Chasing Zorba: A Journey of Self-Discovery in a VW Bus

by Jerry Steimel

"An absorbing true story of a bold and enlightening westward adventure. Steimel's confident prose feels like a smooth car ride, effortlessly transitioning from accounts of road sights and people he met to historical facts about states he traveled through." KIRKUS REVIEWSFINALIST - 2021 NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARDSIn 1972, after graduating from college, Jerry Steimel set out on a cross-country road trip in a 1966 VW Beetle he called Zorba — named after the literary figure, Zorba the Greek. In Zorba, the author Nikos Kazantzakis had created an image and a philosophy about life that inspired Steimel. Zorba's commitment to grasping tightly to the present and living life without fear was something he strived to adopt. On his road trip in 1972 Steimel aimed to explore America's back roads—the country sharply divided over the war in Vietnam—and break away from his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Along the way, he sought to gain a deeper understanding of himself and the path his life would take. His get to California and see what he could learn along the way. However, the Beetle he chose for the journey suffered mechanical failure on the first day in a small town in Alabama, only 300 miles from the journey's starting point. Resisting a return to his hometown, Steimel attempted to sustain himself in Pensacola, Florida. After a month, his resources were expended and he was forced to return to Louisville and put his dream of driving across America on the shelf. Receiving a Masters Degree in social work, Steimel pursued a career working with disadvantaged children in a variety of settings, ultimately settling on the East Coast. He married and raised two daughters—a life well-lived—and he continued to pursue Zorba's approach to life holding the author Kazantzakis in his mind as a mentor. But always a feeling lingered that he had some unfinished business. Forty-five years after his first attempt at a cross-country road trip in an old VW, Steimel retired and began searching for a vintage VW bus that could help him fulfill his dream. It was 2017, the first year of the Trump Presidency and the country was again in conflict with itself. Steimel took his dream off the shelf, and in a 1973 VW bus began a new journey of self-discovery on the back roads of America. He saw the road trip as a test of how close he had come in life in his pursuit of Zorba the Greek. It was a dream deferred, but not forgotten.""This is a story about far more than one man's quixotic quest to recapture his youthful adventure; this is a philosophical and cultural exploration of multiple decades, while still being an entertaining and whimsical ride. There are thousands of people considering taking their lives on the road, making this a timely, amusing, and relatable read." - The Self Publishing Review Book Awards.

265 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 2, 2020

About the author

Jerry Steimel was born in Louisville, Kentucky, where he spent his youth and undergraduate college years at the University of Louisville. He departed Louisville in 1974 to attend graduate school at the University of Chicago, receiving a Masters in Social Work. During a forty-five year career in youth work, he worked in various settings assisting disadvantaged youth. These included the court system of Chicago, a residential program in Maine, an outdoor adventure program in Massachusetts, and as the director of a shelter for runaway teens in the Boston area. The final years of his career were with Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston as Director of the Charlestown Club and as Executive Vice-President of Operations. He is married and has two daughters. Now retired, he lives in Newburyport, Massachusetts―when he is not wandering the country in his 1973 VW bus.

Reviews

[Reader Views · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Chasing Zorba: A Journey of Self-Discovery in a VW Bus” is an interesting tale by Jerry Steimel. It has a little “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” feeling to it as well as Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road” with a sprinkle of “Easy Rider” mixed in.

This entertaining read begins as a travelogue about the author trying to remember all the events of a misguided trip with a goal to travel cross-country that ended unexpectedly in Florida. The story rambles a bit as the author matures and suddenly finds himself wishing to accomplish his failed trip. The trip restarts after the author has grown a bit to fulfill his trip across the country in his VW Bus. The VW bus is a story in and of itself, with a number of minor stories, breakdowns, and mechanical issues, as the author stops sometimes in the middle of nowhere to repair the VW over and over again. Again, the maintenance of the VW in places that have no VW mechanics or only shade tree mechanics is a story that could standalone.

All the people the author meets along the way is another story that could be a standalone tale. What is nice is that the travel story parallels the most unlikely story of Zorba the Greek. I was unfamiliar with Zorba the Greek, other than the song, until the reading of this book. It is well written and the tone is conversational, a good read full of adventures. The stories drive the writing. It is nice to know that.

