A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson describes his late 1990's journey through parts of the Appalachian Trail with his somewhat trusty but less physically fit sidekick Katz. He doesn't sugar coat the experience as he deals with the elements, the insects, the people, and the psychological effects of consecutive days spent in the wilderness.

We follow his preparation for the trip and the concerns he has for his personal safety. He meets a colorful cast of characters on the trail, discusses the history of the trail, and critiques the current trail management. It was interesting to find out that each state and region manages their part of the trail differently.

Bill occasionally drops out of the trail to get provisions and clean up. The towns and places to stay are carefully described. As it turns out I spent some time close to the trail in Vermont within a few years of his journey.  I also found the mountains in Vermont to be very agreeable along with occasional trips to Bob Newhart's Vermont Inn and the Von Tramp family home.

A movie loosely based on the book starring Robert Redford, Nick Nolte, and Emma Thompson was released in 2015 to mixed reviews.

A walk in the woods - Retracing Bryson's steps - 18 min.

An AT hikder reviews the Movie a Walk in the Woods -7 min.