A review by swindlesoiree
The Ghosts Who Travel with Me: A Literary Pilgrimage Through Brautigan's America by Allison Green
4.0
Although I was largely unfamiliar with the content of this book when I picked it up—specifically Richard Brautigan’s work or his influence in the realm of poetry lovers and readers alike—I found myself instantly captivated by this book. Although all my diving into research couldn’t lead me to conclude that Brautigan is anyone who deserves the reverence Green ascribes him (and indeed probably deserves quite a bit less), I have to give her credit for making me interested in finding out more, seeking beyond her words in the hope I might find that same thing that captivated her as a child and still, apparently, captivates her today.
Green’s writing is crisp and clear, nostalgic without being alienating. It’s an honest memoir that traverses time in a leisurely fashion, in no particular rush to get anywhere in particular, not unlike Alison and Arline’s road trip through the Pacific Northwest. Unfortunately, this mood carries all the way through the book to the end, and like most road trips it ends not with the ang of a climax but a resigned sigh as it dawns on you that you still have to unpack the trunk and do all the laundry. Because this is a memoir, I find that particularly fitting, and given that it’s a brisk read, I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a strongly crafted memoir.
Green’s writing is crisp and clear, nostalgic without being alienating. It’s an honest memoir that traverses time in a leisurely fashion, in no particular rush to get anywhere in particular, not unlike Alison and Arline’s road trip through the Pacific Northwest. Unfortunately, this mood carries all the way through the book to the end, and like most road trips it ends not with the ang of a climax but a resigned sigh as it dawns on you that you still have to unpack the trunk and do all the laundry. Because this is a memoir, I find that particularly fitting, and given that it’s a brisk read, I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a strongly crafted memoir.