Walking the lonely road? Check out these 3 books inspired by 'solo treks'

Solitude has inspired countless writers to pen some great literature and On The Coast's book columnist Tara Henley says it can inspire you to enjoy those worksas well.

This week, she's profiling great books about "solo treks": the impulse to escape hectic modern life.

"This idea of the solo quest has been with us for a long time. It's a theme that literature continually circles back to," she told On The Coast guest host Michelle Eliot.

"Of course, one of the most famous titles in this genre is Walden, by Henry David Thoreau, published in 1854. In the memoir, he retreats for a couple of years to commune with nature and explore simple living.

"For a more recent and more active solo wilderness adventure, we can look to Cheryl Strayed's blockbuster memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, about her 1,100-mile hikewhile grieving her mother's death and overcoming a heroin addiction. This book really blew open the doors for memoirs by adventurers."

Here are some of Henley's picks.

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Walden on Wheels by Ken Ilgunas

"Ilgunas graduated from the University at Buffalo $32,000 in debt. To pay off his loans, he took a job at a camp in Coldfoot, Alaska, since it paid room and board and allowed him to put most of his salary towards his debt. While there, he fell in love with natureand simple living. I really love Walden on Wheels, though, because it confronts the extreme economic pressures facing millennials and gen-Xersand models one radical solution to that."

A Singular Life in a Crowded World by Michael Harris

"This new title is about his quest to reclaim solitude from technology. It's beautifully written, fascinating and a real comment on the times we're living through. Harris himself tries to break free of technology, unplugging alone at a cabin on Pender Island for a week. Now, this may seem like the world's cushiest experiment, but as he points out, when was the last time you were truly alone: no texts, no Facebook updatesfor more than a few hours? It's kind of crazy that it's come to that."

On Trails by Robert Moor

"Growing up a closeted gay kid in suburban Illinoiswho knew no other gay people, Moor never felt at home. Being in the wilderness gave him a sense of belonging. As a young adult, he hiked the Appalachian Trail for five months. It got him thinking about the role that trails have played in human historyand in our humanity."

With files form CBC Radio One's On The Coast