The Best Native Shrubs for Year-Round Interest and Seasonal Color
Native shrubs offer some of the most reliable, low maintenance, and ecologically beneficial options ...
By Bill Bryson
Rating: 🌳🌳🌳🌳 /5
Genres: Humor, Nature Writing, Travel Writing, Non-Fiction
A funny, informative, heartwarming, sobering, and sometimes irritating tale of one man’s attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail, one of the most iconic long-distance footpaths in the United States.
A Walk in the Woods follows Bryson and his faithful—if inconveniently out-of-shape—companion, Stephen Katz, as they make their way from Georgia to Maine on the Appalachian Trail (AT). As they attempt to thru-hike the AT, Bryson utilizes his piercing wit to describe the potential pitfalls of the trail (bears!), the absurdity of hikers even less experienced than he is, and the importance of conserving this vital natural space.
What we liked most about this book is how Bryson weaves his humorous personal story together with the history of the Appalachian Trail to highlight the ecological value of natural spaces. Enthusiasts of both nature and native plants will appreciate the passage where Bryson notes that the Great Smoky Mountains “harbor an astonishing range of plant life—over 1,500 types of wildflower, a thousand varieties of shrub, 530 mosses and lichen, 2,000 types of fungi. They are home to 130 native species of tree; the whole of Europe has just 85.”
Naturally, this biodiversity leads to the conclusion that “Rich plant life naturally brings rich animal life.” Bryson calls on readers to recognize “that people and nature could coexist to their mutual benefit,” and at Direct Native Plants, we couldn’t agree more. We understand that including native plants in home gardens contributes directly to improved biodiversity and habitat restoration in cities and suburbs, where ecosystems have become dangerously fragmented.
The only negative feedback we have about this book is that Bryson can occasionally be mean-spirited in his portrayal of other hikers. However, some may argue that his depiction of novice—and often rude—fellow hikers offers an honesty that makes his journey feel realistic and relatable. We’ll leave it up to you to decide.
Overall, we highly recommend this book. It is laugh-out-loud funny, balanced with poignant reflections and vivid descriptions of landscapes that are at once beautiful and wild. We give it 4 out of 5 Trees!
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