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A Walk in the Woods

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A Walk in the Woods

by: Bill Bryson, William Roberts

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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 9780754054535
Edition: Unabridged
Format: Audiobook, Unabridged
ISBN: 0754054535
Label: Chivers Audio Books
Languages: EnglishUnknownEnglishOriginal LanguageEnglishPublished
Manufacturer: Chivers Audio Books
Number Of Items: 8
Publication Date: November 01, 2001
Publisher: Chivers Audio Books
Studio: Chivers Audio Books

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Product Description:
The longest continuous footpath in the world, the Appalachian Trail, stretches along the East Coast of the United States through some of the most arresting landscapes in America. In the company of a friend, Bill Bryson sets off to hike 2,200 miles of remote mountain wilderness filled with bears, rattle-snakes and poisonous plants. Facing savage weather and unreliable maps, Bryson gamely struggles through the wilderness to achieve a lifetime's ambition -- not to die outdoors.

Amazon.com Review:
Your initial reaction to Bill Bryson's reading of A Walk in the Woods may well be "Egads! What a bore!" But by sentence three or four, his clearly articulated, slightly adenoidal, British/American-accented speech pattern begins to grow on you and becomes quite engaging. You immediately get a hint of the humor that lies ahead, such as one of the innumerable reasons he longed to walk as many of the 2,100 miles of the Appalachian Trail as he could. "It would get me fit after years of waddlesome sloth" is delivered with glorious deadpan flair. By the time our storyteller recounts his trip to the Dartmouth Co-op, suffering serious sticker shock over equipment prices, you'll be hooked.

When Bryson speaks for the many Americans he encounters along the way--in various shops, restaurants, airports, and along the trail--he launches into his American accent, which is whiny and full of hard r's. And his southern intonations are a hoot. He's even got a special voice used exclusively when speaking for his somewhat surprising trail partner, Katz. In the 25 years since their school days together, Katz has put on quite a bit of weight. In fact, "he brought to mind Orson Welles after a very bad night. He was limping a little and breathing harder than one ought to after a walk of 20 yards." Katz often speaks in monosyllables, and Bryson brings his limited vocabulary humorously to life. One of Katz's more memorable utterings is "flung," as in flung most of his provisions over the cliff because they were too heavy to carry any farther.

The author has thoroughly researched the history and the making of the Appalachian Trail. Bryson describes the destruction of many parts of the forest and warns of the continuing perils (both natural and man-made) the Trail faces. He speaks of the natural beauty and splendor as he and Katz pass through, and he recalls clearly the serious dangers the two face during their time together on the trail. So, A Walk in the Woods is not simply an out-of-shape, middle-aged man's desire to prove that he can still accomplish a major physical task; it's also a plea for the conservation of America's last wilderness. Bryson's telling is a knee-slapping, laugh-out-loud funny trek through the woods, with a touch of science and history thrown in for good measure. (Running time: 360 minutes, four cassettes) --Colleen Preston

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