View Full Version : Favorite Books regarding the AT
Former Admin
09-03-2002, 19:34
What are some of your favorite books regarding the Appalachian Trail ?
SGT Rock
09-03-2002, 20:45
"Walking With Spring" By Earl Shaffer wan't the best written book I've ever read, but it is a must read for any thru-hiker.
"A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson is a funny book although the middle of it is a bore. It is a great book on how not to do a thru-hike.
"On the Beaten Path" is a well writen book about one hiker's journey north, and the best part is it is writen by a real writer.
"Long distance Hiking: Lessons learned from the Appalachian Trail" by Roland Mueser has some interesting statistics from polling sever long distance and thru-hikers on the AT. Although the data is a little dated, the facts about what does and doesn't matter (like water treatment and mileage) gives you things to think about while planning a thru-hike.
I have a good collection of AT books. My favorite book about the Trail is "Walking the Appalachain Trail" by Larry Luxenberg. He writes about the trail as well as the people and personalities.
Hikehead
09-11-2002, 08:01
I just received as a gift Earl Shaffer's book "Calling Me Back To The Hills.
It's coffee table size with awesome color pictures in it. This book is a must for everyone. I haven't read it yet but the pictures are truely something else.
After I read this I'll have to get his first book.
It has a picture of The Thelma Marks shelter built by Earl Shaffer himself.
Now, that guy had some character.
RIP Earl
Kerosene
09-11-2002, 09:34
I just recently finished the florid Walking on the Happy Side of Misery by J.R. "Model-T" Tate. I have been disappointed with a number of the other "dressed up trail logs posing as books" that I've read the past few years, but this one kept me engaged. I posted an early review on Amazon available here (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1401020410/qid=1031751233/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-4618272-2741453?v=glance&s=books).
Kerosene:
I just finished J.R. Model-T Tate's book too and it is by far the funniest. Some of his commentary had me laughing till I had tears in my eyes. I guess some of the verbiage was as he described in the beginning, that a certain amount of literary license was used but i still loved it, anyway.And I learned from it. I would also recommend it. You can feel his reverence for the AT
wacocelt
09-14-2002, 15:59
I just finished reading "Walking the Appalachian Trail" a few days ago. Very insightful and honest book. I really enjoyed the wide and varying views of the trail from many past Thru-Hikers.
I highly recomend that you check out Ken Wadness' book entitled "Sojourn in the Wilderness." It is the first book recording a southbound thru-hike and the text is wonderful. As well, the photography is simply wonderful and sure to be enjoyed by anyone who picks up the book. His trail name was "Peace Walker." He did his hike sometime in the 1990's but I can't recall the date at the moment, some time just before 1998 though.
I found the Appalachian Trail Reader to be my favorite of trail related books. It contains a fair amount of writing by historical figures and gives a nice perspective on the AT. A Walk in the Woods is fun, at least the first half of it, before Bryson gets off the AT for the first time.
Lone Wolf
12-12-2002, 09:18
"Murder on the Appalachian Trail" is a good read. It's about the murders that took place in 1984 at Wapiti shelter near Pearisburg, Va. The guy was let out of prison last year. A great book to give to parents and friends just before you hit the trail!
Easyhiker
12-12-2002, 20:05
Originally posted by Lone Wolf
"Murder on the Appalachian Trail" is a good read. It's about the murders that took place in 1984 at Wapiti shelter near Pearisburg, Va. The guy was let out of prison last year. A great book to give to parents and friends just before you hit the trail!
He might have just got out of prison but im sure the Rightwing conservative backpacking NRA members will take care of him if he hits the trail again .... LOL :D
Lone Wolf
12-12-2002, 20:39
hehehehe. I ain't never met one of them fellas!
Jumpstart
12-15-2002, 12:17
"A Journey North" by Adrienne Hall was a good woman's account oh the trail, pretty recent.
Kerosene
12-15-2002, 13:43
I really enjoyed "Walkin' on the Happy Side of Misery: A Slice of Life on the Appalachian Trail" by J.R. "Model T" Tate. He has a great writing style, albeit a little flowery at times, and he provides some good insight into various sections of the Trail as well as the people and their inevitable urges. Click here (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1401020429/qid=1039974087/sr=1-7/ref=sr_1_7/104-6156489-0060757?v=glance&s=books) for the Amazon synopsis.
PushingDaisies
12-15-2002, 15:07
Can't say I enjoyed Adrianne Hall's book, as it was a non-humorous knock off of Bryson's book, complete with the (same) history lessons. You had to wade thru the history lessons to find her story.
I do enjoy a book written about the same year as the Bryson and Hall books. "A Season on the Appalachian Trail" by Lynn ?. Dont have the author info here right now. Written about the 1996 hiking season. Lynn didn't hike the trail herself, but followed thru-hikers as they traveled north. She would talk to the hikers as they came out at gaps and road crossings or would hike up to shelters that were close to the road. It wasn't about one particular hiker, but that years group as a whole.
Written in several sections, one for each month, you read about the changes the hikers go through; physical and emotional. Very well written. The reader gets a good sense of what is going on during the six months it takes to do a thru-hike.
I think it was Lynn Setzer; and she is a he.:) Good book.
PushingDaisies
12-15-2002, 18:31
Thanks for the correction, Lugnut! LOL :D
SGT Rock
12-15-2002, 20:11
I have to agree with PushingDaisies on not enjoying "A Journey North". I didn't find it a knock off of Bryson's book, but I found it very preachy about the enviroment. You would get a couple of paragraphs about some part of their hike, then the rest of the chapter would be a sermon about nature and enviromental problems. I had other problems with it, but enough about that one.
I highly recomend "On the Beaten Path" by Rubin.
kythruhiker
01-11-2003, 20:06
"On the Beaten Path" is my current favorite.
smokymtnsteve
01-11-2003, 21:22
"A WALK IN THE WOODS" by that crazy Bill Bryson
i have a copy that Jenisine Crossman of Rainbow Springs campground autographed for me..if you remember the book Bill gave Rainbow Springs a really lousy review...I stayed at Rainbow Springs for a month in April 2000 and jenisine really likes Bill Bryson..so much so that she wrote in my copy of 'a walk in the woods"
"bill bryson should stick to writing books and keep his BUTT off the AT"
jenisine really lOVES Bill!
kythruhiker
01-11-2003, 21:34
Walk in the Woods is a great read, IMO, just as long as it's treated as what it really is, a humerous piece of fiction.
By far the best book I have ever read on the AT is "Walking on the Happy Side of Misery" by Model-T. (Tate)
I've probably read close to 15 books on the AT and found this one to be the most accurate, funny, and realistic book. Like Kerosene, I also posted a reply on Amazon.com of high praise.
Buy it! You won't be disappointed.
D-Con
GA-ME
01-02
Purely subjective of course, but Bryson's book made me knash my teeth long before I'd ever set foot on the AT.
Fair or not, I expected a book about a serious attempt to thru-hike the AT, and I felt his weak attempt, combined with his smug, sarcastic observations on other hikers, grew old, fast.
Of course, if you think it's funny, it's funny!
Bandana Man
01-16-2003, 23:05
In one of the early chapters, Bryson says he decided to hike the AT to get to know his fellow Americans again after spending 20 years working and living in Britain. Then he spends most of his time trashing just about everyone he meets. But what really ticked me off was his constant berating and stereotyping of Southerners. And what about that part where he and Katz end up on some mountain or someplace and pee themselves in unison, or some such rubbish. That book should be listed as a work of fiction.
To give credit where due, however, there is one part that describes how it feels to climb hills always expecting that the summit is just over the next rise only to get over that rise and find yet more hill to climb. It did capture my feelings about those PUDs.
Redbeard
01-16-2003, 23:17
In defense of Bill Bryson's hillarious book, the South has gotten a steriotype for a reason. Any long haired Yankee on a Japanese motorcycle can attest to that fact. I don't know which is worse, getting kicked out of bars by cops before I even get in the door, or being berated by little old ladies "Fer not wolkin wit Jesus!" Most of us angry hairless monkey's, north or south, deserve a bit of ribbing, and Bill Bryson does it very well.
If you read some of the many books written about the AT, everyone puts their own spin on the adventure.
Now, 85% of those that start out don't finish. So, Bryson is really represents the majority of hikers out there.
I enjoyed his book because it gives a totally different perspective on the adventure. But I sure didn't read it as a "how to" book. Maybe it closer to a "how no to" book.
Lone Wolf
01-17-2003, 09:41
Yup. Bryson's book sucked so much that it became a best seller! His book was a hell of a lot better read than most of the other "journals" published as books. Bryson's honesty pisses people off. Like Peaks says, he represents the vast majority of folks going to Springer and not making it.
Sleepy the Arab
01-18-2003, 00:19
I have a bit of an assortment when it comes to AT books (one of the benefits of having once worked in a bookstore), but the one I enjoy the most is a big, fat coffeetable book titled An Appalachian Adventure . It was writen a little more than a few years ago and details the "collaborative" thru-hike undertaken by journalists (each one completing a certain section during the appropriate time of year) from several different newspapers across the country. It may be a bit on the tough to find at your local bookstore - it may even be out of print - but it is worth picking up. It's also an ideal book to hand off to the parents/spouse/significant other to help them understand exactly what you are about to get into.
I've also had a bit of fun checking Rodale's two volume Hiking the Appalachian Trail out of the local library. These are industrial strength AT books and not for the faint of heart!!
I think Walking on the Happy Side of Misery by Model-T is definitely my favorite.
Long Distance Hiking by Muesser is great for covering all the bases in preparing to hike the AT.
I picked up Walk in the Woods during a layover at Chicago Midway back in 99 I think. I thought it started off well and pushed me to start planning my hike. I think the book would have been more credible with most of you guys had he walked the entire trail.
But if you are looking for a book about the Trail then i highly recommend Model-T's book.
I guess I didn't like the book because I didn't like the author. I didn't like the author, probably, for the same reasons the folks on the trail who met him apparently didn't like him.
I don't know anyone who's spent any time on the trail that didn't make good friends. If Bryson made friends, I don't recall any. I think his trail name should have been "Rickles." He didn't have a trail name, did he? That figures.
2Questions
01-19-2003, 18:09
I have a book copyrighted in 1988 by NG. More of a documentary by journalist/hiker Ron Fisher. "Mountain Adventure: Exploring the Appalachian Trail" has become a scrapbook for me of thruhiker signatures from 2000 to 2002. The pixs are NG quality and the read is easy and uplifting with facts, personalities, and many anectdotal stories. I've been told there are other NG books on the AT that exist but I know this one is one of my favorites. ISBN 0-87044-668 and ISBN 0-87044-673 (library edition).
2Questions
01-30-2003, 21:11
I found the book at Amazon. Not a bad price either. Great read. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/offering/list/-/0870446738/all/ref=dp_bb_a/103-7577464-6523055
yogi clyde
02-06-2003, 19:01
"Walking Home" by Kelly Winters.
An enjoyable read.
steve hiker
02-16-2003, 18:27
Walking Home is an excellent book. It's not a technical miles-walked-and-shelter-report but a very well written book about her personal journey on the trail and what led her there.
Tenderfoot
02-16-2003, 21:21
I have read a dozen or so and prefer the ones about the personal/spiritual journey rather than the race for the finish.
Walking Home (ISBN 1-55583-658-5) and A Walk for Sunshine (ISBN 0-9679482-0-7) were my favorites.
Women and Thru-Hiking on the AT was inspirational as a collection of many women's thoughts/experiences/challenges (ISBN 188564060-9) . The AT: A journey of Discovery was similar from a retired military man's perspective (ISBN 0-935834-66-4)A Woman's Journey (IBN 0-914788-50-7) is also a more creative look.
A Journey North (ISBN 187823991-0) about a couple's adventures-- sure snowed a lot and they raced a little for my taste.
Bryson's book was okay, a rather mass produced fast-food irresponsible kind of book. Not sure little Debbie’s are the best trail food.
Different strokes for different folks!
guess im a little late for this discussion LOL but ill give my 2 cents anyway.
I'm reading Kelly Winters book now and I think its one of the best ive read about the trail. She really gives such an accurate picture of the mental hardships plus all the physical ones too.
Good point about the Bryson book someone brought up. How could he have left march 8th and not made any trail friends in all that time??? This guy musta been a real di** to not have ANY friends. This book is FICTION. "Katz" is not a real person.
Adriene Halls book is good, but once I started reading Kelly Winters book, i realized how boring this one was. Also have to remember, she never wanted to walk the trail, it was just a date LOL.
Finally a walk for sunshine. Guy had a very good cause for hiking and I applaud him for that. But it wasn't under any stretch of the imagination, good writing. So much he said this and she said that. He was another one that walked so fast and never seemed to establish any good trail friends
Most of the people who write books never seem to have great Trail friends...kinda weird.
A-Train
Lacking trail friends? I wouldn't say that about Model T.
But maybe it makes for dull reading. After all, most thru-hikers will say that it's the people that are the best part of their trail experience. But how do you relate these feelings in a book?
Tenderfoot
02-21-2003, 09:23
So much for hiking our own hikes…. Aren't we the judgmental bunch??? Bryson didn’t have any friends so he must have been a jerk…. Maybe not his thing.
I say we continue to let folks hike their own hike and do their own thing just as we want them to let us do our own thing!
steve hiker
04-21-2003, 21:02
I'm a little over halfway through "Walkin on the Happy Side of Misery" by Model-T, and I still don't like it. He keeps talking about how many times each day he burps, what they sound like and so forth, along with other gross-out passages involving farting and other body functions. Maybe he regressed back to fourth grade on the trail, which is his right but it gets old pretty quickly.
However I give his book high marks for realism. You do get a sense of what it's like out there on the trail day in and day out, with your constant companion hunger. But otherwise, I'm still waiting for the book to earn the dollars I spent on it.
I liked the book "Walk in the Woods". It was the first backpacking book I ever read and the only book I read that made me laugh out loud and forced to stop reading because it was so funny. Now is it a guide of how to? No... but is it a funny book.. I believe so. How many "Katz"s have you seen on the trail? I could easily identify with Katz AND Bill at times... I guess that is why I thought it was so funny. That book inspired me to think this is a fun sport and ANYONE can do it... even me. ;)
My favorite journal (serious ) book is "The beaten path". A book written with raw feelings and he lays them out there for you read. If you are close to a midlife crisis, job burn out, or just need to get a way from the rat race... as the author... you will love this book.
