Frank H. (perryfran) reviewed on 6/23/2022 + 1228 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

I really enjoy Bill Bryson's writing. I know Bryson is considered by many readers to be condescending and arrogant (and he can be), but for me, I really love his descriptive prose and humorous anecdotes. I've read several of his books and A WALK IN THE WOODS may be my favorite so far. Bryson teams up with an old friend, Katz, to attempt to hike the over 2,000 mile-long Appalachian Trail (AT). Bryson has recently returned to America and is living in a small town in New Hampshire when he discovers that the trail runs close by his house. Well he decides to make the challenge and Katz is the only one he can get to go with him. They fly to Georgia and start at the southern end of the trail with 2,100 miles of scenic wilderness in front of them. Along the way they meet many others, some very eccentric. One of which is Mary Ellen who couldn't stop talking and criticizing most everything Bryson and Katz did including the equipment they brought along on the trip. The narrative was filled with Bryson's humor but it also was filled with his knowledge of everything from the history of the AT; the extinction of much of the flora in the east including many tree species such as the majestic American Chestnut; the wildlife in the area; Civil War battles; the forming of the Appalachians over millions of years; and on and on.

This was really an enjoyable trek with Bryson and Katz even though they didn't make it the whole way but Bryson did actually hike about 870 miles of it. One of my other favorite books by Bryson is A SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING in which he expounds on many different areas of science in a most enjoyable way. Both of these books provide a lot of natural history in a very pleasurable experience. The other Bryson travel books I have read are also very fun to read. There is also a movie version of A WALK IN THE WOODS which stars Robert Redford as Bryson and Nick Nolte as Katz. I watched it a couple of nights ago and really enjoyed it as well although it was trimmed some from the book. I'll be looking forward to more Bryson.

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