A Walk Across America

I can't recall when my budding obsession with taking long walks first took hold, but I'm sure Peter Jenkins' A Walk Across America had something to do with it.

In addition to normal recreational hikes, I used to plan odd outings like 20+ mile hikes around my town, and once, while living away for a while, I took a bus 13 miles to the end of its route just to walk back. My apartment while I was at college was two miles away and I would walk every day. For my first job I lived 10 miles away and I walked the first 4 miles and took the bus for the rest. My sister and I once planned to walk the entire Appalachian Trail, and while my own life got busy as life tends to, she actually went and did it. Yes, she hiked the 2,000+ mile trail and it show more took her 5 months.

Anyway, this is Peter Jenkins debut account of his many adventures across America and throughout the world. I haven't read his other books with the exception of The Walk West, which completes his literal walk across America. Forget that one though. This one is much better. It's a journey of a man, accompanied by his forever companion Cooper, seeking something more in this life, to expand his horizons and open his eyes. The people he meets and the lessons learned have undeniably defined him. show less

I couldn't continue the annual re-read of The Mists of Avalon, because I lent the book to Shannon. Feeling lost and aimless, reading-wise, I turned to my favorite genre: the Travel Book. During my Genre Fiction class I tried to figure out what my genre of choice would be...and I realized that I've almost never read a travel book that I didn't like. I absolutely adore them. Maps, cool people, the dreams I have about taking the trips they've taken...it's all good.

A Walk Across America is the story of disillusioned Peter Jenkins, just graduated with an Art Major from a small college in New York state in 1973. His marriage falls apart (wierd - the same thing that spurred William Least Heat-Moon's Blue Highways...apparently it's a powerful show more trigger to travel), he feels spiritually drained, and like much of his generation, he doesn't trust the mumbo-jumbo from The Man about the rest of the world...so he sets off to see it for himself. His compainion is his best buddy, his forever friend, his canine soul-mate Cooper Half-Malamute. This beautiful, happy dog follows him everywhere and gives him friendship while on his sometimes-lonely quest.

He keeps running out of money and needs to stop a few times to work. I think that's awesome - I've read a lot of travel books and I'm always envious that people can save up and then take the one big trip without having to worry (much) about how they'er going to finance it. He works as a farmer, a sharecropper, at a sawmill, and at a seminary. He lives with a black family in a racially-divided and volitile area of Tennessee, in a shack on top of a mountain in Virginia, on The Farm, a commune in Tennessee, and with other random nice people along the way. In that respect, his journey seemed less like a trip and more like a way of life. I liked that a lot.

He does have a few problems - nearly dying of influenza while stuck in a cave on the Appalacian trail in the middle of winter, being run out of town because the townspeople think he's a drug dealer (damn hippie!), and the saddest thing of all...It's no secret to the reader that Cooper somehow dies during the journey. It mentions it on the back of the book and there is a color picture of Peter lowering Cooper into his grave in the beginning of the book. I knew it was coming, I tried to prepare myself for it...but when it happened, I cried and cried. It's obvious that Peter loved Cooper so much and was so dependent on him: I knew that his heart must have just broken and it was hard for me to read about.

His writing style is casual and converastional. He's brave but not stupid, observant but not to the point of waxing poetic, very honest about his prejudices and very willing to make the efforts to challenge them and overcome them. I loved this book and will probably revisit it again in the future (but I might skip over the parts about the death of Cooper). show less

This is one of the best travelogues that I have ever read. I bought this book in college, and it has remained on my bookshelf ever since. Is he looking for America, or is he looking for himself? Or both? Well, he found them both.

1973 Educ. Ct Boy College grad — to Miss. — okay

In this timeless classic, Jenkins describes how disillusionment with society in the 1970s drove him out onto the road on a walk across America. His experiences remain as sharp and telling today as they were twenty-five years ago -- from the timeless secrets of life, learned from a mountain-dwelling hermit, to the stir he caused by staying with a black family in North Carolina, to his hours of intense labor in Southern mills. Many, many miles later, he learned lessons about his country and himself that resonate to this day -- and will inspire a new generation to get out, hit the road and explore.

Despite the "disillusioned young man" bit (which may be true), this book is in truth a love song to his dog Cooper, his "forever friend". Beautifully written and heartfelt.

The name of this book is a misnomer. It covers Jensen's walk from Connecticut to New Orleans. The two walks he made thereafter (from New Orleans to Colorado and Colorado to Washington) are not part of the book. Also, this book is somewhat dated in that it occurred in 1973-75, but that was part of the charm for me. I well remember that time, since I'm nearly the same age as Jensen, and remember how America was at that time, and the feelings towards those who were "walking a different path" in life. I picked the book up to find out how his walk differed from John Muir's walk of nearly the same area, but their focus was so totally different that it's hard to make any comparison. It felt it was an interesting read, but I believe most people show more would find it dated. show less

Heartfelt and poignant at times, this tale is a true journey of the heart and soul, as well as the man. What makes this story interesting are the people Peter Jenkins encounters on his walk. In each we can see the best and worst of humanity, seen raw and honestly through the eyes of a lost and disillusioned young man on the brink of adulthood. Well worth the time to read this... especially in today's cultural climate.