Just my 2 cents worth...
Spark
Streamweaver
04-21-2003, 23:30
I just finished On the Beaten Path ,and I cant wait to have my very own mid life crisis and go hike the trail!! LOL
I also recently read A very good book called ,Appalachian Trail Hiker 3, The New Appalachian Trail,by Ed Garvey. This was Garveys last book as he died in 1999. He attempted a through hike at the age of 75 ,didnt make it all the way but he finished most of it. He seemed like a very likable guy and he did alot for the trail over the years and really seemed to care about the trail and the people on and around it.One interesting thing about this book was how diferent the trail is these days compared to how it was in 70 when Garvey did his first Thru-hike. He said there is actually alot less trash on the trail these days then there was in 70!! I hope I can find his previous books ,Id be interested in reading them !! So far I havnt found them ,If anybody knows where I can get these books or info Id Appreceate it!! Streamweaver:banana
My favorite book about the AT is written by David Brill and is entitled "As Far As The Eye Can See". The author chronicles the wide range of emotions he feels-fear, anger, joy, peace, as he thru hikes the trail. The book is full of accounts about trail magic, trail angels, and the bond that forms among thru hikers. The author loves the outdoors and he is one of us. Bryson's book is funny but he makes fun of alot of things that are precious to hikers. Bryson is an outsider..he did not hike the trail for the reasons we all do...he does not understand but that's ok because he really is not one of us.
steve hiker
04-29-2003, 21:53
Finished reading Model-T's "Walkin on the Happy Side of Misery." It actually seems like two books: before Harper's Ferry and after. After Harper's Ferry he doesn't spend as much time telling us the nitty gritty little details of his burping and farting. And there are some terrifically funny stories in the second half. The train stop incident is an absolute side splitter. You couldn't make up something like that. There are also some sad stories. "Wake up, little mouse, wake up."
Model-T describes other hikers very well. Moleskin Meg is an example -- an absolute stick of dynamite! She musta been a blast to be around, and I wish I could have met her (remember the group photo early on? she ain't shy, is she ...) And he went on to do the AT two more times. Wonder if there'll be a fourth?
steve hiker
05-19-2003, 20:39
Just finished "On the Beaten Path: An Appalachian Pilgramage," by Robert Rubin. This is a tremendously honest book, written by someone who experienced serious career burnout in midlife and needed a change. He quits his senior editor's job and to his wife's dismay, announces he's going away for six months to hike the A.T.
So off he goes, into the woods and the wild foggy yonder. He describes well the process of adapating to trail life, physically and mentally, and the people around him. His bewildered wife takes his absence hard and they meet frequently until he gets to Harper's Ferry, after which they're too far away to meet again until Maine. The experience is a reflective one, as he ponders the ceasless struggle between duty to family and a desire for a freer and more natural life, between the simple life of walking by the tempo of the sun and the weather and the world of the briefcase and resume.
He also observes what the A.T. really is for most people who go there: "The whole point for the walkers who seek to follow the entirety of the beaten path is not getting to the top of the hill. It's going up there and not coming back down again -- not, at least, until they have found what they have lost, what they've gone looking for. And make no mistake. Whatever they tell you, they are all looking for something."
Blue Jay
05-20-2003, 09:10
Yes, On the Beaten Path is my current favorite. I also loved the honesty. He does not sugar coat anything. An example is the story of being forced to clean up dog crap from the children's play area of the Hostle in Manchester Vermont (now closed due to dog infestation). Much of both the dark and light side of the AT is in that book.
TJ aka Teej
05-20-2003, 09:28
I've forgotton if his poetic journal entries were included in 'On The Beaten Path', it's been a while since I read it - great book, one of good guys, currently working in Harpers Ferry with the ATC.
Here's a link to his rhymes:
http://www.path-at.org/ballad.html
Blue Jay
05-20-2003, 11:19
Thank you very much Teej. The poetry was not included and I would not have wanted to miss it
steve hiker
06-16-2003, 00:25
I'm three chapters into George Steffanos' internet book about his 1983 thru-hike, "Then the Hail Came." It is one of the best A.T. books I've read. Very, very funny and vivid writing. Why this book isn't in hard print I don't know, it'd definitely be a best seller among AT books. All I can say is, read it. Here's the link:
http://www.skwc.com/exile/Hail-nf.html
Wow, I've compiled quite a list here to bring to the local library and have already decided to buy On The Beaten Path and Walking on the Happy Side of Misery based on what you have said. As one who is currently experiencing job burnout and a midlife crisis, I thank you all.
