Rating: 
Summary: BRILLIANT !
Review: A master of the gripping read, this is without doubt one of Mr Bryson's best. Being a true native of Mr Bryson's home for 20 years, Yorkshire, America's mystic beauties could not have been described better.From the moment he steps tentively out into the bitterly cold air at his starting point in Springer to the final traumatic steps at Chairback Mountain the book keeps your attention transfixed. Mr Bryson's research and knowledge of the trail is to be commended but unfortunately these long descriptive passages do detract from the books real charm, the story line. Having said that however this book is a humourous masterpiece, I loved his descriptions of his morbid fear of bears. Katz of course appears largely in the story, his character already having introduced to us, albeit briefly, in Neither Here Nor There. And what a super chap Katz is too, afterall he has so many vices that the average Joe in the street can relate to him. I swear these two would make the perfect comedy duo. Katz really should have been given a medal for making a go of an arduous trail which he was clearly unfit and unprepared for - the man is a hero, I loved his hapless outburts of temper and subsequent "off loadings" of his weighty back pack. I must admit that towards the end when Bill lost him I feared the worst too and a definate tear was in my eye. I love happy endings. I really think Bill should write a book purely about Katz. Oh and yeah, Mary Ellen was definately "a piece of work" I'm glad they managed to "dump" her. In essence, a book I'm glad I read and I shall remember it all my life. I hope one day I shall see at least some of the Appalachian Trail but not before I have had treatment for my Bryson induced neurotic fear of Bears and Moose. ENJOY!
Rating: 
Summary: A Super Read! This book is good fun.
Review: I loved reading "A Walk in the Woods." It is laugh out loud funny--and it holds up when you read excerpts to the person sitting next to you when you cracked up. Now I want to get out and walk the Appalachian Trail...but not all at once! Many folks have taken the time to write a careful synopsis of this book, so you really don't need me to write another one. Bryson successfully blends narrative and fact into a truly entertaining book. Unfortunately, a recent trip to one of the areas described in the book has revealed that at least one of his facts is already out of date: more than 95% of the Frasier firs in Smokey Mountains National Park have succumbed now to disease. It makes me wonder how the underground fire in Pennsylvania has progressed. But up to the minute accuracy isn't truly important for this book--just read it and enjoy the story.
Rating:
Summary: Truely funny
Review: This is a great book even for the non-hiker.. truely funny...makes you laugh out loud!! Has good factual information for the novice..very interesting... You really get a taste of the trail!! I highly recommend this book for anyone that may need a good belly laugh!!
Rating:
Summary: LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS
Review: Bill Bryson is not just a humorous writer. He doesn't write just to entertain or inform or both. He writes out of the sheer love of the language which is what makes this narrative/local history succeed. When a writer works this hard at the craft, these other things just happen. I had been told to steer clear of this one by serious reader friends as is often the case with books that are enormously popular. But it turned out to be the best summer read. There are numerous laugh out loud sequences in the narrative and Bryson's delving into historical backdrops is mostly informative without sacrificing too much of the narrative momentum. I highly reccomend this exceptional prose stylist.
Rating:
Summary: My Summer Reading
Review: I had to choose a summer reading book out of a list of 5 books, and I came across this one. I read the excerpt of it, and it sounded very good. Boy was I right. I absolutly love this book. Bill Bryson is an excellent author, and his book really shows what him and Katz went through. I definitly recomend this book to anyone wanting to walk the AP trail, or who just wants to read a well written novel.
Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly good
Review: I am a high school student who has no better interest than to sit in one sitting and read all Danielle Steel has to offer, and although this book definitely had it's times of slow moving due to the hisorical content, there are some parts that are so hilariously funny that I had to laugh out loud at times that were highly inappropriate. This book can give laughter to the ones with least humor, and those with a yearn for knowledge of the AT will learn greatly as well. Although Katz and Bill never did hike the trail to it's full extent, after this book, we can definitely give them credit..man, were some parts of this book funny. The whole book is just so great because of those few parts.
Rating:
Summary: I laughed out loud
Review: I laughed out loud at times, so some of the humor is that good. Bryson is at his most interesting when he describes things that bore him. His descriptions of dull dismal towns held me more than the descriptions of beautiful trees and mountains. Reading the employee of the month plaque at a Burger King was one of the best moments. He makes his greatest characters out of the most ordinary people. Some of the geology and geography and history was quite good but not great. McPhee does that stuff better. I preferred his account of his walk around Britain in a way, although it's not as funny. In that he does not digress but continuously narrates the journey. I don't suppose you could do that with the Appalachian Trail.
Rating:
Summary: Humorous, entertaining, vivid and great story telling
Review: This book made me laugh so hard that at times I would have to put it down just to get others to laugh at it with me. Bryson tells his crazy story of hiking America's oldest national trail. Using his journey as the topic, he tells hilarious interpretations of U.S. history and his personal experiences along the trail from Georgia to Maine. I would recommend this book to everyone.
Rating:
Summary: A walk very much enjoyed...
Review: This was my first venture at a book by Bill Bryson. Suffice to say, it won't be my last. I find his writing clear, clever and constantly entertaining. Though I did find a bit slow point about 3/4 of the way through, it did serve a purpose as I needed a break from laughing. I hope you enjoy as much as I did.
Rating: 
Summary: Not up to scratch with his previous masterpieces
Review: Great, except for one complaint - too much history. All he seems to have done is hiked a bit of the way with a really fat, lazy person and had such a horrible time that he decided that he had better fill in all the boring details with historical facts. For a good historical book by Bryson, read Made in AMerica. One thing is true of all of Brysons books, you can pick any page and immediately be envelopeed in the story -t is captivating and humourous writing
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