Blue Highways: A Journey into America

Blue Highways William Least Heat-Moon

Blue Highways by William Least Heat-Moon is a wonderfully written recollection of a cross-country adventure taken by the author. Armed only with his van (ghost dancing), his 'desperate sense of isolation' and longing to leave his present situation, he sets out across the country traveling only on rural state and county roads, which are marked in blue on his old atlas (5). Heat-Moon describes an America, which travelers rarely see from the many interstates that now crisscross the country. His detailed account of the journey, and the many people he interacts with gives the reader insight into the character of the American people. He meets people of various backgrounds and culture, learning something from each, and describes the passing landscape painting a picture as clear as if the reader was sitting in the passengers seat. His journey begins and ends in his home state of Missouri, taking him in a circular path around the country. This circular journey 'represents the direction of natural forces', according to the Plains Indians (418). With each new route, and each new town Heat-Moon is able to capture the essence of the America not yet commercialized. He meets Bob Androit, who is restoring a nineteenth century log cabin. Heat-Moon envied the fact that Androit was 'rebuilding a past he could see and smell, one he could shape with his hands' (14). He also meets Bill Hammond and his wife Rosemary, who are building a boat the author spied from the road. 'You'll walk off before I get tired of talking boats' was Hammond's response once he realized Heat-Moon wanted to talk about the boat. Through the people he meets, the author gets a feel for the changes in character, attitude, and dialect, as he moves across the country and is able to present this well on paper. When asked where he is headed next by storeowner J.T. Watts, the author responds, 'I don't know' to which Watts adds, 'cain't get lost then' (35). This book is loaded with dialogue, which is the fabric of the journey, for without the stories of the characters he meets the book is simply a description of the changing landscape and the roads he travels. Heat-Moon's conversations with the many people he interacted with were not degrading and pompous, but were informative and witty. The author's ability to weave comedy and light hearted jabs into conversation with locals added a great deal to the readability of the book. He describes a gas station attendant as 'a surly fellow who could have raised mushrooms in the organic decay of his front teeth' (243). Humorous reoccurring themes carry throughout the novel such as his rating system for diners in which the number of calendars hanging about determines the quality of the diner, and the newspaper headlines he envisions when in certain situations such as 'Drifter Blown Away In Bar' during an evening spent in a Dime box, Texas bar (267). Heat-Moon is mostly a listener and an observer who lets the people tell their stories. Throughout the book are photographs of the people who Heat-Moon has had the most engaging conversations with. This adds reality to the journey, and is a reminder that these are real people, with true stories. Recounting his journey Heat-Moon says ' In my own country, I had gone out, had met, had shared. I had stood witness' (406). Heat-Moon is able to recount his journey in such a creative way and take the reader with him.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Travel lover

I stumbled across a used Hardcover edition while visiting a friend in Pennsylvania. This is one of my all time favorite books! I used to love traveling across the country alone exploring new places, so this book fit me perfectly! A must have for anyone who loves cross-country traveling!!!!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Blue Highways

In William Least Heat-Moon¿s Blue Highways, he tells his personal experience of his travels across the country. He feels his life is turned upside down and he needs to escape it. Taking his van, Ghost Dancing, for the ride, he has the adventure of a lifetime. He comes to points in his journey where life is more exciting than others, and places where the wind never blows. Overall, he meets several people on his way across the country and stays in several towns. He learns the variety of ways god is believed in, the history of flying, and the way that¿s several of the towns he visits was started. If you like to read about other peoples travels, than I suggest this book to you. It will be hard to find at a local library, but it can be found. The author goes into detail on several different points and is very organized. He tells the story just as it seemed to happen and doesn¿t confuse the reader one bit. This story is very educational and leaves the reader with the want to travel the country, as did the author of this book.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Take to the Highway

This book is a bit dated but still a pleasure to read and perhaps more important because it is dated. It is a good piece for reflection in these tough and trying times. William Least Heat-Moon paints with his words the journey in his van across much of the USA when small towns and little known roads could still be found. These are places that hold on to their own local feeling, still connected to past history that is also personal. Great contribution to Americanbilia.

I recommend reading it slowly over days, weeks even -- let it steep and sink in.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

The Interesting is in the Mundane

I think it was page 40 or so, where the narrator is just having some pedestrian conversation with some random stranger, where I realized "Hey, there's NOTHING going on in this book! ...But I like it anyway." That's the draw of Heat-Moon's descriptive style - he doesn't try too hard to share insights about everything, or focus too much on himself - he's just there to help you enjoy the ride. Not every part is exciting, but not every part of life - and the backroads of America - is exciting.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great American Story Telling

William Least Heat-Moon is a man who lived in Columbia, Missouri and is an English professor. Over the course of a single month, he loses both his wife and his job. He decides to try and turn around his life by driving across America on all the blue highways or routes marked blue on a road map. He drives a small Ford van which he converted into a small camper, and sets off on his journey with six gas credit cards and the remainder of his savings account. On his journey he meets people and places that seem to be stuck in time. He discovers places that have deep roots in the history of America. He learns where go to and where to not go on his road trip. He recalls meeting many people he would never introduce himself to if he hadn't been on the trip. Throughout his trip he meets great people who invite him in for great pie, or just a good conversation.
This is a great book to read for anyone who loves down to earth writing. I received this book for my birthday and I loved it. The imagery makes you think about the more simple times in life and makes you reminisce about times when you felt free. While a little slow in some spots, the book is a joy to read. Heat-Moon has a distinct style of writing that puts you in the story so close you can almost feel the wind in your hair. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a great American story, or just a great book.

Blue highways

Wow this guy really wrote about his adventure.......How did he get his info.????Its great if you like to get up and see the states.He really had a trip to write about...I loved it but you really have to read every word sloooowwwww.....Its really in depth.......Really a good read.Buy it.......

Small-town America twenty-five years ago...a classic

A little over twenty-five years ago William Trogden, who took the name of his Native American ancestors and called himself William Least Heat Moon, set out on a journey across America in what was basically the ancestor of the modern SUV, a small truck which he named Ghost Dancing.

Initially he did this because he had lost his job and his wife in the space of a month, but his journey turned into much more than just an attempt to forget. It became a classic search for and journey into the heart of the country.

This is not a trip into the weirdness of America, although Least Heat Moon encounters plenty of strange sites and people on his journey. It is more of a trip into the heart and soul of the country - figuratively as well as literally. There have been many books written over the years about people leaving home to find America, but even after twenty-five years this is still one of the best such books ever written.

My only complaint is that he quotes Walt Whitman a little too much. I can understand his references to Black Elk, given his background and ancestry, but his overuse of Whitman is a bit jarring at times. But if you work around the Whitman quotes you will love your journey across America's blue highways with William Least Heat Moon.

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