Published in 1962,
Travels with Charley in Search of Americawas John Steinbeck’s last important full-length work before his death six years later. While Steinbeck was best known throughout his career as a writer of fiction, most notably for
The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men,and
East of Eden, this memoir, chronicling his trek across the United States with his French poodle, became a national best-seller. Steinbeck’s travel itinerary upon departure from his home in Sag Harbor, New York – which included stops in Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, Michigan, Illinois, Montana, Washington, California, Texas, and Louisiana – seems random, and with few exceptions, Steinbeck never explains his site selections. Yet the thoughtful reader of this book can discern common threads amidst…
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Citation: Donohue, Cecilia. "Travels with Charley in Search of America". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 11 August 2003 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=8442, accessed 23 November 2024.]