A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail: Bill Bryson: 9780307279460: Amazon.com: Books
Listen
See all 4 imagesFollow the Author
Bill Bryson
+ Follow
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail Mass Market Paperback – December 26, 2006
by Bill Bryson (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars 6,977 customer reviews
#1 Best Sellerin General Northeast US Travel Guides
See all 62 formats and editions
Kindle
$9.89Read with Our Free App
Mass Market Paperback
$6.29160 Used from $1.5084 New from $5.363 Collectible from $13.75
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 12Page 1 of 12This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.
Back
Notes from a Small Island
Bill Bryson
4.4 out of 5 stars 6,977
Paperback
$10.48 Prime
A Walk in the Woods: A Walk in the Woods {A Walk in the wood}[A Walk in…
Bill Bryson
4.4 out of 5 stars 6,977
Paperback
$14.23
In a Sunburned Country
Bill Bryson
4.4 out of 5 stars 6,977
Paperback
$8.15 Prime
At Home: A Short History of Private Life
Bill Bryson
4.5 out of 5 stars 1,035
Paperback
$14.22 Prime
------------
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Bryson is a very funny writer who could wring humor from a clammy sleeping bag.” –The Philadelphia Inquirer
“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
“Delightful.” –The Plain Dealer
“It’s great adventure, on a human scale, with survivable discomforts, and, happily, everybody goes home afterwards.” –Times Picayune
Read more
From the Inside Flap
God only knows what possessed Bill Bryson, a reluctant adventurer if ever there was one, to undertake a gruelling hike along the world's longest continuous footpath--The Appalachian Trail.
The 2,000-plus-mile trail winds through 14 states, stretching along the east coast of the United States, from Georgia to Maine. It snakes through some of the wildest and most spectacular landscapes in North America, as well as through some of its most poverty-stricken and primitive backwoods areas.
With his offbeat sensibility, his eye for the absurd, and his laugh-out-loud sense of humour, Bryson recounts his confrontations with nature at its most uncompromising over his five-month journey.
An instant classic, riotously funny, "A Walk in the Woods will add a whole new audience to the legions of Bill Bryson fans.
----------------
About the Author
Bill Bryson's bestselling books include A Walk in the Woods, Neither Here Nor There, In a Sunburned Country, Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words, and A Short History of Nearly Everything, the latter of which earned him the 2004 Aventis Prize. Bryson lives in England with his wife and children.
----------------------
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
We hiked till five and camped beside a tranquil spring in a small, grassy clearing in the trees just off the trail. Because it was our first day back on the trail, we were flush for food, including perishables like cheese and bread that had to be eaten before they went off or were shaken to bits in our packs, so we rather gorged ourselves, then sat around smoking and chatting idly until persistent and numerous midgelike creatures (no-see-ums, as they are universally known along the trail) drove us into our tents. It was perfect sleeping weather, cool enough to need a bag but warm enough that you could sleep in your underwear, and I was looking forward to a long night's snooze--indeed was enjoying a long night's snooze--when, at some indeterminate dark hour, there was a sound nearby that made my eyes fly open. Normally, I slept through everything--through thunderstorms, through Katz's snoring and noisy midnight pees--so something big enough or distinctive enough to wake me was unusual. There was a sound of undergrowth being disturbed--a click of breaking branches, a weighty pushing through low foliage--and then a kind of large, vaguely irritable snuffling noise.
Bear!
I sat bolt upright. Instantly every neuron in my brain was awake and dashing around frantically, like ants when you disturb their nest. I reached instinctively for my knife, then realized I had left it in my pack, just outside the tent. Nocturnal defense had ceased to be a concern after many successive nights of tranquil woodland repose. There was another noise, quite near.
"Stephen, you awake?" I whispered.
"Yup," he replied in a weary but normal voice.
"What was that?"
"How the hell should I know."
"It sounded big."
"Everything sounds big in the woods."
