Rating: 
Summary: He didn't hike the AT!!!
Review: The first half of the book was very good. Even a little witty. However, he quit hiking! You don't write about hiking the AT when you haven't done it. I haven't done it either but, I'm not writing a book about it. There are many other good books about the AT,, take a PASS on this one.
Rating: 
Summary: hilarious!
Review: I bought this for a train ride and laughed out loud the entire way home. For the first time ever, I feel like hiking!
Rating: 
Summary: A funny if opportunistic book.
Review: The book is an interesting and funny read. It's best when being funny; tiresome when being moralistic. I do fault Bryson for quitting the trail and then writing about the experience. It's like taking numerous rest stops and long breaks during a marathon and writing about what it's like to run a marathon. All in all, an informative and funny read, but too glib and opportunistic for my taste. Will he next write about doing an open heart surgery after stopping in the middle and not sewing up the patient's chest?
Rating:
Summary: Great read!
Review: This is a wonderful book if you have ever packed anything more than a beach towel and started walking. So, it's not a tour guide. So what. There are lots of good AT books out there. Read this one to share somebody else's experiences and laugh out loud. This book was pure vacation for me!
Rating: 
Summary: Really loved the first two thirds...
Review: I really loved (and laughed aloud at) much that was in the first two-thirds of the book, but it slowed down perceptively in the final chapters, so I can't bring myself to give it 5 stars. I have been to Harpers Ferry, the Skyland Lodge in the Shenandoah Valley, and was one of the tourists at the top of Mt. Washington, so was especially entertained by his comments on those spots. I didn't mind the historical asides thrown in - in fact, I thought it was a good way to get people interested in learning more. I don't hike, but do ride my horse in Marin, where I encounter hikers, joggers and cyclists. I felt he did a very good job of relating stories of ALL types of people you find using the same the trail. I didn't have any pre-conceived notions when I bought the book - I had heard about it and decided to read it. If you're a serious hiker, you may want to read something else, but if you're like me, older and out-of-shape, you should enjoy and will probably relate to it.
Rating:
Summary: Thoroughly enjoyed the experience of reading this book.
Review: This book is a treasure for those who have a love for adventure; especially for those of us who are unable to act upon that love. Mr. Bryson's writing is so gifted that often I found myself on the AT with him and his loveable companion Katz. The book was inspiring, a love story in more ways than one, and unbelievably funny. The anecdote about Salvatore Pagliuca's weather instrument reading task on Mt. Washington had me laughing out loud for several minutes. This book reminds me once again how much I love reading.
Rating:
Summary: Very amusing, but it's not a trail guide
Review: Very quick read, and very amusing. Bryson doesn't try to create a trail guide for the feet but rather a trail guide for the heart. That is, there are highs and lows along the way and if you can't quite finish, that's okay too if you've enjoyed the trip.What kept it from a 5 star rating was the enviro-rant in the latter half of the book. Seemed out of place, some may call it balance. I felt it detracted from the work.
Rating:
Summary: A bit amusing; not too accurate
Review: We bought this book on tape to listen to on our trip to the Shenandoah National Park (which we visit at least ten times a year). We heard Bryson's rant about the Big Meadows store not having trail mix, etc., five minutes after walking out of the store - and viewing the trail mix display, which has been there for years. Made me wonder whether he really went to all these places. Agree with him that the Shenandoah mountains are glorious; they really are. We never get tired of visiting. Knee problems keep me from going back on the AT now, but there are lots of other places to hike there, even if you can no longer handle the hills. And yes, there are lots of bears. We saw four this weekend.
Rating:
Summary: I'd read a lot more if all books were like this one!!
Review: Since I am not an avid reader, you may choose to ignore this, BUT WAIT!!! I am writing this review for a very good reason. I am interested in thru hiking the AT, and so I chose to enlighten myself with a book written by an "average person" trying to hike the trail. I must say I found THE PERFECT WRITING STYLE FOR THOSE OF US WHO NEED A BOOK TO KEEP US WANTING MORE. This book is definitely THE BEST book I've read in a long time (perhaps saying this isn't saying much since I rarely find a book which can hold my interest for long; so then again, perhaps my reviewing this book positively is saying it all). A TERRIFIC BOOK, VERY ENTERTAINING!! For those of you who read this - you should try reading Michael Crichton's TRAVELS. It's also quite good.
Rating:
Summary: Amusing Book, Could Have Been So Much Better
Review: Overall this is an amusing book and a good lay introduction to the majesty of the Appalachian Trial, but with Bryson's talent it could have been very much better. Bryson's tale consists of plenty of amusing anecdotes, side-by-side with interesting discussions of related topics, many unfortunately related in an annoyingly moralistic style. Fortunately the beauty and grandeur of the AT shines through appealingly despite Bryson's descent into vulgar language, British snobbery and the liberal elite's disdain for most things American. Particularly distressing is Bryson's blatant bigotry and antipathy towards most things Southern. Also disturbing is Bryson's hypocrisy regarding environmentalism when apparently he and his dubious pal littered the scenic trail at every opportunity. Despite these major flaws, Bryson does a service to the nation by introducing the greatest trail in our history to the reading public at large. If one can get past the flaws mentioned above, it is a worthwhile read if taken as a simply amusing tale of two middle aged guys, clearly out of their element, attempting in a token fashion to hike the magnificent Appalachian Trail.
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