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You might think, perhaps, that a book that tells the tale of two neophyte hikers tackling an overly ambitious project (hiking the entire length of the Appalachian Trail) and not succeeding, but having virtually no truly dramatic moments, a book that doesn't hide the fact that hiking such a long distance quickly becomes boring even to the people involved, an interminable slog through woods that you're too tired to appreciate the beauty of, able to think only of your next break from it in some small town or rest stop, would be intensely boring to someone just READING about somebody else's boring, interminable slog.You'd be wrong. And as he says toward the end of the book, they may not have conquered the trail, but they (or at least, HE) DID hike 870 miles over the course of a spring, summer, and fall (his partner accompanied him for somewhat less than that). Bryson manages to tell the story with sufficient dry wit and self-deprecation that there are actually several laugh-aloud moments. Add to this his marvellous detailed research into the flora, fauna, history, and politics of the Trail, and his fine descriptions of those moments when he actually came out of his exhaustion-induced stupor long enough to notice the stunning scenery, and you have a fine read. Not bad for a rank amateur who started off out of shape and utterly unwise in the ways of the wilderness. I have to admit, I'm impressed.
What a cool job. Great story and information about the Appalachian Trail. do what you want to do (hike the AT) and then get paid to write a book about it. I'm way jealous. Funny characters and situations. Gets a little soap-boxy at times, but still a good read.
I found this book slightly more tedious than all his other ones because of so much factual history and details about the national parks. I love laughing out loud with Bill. Once again he cracked me up. But over-all, I appreciated his candor, relished in his irreverent wit, and laughed out loud. Thanks, Bill.
Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods is work about Bryson hiking portions of the Appalachian Trail. However, the middle section has such a different tone and feel from the first and last sections, it almost reads like another writer took over that portion of the book. The first section, which is by far the best, finds Bryson and his friend Katz hiking southern sections of the AT.
Bryson's atitude in the book is more congenial here; the near bitterness on display in The Lost Continent would have served this work rather badly. The final section has a reunion of Bryson and Katz, this time hiking the northernmost sections of the AT.I don't hold it against Bryson that he didn't hike the whole thing. I picked this up after having it recommended to me by several others, and having found a kernel of something to like in Bryson's The Lost Continent.First, Bryson's condescension is toned way down from The Lost Continent to A Walk in the Woods.
Afterward, they leave the trail, and Bryson comes back to hike other parts of the trail in short sections, sometimes only for a day. For that, Bryson hasn't lost any of his great wit, which makes his storytelling so entertaining when he's at his best.Second, Bryson is extremely readable. A Walk in the Woods goes by quickly.The downside is that it's almost two books squeezed into one.
He hiked nearly 900 miles of it, which is certainly enough to describe the experience. The effect is jarring and lends the book an unfortunate disjointed feel.It's still a fun read, but if the middle section could have been like the first and last sections, it would really have been much better.
Bryson has his own very specific style of writing, which I like a lot. Since I read first of his books, now I am addicted to them. I am buying one after another and all of them are very funny and interesting. I advice this book to anyone who like funny read and stories about nature and adventures.
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