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

Bill Bryson (1998)
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THE A5 BOOK REVIEW

If you’re looking for a laugh and an adventure, here is your book.  A Walk in the Woods is Bill Bryson's now famous narrative of his ambitious attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail, a 2000+ mile trail that literally winds across the country from Georgia to Maine.  In this well-renowned travelogue, Bryson provides an excellent guide to the breathtaking trail’s history and ecology, along with insights into the culture of long distance "thru-hiking" itself.  Bryson has an uncanny ability to make even mundane details into something humorous or fascinating. While he didn't come all that close to completing the trip, the tale of his journey has become one of the pillars of modern travel writing.  In true Bryson style, his writing is both judgmental and self-deprecating, a little inspiring for most of us not naturally suited for such an adventure, and most importantly, just plain funny.  Much of his scorn is directed toward his traveling companion, the bumbling and overweight Stephen Katz (a pseudonym); the pair’s bickering and their overall lack of preparation bring most of the humor in the book.  Don't worry, one does not have to be an avid hiker to enjoy this classic of travel literature.  A Walk in the Woods was turned into a feature film in 2015 starring Robert Redford.
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OTHER A5 RECOMMENDED TRAVEL BOOKS - BILL BRYSON

Bill Bryson is an internationally renowned travel writer, expertly blending history and culture with heartfelt anecdotes of the people he meets along his journeys. His self-deprecating humor never fails to make readers laugh while providing them with a unique perspective on their world. Not content only writing about exploration, this prolific author has also delved into science topics in several notable works that have been loved by generations ever since.  See more from Bill Bryson here.

ANOTHER GOOD BOOK ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL

AWOL on the Appalachian Trail, by David Miller

Those wanting a more recent book with more detail on the realities of making such a hike should read AWOL on the Appalachian Trail by David Miller.  Miller is a middle-aged engineer who decides to leave his job and make the hike.  Unlike Bryson, he is actually very-well prepared for the trip.  His book is obviously more serious than A Walk in the Woods, but interesting as well.  See our review on AWOL on the Appalachian Trail here.

GREAT QUOTES FROM A WALK IN THE WOODS

“Black bears rarely attack. But here's the thing. Sometimes they do. All bears are agile, cunning and immensely strong, and they are always hungry. If they want to kill you and eat you, they can, and pretty much whenever they want. That doesn't happen often, but - and here is the absolutely salient point - once would be enough.”

​“I have long known that it is part of God's plan for me to spend a little time with each of the most stupid people on earth, and Mary Ellen was proof that even in the Appalachian woods I would not be spared. It became evident that she was a rarity."​

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