This was true. Once a skunk had come plodding through our camp and it had sounded like a stegosaurus. There was another heavy rustle and then the sound of lapping at the spring. It was having a drink, whatever it was.
I shuffled on my knees to the foot of the tent, cautiously unzipped the mesh and peered out, but it was pitch black. As quietly as I could, I brought in my backpack and with the light of a small flashlight searched through it for my knife. When I found it and opened the blade I was appalled at how wimpy it looked. It was a perfectly respectable appliance for, say, buttering pancakes, but patently inadequate for defending oneself against 400 pounds of ravenous fur.
Carefully, very carefully, I climbed from the tent and put on the flashlight, which cast a distressingly feeble beam. Something about fifteen or twenty feet away looked up at me. I couldn't see anything at all of its shape or size--only two shining eyes. It went silent, whatever it was, and stared back at me.
"Stephen," I whispered at his tent, "did you pack a knife?"
"No."
"Have you get anything sharp at all?"
He thought for a moment. "Nail clippers."
I made a despairing face. "Anything a little more vicious than that? Because, you see, there is definitely something out here."
"It's probably just a skunk."
"Then it's one big skunk. Its eyes are three feet off the ground."
"A deer then."
I nervously threw a stick at the animal, and it didn't move, whatever it was. A deer would have bolted. This thing just blinked once and kept staring.
I reported this to Katz.
"Probably a buck. They're not so timid. Try shouting at it."
I cautiously shouted at it: "Hey! You there! Scat!" The creature blinked again, singularly unmoved. "You shout," I said.
"Oh, you brute, go away, do!" Katz shouted in merciless imitation. "Please withdraw at once, you horrid creature."
"Fuck you," I said and lugged my tent right over to his. I didn't know what this would achieve exactly, but it brought me a tiny measure of comfort to be nearer to him.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm moving my tent."
"Oh, good plan. That'll really confuse it."
I peered and peered, but I couldn't see anything but those two wide-set eyes staring from the near distance like eyes in a cartoon. I couldn't decide whether I wanted to be outside and dead or inside and waiting to be dead. I was barefoot and in my underwear and shivering. What I really wanted--really, really wanted--was for the animal to withdraw. I picked up a small stone and tossed it at it. I think it may have hit it because the animal made a sudden noisy start (which scared the bejesus out of me and brought a whimper to my lips) and then emitted a noise--not quite a growl, but near enough. It occurred to me that perhaps I oughtn't provoke it.
"What are you doing, Bryson? Just leave it alone and it will go away."
"How can you be so calm?"
"What do you want me to do? You're hysterical enough for both of us."
"I think I have a right to be a trifle alarmed, pardon me. I'm in the woods, in the middle of nowhere, in the dark, staring at a bear, with a guy who has nothing to defend himself with but a pair of nail clippers. Let me ask you this. If it is a bear and it comes for you, what are you going to do--give it a pedicure?"
"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it," Katz said implacably.
"What do you mean you'll cross that bridge? We're on the bridge, you moron. There's a bear out here, for Christ sake. He's looking at us. He smells noodles and Snickers and--oh, shit."
"What?"
"Oh. Shit."
"What?"
"There's two of them. I can see another pair of eyes." Just then, the flashlight battery started to go. The light flickered and then vanished. I scampered into my tent, stabbing myself lightly but hysterically in the thigh as I went, and began a quietly frantic search for spare batteries. If I were a bear, this would be the moment I would choose to lunge.
"Well, I'm going to sleep," Katz announced.
"What are you talking about? You can't go to sleep."
"Sure I can. I've done it lots of times." There was the sound of him rolling over and a series of snuffling noises, not unlike those of the creature outside.
"Stephen, you can't go to sleep," I ordered. But he could and he did, with amazing rapidity.
