A Walk in The Woods

“I just finished reading "A Walk in The Woods" by Bill Bryson. The book seems to be held in disdain in certain hiking circles. I however found it to be an enjoyable book. Parts were very funny. It would certainly be interesting to go hiking with a character like Katz.
What are some other good hiking books worth reading?”

“I agree. That book is awesome! The 2d half of the book though was pretty slow. The ending was a disappointment to me. Have you read, "Into the Wild"? Another one of my favs!”

“hiking books suck. but last night, i went to the library, and found a treasure trove! i got *Go Ask Alice,* which i read most of last night, and which made me ill. and i got *The Teachings of Don Juan* by Carlos Castaneda, which i started on the metro, and which rocks. AND i got *Jim Morrison's Adventures in the Afterlife*!! yay!”

“I liked the book when they were planning a trip or on the trail. I got bored when he was rationalizing not finishing. I'd rather read William Least Heat Moon anyday. Blue Highways or Riverhorse.”

“"The Measure of a Mountain" about Mt Rainier is a good hiking/natural history book.”

“You've got to read "Endurance: Shackelton's Great Adventure," (think that's the exact title)about his fated Antactica expedition. The book is GOOD!!!! And nonfiction.”

“Walk in the Woods was funny. I enjoyed it as well. Bill Bryson also wrote a book about visiting many small towns in American. It's called The Lost Continent.

I agree w/ Mountainchick about Into the Wild as well. Pretty good example of why you should be more prepared before heading into the woods.

There's a great paddling book I have called the Armchair Paddler. Pretty exciting stories about canoeing and kayaking.

Another book I've enjoyed is called American Nature Writing (edited by John Murray). Includes essays, poetry, etc.

Steve Hiker - Endurance is great. Have you seen the documentary? It was showing at our downtown film theatre earlier this year. Amazing!”

“There was quite a long thread about good outdoor books, and previous discussions of Walk in the Woods, as well. A wide range of views on Bryson here on TT, and I'm one who found the book particularly lacking overall. A couple very interesting parts, but the rationalizing (and the fact that his partner is allegedly invented)sucks the wind out of the whole escapade. My copy is available, and I don't usually give away my books.

Read Colin Fletcher's "The Man Who Walked Through Time" and "The Thousand Mile Summer."”

“Thanks Pekka, I just found the old thread. Surprise, The title of the thread is also "A walk in the woods". I have got to use that search function more.
Pekka, I had never heard that his partner Katz might be fictional, but I did wander while reading the book. Some of his antics fit too conveniatly into the story line. Oh, well fictional or not he is a great character. One of those stories that if it's not true, it should be.”

“I liked the first half.
Didn't like the "honest, I'm not a quitter" second half.

Don't really care if it was fact or fiction. I think all hiking stories and fishing stories are the same-mostly fiction.”

“Before setting of on my hike in Glacier National Park a couple of weeks ago, I came across a book of the journals of Lewis & Clark. I had no idea their daily journals were ever gathered & published. Being what they are, as you might imagine, some daily entries are dull - describing plants & such - but I found it riveting to read their interactions with various Indian tribes, bears, and them witnessing scenery for the first time that we all know as famous. You read of wrong turns they made through exploration (only we know them to be wrong turns), seeking passage to the Pacific, and how they dealt with those dead-ends. It was also kinda refreshing how these journals expose the fact that these were flawed men - showing them as people instead of the mythical characters they've been elevated though the course of history.

I don't think it's a cover-to-cover read, but many parts are fascinating.

Ohh, and Walk in the Woods is hysterical!











, not some & notthe men in their party did not always act with the kid”

“Pathman, I just finished Riverhorse. What an enjoyable read! It took me a looong time to complete but it was such a pleasure. I recommend it to all.”

“The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey

Every outdoors person should read this every few years.”

“WITW is a 1/2 a hoot (first half). Bryson is a humorist and exaggeration is the name of the game. Like most things these days the self-righteous on topic X -- in this case bping -- need to vent their spleens. My take on it is that BBryson if BBryson's writing made one non-new-hiker think twice about dropping something on the trail or starting off unprepared then it was worth the reduced % price they paid for it. Bryson also wrote "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" and while it's not a hiking book it, too, reflects Americans to themselves with a chuckle in the bargain.”

“Endurance is a good book as steve hiker mentioned above. They were some tough peeps.”