Ranking AT memoirs/fiction

[DickHumbird]

I started this thread because I'm interested in getting kind of a summary review of all the thru-hiking memoirs and novels out there.

I've only read a couple myself and I want to know what other people have enjoyed so I know which AT book I should spend my money on next.

So please, opine here on the literature of the trail you've come across.

Check Whiteblaze's links page for a link to media about the trail (http://www.booksforhikers.com/appalachian-trail/) if you need to refresh your memory.

Here's my ranking of the books I've experienced so far:

1. Rubin, Robert Alden. On The Beaten Path: An Appalachian Pilgrimage. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1585740233?ie=UTF8&tag=fromolearthw-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1585740233) Probably the most informative book on the AT I read before my hike last summer. A good read, written by a middle-aged thru-hiker who completed the trail in the '90s.

2. Bryson, Bill. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0767902521?ie=UTF8&tag=fromolearthw-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0767902521) Funny! Middle-aged man hikes from Springer to Gatlinburg and hops around from there, in the '90s.

3. Viles, Brad Wayne. Dreaming the Appalachian Trail: A Backpacking Novel. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1425723950?ie=UTF8&tag=fromolearthw-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1425723950) Got this while in the 100-Mile Wilderness. Very strange novelette with a nature-poem point of view.

4. Luxenberg, Larry. Walking the Appalachian Trail. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811730956?ie=UTF8&tag=fromolearthw-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0811730956) Chapters devoted to the famous hikers of years past. It didn't move me because it reads like a history text book.

Looking forward to seeing what you have to say, community!
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0767902521?ie=UTF8&tag=fromolearthw-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0767902521)

[Tinker]

Jeff Alt - A Walk for Sunshine. Good read by a non-professional writer about his charity hike about a decade ago.

[Hooch]

I was at Mountain Crossings yesterday and got a copy of Winton Porter's book, Just Passin' Thru (autographed by the author) and have already knocked out 8 chapters. A great "must read". The cast of characters thus far is pretty good and I haven't even got near halfway through with it.

[Bearpaw]

J. R. "Model-T" Tate's Walking on the Happy Side of Misery is a great read, one of the best from someone who walked the entire trail.

[moytoy]

Not a printed book but Gonzo has a journal online that is a good read. It's from 1983.
http://www.2000milehike.com/

I also like On the Beaten Path

I enjoyed A Walk in the Woods but having been born and raised in Blount County Tenn. I found some of Brysons views of the mountian people of East Tenn. somewhat insulting. (just my little early morning rant here)

[Marta]

Another vote for Walkin' On the Happy Side of Misery as #1.

Number 2 might be the Barefoot Sisters' Southbound.

Winton's book is a contender, but it's not strictly a hiking memoir.

I'm a big fan of Bill Bryson, in spite of his being a pansy-ass, misanthropic, anti-southern nerd. There's still a lot of laugh-out-loud stuff in the book, and some descriptive phrases, that I remember often.

Right now I'm enjoying Otis and Robert's A Road More (or Less) Traveled.

[Mrs Baggins]

I read A Road More (or Less) Traveled last year and really enjoyed it. Very different as it's two SOBOers and you don't usually get that perspective.

Also enjoyed Dead Men Hike No Trails by Rick McKinney

[Mags]

Not published, but one of the best AT accounts written:

http://www.skwc.com/exile/Hail-nf.html


I also suggest the APPALACHIAN TRAIL READER (http://www.amazon.com/Appalachian-Trail-Reader-Official-Guides/dp/0195100905). The editor describes it as a 'patchwork quilt'...much like the quilts made throughout the Appalachians.

A quilt of history, geology, poetry, and culture. Not just accounts of the Appalachian Trail, but also the Appalachian region. Has accounts from the eloquent (Wendell Berry, Thoreau) to the raw, but impassioned, accounts of hikes on the AT.

My copy is very dog eared.

[Jack Tarlin]

I realize my viewpoint is probably considered "old school", but I suggest you check out Earl Shaffer's "Walking With Spring" which pretty much says it all.

[berkshirebirder]

I also enjoyed Appalachian Trail Reader--a very nice variety of viewpoints about the Trail and about...walking. One favorite story was of the couple whose daughter was born several weeks after they completed their thru-hike, who was given the name "Georgia Maine."

[Lugnut]

"As far as the eye can see" by David Brill. A 1970's narative. One of the all time best.

[Frosty]

I started this thread because I'm interested in getting kind of a summary review of all the thru-hiking memoirs and novels out there. I wasn't aware of any novels set on the Appalaachian trail. Do you have the titles and/or authors?

[The Solemates]

Here's my ranked list of those memoirs that I have read. Coincidentally, I often find reading non-fiction, rather than memoirs, more entertaining. So, it was difficult excluding books that were not memoirs but I did since that was the request.


1. Tate, J. R. Walkin’ on the Happy Side of Misery: A Slice of Life on the Appalachian Trail. Philadelphia, Pa.: Xlibris Corp., 2001.

2. Hall, Adrienne. A Journey North: One Woman’s Story of Hiking the Appalachian Trail. Boston: Appalachian Mountain Club Books, 2000.

3. Irwin, Bill. Blind Courage. Waco, Tex.: WRS Publishing, 1992.

4. Highsmith, Carol M., and Ted Landphair. Appalachian Trail: A Photographic Tour. New York: Crescent Books, 1999.

5. Deeds, Jean. There Are Mountains to Climb. Indianapolis, Ind.: Silverwood Press, 1996.

6. Alt, Jeff. Walk for Sunshine: A 2,160 Mile Expedition for Charity on the Appalachian Trail. 2nd ed. Cincinnati, Ohio: Dreams Shared Publications, 2007.

7. Brill, David. As Far As the Eye Can See: Reflections of an Appalachian Trail Hiker. 3rd ed. Harpers Ferry, Va.: Appalachian Trail Conference, 2004. (Originally published - Nashville, Tenn.: Rutledge Hill Press, 1990. Reprinted in 1996.) Includes a new preface and afterword by the author.)

8. Rubin, Robert Alden. On The Beaten Path: An Appalachian Pilgrimage. New York: Lyons Press, 2000.

9. Mueser, Roland. Long-Distance Hiking: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail. Blacklick, Ohio: Ragged Mountain Press, 1998.

10. Becerra, Cesar A., and Maud Dillingham. Cesar & Maud and Trudy the Trail Terrier’s Appalachian Trail Thorough-Hikers’ AT Notebook: 1 Year, 23 Days, 2168 Miles, 14 States, Maine to Georgia. [Miami, Fla.: Becerra, 2004.]

11. Eberhart, M. J. Ten Million Steps: Nimblewill Nomad’s Epic 10-Month Trek from the Florida Keys to Quebec. Helena, Mont.: Sky House, 2000 and Birmingham, Ala.: Menasha Ridge Press, 2007.

12. Fisher, Ronald M. The Appalachian Trail. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 1972.

13. Flack, James, and Hertha Flack. Ambling and Scrambling on the Appalachian Trail. Rev. ed. Harpers Ferry, W. Va.: Appalachian Trail Conference, 1983.

14. Luxenberg, Larry. Walking the Appalachian Trail. Mechanicsburg, Pa.: Stackpole Books, 1994.

15. Bryson, Bill. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail. New York: Broadway Books, 1998.

16. Curran, Jan D. The Appalachian Trail: A Journey of Discovery. Highland City, Fla: Rainbow Books, 1991.

17. Curran, Jan D. The Appalachian Trail: Onward to Katahdin. Highland City, Fla.: Rainbow Books, 1999.

[Colter]

I've read a number of AT books and AWOL on the Appalachian Trail (http://www.awolonthetrail.com/)is my favorite. I thought it was skillfully written, wise, entertaining, and truthful.

[The Old Fhart]

Frosty-"I wasn't aware of any novels set on the Appalaachian trail. Do you have the titles and/or authors? "There have been several well known novels, more or less based on fact, about murders on the trail that were discussed on Whiteblaze so perhaps you may actually be asking about pure fiction. You could start with one fiction novel by an author you may have heard of - "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" by Stephen King. For a story based on fact try "Lost on a Mountain in Maine" by John Thurlow.

[Maddog]

I've read a number of AT books and AWOL on the Appalachian Trail (http://www.awolonthetrail.com/)is my favorite. I thought it was skillfully written, wise, entertaining, and truthful.

i agree!!! maddog:D

[DickHumbird]

GREAT responses, guys. Check out the new poll I added: It makes you pick one out of the seven memoirs that got multiple mentions here. Spread the link around so we can determine the best of the best!

@droptopbenz and @Colter,

AWOL is a book I've been seeing some time and really wanting to give a read. It's good to hear it's a favorite.

@The Solemates,

I think we've found our resident AT book expert!

I see you left AWOL off the top 17 - intentionally?

If you could add three, non-memoir AT books, what would they be? I'm curious.

@Jack Tarlin,

I would check out Walking with Spring, if for no other reason than to see what it was like going into towns in the '40's from a firsthand POV. Bryson dropped a lot of ink talking about WWS in AWITW and it definitely got me interested.

@all,

J.R. Tate's Walkin on the Happy Side of Misery was a top choice three times. I hadn't heard of it before but now I know! Maybe I'll order from the ATC and have it mailed to me down south.

[Lion King]

I've read a number of AT books and AWOL on the Appalachian Trail (http://www.awolonthetrail.com/)is my favorite. I thought it was skillfully written, wise, entertaining, and truthful.

I like that one to as it has me drinking Jagermiester and playing pool and picking up local college girls with my camera.:D

[futureatwalker]

As the AT is pretty far from where I live, I have to experience it vicariously. So, these are my favourite accounts:

1) On the Beaten Path
2) Walking North by Nick Lowther
3)As Far as the Eye can See
4) A Walk in the Woods
5) A Season on the Appalachian Trail

Others that I've read include:

Ten Million Steps (an enjoyable acccount of a Forida to Quebec including the AT)
Awol on the Appalachian Trail
Walking with Spring
Walking on the Happy Side of Misery
Always Another Mountain (almost a trail journal)
A Walk for Sunshine
When Straight Jacket met Golden Sun (a romance! honest account of trail)
White Blaze Fever (a midwesterner on the trail)
There are Mountains to Climb (very good)
In Beauty may She Walk (an account of an older woman on the trail)
A Journey North (not my cup of tea)

[The Solemates]

@The Solemates,

I think we've found our resident AT book expert!

I see you left AWOL off the top 17 - intentionally?

If you could add three, non-memoir AT books, what would they be? I'm curious.



I read....a lot...I've averaged a book a week most of my life. The number of AT books I've read pales in comparison to other genres.

I didnt leave AWOL off intentionally...I have not read it. I quit reading AT books a while back for some reason, but I would like to pick it up sometime soon since seeing everyone's recommendation for it on this thread.

My top three non-memoir books would probably be:
1. Berger, Karen. Hiking the Triple Crown: How to Hike America’s Longest Trails: Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail. Seattle: Mountaineers Books, 2001.
2. Plotkin, Stuart. The Hiking Engine: A Hiker's Guide to the Care and Maintenance of Feet and Legs. Menasha Ridge Press, 2001.
3. Bruce, Dan. The Thru-Hiker’s Planning Guide: Everything You Need to Know for Planning End-to-End Hikes on the Appalachian Trail. Workbook ed. Hot Springs, N.C.: Center for Appalachian Trail Studies, 1995.

[double d]

While I really like AWOL alot, I have to say that my favorite is the first memoir and that is Earl Shaffer's book Walking With Spring. As many know, Earl was a returning WWII vet in the late 1040's whene he decided to hike the whole AT. Furthermore, his best friend from childhood was killed during the war and Earl describes that and other issues as his main motivation to be the first person to hike the AT.

[amac]

I voted for AWOL's book, because I of those that I have had a chance to read, it was the best. However, A Walk for Sunshine is a VERY close second, and I highly recommend it.

[DickHumbird]

LOL guess which of the seven books in the poll was NOT on the shelf at the ATC in Harper's? Hint: It has the most votes so far, as of 4 p.m. 2/24.

[Jester2000]

Coincidentally, I often find reading non-fiction, rather than memoirs, more entertaining.

Memoirs are non-fiction, yes?

[Colter]

It's worth checking out! (http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=1267052602/ref=sr_st?keywords=appalachian+trail&rs=1000&page=1&rh=n%3A!1000%2Ci%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3Aappalachian+tr ail&sort=reviewrank_authority)