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A review by lesserjoke
Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck
4.0
I've heard there's reason to doubt that the events related in this 1962 travelogue actually happened as written, but if you take everything at face value, it's a lovely tale of author John Steinbeck's leisurely drive around the country with only his dog for company. The resulting observations feel effortlessly charming and surprisingly timeless, from the writer's spontaneous interactions with people he meets on the road -- again, allegedly -- to his worry that local accents and customs might be disappearing in favor of a nationwide uniformity. The novelist was in poor health and aware he was likely nearing the end of his life during this trip, but his tone is largely wistful and warm as he reflects on what constitutes a fulfilling existence and seeks in vain to distill his experiences into a succinct summary of America's national character(s).
This book is a time capsule of a particular moment in history, especially for Steinbeck's well-meaning but clumsy efforts to address race in the final section (with a shrug that he's never understood bigotry himself and a fascinated puzzlement at the angry white crowds protesting six-year-old Ruby Bridges integrating the public schools of New Orleans). Simultaneously, however, much of the text reads as though it could have come from someone hitching a small cabin to their truck and going on a similar journey today. If an acquaintance returned from vacation and started quoting certain passages at you, you might not even notice anything amiss. That's just the sort of nonfiction this is, that it intuitively feels true -- whether it's ultimately been reported accurately or not.
[Content warning for antisemitism and racial slurs.]
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This book is a time capsule of a particular moment in history, especially for Steinbeck's well-meaning but clumsy efforts to address race in the final section (with a shrug that he's never understood bigotry himself and a fascinated puzzlement at the angry white crowds protesting six-year-old Ruby Bridges integrating the public schools of New Orleans). Simultaneously, however, much of the text reads as though it could have come from someone hitching a small cabin to their truck and going on a similar journey today. If an acquaintance returned from vacation and started quoting certain passages at you, you might not even notice anything amiss. That's just the sort of nonfiction this is, that it intuitively feels true -- whether it's ultimately been reported accurately or not.
[Content warning for antisemitism and racial slurs.]
Find me on Patreon | Goodreads | Blog | Twitter