Killing the Buddha on the Appalachian Trail: Walking on Through Self-Doubt and Aging [B0598]

2024 PB. The allure of the Appalachian Trail has drawn hikers from all around the world to walk its 2,193 miles from Georgia to Maine. In this volume, Appalachian Trail Ambassador John Turner hikes those rugged miles with us. The journey begins in the forested southern mountains but also winds through the history of the trail, its geology, its unique hiker culture and the hazards, physical demands, and glories of some of the most beloved and beautiful landscapes on America's eastern seaboard. The journey also takes us to some unexpected places - to Africa in the aftermath of a terrible war, into philosophical exploration about the ethics of hiking, and the author's own inner turmoil as he struggles with past failures. We are introduced to characters as varied, brave and determined as any cast of a Broadway musical, each of them contending with the challenge of climbing steep mountains day after day through rain, mud, cold, and heat. Throughout this epic trek, we walk alongside Turner to experience the daily hardships, the milestones reached, the hike-ending accidents and the little victories along the way to the great mountain at the northern terminus - Katahdin in Maine. Turner guides us to Katahdin through a background of Buddhist teaching that gives meaning to the fellowship, solitude, suffering and ultimate triumph of the men and women who seek to hike the entire Appalachian Trail. Note: the phrase 'killing the Buddha' is not a call for violence but a metaphor, encouraging critical thinking and skepticism towards all beliefs.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "John Turner's reflections and vivid storytelling drew me in and made me feel as though I was hiking alongside him. His honest description of the challenges and doubts made his experience relatable. I also enjoyed how he used his journalist background to thoughtfully describe the people he met and their unique stories. After reading, I feel even more motivated to plan my own journey on the AT."; "Soul searching and honest."; "Once in awhile, a book comes your way that feels like exactly the right read for the right time in your life; John Turner's Killing the Buddha on the Appalachian Trail was one such book for me. Like John, I'm a section hiker "of a certain age"; and I could well relate to his feelings of doubt, the joy and thrill of forest bathing, and the inexplicable call to want to keep going on the AT. I enjoyed his personal anecdotes sprinkled with trail history and religious/psychological insight. Thank you, John, for taking time to write about and share your journey."