I just finished this, and having read a number of Bill Bryson's other works, I'd rate this on the high end, because in addition to a fabulous recollection of his hiking, he includes additional research on the history of the Appalacian Trail and other noteworthy places. The only criticism I have is that at certain sections, it does become a trifle boring when he really gets into a detailed analysis on the exact percentage of forest land in certain states, for instance.