Joe Polk
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Waking Up on the Appalachian Trail
- A Story of War, Brotherhood, and the Pursuit of Truth
- By: N. B. Hankes
- Narrated by: TJ Clark
- Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 57
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 49
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Story3.5 out of 5 stars 49
Nate Hankes returned home from his tour in Iraq unable to answer one simple question: Had his mission overseas been honorable? Determined to find clarity and forge a new identity outside of the US Army, Nate, alongside his brother, Ben, a recent college grad delaying his entry into the Great Recession job market, set out to hike the entire length of the 2,180-mile Appalachian Trail.
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1 out of 5 stars
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not a trail story...a political opinion piece.
- By Lofton on 08-22-21
- Waking Up on the Appalachian Trail
- A Story of War, Brotherhood, and the Pursuit of Truth
- By: N. B. Hankes
- Narrated by: TJ Clark
Two narratives that don't mix well
Reviewed: 06-16-24
As someone else noted, the story of two brothers hiking the trail is a great one. The author's stories from his time in Iraq do indeed help to give context to his struggles regarding the war. But the book spends too much time on his grappling with geo-political themes and ideas that he's struggling with. He's young, so it's understandable for him to question his world view. The time spent on the topic is exhausting, unnecessarily repetitive, and made the worse because it doesn't seem to go anywhere. As such, it's off-putting and he probably should have left it in the beginning of the book, to frame his mindset, then only briefly referred back to it throughout the book. As it is written, it is difficult to enjoy the story with these interruptions but the story is entertaining and interesting enough to stick with it. You might find yourself skipping ahead in parts, however.
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Unlost
- A Journey of Self-Discovery and the Healing Power of the Wild Outdoors
- By: Gail Muller
- Narrated by: Gail Muller
- Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 263
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 244
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 242
Gail Muller was told she’d be in a wheelchair by the age of 40. At 41, she set out to hike one of the world’s toughest treks: the Appalachian Trail - a 2,200-mile journey that would help her reclaim her life and heal her mind and body. An inspiring, moving, and uplifting memoir for fans of Cheryl Strayed’s Wild and Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent!
- By Heather H. on 10-14-21
- Unlost
- A Journey of Self-Discovery and the Healing Power of the Wild Outdoors
- By: Gail Muller
- Narrated by: Gail Muller
Excellent story and well narrated
Reviewed: 05-29-24
I really enjoyed this book. Honestly, I had to pause at one point and see who narrated it only to find it was the author herself. The narration is very well done! The few mis-pronunciations are somewhat to be expected given America would be a little out of her element. But overall it was spot on! She could do this professionally and perhaps she should! The story is engaging and inspiring. Perhaps it's a tad hurried at the close but overall well worth the listen!
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The Man Who Walked Through Time
- The Story of the First Trip Afoot Through the Grand Canyon
- By: Colin Fletcher
- Narrated by: Matthew Josdal
- Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 57
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 51
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Story4 out of 5 stars 51
In 1963 Colin Fletcher became the first man to walk the length of Grand canyon, below the Rim. It began with a dream, when he and a friend detoured from a cross-country trip to take a hurried look at the great natural wonder. Standing on the Rim, surrounded by the profound and almost mystical silence, Fletcher knew that something had happened to the way he looked at things. He also knew that the Canyon, with its depths and distances, cliffs, buttes, and hanging terraces, beckoned to him, calling him on a journey that would challenge both his body and his mind.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Eloquent
- By Bill J on 07-20-20
- The Man Who Walked Through Time
- The Story of the First Trip Afoot Through the Grand Canyon
- By: Colin Fletcher
- Narrated by: Matthew Josdal
Less of an adventure book...
Reviewed: 05-06-24
Perhaps it's a product of its day but I'm 3+ hours into the book and there's just far too much geology in the book and too little adventure. Perhaps there was a clamoring for information on that sort of thing in 1963, I don't know. The book comes across unnecessarily heady and by extension repetitive. After three hours in you get it: the Grand Canyon has layers of rock x-million years old. I don't know if I will finish it but it would have it's work cut out to become an adventure book in the latter 5 hours.
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