RP Book 2: A Walk in the Woods

A Walk In The Woods is the second book I chose for my research project which focuses more on the human experience in nature in the modern world. Bill Bryson, the author of the book, and his old friend Stephen Katz embark upon a long journey together to conquer the Appalachian Trail beginning from the southern-most point of it in Georgia. This book shows Bryson’s and Katz’s struggle right from the beginning and all of the problems they face together and alone. The problems of equipment management, overburdening themselves with food and supplies, and worst of all, each other. In the end the trail proves itself to be too difficult for the two men, but this does not come with surprise since fewer than 25% of “thru-hike” attempts fail.
I personally found this book inspiring despite it’s unfortunate end. Bryson’s writing style was nothing particularly special to me, but it accurately portrayed human interaction with nature in modern times. A Walk In The Woods proved itself to be quite different from Walden mainly in it’s setting. Thoreau’s journey took place over 150 years before Bryson’s. Bryson’s modern-day journaling included his struggles with his companion, problems and concerns with wild animals, the epic struggle of being on the move, and his own personal doubts and thoughts. I am an avid hiker, and have done sections of the Appalachian Trail myself, and I can relate to all of Bryson’s thoughts. Most importantly, this book demonstrates to it’s readers what human interactions with nature are really like in the present day. I will use this book and Walden to compare what has changed between humans and the natural world around them in the last 150 years.