by Pat Beaudet, Sylvanian Team Member, Southeastern Pennsylvania Group Member
Book Review: A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail, by Bill Bryson (1998)
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail is both a book by Bill Bryson and a 2015 movie starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte. Please read the book for at least 3 reasons: 1) It's hilarious, with several good laughs on every page, mostly inspired by the foibles of Bryson's hiking partner, Katz. 2) There are incredibly beautiful passages about nature 3) Bryson's encounter with a moose in Maine is a defining moment for Bryson and one I will never forget. But let's begin at the beginning.
In 1996, author Bill Bryson returned to America after living abroad for 20 years. He and his family settle in New Hampshire where he discovers a trail close to his home. It turns out the trail is part of the Appalachian Trail (AT), built between 1921 and 1937, and now maintained jointly by the National Park Service, United States Forest Service and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Bryson comes up with the idea that hiking the entire 2,100+ mile trail from Georgia to Maine would be a good way to reconnect with his homeland, get fit, and discover the great American hardwood forest before it is destroyed by climate change. He reconnects with an old friend (pseudonym Stephen Katz), the only person he can find who is willing to join him on this adventure. Together they plan the trip, purchasing the necessary backpacking equipment and supplies. They get to their starting point in Georgia in the spring before the cold weather sets in.
As he and Katz quickly learn, what they have undertaken is hardly a "walk in the woods." While there were many beautiful vistas and good experiences along the way, the terrain could be daunting and the fear of running into a bear on the trail is a frequent preoccupation. So is the fear of running out of food and water, or not finding shelter for the night. Bright sunny days alternate with harrowing treks in the rain. Bryson and Katz abandon the idea of hiking the entire trail in favor of "segment hiking," hiking parts of the trail while taking breaks in between. Homesickness, exhaustion and ultimately the sheer repetition of putting one foot in front of the other break their resolve to "thru hike" the entire trail. They never did see a bear but the encounter with a moose in Maine more than satisfies the desire to get close to wildlife.
The narrative is interspersed with discussions about the trail's history, as well as the sociology and ecology of the places they walk through. While Bryson and Katz became tired of trekking through the woods, I promise you will not become tired of reading about it. This book inspired a big surge in hiking on the East Coast. I must warn you that Pennsylvania is the least desirable segment of the trail, according to many. It is often called "Rocksylvania" because the trail is composed largely of small rocks and large boulders. I can attest to that. I experienced part of the AT near the Delaware Water Gap and was disappointed. It changed my romantic view of what it would be like to hike the AT. Fortunately, as I learned in this book, the rest of the trail is not like that. As for the movie, I haven't seen it, so I can't say much one way or the other. I do know that I thoroughly enjoyed the book and recommend it highly.
This blog was included as part of the August 2024 Sylvanian newsletter. Please click here to check out more articles from this edition!