The creature--creatures, now--resumed drinking, with heavy lapping noises. I couldn't find any replacement batteries, so I flung the flashlight aside and put my miner's lamp on my head, made sure it worked, then switched it off to conserve the batteries. Then I sat for ages on my knees, facing the front of the tent, listening keenly, gripping my walking stick like a club, ready to beat back an attack, with my knife open and at hand as a last line of defense. The bears--animals, whatever they were--drank for perhaps twenty minutes more, then quietly departed the way they had come. It was a joyous moment, but I knew from my reading that they would be likely to return. I listened and listened, but the forest returned to silence and stayed there.
Eventually I loosened my grip on the walking stick and put on a sweater--pausing twice to examine the tiniest noises, dreading the sound of a revisit--and after a very long time got back into my sleeping bag for warmth. I lay there for a long time staring at total blackness and knew that never again would I sleep in the woods with a light heart.
And then, irresistibly and by degrees, I fell asleep.
From the Hardcover edition.
Read moreReturn to Product Overview
-----------------------
Product details
Mass Market Paperback: 397 pages
Publisher: Anchor; 2nd edition (December 26, 2006)
Language: English
-------------
More about the author
› Visit Amazon's Bill Bryson Page
Follow
Biography
Bill Bryson was born in Des Moines, Iowa. For twenty years he lived in England, where he worked for the Times and the Independent, and wrote for most major British and American publications. His books include travel memoirs (Neither Here Nor There; The Lost Continent; Notes from a Small Island) and books on language (The Mother Tongue; Made in America). His account of his attempts to walk the Appalachian Trail, A Walk in the Woods, was a huge New York Times bestseller. He lives in Hanover, New Hampshire, with his wife and his four children.
, British, and travelled to the most interesting places on earth? Well, you'd get this book...
Do you ever wonder what it might be like to start over in one of the happiest countries in the world? Find out by reading Happier Than A Billionaire!
4.4 out of 5 stars
6,977
4.4 out of 5 stars
--------------------
Top customer reviews
Ari87
5.0 out of 5 starsBill Bryson Binge!July 11, 2014
Format: Paperback|Verified Purchase
Right. Well this book completely derailed my reading list for the summer. I was supposed to be catching up on Criminal Justice texts and memorizing terms from Barron's Law Dictionary... Instead, I purchased Notes from a Small Island and things went out of control from there. It is literally the first time in my life that reading a book made me laugh out loud and uncontrollably, to TEARS. This gem was highly recommended by English friends as a must-read before I make the move to the UK for my year of study abroad this fall. I obliged. Not even halfway through the book, I decided to order more of his books right away in order to have them ready when I finished with this one. That is how my Bill Bryson binge began. Currently I am on my third book (by order of what arrives in the mail first) called A Short History of Nearly Everything.
Bryson is merciless in his observations of British towns and the British in general, but it's all in the spirit of that endearingly cynical, self-deprecating, quintessential British humour. (see what I did there?!) His way of writing puts you at ease and it's like a cross between travel guide, government & history lesson and stand up comedy, as Bryson loves to go off on barely relevant and hilarious tangents. You never get the sense that he is trying too hard or being pretentious, either. A bonus is the glossary he provides in the back of the book for British words like "dual carriageway" and "naff."
The fact that it was recommended to me by English and Welsh friends is testament to the authenticity of Bryson's observations and his comedic genius. Seriously recommend this read if you're an Anglophile or just enjoy a good, fun read.
Read less
50 people found this helpful
Helpful|Comment|Report abuse
McKenna Family Member
5.0 out of 5 starsVery Entertaining!October 24, 2017
Format: Mass Market Paperback|Verified Purchase
As a teenager, I have enjoyed hiking since I was very young. Friends and family have always talked to me about the Appalachian Trail and how they wish to hike it someday. I never knew the hardship one could face, and the history of the trail, until I read A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. Bryson is accompanied by his old friend who is very clumsy and completely unprepared for the trail. Together, these two middle aged men work hard every day to move swiftly across the path and in doing so, they slowly become closer and closer as friends. You do not have to be an avid hiker to enjoy Bryson’s experiences and be captivated by situations that occur throughout his journey.
