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Neil King's foot journey from the US Capitol to New York City is captured in this part-travelogue, part meditation. COVID and the tumult surrounding the transfer of power between our last two presidents provided an inspiration and motivation for the author to set out at a pace that could let him absorb "real America" along some of the nation's most long-settled areas. His recount provided interesting vignettes and encounters with a vast cross-section of Americans. Most are helpful and welcoming and the author is proficient at catching the interesting and unique of people he usually spends only hours with. This includes rural artisans and memorable children at an Amish school. His improbable kayak journey under interstates in one of the densest parts of Northern New Jersey is perhaps the most surprising leg of his journey - who knew you could (or would want to) paddle in one of the most paved-over areas of the United States? One impediment to enjoying the book as much as one would hope is the disdain the author feels for those on the right side of the political spectrum. He shares some snide thoughts on more traditionally minded Americans he meets which are unnecessary and unfair. Surprising, because one take away from the book is that some of the most helpful and welcoming Americans the author encounters are those who reside in deep "red" areas through which he travels. It was an annoyance to me I overlooked (much as I did Rinker Buck's anti-conservative ramblings in the otherwise interesting "The Oregon Trail....."), but caused my brother to thoroughly dislike the book (he almost stopped reading). The author is a good observer and his experiences provide an uplifting portrait of our country men and women. We are for the most part a kind and sincere people - at least those who are positioned to meet and engage with a long-haul hiker who possesses a curiosity about the areas through which he traverses. The author is a good story-teller. There isn't really an over arching theme to the book - beyond the inane goodness of most people, but the journey is worth reading about in the hands of this skilled memorialist.

I've never felt moved to write a review before, but this is quite literally one of the best books I have ever read. It is a gift that comes at a time when this notion we call a nation needs it most. A heartfelt thank you to Neil King, Jr.

Very interesting and easy to read. Reading leisure

I watched this book take form during Neil's walk, when he sent out an e-mail to friends every day. He was carried to a different and higher mental/emotional and even spiritual plane by this journey, and it shows in the writing. And yet it is grounded in the tools of his training as a journalist: observation, inquiry, historical context, and probing questions. There is much in this book about the importance of knowing our history, but also of talking about it, debating it, and listening to others perspectives. But Neil's approach is one of wonder, not fear. He is a student of the world, not a know-it-all. He is alive with the joy of discovery, and as a cancer survivor, he takes each day as a gift. This book will transport you as well. It is a jolt of optimism at a moment when we all need that quite a lot.

The authors travel and interactions along his way were insightful and inspirational. I enjoyed this book also due to the fact that his travels took him to many places I am very familiar with, living in south Central Pennsylvania.

What a joy it is to read the best edited written work I have read in a very long while. Besides the exquisite editing, the book makes me long to walk a very long way, something I can no longer do, but Mr. King made me feel like I was walking right alongside him.

Part travelogue, part history lesson, part memoir, American Ramble is a book perfect for our times. When society seems hopelessly fractured, King reminds us that there's much to be gained by walking slowly, listening carefully, and being quick to learn from the past and consider carefully the course we pursue into the future. One of the great features of the book is King 's retelling of history that strips away the myths that many of us grew up with, thanks to paintings and "memoirs" created decades after the events. The historical details presented are amazing, as are the accounts of the innovators and idealists who treat to build something unique in this country. Perhaps the most powerful lesson of American Ramble is its demonstration of how interrelated we Americans are, and how small kindnesses and coincidences make the future of the United States one we can look forward to with optimism.