Bryson Stumbles On The Appalachian Trail

There's a big difference between a bestselling travel book and a great travel book. No work illustrates this better than Bill Bryson's A Walk In The Woods. The book was immensely popular for two reasons: fans of his folksy humor and his other works were salivating for the next offering, plus the Appalachian Trail is a must-read subject for many people who feel they should learn about this part of the American landscape if not someday hike it themselves.

So, Bryson's project was set up for huge...