Long Way Home by Bill Barich

I read John Steinbeck's THE PEARL in 7th grade and was hooked. Something about the way he wrote appealed to my 12-year-old self. I then began seeking out any Steinbeck I could find. I went through EAST OF EDEN and THE GRAPES OF WRATH with youthful abandon and just enjoyed this writer's voice that I know now was whispering life lessons. But when I found TRAVELS WITH CHARLEY, I found my muse.

In Travels with Charley, Steinbeck grabbed his dog (Charley, natch), jumped in his truck and proceeded to drive around America to test the mood of the country. 1960 was an election year and Steinbeck was curious how his fellow citizens felt about the direction of America. The effect of the book on me was tremendous. First of all, it helped make me the political animal I am today. But more than anything it infused me with a wanderlust. It became my fantasy to sell everything I own, buy a beat-up old van, and just drive where randomness took me. (Moderation has never been my style.)

After coming across a used copy of Charley, Bill Barich, an American expatriate living in Ireland, decided to emulate Steinbeck's journey in 2008 (without the truck and without a dog) for the election year of 2008. I am reading Barich's LONG WAY HOME: On The Trail of Steinbeck's America, and it is an enjoyable travelogue. Readers of this blog and/or my twitter will remember that Bill Bryson walks on the ground I worship. Well, thus far Barich is a worthy replacement in that seemingly endless time between Bryson books.

I am giving away several copies due to the generosity of Walker Books/Bloomsbury Publishing. Their website gives a little more detail about what you'll find in the book. To be entered for a chance to win a copy, just follow me on twitter (bookstoredude) and tweet the following:

"Follow @bookstoredude for a chance to win LONG WAY HOME by Bill Barich. http://bookspin.blogspot.com"

I will draw the winners randomly this evening. Good luck.