America Unchained: A Freewheeling Roadtrip in Search of Non-Corporate USA

by Dave Gorman

The plan was simple. Go to America. Buy a second-hand car. Drive coast-to-coast without giving any money to The Man™. What could possibly go wrong?

Dismayed by the relentless onslaught of faceless American chains muscling in where local businesses had once thrived, Dave Gorman set off on the ultimate American road trip - in search of the true, independent heart of the U S of A. He would eat cherry pie from local diners, re-fuel at dusty gas stations on remote highways and stock up on supplies from Mom and Pop's grocery store. At least that was the idea. But in a world of 30,000 McDonalds, 13,000 Starbucks, and 4,200 Best Westerns, could it really be done?

When did you last see an independent gas station?





Gamely, Dave beds down in a Colorado trailer park, sleeps in an Oregon forest treehouse, and even spends Thanksgiving with a Mexican family in Kansas. But when his classic coast-to-coast trip mutates into an odyssey of near-epic proportions and he finds himself being threatened at gun point in Mississippi, Dave starts to worry about what's going to break down next. The car... or him?

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, Humor, Comedy, Memoir, Biography, Adventure

378 pages, Paperback

First published April 3, 2007

About the author

David James Gorman is an English author, stand-up comedian and presenter. He has performed comedy shows on stage in which he tells stories of extreme adventures and presents the evidence to the audience in order to prove to them that they are true stories. He was a stand-up comedian before he became famous for Are You Dave Gorman?, then took a break from normal stand-up. He returned to stand-up in 2009 with a show called 'Sit Down, Pedal, Pedal, Stop and Stand Up' whose unique feature was that he cycled 1,563 miles from the southernmost point of Great Britain to the easternmost to the westernmost and then to the northernmost with a gig following each night.

He studied mathematics at the University of Manchester (but never graduated) and before his solo successes was in demand as a writer, having co-written three series of The Mrs Merton Show, as well as writing for many other TV series in the UK, including The Fast Show. His other writing credits include Jenny Eclair, Harry Hill and Steve Coogan.In 2003, he was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy.

Dave also regularly appeared on the BBC Three show, Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive, a comedy show about the making of a celebrity panel show hosted by Rob Brydon. Dave Gorman is one of the show's team captains. In 2006 he became an occasional contributor on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He also hosts his own radio series, Genius, and his documentary feature, America Unchained, was shown on More4 in February 2008. The book of the series was published in April 2008.

Reviews

[Sho · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know who Dave Gorman was - actually I'm still a little unclear - but when I mentioned that I like travel-writing an internet friend suggested this and then sent it to me. Cool.

I like travel books to have a theme and this one is quite interesting. Very interesting in fact. The plan was to drive from the west to the east coast of America using only independent retailers to refuel, overnight and buy supplies at. The great American tradition of the Mom & Pop store was to be tested, in fact. I like the idea of this because although I've not been to America I have seen it on film and on TV and I have a lot of American friends. I live in Europe and I am often surprised (and not in a good way) that I could be in Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, London or Berlin (or Soltau, Sittard or Sheffield or countless other towns in Europe) and there will be retail outlets, hotels and petrol stations that I recognise.

Some are American, some European - but one thing is for sure: you could spend your life buying recognised branded petrol, food and whatever and never know you'd left your home town. I occasionally travel for work and it's quite depressing (since my trips are usually short) that I could be anywhere: Istanbul, Seoul, Paris... when I wake up in the middle of the night and wonder where I am, the room gives no clues.

Dave Gorman, and countless others, are of the same opinion: this can't be good. And therefore Dave decided to give it a kind of fun stress test. Becuase I'm sure, at least in the planning, it must have been huge fun. According to Plan A he was to start in LA, buy a car and drive accross the States. Buying the car was difficult, but eventually he bought a 70s Ford (don't ask me - I know nothing even about my own car outside of the fact that it is an estate (combi, station wagon - take your pick), silver and it runs on diesel. I tell a lie: he bought a Gran Torino station wagon. Apparently something of a classic.

