Hux’s Reviews > Travels with Charley: In Search of America > Status Update

Gone to the redwoods and fascinated. Gone to SF and said he woulda stayed but couldn’t. Arrived in Monterey and went to a bar. Talked with his old Mexican friend in his bar and they talked about life. The friend asked Steinbeck to come back and he said no. Then they talked about things and got sad. Steinbeck then left and walked into the street where in his hometown, he felt like a stranger.

He’s just come left Chicago and he met with his wife there, but not much is said about the meet. Steinbeck talks about random things in his life. He brings up that he realises loneliness can hurt sometimes. He mentions he talks to Charley a lot of the time about the day to day life. One of the things ‘discussed’ is the topic of things being more basic eg: no good novels only ones about homicide for example

Talked with a man inside one of the mobile homes and Steinbeck said what about the roots of your life and the man said if you have ‘poor’ roots your not going to stay there and then talked about what he aspired to do with his work. Steinbeck talked to Charley about roots on the road. Charley is allergic to bug spray. The people in Michigan/ohio are a lot more talkative than in New England.

He’s been traveling the highways and getting interested in the trucks and their life that go by. He learnt about mobile homes and why they are good and the positives. Steinbeck found that the bond between family generations is very good nowadays and they will come stay with each other. Also saw a mobile home overlooking on a hill and says they must of paid a fee for land up there

Had a bad night in the middle of nowhere and got scared. Next day he stopped at a potato farm near a lake and befriended a dozen French Canadian people and he invited them back to his camper and he’s just sat down and are discussing where they are from

Left home after a storm and is on the road. He’s spending the night on the side of a stream and the farmer who owns the land asked if he could see Steinbeck’s carriage and he agreed. The farmer entered and had coffee and some applejack and they talk about politics and stuff while it’s cold outside but the carriage is lit cozily by lanterns and Charley is under the table resting his head on Steinbeck’s feet.