A Walk in the Woods

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Broadway;(May 4, 1999)
ISBN-10: 0767902521

From Publishers Weekly

Returning to the U.S. after 20 years in England, Iowa native Bryson decided to reconnect with his mother country by hiking the length of the 2100-mile Appalachian Trail. Awed by merely the camping section of his local sporting goods store, he nevertheless plunges into the wilderness and emerges with a consistently comical account of a neophyte woodsman learning hard lessons about self-reliance. Bryson (The Lost Continent) carries himself in an irresistibly bewildered manner, accepting each new calamity with wonder and hilarity. He reviews the characters of the AT (as the trail is called), from a pack of incompetent Boy Scouts to a perpetually lost geezer named Chicken John. Most amusing is his cranky, crude and inestimable companion, Katz, a reformed substance abuser who once had single-handedly "become, in effect, Iowa's drug culture." The uneasy but always entertaining relationship between Bryson and Katz keeps their walk interesting, even during the flat stretches. Bryson completes the trail as planned, and he records the misadventure with insight and elegance.

Holy cow! What a totally unexpected experience!

This is a book of Fresh Air! (pun intended)

Once again I get to blame my “sis”, Cath, from across the pond for my getting and reading this book…. and I want to give her a hug and thank her!

This book was something I needed and didn’t even know it. 

This is a fun book to read. 

If there aren't times that you laugh out loud while reading this book, then you must be asleep with the book in your hand!  Of course it would help some if you have heard of the AT (Appalachian Trail).  And possibly if you ever (and I do mean ever) thought of hiking or camping outdoors, then this is the book for you!  Think hard if there’s a chance that you think you wouldn’t enjoy this book because of what I just said… did you ever hide under a table as a kid and pretend you were outside and your mom couldn’t see you?.. then this book might entertain you.  Did you ever make a ten out of sheets as a kid and have your mom let you eat your lunch in the tent?  If you like the outdoors at all… then this book will delight you.

In between the hysterically funny writing of Mr Bryson about his, and his friends, journey to hike the Appalachian Trail there are bits of very interesting information along the way.  I can promise you that I never *skimmed * on a single page of this book…, it was that much fun and that much interesting.  

It could possibly deter you from wanting to hike on the Appalachian trail, but more likely it could peak your interest to at least take a day hike in any of the 14 states that the Trail runs through.

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail spans fourteen U.S. states during its journey that is 2,179 miles (3,507 km) long, including Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. (just an FYI).

If that doesn’t interest you.. then read this book for a good laugh!  Any time Mr Bryson begins a sentence with “that’s like…”  you know you are about to guffaw!  

Need a pick me up and you’ve never read this book before?  Go get it and read it!  You won’t be disappointed!  I have already found another book (used book) by him and have sent for it, because laughing makes me feel good!  Thank you Mr Bryson, thank you very much..I may be wa.a.a.a.ay behind in reading your books…but if I may say so… I believe this one will become a classic and be read for generations to come.