A Walk in the Woods Themes

Move over Dora—there's a new explorer in town. Discontent with his boring home life, mild-mannered Bill Bryson abruptly decides to hike the entirety of the Appalachian Trail, a walking path that...

Understatement of the year: the Appalachian Trail is pretty cool. Stretching over 2,100 miles along the east coast of the United States, this is one of the greatest hiking trails in the world, much...

Having decided to hike the entire 2,100 mile-long Appalachian Trail, Bill Bryson and Stephen Katz are going to get up close and personal with Mother Nature whether they like it or not. Over the cou...

Although we personally tend to think of new technology as the greatest thing since sliced bread, not everyone shares our rabid desire to have the latest shiny toys. Take Bill Bryson, author of A Wa...

Remember kids: there's nothing to fear except fear itself. Besides grizzly bears. And mountain lions. Oh yeah, and serial killers too. And hypothermia.After deciding to hike all 2,100 miles of the...

Whoever thought up the phrase "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again" definitely never stepped foot on the Appalachian Trail. Out here, perseverance can hurt you just as much as it helps yo...

A Walk in the Woods has a unique relationship to the concept of isolation. On one hand, Bill Bryson decides to hike the Appalachian Trail in the first place because of its isolation—it gives him...

Aww—friendship is our favorite theme of all time. Unfortunately, the friendship depicted in A Walk in the Woods isn't quite aww-worthy: Bill Bryson and Stephen Katz land somewhere between The Odd...