Going to Maine: All the Ways to Fall on the Appalachian Trail

by Sally Chaffin Brooks

From comedian Sally Chaffin Brooks comes a memoir about the thing she can't seem to shut up about— her life changing thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.

25-year-old Sally has no reason to upend her comfortable, conventional life to spend 5 months hiking the Appalachian Trail; no reason except that her charismatic best friend, Erin, asked her to come along. A woefully out-of-shape Sally quickly realizes she may not actually be prepared for the realities of thru-hiking— brutal weather, wrong turns, and painful blisters have her wanting to quit almost as soon as she starts. But out of loyalty to Erin, or maybe the sinking realization that her life needed upending, Sally sticks it out. As she and Erin trek from Georgia to Maine, they collect a ragtag band of hikers and together stumble from one hilarious (and sometimes scary) predicament to another. By the time she reaches Maine— accompanied by Erin, their crew, and a guy she' s maybe (definitely) falling in love with— readers will cheer for the stronger, more self-assured Sally that has emerged and wish they could start the laugh-out-loud, life-affirming adventure all over again.

Genres: Travel, Nature, Memoir, Nonfiction, Book Club

354 pages, Paperback

Published September 10, 2024

About the author

Sally Chaffin Brooks is a writer, stand-up comedian, and podcaster. A reformed lawyer, Sally has released two chart-topping comedy albums (Brooks Was Here, Street Bird) and co-hosts the comedy podcasts The Ridiculist and Dumb Love. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and son, and heads to the mountains as often as possible. Going to Maine is her first book.

Reviews

[John Bunyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story of a physical hike on the Appalachian Trail. But it’s also a personal journey of discovery over the months of personal challenge and exploration.
There is adventure, humor, friendship, heartbreak and love.
Sally is a talented comedian. Writing a book, however, is different from writing stand up. But she nails it. I read this in under two days because I was carried along by her prose. You don’t have to be an outdoors person or a hiker - I am neither- to love this book.

[Karen Bunyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. Sally does a great job, telling the true story of her 5-month hike on the Appalachian Trail with her best friend, Erin. Each chapter is a day on the hike and so I couldn’t wait to turn the page to see what the next day would bring. There was never a dull moment: highs, lows, hilarious stories, heartbreaking moments, and new friends to meet around every turn.

[Jolissa Skow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review: https://literaryquicksand.com/2024/08...

I immediately gravitated to this book because I’ve loved both Wild by Cheryl Strayed and A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. I was curious about whether Going to Maine would fit in with those, or if it would be trying too hard to be one or the other.

Well, you’ll be happy to know it stands proudly and wholly on its own. Brooks isn’t trying too hard to be as funny and deadpan as Bryson, nor as insightful and literary as Strayed. Instead, she carves out her very own space for a memoir about hiking the Appalachian Trail that’s just perfectly her.

...I loved all the characters Brooks introduces in the book. They were great friends, and they all seemed like people I’d love to be friends with. She shares stories about all the shenanigans they got into on the trail, which made the whole book fun to read. I loved their trail names, how they split up and somehow find each other again, the drama of Sally’s relationship, the potty humor, the idolization of hot and fatty foods, the interesting locals she meets along the way…the whole book was just so fun to read.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read. I could go along on the adventure from my couch knowing I’d never have to experience the reality. I’m not a camper and prefer comfy hotel rooms, allowing me to enjoy the outdoors and then retreat to a good mattress and a hot shower. Sally makes me “almost” want to think about having an adventure like this. It was great reading about the trek, the pain, the new friends, and the joy. Since I am Sally friend adjacent and have listened to her podcasts, I had some idea of the outcomes which made it even more enjoyable for me.

Someone should send the book to whomever makes the Hallmark movies because this would make a great RomCom.


One nitpick, okay, two nitpicks.

1. I was reading along (kindle version) and read, “When I’d graduated in May, 2001, Keith and I hadn’t even considered breaking up,” What? Who is Keith? I had to go back a page or two before I realized some editor missed this typo. The sentence should have read, “When I’d graduated in May, 2001, Kevin and I hadn’t even considered breaking up,”

2. There were so many occurrences of using incorrect grammar in sentences like this:
“My mom fawned and fussed over Erin and I” It should be: “My mom fawned and fussed over Erin and me.” Every time this grammar error showed up, it took me out of the story. I know it’s a common mistake but it’s incorrect and it is like fingers on a chalkboard to me.

