A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail: 4 Stars

 

 A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson decided to hike the Appalachian Trail; a feat that requires walking over 2,000 miles. The book chronicles his adventures with his friend, Stephen Katz. It starts with him buying his equipment and he immediately had me hooked. His reaction to the prices and "necessities" of a sporting goods store is similar to my own. His sarcasm and wit knew no end. 

Eventually he starts out on the trail and the journey begins. Starting off slow and inexperienced, Bill and Stephan eventually find themselves keeping up a decent pace and giving advice to less experienced hikers. They interact with several different kinds of people from the entertaining to the annoying. 

Bryson also gives us a wonderful history lesson on the Appalachian Trail; something I know very little about. There are also towns along the trail with fascinating histories, such as Centrailia, PA, which has been burning underground since 1962, making it a ghost town. 

Bryson talks about the ups and downs of life on the trail. He has the ability to break away from time, schedules, electronics, and really free his mind. He also accounts of the number of people who have died on the trail, whether because of accidents, bear attacks, or murders (two girls were murdered during his time on the trail). 

Bryson is an excellent writer with an excellent ability to keep you hooked. I was thoroughly impressed with his adventures and would love to try other books by him.

Rating: PG-13

Recommended for those who enjoy: sarcasm, nature, and journeys.

The Walk: 4 Stars

The Walk by Richard Paul Evans

Alan Christoffersen is living the life in Seattle. He's happily married to the woman of his dreams, he just bought a beautiful home, and he runs a business with his best friend. But when his wife falls ill, Alan heads down a path in which he loses it all.

Widowed, jobless, and homeless, Alan decides to head off on a walk: a walk across the country.

This was an amazing story of a man in mourning who decided that he was ready for something new. Not sure of where to go or what to do, Alan decides to make a journey to find himself. Along the way, he sees a world he's seemed to have missed before. He meets people and enjoys the journey for the most part.  He runs into several obstacles along the way, each teaching him something new.

The Walk ends in Spokane, where I live, so that is kind of fun. But that's not were Alan's journey ends. The series of books takes him across the rest of the country.

I enjoyed this book because it was one man who faced the worst possible situation in his life and decided to do something rather than shut down. It wasn't necessarily just picking back up and starting over, but his was his way of coping and hoping to find peace somewhere along the way. Will he find what's he searches for?  I guess I need to read the rest of the series!

Rating: PG

Recommended for those who enjoy: coping, journeys, and thought-provoking books.