View Full Version : Books to complete before I start
NCcummins
11-30-2010, 18:57
I'm not a reader by any means. I never have been, and one would think being a college student, I would read all the time. This has changed recently with finishing "Awol on the Appalachian Trail" last week, and then today finishing "Just Passin' Thru." I liked both very much and couldn't put them down! I read David Miller's book in a weekend, and then start Winton's book yesterday and finished it today.
I'm sure there are a lot of readers on the board, and want to see what you have to say about the list of books before I start them. I'm going to read them all anyways, even if people say negative or positive things about them, just want to hear your thoughts is all.
I'll start the list with the book I'll be reading first and go from there. I'm done with school in two weeks, and I'll be off until I start my hike in March. I go to Maine for a month in December, so reading this winter is a must for me; and I enjoy the stories focused around the trail!
1. As Far As The Eye Can See - David Brill
2. How To Hike The A.T. - Michelle Ray
3. Long Distance Hiking - Roland Mueser
4. A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson
5. Ten Million Steps - M. J. Eberhart
6. Walking the Appalachian Trail - Larry Luxenberg, Mike Warren
7. Hiking Through - Paul V. Stutzman
8. Walking With Spring - Earl Shaffer
9. White Blaze Fever - Bill Schuette
10. The Road to Damascus..and Beyond
11. On the Beaten Path - Robert Alden Rubin
If you've read some of these books, heard about them, or know people who have read them, let me know what you think.
Thanks in advance for your opinion.
-Chris
couscous
11-30-2010, 19:43
2. How To Hike The A.T. - If you have ANY question about hiking the AT, there is an answer in the book. A lot of time went into the book.
4. A Walk in the Wood - the audio version is better since Bryson reads it. Not very useful in preparing to hike the trail, but I find it amusing to listen to on long drives.
5. Ten Million Step - a lot of pages, 500+ if I remember, to cover a lot of hiking.
6. Walking the A.T. - a bit dated now, but lots of great stories from many hikers.
7. Hiking Through - very funny for me since I live less than 18 miles from the author.
8. Walking with Spring - great contrast reading about his hike compared to the trail conditions that are experienced today.
9. White Blaze Fever - one of my top 3 favorites.
I have some of the others, but haven't read them yet.
mweinstone
11-30-2010, 19:52
maby you should complete a book all about prehike concerns from the prespective of a concerned prehiker. oh, wait, you mean read! i thaught it said write.mybad
ATC's guides
Mountains of the Heart
Wilderness and the American Mind
3. Long Distance Hiking - Roland Mueser. Lots of research on hiking. Not alot of story.
4. A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson. Well written, funny, not much to learn
6. Walking the Appalachian Trail - Larry Luxenberg, Mike Warren EXCELLENT
8. Walking With Spring - Earl Shaffer EXCELLENT. Great story. Describes his trail experiences as if you were with him.
9. White Blaze Fever - Bill Schuette Another EXCELLENT read. Same comment as #8
11. On the Beaten Path - Robert Alden Rubin Again, another EXCELLENT read.
I think Skywalker's book deserves to be on your list, as well. IMO it's as good as AWOL's.
Then The Hail Came.
Online only. But one of the best account of hiking the AT IMO.
http://skwc.com/exile/Hail-nf.html
I also suggest the Appalachian Trail reader.
http://www.amazon.com/Appalachian-Trail-Reader-Official-Guides/dp/0195100905
My copy of this book is very dog eared. This book collects writings on geology, history and the culture surrounding the AT. It also features musings on the the trail and the Appalachians in general from the raw, but powerful voices, of everyday hikers to the eloquent musings of Thoreau and Wendell Berry. Highly recommended.
(http://astore.amazon.com/pmagcom-20/detail/1595941096)
Well Chris, I would have to recommend my book for two reasons:
1. It is reasonably current, as much as I like Bryson's work, it is becoming a bit dated. It's a hoot to read, but doesn't contain much actual information on preparing for the hike, it is a better guide as to what not to do.
2. Unlike Bill Bryson, I did actually finish in 2008. It took me two years (180 days) to finish because I had to hop off the trail for 300 days to recover from heart surgery, so that put a dent in my thru-hike plans. :)
I would also recommend Skywalker's work too, it is a fun read and he is really approachable if you have questions. I can put you in touch with him if you wish. He also has just finished a book about his PCT hike called HIGHS AND LOWS ON THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL (http://www.amazon.com/Skywalker-Highs-Pacific-Crest-Trail/dp/1453862234/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1289446513&sr=1-1).
My book is THREE HUNDRED ZEROES (http://tinyurl.com/248ymjg): Lessons of the Heart on the Appalachian Trail. I took three hundred zero days for the surgery, hence the title. The subtitle has to do with the fact that I carried my brother's Purple Heart Medal with me on the hike. We promised each other we would do the trail when we finished our military duty, but his was killed in Vietnam, so that never happened.
No matter what you read, good luck on the hike, keep us posted and don't be afraid to ask for, and in some cases, listen to, advice.
Good Luck
Dennis "K1" Blanchard
AT 07/08
NCcummins
12-01-2010, 18:07
2. How To Hike The A.T. - If you have ANY question about hiking the AT, there is an answer in the book. A lot of time went into the book.
4. A Walk in the Wood - the audio version is better since Bryson reads it. Not very useful in preparing to hike the trail, but I find it amusing to listen to on long drives.
5. Ten Million Step - a lot of pages, 500+ if I remember, to cover a lot of hiking.
6. Walking the A.T. - a bit dated now, but lots of great stories from many hikers.
7. Hiking Through - very funny for me since I live less than 18 miles from the author.
8. Walking with Spring - great contrast reading about his hike compared to the trail conditions that are experienced today.
9. White Blaze Fever - one of my top 3 favorites.
I have some of the others, but haven't read them yet.
Thank you for sharing what you think about the above books. I have heard from many White Blaze Fever is a common "top of the list" book. I agree with some of the books being a bit out of date, as the one I'm reading now "As Far As The Eye Can see" as it was placed in the 1970s-1980s, but still a good read.
maby you should complete a book all about prehike concerns from the prespective of a concerned prehiker. oh, wait, you mean read! i thaught it said write.mybad
:-? good idea! It would be a great book to read, as I my self am in the same situation. I don't think I posses the qualities or patience to do so though, for now!
ATC's guides
Mountains of the Heart
Wilderness and the American Mind
I haven't heard of these yet, I will definitely look into them, and hopefully get a chance to read them.
3. Long Distance Hiking - Roland Mueser. Lots of research on hiking. Not alot of story.
4. A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson. Well written, funny, not much to learn
6. Walking the Appalachian Trail - Larry Luxenberg, Mike Warren EXCELLENT
8. Walking With Spring - Earl Shaffer EXCELLENT. Great story. Describes his trail experiences as if you were with him.
9. White Blaze Fever - Bill Schuette Another EXCELLENT read. Same comment as #8
11. On the Beaten Path - Robert Alden Rubin Again, another EXCELLENT read.
I think Skywalker's book deserves to be on your list, as well. IMO it's as good as AWOL's.
Thank you as well for your opinion on the books listed above. I will definitely be adding Skywalker's book to my list, as I had forgotten to add it, until your post! Glad to know that most of these books rank "excellent" to you, as I cannot wait to read them.
Then The Hail Came.
Online only. But one of the best account of hiking the AT IMO.
http://skwc.com/exile/Hail-nf.html
I also suggest the Appalachian Trail reader.
http://www.amazon.com/Appalachian-Trail-Reader-Official-Guides/dp/0195100905
My copy of this book is very dog eared. This book collects writings on geology, history and the culture surrounding the AT. It also features musings on the the trail and the Appalachians in general from the raw, but powerful voices, of everyday hikers to the eloquent musings of Thoreau and Wendell Berry. Highly recommended.
(http://astore.amazon.com/pmagcom-20/detail/1595941096)
I saw reference to this in another thread, and checked it out. Over Christmas break, I'll be sure to take the time to read through it.
