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Grandma Gatewood's Walk

The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail
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( 30,474 ratings, 4,363 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery chronicles the remarkable journey of Emma Gatewood, a 67-year-old grandmother who embarks on a solo trek of the Appalachian Trail. Defying societal expectations, Emma becomes a pioneering figure in hiking, facing and overcoming numerous challenges along her path. Her story highlights themes of resilience, independence, and the reclaiming of life's adventure at any age.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$5300

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you are fascinated by true stories of perseverance and adventure. It delves into the remarkable journey of a woman in her late sixties as she conquers the Appalachian Trail, showcasing resilience, courage, and the spirit of exploration. If you're inspired by tales of personal achievement against the odds, this biography is sure to captivate you.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Emma Gatewood told her family she was going on a walk and left her small Ohio hometown with a change of clothes and less than two hundred dollars. The next anybody heard from her, this genteel, farm-reared, sixty-seven-year-old great-grandmother had walked 800 miles along the 2,050-mile Appalachian Trail.

By September 1955, she stood atop Maine's Mount Katahdin, sang "America, the Beautiful," and proclaimed, "I said I'll do it, and I've done it." Driven by a painful marriage, Grandma Gatewood not only hiked the trail alone, but she was the first person – man or woman – to walk it twice and three times. At age seventy-one, she hiked the 2,000-mile Oregon Trail.

Gatewood became a hiking celebrity and appeared on TV with Groucho Marx and Art Linkletter. The public attention she brought to the trail was unprecedented. Her vocal criticism of the lousy, difficult stretches led to bolstered maintenance and very likely saved the trail from extinction.

Author Ben Montgomery interviewed surviving family members and hikers Gatewood met along the trail, unearthed historic newspaper and magazine articles, and was given full access to Gatewood's own diaries, trail journals, and correspondence. Grandma Gatewood's Walk shines a fresh light on one of America's most celebrated hikers.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery has been praised for its captivating storytelling and inspirational message. Reviewers highlight the book as a motivating tale that encourages adventure and showcases the remarkable journey of a resilient and unlikely heroine. The narrative is noted for its ability to evoke a sense of nostalgia for an America of the past, while fuelling discussions on perseverance and human potential.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781613734995

Publisher: Chicago Review Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 April 2016

Country: United States

Imprint: Chicago Review Press

Illustration: Illustrations

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 22.0mm

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 228.0mm

Weight: 421g

Pages: 288

About the Author

Ben Montgomery is a staff writer at the Tampa Bay Times and cofounder of the Auburn Chautauqua, a Southern writers' collective. He was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2010 and has won many other national writing awards. He lives in Florida.

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