A Walk in the Woods

Admittedly, I haven't been on a hike since summer camp circa 1989.  So I don't really count myself as an avid hiker or nature enthusiast, although I do enjoy lazy days in a park or a short bike ride on a trail. A friend of mine is getting married in Wyoming in about two weeks and the upcoming trip has me thinking a lot about wilderness and wide-open spaces.  So I picked this book up because it came highly recommended as a great book about reconnecting with nature.  The author decides to hike the entire Appalachian Trail (some 2,000+ miles!).  The book isn't so much about hiking the trail as much as it is about awe-inspiring nature and our capability to both revere nature, yet foolishly destroy it. What I enjoyed most about the book was the plethora of historical facts woven into the story that gave you food for thought intertwined with lots of laugh out loud moments that gave the story momentum.  Only a great writer could master that skill.  I don't think I would have been able to read a completely dry fact-based documentary about the trail.  This book is a great introduction to nature writing because the story remains interesting until the very end. I highly recommend enjoying it while outside on a beautiful day.