A Walk in the Woods

Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

By: Bill Bryson

Narrated by: Rob McQuay

Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

The Appalachian Trail trail stretches from Georgia to Maine and covers some of the most breathtaking terrain in America - majestic mountains, silent forests, sparking lakes. If you’re going to take a hike, it’s probably the place to go. And Bill Bryson is surely the most entertaing guide you’ll find. He introduces us to the history and ecology of the trail and to some of the other hardy (or just foolhardy) folks he meets along the way - and a couple of bears. Already a classic, A Walk in the Woods will make you long for the great outdoors (or at least a comfortable chair to sit and read in).

©1999 Bill Bryson (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Short of doing it yourself, the best way of escaping into nature is to read a book like A Walk in the Woods." ( The New York Times)

"A terribly misguided, and terribly funny tale of adventure.... The yarn is choke-on-your-coffee funny." ( The Washington Post)

"Bill Bryson could write an essay about dryer lint or fever reducers and still make us laugh out loud." ( Chicago Sun-Times)

What a treat

The abridged version was great and the unabridged one is even better. If you haven’t already, click this one into your cart and enjoy the tale of two unlikely travelers in America’s backcountry as only Bill Bryson can tell it. Packed with history and hilarity I enjoyed every minute.

Anyone who loves the backcountry will enjoy this.

Would you listen to A Walk in the Woods again? Why?

Yes, A Walk in the Woods brought back so many memories of hiking and camping the mountains.
Offering a much needed escape from a busy,confusing world.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Walk in the Woods?

The section devoted to the author's first trip to the outfitters reminded me of the excitement and utter confusion that go with a first time backcountry adventure.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed lot.

Strays from the Path

A mostly believable tale of two oddly-coupled hikers hiking the Appalachian Trial (at least some of it). I enjoyed the witty dialogue and funny situations of these two hikers. The narrative alternates between the hiker story and chapters on various topics, related (if only remotely) to hiking. This book started nice but then changed into something more like a magazine with off-topic articles. To me these off-topic articles did not incorporate well with the main story. I probably would have appreciated the abridged version of this book much better.

Enjoyable travelogue

Rob McQuay gives an excellent performance reading this informative and funny book about walking the Appalachian Trail. This was my first book by Bill Bryson, and he can be as informative and eloquent as Michael Pollan in one moment and then profane and witty the next. A thoroughly enjoyable listen.

Red it several years ago first time listening

loved it... I highly recommend this book.
the comedy the wit the timing and the adventure...
I have seen many of these places and been to many of these trails that he speaks of in the book and he describes them with such beauty and whimsy and joy.
perfectly read... even made my husband laugh when he overheard my book one morning at 3 a.m. 😀

Hiked the AT vicariously thanks to Bryson

A sweeping and detailed story of Bryson's hikes along the Appalachian Trail. Very funny in some parts! Wonderful descriptions of nature. Also a scathing critique of how mismanagement and environmental devastation are so damaging to the American wilderness. McQuay's narration is excellent.

Bill Bryson can really turn a humorous phrase...

....and he imparts some stirring and disturbing ecological information that is a must listen..and reproach to how we, as a Nation, have handled nature’s bounty. But why must he descend into the hackneyed stereotypes of the south and even imply some kind of religious nuttiness to people whose faith is clearly different (and certainly more sustaining) than his own? His wit is much too sharp to resort to such low hanging and rotten fruit and He wouldn’t dare do the same to any other group save the white people of the American south. And so his haughty holier-than-Thou remarks repelled me, And, unfortunately, I finished the book thinking here’s another pious and self-righteous jerk Who condescendingly condemns other people, but couldn’t finish what he started. Not what I wanted...nor what should have been imparted in an otherwise happy, informative and cautionary tale. And the narrators ersatz southern accent was horrible

A must read (or hear)

An entertaining meditation on nature, history and friendship. Bryson’s inclusion of science is done in an accessible, seamless way. Thank you to the person who left this book out in the park with other paperbacks up for grabs. I finished it by listening on hikes in the woods near my home. I’ll be sure to pass the book along to the next traveler.

Entertaining and inspiring

The story is entertaining, as the language is vividly descriptive, allowing the listener to easily visualize the experiences. The author’s sarcasm comes through, frequently bringing a smile. It’s also informative, touching on the history of the Appalachian Trail (AT), impact of climate change, decisions of government on public lands, and more.

It is also inspiring, leading to a desire to go out and hike some of the same trails and see the same wonderful outdoors. I have day hiked small portions of the AT and the stories here brought a lot of my own experiences to mind, which I appreciated.

Surprising Good!

I really enjoyed the author's style. His chapter about all the ways a bear can kill you was hilarious. At points I was a little bored with the history of the trail, etc., but all in all, this book is extremely well written.