Bill Bryson faces many challenges in the story, such as dealing with annoying people, being forced to stay in shelters that are in bad condition, and his struggles to push himself to finish the vigorous trek. Bill Bryson balances the hardships of this endeavour with comedy in almost every page of the story which makes the book funny to read and strengthens his point of view of the conflicts he encounters. An example of Bryson’s quick wit is shown when he talks about how hikers complain too often about wild animals, “Hunters will tell you that a moose is a wily and ferocious forest creature. Nonsense. A moose is a cow drawn by a three-year-old.” As a Maine resident, I can respect Bryson’s humorous interpretation of a moose, yet most people know there are definitely times this animal should be completely avoided! Bill Bryson’s interpretation of the AT provides valuable information, while his comedic writing style captures your interest, which in turn, makes you laugh.
This book has inspired me to do further research on the AT and motivated me to want to hike it when I am older. Bill Bryson illustrates the problems one may face and in doing so has helped me to understand how I can better prepare for a hike of this magnitude. I would recommend this book to anyone, whether you live in the city and have never hiked before, or to those of us whose passion is conquering peaks in the wilderness.
Read less
3 people found this helpful
Helpful|Comment|Report abuse
Lupine Smile
5.0 out of 5 starsInteresting View Of AustraliaJune 2, 2017
Format: Audio CD|Verified Purchase
Author Bill Bryson takes readers on a walkabout through some of the most beautiful, the most dangerous, and the most breathtaking portions of Australia. Narrated by the author himself, In a Sunburned Country brings alive a world that many are not privileged to see in their lifetimes. Bill's enthusiasm, as well as his propensity towards mishaps, provide a charming backdrop to the interesting information and fascinating details. Whether readers are just interested in learning more about Australia, or are seriously thinking about a visit, I would definitely recommend In a Sunburned Country as a reference.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful|Comment|Report abuse
frances c.
4.0 out of 5 starsWorth a visit!January 25, 2017
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
An engaging light-hearted travelogue about the less traveled areas of Great Britain. If you are an Anglophile, or if you have ever traveled to, or lived in the UK, you will enjoy reading this book about some of the cities, towns, villages, and places beyond the beaten track of most American tourists (i.e. London and environs). Bryson, an American journalist living in Great Britain, is the perfect travel guide; his experiences of living and working in the UK, and his rifts on British and American customs are quite entertaining and give the reader unique insights into the British way of doing things. If you are looking for an armchair vacation, this might be it.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful|Comment|Report abuse
cej
4.0 out of 5 starsAlmost an Excellent BookJanuary 30, 2017
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
Almost an excellent book. It has been said that Bill Bryson can write about anything and make it interesting and I have found this to be true. This book, while entertaining and sometimes laugh out loud funny, becomes a rather lengthy gripe session about what bothers him about England. And these gripes are repeated for every town or village he visits. Still, it is a good read and no one other than Mark Twain could have done it so well. It does remind me of Innocents Abroad.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful|Comment|Report abuse
See all 6,977 reviews
Write a customer review
About the Author
Bill Bryson's bestselling books include A Walk in the Woods, Neither Here Nor There, In a Sunburned Country, Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words, and A Short History of Nearly Everything, the latter of which earned him the 2004 Aventis Prize. Bryson lives in England with his wife and children.
----------------------
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
We hiked till five and camped beside a tranquil spring in a small, grassy clearing in the trees just off the trail. Because it was our first day back on the trail, we were flush for food, including perishables like cheese and bread that had to be eaten before they went off or were shaken to bits in our packs, so we rather gorged ourselves, then sat around smoking and chatting idly until persistent and numerous midgelike creatures (no-see-ums, as they are universally known along the trail) drove us into our tents. It was perfect sleeping weather, cool enough to need a bag but warm enough that you could sleep in your underwear, and I was looking forward to a long night's snooze--indeed was enjoying a long night's snooze--when, at some indeterminate dark hour, there was a sound nearby that made my eyes fly open. Normally, I slept through everything--through thunderstorms, through Katz's snoring and noisy midnight pees--so something big enough or distinctive enough to wake me was unusual. There was a sound of undergrowth being disturbed--a click of breaking branches, a weighty pushing through low foliage--and then a kind of large, vaguely irritable snuffling noise.
