How to Suffer Outside | Author Talk (virtual)

MOVED TO NOVEMBER 15 AT 6PM. PLEASE REGISTER TO ATTEND.

Join Diana Helmuth, author of How to Suffer Outside: A Beginner’s Guide to Hiking and Backpacking, in conversation with local hiking guidebook author Nathan Barnes! 

Part critique of modern hiking culture and part how-to guide, How to Suffer Outside is for anyone who wants to hit the trail without breaking the bank. Diana blends self-deprecating humor and good-natured heckling of both seasoned backpackers and urbanites who romanticize being outdoorsy with a helpful dose of the actual advice a novice needs to get started. Her approach is hopeful: “If I can do it, you can, too. Here’s how.”

Featuring illustrations by artist Latasha Dunston, each chapter focuses on a critical topic: gear, food, hygiene, clothing, and more, along with useful checklists and resources. Humorous, philosophical, and practical, How to Suffer Outside will teach you how to get started, help you perfect your craft, and leave you laughing at the struggles and magic of the trail.

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DIANA HELMUTH has been in love with backpacking since she was a teenager and has hiked extensively throughout the western US, Europe, and Chile. She studied cultural anthropology at the University of California– Berkeley and the American University in Cairo. When she’s not on the trail or writing, she builds things in startup land and produces the occasional podcast. How to Suffer Outside is her first book.

NATHAN BARNES co-founded the popular website and hiking resource hikingwithmybrother.com in 2009. Together with brother Jeremy Barnes, he is known for including historical background, detailed maps, and vibrant photos for every hike. He is the co-author of Washington Wildflower Hikes: 50 Destinations, Pacific Northwest Wildflowers: A Pocket Reference, Alpine Lakes Wilderness: The Complete Hiking Guide, and Hiking Through History Washington. He lives in Seattle.