Bill Bryson, in his book, "A Walk in the Woods" explores the existential nature of being a grown man in the developed world we live in attempting to walk the Appalachian Trail on a whim. With a scathing sense of humor and striking self-awareness, Bryson recounts the tale of his adventure along the east coast with his equally unprepared companion, Katz. He effortlessly transitions between telling his story and reciting interesting facts about the trail, the local wilderness, environmental science, and the shortcomings of government efforts to help nature do its job.
While he sometimes misses the mark on what he thinks ought to be done about those government shortcomings, he certainly has enough to say that anyone can learn through his experiences and knowledge.
Also, apparently, the book has been adapted to a decent movie that is currently in theaters as of September 8th, 2015 (but not for much longer). I hope to catch it before it is pulled from theaters.