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Summary: A Great Introduction to the mystery and beauty of the AT
Review: I couldn't put this book down. Living in flat overrated Florida but always in love with the mountains, I was intrigued by Bryson's descriptions of the trail and envious of his trip. I would have preferred a complete end to end treatment of the AT, but it was a valiant effort nonetheless. The time spent with Katz was the best part of the narrative. I also thought the history and geology surrounding the Appalachians was informative and eye opening. It gave me a new found appreciation for our most precious resource and the one we seem so bent on destroying - nature. Overall, I thought it was one the funniest and most exciting books I have read in a long time and the Author should be commended for his adventuring spirit in a land of couch potatoes and cyber geeks.
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Summary: Humorous, at times, humble 'story' book.
Review: A writer decides to write a memoir book about his hike on the Appalachian trail, BEFORE he hikes it. It came across to me as an attempt to cash in on the appalachian trail. He's not a hiker, does poor preparation, and doesn't make his initial goal of hiking the full length of the trail.Initially he plans to go the full distance, then it's "I'll just skip this one segment". The delusion continues to the point where he is commuting to the 'office' that is the AT in his comfy car, walking for a couple hours in sneakers and without a pack to all the important scenic views of the AT. In the evenings he returns to the comfort of his home. It would be an acceptable tale of the AT wearing down someones initial gall to plan to hike the entire AT if it weren't for the last line of the book: "I don't care what anyone thinks, I hiked the AT". That beef stated, it is an entertaining read - full of humour, human dynamics, and fascinating characters. History is mingled in to the tale in a timely and skillful manner. I wouldn't recommend it to any experience hikers, unless you're entertained by looking down on his attempt.
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Summary: Pure enjoyment
Review: I found this book very stimulating to the mind and gave me images of America that I had never conceived before. Those who gave this only one star, may have taken it too seriously. Possibly looking for an informative guide to hiking. It is just a book about the experiences of two unprepared men going for a walk in the woods. Who cares if he is not a serious hiker or didn't finish the trail. Don't take it too seriously and enjoy.
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Summary: One of the FUNNIEST books I have ever read!!!
Review: One line said it all -- this book is a hoot
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Summary: Incredible book! Appeals to day, as well as thru, hikers
Review: Bryson is nothing short of a genius. I have personally done 16 miles (nothing compared to Bryson and Katz) of the AT and I wish I had read this book beforehand. Its amazing how the same things went through my head, but not with the wit and meta- perspective of Bryson. There are so many beautiful areas along the AT and its great to see a person with common sense enough to notice the beauty and recognize the comedy in all outdoor experiences. As the last line of the book reads, Bryson DID hike the Appalachian Trail!
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Summary: I couldn't put it down.
Review: Very entertaining and funny. I also learned a few things about the AT. I have a much better understanding of what it would take to really hike the trail.
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Summary: Katz makes the book.
Review: As reported by many "A Walk in the Woods" is a laugh-out-loud book. If one is looking for a how-to book on the AT, this is not it. If anything, it's a how-not-to book on the AT. The author, Bryson, and his less-than-trusty companion, Katz, represent anyone who has painfully longed to do something which one is completely and utterly unprepared and unqualified to do. With all due respect to Bryson, whose idea it was to hit the trail, Katz is the funniest and most interesting character. Without him, the book would have been (and is between the pages of 163 and 235) substantially less entertaining. The reader labors through Chapters 13 to 19 without Katz. The book picks up again in Chapter 19 when Katz returns to the trail with Bryson but by that time the momentum of the first 163 pages was lost and the book never really regained its humorous and interesting form.
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Summary: Another great Bill Bryson travel book!
Review: I first encountered Bill Bryson's writing when my college roommate read an excerpt of _The Lost Continent_ to a group of our friends. To say his writing is humorous would be gross understatement. During this reading, one of our friends was laughing so hard he literally fell off the couch. I look forward to every Bryson book with anticipation, and this one was definitely *not* a disappoinment. _A Walk in the Woods_ had me laughing out loud and Bryson has a unique way with descriptions that make me feel as if I'm right there beside him, experiencing the woods with him. Is this a book for serious hikers? Probably not, unless they're serious hikers with a great sense of humor.
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Summary: Bryson's at it again!
Review: Another of Bryson's book about travelling he's done Europe, done England, now it's time to do the USA! This was only my second Bryson book and it didn't live up to my expectations. Not full of the wit and laugh out loud humour of "Notes from a Small Isalnd" but still fairly pleasing. One main critiscm is that some of the endless pages of the Appalachian trail history got a bit boring and I found myself subconsciously skipping pages! Katz is brilliant and although the book is informative it still mananges to be funny in places. Not one of Bryson's better books though I feel.
Rating:
Summary: Like Bill himself it faded as it wore on
Review: The first few chapters had me chuckling but as the book wore on I grew tired of the duo and when they ran out of trail so to speak I ran out of patience. Some nice insights, a bit too much ecospeak(some of it was indeed poignant though). In the end a nice idea but try and keep the laughs more evenly spread in future!
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