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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
One of my favorite books. Steinbeck--after time spent abroad, in Europe--feels like he needs to reconnect with the United States, and see if his suspicions are confirmed: that he will find a world he once knew changed, by the advent of television, and the continued expansion and ease of travel and access to once remote places. So, Steinbeck tricks out a truck with a stove and other amenities, packs up his poodle, Charley, and heads out on one of literature's most interesting road trips across America.
Steinbeck's style is at it's best, his ability to hone in on the details of the experience; to describe both the stunning landscapes and the mundane. Steinbeck fans won't be disappointed!
Steinbeck's style is at it's best, his ability to hone in on the details of the experience; to describe both the stunning landscapes and the mundane. Steinbeck fans won't be disappointed!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley was a transformative read for me. Not only did it feel like I was getting to know Steinbeck himself—his humor, wisdom, and reflective nature—but it also gave me a new lens through which to view the stories of his that had most impacted me: The Pearl, The Red Pony, and Of Mice and Men.
In Travels with Charley, Steinbeck’s journey across America reveals so much about the man behind the stories. His observations about humanity, the natural world, and the struggles of ordinary people resonate deeply with the themes in his fiction. Reading this book felt like sitting down with him as he explained why characters like Kino, Jody, and George mattered to him—and why their stories mattered to us.
For instance, Steinbeck’s empathy for those on the margins of society shines through in his travel narrative, just as it does in Of Mice and Men. His reflections on loss and disillusionment echo the heartbreak of The Red Pony. And his sensitivity to greed and the human condition brings The Pearl into sharper focus.
Through Travels with Charley, I gained a richer understanding of Steinbeck’s worldview and the deep compassion that drove his storytelling. It’s a book that not only stands on its own but also enhances everything else he wrote. After finishing it, I felt like I truly understood why Steinbeck’s works continue to resonate so powerfully.
In Travels with Charley, Steinbeck’s journey across America reveals so much about the man behind the stories. His observations about humanity, the natural world, and the struggles of ordinary people resonate deeply with the themes in his fiction. Reading this book felt like sitting down with him as he explained why characters like Kino, Jody, and George mattered to him—and why their stories mattered to us.
For instance, Steinbeck’s empathy for those on the margins of society shines through in his travel narrative, just as it does in Of Mice and Men. His reflections on loss and disillusionment echo the heartbreak of The Red Pony. And his sensitivity to greed and the human condition brings The Pearl into sharper focus.
Through Travels with Charley, I gained a richer understanding of Steinbeck’s worldview and the deep compassion that drove his storytelling. It’s a book that not only stands on its own but also enhances everything else he wrote. After finishing it, I felt like I truly understood why Steinbeck’s works continue to resonate so powerfully.
funny
reflective
medium-paced
If John Steinbeck were alive today he would be tweeting about a Cheeto in the white house
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
This is one of those books that makes me wish I had been more active on GR when I read it. My mother gave it to me before I embarked on a cross-country drive of my own, and it's the book that first made me love Steinbeck. Because I was nomadic and struggling with my own issues at the time, it hasn't lingered the way that I want it to, but I know that I wanted to travel with him and Charley, to go to the places they went. Definitely something I'll have to reread soon with a clearer head.
An excellent read. John Steinbeck road trips across America with his elderly poodle making observations on the land and people.
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
I've not read Steinbeck for many years and then saw a review about Travels with Charley and was intrigued to discover what he would write about a road trip across the US with his silver-grey (blue) standard poodle Charley.
"Perhaps my greatest wisdom is the knowledge that I do not know" and that is how he approached his exploration. He is introspective and ponders much on his life, the lives being led by others and the issues at the time (1961) including racism and social cohesion.
His use of language is masterful, and it is a joy to read each page. There is humour, sadness, loneliness and reflection. Then there is his relationship with Charley. Charley, although not in every scene, is still a presence throughout. He communicates through a friendly and sometimes insistent noise coming out like a "Fttt" which may mean he wants to be outside, wants a meal, a drink or a pat. He roars when under threat and glares when vexed. Steinbeck reflects on how Charley doesn't care much about how humans run their lives, he just cares about the things he needs each day - food, sleep and a good pat, perhaps a loud roar at a bear or two from time to time.
It is a fascinating look into the US of the past and also a reminder that many things that were issues then are still issues now.
"Perhaps my greatest wisdom is the knowledge that I do not know" and that is how he approached his exploration. He is introspective and ponders much on his life, the lives being led by others and the issues at the time (1961) including racism and social cohesion.
His use of language is masterful, and it is a joy to read each page. There is humour, sadness, loneliness and reflection. Then there is his relationship with Charley. Charley, although not in every scene, is still a presence throughout. He communicates through a friendly and sometimes insistent noise coming out like a "Fttt" which may mean he wants to be outside, wants a meal, a drink or a pat. He roars when under threat and glares when vexed. Steinbeck reflects on how Charley doesn't care much about how humans run their lives, he just cares about the things he needs each day - food, sleep and a good pat, perhaps a loud roar at a bear or two from time to time.
It is a fascinating look into the US of the past and also a reminder that many things that were issues then are still issues now.
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced