A Walk In the Woods: A Review

I've previously talked about my love affair with Bill Bryson's snarky wit, so when this book became available to review on Blogging for Books, I jumped at the chance. It's rare that a book on my (excessive) to-read list becomes available to read for free. I was pretty excited.

A Walk in the Woods doesn't disappoint. It details Bryson's trip hiking the Appalachian Trail, a feat I absolutely, positively, under no circumstances would ever want to do myself, but it sure makes for entertaining reading. His misadventures with his friend Stephen Katz are laugh-out-loud funny, and the eccentric cast of characters he meets along the way help to flesh out the book and keep it from becoming too one-dimensional. In addition to his humor, he's also extremely reflective and contemplative, which apparently is a common phenomenon for hikers on the AT. Anyone that likes hiking, humor, or both should read this book (along with his others as well, but that's another story for another time).

My only criticism is that at times he often delves into a little too much history of the Appalachian trail, and it becomes a little dry in sections. The parts I loved were his own adventures, not the history. But it's not so bad that I don't recommend reading the book. Just be prepared, and maybe skim through those sections. Not that I would ever do that, of course (wink).

The verdict: It's a great book that you definitely should read. 4 out of 5 stars.

The disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.