The Road

By: Jack London

Narrated by: T. Anthony Quinn

Length: 4 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

In The Road, Jack London embraces the concepts of unconfined individualism and Darwinism through his autobiographical account of his time riding the rails of Canada and the United States. The author of White Fang, The Call of the Wild, and Sea Wolf, relays the time leading up to turning point in his life - a perfunctory trial and a 30-day imprisonment in the Erie County Penitentiary for the crime of vagrancy - an experience so degrading that he turned to a career in writing. This tale of rugged individualism influenced Jack Kerouac and inspired his tale, On the Road. Simultaneously autobiographical and instructional, The Road wryly presents a way of life that embodies wanderlust and the soul's search for true freedom.

Public Domain (P)2015 T. Anthony Quinn

Desperate times call for desperate measures

If you could sum up The Road in three words, what would they be?

Life is difficult

Who was your favorite character and why?

The author was my favorite character-although, I was definitely conflicted in my feelings for him. The historical context is SUPER interesting and his stories are FASCINATING. But he is also SUCH a liar! However, I also know that times were very tough back then, and I'm sure that it wasn't easy to survive without some compromises-so I don't feel we should judge him too harshly. It just wasn't easy for me to hear him telling one lie after another to get by!

Which character – as performed by T. Anthony Quinn – was your favorite?

The author (see above)

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

I enjoyed the part where he was talking to the sailor, who started asking him detailed questions about his (fictitious) adventures on the sea. Each time you thought his lies were about to be exposed, he found a way to turn things around and regain control of the narrative. I felt anxious the entire time!
In general, the words and imagery in this book were SO vivid that I felt as if I were in the 19th century, riding the rails with him!

Any additional comments?

I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review

Classic

The Road is a true American Classic. Jack London's prose adds a richness and character to the story that is worth savoring. Kudos to the performance which gives an authentic voice.

Charming, insightful, mind blowing.

This story is the first person perspective of a real life hobo. I had no idea how very dramatic and interesting such a life could be. London is frank about his opinions and though processes as a young outlaw, and it is very enjoyable to see the world through his eyes.

Straightforward storytelling

Like all of Jack London’s work, this is straight forward story telling of his adventures in America atop rail cars and other unusual transportation. Interesting for a glimpse of life in his time. Don’t expect a lot of introspection. This isn’t a moral lesson. It’s entertainment.

Free wheeling it and living life to the hilt.

London just had to live. He couldn’t contain it. The tales, the characters, the situations. Its a time and place long gone. But the feeling and yearnings of living life to the hilt belong and shine in all of us. This will inspire you.

Classic

Classic read. Well written and well read. Days gone by but still around. See peoples park at Berkeley

Masterful Storyteller

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this book to storytellers because London explains how hoboing helped him develop and hone his craft as a storyteller. This is an indispensable book for explaining how London got his start as a storyteller.

What other book might you compare The Road to and why?

Kerouac's "On the Road," which was inspired by London's "The Road." Kerouac has that same wanderlust, that aimlessness and defiance of authority and conventionality.

What about T. Anthony Quinn’s performance did you like?

He did a great and animated job capturing the accents and voices of people around the country at all stages of society one hundred and twenty-five years ago. When Quinn performs, I hear and see the characters.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

London's descriptions of homeless railroad children touched me, because I can see echoes in the runaways and street children of today.

His run-ins with the shanks and the police exhilarated me. He told stories to get himself out of a tight spot.

Any additional comments?

London lived enough stories to last a life time. I am glad he shared many of them with us. Don't stop at reading just "The Call of the Wild." Read "The Road" to find out how London's journey as a writer began.

And Ottawa was a stop on his journey.

This autobiographical tale of riding the rails and travelling across North America as a hobo in the 1890s gives an inside look at a community most of us know little about. It was these experiences that inspired Jack London to be a writer, and this book that influenced Jack Kerouac to go "On The Road"

First hand hobo in the 1800s

An interesting inside view of being a legitimate hobo catching trains and begging. Solid narrative, very descriptive, decent oration.