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Reviews > Books > General > A Walk in the Woods > Owner Review by David Wilkes
A WALK IN THE WOODS
TESTER INFORMATION
I started backpacking about 13 years ago when I moved to Washington State. Since then I have backpacked in all seasons and conditions. I have usually only managed time for 1-3 trips a year averaging 2-5 days, and as many day hikes as I can. I am currently getting into condition to summit some of the higher peaks in Washington, Oregon, California. I prefer trips on rugged trails with plenty of elevation gain. While I continuously strive to lighten my load, comfort and safety are most important to me. My current pack is around 30 lbs (14 kg), not including consumables. PRODUCT INFORMATION
Title: A Walk in the Woods Review
I normally avoid books like this as they
often focus more on subject matter than the quality of the writing. The
result is all too often a book with lots of good and sometimes even
useful information, which is so poorly written or organized that it is
difficult if not actually painful to read. I picked up "A Walk in the
Woods" for two reasons, first and foremost was that I was on a trip and
absolutely desperate for something to read on a long flight. Second was
that a review of the book said the author was an accomplished author
and very funny. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed the
book despite being disturbed, if not horror-struck, by some parts. I
read most of it on that trip and held off reading further so I could
take it with me to finish during an upcoming hiking trip (3 days hiking
and climbing Mt Shasta in California). "He had
partied for years, until there was no one left to party with, then he
had partied with himself, alone in the small apartments, in T-shirt and
boxer shorts, with a bottle and a Baggie of pot and a TV with rabbit
ears." "…the last time I had seen him was about five years earlier in a
Denny's restaurant where I was taking my mother for breakfast. He was
sitting in a booth with a haggard fellow who looked like his name would
be Virgil Starkweather, tucking into pancakes and taking occasional
illicit nips from a bottle in a paper bag, It was eight in the morning
and Katz looked very happy. He was always happy when he was drunk, and
he was always drunk."
SUMMARY I found the book a joy to read, so much so that I will be actively looking for other books by this author. In addition, I have started looking to see if there are any similar books about trails or places in my part of the country. I would highly recommend the book for light reading. This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1. Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.Read more reviews of Random House Inc. gear Read more gear reviews by David Wilkes Reviews > Books > General > A Walk in the Woods > Owner Review by David Wilkes |