FROM THE AUTHOR: The problem with buying a book online is that you're unable to physically hold it, turn it over in your hands, flip though its pages, etc. -- the way you could in a bookstore. Because of this, there are times when you order a book only to realize that it wasn't quite what you expected once you've received it. For that reason, I'd like to take a few minutes here and try to give you a better idea of what “A Time to Walk: Life Lessons Learned on the Appalachian Trail” is all about.

First of all, let me say from the start that if you’re looking for an instructional guide or a "How To" book on thru-hiking the AT, this isn't it. There are many excellent ones out there, but that’s not what I chose to write about. "A Time to Walk..." is based on my 1998 southbound thru-hike of the AT. It is comprised of the ten "Life Lessons" I learned during my time on the trail. Each lesson is illustrated through experiences that happened during my 5 1/2-month trek. I believe it's a book that holds something for everyone who reads it and is willing to apply some of what it says. Hiker or non-hiker, young or old, healthy or not. Because we all have a trail to walk -- it's called life! And just like the AT, it's filled with ups and downs, victories and defeats, good times and bad. Finally, let me say that it is my sincerest hope that this book could become a launching pad for your trip into self-discovery. Be that on the AT or elsewhere. Because if I accomplish that, I will have truly accomplished what I set out to. Happy Trails, Jay "Patch" Platt