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HORATIO'S DRIVE was created as a companion piece to the PBS special regarding this topic. Horatio Nelson Jackson was bet $50 that he would not be able to drive from California to New York in less than 1 month. To the modern reader, this does not seem like an impossible goal; however, at the turn of the century this was a large undertaking. In fact, some people felt that cars were only a phase; cars could never replace the horse. Jackson faced numerous obstacles including a lack of service stations and local maps. These problems were minor compared to the lack of roads; there were only 150 miles of paved roads in existence, which caused it to be a very bumpy ride. Jackson and his mechanic, Sewall Crocker, tried to prepare for all problems but the unexpected always happens. Once Jackson's trip began, he faced more problems, as his car frequently broke down, delaying his progress. HORATIO'S DRIVE is an informative look at one of the founders of a popular American past time: road trips. HORATIO'S DRIVE feels more like a radio show or small play. There is quite a cast of readers, which include the authors, Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns, as well as Tom Hanks, Philip Bosco, Kevin Conway, Jonathon Davis and George Plimpton. The use of this large group of readers allows the book to flow more evenly. Although there is a main narrator, different voices are used to add drama to the story. For example, Tom Hanks reads the sections taken from the letters Jackson wrote home to his wife. Breaking up the narrative helps prevent the book from dragging. Horatio Nelson Jackson's struggle to cross the United States is dramatic; however, it was done as a dare. His wife was financially set and funded the entire adventure, which is obviously important since the majority of people made less in a year than the car itself cost. The reactions of those who could never afford a car and or had never seen a car were vital to the book. People gave him inaccurate directions in order to show family members the car, people lined the streets to see it, and Jackson would sometimes pay for food and lodging by giving car rides. Today, cars are everywhere but for these people, the car was strange, unknown and utterly fascinating. The story of Horatio Nelson Jackson is an interesting one; however, it is not the most interesting part of the book. The authors both include essays on road travel on these CDs. Their explanations for pursuing this topic and the American obsession with the open road were both thought provoking on their own; yet, also reinforced the importance this first road trip had on modern culture.
Reviewed by Sarah Dudley, July 2003
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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