Reading 'Travels with Charley: In Search of America' feels like embarking on a road trip with Steinbeck himself—it’s not just about the hours spent but the journey. The book’s around 200 pages, so if you’re a moderate reader, you might finish it in 6-8 hours total. But here’s the thing: this isn’t a book to rush. Steinbeck’s reflections on America, his conversations with Charley (his poodle), and the slow unraveling of landscapes make it perfect for savoring. I took two weeks with it, reading a chapter or two each night, letting his observations simmer. If you plow through in a weekend, you’ll miss the melancholy beauty of it all.
Also, depending on your reading style, annotations might slow you down. I dog-eared half the pages because his musings on loneliness, change, and the 'new' America hit so hard. Audiobook listeners might clock 7 hours—great for a road trip, ironically—but the print version lets you linger on those gorgeous sentences.
Here’s my take: 'Travels with Charley' is a 6-hour read if you’re speedy, but why would you be? Steinbeck’s last major work deserves room to breathe. I read it during a rainy week, pairing chapters with coffee, and it felt like traveling alongside him. The book’s brevity (under 250 pages) belies its depth—his commentary on 1960s America feels eerily relevant today. For comparison, it’s shorter than 'Of Mice and Men' but denser than 'Cannery Row.' First-time readers might want to jot notes; his observations about 'mobile homes' and disconnected communities hit harder now than in 1962.
Steinbeck’s 'Travels with Charley' is one of those books where the pacing matches the content—meandering, thoughtful, and full of detours. Clocking in at roughly 200 pages, it’s technically a quick read, but the real charm is in the asides. I devoured it over three lazy Sundays, but my friend spent a month with it, reading bits between subway stops. The prose is accessible, but the themes (aging, identity, the myth of the American road) invite reflection. If you’re the type to underline passages or google the towns he visits, add a few extra hours. The audiobook, narrated by Gary Sinise, is fantastic for capturing Steinbeck’s dry humor, though I recommend keeping a physical copy handy for the maps and afterword.
A weekend. That’s all it took for me to tear through 'Travels with Charley,' but I regret not slowing down. Steinbeck’s writing is deceptively simple—short sentences, vivid scenes—but layered with quiet wisdom. The book’s length is manageable (around 200 pages), but the anecdotes stick with you. Like his encounter with the racist diner owners or the eerie quiet of the Montana plains. If you’re a fast reader, you could finish in a day, but it’s better stretched out, like a slow drive across the country it describes.
Depends on how much you want to live inside Steinbeck’s world. The physical act of reading might take 5-7 hours, but I kept putting it down to stare at the wall. His descriptions of the changing American landscape—especially the redwoods and the Midwest—are hypnotic. I loaned my copy to a buddy who finished it in a day, but he missed the point. This isn’t a book to conquer; it’s a companion for quiet afternoons, preferably with a dog snoozing nearby.
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The Carrero Contract (series book 3)
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CAMILLA WALTERS thought she had come to the end of the road when fate caught up with her. No where left to run or hide, on the verge of becoming fish food at the hands of drug runners she owed a lot of money to.
That was until fate brought her ALEXI, head of the family CARRERO - The unexpected hero who saved her ass and changed her life in one easy manouvre.
Who knew she would have to sign her soul over to the devil in a bid to stay alive and in doing so, lose her heart and mind in the process.
This is not your typical hearts and roses story - Let the games begin and the war commence.
This is book 7 in The Carrero Series, although you can read this without prior books. There are back story hints from previous books worked in, so this new trio can be read alone.
For a fuller understanding then start with The Carrero Effect .
Harley was the product of an affair. After her mother died, she decided to make contact with her father, Ron Hale, a criminal and leader of a felon-filled, biker outlaw club, The Savage Scorpions. After months of virtual communication, she decides to visit him in his small Californian town of Pleasant-Tree-Ville. When she arrives, she gets less than a warm welcome from the other SS members. As the days pass, she starts forming friendships, bonds and something a little more with Alexander Coates, Her father's second-in-command... and best friend. It's not till Harley opens up to one of her new friends that some old, dark family secrets come to light. Mother betraying Daughter, Wife Betraying husband.. And Friend betraying Friend. All Harley wanted to do was meet her father... but she is about to get a lot more than she bargained for!
She came home for the holidays… and walked right straight into hell.
Her toxic ex humiliated her in front of everyone and her family pushed her back into his arms like it was a game.
Then Xavier stepped in....her ex’s quiet, dangerous uncle. A dominant biker who demands complete obedience.
He offered her a deal: Sixty days as his.
Sixty days of raw possession.
Sixty days of filthy “Yes, Daddy” nights.
Sixty days to burn her old life to the ground and in return her wedding with his nephew will be dragged and her sweetest revenge on him will be exacted.
But when the lines between revenge and real feelings merge, Nora discovers one truth. Once the Biker Daddy claims you, he never lets go.
Forbidden, Filthy and Slutty.
How many days would you last??
