The author, Sally Chaffin Brooks, is also a comedian, and this shows in a positive way in her memoir about hiking the Appalachian Trail when she is only twenty-five. Going to Maine: All the Ways to Fall on the Appalachian Trail (Running Wild Press 2024) is, thus, to be expected humorous and it is in a wry, often self-deprecating way. However, it is more than an amusing story—though it is definitely that—as the memoir tells of physical and emotional risks, nature, adventures, friendships, pushing one’s boundaries, and personal growth—and more. There’s also a sweet love story in it.
In some ways, Going to Maine could be considered a female counterpart to the adventures Bill Bryson describes while hiking the Appalachian Trail found in his acclaimed A Walk in the Woods. In both books, it seems the hikers are not as fully prepared as they should have been, but then these books raise an important question: Is anyone ever really ready to hike this arduous and quite long trail? It is, after all, more than 2,000 miles and crosses through fourteen states from Georgia to Maine, it takes an average of five to six months to complete, and it’s in the wilderness. The author indicates she spent over a year on groundwork and planning, only to find she wasn’t really prepared—certainly not physically.
Going to Maine starts with a fart in a wedding dress and back tracks to an exuberant phone call from the author’s best friend, bold young Erin, announcing she is going to walk “the f**king AT.” AT being the shorthand for the Appalachian Trail. A word of warning up front then, for those who prefer their reading materials not to include profanity, this book might not be your best choice. Or, maybe just dive in, overlook the f-words and read for the enjoyment, the literal and emotional journeys, and the solidly well-told stories.
The love story angle is sweetly told and is hinted at in the opening prologue where Sally reveals she met the man she is marrying while hiking the AT and credits her best friend Erin for making it all happen. Just as the love angle is warm and rewarding, so too is the deep, genuine friendship between the two women. And, too, the companions met on the AT and the enduring friendships made are another radiant quality in the memoir. In one sense, then, this is a memoir about abiding relationships. It’s also quite fun to read, filled with great descriptions and a thoughtful, introspective quality well balanced with wit and cleverness.
Sally Chaffin Brooks
Sally Chaffin Brooks lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and son. Besides being an author, she is a stand-up comedian and podcaster and a reformed lawyer.
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