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129th out of 219 books
—
377 voters
Becoming Odyssa: Epic Adventures on the Appalachian Trail
After graduating from college, Jennifer isn't sure what she wants to do with her life. She is drawn to the Appalachian Trail, a 2175-mile footpath that stretches from Georgia to Maine. Though her friends and family think she's crazy, she sets out alone to hike the trail, hoping it will give her time to think about what she wants to do next.
The next four months are the most
...moreHardcover, 304 pages
Published
November 15th 2010
by Beaufort Books
(first published November 2010)
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May 21, 2013
Tom
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
All lovers of the outdoors, especially hikers.
Recommended to Tom by:
No one
The author is the National Geographic Hiker of the Year Award for 2012, the current speed record holder for thru-hiking Appalachain Trail (2011), and a compelling writer. I could not put the book down, and read it in one day.
How is it that this book isn't more widely read?
How can it be that this book is absent on bookshelves in stores, while "Wild", Cheryl Strayed's account of a partial 1100 mile hike from 1995 on the Pacific Crest Trail is now known by practically everyone in America?
It's got...more
How is it that this book isn't more widely read?
How can it be that this book is absent on bookshelves in stores, while "Wild", Cheryl Strayed's account of a partial 1100 mile hike from 1995 on the Pacific Crest Trail is now known by practically everyone in America?
It's got...more
I've read a few hiking memoirs now and this I found to be a weaker of the few. It was a good story of a solo woman thru hiker but I found the many long digressions about Christian faith and her relationship with God a bit annoying and threw me off the story at times. I also found her frustrating due to what I perceived as a lack of preparation. She had supposedly felt a calling to hike the trail but it does not seem that she really did a lot of research before hand and subsequently made many mis...more
I enjoyed "Wild" so much that I went searching for similar books. This is one woman's story of her first time on the Appalachian Trail. I so admire the drive and physical ability to take something like this or the Pacific Coast Trail on. I was exhausted reading of all the miles covered, especially the side trips into town over miles then trekking back to pick up the trail. It was fascinating to learn of the shelters set up for thru-hikers and sometimes the politics and annoyances when weekend hi...more
I just started this book and was in tears in 5 minutes. Mostly because the topic is so close to my heart - a woman's journey on the Appalachian Trail. I just finished my 2nd hike on the AT in early September and already feel the pull to return. I love the way Jen describes her initial excitement and fears. She's clear about her mistakes and learning curves. So far, her descriptions are spot on. It's a difficult read for me because I miss the trail so much; it is such a part of my being and histo...more
When I was a kid, Jen and I would roam around her neighborhood, playing tennis, basketball, ping pong, swimming in the pool and in general just adventuring in the great outdoors. We would go to her brothers' high school and race around the track and explore the school grounds. In fact, I have very few memories with Jen (besides sitting in the classroom) where we weren't outdoors or doing something active.
I always looked up to Jen, we were the same age but she always seemed so confident; she was...more
I always looked up to Jen, we were the same age but she always seemed so confident; she was...more
Jennifer Pharr Davis is like a superhero but better. We are alike in some ways. We are only a year apart in age. We both spent part of 2005 in different areas of Maine. But Jennifer is the superhero. I couldn't imagine walking alone on the Appalachian Trail as a young female. I once tried to walk a couple miles around a lake after having eaten only a couple donuts the entire day and didn't get very far. As if I didn't think that was pathetic enough, imagine my shame when Jennifer hikes over 2,00...more
For those considering hiking the Appalachian Trail, this is a good start. It is no substitute for doing one's own research (as the author herself would concur), but it is a good musing on what the AT can do for a young person trying to "find him/herself." The writing is solid but unexceptional, and more of a travel journal than an attempt at broader insight. I read this after reading William Least Heat Moon's Blue Highways, though, so there is no comparison of the two writers' skills. Least Heat...more
Typically, a human being spends the first 18 or 20 years of their life under the direct supervision of parents, teachers, guardians, etc. For a certain percentage of us, the transition into adulthood is celebrated by our first unsupervised journey. For one young woman, Jennifer Pharr Davis, that journey was a "thru-hike" along the entire 2175 mile Appalachian Trail.