It is also a deeply personal read. What is engaging is that there are pictures of the journey included, which was a nice surprise. The adventures, the stories, revolve around getting the VW Bus across the country in the late 1960s and early 1970s. During that time, the nation was a different place. The people the author encounters are truly different from nowadays. The story is the journey, and the journey is fraught with numerous detours as the VW Bus runs into a number of mechanical issues. Yet, it is in those mechanical delays the author gets to see and understand the nation he is traversing. Fun read. Interesting read.

[Carolyn Gould · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read!!

Chasing Zorba: A Journey of Self-Discovery in a VW bus by new author Jerry Steimel is a must read. It's the first book in a long time that I haven't been able to put down. Jerry sets out on an adventure that is his dream deferred. Zorba guided his way. Zorba, at times, refers to the fictional character who embraced living in the moment, the VW bus named in his honor and the qualities to which Jerry aspires. As he journeys across the country, Jerry visits small towns, historical landmarks and a watering hole or two. He meets quite a few interesting characters and shares the struggles of living in and driving a VW bus for 3000 miles. The book finds the perfect balance of humor, history, struggle and hope. At a time when my faith in humanity has been significantly shaken, Chasing Zorba has restored my belief that most people are good at heart and our commonalities far outweigh our differences. The world needs more Jerry Steimels!! Do yourself a favor and read Chasing Zorba. It just may help put 2020 in the rearview mirror.

[Kitty Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a Kerouac fan, or a VW bus fan, you definitely want to read this!
Also, Steimel brings back many memories of the Peace movement of the late '60's. Some of his memories are bittersweet as he revisits places and people from his past. It's a journey for the author and the reader on so many levels.

[Roxanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course I loved this book as I'm a huge VW fan.

Thank you Jerry for sharing this amazing trip with us! I loved all the learning along the way. I would have never known about some of the things you talked about, the coal mines for instance, it spiked my curiosity to learn more.

Very cool book, would recommend! We read it for book club and everyone loved it.

[Reginald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chasing Zorba is a meandering story about a meandering journey and I appreciated both. Jerry Steimel and his VW Bus are quirky and sometimes frustrated, but they persevere. I expect they both miss the turn of the key each morning. I miss discovering what is around their next turn. I just gotta say: Great book.

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I am recommending it to others and giving it as a gift. The writing is clear and comfortable, the adventure exciting and unique, the social commentary timely and refreshing.
AND A VW BUS!!! :-)
I have many, many pages in this book folded over so I can go back and re-read especially poignant passages, phrases or observations. It is inspiring - we all need to do the things we dream about. Not because they will be perfect as we imagine them, but because they are fun and allow us to see meaning around us.
I'm so glad this book was written and that I got to read it! Enjoy!
This book can easily be read in a day or a weekend, but I deliberately slowed down my reading to read other things to simply prolong the trip - I really didn't want it to end. I've watched his PEACE OUT video on YouTube now as well. It isn't even a trip I've taken, and it will stay with me.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It is the kind of book I want to tell all my friends about.
The author stressed the importance of family, including distant cousins. Photos of people, towns, cities, and highways were included along with interesting historical details of places where the author stopped during his trip.
The author has a talent for descriptive writing, making me feel as if I were taking the trip, too. He shared with readers his beliefs along with his doubts.
There are no f-bombs in the book, but there was plenty of humor, and the author displayed the importance of showing kindness to strangers throughout his trip.
The editors also did an excellent job; I found no errors at all.

[Colleen Mertens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story tells Jerry's adventure as he travels the country in a VW bus to fulfill something he attempted in college. Along the way, he visits family and meets new people as one does in a VW bus. Some of those people stay with you the way they stayed with him. It was an interesting story and I like good road trip stories.

[Rich and Nancy Beauvois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great,easy read

Having grown up in the 60's, this book hit home on so many levels. Some of our dreams we can live thru others.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't give up on your dreams. Despite many years passing, continue to pursue your dream.
In this case, drive across the US.
Interesting story.