Discussion Question 1

Do you think that this was a good choice for Raynham Reads? Why or why not?

Discussion Question 2

What do you think of the title of the book, A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail?

Discussion Question 3

What did you think of the scene where they discovered on a map that they had only hiked two inches of the four feet of trail?

Discussion Question 4

Do you agree with the author’s statement, “If we couldn’t walk the whole trail, we also didn’t have to?”

Discussion Question 5

Do you feel that their hike really counts as hiking the Appalachian Trail even though it was only 39% of the trail? What do you think of the relationship between Bryson and Katz?

Discussion Question 6

What about the interactions between them and the other characters in the book? Did you find the relationships humorous?

Discussion Question 7

What do you think of the author’s sense of humor? His opinions? His writing style?

Discussion Question 8

Do you think that readers could find this book offensive or controversial? In what ways?

Discussion Question 9

What do you think of the informational tidbits/tangents on history (of the trail, of the National Park Service, etc.), geology (of Centralia and the mountainside in Lehigh Valley), ecology (the effects of global warming, zinc mining, dam building), and social customs (the interaction and views of different people) in the book? Did any ignite your interest? Which ones? Why?

Discussion Question 10

Do you view these “asides” as positive or negative in the structure of the book?