How to Suffer Outside | Virtual Author Talk

Join Diana Helmuth, author of How to Suffer Outside: A Beginner’s Guide to Hiking and Backpacking, for a discussion about how to adventure outdoors with confidence.

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.

ATTEND

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.

JOANNA ROBINSON is a senior pop culture writer at Vanity Fair, and has been featured on The Ringer and Pajiba. She is a founder and co-host of several top rated podcasts including A Cast of Kings, The Storm: A Lost Rewatch Podcast, and The Station Agents. She has served as a featured panel moderator at international events such as SXSW, Con of Thrones and The Mill Valley Film Festival, and has been profiled in the San Francisco Chronicle, IndieWire and REcode Media for her work in TV and Film. In 2019, SyFy dubbed her the "Queen of Game of Thrones" for her insightful coverage of one of the biggest pop culture events of the young century. Her ability to connect with top talent from some of the greatest shows of our time brings new perspectives to stories that have been out for years. She specializes in building communities of devoted listeners.