‘Reizen zonder John’ (Travels without John) by Geert Mak, subtitle: Op zoek naar Amerika (In search of America). Radio Around the Globe; our programme about books from literary travel book shop ‘Evenaar’ in Amsterdam.
1. Leon Carr/Leo Corday. See the USA in your Chevrolet.
From: Dinah Shore, vocals.
Cd Rhino R275688 tr 13 duration: 1.22
Today, Radio Around the Globe is about the book ‘Reizen zonder John’ (Travels without John) by Dutch writer Geert Mak. Subtitle: Op zoek naar Amerika (In search of America).
In 2010, Geert Mak, together with his wife, redoes the trip writer John Steinbeck made in 1960 with his dog Charley. The book after that trip was called ‘Travels with Charley’. John Steinbeck is an American author of 27 books, including 16 novels. During his trip in 1960, Steinbeck called at historical places such as Little Bighorn where in 1874 the Native Americans violently defeated the American army. Geert Mak takes roughly the same route, comes to remarkable observations and sees major differences between then and now. For example, in October 1960, the intense battle for presidency between Richard Nixon and John Kennedy had just begun. And that is when, for the very first time since television now records everything, the influence of the image becomes clear. Nixon looks pale and tired, Kennedy tanned and energetic. He wins the debate. Steinbeck was blind to this during his trip.
Contrasts: Mak notices that Americans speak very passionately about their house as it being their home but there’s no country in the world where people move houses – or switch jobs for that matter – as in America.
Steinbeck explains the constant moving as the concept of home nog being a reality but a collective and ingrained illusion. A national dream that was once a reality.
Before Steinbeck in 1837, Tocqueville, a French author also travelling through America, says: the entire society has merged into one middle class. For Europeans at the beginning of the 20th century it’s unthinkable to be associated with people from a different social class the way Americans do. On the first day of his first visit to the States Geert Mak too sees a street sweeper strike up a conversation with the owner of a luxurious car about how much the car costs, etc. During his visit to 10 Downing Street, Obama shook hands with a security officer. Labour Prime Minister Brown couldn’t bear to think about it.
To what extent does Steinbeck’s trip make sense, Geert Mak wonders, and does it matter?
Steinbeck was a born storyteller and loved to exaggerate. A few factual inaccuracies are not so terrible in that respect. And sometimes he believed in the myths he had created himself.
John Steinbeck and Geert Mak both travelled through the country by car. As train passenger you are less fortunate in the US. Through a lack of oil during the Second World War, people massively travelled by train, soldiers included. After the war this changed drastically: the car was emergent and the train neglected.
Americans complain about their federal government just like Europeans complain about Brussels.
Czech composer Antonin Dvorak worked in the United States at the National Conservatory of New York. In 1893, he wrote his American Quartet.
2. Antonin Dvorak. String quartet op 96 in F major American’.
Performing artist: Skampa Quartet. Recording from 1991
Cd K10006-2 311 tr. 1 to 4 duration: 23.38
3. Antonin Dvorak. From: Symphony no. 9 in e minor op 95 ‘From the New World’ part 3 & 4.
Performing artist: Česká filharmonie, conducted by Jiri Belohlavek. Recording from 1989.
CD 11 1987 2 031 tr, 3 & 4 duration: 19.47
When Steinbeck arrives in California, his native area, it becomes clearer and clearer that he finds the journey (Travels with Charley) increasingly hard going. California has changed a lot, he misses his wife Eileen sorely and he greatly shortens the last part of his trip, feeling disillusioned.
Steinbecks trip lasts 11 weeks. In January 1961, he and his wife Eileen are present at the inauguration of president Kennedy, a day when a blizzard was raging violently. Then he writes: ‘in the morning the storm came to an end and with that my trip as well.’ The manuscript ends with: ‘by now I understand that the great and mysterious America is much greater than I thought and much more mysterious.’
"Travels without John" by Geert Mak, a wonderful book that creates a critical and conscious image of America using personal stories of both Mak and Steinbeck. I couldn’t agree more with the Financial Times when they say: "Mak is the history teacher everyone should have had."
Engineering: Sander Friedeman
Compiled and hosted by Agnes van der Veld.
From the 4CD-box with songs about driving a car in America: Hot Rods & Custom Classics
4a Henry Bellinger: Stick Shift
Performing artist: The Duals duration: 2.28
4b Robert Mitchum/Don Raye:The Ballad of Thunderroad
Performing artist: Robert Mitchum & Orkest, conducted by Jack Marshall. duration: 2.29
4c Leon Carr/Leo Corday: See the USA in your Chevrolet
From: Dinah Shore, vocals duration: 1.22
Cd Rhino R275688 tr 3, 10 & 13 duration: 6.17
If there’s time left:
4d Bill Monroe: Heavy traffic ahead
Performing artist: Bill Monroe
4e Jay Black/ Leroy Kirkland: Radar
Cd Rhino R275688 tr 19 duration: 2.51 tr 20 duration: 2.35
