I finished the audio version of A
Walk in the Woods earlier this week. For those not familiar with this
well-known title, it is the detailed account of Bill Bryson's highly motivated
yet sometimes hapless journey on the elusive Appalachian Trail. The reason I
was so interested in reading this title is that one day I hope I would have the opportunity to hike even a
small portion of the trail. It is one of my life goals and obviously one that
needs more thought and training than just reading this book and heading out to
the woods.
SIDE NOTE: That last sentence
makes me laugh and reminded me of the scene in Gilmore Girls when
Lorelai just decides to go hike the Pacific Coast Trail. If you know Lorelai,
there was no training involved, maybe a little thought in that decision but
when she got to the trail head after watching/reading the movie/book Wild,
she heard the same question multiple times from the group waiting, “book or
movie?” If I remember correctly, she went home after only a few minutes. Ha!
Let
us start with the fact that the author reads the book and it is amazing. He has
such an interesting accent that I could have listened to him read many more
books. I did some research because I know he had lived in England prior to
writing the book and currently resides there but he is actually from the
Midwest. His dialect is a wonderful blend of Midwestern and
English accents. Trust me he is great to listen to when he reads! I have to say I've really hit the jackpot with audio books this year.
Many
of you have probably seen the movie and that is why you recognize the title. I
actually saw the movie before reading the book, which I honestly only watched
because it starred Robert Redford. It did not ruin my thoughts about the book
but only made me enjoy it more and realize the movie was completely
awful. One of the biggest changes I noticed was that Bill Bryson was in his
late thirties/early forties when he hiked the trail. Think about the age of
Robert Redford. Yes, they had retirees hiking the trail in the movie, which gives it an entirely different perspective. The movie overall was
just a huge disappointment in comparison. It is OK perhaps as a standalone but not
based on the book.
I
was not, however, as disappointed in the aforementioned movie, Wild.
What I was surprised to find is that I loved A Walk in the Woods so
much more than Wild and I loved Wild! The two have
a similar theme yet are vastly different: self-discovery versus exploration of
one's native country, female versus male hikers, Pacific Coast Trail versus Appalachian Trail and serious tone versus hilarious with notes of historical. The one thing they both have in common is that the hiker in each title is extremely unprepared for the task at hand...completing not just any old hike but one that involves wild animals, changing weather, mountains, etc. Don't get me wrong, both are great books that literally made me want to
run out into the woods but A Walk in the Woods spoke to me more. Maybe it was listening to the author read or
that I perceived it as better written or that it was literally in my backyard
at times. Regardless, add both to your to-read list. (Read my post about Wild here.)
I am
rambling now, so let us get back to the original post. A Walk in the Woods,
as mentioned, follows Bill Bryson and his friend, Stephen Katz through the
American wilderness on the Appalachian Trail. Bryson is a bit more determined
and prepared for a hike of this nature than Katz, his out-of-shape friend. Katz
provides so much comic relief throughout the book. Taking the shoelaces out of
the hiking boots of some stuck-up yuppies; throwing anything that he deems too heavy, even his canteen in the dead of summer; and endless array of comments complete with profanity that leave you laughing
out loud in your car while rush hour drivers are probably laughing at
you...that's what Katz and at some point Bryson prompts while listening.
The
humor was wonderful because it made the history lessons lighter. As a history
lover, I found the these pieces very informative. I enjoyed learning
about the formation of the National Parks, the history of the Appalachian Trail
and even the background of how certain trees ended up in the places that they
are located. Most likely I would never pick up a book on any of those subjects, so it was nice to have that knowledge intertwined throughout the story.
Even
if you have no desire to hike the Appalachian Trail, I would still highly
recommend this book. It educates. It entertains. It gives you the opportunity
to live vicariously through Bill Bryson and hike the trail from the comfort of
your couch.
Happy Reading! Stay tuned for my next book review: Beartown.
Happy Reading! Stay tuned for my next book review: Beartown.
