If you are one of those people who sees everyone by location, race, politics or economic status, this travel through America will let you see the great people of this country as they really are: Americans.

The author doesn't walk across America. He starts his journey in NY and ends up in Louisiana.

I expected more camping-type outdoorsy adventures and hikes through mountains and valleys (as the title and the book's front cover suggests). Instead I got a four-month stay in a crowded house trailer owned by a black southern family, and his extended stay at the commune with the hippies. The author's brief visit with the mountain man was interesting.

The book leans heavily on other people, their activities and events. Little emotional insight is ever revealed about the author. The man and his dog are seldom alone, beating the path on foot or fending for themselves. The book reads like a teenager's "What I Did on My Summer Vacation" school report.

Younger people might like this book. Older adults may find it boring and lacking in luster and adventure.

To me, Peter Jenkins comes across as a very selfish, self-centered person. At the beginning, he abandoned his young wife for no apparent reason (he does not really explain what happened except by saying things got unbearable between them), in the end, he dragged another girl to walk across the country with him, even though he realized that this would totally disrupt her career. Even his treatment of his dog shows that he is obsessed with himself -- he thought his dog could think like a human (actually, like him) and he used plural to describe what he and his dog think (we remembered, we liked or did not like this place, etc.), which is completely ridiculous, mildly irritating and totally laughable. I guess that what long, lonely walks do to people, and if you get stranded on an island, you may also talk to a volleyball.

Even though he tried to distance himself from the hippies, he really is just another hippie who cares only about himself and his "spiritual journey" rather than the people who care about him. How his whole walk started is still not very clear to me, he said it was because he hated his country and wanted to see it for himself, but from the book I did not get a strong impression of this. Instead, I got the impression that it was just another excuse for him to walk away from responsibility.

But, I guess we shouldn't be too harsh on the author. Despite the somewhat juvenile writing style, irksome overuse of exclamation marks, the absurdity of using plural to describe himself and his dog, the trite story of how he found god in some southern evangelical congregations, and the adolescent and melodramatic love affair at the end, walking and working his way from upper state New York to New Orleans is no small feat, neither is writing a book about it. Overall, it was an easy, mostly enjoyable (though occasionally irritating) read.

The parts about the mountain hermit and when he lived with a black family are the highlights of the book. I also think the author did an adequate, if not excellent, job of recording the conversations of people with different background and origins. The part about "The Farm" (a place where a group of hippie cult people lived) is kind of confusing. Why did he go back and in the process got his dog killed? Why didn't he just walk away?

I also found some of his self-confessed "preconceptions" about southerners are so stereotypical that they do not appear very believable anymore; they sound more like what he made up afterwards to build a contrast between his preconceptions and reality in order to tell the story ("I thought they were just undereducated rednecks, but wait, they are actually nice folks"). More importantly, The religious undertone almost got out of hand at the end and was in danger of ruining the book. Had it happened earlier in the book, it must have made it intolerable. Fortunately that was not the case.

I wavered between giving it a 3 or 4 stars (truthfully I would give it a 3.5 stars), but considering he walked the walk and wrote the book, both are no small feats, I will give it 4 stars.

I read Jenkins' book 20+ ears ago. I also had the chance to meet him. I can, honestly say that this book changed my life. He made me so curious about places I'd never seen that my native Ohio seemed pretty small. I worked toward an international career and ended up living in Europe for six years and traveling all over Asia. This is a pretty wonderful world with a lot of wonderful people. Thanks to this book, I got off my butt and went out to see it for myself. Thanks Peter!

When I was 21, I didn't have the nerve to just pick up and drive across America like some friends from college did. I wish I did. So now, even as a mom and a wife, my husband and I plan trips across the country to see what it is like and what we can share with our boys.

I picked this book up at my church library and it's a wonderful book ~~ so what if the grammar and writing style are awkward? It's wonderful. I am literally jealous because he experienced some things that I wish I did. He got on the road and traveled to see America with his very best friend, Cooper. Did I mention that Cooper is his dog? (As a dog owner, I totally relate to Jenkins' view that Cooper is his best friend.) So Jenkins decided to figure out if America is really a beautiful country ~~ disillusioned with the Vietnam War, politics, the "American Way" and with people. He decided that the only way he can ever know what he thinks or believes in is to hike across America. Apparently, this is the first book of that journey where he walks with Cooper, whom he lost due to an accident in Tennessee on The Farm. But all ends well in New Orleans.

Along the way, he meets a lonely mountain man and learned about the life on the mountains. He meets strangers who aren't friendly. He meets strangers that knew about him by word of mouth. He meets Governor Wallace in Alabama. He gets adopted by a family in the Carolinas, where he stopped for several months to work and earn money. He almost gets killed by a drunken posse who decided that he was alright after all ~~ without laying a finger on him. The man came back the next day and apologized for scaring him. He gets kicked out of a small community because he was a "hippie" with a beard and long hair. He communes on The Farm where everyone worked together and raised vegetables/fruits, children together. He traveled long and hard before reaching the Gulf. And his stories are just fascinating.

If you like travel stories, this is definitely a good one to pick up. If you want to hear about a man's viewpoint about different parts of the country ~~ this is a good choice. It's clean, refreshing and stark. It's not the best writing in the world, but he was 22 when he did that and he wasn't trained to be a writer. But he did something that a lot of people wish that they could do (including me).

8-31-07

i remember the first time i read this, i was young and read it from my grandparents readers digest books, i eneded up buying a real copy and still have it. This book is an excellent read for anyone of any age group.Feel free as he explores the country.

I read this wonderful book more than 20 years ago, as well as the follow-on book, The Walk West. I'm currently in Iraq and met a man from the United Kingdom last month. We were talking and he said he always planned to walk across America, and still might do that when he finishes his work here. I told him about this book...and after I returned to my base, I decided to order it and will mail it to my friend. I know he'll enjoy this book and that it will inspire him to fulfill his dream of walking across our great country someday.

One of the books that has had a greater impact on me. This is personal testimony of a young man who set out walking across half of America, disillusioned with the world he knew. Along the way he will discover people who will show him a different way to look at life.

Written in a simple style, with humility and candidness. A spiritual journey that we have the privilege to witness, and that can be a great benefit for those who sit at home prisoners of their empty selfs. A portrait of rural America, of real people and of real places. Real life always excells fiction. A most highly recommended book, don't lose this opportunity and read it.

I first read this book in high school in teh early 1980's. At that time, I felt secure in the 'faith' of the religion I'd been taught and found Mr. Jenkins' lack of faith really odd and confusing.

However, here I am a middle aged person and finding myself with the same ambiguity about faith in God or in America. While reading the text again didn't necessarily answer my own quandries about faith, it does make me wish I had the ability to walk across America and find myself as he did. There are amazing stories and amazing people all over the planet, and is someone could take a truly accurate poll, I believe we'd find that there is much more good than bad on our planet.

I suspect Mr. Jenkins would agree.

I almost don't want to say anything negative about this
book for fear that I'll be linked with some of the those
unkind reviewers whose vitriol is, to say the least, not
helpful.... Yes, folks, there was a time when idealistic
young hippies roamed the earth.

As for Jenkins' book, the sentient dog didn't bother me as much as
it seemed to bother other reviewers because lot's of dog owners
think their dog understands them. The dog's intelligence
is improbable, but viewed through the eyes of loving dog owners
is not impossible. At any rate, it didn't ruin the story.

The real problem I have with this book is the complete
unbelievability of the characters Jenkins met along his
journey. Honestly, "the noble black family" or "the Yankee
hating rednecks", or how about "the wise hermit"... it's
as if Mr. Jenkins picked his characters from the book of
stereotypes. If you don't mind that a lot of this story
is probably fiction, then you might enjoy this
book. If you do mind, then take a pass, and read
"Blue Highways".

The whole book is written for about a fifth grade level reader, but who cares? It was an amazing story that still wears well now twenty-five years later. A few encounters are dated, but since mostly it is an inspiring study in some of the best and sometimes most surprising of interaction, it is timeless. It is inspiring without being sappy, as it takes us through the beauty, expected and otherwise, that Peter Jenkins found on his journey through the the Eastern Half of the U.S. (this is a part one, if you will, but it stands alone). The best part is his time with a family in a trailer in a small town in North Carolina, where a Northern Yankee got a lot of culture shock, but in the best of ways.

An easy read and if you're like me, one you'll drag out every so often and read again.

The whole book is written for about a fifth grade level reader, but who cares? It was an amazing story that still wears well now twenty-five years later. A few encounters are dated, but since mostly it is an inspiring study in some of the best and sometimes most surprising of interaction, it is timeless. It is inspiring without being sappy, as it takes us through the beauty, expected and otherwise, that Peter Jenkins found on his journey through the the Eastern Half of the U.S. (this is a part one, if you will, but it stands alone). The best part is his time with a family in a trailer in a small town in North Carolina, where a Northern Yankee got a lot of culture shock, but in the best of ways.