Well Chris, I would have to recommend my book for two reasons:
1. It is reasonably current, as much as I like Bryson's work, it is becoming a bit dated. It's a hoot to read, but doesn't contain much actual information on preparing for the hike, it is a better guide as to what not to do.
2. Unlike Bill Bryson, I did actually finish in 2008. It took me two years (180 days) to finish because I had to hop off the trail for 300 days to recover from heart surgery, so that put a dent in my thru-hike plans. :)
I would also recommend Skywalker's work too, it is a fun read and he is really approachable if you have questions. I can put you in touch with him if you wish. He also has just finished a book about his PCT hike called HIGHS AND LOWS ON THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL (http://www.amazon.com/Skywalker-Highs-Pacific-Crest-Trail/dp/1453862234/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1289446513&sr=1-1).
My book is THREE HUNDRED ZEROES (http://tinyurl.com/248ymjg): Lessons of the Heart on the Appalachian Trail. I took three hundred zero days for the surgery, hence the title. The subtitle has to do with the fact that I carried my brother's Purple Heart Medal with me on the hike. We promised each other we would do the trail when we finished our military duty, but his was killed in Vietnam, so that never happened.
No matter what you read, good luck on the hike, keep us posted and don't be afraid to ask for, and in some cases, listen to, advice.
Good Luck
Dennis "K1" Blanchard
AT 07/08
Dennis, that's awesome your the author of that book! I can't believe I forgot to add that in my list. I actually ordered it from Amazon a few weeks ago, with the first batch of books I ordered including Dennis Miller's book and Winton Porter's book. After I finish the current book I'm reading "As Far As The Eye Can See" yours is next.
Thanks for the reference and no doubts, your book was/is on my list, just the list in my head and skipped the list on here (as I was going from memory).
Thanks again!:)
I've noticed a few books that are glaringly missing from your list.
First, Blind Courage by Bill Irwin. He hiked using a seeing eye dog. I read this book in one day.
Also, two books by J.R. Tate, aka Model-T. Walking on the Happy Side of Misery is my all time favorite AT book. I've read it at least four times and may go grab it off the shelf right now. He also wrote Walking With The Ghostwhisperes which is about the history that surrounds the towns that the AT goes through. Very interesting stuff and much different than any other AT book written.
Another excellent book is The Ordinary Adventurer by Jan Leitschuh aka Jan Liteshoe. It's her story about her end to end hike of the Long Trail in Vermont.
OH, and I second the recommendation for the online book, Then The Hail Came. Very good.
There are so many good books out there. Have fun.
Cookerhiker
12-01-2010, 19:40
Check out this one as well: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=58070
The Dharma Bums (http://www.amazon.com/Dharma-Bums-Jack-Kerouac/dp/0140042520) is a good hiking-related book too, if you can get past Kerouac's pseudo buddhism. If you liked Into the Wild you'll like The Last Season. (http://www.amazon.com/Last-Season-Eric-Blehm/dp/0060583002)
BTW, both can be found at Malaprops on Haywood street! Man, I miss that book store.
While you're adding books to the list, do add Three Hundred Zeros. Also ranks as EXCELLENT.
Hey LilRed, loved your quote from Daniel Boone. He is supposed to be a distant relative of mine, maybe that is where I get my wanderlust from.
I'm beginning to think that because there are SO many AT books out there that maybe they should qualify as their own genre, like murder mysteries, suspense, drama etc.
With as many as I have read, it seems there is always room for one more. Keep them coming...
Dennis "K1" Blanchard
Author of: Three Hundred Zeroes (http://tinyurl.com/248ymjg): Lessons of the Heart on the Appalachian Trail
Finalist in the 2010 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Contest
Why read about others hikes when you are about to hike it yourself? What can you expect to learn from this activity and at what point does it become repetitious?
Why not read about why or how it was created, the origins of the Appalachians or the wildlife it provides a home? You could hike the entire trail and still know little about these things and it might add much to your experience.
NCcummins
12-02-2010, 00:29
I've noticed a few books that are glaringly missing from your list.
First, Blind Courage by Bill Irwin. He hiked using a seeing eye dog. I read this book in one day.
Also, two books by J.R. Tate, aka Model-T. Walking on the Happy Side of Misery is my all time favorite AT book. I've read it at least four times and may go grab it off the shelf right now. He also wrote Walking With The Ghostwhisperes which is about the history that surrounds the towns that the AT goes through. Very interesting stuff and much different than any other AT book written.
Another excellent book is The Ordinary Adventurer by Jan Leitschuh aka Jan Liteshoe. It's her story about her end to end hike of the Long Trail in Vermont.
Thank you for the refernce. Another small list of books that I will be sure to look into.
OH, and I second the recommendation for the online book, Then The Hail Came. Very good.
There are so many good books out there. Have fun.
Great to hear so many good things about this online reading. I'll definitely look into it over Christmas Break.
Check out this one as well: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=58070
Thank you for the link!
The Dharma Bums (http://www.amazon.com/Dharma-Bums-Jack-Kerouac/dp/0140042520) is a good hiking-related book too, if you can get past Kerouac's pseudo buddhism. If you liked Into the Wild you'll like The Last Season. (http://www.amazon.com/Last-Season-Eric-Blehm/dp/0060583002)
Again, thanks for the references. Also, thanks for the references in the PM.
While you're adding books to the list, do add Three Hundred Zeros. Also ranks as EXCELLENT.
Glad to hear. The book is in route to my house.
Hey LilRed, loved your quote from Daniel Boone. He is supposed to be a distant relative of mine, maybe that is where I get my wanderlust from.
I'm beginning to think that because there are SO many AT books out there that maybe they should qualify as their own genre, like murder mysteries, suspense, drama etc.
With as many as I have read, it seems there is always room for one more. Keep them coming...
Dennis "K1" Blanchard
Author of: Three Hundred Zeroes (http://tinyurl.com/248ymjg): Lessons of the Heart on the Appalachian Trail
Finalist in the 2010 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Contest
I definitely agree with you!
Why read about others' hikes when you are about to hike it yourself? What can you expect to learn from this activity and at what point does it become repetitious?
Why not read about why or how it was created, the origins of the Appalachians or the wildlife it provides a home? You could hike the entire trail and still know little about these things and it might add much to your experience.
To answer the first question, because I'm a twenty-one-year-old who seeks adventure of all sorts; be it hiking, riding motorcycles, traveling to different countries, and so on.
What can I learn from the book? Very little that I already know about the trail. That is not the point of my readings, or at least not a big percentage of why I read them. I read them to enjoy others adventure. I like to see what they enjoyed about the trail, and what they didn't like about the trail. That to me, is fun.
For you, it may be different. You may like to read about how the trail was originally made and who painted every white blaze on what date. That is yes, interesting to me, as I will continue to read about others journey along the trail, I will also look into books on the creation of the trail.
I believe your last sentence goes hand in hand with the renowned saying "hike your own hike." I believe I will have a unbelievable experience knowing what I already know, and I also understand, that what I know, is the smallest percentage of what there is to be learned. If I choose to read about others hikes, great, that is what I choose to do, if I choose to read about how the trail was created, that's also great. Like you said, I will probably benefit from the readings.
For now, I will stick to my list, while adding some others. I'll also be sure to read about the history of the trail, the ones who founded it, why it was founded, and so on.
Thanks for all the opinions, as well as the references.
-Chris
If you read nothing else about A.T. history, read this page:
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.mqLTIYOwGlF/b.4914753/k.C511/History.htm (http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.mqLTIYOwGlF/b.4914753/k.C511/History.htm)
You should also read:
Trail Years: A History of the Appalachian Trail Conference (http://www.appalachiantrail.org/atf/cf/%7BD25B4747-42A3-4302-8D48-EF35C0B0D9F1%7D/TrailYears.pdf) (PDF)
I haven't read them all but I am sure they are all good, quality reading. Just about anything I read about the A.T. I can enjoy. I know the two books written I believe in the Seventies from Rodale press simply titled "Hiking the A.T." by James Hare I believe were to me truly motivational. These two thick books contain many different thru-hiker stories and accounts of their hikes and it was what really got me fascinated about hiking the A.T.
As I recall, it begins by explaining how it all began and how it got to be what it had become by about 1975.
"I read them to enjoy others adventure. I like to see what they enjoyed about the trail, and what they didn't like about the trail. That to me, is fun."
You've certainly got a long list of books to choose from just for this one trail (!); if you're interested in relatively recent stuff, another approach is to look for trail journals for the most recent couple of years or so --- possible you might pick up something that way that might help out. I know that there was at least one thread about this recently, i.e., "best trail journals" or some such, you could search this site for that.
Or just go to trailjournals.com and postholer.com and look for journals that have a relatively high number of pages & photos and/or a high hit count (lots of people reading it). For trail journals, I don't know if you can find hit count (I couldn't), maybe go for those that have a lot of entries (unfortunately TJ doesn't let you sort based on total number of entries, however). On Postholer.com you can search for "journal visits". Big downside there is that not a lot of AT hikers seem to have heard of postholer, so there are a lot less journals to look at there if it's the AT you're interested in.
I highly suggest:
White Blaze Fever by Bill Schuette
AWOL on the AT by David Miller
Well Chris, I would have to recommend my book for two reasons:
1. It is reasonably current, as much as I like Bryson's work, it is becoming a bit dated. It's a hoot to read, but doesn't contain much actual information on preparing for the hike, it is a better guide as to what not to do.
2. Unlike Bill Bryson, I did actually finish in 2008. It took me two years (180 days) to finish because I had to hop off the trail for 300 days to recover from heart surgery, so that put a dent in my thru-hike plans. :)
I would also recommend Skywalker's work too, it is a fun read and he is really approachable if you have questions. I can put you in touch with him if you wish. He also has just finished a book about his PCT hike called HIGHS AND LOWS ON THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL (http://www.amazon.com/Skywalker-Highs-Pacific-Crest-Trail/dp/1453862234/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1289446513&sr=1-1).
My book is THREE HUNDRED ZEROES (http://tinyurl.com/248ymjg): Lessons of the Heart on the Appalachian Trail. I took three hundred zero days for the surgery, hence the title. The subtitle has to do with the fact that I carried my brother's Purple Heart Medal with me on the hike. We promised each other we would do the trail when we finished our military duty, but his was killed in Vietnam, so that never happened.
No matter what you read, good luck on the hike, keep us posted and don't be afraid to ask for, and in some cases, listen to, advice.
Good Luck
Dennis "K1" Blanchard
AT 07/08
K1,
I saw this post last week, followed your link to Amazon and ordered the book.
I read it this weekend and really enjoyed it. You are a funny some-beach! Once started, I hated to put the book down. My wife came in the room several times, to ask what was so funny. :D
Congratulations on your perseverance, the successful completion of your hike, as well as the release of your book.
Three Hundred Zeroes cost far less than $49.95, so I didn't have high expectations. ;) It turned-out to be the most entertaining AT book I've read in a long time. Well done!
http://www.amazon.com/Walk-Sunshine-Expedition-Charity-Appalachian/dp/0967948231/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291624734&sr=8-1
I would recommend the book "Walk for Sunshine"...very well written and I couldn't put it down. Finished reading it in a day and a half. Written by a thru hiker about his hike, the AT, the people he met along the way, the towns, etc.
Might consider adding The Cactus Eaters: How I lost My Mind and Found Myself on the Pacific Crest Trail (http://www.amazon.com/Cactus-Eaters-Mindand-Myselfon-Pacific/dp/0061376930) by Dan White.
I picked this up after my 2009 AT thru hike. Couldn't put the darn thing down and laughed out loud nearly every page. Dan White captures the essence of the long distance hiking sub-culture no matter what the trail.
Thanks for the nice comments Roland. I'm glad so many are having fun with the book. Now I'll have to have another adventure so I can do the next one. I'm considering doing a mountain bike ride of the Continental Divide Trail. If you don't mind, I'll quote you on the book's blog? (http://blog.threehundredzeroes.com/)
Have a great holiday season and hiking season!
Dennis "K1" Blanchard
http://www.amazon.com/Walk-Sunshine-Expedition-Charity-Appalachian/dp/0967948231/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291624734&sr=8-1
I would recommend the book "Walk for Sunshine"...very well written and I couldn't put it down. Finished reading it in a day and a half. Written by a thru hiker about his hike, the AT, the people he met along the way, the towns, etc.
I too could not put this down and read it cover to cover in about 8 hours, sometimes reading sections again. Informative, recent, funny at times, honest account and detailed to a point.
I would also add these, but they are not novel, rather more for reference and Q&A:
Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers' Companion - Only use the most current edition, published each year
Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Planner
The Complete Walker IV - Great gear info, planning techniques, preparation.
The Wilderness World of John Muir (not about the AT, but hiking, exploring the wilderness)
hikerboy57
12-07-2010, 14:22
Thoreau' s "katahdin" for a different perspective, as well as Kerouac's Dharma Bums.
I think you mean "The Maine Woods"? Includes a section about his adventure on Katahdin.
Maybe also a book about the history of Baxter State Park, quite an interesting story BTW.
It's part of The Maine Woods (http://books.google.com/books?id=OxEIAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=the+maine+woods&source=bl&ots=qeI1EUyXy_&sig=cBlZJiPuC9FdY6sA2mYU1G5xYUo&hl=en&ei=W1gATcuINYOglAe_lcX5CA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=false).
double d
12-09-2010, 10:57
My advice is not to read any book (except for Walking With Spring, the first book written by a thru-hiker) about someone else's hike that was produced into a book, the reason is that their experiences might influence your experiences of the AT in someway. Then, after your hike, read as many AT thru-hiker books as you want, as many are good reading.
My advice is not to read any book (except for Walking With Spring, the first book written by a thru-hiker) about someone else's hike that was produced into a book, the reason is that their experiences might influence your experiences of the AT in someway. Then, after your hike, read as many AT thru-hiker books as you want, as many are good reading.
I've read so many AT books written by thru hikers I can't even count and not one of them has influenced my experience on the trail.
Now, after you've thru hiked, you may not be interested in other's experiences.
Walking North
Mic Lowther
I've read so many AT books written by thru hikers I can't even count and not one of them has influenced my experience on the trail.
Then why did you read them?
Now, after you've thru hiked, you may not be interested in others experiences.
I'm not interested ordinarily, but I am willing to help others to have their own experiences.
Then why did you read them?
Oh gee I dunno, entertainment???
NCcummins
12-26-2010, 00:34
As I stated before I finished "Awol on the Appalachian Trail" and "Just Passin' Thru." I read them back in November/early December before the Christmas break. I liked both very much and couldn't put them down!
Since then, I have finished:
As Far As The Eye Can See - David Brill
How To Hike The A.T. - Michelle Ray
A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson
White Blaze Fever - Bill Schuette
I loved "White Blaze Fever" and "A Walk in the Woods." I found both of them (especially Bryson's) great reads with a nice sense of humor. "How To Hike The A.T." had a lot of great information on things I would have forgotten to look into.
I have the following books I'm planning to read before my hike:
Long Distance Hiking - Roland Mueser
Ten Million Steps - M. J. Eberhart
Walking the Appalachian Trail - Larry Luxenberg, Mike Warren
Hiking Through - Paul V. Stutzman
Walking With Spring - Earl Shaffer
The Road to Damascus..and Beyond
On the Beaten Path - Robert Alden Rubin
I also read an article titled "The Smartest Businessman on the Appalachian Trail" written about Winton Porter. It's a great article and I liked it very much.
It can be found here:
http://www.inc.com/magazine/20101101/the-smartest-businessman-on-the-appalachian-trail.html
Thanks to everyone who has posted about books I should read, your positive thoughts, your negative thoughts, and all the other opinions.
Why not read about why or how it was created, the origins of the Appalachians or the wildlife it provides a home? You could hike the entire trail and still know little about these things and it might add much to your experience.
Makes a great deal of sense to me.
For wildlife, I would suggest this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Tracking-Art-Seeing-Animal-Tracks/dp/0062735241
Its very good.