American Journeys
The world had changed and the old one ain’t coming back. Want to understand more about what really drives the USA and a lot of its inhabitants? Want to have that presented to you in an entertaining less intense way.? Then you should read American Journeys. American Journeys is Don Watson’s examination of the USA during a journey around the country by train and road. His goal was to seek a better understanding of a country which for so many others including myself, fascinates and appalls, amazes and disappoints, excites and confounds and indeed only continues to exist by endlessly balancing deep and unresolved contradictions. American Journeys is a fascinating book written by an excellent storyteller. Don Watson was PM Paul Keating’s speech writer and he has produced eight books on both Australian and American history, all of which deserve your attention. His style is welcoming and chatty, little less humorous than Bill Bryson but with more philosophical insight.
American Journeys works because Don puts himself in situations where he can meet and talk to average Americans journeying around all regions of what is a very large country both geographically and in outlook. It is no surprise that he runs into and gently seeks to investigate those elements of the USA than convince the inhabitants that they are special and the USA itself is exceptional. Don visits the big cities and famous places but most of his insights come from talking to everyday Americans he meets in the train carriages or in hotels and shops. He is an excellent travel writer including up the little things about the city or region that help give you a real sense of place. His other gift is his scholarly way of combining those insights with the general history of the USA and the intentions, ideas and fears of its founding fathers when drawing up the US constitution. Blood and treasure has always been central to the USA, the spilling of one and the accumulation the other.
Though published in 2008, American Journeys’ insights are even more valid today as the dark side of America has become more and more apparent under the current President. It is fascinating to read as Watson, over the course of the book, becomes less ambivalent and more appalled by the USA’s faults. Although always genial he is by the last quarter of the book seemingly overwhelmed by the blissful self-ignorance, racism and rapaciousness backed up by the never-ending appeals to and justifications from God. He has released another book on the USA last year titled The Shortest History of The Unites States. I will get to it soon and see if he, like me, has fallen completely out of love with the USA.
Our great ally is more different from us than we Australians often believe. The last few weeks have been quite astonishing at the extent of the emergence of the USA’s dark side and to my mind it won’t be greatly different once Trump leaves the stage. The world has changed and big decisions await Australia. In the meantime read American Journeys for its insight, sly humour and compassionate eye.
American Journeys
Don Watson
Knopf Publishing 2008
333pp hardback
