Me and the Boy

by Paul Hemphill

The author recounts his journey with his nineteen-year-old son on a six-month hike along the Appalachian Trail and recalls how the two came to know each other at a critical point in their lives

Genres: Travel

Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 1986

About the author

Paul James Hemphill was an American journalist and author who wrote extensively about often-overlooked topics in the Southern United States such as country music, evangelism, football, stock car racing and the blue collar people he met on his journeys around the South.

Reviews

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I came across this book last year and read it because I had a date once with the author's son, so I was curious to read about their hike. The author and his college-aged son decide to hike the entire Appalachian Trail and have some father/son bonding and a few fights. They meet a lot of quirky folks and have several setbacks, including weather and physical ailments. I would recommend this book to Paul Hemphill fans, hikers, and people who like father/son memoirs. Oh yeah, and Paul Hemphill is a super nice man.

[Alexis Chapman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that this was a sad book. Even though the author and his son were attempting to hike the AT, the author was constantly smoking cigarettes. Every time he would talk about lighting a cigarette or buying Camels, I would cringe.

[Kris Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read. Seems monotonous at first but becomes increasingly interesting. I kept wanting to know if they would finish the trail and how their relationship would work out. Satisfying until the end.