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mariannemersereau's review against another edition
2.0
The America that Jenkins writes about in this book sounds very different from the America of 2022. It was interesting to read his account of walking long distances prior to the internet, cell phones and email, and during a time when the country was perhaps less divided politically. I enjoyed reading his descriptions of experiences in the Southern states, particularly his story of religious conversion that occurred in an old fashioned tent revival meeting.
bookbench's review against another edition
3.0
This is a really fun book, full of the spirit of youth and adventure. The writing itself isn't the beeest but it comes from the heart, and if you strap yourself in and commit to the journey this is a really touching story and it might even make you cry. I will absolutely be handing this to my (currently hypothetical) child when they are approximately 10. (Don't look at the picture pages until the end as there are some spoilers)
leahjoy12's review against another edition
1.0
Everything this guy did was the best thing ever!! Every meal he ate was also the best meal ever!! And so on...
firstwords's review against another edition
4.0
As other reviewers have noted, this book is 40 years old and showing a bit of age. For readers who live in small, rural, isolated communities, this might still seem closer to the present. The prose is just OK, plain (which is just fine), and a bit repetitive (which is not). Other reviewers complained, but I do not fault the author for stopping the story when he did, for it marked a logical stopping point and allowed more detail for the parts that he did cover.
The story is one that has been told countless times before and since (especially since): College-educated, well-off, somewhat sheltered, experience-limited-to-their-own-environs young man sets out to find himself, America, or something else more or less tangible. This book's journey started in 1973, After Ken Kesey, HST, Kerouac, Kool-Aid tinged with LSD, and others had already passed by, including some others on foot.
So why four stars?
Probably because a lot of readers can identify with that point in their lives (being well-off, sheltered, limited in experience, etc) and wanting to find something. Possibly because those who don't have a desire to take chemical trips can still identify with this literal one, free from hallucinogens (although strong moonshine can hit you in the head). Possibly because the idea of just...walking...is antithesis to a 9-5 job and the responsibilities of life. I dunno.
I enjoyed the tale, despite the just-OK writing, and enjoyed watching a man much younger than me make some of the same discoveries I did when I was his age. Hey, most people are fundamentally good, but usually seriously flawed in some area! Hey, most of us share the same value system, even though we may look different and live in different places! Hey, there are small-minded, horrid, self-loathing individuals who just want to hurt others! Hey, hard, backbreaking work is rewarding but...backbreaking! Hey, it feels good to do for one's self, and to help others! Hey, there is a world outside what my parents showed me!
Not being glib. I really enjoyed the book, and did find myself identifying with things that cropped up during Mr. Jenkins' way. I admire that he chose to make do for himself, mostly, and that he undertook the trip at all. The photos in the book are just a wonderful edition (I encourage you to read the print version, it would be much less enjoyable as an e-book). It made a small part of me, the part that does not have a mortgage and responsibilities, want to get back on the bike or put on hiking boots and just take off.
Very enjoyable look back at my own younger days.
The story is one that has been told countless times before and since (especially since): College-educated, well-off, somewhat sheltered, experience-limited-to-their-own-environs young man sets out to find himself, America, or something else more or less tangible. This book's journey started in 1973, After Ken Kesey, HST, Kerouac, Kool-Aid tinged with LSD, and others had already passed by, including some others on foot.
So why four stars?
Probably because a lot of readers can identify with that point in their lives (being well-off, sheltered, limited in experience, etc) and wanting to find something. Possibly because those who don't have a desire to take chemical trips can still identify with this literal one, free from hallucinogens (although strong moonshine can hit you in the head). Possibly because the idea of just...walking...is antithesis to a 9-5 job and the responsibilities of life. I dunno.
I enjoyed the tale, despite the just-OK writing, and enjoyed watching a man much younger than me make some of the same discoveries I did when I was his age. Hey, most people are fundamentally good, but usually seriously flawed in some area! Hey, most of us share the same value system, even though we may look different and live in different places! Hey, there are small-minded, horrid, self-loathing individuals who just want to hurt others! Hey, hard, backbreaking work is rewarding but...backbreaking! Hey, it feels good to do for one's self, and to help others! Hey, there is a world outside what my parents showed me!
Not being glib. I really enjoyed the book, and did find myself identifying with things that cropped up during Mr. Jenkins' way. I admire that he chose to make do for himself, mostly, and that he undertook the trip at all. The photos in the book are just a wonderful edition (I encourage you to read the print version, it would be much less enjoyable as an e-book). It made a small part of me, the part that does not have a mortgage and responsibilities, want to get back on the bike or put on hiking boots and just take off.
Very enjoyable look back at my own younger days.
philthibodeau's review against another edition
5.0
I didn’t have high expectations for this book and the first chapters seemed to confirm my suspicions. The writing is simple and feels like written by a “dad”. However, the values connecting each of his experiences soon became a mission that I appreciated - meet real people and approach them with an open mind. Most people are kind and generous. With smartphones replacing human interactions, news that reinforces biases and growing isolation, this book feels more relevant now than it possibly could have been in the 1970s. By the end of the book I had respect for the risks he takes to live his values and the stereotypes he counters with his anecdotal experiences. This book isn’t a masterpiece but I found the adventure relatable and hopeful.
m_burgess's review against another edition
5.0
This book made me fall in love with the southeast US all over again. SUCH a good book!
jenergizer's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book! I finished it in a day and even stayed up past my bedtime. What a great story, what a great adventure! These books, the good ones anyway, always make me want to go off on an adventure somewhere. I felt like I was there, transported back in time to an era before I was born, the country in turmoil... not dissimilar from what is happening here today, which is what drew me to read it in the first place. Apparently he wrote some other books; I will be looking for them!
cbrewer71's review against another edition
4.0
This is a must read. A great story of a college grad who sets out to explore the America. Peter is discontented with the politics of the 70s and decides to take his dog Cooper with him on a journey across America. His goal is to encounter the good in America. His book reads like a novel as you explore different parts of the rural south.