This morning I finished A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. (I like to read in the bath tub . . .). It’s my third Bryson book (after In a Sunburnt Country and A Short History of Nearly Everything) and the first with which I was a tad disappointed. This is by far the shortest of the 3, and also the least in depth.

The book starts out strong with the history of the Appalachian Trail, and ventures into Bryson and his friend, Stephen Katz’s, attempt to hike the entire 2,100 miles of the trail. Unfortunately, after 500 miles, both the walking and the book lose steam. After six weeks on the Trail, they take off to meet later for the final 100 mile leg, and in the mean time, Bryson attempts a bunch of random day hikes, which lend themselves to only unfocused story telling. I generally really enjoy his wry sense of humor, his environmental bent, and the pieces of history he delves into, but while the first half of the book doesn’t disappoint, the second half feels rushed and uninspired. I’ll give it 3 stars out of 5.