DollyB
Mini-Mosey
06-16-2003, 07:25
Well, here I finally come with my 2 cents! "There Are Mountains to Climb" by Jean Deeds was an excellent book. Jean "Indiana Jean" was a 51-year-old divorcee with 2 just-about-grown sons-and with very little backpacking experience to boot- who decided to hike the AT. The book is very well-written, describing her thoughts, feelings, spiritual realizations, as well as her physical trials-while on the trail. I particularly recommend it to us "older women"!!
I particularly recommend it to us "older women"!!
Yep, I sure qualify as one of them! I even have you beat by a few years! I've added that one to my list. Thanks!
EarlyRiser
06-22-2003, 14:50
i just started "Walking With Spring" last night and finished thismorning. i couldnt put it down, it was really amazing to read such an inspiring story. its simple, basically a trail journal, but it offers unique insight into the real challenge of traveling from georgia to maine when the trail was hardly known, and at times hardly even there. Not to mention the encredibly nice people he met on his way north. i recomend it anyone and everyone. i really enjoyed it.
My favorite book about the A.T. is
Model-T's "Walkin' On the Happy Side of Misery"
It gives a true account of characters that thru-hike the trail (Model-T is a 3 timer: 1990-94-98), the blisters, the highs & lows & the ultimate: Mt. Katahdin.
ck out Model-T's new website:
www.MODELT.homestead.com
when you visit...dont forget to sign the guestbook!
"Jaybird"
www.trailjournals.com/JaybirdandJigsaw
steve hiker
07-11-2003, 02:22
Just finished reading Then The Hail Came, the internet book by George Steffanos about his 1983 thru-hike. It is one of the three best AT books I have read. (The other two are Walking Home and On The Beaten Path.)
It combines very good humor, a philosophical theme and reflection, and description of the trail and other hikers. As I said in my first post, I don't know why this book isn't in hard print. It would be a best seller among AT books. I printed out a chapter at a time and read it like a regular book. The link is:
http://www.skwc.com/exile/Hail-nf.html
Blue Jay
07-11-2003, 13:26
"No frosted pop tarts until Pearisburg. I wish I were dead." and that was before the Hail came.
I recommend: Lynne Whelden's Lightweight Backpacking: Secrets Revealed video; Lynne Whelden's How to Hike the AT Video (altho' it was made before the Lightweight video); J R Tate's Walking on the Happy Side of Misery; any of Ed Garvey's books (the second one especially as well as the third, I couldn't locate his first AT book); and the Journals on Trail Journals dot com. If you want to know what's going on right now, the Trail Journals are the place to go. And if you want to read journals from prior years, I believe they're archived there.
:mad:
Those who know me, know I won't let the "Bill Bryson" thing alone -- but let me tell you, in his book, the man made fun of Mrs. Mull's (of Mulls Motel, which exists in Hiawassee, GA, and is NOT fiction) mother who'd had a stroke. Anyone who tries to make an old woman who's had a stroke the butt of his humor is definitely not a humorist. Strokes are NOT funny. Making fun of a disabled person and calling that person by their true name is "tacky." In the entire book, Bryson proved once and for all that he is a true Southern-Phobe. And I hope he stays up there in NH, because most Georgians don't want him showing his face in the mountains.
If any of you want to read really good Southern humor, try a Lewis Grizzard book. :p
You can disagree with me if you want to, and if you do, I do hope that no one makes fun of your Mom or Dad when they become disabled or of you when you do and puts it in a book, calls them/you by name, and makes money off of their/your disability. It's not funny. (And this has nothing to do with "political correctness" it has to do with manners, of which, Bryson is deficient.)
My knickname is "howling" which stands for Highly Opinionated Woman Living In North Georgia. :banana
Coosa
The Mouth of the South in North Georgia's Mountains
I just finished "Walking Home" by Kelly Winters, and really enjoyed it. It's well written, telling the story of her hike without bogging you down in details. And it's given me a new appreciation of blue blazing. Whenever her hike got strained or stale, she tried something new, like a side trail or former route of the AT or even a bushwack, and had loads of fun in the process. Reminds you that people hike the AT for many different reasons, and each takes what they need from the journey. And the trail teaches them all.
At the ATC Conference this coming weekend, there will be 10 authors of AT-related books doing book signings. Guess the ATC will be selling books as well. Good opportunity to meet some of your favorite authors if you'll be at the conference.
Saturday July 26
David E. Lillard Appalachian Trail Names: Origins of Place Names along the A.T.
Larry Anderson Benton MacKaye: Conservationist, Planner and Creator of the Appalachian Trail
V. Collins Chew Underfoot: A Geologic Guide to the Appalachian Trail
Dan H. Allen Don't Die on the Mountain
Robert A. Rubin On the Beaten Path: An Appalachian Pilgrimage
Sunday July 27
Kelly Winters Walking Home: A Woman's Pilgrimage on the Appalachian Trail
Stephen Clark Katahdin: A Guide to Baxter State Park & Katahdin
Bob Proudman Appalachian Trail Design, Construction, and Maintenance
Larry Luxenberg Walking the Appalachian Trail J.R. "Model T" Tate Walkin' on the Happy Side of Misery
My favorite book is a two volume set
called "Hiking the Appalachian Trail",
editted by James Hare.
