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Walkin' on the Happy Side of Misery: A Slice of Life on the Appalachian Trail
This memoir of a retired Marine corps officer’s hike on the Appalachian trial is a humorous, inspirational travel narrative of the journey of a lifetime. “In early spring each year, an exodus takes place in this country. A cross-section of humankind makes its way singly, or by two’s and three’s, to an isolated mountaintop in northeast Georgia. These sojourners—weird looking creatures burdened with huge loads and wearing strange garments—are linked by their appearance and behavior. They share a common to hike the Appalachian Trail from Georgia’s Springer Mountain to Mount Katahdin in a single season. These creatures call themselves ‘thru-hikers.’” So begins J.R. “Model-T” Tate’s tale of his own thru-hike of the AT. As he recollects grueling climbs, knee-wrecking descents, mountaintop thunderstorms, snakes underfoot, and the myriad characters he encounters, Tate also conveys the beauty of the trail and the community that surrounds it in this inspiring travelogue.
607 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2001
6 people are currently reading
203 people want to read
About the author
J.R. Tate
2 books3 followersJ.R. "Model-T" Tate
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 19, 2011
A detailed account of a hiker's Appalachian Trail thru-hike. I liked the detail he gives following his progress closely, but am not a big fan of the two personalities he uses to narrate the story. Not my favorite AT book, but I still liked it and would put it in the upper half of all of the thru-hike books I have read.
May 25, 2022
Not a big fan of reading endless conversations between his divergent "personalities". Yearned to learn more about the other people he was with, but information about that was minimal. Also a little dismayed that he fed some animals, burned some garbage, and a few other pecadillos. Still, I couldn't help but to like the guy. I wish I enjoyed the book more.
October 10, 2014
This is a strong four stars.
I've read several thru-hike narratives, and this is top tier. He tells the story of his 1990 hike, taken at the age of 53.
His writing style takes a bit of getting used to; he writes from the standpoint of his own alter ego, "Model T," and often includes dialog between aspects of himself, to the point of real conversations taking place between his "real" self and his "alter" self.
It's a literary device that works sometimes, and struggles sometimes, and the struggling parts are why I didn't go straight to five stars. It can be distracting and pull you away from the story when it struggles -- but when it works, you really get a feel for the conflicts that would otherwise be invisible, since so much of the story takes place in solitude.
So, what are you in for, with this book?
A mix of everything you want in a thru-hike memoir, to me. Sadness, elation, wonder, inspiration, accomplishment, pride, humility ... mosquitoes, nasty water, blisters, gastrointestinal distress, friendship, self doubt, and general trail "lore" all play a part.
It's a hell of a ride, two thousand plus miles of one foot in front of the other. I had trouble putting it down.
If you're at all interested in reading a trail memoir, just go ahead and read it. In the context of books I've read about trail experiences, it's definitely a five.
I've read several thru-hike narratives, and this is top tier. He tells the story of his 1990 hike, taken at the age of 53.
His writing style takes a bit of getting used to; he writes from the standpoint of his own alter ego, "Model T," and often includes dialog between aspects of himself, to the point of real conversations taking place between his "real" self and his "alter" self.
It's a literary device that works sometimes, and struggles sometimes, and the struggling parts are why I didn't go straight to five stars. It can be distracting and pull you away from the story when it struggles -- but when it works, you really get a feel for the conflicts that would otherwise be invisible, since so much of the story takes place in solitude.
So, what are you in for, with this book?
A mix of everything you want in a thru-hike memoir, to me. Sadness, elation, wonder, inspiration, accomplishment, pride, humility ... mosquitoes, nasty water, blisters, gastrointestinal distress, friendship, self doubt, and general trail "lore" all play a part.
It's a hell of a ride, two thousand plus miles of one foot in front of the other. I had trouble putting it down.
If you're at all interested in reading a trail memoir, just go ahead and read it. In the context of books I've read about trail experiences, it's definitely a five.
July 6, 2015
This book is so fantastic! I loved reading it and found myself getting sad that I was nearing the end! This is such a unique memoir. JR or "Model-T" had me laughing with his little made up ditties and unapologetic opinions. His sarcastic tone coupled with his ability to eloquently describe even the most mundane of things make this book so enjoyable. When his tone would (rarely) turn serious, his words would grip my heart and even make me shed a tear or two. His fellow thru-hikers are such fun characters - I became invested in their success as well as JR's. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves the AT. He really pays the Trial the respect it deserves.
June 22, 2015
Fun, informative, and interesting!
I really enjoyed reading this book. Some of the things that happened had me laughing out loud. The alter ego I could take it or leave it. It was a great read and I just didn't want it to end.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Some of the things that happened had me laughing out loud. The alter ego I could take it or leave it. It was a great read and I just didn't want it to end.
May 18, 2022
I've read several books related to hiking the AT, and this one did have some very good parts. However, his ongoing "discussion" with his "alter ego" was distracting. He is schizophrenic throughout, and this distracts from what could have been an excellent book.
June 9, 2012
This book was inspiring and really thought provoking! A good one for anyone who is trying to come to terms with life!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews