Scan barcode
A review by notspacemanlee
American Ramble: A Walk of Memory and Renewal by Neil King
4.0
"My one solid conclusion was we should approach our own certitudes with caution. The more you look, the more you think and study, the more you open other doors and the more you understand how little you know." - Neil King, Jr.
Neil King, Jr. decides to take a nigh month-long journey on foot from Washington D.C. to Manhattan after successfully battling cancer. He did have to put it off for a year due to COVID. While I would not consider his "pilgrimage" exactly roughing it, like climbing the Appalachian Trail, he rarely uses electronics and instead keeps his senses in tune with the world and people around him. He is clearly very well read as he quotes obscure out of print 18th century books to books written by our founding fathers.
His preferred stops to tour are more "microhistory" than actual history. They would lead to good jumping off points for Wikipedia rabbit holes if any grabs one's interest.
My copy of this book was a Kindle. I would highly recommend a printed copy as there are many observations worth underlining and things to potentially write in the margins.
While I live in the suburbs where many seem suspicious of each other (and as a slight spoiler, the only places where nobody wants to engage King) - this book is almost a call, to even if one doesn't take a journey, to get off the damn cell phone, take the noise-cancelling earbuds out, engage all five senses to the outside world, and act with curiosity and generosity. Alas, the target audience for this book likely already does that.
I'll give this 4 stars, because it does become a slow read in places and sometimes the metaphors and comparisons reach the level of the SNL Skit "The George Will Sports Machine" - though I generally enjoy Will as a columnist.
Neil King, Jr. decides to take a nigh month-long journey on foot from Washington D.C. to Manhattan after successfully battling cancer. He did have to put it off for a year due to COVID. While I would not consider his "pilgrimage" exactly roughing it, like climbing the Appalachian Trail, he rarely uses electronics and instead keeps his senses in tune with the world and people around him. He is clearly very well read as he quotes obscure out of print 18th century books to books written by our founding fathers.
His preferred stops to tour are more "microhistory" than actual history. They would lead to good jumping off points for Wikipedia rabbit holes if any grabs one's interest.
My copy of this book was a Kindle. I would highly recommend a printed copy as there are many observations worth underlining and things to potentially write in the margins.
While I live in the suburbs where many seem suspicious of each other (and as a slight spoiler, the only places where nobody wants to engage King) - this book is almost a call, to even if one doesn't take a journey, to get off the damn cell phone, take the noise-cancelling earbuds out, engage all five senses to the outside world, and act with curiosity and generosity. Alas, the target audience for this book likely already does that.
I'll give this 4 stars, because it does become a slow read in places and sometimes the metaphors and comparisons reach the level of the SNL Skit "The George Will Sports Machine" - though I generally enjoy Will as a columnist.