Hiking/trekking/walking book recommendations, not routebased

[bronman]

Hello Brains Trust, I have just finished reading "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed and I'm now thirsty for more similar type books of hiking/trekking/expeditions. And not necessarily about "how to walk this trail/route", more like a first person experience of a walk, why they chose to do it, what they went through emotionally (because I don't know about you but ascending an 800m cliff face brings up all kinds of feelings for me!). Thanks in advance (and apologies for the paragraph, my enter key isn't working on my laptop!)

[Moondog55]

Grandma Gatewoods Walk

[norts]

A walk in the Woods
The Barefoot Sisters
Both about the AT.

[kitty]

Keith Foskett Balancing on Blue and Last Englishman.

[peregrinator]

Two very intelligent and engrossing books, both by Australian writers, are:

On track: searching out the Bundian Way, John Blay (2015). See brief comments by the author at:

http://www.newsouthpublishing.com/articles/track-and-bundian-way/

Walking the Flinders Ranges, C. Warren Bonython (1971) Plenty of second-hand copies here:

https://www.abebooks.com/book-search/title/walking-the-flinders-ranges/author/bonython-c-warren/

They are "route-based" only in so far as the authors have had key roles in blazing the trails.

[geoskid]

This thread may have something you like.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7809&hilit=adventure+books

[doates]

A 2nd for the Keith Foskett books. The journey in Betweeen, Balancing on Blue and The Last Englishman. Didn't enjoy his latest book of short stores as much, Traveled Far.

Carrot Quinn - Thu-Hiking will break your heart
Erin Miller - Hiker Trash - Life on the Pacific Crest Trail
Kyle Rohrig - Lost on the Appalachian Trail
David Miller - AWOL on the Appalachian Trail
Bill Walker - Skywalker--Close Encounters on the Appalachian trail, Skywalker: Highs and Lows on the Pacific Crest Trail and The Best Way: El Camino de Santiago

You can find all these in ebook version on Amazon.

Happy Reading

[bronman]

Wow, my reading list has grown significantly! Thank you everyone

[dee_legg]

King of the Wilderness by Christobel Mattingley (based on the amazing life of Deny King) is not a book based on a walk per say but it certainly might satisfying your thirst for adventure books!

[Son of a Beach]

This one is awesome: The Franklin River

But as co-author, I'm rather biased (I don't make any profit from it.)

[mikethepike]

Here's two books on walking that you might enjoy.
'Almost Somewhere. Twenty-eight days on the John Muir Trail' (2012) by Suzanne Roberts.
The author is a writer first, a nature lover second and a walker third but these interests aren't far separated and in company with two other female college graduates, walked the Trail almost on a whim. The result is a book that is a joy to read, had me laughing in places and one that I couldn't wait to get back to after each disruption. It gives a great description of what walking the Trail is like but it's much more than that; the group dynamics, the social encounters, the hardships and tears, the personal fears and little triumphs. I also found it interesting to get the female perspective on many aspects of life. Awarded the 2012 National Outdoor Book Award and probably ahead of many books that had far more dramatic content. But that's what good writing and feelings does. Probably be a film one day but definitely don't wait for that!

'Slow Journey South' (2008) by Paula Constant.
This book describes a walk by a husband and wife team from their house in London (literally) to northern Morocco via France, Spain and Portugal. I didn't enjoy this book like I did the one just described but I never lost interest in where the walk would take them and what happened next. It started with new boots, far too much gear and all of it new and no training. Add rain and general misery to the mix along with blisters, general soreness and exhaustion and you get an idea of the first few weeks. But things more or less get better. The author is not someone I would really like to walk with, her moods are very up and down and she does seem a bit too self absorbed a lot of the time. They walked the Camino but otherwise didn't appear to walk on paths (eg the numbered French GRs) and in that respect the book is a bit disappointing. Still it's a good read. The author later went on to walk across north Africa but the husband split soon after the start but all on good terms. I don't blame him but this later walk (described in a second book I've not read) is really the author's own trip and what she admits was an obsession.

[Eremophila]

An appropriate time to re-awaken this thread.

Last year I volunteered at a couple of local Lifeline book fairs. At the second one, the co-ordinator said, "oh, I think we have a few books on walking this time," as she knew it was one of my interests.

26 books later - a few of them are probably outdated, and a few are simply lists of rail trails and short walks, but some gems in there to be sure. "Classic Walks of Australia" - a large hardcover edition, looks like 1980s, a coffee-table type thing.

Amongst those not yet read:
The Bare Foot Bush Walker
Touching The Void (have seen the movie a few times)
Snowy Mountains Walks
Tasman Tracks
20 Best Walks of Australia
Isle of Skye Walks
Off the Beaten Path: Walks of the Dakotas

Lost in the Himalayas was interesting. I wonder how good his recall was though, the state he was in.

Two which I've really enjoyed:
Clear Waters Rising by Nicholas Crane. He came across at the beginning as something of a pompous tw*t, and his reason for the walk was never really made clear, but I warmed to him eventually as he included some very honest thoughts, and the whole journey was fascinating. Him and his umbrella!
Cape Wrath to Brora by Nick Lindsay. A bloke in his early 50's, of average fitness, well-prepared but with no expensive or fancy gear, does a remote week-long walk close to home. Many unfamiliar geographical terms. But just very enjoyable for me - shows that anyone can get out there and have a go, without the latest trendy must-have items, and just appreciate the landscape and the natural world.

For $2 apiece I reckon I've had good value out of this bundle.

[CraigVIC]

I recently read Tracks by Robyn Davidson. It was the 40th anniversary edition, so not a new book. Davidson tells the story of her 1977 walk from Alice Springs to the West Australian coast, a nine month journey assisted by three camels.

It is very well written, something not always true of these walking books, with the first 100 or so pages detailing her travails simply acquiring the camels including some acerbic observations about Alice Springs. The balance describes the trip itself. Good stuff.

[johnw]

For $2 apiece I reckon I've had good value out of this bundle.

I'm another book tragic and likewise have often picked up some gems in charity stores etc.
A few weeks ago I took the train to do a walk in the Southern Highlands.
While waiting for a return train I went window shopping and picked up a near perfect copy of Peter Dombrovskis/Bob Brown "Wild Rivers" for $10.

The Bare Foot Bush Walker

Read it many years ago. I thought it was well researched and generally interesting, although a bit long winded.

Touching The Void (have seen the movie a few times)

The book is better IMHO, very harrowing story. You don't get the same sense of Joe Simpson's absolute despair as much in the movie.

Snowy Mountains Walks

Great book, still my go to reference for walking up there. I have the last 2 editions.

Lost in the Himalayas was interesting. I wonder how good his recall was though, the state he was in.

I've had this one for many years and still haven't got around to reading it.

[Lamont]

Walking the Gallipoli Peninsula
https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/bo ... 1742374420
Great fun and solemn at the same time. Not jingoistic at all which is rare in anything around 'Anzac' these days.