Travels With Charley: In Search of America

Rating:
Summary: A book full of truth
Review: I have read somewhere that what makes a novel a "classic" is that it must contain some fundamental truths that can withstand changing fads, cultures and eras. I know that "Travels with Charley" is not a novel but a memoir. However, this memoir contains so much truth that it deserves--and has acheived--almost instant "classic" status.

It is about John Steinbeck's trip across America. He begins in New York, drives up through Maine, across the midwest, through Montana to Washington, down the Pacific Coast, through Texas and finally through the American southeast. He was 58 when he took this trip, and his only companions were his loyal dog Charley and trailer Rocinante. I appreciated the way that Steinbeck respected Charley, gave him human characteristics, and looked for Charley's observations on mankind as well as his own.

I have heard this memoir described as an "angry" book, but I think this only describes a small portion of Steinbeck's experiences on the road. Steinbeck was certainly troubled by certain things--chief among them the horrifying "witches sabbath" that occurred in New Orleans. He also looked with sadness upon the "progress" that has diminished our cultural identities and ravaged our beautiful land. However, he was wise enough to know that older people often cling to the past simply because it is familiar, but not because it was superior or even good. He recognized that trait in himself and challenged it.

Some individual passages in this book were so wise I read them several times to try to appreciate the full extent of his wisdom. For example, the passage where Steinbeck remarks that too many older people turn in their exciting lives for healthy and safe ones. He wrote that he was not willing to exchange the quality of his life for slightly more quantity. As I read this passage, I considered that he died less than 10 years after writing this book. Sad, but how many people do a solo, cross-country road trip in their twilight years?

I also appreciated, but was wounded by, his descriptions of racial unrest in the south. The witches sabbath brought tears to my eyes, as it described the young black students as ultimately less pitiable then their tormenters. The students were going places and had their whole lives before them; their tormenters were ugly, twisted people clinging to a past that they cherished simply because they feared the future and the unknown.

Ultimately, "Travels with Charley" is about embracing life. Though Steinbeck saw much that troubled him, he saw much more that was beautiful, like the migrant farmers in Maine, the kind veterinarian in Amarillo, the wonderful tire shop owner in Portland. As Steinbeck remarks, the America that he wrote about in this book doesn't exist anymore. If we followed his exact route today, we would encounter something entirely different--both because of the passage of time and because of our varying perspectives. However, while the America he wrote about no longer exists, the Americans do, and Steinbeck's memoir is a love song to them.

Rating:
Summary: A Compelling Story
Review: I first read this book when I was 12. At the time I thought it an entertaining book about a man I had never heard of an his journey across America. 4 years later I reread and rediscovered the book. The years have given me a new perspective on this book. Unlike Kerouc's solopsistic and dated "On the Road", Steinbeck writes with a genuine love of this country. He chronicles details with a writers flair but without the subtle arrogance of a book like "Making of the President, 1960". Steinbeck is distinguished in his eye for detail, he movingly tells of a small black girl being walked to school, her tiny, gloved, hand clutched inside that of a burly officer. Charley provides a light tone to the book amid telling commentary on the nature of America and such social trends as our migration to the suburbs. In summary, a compelling tale told in a loving fashion about idiosyncratic, genuinely decent people.

Rating:
Summary: Good book; buy it used
Review: I recently bought the library binding so that I could loan this book to my friends and students and not worry about it falling apart from use. However, I'm more than slightly disappointed with the quality. The library binding is nothing more than the mass market paperback in a hard cover. The paper is thin, dark, and of the poorest quality; the binding is of questionable stability and I doubt it will last as long as I had expected, and the overall feel and look of the book are poor.

The content of the book, however, is fantastic. Steinbeck shows the reader a side of America which, even in the early sixties, seemed extinct. What the book still offers is a glimpse of America's core: Steinbeck sought out and found the small and quiet remains of the foundation of what makes America such a unique country. Most striking of all is that this is a book that could have been written just five or ten years ago -- it is incredibly timeless.

This book is a book to be read, not displayed, and Penguin's editions reflect this in their pure non-displayability. I suggest that when you go to buy this book you buy it used. Save yourself some money and buy copies which are just as good (my used copies are actually much nicer) and far cheaper than the library binding or the paperback version.

Rating:
Summary: very good biography
Review: I'm german, but I spent a year in America and I had to write an essay about the book. I didn't know what it was about when I started reading, but after a few pages Steinbeck caught my attention with his way of writing. I was really impressed how he described his feelings towards the journey. After reading "Of mice and men" I had to correct the view I had of John Steinbeck. The way he describes people is just amazing. I mainly read the book to compare the characters I meet during my year in Kansas with those in the book. But not just the people intested me, also how much the society has changed in 40 years. And I was surprised. Steinbeck previewed several themes that are of importance nowadays. for example the enviromental pronlems we have. Also the lack of interest in political matters. But without Charley the book would never be what it is. One laughs about him(yellostone national Park) but one the other hand one suffers when Charley feel bad. I liked to read the book, because it is written in an easy to understad language. That' why I rated the book 5.

Rating:
Summary: A book full of truth
Review: I have read somewhere that what makes a novel a "classic" is that it must contain some fundamental truths that can withstand changing fads, cultures and eras. I know that "Travels with Charley" is not a novel but a memoir. However, this memoir contains so much truth that it deserves--and has acheived--almost instant "classic" status.

It is about John Steinbeck's trip across America. He begins in New York, drives up through Maine, across the midwest, through Montana to Washington, down the Pacific Coast, through Texas and finally through the American southeast. He was 58 when he took this trip, and his only companions were his loyal dog Charley and trailer Rocinante. I appreciated the way that Steinbeck respected Charley, gave him human characteristics, and looked for Charley's observations on mankind as well as his own.

I have heard this memoir described as an "angry" book, but I think this only describes a small portion of Steinbeck's experiences on the road. Steinbeck was certainly troubled by certain things--chief among them the horrifying "witches sabbath" that occurred in New Orleans. He also looked with sadness upon the "progress" that has diminished our cultural identities and ravaged our beautiful land. However, he was wise enough to know that older people often cling to the past simply because it is familiar, but not because it was superior or even good. He recognized that trait in himself and challenged it.

Some individual passages in this book were so wise I read them several times to try to appreciate the full extent of his wisdom. For example, the passage where Steinbeck remarks that too many older people turn in their exciting lives for healthy and safe ones. He wrote that he was not willing to exchange the quality of his life for slightly more quantity. As I read this passage, I considered that he died less than 10 years after writing this book. Sad, but how many people do a solo, cross-country road trip in their twilight years?

I also appreciated, but was wounded by, his descriptions of racial unrest in the south. The witches sabbath brought tears to my eyes, as it described the young black students as ultimately less pitiable then their tormenters. The students were going places and had their whole lives before them; their tormenters were ugly, twisted people clinging to a past that they cherished simply because they feared the future and the unknown.

Ultimately, "Travels with Charley" is about embracing life. Though Steinbeck saw much that troubled him, he saw much more that was beautiful, like the migrant farmers in Maine, the kind veterinarian in Amarillo, the wonderful tire shop owner in Portland. As Steinbeck remarks, the America that he wrote about in this book doesn't exist anymore. If we followed his exact route today, we would encounter something entirely different--both because of the passage of time and because of our varying perspectives. However, while the America he wrote about no longer exists, the Americans do, and Steinbeck's memoir is a love song to them.

Rating:
Summary: a jewel of a book
Review:
"travels with charley" is perhaps one of the best books i have read, it is on my shelf of favorite books. as a college bound senior, i decided to read this book out of free will, but realized its fantastic potential as a book for my literature class and also as a tool for the AP Literature test.

i've read other Steinbeck books such as "the grapes of wrath" and "of mice and men", but i don't think that one can get a real feel for Steinbeck's gift as a writer until they read "travels with charley".

not only does this book try to discover america, it is a book about what we all know as life. a few reviews from undoubtedly miseducated people said the book was "boring" and "narrow-minded". anyone who says that does not deserve to read Steinbeck. Steinbeck explores all sides of things, at times he even doubts himself. he is an american, with shortcomings and all. Steinbeck stands out from many writers because he speaks from actual experience.

what amazed me most about this book was that practically every page has an exquisite oneofakind statement...those types that you don't come across very often...a book of favorite quotations could be made out of "travels with charley".

at this point in my life i am a "prisoner of education". "travels with charley" is Steinbeck's legacy. if you are like me, you should read this book, lest you never get to live the journey that Steinbeck did.

Rating:
Summary: On The Road
Review: Our media culture is obsessed with superficial appearances. All information is processed at high speeds in small parcels. It is in the interest of the media/corporations to tell Americans what America is all about and how it is defined by their products.
Hey, everybody's got to make a buck; I've got nothing against that. And you can't deny that some of this stuff is fun and lighthearted.
But that's just it, there is no substance, it's all superficial. Undeniably pleasant, but essentially unsatisfying. That's not America.
I've travelled this country far and wide, and - while some of the specifics have changed - the America John Steinbeck went in search of still exists.
"Travles with Charley" invites us to look beyond the surface of the media bombardment. It introduces - or re-introduces - us to the people and places that truely form the backbone of this country. At the same time it takes us beyond place and reminds us of the humanity of those around us; something that can be easily lost in the sound-byte/video-clip culture that we live in.

Rating:
Summary: Lucky Poodle
Review: I wish my master would take me on some journeys like this! The farthest he takes me is to the corner liquor store, which is cool because I get to see this really cute Yorkshire Terrier along the way.

Rating:
Summary: tremendous book
Review: i study english language at faculty of philosophy in rijeka, croatia and we have to read books to improve our vocabulary. i chose this one and i was totally surprised. i love it so much! it gives a great account of america in the 60's but it also gives a warm story about a man and a dog!it could be read as a travel book, as a realistic fiction etc. i recommend it to everyone who enjoy reading absolutely great books!

Rating:
Summary: Timeless wisdom along with a time-capsule from 1960
Review: After reading "The Grapes of Wrath", "Travels With Charley" was irresistable to me. It is a treat to read Steinbeck's observations as he travels America some 20+ years after the terrible times he chronicled in "Grapes".

The voice is still there but a bit softened with the wisdom that passing years bequeath. Make no mistake, he still is angry with injustice. But Steinbeck writes with a wonderfully appealing gentleness and depth of compassion as he converses with his fellow citizens. Plus he writes with remarkable skill and grace.

An artist has time to "ponder" and consider currents, circumstances and feelings in ways most simply find near-impossible in the busy world of "bringing home the bacon."
Steinbeck is an artist of the highest order.

It is a gift to be able to listen to what this artist discovers - in himself and the country he loves.

The time and circumstances of 1960 come alive as vibrant history, while the observations and writing of John Steinbeck will register as relevant for all times.

Enjoy.