This is my first sojourn into the delightful world as seen from Bill Bryson's eyes. Well, maybe "delightful" is too pretty of a word.

Anyway, this is a memoir, thus making it nonfiction, thus making it a piece of the written letters I normally do not tread. Regardless, his approach here is very narrative in spirit and makes you feel as though you really want to see this first-person (and his companion) through his journey.

What we have here is a story about a man who decided, somewhat out of the blue, that he wants to hike the Appalachian Trail. This is, of course, quite an undertaking, therefore, he does not wish to do it himself. So, he writes to all of his friends and gets one person to respond much to his surprise. His name is Katz. He is well overweight and has recently stopped drinking due to the fact he is an alcoholic. Plus, as I am sure you, gentlereaders, have guessed, quite out of shape.

Bill Bryson takes note of their journey in a manner that is both hilarious and melancholic. Bryson successfully mixes narration with factoids about the trail, the environment, animals, plants, history all without causing any discomfort.

If there were more writers like Bryson retelling aspects of their lives, I would be more thrilled to read them.

…And, I sort of feel like taking a bit of a walk. ( )

As with other Bryson books this one was both thought provoking and laugh out loud hysterical. Laughed so much at the hospital that people were stopping into my husband's room to see what was so funny. Have to admit I'd never once thought of hiking the Appalachian Trail, though I have hiked bits of it and camped in many of the parks it traverses over the years.

The part of this book that most hit home with me was when the author was trying to figure out how to get back onto the trail...back to those first intense feelings...after breaking off and going home for a while. I imagine that's what it's like any time you've had a major shift in your life and then try to get things back to "normal" Never as easy as we expect it to be...because WE are so very different.

Excellent read. ( )

I first became acquainted with A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson through an audio book I was given by a dear friend of mine a few years ago. Later, after reading other books he has written and, listening to another awesome friend of mine over at Trailheadcase rave with enthusiasm about the man, I've become a fan. Bill Bryson takes us along with him as he turns a dream into the actuality of hiking the Appalachian Trail; from his fumbling attempts at map reading to buying the proper gear, determining food needs and trying to reconcile himself to his inept and out of shape hiking partner/friend, all with his wry sense of humor and insight. At several points you can't help but think he's a numb-skull and he himself is fraught with self-doubt at times, yet he carries on with a determined spirit and always that sense of humor is present. Before you are through with the story, you have laughed, longed for a hot bath and warm bed, and cried along with him as he drinks in the beauty around him that is being destroyed by the thoughtlessness of man. This is the kind of story that will fire you up to get out into nature and enjoy it's fragile beauty and at the same time inspire you to endeavor to do better at preserving our wilderness so future generations may know what it is to take 'a walk in the woods'. I highly recommend this book!

A funny, engaging and sometimes critical view of the history and day to day hiking of the Appalachian trail. ( )

A humorous romp on the Appalachian Trail. A light read. However, like the Appalachian Trail, it gets long about two-thirds of the way through. ( )