• Travels with Charley in Search of America

  • By: John Steinbeck
  • Narrated by: Gary Sinise
  • Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (5,441 ratings)

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Travels with Charley in Search of America  By  cover art

Travels with Charley in Search of America

By: John Steinbeck
Narrated by: Gary Sinise
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Publisher's summary

A stunning evocation of America on the eve of a tumultuous decade—and a moving elegy for more innocent times.

In September 1960, John Steinbeck and his poodle, Charley, embarked on a journey across America, from small towns to growing cities to glorious wilderness oases. Travels with Charley is animated by Steinbeck’s attention to the specific details of the natural world and his sense of how the lives of people are intimately connected to the rhythms of nature—to weather, geography, the cycles of the seasons. His keen ear for the transactions among people is evident, too, as he records the interests and obsessions that preoccupy the Americans he encounters along the way.

©1962 John Steinbeck (P)2011 Penguin

Critic reviews

"Pure delight, a pungent potpourri of places and people interspersed with bittersweet essays on everything from the emotional difficulties of growing old to the reasons why giant sequoias arouse such awe." (The New York Times Book Review)

"Profound, sympathetic, often angry...an honest moving book by one of our great writers." (The San Francisco Examiner)

"This is superior Steinbeck - a muscular, evocative report of a journey of rediscovery." (John Barkham, Saturday Review Syndicate)

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What listeners say about Travels with Charley in Search of America

Average customer ratings
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Enjoyed as I drove through Texas and NM

Enjoyed as I drove from Austin to El Paso to Albuquerque to Taos to Flagstaff. East of Eden all-time favorite book so I love Steinbeck.

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EXCELLENT SHORT BOOK .

A good animal story for dog lovers and those who long to travel. Have enjoyed this book many times.

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Simply Superb

At about 14 minutes in, I knew I fell in love with this book. Steinbeck captures the wanderlust I have felt my entire life and feeds my jealousy from his experiences and delicate prose. I could think of no better narrator to take me on this journey than he who introduced me to Steinbeck and his sweet brother Lennie when I was young.

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Favorite Steinbeck so far

Any additional comments?

This is my favorite Steinbeck so far. It's a break from his other writing that I've read. Just a wonderfully written road trip story. I was having flashbacks to 'Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance' and maybe even 'Desert Solitaire', although Steinbeck in this isn't quite as fond of the national parks. Perhaps the only detail I found disagreeable in the whole book. If you're looking for classic Steinbeck maybe explore a few of his other well known books. But still read this one! I would recommend it to every single person!

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very pleasing, calming

I love John Steinbeck's writing. He is so very easy to listen to....like having a conversation with an old friend.

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Loved every minute.

a classic, wonderful book. can't imagine a better narrator. he was perfect. I'm glad I decided to listen to this book instead of reading it.

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Makes you realize…

That we are and always will be the same. Great read for sure, read it.

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Sorry, there are no six stars!

Probably the best audio acting I've ever heard on the one of my most favourite books!

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Great story

This story is definitely a must read/listen to. Mr. Steinbeck questions what he learned, if anything in fact, However, I believe he learned more than he realized by virtue through the contact of the many people that he visited with and spoke with. His story as told back when he wrote it, is unfortunately still very relative to the social issues that we experience today. Gary Sinise narrated the story so skillfully that you would have thought the other characters were sitting right next to him, This is a story that you must put on your list

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Pure bliss

I wish every American would read/listen this marvelous expose'.
I wish I had met Charlie!!

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