abecedarian
Well-Known Member
Considering this is an older travel log, I found plenty of interesting and up-to-date topics in Travels With Charley. His discussion of racism reminded me of the racism thread here at B&R and a conversation I had just the other evening with an elderly friend at a cookout. Steinbeck's experience, or lack thereof, with racism growing up was very similar to that of my friend. In fact, his description was almost a word for word rendition of what my friend had to say about growing up in a small town in NE Kansas. Like Steinbeck, her early exposure to African Americans were based on a handful of families who were highly respected citizens of her community, and her intial encounters with big city prejudices were as confusing to her as Steinbeck's.
I'm glad I read Travels With Charley and I think this was a clear case of this being the right book at just the right time. 5/5
I'm glad I read Travels With Charley and I think this was a clear case of this being the right book at just the right time. 5/5