A Talk in the Woods: Author Cary Segall in conversation with Samara Kalk Derby
Countless books have been written by people who have hiked the Appalachian Trail since it was completed in 1937. The authors typically wrote about how far they hiked each day, what the trail and weather were like, what they ate, how they dealt with injuries, and other experiences. A Talk in the Woods: Voices Along the Appalachian Trail by Cary Segall is far from typical.
Cary, a former award-winning reporter at the Wisconsin State Journal, hadn't planned to write about his hike, but he quickly learned that there are many interesting, sometimes fascinating, people along the trail and, being a reporter at heart, he wanted to tell their stories. As he hiked the nearly 2,200 miles of the path from Georgia to Maine, he interviewed hundreds of hikers, hostel owners, trail angels, volunteers and others, and wrote about their experiences, aspirations and reasons for hiking the arduous trail along the crests and valleys of the Appalachian Mountains.
He also wrote a little about himself and his hike and included lots of wisdom about gear, food, hostels, weather, terrain, and other things, giving readers the inside scoop from those who have been there.
Cary will appear in conversation with Samara Kalk Derby. Following the talk, Cary will answer questions and sign copies of A Talk in the Woods. Books will also be available for sale.
Registration for this event is recommended, but not required. To register, click the link below or call Lakeview Library at 608-246-4547.
About the presenters
Cary Segall worked on the sports desk of the Wisconsin State Journal while attending the University of Wisconsin in Madison and took his first backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail with the UW Hoofers Outing Club. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in wildlife ecology and spent three years as a ranger-naturalist in the National Park Service. Cary returned to the UW for a law degree and became a public-interest environmental lawyer. He returned again to the UW for a master's degree in journalism and spent fourteen years as a reporter and seven years as a copy editor at the State Journal.
Samara Kalk Derby is a Wisconsin State Journal reporter and focuses on restaurant news and reviews.