I shot right through the book and finished it off in short order. The reason, of course, was that I found it to be very interesting, humorous to the point of frequent guffaws and snickers, and inspirational. I truly believe that only those with physical and mental toughness have a chance to actually complete a thru-hike in one season. Add to that the perils of heat, cold, rain, snow, lack of water, scrapes, bruises, sprains or broken bones, loneliness, missed food drops, leaking canteens, dried-up water sources, wildlife (bears and rattlers, e.g.) and a host of other perils, and it becomes apparent that one has to also be very fortunate and resilient to get through. I believe the odds are really stacked against success, and that is why stories such as yours are so uplifting. Add to all that, the fact that you were half a world away with very limited resupply support, and it becomes an incredible undertaking. I had originally thought that perhaps the next edition should include a dictionary of terms, so those of us unfamiliar with your particular way of expressing various words would be able to zero in on the meaning. In retrospect, however, I also believe that having to guess at the meaning adds to the magic, entertainment and humor of your story. Thanks again, George, for the great read. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves the outdoors, adventure, and human triumph.

This is entertaining and charming. You deserve to get many readers and sales with this!

Reading this book was such fun! Delightful humor offsets the discomforts and inconveniences of long distance hiking, but not so much that a casual weekend hiker like myself might be tempted to walk about. I guess I'm just a fair weather hiker, and fond of my creature comforts. OK, I admit it, I'm a pansy and as such, I am deeply impressed with Mr Spearing's adventurous fortitude. Good on ya, George! (foreigner aren'tcha?)

Love his inventive turn of phrase, and wondered frequently how many of those were simply New Zealand standards that an American like myself found to be fresh and dead-on. 'Being monstered by bears' is my favorite example and one that I found applicable to many daily encounters, from rogue children to my neighbor's overly exhuberant Rottwieler. Hope the author doesn't mind if I borrow that from time to time.

Buy the book. You'll have a great time.

I stumbled across this book in passing - looking for something new after having just read a book on the Dalai Lama. Most of the books that I browsed looked like they'd be let-downs after having just read a very inspiring story about His Holiness.

I paused to read an excerpt from Dances With Marmots and it sounded like the author had a good sense of humor. I reasoned that even if the storyline was uneventful and full of dry technical information, at least there might be some good jokes in there.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book isn't just about hiking, it is a book about adventure (mentally, physically, emotionally). I have recommended it to my family and friends and guarantee you'll be chuckling through the whole book. Very inspiring!

Tony said it well, after starting to read parts of this book, I am inspired to one day do this trip as well.

An amazing trip to be sure!

Great great book. You will laugh, get misty eyed, learn and get inspired. Georges style is light hearted and his attitude is even better. If you hike distance then you will love this read! Pick it up. By far the best book of its kind. I have read a lot of them even ones from prize winning authors. George says it best.