Coast to coast the trip is around 3,000 miles but that sounds so much easier than it was. Especially since you consider that Plan A consisted solely of: buy car, drive accross without giving money to The Man (TM), sell car. He was writing the book along the way, and partly in order to fund the trip he took someone along to film the journey too. That in itself is a bit of an exciting side story.

That's all I'm going to say about the actual trip. About the book only a little more. It's well written, he definitely has a great turn of phrase, and it jogs along nicely giving the right amount of information about their search for independence. It is also very heart-on-sleeve about his beliefs in certain respects and there are some interesting asides in Salt Lake City and one Mom & Pop store in particular.

Give this one a try - if only to read about a bed 'n' breakfast place built in the shape of a beagle. Yes the dog.

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was after a bit of roadtrip inspiration and picked up Dave Gorman's America Unchained off the shelves. After doing a US tour, he came home thinking he didn't like America very much but his problem was that he had only seem the soulless corporate side. He sets himself a mission to cross the country without giving any money to The Man, avoiding hotels, gas stations, cafes and shops that are part of any chain.

The journey ends up a little bit like one of those Top Gear specials where they buy old cars and they start to fall apart, except that Dave doesn't really know anything about cars. He buys a 70s Ford Torino on the west coast and the car is as much a part of the book as the social side. I've never know a trip to the mechanic to be a gripping narrative before! One thing that does stand out is how friendly and helpful folks are in the west and midwest.

Of course, it's one opinion of America from a liberal and British point of view so it may not appeal to all readers. I certainly wouldn't recommend to a Mormon because after educating himself on the religion, Dave starts to find them a little bit scary. I blame the lack of tea... what kind of religion bans tea?

It strikes me that whilst relying on mom and pop businesses in America is still just about possible, you wouldn't be able to do the same trip in the UK. Yes we have plenty of fantastic independent hotels and B&Bs and places to eat and buy food...but when was the last time you saw an indie petrol station? The big supermarket chains pretty much rule the roost here and I'm not sure what would drive an individual to even attempt to compete.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The biggest draw in this story, for me, was to get to the end and learn if the author really was able to accomplish his mission. However, it turns out that the journey was pretty interesting, in itself. I'm sure there's a moral there somewhere -- something along the lines of "the destination not being as important as the journey". Nonetheless -- I enjoyed reading about all of the unbranded, "Mom and Pop" hotels they stayed in and restaurants they ate in. It's nice know that quirky spots like that still exist in the US. I also enjoyed reading about the many acts of kindness the author was shown by the people he came across in his journey. It kind of makes me happy to know that we Americans aren't as bad as foreigners make us out to be :P

The one thing that did annoy me was how much they obsessed over gas, and finding an unbranded gas station. It was actually the most vital, yet most difficult, part of their journey -- so it seems pretty stupid to me that they picked a car made in 1970 that only gets 15 miles to the gallon to make a 3,000 mile cross-country journey. Every time they had car trouble, or were on the verge of running out of gas, I was thinking "well, DUH!". So, whereas the journey might have been more "fun" for them in that kind of a car, in my opinion, it definitely added unnecessary cost and stress.

Overall, though, this book was fun to read, and I enjoyed learning about places in my own country that I've never visited, and reading about places that I have already visited.

[Plum-crazy · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be fair I probably didn't do this book justice in the way I read it. It's been what I call a "bathroom" book ('nuff said! Basically it's just been dipped it into as & when eg: if my current read was too big to read in the bath or while I decided what to read next) & consequently it's been read intermittently over a few weeks.

That said it's an easy book to pick up & down. Gorman's writing is on the whole easy to read (one or two of his "factual" paragraphs went on a bit for me) & while it's amusing it's not laugh-out-loud funny (well, not for me anyhow) with his encounters with eccentric locals being the most entertaining parts. I would have liked a few more photos of the trips & people he met but I found a few more here! On the whole an amusing enough read.