Not only had she never camped outside alone, Jennifer had never even spent a night alone in her own home, had never eaten a meal in...more
Not only had she never camped outside alone, Jennifer had never even spent a night alone in her own home, had never eaten a meal in...more
While I didn't like everything about this book, it captured me. I was reading it every chance I could get and forfeiting sleep to get a bit further. It follows Jenn Pharr Davis' (AT speed record holder) first trek on the Appalachian Trail when she was 21.
As she writes the book it becomes more reflective and deep, which I like. This is probably a product of it being her first book. I overall was curious about her trip, and the things I didn't like are more of her personal choices on the trail. Sh...more
As she writes the book it becomes more reflective and deep, which I like. This is probably a product of it being her first book. I overall was curious about her trip, and the things I didn't like are more of her personal choices on the trail. Sh...more
I've read numerous hiking memoirs and this is one of the weaker ones. Jennifer has a good story -- hiking the Appalachian Trail solo when she was 21 -- but the writing was too florid and she had long digressions about her Christian faith and her relationship with God. I also found her naivete frustrating. She claimed she had been thinking about hiking the trail for years and had been preparing, so I had trouble believing that she didn't know she needed a water filter, or that she had to protect...more
Becoming Odyssa is the inspiring story of a solo female thru-hiker on the Appalachian Trail. It would be unfair to compare this book to the only other book I've read about the Trail (Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods") because it is not necessarily a story of the trail itself but of the woman who hikes it. That said, Pharr Davis comes into her own as a writer as Odyssa (her trail name) comes into her own as a hiker. After a slow start of "I woke up early and hiked all day" to more promising dis...more
Thank you Goodreads for your monthly contests, and for this book. I was interested "Becoming Odyssa" because my husband and I have hiked parts of the Appalachian Trail, most often in Tennessee. It was fun to have firsthand knowledge of some of the areas the author hiked, most notably Unicoi Gap and Clingman's Dome. I enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first half. I felt like the author became more real, or more vulnerable in her writing as the book progressed.
I always like books a...more
I always like books a...more
I found this book incredibly dull for the most part, and only managed to finish I out of shear stubbornness. The trouble wasn't so much the book itself, rather with how it sets the expectations so far off from what it actually ends up being.
For example, neither the description or first chapter Kindle sample gave me any hint at how much of the book would be focused on religion rather than the actual Appalachian Trail. In some places religion and spirituality were extremely relevant, but at many p...more
For example, neither the description or first chapter Kindle sample gave me any hint at how much of the book would be focused on religion rather than the actual Appalachian Trail. In some places religion and spirituality were extremely relevant, but at many p...more
I cannot believe that there are not more raw reviews of this book! In the spirit of the author, here is my review: I tried really hard to like this author and her story but at about halfway through I could not stand her at all. She spends most of her time complaining about the people that she encounters on the trail and victimizes every situation that doesn't suit her. She defines herself by her faith but acts with little compassion and respect and a "better than you" attitude. Part of the story...more
Becoming Odyssa is another great trail memoir that inspires me to get out and hike! Jennifer Pharr Davis does a good job of balancing the details of her daily life on the trail with the personal growth she experiences while hiking. Compared to the Barefoot Sisters books (which I also recommend), Becoming Odyssa feels grittier - it stays closer to the trail with less of a filter.
