In My Boots: A Memoir of Five Million Steps Along the Appalachian Trail

by Amanda K. Jaros

“Amanda K. Jaros's In My Boots does what some of the best works of nonfiction it takes the reader on a journey—in this case, a journey that is as much mental and emotion as it is physical.” –Amy Butcher, author of Visiting A Memoir of Friendship and Murder

When Amanda K. Jaros learns about the 2,160-mile Appalachian Trail after college, she walks away from a sheltered life dominated by an angry and volatile father and does something spends six months backpacking. Alone. She expects to pass the time in the solitary and peaceful wilderness, reflecting on her life's direction. Instead, she finds herself part of a community ripe with stinky socks, buckets of ice cream, and trail magic. What matters on the trail is not a hiker's past or parents, her fears or failures, but rather, what matters is the connections we make with each other.

In My Boots recounts a challenging physical journey following the trail over the windy balds of the South, through snowstorms in the Smoky Mountain National Park, and above the tree line to the alpine zones of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The journey is also emotionally transformative as this twenty-three-year-old leaves behind the compliant and scared girl she once was. With each step away from her damaged childhood, each new friend, each stop in another rural trail town, she comes to understand that to succeed on the trail, and in life, it turns out, the path she walks must be her own.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Travel, Nature, Ebooks, Adventure

307 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 27, 2025

Reviews

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨5 stars✨ Definitely deserves all the stars.

[Mary Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is much to love about Jaros’s memoir, In my Boots. Her use of description is phenomenal where we see and feel the surroundings she shares with us. Her story will resonate for a number of reasons: the power of nature to slow the mind and soothe the spirit; how physical exhaustion aids emotional and mental healing to have a clearer pathway to the surface of our minds and souls; the power, and challenges, of solitude, among many others. What struck me most was the theme of the longevity of childhood trauma and its effects on developing a healthy sense of self as well as claiming the right to become the authentic me. The strength of person and the intimacy of self-discovery Jarod shares makes this work a must read for adventure seekers and anyone seeking the understanding of defining self for a fulfilling future defined by us, not the tales created by those around us.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In My Boots is the memoir young women need right now. A tale of tenderness and triumph, it’s the perfect read for 20-somethings who worry about losing touch with nature and wonder at the power of their resilience and strength. By letting us walk alongside her footsteps, Jaros teaches young women that they, too, will one day be able to say, “If I could thrive here, over 2,000 miles of uphills and strangers and unknowns beyond every twist in the trail, I could thrive anywhere.”

[Danielle Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t recommend this book enough. It was so honest and very relatable for me. Read if you need to be inspired by a girl boss - it was so fun to get to read and visualize the parts of the AT near Blacksburg!!

[Aly Ogden · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Nate Jaros · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of In My Boots and fell in love with it immediately! I’m not a hiker, and have never been much into the great outdoors, but this book captured me and touched my heart.

Amanda’s storytelling and descriptions of her adventures on the Appalachian Trail was engaging and inspiring. This is not just a journal of a day-to-day slog through the woods, it is so much more. Amanda grinds through the tough days on the trail, but unknowingly she unravels the tough days from her past… and ultimately finds a solution as well as peace.

This is an inspiring piece that is just as much a story of an incredible journey as it is a a story of finding ones inner self.

Great job AK!

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok this is going to be long, because I absolutely loved this book. I can’t stop thinking about it. It was so good and so well written. I thought it was just going to be another book following someone on their adventure, but it was so much more than that.

I had never really known much about the Appalachian Trail before reading this. I’d heard of it, but wow, it’s such an incredible feat. This book really dives deep into the mind games Amanda faced on her journey. It wasn’t just about the physical challenges, but the emotional ones too, as she worked through understanding herself and where she fit in the world. I loved how she wove her childhood experiences into the story, giving clear examples and showing how the trail helped her overcome parts of herself shaped by those early experiences.

The people she met along the way were fascinating in their own ways, and I loved seeing how she connected or didn’t connect with them. Reading it felt like I was right there with her on the trail. It was such a nice escape while also being so emotionally gripping. Nothing in this book was boring. Every chapter had its own story, and it really highlighted both her emotional and physical battles.

It’s just so well written, and I really appreciate that. It’s nice to read a story where you can relate to parts of yourself. I admire someone who takes risks and tries something new because in moments like that, we learn about ourselves and discover who we really are. It’s brave, inspiring, and unforgettable. I’d love to know more about how Amanda’s relationship with her father evolved after the trail and even after this book. It sounds like Amanda has lived an eventful and meaningful life since her thru-hike, and that makes me so happy.

I was in absolute tears at the end of the book. I was rooting for her the entire time, and I was heartbroken hearing about some of the low points she felt along the way and her struggles in her younger years. My favorite line in the book, and one that really stuck with me, is “these are the good old days.”

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook Review:
In 1999, Amanda Jaros began a journey on the Appalachian Trail. She tells that story in her new trail memoir, In My Boots. I chose the audiobook format, and I was fully immersed from the very beginning. Narrator Ally Ibach is strikingly expressive in bringing Jaros' experience to life for the listener, taking me onto the path, through the forests, up the mountains, and amidst the transformative process of a long-distance hike.

Jaros is a wonderful storyteller, and she is honest about the emotional history that she carried onto the trail, as well as her triumphs and trials throughout her trek. I cheered for her when she took her trail name, coming into her own in her new environment. It was hard to turn off the audiobook each night as I listened, as I was so engaged while she hiked solo, made new trail friends, and discovered so much about the AT, nature, and herself.

Whether you are a thru-hiker, a more casual walker, or one who loves the escape of reading about a personal adventure in the beautiful outdoors, I highly recommend this book to you.

[David J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m 65 and a male. Age and gender influence my judgement and basis for this book review. I generously rated the book three stars.

As a retired forester, I appreciated Amanda’s selection of Tamarac as a trail name. I also liked the descriptions of the flora and fauna that she included in her book. It seems some of these types of books include far too much detail about such things, especially “back-to-nature” authors.

Why did I read it? I have aspirations to hike the entire AT. It was useful to me to learn about logistics Tamarac managed. I also wanted to learn about the AT from the perspective of a young woman who wanted to hike it solo. She did a thorough job of planning and her 23 re-supply boxes of food and gear, mailed to pass-through town post offices worked well. Adding self written letters of encouragement to the boxes was a great idea. I wondered about Tamarac’s perspective about letters written in the comfort and idealized planning time versus her reality when reading them on the trail. This could have added some levity to a book that’s generally gloomy.

As for hike preparation I got the same impression from Tamarack as I did with Cheryl Strayed (Wild…) “oh I’m going to go hike 2000 miles just because”. If their books are read, impulsive individuals will realize that successful (read enjoyable) hikes require funding and preparation. Prep must include physical training and not just filling and mailing boxes. Otherwise readers have to endure whinny descriptions about blisters, sore muscles and hunger pains.

I was disappointed that Tamarac hiked the AT in 1999. Did it take 25 years to find a company willing to publish it? I wondered if the delay was on purpose, waiting for her father to die so he wouldn’t read about the trauma he caused Tamarac and her family. When I started the book I was eager to learn about the impact to the AT from 2024’s hurricane Helene and how Tamarac managed the damage to the trail. The editors should have been forthcoming in the books description about when the thru—hike occurred.

I wanted you to highlight recommendations for young women hiking the AT. Things such as what equipment you could dispense with to lighten the load. Managing personal hygiene and health. Negotiating threatening behavior by male hikers. The magic in writing about these things is not to bog down readers with so many details that the book becomes a how-to manual.

There were a half dozen times that I wanted to shake Tamarac and provide her advice about Slow Buffalo. The guy was infatuated with her hoping for a more intimate relationship. Be upfront with him. Tell him you enjoy his company and friendship but their relationship would not become romantic. With slow buffalo she probably would have had to repeat this message to him multiple times before he was going to realize the boundaries Tamarac set. Don’t drag this out I yelled at her. It’s damping your hike experience. If your honestly with him ended the friendship, so be it. Unfortunately males sometimes need to be hit with a hammer before they comprehend.

I was disappointed at the epilogue. This could have been the best part of the book. Instead of glossing over multiple questions the author could have shared what she learned from the hike. Did she stay in contact with the friends she made along the way? How did the experience benefit her physically and mentally? Did she work through the trauma of her childhood and did her relationship with her father change? Was it just a 2000 mile hike and nothing more? How did the experience help her with her career? After all the author had 25 years to consider these things. What happened to Nate with his military career? What happened to mom after she divorced the father?

I’m sure I’m going to be criticized for this remark but I think the better title should have been “In my ENTITLED boots…”. Amanda stated a few times that she was grateful for everything her parents did for her but it didn’t seem sincere. Rather, I found her to be a classic upper middle class kid that was provided a very comfortable home and an education at a prestigious university. And never mentions what she studied but describes dealing with her depression. Indeed her father was a jerk to her at times and it contributed to her misery, self-doubt and ability to find happiness. The guy was a fighter pilot and commercial airline pilot which aren’t the lowest stressed jobs in the world. This doesn’t excuse him for his verbal abuse he provided his family a very comfortable life.

