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Road Stories
"His writing shines in descriptive passages, showing his love of travel and landscapes . . . " Publishers Weekly
In 1972, Ed Davis, like many in his generation, felt the call of the road. Unlike most, Davis rode freight trains. He caught rides on-the-fly, slept in hobo jungles and dodged railroad security across the Pacific Northwest and Canada. And like Jack Kerouac and Jack London before him, Davis wrote about what he saw.
For the next four decades, whether catching freights, trekking the Sierras, visiting an old friend in prison or attending a presidential inauguration, Davis took to the road whenever possible. Written in freight cars and truck stops, hotel lobbies and high mountain camps, "Road Stories "will take you places you've never been.
Join Davis working in an African hospital in a country on the verge of collapse. Spend a week exploring the remote paths of the Peruvian Andes. With a keen eye, he describes the seemingly mundane details of bus travel, and the feel of the warm prairie breeze blowing through an open car window at night.
Davis's travel tales resonate with readers because, as he says in the Forward, "We spend our lives on the road." Told with honesty and humor, "Road Stories" makes you want to hop a fast freight for parts unknown. Just watch out for the railroad bulls.
In 1972, Ed Davis, like many in his generation, felt the call of the road. Unlike most, Davis rode freight trains. He caught rides on-the-fly, slept in hobo jungles and dodged railroad security across the Pacific Northwest and Canada. And like Jack Kerouac and Jack London before him, Davis wrote about what he saw.
For the next four decades, whether catching freights, trekking the Sierras, visiting an old friend in prison or attending a presidential inauguration, Davis took to the road whenever possible. Written in freight cars and truck stops, hotel lobbies and high mountain camps, "Road Stories "will take you places you've never been.
Join Davis working in an African hospital in a country on the verge of collapse. Spend a week exploring the remote paths of the Peruvian Andes. With a keen eye, he describes the seemingly mundane details of bus travel, and the feel of the warm prairie breeze blowing through an open car window at night.
Davis's travel tales resonate with readers because, as he says in the Forward, "We spend our lives on the road." Told with honesty and humor, "Road Stories" makes you want to hop a fast freight for parts unknown. Just watch out for the railroad bulls.
- GenresNonfictionBiography
207 pages, Paperback
First published December 14, 2013
37 people are currently reading
514 people want to read
About the author
Ed Davis
5 books47 followersEd Davis began his writing career forty years ago, pausing in boxcars, under streetlamps and in hobo jungles to record the beats and rhythms of the road as he caught freight trains and vagabonded around the Pacific Northwest and Canada.
In the decades since, while his destinations and modes of travel may have changed, his quest to capture the essence of the traveling experience has remained true. He lives in Glen Ellen, California with his wife Jan.
His next novel, "The Last Professional" is due for release from Artemesia Publishing in January of 2022!
In the decades since, while his destinations and modes of travel may have changed, his quest to capture the essence of the traveling experience has remained true. He lives in Glen Ellen, California with his wife Jan.
His next novel, "The Last Professional" is due for release from Artemesia Publishing in January of 2022!
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 11, 2019
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A collection of little tales from a travelling man, riding the rails, the buses, and going on foot to various places throughout the world. Mostly interesting, especially the ones where he was riding the rails as a latter day hobo.
A collection of little tales from a travelling man, riding the rails, the buses, and going on foot to various places throughout the world. Mostly interesting, especially the ones where he was riding the rails as a latter day hobo.
February 10, 2014
Full disclosure, I have known the author since our high school days. That said, we have been on many road trips together, from hopping freights, to high sierra backpacking, to various plane, train & automobile excursions. In fact, I owe him my life (or at least my legs) when I flubbed a rolling boxcar mount, and he grabbed me and pulled me into the car. Although I am still an avid backpacker, it’s been many years since I've hopped freights. That said, reading Ed’s account brought it all back, and almost made me get my old train backpack out of the garage, grab a bottle of cheap wine, and head for the Roseville Yard. This is a great read, and I highly recommend it. I can’t wait to read “The Last Professional.”
November 3, 2017
Miss Hastings would give it an A+!
I too, an a classmate of Ed's. That is the reason I started reading Road Stories, I finished it because I felt as if I was on the road with Ed discovering places I may never see! Amazing story telling!
I too, an a classmate of Ed's. That is the reason I started reading Road Stories, I finished it because I felt as if I was on the road with Ed discovering places I may never see! Amazing story telling!
November 6, 2018
This is a book encapsulating Ed Davis's life time experiences of making journeys, describing either the actual journey itself or what was encountered at the beginning or at the final destination. The opening chapters are for me by far the best. Beginning in 1972 when he was just a young man, Davis narrates his time illegally riding the freight trains of the USA Pacific Northwest and Canada. Awaiting the chance to board a train during a cold night at a freight depot in Canada, a marvelous description of the scene and the itinerant people he encounters is presented which is worthy of Kerouac.
There is a fundamental element of thrill seeking and a feeling of obtaining freedom being pursued here. Unlike the hobos of the 1930's this was not an economic imperative for when Davis is caught by security he has enough cash on him to purchase a normal passenger ticket to his destination. Also even in the 1970's you still get the impression through the disused and abandoned former stations and decaying trains left to rot in the rail sidings that this is a country experiencing a profound economic change and deindustrialisation.
