A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (original 1997; edição 2006)

I fell in love with hiking years ago and when I learned about the legendary Appalachian Trail I was awed and wondered how people could manage to walk the entire trail. I have hiked parts of it in NJ and NY. It is one of those moments that drift up during little moments of reverie; how wonderful it would be to leave behind the boisterous cacophony of civilization and wander through the coniferous woodlands. One day maybe.

Bryson paints vividly the sights and sounds of the trails -- the tweeting birds, flowing rivers and the music the swaying trees make when a soft breeze flows through the forest. There were plenty of humorous moments as well as Bryson speaks of his misadventures with his friend and hiking buddy Stephen Katz.

The book was a joy and it has made me eager to hit the trails once again, with autumn and its colors slowly making their way to the east coast. ( )

I found this book to be a mixed bag. It was part humorous commentary on himself and his friend, and hiking partner, Katz and it was part a lesson on the AT and its flora and fauna. So to really enjoy this book you must like both kinds of writing, or at least be open to it.
Personally, I liked both. I always enjoy learning something when I read. Therefore, I found the “teaching” parts of the book interesting and informative. They were not overly long and were interspersed throughout the entire book so that the story never became bogged done with it.
The actual tale of his trek through the woods with Katz was humorous. But it was also introspective at times. He does not shy away from his own failings in this adventure. He notes that very early in the first day of hiking he realizes just how immensely unprepared he is. Yet he and Katz struggle on.
In the end, Bryson and Katz ended up not being through hikers as planned, but section hikers. It seems Bryson could not stand the Great Smokies section. He and Katz mutually decided to skip over most of the NC section of the AT and rejoined the trail in Virginia.
Even though they only hiked around 800 miles, less than half the total distance of the trail, Bryson had many stories to tell. His musings on the possibility of being mauled by a bear and the encounter with Mary Ellen, a lone hiker in the first days of the trek, were among my favorites. Katz tossing food and other equipment (twice) in an effort to lighten the load was another favorite.
While I wished he had hiked the entire trail, if for no other reason as to have more fodder for stories, he portrayed it honesty and with mirth. A very enjoyable read indeed. I highly recommend it to everyone. ( )

I've read enough...

waste of time.

I picked up this book as a means of research because I wanted to learn more about hiking the Appalachian Trail . I’ve been mulling over the same book idea for over a year, but just couldn’t seem to put it to paper. I’ve hiked parts of the AT, but only those found in the northeast. How could I possibly write about a 2100 mile trail that begins in Georgia and ends in Maine without seeming like a total fraud? Or worse, an inexperienced idiot? I set out to solve this problem the same way I always do – by reading.

I picked up this book by Bill Bryson before I knew that it was being made into a movie. It seemed like an ideal starting point to learn more about hiking the AT without losing myself in a dry, technical trail guide. My hope was that this firsthand account would provide me with with both information and color – and it did!

This book mixes Bryon’s account of hiking the trail with the history of the AT, the surrounding wilderness, and anything else Bryson thought would be useful (or fill pages). The end result is an awesome educational tool (for me) that is surprisingly funny! I enjoyed this book much more than I anticipated I would enjoy reading about two middleaged men walking in the woods. It was, in my opinion, a delightful surprise that held my attention and made me itching to lace up my hiking boots and hit the trail. Five stars. ( )

I was on a hiking trip with my nephew and two of his friends, when we got into a discussion of the best books we have ever read. One of the guys began talking about Bill Bryson and A Walk In The Woods. He talked about how it changed his life and about what an awesome read it was. Naturally I sought it out immediately after the hiking trip, and I was pleasantly surprised. For such deep topics (the meaning of life, aging, the beauty of nature) the book was very easy to read. What surprised me the most was the humor in the book. I had never read Bryson before and humor was spot on. He speaks from a place of innocence, in regard to hiking and the outdoors in general. For those who have never hiked or camped, do not shy away from this book as Bryson shares his own experience of taking those first steps (and missteps) into the woods. This should probably be on everyone's "must read before I die" list. :) ( )