Amanda- Tamarac, congratulations on completing the AT! You accomplished your goal that many start and don’t finish. Thanks for sharing your experience. You are a talented writer. I would have thought your editors would have steered you in some different directions but nevertheless, as your reader I felt like I was keeping pace with you, seeing and experiencing the AT through you.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

Very enjoyable read. For someone who is unlikely to ever experience the AT it was a good way of understanding the trail.

I would have liked to have read more about the trail itself. At times the people that came and went became a bit monintomous and repetitive, blurring into one another. I do understand that this is what it was probably like on the trail.

[Dorothy A. Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. Loved the characters and their names. My niece walked the AT and she loved this book too. Loved taking the journey, without taking a step. Grew up near VT, NH, and ME. GREAT description of the land.

[Debbie Moucha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

[Janet Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

Enjoyed the story of hiking the Appalachian trail. I think this gives a more accurate telling than other books I've read. If you're interested in what its really like, this is the book to read!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would recommend this book especially if you are a hiker. The author puts you actually in her shoes explaining the importance of this journey for her at the young age 23 to cope with all her challenges of life from family, friends and of course fears of finding her place in the future after college. She gets though tough times and keeps on going; which has many ups and downs and even times of depression/loneliness along the way. I know I could not have done what she did at that age or probably at any age as it took a lot of stamina to keep going. The challenges she faced on the Appalachian Trails meeting strangers and developing relationships with some, climbing the actual mountains, weather and animals/bugs/wilderness plus many cold days/nights with only open shelters or a small tent for sleeping.

[Deborah L. Foltz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book

I really enjoyed this book. Amanda is a brave woman to set out on the AT alone. I think she shows true honest courage. Sharing her life with a difficult dad that left her questioning herself. Really made this journey personal. Good read if you are looking for an adventure.

[Lainy Carslaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

The nature writing in this book is some of the best I've ever read. There are so many beautiful passages I underlined. Jaros does a great job letting us into the world of the AT so it felt like we were walking right there with her. Loved it!

[Cam Torrens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t miss Amanda K. Jaros’s (Trail Name: Tamarack) amazing story of personal struggle, trauma, resilience, and perseverance during her epic Appalachian Trail journey. This tale will tug your heart with a hurt like the climb to Mount Moosilauke at the start of New Hampshire’s White Mountains, then fill it with joy like a random road trip to a Dave Matthews concert with five of your newest, smelliest, best friends.

I made the same Georgia-Maine journey almost twenty years after Tamarack. Her story transported me down memory lane. What I remember more than snow in the Smokies, beers with friends, and swimming in mountain ponds, is the people I met. We called these fellow hikers our “tramily,” a made-up word combining “trail” and “family.” Your tramily is the trail. And here’s where Jaros’s story captures readers with a profound truth. Just like you can’t always choose your own family, you also can’t always choose the people closest to you for the hardest things you do in life. You have to make the decision whether to bond with them, tolerate them, or cut them free. The younger you are, the more challenging (or impossible) these decisions are.

Nothing is more empowering than a thru-hike. Jaros doesn’t sugarcoat her journey. It was hard. She cried. She almost quit. Her final climb up Katahdin captured best who she had become: “I didn’t notice the rocks, the cool air, my heaving lungs. I didn’t think. I trusted my body to do the work, feeling strong and alert, completely able.”

Read “A Walk in the Woods” if you want a history of the trail. Bryson is one of my favorites—but he didn’t finish the AT. Read Jaros’s “In My Boots” if you want a gripping narrative about a journey that transformed a life.

[Jessica Maffetore · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the age of 23, Amanda Jaros set out to do something most people would find impossible–thru-hiking the over 2000 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Beyond the endurance challenge of the actual hike, the physical discomforts of weather, rough camping, and carrying all necessities in an overstuffed backpack, and the risks of traversing all that distance alone in the woods, the real hardships were waged in Amanda’s own mind. As the miles fell slowly away, the hours alone on the trail–or even in the tentative company of newly made friendships with other thru-hikers–left Amanda wondering why she started on this seemingly impossible and possibly insane endeavor. Facing periods of loneliness and doubt, mixed with moments of pure joy in the astounding beauty of nature or in the growing warmth of new friends, Amanda’s adventure is never certain, never easy, and never without the goal of Mt Katahdin–the finish line–far from her mind.