Note: I almost never rate books a 5. Mostly I give books a 3 because they were entertaining. A 4 means it is a book I’d recommend. If Goodreads had 1/2 stars, I’d probably make it 4.5.

[Allyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The minute I saw the cover of this memoir I knew I needed to read it.

My wife and I plan a three week road trip every summer where we camp in our rooftop tent and fly by the seat of our pants. We also love Maine. We are actually headed there this Friday! We make a point at least once a summer to take a trip to Gyps Tavern in New Jersey. It's this hole in the wall bar near the Appalachian Trail and there’s always someone there with their hiking pack, having a beer and talking with strangers. I’m always in awe of them and always considering if I should talk my wife into hiking along with them!

I have heard some compare this memoir to Strayed’s Wild, and while it has some of that same vibe and flavor, I found Sally to really have her own voice and be more approachable. No disrespect at all to Cheryl but I liked this story more. It resonated with me, and found a place in my heart. I think this memoir may be up there as a top favorite.

I was so inspired by Sally’s words and so many of her references. I now want to journal again, throw caution to the wind and hike for five months straight with 35 pounds on my back. I want to get a wild woman tattoo and marvel at the beauty of the mountains and laugh with my best friend.

There are so many important themes explored in Sally’s story. I loved her found family. I want to know Mike and Ben, Pilgrim, Sweets, See Blue, and Turbo. I love the way she learned how to come into her own, how she closed a door on her old self and made room for who she became. She made me think so much about how our worlds can get narrow and being aware of that is so helpful.

I love books that paint pictures in your mind and leave imprints on your soul and this book did that for me.


4.5 ⭐️

[Lisa Brandl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to this on Audible and the audio was wonky. You could hear where there was some editing going on. The pitch and volume varied a lot. I would say it’s a low budget audio narration. Not a deal breaker, but if that’s something that bugs you, you’ve been warned.

I liked the story. Towards the end it seemed to drag a bit but I chalk that up to the hike. It was five months after all. Prior to this I mostly listened to books about the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). The differences between the two are pretty stark, with little shelters scattered throughout the AT and lots of hostels and little towns. Unlike the PCT, where you’re kind of on your own for many stretches. I’m an armchair thru-hiker so I love listening to these adventures while working out on my treadmill.

This was a good story that really illustrated how much the author changed from beginning to end. I enjoyed it.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so thrilled with this book. I loved every minute of it. The true trail girls. All the things that make life worth living. Such an incredible journey and to share it with your bestie and your future hubby.
Thanks for writing this book. Although the hike is a beast and will not be something I would do in one year, I'm inspired to do parts of it throughout many years. I love hiking and hearing the adventures of others. Sally has the right combination of hiking facts, wit and humor. I love the friendships and relationships that came along for the ride of this story.
Congratulations on the hike and this book. Both incredible achievements!!

[Reid Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I DEVOURED this book! I finished it in less than 2 days. I have been such a fan of Sally's for years, but this book blew me away! She is so talented and writes with such feeling and relatability that it made me feel like I was on the trail and knew these other hikers personally. I have so much admiration for Sally and am so grateful that she shared this book. P.S. the baby arm incident was one of the funniest things I've ever read.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast read. I enjoyed reading about her personal experience on the trail. If you didn't have some background knowledge about or connection to the AT I'm not sure if it would work as well. Her writing about relationships felt true to life.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ooooh how I loved this book!

[Alison Fulmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was interested in a first person narrative by the author who did a through hike of the AT about 20 years ago. I enjoyed learning about the route and preparations and details of life on the trail. Could have been less detail about the discussions and bar excursions by the group that coalesced along the trail but it overall is an entertaining read

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was great—an engaging account of what it’s like to hike the Appalachian Trail. I’m planning to send this to my cousin, who has hiked it. I’m curious to see her response to it.

[Shaun Mawhorter · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Jacob Free · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book to ever make me cry multiple times for all the best reasons. Really well paced and funny, and does a really good job letting you in on the jokes and experiences shared by the people in the book. Plus a whole guide on how to rizz em up with the Burts Bees...

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reminds me of a more light-hearted Wild. There is the obvious comparison, that they both feature a female author writing about their long hike, while Wild is on the PCT this book is about the AT. With Wild, Cheryl Strayed starts her hike after a painful and emotional divorce and the death of her mom. There's a lot of emotion and hard times that happen prior to the hike. Strayed jumps in time throughout from her hike to the events leading up to the park.

Brooks starts her hike at the request of her lifelong friend - Erin. Brooks is in a serious relationship with a guy named Kevin, who she assumes that she'll marry because she had been with him for several years and it seems like the right thing to do. She does end up having a hard time with the relationship with Kevin, and ends up breaking up with him during the hike after she meets another guy on the trail. Not that Brooks doesn't have serious emotions and feelings, but Strayed's is more emotional and impacting while Brooks was able to take things more in stride. There isn't much of a buildup prior to Brooks hiking the trail unlike Strayed. She moves to Florida and moves in with Kevin to save up for the trail, and there's talk of them moving to Cincinnati for her to start school when she gets done.

Brooks at one point talks about how she wouldn't hike the trail if she had to do it alone, which definitely tracks from what I know about her from this book. She almost entirely focuses on the people and the relationships she has while on the trail. Not that she doesn't mention the trail or gear, but it's definitely overshadowed by people. I was actually wishing that she would talk more about gear when she met someone who she called a "gear head" and made fun of them. I don't consider myself a gear head, but I do have an interest in gear and like seeing what other people are using (so I guess I am one...)

With Wild, Strayed does come across other people and she discusses them, but it's just in passing. She doesn't really make any (at least that I can remember) lasting friends and does a lot (if not most) of the trail by herself. She seems to struggle a lot more physically with the hike and doesn't detail going into town and taking zero days anywhere near as much as Brooks does in her hike. Strayed did hike the trail in 1995, while Brooks did it in 2003. In addition to the eight year difference, the PCT and AT are also substantially different from each other, but the two experiences are quite different from each other.

While, I prefer Wild over this book, they're both entertaining and enjoyable books, for different reasons. With Wild, it's more of an emotional solo hike. It deals more with healing and getting over difficult times through a tough physical challenge. With this book, it's more of a rom-com where there is some emotional pain, it's definitely not the focus of the book and more of a focus on the friends she makes on the trail and their escapades as they make their way to Maine. This book is much more positive, upbeat, light and humorous. It's been a while since I read Wild... 2017 but I assumed that Wild was much longer than this book I guess just because this book is lighter it makes it a faster read and goes by quicker?

[Jocelyn Jane Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me on an adventure I’d never attempt myself. Though I’ve never hiked more than a few steps, I couldn’t put it down. During her five months on the trail with her best friend at age 25, Brooks pushes herself beyond her limits. In the process, she not only finds new strength, but realizes how she wants to course-correct her life afterwards.

Reading this tucked under a blanket on my couch, I was fascinated by all the extreme details — how they ate, slept, addressed their medical needs (yikes!), and managed to schlep their belongings through all types of weather (sometimes 20-30 miles per day) on this grueling trip from Georgia to Maine. I was also enchanted by the well-worn system of helpers who created magic for them and others along the way, how fellow hikers slipped in and out of their journey, and how strong the bonds were for them by the end. I appreciate how Brooks, who is a stand-up comedian, layers her pages with humor and self-deprecation. This story of friendship, love, and perseverance provides inspiration for whatever mountains we’re each trying to scale. I think serious hikers and recreational hikers would particularly love this memoir, but for the rest of us…I can say: Brooks hiked the AT (and got horrible horrible blisters along the way) so we don’t have to!

[Adrianna | cozycraftyreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Kaye Publicity and Sally Chaffin Brooks for a #gifted copy.

This book was just a breath of fresh air….no pun intended. But honestly, as someone who loves to hike, I found it inspiring.

You follow Sally’s journey along the Appalachian Trail, from beginning to end. In this book you meet other hikers, follow Dally along on her ups and downs (weather included), and gain an insight of thru-hiking. It was a quick, funny read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I absolutely love hiking. And once had a dream to travel along the Pacific Crest Trail. I sadly didn’t even realize that Appalachian Trail existed! But now I’m adding it to my bucket list!

