American Ramble: A Walk of Memory and Renewal by Neil King

Monday, November 6 through Friday, December 1, 2023. Read by Jim Fleming.

Neil King Jr.’s desire to walk from Washington, D.C., to New York City began as a whim and soon became an obsession. By the spring of 2021, events had intervened that gave his desire greater urgency. His neighborhood still reeled from the January 6th insurrection. COVID lockdowns and a rancorous election had deepened America’s divides. Neil himself bore the imprints of a long battle with cancer. Determined to rediscover what matters in life and to see our national story with new eyes, Neil turned north with a small satchel on his back and one mission in mind: To pay close attention to the land he crossed and the people he met. What followed is an extraordinary 26-day journey to his ultimate destination: Central Park. The journey travels deep into America’s past and present, uncovering forgotten pockets and overlooked people. At a time of mounting disunity, the trip reveals the profound power of our shared ground.

(Mariner; ISBN-10:‎ 035870149X / ISBN-13:‎ 978-0358701491)

Theme: George Gershwin; Piano Rolls; “Novelette In Fourths”, “That Certain Feeling”, “So Am I”