Summer Book Report

I'm not sure that I have ever blogged about how John Steinbeck is one of my favorite America authors. Like many Steinbeck fans, my interest began after reading "Of Mice and Men." After that, I read "Cannery Row," "Tortilla Flat," and several others. On a trip to the world's best bookstore, I ended up buying quite a few Steinbeck books that I had never read. Since then, most of those books have just sat around and gathered dust on my bookshelf.

On a whim, I decided to rescue one of these books from their dust-capturing mission. "Travels with Charley: In Search of America" is Steinbeck's account of his 1960 cross-country road trip with his dog Charley. Not surprisingly, the book was excellent. Steinbeck had a very introspective eye and an unparalleled ability to describe his observations in a colorful and easy-to-read style. One of the things that was so interesting to me was how many of the themes that Steinbeck confronts during his 1960 roadtrip are still unfortunately present in America today, fifty years later (consumerism, fast-paced life, racism). For me, the book was the perfect blend of light summertime reading fare while still being very thought-provoking.

[Sidenote: Steinbeck came through Seattle on his roadtrip. I found a webpage that described part of what Steinbeck wrote about Seattle. As a current resident of the Emerald City, I found it especially interesting.]