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saimyoji
01-26-2005, 01:47
What books can people recommend to read to learn about the AT? I've only read Bryson's book, though others that have been given me include:

Exploring the AT by Scherer and Hopey
Walking the AT by Forrester.

Other than the Thru-Hikers Guide and Companion, what else can you recommend?

Jaybird
01-26-2005, 06:18
"Walkin' On the Happy Side of Misery" by J.R. "Model T" Tate (http://www.modelt.net)


ck it out: www.ModelT.Net (http://www.modelt.net)

very funny & very informative. :D

hikerjohnd
01-26-2005, 11:06
To save time I have just cut and pasted my bibliography for my thesis:

Anderson, Larry. Benton Mackaye : Conservationist, Planner, and Creator of the Appalachian Trail. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2002.

Brill, David. As Far as the Eye Can See: Reflections of an Appalachian Trail Hiker. Nashville, Tenn.: Rutledge Hill Press, 1990.

Bryson, Bill. A Walk in the Woods : Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail. 1st ed. New York: Broadway Books, 1998.

Chase, Jim. Backpacker Magazine's Guide to the Appalachian Trail. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 1989.

Chew, V. Collins. Underfoot : A Geologic Guide to the Appalachian Trail. 2nd ed. Harpers Ferry: Appalachian Trail Conference, 1993.

Curran, Jan D. The Appalachian Trail--a Journey of Discovery. Moore Haven, Fla.: Rainbow Books, 1991.

________. The Appalachian Trail--Onward to Katahdin. Highland City, FL: Rainbow Books, 1999.

Emblidge, David. The Appalachian Trail Reader. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.

Engle, Reed. Shenandoah: Not without the Ccc. October 6, 2004 Accessed October 11 2004. Available from http://www.nps.gov/shen/3b2b4.htm.

Flack, James M. and Hertha E. Ambling and Scrambling on the Appalachian Trail. Harpers Ferry, WV: Appalachian Trail Conference, 1981.

Fortunato, Donald J. 2000 Miles on the Appalachian Trail. Rev. ed. [S.l.: s.n.], 1991.

Foster, Charles H. W. Appalachian National Scenic Trail : A Time to Be Bold. Harper's Ferry, WV: Appalachian Trail Conference, 1987.

Garvey, Edward B. Appalachian Hiker: Adventure of a Lifetime. Oakton, Va.,: Appalachian Books, 1971.

________. Appalachian Hiker Ii. Oakton, VA: Appalchian Books, 1978.

Georgia Appalachian Trail Club. History Committee. Friendships of the Trail : The History of the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club, 1930-1980. Rev. ed. Atlanta Marietta, Ga.: The Club ;Distributed by Cherokee Pub. Co., 1994.

Hall, Adrienne. A Journey North : One Woman's Story of Hiking the Appalachian Trail. Boston Old Saybrook, CT: Appalachian Mountain Club Books ; Distributed by Globe Pequot Press, 2000.

Hare, James R. Hiking the Appalachian Trail. 1st ed. Emmaus, Pa.: Rodale Press, 1975.

Haszonics, Joe J. "Joe Knothead". Trail Days : Thru-Hikers on the AT (Appalachian Trail). Margate, FL (72 Palm Dr., Margate 33063): J.J. Haszonics.

Hugo, Beverly "Maine Rose". Women and Thru-Hiking on the Appalachian Trail: Practical Advice from Hundreds of Women Long Distance Hikers. Harpers Ferry, WV: Appalachian Trail Conference, 2002.

Irwin, Bill, and Dave McCasland. Blind Courage. Waco, Tex.: WRS Pub., 1996.

Lambert, Darwin. "Shenandoah National Park with Love." National Parks and Conservation Association 46, no. 11 (1972): 4-9.

Lehman, Paul R. "Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club: Keepers of the Appalachian Trail." Historical Review of Berks County LXII, no. 4 (1997): 171-177.

Lillard, David. Appalachian Trail Names : Origins of Place Names Along the AT. 1st ed. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2002.

Logue, Victoria, and Frank Logue. The Appalachian Trail Backpacker. 2nd ed. Birmingham, Ala.: Menasha Ridge Press, 1994.

Lowrey, Gerald Broughton. "Benton Mackaye's Appalachian Trail as a Cultural Symbol." Thesis, Emory University, 1981.

Lowther, Mic. Walking North: A Family Hikes the Appalachian Trail. 2nd ed. Seattle, Wash.: Elton-Wolf Pub., 2001.

Luxenberg, Larry. Walking the Appalachian Trail. 1st ed. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 1994.

MacKaye, Benton. "An Appalachian Trail: A Project in Regional Planning." Journal of the American Institute of Architects 9 (Oct 1921): 325-330.

Morse, Douglas. "2000 Miles to Maine: Adventures on the Appalachian Trail." 1:15:22. United States: Disc Makers, 2004.

Mueser, Roland. Long-Distance Hiking : Lessons from the Appalachian Trail. Camden, Me.: Ragged Mountain Press, 1998.

Myers, Andrew H. "The Creation of the Shenandoah National Park: Albemarle County Cultures in Conflict." The Magazine of Albemarle County History 51 (1993): 52-89.

Niedzaliek, Carol, and Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. A Footpath in the Wilderness : The Early Days of PATC. 1st ed. Vienna, VA: Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, 2003.

Perdue, Charles L. Jr., and Nancy J. Martin-Perdue. "Appalachian Fables and Facts: A Case Study of the Shenandoah National Parks Removals." Appalachian Journal 7, no. 1-2 (1979-1980): 84-104.

________. ""to Build a Wall around These Mountains": The Displaced People of Shenandoah." The Magazine of Albemarle County History 49 (1991): 48-71.

Powell, Katrina M. "Writing the Geography of the Blue Ridge Mountains: How Displacement Recorded the Land." Biography 25, no. 1 (2002): 73-94.

Reich, Justin. "Re-Creating the Wilderness: Shaping Narratives and Landscapes in Shenandoah National Park." Environmental History 6, no. 1 (2001): 95-117.

Rubin, Robert A. Trail Years: A History of the Appalachian Trail Conference. Harpers Ferry: Appalachian Trail Conference, 2000.

Rubin, Robert Alden. On the Beaten Path : An Appalachian Pilgrimage. New York, N.Y.: Lyons Press, 2000.

Setzer, Lynn. A Season on the Appalachian Trail. 2nd ed. Harpers Ferry, W.Va. Birmingham, AL. [Guilfort, CT]: Appalachian Trail Conference ;
Menasha Ridge Press ; Distributed by The Globe Pequot Press, 2001.

Shaffer, Earl V. Walking with Spring : The First Solo Thru-Hike of the Legendary Appalachian Trail. Harpers Ferry, W. Va.: Appalachian Trail Conference, 1995.

Simmons, Dennis E. "Conservation, Cooperation, and Controversy: The Establishment of Shenandoah National Park, 1924-1936." The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 89, no. 4 (1981): 387-404.

Sutton, Ann, and Myron Sutton. The Appalachian Trail, Wilderness on the Doorstep. [1st ] ed. Philadelphia,: Lippincott, 1967.

Waldroop, Les. The Appalachian Trail. Record. Franklin, NC: Appalachian Records, 1978.

Wilhelm, Gene Jr. "Shenandoah Resettlements." Pioneer America 14, no. 1 (1982): 15-40.

Wolfe, Ellen. Walking the Dream. 2nd ed. Cookeville, TN: One Step Press, 2001.


I know that my bib only scratches the surface of what is out there - and I have a section focused on the creation of Shenandoah NP, specifically the displacement of people to build the park, but I hope to balance that out in my discussion of the development of other parks.

Hope this helps!
--John

weary
01-26-2005, 12:40
What books can people recommend to read to learn about the AT? I've only read Bryson's book...
There's really not much about the trail that requires book learning. Just put one foot in front of the other long enough and eventually you will come to the end of the trail.

Many have found Bryson's book a great read: skillfully written, funny in places and padded with a lot of interesting facts gleaned from a summer of library and internet research. But it really has nothing to do with the trail.

The book that gives the best sense of what being on the trail is like, at least for older thru hike wannabes, is Robert Alden Rubin's, "On the Beaten Path : An Appalachian Pilgrimage," New York, N.Y.: Lyons Press, 2000.

No one does a better job of describing the camaraderie found on the trail, the tensions with the life left behind, and the physical challenges. The experience, of course, is different for each hiker. The home tensions certainly are likely to be less for the 20-year-old, than for someone like Rubin who was approaching middle age.

The great trail account for the kid hiking just out of high school or college has still to be written, though Earl Shaffer came close, and perhaps never will be. Few 20 somethings write great books on any subject. Writing for most of us, unlike hiking, tends to get better as one gains experience and practice.

Weary

camich
01-26-2005, 13:00
I agree with Jaybird. I love Model-T's book. I enjoyed it so much that I didn't want it end.

chris
01-26-2005, 13:01
I scanned through the above list, but may have missed it. For background material, I think that the Appalachian Trail Reader is about the best resource. I didn't particularly like Bryson's book, mostly because it wasn't well written (unless you think Tom Clancy or John Grisham is a good writer). The AT Reader is long and lengthy and historical in nature.

If you like history, try reading Shelby Foote's monumental Civil War history, in three volumes. Yes, it will take forever, but Foote is one of the great writers, his prose is sound, and he is always entertaining. The AT goes through much Civil War history. Hopefully Jack Tarlin will have a shorter book that covers Civil War history, as Foote's trilogy took me about 2 months of solid work to digest.

A-Train
01-26-2005, 13:55
Read Trailjournals at trailjournals.com

Yea the majority of them (including mine!) can get boring as hell after a couple months of reading how many miles people did by lunch, but IMO, there is no better accurate acount of everyday trail life. They are free and you can read them at your leuisure. Its a cool idea to print one or two out in their entirety and read them on a plane/bus ride.

Jan Liteshoes is definately worth reading for the AT, though it's often very long. It's certainly more than snickers bars and hurt feet.

I read a lot of the AT books before my hike, but they always (obviously) skip around to get to the most important parts of their hike. While this is considerate for the reader, I liked seeing what every day looked like, not just the best and worst.

PecosBackpacker
01-26-2005, 14:27
I gotta go with the entire "Exploring the Appalachian Trail" series. Very informative and very detailed. Gives walking distance, approx. hiking time, whether or not certain hikes can be done in a day or if an overnighter is required, and portions of topo. maps to show how steep your walk will be.

Spirit Walker
01-26-2005, 14:33
Larry Luxembourg's book and Lynne Setzer's were my favorites.