Readershelf: Road Trip! February 15, 2011
Feb 15, 2011The open road holds unlimited possibilities—for danger, excitement, romance, reflection, and, if you’re lucky, really good food. Travelers have the chance to interact with people from all walks of life and from all over the country. Of course, not all of these encounters may be pleasant, but sour memories usually make for the best-told stories in retrospect. Sadly, with gas prices on the rise and people’s busier-than-ever lives getting in the way, the chance to hit the road rarely presents itself. Thankfully, readers can travel our nation vicariously with authors who have captured their road travels in writing. Let your imagination take you where your calendar and wallet don’t allow.
On the Road by Jack Kerouac (Penguin. 2002. ISBN 9780142437254. pap. $16) is the classic book to make you want to drop everything and hit the road. In a poetic fashion, the quintessential Beat writer details his hitchhiking journeys across America. His characters, Sal Paradise and friend Dean Moriarty, are open to anything and everything, which is the best attitude for a truly wonderful, adventurous road trip.
For something heartwarming and contemporary, try Jess Riley’s Driving Sideways (Ballantine. 2008. ISBN 9780345501103. pap. $14). This inspiring, surprisingly humorous novel details the story of Leigh Fielding, a woman on dialysis who gets a kidney transplant. With a new lease on life, she takes off, encountering surprising people and developing a stronger, new identity along the way. This hopeful and joy-filled comedy will remind readers not to take life too seriously and to appreciate the time we have.
If you’re craving something sweet, cozy, and reflective, American Pie: Slices of Pie (and Life) From America’s Back Roads by Pascale Le Daroulec (Harper: HarperCollins. 2003. ISBN 9780060957322. pap. $13.99) may be just the thing. In this engaging memoir, a restaurant critic takes to country roads and off-the-beaten- track towns to find the best pies and to uncover the pie makers’ stories. In examining recipes and road travel, the author also reflects on the significance of something as simple and down-home as pie in today’s fast-paced, ever-changing society.
In Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (Perennial: HarperCollins. 2005. ISBN 9780060839871. pap. $14.99), Robert Pirsig, a scholar of Oriental philosophy, beautifully combines philosophy and motorcycles, the open road and meditation. In this now classic epic, narrator Phaedrus details a father/son motorcycle trip across the country and includes reflections on life, meditation, and philosophy. This contemplative, graceful, well-detailed story has helped many readers navigate the highways of their own lives.
One of the best things about road trips is the chance to experience new, wonderful cuisines that you don’t normally find at home. In Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives: An All-American Road Trip…with Recipes! (MorrowCookbooks: HarperCollins. 2008. ISBN 9780061724886. pap. $19.99), Food Network star Guy Fieri takes readers to some of the most delicious down-home food places that can be found out on the road. Forget the big fast-food chains; instead, try some of these mouthwatering local foods from around America. Fieri visits the best and also delivers a behind-the-scenes look at the people who own the restaurants, offering readers a deeper appreciation for these small-town heroes.
If the idea of a road trip invokes memories of The Ride of Our Lives by Mike Leonard (Ballantine. 2007. ISBN 9780345481498. pap. $13.95). In this humorous and irreverent yet heartwarming narrative, the NBC journalist recounts the story of a multigenerational, month-long road trip, as his family travels from Chicago to the East Coast and back. Meant as a tribute to his eccentric parents, Leonard’s book presents an all-too-true closer look at family dynamics, especially as they play out in the confined space of an RV.
Finally, if the above selections have inspired you to embark on an exhilarating trip of your own, you might consider Road Trip USA: Cross-Country Adventures on America’s Two-Lane Highways (Avalon Travel. 2009. ISBN 9781598801019. pap. $29.95). Travel writer Jamie Jensen will steer you to roads packed with scenery, interesting curiosities, and other wonders, instead of other cars. Also packing in trivia, local legends, maps, and essential tips, this is the perfect companion for your on-the-road excursions.
This column was contributed by Kathryn Callon, a soon-to-be University of Washington MLIS graduate. She resides in Lacey, WA, with her husband and Boston terrier
| Author Information |
| Neal Wyatt compiles LJ’s online feature Wyatt’s World and is the author of The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Nonfiction (ALA Editions, 2007). She is a collection development and readers’ advisory librarian from Virginia. Those interested in contributing to The Reader’s Shelf should contact her directly at Readers_Shelf@comcast.net |
