IRB Introduction #1

For the next four weeks, I will be reading A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. It was recommended to me as by Mr. Yost and my parents. This apparently hysterical travel memoir describes Bryson's trek along the Appalachian Trail. He explains the bountiful natural setting as well as his own silly adventures. Having little to no experience hiking, with a lacking physique to boot, Bryson and his old friend Stephen Katz attempt to travel from Georgia to Maine in one season. They encounter many eccentric characters along the way, as well as beautiful vistas. Bryson reportedly aims to entertain his reader, but also tries to justify and promote conservation efforts for one of Americas natural wonders. I an enthusiast regarding the natural world, though my nonfiction approach is typically in the form of encyclopedias. I rarely read travel reports, but this book is apparently a phenomenal place to begin. A Walk in the Woods is a narrative, so I hope to explore the use of rhetoric in that form of writing. It will be interesting to see how Bryson incorporates opinions on conservation and travel logistics with imagery and humor.