My one reviewer speaks a truth about my sketches. They are not that good. He also notes that they fit just fine. That is why I included them, amateurish as they are. My sketches are what I was able to accomplish while walking along the trail, my visual record. I knew that the sketches would be included in any account of my thru-hike but I also knew that they weren't going to be polished works.
I learned early on that a competent, representative sketches takes much time and talent, neither of which I had much extra on the AT. I always hoped I would somehow find some Zen-like simplicity wherein I could create the feel of a scene with only a few lines. That never happened. So I used lots of lines, light and shadow to sketch something that looked like what I was seeing.
Many sketches were drawn from memory. Often in camp,remembering what I'd seen that day. That's how I came up with my reduced image of the War Correspondent's Memorial on page 83. The sketches I've posted on this site so far at ones not included in the book. I plan to keep it that way, unless I decide not to. Expect to see more.
The truth of my sketches is also the truth of the book. At the Speed of Foot is not perfect. But it tells the story. My reviewer recognized that. He credits me for a story whose worth outweighs the shortcomings in its telling.
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