Rating: 
Summary: Hilarious, Intelligent, Entertaining as Hell
Review: I read this book mostly on the bus to and from work. People would stare at me, perhaps assuming I lacked some marbles, as I cracked up in hysterics. In this book, Mr. Bryson has a way of delivering his stories with such humor and wit that I couldn't wait to pick up the book each time. He develops the characters through causual conversation. He has done a huge amount of historical research on virtually every place he describes. This adds a lot of intelligence to the book. Sometimes when I read travel writing I feel as if the writer gets caught up in describing a place and the "feeling" that nature gives off. This is not what I sensed while reading this book. Bryson gives a wonderful sense of place but always brings the reader back to the story. This kept me entertained the whole way through.
Rating: 
Summary: I Can't Believe He Didn't Hike the Whole Thing!
Review: I'm pretty sure that Bill Bryson is a competent writer. I bought this book after reading an excerpt from early chapters in a magazine. The early chapters were pretty funny, but that's about as far as it goes. Bryson certainly knows what to hide from a potential reader (the fact that he hiked only a tiny portion of the Appalachian Trail), and he is certainly willing to spoonfeed the reader his inconsistent mix of praise and criticism regarding every person, town, and political view he encounters.He easily dismisses the failed attempt of a through-hiker a few short weeks before dropping off of the trail himself, and he spends much of the rest of the book in his car, road-tripping to various spots along the Appalachian trail so he can get his boots muddy and use that as an excuse to write with forced authority about something he clearly did not experience. In the middle of this travelogue, the reader is forced to endure a tirades against the Army Corps of Engineers, another tirade in favor of ROAD HIKING sections of the trail that parallel civilization, long winded criticisms of any hiker who is slower (or faster) than he, complaints about any town or village with, say, a lack of sidewalks or an abundance of roads ... you catch my drift. For a great american travelogue, instead of reading this blather, try "Blue Highways" by William Least Heat Moon. And why doesn't amazon have a ZERO STAR RATING for books like this one?
Rating: 
Summary: SO SO
Review: This book is more like a really long article for the weekend magazine of your local newpaper. The author, as I recall spent too much time on tired jokes, it was kind of glib. Like he wasn't being too serious. Too bad. At points it is an interesting story, and his sidekick is a great, recognizable character. It just never goes very far.
Rating:
Summary: A Reverent Look at Nature
Review: I have read a few of Bryson's books. His humour is often irreverent, so I was surprised with the reverence he showed towards the great outdoors. He still manages to inject offbeat humour into his adventures ... I laughed out loud! His own adventures are interwoven with the history and interesting facts about the trail.
Rating:
Summary: A journey not to be trivialized
Review: I have rated this book 3 starts mainly for one reason. The author wanders into some lengthy detail that seemed unnecessary. While I loved the general level of detail be prepared for long side tracks on the history of trees in areas. Listening to the authors account of traveling onthe trail makes me respect thru hikers even more. Finally a book that tells it like it is. Hiking that amount of distance is not a piece of cake, there are serious things to worry about. I love that he even lets his friend (really out of shape one at that) join him on his quest. And even lets him rejoin... I enjoyed his accounts of the other hikers, what foods people crave, and the dangers of wandering off the path. A good read (especially if you are reading and can skip the side tracks) and one that should be read by all that are going to hike the AT.
Rating:
Summary: A walk in the woods- rediscovering America on the Appalachia
Review: "A walk in the Woods" was thoroughly enjoyable reading. There was an interesting mix of adventure, science,history, politics, and character descriptions. If the day should come that I may have the opportunity to walk the Applachian trail, I would enjoy doing so with Bryson and Katz.
Rating:
Summary: Good, funny, but......
Review: seemed rushed in places and fell apart in the end. At times I laughed out loud (to the inquiring looks from my wife...) and other times I quickly turned the page to see if the story picked back up later. Still, I encourage anyone who has done any backpacking or in comtemplating walking "the trail" to consider reading this book.
Rating:
Summary: Refreshingly Funny, Surprisingly Informative
Review: A little over a year ago, I passed this book up on Amazon because I was looking for a book about the AT and how to prepare for it (there are plenty out there if any are interested). At Christmastime, my mother gave me this book as a gift and there it lain on the shelf until a week ago. The book approaches the trail from the point of view of a complete novice and treats us with cynicism throughout. The main characters, Bryson and Katz, are a modern day Lewis and Martin act. Bryson is trying to reestablish with his home country after being abroad for 20 years and Katz is a recovering alcoholic. The minor characters that they meet throughout are eerily familiar to those who have hiked, camped, or been victim to small-town life. Within the comedy, you are sure to find many informative items about the trail and life around it. Bryson frequently goes off on tangents, complaining about deforestation, Government programs and the increasing endangerment of plants and animals around the trail. This book is a great change of pace and despite what other readers have said, is an uplifting tale. If they had manged to read it all, they would have discovered that it is a tale of perseverence, friendship, and knowing your limits.
Rating:
Summary: Lots of laughs in numerous places, but R-Rating.
Review: If this book were a movie, it would have an R-Rating. Many "four letter" words and some haltingly ugly "humor". This book does have some helpful information on a few detestable diseases that a hiker might be infected with. Encephalitis, Lyme Disease, and Hantavirus. This book has some excellent information on the history of The Appalachian Trial (AT). This book has some helpful information on trail sense and hiking preparedness. A reader who is a Christian might be very offended by several parts of this book. Also, a reader who loves the South, especially Georgia and Tennessee, might be insulted by several parts of this book. Still, a very good book, and an entertaining book in many places. Lots of laughs in numerous places. Trail tip from this reviewer: When hiking, I often carry a tiny plastic container of glass cleaner with a little bit of rubbing ALCOHOL added to it. Note: Rubbing alcohol and ammonia are very toxic if swallowed. I use glass cleaner that has AMMONIA in it. You see, ammonia and rubbing alcohol are both disinfectants. When I find a tick on me, I lecture and promptly toss the tick, then I apply this mixture to my fingers, etc. Applied to places where the tick came into the most sustained contact with my body. This may decrease the danger of the ghastly diseases that ticks can and do sometimes carry.
Rating: 
Summary: Misleading Discovery Along the AT
Review: The Appalachian Trail has a mystique...a soul journey on an American wilderness trail. Mr. Bryson's "walk" on small pieces of the trail misleads the reader. His sarcasm and criticism of the AT's purpose leads the reader to believe that the experience just is not worth it. From joke filled fears of bear encounters and murder in the dark shadows of the southern portion of the trail to biting accounts of his side trips through rural and poor towns near its path, Byron creates his own trail mythology. And, his message is, don't walk it. If scarcasm and ripping apart the essence of the wilderness hike is your thing, read it. If reflection on the beauty and personal journey on a preserved piece of American wilderness is, don't.
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