Travels with CharleyTravels with Charley
Score Classic
What it's about
At fifty-eight, John Steinbeck set out to rediscover the country he had written about for years. With his French poodle, Charley, he drove from the tip of Maine to California's Monterey Peninsula, eating with truckers, meeting bears in Yellowstone and old friends in San Francisco, and reflecting on the American character and racial tension.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 8 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It's a warm, funny and thoughtful American road trip.
You'll love it if you liked
The Grapes of Wrath
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
On the RoadGood to know
Some details are thought to be embellished. Its scenes from the New Orleans school desegregation crisis are unforgettable.
By the numbers
- Readers72 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Moving, Adventurous
More by John Steinbeck
East of EdenThe Grapes of Wrath
Sweet Thursday
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Notes of a Native Son
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The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill
Black Boy: A Record of Youth and Childhood
DispatchesExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Travels with Charley worth reading?
Yes. It spent 8 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #790 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 75.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Travels with Charley about?
At fifty-eight, John Steinbeck set out to rediscover the country he had written about for years. With his French poodle, Charley, he drove from the tip of Maine to California's Monterey Peninsula, eating with truckers, meeting bears in Yellowstone and old friends in San Francisco, and reflecting on the American character and racial tension.
How long does it take to read Travels with Charley?
About 5 hours (214 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Travels with Charley?
If you liked it, try The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson or On the Road by Jack Kerouac.