Secrecy World: Inside the Panama Papers Investigation of Illicit Money Networks and the Global Elite

by Jake Bernstein
Secrecy World: Inside the Panama Papers Investigation of Illicit Money Networks and the Global Elite cover
Good Books rating 3.38
Technical
  • ID: 4422
  • Added: 2025-10-21
  • Updated: 2025-10-21
  • Reviews: 4
Reviews
abebooks.co.uk · Unknown · 2025-10-21
mixed 3.50

The reviewer enjoyed the book's humor and adventure, but was disappointed by the protagonists' decision to skip a major portion of the trail. They also found some of the humor to be mean-spirited and the lack of a promised bear story disappointing. Despite these flaws, the book raised awareness about the depletion of natural habitats and the disrepair of the Appalachian Trail.

The reviewer initially approached 'A Walk in the Woods' with some skepticism, as they are not particularly interested in hiking. However, they found the book's humor and adventure engaging, and enjoyed living vicariously through the protagonists' journey. The easy, conversational cadence and Bryson's sarcasm made the narrative relatable, and the reviewer appreciated the self-deprecating humor. The reviewer also liked the character of Katz, who added a layer of the bizarre to the story. However, they were disappointed by the protagonists' decision to skip a major portion of the trail, which they felt affected their enjoyment of the book. Additionally, they found some of the humor to be mean-spirited, particularly towards people from Tennessee. The reviewer also felt that the cover of the book was misleading, as it promised a bear story that never materialized. Despite these flaws, the reviewer appreciated the book's moral about the depletion of natural habitats and the disrepair of the Appalachian Trail. They found the historic and informative chapters to be palatable and effective, and the book's middle-of-the-road stance on environmental issues to be reasonable. Overall, the reviewer enjoyed the book and would consider trying another book by the same author.

Quick quotes

    The sense of adventure and the desire to mow over those comfort zones is intriguing and readers get into the escapade.

    What makes the narrative even more relatable is its easy, conversational cadence and Bryson’s sarcasm.

    The book does make you want to get out there thanks to the funny sides of a hard adventure, but its hardly all tweeting birds and fresh forest scents.

libraryjournal.com · Unknown · 2018-02-02
entertaining 4.00

The reviewer found Bill Bryson's 'A Walk in the Woods' entertaining and humorous, particularly enjoying the dynamic between Bryson and his friend Katz. They appreciated the book's comic writing and the insights into the Appalachian Trail, but noted a lack of emotional connection with nature and a focus on physical duress.

Bill Bryson's 'A Walk in the Woods' is a highly entertaining account of his attempt to walk the Appalachian Trail with his friend Katz. The reviewer particularly enjoyed the humorous interactions between Bryson and Katz, which are the highlight of the book. The book is filled with comic writing and provides a lot of factual information about the Trail, but it lacks a deep emotional connection with the natural surroundings. The reviewer admired the determination of both Bryson and Katz to undertake such a challenging journey, despite their inadequate preparation. The book also touches on the consumerism and showiness of some hikers, which Bryson uses as a source of satire. Overall, the reviewer found the book to be a enjoyable read, but noted that it does not provide a spiritual or psychological epiphany, leaving the ultimate value of the experience to be felt in subsequent years.

Quick quotes

    The book opens with several pages of preparatory thoughts and research about the Trail, which presents a fireworks display of comic writing and is almost painfully funny to read, as Bill gets the idea, tells his nearest and dearest, starts reading books about it, listening to horror stories, stocking up with equipment, and trying to persuade one of his friends and acquaintances to come with him.

    The author’s conversations with Katz are often very funny.

    The end of the book denies the reader any kind of glib spiritual or psychological epiphany, to compensate for the intense and sustained physical discomfort.

washingtonpost.com · Unknown · 2018-01-19
mixed 3.00

The reviewer found 'A Walk in the Woods' by Bill Bryson readable and informative but somewhat superficial and dated. They appreciated the mix of hiking adventures and facts about the Appalachian Trail but felt Bryson lacked self-deprecating humor and was occasionally condescending to his hiking partner, Katz. The book's focus on fast food and lack of introspection left the reviewer wanting more depth and personal reflection.

The reviewer enjoyed 'A Walk in the Woods' for its blend of hiking adventures and interesting facts about the Appalachian Trail, but they found the book somewhat superficial and dated. The narrative alternates between Bryson and Katz's hiking experiences and information about the trail, which the reviewer found informative but not deeply engaging. They noted that Bryson's tone was occasionally condescending towards Katz, which they found jarring. The reviewer was also surprised by the frequent stops at fast food restaurants, which seemed out of place for a hiking narrative. The book's lack of focus on climate change and nature appreciation felt outdated to the reviewer, reflecting the different societal priorities of the 1990s. Additionally, the reviewer wished for more introspection from Bryson about the personal impact of his hiking journey, beyond the physical challenges. Overall, they felt the book lacked the depth and personal reflection found in other nature writing they had read.

Quick quotes

    The book is a mix of chapters between their walking, their progression on the trail and how things go.

    It’s readable, informative but quite superficial.

    I would have liked more introspection on Bryson’s side. How did this challenge affect him beyond the blisters, the wet clothes and the uncomfortable shelters?

icij.org · Unknown · 2017-11-22
amusing 3.00

The reviewer finds Bill Bryson's 'A Walk in the Woods' amusing but overly self-mocking, focusing too much on the tedious aspects of the Appalachian Trail. They appreciate the humor but feel the book skips over enjoyable moments and exaggerates the author's fears.

The reviewer admits to being envious of Bill Bryson's success with 'A Walk in the Woods,' a book that humorously recounts a long-distance walk the author didn't even complete. The reviewer appreciates Bryson's self-mocking style but finds it excessive, making the author seem overly fearful and unprepared. They note that the book skips over enjoyable moments and focuses too much on the tedious and miserable aspects of the Appalachian Trail. The reviewer also mentions that the movie adaptation spoils the point by making the trail look attractive, which the book portrays as monotonous and unappealing. Overall, they find the book amusing but feel it exaggerates the negative aspects of the journey.

Quick quotes

    Most long-distance walk stories skip over the boredom and the really miserable bits. Bryson is determined to avoid this mistake. Instead, he skips over all of the bits that are even slightly enjoyable.

    That's assuming there are some enjoyable bits of the Appalachian Trail.

    So yes, you can write an amusing book about the 'tedious, mad, really quite pointless business of stepping over every inch of rocky ground between Georgia and Maine

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