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  • A Walk in the Woods

  • By: Bill Bryson
  • Narrated by: Bill Bryson
  • Length: 5 hrs and 58 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (201 ratings)

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A Walk in the Woods

By: Bill Bryson
Narrated by: Bill Bryson
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Publisher's Summary

The Appalachian Trail covers 14 states, and over 2,000 miles. It stretches along the East Coast of the United States, from Maine in the north to Georgia in the south. It is famous for being the longest continuous footpath in the world. (Compare this with the Pennine Way, which is a mere 250 miles long.) It snakes through some of the wildest and most spectacular landscapes in America, as well as through some of its most poverty-stricken and primitive backwoods areas - 'redneck' country - Moonshine, Lil’ Abner, 'There’s bears in them thar hills.' Remember the film Deliverance?

God only knows what possessed Bill Bryson, a reluctant adventurer if ever there was one, to undertake this gruelling hike. Perhaps it was just a long-held ambition to lose weight: he has lost two stone so far. As he recently wrote from the trail to his publisher: ‘Speaking of vigorous exercise, boy have I just had some. Maine was a bitch. I want you to come back and walk it with me so that when you die if you go to hell you will be able to say: “Call this hell? Try walking across Maine in August.'"

Reared in the tradition of Mark Twain, James Thurber, and S.J. Perelman, Bryson used his many years in Britain to soak up a peculiarly English sense of irony and humour and to hone a laugh-out-loud style that is uniquely, hilariously, his own.

©2004 Bill Bryson (P)2004 Random House Audiobooks

What listeners say about A Walk in the Woods

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    4 out of 5 stars

I love Bryson narrated Bryson books.

I love Bill Bryson's books read by the author. Unfortunately only the abridged version was available narrated by the author. It's obviously much shorter than the original title but very much worth a look.

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Awesome

Love it. Huge fan of Bill Bryson anyway but this was easily his best work

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Witty, entertaining.

A great trail story. Witty and entertaining, well written and well read. A nice change from many other ‘successful’ trail stories. Thoroughly recommend.

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Adored it!

My Only criticism was an editing of some of my favourite excerpts namely the lively mice!

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Funny, informative and deeply moving

Loved it - especially the reading by Bill Bryson. Learned a lot, laughed and almost wished I could hike the AT too. Almost.

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Funny & Entertaining

Another Bryson cracker .
Very enjoyable . To anyone interested in Tramping /Walking , its very good read .
For everyone else , equally so

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I recommend this book

Always an enjoyable read the way Bill writes with a sense of humour and backed by thorough research. Upliftingly entertaining & educational at the same time. Not in the league of A Short History of Everthing but still recommendable.

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Wish it was unabridged

Really enjoyed it, however wish he narrated the full book. (partly my fault for not checking properly before purchase) Still enjoyable but definitely left me hanging.

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A must read!

I loved this book. Humorous, warm, educational and very relatable. Bill Bryson is a wonderful narrator.

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    3 out of 5 stars

Love Bill. Love USA wilderness. Didn’t love this book.

I love Bill Bryson. I love his witty & astute observations of people in particular. Unfortunately there weren’t many people inhabiting this narrative. This narrative was sometimes interesting but more often a test of endurance. Bill found the going tough and so did I! It was laced with facts, which sometimes enhanced the journey.
I love Bill so it pains me to say that I felt his narration may have contributed to the monotony of the storytelling.
For me, this was a disappointment.

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  • Genevieve
  • 09-02-2011

Thoroughly enjoyable

The first third of this story had me laughing so hard I cried. I enjoyed the last third very much too. It lost my attention somewhat in the middle though when the story, and Bryson literally, got off track. Even so I would thoroughly recommend it. Bryson's voice, reading his own story, is such a pleasure to listen to.

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  • By What the...?
  • 01-02-2011

Great Fun

As Bill Bryson is a favourite author I looked forward to hearing him read his own works. What a delight it is to listen to his gentle voice as he and Katz plod through primeval woods in their effort to be less like cupcakes. I listen to audio books whilst walking for exercise and could walk for hours being entertained by Bryson's wonderful sense of humour and irony. Highly recommended.

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  • MarqD
  • 10-05-2017

inspiring

I love Bryson's work and this is no exception. I listened to it while walking and now yearn to go hiking.

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  • John Lynn
  • 26-02-2015

Feels like a friend telling you a story

Really good when the author narrates his own story wit pace and charm makes it an experience to remember great

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  • Nick Friedhof
  • 27-05-2022

You find yourself in a conversation with the authr

The fact that Bill Bryson reads the book himself. The subtle chuckles when cracking jokes. A muted overflow of grief when going over emotional sections just makes the experience of listening to this book so much more intimate!!!

