The End of the Road

by Tom Bodett

"I know in my heart that if I ever get to the end of the road, some kind soul will have left the light on for me."
-Lewis Grizzard

Tom Bodett gained a nationwide audience with his syndicate radio variety show broadcast from Homer, Alaska, "the last decent parking place in North America." Tom has charmed millions of listeners with his warm, funny, nostalgic - and often touching - stories of the just plain folks who've found their way to the End of the Road.

It's a small Alaska town where people leave their pretensions back where they come from, and urban planners push more salt than pencils. Where New Age missionaries make appearances in the bowling alley, and the police chief weeps over the plight of Bambi. And the mayor stays in office mostly because they don't want the bother of trainin' up a new one...

Similarities between the characters in this narrative and individuals either living or dead doesn't seem at all surprising.
-Tom Bodett, from the Introduction

Genres: Fiction, Humor, Short Stories, Comedy

239 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 1989

About the author

Tom Bodett is an American author, voice actor and radio host. He is also the current spokesman for the hotel chain Motel 6 and is famous for popularizing the phrase, "We'll leave the light on for you".
A native of Sturgis, Michigan, Bodett had previously provided commentary for National Public Radio's All Things Considered, and was a regular columnist for the webzine Mr. Showbiz. He also did the voiceover for "Mime Time" and the "Good Idea/Bad Idea" segments on Animaniacs.
As a broadcaster, Bodett hosted two radio programs. The End of the Road from 1988 to 1990 and Bodett & Company in 1993. He also hosted the public television program, Travels on America’s Historic Trails.
He is currently a regular contributor to The Bob Edwards Show on XMPR and a member of the stable of panelists on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, a National Public Radio news quiz show.
A former resident of Seattle, Washington and Homer, Alaska, he now lives in Vermont.

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fanny Olmestead, wife of Pator Frank Olmstead of the First and Last Baptist Church, was rushed to the hospital emergency room Wednesday night after attending a public debate on evolution vs. creation. It seems Ms. Olmstead pursed her lips so hard during the evolutionist's talk that she dislocated her jaw.

Welcome to the End of the Road, a small Alaska town peopled by more oddball characters than you can shake a salmon at. Speaking of that particular fish, you might be just in time to watch the annual Salmon Throw, a bizarre competition where contestants throw a dead fish back and forth until they can't stand it anymore. If you miss that one, you can always place bets on when the snow will cover the stop sign at Main and Clearshot, OR when a junk car placed on the frozen lake will fall through the ice in the spring.

Lest you think it's all fun and games in End of the Road, there are touching tales of neighbor helping neighbor when the Storbocks' brand new house burns down, and whispers of forbidden passion as a conservative local road-grader operator starts keeping company with the new age vegetarian activist.

The State Maintenance crew reminds us not to park our vehicles along the side of the road. Ed Flannigan ate another Subaru up on Flat Back Ridge with the big turbine snow blower on Monday morning. "It sprays car parts for a good hundred yards," warned Flannigan. "Somebody's gonna get hurt one of these days."

The crew also asked if anybody was missing a Subaru, to contact them. they have your car in a bucket in the machine shop.

This is one happy, feel-good book - just what I needed this week. Between laughing at the antics of two warring old-timers, and the hilarious last chapter that involves a sauna gone horribly wrong, nudity, and the pastor's wife, I was in merry stitches for days. There's also one absolutely delightful chapter about two grown men living every little boys' dream - getting to drive a firetruck across the U.S.

Highly recommended to all Lake Wobegon fans, and anyone in need of a good laugh.

Pastor Frank Olmstead of the First and Last Baptist Church will be giving a presentation to the PTA on Tuesday evening. "Puberty: Threat or Menace," is the topic, and the pastor will outline ways for parents to keep sex an embarrassing secret from their children for as long as it takes to weasel out of it altogether.

[Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a gross miscarriage of justice that the only Tom Bodett most of us know is from the Motel 6 radio ad. "The End of the Road" is a masterful series of short stories with recurring characters whom you come to know and love. Life is all about the stories, and this is a collection of some of the best.

[Josh Rosenthal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hilarious and heartwarming collection of linked short stories about a dozen or so characters in this little town. A really nice book to take a break if you have been overloading with less than optimistic views of humanity.

[Nae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, Bill Bryson he is not, but Tom Bodett (he of the "we'll keep the lights on Motel 8 commercials) is a writer very much in the Garrison Keeler style of rambling stories that you do not want to end. I started this book about "End of the Road," Alaska, as my daughter and SIL set off on their 3-week camping trip in Alaska thinking that if I could not be with them at least I could read about where they are intending to be. I found myself quickly enjoying the stories Bodett weaves about the lives, adventures, misadventures of a town made up of roughly 1700 folks. It was at times a laugh out load sort of book, supported by those unsung touches of humanity and genuine caring for your neighbors that must happen if any community is to be successful in living with itself :) I enjoyed this book very, very much.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

So when I first came across this book I thought, "Really, the Motel 6 we'll-leave-the-light-on-for-ya guy?" Yeah, sure enough -- and he writes in that same deadpan humor style that he does the adverts in. This book is just as funny as heck, but not in any kind of rauchous, over-the-top way. "The End of the Road" is an extraction of the silliness of everyday life amongst simple folks in a simple small town. Along the way, it is levened pretty perfectly with the elements of human relationship that come together and make that town a real community. I have to say that I am typically not much of one for feel-good type stories/books, but Bodett executes this one so deftly that I will be seeking out more of his writing. Fun read!

[Ginger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading about the interesting people in small towns. I'm getting the sequel so I can read more about the people I met in the first book.

[Leslie]

My kind of Alaska

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every one should read this book at least once. Charming, funny and endearing.

[Randy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was first introduced to this book about 15 years ago. A friend heard about a sauna experience I had in northern Minnesota and he had to lend me his book. I read that chapter (the last story in the book) and it was a memorable one. I have had several of the winter sauna experiences in the meantime, yes jumping (or sliding) into a hole in the ice, wearing only socks, and live to tell the story. Fast forward and my wife and I visited Homer, Alaska, a total of three times. We understand the reason people are attracted to "the end of the road" and had a super enjoyable time. When we got back I had to either buy or borrow this book. I finally found it at the local library. Again, I read the last chapter first, then made my way through the rest of the stories, from the new city manager from Chicago, the toilet flush hotline, unassuming and talented drift wood artist, the only coffee shop, Clara's Coffee Cup, in town including the joke about soaking a boot in the coffee urn for seasoning, Fanny Olmstead the ultraconservative preachers wife (spoiler alert- the person driving the car to pick up the naked skiers after the sauna building burnt up), to the young man who received valuable life lessons from his father, several connected events, and more. A fun book to read.

[Sarah Bodaly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a folksy, fun telling of the people in small-town America. There is some language interspersed within conversations, and I would not agree with all of the situations retold, but they were covered extremely tactfully. The community gains a new firetruck and the men sent to get it are clearly out of their element in big-city America, finding just how grand all the lights and whistles of their new rig are in traffic. When targets for a shooting match are forgotten, and jars of pickled herring are substituted, you can only imagine what ensued. The town's flaming vegan and animal-rights activist is so incensed by the behavior of a stray cat that she tries to drown it, but forgets to weigh down the pillowcase, and is woken hours later, by the same animal, who has escaped the pond, chewed leg-holes in the knotted fabric, and now has a personal vendetta. And on and on the stories go, telling with humorous candor the lives of some of the folks in one little Alaskan town.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me smile. The stories in it seem real. It’s like laughing at yourself and the days gone by. It’s smiling because of things you did in your past, or things other people have done, and he tells the story so well. It just makes you smile. There is one chapter that might offend some people. I laughed out loud- it was funny. Laughter is good for the soul, and I needed laughter. It was the best medicine, and it truly helped. The book was given to me by a friend and I am grateful. I will choose to read another book by this author. *** stop here for spoilers*** we learn about the small town that has the name of “The End of the Road.” It is set in Alaska. We join the town in the celebrations. We learn about their trials - a house fire. We learn about how they all pitch together to help each other. We read about sorrows, and lives that were changed, and how everyone ended up here...at the end of the road. It was a great read. ...I dare you...

