Customer Reviews

The Road

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I rate this book very highly more because of its uniqueness and value to the social historian, than for its relatively poor literary merit. This is London's lighthearted remeniscence of days spent as a train-hopping hobo in the 1890s, a period when the culture of the hobo was still in its genesis. He was only 18 at the time, and was arrested for vagrancy and imprisoned for three months in the Northeast. It was this harsh experience which turned him into a lifelong socialist. The book is resplendant with character sketches of nineteenth-century hobos, hobo culture and language, train travel, and locales. An important American [sub]cultural narrative, and well worth the read

I read this book when I was a teenager: it was a very old german copy, printed in gothic caractes: I can tell you it's hard to read an old gothic font if you are not used to it!
Yet I read the whole book very fast and with great pleasure. I still remember it as one of the best I ever read.
It is a wonderful, adventurous and very human tale of a different America. I think it has both literary qualities and social interest.
As for the "missing historical background", as one reader says, I do not think this is a "serious falling": the story gets even more fascinating being a bit "mysterious". If you are interested in learning more about Kelly's Army, go to a library ore use Google: this is not a school book!
And there IS an end: a quite sad one too, that makes you understand how London did not really fit in a "normal" life -- and in fact he ended up killing himself.
Read this book.

"The Road", by Jack London is one of his best books that I have read, it is written as though it is a dairy and it is not really written like a story. I bought a copy in Okland California at the Jack London museum. Its is about his travels and experiences during the late 1800s and early 1900s when he was a hobo on the railroad. In my opinion this book is one of Jack London's better lesser know books, I highly recommend it!

The Road by Jack London is a true on the road book. I first heard of it while studying Kerouac but had a hard time finding an affordable copy. Eventually I located it and it is wonderful. Highly recomended for anyone who travels or enjoys Kerouac, this book is an easy to read account of what the road was like at the begining of the 1900's. If you pick this up, you are in for a treat.

I was'nt aware of this book--It was a good quick read--I think London must have been one of Jack Kerouac's many inspirations for his famous "On The Road" some 50+ years later.

"The Road", by Jack London is one of his best books that I have read, it is written as though it is a dairy and it is not really written like a story. I bought a copy in Okland California at the Jack London museum. Its is about his travels and experiences during the late 1800s and early 1900s when he was a hobo on the railroad. In my opinion this book is one of Jack London's better lesser know books, I highly recommend it!

Good collection of stories from the road. London delivers. Don't expect Call of the Wild or White Fang, the subject is different. Mainly stories from life as a "hobo".

"The Road", by Jack London is one of his best books that I have read, it is written as though it is a dairy and it is not really written like a story. I bought a copy in Okland California at the Jack London museum. Its is about his travels and experiences during the late 1800s and early 1900s when he was a hobo on the railroad. In my opinion this book is one of Jack London's better lesser know books, I highly recommend it!

this is storie from a time as a wanderer. some of it is a interesting read, some of it not. all in all it's like images, and the reader doesn't get too involved. L has never been famous for writing from a biographical point of view, and it's not surprising. i was charmed by some of the scenes, but on the whole it was not such an interesting read

This is London's autobiographical tale of his life as a hobo and a part-time, although not a very loyal, member of Kelly's Army. One serious failing of this books is that London neglects to give any historical facts on this Army. Why was it created, what were its results? Instead we get very repetitious stories about riding the rails and escaping the bulls, his time in the Erie County Jail, a lot of abuse of women and children. The story's beginning is in the middle and there is no end. When did he leave the road and why? You won't find out here. To me, the only reason to read this book is if you are trying to read the entire London cannon, as I happen to be doing. With a little better organization and a lot of editing, this could have made an interesting short story.