Roads
By Larry McMurtry
$25/ Simon & Schuster
This attempt at nonfiction by acclaimed writer Larry McMurtry (Lonesome Dove) falls flat almost immediately and never recovers. McMurtry presents us with the romantic notion of traversing America's grids that pass for roads, and shares his thoughts accordingly.
If one is not familiar with McMurtry's other work, the actual result can appear as nothing more than an extended, weary, semi-contrived, personal experience of McMurtry's driving habits and obviously biased thoughts. He advocates "Disney World buying Key West because it's essentially a theme park anyway"; calls for open, unfettered border crossing between the United States and Mexico; refers to the good citizens in the Tarheel state as "Yuppie-redneck, southerners with working-class prejudices and upper-class money"; and erroneously speaks of Pennsylvania's maximum speed limit of 55 miles per hour. Some passages makes you wonder if the book was written with the intention of being one long plug for his other works, for there exist numerous mentions of characters from his other books.
McMurtry is undoubtedly well-read, as he mentions many great, and some not-so-great, American authors as he passes through America's heartland towns, grasping at whatever minute connection he can draw between town and author. Only his name and amazing ability of self-assurance is all that saves this surprisingly dreadful piece from the discounted book shelf. Oh sure, he meanders up, down and across some familiar territory, highways and byways, but this is not a composition of literary might. Ironic for one who has been an acclaimed writer for as long as he. In spite of its author, the title comes off more refined than its content. On the Road, this is not.
—William Stone
This article appears in Apr 5-11, 2001.