An easy read and if you're like me, one you'll drag out every so often and read again.

This book is an "easy read" and keeps your attention with every turn this author takes. The impression I went away with was the author has a new appreciation for the people and country we are privileged to live in and with.

Read this one severl years ago, when it was first published, and it has stuck with me since that time. As other reviewers have pointed out, yes, the author can be a bit naive at times and no, he is not Heminway. This is the story of a young man on a personal journey. We do not even have to question his motives as they are his own. We do not have to agree with his conclusions, they they too are his own. The nice thing is, this young man took a journey, had an adventure and had the nerve to write about it. This book, and it's follow up "The Walk West," have been out for a number of years now and have been extremely successful. A lot of people have truely enjoyed them (myself included). This sort of work tends to draw out the rock throwers after a few years. Would strongly suggest you read this one yourself. It does not take that long and you will may quite well like what you find. As a added note: I note that several reviews have taken almost a venomous view as to the author's relationship to his traveling companion, a dog. While I agree, a dog is not a person, I do understand how the author could and apparently did become so attached to his pet. I travel with a dog, have for years, as my only companion, and you do tend to attribute qualities to your four legged fuzzy friend that many cannot see. All in all, recommend this one highly.

Even before I had ever heard of this book, I wanted to do what Peter Jenkins did and just hit the road. So my judgement might be more than a little biased.

Nevertheless, I thought this was a very good read. There's at least two levels to the book. The first of course is the journey. Some guy walks from Upstate New York to New Orleans. How could that be boring? It's a really good story with adventure, freindship (I felt like I knew his dog), thrills, big thoughts, a little bit of romance at the end, and most impoartant of all, great characters.

That brings me to the second level of this book. The characters Jenkins meets make you stop and think. From the poor black family that invited him into their meager home for several months, to the lonesome mountain hermit, and the Guv'nah of Alabamy. I don't want to sound like an after-school special, but Jenkins's experiences make you rethink your assumptions and sterotypes. Take the hippie commune farm, for example. I won't reveal the biggest plot point that occurred there, but one thing that really struck me was their pushiness. Even though hippies are "supposed to be" accepting, peaceful, and have a kind of "do whatever you want, man" attitude, they were relentless on pushing their ideas onto Jenkins, insisting that he join them and that their way of life was the best.

So in short, I say read this book. EVen if you don't want to get into the sociology of it, it can stand up as a fantastic adventure story. Heck, if I had a couple million dollars and could cram the whole thing into two hours (and still do it justice), I'd make it a movie, just so even more people could know about it.

Peter Jenkins wrote an book in this one. It needs to be noted that it is not a work of art, nor a great wonder in nonfiction writing. Of course, the author did not intend it to be. I found it very inspiring to read an individual's account of something of this nature. I would pass this book along to anyone searching for a read that will capture their imagination.

I think Walk across America Was a grab you by the Brain and pull you in. The way he wrote the book you were there walking with him.I read this book 10 years ago and still tell people about it.
The people he meets on the way are true Americans. The one part I will never forget is the part about Church. This is something else. I could not put this book down. I think everyone would love this book. It has a little of all of us in it

I read this many years ago and am writing it from memory of that time. One thing that really impressed me about the book was that he got out of his comfort zone. He was challenged on his anti-Vietnam war and even somewhat anti-American views and challenged to get to know America. And so he did.

It was refreshing as he told of some of his stereotypes of say Southern rednecks and others and yet as he travels he gets to meet some of these people as people and realizes they were different than he had thought.

And then there was the Black family he ended up staying with. He tells of his fears and misgivings when he first encounters the young men but he gets past that and ends up living with them and getting to know them. We can see how his views are changed as he gets to know the different people.

With all the polarization these days as different people attack and talk about others of different ethnic, racial, political, religious or regional views without getting to know them, I remember how he got past that and actually got to know people who were different than he was. It blew some of his stereotypes and he was willing to get past that.

When the subject of race or different political groups has come up, I have recommended this book as it shows how he took the challenge and got to know people. More of us would benefit in getting to know people who are different than we are. We, like he did, will often find out that they are people just like us in a lot of ways.

I was given this book as a kid by a nice old man at my church. I stopped going to church in my teens and am now agnostic. I have since become very critical of religion and my country (mainly the government and our corporate culture). However I think it's important not to become too cynical. In writing a review of this book I find it necessary to point this out because it is a very simply told, innocent story written by a young man who is not a professional writer or an intellectual. He's just a normal, young guy who walked across America and wrote about it with no secret intentions. As a result you get a very entertaining and heartfelt old fashioned adventure story through America's heartland. If you're looking for anything deeper, then you're reading the wrong book.

