Why does a man head out into the woods one night, leaving everything behind him: home, friends, old life, even clothes? No trauma triggers the decision: it's not preceded by dialogue or even observed by others. And yet that is what the narrator/main character does in the opening scene of the book. "Narrator/main character" may seem cumbersome, but one of the things he leaves behind is his name; he won't be needing it for a while.
It soon becomes clear that the "why" doesn't matter, though there are intriguing hints along the way. What matters is the journey-the inward one and the outward. At first, the issue is survival: how does an educated product of civilization survive without tools and clothes? Scavenging the forgotten and discarded detritus on farms and by the roadside gives him his start, and he discovers that what he needs can almost always be either found or made-as long as he needs only essentials. And that raises one of the central questions of the book: what do we really need?
From this barest of beginnings, he shuffles with the most destitute, hungers with the penurious, survives with an every-growing array of skills. Learn how to live, eat, make weapons and build shelters in the forest; learn to construct a raft and escape notice in the night. Find the fabric of our world through geology, metallurgy, botany, palaeontology, and finally myth and vision.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Read This Book,
This review is from: Naked in the Road (Paperback)
Some will Compare Pomeroy's work, Naked in the Road to Henry David Thoreau's Walden. But Pomeroy does Thoreau one better, he teaches while allowing the reader to truly enjoy the journey. Naked in the Road is part philosophy, travel guide, and adventure. The narrator, some would call him a thinly disguised Pomeroy, decides one day to leave his life of materialism and ease in order to find out what is truly necessary in life. He takes nothing with him, not even a name. It is easy to get lost in this book and you will find yourself wondering if you could find shelter, food, clothing, and a new life, if you had nothing to guide you but your wits. You will find yourself caring about this strange nameless man and you will find yourself learning from his philosophy. Follow the narrator as he reasons about necessity and distinguishes want from need. There is much original and truly inspired thought during this journey. Pomeroy shares his far-reaching search for the true meaning of life, and allows us to share in his search for the true self.
Pomeroy writes a compelling story that teaches us to live our lives in a more thoughtful way. Question what you have been taught, experience life through your own eyes, don't follow the unwashed masses-think for yourself. These are just a few of the lessons that Naked in the Road can teach us. If each one of us took this journey, we too could discover what is truly necessary in our own lives and we might just be able to discover the source of true contentment.
5.0 out of 5 stars
I'm ready to write this review now...,
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This review is from: Naked in the Road (Paperback)
What a journey Pomeroy can portray. Mixing both survival adventure with introverted prose Naked in the Road teases with the question of why the narrator would cast off cultural norms, including dominant society, to determine what is necessary for existence. More importantly, the author forces the reader to evaluate all that being human represents; what is needed and what has been lost through the quest for the easy life. Pomeroy examines the common dismissal the average First World citizen has of the exhaustible wealth of the world; constantly questioning what resources used, labour toiled, and energy spent to form everday items such as a bottle of water. "The others are slaving out there for how many hours a week to fill their houses with this crap at the same time they're throwing it away" the narrator says of an easily fixed VCR found in the dumpster, pointing out both the wastefulness of resources and time. Along with the narrator's return to the material necessities of culture, Pomeroy also presents the need and importance of community. This book, by far, has been the best reminder that we share this earth and that everything comes at a cost.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow! Quite an adventure,
By Craig Clarke "Craig Clarke" (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Naked in the Road (Paperback)
This book really made me think. I found myself wondering about what is nature, why are we here, and what is needed to really live and have a good life? This guy is quite a character and quite a pleasure to read. I find myself wondering if his travels are real or imagined. I do believe that the underwater town is a real place and has quite an amazing history. I can't imagine the government damning up a river and flooding the town I had lived in all my life--it would be so strange to have all of the places that hold so many memories for me just cease to exist. What a rich history a scuba diver could discover while exploring such a place.
But that is really just a small part of this unique novel. Consumerism takes a bit hit in this novel. One wonders if true happiness is not to be found in material possessions, but lies elsewhere. That is what the author challenges each of us to discover. Could I do as the narrator does and give up all I have in order to find true harmony within myself? After reading this book I believe I am closer to discovering the answer to that question. Write on, Dr. Pomeroy.
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