Customer Reviews: Read 14 more reviews...
 Totally related to why he was there February 26, 2008
I totally related to the author and why he was out there on the trail. Well written and although the historical commentary sometimes bored me which I admit I skipped sometimes, I could not put this book down. The author's recollection and re cantering of being on the trail, it's hardships, on and off again friendships, losing 75 pounds, why he was out there in the first place, trying to find himself... well, again, I totally related to how he felt. I also give his wife a lot of kudos for sticking it out and letting the author do what he needed to do at that time of his life. I really liked how the book ended or should I say the author's quest ended? Those last few pages when he went to Trail Days in Damascus..said it all. I recommend this book to anyone considering the hike, thru, section, or day hiking does not matter. It's all still hiking isn't it?
Walking the Appalachian Trail September 10, 2007
This was a book that was hard to put down once I got started reading, because I waned to know more about the trail and how to get started
better than A Walk in the Woods June 5, 2007
As someone who grew up within a stone's throw of the AT in East Tennessee, I've had a lifelong passion for the trail and have spent a lot of time hiking it. Along those lines I've also read a lot about the trail, exhausting my library's scant collection of books on the AT.
I was eager to crack open Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods" when it came out because so many people recommended it to me. Boy am I sorry I did! What I was hoping would be a thoughtful, enlightening, and entertaining story of a man's journey turned out to be a big disappointment. Bryson was exceedingly whiny and had an ugly, close-minded perspective on the trail, especially concerning people in the South. He even skipped one of the best sections of the trail: that along the TN-NC border north of the Smokies and south of Damascus! If you want to hear a city-raised yankee whining about the outdoors, then be my guest to that overhyped travesty of a book.
If you want to learn something about the AT, its people, and its culture, then read this book. As much time as I've spent on the AT, even I learned something! It's easy to read and you can pick it up, thumb to any chapter, and entertain yourself with fantastic stories and learn what it's really like to be a thruhiker. This a nonfictional masterpiece, and people from all walks of life, from urbanite yankee to downhome hillbilly, have something to learn from this book.
 a good read May 14, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
i would read it again. you can tell that the author gets a little emotional about the trail. i was hoping for a more practical guide to hiking the A.T. this is difinitely not a book about equipment and doesn't include any maps.
A head for the hike February 16, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Why do people hike the AT? How do people hike the AT. Where do they find the inspiration to start and carry-on? What adversity did they have to overcome? What trail magic did they encounter? I think if you are contemplating tackling the AT, this book takes looks from many different mental angles at the proposition. It does provide some practical insights as well, but I got the sense of determination and stubborness required to attempt the journey. If you want a book on the nuts and bolts of thru-hiking try a different title.
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