Almost Heaven: Travels Through the Backwoods of America

by Martin Fletcher

After seven years as Washington correspondent of The Times, Martin Fletcher set off to explore the raw and untamed land far from cities and national parks. This is his account of a journey which took him to places few tourists would ever visit, to communities largely unknown to outsiders, to the quintessential America. He encounters snake-handlers, moonshiners, creationists, outlaws, polygamists, white supremacists, and communities preparing for Armageddon. He goes bear hunting in West Virginia, fur trapping in Louisiana, diamond digging in Arkansas, and gold prospecting in Nevada.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Americana

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Katy Wight · Rating 3 out of 5]

I almost didn't make it past the introduction in which Fletcher makes some gross generalizations about American patriotism and the US flag as a symbol of such. He implies that we are all passionate in our jingoism - an idea that made me bristle a bit. I had to remind myself that the book was written during the Clinton administration. Before September 11th, Bush II and the war on terror when the conservative right adopted the US flag as their symbol and turned patriotism into a partisan issue. I had to remember that this is changing and, since the 2008 presidential election, the symbols of patriotism - including the flag - have been readopted by the left. (Indeed, I myself waved a flag on a street corner last week as the funeral motorcade of a beloved and most liberal senator passed by.)

The rest of the book is full of good anecdotes and stories about small towns across the south, midwest and pacific northwestern US. Generally a well written, entertaining travelogue. Fletcher keeps the stereotyping to a minimum after the introduction.

[Armelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Englishman Martin Fletcher and his family spent about 7 years in the US. In the mid-nineties, before leaving for his next journalistic posting, he took a trip through the back roads of the continental US, looking for the weirdest of us. It's amusing, and interesting, but I was ready to read about someone who wasn't a conspiracy theorist!

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some sections were really entertaining and interesting, and others, I thought his condescending attitude would cause my eyes to roll out of my head.

[M Hewitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 90’s written confirmation of how PC we have since become

Well written, nice travel account of the America that most visitors don’t get to see.

However, Fletchers clear racism and self perceived “white privilege” totally sticks out and grabs you by the neck (throat).

The amount of times that “colour” is mentioned really spoils this otherwise very good book.

His smug, privileged tone creeps through in almost every chapter. As a journalist of that time, he really should have been giving an unbiased opinion and I can only assume that his tenure on a Washington newspaper must have rubbed off on him.

He clearly has - or had - a very big chip on his shoulder when it comes to people that had differing opinions to himself.

Also he was very contradictory at times. For example, his presupposed atheist views were seemingly discarded when he describes a wonderful scene as made by God (capital G)?

Overall a 4 star for the well thought out trip but it could have been even more enjoyable if the racism and sanctimony had been left out.

However, at least he let people know what he truly believes I suppose?

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quirky, fascinating and insightful!

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Martin's travels through the backwoods of the US are highly entertaining if, like him, you have a liberal British outsider's perspective. The weird and wonderful characters that he meets in some cases border on the insane, however the US is large and empty enough to accommodate this broad panoply of humanity. You would imagine that many of the characters would have been locked up, or committed year's ago anywhere else. The deep mistrust of government, the attachment to firearms and the fervent religiosity that are so prevalent in the southern states is superbly and dispassionately (in most cases) reported. I finished the book in the same week that the horrific Virginia Tech massacre took place and some of the issues raised (albeit implicitly) in the book, such as gun control, have really resonated as a result.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting picture of small town America as the author takes a tour of the back roads and off-beat communities that pepper the land of the free. As an Englishman, he's always going to be seen as an outsider, but as a journalist (by trade) this isn't going to stop him asking questions and interviewing the people he meets.
It's an easy read and gives a glimpse of a side of America that you won't come across in your holiday road trip down Route 66. On the other hand, I had the impression that this wasn't a long trip that the author took, and resultantly some of the impressions are quite fleeting. He seems to drive up to a place, consult the bit of previous research he's jotted in his notebook, speak to a few locals and then move on to the next town on his list. It's interesting, but not as engaging as it could be.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I kind of expected more of this book but I guess I'd been focusing at the time on non-fiction books that really looked into the collective psyche of the nation. Books like Cities on the Hill, Whats the Matter with Kansas, and Chasing the Red White and Blue. This was a nice, light-hearted read compared to those, however, and made me realise that parts of America are very rural and not that different to many parts of South Africa. Lots of interesting oddballs in this book.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book! You will know America in a way very few others do after reading this book. It's also well-written, almost like a novel although non-fiction. I very much enjoyed it, to the point where I remember it years later.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have to go as far to say that Martin Fletcher rivals Bill Bryson (one of my favorites). This was a very entertaining and eye-opening read that made me fall in love with America all over again.

[Noel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have no idea what the title "Almost Heaven" has to do with the book. Nonetheless, this was a good read. Fletcher goes to all the scary, backwards places in America, so I don't have to. Also, I like that he's English, he gives an outsiders perspective on this crazy country of ours.

[Phillip · Rating 3 out of 5]

A run of the mill travel book, that see's the author travel from east coast to west, whilst recording who he meets and where.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed the ride !

[Marianne Broadgate · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book that gives you a deeper understanding of rural America in a way that is very engaging, educational and non-judgemental.

[Melissa Waters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining and informative.