It's basically some journals from the
people that hiked in the '60s. But it's
full of good 'woods' knowledge that the
Pop Tart crowd should learn. It also
has some basic info about the AT, like
avg. high/low temps at different locales
in spring, summer and fall. Rainfall avgs.
too. Not many hostels and shelters back
then.
I found mine on eBay.
Volume I is mostly journals. The back of
volume II has the trail info/stats.
Scamp
steve hiker
08-17-2003, 13:43
I finished As Far As The Eye Can See, by David Brill, about his 1979 thru-hike. Finished it over a month ago, but it's hard to write a review. It's the best AT book I've read. What makes it different?
First, it tells of the trail and the people he met in 1979. I doubt you'd find some of these folks along the AT today. (Disclaimer: I have not done the AT yet.) For example, the rednecks who came a'drinkin' and a'shootin' at a Georgia shelter, the mountain woman who showed him how to hunt ramps, and the strange and funny account of the rednecks with their "bullet trick" at the tavern in Erwin. Most of these type folks have probably faded into the era from which they came, now extinct by the pervasive eroding effect of the media and its pressure for everyone to conform to American McCulture, not to mention the effect of a constant stream of AT thru-hikers through a previously much more isolated mountain culture and communities.
He writes very well of the changes the trail had on himself, from being deathly afraid of thunderstorms in gaps in Georgia when he started, to enjoying them later on. The transition from feeling like a visitor in the woods to a resident of the woods. And the change in values his hike had on him.
He tells of these guys Randell and Elmer, bohemian refugees from the 1960s who operated an organic farm and hostel near Hot Springs, NC. Anyone know if they’re still around? Still operate their hostel/farm?
A big difference is this book is written by subjects, not chronologically like the numerous journal-type AT books. Chapters are on “Fear,” “Seasons,” “Our Community,” “Bad Company,” “Critters,” and so forth. I find this a refreshing break from those books that generally read something like: "I got up at 6 am, cooked pop tarts, walked x miles up a MFer of a hill, saw curly joe and moe, stayed at x shelter, cooked slop tarts, tossed and turned under a leaky roof, got up at 6 am and started again."
Don’t know else to say right now. Read it. Got mine used (cheap) on Amazon.
illininagel
08-17-2003, 13:59
Steve Hiker,
I couldn't agree with you more. I really enjoyed the book.
I guess David Brill is still writing books today about some of his other adventures. Also, I thought I heard that he appears in Harpers Ferry on occasion at one of the ATC facilities.
http://eerc.ra.utk.edu/staff/daveb.htm
squirrel bait
08-18-2003, 13:40
KellyWinters book is an excellent one.
steve hiker
03-13-2004, 06:01
I've just started reading Earl Shaffer's book about his 1948 thru-hike, Walking With Spring, and it's quickly shaping up as one of the best AT books I've read. It is amazing not only because of the differences back then, but because of the striking similarities between his thru-hike and modern thru hikers.
Remember, Earl is believed to have been the first person to thru-hike the AT. Here are some of the high points so far, very early into the book:
"hubba hubba" - see separate thread on this :D
Lightweight backpacking - true to thru-hikers, Earl became very conscious of his pack weight. Commenting on two other hikers, "We discussed hiking gear and the light loads they were carrying, about 30 pounds each. I recall seeing a toothbrush along the Trail in Georgia. 'Hmmm,' says the guy, 'thought I heaved that into the brush.' My toothbrush, by the way, was not thrown away but it did lose its handle. Inevitably, a long-distance hiker must choose between travelling light and not travelling at all." (Remember, this is 1948.)
Satisfaction in simplicity - "The weather was turning cold and windy as I climbed from Deals Gap, and a brilliant moon was shining when I stopped to sleep. With poncho underneath and pack windward, I rolled in the blanket and pulled the gunny sack over my feet. Meanwhile those ex-navy guys undoubtably were sleeping in so-called luxury at Tapoco Lodge. I fell asleep to the lullably of the wind in the trees and the somewhere calling of a whip-poor-will. Most people in all their lives never sleep under the open sky, and never realize what they are missing."
No wonder Smokies bears are bold - He found some interesting things when he stopped at Spence Field Shelter late one evening: "Rustic tables were loaded with a variety of canned goods, jars of jam or butter, other jars with 'fatback' or ham, enormous pancakes still in the skillets, and plates of partially eaten food. Was the shelter full of people? Yet there was absolute silence. I struck a match to look. The leanto was empty. Here was a mystery indeed ... Apparently a party had come for the weekend and then left in the middle of a meal. Amongst the rubble were several empty bottles of whiskey, mute evidence of what had caused the exodus."