Bear!
I sat bolt upright. Instantly every neuron in my brain was awake and dashing around frantically, like ants when you disturb their nest. I reached instinctively for my knife, then realized I had left it in my pack, just outside the tent. Nocturnal defense had ceased to be a concern after many successive nights of tranquil woodland repose. There was another noise, quite near.
"Stephen, you awake?" I whispered.
"Yup," he replied in a weary but normal voice.
"What was that?"
"How the hell should I know."
"It sounded big."
"Everything sounds big in the woods."
This was true. Once a skunk had come plodding through our camp and it had sounded like a stegosaurus. There was another heavy rustle and then the sound of lapping at the spring. It was having a drink, whatever it was.
I shuffled on my knees to the foot of the tent, cautiously unzipped the mesh and peered out, but it was pitch black. As quietly as I could, I brought in my backpack and with the light of a small flashlight searched through it for my knife. When I found it and opened the blade I was appalled at how wimpy it looked. It was a perfectly respectable appliance for, say, buttering pancakes, but patently inadequate for defending oneself against 400 pounds of ravenous fur.
Carefully, very carefully, I climbed from the tent and put on the flashlight, which cast a distressingly feeble beam. Something about fifteen or twenty feet away looked up at me. I couldn't see anything at all of its shape or size--only two shining eyes. It went silent, whatever it was, and stared back at me.
"Stephen," I whispered at his tent, "did you pack a knife?"
"No."
"Have you get anything sharp at all?"
He thought for a moment. "Nail clippers."
I made a despairing face. "Anything a little more vicious than that? Because, you see, there is definitely something out here."
"It's probably just a skunk."
"Then it's one big skunk. Its eyes are three feet off the ground."
"A deer then."
I nervously threw a stick at the animal, and it didn't move, whatever it was. A deer would have bolted. This thing just blinked once and kept staring.
I reported this to Katz.
"Probably a buck. They're not so timid. Try shouting at it."
I cautiously shouted at it: "Hey! You there! Scat!" The creature blinked again, singularly unmoved. "You shout," I said.
"Oh, you brute, go away, do!" Katz shouted in merciless imitation. "Please withdraw at once, you horrid creature."
"Fuck you," I said and lugged my tent right over to his. I didn't know what this would achieve exactly, but it brought me a tiny measure of comfort to be nearer to him.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm moving my tent."
"Oh, good plan. That'll really confuse it."
I peered and peered, but I couldn't see anything but those two wide-set eyes staring from the near distance like eyes in a cartoon. I couldn't decide whether I wanted to be outside and dead or inside and waiting to be dead. I was barefoot and in my underwear and shivering. What I really wanted--really, really wanted--was for the animal to withdraw. I picked up a small stone and tossed it at it. I think it may have hit it because the animal made a sudden noisy start (which scared the bejesus out of me and brought a whimper to my lips) and then emitted a noise--not quite a growl, but near enough. It occurred to me that perhaps I oughtn't provoke it.
"What are you doing, Bryson? Just leave it alone and it will go away."
"How can you be so calm?"
"What do you want me to do? You're hysterical enough for both of us."
"I think I have a right to be a trifle alarmed, pardon me. I'm in the woods, in the middle of nowhere, in the dark, staring at a bear, with a guy who has nothing to defend himself with but a pair of nail clippers. Let me ask you this. If it is a bear and it comes for you, what are you going to do--give it a pedicure?"
"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it," Katz said implacably.
"What do you mean you'll cross that bridge? We're on the bridge, you moron. There's a bear out here, for Christ sake. He's looking at us. He smells noodles and Snickers and--oh, shit."
"What?"
