The Spirit of the Appalachian Trail | Free Book
“Want to know what wilderness means to people who live it for over
two thousand miles? Then read this extremely interesting,
informative, intelligent, and thoughtful book.” —Roger S. Gottlieb,
author of
Engaging Voices: Tales of Morality and Meaning in an Age of
Global Warming
“There is no doubt that Bratton’s book will be of value to
students and scholars of leisure studies, recreation, and religion.
Those who are familiar with the Appalachian Trail sense intuitively
that a journey along its length kindles spiritual awakening; this
book provides the hard data to prove it’s true.” —David Brill,
author of
As Far as the Eye Can See: Reflections of an Appalachian Trail
Hiker
The Appalachian Trail covers 2,180 miles, passing
through fourteen states from Georgia to Maine. Each year, an
estimated 2–3 million people visit the trail, and almost two
thousand attempt a “thru-hike,” walking the entire distance of the
path. For many, the journey transcends a mere walk in the woods and
becomes a modern-day pilgrimage.
In
The Spirit of the Appalachian Trail: Community, Environment, and
Belief, Susan Power Bratton addresses the spiritual dimensions of hiking
the Appalachian Trail (AT). Hikers often comment on how their
experience as thru-hikers changes them spiritually forever, but this
is the first study to evaluate these religious or quasireligious
claims critically. Rather than ask if wilderness and outdoor
recreation have benefits for the soul, this volume investigates
specifically how long-distance walking might enhance both body and
mind.
Most who are familiar with the AT sense intuitively that a trek
along its length kindles spiritual awakening. Using both a
quantitative and qualitative approach, this book provides the hard
data to support this notion. Bratton bases her work on five sources:
an exhaustive survey of long-distance AT hikers, published trail
diaries and memoirs, hikers? own logs and postings, her own personal
observations from many years on the trail, and conversations with
numerous members of the AT community, including the “trail angels,”
residents of small towns along the path who attend to hikers? need
for food, shelter, or medical attention.
The abundant photographs reinforce the text and enable visualization
of the cultural and natural context. This volume is fully indexed
with extensive reference and notes sections and detailed appendixes.
Written in an engaging and accessible style,
The Spirit of the Appalachian Trail presents a full picture
of the spirituality of the AT.
Susan Power Bratton
is professor of environmental studies. She is the author of
Six Billion and More: Human Population Regulation and Christian
Ethics, Environmental Values in Christian Art,
and
Christianity, Wilderness, and Wildlife: The Original Desert
Solitaire.
In The Press
“Want to know what wilderness means to people who live it for over two thousand miles? Then read this extremely interesting, informative, intelligent, and thoughtful book.” —Roger S. Gottlieb, author of Engaging Voices: Tales of Morality and Meaning in an Age of Global Warming
“There is no doubt that Bratton’s book will be of value to students and scholars of leisure studies, recreation, and religion. Those who are familiar with the Appalachian Trail sense intuitively that a journey along its length kindles spiritual awakening; this book provides the hard data to prove it’s true.” —David Brill, author of As Far as the Eye Can See: Reflections of an Appalachian Trail Hiker
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- Title: The Spirit of the Appalachian Trail | Free Book
- Author: Steven
- Created at : 2024-11-15 19:24:58
- Updated at : 2024-11-17 16:17:49
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