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

Book Description

The Appalachian Trail stretches from Georgia to Maine, a grueling 2,000-mile journey marked by white blazes that doggedly lead to the summit of every mountain in its path. For hikers, it represents a pilgrimage to the very heart of outdoor culture. For Kelly Winters, it was that and more. "I felt there was a place I needed to get to," she writes, "not a physical place, but an emotional, psychological, spiritual one." So she quit her job, left behind an unhealthy relationship, and set foot on the trail, where for the next six months, as a member of a nomadic tribe of zealots, slackers, heiresses, stoners, saints, and freaks, overcoming exhaustion, hunger, injuries, and loneliness, she moved northward. Winters's account, in the tradition of our best outdoor chroniclers from John Muir to Jon Krakauer, captures the sense of both majestic isolation and quirky community, the moments of staggering beauty and of startling terror, and the conflicting senses of exhilaration and futility that exist in outdoor adventure. But, most vividly, Walking Home is an exceptionally truthful, often funny, exciting account of an emotional and spiritual journey filled with courage, healing, developing trust, unexpected strength, and most surprisingly, lasting love.

Features:

8 page photo insert

Marketing Plans:

Advance Reader Copies. Awareness campaign to hiking and outdoor clubs. Outdoor media push including Outside Magazine , Backpacker , National Geographic Adventure . Other media including Fresh Air, NPR's, Morning Edition, Ms. Magazine, SI for Women, Femsport, O The Oprah Magazine.

Kelly Winters is a freelance writer and editor living in Bayville, N.Y. She is the author of Along Long Island, published by Side Roads Press. An excerpt of Walking Home appeared in A Woman's Path: Women's Best Spiritual Travel Writing, published by Travelers' Tales Inc.

Customer Reviews:

the best book on hiking the Appalacian trail.......2006-03-17

As with most really good books, there is more to this story than just the physical journey. It is also the story of a spiritual pilgrimage. Kelly Winters is an excellent writer, and her personal journey of discovery was perfectly balanced with the other aspects of hiking the trail: the physical challenges and dangers, companionship of all kinds of very different people, and the appreciation of nature. If you are going to read one book about the Appalacian Trail, this should be the one. You will feel like you are there with her.

beautiful.......2005-07-23

I wrote the following in May 2002 about this book:

"I just finished devouring "Walking Home: A Woman's Pilgrimage on the Appalachian Trail" by Kelly Winters. 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 wearyness 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.

I have a friend whom I have lost touch with who is probably hiking the AT right now. At one point, I thought about going with her. In the end, I knew that thru-hiking was not my path (for now). It was good to be able to read Kelly's story and imagine what it might have been like had I gone with my friend."

The real deal.......2005-02-10

Many AT thru hikers claim that Bill Bryson's A Walk In The Woods inspired them to hike the trail. Personally I don't see how a book written by a man that hiked only small sections of the trail and didn't bond with the trail's culture could do this.
Kelly Winter's is the real deal. She hiked all the way, in one stretch from Georgia to Maine. She talks about the high points as well as the low points without sounding overly mushy or whiny - something all too common in books about thru hikes.
The opening pages about her strange boyfriend had me worried that the book would contain mostly personal stories and not much trail information. Thankfully this sidetrack was neccesarry because it told the reader where she was in her life and why she chose to hike. The rest of the book is a great description of the trail, the people and animals, and the thoughts in her head.
This is the story that should inspire people to hike the AT.

Personal Pilgrimage.......2004-08-28

The writing style of K. Winters made the book and enjoyable and easy read. The message was clear; the Trail is not an easy hike.
I was taken in to her struggles and almost feel her exhaustian and her pain, however, it was her personal pilgrimage.
There were times when I had hoped the story would take a huge emotional turn, as she related her personal journey more to the trail. Parts had me laughing and parts had me almost crying, but the parts I liked least were the [many] parts of negativity on the trail.
Over all a good read. 4-4.5 starts.
* I would reccomend "A Journey North; One Womans' Story of Hiking the Appalachian Trail" by Adrienne Hall before reading "Walking HOme". It is a mUch better journey.

