Synopsis

Subtitled : In Search of America.

In 1960, John Steinbeck set out to rediscover and document his native land; accompanied only by his dog, he travelled all across the United States in a pick-up truck.

This Penguin Classics edition of Travels with Charley includes an introduction by Jay Parini. When he was almost sixty years old, worried that he might have lost touch with the sights, the sounds and the essence of America's people, Steinbeck took note of his itchy feet and prepared to travel.

He was accompanied by his French poodle, Charley, diplomat and watchdog, across the states of America from Maine to California. Moving through the woods and deserts, dirt tracks and highways to large cities and glorious wildernesses, Steinbeck observed - with remarkable honesty and insight, with a humorous and sometimes sceptical eye - America, and the Americans who inhabited it.

What he saw was a lonely, generous nation too packed with individuals for single judgements; what he saw made him proud, angry, sympathetic and elated. His vision of how the world was changing still speaks to us prophetically through the decades.

Details

• Format : Standard 2nd Hand Paperback
• Condition : Very Good
• Category : Non-Fiction - USA
• Published : 1962 (This Edition 2000 - Penguin Classics)
• ISBN : 9780141186108
• SKU : B003306
• PPC : LL300gm
• RRP : £9.99
• Quantity Available : 1 only.

External Reviews

"This book is an absolute delight. Steinbeck comes across as thoughtful, wry, and witty, and as for Charley Dog - if only he could have been cloned I would give a Charley a home any day! Insightful, well observed, and with some comments about materialism and the essence of the American nation that are very pertinent today. It's shortish, but quite a dense read - not a word is wasted by the author, so it takes longer to read and digest than you might think, and probably needs a second read to get the most from it. This is one book I will not be giving away or even lending to anyone - I heartily recommend it."

" it's a moving and engaging piece of writing. Steinbeck had become rather a cranky old man by the time he embarked on the journey, and was an even crankier old man by time he finished it. He was certainly no longer the novelist at the peak of his powers. But there’s still passion, warmth and humour in his words and plenty for the reader who loves Steinbeck’s writing to engage with. And there's Charley. Charley is wonderful." - Goodreads Reviews.

"Pure delight, a pungent potpourri of places & people" - New York Times Book Review.

The Author

Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck is remembered as one of the greatest and best-loved American writers of the twentieth century. His novels have been huge best-sellers in the UK for many years. Steinbeck achieved popular success in 1935 when he published Tortilla Flat. He went on to write more than twenty-five novels, including The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck's complete works will be available in Penguin Modern Classics.

Featured Author . . . John Steinbeck