A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (1997)

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. :) ( )

Entertaining and educational written in a style that keeps your attention. The authors humorous attempt to hike the Appalachian trail mingled with the history, biology, geography, geology of the trail and surrounding areas. I would recommend this book to anyone.
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Leuk boek over een poging van de auteur om de Appalachian Trail te lopen met een oude vriend van hem. Ze zijn hier uiteraard veel te oud voor, maar proberen het toch, ondanks alle tegenslagen. Zoals gebruiken bij de boeken van Bill Bryson beschrijft hij ook wat natuur historie over de plaatsen/bergen/gebieden waar ze door heen lopen. ( )

This book is so funny! I did not expect that. Part 1 is funnier than part 2. I enjoyed Part 1 more.

Here are two men, hiking the Appalachian Trail, having some good times and some bad times and meeting interesting people along the way. The weather varies from one extreme to the other and it makes all of it an adventure. I ended up relaying some of these stories to my friends and family.

Bill Bryson also talks quite a bit about ecology and the environment. He throws in some history lessons. I did learn quite a bit. I believe I will check out more of Bryson's books.

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