Terrific Tale of Trail Travel........2004-05-06

I picked this book up at the library, expecting another mediocre hiking story akin to Bryson's book. To my delight, I found it to be a compelling read on several levels. The hiking minded will enjoy the details of life on the trail, but there is more to this book than a simple description of Point A to Point B. Winters is a helluva writer and presents a compelling portrait of her inner struggles. The best book on the AT I've read.

Average customer rating:

The Winter People
John Ehle
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Domestic Life | Women's Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0060149302

Book Description

While sitting in her 150-year-old cabin in the mountains of North Carolina at the beginning of the Depression, Collie Wright sees furtive figures emerging from the woods on a chilly, near-winter evening. The figures turn out to be clockmaker Wayland Jackson, a widower on his way to Tennessee to seek work, and his 12-year-old daughter, Paula. Wayland's truck has broke down, and the two have lost their way. Collie allows them to stay the night, and Jackson is immediately taken with her. But she is an unmarried woman with a newborn baby and dark secrets, the object of tawdry talk although her family is the most prominent in the community. Jackson stays to become a clock repairman, to build a clock tower for the community_and to court Collie. But the father of Collie's child, a wild young man from a mountain clan long in conflict with her family, soon returns to claim his rights, and a violent showdown forces Collie into the most painful decision of her life. The Winter People became a feature film starring Kurt Russell, Lloyd Bridges, and Kelly McGillis.

Average customer rating:

A young hero's journey

We Be Warm Till Springtime Comes
Lillie D. Chaffin , and Lloyd Bloom
Manufacturer: Atheneum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0027179109

Customer Reviews:

A young hero's journey.......2004-07-09

Jimmy Jack Blackburn's story is sure to touch young and old. The poetry and rhythm of its accomplished prose unfolds a tale rich with the heroism of everyday life in a challenging setting. When faced with the choice between remaining at home under the covers and braving danger to find fuel to keep his fatherless family warm, Jimmy Jack chooses to put his life on the line to care for his young siblings and mother. In the process Jimmy Jack grows up. An exquisite book, beautifully illustrated. Guaranted to move, to inspire and to raise awareness of the reality of poverty and the resiliance of those who grow up in it. This one should be reissued. It's that important and well-crafted a book.

Average customer rating:

Appalachia Journal: Winter/Spring 2006
Appalachian Mountain Club Books
Manufacturer: Appalachian Mountain Club Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mountaineering | Sports | Subjects | Books

Mountain Climbing | Mountaineering | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1929173997

Book Description

Appalachia, America's longest-running journal of mountaineering and conservation, brings readers stories of adventure among the world's highest peaks. Published biannually, Appalachia's unique blend of adventure, conservation, and poetry is perfect reading for outdoor lovers, dedicated mountaineers, conservationists, and armchair adventurers alike. The Winter/Spring 2006 issue includes one explorer's encounter with wildness on the outskirts of Anchorage, plus a tale of peakbagging in Scotland's famous and beautiful Highlands region. Readers will also find news and notes on recent mountaineering expeditions worldwide, nature-inspired poetry, and fascinating accident reports that illustrate the do's and don'ts for safe outdoor adventure.

Average customer rating:

Appalachia Winter/Spring 2004
Appalachian Mountain Club Books
Manufacturer: Appalachian Mountain Club Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mountaineering | Sports | Subjects | Books

Mountain Climbing | Mountaineering | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1929173555

Book Description

America's longest running journal of mountaineering and conservation.

Average customer rating:

Appalachia Winter/Spring 2005
Appalachian Mountain Club Books
Manufacturer: Appalachian Mountain Club Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mountaineering | Sports | Subjects | Books

Mountain Climbing | Mountaineering | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
ASIN: 192917375X

Book Description

Published biannually, Appalachia is the longest-running journal of mountaineering and conservation, essential reading for outdoor lovers, mountaineers, conservation-minded individuals, and armchair adventurers alike.

