Re [at-l] Picking on Bill and other stuff at-l

[dennis@bcontech.com (Dennis Gass)]

I've got a friend a lot like Katz, providing I read between the lines
and tone Katz down a bit.  I don't invite him and bring him along
because I need a saleable book, I bring him along because he is a fun
guy to hike with and laugh with.  I really enjoy his company.  I am sure
there are those of you looking for an individual experience on the AT,
and I may be a party of one standing on my own here, but I enjoy hiking
the AT with at least one friend if not a couple of them.  

Would Bryson have brought Katz along if he didn't need him as a
character in the book?  Only he knows.  Is there reasonable doubt that
he would bring Katz along if he were going to hike some of the AT and
not write a book?  There is in my mind.  Someone that doesn't have
experience setting out to do something foreign to them might just want a
friend along, experienced or not.

Debating whether or not the book was good or not might best be done by
asking ourselves just how many books were sold?  Whether or not he
pissed me off by putting my name in the book (he didn't, but I know
someone he did) and making remarks I felt were inaccurate about me
doesn't make him successful or unsuccessful in his mission.  I would be
willing to bet his mission was to sell books, and that would have to be
called a successful mission no matter how many blue or yellow blazes
were used or white blazes skipped.

I think what we have been stating so far is our personal opinion about
the book.  I know that I actually came out of my chair just trying to
breathe at one point in the book because it was so ridiculously
hilarious.  That's my opinion, based upon the types of things I like to
read for enjoyment.  I tried to read some of his other books and
couldn't get halfway through before sitting them down and picking up my
favorite reading material, the at-l.  

You know what, there are some similarities between A Walk in the Woods
and at-l.  There are serious comments, facts, hilarious posts, fiction
and friends, with one of the main topics being the AT, and it draws a
large audience and a wide variety of opinions, some rather emotional.
Some people get their feelings hurt by some of the posts on at-l, just
like they got hurt by some of the statements in the book.

Trailwind

-----Original Message-----
From: at-l-admin@mailman.backcountry.net
[mailto:at-l-admin@mailman.backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Bob C.
Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2002 6:36 PM
To: at-l@backcountry.net
Subject: Re: Re [at-l] Picking on Bill

"... Katz isn't all that unbelievable.  I know people like that." says
the
sauntering one.

Katz IS the only believable character in the book. Probably because he
is real.
(albeit somewhat exaggerated) He was the foil in several other Bryson
books.
Bryson is a very skilled writer, but not that skilled. He brought Katz
along
because he needed him to produce a saleable book.

Weary



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