{"product_id":"driving-lessons-a-road-trip-through-american-travel-literature-9780817361990","title":"Driving Lessons: A Road Trip Through American Travel Literature","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeaves the author's own four-month cross-country sojourn in a VW van with thoughts on travel narratives across the history of American literature\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e In \u003ci\u003eDriving Lessons\u003c\/i\u003e, Christopher B. Strain sets out on a quintessential American road trip, exploring not just the roads and byways of the country but the road trip's place in American culture. Strain dives into the well of American travel writing, illuminating fascinating aspects of the road trip, such as how race, class, and gender shape the experiences of road trippers. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e In the summer of 1998, amid a professional crisis of confidence, Strain settled on a plan to reconnect with both himself and the country he studies. He purchased a 1972 Volkswagen Westfalia van and set off on his own cross-country odyssey. In the weeks that followed, he ruminated on his own ongoing journey alongside great journeys from the past and how they reveal the heart of the traveler as well as the landscape of the nation. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Visiting archives and landmarks across the United States, Strain's journey became a parallel to the stories he studied--an opportunity to see and experience the cities, national parks, and monuments that define US history. \u003ci\u003eDriving Lessons\u003c\/i\u003e is a compelling blend of literary analysis and memoir, offering readers an insightful and heartfelt reflection on the enduring power of the American road trip. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Christopher B. Strain\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e University Alabama Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/15\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 216\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780817361990","brand":"University Alabama Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43446845309065,"sku":"9780817361990","price":34.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0636\/9240\/6921\/files\/img_411b3b0f-f79c-4492-babe-b28869060e99.jpg?v=1741683137","url":"https:\/\/sonsanddaughtersbooks.com\/products\/driving-lessons-a-road-trip-through-american-travel-literature-9780817361990","provider":"Sons and Daughters Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}