Bill Bryson
Travel literature is surely a vast and varied genre, its writers should all take cues from Bill Bryson's book about his experiences as an amateur hiker on America's most celebrated modern trail. Bryson mixes fact and blatant fiction in a humorous and entirely accessible way, making readers want to hike out on the trail themselves while portraying the downsides of endless days in the American wilderness, often spent far, far away from people. Despite its humorous edge, Bryson manages to cram in a lot of general knowledge about the history and current state of the Appalachian Trail and the American wilderness in general, and the book becomes both the story of a nation and the story of two normal middle-aged American men hiking the Appalachian Trail. About the latter, Bryson minces no words, surely embellishing some parts of his journey but creating a fascinating work of nonfiction nonetheless. Despite his obvious stabs at humor and somewhat forced solemnity at parts, A Walk in the Woods is a delightful romp through the backcountry.
Bryson's most hilarious section comes early in his journey along the trail, in the character of Mary Ellen. She is like several people I have known, which made me laugh all the harder as she turns down her nose at Bryson's equipment while clearly possessing no moral high ground of his own. Similarly uproarious are Bryson's perhaps unkind depictions of Stephen Katz, his hiking buddy whose motives are questionable throughout, and a man nicknamed Chicken John who perpetually gets lost on the well-marked trail. It is hard not to believe the outlandish characters despite their humorous misadventures, and if Bryson is embellishing it only adds to the overall character and good-time feel of the book. It is nice to return to the plodding, foolish Katz after a lengthy meditation on the beauty of solitude or the ineptitude of the National Park Service. In these respects, Bryson is always interesting but occasionally loses his stride with an abrupt switch between utter seriousness and sarcastic joking. The book sets its tone early as Bryson juggles real information about bear attacks in the woods (his greatest initial safety concern) alongside nonchalant justifications and sober observations. It becomes a bit much in parts and the immense contrast between narrative sections and factual sections creates occasional hang-ups and prevents the book from maintaining an even flow or steady hand.
Indeed, Bryson's observations, while intriguing, often distract from the matter at hand and become too didactic at times. While the information is always related to the narrative and illuminates the journey along the trail, there are spots where the science and history overwhelm and distract from, rather than enhance, the central story. Bryson also fails marvelously at objectivity, which adds to the humorous feel and light tone of the book but which undermines his credibility when he does play with a straight face. It is hard to take him entirely seriously when his (surely well-founded) rants against the National Park Service are followed by a humorous misadventure or tale of a far-too-stereotypical backwoods Georgia town. This is the main problem with the otherwise delightful book: A Walk in the Woods never fully integrates its two narratives. It is laugh-out-loud hilarious and Bryson is desperately earnest in his calls to save the forests, but the two sides of the book never form a coherent vision. Anyone interested in the Appalachian Trail or in experiencing a light, funny travelogue should definitely read this book. It deserves to be a classic in its genre despite its occasional tone confusion and will make readers want to pick up a pack and experience the Appalachian Trail themselves.
Grade: B+
Bryson's most hilarious section comes early in his journey along the trail, in the character of Mary Ellen. She is like several people I have known, which made me laugh all the harder as she turns down her nose at Bryson's equipment while clearly possessing no moral high ground of his own. Similarly uproarious are Bryson's perhaps unkind depictions of Stephen Katz, his hiking buddy whose motives are questionable throughout, and a man nicknamed Chicken John who perpetually gets lost on the well-marked trail. It is hard not to believe the outlandish characters despite their humorous misadventures, and if Bryson is embellishing it only adds to the overall character and good-time feel of the book. It is nice to return to the plodding, foolish Katz after a lengthy meditation on the beauty of solitude or the ineptitude of the National Park Service. In these respects, Bryson is always interesting but occasionally loses his stride with an abrupt switch between utter seriousness and sarcastic joking. The book sets its tone early as Bryson juggles real information about bear attacks in the woods (his greatest initial safety concern) alongside nonchalant justifications and sober observations. It becomes a bit much in parts and the immense contrast between narrative sections and factual sections creates occasional hang-ups and prevents the book from maintaining an even flow or steady hand.
Indeed, Bryson's observations, while intriguing, often distract from the matter at hand and become too didactic at times. While the information is always related to the narrative and illuminates the journey along the trail, there are spots where the science and history overwhelm and distract from, rather than enhance, the central story. Bryson also fails marvelously at objectivity, which adds to the humorous feel and light tone of the book but which undermines his credibility when he does play with a straight face. It is hard to take him entirely seriously when his (surely well-founded) rants against the National Park Service are followed by a humorous misadventure or tale of a far-too-stereotypical backwoods Georgia town. This is the main problem with the otherwise delightful book: A Walk in the Woods never fully integrates its two narratives. It is laugh-out-loud hilarious and Bryson is desperately earnest in his calls to save the forests, but the two sides of the book never form a coherent vision. Anyone interested in the Appalachian Trail or in experiencing a light, funny travelogue should definitely read this book. It deserves to be a classic in its genre despite its occasional tone confusion and will make readers want to pick up a pack and experience the Appalachian Trail themselves.
Grade: B+
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