Se amate la montagna, passeggiare nei boschi, la natura, oppure se volete semplicemente leggere un bel libro, simpatico e molto, molto divertente non fatevi scappare questo. Anni fa è stato il mio primo incontro, del tutto fortuito e casuale, con Bill Bryson e da allora ho letto molti altri suoi libri, ma questo conserva un posto particolare, perché ridere fino alle lacrime con un bellissimo racconto tra paesaggi incomparabili non è di tutti i giorni. Una lettura facile, veloce e molto piacevole, ma anche molto interessante e avvincente che riuscirà a trasportarvi in posti di incomparabile bellezza. ( )

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.

This was the first Bryson I've read, ever, though I've known for a while that I would like him. I had been in a bit of a reading slump, picking up a book and losing interest in the first few chapters. But I knew I would finish this one after I started laughing on the train, thanks to Bryson's potty humor regarding bear encounters and how he would "shit himself lifeless." While I never laughed as much again while reading the rest of the book, I found Bryson's writing style engaging and interesting, whether he was recounting walking through blizzard conditions or some history related the AT.

Oddly enough, the book made me want to hike the AT, but at the same time run away screaming at the very thought. ( )

Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods was filled with some humorous moments. The author told his story about his attempt to walk the 2,200 miles Appalachian Trail. He was accompanied by an Iowan friend Stephen Katz, who wasn’t in greatest physical shape. Initially, Bryson discussed what it was like preparing for this trip by reading books, purchasing food, and all the necessary equipment.
Bryson and Katz set out on foot from Georgia. As they walked the trail they encountered cold weather, but kept on going. Their going was tough. Along the way they stopped at rest stops, inns, and pitched their tents. They soon reached the Smokies but plodded along. Occasionally, they would meet someone on the trail, and camped with them. Later they hitched rides to reach Virginia, where the first leg of their journey ended. From here Katz departed for his apartment in Iowa, and Bryson decided to return home to New Hampshire.
As Bryson waited for Katz to join him for the second leg of the trip, he decided to walk the trail and drive his car. He therefore went to West Virginia at Harper’s Ferry. From there he ventured to Pennsylvania where he described how coal mining had transformed a city’s landscape. Bryson with his car made it to New York and New Jersey. While on the trail he commented on New York’s excellent Appalachian maps.
Later Bryson drove home to New Hampshire. After some time, he connected with Katz, who had returned for them to walk the trail in Maine. After preparations they set out on the more difficult part of the Appalachian Trail. They were confronted with towering mountain ranges, crossed creeks, and camped in the wild. For a while Katz was lost until Bryson found him. Their going was quite challenging, and they decided to call it quits, so they hitched a ride, and left for home. Bryson later calculated that he had covered about 40 percent of the trail, and that was good enough. ( )

Another fun book by Mr. Bryson. His language is a little salty but I laughed out loud a few times. I like how he includes science in his account now and then. His friend Katz reminds me of someone. ( )