dcox83's review against another edition
3.0
This is part memoir about a families cross country trip and part history lessons about all of the things you think about on cross country trips (Lewis & Clark, coffee cups, interstates, hotels, fast food etc.).
What I found interesting is how my own interest in the book progressed similarly to a long road trip. I was excited for the challenge early on in the book and found everything interesting. As the story progressed, though, I felt my interest slowly fade. By the end the author’s family is appreciative for the trip, but happy that it’s over, and I have to say that I felt the same about the book.
What I found interesting is how my own interest in the book progressed similarly to a long road trip. I was excited for the challenge early on in the book and found everything interesting. As the story progressed, though, I felt my interest slowly fade. By the end the author’s family is appreciative for the trip, but happy that it’s over, and I have to say that I felt the same about the book.
caiskel's review against another edition
2.0
I have this book 2 stars because there were some interesting parts but I'm not normally that into history. The book details the history of travel across America and how we got to where we are today told through the story of one summer cross country family trip. Honestly, the book is really long and pretty boring in some parts. But I also love the small random facts that stick with you - little things you would have never known otherwise. One of my favorite parts was learning about carriage travel across the country.
amandamello's review against another edition
2.0
This book wasn't what I expected. I was hoping for a family's travel story, maybe something to serve as a sort of guide of what to expect on my move from the East Coast to West Coast. Instead I got a ton of information on Lewis and Clark and the formation of America's interstate highway system. It's not that those things aren't interesting, but it wasn't what I wanted and had I realized that would be the larger focus of the book I wouldn't have read it. It was sort of torturous for me to read parts of the book, it just wouldn't end. Also, Sullivan uses a serious amount of commas, more than necessary. Not a great book, but it's got some good parts.
yooperann's review
4.0
This is oddly compelling. The parallels to driving cross-country are remarkable. It's endless. The digressions aren't really very interesting (seriously--the history of paper coffee cup lids?). You don't quite know why you started it. And yet you have to keep going. And you do. I kept thinking I was going to pick up something else to read, but instead I just kept reading it until, finally, it ended. Very odd.
rbkegley's review
4.0
I'll admit it took a few dozen pages to get into it, but very shortly I was along for the ride in Robert Sullivan's "Cross Country." This book follows the journey of Sullivan, his wife, and two children driving from Oregon back to their home in New York City, a trip they expected to take 5 days, yet stretched out due to endless distractions, like playing golf one morning instead of hitting the road. Before reaching the end of their travel, the story has taken interesting side-trips into the history of motel chains, roadside restaurants, and the interstate highway system itself. Many books of this kind focus on the places, landmarks, and scenic aspects of the journey, but Sullivan's tale is set clearly in the confines of the rented Chevrolet Impala.
giovannnaz's review
4.0
Here's another book I'd probably give a 3.5 to 3.75; but since the average rating is below that, I'll use my powers to tweak it up a bit!
First, a quibble--I think almost any book is improved with a map. But a book called 'Cross Country', about driving across the US, really has no excuse not having a map.
This was a fun book for me--having driven cross country (only two full times and a couple half trips, I've got nothing on Sullivan!), I enjoyed recognizing places--even a diner in Shamrock, Texas, that I'm sure I had a hamburger in 35 years ago with my grandmother--but also the weird things you get into, like searching for a particular motel chain, or remembering one fondly from an earlier trip (Comfort Inn in Bismarck, with its huge water slide for me).
I see that a lot of people disliked the digressions in the book--and there are many, about early cross country travelers (Emily Post!), how the interstate system came about, coffee cup lids...but I thought he captured exactly the nature of driving cross country. That's exactly what happens, you drive along, see something, wonder about it for a couple days, bore your companions considering it.
I'm afraid I read this book poorly, though, at least the first third--I put it aside and came back to it every few weeks. There's something very disheartening about coming back to your cross country trip to find you're still in Montana or North Dakota. I would suggest that this book requires a more regulated reading than the one I gave it.
But I am ready to hit the road now!
First, a quibble--I think almost any book is improved with a map. But a book called 'Cross Country', about driving across the US, really has no excuse not having a map.
This was a fun book for me--having driven cross country (only two full times and a couple half trips, I've got nothing on Sullivan!), I enjoyed recognizing places--even a diner in Shamrock, Texas, that I'm sure I had a hamburger in 35 years ago with my grandmother--but also the weird things you get into, like searching for a particular motel chain, or remembering one fondly from an earlier trip (Comfort Inn in Bismarck, with its huge water slide for me).
I see that a lot of people disliked the digressions in the book--and there are many, about early cross country travelers (Emily Post!), how the interstate system came about, coffee cup lids...but I thought he captured exactly the nature of driving cross country. That's exactly what happens, you drive along, see something, wonder about it for a couple days, bore your companions considering it.
I'm afraid I read this book poorly, though, at least the first third--I put it aside and came back to it every few weeks. There's something very disheartening about coming back to your cross country trip to find you're still in Montana or North Dakota. I would suggest that this book requires a more regulated reading than the one I gave it.
But I am ready to hit the road now!
dundermifflin's review
5.0
I absolutely loved this book and didn't want it to end. I was happy to travel with his family, and especially with Sullivan and all his quirks. The book was right up my alley: musings on things that most people never think about -- like the variety of coffee cup lids for travel cups.
readknitrun's review
4.0
A fascinating book. While discussing his own cross country journeys, Sullivan talks about Lewis & Clark, the construction of the interstate system, Emily Post, Jack Kerouac and practically a thousand other topics. I think my husband was sick of listening to me talk about all of the interesting things I learned. Highly recommended.
rhodered's review
3.0
I loved the details about things like evolutions in rest stop towels/hand dryers. It's those small daily life details I like to read.