Book Review of The Appalachian Trail: A Biography by Philip D'Anieri

UPDATED: 2/5/2023

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Book stats:

272 pages, published on June 8, 2021 (I received an advanced copy of this book through the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

YOU MAY ENJOY THIS BOOK IF YOU LIKE:

Hiking * Non-fiction * The great outdoors * History of people and places

TRAVEL INSPIRATION:

From atop Mt. Katahdin in Maine through a total of 14 states to its southern terminus in Georgia, the Appalachian Trail, or AT as it is often abbreviated, runs along a large segment of the eastern United States. Clocking in at about 2,200 miles (3,500 kilometers), a large percentage of the eastern United States population has the AT in its backyard (sometimes literally, often figuratively) for a quick escape to wilderness, either as it truly is or how it is imagined in the mind’s eye.

In some ways, the AT is a blank slate; it is of nowhere and somewhere very particular all at the same time. During most segments of the hike, would a hiker know that he or she is in the wilds of Pennsylvania or could it just as easily be Massachusetts? In either case, the AT is definitely the realization of the balance that has long challenged the residents of the United States: How to enjoy the splendor of the vast land while also living in the more cultivated environment, if in fact such a balance is even possible or beneficial.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: philip d’anieri

Philip D’Anieri teaches courses on Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Michigan. In many ways, the Appalachian Trail is a perfect story for him. The trail is essentially a complex, nationalized, regional planning effort to design space for public recreation.

This work of non-fiction is D’Anieri’s first published book and in writing it, he seems to have found a perfect home for his intellectual interest. I can only imagine how many other equally compelling stories there are to tell, and I hope D’Anieri has more books up his sleeves in a similar vein!

REVIEW OF the appalachian trail: a biography BY philip d’anieri

D’Anieri sets out to tell the story of The Appalachian Trail as a biography. In the introduction, he shares that the book is neither a history in-and-of-itself nor is it a first-person memoir of hiking it; instead, this book takes a unique approach to telling the tale of a trail. A hiking trail’s biography rests on the shared biographies of those individuals whose lives crossed its figurative path. So, the biography of the Appalachian Trail is snippets of human lives, of those who first dreamed up the idea of a trail to those who shed sweat as they cleared paths up the sides of mountains, of those who created organizations and inspired armies of volunteers. The people who breathed life into the Appalachian Trail are the focus of this work.

Alongside these individuals, The Appalachian Trail: A Biography contends with philosophical questions about the purpose of the trail, the reality of the idea as opposed to the dreams at its inception, and the place of wilderness in modern society. There is a long human history of pilgramage-making, which is of course about far more than the physical journey. The meaning of a trek through the wilderness is as varied as the number of individuals embarking on the journey. While it would surprise the original creators of the AT to discover the ardent through-hiker community, this book tackles the life of its own that the trail has taken in the public consciousness.

Generally speaking, the book moves chronologically through time and presents a fascinating early look into the formation of the idea of the Appalachians. It never occurred to me, living in this region myself and within a very short drive to the Appalachian Trail, that the concept of the Appalachian mountains was the brain child of an individual. Prior to that time, there were regional mountains that existed in their own rights without being part of a larger whole. Even just the grounding in some of this origin story has greatly increased my appreciation for the trail and helped me to realize how unlikely its creation was in the first place. There are extensive details and stories throughout that bring to life the evolution of the trail, told in a narrative that is fascinating without becoming unnecessarily encumbered in history for history’s sake. The personalities that brought this trail to completion are quite the cast of characters, often flawed or eccentric humans who nevertheless made a lasting impact on everyone who steps foot on any portion of the trail.

D’Anieri’s story-telling is clear-eyed in depicting the trail for what it truly is, which means where it doesn’t always live up to expectations or the hype of popular imagination. That does not make it any less of an amazing tale or an invaluable addition to the public discourse on the Appalachian Trail. This book is highly successful in its goal and is a much needed reflection on the intermingling between history and the present in terms of public land usage and its meaning.

I also appreciated D’Anieri’s discussion of race and gender pertaining to the trail historically and at present. Who is the public that the trail is intended for and whose voices are included in that discussion?

As someone who has done a number of day hikes on the Appalachian Trail throughout Virginia and some surrounding states, I have a new-found appreciation for the trail and will never approach it the same way again. Even for those not living in its shadows, the book is a worthwhile read and may cause people to wonder about the trails in their own backyards!

DISCUSS the appalachian trail: a biography

If you have hiked any portions of the AT, how did your experience match up to the concepts covered in this book? In your opinion, what is the purpose of public recreational areas set forth to protect the wilderness?

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