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

This book for the most part had me in stitches. It was when Bill Bryson traveled the Appalachian Trail alone for a bit that the book got kind of slow going. Other than that, it is hysterical. A great read when you need to laugh hard at life.

This book is an instant classic. For those of us who consider "roughing it" not having room service, Bryson and his hilarious pal Katz have balls, my friends. And they have blisters. And bears. And bravery. Bryson hikes like a trooper, writes like an angel, and can be so funny so suddenly that you find it hard to breathe you're laughing so hard.

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson is at times quietly humorous, at others belly laugh funny and at others contemplative. He tackles the walking of the Appalachian Trail in the spirit of the quest and manages to avoid the "letter of the law" trap that so many fall into when undertaking a daunting goal such as running the Boston Marathon under four hours or it doesn't count, or reading the Bible from cover to cover, including all the history at the front about how the King James version came to be. He doesn't cover the entire trail in one season and in fact doesn't cover every foot of the trail at all. He is content to cover some portions in day trips when it is more conducive to do so and the experience will be more appreciated. Some parts he doesn't cover at all if intelligence and wisdom dictate that it is better to forego a portion because of safety or time constraints.

He shares with the reader various thoughts and insights, historical information, hiking experiences and encounters with other hikers that gives a view into human nature, both good and bad, and the responsibility some people show and the irresponsibility of others. He gives examples that show the concern even strangers and people who have just met have for one another and their willingness to share and look out for each other.

One important requirement to appreciate A Walk in the Woods is that when reading this book the reader must do so in the same spirit in which it was written. There is useful information about backpacking, camping, monitoring the weather, what to take with you, but it is by no means a definitive "how to" text on trekking. This trek is one of feeling, sentiment and essence. This story is not one of instruction, but of discovery.

This is the story of a man who wants to get back to the feeling of the American wilderness and appreciate our country's more rustic nature. And it just so happens, that he has invited us along for the experience. Are you up for the trip? I traveled the trail with him through the pages, along the paths, over the mountains, through the valleys, in the heat, the rain and the snow. The vistas and landscapes were breathtaking. It was a wonderful adventure that didn't end with the last page.

Beyond the book itself, it inspires to other goals, aspirations and the ongoing learning and experiencing of American history, culture and nature. It motivates not to be content with our accomplishments because we got it done, but to be happy about what we have experienced, and felt, and ask ourselves, "What's next? Have you thought about the Pacific Crest Trail, from Mexico to Canada? Or perhaps the Continental Divide Trail?

Bill Bryson invites us to set the goal and enjoy the walk. He'll take the lead for us on the Appalachian Trail and show us its wonders. He's just about to leave. Are you coming along?

I really enjoyed this book but was disappointed that Bryson and Katz skipped parts of the trail, then never finished the whole thing. I'm not saying I wouldn't have quit sooner! I give them a lot of credit for completing as much as they did under less than favorable conditions. I was feeling hopeful and became engrossed in their journey only to find when I turned a page, they had jumped into a taxi and skipped a good portion! Otherwise, the trail descriptions, the relationship between these two friends, the humor, the people they met along the way were well written and I felt I was on the journey with them, laughing all the way.
Even the statistics and history were interesting to me although I can see where they cut into the story line and may have been skimmed over by someone who wanted to get on with the adventure. The book opened my eyes to how endangered many of the plants and animals are, right in our own backyards.
Overall a good read although I was left wanting to spend more time on the trail with these two very funny people.

the first half of this book is just wonderful, in the second half he seems to lose his determination and a bit of the thread. I'd recommend it, but I can't quite give it five stars. I don't mind that he gave up. I just wish the story ended with the same punch with which it began.