Five top books where nature is the antagonist

Jeff Somers is the author of Lifers, the Avery Cates series from Orbit Books, Chum from Tyrus Books, and We Are Not Good People from Pocket/Gallery. He has published over thirty short stories as well.

At B & N Reads Somers tagged five books with Mother Nature as antagonist, including:

Wild, by Cheryl Strayed

The recent film adaptation has brought Cheryl Strayed’s terrific memoir into the spotlight again, and it remains a powerful reading experience. At the age of 26, after the death of her mother and heroin use had destabilized her life in almost every way, Strayed embarked on a hike along the Pacific Coast Trail, eventually walking more than 1,100 miles on a journey of self-discovery no less powerful than Thoreau’s for being born out of dysfunction and tragedy. Strayed writes with a surprisingly assured and confident style, with an economy of words that allows the experiences she’s describing to stand on their own. If you’ve seen the movie, read the book for a more personal experience.

Read about the other entries on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue