Walking Home: A Woman's Pilgrimage on the Appalachian Trail

by Kelly Winters

A travelogue of the author's time hiking the vast majority of the Appalachian Trail from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mahoosuc Notch in Maine. She recounts the travails of attempting to thru-hike the entire trail and recalls the many characters she met who were also thru- hiking the 2,000 mile trai

Genres: Travel, Memoir, Nonfiction, Nature, Adventure, Wilderness, Womens

320 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2001

Reviews

[Marjorie Elwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was hard not to make comparisons between Wild (Cheryl Strayed) and this book, although this one was published in 2001, well before Wild (2012). Both women are somewhat broken, which is the impetus for them to commit to a long-distance hike. Both have important relationships with a parent.

Winters, however, is insightful and self-reliant, a true outdoorswoman (I love how she regularly identifies plants while walking). She struggles through her search for her sexual identity while struggling through the many miles of trail. The ending is beautiful.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I read this knowing that others had complained about the "whiny" and "self-righteous" voice of the narrator. In fact, I didn't really find that to be the case at all. In comparing this book to Wild by Cheryl Strayed, I actually found this author to be less irritating and whiny. I really liked her descriptions of the other hikers, the rules of hiking, and how grueling and painful 6months in the woods can actually be. I'm starting my own small hike on the AT this week and I feel like her book has prepared me and provided some useful knowledge for my trip. I really did enjoy this memoir, especially from the point of view of a woman hiking on her own.

[Dark-Draco · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started reading this, then had to move on to something else, and found myself a bit reluctant to go back to it. I'm not sure why - I love tales about the outdoors and nature, and love hiking myself. The writing itself was ok as well. But I think I just ended up a little bit annoyed with the author's attitude - the last thing I remember reading was her going on about not being cut out for a boring office job. Well, some of us don't get the chance to drop everything to 'find ourselves' in the wilderness and have to hold down a 'boring' job in order to actually get on and live. Which maybe why I couldn't be bothered to go back and find out whether she found what she was looking for in the end.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love backpacking memoirs. I'm usually good for at least one a year, and if a miss a year I tend to read a few at once. I used to think I wanted to thru-hike the AT myself. Though I still like the idea of that at times, I think I just want to read about other people doing it. This was one of the better trail memoirs. The writing was pretty high quality for a small press memoir and the introspection and story arc were strong. I have read a few AT books which were more satisfying in the description of the day-to-day grind and their satisfying progression and conclusion. I've found some writers more likeable than Winters, and a few much less so. But as a literary experience, I find only Cheryl Strayed's Wild to be comparable.

[Valerie Petersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I admired the author's fortitude in hiking the Appalachian Trail and all the challenges she was able to overcome, I enjoyed the same type of book, Wild, by Cheryl Strayed much more. Perhaps if I had read this one first, my feelings would be different.

[Maura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this memoir of Winters' experience as a solo thru-hiker on the Appalachian Trail. I found her honesty about the absolute train wreck of the relationship before she started out on the AT to be both refreshing and relatable - other reviewers who described it as oversharing and cringe-worthy are, I guess, lucky to have avoided such wreckage, but I could relate too well to it, and it created an instant connection for me to Winters' journey and quest.

I found her details about trail life to be fascinating, and I think other reviewers' criticism of her decisions to blue-blaze and even yellow-blaze is unwarranted: the whole idea is to hike your own hike. If the joy you get in a solo hike as a white-blazing purist who never steps a foot off the trail or backtracks to not miss a foot is what is most significant, then great. If the joy you get is the freedom to take a side trail and have an unexpected adventure sharing a meal with interesting locals along the way, that's great, too. I appreciated how much Winters' valued the autonomy more than anything. Hiking her own hike meant just that.

As a selfish observer, I would have wished for a different end to her quest, but her choice to leave SO close to the terminus of the hike was both exasperating and fitting...fitting her quest to let no one else define her. For that, I admire her, even if I rooted for her to push herself all the way through to Katahdin.. A great book for those, especially women, looking to live vicariously through adventures or plan an adventure of their own.

[Gpickle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I stumbled across this book at the library and picked it up. I thru hiked the Appalachian Trail in 1999 and I enjoy reading about it when I find a book on the subject. Now I can amend that to, "I generally enjoy reading about it when I find a book on the subject."

It starts with what inspired this woman to walk the trail. It is believable enough with tales of family and the great outdoors but then, on page 11, takes a "WTF" turn when she catches her boyfriend masturbating outside some other people's tent while they were camping in Shenandoah. Too Much Information! She gives a good 15 pages of her relationship imploding and how angry she is. Some of it made me cringe...

So I gave the trail stuff a try and it was more of the same. She struck me as a very unhappy person, and her descriptions of trail life were astonishing. In that, from my 4 months on the AT, I did not believe much of what she was telling me. Maybe she is prone to hyperbole, but I did not trust her. So I decided I could not read 300 more pages without trust and quit.

Until I decided to read the last chapter to see if she had found herself out there and been reborn or whatever. Nope, it struck me as more of the same. I am glad that she reports to have indeed found herself and gotten to a good place in her life, but there are plenty of other books out there about the AT that were written by people with just packs on their shoulders and not chips, I will stick to those.

[Liralen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Winters walked the Appalachian Trail for a number of reasons, not least to put some distance between herself and an unhealthy relationship—and to figure out what she wanted from relationships, and who she wanted to date, in the future. But she locked much of that inside herself for the trip, preferring to battle it out privately, internally. I want to have no past, no interesting history. I resolve not to tell anyone anything about my private life until I have it better sorted out (57). She's pretty direct in the book, though...and gradually, over the course of her walk, she made peace and let go.

I read this and In Beauty May She Walk within a couple of weeks of each other (they were both available at the library...). Both place a fairly strong emphasis on being females hiking solo—I'm curious to see if that trend continues for female writers who hiked the AT, as it didn't seem a big deal on the Camino (or in Camino memoirs). As a safety precaution, Winters stayed in or next to shelters all along the route, making her hike in some ways more structured than it could have been; as time went on, though, her understanding of 'hike your own hike evolved' to include blue-blazing and yellow-blazing (I'm learning a whole new vocabulary!) and, eventually, figuring out that 'done' did not necessarily mean X distance or Y end point.

I hope we'll meet again, but on the Trail you never know (66).

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Years ago (actually decades ago, before I even met my wife to be) I hiked a small portion of the Appalachian Trail. My accomplice in that adventure was a former Scout from the troop for which I was the Scoutmaster. Actually, we were only about 4 years apart. Jim had been the senior patrol leader when I took over the troop. Somewhat significantly, he was probably seven inches taller than me. This became important when we got out on the trail.
Any way, I picked this up at the library at the beginning of the summer because they had a display of books on summer activities. The author was planning to thru hike the trail, meaning to do the entire length in one trip. Her experience largely mirrors others that I have read. (I'll exclude Bryson, because even he admitted that he started the trip cluelessly, even describing it as A Walk in the Woods, which the AT is definitely not.)
Her experience also was similar to my very brief one, involving lots of physical pain, as well as some amazing experiences with the trail and the people on the trail.

[Gail Owen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my least favorite of the books that I have read on hiking the Appalachian Trail. There were some details about her failed relationship with her boyfriend which shared too much information. I found it interesting that with the trail name of Amazing Grace that she could not have extended a little of that grace to the situation and gloss over those details. It also set a tone of skepticism for me as I read her accounts of other individuals. Would any these stories be shared in the same way if the individuals were present?
It is clear that each journey on the trail is an individual journey. There were insights about traveling alone as a female hiker that were helpful and answered some questions. However, for me, they were nuggets in a story which plodded along. Perhaps it was ruined for me by my previous reading of Bryson's account of traveling the trail that same year.

[Teige · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed he narrative of this book, although I agree with others that the first part (re the boyfriend) was a bit too specific and unnecessary. I didn't find this author to whine like others, although I just finished Bryson, the king of complaining and judgment, and both of Davis' books, which are full of self-righteous judgment, especially the first book. I think the author's body was so broken down that the end devolved into what comes off as complaint, but was probably a sign for her to quit/take a break, rather than trying to keep up with her group.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good but intense read of a woman's struggle to find herself, and while the self exploration should stick with me more, it is the sheer physicality of the trail (and things like eating a stick of butter when she is starving) that I remember. I also learned a bit about the variety of people who set our on the AT. This is from 2001 and published well before Wild.

[Keith · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the most negative AT books I've ever read...from descriptions of people she happens to encounter to the events she chooses to include. I give it two stars because it is generally well written, but it you're looking for a book to inspire you to walk the AT this isn't it.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one is going on my list of favorite trail memoirs. Grace is an excellent writer and--I feel-- a kindred spirit. I ugly cried at the end because the conclusion was the most beautiful thing I could have wished for her. Also, she has great taste in music.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

These hiking books are so inspirational!

[Lisa Moschkau · Rating 5 out of 5]

She makes my bucket list dream come alive.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the writing and the honesty. I never want to hike the trail now though!

[Jerry Smith]

It was ok, had some good parts but if I'd known she didn't finish the through-hike I wouldn't have checked it out.

[Shelly♥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my least favorite story of the Appalachian Trail that I have read (of 6 different books). "Amazing Grace" has always dreamed of hiking the trail - she's grown up in the outdoors. Having floated around since graduating college, she makes a break with a very weird boyfriend (too much information on his weirdness) and heads for the trail to discover her next course and to leave behind the pain and hurt from this relationship.

I would say this book was more about the author's reconciliation with her "authentic self" than about the trail. The trail was only the means of her discovery. She is battling primarily with this failed relationship and her own sexual orientation. I struggled to identify with her any way - not because of the orientation, but because in her strive to be herself she in fact alienates anyone else who might have a different lifestyle. Perhaps the mantra of hike your own hike - would have been a good theme to embrace for life in general.

