"The Complete Walker" is a how-to book, and arguably the best one around. However, Fletcher's other books are quite different.

I would compare Fletcher's books to Zen and the Art of Motorcyle Maintenance, another book that is more about the philosophical journey rather than about the technical aspects of caring for a motorcycle. I read that book for what it is; I bought a service manual to work on on bike.

I'm not sure what you were expecting, but I think your criticism of the book is unfair. It is what it is. I see Fletcher as following in the footsteps of people like John Muir.

NOTE: This post has been heavily edited. My original thoughts were fairly harsh. That is what led to the comments that follow, in case anyone is wondering what all the rest relates to. I'm a moderator and one of my jobs is to spank people who get out of line. I'm no exception.