My family and I do a lot of hiking in Maine, and this summer we finally made our way up to Baxter State Park and Mount Katahdin. In honor of that, I’ve read quite a few books lately about the Appalachian Trail, and Bryson’s account is one of my favorites. This book manages to combine a humorous narrative of the author’s own journey along part of the trail, with a nice touch of natural science, and some very interesting history of the AT. The comedy comes from the author’s inexperience as well as from a cast of off-beat characters he meets along the way. At the same time, the book subtly makes a strong case for the importance of wilderness experiences in all of our lives, and encourages us to continue exploring nature.