Average customer rating:

Appalachian Winter
Betsy Sholl
Manufacturer: Alice James Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Anthologies | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

A-B | Premium Fashion Brands | Designer Specialty Store | Specialty Stores | Apparel
ASIN: 0914086219

Average customer rating:

A Winter For All Seasons
Informative, inspiring reading

Appalachian Winter
Marcia Bonta
Manufacturer: University of Pittsburgh Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Ecology | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Nature Writing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0822958627
Release Date: 2005-01-20

Book Description

This is the fourth (and final) volume in Marcia Bonta’s seasonal musings on the natural world surrounding her 650-acre home in the mountains of central Pennsylvania. It explores the often hidden beauty and outdoor life of North American winters.

Customer Reviews:

A Winter For All Seasons.......2005-06-07

Even though I read this book in early June, I almost couldn't wait for the next winter in my area of Central Pennsylvania. Marcia Bonta also lives in this region, in a large forested enclave on top of a ridge, and this book functions as a diary of her wildlife viewing around her property during an entire winter. There are entries for each date from December 1 through March 20, and while you might think such a diary would be monotonous, that is far from the case because of the wide variety of wildlife and weather Bonta observed every day. She saw plenty of the most common woodland creatures frolicking throughout the supposedly "dead" season, with some surprise sightings of bears, beavers, and foxes. The biggest surprise for the reader is the astonishing variety of birds that inhabited the Bonta ranch during the winter, from mighty raptors to surprisingly hardy songbirds. Throughout the daily diary entries, Bonta adds informative biology lessons on the behavior of the birds and animals she spotted. Meanwhile there are occasional forays into other scientific areas, such as the botany of lichens and the history of the snowshoe, topped off by occasional passages of wise and experienced Thoreau-like naturalist philosophy. This very enjoyable book shows you that winter only seems like a dead season if you stay cooped up inside every day. Instead, venture outside and see for yourself how alive the hills and forests of Appalachia really are. [~doomsdayer520~]

Informative, inspiring reading.......2005-05-18

I first encountered the works of Marcia Bonta when assigned her books to review for a university publication. She fast became a personal favorite. I am especially fond of the quartet of seasonal nature journals, APPALACHIAN SPRING, APPALACIAN FALL, APPALACHIAN SUMMER and now APPALACHIAN WINTER. Bonta has a sharp eye, a wealth of knowledge and a graceful hand at writing that will hook anyone anywhere even though she is documenting life atop a mountain in central Pennsylvania.

The volume on Spring was her first in the quartet, and stuck closely to the flora and fauna on the mountain. The next in the series was Fall, in which her daily treks and observations brought her and her family up against an unscrupulous lumberman whose devastation of the land bordering theirs offered lessons in public policy and environmental awareness. The Summer journal included glimpses of new human life in the form of a grandchild while search parties looking for a lost child wove through the Bonta's beloved woods. The Winter volume thrums with close-up looks at birds, mammals, insects and climatic events but Bonta's awareness of ageing and the aggregation of human devastation of the environment also creep in. She weaves a tapestry of wonder, fact, observation, opinion and thought. Her way of life is extraordinary and she is generous to share her world. Though I was saddened at the prospect of no more entries to anticipate in the seasonal journals now that Winter concludes the quartet, I am heartened that Bonta expresses the conviction to continue to uphold her role as steward of the natural world and to serve as its interpreter as long as possible.

Winter 1999 (Appalachian Journal: A Regional Studies Review, Volume 26, Number 2)

Average customer rating:

Winter 1999 (Appalachian Journal: A Regional Studies Review, Volume 26, Number 2)

Manufacturer: Appalachian State University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000FA990W

AMC programs put fun into winter.(Off the Clock)(Appalachian Mountain Club): An article from: New Hampshire Business Review

Average customer rating:

AMC programs put fun into winter.(Off the Clock)(Appalachian Mountain Club): An article from: New Hampshire Business Review
Tracie Stone
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from New Hampshire Business Review, published by Thomson Gale on December 22, 2006. The length of the article is 851 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: AMC programs put fun into winter.(Off the Clock)(Appalachian Mountain Club)
Author: Tracie Stone
Publication: New Hampshire Business Review (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 22, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 28 Issue: 27 Page: 50(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

While Darklighters threaten to steal true love
magic made a wish go wrong:
Where two are, once was one --
but two does not mean twice as strong.

Too much work and no time for play have made Piper a major stress case. When a seemingly harmless wish comes true, creating two Pipers, it looks like the problem's solved. Two Pipers can do twice as much work, leaving one Piper to party the night away and the other to finally have time to relax. While one Piper's home baking, the other can give an interview. Two Pipers? Too perfect.

But soon it becomes clear that two heads -- and bodies -- aren't always better than one. When Darklighters kidnap Leo and hold him hostage in exchange for the Charmed Ones' powers, one of the Pipers doesn't even seem to care. And then both Pipers' powers fade, leaving them useless and sick. Phoebe and Paige scramble to find a reversal spell, but without Leo's help, and with Piper split in two, will the Power of Three become powerless?

Customer Reviews:

A Tale of Two Pipers.......2007-03-17

This book was awsome!!! It's one of those books you cannot put down. I read it in one day. It was funny, suspensful, etc. - all the things you expect from an episode of Charmed!!! I would have loved to see this made into an episode for television. If you love Charmed and you love Piper and Leo, than this is a great read. I actually found myself laughing outloud at some of the scenes!

Promising story, but flawed. .......2005-10-08

This book had a rather interesting and unique plot. I thought it was pretty compelling, giving the background summary on the back page of the book. But I found the story draggy, long-winded and slow. The real action occurs every now and then, but the story didn't have usual intriguing feel to it, in comparison to other Charmed books. Some parts of the book made me feel like sighing in frustration at the long-winded'ness'. Piper 2's character is very unlike Piper's regular demeanor, which goes to show that maybe there is a possibility of Piper 2 not being Piper herself at all. What I don't understand is how both Pipers are strong and powerful but get all weak and sick after that within a very, very short period of time, and have their powers detoriating so quickly. The part on the Darklighters seemed quite unnecessary during the times which Paige thought they were after her.

What I couldn't get was how the sisters did not do anything much to solve the double Piper situation, other than consulting the Book of Shadows. Usually, they will practically go to the extent to save their sister's life, but this time, the book focused more on Piper, less on Phoebe and Paige, let alone what they needed to do to reverse the repercussions of this situation. Also, all 3 sisters did not have their usual spunk, wit or charm in this book, which is rather disappointing.

Overall, I somehow enjoyed it, but I can guarantee, you may find yourself putting down the book and being tentative about continuing to read it, when you come across some parts of the story. Emma Harrison is a good, talented author, no doubt about it, but she should add more details, more bits and pieces (like putting the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle in its place infiltratingly) in the books she writes or try to mitigate the situation, by adding some humor or witty dialogue to the story, as the plot seems either too easy or practically impossible to solve. Recommended for Charmed fans only, but do not be surprised if you find this book failing your expectations. Not bad, but not very good either.

THE BEST CHARMED BOOK.......2005-08-16

I thought the book was great.It had a great story and was very exciting.I couldn't put the book down finished it in 3 hrs.It reminded me of the show "WHICH PRUE IS IT ANYWAY?".I LOVED IT ALOT!

Not my cup of tea.......2005-05-07

I thought I would really enjoy this book as I enjoyed another one in the series but it was pretty lame at parts. The sisters are too watered down. They don't have their spunk or passion. They seem to nice and agreeable. Where is their spunk?

The main problem I had with the book was the story itself. It was so ridiculous. I have watched other witch shows and read other witch books and this one is just too hard to swallow. The actual writing was poor. A high schooler could have written it. If you don't follow the show (I don't anymore) then you may find some of the details and terminology hard to understand. What exactly does "orbed out" mean?

I am glad I got this from the library and didn't waste the money. I am not giving up the series however because I'm sure some of the other books are good.

Double Trouble With The Piper's.......2005-03-02

THIS BOOK WAS AWSOME!!!

I thought this was the best charmed book that I have read (even though they didn't do an episode for it) And it really showed what Piper was feeling with all of the trouble she was going through.

I love Charmed(as you probably can tell) and i really thought you were kind of in the book in the way that the author wrote this book. I would totally recomend it to other people.

Average customer rating:

A Tale of Two Pipers (Charmed)
Constance M. Burge
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0689872720

Average customer rating:

The pied piper: A tale of two ditties
Colin Franklin
Manufacturer: Armstrong Browning Library, Baylor University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006QXUQE

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