≡ PDF Gratis Drive Thru America Sean Condon 9780864425065 Books

Drive Thru America Sean Condon 9780864425065 Books

Download As PDF : Drive Thru America Sean Condon 9780864425065 Books

Drive Thru America Sean Condon 9780864425065 Books

"In a cool cell somewhere beneath the Capitol Building a couple of swarthy types in off-the-rack suits held us down in metal chairs while electrodes were attached to our nipples and genitals." ‒ from DRIVE THRU AMERICA, in Washington, D.C.

"We concluded our hysteric night in historic Tupelo by watching some porno movies ... and discussed what it'd be like licking other people for a living." ‒ from DRIVE THRU AMERICA

"We briefly discussed the idea of crossing the border into Mexico. But why should we? We haven't done anything wrong." ‒ from DRIVE THRU AMERICA, in Galveston

"Here in cute little Carmel-by-the-Sea they've banned obscene eyesores like streetlights and street signs ... Even indoors in Carmel-by-the-Sea they reject anything stronger than gaslight. They must be afraid of being spotted from the air and bombed or something. Still, it's quaint as hell, it really is." ‒ from DRIVE THRU AMERICA

"... although it's a real nice place to visit, I wouldn't want to live in (Los Angeles). Unless I had a cool job in TV or the movies." ‒ from DRIVE THRU AMERICA

Back in '97, the 31-year old Aussie Sean Condon did a 2-month driving tour through the Eastern, Southern, Southwestern, and Western United States with his pal Dave and then wrote DRIVE THRU AMERICA to tell us all about it.

In the tradition of Alexis de Tocqueville, it's enlightening for an American to read what a foreign traveler has to say about the United States. Unfortunately, Sean is no Alex (Democracy in America). Rather, his observations rarely rise above the superficial and his style becomes annoying when he embellishes the narrative with fantasy happenings in an effort to be clever and/or cute. As a travel writer, he's not even a Bill Bryson or a Joe Bennett. That said, however, his effort perhaps promises the same terrible fascination as watching someone OD on moon pies and sickly-sweet, cherry-flavored soda before throwing up.

Condon's most favorable opinion seems to be of California; he actually expresses a desire to live there. (I've been doing that ‒ living there ‒ for most of my sixty-five years and, trust me, it's not what it used to be ‒ even back in `97). And Sean does record one verbal exchange he had ‒ real or imagined, it's hard to tell ‒ in a Los Angeles bar and worth noting:

"I asked one extraordinarily tall and beautiful woman about the drug she was on.

'It's called Fame,' she said with a notorious smile.

'What happens?' I asked.

'You get a sudden rush of delusional grandeur. The world is yours.'

'Cool. How long does it last?'

'Fifteen minutes,' she replied. 'Gotta go ‒ I'm peaking.'"


Tags : Drive Thru America [Sean Condon] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. If you've ever wanted to drive across the US but couldn't find the time (or afford the gas), <I>Drive Thru America</I> is perfect for you.<BR><BR>In his search for American myths and realities - along with comfort,Sean Condon,Drive Thru America,Lonely Planet,0864425066,Central America,North America;Description and travel.,North America;Social life and customs;Humor.,1965-,Condon, Sean,,Description and travel,Essays & Travelogues,Humor,Journeys,Non-Fiction,North America,Social life and customs,TRAVEL,TRAVEL Central America,Travel & holiday guides,Travel - General,Travel Essays & Travelogues,United States - General

