Book Reviews

[Chappy]

Anyone read J.R. Tate's, "Walking On the Happy Side of Misery"? What did you think? If I buy the book should I expect to learn much about a thru-hike or is it mainly for entertainment? I'd be willing to buy it for pure entertainment.
Thanks.

[Rain Man]

Anyone read J.R. Tate's, "Walking On the Happy Side of Misery"? What did you think? If I buy the book should I expect to learn much about a thru-hike or is it mainly for entertainment? I'd be willing to buy it for pure entertainment.
Thanks.

I'm on Chapter 3 right now. It's sitting on my desk as I'm working (well, now surfing WhiteBlaze during lunch break). Definitely worth buying and reading, so far as I'm concerned.

If you order it direct from J.R. ("Model-T"), he'll even autograph it for you!
http://www.modelt.homestead.com/

Rain Man

.

[Kerosene]

I read this book in 2002 and posted this review on Amazon.com:

An extremely readable, well written account of Model-T's first thru-hike in 1990. I was surprised by the heft of the book (542 pages!), but I'm sailing through it. He maintains a good balance of philosophy, landmarks, side topics, and people. Some of his digressions become a little predictable and repetitive; some of the writing can prove overly flowery (kind of like my 12-year old doing Creative Writing assignments), but it is evocative. This book was recommended to me on several of the A.T. bulletin boards, and I can see why. Enjoy!

It remains my favorite book about the AT (outside of Ed Garvey's Applachian Hiker which served as my bible in 1971!

[illininagel]

Anyone read J.R. Tate's, "Walking On the Happy Side of Misery"? What did you think?

I've read a number of books about hiking the Appalachian Trail and J.R. Tate's book is one of my favorites. The only part about the book that I didn't like very much was his "alter ego." But, I guess Tate thought the alter-ego gimmick was necessary to give the dialogue some life given the solitude of such a hike.

Overall, two thumbs up for this book!

[poison_ivy]

I agree with illininagel...I really liked the book but the "alter ego" part really bothered me. After the first few chapters though, he either stopped doing it so much or I was able to ignore it. Otherwise, I really enjoyed it, in fact,
it's one of my favorite AT-related books... another really good one is "On the Beaten Path: An Appalachian Trail Pilgrimage."

- Ivy

[Chappy]

Many thanks for the opinions. This is definite read!

[Chappy]

I'm on Chapter 3 right now. It's sitting on my desk as I'm working (well, now surfing WhiteBlaze during lunch break). Definitely worth buying and reading, so far as I'm concerned.

If you order it direct from J.R. ("Model-T"), he'll even autograph it for you!
http://www.modelt.homestead.com/

Rain Man

.

I went to his website to get the ordering information and saw the book price included shipping and handling. Since I'm overseas I emailed a question if that included overseas to APO addresses. I've not received a response so he's probably visiting family for Christmas or out hiking. Anyone know the answer? There's not much difference in USPS and APO (except for customs declaration) so he probaly does, but want to be sure before I mail in a money order.

[Rain Man]

I went to his website to get the ordering information and saw the book price included shipping and handling. Since I'm overseas I emailed a question if that included overseas to APO addresses. I've not received a response so he's probably visiting family for Christmas or out hiking. Anyone know the answer? There's not much difference in USPS and APO (except for customs declaration) so he probaly does, but want to be sure before I mail in a money order.

Chappy,

As Model-T is an ex-Marine himself, I'd like to think he'd ship it to an APO for you. I called his home just now, but got the answering machine. Perhaps Jaybird knows the answer. Jaybird is a WhiteBlazer and is Model-T's webmaster, I believe. You might send a pm to Jaybird.

I'm about half-way through the book now and am enjoying it more and more.

Rain Man

.

[Percival]

Couple of other threads on good AT books, including reviews of Tate's book:

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...ighlight=books
(favorite books regarding the AT)

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...ighlight=books
(books, books and more books)

[Shadowman]

Thank's for the leads on Tate's book. I will have to check it out.

I just finished Robert Rubin's "On the Beaten Path: An Appalachian Trail Pilgrimage." It's certainly not a humor piece like Bryson's but it is probably more factual. He only skipped 6 miles versus 1,300. There were times when I thought of Rubin, "Please, stop going home to see your wife, stop taking days off to drink beer and just finish the trail." He made it as long and tortured a journey as possible for the reader. One thing I get from reading all these accounts is a feeling for just how subjective the experience is. Mine was quite different.

An old favorite of mine that may no longer be around was one called, "Murder on the Appalachian Trail" by Jess Carr (I think). It was based on a case from the 70's yet I thought about it when I camped there. The book fictionalizes some parts (so don't expect to find the real shelter ID from the book) but the enduring nature of the trail experience comes through.

[Chappy]

Couple of other threads on good AT books, including reviews of Tate's book:

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...ighlight=books
(favorite books regarding the AT)

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...ighlight=books
(books, books and more books)

Percival, Thanks. Great threads and very informative!

[Jaybird]

I went to his website to get the ordering information and saw the book price included shipping and handling. Since I'm overseas I emailed a question if that included overseas to APO addresses. I've not received a response so he's probably visiting family for Christmas or out hiking. Anyone know the answer? There's not much difference in USPS and APO (except for customs declaration) so he probaly does, but want to be sure before I mail in a money order.

Yo Chappy:

Model-T will be glad to ship you a book no matter where you are!
He was out of town for a hike just before Christmas & visited family til around the first of the year.

He is now answering e-mail & phone calls..if you'd like to try again.

www.ModelT.homestead.com


Jaybird
Model-T webmeister

[Jaybird]

I went to his website to get the ordering information and saw the book price included shipping and handling. Since I'm overseas I emailed a question if that included overseas to APO addresses. I've not received a response so he's probably visiting family for Christmas or out hiking. Anyone know the answer? There's not much difference in USPS and APO (except for customs declaration) so he probaly does, but want to be sure before I mail in a money order.

Model-T Wednesday, 1/28/04, 5:53 AM

For Chappy (or anyone who knows him): Chappy, the message you posted on WhiteBlaze.net was sent to me by a friend. Unfortunately, I never received your email query about my book. To simplify matters, just send a check with normal S&H, and I'll absorb any extra postage. Anything for our fellas with an APO or FPO address! Best wishes! Model-T

E-mail: [email protected]
website: www.ModelT.homestead.com

[weary]

An old favorite of mine that may no longer be around was one called, "Murder on the Appalachian Trail" by Jess Carr (I think). It was based on a case from the 70's yet I thought about it when I camped there. The book fictionalizes some parts (so don't expect to find the real shelter ID from the book) but the enduring nature of the trail experience comes through.

I thought Carr had the best account of the ebb and flow of hikers on the trail and the trail conversations that I've ever read. But otherwise his writing was a bit cliched and awkward.

Weary

[Reverie]

I just finished the book and enjoyed it thouroughly. I suppose reading any book will give you some insight so I would go for it. I struggled a little in the beginning as he would switch back and forth between his ego and alter ego. Once I got the hang of it, the stories really flowed.

[uscgretired]

I agree with the people above, the alter ego aspect of the book threw the story a little off kilter but the alter ego subsided in later chapters. I ordered J.R's book through our local library along with the Jardine's Lightweight Backpacker book and saved the cost of buying them. Took two weeks to get them from libraries around the State but the price was right. I highly recommend it, a good read.