A Walk in the Woods

De: Bill Bryson

Narrado por: Bill Bryson

"Not long after I moved with my family to a small town in New Hampshire, I happened upon a path that vanished into a wood on the edge of town." So begins Bill Bryson's hilarious book, A Walk in the Woods. Following his return to America after 20 years in Britain, Bryson decided to reacquaint himself with his native country by walking the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. The AT, as it's affectionately known to thousands of hikers, offers an astonishing landscape of silent forests and sparkling lakes - and to a writer with the comic genius of Bill Bryson, it also provides endless opportunities to test his own powers of ineptitude, and to witness the majestic silliness of his fellow human beings. But A Walk in the Woods is more than just a laugh-out-loud hike. Bryson's acute eye is a wise witness to this fragile and beautiful trail, and as he tells its fascinating history, he makes a moving plea for the conservation of America's last great wilderness. An adventure, a comedy, a lament, and a celebration, A Walk in the Woods is destined to become a modern classic of travel literature.©1998 Bill Bryson (P)1998 Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, A Division of Random House Inc.

Outdoorsy Levity

What did you like best about this story?

Both the author's initial naivety and his extensive though judiciously applied research on the history, flora and fauna and geology of the Appalachian Trail and through hiking practices/etiquette balance the humor in this book.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were several fits of laughter in this book. His irrational nighttime fears and his friend's blasé reactions stand out.

Any additional comments?

Both the author's initial naivety and his extensive though judiciously applied research on the history, flora and fauna and geology of the Appalachian Trail and through hiking practices/etiquette balance the humor in this book.

Bill Bryson is great

This is my favorite Bill Bryson story.

Made me want to travel the AT!

This book is funny, and very moving too. I love the Stephen Katz character - he's a riot! It's too bad that our environment is being destroyed though, his facts on our forestry situation is pretty depressing. Apart from that, the book is entertaining, love his accent - it's always nice to hear the author narrate. It's as if you're there with them. It actually drove me to New Hampshire after hearing this to Mt Washington.

A Warm and Contemplative Tale.

A friendly, ambling, reflective and inspirational story written and read by a fine and accomplished story teller. Anything but stagnant, this tale is complimented by Bryson’s tone and tempo, which mimic the true experience and slow release of adventure that IS life on the AT. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates, or can tolerate, hiking, adventure, old friendship, the outdoors, or a good tavern story.

Good, but not what I expected....

As a person who frequently backpacks I picked this book up hoping to hear about what life is really like on the trail. The beginning of the book which explains the processes in which he decided to hike the AT, purchased gear, and found a hiking partner is a very witty introduction to what is almost a great trip for Bryson. The tale ends up being a mixture of all the humorous incidents along the way and some historical/geographical information. A little over half way through the book, however, Bryson and his partner leave the AT. This, for me, was a big dissapointment. With that aside I did enjoy the book and found the information to be highly valuable. This is not a good story about backpacking, however, since the focus is only on the parties involved when something comical happens. If you have no interest in hiking the AT yourself though, then you most likey won't share my dissapointment and will find this book to be highly entertaining.

Entertaining and educational.

Bryson's obvious respect and admiration for the trail is present throughout the entirety of this memoir. The detailed historical notes and anecdotes about the current challenges of the trail really helped me appreciate how rare of a gem we have in the AT, and makes me sad that it is so under resources.

Enjoyable story.

Like that it was read by the author. A great accomplishment even if he did not complete the whole trail. Great read for those considering such a trek.

Engaging, funny, what's not to like

Great story. Great reading. Makes you laugh. And it really happened. What more can you ask for?!

NOT AS GOOD AS READING THE BOOK

I know this was supposed to be unabridged but I remember reading the book and laughing constantly. Somehow the reading didn't seem so funny -- very disappointing.

Listen to that voice

AHHHHH Bryson, my favorite writer, although ironically I'm never read any of his stuff. I say, Why deprive yourself of his voice, a pleasant mix of british and American, with a nice bass tone. I listen to his cd's over and over again, and I encourage others to do the same. Although his two most recent novels are excellent, it is "A Walk in the Woods" that contains the most Bryson, shown most excellently over his dialogue with "Kats." After listening to this book, don't be surprised if you feel the need to hike a bit of the Appallacians.