A Walk in the Woods

By: Bill Bryson

Narrated by: Bill Bryson

Length: 5 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

"Not long after I moved with my family to a small town in New Hampshire, I happened upon a path that vanished into a wood on the edge of town." So begins Bill Bryson's hilarious book, A Walk in the Woods. Following his return to America after 20 years in Britain, Bryson decided to reacquaint himself with his native country by walking the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. The AT, as it's affectionately known to thousands of hikers, offers an astonishing landscape of silent forests and sparkling lakes - and to a writer with the comic genius of Bill Bryson, it also provides endless opportunities to test his own powers of ineptitude, and to witness the majestic silliness of his fellow human beings. But A Walk in the Woods is more than just a laugh-out-loud hike. Bryson's acute eye is a wise witness to this fragile and beautiful trail, and as he tells its fascinating history, he makes a moving plea for the conservation of America's last great wilderness. An adventure, a comedy, a lament, and a celebration, A Walk in the Woods is destined to become a modern classic of travel literature.

©1998 Bill Bryson (P)1998 Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, A Division of Random House Inc.

Dead Tree was better

A wonderfully funny adventure of the middle-aged and the restless, but Bryson's humor translates better on the written page, or when a professional does the reading. His soft slightly British, slightly midwestern voice lacked the punch of the written word. Also, the abridgement left out way too many funny adventures along the way.

Just for Americans

It is not a bad book, but i did not find it that funny. I think you have to be a American to fully appreciate it.

Well Walked

Bill Bryson did an excellent job with this account of life on the AT. I appreciated some of the interesting trivia/facts he included, along with his experience of getting outfitted for his trek (amusing and unfortunately all too true!). The escapades and quirkiness of his hiking partner Katz made the whole thing even more entertaining -having carried some poorly-planned loads myself, I can completely envision his unloading of vital supplies (i.e., food) without thought.

I was only disappointed with two aspects. I did find Bryson to be sometimes over-critical and condescending toward various people, places and organizations he wrote of - which took away, rather than added to his adventure in my opinion. But I was even more disappointed when he revealed that he stopped his trek less than half-way, and then wrote about a series of fairly boring day-hikes on other sections of the trail. When he and Katz finally gave it up when they were barely into the 100-mile wilderness in ME, and before coming close to reaching Katadin, I was very let down. I had assumed he had written about a thru-hike, or at least a 2000-mile qualifier ... but this was not the case, and was a disappointing end to the tale.

Relaxing

I looked at this title a few times before I purchased it. Great story teller. Perfect for a cross country flight I took recently.

listened while walking

I listened to his struggles while walking on a perfectly flat, shaded concrete path, hehe.

Amazing Story!

The reading and story telling by Bryson was excellent and enthralling. easy to listen too and clearly delivered. the factual information was as interesting as it was mind blowing.

Loved it!

Bryson is a rare talent. His books are both entertaining and educational, and his narration skills are superb.

The AT for the armchair hiker...in rapt fashion

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would and I have recommended this audiobook.

What did you like best about this story?

Bill Bryson writes well, but he TELLS his stories with such enthusiasm, passion, and humor that you have barely caught your breath and wiped up the milk that squirted out your nose from one vignette that he launches you into the next.

Which scene was your favorite?

That question has me in the same twist as "Which star do you like best?"

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I have so loved this audiobook, from the first time I listened to it with my daughter to the time I sat through it beginning to end to the last time I listened to it with my wife, laughing at Bill's episodic journeys or walking with him in heart-pounding anticipation of the next 100 meters of the AT that even after listening to this story again and again, I want to go back to the beginning and hear the whole of it AGAIN!

Any additional comments?

I love hearing Bill Bryson tell almost any story. His strange, slightly nasaly, oddly "where does that accent come from?" voice skips along at a pace that keeps the reader dangling in anticipation. Sometimes he picks up the pace and quickens the reader's heartbeat with it. Sometimes he winds you along a twisting sub-plot, never ever losing your interest.

In all the stories I have ever enjoyed Bill Bryson tell, his Walk In The Woods remains my benchmark; maybe because I heard this one first; maybe because others agree that WITW stands as Bill Bryson's best ever.

I will say that I have never walked away disappointed when I listened to Bill Bryson tell a story. I don't know anyone who can even walk away once Bill Bryson starts to tell a story.

Okay, I guess...

I was quite surprised how boring this book was considering the rave reviews it got. I found the narration tediously slow and I think I missed the "funny" parts in the book. Occasionally, Bryson has an interesting 'turn of phrase' but it's not a book that will resonate with me or that I would recommend.

Great

Funny, Inspirational, and Adventerous. This is the best of Bill Bryson. You can relate if you have gone for a day hike with friends or have taken a crack at the AT.