Book Report

Travels With Charley in Search of America, by John Steinbeck

[Calvin writing]

(Mr. Smithhisler, whereever your spirit is now, this is that book report I never got around to doing 35 years ago.)

I just finished re-reading this book. Twenty years or more have gone by since I read it before. I liked it then, but it has improved over time as I matured.

The backgound: John Steinbeck had already been a bestselling author for many years by 1962. Probably best known for Grapes of Wrath, he had written a wide variety of novels and various other works. Feeling that he had lost touch with the America he wrote about, he set out to "rediscover this monster land." He ordered from a truck maker what today would be called a small Class C motor home, built on a 3/4 ton truck. He waited until after Labor Day to avoid the crowds of tourists, then set off on his long drive with his standard poodle, Charley.

Don't mistake this for a "go here, see this" book. While promoting only his own opinion of any given event, person or place, Steinbeck observes with a loving thoughtfulness that makes him a true role model for me. Not always loving but not often completely condemning, he bases his opinions on values rooted in his own experience and shares a great deal of himself.

Steinbeck begins by visiting his soon at school, apparently a boarding school, then heads for the northern tip of Maine. He drives across the northern U.S., avoiding interstates where possible, then south along the West Coast and back through the Southwest, Texas and Louisiana. A seasoned traveler, he notices changes in places he has visited in the past and discovers new areas, always alert and enjoying himself most of the time.

I found myself deeply moved by his description of school integration in New Orleans. He spares none of the bigots who made the experience so difficult and gave the whole world an ugly picture of an otherwise beautiful city. He also gives further exploration of the issues of race through his experiences over the next few days. His observations hold up over time better than most.

I recommend a selected few books for those who are or seek to live "on the road." William Least Heat Moon's Blue Highways gives a good picture of simple mobile living and includes a list of what he took on his long trip. Thoreau's Walden shows how observation and philosophy cannot be separated and encourages freedom of the mind.

But even if you never read those two good books, read Travels With Charley. Trust me, it's still worth reading 44 years after its first edition.