Travels with Charley: In Search of America - John Steinbeck Audiobook

Written by John Steinbeck
Read by Gary Sinise
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 64 Kbps

Publisher: HighBridge Company
Release date: July 25, 2011
Duration: 07:58:44

Lyrical, perceptive, and surprising, it’s an indispensable portrait of our national identity.

At age 58 John Steinbeck and his venerable standard poodle, Charley, set out on a journey across America in a camper. For three months these companions traveled the nation, meeting friends, strangers, relatives and immersing themselves in the fabric of the country as it was at that time.

Together they crossed America from the northernmost tip of Maine to California’s Monterey peninsula, stopping to smell the grass, to see the lights, and to hear the speech of the real America. Steinbeck dined with truckers, encountered bears at Yellowstone, and reflected on the American character, racial hostility, and the unexpected kindness of strangers.

Gary Sinise does a grand job giving life to Steinbeck’s words. While his regional accents don’t always hit the mark, the listener is happy to forgive because of the love and respect Sinise accords the Steinbeck story. Eight hours is a lot of listening time, but it passes all too quickly with this wonderful version of an American treasure. S.G. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine