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American Journeys (2008)

by Don Watson(Favorite Author)

3.65 of 5 Votes: 2

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Random House Australia

review 1: I should say up front that I am an Australian who has not visited the US at the time of writing so my comments on this book are just that, my take on the reading experience, not on the accuracy of the book (as a friendly aside, can anyone else really claim Watson's personal experience is innaccurate? They can and will have differing views, of course.)Watson writes lyrically; his prose is full of unexpected connections and gentle humour. The US emerges as a vast, complex, contradictory, inspiring and disturbing place. Watson deliberately avoids tourist centres and much of the book focuses on small, out-of-the-way towns on the Amtrak rail line and adjacent to the highways that zig zag the nation. I found this hugely engaging and felt I was privy to a glipmse 'behind the scen... morees'. Notions of freedom and faith, and what they mean to Americans, are threads in the delightfully rambling narrative. The conclusion is very much that these ideas have particular resonance and meaning to Americans that differ from other Western democracies. American belief in personal freedoms, and a corresponding distrust of anything that suggests socialism, bring the country both a shockingly low minimum wage (from my perspective) and an enviable fearlessness and optimism. A beautiful, unhurried, rewarding read.
review 2: Watson tells all about the US. He is preaching to choir where I am concerned, you want your country to be the best, but sadly we have fallen way below the mark. The last several years have cost us in more ways then we can imagine. I am not surprised that this is not available in the US. I wish it was so more Americans could read it maybe if some of our representatives had a clue we would be looking at health care in a different light. less

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