It feels like a crime to re-read a book, at least for me. My reading list is as long as my arm (actually, about five times longer than my arm). I’ve got stacks of books that I want to read and haven’t cracked the spine of yet. So, when I think of taking time from all those neglected books to re-read a book I’ve already read, I feel bad. It’s like I’m neglecting all those other great texts. However, it couldn’t be helped in this case. I had to re-read A Walk in the Woods.

I read this book the first time a few years ago and just loved it. Bill Bryson is an incredible author and very funny. I highly recommend all of his books, they are extremely enjoyable. Walk in the Woods is exceptional though even for Bryson.

The subject of the book is the Appalachian Trail.

First, for those that don’t kow about this trail, it is a 2,175 mile hiking trail that extends from Georgia to Maine. Every year people attempt to hike it’s length, called “thru hikers”, only a small percentage of those that start make it all the way to Maine.

Walk in the Woods is Bryson’s attempt to hike the trail. His is joined by a very non-hiker friend of his, Katz, and you are treated with laugh-out-loud humor as you trek through the woods with these two.

I would like to hike the AT at some point. It takes about five months to hike completely, starting in early spring in Georgia and ending in fall in Maine. Until then, I’ll just have to join Bryson and Katz on the trail every few years.