Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
#1 Best Seller in East South Central US Travel books in Kindle
Book Blurb:
The Appalachian Trail trail stretches from Georgia to Maine and covers some of the most breathtaking terrain in America – majestic mountains, silent forests, sparking lakes. If you’re going to take a hike, it’s probably the place to go. And Bill Bryson is surely the most entertaing guide you’ll find. He introduces us to the history and ecology of the trail and to some of the other hardy (or just foolhardy) folks he meets along the way – and a couple of bears. Already a classic, A Walk in the Woods will make you long for the great outdoors (or at least a comfortable chair to sit and read in).
My Review:
Well, phooey. Yes, I’m aware the Appalachian Trail, known affectionately by those who really, seriously hike, “the AT” is over 2,100 miles long and stretches from Georgia to Maine. I used to love hiking. And camping. The first time we got stuck at the top of a Sierra mountain in a driving rain storm that dropped the temperature ten degrees and started gravel sliding down the side of the mountain though, we scrambled down to the hot springs below and gratefully shivered into the warm, toasty water. So, no, I’m more of a short trail hiker, more level than climbing, please. Well, more of a trail walker and home when the weather turns nasty.
But I have researched the AT, thinking there must be a drop in, drop off site that we could take advantage of. Those are as few and far between as services. When you’re out on this trail, it’s you against the elements, some of which can be brutal. “The Appalachian Trail is the longest hiking only footpath in the world.” Started in 1921, it wasn’t completed until 1937. Makes it sound like a real trail, huh. According to Bryson, it’s not.
Still, I was attracted to this book, thought if I couldn’t hike it, perhaps enjoy some of it vicariously.
Or maybe not.
I really enjoyed the first part of the book, perhaps as far as the loss of hiking buddy Katz, with whom he’d had a fleeting experience before but was that desperate to have someone to hike with, and accepted his invitation. For some reason, the whole timbre of the book changed after Katz left. In the meantime, they’d hiked through downpours, freezing temps, snow, wind, and even the loss of the trail itself…discovering it again as they stumbled along.
While Bryson spent major bucks on equipment, thoughtful food additions, and appropriate clothing, it would seem that Katz thought he’d live on jerky and chips, at one point even tossing his water bottle. Usually, they roughed it, pitching their tents on a flat portion of land to sleep.
Bryson speaks with contempt his efforts to drag Katz along and at one point even loses him and wonders if he’d be able to complete the journey by himself to the next possible town or trail shelter.
Yes, their initial confrontations with the actual hike were humorous, pocked with sardonic comments re his hiking partner and the distance covered per day or the sights and conditions encountered. Two comically unprepared for the actual conditions of the trail.
During that initial portion of the book, there were interesting tidbits about the trail, different stories, people and animals they encountered, and trail communities that provided anecdotes and history.
Then, the “story” settles into a travelogue and the storyline fails to revive the initial excitement as well as much of the sense of humor.
It’s a fun and informative book describing the trail a little rougher than I’d expected a real trail to be that took sixteen years to complete. The switch in the tone of the book also changed a great book to a good one and I still love the idea of the trail, whether or not I’ll ever get to that drop in point or not.
The World’s Funniest Travel Writer Takes a Hike (Bryson Book 8) (UK) 
The Appalachian Trail covers 14 states and over 2,000 miles, snaking through some of the most spectacular landscapes in America. Reluctant adventurer Bryson recounts his gruelling hike along the longest continuous footpath in the world.
Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars 
Book Details:
Genre: Travel Writing & Commentary, Travelogues & Travel Essays, North America Travel & Tourism
Publisher: Random House Audio
ASIN: B009GBVCAG
Listening Length: 9 hrs 44 mins
Narrator: Rob McQuay
Publication Date: September 25, 2012
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Links: Amazon-US – Amazon-UK
The Author: Bill Bryson was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1951. Settled in England for many years, he moved to America with his wife and four children for a few years ,but has since returned to live in the UK. His bestselling travel books include The Lost Continent, Notes From a Small Island, A Walk in the Woods and Down Under. His acclaimed work of popular science, A Short History of Nearly Everything, won the Aventis Prize and the Descartes Prize, and was the biggest selling non-fiction book of the decade in the UK.
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