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Book 48: A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson. 274pp
All in all, a very enjoyable read. It was not wildly humourous, but enough so that it maintained a steady pace rather than becoming boring when he starts rambling about more educational topics: the Park Service, wildlife, survival, history, and other things. I found I learned a lot of new things about the parts of America through which he passed, and I did get quite a few laughs.
I particularly liked this bit:
"Gatlinburg is a shock to the system from whichever angle you survey it, but never more so than when you descend upon it from a spell of moist, grubby isolation in the woods. It sits just outside the main entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and specialises in providing all those things that the park does not—principally, slurpy food, motels, gift shops, and sidewalks on which to waddle and dawdle—nearly all of it strewn along a single, astoundingly ugly main street. For years it has prospered on the confident understanding that when Americans load up their cars and drive enormous distances to a setting of rare natural splendour what most of them want when they get there is to play a little miniature golf and eat dribbly food. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most popular national park in America, but Gatlinburg—this is so unbelievable—is more popular than the park."
There is NO way I'd be able to do the Appalachian Trail. That's heavy-duty. Dan could do it, but not I. Looking forward to reading more by Bryson.
All in all, a very enjoyable read. It was not wildly humourous, but enough so that it maintained a steady pace rather than becoming boring when he starts rambling about more educational topics: the Park Service, wildlife, survival, history, and other things. I found I learned a lot of new things about the parts of America through which he passed, and I did get quite a few laughs.
I particularly liked this bit:
"Gatlinburg is a shock to the system from whichever angle you survey it, but never more so than when you descend upon it from a spell of moist, grubby isolation in the woods. It sits just outside the main entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and specialises in providing all those things that the park does not—principally, slurpy food, motels, gift shops, and sidewalks on which to waddle and dawdle—nearly all of it strewn along a single, astoundingly ugly main street. For years it has prospered on the confident understanding that when Americans load up their cars and drive enormous distances to a setting of rare natural splendour what most of them want when they get there is to play a little miniature golf and eat dribbly food. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most popular national park in America, but Gatlinburg—this is so unbelievable—is more popular than the park."
There is NO way I'd be able to do the Appalachian Trail. That's heavy-duty. Dan could do it, but not I. Looking forward to reading more by Bryson.
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And that weird bit where he lost his (amusing but annoying) friend in the woods? I got really worried for a minute.
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Oh, I was all worried too. I was like, this would be horrible if something happened to the poor guy after all they've already been through...
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His book about England, Notes from a Small Island, was very enjoyable. Down Under (Australia) also good...
I'm a Stranger Here Myself (America) one of my all-time faves by him.
Still need to get my hands on Mother Tongue, which is all about the English Language. Can't wait to read it.
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