Book Review - Hiking Through

I have been on a Appalachian Trail book kick lately (BUM BUM BUMMMMMMM). I suppose it's not surprise that someone with a love of hiking is infatuated with the AT and the stories of it. The AT is the Holy Grail, the ultimate pilgrimage, a life changer, or sometimes a life ruiner. I read Wild by Cheryl Strayed (she hiked the PCT) last year and was absolutely obsessed with it, but I found that I didn't appreciate the struggles until I did a long-distance hike myself. Hiking 28.39 miles over two days is absolutely nothing, I mean really nothing, compared to an AT or PCT thruhike, but it did help me appreciate AT stories a little more.

Hiking Through was written by Paul Stutzman, a man who gives up his life to hike the AT after losing his wife to cancer. His story of losing his wife, quitting his job, and deciding to pursue his dream is so incredibly touching... but that's only half the story, really. The bigger story is the people he meets on the trail, the wonders of "trail magic", his spiritual journey, and coming to terms with what's important in life. Those things seem to be a recurring theme throughout AT hiking stories. One of my favorite quotes came from his experience in Dalton, Massachusetts. The largest employer in Dalton is Crane & Company, which makes all the paper money used in the U.S. It wasn't the money in Dalton that mattered. He "...saw and felt what life is truly about: families, togetherness, unity, acceptance, respect, and love for God. Those ingredients build strong spines and foster the courage to do what's right in any situation. That's something all the money in Dalton can never buy."

Now, let me get back to the "God" thing. This is just as much about Stutzman's relationship with God as it is about a hike. I would have realized that if I had actually read the entire description (I just got excited and put it in my Amazon shopping). I do not consider myself a religious person, so I found myself skimming over the "God-this-God-that" parts to get back to the hiking stuff. By the end, though, I started to appreciate his words more. I may not have the same views as him, but I can understand and appreciate the spiritual transformation he went through. I have said before that hiking is like therapy to me. It's hard not to feel connected to something larger than yourself when you're on top of a mountain.

Overall I enjoyed this book a lot. I laughed and cried along with him. No, I mean I actually cried. I started crying on the train when he reaches the summit of Katahdin and holds the sign sobbing. It was a weird commute home from the gym. Anyway, his story of losing his wife and literal/spiritual journey was inspiring and beautifully written. I would definitely recommend it to anyone, but to especially anyone who has lost a loved one and has had to navigate through that grief.