Walden On Wheels: On The Open Road From Debt To Freedom (2013) - Plot & Excerpts
Inspiring story of author who, in fearing being enslaved to student loan debt, decides to live in a van during graduate school. He shows courage, if not naïveté, in rushing into the unknown with zeal. City boy, that he is, he becomes a tour guide and ranger in Alaska! I loved his wide-eyed view of life and determination not to be chained down by societal norms. He write beautifully giving each encounter a lovely word brushed portrait. I think anyone would enjoy this book based on Ken's self-deprecating, funny, and intelligent writing style, but it was a home run for me because I love WALDEN, I love the idea of living in a van, and I love obsessive pursuits of lofty goals. If you have an high school upperclassmen/college kid in your life, your Christmas shopping is done! Just order it now.Ken does get a touch preachy about the evils of our modern consumer/debtor/capitalist culture towards the end, but he's lived in a van, people! He's earned his voice and his views! It would be super interesting to see if some of his views change when he's older/more trapped by society. For the rest of it, it's a page-turner. At first I thought the embedded emails were lame, but the ones by his mother were so great, it won me over.
What do You think about Walden On Wheels: On The Open Road From Debt To Freedom (2013)?
Clearly in the minority, but no. Just no. I couldn't handle the tone of the book. Ugh.
—Yepel
Really liked it. Good adventures and excellent points about the student loan system.
—marieyes
The book was okay. The author was intolerable. Which is unsurprising for a Duke alum.
—ravenj3711
V. much enjoyed. Several funny parts, gripping and thought-provoking.
—KaraLee