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  • Gary
  • 01-11-2021

just incredible

one of the greatest books I've ever read, Bill Byron's narration is always incredible

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  • Mhead
  • 02-02-2021

Masterful story telling as usual.

Very funny amd intetesting at the same time. Inspired me to tale up tramping. Not the AT though
but the TA in NZ

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  • John Bates
  • 14-07-2010

Author Narration

I disagree with the previous reviewer who didn't approve of Bill Bryson's narration. I find that I prefer it when Bill narrates his books, especially A Walk in the Woods as he is more able than any to get across the real feelings he experienced on his adventure. For a travel book like this one that has to count for something.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Ian
  • 07-10-2011

Very funny & more interesting than it should be

It strikes me that a true account of every footstep on the Appalachian trail would be extremely tedious. It's a good job, then, that Bryson's includes his signature dry humour, a great deal of the usual fascinating and bizarre historical anecdotes and comic relief in the shape of Katz, his walking companion.
I chose this over the unabridged version as I much prefer Bryson's own narration to William Roberts excitable and overstated delivery. Besides, it's not much different in length!

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  • Mark H
  • 16-09-2013

Entertaining

Bill Bryson, has the great knack of writing in a manner that makes you feel as if he is telling the story just for you. His narrative flows smoothly from page to page and he is as comfortable laughing at his own foibles, as he is at pointing out those of others. If you have read Bryson before then you will enjoy this book. If you have never read Bryson then try this book, because it is good, but not his best, so if you enjoy it then you will enjoy exploring his other works. I also like the way that he narrates his own work. The title of this review sums up my feedback, so if you are looking for an entertaining read that is not too " heavy" then this could be for you.

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 02-04-2020

Sensational

Laugh out loud, gripping and enjoyable. Highly recommend, even if you have no interest in hiking.

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  • Liam Nicholson
  • 20-10-2018

Classic Bryson

Classic Bryson, I only wish it wasn’t abridged. It’s great to hear him read it himself

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  • Mark
  • 04-09-2013

Stop the DIY? No Way!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Having listed to the sample of both the unabridged version read by an actor and the abridged version read by Bill Bryson, Bryson wins hands down.
Only Bryson can really deliver the pithy, dry humour in his book, rather than the overeager delivery of an actor. As good a job as the actor does, it misses the point and reduces the enjoyment.
A Walk in the Woods is all about the dry humour, it has me laughing out loud, especially Katz the anti-anti-hero in this tale. Bryson's has a wicked eye for the ironic details of life's encounters and tribulations.
I definitely recommend the Bill Bryson narration if you enjoy a dead pan dry delivery, that's kinda the whole point of dry humour, it needs a dry delivery!

Which character – as performed by Bill Bryson – was your favourite?

Katz

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

If you go into the woods today, your in for a big surprise!

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    2 out of 5 stars
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  • Kindle Customer
  • 03-04-2010

Stop the DIY

For some reason publishers of Audiobooks seem to think that a book is best narrated by it's author. On a rare occasion the author manages to make it work. But mostly authors are not actors, have not been trained in acting or have a great talent for narration. I love Bill Bryson's books but do not rate his narration skills highly. Somebody should make it clear to these publishers that while such a decision may look good on paper they could do a lot better and make the audiobook worth paying for.

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  • Mrs Penny L Harvey
  • 26-08-2020

A dry and very funny odyssey

Loved this book. Interestingly I read it after seeing the film twice, and really enjoyed the prose, the characters, and the understated account of personal growth and friendship that Bryson shares in this story. I also found myself sparing more than a few sympathetic thoughts for his long suffering and supportive wife, who must have thought he was nuts. As an American married to a Brit and living in the UK, it put me back in touch with the wonder and beauty of the natural heritage of the 'new world', and saddened me with the realisation of how fragile it can be. The stories of tree species dying out, especially the threat to the dogwood, distressed me greatly. Having lived for years in Roanoke VA, the dogwood is like a family friend. As for the AT, the book counterbalanced my vague romantic notion with a much stronger appreciation of its quirky history and the rugged but majestic reality of the challenge of doing it. 870+ miles is a huge achievement - yes, Bryson, you and Katz can proudly say you have hiked the Appalachian Trail. Thanks for taking me with you.

A final word about the narration - it is very special to be listening to Bill Bryson tell the story personally, and he does a brilliant job. I highly recommend the book, and this narration.

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  • Mr. Matthew Knibb
  • 08-06-2020

As enjoyable as I had hoped!

Just great. A tale of real people, rather than super powered beasts, doing something great.

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  • A Richardson
  • 01-06-2020

Best of Bryson

An incredible story incredibly well told and incredibly well read. highly recommended. thoroughly enjoyed it.

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