Favorite Books regarding the AT

[kythruhiker]

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.

[D-Con]

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

[Colter]

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]

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]

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.

[Peaks]

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]

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]

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!!

[ganj]

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.

[Colter]

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]

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]

I found the book at Amazon. Not a bad price either. Great read. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...577464-6523055

[yogi clyde]

"Walking Home" by Kelly Winters.

An enjoyable read.

[steve hiker]

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]

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!

[A-Train]

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

[Peaks]

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]

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]

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.

[Sparky!]

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