John Steinbeck, the author of such classics as Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath, and East of Eden, remains firmly planted in the souls of his readers today. In September 1960, John Steinbeck and his poodle, Charley, embarked on a journey across America. The idea was that he, pretty much depleted as a novelist, would travel alone, stay at campgrounds and reconnect himself with the country by talking to the locals he met along the way. According to Steinbeck's son Thom, Steinbeck made the journey because he knew he was dying and wanted to see the country one last time. Steinbeck tells of travelling throughout the United States in a specially made camper he named Rocinante, after Don Quixote's horse. His travels start in Long Island, New York, and roughly follow the outer border of the United States, from Maine to the Pacific Northwest, down into his native Salinas Valley in California, across to Texas, up through the Deep South, and then back to New York. Such a trip encompasses nearly 10,000 miles. Interesting fact! In 2010 the Dutch journalist and author Geert Mak travelled the same route Steinbeck had followed, basing himself on the notes from Steinbeck's diary as well as the book. Mak wrote a book about it, called "Traveling without John". He reviews American society and comments on the changes he encounters since Steinbeck travelled the same parts of the country. You can listen online to free English audiobook “Travels with Charley: In Search of America” by John Steinbeck on our website.
