I'm Light: A Driver's Search for Meaning on the Mean Streets of Uber Detroit

by Gary D. Gerson

With the touch of a button on your cellphone, the perfect vehicle arrives to whisk you to your dreams… but have you ever wondered about your Uber driver? In the spirit of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and following the model of Jack Kerouac as a middle-aged On the Road disciple, Gary Gerson takes us on a journey through the corners of Detroit in a search for substance. From the pristine and decadent suburbs to the graffiti-tagged ruins of a city recovering from the most significant municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history, in the company of drug dealers, industrial captains, movie stars, and strippers, Gerson shows us the shine and the shadows as they unfold through the tinted windows of his Cadillac. Our driver discovers much about himself while carrying passengers through a city that is at once romantic and terrifying, with resurgent pockets of rebirth and dark stagnant corners you dare not traverse. In a mix of hopeful takes on Michigan’s position as a thriving worldwide commerce hub, a study of physics, and unexpected touches of humanity, here you have a revealing drive on the mean streets all around Detroit. Buckle up, Baby.

289 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 10, 2020

Reviews

[Frank Chase Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Behind the scenes view of Detroit and a father’s determination to provide for his family.

Lots of tidbits about Metro Detroit. Interesting to hear the perspective of an Uber driver, who learns all about his clients.