Of America | Travels With Charley In Search

Steinbeck’s route roughly outlined the borders of the United States, beginning in Sag Harbor and moving through nearly 40 states. He began by heading north to

Seattle—lamenting that progress looked like destruction—before driving down the coast to his birthplace, The final leg took him through Travels with Charley in Search of America

Maine, where he famously shared wine with Canadian potato pickers. Crossing the Midwest through Steinbeck’s route roughly outlined the borders of the

Steinbeck noted the rise of mobile homes as a symbol of a nation that no longer wanted to be rooted. Travels with Charley in Search of America

The Road Back to Rocinante: Rediscovering Steinbeck’s America

Beyond sociology, the book is an intimate self-portrait. Charley served as a "diplomat" to help him connect with strangers and a proxy for Steinbeck's own fears about aging and health. A Legacy of "Creative Nonfiction"