Travels With Charley – John Steinbeck

   In 1960 at the age of 58 and after his last novel, Steinbeck sets out on a road trip with his faithful dog Charley, in search of America. After 10,000 miles over 4 months, this epic trip comes to an end. No surprise: the writing is superb. Steinbeck is a keen observer of geography, and long periods of time in a camper truck  provide frequent opportunities for reminiscing. One of the best sections is California: the giant redwoods, the magic of the desert, revisiting his Salinas home. There is also a melancholy, a palpable disenchantment with the world culminating with a disastrous exposure to racial tension in the South. Overall, this is a stunning portrait of American complexity.