A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

I don't know if the writer had it in mind at the time;but I found along with his experiences of hiking the Appalachian Trail ,he has a real thoughtful message here about enjoying life;no matter what we choose to do with our all too short time here on earth---at least that part we spend above the ground.I you keep this in mind, you will find this a rewarding read and obtain from it some real insights into what you enjoy in life.
Some reviewers have criticized the fact that Bill and Katz didn't complete the Trail from beginning to end.To them ,I can only say,you missed the point...I am 73 now, and have had a string of interests all my life.Was I ever the best ,or did I ever reach the pinacle of any of them? no but I enjoyed each and every one of them and they all enriched my life.
In this book ,we see that these two friends got great pleasure from what they did and the writer still dabbles in hiking but his observances of everything else from Katz,historical aspects along the Trail,the people they encounter,nature,hardships,his family,and a raft of other things are much more important than if his mindset had been on, only completing the trail at the exlusion of all else.Therefore; he got great satisfaction from the Trail, where if total completion was the only issue;he would have been disappointed. Isn't that what all life is really about?
I have been an avid Birder for many years and have often crossed a somewhat similar trail here in Ontario,and have even walked along some short parts of it while birding .It is called "The Bruce Trail and starts at Niagara Falls and runs to the tip of the Bruce Peninsula,over 200 miles ,as the crow lies,ending in Tobermory at Lake Huron." When I see the markings on the trees and when I come across the record book stands or meet hikers,I feel the "sense" of the trail and even contempleted "giving it a try";but probably never will;and have to be contented with my minimal samplings of it ;not unlike the sampling of birding that the hikers get.After all,nobody can do everything ,that doesn't mean you can't sample everything you come across.
I have seen nearly 600 different species of birds in North America and in those travels have encounteres much history,enviroments,weather,and people along the way.There are still more of them to see,but so be it;the real enjoyment is in what I have done;not what I still have to see.I am often reminded of what Roger Tory Peterson,one of America's most famous Birders said ,when asked ;"What was your favorite bird?" His reply was "The one I'm looking at ,at the time."
I fully agree with Bryson when he says "We hiked the Appalachian Trail".Some people who enjoy other pursuits can say the same about what they have done,and in whatever manner they did it.Whether it's sports,fishing,mountain climbing,playing poker or pool,those who do those things generally enjoy the experiences and people that surround them as much as the activity itself.
That,I believe,is what Bryson has brought out so well in this book.

The humor of Bryson's book, an account of an unathletic amateur attempting to hike the AT, is a welcome relief from the clannishness and superiority that distinguishes the modern cults of extreme athletic performance (and much of modern athletic writing). Some of the critics of Bryson's book have fixated on the fact that he did not finish the trail. Their petty outrage and derision only reinforce, in my mind, a concluding thought of Bryson's: numbers are a poor tool for measuring human experience. Besides, and perhaps more importantly, Bryson remains one of the very few authors able to write about bodily functions in such a self-deprecating and unusual fashion that I cannot help but laugh out loud. A quick and entertaining read.

I enjoy Mr. Bryson's craft of writing. His description of the trail, and his attempt at walking it capture the imagination. Never mind that he doesn't finish the trail; it's his story of his attempt. The descriptions are vivid. It's an inspirational read, and reignites my love of hiking and makes me want to attempt a long, put-off goal of x-country skiing a hut trip! My complaint is his constant snide remarks about his walking partner, others on the trail, the towns he visits, the simpletons who inhabit the towns,and government agencies who oversee the trails and make decisions for towns. It gets old and sounds a bit whiney and snide after awhile.

This is the first book by Bryson I picked up and I could hardly put it down before finishing it. It flows very well, is full of historical facts and great imagery of Bryson's journey along the AT.

I loved this book but I'll be darned if there wasn't at least one mistake in the translation to the kindle version every few pages. One or two misplaced commas I can deal with but not the thirty+ mistakes that I alone found. It became distracting after awhile and it is obvious no one proofreads these Kindle versions before they are uploaded for folks to buy.

C'mon Amazon, if you want this Kindle thing to succeed, you're going to have to at least give these things a once-over.

Otherwise, loved the book. Great story and appreciated the author's humour.