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Fri Dec 23, 2011 10:37 pm

I've spent the last several years reading children's books to my kids, and the Bentley manual out of necessity, though rarely do I find time to read for pleasure. Being a teacher on Winter Break and away from my 'projects' back home, I've picked up a book I've intended to read for years, Travels With Charley, by John Steinbeck. Not since the unencumbered days B.C. (before children), when On the Road and Blue Highways were annual reads, did a book make me want to travel around the country by highway.

I'm certain a number of you have read these and other great books of their kind, so please offer up some of your favorites. What books make you want to head out for some long-term traveling?

Fri Dec 23, 2011 10:39 pm

I read Drop City by T.C Boyle on my way to Alaska....pretty funny /interesting and has to do with hippies moving to AK. Dharma Bums is also a favorite when traveling.

Fri Dec 23, 2011 11:23 pm

Oh Man ! I fight with myself for what books to take along everytime we go on an exented trip..

On the Road is always in my van..kind of a good luck charm..

Bound for Glory by Woody Guthrie I read after reading that Dylan liked it even more than On the Road,

Been down so long it looks like up to me by Richard Farina, not easy to find but one of my favorite book ever.

And Walden by Thoreau of course. In wildness is the preservation of the world...

In different genres..

Anything by Vonnegut is worth reading. Steinbeck too.

I like the "Anthology of short stories" and "Introduction to literature" kind of books. I get them from university book stores
or used book stores near a university..cheap...great way to discover new authors.

Oh! and stay away from the Greek Classics, especially Homer. Too many detailed description of lavish feasts! makes my stomach growl !

Sat Dec 24, 2011 5:48 am

"If you want to get laid, go to college. If you want an education, go to the library." - Frank Zappa All great books so far. this thread is going to be great. Dharma bums its bin 30 years got to read that again. I cant go with my favorite as its bin posted but ill add CRACK IN THE COSMIC EGG, Exploring the Crack in the Cosmic Egg Joseph Chilton Pearce book info- About 35 years ago I encountered the book `The Crack In The Cosmic Egg’ - an intellectual book that sought to explain reality by looking at `the cracks’. The idea was that in the few locations where `reality cracked’, we could find the true deepest esoteric ideas about the world we live within.The author often used the `miracles’ of Castanada’s `Don Juan’ (a Mexican Indian Sorcerer), the `miracles’ of Jesus in the bible, and `miracles’ such as walking across hot coals - as the `cracks’ to be examined.

Now, I will not ruin a great read - but - in a nut shell - `The Crack In The Cosmic Egg’ author - chose the concept of belief - as the `ultimate answer‘ - to `what makes our reality’. It was to be this `belief’ that allowed Castaneda to observe Don Juan’s other world - which was as REAL as ours. It was this `belief’ that allowed Jesus to walk on water and to manipulate the visual reality. Just as it was the `belief’ of the firewalkers - that allowed them to cross and not even have their robes or clothes affected.

Now, the concept that `other realities’ exist - is a powerful one. Religions, which still have a grip on the minds of many in humanity, are based on the concept. Scientists, have told us that `dimensional realities’ may exist. Shaman have sworn to it that special consensus realities exist; as have LSD users.

But, what examples exist of such realities that DON’T involve the religious visions, science findings and speculations, or occultish or drugged `states of mind’? Has `reality’ given us all clues to `the cosmic crack’? What kind of `clues’ exist that seem to show REAL Anomalous Realities (RAR)?

Well, I can think of several that I often like to `throw out there’ - as being - A Seam Of The Cosmic Bubble Of Real. And, to me, that `seam of real’ has at least several variations I’d like my readership to consider.

The first is the appearance of Doppelgangers into our reality(the most extreme case being that of Eastern Flight 401’s Pilot and Co-Pilot For those that are new to the Doppelganger term - I’m using it to represent those cases where a `Dead’ Person - is seen in `Living Form’ in our reality.

Historical cases have included `immigrants’ who died while crossing the ocean - being seen in the flesh in the streets of where they lived in Europe (often at the time of death - but, afterwards too) - in addition to occasional `Civil War’ Doppelgangers that get reported from time to time. Certainly, these examples point to a reality that has anomalous cracks and which should be a subject of study.

The same can be said of what I call `shared subjective reals’.

One example is indeed, the shared realities that Castaneda is said to have `shared’ with Don Juan - Non-Ordinary Realities. Indeed, in the back of the first Castaneda book about Don Juan there is a section called `A Structural Analysis’ - which, Carlos uses to describe the attributes that formed that non-ordinary reality that he observed and experienced as a participant firsthand.

Indeed, this `ability’ to `go to a new landscape’ — to a new reality — also exists in nearly the exact state described by Charles Tart in his book `Altered State’ in a section called Mutual Hypnosis. Via a particular method of hypnosis - two or even more participants could enter into a `new mutually shared reality’. Certainly, these experiences must be surfing along one of the Cosmic Cracks too - don’t you think?

Now, obviously, the Doppelganger `crack’ seems to occur as an anomaly in our `outer mutual common consensus’ reality. Whereas, the Mutual Hypnosis `crack’ seems to occur as an anomaly of real within an `inner special consensus’ reality. But, both break thru - to provide a real experience - for the observer.

And, both are representative of of real anomalous realities that challenge the Cosmic Crack

Sat Dec 24, 2011 7:24 am

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, of course. As Robert Pirsig says, the book is neither about Zen or motorcycle repair, but anyone who's been on the road will recognize the story.

For those curious about Pirsig and his story (part of which is heartbreakingly sad), look into Now and Zen by Mark Richardson. It's fan boy in places, and part of the story is outright weird, but as an account of a ZAMM pilgrimage, it's an interesting read.

Sat Dec 24, 2011 7:54 am

I go with the audio books myself.The kid seems to really like the well he complains when I turn them off.

Sat Dec 24, 2011 8:19 am

A few of my favorites
Edward Abbey - Desert Solitaire
Bill Bryson - A Walk in the Woods
Laurence Gonzales-Deep Survival

Sat Dec 24, 2011 8:23 am

x2 on Dharma Bums, so different from On the Road..permanent resident of my iPod..

x2 on audiobooks too...especially for longer drives.

I find everything I've heard from Stephen King on audiobook was very well done.

The girl who loved Tom Gordon read by Anne Heche, captivating for kids both young and old.

Everything's Eventual - 14 Dark Tales

And if you are going to drive a million miles ! .. The Dark Tower is up to the challenge..

Sat Dec 24, 2011 8:24 am

x2 on Desert Solitaire -- a very good read but a must-read if your travels are taking you to Southern Utah.

Sat Dec 24, 2011 8:34 am

I'll add "Into the Wild" & "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
and Anatoli Boukreev's book on the Everest Disaster " The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest"

Sat Dec 24, 2011 8:44 am

Both of the Krakauer books travel with me (on Kindle)

"The Lost Towns and Roads of America" by J.R. Humphreys. I received this as a gift from one of my VW friends (thanks, Rooster). Copyright 1961. Documents the travels of a couple in their VW bus from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Any Leon Hale book. Mr. Hale is a Houston area columnist that has an easy, familiar writing style. His columns and books have always appealed to me.

Chuck

Sat Dec 24, 2011 8:48 am

For Adventure x2 on anything by Krakauer.

For something different : Ultimate High, My Everest Odyssey by Goran Kropp...bike from Sweden to Everest, solo alpine ascent without oxygen then bike home !

A little science too maybe...

Anything and everything by John Gribbin or Amir D. Aczel

I love this thread, I'm writing down everything you guys are suggesting that I haven't read...off to the used book store...

and I'll give Zen and the Art.. another try...started it twice in the past 10 years but it didn't stick.

Sat Dec 24, 2011 8:58 am

Jupiter's travels

All about traveling and vehicular mechanical failure and how to approach it.

The interruptions are the journey.

Mike
'82 westy diesel

Sat Dec 24, 2011 9:05 am

Anybody remembers the Vanagon Stories from the Vanagon List ?

I know I have them on paper here somewhere and have only done a quick search that didn't go anywhere...

Someone has to have a bookmark, link....

some of those stories were very good..

Sat Dec 24, 2011 11:24 am

I read a lot lot, mostly non fiction, history, biographies but do read WBGriffin and some other Covert types. Travelling long term presents problems to me so I've bought an eReader and there is a website Project Gutenberg where you can allegedly download books from, Of course even tho I bought me the eReader months ago I don't really know anything about it until tomorrow :lol:

Sat Dec 24, 2011 12:10 pm

My Favourite reads when I am on the road are books on Bushcraft and Outdoor Survival, Local Ghost Town and Lost Mines, as well as info on the area that I am travelling in from the local tourist information centers.

Sometimes I enjoy looking through my vans owners manual, just for fun.

Sat Dec 24, 2011 1:45 pm

Bentley manual

Sat Dec 24, 2011 2:05 pm

I live immediately next door to a Library which is real good as I take out 13, 14 books every 3 to 4 weeks. Well it was closed down for renovations and I was too lazy a few times to go to a more distant one. I HAVE TO read to fall asleep and the only thing handy was an Anatomy Review book. I think after 2 days I couldn't stand it anymore, I'm not in medicine anymore and I just couldn't hack it :oops: :roll:

I read a lot about WWII and had grown up knowing lots about the Atlantic Theatre, have been reading the Pacific Theatre to gain some insight. Once read the Bible from beginning to end in plain speak. Hard to get into but is the old Testament ever interesting. Lots of wars, blood, etc... but it was all hand to hand of course with simple weapons. Right now I am reading various books on the rising of Anarchy. Also just finished The Ground Truth and it was much appreciated.

Sat Dec 24, 2011 5:13 pm

Try reading " In search of captian zero" by Allan C. Weisbecker. Then you'll really get the urge to go traveling . 8)

Sat Dec 24, 2011 6:09 pm

audio books are a real hit. Steven Jobs book is 20 cds and listened to 1st 10 from Los Angeles to Vancouver Canada and the last 10 back down. Great to have something while on the road driving in addition to music.
The Bible is always with me at night to read a verse or two.

All of us who have These Campers have so much to be thankful for as we all are enjoying something of our choosing, while so many people don't ever obtain any enjoyment.