"Oh. Shit."
"What?"
"There's two of them. I can see another pair of eyes." Just then, the flashlight battery started to go. The light flickered and then vanished. I scampered into my tent, stabbing myself lightly but hysterically in the thigh as I went, and began a quietly frantic search for spare batteries. If I were a bear, this would be the moment I would choose to lunge.
"Well, I'm going to sleep," Katz announced.
"What are you talking about? You can't go to sleep."
"Sure I can. I've done it lots of times." There was the sound of him rolling over and a series of snuffling noises, not unlike those of the creature outside.
"Stephen, you can't go to sleep," I ordered. But he could and he did, with amazing rapidity.
The creature--creatures, now--resumed drinking, with heavy lapping noises. I couldn't find any replacement batteries, so I flung the flashlight aside and put my miner's lamp on my head, made sure it worked, then switched it off to conserve the batteries. Then I sat for ages on my knees, facing the front of the tent, listening keenly, gripping my walking stick like a club, ready to beat back an attack, with my knife open and at hand as a last line of defense. The bears--animals, whatever they were--drank for perhaps twenty minutes more, then quietly departed the way they had come. It was a joyous moment, but I knew from my reading that they would be likely to return. I listened and listened, but the forest returned to silence and stayed there.
Eventually I loosened my grip on the walking stick and put on a sweater--pausing twice to examine the tiniest noises, dreading the sound of a revisit--and after a very long time got back into my sleeping bag for warmth. I lay there for a long time staring at total blackness and knew that never again would I sleep in the woods with a light heart.
And then, irresistibly and by degrees, I fell asleep.
From the Hardcover edition.
Read moreReturn to Product Overview
-----------------------
Product details
Mass Market Paperback: 397 pages
Publisher: Anchor; 2nd edition (December 26, 2006)
Language: English
-------------
More about the author
› Visit Amazon's Bill Bryson Page
Follow
Biography
Bill Bryson was born in Des Moines, Iowa. For twenty years he lived in England, where he worked for the Times and the Independent, and wrote for most major British and American publications. His books include travel memoirs (Neither Here Nor There; The Lost Continent; Notes from a Small Island) and books on language (The Mother Tongue; Made in America). His account of his attempts to walk the Appalachian Trail, A Walk in the Woods, was a huge New York Times bestseller. He lives in Hanover, New Hampshire, with his wife and his four children.
, British, and travelled to the most interesting places on earth? Well, you'd get this book...
Do you ever wonder what it might be like to start over in one of the happiest countries in the world? Find out by reading Happier Than A Billionaire!
4.4 out of 5 stars
6,977
4.4 out of 5 stars
--------------------
Top customer reviews
Ari87
5.0 out of 5 starsBill Bryson Binge!July 11, 2014
Format: Paperback|Verified Purchase
Right. Well this book completely derailed my reading list for the summer. I was supposed to be catching up on Criminal Justice texts and memorizing terms from Barron's Law Dictionary... Instead, I purchased Notes from a Small Island and things went out of control from there. It is literally the first time in my life that reading a book made me laugh out loud and uncontrollably, to TEARS. This gem was highly recommended by English friends as a must-read before I make the move to the UK for my year of study abroad this fall. I obliged. Not even halfway through the book, I decided to order more of his books right away in order to have them ready when I finished with this one. That is how my Bill Bryson binge began. Currently I am on my third book (by order of what arrives in the mail first) called A Short History of Nearly Everything.
Bryson is merciless in his observations of British towns and the British in general, but it's all in the spirit of that endearingly cynical, self-deprecating, quintessential British humour. (see what I did there?!) His way of writing puts you at ease and it's like a cross between travel guide, government & history lesson and stand up comedy, as Bryson loves to go off on barely relevant and hilarious tangents. You never get the sense that he is trying too hard or being pretentious, either. A bonus is the glossary he provides in the back of the book for British words like "dual carriageway" and "naff."
The fact that it was recommended to me by English and Welsh friends is testament to the authenticity of Bryson's observations and his comedic genius. Seriously recommend this read if you're an Anglophile or just enjoy a good, fun read.
Read less
50 people found this helpful
Helpful|Comment|Report abuse
McKenna Family Member
5.0 out of 5 starsVery Entertaining!October 24, 2017
Format: Mass Market Paperback|Verified Purchase
As a teenager, I have enjoyed hiking since I was very young. Friends and family have always talked to me about the Appalachian Trail and how they wish to hike it someday. I never knew the hardship one could face, and the history of the trail, until I read A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. Bryson is accompanied by his old friend who is very clumsy and completely unprepared for the trail. Together, these two middle aged men work hard every day to move swiftly across the path and in doing so, they slowly become closer and closer as friends. You do not have to be an avid hiker to enjoy Bryson’s experiences and be captivated by situations that occur throughout his journey.
Bill Bryson faces many challenges in the story, such as dealing with annoying people, being forced to stay in shelters that are in bad condition, and his struggles to push himself to finish the vigorous trek. Bill Bryson balances the hardships of this endeavour with comedy in almost every page of the story which makes the book funny to read and strengthens his point of view of the conflicts he encounters. An example of Bryson’s quick wit is shown when he talks about how hikers complain too often about wild animals, “Hunters will tell you that a moose is a wily and ferocious forest creature. Nonsense. A moose is a cow drawn by a three-year-old.” As a Maine resident, I can respect Bryson’s humorous interpretation of a moose, yet most people know there are definitely times this animal should be completely avoided! Bill Bryson’s interpretation of the AT provides valuable information, while his comedic writing style captures your interest, which in turn, makes you laugh.
This book has inspired me to do further research on the AT and motivated me to want to hike it when I am older. Bill Bryson illustrates the problems one may face and in doing so has helped me to understand how I can better prepare for a hike of this magnitude. I would recommend this book to anyone, whether you live in the city and have never hiked before, or to those of us whose passion is conquering peaks in the wilderness.
Read less
3 people found this helpful
Helpful|Comment|Report abuse
Lupine Smile
5.0 out of 5 starsInteresting View Of AustraliaJune 2, 2017
Format: Audio CD|Verified Purchase
Author Bill Bryson takes readers on a walkabout through some of the most beautiful, the most dangerous, and the most breathtaking portions of Australia. Narrated by the author himself, In a Sunburned Country brings alive a world that many are not privileged to see in their lifetimes. Bill's enthusiasm, as well as his propensity towards mishaps, provide a charming backdrop to the interesting information and fascinating details. Whether readers are just interested in learning more about Australia, or are seriously thinking about a visit, I would definitely recommend In a Sunburned Country as a reference.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful|Comment|Report abuse
frances c.
4.0 out of 5 starsWorth a visit!January 25, 2017
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
An engaging light-hearted travelogue about the less traveled areas of Great Britain. If you are an Anglophile, or if you have ever traveled to, or lived in the UK, you will enjoy reading this book about some of the cities, towns, villages, and places beyond the beaten track of most American tourists (i.e. London and environs). Bryson, an American journalist living in Great Britain, is the perfect travel guide; his experiences of living and working in the UK, and his rifts on British and American customs are quite entertaining and give the reader unique insights into the British way of doing things. If you are looking for an armchair vacation, this might be it.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful|Comment|Report abuse
cej
4.0 out of 5 starsAlmost an Excellent BookJanuary 30, 2017
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
Almost an excellent book. It has been said that Bill Bryson can write about anything and make it interesting and I have found this to be true. This book, while entertaining and sometimes laugh out loud funny, becomes a rather lengthy gripe session about what bothers him about England. And these gripes are repeated for every town or village he visits. Still, it is a good read and no one other than Mark Twain could have done it so well. It does remind me of Innocents Abroad.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful|Comment|Report abuse
See all 6,977 reviews
Write a customer review
No comments:
Post a Comment