Drive Thru America Sean Condon 9780864425065 Books Reviews

This book was recommended to me with the notion that it was about two Australians who loved American pop culture so much that they decided to drive through the United States themselves and see what it was all about. Well, that's exactly what "Drive Through America" is... a long "Simpsons" episode in which much wackiness ensues and in which, surprisingly, there are a couple of unexpectedly emotional encounters.
Author Condon claims to have quit his advertising job in early 1996, and to have used the ensuing free time to drive from New York to San Francisco the long way around. Along for the ride is friend O'Brien, who provides the illustrations and plays the laconic sidekick. Weird things happen to the pair their rental car is struck by lightning, they travel to the deep South to return a lost bible found on a New York City subway train, and they have a gun-toting encounter on a Hollywood movie shoot.
How much of this actually happened is, of course, debatable. For a hint of what the drive through America was really like, check out the acknowledgements, which paint a different picture as to where they stayed and what they saw. So, fine, this is not a straight travelogue but mostly an extended riff on what it's like to walk into the land of all those TV sitcoms and classic movies. The pop culture jokes are all over the place, some of them quite subtle the "Clockwork Orange" gag (relating to the serial theft of hotel TV remote controls) may have been the best part of the book for me. There's also just a smidgen of social commentary (why does Condon, in the USA, feel he has to buy a gun?).
For the most part, the jokes and the exaggerated episodes are enough to make "Drive Through America" a fast, fun read. Perhaps after this you'll want to rent your own car, find your own wise, quiet sidekick, and do it all again on your own.
Loved the book will read it again. Herman Rothstein story left me laughing uncontrollablly. The 4 times I read it.
Love Sean's writing!
I've read this book more than once over the years. It is one I'll dust off my bookshelf when I want something light and funny. I love Condon's sense of humor. Condon and his friend experience true Americana. They don't visit all of the most impressive and high profile places the U.S. has to offer, but rather they travel to the places you might have seen from the back of your parent's station wagon (or minivan/SUV depending on your age).

There were many vignettes I could relate to. After having visited the Hearst Castle in California, the impression I left with was not awe over the house, but instead I left thinking "Wow, they are awfully militant around here." That was after my older aunt got chastised for chewing gum. Not chewing gum at the "castle" but chewing gum in the visitor's center miles away from the house. Reading about Condon's experience there had me in tears.

Also, after enduring numerous childhood vacations to Galveston mainly out of convenient proximity, it absolutely cracks me up that he and his friend choose to go there. And are rightly so disappointed.

Condon genuinely reveres all things tacky about the U.S., and if you can appreciate that for what it is worth, this is a fun book.
"In a cool cell somewhere beneath the Capitol Building a couple of swarthy types in off-the-rack suits held us down in metal chairs while electrodes were attached to our nipples and genitals." ‒ from DRIVE THRU AMERICA, in Washington, D.C.

"We concluded our hysteric night in historic Tupelo by watching some porno movies ... and discussed what it'd be like licking other people for a living." ‒ from DRIVE THRU AMERICA

"We briefly discussed the idea of crossing the border into Mexico. But why should we? We haven't done anything wrong." ‒ from DRIVE THRU AMERICA, in Galveston

"Here in cute little Carmel-by-the-Sea they've banned obscene eyesores like streetlights and street signs ... Even indoors in Carmel-by-the-Sea they reject anything stronger than gaslight. They must be afraid of being spotted from the air and bombed or something. Still, it's quaint as hell, it really is." ‒ from DRIVE THRU AMERICA

"... although it's a real nice place to visit, I wouldn't want to live in (Los Angeles). Unless I had a cool job in TV or the movies." ‒ from DRIVE THRU AMERICA

Back in '97, the 31-year old Aussie Sean Condon did a 2-month driving tour through the Eastern, Southern, Southwestern, and Western United States with his pal Dave and then wrote DRIVE THRU AMERICA to tell us all about it.

In the tradition of Alexis de Tocqueville, it's enlightening for an American to read what a foreign traveler has to say about the United States. Unfortunately, Sean is no Alex (Democracy in America). Rather, his observations rarely rise above the superficial and his style becomes annoying when he embellishes the narrative with fantasy happenings in an effort to be clever and/or cute. As a travel writer, he's not even a Bill Bryson or a Joe Bennett. That said, however, his effort perhaps promises the same terrible fascination as watching someone OD on moon pies and sickly-sweet, cherry-flavored soda before throwing up.

Condon's most favorable opinion seems to be of California; he actually expresses a desire to live there. (I've been doing that ‒ living there ‒ for most of my sixty-five years and, trust me, it's not what it used to be ‒ even back in `97). And Sean does record one verbal exchange he had ‒ real or imagined, it's hard to tell ‒ in a Los Angeles bar and worth noting

"I asked one extraordinarily tall and beautiful woman about the drug she was on.

'It's called Fame,' she said with a notorious smile.

'What happens?' I asked.

'You get a sudden rush of delusional grandeur. The world is yours.'

'Cool. How long does it last?'

'Fifteen minutes,' she replied. 'Gotta go ‒ I'm peaking.'"