Back Roads and Better Angels, Francis S. Barry
Back Roads and Better Angels, Francis S. Barry
List: $34.99 | Sale: $24.50
Club: $17.49

Back Roads and Better Angels
A Journey Into the Heart of American Democracy

Author: Francis S. Barry

Narrator: Mike Chamberlain

Unabridged: 24 hr

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 08/27/2024


Synopsis

A year into his marriage and having never driven an RV, Frank and his wife Laurel set out from New York City in a Winnebago to drive the nation's first transcontinental route, the Lincoln Highway, which zigzags through small towns and big cities from Times Square to San Francisco.

Using the spirit of Abraham Lincoln to guide them across the land, they hope to see more clearly what holds the country together—and how we can keep it together, even amidst political divisions that have grown increasingly rancorous, bitter, and exhausting.

Along the way, Frank and Laurel meet Americans whose personal experiences help humanize the nation's divisions, and they encounter historical figures and events whose legacies are still shaping our sense of national identity and the struggles over it.

This unforgettable journey is full of what makes any great road trip memorable and enjoyable: music, conversation, and laughter. By the end, listeners will have a clearer picture of how we have arrived at a period that carries echoes of the Civil War era, and—using Lincoln as a guide—where the path forward lies.

Reviews

Goodreads review by MG on July 05, 2024

I can't say enough about this book by Francis Barry, formerly chief speechwriter to Mayor Michael Bloomberg and currently opinion columnist for Bloomberg.com. First of all, he's a beautiful, lucid, clear-thinking writer. I found the book truly enjoyable to read and I felt improved and enlightened by......more

Goodreads review by Sean on May 03, 2024

As an avid reader of American history and any kind of roadtrip tale, this book about a cross-country journey married the two with a unique perspective on where we are as a nation. It occasionally has the educational feel of Ken Burns’ work, with the fun asides and light-hearted anecdotes that remind......more

Goodreads review by Rick on March 10, 2024

In the preface of this book, the author cites two prior books that laid the foundation for "Back Roads and Better Angels." They were Thomas Frank's "What's the Matter with Kansas" (2007) and J.D. Vance's "Hillbilly Elegy" (2018), both of which I have read. And I can assure that Mr. Barry's tome is f......more

Goodreads review by David on September 29, 2024

I thoroughly enjoyed this ride through history. Taking advantage (so to speak) of the pandemic, Barry and his wife explore not just the back roads (okay, the Lincoln Highway, much of which is actually back roads these days) but historical perspective from Lincoln intermeshed with insights into how w......more

Goodreads review by Ted on June 13, 2024

If you love a journey, you will love this book! It is like riding with Studs Terkel and John Steinbeck, with Bob Dylan in charge of the radio. And if you have lost hope for our country, this book provides an Ole Faithful size gusher of what we can still achieve. Give this as a gift to someone who be......more