The Appalachian Trail: A Journey of Discovery

A journey of "self-discovery," Jan challenges his body and mind on the AT at an age where most of us would rather be couch potatoing! Although he would rather experience the AT alone, and who wouldn't, he shares and describes his experiences as he experienced them; his experiences(scenery, animals, people and his inner-self)are all influenced by his mood at the time of occurence! Think about it! I Highly Recommend this book, but his "Onward to Katahdin" book I only recommend if you like spiritual enlightment...

A very good description of the sights and scenery along the AT and the personal and emotional impacts of the psychological highs and lows of a long distance hike. It is written with exceptional clarity and sensitivity which I found to be delightful. I especially liked the poetry which, although not to be confused with Yeats or W. H. Auden, nonethless adds to the enjoyment of the reading. I have read a number of books on hiking by a number of authors and this is one of the very best.

This is not a movie with forced humor and stunt people. A retired military man provides an involving recount of his AT hike. I have tried to read many books on the AT (some were unbearable, so I did not finish them). This was one of the few full-reads, and a good one at that. In comparison to all other books, I might give this a four-stars rating, but seeing how bad some of the competition is, I have to give it a five-stars rating. See you on the trails!

Curran not only has a writing style that will mesmerize the reader, but his insight into the psyche of the thru hiker will keep you turning the pages. This is must reading for all hikers, regardless of where they plan to hike.

This is the story of an ex-military man who has decided to follow his dreams and hike the Appalachian Trail. Like many of his fellow hikers, he came to realize his dream only after traumatic events occured in his life. Now, he is attempting to reconcile everything that is going on in his life and complete a long, unrealized goal. Mr. Curran provides a wealth of information for the novice backpacker as well as providing a useful planning tool to the seasoned hiker who is preparing for what is known as a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail (a thru-hike is defined as completing the entire 2,160 miles of trail in one year of hiking). During his journey, you will be able to "see" the wonders of the Appalachians as well as experience the trials of a thru-hiker and his growth, both physically and spiritually.