Lately, I’ve had a peculiar knack of selecting books that turn out to cut close to my own life, needs or interests.

That’s how it was with “Unattached: A Memoir,” author Reannon Muth’s debut novel (2021). My initial attraction was simple and superficial — the intriguing title and cover. Two no-nos as far as fair literary judgment goes, but it turns out my subconscious hunches were on point.

In this personal, candid memoir, Muth lays bare her longtime struggle with anxiety and fear of commitment — and her deep desire to somehow overcome both.

Muth, raised in Hawaii and now living in Las Vegas, is a seasoned traveler, having worked, backpacked and kayaked her way through Guatemala, Austria, Japan, Mexico and dozens of other countries. All the while, she’s well aware her nomadic lifestyle is merely a vain attempt to outpace her anxiety (which often yells in her head to “Run!”) and avoid ever getting close to anyone — other than her dog, Frankie.

She’s not exactly a loner — she has casual friendships, professional relationships and even an occasional boyfriend.

But for the most part, she keeps everything and everyone at bay, preventing her from enjoying the deeper, more satisfying life she craves.

The book is divided into three parts — Heartache, Hiking and Healing — in which Muth chronicles a year of her life. Along with flashbacks to traumatic childhood experiences, she relates a couple of failed attempts at romance, a group hiking trip up California’s Mt. Whitney (for which she was woefully ill-prepared), and finally a “healing” period.

The latter sparks from the revelation that her life has been full of pretense — much like the “show” put on by the glitzy Vegas scene around her. Her anxiety still screams at her to “Run!” but now she begins to hear another voice deep inside that whispers, “Take a chance.”

A visit to a therapist’s office encourages more healing. He tells her that it all starts with our thoughts, followed by emotions.

Learn to control your thoughts and you can learn to control your fears. He offers a solution to silence her anxious brain by deep breathing, which slows heart rate, and smiling, which releases neurotransmitters in the body to reduce stress.

As I said, this book hit close to home. Recently diagnosed with anxiety myself, I appreciate the bravery of others who share their experiences. I’m also facing more honestly my own commitment issues. How easy it is to convince ourselves we’re only “worry warts” or that we just don’t like crowds. Sometimes it helps just to know you’re not alone.

“Unattached: A Memoir” is not a comprehensive dive into the grip of anxiety and panic attacks, but if you’ve experienced either even mildly, or know someone who has, this book offers some insight and a few tools.

This is also not a collection of journeys and travels, though Muth does offer snippets of past outdoor ventures. Her account of the Mt. Whitney climb, which was somewhat of a turning point in her life, was fairly thorough and quite compelling, if only to see if she actually completed her conquest!

It definitely satisfied this reader, who occasionally finds herself on the hiking trail and still dreams of a Pacific Crest Trail trek someday.

I enjoyed Muth’s easy style and candid words, and look forward to more works by her — hopefully tales of those extensive global escapades.