Official Review: A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

[kayla1080]

In the past month I read hiking books Wild and Almost Somewhere, but A Walk in the Woods was by far the most entertaining.

Bill Bryson, the author, had some woods by his house, and always yearned to take a long walk in them. So one day he bought some books and maps about the Appalachian Trail, as well as a backpack and a tent, and then invited his long lost friend who he hadn’t seen in over 20 years to go on this nice long walk with him.

Equipped with his heavy pack, his out-of-shape reformed alcoholic friend Stephen Katz, and plenty of information about all that could go wrong, they set off into the woods. Starting in Georgia and heading up to Maine, they kind of had an idea what they were getting themselves into, but a lot can happen on a 2,000-mile journey.Twenty percent of hikers don’t make it past the first leg of the Appalachian Trail, and less than 10% (out of 1,500 hikers a year) make it the whole way.

Bill stays alert of possible bear attacks, diseases, injury, and weather situations as he hikes the trail with Katz. They dealt with snow, cramped hostels, wet clothes, and steep, endless mountains. But I think the most constant problem they encountered were the crazy people they met on the trail. Ranging from ugly waitresses, angry husbands, and the famously annoying Mary Ellen to a drunk couple who drove them to the nearest town going 170 mph, it seems like Bill and Katz didn’t have a normal ‘ole boring hike. Their frankness, sarcasm, and incredible patience with the ignorant people they met along the way had me literally rolling on the ground laughing. Bryson definitely has a way with words.

As Bryson hiked the trail, he offered readers some educational facts and history as to who created the trail, different groups involvement with the trail, and how humans are affecting the landscape. Bryson covered the Delaware River flood, recent murders, bear attacks, and the effects of the Centralia mine fire/town perched upon a raging inferno.

Bryson painted the overall picture of the Appalachian Trail by noting the politics of the US Army Corps of Engineers, National Forest Service and Park Service being under-funded and not making the right decisions in the 60’s (like poisoning the rivers and making fish extinct, trees that've been around for hundreds of years now being extinct, and allowing hunters to kill off animals that really don’t deserve it).

Bryson also brought up tourism and the increasing popularity of hiking is affecting the landscape- Katz and Bill encountering full shelters, restaurants, and obese people eating ice cream and being transported up to places like Mt. Washington. There’s also an increasing problem of technology on the trail (like a couple of women on a day hike calling for a helicopter when they got tired).

Some of it is a bit depressing, but Bill and Katz’s smart-alecky remarks to stupid people offered a little bit of redemption.

This was the most entertaining hiking book I’ve read so far, and very well-written. I also came to two realizations from A Walk in the Woods:

* East Coast hiking is very different from West Coast hiking
* A man’s perspective of long distance hiking is very different from a woman’s perspective of hiking long distances (however, I think both genders have an equal fear of bears and encountering crazy people on the trail)

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars because other books have made me want to hike the trails, but this book just made me want to hike anywhere with Bill Bryson, no matter where or how long the trail is. I totally agree on a review I read that A Walk in the Woods is “destined to become a modern classic of travel literature”. I would say that this book is for anyone into US history, adventure, environment, humor, and a little bit of suspense.

[kstockard]

I am not much of a hiker or an outdoors person. However, your review made me interested in checking the book out. Maybe I will want to hike after reading the book.

[Mike_Lang]

I've read several of Bryson's previous books and picked this one up on a whim after seeing the paperback movie-tie-in edition at a local supermarket. Just finished it a few weeks ago and I have to say your review is right on target. Great job!

[rssllue]

Very nice review. It sounds like great book and has me interested in hiking the Trail myself!

[kayla1080]

Thanks Mike! Yes, Bill Bryson is a great author and really makes me want to hike the Appalachian Trail. I'll make it out there some day

[Mike_Lang]

I'm more of a Katz person myself. You hit the trails, I'll find some Snickers bars and go watch The X-Files.

[Maria Luisa]

Hi! I have read it too(in Italian actually) a couple of years ago and I liked it very much. I like walking in the mountain so I was curious and bought it and sometimes I reread it. It's not only funny but interesting for the information about history etc. Have you seen the movie? Here in Italy has not arrived yet.

[Mike_Lang]

Hi! I have read it too(in Italian actually) a couple of years ago and I liked it very much. I like walking in the mountain so I was curious and bought it and sometimes I reread it. It's not only funny but interesting for the information about history etc. Have you seen the movie? Here in Italy has not arrived yet.

I haven't seen the movie, it wasn't in theaters too long here in the States. That usually means it wasn't very popular for one reason or another, with this type of movie it may have just been too slow moving to compete against the Action/Adventure movies out at the time. I plan to see it when it is released on DVD.

The characters in the movie are a bit older than those in the book. Nick Nolte seems like a good choice to play Katz, although I wouldn't have thought of him before hand. Not sure if Robert Redford was the right choice for Bryson, but since I haven't seen it yet I don't know.

[Maria Luisa]

There are trailers on YouTube or f.b. Anyway the book is hugely funny and I laughed a lot (is it right to write laughed a lot? Sorry if I write something wrong, I'm still learning).

-- 02 Dec 2015, 16:03 --

P.S. Hallo all! If you like true storie about people and mountains you should read The Woodswoman by Anne La Bastille.

[RosieTGK]

I read the book because it was about topics I enjoy, namely nature and being in the woods. From the get go I really wanted to love the book, about half the time I did. It was the other half, weighted heavily towards the second part of the book, that put it into the category of not being for me.

It began to feel too whiney. I could not believe it, when they had finally gotten so far along to then just give up. I had pushed through the book till that point, so I finished it, but not my cup of tea.

The movie was more my style, less complaining I think it was a completely different feel from the book. In some ways it felt like a different story as the emphasis felt shifted. My husband had not read the book beforehand, so he missed out on the story leading up to the beginning and the actual ending of the book.

[gadje]

A Walk in the Woods was my introduction to Bill Bryson. Since then, I have read many more of his books. I have loved them all, but A Walk in the Woods will forever have a special place in my heart. I felt as if I was walking with Bryson as he regaled me with stories and interesting facts about Centralia, the National Park Service, bears and other enthralling stories about seemingly minute topics. I could listen to him for hours.

One my favorite Katz stories is Bill watching the coffee filters float down into the valley after Katz threw them over the cliff to reduce weight. The movie didn't show that scene. I would have loved to see if it was similar to the scene that I had in my head as I read that passage.

[Giselle45]

I saw that at the movie theatre and really enjoyed it.