I loved the descriptions, the people, the support, and the friendships formed. I honestly felt like I was right there with Sally, hiking the trail myself. It was an amazing journey!

I loved how she went in support of her friend, but also for herself. It takes lots of determination and strength to hike for months and to complete so many miles a day. I can’t imagine hiking 10 miles a day, every day, so 20-30 is daunting! Hikers really are rock stars!

I just loved following her journey, and am encouraged to pick up hiking again. Starting small, but who knows? Maybe my husband and I will plan for a longer hike at some point?

🔺This book does have some language, just a heads up.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, received from the Kaye Publicity and Sally Chaffin Brooks. However, all thoughts and views reflected are strictly my own opinions.

[Ryan Fohl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this more than Bill Bryson’s “walk in the woods.” Sally’s life is completely changed by this journey; so it’s a real-ass memoir, a coming of age. Kinda reads like a war story. There is danger, potty humor, and the relationships are the most impactful part of the experience. Well written. Quotable. Inspirational. I hope generations of hikers read this.

It was a strange experience to realize a guy I kinda know in real life, has that much sex appeal. Damn Ben 🥵

“I’d been too tired from trudging up and down mountains every day to put up facades, to worry about “everyone else,” to be anything but 100% me.”

“They couldn’t reconcile the often aching loneliness with a lack of privacy, or the monotony of doing the same thing every day while rarely sleeping in the same place two nights in a row.”

What I learned: Slack packing is doing a section of the trail without your backpack. The Virginia section of the trail has wild ponies. Tickborne diseases are more of a danger than bears. There is stinging nettle in Vermont and they call it “the seven minute itch”. The historic cog railway runs up to the top of Mount Washington. One of the oldest railroads taking you to one of the windiest mountain tops. It’s called “the railway to the moon.” So hikers show their butts to the train. The notch sounds like a fun section to hike, lots of bouldering.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never really hiked, but I feel like I just hiked the Appalachian Trail. She did a great job keeping me engaged through the whole story. The falls, the knee pain, the relationships. The rain. The moose. I feel like I could call Erin to check in on her, and Sug, and the others, because I was so invested in them. She wrote in a way that totally immersed me into the story and I’m so glad I read it.

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow I love this book!
From a pipe dream section hiker myself- I loved hearing about the ins and outs of the whole trail through an engaging story like Sally’s!
I also could not put it down as soon as we got to the love story!
Sally is living my dream- great lighthearted quick ready! Highly recommend!

[Kate Kloss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audible, narrated by the author. The storytelling was vivid, I felt all the joy and frustration of the trail, it renewed my spark to get out there more. Adventure memoirs are a favorite genre of mine, and this one was exceptional. And I always appreciate and relate to stories told by women.

[Loyal Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the story. Sally has a great way of writing that holds you spellbound. i loved how she made friends on the trail and did a good job of writing both about the trail as well as the people she met on the trail. The reason for the lower rating is the constant use of the F--- word. You will hear it constantly throughout the book and ruined my impression of the book overall.

[Susan Keller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book let me hike along with Sally and her friends on the Appalachian Trail. What an adventure for me as a 78 year old to share their hike, the cold , the wet and the companionship. A great read!

[Robert E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read over a dozen books about the life on the AT and this book really detailed the good, bad and community found over five months hiking over 2000 miles up and down mountains. The people you find on the trail are the highlights and fondest memories. Dude…. You gotta read the book.

[Sylvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love AT memoirs, especially by women. As a I waffle back and forth thinking I want to hike the whole AT and then thinking I should probably tackle it in sections. The absolute grit that folks have to thru-hike amazes me.

[Andrew Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This lovely book lets us tag along on Sally’s AT adventures, from silly to insane to heartwarming. You can really feel her struggles and her growing confidence! Plus, she is hilarious.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. Funny, exciting, captivating. Must read if you like outdoor adventures.

[Leslie Kiel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, now my new personality is wannabe thru-hiker.

[Hudson Lazzara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeah, a good fun book. Simply a story, and having done part of the trail myself it captures the atmosphere pretty well.