I read this book when it was first published in the 70's. Now I'm buying it so that my 18 year old can read it and we can talk about the goodness in people. I've always felt that I've known Peter Jenkins through his writing, it's so beautiful and truthful.

I believe Mr. Jenkins must have been paid by the exclamation point, so liberal is he with their use. While his story should be interesting to the wanderers among us, his telling of it is so hamfisted that I just couldn't bear to continue. Jenkins needs a harsher editor or better yet, a ghost-writer. This book reads like a high-school senior's lengthy "personal narrative" for a college admissions essay. But perhaps I'm being too generous.

Everyone has different likes and dislikes so I should not be surprised to read a negatve review of a Walk West. As with A Walk Across America I found it difficult to put it down and go to work or sleep. My family took regular summer vacations to Colorado/New Mexico so I am familier with many of rhe places mentioned in the book. I have camped and rented cabins in the area from Creede to Lake City so it was a personal guided trip to read Peter's descriptions. I have stayed many times at Vickers Ranch in Lake City. I took my book with me one year and Perk Vickers and his wife autographed it for me. The last time I was in Lake City Perk was still living and working. The ranch was up for sale so times change. I try to buy and read all of Peters books. I enjoy his writing style.

Peter Jenkins describes his life in the months leading up to his early 1970's odyssey in a way I can probably best sum up as "lost". Coming of age amid the political maelstrom of the late 1960's, the idealistic Jenkins had felt his faith in America's future slip away, he had a crisis of personal direction, and he was a man who had somewhere in his twenty-odd years fallen away from the hopeful dreams that had once shaped him as who he was. One day while talking with a friend about all the things wrong with the world, the nation, himself, Jenkins was half-seriously told that he should try to seek out the real America and see how much good there was in it. For a man who had become convinced his nation was mired in hopelessness, this challenge to find what was right in the US inspired him to begin a walk--yes a walk on foot-- that began along the Atlantic coast and would eventually end (in his second book) 4,000 miles away in the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Setting off with a backpack, his dog and a lot of courageous ambition, Peter Jenkins, who received backing in his mission from the National Geographic Society, began a meandering trek that took him through the rural countryside of a dozen states and finally, after being adopted by a devout black family in North Carolina, surviving a tornado, the loss of his best friend, walking pneumonia, intimidations by bullying thugs, and attempts to dissuade him from finishing his planned march to the ocean, Jenkins stops for a breather in New Orleans and there meets a woman who becomes the love of his life, and in short order, his bride. This book pauses here but the story of the Jenkins' (yes, his wife begins the walk west with him) hike across the Heartland to the Oregon coast is concluded in this book's sequel. Not only is this an interesting travelogue, and not only is it also the story of America at a particular time in its history, it is the memoir of a man's transformation from cynic back to glorious idealist, and from a spiritual doubter to a spiritually living human being.

Ugh, ugly book. This book, while original, was definitely not a book I'd sit down and read on a Saturday afternoon. It wasn't worth my time, and I doubt it will be worth yours.

Peter Jenkins, author and protagonist, decides to walk across America for no good reason besides curiosity. He takes an exaggerated super-dog named Cooper with him. He explores all different aspects of society in his quest and eventually finds himself a girl and gets married. Many things in this I find hard to believe. The author believes that Cooper and himself share a level of implied communication of feelings to each other (implying that the animal is sentient). The some of the ridiculous characters encountered represent the crazies of American society. The lack of interesting plot left me gasping for something solid.

The only thing and I found that I liked in this book was that the author found God in the end and felt the power of God affect his life.

This story is wonderful, a must read. i admire Peter so much, next to "the Dove" by Robin Graham, this is my favorite book.

you can experience the walk along with him as he goes on his journey. the people he meets, the tired feet, sleeping in the rain, all of it, good and bad, you'll feel you've been there yourself by the end of the book.

sweet Cooper... the dog. i love dogs. visiting the farm, and all the people and how he is feeling as he walks, is what makes this so good.

my darling Norman even liked it, and he hates "adventure" books!

wonderful stuff. i highly recommend it.

This is by far one of the best books I've ever read. In fact, it's required reading for all of my homeschooled children. Peter Jenkins did a wonderful job writing about his experiences and this story evokes WANDERLUST!

I highly recommend this book for those who love to dream from their armchairs. If you love true adventure stories, please check out the following books:

PADDLE TO THE AMAZON: (1200 mile canoe ride)

and

MILES FROM NOWHERE: (bicycle adventure around the world.)

These 3 books are at the top of my list as AWESOME adventure stories to read - and all time favorites!

When I bought this book I hadn't noticed it wasn't the whole trip end to end. As I read, I realized this story was going to spill over into another book. I also realized what a mistake I made not having the second one in hand! "A Walk Across America" is an excellent read! Highly recommended. My only complaint was I couldn't put it down and other things went to the wayside for the afternoon it took me to read it.

So, a young, all American boy says: "I want to feel the marrow of this great country" or something equally absurd and decides to walk it's width. I read this when I was 19 and travelling around the US solo, you know, looking for some good travel narrative. Basically, this book confirmed my fears about how boring America really is: you walk around, meet some guys with beards. Oh, what a suprise- America has black people. And then you find Jesus and seduce a nun (well, the seduction wasn't actually stated, but I give it an extra star on the off chance it was implied). Oh yeah, this guy really likes his dog and thinks it has feelings and a soul and what-have-you. I'm sorry, but I simply can not trust a person who thinks so highly of a dog. That is not to say I don't like dogs. That is to say that I don't like this book--it's trite, full of pop psych style inspiration, and double crosses you with a litany of born again Jesus magic.

Peter Jenkins' "A Walk Across America" at first glance is just another book in the Travel Essay section of a bookstore. The words are plain, the prose at times feels unnatural (like Jenkins opened his high-school creative writing book and added all of the suggestions at once). But for as immemorable as the writing in this book is, the story is unnaturally sincere and humane. Jenkins' story of being disillusioned at twenty, searching for the real world, and deciding to walk across America to find it is at once an instant American classic. The highs, the lows, the incredible amount of passion he puts into the book gives the reader the sense that he is sitting at Jenkins' feet listening to him tell the story. His accounts of the people he meets, the lessons he learns and the hardships he overcomes can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life, young and old. A must-read.

Everyone should have this book on their shelf. After all these years it is still in print, so that should tell you something! Peter was a hippie disillusioned by America. He decided to set out on a literal walk across America with nothing but his backpack and malamute dog to keep him company. There are, of course, ups and downs to his journey - times of loneliness, sickness, danger, and peril. But he met many wonderful people. Some would surprise you - like a recluse mountain man who turned out to be friendlier than he thought, and a poor black family in the rural south who were very generous and welcomed him into their humble home. He even lived on a cult-like, alternative, free-love "farm" for while. Peter, at the end of his walk, had a spiritual awakening and his faith in America was re-newed. It is an inspiring story. But does not end here. The next book chronicles his walk west with his new wife!

This is a classic that came out in 1979, and has deservedly stayed in print. It is ostensibly a backpacking journey across the country begun by a young, somewhat disenchanted man, but it is also very much a journey of self-discovery. A good portion of the memoir takes place in Alabama-in fact, it ends in Mobile-such as a stay in Mountain Brook as well as an eventful Alabama football game in Birmingham. The author's meeting with Governor George Wallace has to be read to be believed. It's a special book.

Absolutely one of the best reads that I've ever encountered. Of course, throughout this book, I continued to hopelessly imagine myself taking this journey along with Peter. Its just a down to earth, true speaking, journey across the eastern US. I wish I could have been there to experience it too. Great read!

I would say that a worse book could not be produced, but I know that there's some hot-blooded hippy out there who is ten seconds away from jumping up from his pottery wheel to shout, "Hey! I'm gonna walk across America and WRITE ABOUT IT!" (Or, rather, since he's a hippy, "Hey, MAN! I'm gonna walk across America and WRITE ABOUT IT!") Nothing against hippies; most of them know how to write well. It's the hippies that don't who really annoy me, such as Mr. Peter "My Life Partner is an Alaskan Malamute" Jenkins. He even admits it! ". . . I was not a writer. I could barely spell my name" (p. 57). So, please tell us, Peaterr Jinkyns, why'd you do it? Do you enjoy lacing together poorly-worded images and emotions into a story that's actually PAINFUL to read? The whole book seems as if it were written like a high school student writes an English essay on "The Scarlet Letter" at 4 A.M. the day it's due. (Yes, that's right, I used a similie--something Peter Jenkins should never ever do again.) He should let his dog do the writing, instead. (Which he does, in some points. He's one of those people who thinks his dog can talk.)

