Oh yes I remember it was "Useless American in Brit"
Also "nevermind" was a cool uphanism
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Oh yes I remember it was "Useless American in Brit"
Also "nevermind" was a cool uphanism
I do enjoy how this topic reemerges every year.
--Kirby
According to Baltimore Jack's favorite t-shirt, it should probably be candy a$$!
Bryson's trail name: Snobbish.
Bryson did at least START the trail with a hiking companion. Wes Wisson, a stuttler who lives in Suches Ga. (and I believe mentioned by name in the book), recounted the story to me while shuttling me on my last hike. :)
Bill Bryson rules. What's wrong with some of you people? In 100 years, people will still be reading that book. The book is not meant for hikers. Why would Bryson write a book for hikers about his experience when a hiker has already experienced what he wrote about? He wrote that book for people that will never hike the AT in a million years.
If you think he's being a snob or mean because he makes fun of people on the AT, then read his other books. You'll soon see that he makes fun of EVERYONE, including himself.
The trail gained great popularity as a result of the book.
Sure wish another book would appear that gets more folks interested in backpacking.
I read his book while on a flight out to Idaho from New England a few years back. I laughed and snickered the whole time. Being a long time hiker/backpacker I found myself muttering, "That's not how you do it!" quite frequently. I will say that my sides hurt from giggling and trying not to laugh out loud thereby waking my seat partners. It made a normally long and boring flight comical (for me).
The book was an amusing time passer. ;)
Katz did say he had a trailname but you can't mention it in mixed company.
In Year 2000 I hiked in Georgia with a hiker named Bill Bryson -- not the author but someone else with the same given name. Nice guy.
Datto
I read the book and laughed quite a bit. Analyzing it seems like a waste of energy. It's not a guide book.
yeah, you guys are pretty hilarious. I only asked his trail name for my most recent post.
is the real trail like this, probably, right?!
Seems like the man made an honest effort at seeing and writing about what makes us tick. What drives us. Obviously it "wasn't what he expected" but he did try. That deserves some credit.
if you like Bill Bryson's book, you should read Beyond My Limits by Charles Anderson.
I read them both and think if you like A walk in the woods you will like this one.
Shack
^ +1
It's highly unlikely Bryson could have written A Walk In the Woods, with its superb, subtle feel for the experience of hiking long stretches of the A.T., without having had the experience. It's a fun read and a nice introduction for civilians to long distance hiking. I enjoyed it immensely, though of course I recognize that Bill's views and experiences will vary greatly with my own. Vive la difference. ...
I would say that I am no fan of Bill Bryson. Bryson and his style annoys me and I found Katz to be the more interesting of the two... however the book was funny and much more entertaining than many of the thru hiker books that I have read... AWOL's, Skywalker's, and 300 Zeros just seemed to all bleed together in into the same book.
I am fond of the book because it sparked my interest in the AT. I was, however, disappointed to discover that it was kind of bogus but nonetheless, I enjoyed it and now I'm looking forward to the journey.
he was on the trail, I met him when I was RidgeRunner in the Berkshires....and yes the actual Trail can be this cliquey. Have good hikes everyone, be safe