The National Road by Tom Zoellner (Kalorama) 4 Stars

Publication date 30/11/21 Audiobook 9hrs 44 mins Book 272 Pages

I would like to thank the author, publishers and Netgalley for allowing me to pick this book to read and review.

If you are taking part in my reading challenge on Facebook Ladyreading365's reading challenge this book will fit in the following prompts #1 #6 #20 #21 #23 #29 #37 #45

Synopsis

“How was it possible, I wondered, that all of this American land―in every direction―could be fastened together into a whole?” From the embattled newsrooms of small town newspapers to the pornography film sets of the Los Angeles basin, from the check-out lanes of Dollar General to the holy sites of Mormonism, from the nation’s highest peaks to the razed remains of a cherished home, like a latter-day Woody Guthrie, Tom Zoellner takes to the highways and byways of a vast land in search of the soul of its people. But what does it mean when a nation accustomed to moving begins to settle down, when political discord threatens unity, and when technology disrupts traditional ways of building communities? Is a shared soil enough to reinvigorate a national spirit? In these divided times, Zoellner’s journey across America―and into our often-contradictory histories―serves to remind us that despite our differences we all belong to the same land. By turns nostalgic and probing, incisive and enraged, Zoellner’s reflections reveal a nation divided by faith, politics, and shifting economies, but―more importantly―one united by a shared sense of ownership in the common land.

My Review

I loved this book. It was a brilliant collection for travel writings / essays about the authors travels through American. I found this book to be extremely interesting, its a real page turner. I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator did a marvellous job at portraying these stories and enjoyed listening to his voice. I found it fascinating learning about smaller places of American with some stark truths and controversial subjects the author really captured my interest. I loved the authors sense of humour. I thought it was brilliant that there was so many different subjects covered , I especially enjoyed the controversial ones. It was so refreshing to hear about smaller places in American and the issues these town face. I especially enjoyed hearing about the authors journalism past and about the demise of smaller towns newspaper industry. I will definitely be on the look out for more titles by this wonderful author. So much praise goes out to the author and publishers for creating this brilliant, interesting and stark look at American.