This book got good reviews from other people because of it's optimistic outlook on our country, but I say don't listen to the optimists. They think that George W. Bush is a good president. It's the cynics who see the truth as it really is.

Don't get me wrong, I love this country and I'm very proud of it. In fact, I even wrote my own book about it. It's called "My Feet Hurt, America". Here's an excerpt:

"Today I started walking across this great country of ours, but half a mile out, I got tired and decided to go home and eat a Super-Sized BigMac combo meal with lots of ketchup. God bless the USA from sea to shining sea and the home of the brave. THE END"

MY POINT: I think it's great that people love this country so much that they want to walk across it and write books about it. But I do think people should learn to write first. So don't read this book, unless you want a story about a hippy-turned-Republican.

One of the best, personal, diarys that I have ever encountered.
Peter Jennings has a way of explaining his adventures that puts you right along beside him with every step. I purchased this book because of its preview within its cover, and it was the best book that I think I have ever read. I can't wait to get the next one.." The walk west". I couldn't lay this book down.

This is a great read that teaches you what America is truely like. Although this book was written over 20 years ago, its story still hits home today. Happiness, sadless, love, friendship, heatache - this book has it all.

I was amazed to read a book in which the events took place when I was just a baby. I wouldn't call it a history book, but it does teach you what the United States were like in the 70's.

I had a hard time putting this book down. I started reading and just fell in love with the story and the people (and animals), especially Cooper, Peter's amazing dog that joins him on this journey from upstate New York to New Orleans.

I can't wait to read the follow up book A Walk West

This book is my all time favorite. It is true adventure with a new happening one every page. A must read !!!

I am not a person who likes to read much and certainly not the same book repeatedly. But I have read A Walk Across America at least 5 times which is why I'm buying a new one in hardback. I read Peter's story to my students and we use it for geography lessons, graphing lessons and for all around enjoyment. One year I was unable to finish the book before the end of the school year and a student begged his parents to track down a copy of it so he could finish it on his own.

This is a simple story of an amazing journey, narrated by a man who writes in a refreshingly open manner. Whether you enjoy walking or not, or whether you have the slightest interest in the geography or social customs of the United States, this book is written for everyone who has a desire to read a beautiful story.

Peter Jenkins walks across America in this book, with his faithful, tireless companion, his dog Cooper. The dog is an integral part of this story and almost made me go out and buy one of Cooper's breed. He is the epitome of what a dog should be, and canine lovers will adore all the little vignettes about this amazing fellow. Of course there are setbacks, heartaches and crises along the way, but there are also some old-fashioned heartwarming moments as well. The people in the South are especially helpful to a thirsty, hungry traveler. Jenkins' stories of their hospitality is touching.

Yes, there are a few sections of the book which border almost on the mawkish and the "aw, shucks" John Denver-ish approach of the main character might seem a little dated or folksy. But I challenge the naysayers to attempt (and succeed) at what Jenkins managed to do, it's an amazing book and one which many people will read in a single evening. One note: there is a second part to this narrative, which encompases the rest of the journey across America. This book is also available on Amazon.

I admit, the writing style was not amazing or creative but it was well said. Jenkins told his story through his own experience, even if it may or never can relate to me, I still found his stories to be full of depth. I bawled my eyes out at teh water truck chapter and afterwards, i kept feeling incredible empitness and loss. Alothough he had a happy ending, as well as full of energy-- I still found myself mourning for Cooper. I couldnt give him 5 stars because, his writing styles got a little bit too songsy for my taste, some of his comments were cheesy. However, if you are willing to overlook his style and look at the story itself, i promise you, it will make you laugh, cry and wonder!

I found this book long forgotten on a shelf in an extra bedroom during the holidays. Having read Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods" several months ago, I thought a good travelogue would be an interesting read. Other reviewers have provided an ample summary of the storyline, but I simply saw this as being a personal travel journal written by a typical recent college grad of his adventures (I wouldn't call him a hippie - weren't we all pseudo hippies at that day and age). The book seemed to be very genuine accounts of his thoughts and exploits - an interesting glimpse for the rest of us - not only of his travels within these geographic regions, but of America and people in general in that day and age. There is certainly no comparison in the writing sophistication of Bryson's excellent book and this first Peter Jennings endeavor, however for light reading (sometimes a little corny and naive), but enough going on to keep you interested and reading, I recommend it. I found it very uplifting and reconfirming as to what America's really like beyond the turbulent newspaper headlines.

