Books and Jams Readalong discussion

You've made it more than 1/2 way.

Are you reading the print book or listening or ebook?
What are your thoughts so far?
What stands out to you?
Does this make you motivated to go for walks? Or hikes?
Are you finding the pacing good or slow?
Any other thoughts?

I am reading the print book and I am starting to get quite annoyed at this point. I really enjoy when Bryson talks about the mental and physical challenges of the trail. But I find that the ratio between experiences from the trail and random history is getting more and more boring. The bits of science and history are getting further and further from being directly related to the trail. And the whole book is getting more and more a tone of condescendingly talking down to everyone around Bryson. Making fun of Katz, day hikers, organisations, ... everything. I wish Bryson would have stuck to the humble sarcasm and self irony that was kind of coming through in the very beginning.

P.S.: It does still make me want to start a thru-hike - or even just go hiking. I am quite sad that due to the current lockdown situation I cannot reach a trail that I havent already done a gazillion times or that does not at least include one or two amazing views. Add to this the rather short days right now, it does not look like I am hiking anytime soon :/

P.P.S.: For the lack of an end-thread: I finished the book last night and my thoughts have not changed sadly. The historic part and looking down on everythign and everyone around him was getting so overwhelming that this sadly is a 2/5 for me. I will put a thru-hike book on my december TBR from somebody else to hopefully remedy the loss that I feel (not getting the story I hoped for) a little.

I read the print book and I enjoyed it for the most part. I did get a little bored with all of the detail parts describing all of the research he did on the trail. Those parts were very slow for me. I gave it 3 stars.

I did love Katz. He was quite the character. I really cracked up when he met the lady in the laundromat and got ran out of town by her husband.

Another funny part, was in Chapter 14 when Bryson went to see the hillside and the guard there tried to use his authority to get Bryson to go. Then he calls another guard to come and arrest Bryson. When that man arrives he and Bryson have a friendly conversation and Bryson moves on down the road. (I couldn't help thinking of Barnie Fife from the Andy Griffin show. LOL!)

I would love to take some easy hikes but unfortunately my husband would call "hike" a four letter word. I should find a group to go with....maybe after Covid.??? We have some beautiful trails here in the PNW.

I must add that I read "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed, who hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. That was really good and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to read another trail book.

Debbi wrote: "I read the print book and I enjoyed it for the most part. I did get a little bored with all of the detail parts describing all of the research he did on the trail. Those parts were very slow for me..."
Oh there are definitely some beautiful trails in the PNW and I think it should be fairly easy to find a hiking group! You should definitely go for it!

I am reading a print book and loved the first half but around chapter 15 he started losing me with all the random facts of the area. It is a shame because the first half was a five star for me.