Wanderlust Sunday: Famous Road Trips
October is National Book Month. Since reading is one of the best ways to indulge wanderlust, I wanted to recognize it here. For a month of Sundays we'll explore topics related to reading. Let's start this journey with books that will take you on the road.
Here are five titles that take readers on their travels... Literary road trips within the United States. I've suggested a field trip to highlight a specific place to travel. What books would you add? And please tell us if it inspires a real trip someplace.
Here are five titles that take readers on their travels... Literary road trips within the United States. I've suggested a field trip to highlight a specific place to travel. What books would you add? And please tell us if it inspires a real trip someplace.
Literary Road Trips... Real Field Trips Alpha by Author | |
 | ON THE ROAD Jack Kerouac On The Road is probably the preeminent literary road trip, chronicling three years of restless journeys back and forth across the country. From New York, to New Orleans, Denver, San Francisco, and more, Kerouac's characters cover a lot of ground. FIELD TRIP Though it would be fun to retrace the route of this journey, this wanderlust experiment calls for highlighting just one spot. With collections of letters from fellow author Ginsburg and Kerouac's typewriter on display, THE BEAT MUSEUM in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood is just the place. |
 | THE BEAN TREES Barbara Kingsolver The Bean Trees is the story of a young woman from rural Kentucky who hits the road to start a new life. She decides she'll drive until she runs out of gas, and take a new name based on wherever she stops. Taylor for Taylorville, spends time in several towns before she finds her new home in Tucson, Arizona. FIELD TRIP Saguaro National Park. Kingsolver's character didn't spend time there that I recall, but her descriptions of the desert are amazing. What better way is there to get a feel for the landscape than visiting a national park? In my opinion, no trip to Tucson would be complete without a stop there to check out the saguaros. |
 | ZEN AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE Robert M. Prisig This book describes a 17-day motorcycle journey across the United States by the main character, his son, and two friends who join them for the first half of the trip. It's a heady exploration of philosophy and the "metaphysics of quality," which I have to admit was a little over my head. But the descriptions of the scenery made me itch to hit the road. FIELD TRIP One of the places they traveled is somewhere I've actually been. They took Montana's BEARTOOTH PASS into Yellowstone, and stopped in the town of SILVER GATE. Scenic is an understatement to describe the thrill of this road. And the town is worth a visit. Stop at the SUN DOG TRADING COMPANY if you go. |
 | EVEN COWGIRLS GET THE BLUES Tom Robbins Even Cowgirls Get the Blues tells the story of Sissy Hankshaw, who was born with freakishly large thumbs. She makes the most of her mutation by becoming a hitchhiker, which takes readers on wild adventures. FIELD TRIP Tom Robbins didn't write about Michigan, but I will for the sake of this column. In deference to Sissy's enormous digit, let's explore the MICHIGAN THUMB. I'm sure you know the state is shaped like a mitten, with a peninsula jutting into Lake Huron which represents the thumb. At the tip is a place called PORT AUSTIN, which looks like an incredible place. Never been there myself, but I thank Sissy Hankshaw for the inspiration to research Michigan's big thumb. |
 | TRAVELS WITH CHARLEY John Steinbeck This book describes Steinbeck's final tour of his beloved America. He packed up his converted pick-up truck, and drove round-trip from New York to California along with his french poodle named Charley. FIELD TRIP The agricultural town of Salinas, CA is nicknamed the "salad bowl of the world" and it's where Steinbeck lived and drew much of his inspiration. Let's take our field trip to the NATIONAL STEINBECK CENTER in old town Salinas, a scenic 17-mile drive from Monterrey. |
Posted by TheWordWire at 10/4/2009 11:18 AM 
Categories: Wanderlust
Tags: Steinbec Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance Even Cowgirls Get the Blues The Bean Trees Robbins Prisig Travels with Charley National Book Month On the Road Kerouac Kingsolver
Categories: Wanderlust
Tags: Steinbec Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance Even Cowgirls Get the Blues The Bean Trees Robbins Prisig Travels with Charley National Book Month On the Road Kerouac Kingsolver
Just read "On The Road" for the first time and thought of you the entire time. What a magical book.
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Wow -- what a compliment! I love that book too.
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Now I'm positively DYING to go on a road trip. At some point in time I have imagined being on all of these great trips. I would probably take the "Jitterbug Perfume" tour instead of Sissy's trip- but I've always been intrigued by the Bandaloop Doctors. You have inspired me to re-read some of these old favorites.
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Back and forth between New Orleans and Paris? Ooooooooooh yeah, the Jitterbug Perfume route is gooood. Let me know if you decide to pack the car... I want to live vicariously wherever you go!
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