Note that the cover of this book, showing a Rocky Mountain scene, is inaccurate. This book covers Jenkins' walk from New York State to Louisiana, while his trek to the Rockies is in a later book. In this story Jenkins starts as a disillusioned hippie in 1973 and decides to walk across America to restore his faith in the country. He started with little knowledge of the challenges of hiking - embarking in New York in the fall and thus suffering through winter in the Northern Appalachians, then spending the sweltering summer in the Deep South. There are many surprises in this book concerning the people Jenkins met along the way. This is especially true of his run-in with racial prejudice in the Deep South, and his perspective as an extremely naïve hippie white boy from up north is rather interesting. In the North Carolina mountains he was harassed by Yankee-hating rednecks who threatened to lynch him. But in the very next town he found shelter with a friendly black family who let him live with them in their cramped trailer home for five months. Jenkins' time with the Oliver family is the best part of this book, even though it interrupted his walk - and his account of his first service at their church is hilarious.

Other than meetings with some interesting people, this book cracks under Jenkins' completely juvenile and naïve writing style. Examples can be found in odes to his faithful and personality-rich dog Cooper, who was his traveling companion. Try not to gag on lines like "my irresistible friend brought, for the thousandth time, a smile like all of sunshine to my face" or "he and I were going to be together forever!" Jenkins is unable to convey any sort of emotion without an over-reliance on exclamation points and remedial platitudes - some examples are "Oh! I was mad!" and "Mobile made me want to sing and shout!" This tendency ruins for the reader the truly monumental events in Jenkins' life during his trip - the death of his dog, an unexpected religious conversion, and falling in love with a southern belle. Worst yet is his total lack of insight into his own efforts at soul searching, the freedom of unrestricted travel, or the real America that he was looking for and found. That all makes this book little more than a dry travel diary, and I sure hope that Jenkins' later books show more skill and insight.

I remember first reading this book as part of a school assignment as a junior in high school. At the time I thought not that much of it. But once I bought the book and started to read it, I could not put it down. It was a well written book and Mr. Jenkins writes in a way that you, the reader, are right there walking beside him and Cooper and sharing thoughts and experiences.

I once read an article in National Geographic, I believe 1978. I told my mother how inspiring it was. I was an outdoorsy type, and to hear of a young man in 1973 who gave up everything for a trip to try and understand the disillusion he had of his generation, his life and the bad taste so many expressed of his own country. My life had changed from this article, It was soon after this my mother found the book in the library and brought it home. I read it 3 times, each time it was just and good. It felt as though I was walking right there along side of him, I felt the pain, the joy and the intriguing moments of his life, the moments exploring and meeting new people. He had a special love for his best friend he called Cooper "Coops" a half Husky/Alaskan Malemute dog who had actually kept him alive during a spell of the flu on a cold mountaintop. Cooper died midway through the book, Peter expressed very well his loss and I cried as well, he explained his emptiness afterwards and I felt his pain.

Peter Jenkins has written several other books since and I've read them all but this one will always hold a special place in my heart.

Good travel adventure book. Jenkins walked from Alfred,NY to New Orleans. Jenkins met the common American people that make this country great. Jenkins teach the reader all he learn from his walk. I read this book because of a college assignment. Jenkins is one of the best current American writers. I recommend you to read it.

I finished reading Peter Jenkins' book for the first time just a few days ago. As has been stated by other reviewers, this book chronicles the first section of Jenkins' walk across America in the early 1970's to see what the country is about. Along the way he meets interesting people and has a scare or two. His story is told in an easy-to-read style that flows fairly well. It's not a complex tale, but it is very engaging.

If I had one negative comment about the book, I'd say that it is a bit slow out of the gate. While I understand Jenkins has to lay the foundation for the story, and why he is undertaking this journey in the first place, I found this to be a bit dry. Perhaps I just wanted him to get on with the walk. But having finished the book, I certainly understand why Jenkins spent the time laying the foundation - it helps one understand the internal conversion he went through while traveling. Once Peter reaches Smokey Hollow, the book has fully hit its stride. Having spent much of my life either in the mountains of North Carolina or the deep south of southern Georgia, his experiences certainly rang true. I had no qualms about finishing this book; it was just getting past the first chapters.

