Reviews
The Longest Road: Overland in Search of America, from Key West to the Arctic Ocean by Philip Caputo
kairosdreaming's review against another edition
3.0
This review can be found at www.ifithaswords.blogspot.com or at Amazon.com as part of the Vine program.
laurend's review against another edition
3.0
I wish I could give this 3.5 stars. It is a great premise and has moments of great clarity and inspiration. Other times it seems he doesn't try to accomplish his goal. However, overall it was good and was fun. Would be very good for a book group who wants to talk about the US, regional and cultural differences, politics, etc.
untitledemily's review against another edition
5.0
Well researched book. Inspireing for my own future road trips!
rdebner's review against another edition
4.0
More thought-provoking that your average travelogue. Caputo goes from Key West, Florida to the Arctic Sea with his wife and two English setters in a truck and small Airstream trailer. All along the journey, he asks people what they think holds our country together. The book is marked by wry humor and some really fascinating people.
librarianonparade's review against another edition
3.0
The very concept of roadtrips are as American as apple pie, and the American road trip travelogue shows no signs of going out of style. This book is very much in the standard vein, an exploration of the American highways and by-ways, its people and towns, quirks and landmarks, a journey from Key West at the southernmost tip of the United States, all the way to Deadhorse in Alaska. Where it differs is that it does include a sizeable chunk of Canadian road trip, whilst on the way to Alaska. Impossible to avoid Canada if one is roadtripping to Alaska, of course!
Philip Caputo's central 'gimmick' (for lack of a better word) for his roadtrip, is to discover what it is about America that makes it hang together, when it comprises such a huge landmass, so many different and disparate peoples and cultures and worldviews. The reason I call it a gimmick is because in reality that is only a very minor subplot in his narrative, one he spends little time on and never comes to any kind of final conclusion - which is probably impossible anyway. Other than that, this book could sit aside any number of similar books on travels through the US.
It was an entertaining read, as so many such virtual tours through America are. America's diversity and scale are part of what makes these travelogues so enjoyable - I can think of few other countries that can boast such diversity of culture and geography, certainly an immense contrast to tiny little England! So entertaining, enjoyable, but with very little to distinguish it from the mass of similar titles.
Philip Caputo's central 'gimmick' (for lack of a better word) for his roadtrip, is to discover what it is about America that makes it hang together, when it comprises such a huge landmass, so many different and disparate peoples and cultures and worldviews. The reason I call it a gimmick is because in reality that is only a very minor subplot in his narrative, one he spends little time on and never comes to any kind of final conclusion - which is probably impossible anyway. Other than that, this book could sit aside any number of similar books on travels through the US.
It was an entertaining read, as so many such virtual tours through America are. America's diversity and scale are part of what makes these travelogues so enjoyable - I can think of few other countries that can boast such diversity of culture and geography, certainly an immense contrast to tiny little England! So entertaining, enjoyable, but with very little to distinguish it from the mass of similar titles.
laread's review against another edition
1.0
The book does not live up to its premise. It puts forth itself as a road-trip tale with dogs in which the author, a journalist, interviews a range of Americans in search of an answer to 'what holds us together as a nation.' The writer makes sure to stick to no-man's land, thus only speaking with a very narrow sampling of Americans: a total lack of diversity. He is more interested -- enamored -- with Lewis & Clark than with the whole of America.
We have locals referring to Native Americans as hostiles and Native Americans referring to themselves as Indians. The writer comments that drilling oil is "bad for Sierra Club, good for North Dakota;" how naive, ignorant, and short-sighted. He partly blames misinformation (leading to divisions and anger) on TMI rather than poor information literacy skills. And Fred & Ethel -- what he lovingly terms his truck and trailer -- get more character development than Sage & Sky, canine companions.
We have locals referring to Native Americans as hostiles and Native Americans referring to themselves as Indians. The writer comments that drilling oil is "bad for Sierra Club, good for North Dakota;" how naive, ignorant, and short-sighted. He partly blames misinformation (leading to divisions and anger) on TMI rather than poor information literacy skills. And Fred & Ethel -- what he lovingly terms his truck and trailer -- get more character development than Sage & Sky, canine companions.
adt's review against another edition
3.0
Did not deliver well on answering the question of what keeps America together. The question gets lost and goes underground in many anecdotes about people he meets on the road. At times, the dying towns went from sad to deeply depressing.
I am negatively biased as being on any road trip in a camper is torture for me. I did enjoy following along with google earth at my side. At least I learned some US geography in the process.
I am negatively biased as being on any road trip in a camper is torture for me. I did enjoy following along with google earth at my side. At least I learned some US geography in the process.
katebelt's review against another edition
3.0
I learned that "Nebrathka" is the Otoe Indian word meaning "flat water." I like road trip stories.