Rating: 
Summary: Lazy Hiker, Lazy Writer
Review: Bryson wrote this book with the same dwindling committment with which he hiked the AT. Starting out with energy and wit, he gave up half-way through. Besides his hiking partner Katz, it is clear Bryson made little effort to meet and write about other hikers on the trail. Those he does describe, he finds as useful fodder for his sarcastic, occasionally mean-sprited satire.This book is funny in parts and is a fast read. But if your looking for a good guide to the AT, this is not it.
Rating: 
Summary: Laughed till I cried
Review: I haven't laughed this hard since reading Patrick McManus and Lewis Grizzard books. There were times when I could hardly catch my breath and my abdomen muscles are still sore. I recommend it to ANYONE, hiker (which I am) or not.
Rating:
Summary: this book is about most of us.
Review: Most of us who venture out into the woods with a backpack are like Bryson. I have been backpacking since 1969 and I felt like I was reading about myself. Most of us are not the tree hugger, back to nature types- most of us are like Bryson. It is refreshing to read a backpacking book by a normal person for a change.
Rating:
Summary: absolutely 1000% entertainment you will laugh too much
Review: One of the most entertaining books of the trail. Do not expect a serious story but enjoy trail life on the lite side. WARNING DO NOT READ THIS BOOK IF YOU ARE AROUND SERIOUS PEOPLE THEY WILL LOOK AT YOU AND WONDER WHY YOU ARE SNORTING SO MUCH. This is a wonderful and insightful look at the trail for what it should be an enjoyment not a test of endurance or machoism. ENJOY LIFE read this book. Don and Kathy Babb Dalton,Ga.
Rating:
Summary: A must read for anyone wishing to discover america.
Review: This book was a fantastic read. I to have explored the AT tosome extent in Tennessee and North Carolina and this book brought backmany great memories. Welcome back to America Bill and please finish the AT another day and by all means please write a follow up book regarding the AT !!!
Rating:
Summary: Light-hearted, funny book
Review: I really enjoyed Bill Bryson's take on his trek along the Appalacian Trail. I could relate to many things he and Katz went through. His humorous anecdotes had me laughing aloud in many spots. I found the historical tangents, for the most part, to be entertaining and interesting. I learned many a random fact through reading this book. I recommend this book to anyone who would like a light read. It is well written and extremely enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: Katz is King
Review: Mr. Bryson, is Steven Katz a real person? If not, you have created the perfect foil. But Katz, if you are real, forget building houses in Des Moines, WRITE SOMETHING! Or do comedy. I have NEVER laughed so hard at a book! At one point my husband thought I was choking, I was laughing so hard.
Rating:
Summary: stomach jiggling satirical look at America today
Review: This book is great reading. I haven't laughed so hard in years. Bryson gets right to the point in an easily readable story of his travels on the Appalacian trail. Great summer reading -- goes quickly. Am buying his other books as well.
Rating:
Summary: Pleasingly inspirational
Review: What a riot this book was! I laughed out loud and read it in just a few days, which with two little kids is not an easy feat. Bryson has inspired me to start walking, right in my own back yard. He reminds us that we can set a goal and work towards an end, all the while knowing life can change the path at any moment, much like the trail, unforgiving and unforgettable. Thanks Bill for a truly inspirational book!
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book and Fast Read
Review: Okay so not everyone likes the fact Bryson did not COMPLETE the 2100 mile hike. Big deal. Yes, I picked up the book off the store shelves and thought I was going to read about a 2100+ mile trek. Yes I expected hair raising encounters with bears and wildlife. I am not disappointed at all though because Bryson captures in words a part of the country that I have never seen. He does it in such a way that I feel I am seeing it myself. It is truly refreshing. The only reason I don't give this book five stars is that the book slows down at times when Bryson starts giving history lectures about conservation. I'm all for conservation but some facts can be summed up in a paragraph, not five pages. The humor scale of the book definitely peaks at the beginning and then goes completely flat. Other than that I found this book to be a very quick read and would advise other outdoor enthusiasts to read it.
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