Interestingly enough, her and Bill Bryson hiked the trail in the same season. He was a bit ahead of her though.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can see how some people might not have liked "her" (the narrator) as she wasn't the most "likeable" person throughout the book, and she'd probably be the first to agree with that.

I'm fascinated by strong, independent people like "Amazing Grace," who come through hard times, and find their own, unique form of "recovery." She made it through a TERRIBLE (bordering on not even possibly true, but I believe her) relationship and took off to follow her dream to walk the AT. I was inspired by her journey, and really felt like I walked with her on those many miles of trail. Some may see it as cliché, but she certainly did learn quite a few major life lessons along the way, and never really tried to preach a "right" or "wrong" way to hike, think, or understand others she met along the way. I was sorry the journey (her story) ended, and I'd love to read more of her work! Though I more than likely will never cover such long distance, I've been inspired to read more of people who do AND to continue on my own journey!!

[Kurt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, yet another Appalachian Trail hiking narrative. This woman records her story fighting a number of difficulties, including hypoglycemia and a bad relationship, as she walks her way to a new identity (read it to find out what that is). It also delves deeply into what hiker hunger (calorie deficit) really feels like, what the group dynamics of a northbound thru-hike can be like (not always good), how it felt to blue blaze and yellow blaze (if I have to explain that, you're not an AT hiker), what some of the scenery is like (she actually knows some of the plants she walks by), and what happens when your knees finally give out at Mahoosuc Notch.

Okay, the review doesn't tell you a lot about the book. How about this: if you're not a hiker and don't "get it," then this book might help explain it to you. Or maybe it won't, maybe you have to go out and hike.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I devoured this book. That doesn't sound very nice, does it? Devour is the only way I can describe the feeling I had when I was able to take a lunch break at work and read more of the book. Even though I was sitting in a relatively comfortable room, scarfing down my lunch, I could feel the pain of hunger, the ache in my joints, and the general weariness that she described throughout the story. At the same time, I could feel a cool wind on my face, and smell the crisp scent of wet woods and dirt."

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book on one woman's hike of the Appalachian Trail. She grew up in a out-doorsy family , but ended up in a relationship with a nerdy hoarder who had some strange fetishes that she only found out about after they moved in together. To find herself she sets off on the trail, something she had always wanted to do. You almost feel like you are hiking with her, listening to the birds , feeling the pain from the long days hiking. Near the end, I rationed out the pages to read as I didn't want the book and the hike to end.

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an examination of a subculture (here, thru-hikers on the 2000-mile Appalachian Trail), this book is excellent--the perfect balance of admiration and snark.

That said, I found myself getting pretty mad at the author/protagonist. She was constantly putting herself in extreme danger; by not having enough food on hand hardly ever, by climbing the White Mountains in nearly treadless boots, and by continuing on when she was clearly wearing away her knees to nubs.

[eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that i read when i need to feel love. The world is getting me down, i read through this and feel love for life, the minutiae, the basic things, even people. I'm still waiting for my chance to take Kelly's advice and go out on a pilgrimage of my own (on my own!). And i keep wanting to say thank you.

Thank you, Kelly Winters.

"Give your heart to the path, and beauty will come."

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

having just returned home from my own section hike of the AT, i loved reading about this woman's journey. i felt many of the same things, and enjoyed living vicariously reading about the sections of the hike i didn't visit. the combination of introspection and practical backpacking information along with her descriptions of place and pain paint a vivid picture of what completing (or not) this hike is all about. i'll definitely revisit this one when i am missing those mountains.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Told in a simple and forthright way, hers is a story of courage and determination. Her descriptions of strife, both internal and external, made me feel like I was right behind her. This book is lovely and a great example of a journey I believe every young woman should take before the rest of life begins; not necessarily to the AT, but some where, alone, where she can find herself in struggle, adventure and realization. Loved it!

[Lisa Pool · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. I am also rereading a Walk in the Woods and I just saw and read Wild, so it was fun to compare all three stories. I think what sets this book apart is the poetic beauty of her words in describing the nature/wild she encounters. The author does have problems but they never overwhelm the story and the trail itself becomes the focal point. I was sad when the book ended so I will most likely read again in a couple of years.

[Catt · Rating 3 out of 5]

i blazed through this book!

Most of the time, i wanted to slap her upside the head for taking risks with her hypoglcymia. She could have died on that "pilgrimage" of hers! There is being tough & there is being smart.

i want attempt a section hike of the A.T alone, so reading from a woman's point of view was inspiring. i thought it was sweet that she found what she was looking for.

[Jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read this book a number of times. It is the one that got me interested in long distance hiking.

When I first read it, I thought it was excellent, but now as I have re-read it a few times, it actually makes me realize that she is somewhat pretentious in the way she sees things and does things. I still enjoy reading about her experiences on the trail though.