A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian TrailA Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
Score Modern
What it's about
Bill Bryson, back in America after twenty years in England, decides to hike the Appalachian Trail, more than two thousand miles from Georgia to Maine. He's joined by Stephen Katz, an old friend who is badly out of shape and fresh out of recovery. Along the way Bryson shares the history and ecology of the trail and the eccentric people they meet.
Why it's worth reading
It hit #1 on the New York Times list and is one of the funniest travel books ever written. It's also a real love letter to the American woods.
You'll love it if you liked
A Short History of Nearly Everything
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster
The Snow LeopardGood to know
They don't hike the whole trail. The 2015 film stars Robert Redford and Nick Nolte.
By the numbers
- Readers58 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics59 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller71 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #235 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #470 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Adventurous
More by Bill Bryson
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Quick answers
Is A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail worth reading?
Yes. It hit #1 on the New York Times list and is one of the funniest travel books ever written. It ranks #470 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 78.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail about?
Bill Bryson, back in America after twenty years in England, decides to hike the Appalachian Trail, more than two thousand miles from Georgia to Maine. He's joined by Stephen Katz, an old friend who is badly out of shape and fresh out of recovery. Along the way Bryson shares the history and ecology of the trail and the eccentric people they meet.
How long does it take to read A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail?
About 8 hours (304 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail?
If you liked it, try A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson, Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer or The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen.