In 'Travels with Charley: In Search of America', John Steinbeck embarks on a cross-country journey with his dog Charley in the early 1960s. Through vivid descriptions and thought-provoking encounters, Steinbeck reflects on the changing landscape of America, delving into social issues such as race relations, politics, and personal introspection. The book captures Steinbeck's conflicting emotions towards his country, blending natural warmth, humor, and astute observations about the people and places he encounters along the way.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include discussions of racial tensions, prejudice, and societal issues relevant to the era, which may be distressing for some readers.
From The Publisher:
In September 1960, John Steinbeck embarked on a journey across America. He felt that he might have lost touch with the country, with its speech, the smell of its grass and trees, its color and quality of light, the pulse of its people. To reassure himself, he set out on a voyage of rediscovery of the American identity, accompanied by a distinguished French poodle named Charley; and riding in a three-quarter-ton pickup truck named Rocinante.
His course took him through almost forty states: northward from Long Island to Maine; through the Midwest to Chicago; onward by way of Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana (with which he fell in love), and Idaho to Seattle, south to San Francisco and his birthplace, Salinas; eastward through the Mojave, New Mexico, Arizona, to the vast hospitality of Texas, to New Orleans and a shocking drama of desegregation; finally, on the last leg, through Alabama, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey to New York.
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2 comment(s)
3.5 stars. A more autobiographical novel with a road trip twist from John Steinbeck. Enjoyed how it was written and felt like I got to know John Steinbeck better in this. Liked the way be described his journey but its not a new favorite, but definitely want to pick the books I've got left by him. He has sligtly become a little bit forgotten in my recent classic read and don't know why.
Entertaining read about one man's journey across the country with his dog. Although he is searching for America, he is also searching for a deeper understanding of himself and in the end finds that despite geographical differences, people are the same everywhere.
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Travels with Charley: In Search of America?
About the Author:
John Steinbeck, born in Salinas, California, in 1902, grew up in a fertile agricultural valley, about 25 miles from the Pacific Coast. Both the valley and the coast would serve as settings for some of his best fiction. In 1919…
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