A Walk in the Woods 2nd Edition Recommendations
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A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (Mass Market Paperback)
by Bill Bryson (Author)
Book Details
* Paperback: 397 pages
* Publisher: Anchor; 2nd edition (December 26, 2006)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0307279464
* ISBN-13: 978-0307279460
* Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
* Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
* Rating: 
Book Description
The Appalachian Trail trail stretches from Georgia to Maine and covers some of the most breathtaking terrain in America–majestic mountains, silent forests, sparking lakes. If you’re going to take a hike, it’s probably the place to go. And Bill Bryson is surely the most entertaing guide you’ll find. He introduces us to the history and ecology of the trail and to some of the other hardy (or just foolhardy) folks he meets along the way–and a couple of bears. Already a classic, A Walk in the Woods will make you long for the great outdoors (or at least a comfortable chair to sit and read in).
A Walk in the Woods Review
Perhaps it was a fit of angst dealing with his own personal version of a mid-life crisis that led Bill Bryson to tackle the challenge of hiking the 2,100 mile Appalachian Trail! It was certainly a solid understanding of his own personality and clear recognition of his own physical and mental limitations that prompted him to invite his friend, Stephen Katz, an overweight and out of shape recovering alcoholic with an inordinate fondness for snack foods and cream soda to accompany him on this daunting challenge. The demands of the AT ultimately proved too much for Bryson and Katz who sensibly (and with an almost relieved sense of philosophical acceptance) decided to abandon the notion of a complete through hike. But the resulting story, drawn from Bryson’s daily journal of the summer’s efforts, is an overwhelming success and pure joy in the reading.
“A Walk in the Woods” is an extraordinary, entertaining travelogue on both the AT – the Appalachian Trail – and the people and places of small town America that dot the trail’s path along the eastern seaboard from Georgia to Maine. At the same time, it is much, much more. Bryson is scathing in his political commentary and almost enraged criticism of the ongoing state of mismanagement and the sadly misguided policies of both the Parks and Forest Services of the US government. “A Walk in the Woods” is also a deeply moving introspective examination on the nature of friendship, family, perseverance, joy and despondency. As he and Katz amble along rock strewn trails dappled with sunlight broken by the leafy forest canopy, Bryson frequently, effortlessly and almost without our even noticing the change, wanders metaphorically off the main trail and onto a side path of lightweight but nonetheless informative and educational sidebars of nature writing on an amazingly wide variety of topics. Glaciation, bears, bugs, ecology, continental drift, hypothermia, hypoxia and weather are only a few examples of the topics which he elucidates for the lay reader with his clear, concise prose.
This is one funny book. I read it in early 1999 and have since picked up the tapes to listen to in the car to enjoy all over again. It is not a hiking guide although it might just inspire you to set off on a significant trip. It is just plain funny. I rank the first third of the book well over 5 stars for his entertaining description of the preparation and beginning of the trip. The middle dragged a bit for me, but perhaps I was just tired with them of the grueling hike. It finishes with almost the flair with which it began. This is a great read — well worth the time.
I am giving this book 4 stars instead of 5 only because I found the beginning part of the book (before they actually start hiking) to be slow and boring. Once they started the Trail, though, it was anything but boring. Not only were there constant laughs to be had and great stories of their adventures on the trail, but I am really thankful to Mr. Bryson for including so much of the environmental information that he did. It was really eye opening and incredibly sad what we are doing to our natural resources, and I think Mr. Bryson has found a brilliant way to use humor to share this information in a way that is not only accessible but enjoyable. Bravo, Bill!
Bill Bryson could probably produce a best seller if he did a detailed analysis of paint-drying and grass-growing, so it was certainly no surprise that this was a good read. While it doesn’t contain the constant hyperbolic hilarity of some of his other works, it is highly entertaining as well as being historically and geographically educational. Although Bryson’s creative genius is evident throughout, the second half of the book is somewhat more methodical than the first. A warning for parents: The language in some passages is PG-13 – at best. In the end, it’s an enjoyable adventure that teaches many lessons about HUMAN nature as well as nature in general.
Loved the book. And it reads really fast and funny!! Being a resident and hiker in western NC, I was disappointed that they skipped all of my area, which I think is the best and most beautiful part of the AT that I have seen. But having hiked many pieces of the AT, I surely can relate to his experiences.
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