..."
The previous paragraph is the first step in Bill Bryson's description of his journey hiking the Appalachian Trail as chronicled in his book, A Walk in the Woods.
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is the longest continuous marked footpath in the World, and stretches from Katahdin ... Read review
Bill Bryson has made a living out of travelling and then writing about it. In The Lost ... more
Continent he re-created the road trips of his childhood; in Neither Here nor There he retraced the route he followed as a young backpacker traversing Europe. When ...
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Bill Bryson has made a living out of travelling and then writing about it. InThe Lost ... more
Continenthe re-created the road trips of his childhood; inNeither Here nor Therehe retraced the route he followed as a young backpacker traversing Europe. When this...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Bill Bryson has made a living out of travelling and then writing about it. In The Lost ... more
Continent he re-created the road trips of his childhood; in Neither Here nor There he retraced the route he followed as a young backpacker traversing Europe. Wh...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Bill Bryson has made a living out of travelling and then writing about it. InThe Lost ... more
Continenthe re-created the road trips of his childhood; inNeither Here nor Therehe retraced the route he followed as a young backpacker traversing Europe. When th...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Bill Bryson has made a living out of travelling and then writing about it. In The Lost ... more
Continent he re-created the road trips of his childhood; in Neither Here nor There he retraced the route he followed as a young backpacker traversing Europe. When ...
Postage & Packaging: Check Site. Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Bill Bryson has made a living out of travelling and then writing about it. In The Lost ... more
Continent he re-created the road trips of his childhood; in Neither Here nor There he retraced the route he followed as a young backpacker traversing Europe. When this American transplant to Britain decided to return home, he made a farewell walking tour of the British countryside and produced Notes from a Small Island. Once back on American soil and safely settled in New Hampshire, Bryson once again hears the siren call of the open road--only this time it's a trail. The Appalachian Trail, to be exact. In A Walk in the Woods Bill Bryson tackles what is, for him, an entirely new subject: the American wilderness. Accompanied only by his old college friend Stephen Katz, Bryson starts out one March morning in north Georgia, intending to walk the entire 2,100 miles to the trail's end atop Maine's Mount Katahdin. If nothing else, A Walk in the Woods is proof positive that the journey is the destination. As Bryson and Katz haul their out-of-shape, middle-aged bodies over hill and dale, the reader is treated to both a very funny personal memoir and a delightful chronicle of the trail, the people who created it, and the places it passes through. Whether you plan to make a trip like this one yourself one day or only care to read about it, A Walk in the Woods is a great way to spend an afternoon. --Alix Wilber
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Bill Bryson has made a living out of travelling and then writing about it. In The Lost ... more
Continent he re-created the road trips of his childhood; in Neither Here nor There he retraced the route he followed as a young backpacker traversing Europe. When this American transplant to Britain decided to return home, he made a farewell walking tour of the British countryside and produced Notes from a Small Island. Once back on American soil and safely settled in New Hampshire, Bryson once again hears the siren call of the open road--only this time it's a trail. The Appalachian Trail, to be exact. In A Walk in the Woods Bill Bryson tackles what is, for him, an entirely new subject: the American wilderness. Accompanied only by his old college friend Stephen Katz, Bryson starts out one March morning in north Georgia, intending to walk the entire 2,100 miles to the trail's end atop Maine's Mount Katahdin. If nothing else, A Walk in the Woods is proof positive that the journey is the destination. As Bryson and Katz haul their out-of-shape, middle-aged bodies over hill and dale, the reader is treated to both a very funny personal memoir and a delightful chronicle of the trail, the people who created it, and the places it passes through. Whether you plan to make a trip like this one yourself one day or only care to read about it, A Walk in the Woods is a great way to spend an afternoon. --Alix Wilber
Postage & Packaging:£2.75 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Enjoyable romp through the Appalachian wilderness Disadvantages: None
...moved with my family to a small town in New Hampshire, I happened upon a path that vanished into a wood on the edge of town."
The previous paragraph is the first step in Bill Bryson's description of his journey hiking the Appalachian Trail as chronicled in his book, A Walk in the Woods.
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is the longest continuous marked footpath in the World, and stretches from Katahdin in Maine ... ...is my reply. Although possibly a big fat advance from his publisher might have just tipped the balance.
After doing a little research about the AT, and more specifically the number of bears that inhabit the wilderness surrounding it, Bryson looks for a companion to share the journey with. Very sensible, as anyone who knows anything about bears will tell you - a bear will only attack solo hikers...... aye right!
Of course bear ... more
"Not long after I moved with my family to a small town in New Hampshire, I happened upon a path that vanished into a wood on the edge of town."
The previous paragraph is the first step in Bill Bryson's description of his journey hiking the Appalachian Trail as chronicled in his book, A Walk in the Woods.
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is the longest continuous marked footpath in the World, and stretches from Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia - or vice versa. It passes through some of the most interesting and scenic landscapes of the Eastern USA, wandering the ridges and valleys of the Appalachian mountain ranges for more than 2,150 miles - the actual distance is dependent on whose figures you use!
At the age of 44, following his return to his native land after 20-odd years in the UK, Bryson decided to reacquaint himself with the land of his birth by hiking the entire length of the Appalachian Trail (or AT).... as you do.
WHY? I hear you ask. I've no idea, is my reply. Although possibly a big fat advance from his publisher might have just tipped the balance.
After doing a little research about the AT, and more specifically the number of bears that inhabit the wilderness surrounding it, Bryson looks for a companion to share the journey with. Very sensible, as anyone who knows anything about bears will tell you - a bear will only attack solo hikers...... aye right! Of course bear attacks don't happen very often, but as Bryson says, "once is often enough!"
Weeding through the list of applicants, Bryson finally settles on his old drinking buddy, Stephen Katz (who also made an appearance in Neither Here Nor There). An easy choice really, as no-one else applied. They make a perfect team though - neither outshadowing the other in lack of experience, lack of fitness, lack of pounds, lack of sense....
And so, after being separated from an indecent amount of hard cash in exchange for the latest in high-tech hiking gear, and suitably motivated, this most unlikely pair begin their journey northwards through the huge expanse of tangled woods which most sensible people take great pains to avoid. And not without just cause. As Bryson so eloquently points out, the AT is a haven for all sorts of dangerous animals, poisonous snakes....and plants, dangerous insects and deadly diseases, not to mention the occasional serial killer. Just in case we don't quite get it, we are reminded that the movie Deliverance was filmed in the area they trek through in the first few days. Mental images of grown men "squealing like a hog" are never very far away.
However, what brings the author out in the worst, sweat-drenched fear, is encountering some of his fellow hikers along the way. Especially the ones who can talk for hours on the merits, or otherwise, of a Kelty backpack with transparent pockets.
A Walk in the Woods is liberally interspersed with facts and figures - especially about the flora and fauna along the trail. Some may find this a bit dry and dull, but I actually found it very interesting and I thought it was done in such a way as to add to the overall enjoyment of the book. Bryson seems to be able to impart hard information but still keep his prose amusing. He constantly points out the various species of animal and plant that have disappeared from the Appalachians and some of the human folly that has contributed to this state of affairs, but I don't think this aspect dominates in any way. In fact, I personally think the book would be all the poorer without it.
The book is not so much a travel guide to walking the AT, as a personal memoir - an anecdotal account of some of the situations and people - good, bad and/or mad - encountered by two middle-aged, overweight and sometimes comical figures blundering their way through the wilderness. And all the way through, Bryson paints a very vivid picture of the landscape he passes through.
If you're looking for the definitive guide to the AT and all it's splendour, look again. You won't learn many hints and tips on how to 'thru-hike' the correct way (although you may glean some pointers on what not to do), nor does it catalogue all there is to do, or see - I think 320 pages would be a little constricting for that anyway. But you will laugh, and laugh out loud - and that can't be a bad thing.
Advantages: hilarious and highly entertaining Disadvantages: almost too hard to put down
...this would be as good a title as any to start with. Has all the humour you could possibly ask for in a decent travel book. And it had me laughing from the very first chapter. Although it does have some poignant references to the realities of the Appalachian Trail.
For those of you who have read any of Bryson's other works it will come as no surprise to find that "a walk in the woods" is a really good read. I think I read it in about 3 days just ... ...anywhere, and all of it a serious test for anyone. Oh yeah, and then there's the wildlife that it could be possible to bump into along the way.... mountain lions, rattlesnakes, bears, oh my! You are then introduced (or reintroduced if you're a fan of the other books) to Bryson's friend Steve Katz. Now this guy hardly seems like the ideal candidate to undertake such an unforgiving walk, due mainly to his lack of fitness but he and Bryson go way back ...
freeridemtber 11.11.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson
Advantages: An excellent introduction for anyone that is unfamiliar with Bryson's work Disadvantages: 3rd quarter of the book is a little less scintillating but perserveer
I found a copy of this book on the train once and by the end of my journey I didn't want to get off the train, although having said that the looks the other passengers were giving me as I laughed out loud at Bill Bryson's exploits should have been enough to send me running for the hills. Then again having heard about all the things that can go wrong in those hills I was wise to stay on the train.
I have no interest in hiking, and no desire to go ... ...You read this book because of Bryson's clever word play and amazing turn of phrase but as this is by no means a travel book in the conventional sense of the term it is actually only when he eulogises about the travel aspect that the book approaches anything near ordinary. ...
sfxartist 28.08.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson
Advantages: Exciting intuative writing Disadvantages: All journeys end
...of him Bill Bryson is a seasoned travel writer. Basically he is to books what Michael Palin is to TV!! His previous books of note include:-
1. The Lost Continent - road trips of his childhood
2. Neither Here nor There - retraced the route he followed as a backpacker crossing Europe. 3. Notes from a Small Island - walking tour of the British countryside
4. Short History of Nearly Everything - speaks for itself!!
5. Dictionary of Troublesome Words ... ...can guess this is somewhat a walk in the wilderness.
Bill is not stupid and does not undertake this journey alone he decides to take an old friend who he hasn't seen for years, a recovering alcoholic called Katz who has no skills whatsoever (certainly no bushraft) and seems to be a greater pain in the ass than sitting in a nettle patch. Bit without the interaction between Bill and Katz this book would not nearly be as good as it is.
The book starts ...
gizmoregis 01.09.2006
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This is one of my favourite Bryson books, it had me laughing so much I cried - how many middle aged overweight blokes do you know who'd call a walk down the east coast of the US (up and down mountain sides) that takes 6 months to complete, \'a walk in the woods\'....was almost tempted to have a go myself! ...
angel965 25.05.2007
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson
Advantages: Comfortable, warm writing style Disadvantages: Not as jam packed with wit as we've come to expect
I am a huge Bill Bryson fan, infact, I own 9 of his books. I find his writing style and wit fits perfectly with my sense of humour. I generally find his work laugh out loud funny and truely page turning. However, A walk in the woods is one of my least favourite books. For me it wasnt jam packed with as many humourous anecdotes as I\'ve come to expect and seemed a little light all round. Having discussed this with a friend we came to the conclusion ... ...another book within a short timescale, this is it.
While I don\'t want to put people off altogether - it is written with Bryson\'s usual charm and contains tangible descriptions of the beautiful appalachian trail - I would emphasise, if you\'ve never read a Bill Bryson book, then don\'t start with this one, its not his best (look at notes from a big country). Nevertheless, it won\'t put me off his writing, and you can be sure his latest book, Shakespeare, ...
cnmatthewsuk 11.11.2007
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Advantages: Undeniably useful reference book. Disadvantages: Best to digest, but difficult to do so.
publications. Neither/nor, either/or explained and a myriad of others: it’s a large tome.
Mother Tongue is best read from cover to cover but ingeniously includes an index for reference, but Troublesome Words is dictionary style, allowing you to look something up at a glance, however, I would recommend expanding your knowledge by reading it through – it’s a lot to digest, but definitely worth feeling lexicographically, grammatically and etymologically bloated for.
BillBryson rocketed to the top three of my favourite authors when I read A Walkin the Woods and since then, I’ve respected his work and learned a lot more about grammar and its perils than I ever did at school. I’m reading Down Under at the moment and have found a dangling modifier in a paragraph about the diminutive size of his cabin on board ...
Advantages: Very interesting, hysterically funny, extremely readable Disadvantages: Short chapters may not be to everyone's taste
it finished in a couple of hours-and you'll be sad when it's over.
BillBryson has written seven other books (Notes from a Small Country, Walkin the Woods, A Short History of Nearly Everything, Neither Here Nor There, BillBryson's African Diary, Down Under and Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words) with another 'The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid' coming out in September.
You can pick up a copy of Notes from a Big Country for £7.99 from Amazon or most other online (or offline) retailers and is well-worth the money.
I'd give this book 10/10 and, as with all his other books, it really does provide hours of pure reading pleasure. You must read it! ...
Product Information for "A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson" »
Product details
Author
Bill Bryson
Title
A Walk in the Woods
Genre
Travel
Type
Non-Fiction
ISBN
0385408161; 0552997021
Manufacturer's product description
The audio cassette of "A Walk in the Woods", Bill Bryson's gruelling walk of the Appalachian Trail, covering 14 states from Georgia to Maine, and over 2000 miles. From the Back CoverThe longest continuous footpath in the world, the Appalachian Trail stretches along the East Coast of the United States, from Georgia to Maine, through some of the most arresting and celebrated landscapes in America. At the age of forty-four, in the company of his friend Stephen Katz (last seen in the bestselling Neither Here nor There), Bill Bryson set off to hike through the vast tangled woods which have been frightening sensible people for three hundred years. Facing bears, bobcats, savage weather, disease-bearing tics, poisonous plants and the odd chuckling murderer, Bryson gamely struggled through the wilderness to achieve a lifetime's ambition - not to die outdoors. Kerry Shale has performed his acclaimed solo show The Prince of West End Avenue in the UK, Europe, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Other stage work includes plays such as The Normal Heart, True West and Disappeared. TV work includes Sharpe, Cracker and Tales of Narnia. His films include Yentl, RKO 281 and 102 Dalmations. Kerry has abridged and read Bill Bryson's The Lost Continent, A Walk in the Woods, Notes from a Small Island, Notes from a Big Country and Down Under. He has received three Sony Awards for radio acting and writing. Abridged, running time approximately 3 hours
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