Customer Reviews:
 Cliche Thru America August 25, 2003
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
I loved Condon's third book (My 'Dam Life), so it seemed natural to pick up a copy of his account of a US cross-country road trip to read while I embarked on the same trip in reverse. Unfortunately, this earlier effort from Condon t is much more labored and stale than his account of three years living in Amsterdam. After quitting his advertising job, he and an artist friend fly from their native Australia to Canada and cross from Montreal into the US to embark on that most mythic of journeys: the cross-country road trip. Passing through places like NYC, DC, Virginia, Nashville, Mississippi, New Orleans, Texas, Santa Fe, Vegas, LA, SF, and finally flying up to Seattle, they attempt to imbibe a campy version of the American experience. The observations on America are only very occasionally insightful—most of the time Condon is too busy reworking cliche into punch line to do any real observing. The reason My 'Dam Life was so good is that Condon's scattershot one-liners are mixed into a real narrative about trying to make a new life in a foreign city. Here there is simply a choppy travel journal with joke after joke, many of which aren't that funny. There are so many aspects of America that deserve sending up, it's a shame Condon doesn't reach beyond the obvious targets. Which is not to say there aren't some really funny moments or episodes, just that they are few and far between. It also doesn't help that he draws no distinction between events that really happened on his trip, and events that he makes up partially or entirely. For the true American road experience, rent Monte Hellman's classic film Two Lane Blacktop.
 At this price, it's a steal! December 13, 2000
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
Seanie does it again. A very different and interesting take on travel writing by Mr Condon although it helps if you were a kid in the 1970's too. Certain sections do smack of fiction but that's ok, the book is worth a read. Because of the fragmented type, it's very easy to open a page and start reading.
 The further adventures of our satirical heroes March 12, 2000
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
It's been a while since unlikely friends Sean and David left the rat race of Melbourne and showed us the real Australia. In this installment circumstance finds our duo heading full steam from east to west of the USA. Once again Sean looks at the unobvious aspects of culture whilst continuing to wreck his body with alchohol and general bad living. Again those who have travelled hectically will find this tale very interesting, but maybe a little too much of the author's off the wall thoughts are weaved into the tale.
A damned fine road trip across America April 1, 1999
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
A road trip with a difference, 2 slightly mad Aussies living in a movie script world snake their way across the US not always telling the truth. The tone is very laconic and off the wall and the characters they meet are very colourful (so much so one suspects a bit of embellishment by the author) All in all a good read, great fun and full of life.
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