Queen of the Road: The True Tale of 47 States, 22,000 Miles, 200 Shoes, 2 Cats, 1 Poodle, a Husband, and a Bus with a Will of Its Own (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: bus conversions, bus phobia, whole bus thing, Queen of the Road, Project Nerd, Wal Mart (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Two psychiatrists driving a motor home around America, and you're still wondering whether to buy this book? Step on the gas and go straight to the register."
–Jeff Arch, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, Sleepless In Seattle

"Doreen Orion has a fresh, wry voice that's all her own and she works it like a rodeo rider in her light-hearted and yet tender new memoir, Queen of the Road."
–Jacquelyn Mitchard, New York Times bestselling author of The Deep End of the Ocean

“His dream — he’s always wanted to see America in a converted bus — and her nightmare —she has a bus phobia — and their mid-life crisis on wheels, make for a hilarious reading adventure.”
–Mary-Lou Weisman, author of Traveling While Married

"You will never look at a psychiatrist the same way again. And you will never take a bus driver for granted, either."
–John Elder Robison, New York Times bestselling author of Look Me in the Eye

"Doreen Orion and her handyman husband Tim prove, with abundant laughs and martini shaker in hand, that sometimes the best way to enrich home-life is to leave the home...or, better yet, just put it on wheels."
–Franz Wisner, New York Times bestselling author of Honeymoon with My Brother

"Orion has every good travel writer's ability to make readers feel they are there, to capture the telling details of places, and to present the account in a witty, accessible way. Reading the book makes you want to hit the road and have some of your own grand adventures. This is a fun read that will make just about anyone start itching for a road trip. Grade 'A.'"–Rocky Mountain News

"A Charles Kuralt-Albert Brooks-style romp where they meet up with nudists, robbers and more. Required Reading." -The New York Post<... --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Review

"Two psychiatrists driving a motor home around America, and you're still wondering whether to buy this book? Step on the gas and go straight to the register."
–Jeff Arch, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, Sleepless In Seattle

"Doreen Orion has a fresh, wry voice that's all her own and she works it like a rodeo rider in her light-hearted and yet tender new memoir, Queen of the Road."
–Jacquelyn Mitchard, New York Times bestselling author of The Deep End of the Ocean

“His dream — he’s always wanted to see America in a converted bus — and her nightmare —she has a bus phobia — and their mid-life crisis on wheels, make for a hilarious reading adventure.”
–Mary-Lou Weisman, author of Traveling While Married

"You will never look at a psychiatrist the same way again. And you will never take a bus driver for granted, either."
–John Elder Robison, New York Times bestselling author of Look Me in the Eye

"Doreen Orion and her handyman husband Tim prove, with abundant laughs and martini shaker in hand, that sometimes the best way to enrich home-life is to leave the home...or, better yet, just put it on wheels."
–Franz Wisner, New York Times bestselling author of Honeymoon with My Brother

"Orion has every good travel writer's ability to make readers feel they are there, to capture the telling details of places, and to present the account in a witty, accessible way. Reading the book makes you want to hit the road and have some of your own grand adventures. This is a fun read that will make just about anyone start itching for a road trip. Grade 'A.'"–Rocky Mountain News

"A Charles Kuralt-Albert Brooks-style romp where they meet up with nudists, robbers and more. Required Reading." -The New York Post

"Hot Summer Read." - Chicago Tribune

"The Elizabeth Gilbert Antichrist." - The Oregonian

"Beneath its fun and frothy exterior, you'll find in this wild ride across America's highways and byways a lovely portrait of a marriage that treats its ups and downs with humor and grace." - Elle Magazine

A charming, insightful and - most important - hilarious book that evokes the best of Bill Bryson and David Sedaris, but spotlights the unique voice of a gifted memoirist. - Jonathan Kellerman, New York Times Bestselling Novelist

"Queen of the Road is basically what would happen if you took me, gave me a modicum of maturity and a better education, and then tricked me into living on a (very nice) bus with my husband and pets for a year. I loved this book and I love this author." - Jen Lancaster, bestselling author of Bright Lights, Big Ass, Bitter is the New Black and Such a Pretty Fat

The author's charm, intelligence and wit make this multi-faceted memoir a must-read. Eat, Pray, Love - without the depression - meets Confessions of a Shopaholic - without the ditz. - Denver Magazine

"A funny, inspiring travel memoir of one couple's cross-country motorhome trip and how it changed their lives.... an action-packed, romantic journey of trials and transformations." - Family Motor Coaching Magazine.

“Part travel memoir, part diva-on-a-bus-tour comedy.” - 5280 Magzine

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Broadway (June 3, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767928539
• ISBN-13: 978-0767928533
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (112 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #40,889 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vicarious Living at its Finest, June 3, 2008

By	Lydia M. Netzer "lostcheerio" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've never made it beyond the 'Hmm, interesting idea' stage regarding RV travel across the country with my husband. Fortunately for me, now I don't have to. Doreen Orion has lived through the ups and downs for me, and recorded them in all kinds of agonizing and hilarious detail. Queen of the Road is about more than just wacky hijinks: the dogs, the nudists, the cocktail recipes. Reading it is a window onto a marriage -- a very honest and illuminating portrayal of the way a marriage works in extreme circumstances. More than just 'we grew, we changed,' it's a road map to a certain kind of communication, a certain kind of togetherness, that was very interesting to witness. Chatty, honest, anecdotal, and real, this book asks nothing of you but your time, and in return delivers a read that feels like a funny friend with all the time in the world to share her exploits with you over martinis. Not your traditional travelogue, but something more accessible and less pretentious than the usual fare.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Read!, June 11, 2008

By	Reader Mom (Los Angeles CA United States) - See all my reviews

Doreen Orion, in her book - Queen of the Road has captured the wild adventure of living on a bus and wrapped it up in page after page of laughs. She uses her flaws and foibles openly to draw in the reader, making it seem as though we are right there with her. Bus Butt and all. As the story unfolds, she shifts from self proclaimed Princess and shoe worshipper to someone who appreciates a night sky and no-TV dinners, reminding us that there is more to life than this crazy game we live in.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Will Keep Your Cocktail Hours Amusing, June 4, 2008

By	Elizabeth Serzane - See all my reviews

Psychiatrist Doreen Orion and husband Tim (also a psychiatrist) take off on an adventure most of us can only dream of as they travel the country for a year in a luxuriously converted bus. A self-proclaimed "Princess from the Isle of Long", Orion struggles with the radical change of lifestyle she's committed to out of love for her husband. Despite bus mishaps and an unfortunately timed and ironic phobia of the bus crashing, she manages to keep her sense of humor, her love for her husband and her sanity. As much of a surprise to her as it is to the reader, Ms. Orion comes away with some real insights into who she has been in the world and who she now wants to become. Hilarious anecdotes of the people she meets along the way avoid the overly folksy mannerisms of some "on the road" memoirs. With her sharp, incisive, and occasionally cynical wit, Orion always gives the reader something to laugh about while clearly enjoying everyone (well mostly everyone) she meets along the way. The changes in her worldview, while not earth shattering, feel genuine and inspiring. A great read for anyone who wants to get out and "do" something meaningful outside of cultural definitions, and with a lot of laughs along the way. And the cocktail recipes that start each chapter are not only whimsical and fun, but are also cool and delicious!