Grant, Richard. American nomads; travels with lost conquistadors, mountain men, cowboys, Indians, hoboes, truckers, and bullriders.

GRANT, Richard. American nomads; travels with lost conquistadors, mountain men, cowboys, Indians, hoboes, truckers, and bullriders. Grove. 311p. map. bibliog. c2003. 0-8021-4180-3. $14.00. JSA 

America seen from the outside is a literary tradition, dating back since before it was a nation. Grant, a British writer with wanderlust in his blood, writes in this tradition. Raised in Kuwait and other exotic places, Grant finds living in one country, like his own England, or even sleeping in the same bed for too long, very confining. In some brilliant descriptions, Grant writes about his own travels by comparing them with travels of American nomads, ranging from modern truck drivers, hoboes and hippies to historical figures from the past like Coronado, DeSoto, Scotch-Irish pioneers, and Native American tribes like the Apaches. It is no wonder that America, founded by people who left their own countries to "settle" here, is filled with people who don't want to settle anywhere. Grant agrees with Rudyard Kipling, who wrote, "there are two types of men: those who stay at home and those who do not," with the caveat that "men" has to be expanded to "people."

Grant is a good writer, but librarians may be concerned that their young readers will be too inspired by his adventures and take off for parts unknown! Nola Theiss, Sanibel, FL

J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers.

S--Recommended for senior high school students.

A--Recommended for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help extend KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries.