Favorite Books regarding the AT

[Former Admin]

What are some of your favorite books regarding the Appalachian Trail ?

[SGT Rock]

"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.

[Peaks]

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]

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]

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.

[highway]

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]

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.

[Israel]

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.

[chris]

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]

"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]

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

[Lone Wolf]

hehehehe. I ain't never met one of them fellas!

[Jumpstart]

"A Journey North" by Adrienne Hall was a good woman's account oh the trail, pretty recent.

[Kerosene]

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 for the Amazon synopsis.

[PushingDaisies]

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.

[Lugnut]

I think it was Lynn Setzer; and she is a he. Good book.

[PushingDaisies]

Thanks for the correction, Lugnut! LOL

[SGT Rock]

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]

"On the Beaten Path" is my current favorite.

[smokymtnsteve]

"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!