I'd suggest skipping the preface and forward until after reading the book so they can be enjoyed in better context - t...more
I'd suggest skipping the preface and forward until after reading the book so they can be enjoyed in better context - t...more
Becoming Odyssa is easily one of my favorite hiking memoirs, for the simple facts of it being highly readable, lacking in extremes, and for it being an all too rare reflection on a gendered-female experience of long-distance hiking. This is not a book about escape and recovery with a trail as a seemingly interchangeable backdrop, nor is it an unemotive journal of day-to-day experience, nor is it authored by an off-putting personality, all of which are common in the genre as a whole. Rather Becom...more
This was a "first read" opportunity and i admit i signed up to get it thinking of a friend whose dream is to walk the Appalachian Trail. i told her i would read it first to do a review for GoodReads (in thanks to the publisher for sending it to me free) and then send it on to her. i wasn't really looking forward to this book, thinking it would be dull and uninteresting to me, but i was wrong.
This book tells the true story of a just-graduated college student with no idea what she wants to do with...more
This book tells the true story of a just-graduated college student with no idea what she wants to do with...more
Finished the book in two days! Its a fairly easy read, but it does make you think about the 'why' of doing things, and how we rarely ever sit (or in this case walk), completely alone with our thoughts, truly thinking through most every part of ourselves. She started the journey not really knowing what she wanted to get out of it, but simply knowing that she HAD to do it. She brings you along on the journey, through the good & the bad, and such a long journey it was. This journey is what help...more
A balanced response: This is a, reasonably, well written book about the Appalachian Trail suitable for anyone with an interest in the AT. Ms. Davis' drive, stamina, endurance and tolerance of discomfort are commendable and worthy of praise. Reading through her journey from floundering recent college grad to woman who knows what she is made of with a solid idea of where she wants to go was very good to read and again, commendable on the author's part. Still, the word 'sanctimonious' came to mind...more
Recently, I'd read Cheryl Strayed's 'Wild', so when I read what this was about, I wanted to read it, too. Actually, like some of these other reviews, I liked this one more as well. The only thing I could wish for about it was more detail, but really, it is a positive story of a trying experience and who could ask for more than that?
As far as the Kindle version: I'm not sure this applies to the printed editions, but there were hundreds of typos, mostly things that were supposed to be capitalized...more
As far as the Kindle version: I'm not sure this applies to the printed editions, but there were hundreds of typos, mostly things that were supposed to be capitalized...more
Not my favourite memoir of the Trail, but a decent one. I can't quite pinpoint why it is that I didn't like it more. Davis, later in life, becomes the record-holder for fastest thru-hike of the AT and that's just one of her many long distance hike accomplishments. This is about her first hike, however, and she starts out as a total beginner. She had "improper" gear, refused to cook while on the trail as she didn't like having to clean up the pots after, and had never even spent one night camping...more
It is amazing to read about people who do ordinary things that become amazing...like walking, only she walked 2,175 miles mostly alone. I have been so caught up in trying to imagine what that would be like, or what would cause a person to set out to accomplish such a huge thing. After reading the book I realize it takes all kinds, because she encountered just about everything, but I loved her insights and her frankness about what this "walk" taught her about the important things of life as she f...more
I honestly really liked this book despite the things that were obviously wrong with it, aka Jennifer Davis is not a professional writer and she is not a good writer. That being said, the book stands out for its honest account of the difficulties of thru-hiking. I found it a helpful primer for the language of the trail and her experience hiking was really informative regarding things that work and things that didn't. I found it very interesting she didnt carry a stove to cut down on weight.
As a...more
As a...more
I have become an almost exclusively audiobook reader. I was intrigued by this book and put it on my wishlist mostly as a bookmark hoping it would become available in audio version. My husband, not knowing this, sweetly bought it for me for Christmas. Unwrapping it, I tried to hide my disappointment and knowledge that I would NEVER read a physical book anymore. One night trying to be a good wife, I cracked the cover and, that was it! I was gone! Transported back to the woods as I myself was back...more
Sep 21, 2011
P.J.
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
hiking fans, hikers, appalachain trail people
This book transcends just hiking on the Appalachian Trail.
It takes you through a journey of a young woman growing over her time on the trail. It shows different sides of her. Style. Belief. Growth. Fears. Hopes. The whole nine yards.
