathise with certain aspects of the author's journey of self-discovery, however, solo travelling would not be for me. Although zu Beck acknowledges that women face particular challenges & safety worries & it's fair enough wanting to view the world through the lens that most people are kind & helpful, for me you only need to meet one that isn't & that's the end of the road. In more ways than one. Maybe I've read too many true crime cases.
I would have liked a bit more about the preparation for some of these trips as that's part of the journey too. For example, one moment zu Beck is contemplating quitting on one continent & the next she is partway through a trek in the Arctic - what? When was this decided? When the reader comes in partway through, it’s quite jarring. Also we go from her living on savings to now earning enough from travel vlogs & sponsors - like when did this all happen? Overall I enjoyed reading this (& absolutely loved Vilk, her German Shepherd dog, who seems such a good boy) but I'm most definitely a homebody & like my comforts too much. 3.75 stars (rounded up)
SUMMARY:
Research: Not Applicable.
Writing Style: Good - Honest & soul-searching about living an unconventional life.
Enjoyment Level: Moderately High - I would have liked a bit more about the preparation for some of these trips. When the reader comes in partway through, it’s quite jarring at times.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Random House UK/Cornerstone/Century, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
July 1, 2026
Eva zu Beck is among the content creators that first came to my attention following the pandemic. I have often used her videos, especially her visits to the Euphrates and the ruins of Babylon to give my students a sense of place and adventure. I've seen her stand in the throne room of Babylon, ride horses in Mongolia, trek through the Amazon, drive the Arctic, climb a mountain in Antarctica. Here we get the lore of the wanderer in full for the first time. We learn how early in her 20s she was married, pursuing a high-powered job and beginning the pull of success in our modern society. But she felt empty. She began to experiment with solo travel in exotic and dangerous locations and learned a lot about people along the way. This is a very engaging read and Eva tells her story with brutal honesty, not shying away from the difficulties and dangers she has faced along the way. She discusses the pain of confounding one's family in the pursuit of one's own truth--her parents and grandparents were thrown by her ending her marriage and repudiating the traditional job and life. She mentions formally breaking from her religious upbringing and making a decision to be celibate and single. But in the end while she says she does not believe she will ever truly know herself, she knows herself better now than she did before and that life will merely be a lifelong seeking. Whether you have followed Eva's videos or social media posts or not, this book is a real, raw and honest look at one woman's choices for her life. It might just challenge your view of your own place in the world.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I’ll start by saying I really admire her courage and I enjoy her writing but that having gotten to 65% I just can’t read any further. This is the kind of genre I love, and so I thought how awesome a girl off on her adventures. The intro is strong, Eva blows up her life realising she isn’t happy which I think is incredibly relatable getting to that part of your twenties/thirties and there’s a crystalising of what you want in life that’s leads to some big soul searching. However, it just not a rewarding read, each chapter feels like a YouTube video where we drop into her adventures with no context, she’s hiking to the Everest base camp with no intro as to any training or fitness she’s done, then we’re with her in Pakistan going to areas that are very dangerous, then we drop into her horseback riding alone in Mongolia with no background of her having ridden horses?! And then we’re off to a remote island off Yemen where she just low key runs a marathon? And then she gets stuck there with Covid lock downs and then never mentions running again?
On YouTube this would work because when things are spoken and chatty and contained in a video you can drop in, but for a book? It doesn’t work, it’s missing the journey, and the will she, wont she, oh by golly she did hooray! And it’s that triumph that makes it feel rewarding to read.
I really tried to like it, and maybe it is accidental misogyny and I would judge a man by the same process but for me the format just didn’t work for me.
On YouTube this would work because when things are spoken and chatty and contained in a video you can drop in, but for a book? It doesn’t work, it’s missing the journey, and the will she, wont she, oh by golly she did hooray! And it’s that triumph that makes it feel rewarding to read.
I really tried to like it, and maybe it is accidental misogyny and I would judge a man by the same process but for me the format just didn’t work for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews