I love travel literature. And I love John Steinbeck. And I thought that I would love this book. I really disliked this book. It is possible that I was expecting more reflection and less Point A to Point B travel narrative. One of his last books was an examination of American society called "America and Americans" which is sometimes paired with this work.

Steinbeck decided to travel across the country in a camper van in order to understand the nation he is writing about. The book is strongest when he is trying to come to terms with the changes American society in the 1950s is undergoing - a man seemingly being left behind by his own country.

I know that when someone writes a travel narrative, things do not always turn out as they expect. I feel that perhaps things didn't go according to plan and he didn't get enough material to write what he wanted. The book (quite short as it is) feels too long and drawn out, as if he is trying to make his slight observations stretch out so he can fill in the narrative. By the end, it feels rushed and haphazard and the parts do not fit together You can read it as a charming diversion but overall, I think this is a genuinely forgettable travel narrative and not on par with Steinbeck's best works.