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Took me a while to dig up an old Walkman to listen to these cassette tapes that I’d found for pennies at a yard sale, but it was so worth it. The stories of the folks at The End Of The Road in small town Alaska (based loosely on Homer) are delightful. Most of the stories are everyday life—with a twist. My favorite was when two firemen fly down to Florida to pick up a new fire truck to drive back to Alaska. Discovering that it’s green, not red, is just the first of their “problems.” Ya gotta just love these folks, foibles and all. The stories are the solidest of 4 stars, and hearing Bodett read them with his mellifluous drawl made this a 5 star experience. I’m pleased to discover that a few of Bodett’s other books are available on Libby.

[J Layne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first heard about this book from the National Geographic coffee table book Alaska: A Visual Tour of America's Great Land by Bob Devine. The book actually listed Bodett's 1st book, As Far As You Can Go Without a Passport: The End of the Road. But reviews gave this later 1989 book better reviews.

Book focuses on the people of Alaska and not so much the land. Each chapter is devoted to some quirky character who lives in Homer. Some funny moments and a little bad language; last chapter is risque. Not recommended.

[Tait Gould · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a very specific reason I read this book:
1. I watched all of Port Protection Alaska (on disney+) in a month.
2. My father has a wide range of books in our basement and while we were trying to fix the printer we got distracted and he gave me this book to read because "it's also in Alaska"

This book felt like jumping into a small town community with all the quirky characters and stories. It reminded me of Vinyl Cafe with the ongoing stories of silly characters. An enjoyable read :)

[George Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another listen to one of my old favorites. The stories from the End of the Road have always been fun favorites. This time was no different. I loved each of the characters. The stories draw you in and make you smile.

We have been doing a lot of driving so having a fun familiar story is always nice to have.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never heard the radio show, I bought the book as I like stories about Alaska. Took me a while to get into it but I soon warmed to the characters and wanted to find out what they got up to next. Fun short read.

[Sandie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full title: The end of the road - The story of a place where the land ends & the sea begins.

Vignettes from Homer, Alaska. Stories about the people who live there and, occasionally, how they interact with each other.

[Rosiegirl1951 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming short book in the style of Garrison Keillor. Tom Bodett (of Motel 6 commercials) with his wonderful drawl narrates these short stories about the quirky people living in End-of-the-Road, Alaska.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tom Bodett has written a great collection of interwoven short stories that makes you feel like you know the characters, their quarks and warm hearts, and the community they share. I would read this one again and again.

[Tommie Nicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish there were more stars than five, because this book would earn them all. A quirky book about the residents of the end of Alaska. The characters are great, and I literally laughed out loud several times. I cried a little bit too.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Garrison Keilor-esque stories of a small town in Alaska. Because it's a collection of short stories, it's easy to put down, thus the amount of time (3 months!) it took me to decide to just finish it. :)

[Fred Lusk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little book to read to break up the monotony... Funny, just outdated.. I think it was written around 1989...

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining, easy read. Good for a year like 2020.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfectly funny collection of accounts about the citizens of End of the Road, Alaska. Great read when you just want to be entertained and not have to think.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

The true nostalgia for these stories comes from the audiobook recording - after listening to those so often growing up the printed page just doesn't do them justice.

[Bt · Rating 4 out of 5]

It started out a little rough, smoothed out in the second chapter, and by the end I was laughing a lot.

[Wendy Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me LOL

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hysterical

[Jenn Balistreri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of stories about living in rural small towns and the personalities within. Overall amusing.

[Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Review of the Audiobook

Originally published in 1989.
Audio edition published in 1999 by Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio
Read by the author, Tom Bodett
Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Abridged

This is the first of Tom Bodett's excellent "End of the Road" series and it is a joy to meet the quirky people who live in this small town in Alaska.

It starts with the annual town parade and festival in the local quarry (it's easier to clean up a quarry, at least that's the theory), complete with fish tossing and a pistol shooting contest and ends up with a great story of two friends who travel from Alaska to Florida to pick up a brand new fire truck and then drive it back to Seattle to ship to Alaska by ship. It is the road trip of a lifetime.

Great quotes from the book:

"Men share some of their most intimate moments leaning against vehicles with their arms crossed, looking at anything but each other."

"I don't think there's a man in America who didn't spend at least a year of his young life sure that he'd grow up to be a fireman."

Click here to see all of my reviews of books by Tom Bodett: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/searc...