Join BookBrowse today and get access to free books, our twice monthly digital magazine, and more.

What readers think of A Walk In The Woods, plus links to write your own review.

Summary |  Excerpt |  Reviews |  Read-Alikes |  Genres & Themes |  Author Bio

A Walk In The Woods

Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

by Bill Bryson

A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson X
A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson
  • Critics' Opinion:

    Readers' Opinion:

  • First Published:
    Jun 1998, 274 pages

    Paperback:
    May 1999, 255 pages

    Genres

  • Rate this book


Buy This Book

About this Book

Reviews

Page 2 of 4
There are currently 29 reader reviews for A Walk In The Woods
Order Reviews by:

Write your own review!

Al Gunther

I listened to the audio version of the book, and was thouroughly entertained during the entire reading.
The book really gave great word descriptions of the scenery and during the 5 days it took me to listen to
the book, I visited the Internet to look into further information on the trail, and on places of interest, such
as Centralia, Pa. and Mount Washington in New Hampshire. Thus I was not only greatly entertained by the
book, but also educated on areas that up until then, I was not aware of. My thanks to the author and the
makers of the audio book for many hours of relaxing driving and a good educational experience.
Mia

Bill Bryson's humor was hilariously funny. This is a light read you'll get through in one day. I highly recommend it!
Madeleine

I loved Bryson's droll sense of humor throughout this book. He describes the situations he encounters during his "walk in the woods" and some of the bizarre characters in hilarious detail.

The book was worth the price just for pages 132 and 133 where his walking partner encounters Beulah and her gigantic underpants. I laughed until the tears rolled down my face.

He also has a strong grasp on serious issues facing our national parks, forests and decline of so many wildlife species. Parts of it made me very aware of our dwindling resources. It was a real eye opener. For anyone that has ever camped or done much hiking this book will bring it all back to life.

I recommend this one if you want a fast and enjoyable read.
jerry morgan

great book,i felt that i was along on the trail. i told my wife about the book and stated that i would love to try parts of the trail, she brought me back to earth when she reminded me that i have severe heart trouble , diabetes and am too fat and out of shape.maybe i will do it anyway
Lakshini

Cool
I really enjoyed this book. I don't know what age group this book is aimed at but try not to use swear words as much.
FictionZeal

from FictionZeal.com re: A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
Dried noodles! That’s basically what the hikers Bill Bryson, and his friend Steven Katz, had left to eat after their first full day of their hike on the Appalachian Trail. Both were out of shape before taking on their hike, but Katz even more so. During the halfway point of their first day, Katz saw fit to ‘fling’ stuff out of his pack in order to ease his load; much of it was food stuff. But, hey, it felt good to ‘fling’ it. This is Bryson’s first-hand account of their experience, and at first it was hilarious. He started us out with the reason why – because it’s there and because he’s reacquainting himself with America after spending 20 years in England. Then, he basically takes us with him as he’s shopping for the supplies he would need. In many respects, he was clueless, but it was enjoyable for the reader. The entire trail is over 2,100 miles long from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. As each day progresses, you can see their fitness level improve. They seem able to walk further each day taking it all in stride. However, occasionally, they do look for opportunities to go off the AT for the comfort of restaurants and motels.

At the beginning, I was all in. It was funny and light-hearted and very enjoyable. As they are walking the trail, he tosses in some history and facts of the trail which was quite interesting. I loved his characterization of other hikers. I didn’t realize when I first began reading that he was eventually going to delve more into political and controversial aspects. There was a whole dissertation about the failings of the US Forestry; a part about tree science; and even his views on evolution. I rated A Walk in the Woods at 3.5 out of 5.
Profgreg

Often hilariously funny and occasionally frighteningly serious. His descriptions are vivid without being tedious. Read it in one day! Highly recommend.
Connie

My book group is reading this book for a discussion next month. Do you have any ideas about discussion questions that you could share re A Walk in the Woods???Thank you! rchalstad@aol.com
Response from BookBrowse: Click here to visit http://www.bookbrowse.com/readersguides/index.cfm - here you'll find advice on writing your own reading guide questions.

Support BookBrowse

Join our inner reading circle, go ad-free and get way more!

Find out more


Top Picks

  • Book Jacket: Table for Two
    Table for Two
    by Amor Towles
    Amor Towles's short story collection Table for Two reads as something of a dream compilation for...
  • Book Jacket: Bitter Crop
    Bitter Crop
    by Paul Alexander
    In 1958, Billie Holiday began work on an ambitious album called Lady in Satin. Accompanied by a full...
  • Book Jacket: Under This Red Rock
    Under This Red Rock
    by Mindy McGinnis
    Since she was a child, Neely has suffered from auditory hallucinations, hearing voices that demand ...
  • Book Jacket: Clear
    Clear
    by Carys Davies
    John Ferguson is a principled man. But when, in 1843, those principles drive him to break from the ...

BookBrowse Book Club

Book Jacket
A Great Country
by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
A novel exploring the ties and fractures of a close-knit Indian-American family in the aftermath of a violent encounter with the police.

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    The House on Biscayne Bay
    by Chanel Cleeton

    As death stalks a gothic mansion in Miami, the lives of two women intertwine as the past and present collide.

  • Book Jacket

    The Flower Sisters
    by Michelle Collins Anderson

    From the new Fannie Flagg of the Ozarks, a richly-woven story of family, forgiveness, and reinvention.

Win This Book
Win The Funeral Cryer

The Funeral Cryer by Wenyan Lu

Debut novelist Wenyan Lu brings us this witty yet profound story about one woman's midlife reawakening in contemporary rural China.

Enter

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

M as A H

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.