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highly recommended |
Perfect for naturalists and humorists alike! 
A Walk in the Woods is one of the best books I have ever read. The story line (two men walking the Appalachian Trail, as well as the history and fragility of the Trail) could make this book droll and boring, but Bryson keeps the story upbeat and laugh-out-loud hilarious. This book has a perfect combination of story and fact, and every page I learned something new. This book is an excellent choice for anyone aged 13 and over.
I like Bryson but this is not my favorite 
Typical Bryson- witty, insightful, well researched, and tangential (in a good way). This is a good read and worth your coin. You will find yourself laughing out loud from his observations and perspectives. Who knew the Corps of Engineers and the National Park Service could be so funny (but not in a good way)!
So far I've read A Brief History of Nearly Everything, this, and The Thunderbolt Kid. I would rank them in that order for favorites also.
I see many people tag this book as about hiking and backpacking. I'm not sure I think that's the best tag. The book is much more about the human condition and what makes people tick. I've read many adventure books and am an outdoors enthusiast, and I definitely do not find this to fit into that genre at all (after all he skips most of the trail).
A very good book not only for the fans of hiking
I found "A Walk in the Woods" my first encounter with Bill Bryson's books, a very enjoyable and educational read. I picked this particular book to start my acquaintance with him, because I like hiking and often explore parts of the Appalachian Trail (from New York to New Hampshire) myself.
Bryson writes with great sense of humor about his decision to walk the Appalachian Trail, the preparations, the choice of his walking companion (a hilarious figure of his old friend Steve Katz), the hike itself, with all its joys and troubles. The Trail is the dominating presence here, and although there is a lot of personality and jokes, the thoroughly researched information about the history of the Trail, the flora and fauna, the geographical, geological and meteorological conditions, is what I found most interesting. Especially, because it was written in a captivating manner. I loved the atmosphere Bryson created in this book.
Bryson's brisk style made me read his book from cover to cover almost without any stopping and I regretted only that it ended so quickly. The subject could easily have made the book nothing else than a guide, and only thanks to the sparkling, original prose it was so much more...
I appreciated the author's honesty when he admitted that he and Steve had many difficulties while walking the trail and found the initial task of walking the whole length of the trail impossible to accomplish. Since they skipped parts of the route were the ones I know best, I felt that there was no harm done and I was just encouraged to walk more of its Northern and Southern parts. I will definitely return to this book in future.
reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, page 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
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based on 61 reviews
