Origins & Early Life

Cheryl Strayed (; née Nyland; born September 17, 1968) is an American writer and podcast host. She has written four books: the novel Torch (2006) and the nonfiction books Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail (2012), Tiny Beautiful Things (2012) and Brave Enough (2015). Wild, the story of Strayed's 1995 hike up the Pacific Crest Trail, is an international bestseller and was adapted into the 2014 Academy Award-nominated film Wild. Strayed was born in Spangler, Pennsylvania, the second daughter of Barbara Anne "Bobbi" (née Young; 1945–1991) and Ronald Nyland.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

From age three to six, Strayed was sexually abused by her paternal grandfather. At age six, her family moved from Pennsylvania to Chaska, Minnesota. Her parents divorced soon after and Cheryl's father left her life. When Cheryl was 12 her mother married Glenn Lambrecht, and the following year the family moved to rural Aitkin County, where they lived in a house that they built themselves on 40 acres. The house did not have electricity or running water for the first few years.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Indoor plumbing was installed after Strayed moved away for college. Strayed also has two half-siblings from her father's second...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Anastacia — Contemporary (Born in 1968) (1968): American singer-songwriter known for her powerful voice and 'sprock' fusion.
• Brian Cox (physicist) — Contemporary (Born in 1968) (1968): Renowned physicist and musician, celebrated for popular science communication.
• Carl Theodor Dreyer — Contemporary (Died in 1968) (1968): Master of emotional austerity, Dreyer shaped cinema with profound explorations of faith and fate.
• Agostinho Neto — Shared historical date (09-17 · Born) (1922): Angolan communist revolutionary, poet, and first President of Angola.
• Alfred de Vigny — Shared historical date (09-17 · Died) (1863): French poet and early Romanticist, known for his plays and novels.
• Charles Chaplin Jr. — Historical peer (Died in 1968) (1968): American actor, son of Charlie Chaplin, known for 1950s film appearances.
• Cuba Gooding Jr. — Historical peer (Born in 1968) (1968): Acclaimed American actor known for roles in 'Jerry Maguire' and 'The People v. O. J. Simpson'
• Aaron Spelling — Historical peer (Died in 2006) (2006): Pioneering American producer of hit TV series like Dynasty and Beverly Hills, 90210.
• Alfredo Stroessner — Historical peer (Died in 2006) (2006): Paraguayan military dictator who ruled from 1954 to 1989, known for repression.
• Adam Yauch — Historical peer (Died in 2012) (2012): Founding member of Beastie Boys; influential rapper, filmmaker, and Tibetan activist.
• 1968 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1968
• September 17 (09-17) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on September 17