A WALK IN THE WOODS
By Bill Bryson
Broadway Books, 1998
Category: Nonfiction for Grownups
I brought this book to Yellowstone and Grand Teton, thinking a travel book—especially a travel-by-foot book—would be perfect national park vacation reading. It was.
A WALK IN THE WOODS chronicles Bryson’s journey along the Appalachian Trail. The fact that he attempted the AT with little backcountry experience, little physical preparedness, and little help should be appalling. (Hikers die for less.) Somehow, though, the story is riveting, inspiring … and absofreakinlutely hysterical instead. Several times while reading I laughed out loud and once—while on a plane—I actually giggled myself to tears. (For those who have read the book, this fit was induced by the Little Debbie snack food scene.) My kids were mortified, of course, but I just couldn’t help it. Bryson is funny, and his AT partner, Katz, is even funnier.
Perhaps the highest praise I can give is this: when I finished A WALK IN THE WOODS, I closed my eyes and let a few more chuckles out, then flipped back to page one and hit the trail a second time. It’s that good.