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A review by firstwords
A Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins
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.