Told in wonderful detail, In My Boots: A Memoir of Five Million Steps Along the Appalachian Trail is the real-life story of a young woman stepping out into the world, filled with every fear and uncertainty imaginable, yet willing herself to take the next step, and the next, and the next. Whether you ever considered hiking the AT, knew someone who did, or even saw the signs and thought “never would I ever,” there is beauty and healing to be found in this story. You will root for Amanda to reach the end, all the while hoping the story never ends.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very good read.

[Pam G · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nothing unique about this book. It’s another book about the AT without any real details of the hike - you started with a 58 pound pack? How did you whittle it down? How did the relationship with your father change in the last 25 years? What was the point of your story?

[Karna Converse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steps toward healing and confidence


A summer internship at a state park in Maine first introduced Amanda K. Jaros to mountain climbing, and it didn't take long for her to conquer Katahdin, the state's highest mountain. As summer turned to fall, she met groups of "emaciated" hikers who'd thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail—from its beginning at Springer Mountain, Georgia to its final destination, that same Baxter Peak mountain-top she'd fallen in love with. And that's when the recent college grad who had no plans for the future—you might even say was lost and unfocused— heeded a call to the AT. This in-depth narrative offers an intimate picture of a young woman eager to leave home but unsure how to do so; it not only defines the phrase "coming of age," but deepens its meaning. Above all, her story epitomizes the AT mantra: Hike your own hike.

First, the numbers: 2060 - 194 - 14 - 58 - 23 - 4.
The numbers interpreted: Miles - Days - States - Weight of backpack at beginning of journey - Resupply boxes - Boots.

Next, the emotions: Doubt - Annoyance - Awe - Irritation - Not fun - Hate - Exhilaration - Aggravation - Free - Trapped - Appreciative - Judgemental - Joy - Impressed - Lost - Sad - Exhausted - Hungry - Scared - Numb - Trust - Pride - Empty - Triumph.

And also, the trail name: Tamarack—a larch tree also known as a hackmatack. It's the only deciduous pine tree and distinctly different from the rest of the pine family.

In My Boots, at times raw and judgmental, is based on the extensive journaling Jaros did at the time. It's filled with memories and musings about family, men, love, abuse, and what it means to be a woman—many thoughts which reveal hurt and pain. What easily could have been a 300-page rant is instead an honest look into, and a growing awareness of, the world around her. Thank goodness she had the Dave Matthews Band (a song to match every emotion), Ben and Jerry's ice cream (a pint "devoured" at nearly every trail town stop), letters and care packages waiting for her at every stop, family members who joined her for a day or more, and a huge tribe of fellow thru-hikers to turn to.

Jaros began her 1999 northbound thru-hike knowing that only a quarter of those who started it, completed it. Spoiler alert: She made it. —and notes that in that year, of the 5,000 thru-hikers recognized as 2,000-milers by the Appalachian Trail Conference, 90% were men. Her memoir screams "grit" and it presents itself in many forms.

She also acknowledges that the trail has changed a bit since she hiked it so current and future AT hikers will note some differences in mileage and trail names—but I suspect all thru-hikers will recognize the range of emotions that flow through these pages. I especially appreciate that Jaros included an epilogue where, in six short poetic paragraphs that begin "I didn't yet know," Jaros offers a brief look into the 25 years that have elapsed since her time on the AT, again showing that one must hike her own hike.

A special thanks to Amanda for trusting me with an ARC and in admiration of her strength in sharing this chapter of her life with the world. She is donating a portion of all pre-order sales to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy so order before February 27, 2025.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

In My Boots is the story of how the author walked the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine, around 2160 miles, over the course of six months in 1999. As she hiked, she kept a journal which forms the basis of this fascinating book. In her early twenties at the time, having just finished university, she needs to work out how she wants to spend the rest of her life. This is not just about her arduous trek through the unforgiving environment of the mountain trail, but also an examination of the effect on her mental state of her father’s unpredictable outbursts of rage all through her childhood and teenage years. It has left her feeling unmoored and convinced she will never be ‘good enough’.
As she makes her way along the trail, she overcomes physical and mental challenges, and finally feels she fits in among the people she encounters. The result is a remarkable feat of resilience and endurance. It feels like the reader is on the trail with her; we feel her pain, but also her joy as she discovers the calming effect of her natural surroundings, and the importance of music to her well-being. In My Boots is beautifully written, and allowed me to experience something I would never have contemplated in real life. Not everyone who starts out on the Appalachian Trail makes it to the end, especially a young woman on her own, but she discovers her inner strength and from then on knows she can do anything she sets her mind to. They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but the artwork here is eye-catching and unusual. I chose to read this as a member of Rosie’s Book Review Team.

