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louiza_read2live's review against another edition
3.0
Part of it hilarious and part of it informative. A good read overall, but I felt it dragged a little too long and in some parts the writing got tedious. Also, I'm not sure what exactly I was expecting as I haven't read anything else of this (travel writing) genre but by looking at the title and the cover, my imagination seems to have gone a little further than what the book is about. I wouldn't say I was disappointed, but at some point I did get the feeling about their hike of "Oh that's it?"
One thing that I found somewhat disconcerting is the author's attitude towards other people. I can hardly recall just one person (maybe two) among all the people he encountered on the trail and in the towns he visited that he didn't think they were dumb, incompetent, or just dull.
One thing that I found somewhat disconcerting is the author's attitude towards other people. I can hardly recall just one person (maybe two) among all the people he encountered on the trail and in the towns he visited that he didn't think they were dumb, incompetent, or just dull.
dorsetbookworm's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
bergsteiger's review
3.0
Where to start. Let's get the things that particularly grated on my delicate sensibilities out of the way first.
So Bryson claims that a moose is a "harmless and retiring" animal. When in Alaska I heard much different stories from the natives there, who actually feared Moose more than the legendary Grizzly Bear. So I looked up some info on the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website which states that "Moose are not normally aggressive; however, they can be very aggressive in winter when they are hungry; tired of walking in deep snow; or harassed by people, dogs, and traffic...Moose consider dogs to be their enemies and will sometimes go out of their way to kick at one, even if the dog is on a leash or in a fenced yard....During the fall mating season, in late September and October, bull moose may be aggressive toward humans. In late spring and summer, cow moose with young calves are very protective and will attack humans who come too close. If you see a calf and not a cow, be very careful, because you may have walked between them, which is a very dangerous place to be." Aside from the fact I have to question Bryson's intelligence in being face to face with a cow (moose) and then actually returning with his buddy to look at it a second time, I also have to question all the other myriad "facts" he relates in the book.
Many of these "facts" revolve around the incompetence of the National Park Service. Don't get me wrong, they are ultimately a branch of the US Government and I would hardly defend the NPS as the model of efficiency but the fact remains that their very activity he lambastes, is what preserves the AT today. Ultimately, my angst with this chip on his shoulder is that I wanted to read a story about the AT not listen to yet another half-baked naturalist get on his soap-box about all the things that he thinks are not perfect.
Leading me into my last gripe, which is his comment at the end that "So Katz was right after all, and I don't care what anybody says. We hiked the Appalachian Trail." Not true. I don't know how else to put it, but if you didn't do it then you didn't do it. He can claim that he got a good feel for it by dabbling in several parts of the trail, but if I rode a bike through a few hamlets and roads in France, I would urge you to call me a liar if I claimed I had done the Tour de France.
With the above diatribe it would seem that I hated this book, but it was actually quite entertaining. While occasionally a little over-the-top, Bryson is pretty damn funny. His observations are interesting. Characterizations are quite fun. And he really gave the book an outstanding ending IMO. Enough to save it from a borderline two/three star into a solid three star book (3.5 if goodreads would let me). If you like outdoor adventure books this is definitely a good one to pick up.
So Bryson claims that a moose is a "harmless and retiring" animal. When in Alaska I heard much different stories from the natives there, who actually feared Moose more than the legendary Grizzly Bear. So I looked up some info on the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website which states that "Moose are not normally aggressive; however, they can be very aggressive in winter when they are hungry; tired of walking in deep snow; or harassed by people, dogs, and traffic...Moose consider dogs to be their enemies and will sometimes go out of their way to kick at one, even if the dog is on a leash or in a fenced yard....During the fall mating season, in late September and October, bull moose may be aggressive toward humans. In late spring and summer, cow moose with young calves are very protective and will attack humans who come too close. If you see a calf and not a cow, be very careful, because you may have walked between them, which is a very dangerous place to be." Aside from the fact I have to question Bryson's intelligence in being face to face with a cow (moose) and then actually returning with his buddy to look at it a second time, I also have to question all the other myriad "facts" he relates in the book.
Many of these "facts" revolve around the incompetence of the National Park Service. Don't get me wrong, they are ultimately a branch of the US Government and I would hardly defend the NPS as the model of efficiency but the fact remains that their very activity he lambastes, is what preserves the AT today. Ultimately, my angst with this chip on his shoulder is that I wanted to read a story about the AT not listen to yet another half-baked naturalist get on his soap-box about all the things that he thinks are not perfect.
Leading me into my last gripe, which is his comment at the end that "So Katz was right after all, and I don't care what anybody says. We hiked the Appalachian Trail." Not true. I don't know how else to put it, but if you didn't do it then you didn't do it. He can claim that he got a good feel for it by dabbling in several parts of the trail, but if I rode a bike through a few hamlets and roads in France, I would urge you to call me a liar if I claimed I had done the Tour de France.
With the above diatribe it would seem that I hated this book, but it was actually quite entertaining. While occasionally a little over-the-top, Bryson is pretty damn funny. His observations are interesting. Characterizations are quite fun. And he really gave the book an outstanding ending IMO. Enough to save it from a borderline two/three star into a solid three star book (3.5 if goodreads would let me). If you like outdoor adventure books this is definitely a good one to pick up.
montypython95's review
adventurous
challenging
funny
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
3.0
smheil's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
fabrice44's review
3.0
I love hiking and this book was bringing feelings and thoughts I got when walking around. Except some slow parts (especially when he's not on the trail), it is very entertaining and I would even say inspiring. I'm not sure I would do the AT but a 2 weeks hike, why not. Finally, it was funny but not crazy funny, there is also sad, moving and serious stuff in it.
wordybird's review
3.0
Pretty good read. I enjoyed the author's narrative. Made me want to learn more about a lot of the subjects he covered. Not too happy with the sort of abrupt ending, though. Kind of disappointed. I would read more of his books.