davidseverns's review
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
Incredibly reflective. Such an accurate picture of America.
irelandrhea's review
3.0
rating this seems silly, as i’ve been reading it on and off for six months not because i really wanted to, but because i thought it would be instructive in my exploration of the travel writing genre. and it was. at first i thought i’d give it four stars, then five, then back to four, and i’ve settled on three.
there were many wonderful lines and sections; my copy has been heavily highlighted and dog-eared. but i would’ve liked to know from the outset that 1) there would be no arc, no real structure; and 2) his reflections on “racial hostility” (as the back of the book frames it) would be incredibly surface-level. while i expected these things to some extent, the ways in which certain interactions/memories/events were framed were still very… disappointing.
i’m sure i will refer back to this book and some of its more magical sections for the rest of my life… but overall it was… disappointing.
there were many wonderful lines and sections; my copy has been heavily highlighted and dog-eared. but i would’ve liked to know from the outset that 1) there would be no arc, no real structure; and 2) his reflections on “racial hostility” (as the back of the book frames it) would be incredibly surface-level. while i expected these things to some extent, the ways in which certain interactions/memories/events were framed were still very… disappointing.
i’m sure i will refer back to this book and some of its more magical sections for the rest of my life… but overall it was… disappointing.
rick2's review
4.0
Steinbeck takes a dreamy, romantic, and commonly humorous trip across the United States with his dog Charley. Written in 1962 it delivers a snapshot America that we have rightfully mythologized in the following decades. Cute diners with semi a oblivious waitresses, stopping to fish off the edge of a road somewhere. Drinking whiskey with all mannor of strange men and women. It sounds so peaceful and simple.
I wish I could inhabit that world. But as the ‘great’ novel "who moved my cheese" tells me, we can't go back, progress moves always forward, marching forever onwards. We must ceaselessly beat on, boats against the current, searching for who moved our cheese.
Sleepy, beautiful, Sieinbeck inhabited America is no longer, we must continue on. And we are all the sadder for it.
I wish I could inhabit that world. But as the ‘great’ novel "who moved my cheese" tells me, we can't go back, progress moves always forward, marching forever onwards. We must ceaselessly beat on, boats against the current, searching for who moved our cheese.
Sleepy, beautiful, Sieinbeck inhabited America is no longer, we must continue on. And we are all the sadder for it.
b00ksforever's review against another edition
3.0
“And in the humid ever-summer I dare his picturing mind not to go back to the shout of color, to the clean rasp of frosty air, to the smell of pine wood burning and the caressing warmth of kitchens. For how can one know color in perpetual green, and what good is warmth without cold to give it sweetness?”
This was such a lovely read. Filled with beautiful imagery of American landscapes and interesting perspectives of American life in the 1960’s. The chapters on the South and the story of Ruby Bridges were so compelling. Some of the dialogue was and felt a little contrived, but it’s still an iconic travel memoir that’s sure to fill you with wanderlust.
Thank you Simon for lending this to me!
This was such a lovely read. Filled with beautiful imagery of American landscapes and interesting perspectives of American life in the 1960’s. The chapters on the South and the story of Ruby Bridges were so compelling. Some of the dialogue was and felt a little contrived, but it’s still an iconic travel memoir that’s sure to fill you with wanderlust.
Thank you Simon for lending this to me!
pjv1013's review against another edition
5.0
Ler este livro quando estou em viagem pelos Estados Unidos da América foi só por isso mesmo significativo. Até na compra, pois foi comprado numa pequena livraria independente em Salem, Massachusetts.
Steinbeck já bem entrado na idade resolve fazer uma viagem pelos EUA, fazendo-se acompanhar pelo seu cão, Charlie.
Ao longo de poucos mais de 200 páginas temos momentos tão divertidos e ternurentos escrito no estilo simples, e limpo, de Steinbeck.
(Logan Boston Airport, 11 de Novembro de 2022)
Steinbeck já bem entrado na idade resolve fazer uma viagem pelos EUA, fazendo-se acompanhar pelo seu cão, Charlie.
Ao longo de poucos mais de 200 páginas temos momentos tão divertidos e ternurentos escrito no estilo simples, e limpo, de Steinbeck.
(Logan Boston Airport, 11 de Novembro de 2022)
marshallce's review
5.0
John Steinbeck is a master writer. Everything flows so well AND he's funny. I love this memoir of a good old roadtrip with his dog. There's a lot to be learned here.
nferre's review against another edition
5.0
Seems to me that many of us Americans have the itch to get on the open road and see our beautiful country - perhaps overlooking its flaws. After reading Travels with Charlie, I got the distinct feeling that Steinbeck intended this trip to be one of learning about the beauty of the country, and instead -- somewhere between the taciturn waitress in Maine, the memories of his now-unrecognizable home town in California and the blatant racism of the South, he became discouraged and practically hightailed it home, cutting short his exploration. The book is in no way depressing, to the contrary, it is insightful, funny and profound; the kind of book that sticks to your ribs and encourages you to recommend it.
He is ahead of his time: when looking at a submarine he says: "And now submarines are armed with mass murder, our silly, only way of deterring mass murder." He talks about our mounting piles of garbage which surround our cities and ponders the basis for racism.
Several bookcrossers (I wish I could remember their names) recommended this book to me. I can't thank them enough because I just loved it.
He is ahead of his time: when looking at a submarine he says: "And now submarines are armed with mass murder, our silly, only way of deterring mass murder." He talks about our mounting piles of garbage which surround our cities and ponders the basis for racism.
Several bookcrossers (I wish I could remember their names) recommended this book to me. I can't thank them enough because I just loved it.
emdowd's review against another edition
5.0
Possibly my absolute favourite piece of travel writing. I much preferred this to all of Steinbeck's novels (which I read in high school as any true Northern Californian should). I saw so much of myself and my travels (but the dog's name was Lennie) in this book: the roadtrips through the southwest desert of my childhood, the redwoods, San Francisco as "the City" to anyone who knows what they're talking about, and I'm just now discovering the east coast with this as my plane reading. Perfectly captures why we (surely not just I) travel.
One of this books I found at exactly the right time: on a journey of my own and recently returned the United States and wondering: what the hell is this place?
One of this books I found at exactly the right time: on a journey of my own and recently returned the United States and wondering: what the hell is this place?