(with apologies to Oprah)

I've been ignoring Bill Bryson's new book, "A Walk in the Woods"
because of the goofy looking bear on the cover, figuring it was another
redneck take off, but finally thumbed through one evening while waiting
for my kids at the mall (I find all books irresitible). Has anyone else
read this great new book? It's a very different kind of Appalacian
Trail opus, "choke on your coffee funny" and very well written. With
secret dreams of someday doing the AT myself (or the Pacific Crest
Trail, or the Continental Divide, or, hell, walking all the way around
the world), I've read just about all the stuffy classics. Bryson is
wonderfully different. No techie which-ultralight-gear stuff but
chock-full of self deprecating revelation about the true challenge of
the hike, and with a modest, well put, running essay on land
conservation. I highly recommend this one for yourself or for someone's
holiday stocking stuffer.

(Oh, letterboxing content? Check out Randy's guide to AT boxes).

Jay

"b. j. drew" wrote:
original article:http://www.egroups.com/group/letterbox-usa/?start=2559
> (with apologies to Oprah)
>
> I've been ignoring Bill Bryson's new book, "A Walk in the Woods"
> because of the goofy looking bear on the cover, figuring it was
another
> redneck take off, but finally thumbed through one evening while
waiting
> for my kids at the mall (I find all books irresitible). Has anyone
else
> read this great new book? It's a very different kind of Appalacian
> Trail opus, "choke on your coffee funny" and very well written. With
> secret dreams of someday doing the AT myself (or the Pacific Crest
> Trail, or the Continental Divide, or, hell, walking all the way around
> the world), I've read just about all the stuffy classics. Bryson is
> wonderfully different. No techie which-ultralight-gear stuff but
> chock-full of self deprecating revelation about the true challenge of
> the hike, and with a modest, well put, running essay on land
> conservation. I highly recommend this one for yourself or for
someone's
> holiday stocking stuffer.
>
> (Oh, letterboxing content? Check out Randy's guide to AT boxes).
>
> Jay
>
Jay,

I read the book last spring and absolutely loved it... I've been
passing it on to all my hiking friendsand acquaintances. Very funny
indeed.

Well deserving of being the 1st title in our "virtual library"!

John
Lone Wolf

thom cheney wrote: >
> ...speaking of books, the first half of "The Road Home" (another
> traveling title, although the book itself isn't) by Jim Harrison is
> good. I read it twice and would have used a highliter on my favorite
> passages if it hadn't been a library book. The second half was
fair...
>


Thom, Jim Harrison is one of my neglected favorites! My brother James
and I had been passing him back and forth between us for years, with
Jamie generally swiping my copies and me replacing them as I found them
on the discount racks. I still play "Legends of the Fall" in my head
whenever I think of my honeymoon (which, come to think of it would make
a good addition to the book/video library). ("Legends," that is, not
the honeymoon tape...). But....I digress.....I hadn't heard of "Road
Home" and am now most eagerly awaiting Monday and the library. Thanks!
Jay