The Man Who Walked Through Time: The Story of the First Trip Afoot Through the Grand Canyon

I have read this book previously several years ago and am re reading it now. I can live vicariously through the authors story of hiking through the Grand Canyon. I always wanted to do backpacking but six children kind of gets in the way! Re reading it now, I find much more entertaining and the writing is such that you feel very much like you are there in that immense canyon along side the author. Need a vacation? Pick this book up and enjoy the spectacular Grand Canyon from you easy chair!

I am generally bored with nature writing and travel accounts, but in this case when the nature writing is wrapped with the story of the incredible adventure of hiking the Grand Canyon, it comes alive and draws me in. The book is structured as a detailed narrative of the trip with a lot of introspection about his reactions along the way. As he settles into the rhythms of backpacking and the Canyon, his musings get more profound but never overwhelming and always nicely grounded in the gritty details of the journey and the surroundings. There are similarities with "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance," but this book doesn't jump around in time and it never turns into a philosophy lecture, which is my biggest complaint about "Zen."I also admire the writing. The author is not at the Annie Dillard level of wordsmithing, but I think his writing is much better than the average travel adventure writer can manage and the author is equally comfortable with mundane physical details and grand abstractions.I rarely read books more than once, but I've read this through closely twice in two or three years and I hope to at least dip into it again. I'm definitely more motivated to revisit the Grand Canyon, which I've visited twice but only superficially.Although Amazon calls this "unknown binding," I got a hardback when I ordered from a third-party seller. It would probably be a good idea to check with your seller before ordering. The full title includes a subtitle about "photographs by the author." The later paperback editions do not have photos and they do have updates about development threats to the Grand Canyon and the effects of damming the river. I read a paperback edition first and later bought the old hardback version. I had a hard time visualizing the landscape, and I found it comforting that the photos were reasonably close to what I had envisioned. The hardback has a larger foldout map that is much easier to read than the map in the paperback.

This is a very interesting tale of a walk through the Grand Canyon in 1963. The perspective is dated in many ways, but much of it is timeless. The hiking challenges were very interesting to me as well as his disruption of the surroundings. He lost me a little in the spiritual talk of being one with the beaver etc., but that was still interesting keeping in mind the perspective.

I read this book the first time about 20 years ago when I and two buddies hiked and camped in the canyon. I’ve hiked numerous of our majestic National Parks. This one alone has the most palpable and visceral impact on my connection to and love of the natural world.Colin Fletcher has captured the spirit and history of “his museum”.

Better than described

Story about the first person (supposedly) to walk through Grand Canyon. Pretty slow moving, not very exciting but worth reading.

Most people think this book is about Fletcher's ground breaking first solo trek afoot through Grand Canyon National park in a single arduous journey. Perhaps so. But it is not a story about going from point A to point B, as might easily be surmised by the flap-crap on the cover. For those who see the world as a series of objectives, those who are satisfied with growing up, going to school, marrying, having kids, growing old, and dying, I suppose The Man Who Walked Through Time would appear as this same points A to B sort of thing. But, Fletcher says over and over throughout his writings, it isn't were you go, it's what's in between. A journey, whether through life or a canyon is not simply a beginning and an end. The vast majority of it lies in between; Start and finish are only markers. What matters is what happens to YOU along the way.Most detractors of this book fail to see this is what the book is really about. It is an example of a philosophy concerned with seeing through time—it discloses where we fit into this expanded dimension. In Fletcher's biography he said, "It's not the walking itself, it's what walking leads you to."In The Man Who Walked Through Time, we go along with this walking man as he takes you through The Canyon. But when you reach the terminus of his trek, you'll find that he took you to places far beyond Grand Canyon National Park. Not only do his great powers of description make you feel you are right there with him as he struggles through the rough, nearly waterless land, he somehow takes you through time and space. And that is a lot to get out of one book.

Voilà un très bon livre qui allie description de la traversée du grand canyon à pied avec des réflexions personnelles sur ce qu'éveille ces lieux extraordinaires chez l'auteur. Ce livre va ainsi plus loin que la plupart des récits d'expédition ou de randonnée.

Brought as a present for my father who loved it.,

An excellent and inspiring walk

When I saw this travel book had no pictures, I thought it was unusual. Having read it I completely understand why not. This is a cracking philosophical muse, a rambling mind focused by the serenity and majesty of nature.He encounters, beaver, small horses, and snakes, walks unfettered by clothing, and sees the rock strata as the layers of time, as he explores the Grand Canyon and ponders on life and nature.A fabulously engaging approach which had me hooked from the first page and wanting to read more of his works by the end.One particularly poignant observation is: "When a man despoils a work of art we call him a vandal, when he despoils a work of nature we call him a developer."Fab stuff.

Thius is a fascinating book, as much for the insight into the man as for the account of the journey. A bit wordy at times but well worth the effort.