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

Additional A Walk in the Woods : Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (Cassette) Information

So begins Bill Bryson's hilarious book A Walk in the Woods. Following his return to America after twenty years in Britain, Bryson decided to reacquaint himself with his native country by walking the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. The AT, as it's affectionately known to thousands of hikers, offers an astonishing landscape of silent forests and sparkling lakes--and to a writer with the comic genius of Bill Bryson, it also provides endless opportunities to test his own powers of ineptitude, and to witness the majestic silliness of his fellow human beings.

For a start, there's the gloriously out-of-shape Stephen Katz, a buddy from Iowa who accompanies the similarly unfit Bryson on the trail. Once Bryson and Katz settle into their stride, it's not long before they come across the fabulously annoying Mary Ellen, whose disappearance ruins a perfectly good slice of pie, a gang of Ralph Lauren-attired yuppies from whom Katz appropriates a key piece of equipment, and a security guard in Pennsylvania who, for no ascertainable reason, impounds Bryson's car. Mile by arduous mile these latter-day pioneers walk America, along the way surviving the threat of bear attacks, the loss of key provisions, and everything else this awe-inspiring country can throw at them.

But A Walk in the Woods is more than just a laugh-out-loud hike. Bryson's acute eye is a wise witness to this fragile and beautiful trail, and as he tells its fascinating history, he makes a moving plea for the conservation of America's last great wilderness. An adventure, a comedy, a lament, and a celebration, A Walk in the Woods is destined to become a modern classic of travel literature.

What Customers Say About A Walk in the Woods : Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (Cassette):

Basically I-40 and I-81. I would probably fit more into the mode of his fellow traveler, Katz in regard to physicality. The more I read, the more fascinated I became with the subject matter. The book is very well written. As a world-class cheapskate, I read it before he returned to his home. Little did I know that I had just driven by a large part of the areas mentioned throughout the book. Last week, I spent the week driving from Texas to New York with a 3 day stay in Pennsylvania. A hoot-a-minute as we say in Texas.

If you love good writing and the great outdoors, you'll love it even more. If Katz actually said all the things written in the book, this is possibly one of the funniest guys I have encountered. I hope you find my opinion helpful.Michael L. In fact, the whole idea nauseates me. The day I returned, my son bought a copy of this book. Properly paced and witty from page one to the end.

I am not a hiker or trekker in any form or fashion. However, after reading the wonderful writing of Bryson, I must admit I felt a twinge or two that made me want to share his experience. If you love good writing, you will love this book. Gooch, Author of Wingtips with Spurs

This guy is a great writer and VERY funny. I love him and this book made me laugh out loud.

Bill Bryson is easy to read and funny. If you are lookng for a technical read on the AT this is not your book. If you are looking for an enjoyable read about the trials and tribulation of the common man (and his friend) planning and hitting the trail this is for you. A pleasure to read and funny.

This book was recommended to me by my brother who does not read alot. I have to admit I am not a huge fan of city people wanting to pretend they are country folks but this was comical. Bryson managed to see humor around every bend and the expressions he ascribes to the individuals he encounters is so easy to visualize. I would love to see him come out with a modern day "One Man's Meat."

That section was especially good. Just so you know, Bill Bryson is not about survival expeditions. He does not write travelogues chock full of helpful advice for would-be travelers. I grew up in the Appalachians and this part of the trail is generally what Bryson covers during the first half of the book. I liked this book as well or better than other Bryson volumes I've read. Also, his patter often doesn't stick with where he's at and what's happening throughout each day.

But that may reflect, again, how much of Bryson himself fills his narratives. He is not ordinarily about blazing new trails where few have gone before. I read the book a while back and had actually forgotten that Bryson was traveling with a friend. He is apt to see or hear something that reminds him of some idea, or some current trend, or some societal more, and he'll then regale the reader for a page or two with his thoughts. Some welcome this, some don't. In any case, I was entertained, partly by the trail experiences and partly by the sharp humor which he uses liberally in his books.

Just don't expect a Jon Krakauer account and you should be okay.