mass market paperback, 416 pages
Published Aug. 18, 2015 by Anchor.
Bill Bryson describes his attempt to walk the Appalachian Trail with his friend "Stephen Katz". The book is written in a humorous style, interspersed with more serious discussions of matters relating to the trail's history, and the surrounding sociology, ecology, trees, plants, animals and people.
Picked this up to reread (after more than a decade) while in the vicinity of the AT. Somehow makes months of hiking sound awful and yet at the same time something that I might want to do some day.
I recently saw Levison Wood doing a talk and somebody asked the question "What makes a good travel writer?" and he replied "Make the writing appear like fiction." Bill Bryson has perfected that skill.
This is the first book by Bryson that I've read, I'm not sure why I have waited this long, I've had this book for a few years now. It is an hilarious read, both Bryson and Katz play of each other so well, I think the book could have failed with only one of them on the walk, the banter between the pair really makes the book. They meet some really bonkers hikers on the trail and Katz gets away with some dodgy comments...when they are about to eat and have to wait for a couple to say a very long grace, Katz says "Praise Allah for mashed potato" had me laughing big time.
With Bryson …
I recently saw Levison Wood doing a talk and somebody asked the question "What makes a good travel writer?" and he replied "Make the writing appear like fiction." Bill Bryson has perfected that skill.
This is the first book by Bryson that I've read, I'm not sure why I have waited this long, I've had this book for a few years now. It is an hilarious read, both Bryson and Katz play of each other so well, I think the book could have failed with only one of them on the walk, the banter between the pair really makes the book. They meet some really bonkers hikers on the trail and Katz gets away with some dodgy comments...when they are about to eat and have to wait for a couple to say a very long grace, Katz says "Praise Allah for mashed potato" had me laughing big time.
With Bryson having written so many travel books I was quite surprised how unprepared he was for the walk, I guess the previous books must have been based around shorter day walks. At times I was surprised they survived, Bryson's fear of bears comes across as being very real, you can almost feel his panic at times.
The Appalachian Trail is one hell of a gruelling trail and one that I would never attempt. It has so many insane ways to kill you, falls, heat, hypothermia, bears, lions, snakes, other people (including inbred-banjo-playing-hillbilly-psychopaths), there is probably a bush there too that'll try and take your life.
Included in this book are some wonderful little illustrations that I guess have been done by Bryson, little glimpses of the trail that make a nice addition.
I am now sold on this author and will be hunting out more of his books.
Blog post is here> felcherman.wordpress.com/2018/03/09/a-walk-in-the-woods-the-worlds-funniest-travel-writer-takes-a-hike-by-bill-bryson/
A funny account of 40-something "mountain men" taking on the famous Appalachian Trail - a wilderness of nearly 2200 miles, this book made the dormant wanderlust in me want to go out there and have some adventures!