[Susan Sage · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a jaw-dropping read! I was amazed by the author’s courage and tenacity on her incredible journey. Undertaking a goal like hiking on the Appalachian Trail is a worthy one, but being a thru-hiker is a fete few accomplish. Battling the elements with blistered feet and, at times, extreme loneliness, are conditions that take more determination than most of us can muster—especially for the duration of several months.

Not only does Jaros show her incredible stamina and courage on the trail, but that she is a wonderful writer, as well. How vividly I could see her with her fellow hikers making and breaking camp, and their long days of hiking up and down the many mountains. While her descriptions of Nature’s beauty can be breathtaking, she doesn’t paint a romanticized view. Little doubt that it was the solidarity and friendships formed along the trail, as well her strong will, that helped her make it to Baxter Peak.

This isn’t merely the story of one woman’s courage and self-determination, but also about identity and the difficulties of self-acceptance. And certainly, Jaros’ honesty will be found most helpful by those contemplating a similar arduous trek. I was amazed and heartened by the kindness of the many strangers she met along the way. While I’m sure several other women have taken on the trail since Amanda Jaros did in 1999, I doubt they could come home and write a book about it with this author’s keen eye for observation of the external world and the inner self.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never done this for a book review, but I am giving a standing ovation for the author and her very personal story! What a fantastic read and author! Much respect to you!

I have done lots of hiking in my life and climbed some smaller mountains such as Blue Mountain in the Adirondacks but only did one true backpacking trip with tent and food and everything I needed on my back and I am in awe. You finished Amanda (standing ovation continues)!

While I have limited personal experience with backpacking, a close relative has been section hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT) for years. She's unable to thru hike due to her job, but I honestly don't know if she would thru hike even if she could. Over 2,000 miles is daunting.

I want to thank the author for sharing her detailed very personal story with us. Both her actual hike on the AT and how it went and obstacles she came across and triumphs and good friends she made, but the much braver part (in my opinion) of sharing her personal emotional (lack of a better word?) experiences in her house growing up that acted as her shadow along the AT.

I truly appreciated that the author shared what happened with her family members who she spoke of that caused or were involved with her emotional issues.

Thank you for keeping your diaries along the way and sharing your experience with us readers (yep the standing ovation is still going on)! I can honestly say that I would never even attempt to thru hike the AT and due to health issues I would not be able to even section hike unless the sections were not more than about 2-3 miles each. I want to see the woods, the trees, the flowers, the plants, the wildlife and views along the trail as described! Since it is unlikely to ever happen, again, thank you so much for sharing!

The only way to end this review is to highly recommend this book!

My standing ovation to Tamarack continues!!!

[Joan Donaldson · Rating 5 out of 5]

After graduating from the University of Michigan, Amanda Jaros faces the question everyone has asked at some point in their lives. What comes next? What is my purpose in life? While many people dream of high adventures, few follow through with their dreams, but Amanda did. In her memoir about hiking the Appalachian Trail, she braids together a narrative of escaping her verbally abuse father, the tangled emotions of a loner who yearns for community, and the perils and joys of the 2,067-mile trail that winds from Georgia to Maine. Readers stand with her on top of Clingmans Dome, gazing out at the rippling ridges of the Great Smoky Mountains. Yet the shadow of her father’s verbal torrents, the angst of never fitting in plague Amanda. But as she receives the boxes that she packed with food, sent regularly by her parents, she comprehends their growing support for her goal. Although her trail buddies slip in and out of her adventure, Amanda revels in their comradery. And then there are the moments of “trail magic”, a lift into town, a cooler filled with fruit left at the trail junction, or exchanging work for several nights at a b and b. While most readers will not lace up their boots and begin such an intrepid adventure, Amanda’s lush and vibrant descriptions of the waterfalls and mountains will spark a desire to head to the closest park and seek solace in nature.

[Kristin Duncombe · Rating 5 out of 5]

IN MY BOOTS is a poignant memoir about the author's "thru-hike" (meaning, completed, which not many manage) of the Appalachian Trail, when she was a young adult, trying to make sense of her life. I was offered an advance readers copy of this book and was interested in reading it because I have always dreamed of doing something like what Jaros describes, setting off on a long, by foot, journey. I have never been brave enough to do so, however, so this book, like Cheryl Strayed's WILD, provided a vicarious armchair experience. Her descriptions of the trail are stunning and inspiring, but what I honestly loved most about this book was the coming of age arc, and how the author delves into the psychological impact of growing up with an angry and erratic father. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in walking the Appalachian Trail (or other trail), whether you intend to or not! The book will transport you if, like me, you probably will NOT end up literally taking this hike. I would also recommend this book to anyone trying to come to terms with how their difficult childhood relationships have affected their adult lives. Bravo to the author for weaving these two elements together so skilfully.

[Jennifer Silva Redmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading In My Boots: A Memoir of Five Million Steps Along the Appalachian Trail by Amanda K. Jaros brought all the highs and lows of being a newbie to the life of outdoor adventure all back to me, though of course the mechanics of the life-changing journey were different, as you can tell from reading the subtitle
The author doesn’t try to sugarcoat her naivety, her lack of preparation, or her youthful cluelessness. Instead, she brings her readers along for the hike of her life with all the pains and joys inherent in such a journey. We meet some wild and wooly characters, share some laughs and a few triumphs with them, and survive some physical nadirs—I could almost feel the blisters!
Having found such inspiration in the book Wild by Cheryl Strayed, I wondered if another “girl goes hiking” story would be able to keep my attention for a whole book. I needn’t have worried. I laughed, I cried, and I kept going back to the pages, just as the author kept on putting one foot in front of the other, all along the Appalachian Trail. I highly recommend taking the journey. In My Boots comes out later this month and is available now for preorder and on Kindle Unlimited—lace up your boots and go!

[Dan Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

While reading this book, I felt like I was taking this journey with the author. As her confidence grew, so did mine. As she became more physically fit and increased her daily mileage, I felt my endurance grow. When she was lonely, I felt lonely.
At the beginning of the book I felt I was starting a journey into the unknown. As the book progressed, I settled into the rhythm of the trail. As I approached the end of the book, I could feel the pull of Mt. Katahdin and the yearning for completion. By the end, I felt like I had accomplished something important.
I wanted to be her friend. I wanted to play hackey sack with her hiking partners. I felt relief when she decided to spend the night indoors to get a break from the rain or cold or heat. I felt anger at the occasional encounter with people who gave off bad vibes.
The intermixing of the author’s backstory, and how her family appears in both the past and current stories, deepened the whole experience for me. This aspect of the story provided context for what the liberation the trail provided really meant for the author.
I’m so glad to have taken this journey along the Appalachian Trail with the author and her rotating band of thru-hikers, trail angels, and family members.

[Charli Fulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amanda Jaros (trail name Tamarack) was a recent college graduate when she got a summer job working at Baxter State Park in Maine. There she climbed Mt. Katahdin for the first time; there she first saw the dirty, emaciated, weary but triumphant hikers, who had hiked all the way from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Katahdin. By the time she returned to her parents’ house in New Jersey at the end of the summer, she was determined to become one of those thru hikers. In the meantime, she got a job at Eastern Mountain Sports, started learning about gear and hiking, and started planning her hike.

Her account, written 25 years after the hike, is the story of a sheltered young woman trying to escape from the abusiveness of her father, find her place in the adult world, and learn who she really is. Her belated account of the hike, based on a contemporaneously kept journal, is full of details of the trail, her experiences with other hikers on the trail, her struggles to complete the daunting hike, and her struggles with what she later learned was depression. I have a special fondness for Appalachian Trail memoirs, as my own AT thru hike was such an important part of who I have become in later life. This account is well-written and enjoyable, better than most such memoirs.

[Sherry Hobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a recent college graduate, Amanda had no idea what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. She was insecure, introverted, and lost. She wanted to be independent, but could she do it? Having had few friends in school and even fewer boyfriends, Amanda had no idea who she was or what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. Growing up, her mother indulged her, and her father, though at times, was able to show his love; more frequently, he expressed himself through bursts of explosive anger, pushing her to retreat into her bedroom closet as a child. Now on the verge of independent adulthood, she wrestled with her next step and decided she should put herself to the ultimate test of endurance. Could she live independently, traveling alone for six months, walking the treacherous 2000-mile Appalachian Trail extending from Georgia to the top of Katahdin Mountain in Maine? Amanda takes us on this gritty journey as she experiences the highs and lows and many moments where she wanted to quit but pressed on, building confidence and making friendships along the way. I love experiencing this adventure from the comfort of my easy chair. Five stars!