[Dan McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a certain melancholy yet happiness towards the end of Dave Gorman's journey in the United States. The comedian wanted to travel across America completely unchained - in other words, every motel he stayed at, every diner he ate at, and every gas station he filled up at, it had to be from a non-corporate entity. I shall not spoil the story, but it was a delight to be taken on this ride. Dave is a witty, warm and engaging writer, with his unique experiences matched with his humorous observations. You feel melancholy at the end of the book, as you do not want the story to end, but you feel happiness - and possibly pride - as you have enjoyed the journey as a passenger.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really enjoyable read. I bought the DVD at the same time as the book, but decided to read the book first. In this, Dave Gorman decides he wants to drive from West Coast USA to East Coast spending no money with large companies, only "Mom and Pop" stores. His agent suggested making a film too, and the film almost becomes the downfall of the project.

Typically Dave Gorman, this book witty, silly, sad, happy - it's just a great read. And like all long journeys, it suddenly ends. Suddenly you're there. But great nonetheless.

[Scot Haynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book a couple of years ago. Subsequently I then purchased the video. Both are excellent. It's such a shame that the old 'Mom and Pop' businesses are disappearing in the US and Dave goes all out to try and discover those that are all still in business. It has some great highs and lows, especially when Dave gets so low that he foresakes his vegetarianism and has a burger one night and then regrets it. If you've ever fancied doing a road trip in the USA then this is a book you simply have to read.

[Snoakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend loaned me this a while ago. Although there are a few Dave Gorman books in my wishlist, I've never read one, and this wouldn't have been the first one I chose, so it languished at the bottom of my TBR pile for some time before I picked it up.
As you'd expect, it's a light hearted, entertaining easy read. Dave makes a good travelling companion, and his enthusiasm for America and his challenge is infectious.
Glad I finally got round to it, and looking forward to catching up on some of his others.

[Amy Nash Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book while backpacking through SE Asia at a one-for-one trade bookshop. The premise intrigued me because I have been away from the USA for over 5 months and I have to admit, I am not thrilled with returning to the land of The Man. His insights into American culture were spot on and his predictions might just be too. I enjoyed learning more about my own country from an Englishman! All the eccentric, friendly, scary, and beautiful pieces of it.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mainly read this because I am going to drive across the USA next year and thought this would give me some tips. The book is hugely amusing. Basically Dave Gorman wants to drive from the west coast to the east coast without using any chain hotels, restaurants and petrol stations. He also does the trip in a very old Ford Torino Estate car which keeps breaking down. I have not laughed so much in ages. Also found the stories of how helpful the American people were to be very touching.

[Jon Shanks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book from the Dae Gorman/Danny Wallace stable of documenting crazy challenges/bets (Googlewhack Adventure. Join Me, Yes Man, etc.) in which Dave Gorman attempts to drive coast to caost across America, using only independent eateries, motels & gas stations, uncovering the quirky, non-homogenized heart of America and the people that live there as he goes. Does he succeed? You'll have to read it to find out, which is certainly a journey that I recommend!

[Tony Lawrence]

The latest unique travelogue cum social documentary cum memoir from that funny Dave Gorman ... 'doing' the US coast-to-coast avoiding the chain hotels and eateries, i.e. doing the things we would all probably like to do!

*includes moderate spoilers* Gorman must be doing something right because I seemed to have accidentally worked my way steadily - if not purposefully - through his back catalogue*. A distinct pattern is evolving here; DG sets himself a challenge, a wacky, modern-day, slightly nerdy (if not completely neurodiverse) adventure! Inevitable some things go wrong, there is some incidental observational comedy, but mostly he completes the odyssey and learns something about himself, the world and/or human nature! This is America Unchained, in a nutshell. Now to go back to the beginning.

After a miserable stand-up US tour Gorman wants to go back and drive coast-to-coast on his own terms, without giving money to ‘The Man’, i.e. avoiding big chain hotels, food, and fuel. The latter creates the most problems as he chooses to buy a gas-guzzling (and fault-prone) 1970’s station wagon. In a compromise - for his agent - he is joined by a film camera-woman. However, I am cynical about this back story, as I am about some of the shambolic route planning, seemingly random decisions, absence of the internet (2008) and other resources … and even the apparent change of personnel and mission failure mid-way through the trip. Apologies to the author if everything happened as he says it does and not too much for comedic and dramatic effect! Even with the blip, I enjoyed the highs, endured the lows, was embarrassed at the over-sharing (a Gorman thing), and felt nostalgia for the eccentric and vanishing independent ‘mom & pop’ businesses that Gorman does find. And a new word for me ‘googie’ the post-war architectural style and design motif that we all recognise

*Books read so far, actually this might be all his normal books**
DG vs. the rest of the world
DG’s Googlewhack Adventure
Too Much Information
Are you Dave Gorman? (can’t find on my reading blog?)

**But there are similar themes in his TV, radio, and comedy output

[Tim Passey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Irritating. Gave up on Chapter 1. Written like a precocious schoolkid on speed.

[Christopher Lane]

Something that I would love to do with a few get out clauses. Dave Gorman decided to drive from Coast to Coast of America without giving any money to 'The Man'. That means no Starbucks, no McDonalds, he didn't mention them, but no Cracker Barrel (that would be my get out clause), no chain motels or hotels and obviously causing the most problem only filling up at independent gas stations. I wouldn't even know where an independent gas station is in the UK. By and large he almost does it, with a few slip ups. I've seen Dave Gorman live and he is mostly hilarious with his logical approach to explain the absurd. He isn't a socialist or hippy in any straight forward sense. He just wanted to find out the 'real America'. To do that he feels he has to visit Mom and Pop motels and eateries. He meets some amazing people, and his self-imposed rules probably cause him to have a greater experience than a road trip relying on chains.

Initially he plans this as a personal holiday but according to his book, his agent talks him into having a single camera person and making it into a back-to-basics documentary. I have doubts at this stage how hard it was to talk him into this. Surely with the BBC picking up the tab he got much farther as it seems the Ford Tornino station wagon he bought, purely for aestetic purposes than practicality, couldn't go very far without something falling off, overheating or clunking out, causing constant mechanic bills. It is much a story about the making of a documentory than about the content itself. I say to his credit he is witty and as a writer he is more like a television editor. He jumps you around in a format I think similar to the Hangover films where the tragedy is known from the outset, but getting to that place is the story. For me this less used format kept me page turning and constantly interested.

Here's where I am critical. He seeks to find the 'Real America'. Now if American tourists come to Britain and want to see the Real Britain. They set off in an old Rover and zip through the Cotswolds, Devon Villages with a little shop with a bell of the door, and past red phone boxes in Kensington, then they are being patrionising as this is not the Real Britain. Real Britain is a town or city with a shopping centre exactly the same as the next, all possessing the four banks a Next a Costa Coffee and a WHSmith or in the North a Greggs Bakery every 5 paces. Outside the shopping centre before you turn off on a motorway, there is an industrial estate with a PC World, a Halfords and a B&Q, that is real Britain. In the same respect looking for the Real America and trying to find pockets of the 1950s in a 1970s soccer moms car is unrealistic. What you find are remnants of a bygone age, no more relevant to modern life than a replica Old West Saloon. Chains are a reality which have made our lives easier if culturally bland. I think this point was lost on him. It wasn't as if the petrol from and independent gas station came from an independent refinery, 'The Man' still got the money and Dave had to drive further to get it. In actuality you find the Real America when you clear passport control and leave the airport. There it is, the most technologically advanced economy in the world, and over there is an Arby's... deal!

[Feistytiger · Rating 5 out of 5]

The plan was simple. Go to America. Buy a second-hand car. Drive coast-to-coast without giving any money to The Man. What could possibly go wrong? Dismayed by the relentless onslaught of faceless American chains muscling in where local businesses had once thrived, Dave Gorman set off on the ultimate American road trip - in search of the true, independent heart of the US of A. He would eat cherry pie from local diners, re-fuel at dusty gas stations and stock up on supplies from Mom and Pop's grocery store. At least that was the idea. But when did you last see an independent gas station? Gamely, Dave beds down in a Colorado trailer park, sleeps in an Oregon forest treehouse, and even spends Thanksgiving with a Mexican family in Kansas. But when his trip mutates into an odyssey of near-epic proportions and he finds himself being threatened at gun point in Mississippi, Dave starts to worry about what's going to break down next. The car...or him?
I have always wanted to drive from west to east cost america and was interested in how Dave did it. However he had a catch to his, no chains, which would make the journey that much harder. This book was a great insight to how you could try and cross america. You would think it easy, and that their were plenty of independent places and although he found some truly remarkable places, like the B&B in the shape of a Beagle. You could see some of the anguish and struggles he had.

I love Gorman's books he is a natural born writer and has a great wit about him. His books are amusing to read, easy to follow and unputdownable. I loved this book as i got a really good sense of the travels he was on and how he was feeling at the time. (something i strive for in all travel books but don't always get). The book is very witty and funny, easy to relate to and easy to get into.

You could tell all the issues he had, and are slightly jealous that he gets to make such a remarkable trip. The people he meets, some friendly some not, and you get a true feel to where he is and how he is feeling. A great book, I can't really fault it. Excellent read.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dave Gorman has recently become a new hero of mine when I saw his TV show "Modern Life is Goodish". I found this book and thought it might be worth a read. Spoiler: it was.

The premise is fairly simple- Gorman sets out to travel across America, from LA to New York, without giving any money to "The Man", chained companies. Therefore he has to stay in independent hotels, get gas from independent gas stations and eat at independent diners. Of course this is easier said than done, and what's more he agreed to take a director with him to film it all for a TV show.

It turns out Gorman is the perfect person for travel writing. He is very funny and regularly made me chuckle to myself when reading this. But at the same time he also manages to give you a very good sense of the atmosphere of a place, something few travel writers ever successfully manage to achieve. From the town which smells of dead cows to the treehouse hotel to the Mormon-filled Salt Lake City you really feel you have a sense of what each place is really like. Also Gorman's description of Mormonism is both educational and hilarious- it's a good feeling when you feel you have learnt something and enjoyed it.

My only criticism is that some parts of the journey weren't particularly interesting. Not much really happened in the third part of the book apart from the car breaking down. I realise this is not really Gorman's fault, he can only write about what actually happened but much like Gorman with the journey, I just felt I wanted to get through the final stages and finish.

I really liked having the photos there- the book could have done with more of them but no doubt that would have increased the publishing cost. Fortunately plenty more photos are to be found on Gorman's website here.

A good travel book which is very funny and catches the atmosphere perfectly. If only the journey itself had been a little more interesting!

[Dane Cobain · Rating 4 out of 5]

America Unchained tells the true story of one man, his car and his mission; the man is British comedian Dave Gorman, the car is a Ford Torino and the mission is to travel across America from coast to coast without giving any money to The Man. The Man, of course, is corporate America, the chained stores that threaten to eradicate independent ‘mom and pop‘ stores.

It’s an admirable mission, and Gorman writes about it with his typical wit – as always, it’s interesting to see how his adventure pans out, and this one feels more honest, if anything, than his previous work. In the past, Dave went on a Googlewhack Adventure, met 54 other people called ‘Dave Gorman’ and followed his horoscope for 40 days and 40 nights, all in the name of entertainment. Here, though, his journey through America seems to serve a higher purpose – it’s almost not funny anymore, because it’s heartbreaking to read about some of the places that he visited that no longer exist.

And ultimately, that’s sort of the point of the book, and one of the reasons why it’s worth reading – the independent stores that were once typical of America (and, on a wider scale, the rest of the world) are disappearing at an alarming rate, and Gorman’s journey and the book that resulted from it could be the last great celebration of them before they die out entirely. Besides, it’s a hell of a journey anyway – you’re sure to be entertained from start to finish, even if you do struggle to hold back tears along the way.

So I urge you to read the book, to watch the D.V.D. and to go out and buy something from an independent shop, because the only way that places like these can thrive is if we support them ourselves, if we ignore our own laziness and shop at a corner shop instead of at a supermarket when we next need to pick up a loaf of bread and a bag of sugar. If Dave Gorman can do it all of the way across America, then what’s to stop you from doing the same thing in your own back yard?

[David Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review from http://dwjjones1.blogspot.co.uk/

TV and radio presenter Dave Gorman's Book America Unchained. Now I have followed Dave Gorman's ever since I seen him and his friend and fellow writer/presenter/comic Danny Wallace on the BBC 2 show "Are you Dave Gorman?" (Since turned into a book which will be reviewed at a later date!) I find his writing style very amicable and easy to pick up and the diary like nature of the journey makes it very easy to get involved in the story.

Discarding the first few chapters which basically give the explanation that you find in the Blurb, Dave heads to LA to find an old style US Car (A Ford Torino)and to embark on his Journey east armed with his director/camera person Steph.

It's impossible to outline the story without ruining the book so I won't bother but suffice to say there is comedy moments, moments that will make you shudder and even some that will move you. it really is hard not to be moved as the style of the book is just one long chat by Dave. it feels that he could be telling you the story in the pub over a pint.

The thing is it reaches a point where you absolutely want him to succeed in his quest and the times when things are flagging or his resolve is waning, you want to urge him on to complete his task.

The reread value is where the book is let down, not quality as such but because it is a true story with a beginning a middle and an end. once you know how it ends there is little point going back to it, but reading it for the first time the trip through the book is totally worth it.

8 outta 10 on this one.

[Raj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is it possible to travel from one coast of the US to the other without giving any money to The Man? This is the question that Dave Gorman posed to himself after a tour of the States where he was taken from one identical hotel room to another to perform. So to counteract this, he decides to start in LA and travel to New York using only independent motels, diners, grocery stores and, most problematically, gas stations.

I find Dave Gorman a very entertaining writer, and this book had me laughing out loud at several points. In saying that, I do sometimes feel somewhat guilty at laughing since I feel that I'm laughing at a man who has some genuine psychological issues. Half way through this book, he has a bit of a breakdown. Like he did in Dave Gorman's Googlewhack Adventure. Like his obsessive search for namesakes in Are You Dave Gorman. I do worry a little about the man, but this didn't prevent me from enjoying this book too much, whether it's his director Stef's obsession with mashed potato, the night they stayed in a beagle-shaped B&B or his bemusement when he starts researching the Mormons in Salt Lake City. There's enough good humour and genuine enthusiasm in the man to make you care about his journey. Even when he is being an idiot.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third Dave Gorman book I have read and if he can keep with the interesting premises hopefully it's not the last.
In this book( which was also filmed so there's an accompanying DVD to seek) Dave travels the US with the idea of avoiding major chain hotels,restaurants and gas stations...the first two in the UK would be easy enough but except for one I can think of in Wales I can't think of a single independent gas/petrol station...if that's the case here surely the US would be even harder?
In fairness Dave does manage pretty well with this task..I guess it wouldn't have been much of a book if he hadn't..but ultimately the book works as it looks at what lies outside the chains and maybe on the fringes of communities as such its a very human book..a book of tales,experience and of course humour.
In a increasingly globalised chain driven society a book like this is great for showing their is an alternative and that maybe we need the corporate titans so we can appreciate that.
It would be interesting to see if Dave was ever to revisit this journey in a decade or so just to see how many of the independent businesses he used remained and how things may have changed again...some big businesses themselves are feeling the pinch as the market place expands here at least whether that bodes well for smaller specialised businesses time can only tell...Anyhow I digress which can only tell you how much this book has got me thinking...good stuff.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hit the motherload of books in the apartment building/hotel I was living at in Sydney! Someone left a whole bunch of travel books that I have been dying to read and usually I am very good about only swapping one for one because I don't want to be grabby, but I had to grab more then my share one day, because I just wanted to read them all! I put back books as a read them without taking more later. And this book was one of them.

I had read something by this author in the past and liked it, so of course, I had to pick this up too. It was about a British guy who drove across the US by not using anything that had to do with chains and big corps when it came to his car, gas, eating and lodging to see if he could do it. It was a really interesting read and funny too. Prob. the only downside of this story was that he had a deal with some production company, so essentially, they owned the rights to the trip, which I thought defeated the whole purpose. Plus, since they were financing the project, he had nearly unlimited time and money to dick around with, which is why chains exist in the first place, to make things cheap for the rest of us! As with all books, about 2/3 of the way through there was some drama, that was kind of lame and of course everything worked out. All these types of books run the same pattern. A good travel read.

Grade: C+

[Brian Clegg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book as holiday reading, expecting a humorous travel book, and though the humour is there, it proved to be more of a straight tale - but was none the worse for that. After suffering a comedy tour staying in bland chain hotels, Dave Gorman decided to try to cross America from coast to coast without giving any money to 'the Man', avoiding chain hotels, chain restaurants and chain filling stations.

