Description
Book SynopsisThe 2,181-mile Appalachian Trail runs along the Appalachian mountain range from Georgia to Maine. Every year about 2,000 individuals attempt to “thru-hike” the entire trail. Sociologist Kristi M. Fondren traces the stories of forty-six men and women who, for their own personal reasons, set out to conquer America's most well known, and arguably most social, long-distance hiking trail.
Trade Review“Well-written, accessible, and succinct, Kristi Fondren’s
Walking on the Wild Side tells the interesting story of the Appalachian Trail. Upon finishing a chapter, the reader is anxious to move onto the next one.” -- Alan Graefe * professor of recreation, park, and tourism management at Penn State University *
"Fondren takes readers on the most memorable of journeys. She portrays hikers braving both environmental and social elements, and, with remarkable sensitivity, she reveals that they are not so different than the rest of us. The Appalachian Trail is a microcosm of American society, and a fascinating one at that." -- John P. Bartkowski * University of Texas at San Antonio *
"If you dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail this book should be on your bedside table." * Hike Bike Travel *
"Though the book's aims are primarily scholarly, its brevity and approachable colloquial style make it accessible for students and lay readers." * Library Journal *
"Succinct, clear, and captivating … an excellent contribution to the reading lists of hiking enthusiasts, leisure and recreation managers, and sport studies scholars interested in nature and the environment." * Sport in American History *
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
1 From Georgia to Maine: The GA-ME Is Afoot
2 Hiker Trash: Constructing a Long-Distance Hiker Identity
3 April’s Fools: A Situated Subcultural Identity
4 In Search of Ithaka: Long-Distance Hiking as Spiritual Quest
5 The Appalachian Trail, an ATopia? Social Differentiation and Hierarchies among the Tribe
6 Hike Your Own Hike: What the Hiking Subculture Tells Us about American Society
Appendix Research Methodology
References
Index
