After graduating from college, Jennifer isn't sure what she wants to do with her life. She is drawn to the Appalachian Trail, a 2175-mile footpath that stretches from Georgia to Maine. Though her friends and family think she's crazy, she sets out alone to hike the trail, hoping it will give her time to think about what she wants to do next. The next four months are the most physically and emotionally challenging of her life. She quickly discovers that thru-hiking is harder than she had imagined: coping with blisters and aching shoulders from the 30-pound pack she carries; sleeping on the hard wooden floors of trail shelters; hiking through endless torrents of rain and even a blizzard. With every step she takes, Jennifer transitions from an over-confident college graduate to a student of the trail, braving situations she never imagined before her thru-hike. The trail is full of unexpected kindness, generosity, and humor. And when tragedy strikes, she learns that she can depend on other people to help her in times of need.
Becoming Odyssa: Epic Adventures on the Appalachian Trail
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"Many books have been written by thru-hikers, but none measure up to Jennifer Pharr Davis' epic. The Appalachian Trail speed record holder describes her journey from college graduate to a student of the trail in stunningly beautiful detail. Her tales from the trail are full of adventure and inspiration, and her writing is as lyrical as her Odyssey-inspired trail name. She offers concrete, trail-tested advice for aspiring thru-hikers, and she candidly shares her failures and frustrations along with her successes. If you're searching for the one A.T. book that best captures the spirit of the trail, follow in the footsteps of Odyssa." -- Bro Staff, Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine
"This is the best AT book I have ever read. It doesn't matter if you are male or female, skinny or fat, outdoorsman or couch potato, if you've ever thought about doing a long-distance hike, then read Davis' book. I would rate this book as more essential to the mental preparation for a long-distance hike than anything else you could do." -Dr. David W. Powers, The Coffee Scholar blog
"As the father of daughters, I enjoyed Jennifer's story. If you're the father of a daughter who's wondering if she can achieve big things - and everyone has doubts from time-to-time, you might want to get a copy for her- it might help get her on the right trail for great things in her life, too." - Jim Shepherd, The Outdoor Wire
"It's refreshing. [Jen]'s very enthusiastic and she inspires other people. She's good for the outdoors." - Gary Eblen, Diamond Brand Outdoors
"This is the best AT book I have ever read. It doesn't matter if you are male or female, skinny or fat, outdoorsman or couch potato, if you've ever thought about doing a long-distance hike, then read Davis' book. I would rate this book as more essential to the mental preparation for a long-distance hike than anything else you could do." -Dr. David W. Powers, The Coffee Scholar blog
"As the father of daughters, I enjoyed Jennifer's story. If you're the father of a daughter who's wondering if she can achieve big things - and everyone has doubts from time-to-time, you might want to get a copy for her- it might help get her on the right trail for great things in her life, too." - Jim Shepherd, The Outdoor Wire
"It's refreshing. [Jen]'s very enthusiastic and she inspires other people. She's good for the outdoors." - Gary Eblen, Diamond Brand Outdoors
About the Author
Jennifer Pharr Davis grew up in the North Carolina Mountains, where she developed a love for hiking at a young age. At age twenty-one, Jennifer hiked the entire Appalachian Trail as a solo female and fell in love with long-distance backpacking. Jennifer holds endurance records including the women's Appalachian Trail record, completing the trail in fifty-seven days.
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4.5 out of 5 stars
137 reviews
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Trail Magic
Nov 10 2010
By Tim I. Mosteller
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
While Pharr-Davis is well known locally in the SE Outdoor community for her speed-record setting hike of the Appalachian Trail, it is obvious after reading "Becoming Odyssa" that it is this hike rather, her first thru-hike of the AT as an inexperienced and sheltered young woman, which is the epic journey that has marked her soul the most. Though I'm an avid hiker and resident of Appalachia, I've never really had ambitions to thru-hike the AT, until I read this book, because the rolling accounts of trail magic, serendipitous run-ins, awkward encounters, and quirky hiker pseudonyms revealed to me that the"odyssey" is much more than the physical challenge of mountains and miles, but is truly an epic journey outside of the familiar context of our normal lives; one of gods, mortals, and magic.
31 of 34 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great adventure novel
Nov 5 2010
By SGB11
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
I loved Becoming Odyssa. It is such a wonderful story that keeps you captivated through the miles covered on the Appalachian Trail. For someone who has not hiked the Trail, it really brought the experience to life. Instead of being a mere guide book, it details the ups and downs of hiking through Davis' flowing prose. I have a friend who plans to hike the AT this spring, and this would be the first book I would recommend. It provides a realistic picture of what to expect. While reading this book, I found myself laughing out loud through many parts, as Davis recounted unseemly rashes, the "women googles" the men on the AT seem to possess after going for some time without seeing the opposite sex, and the funny couples encountered throughout the wilderness.
I would recommend this book to just about anyone. It is a must read for potential through-hikers, but it is so much more than that. I am giving it to my mom, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and a co-worker for Christmas. Despite being in different stages in their lives, they all will appreciate the coming-of-age story of a woman as she dares to encounter new adventures. It makes me want to go out and do something!
Buy this book - you won't be sorry.
I would recommend this book to just about anyone. It is a must read for potential through-hikers, but it is so much more than that. I am giving it to my mom, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and a co-worker for Christmas. Despite being in different stages in their lives, they all will appreciate the coming-of-age story of a woman as she dares to encounter new adventures. It makes me want to go out and do something!
Buy this book - you won't be sorry.
24 of 27 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring journey
April 18 2011
By Heather Grace
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
I really enjoyed this account of a young woman hiking the Appalachian Trail, especially since so many trail narratives are written by men. (But that is understandable, since men seem to outnumber women as thru-hikers.) The writing was clear and concise, the narrative well-paced and detailed. I found the author to be authentic and likable, even after I found out that she was a devout Christian. In the interest of full disclosure, I admit I sometimes find Christians to write in a way that is unnecessarily preachy and patronizing, but Jennifer Davis fell into neither of these traps. Instead she talks about her faith as it pertains to her own spiritual growth, neither apologizing for it or making it an agenda. I was grateful for her refreshing candid attitude. At one point she even compares herself as a Christian to a bear on the trail--rare and frightening--while non-Christians are like squirrels, numerous and non-threatening. I found this analogy to be both humorous and accurate.
I especially liked her admittance of early mistakes on the trail, amusing thoughts about other hikers, and the details about various towns and the strange or normal people populating them. She made me very excited about my future thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.
I especially liked her admittance of early mistakes on the trail, amusing thoughts about other hikers, and the details about various towns and the strange or normal people populating them. She made me very excited about my future thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.
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