I took a companion on my journey: an old and gentlemanly French poodle named Charley. Well, his real name is Charles le Chien. He was born in Bercy, on the outskirts of Paris, and was educated in France, and although he knows a bit of poodle English, he only responds quickly to commands in French. If he has to translate, it slows him down. He’s a very large poodle, in a color known as bleu, and he really does look blue when he’s clean. Charley is a born diplomat. He prefers negotiation to fighting—which is fortunate, because he’s a terrible fighter. In 1960, Steinbeck, accompanied by his dog Charley, traveled over 16,000 kilometers across thirty-four states in his camper van Rocinante. Along the way, he spoke with truck drivers and farmers, sensing the fears and hopes of his fellow Americans. This delightful book, which became a bestseller in his country, was published shortly before he received the Nobel Prize in 1962.
