A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (Official Guides to the Appalachian Trail)
Back in America after twenty years in Britain, Bill Bryson decided to reacquaint himself with his native country by walking the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine. The AT offers an astonishing landscape of silent forests and sparkling lakes--and to a writer with the comic genius of Bill Bryson, it also provides endless opportunities to witness the majestic silliness of his fellow human beings.
For a start there's the gloriously out-of-shape Stephen Katz, a buddy from Iowa along for the walk. Despite Katz's overwhelming desire to find cozy restaurants, he and Bryson eventually settle into their stride, and while on the trail they meet a bizarre assortment of hilarious characters. But A Walk in the Woods is more than just a laugh-out-loud hike. Bryson's acute eye is a wise witness to this beautiful but fragile trail, and as he tells its fascinating history, he makes a moving plea for the conservation of America's last great wilderness. An adventure, a comedy, and a celebration, A Walk in the Woods is destined to become a modern classic of travel literature.
Bill Bryson has made a living out of traveling and then writing about it. In The Lost Continent he re-created the road trips of his childhood; in Neither Here nor There he retraced the route he followed as a young backpacker traversing Europe. When this American transplant to Britain decided to return home, he made a farewell walking tour of the British countryside and produced Notes from a Small Island. Once back on American soil and safely settled in New Hampshire, Bryson once again hears the siren call of the open road--only this time it's a trail. The Appalachian Trail, to be exact. In A Walk in the Woods Bill Bryson tackles what is, for him, an entirely new subject: the American wilderness. Accompanied only by his old college buddy Stephen Katz, Bryson starts out one March morning in north Georgia, intending to walk the entire 2,100 miles to trail's end atop Maine's Mount Katahdin.
If nothing else, A Walk in the Woods is proof positive that the journey is the destination. As Bryson and Katz haul their out-of-shape, middle-aged butts over hill and dale, the reader is treated to both a very funny personal memoir and a delightful chronicle of the trail, the people who created it, and the places it passes through. Whether you plan to make a trip like this one yourself one day or only care to read about it, A Walk in the Woods is a great way to spend an afternoon. --Alix Wilber
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950 Reviews
| From: Amazon Posted: Jun 25, 2008 Type: User Review |
5 Stars for Part 1 & 3 1/2 Stars for Part 2
There are 2 parts to this book. Part 1 is awesome! It is a great story of 2 men hiking part of the Appalachian Trail and the ups and downs they had doing it. It's funny, witty and well written. Part 2 however lags a bit. The author drives part of...
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 4.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Jun 23, 2008 Type: User Review |
Oh So Funny
This book is hilarious!
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 5.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Jun 23, 2008 Type: User Review |
ridiculous, but it inspired me
I had a long history as a streetwalker. Yes, a streetwalker. But, I never had even spent the night outdoors. However, when I read Bill Bryson's book I immediately decided I wanted to thru-hike the entire 2,175 mile trail.
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5.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Apr 21, 2008 Type: User Review |
Compare this book with Scout's Honor
This is actually a review of two books, one old and one new. Both are nonfiction, and both are intended for grown-ups. There's nothing in them that kids will find objectionable, but they may find them boring. I found them to be funny, poignant...
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5.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Mar 15, 2008 Type: User Review |
An entertaining read
Bill Bryson is hillarious. The first few chapters contained bits and pieces that had me laughing out loud, which is not something I come across often in literature.
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4.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Feb 04, 2008 Type: User Review |
Ho ho ho Ha ha ha!
Simply put - what a delightful read! I laughed so hard at times I needed to go "potty". What a great light-hearted book! This goes on my "keeper" pile for a future re-read for sure!
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5.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Jan 16, 2008 Type: User Review |
A Walk in the Woods with a Wonderful Guide
Bill Bryson's travel writing is filled with humor, introspection and fascinating information. In this work, Bryson takes us through the trials, tribulations an joys of hiking the Appalachian Trail. On the way, we learn of the origins of the...
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5.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Jan 04, 2008 Type: User Review |
Downright hilarious
I am a big fan of Bill Bryson, and this is one of my top two or three favorite books by him, which is saying quite a bit. In this outing he takes us with him as he and a friend hike sections of the Appalachian Trail. I don't say "takes us with...
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5.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Dec 17, 2007 Type: User Review |
Ignorant, lazy and rude
Who would want to read a book on running by someone who tried to run a marathon but didn`t have the dedication to stick with training and finish one? Who would read a book on physics by someone who didn`t have the motivation to finish graduate...
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 1.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Nov 12, 2007 Type: User Review |
A witty, effortless read.
Bryson's dry humor and clear descriptions make for a thoroughly fun, one-sit read, even if it takes you all night. This is not a how-to or a yuck-yuck. It's well-written non-fiction that gives occasional political commentary without overkill.
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5.00/5 |
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