This isn't a normal play-by-play book about the Appalachian Trail.
The true different side to this is that this book is written by a woman who was hiking the trail alone. All of the other books I've read about the Appalachian Trail are written by men. So this book rea...more
It takes you through a journey of a young woman growing over her time on the trail. It shows different sides of her. Style. Belief. Growth. Fears. Hopes. The whole nine yards.
This isn't a normal play-by-play book about the Appalachian Trail.
The true different side to this is that this book is written by a woman who was hiking the trail alone. All of the other books I've read about the Appalachian Trail are written by men. So this book rea...more
Jan 08, 2013
Ashley Cobb
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
hiking-and-outdoors
This is right up there with "AWOL on the Appalachian Trail", "Three Hundred Zeros" and "Blind Courage". Another great read about the author's hike on the Appalachian Trail. If you have any interest of what a "thru-hike" looks like, pick this book up. It was well written and a quick read. The first part of the book was especially enjoyable as she describes sections of the trail I have hiked. This rest of the book has left me itching to get my pack on, and to head to the hills! I may never hike th...more
At age 21, and with almost no experience, Jennifer Pharr Davis through-hiked the Appalachian Trail. Since then (2005) she has set both the women's and the over-all speed-hiking record on the AT. This book is a memoir of her first hike. She's very honest about both the good and the bad and she's not melodramatic about it all. She gets the job done and experiences transformation in the process. Her faith is a big part of who she is but she never beats the reader over the head with it. My husband r...more
I really wanted to like this book but, unfortunately, that just didn't happen. I got about 100 pages in and decided to stop. I just found that I couldn't connect with the author or stay interested in her journey. I felt at times that she was a bit self-righteous (I'm not 100% sure if that's the word I'm looking for, but it seems better than saying a "goody two-shoes"), and I just don't gravitate toward those personalities.
A lot of the book (at least the parts I got through) also felt very, "the...more
A lot of the book (at least the parts I got through) also felt very, "the...more
A I LOVED THIS BOOK! I bought it when I was traveling in Peru and got stuck next to the most obnoxious boring American ("Oh this smart phone? It was only $700," said to a man who made less than that in a month.) and I used it to escape…but it was SO good. A young woman without any real background in hiking decides to hike the AT. (OF course if you know like I know - she currently has the overall speed record of the trail - but this is her first time!) It is a beautiful story of growing and becom...more
This was a nice match to the book Wild by Cheryl Strayed. A different feel but still about a long hike, in this book on the Appalachian Trail. Because the author has hiked that trail more than once over the years, this book felt like a combination of experienced reflection and notes from her journal of that first full hike.
I liked the chapter headings, that reflect emotion.
What was missing for me in this read was the inner struggle that is so evident in Wild. This book felt more like a coming of...more
I liked the chapter headings, that reflect emotion.
What was missing for me in this read was the inner struggle that is so evident in Wild. This book felt more like a coming of...more
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Jennifer Pharr Davis grew up in the North Carolina Mountains, where she developed a love for hiking at a young age. At age twenty-one, Jennifer hiked the entire Appalachian Trail as a solo female and fell in love with long-distance backpacking.
Since then, Jennifer has hiked more than 8,000 miles of trails in North America, including the Pacific Crest Trail, Vermont’s Long Trail, and the Colorado T...more
More about Jennifer Pharr Davis...
Since then, Jennifer has hiked more than 8,000 miles of trails in North America, including the Pacific Crest Trail, Vermont’s Long Trail, and the Colorado T...more
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“The scenic vistas of North Carolina and Tennessee make you feel like you're looking at a work of art, but crossing through the rural countryside of southwest Virginia and caressing the tall grass with your fingertips, you feel like you're part of the painting.”
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“In Massachusetts and Vermont, there had been plenty of mosquitoes, but in New Hampshire, they had reinforcements.”
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May 10, 2013 11:45pm