Chasing Charley

by Mike Lauterborn

In 1960, acclaimed American author John Steinbeck (Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men) embarked on a three-month road trip around the United States with his wife’s gentleman poodle, Charley, in tow. Steinbeck’s aim was to rediscover the country he had last roamed as a young man. Ultimately, the journey would be as much about self-discovery. The resulting book, Travels with Charley, was a bestseller and is now counted among the classic American road novels. In 2003, writer Mike Lauterborn set off by van to follow Steinbeck’s path, to both learn about the author and see how America and Americans had changed in the intervening forty-plus years. Along the way, he hoped to find some of the people and places Steinbeck had encountered while taking in new sights and experiences. Travels with Charley aided Lauterborn during the planning stages of his own trip and prepared him for hardships Steinbeck had also faced, including vehicle troubles, adverse weather, solitude, and health woes. The author’s words would inspire, console, and haunt the young writer. Ultimately, the trail would lead Lauterborn to some of America’s most enduring landmarks, from broad rivers, rugged coastlines, and azure-blue volcanic lakes to barren deserts, quaint small towns, and sprawling cities. He met people from all walks of life and was struck by their common resilience, work ethic, and patriotism. In the end, however, he was most impressed by the formidable scope of the journey the ailing Steinbeck had undertaken. This book is a tribute to the author’s tireless pursuit of the noble quest.

388 pages, Paperback

Published November 6, 2018

Reviews

[Mike Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part tribute, part travelogue, and wholly engaging. Having read Travels with Charley, and pretty much everything else Steinbeck has written, it was nice to get an inside out view of one of his more playful pieces - but - at the same time, made me wish I was MORE familiar with the source material so I could better appreciate the recollections and research that make up this modern take on the famed road trip. And like any road trip, there were a few "miles" that were harder to get through than others, and at times, it felt more like a travel log than travelogue, with some repetitive entries involving little more than showering, eating, and sleeping, but the majority of the book was filled with interesting people and places that made me want to hit the road, which, as a married teacher with two kids, is not happening any time soon! Which brings up my main critique of the book, in that the author spends a lot of quality time getting to know strangers, but not enough time letting the reader get to know him. What drives (ha ha) someone to leave his family for two months, and what was it like for them afterwards, were questions that were left largely unanswered that I think would have added a compelling element to an already intriguing concept.