A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson

A Walk in the Woods has been described in some quarters as one of the weaker books in Bill Bryson's varied oeuvre, and I have to confess that upon first reading I was ready to agree with some of the sterner critics. As time wore on, however, it began to grow on me, and though I still don't feel that it quite touches the heights of the superb The Lost Continent, it can certainly hold its head high and revel in the title of "proper Bryson". The book tells the story of Bryson's attempt to hike the infamous Appalachian Trail, running for more than 2000 miles in the eastern USA, with its multifarious terrors: hand-eating bears, scalp-shredding ...

The Appalachian Trail is the longest continuous footpath in the world, running for over 2,100 miles along the East coast of the USA. Imagine, if you will, going for a walk in the woods near your hometown; a pleasant Sunday stroll, perhaps with your dog, to walk off that enormous roast chicken you just consumed en famille. Hiking the Appalachian Trail is 100 per cent nothing like a walk in the woods. It's an all-out do or die survival expedition and - get this - it's entirely voluntary, so you're doing this for fun. Now, it all starts off with Bryson thinking that hiking the Appalachian Trail is A Good Idea. One of the most important things to ...

Bill Bryson's 'A Walk in the Woods' serves as his diary of a somewhat ill-advised trek with his sugar-addict hapless friend along the Appalachian Trail. This is no mere woodland stroll, as the title suggests...more like a journey through his personal Hell. 2,200 miles of near-wilderness filled with all manner of obstacles - from mountains to bears, chuckling murderers and yuppie snobs, rattle snakes and disease-bearing ticks. Not my idea of a good time, I have to tell ya. The way Bryson writes, though, is just so engaging, so honest and funny and informative, you feel his every painful step, every blister, every euphoric moment on mountain tops, ...