A Walk in the Woods Friendship

Aww—friendship is our favorite theme of all time. Unfortunately, the friendship depicted in A Walk in the Woods isn't quite aww-worthy: Bill Bryson and Stephen Katz land somewhere between The Odd Couple and Beavis and Butthead. They argue constantly. They butt heads. They get all moody and passive aggressive. Fun stuff.

In the end, however, Bryson and Katz realize that their friendship is too valuable to just throw away… which is pretty aww-inspiring.

Questions About Friendship

1. Were Katz and Bryson actually friends before this trip? Explain.
2. Why does the AT help Katz and Bryson bond?
3. Do you think Bryson and Katz will hang out after the events of the book? Why or why not?
4. How does the relationship between Bryson and Katz differ from their relationships with other hikers?

Chew on This

Although they had been buddies when they were younger, Bryson and Katz could hardly be described as "friends" at the time of their reuniting.

Although they might not become BFFs, we're confident that their experience on the AT has brought Bryson and Katz closer together.