I also like the later narration regarding a Greyhound bus journey, you really get a visual picture and the observations are so accurate including the bit about the man putting his possessions on the seat next to him and pretending to be asleep when new passengers board at a new stop.
Other chapters include trekking on the Pacific Crest Trail and the Andes, working in a Zimbabwean hospital and attending Obama's presidential inauguration. With a whole host of emotions experienced and retold that range from wonderment to fearful we get a good understanding as to the essentially optimistic character of the writer. Certainly a most enjoyable read that in the early part of the book reminded me of the famous phrase that "to travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive".
There is a fundamental element of thrill seeking and a feeling of obtaining freedom being pursued here. Unlike the hobos of the 1930's this was not an economic imperative for when Davis is caught by security he has enough cash on him to purchase a normal passenger ticket to his destination. Also even in the 1970's you still get the impression through the disused and abandoned former stations and decaying trains left to rot in the rail sidings that this is a country experiencing a profound economic change and deindustrialisation.
I also like the later narration regarding a Greyhound bus journey, you really get a visual picture and the observations are so accurate including the bit about the man putting his possessions on the seat next to him and pretending to be asleep when new passengers board at a new stop.
Other chapters include trekking on the Pacific Crest Trail and the Andes, working in a Zimbabwean hospital and attending Obama's presidential inauguration. With a whole host of emotions experienced and retold that range from wonderment to fearful we get a good understanding as to the essentially optimistic character of the writer. Certainly a most enjoyable read that in the early part of the book reminded me of the famous phrase that "to travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive".
December 23, 2019
I was expecting a memoir that showed the author coming of age. The book started very slowly. I did not sense the author's transformation during the first chunk of the book dealing with riding the rails. However, I was very happy once the book moved forward in time, and in mode of transportation. I enjoyed accompanying the author on greyhound buses and hikes through the mountains. In enjoyed watching the changes in the author caused by his travels. The book ended with a two page summary, and I wished it was longer. Overall, a pleasant read.
September 20, 2019
Enjoyable short stories
Enjoyable easy flowing short stories some local hangouts to the worldly places told with soul. This is where we live.
Enjoyable easy flowing short stories some local hangouts to the worldly places told with soul. This is where we live.
April 21, 2019
The author wrote a memoir that perfectly captured the triumphs and setbacks of her life. It was easy to empathize with the author due to the raw writing.
October 2, 2019
Road Stories shows a good potential for an autobiographical hermit tale. The author’s experiences felt genuine and in a lot of moments, makes you pine for your own exploration to write about. It’s filled with small details that display what the vagabond lifestyle romanticizes. It delivers all the experience that it promises to hold within it’s pages, except those thought provoking insights. In my opinion, it was more abruptly delivered than I would have expected from writing in this category. It felt more matter of fact, peppered with small doses of the beautiful writing I craved from it. I appreciate the author not getting too extravagant and going off the rails with profound ideology, but I do wish it was a slight amount more. It’s very short and covers a lot of experiences but I never felt truly what hit him the hardest throughout this journal. What people had the biggest impact and why? What experiences meant the most and how did it affect him on a deeper level? Maybe he just was experiencing everything for what it was and nothing had a lasting impact, but I can’t imagine someone who traipsed through these whirlwind experiences wouldn’t have more to say about it’s beauty. Even though it’s a wonderful story of someone’s life and is interesting, it just didn’t reach the potential I believe it could have held. These types of stories are less common in today’s modern age and for someone to live like this and have it all written out for us to enjoy, I would have just expected a little more heart from. Otherwise, it was overall a very good book and I do still recommend it for the category.
October 10, 2018
This book shows the American landscape the way I believe it was always meant to be explored: experienced in a tangible way with wide-eyed wonder. Ed Davis is a wise guide who takes his readers on the hitchhiking trip of a lifetime.
October 10, 2018
I would describe myself as more of a stay-at-home-with-a-good-book kind of person, but after reading Road Stories I think I've caught the wanderlust the author talks about! His adventures are written with sharp images and an easy-going narrative that makes me wonder why I haven't jumped on board a freight car and had my own adventures yet.
October 10, 2018
Road Stories is a wild ride through Ed Davis' past and the world. I loved seeing the world through the author's eyes and a lense of adventure and creativity. I would definitely recommend this one to anyone looking for a literary adventure and some inspiration for their own life!
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January 2, 2020it was preety nice stories though I did'nt like the last few
October 18, 2018
A bit disjointed
Ramblings of too many different stories and aspects made it difficult to develop the messages. Perhaps a paragraph at the start of each would have given some groundwork to the chapter
Ramblings of too many different stories and aspects made it difficult to develop the messages. Perhaps a paragraph at the start of each would have given some groundwork to the chapter
June 25, 2017
Ed took me hither and yon in this wonderful book, and at the end—bought me home—the place that we come back to. As an indoor kind of girl, Road Stories was a way to get me out there. Thanks for the ride Ed Davis!
June 10, 2021
A bunch of different stories, few are really good.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews