AWOL on the Appalachian Trail

[couscous]

Great guy, great book. He tells it like it is. ~ He talked about his hike and book at a session at the A.T. Museum Grand Opening this past weekend. ~ As I was doing trail magic in Maryland, his guide book The A.T. Guide: 2010 was getting rave reviews for the terrain profiles and town maps.

[mi77915]

I just finished this book and I too HIGHLY recommend it!!! I read it entirely in a weekend!!!

Tom

[inabag]

I got this last xmas and read it pretty quickly. Have read through a half dozen other AT books this year, and I am back rereading this one. It is a great read.

[Northern Lights]

I just recieved this book in the mail today, can't wait to start it tonight. Also recieved In Beauty May She Walk. I'm good for the next couple of weeks

[Rain Man]

I just recieved this book in the mail today, can't wait to start it tonight. Also recieved In Beauty May She Walk. I'm good for the next couple of weeks

Two great books! My problem is I read good books overnight, then need another fix.

RainMan

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[writeronthestorm]

I finished this last week and thought it was a great read. Though I have to admit for me it was an example of how I don't wan't to do my thru-hike... You know, constantly pushing yourself to make 20 plus mile days, overnighting in town all the time, rushing to get mail drops, etc... Just seemed like he was a slave to his plan.

[Half Note]

I finished this last week and thought it was a great read. Though I have to admit for me it was an example of how I don't wan't to do my thru-hike... You know, constantly pushing yourself to make 20 plus mile days, overnighting in town all the time, rushing to get mail drops, etc... Just seemed like he was a slave to his plan.

I second this.

[Colter]

...Just seemed like he was a slave to his plan.

Perhaps. But AWOL has gotten the best reviews for any AT book on Amazon.com. It blows Bryson's book away. I like hiking my own hiking style. And I didn't hike the AT the same way as AWOL or anyone else. But my hiking style was a lot more similar to AWOL than it was to Bryson's. I would say that you're not a slave to your plan if you're free to quit or make changes to it at any time. If he was hiking his own style, and apparently he was, wouldn't that define freedom?

I've probably said it before but one of the things I like best about AWOL's book is it's honesty. There was the way he thought it was going to be, and the way it actually was. It's easy to think "if I hike it right it will all be fun." But most people find it isn't all fun, and that's the main reason people quit. When it got bad enough, AWOL thought about quitting and admitted it in his book. He didn't, he drove on and found out the experience is greater than the sum of its parts. He hiked his own hike in his own way. According to the Amazon reviews he has done the best job at telling the story of an AT thru-hike. I agree.

[JaxHiker]

When I saw this was available for the Kindle I rushed to download it. It took me about a week in my spare time and I just finished it last week. I really enjoyed it and will probably be reading it again before too long. Very nice book!

[crazystick]

well I just bought it for my kindle app on my iphone, hope its good, sounds like it is.

[Gipsy]

Got mine on Amazon as an E-book. Read the entire thing in 2 days. Loved it.

[hikingshoes]

need a video now.

[crazystick]

what a great read! im really glad i saw this thread and decided to download the ebook.
i read it on my ipod touch, with the kindle app, so its alot smaller than your regular kindle, but i wizzed through the book, read it all in about two days, i spent any free time i had reading it, and i dont have much of that.

if AWOL lurks these threads at all, thanks alot man, glad you took the time to write all that up, i enjoyed it. cant wait to start my thru this year.

[SawnieRobertson]

I've read it three times because I loved reading it. I've also given it as gifts to a few. We "bingo'd" when AWOL took to the trail.--Kinnikinic

[Sassafras Lass]

Another "journal" type book by an average writer. David Brill's As Far As The Eye Can See is the only book chronicling a thru-hike I really enjoyed.

Wilconow, I would love to read any of your published work . . . . .

[takethisbread]

Another "journal" type book by an average writer. David Brill's As Far As The Eye Can See is the only book chronicling a thru-hike I really enjoyed.

I read the Brill book while at Elmers on a thru hike. Pulled damn near all nighter. Great book. I remember the character nick? The guy that yogi'd everything?

That said I have read them all and AWOL s book is as good as any.

It drags by Maine as the hiker does, but a true example of what it might be like.

[sandylwes]

Just started reading AWOL......about on chapter two....it is great so far!

[golfer]

I'm about 3/4 the way through this book . I'm am not a fast reader bit when I read it I find I can't put it down anticipating what he's up against next on his journey. Great read and he does a great job of including the people he has met along the way . And how he incorporates other peoples manor of hiking and what not. I live in Massachusettes and I'm planning a section of the AT trail here, but when I go I will definitly bring some trail magic for the possibility of meeting up with some thru hikers and helping them out on ther own journey. Thanks for the great read AWOL.

[TAS]

I just started it and it is in fact a very good book.

John

[slims]

Yup it's definitely a good book. I read it a couple months ago and enjoyed it. It really gave a good account of the overall experience. This was actually the first book I read about thru hiking the AT and it's what really sparked my interest in the trail and thru hiking.