Required Reading

[J.W.]

I imagine there are other avid readers on here and I’m curious what other folks regard as “required reading” or general recommendations around overlanding. More specifically, I love to read about the history of car culture and how automobiles have influenced how we experience the world around us.

A suggestion I will offer is Driven Wild: How the Fight Against Automobiles Launched the Modern Wilderness Movement by Paul Sutter. I think the book is important because Sutter examines the tension between environmentalism and recreation in the early years of the automobile. It’s not a treatise against cars but it does serve as a reminder that we are all stewards of our public and private wildlands and Sutter offers some insight as to why and how public lands are maintained with conservation in mind. Overall, I think it’s a good read and other’s here might enjoy it.

With that said, what are you reading? What do you recommend? Bonus points for anything that describes early rigs like Thomas du Pont’s Stoddard-Dayton camping car.

 

[Billiebob]

 

[Polaris Overland]

When we travel we like to listen to Audio Books instead of just music.

We generally pick travel books like Michael Palin's Trips or Touching the Void etc which are pertinent to the area we are travelling in.

If you are thinking about long term overland travel then Graeme Bell of A2A's books are very good and having spent time travelling with him and his family I can say they are great people as well.

 

[KonzaLander]

View attachment 100250

I'd like to thank you for this recommendation. Found a copy of this book and I could not put it down. Wrapped it up this evening and have a burning desire to travel somewhere new.

 

[J.W.]

This one seemed relevant. Let me know if it sounds familiar:

A group of people escape the city to voluntary isolate themselves from a devastating pandemic. Once in the country they fight boredom by discussing social frictions, generational tensions, political positions, and what it means to love as well as be loved.


Do yourself a favor, give Boccaccio a chance if you haven’t before.

Free to read on Project Gutenberg!

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/23700/23700-h/23700-h.htm

 

[J.W.]

Perhaps a moderator could merge the two threads about books so we could have one list?

 

[Ashton]

This one seemed relevant. Let me know if it sounds familiar:

A group of people escape the city to voluntary isolate themselves from a devastating pandemic. Once in the country they fight boredom by discussing social frictions, generational tensions, political positions, and what it means to love as well as be loved.


Do yourself a favor, give Boccaccio a chance if you haven’t before.

Free to read on Project Gutenberg!

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/23700/23700-h/23700-h.htm

View attachment 146095

Your link sends me to a blank page.

I think a great book that needs to be read by all people capable of reading it is The River Why by David James Duncan. It is more about the spirit of overlanders and how that is developed than it is about overlanding, per say. A great read, especially in camp.

 

[J.W.]

Your link sends me to a blank page.

That’s strange I double checked and the link is good. Maybe the forum is blocking because it’s considered a file? You can copy/paste the link into your browser or try this:

The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio by Giovanni Boccaccio

I think a great book that needs to be read by all people capable of reading it is The River Why by David James Duncan. It is more about the spirit of overlanders and how that is developed than it is about overlanding, per say. A great read, especially in camp.

Added to my list. Thanks!

 

[Itacal]

This one seemed relevant. Let me know if it sounds familiar:

A group of people escape the city to voluntary isolate themselves from a devastating pandemic. Once in the country they fight boredom by discussing social frictions, generational tensions, political positions, and what it means to love as well as be loved.


Do yourself a favor, give Boccaccio a chance if you haven’t before.

Free to read on Project Gutenberg!

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/23700/23700-h/23700-h.htm

View attachment 146095

One of my all-time favorites. I made reference to it the other day and not a single one of my friends who were present knew what I was talking about ... I need new friends

 

[J.W.]

Not a book, but this is a great article about exploring America on dirt roads

Dirt Road America by M.R. O’Connor

 

[Itacal]

Not a book, but this is a great article about exploring America on dirt roads

Dirt Road America by M.R. O’Connor

Thanks for posting the link to this article ... I was just there (in Oark) a couple weeks ago ... It's about an from my doorstep ... I love living in the Ozarks!