As is often the case with these kind of books, the car itself (regularly breaking down) is one of the main characters, as is the video cameraperson who is Dave's companion as he attempts this remarkable feat. Despite a total disaster part way through (which reduces the vegetarian author to eating three burger meals, one each from McDonalds, Burger King and Wendy's in protest, with dire consequences) the feeling is mostly upbeat, and inevitably provides a fascinating exploration of small town America: charming and wonderful at its best, unfriendly to strangers and downright scary at its worst.

While I would have appreciated a touch more humour, as Bill Bryson managed so well in his early travel books, Gorman kept my interest throughout and made his remarkable road trip well worth the read. If you'd like to find out more about small-town America (and how it is disappearing) from a British viewpoint, it's highly recommended.

[Piers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Dave Gorman. I like his gently intellectual, yet inclusive comedy. I've liked his books before. But this one... eehh. It feels like the framework of the road trip hinders what could have been a much more interesting set of anecdotes, but instead those are spread thinly and danced through quickly and interspersed with a lot of very dry travelogue about places I will never go and have no desire to go. It also doesn't feel like it makes much of a point about commercial and cultural homogenisation. Particular since the boom of independent, artisanal culture here in the UK of recent years. It wasn't bad, I just know that Dave has had more interesting adventures, and written about them in a more entertaining way elsewhere.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This brought back so many memories of our numerous road trips and especially crossing America (the other way) on the Lewis Clark trail. We have experienced the flatness of the mid-west, the smell of dead cows when we were in Dodge City, the uniqueness and infinite diversity of the American people and the sheer beauty of the Rockies, the Pacific Ocean, the Blue Ridge mountains and so much more.
This book reminded me how much I love America and long to go back-even if it is only three months since our last visit although I am happy to go in a nice new reliable SUV

[Kirstin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very quick and entertaining read about Dave Gorman's personal dream of driving coast to coast in America and only using independent motels/gas stations/restaurants and not giving any money to The Man ! Loved reading it as have grown to like small town America as well on our trips and the kindness and friendliness of the people he encounters (except Mississippi it seems) does agree with my view of America too and why I like spending my holidays there too. More photos of this trip are on his website which I can only recommend to other readers to check out because they are brilliant.

[Mark Warner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually enjoy Dave Gorman's books and I really enjoyed the start of this... but after a while it seemed to get a bit repetitive. There was also a lot of factual information towards the end... and the ending seemed a bit rushed. It all came to an abrupt finish, but I suppose that was the nature of the journey.

It took me a few months to read this... not one of my favourite DG books, but an amazing journey nonetheless.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me want to run away and travel across America...if only I had the funding from a film company like Dave Gorman did and then I would be able too! Very witty book although a little bit repetitive at times and he seems to moan about stupid things and you wish you could shake him and shout 'Lighten up! you are on a fantastic road trip across america!'. A nice light read. I wouldn't recommend reading it if you are mormon though!

[Jana Eichhorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, and why I loved it, can be summed up in the following quote from the last chapter:

"...these places - the good and the bad - are truer to the American spirit than anything the faceless, bland, and acceptably average corporations have to offer. The chains offer us a world in which average things are guaranteed... I'd rather live in a world in which fabulous things are possible. I'll take a rollercoaster instead of a train."

[Ginni Brinkley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dave's Googlewhack Adventure is my favourite of his books, and I liked it so much that almost inevitably no other DG book is going to be as good. I laughed a lot at the Googlewhack book, but America Unchained had fewer laughs. It was still typical Dave, slightly unchained perhaps, and still very readable. It made me nostalgic for the Sundae Affair ice cream parlour I visited in California when I was 11 (I've never had better ice cream!).

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable tour rendered in the sort of friendly , conversational style one would expect from Dave Gorman. I would have liked more word-sketches of the places he travelled through, but, in the end, this was more about Dave's journey than it was a travelogue.

Good, light read. Perfect companion for someone on an epic roadtrip. Or it might inspire an epic raodtrip, as well.