Rating: 
Summary: Stumbled upon the book, could not put it down!
Review: Absolutely one of the best reads that I've ever encountered. Of course, throughout this book, I continued to hopelessly imagine myself taking this journey along with Peter. Its just a down to earth, true speaking, journey across the eastern US. I wish I could have been there to experience it too. Great read!
Rating:
Summary: An American classic
Review: Everyone should have this book on their shelf. After all these years it is still in print, so that should tell you something! Peter was a hippie disillusioned by America. He decided to set out on a literal walk across America with nothing but his backpack and malamute dog to keep him company. There are, of course, ups and downs to his journey - times of loneliness, sickness, danger, and peril. But he met many wonderful people. Some would surprise you - like a recluse mountain man who turned out to be friendlier than he thought, and a poor black family in the rural south who were very generous and welcomed him into their humble home. He even lived on a cult-like, alternative, free-love "farm" for while. Peter, at the end of his walk, had a spiritual awakening and his faith in America was re-newed. It is an inspiring story. But does not end here. The next book chronicles his walk west with his new wife!
Rating:
Summary: The best book ever...almost!
Review: I am not a person who likes to read much and certainly not the same book repeatedly. But I have read A Walk Across America at least 5 times which is why I'm buying a new one in hardback. I read Peter's story to my students and we use it for geography lessons, graphing lessons and for all around enjoyment. One year I was unable to finish the book before the end of the school year and a student begged his parents to track down a copy of it so he could finish it on his own.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting Journey
Review: I found this book long forgotten on a shelf in an extra bedroom during the holidays. Having read Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods" several months ago, I thought a good travelogue would be an interesting read. Other reviewers have provided an ample summary of the storyline, but I simply saw this as being a personal travel journal written by a typical recent college grad of his adventures (I wouldn't call him a hippie - weren't we all pseudo hippies at that day and age). The book seemed to be very genuine accounts of his thoughts and exploits - an interesting glimpse for the rest of us - not only of his travels within these geographic regions, but of America and people in general in that day and age. There is certainly no comparison in the writing sophistication of Bryson's excellent book and this first Peter Jennings endeavor, however for light reading (sometimes a little corny and naive), but enough going on to keep you interested and reading, I recommend it. I found it very uplifting and reconfirming as to what America's really like beyond the turbulent newspaper headlines.
Rating: 
Summary: A Schlock Across America
Review: I would say that a worse book could not be produced, but I know that there's some hot-blooded hippy out there who is ten seconds away from jumping up from his pottery wheel to shout, "Hey! I'm gonna walk across America and WRITE ABOUT IT!" (Or, rather, since he's a hippy, "Hey, MAN! I'm gonna walk across America and WRITE ABOUT IT!") Nothing against hippies; most of them know how to write well. It's the hippies that don't who really annoy me, such as Mr. Peter "My Life Partner is an Alaskan Malamute" Jenkins. He even admits it! ". . . I was not a writer. I could barely spell my name" (p. 57). So, please tell us, Peaterr Jinkyns, why'd you do it? Do you enjoy lacing together poorly-worded images and emotions into a story that's actually PAINFUL to read? The whole book seems as if it were written like a high school student writes an English essay on "The Scarlet Letter" at 4 A.M. the day it's due. (Yes, that's right, I used a similie--something Peter Jenkins should never ever do again.) He should let his dog do the writing, instead. (Which he does, in some points. He's one of those people who thinks his dog can talk.) This book got good reviews from other people because of it's optimistic outlook on our country, but I say don't listen to the optimists. They think that George W. Bush is a good president. It's the cynics who see the truth as it really is. Don't get me wrong, I love this country and I'm very proud of it. In fact, I even wrote my own book about it. It's called "My Feet Hurt, America". Here's an excerpt: "Today I started walking across this great country of ours, but half a mile out, I got tired and decided to go home and eat a Super-Sized BigMac combo meal with lots of ketchup. God bless the USA from sea to shining sea and the home of the brave. THE END" MY POINT: I think it's great that people love this country so much that they want to walk across it and write books about it. But I do think people should learn to write first. So don't read this book, unless you want a story about a hippy-turned-Republican.
Rating:
Summary: Termendous. Couldn't get enough.
Review: One of the best, personal, diarys that I have ever encountered.
Peter Jennings has a way of explaining his adventures that puts you right along beside him with every step. I purchased this book because of its preview within its cover, and it was the best book that I think I have ever read. I can't wait to get the next one.." The walk west". I couldn't lay this book down.
Rating:
Summary: One of my Top 5 Favorite Books of All Time!
Review: Peter Jenkins story of his 1973-1975 walk from New York to New Orleans is one of those books that you just can not put done once you have started. You will find yourself thinking about the book when you should be doing other things and you can't wait to pick it up again. When I finished reading the book I wanted more. I even purchased the old April 1977 National Geographic Magazine to read his article that he wrote for them and see even more of the pictures of his journey. Luckly, Jenkins journey does not stop in New Orleans, his walk continues and so do his books: The Walk West, The Road Unseen, Close Friends, and Across China. Peter Jenkins says, "I started out searching for myself and my country and found both." The story would have been good enough just hearing about the trip, the things that he saw, how he survived, and the companionship of his faithful dog; but what make the book great is the people. The people that he meets, how they accept him, and in some cases don't. It is the sociology as well as the adventure that make this one of the best books I ever read for pleasure.
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Summary: 290 pages of inspiration
Review: Peter Jenkins' "A Walk Across America" at first glance is just another book in the Travel Essay section of a bookstore. The words are plain, the prose at times feels unnatural (like Jenkins opened his high-school creative writing book and added all of the suggestions at once). But for as immemorable as the writing in this book is, the story is unnaturally sincere and humane. Jenkins' story of being disillusioned at twenty, searching for the real world, and deciding to walk across America to find it is at once an instant American classic. The highs, the lows, the incredible amount of passion he puts into the book gives the reader the sense that he is sitting at Jenkins' feet listening to him tell the story. His accounts of the people he meets, the lessons he learns and the hardships he overcomes can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life, young and old. A must-read.
Rating: 
Summary: Hey teenager: read some beatniks or something.
Review: So, a young, all American boy says: "I want to feel the marrow of this great country" or something equally absurd and decides to walk it's width. I read this when I was 19 and travelling around the US solo, you know, looking for some good travel narrative. Basically, this book confirmed my fears about how boring America really is: you walk around, meet some guys with beards. Oh, what a suprise- America has black people. And then you find Jesus and seduce a nun (well, the seduction wasn't actually stated, but I give it an extra star on the off chance it was implied). Oh yeah, this guy really likes his dog and thinks it has feelings and a soul and what-have-you. I'm sorry, but I simply can not trust a person who thinks so highly of a dog. That is not to say I don't like dogs. That is to say that I don't like this book--it's trite, full of pop psych style inspiration, and double crosses you with a litany of born again Jesus magic.
Rating:
Summary: The best book I ever read
Review: This book is my all time favorite. It is true adventure with a new happening one every page. A must read !!!
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