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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Entertainment
Lloyd Green

American Ramble review: a riveting tale of the divided United States

A rural polling location is seen in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in November 2022.
A rural polling location is seen in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in November 2022. Photograph: Branden Eastwood/AFP/Getty Images

In spring 2021, Neil King trekked 330 miles from his Washington DC home to New York City. He passed through countryside, highways, towns and churchyards. His 25-day walk was also a journey through time. He looked at the US as it was and is and how it wishes to be seen. His resultant book is a beautifully written travelog, memoir, chronicle and history text. His prose is mellifluous, yet measured.

In his college days, King drove a New York cab. At the Wall Street Journal, his remit included politics, terror and foreign affairs. He did a stint as global economics editor. One might expect him to be jaded. Fortunately, he is not. American Ramble helps make the past come alive.

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