Bowling Across America: 50 States in Rented Shoes (Hardcover)

by Mike Walsh (Author)
Key Phrases: rental shoes, bowling center, High Life, Mom's Honda, Oscar Mayer (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
After Walsh's father dies in the middle of a handball game, the young advertising executive quits his job to follow a variant on one of the old man's dreams by bowling at least once in all 50 states. (Walsh tried to add the District of Columbia to the list, but the White House wasn't keen on letting him roll in its basement lanes.) Walsh's story has a string of amusing moments—he loses a game against a blind man, has failed romantic encounters in three different states and almost misses his last game because of a stubborn car rental clerk—but lacks dramatic tension. From the moment he sets out in the car his mother lends him, Walsh's ability to complete his mission is never in doubt; as soon as he mentions the possibility of a sponsorship from a beer company, readers can safely assume he'll close the deal—which simply means he spends most of the trip drinking their beer. It's a clever enough story, but apart from some self-deprecating quips about how women (like his ex-girlfriend) don't really go for unemployed nomads, readers looking for a transformative life lesson will have to look elsewhere. (Oct. 30)
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From Booklist
When his father died, the author, an advertising executive, made a decision that, on its surface, seems, well . . . foolish. His father, you see, always had this dream of playing handball in all 50 states, and Walsh wanted to honor the man by embarking on his own quest, to bowl his way from one state to another. So he quit his job, borrowed his mother’s car, and set out on the road, full of enthusiasm but lacking any real idea of how he was going to support himself. This very entertaining book tells two stories, both of them about the same man: the story of an adventurous guy who just wants to have some fun, and the story of a tireless self-promoter who talks his way onto radio and television shows, newspaper interviews, and major-league sponsorships. Along the way he meets a variety of people, each of whom offers a distinctive slice of life, and (of course) he discovers a few surprising things about himself. Charming, funny, and sometimes heartwarming. --David Pitt

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (October 28, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312366191
• ISBN-13: 978-0312366193
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #146,489 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read, November 4, 2008

By	B. Koth - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is the true story of a man who does what many in their late 20's always dream about, wander with a purpose. The author is a man in his late 20s, several years into the grind of life, who experiences the death of his father. This leads him to analyze his own life and is the catalyst for an adventure his father first started but was interrupted by life (work, family etc.) Walsh's dry wit and insights keeps the narrative moving along and is what separates this from a standard tale of a "quarter life crisis." I laughed out loud on a dozen different occasions.

"Bowling..." does a wonderful job capturing the angst, dilemmas and sources of happiness that is so typical of that segment of life. Walsh does a masterful job weaving in past experiences into the present that paints a wonderful self-portrait and offers the reader ample opportunity to relate. Scattered throughout are some wonderful insights on bowling, life, family and relationships. This is a great read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A strike!, December 19, 2008

By	D. R. Morgan "aardvark" (Illinois) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

An enjoyable and amusing book about the author's road trip to bowl in all 50 states, inspired by his recently-deceased father's goal to play handball in all 50 states. Written in a very funny, conversational style, we tag along on visits to bowling alleys ranging from a classy Manhattan one with a $20 cover charge and a bouncer, to dark, smoky dumps in seedy neighborhoods. At each alley, we are introduced to the characters who work there, and the colorful patrons Walsh engages in conversation. En route, he stays with just about any acquaintance who can provide him with a bed (or floor) for the night, from former bosses and classmates to friends of friends. His hosts for the night can be as quirky as the bowlers he meets, and plenty of partying and beer consumption occur. Walsh quit his job as an advertising executive to take this trip and write about it, and I hope that he has found a new calling as an author--it would be a shame not to read more from him.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bowling Across America, November 11, 2008

By	Jeanne Koehl (Bluffton, SC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am proud to say that I was Mike Walsh's fifth grade teacher. This is a fabulous book and it will keep you laughing.

Jeanne Koehl