In reflection, this book really reminded me in many ways of Kenn Kaufman's book "The Kingbird Highway". Both books are true accounts of journeys taken by young men about the same time in U.S. history. While Kaufman's book is more about a journey while birding, he also goes through a sort of transformation during his journeys. I found the books to be similar also in their easy, breezy writing. As someone mentioned in another review, William Least Heat-Moon's book "Blue Highways" is also somewhat similar. That trip took place several years after this long walking journey, and while aspects of the books are quite similar I find big differences as well. One of the biggest being that Heat-Moon had a vehicle to drive and sleep in. It may not seem like much, but I think that integrally affected how both Jenkins and Heat-Moon interacted with the folks they met.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to understand a bit of what the U.S. was like in the early 1970's. Yes, anything in this book is filtered through Jenkins' experiences and perceptions, but this is an interesting first-hand account of a man's discovery of his country and himself.

I was buying Peter's new book, LOOKING FOR ALASKA, when I decided to read the reviews on amazon.com for some of his other books.

After reading a couple by some people with limited vision I had to write one for his classic A WALK ACROSS AMERICA. This amazing book has been a best seller since 1979, it has sold a couple million copies.

The reason is that it obviously communicates extremely effectively and to all ages, all backgrounds, just read the reviews.

I know because I used to own one of the most successful bookstores in the midwest. I had autoworkers from GM buying it, professorts at MSU, students at MSU, high school students from town, Grandmothers in reading groups, grown-up hippies, stock traders in their suits.

The most powerful and effective communication is done, whether by writing or painting or music or religion even, simply.
The Rolling Stones write and perform songs that reach out and grab all. Great artists, religious leaders, writers do the same.

Peter Jenkins has done this with A WALK ACROSS AMERICA.

Remember Peter is 21 years old when beginning this now famous, yet solitary journey. His book is written from a young persons perspective, yet the masses feel it, love it, and keep buying and buying it.

What a rare book this is. The readers have spoken. And now I have had my turn. Peace.

... I like travelogues and road trip stories and have spent some time hiking in various places across America so I thought I would give it a shot. I was disappointed enough after having starting it that I gave thought to putting it down and starting something else. It's an adequate enough story: young man disillusioned with his country goes on walkabout with his dog to rediscover his country, the people who give it its character and somewhere along the way find God too. It's an old idea that never loses punch. However, as one reviewer here noted the author doesn't quite make it across America in this book. He doesn't even come close so the reader gets somewhat gypped if he expects a travelogue that samples the entire country as the title suggests. But worse is the author's writing style. It's not very creative. In fact, it's downright cliched. He seems to have run out of ways to express himself and falls back on excessive and unimaginative use of similes and makes far too many distracting references to his "forever friend" dog Coops. In summary, I have no problem recommending this book as a compelling read for grade schoolers but I have to think that to read this as an adult forfeits the opportunity to digest something of greater significance and artistry. For better travel stories try Blue Highways, On the Road and Huckleberry Finn.

...I am a professor at a well known, highly ranked college and before that for ten years a high school teacher.

For all the years I have been using A WALK ACROSS AMERICA in my classes, no book I have ever used has been so beloved and accessable and taught so much in Peter Jenkins' ever so subtle way to my students. That means, no book, including several classics. Of course, Jenkins book having been a best seller since 1979 and having had over 100 printings is no considered a classic...There is no travel book, and for that matter almost no other book, published in the last twenty years that can match the sales and reaction performance of A WALK ACROSS AMERICA.

Obviously no book appeals to everyone but A WALK ACROSS AMERICA comes close based on reactions over my fifteen years of teaching thousands of very opinionated students...

I just finished this book and want my money back. I felt like I was expected to write a book report after reading this. If this book is any indication, I won't insult my inteligence by reading any more of his work. He didn't even make it "across" the US in any meaningful sense of the term. In THIS book that is. For the entire trip west, you have to buy the sequel. Sounds like someone is milking a story...

I do envy him his journey. The entire reason I bought this book was to learn about the logistics of undertaking such a long hike, as I plan on walking from the east coast to the west coast someday. Unfortunately he would rather write of his love affair with his "forever friend" and make up lame similes for every little thing he encounters. I would give an example, but I've already given away the book.

In my opinion, check your local library or buy it in a quarter bin at a flea market. Any more time or money invested in this book is a waste.

I read this book in 1986 while in the Marine Corps stationed at Pearl Harbor. After geting out of the service I still haven't settled down. I,ve trekked from Florida to Alaska to India and beyond with no sight of settling down and no reason to.
Jenkins lit a fire in my conciousness that stirred an unquenchable couriosity. This book should have a disclaimer warning that you may just bag what is expected of you and find your own path.
This is a heartfelt account of one mans journey. Be careful!! You just might do it yourself.