Gatlinburg a one-store town - He includes a photo of Ogles Market, "the only store then in Gatlinburg, Tenn." (1948).
steve hiker
03-25-2004, 11:02
I finished Walking With Spring last night, Earl Shaffer's book about his 1948 thru-hike. It is excellent. Reed it.
dje97001
03-31-2004, 20:01
Speaking from my position (a wannabe thru-hiker in early planning stages) Model T's book was fantastic. I've read Larry Luxenberg's book (which is also good), Bill Bryson's (which did make me laugh), Not without peril (Presidential Range Mishaps), and a Food Planner book that has some interesting features. Overall (so far), Model T's book is the best. I just finished it, and am depressed for him (and me) that his adventure (1st out of 3 so far) had to end. His writing style is perfect for me, I bought into it hook line and sinker (the only thing I didn't get was why the Maine "woodsmen" seemingly had a southern accent!). I wholeheartedly recommend this book, I for one will be reading it again.
Coincidentally, I trudged all over this fine state (CT) to find the book, but ultimately had to go to amazon because he uses a smaller, independent publisher--none of the big boys (Borders, Barnes and Noble, Waldenbooks, etc.) carried it. Well worth ALL of the "effort" needed to get it. Then after reading it here, I found his website, and saw that he will sell you them directly (autographed if you so choose). >> http://www.modelt.homestead.com/
flyfisher
03-31-2004, 20:26
Speaking from my position (a wannabe thru-hiker in early planning stages) Model T's book was fantastic. I just finished it, and am depressed for him (and me) that his adventure (1st out of 3 so far) had to end.
My alltime favorite too!
I recently corresponded with JR. He is writing again and hopes to have another book out sometime after this fall.
BTW, he never says so, but he gets a much larger slice of the cover price when it is sold directly by him. (And he will autograph it to boot!)
Rick
dje97001
03-31-2004, 22:33
If he would've gotten a bigger cut, then I wish I had seen his website before buying the book at amazon. Too bad... next one though, will be directly through him! The guy has a silver tongue, and a wit that is sharper than most people you meet.
flyfisher
03-31-2004, 23:23
If he would've gotten a bigger cut, then I wish I had seen his website before buying the book at amazon. Too bad... next one though, will be directly through him! The guy has a silver tongue, and a wit that is sharper than most people you meet.
Yes, I gave my paperback copy away to a hiking friend, who gave it away to another friend. I wrote JR direct and bought a permanent hardback copy for my personal library. I like the book that much.
[QUOTE=dje97001]Speaking from my position (a wannabe thru-hiker in early planning stages) Model T's book was fantastic..................
Coincidentally, I trudged all over this fine state (CT) to find the book..........
dje97001
Model-T's signs all books ordered from his website:
(with personalized inscriptions)
www.ModelT.net (http://www.modelt.net)
SORRY, you had so much trouble finding the book....most larger outfitter stores carry the book...
If you're gonna be traveling to TRAIL DAYS 2004 ...take your book & get Model-T to autograph it for you!
Model-T continues to work on his 2nd book...hopefully to be released soon. :D
SamTheLion
04-25-2004, 22:34
Seems like I am an AT book junkie, I try to read them all.
Brill's and Ruben's are both great books, as well as Model-T's. Took me awhile to get Model-T's book, but it was a very enjoyable read. Several persons in the book are also in the Trail Magic video by Lagunatic. Setzer and Luxemburg's collections are very good as well.
Winter's was OK, it had alot of extraneous personal info that I really wasn't too interested in...Hall's was a skimmer, too many trips to eco land - the book never really had any rythym. Jan Curran's set was good - a bit preachy at times but it had more history and interesting notes about the trail than most others.
Recently finished White Blaze Fever by Bill Shuette, it was more of a "day one did this, day two did that" type of book. Not bad, but definately more of a trail log than an engaging story. Just finished Jean Durbin's book, I found it hard to get all the way through it - had to force myself to read all the way to the end. Just didn't capture my imagination like others.
Just started Bill Copelan's Wild Birds Song, which is the first SB book I've read. So far it's a good read. On deck is Ellen Wolfe's book, as well as Sojurn... and I would like to read the Garvey books as well. I also have the Hare set, but just haven't gotten around to them yet.
Mountain Dew
04-26-2004, 03:27
Having read about 20 books about the A.T. I'll have to say that my favorite include: "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson, Jan Curan's first two books, As Far as the Eye Can See" and Bill "fiction" Bryson's book. Bryson's book inspired me to hike the trail even if I did find out the truth about his book while on the trail. " As Far As the Eye Can See" is an excellent book and draws together both new and (semi) old A.T.
SavageLlama
05-09-2004, 17:30
It's amazing to me that this thread is 4 pages long and nobody has mentioned one my favorites:
"Blind Courage" by Bill Irwin
If you aren't aware, this book is the account of Bill Irwin, the only blind person to thru-hike the AT. He hiked the entire trail with his guide dog Orient and what he went through is one part miracle and one part hellish nightmare. You definitely won't bitch about something like wet, blistered feet after you read what this guy went through. It's that unbelievable.
If you ever need motivation to hike the trail (or attempt anything else for that matter), this is the book to pick up.
SavageLlama
07-05-2004, 13:14
Just read "Alone But Not Lonely" by Annie Gibavic. It's short and not very well written, but it gives you some flavor for Vermont's Long Trail. Next on my list is Earl Shaffer's "Walking with Spring"
Just read "Alone But Not Lonely" by Annie Gibavic.
Amazon doesn't carry it. Do you know the ISBN, publisher and year of publication?
It's amazing to me that this thread is 4 pages long and nobody has mentioned one my favorites:"Blind Courage" by Bill Irwin..........etc,etc,etc,........
SavageLlama
You are ABSOLUTELY correct...its a FANTASTIC book by an inspired writer!
But, my favorite is still Model T's "Walkin' On the Happy Side of Misery (http://www.ModelT.Net)"! :D
SavageLlama
07-07-2004, 14:39
Amazon doesn't carry it. Do you know the ISBN, publisher and year of publication?
I got it at the Mountain Wanderer - great store for hiking books.
http://www.mountainwanderer.com/
My favorite AT book was published in 1996, THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL READER. This book is collection of history, essays, thru-hiker journal excerpts, geology, etc. It is not just about thru-hiking, but about the Applachian Trail as a whole: the mountains, the people, the history, the culture. My copy is VERY dog eared.
Here is the description from Amazon which does it much justice:
A lively and evocative introduction to this national treasure, The Appalachian Trail Reader collects stories, poems, and essays that reflect this wilderness trail across both time and geography. Here are the works of both well-known writers and anonymous raconteurs, including Henry David Thoreau, James Dickey, Aldo Leopold, Washington Irving, James MacGregor Burns, Richard Wilbur, and many others, as well as excerpts from the diaries and letters of modern day visitors. Hikers' private journals stand next to scientists' close observations of the natural world, and these readings mingle with poets' evocations of meaningful music heard in the wind, in birdsong, or in the babbling brooks. Here, too, are historians, who remind us of how Appalachian culture developed, and early explorers, reporting the thrill of seeing uncharted territory and wildlife for the first time. Taken as a whole, this patchwork quilt of voices both eloquent and raw offers a surprisingly varied pattern of appreciation for the wilds of the Appalachians. With the addition of maps of the trail and photographs of its majesty, The Appalachian Trail Reader presents a rich introduction to the trail for those planning a trip, and a vivid scrapbook for those who've already visited.
Originally conceived as an antidote to the competitive, fast-paced, and increasingly urban civilization that America was becoming, the Appalachian Trail is more than an experience of geology and natural history; indeed, it is a vast open-air cathedral where the emotions and the senses unite. The Appalachian Trail Reader bears out this spirit, offering a heart-felt appreciation of one of our greatest natural resources while it presents an opportunity to escape the stresses of everyday life and revel in the inestimable value of a wilderness experience.
....................
Strongly suggest this book to learn about the trail we all love.
woodhippie
07-07-2004, 21:10
On the beaten path is so far my favorite.
as far as " A walk in the woods" goes I agree the part of the book before getting off the trail was the best..........One request for Hollywood.......if Brysons book is ever made into a screen play and or movie please cast Bill Murray and John Goodman for the parts.
see ya in the woods
Rain Man
07-08-2004, 13:06
......One request for Hollywood.......if Brysons book is ever made into a screen play and or movie please cast Bill Murray and John Goodman for the parts.
Now, THAT's an inspired request!!!!
:jump
BTW, I _loved_ the book.
Rain Man
.
mmills316
07-08-2004, 14:08
Walk in the Woods is a great read, IMO, just as long as it's treated as what it really is, a humerous piece of fiction.
I agree. However I did not know that only, what, maybe 1/3, was going to actually be about his experiences hiking that AT. If I want to read a book about big business destroying the environment, I will search for a book about that. Since I wanted to read a book about hiking the AT, I ignorantly picked this one.
I will soon be reading some of the books suggested on this thread.
Has anyone mentioned Ed Garvey's first book, Appalachian Trail - Adventure of a Lifetime? The how-to advice is way out of date, but his day by day trail journal is an A.T. classic.
I agree with many others when I recommend Earl Schaffer's Walking With Spring. This should be on every thru hikers must-read list.
The first third of Bryson's book A Walk in the Woods was hilarious, the rest of it faded badly when he started rationalizing about skipping huge sections of trail.