“His writing style is very good,” wrote Deborah. “But he seems a little sketchy. I would go out of my way to avoid hiking with a fool like him.” This was a a recent Amazon review for my trail narrative, Skywalker–Highs and Lows on the Pacific Crest Trail. First, let me say that I appreciate Deborah buying the book, as well as writing the review. And I certainly am happy that she described the writing style...

Are book reviews important? You’re darn right they are–in their entirety. Yes, individual reviews can be overrated, to be sure. For example, I recently received a review that said my Appalachian Trail narrative, Skywalker–Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail was, “Better than Bryson”. Of course, the reviewer was referring to the international bestseller, A Walk in the Woods, by renowned travel writer, Bill...

  “To be or not to be. That is the question.” Of course, those words are famous to all of us with just a morsel of knowledge of the Bard. And it’s all in the realm of fantasy, except for a few select people around the globe. Especially us Americans, for whom suspicion of royalty runs through and through our very DNA. But several years ago, I faced a question of direct relevance. Upon reading Bill Bryson’s...

“Why go northbound?” many potential thru-hikers ask me. Good question. Approximately 15% of Appalachian Trail thru-hikers  do choose to go southbound. But the rest walk from Springer Mountain in north Georgia to Mount Katahdin in northern Maine. Why? Some say it is because the first thru-hiker, Earl Shaffer, established the tradition of the northbound thru-hike in 1951. But surely there are more profound reasons that that....

  “Better than Bryson” was the Title of a Review I got for Skywalker–Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail. My first reaction was I’m glad it was somebody that said that! But secondly, I am glad he did say it, just because of the relevant discussion it brings about. What this reader-reviewer was referring to, of course, was the iconic Appalachian Trail book, A Walk in the Woods, by renowned travel writer, Bill...