Book two. Please read "Not All That Glitters" before "Not All Who Wander Are Lost."Christmas 2019 in Auburn brought with it a chance for new beginnings. Complicated relationships started to mend and different recoveries were being made. As far as Whitney York and Hollis Bogard were concerned, they knew every hardship they'd face from that point on would be easier since they had each other for support.Fast forward to May, five months later. While making the last minute preparations for she and Whitney's Christmas gift to New York for a week, Hollis gets some disheartening news. If that weren't bad enough, patching things up with her parents was turning out to be a long, winding road. Dalton's prolonged, stressful testimonies to ensure he gets more than a cash settlement from the wealthy prick who put him in a wheelchair after driving drunk is the last straw. As Hollis starts wrestling with her inner demons again, slipping downward is inevitable. Will she confide in Whitney, or risk relapsing?Since disowning her, Whitney stopped hearing from her perfect family altogether. While the lovers are wrapping up in New York, she suddenly comes face to face with Hollywood's latest headliner;Theresa, her famous sister, has died. Urged to attend the funeral, Whitney makes it clear she won't go without Hollis, the very person her parents blame for staying in Maine.Buckle in! Disclaimer: Strong mature content, graphic scenes, drug usage. 18+, please. This novel won’t be for you if you’re not comfortable with any of the above topics.2020 All Rights Reserved (you know how it goes) Please don't attempt to steal any part of my work.
Gracie Mae has spent the past six years following college traveling, exploring and adventuring in a van with a German Shepard; Gunner. She returns home after a summer vacation in Vermont, and immediately feels conflicted over the Texas heat. In an effort to cool off, she spontaneously decides to cruise a few hours south to the Texas Coast. Along the way she stumbles upon an attractive man standing with an undesirable person she can't shake, and meets another fella at the beach. Will she be involved with either man, or will she and Gunner find another cool weather adventure just the two of them.
Sharon pledged to never give her heart to any man ever again.
When a greedy and contemptuous billionaire sets his beady eyes on her farm, of course she would do anything to protect it – including going on 10 dates with him.
That’s not so hard is it? Even if the said billionaire's eyes aren't beady at all…
Raymond sees all women as the same. They want only two things: money and a handsome man to show off to their friends
And Sharon is no different. So acquiring the land shouldn’t be so hard after all dhe is just a woman. Just throw some money around and if that doesn’t work. A little seduction should do it. Or that’s what he thought.
But a rumour starts to go around about him being an ass so he decides to do something about it, so his reputation won't be ruined
"I’ll sponsor your farm if you will go on 10 dates with me” he said but it turns out Sharon is different. The more time he spends in her company, the more he realizes how skewed his perspective of life is… And he realised that he would do anything to kiss the beautiful but guarded beauty.
Will Sharon and Raymond be able to save the farm or will she lose both her chance at love and her beloved inheritance?
Reading 'South to America' is such a rich experience that the time it takes can really vary depending on your pace and engagement level. For me, it took about two weeks of leisurely reading—maybe an hour or two each day. The book isn't just a quick read; it's packed with dense historical analysis and personal narratives that make you stop and reflect. I found myself rereading passages just to soak in the depth of Imani Perry's writing. If you're someone who likes to underline and take notes, you might even stretch it to a month. But honestly, savoring it slowly made the journey more meaningful.
That said, if you're a speed-reader or have a book club deadline, you could probably finish it in a week. The prose is engaging enough to keep you turning pages, but the subject matter demands attention. I'd compare it to something like 'The Warmth of Other Suns'—you could rush through it, but why would you want to? The South's complexities deserve time to marinate in your mind.
Reading 'On the Road' feels like hitchhiking across America—it’s not just about the hours but the stops you make along the way. I first picked it up during a summer road trip, and the chaotic, jazz-infused prose matched the rhythm of the highway. At around 320 pages, a fast reader could blaze through it in 8-10 hours, but Kerouac’s stream-of-consciousness style begs you to linger. I found myself rereading passages about Dean Moriarty’s manic energy or the descriptions of Denver’s neon-lit nights, just to soak in the vibe. If you rush it, you’ll miss the poetry in the restlessness.
For me, it took two weeks of uneven pacing—some days devouring 50 pages, others putting it down to let the Beat generation’s philosophy marinate. The book’s spontaneity almost demands a nonlinear approach. Pairing it with jazz records (Coltrane or Bird, ideally) stretched my reading time but deepened the experience. It’s less a novel and more a lived-in adventure; you’ll know you’ve read it right when you finish craving a midnight drive somewhere, anywhere.
The first time I picked up 'Charles Kuralt's America,' I expected a quick read, but it turned into this immersive journey through small-town America. The book spans around 320 pages in most editions, but it feels way longer—in the best way possible. Kuralt’s storytelling makes every anecdote about roadside diners or forgotten highways linger, like you’re riding shotgun in his RV. It’s not just about the page count; it’s how he stretches moments into memories.
I’ve lent my copy to friends who usually skim books, and even they slow down to savor it. The pacing is deliberate, almost like a documentary in prose form. If you’re used to fast-paced novels, the length might surprise you, but it’s perfect for rainy afternoons when you want to feel like you’ve traveled without leaving your couch.