Thru: An Appalachian Trail Love Story

by Richard Judy

When a mismatched group of aspiring thru-hikers gather at the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, they form a bond as they head north on a 2,000-mile trek of bickering, romance, self discovery and gritty humor. Richard Judy, who thru-hiked the A.T. in 1973, rehiked the Trail in sections in the 21st century to rediscover his love for wilderness and to reimagine a lifetime of adventure in his novel, THRU: An Appalachian Trail Love Story. In a tale described as "beautiful and alive," THRU captures the essence of the last great American adventure and answers the question posed by all thru-hikers: "What have I gotten myself into?" THRU is published by the Appalachian Trail Museum, which receives all proceeds.

Genres: Fiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2014

Reviews

[Lily Xu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up randomly as I was browsing through the dusty library nook at the Hike Inn, located at the southern terminus of the Appalachian trail (it looked more appealing for lazy afternoon reading in the forest than “1000 Insects of North America” and the dense volumes titled “Botany”). Wasn’t expecting much since it was a trail account (y’know “I woke up at 7am, ate oatmeal, hiked 10 miles blah blah“. I think maybe physical stamina and love of nature doesn’t always translate to literary creativity 😅).

However, upon opening the book, I was greeted with a handwritten message by the author himself! Richard encouraged me to walk out of the Hike Inn, take a right up to Springer Mountain, and continue walking the 2,184 miles to Katahdin in Maine, the end of the AT. I already wanted to meet him.

The format was incredible and sucked me right into the thru hike journeys of the character ensemble. Richard has thru hiked twice (!!) and turned his experiences into a collection of weaving diary entries of a group of fictional characters that thru hike together. It was super cool! You get to know all these kooky characters and their stories and there are these asides like “Hitchhiking” or “Gratitude on the trail” related to the entries where the author expounds on whatever point has been raised.

I loved it, it was the perfect companion to a lazy afternoon of solo forest bathing and enjoying an orchestra of bird songs. (I intentionally did not bring a book as I wanted to “detach”, but this was so en pointe I couldn’t resist).

Last thing. Apparently the author visited the Hike Inn the night before I showed up handing out signed copies alas!

[David Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book at the recommendation of a friend of the author's. Normally, that is a situation where I feel guaranteed to dislike the book. I can't remember ever reading something worthwhile written by someone I knew, or almost knew. This book is a happy exception: a novel about life as a through-hiker on the Appalachian Trail written by an AT through-hiker. The vibrant and exciting situations described in the novel have an authentic quality that I'm sure owes a great debt to the experiences of the author. The tale is written as the trail journal entries of a group of hikers who team up near the beginning of the journey and grow to become a family along the 2,000 mile trip, sharing adventures, difficulties, and love along the way. I was enthralled with this surprisingly well-written book all the way from Georgia to Maine. I can't wait to see what is next from Richard Judy. Highly recommended.

[Jordan Hunnicut · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was given to me and described as a “love story”. It lived up to that reputation.
When I read the reviews regarding how this the most accurate fictional look at the Appalachian Trail- it lived up to that reputation, too.
I laughed, I cried, I felt the angst of several people on different journeys in their lives. This was a remarkable, emotional look at bonds being forged along this epic trail and some of the harsh realities of what it takes to maintain those bonds while staying true to yourself. I’m so hooked on AT stories. This was a 10/10 recommendation.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read many accounts of Appalachian Trail Thru-hikes, but this fictional account is one of the best at capturing the true experience of hiking the trail. (I hiked the trail, years ago, around the time that the author thru-hiked) Believable characters, spot-on descriptions of the terrain, the places, the typical experiences. I felt like I was out there hiking the trail again. Wonderful book which I can highly recommend.

[Amyschwarz · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my criteria for a 5 star is that I finish the book wanting to re-visit the characters in 5 years. This was a lovely book!

[Barbara Ardell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Characters!

I fell in love with all the characters and was disappointed as they were in some ways when they reached the end.

A great read!

[Jeanene Arrington Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a thoroughly enjoyable page turner I just could not put down. Whimsical, fun, heartwarming, eye opening story of growth, friendship, struggles, disappointment and accomplishment

[Allen Madding · Rating 5 out of 5]

A captivating read that I couldn't put down until I was "thru"

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good

[Frances J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I took from this book is how powerful human connection becomes under pressure. It shows that strangers can quickly become family when survival and distance are shared experiences.

[Damien Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story helped me understand that discomfort is often where real growth happens. The way the characters evolve on the trail is something I found deeply inspiring.

[Susan Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The characters were compelling, the detail spectacular, and the descriptions of the settings made me want to walk the Appalachian Trail from beginning to end. Next life! The author has done this trek twice - once in his youth and then again decades later, so he really knows what he's talking about. He captured the sense of place so well that I was routing for these people to finish, but, at the same time, hating that as they neared the end of the trail, I was nearing the end of the book. Told in journal entries by each of the members of a small group of loners who have gravitated together in their travels, there are new perspectives with every entry, no repetitions. An excellent read. An excellent book! All proceeds go to the Appalachian Trail Museum.

[Mom2atornado · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would call myself an Appalachian Trail book junkie and while this is not a "true" story, the author is a thru-hiker and you felt like you were really in the lives of these hikers as they found their way along the AT. The way the author weaved the story by writing the book as journal entries by the various characters in the story, made me feel really connected with all of them on a personal level. So many AT books, while wonderful, just go through the ins and outs of the trail, this book took all the interest of the daily struggle with the trail and mixed it with relationships that ebbed and flowed throughout the whole adventure. Very well written and I really enjoyed it.

[J.R. Keenan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know little about thru hiker or the Appalachian Trial. I don't like tour books. Richard Judy approached the problem in a different light. He wrote a novel about thru hiking! It is an excellent book that reveals the struggles people face when trying to overcome difficult obstacles. You get entertainment, knowledge of the trail, and wonderful insight into human nature in this fine novel.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fictionalized account of "thru hiking" on the Appalachian Trail.
A bit fragmented...
Great characters.
Take it with you on the trail--more helpful than most guidebooks.
100% of the profits from this book will benefit the APPALACHIAN TRAIL MUSEUM SOCIETY.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story that makes you think the author met and traveled with the band of misfit hikers as they hiked the Appalachian Trail.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this fictional account of thru-hiking the AT makes me want to attempt it (or at least sections of it).

[Molli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved! Made me feel like I was back out there again!

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed spending time with this cast of characters as they traveled the Appalachian trail. Well written. Well plotted.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice comfortable read about a group who join together on the first day of thAT and stay together until the end. It is a nice telling of how a community creates and strengthen itself.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and not just because I dream of completing a thru-hike of my own. Held my interest since I started reading it, and I'm sorry it's over.

[Andy Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

So funny. The author refers to so many familiar places on the AT you would think this book is true. Good read. If you have ever hiked on the AT or want to this is a great book.