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Bowling Across America: 50 States in Rented Shoes
Inspired by his father’s unexpected passing, Mike Walsh, a 27 year-old Chicago advertising executive, quits his job to embark on a one-of-a-kind quest. The bowling alleys in each of the 50 states. Though dubbed "career suicide" by colleagues, the endeavor soon touches a nerve among many people—from frustrated middle managers to radio talk show hosts to a woman who merely identifies herself as "Bowling Spice" in an innuendo-laden email. Conversations and adventures with the people he finds in bowling alleys at all hours of the day and night—retired Maine lobstermen, saucy European nannies, recovering addicts, former bowling champions, college students, World War II vets and lingerie saleswomen, to name a few—combine to form a picture of what America looks like while standing in a pair of rented shoes. Hilarious, insightful and at times moving, BOWLING ACROSS AMERICA is an epic journey that will enthrall readers everywhere.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 28, 2008
7 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
Mike Walsh
59 books12 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 7, 2010
Cool idea, disappointing execution. In terms of travel writing, I wasn't expecting epic literary musings a la Paul Theroux or Gretel Ehrlich, or even snort-milk-our-your-nose Bill Bryson-style hilarity. Just some laughs, some honesty, some quirky stories.
Sadly, the book reads like a boring school report, a mostly-colorless daily log of Walsh's experiences in bowling alley after bowling alley, dotted with the occasional awkward romantic encounter and regular reminders that he is oh-so-grateful to be sponsored by Miller High Life, did I mention I'm sponsored by Miller High Life, Miller High Life, Miller High Life.
If Walsh had a gift for funny or acute representations of place or "the human animal" I would've walked away satisfied. Ultimately, though, this book was underwhelming and bland.
Sadly, the book reads like a boring school report, a mostly-colorless daily log of Walsh's experiences in bowling alley after bowling alley, dotted with the occasional awkward romantic encounter and regular reminders that he is oh-so-grateful to be sponsored by Miller High Life, did I mention I'm sponsored by Miller High Life, Miller High Life, Miller High Life.
If Walsh had a gift for funny or acute representations of place or "the human animal" I would've walked away satisfied. Ultimately, though, this book was underwhelming and bland.
April 29, 2009
This is a light and fairly enjoyable book, but it could have been better. The author quits his desk job and travels the country with the goal of bowling in each of the 50 states. An appealing concept, but what could have been an interesting commentary on American bowling culture often degenerates into a travelogue describing the author's quest to meet up with old buddies and drink beer. At times, we learn more about these exploits than we care to. The author attempts to describe the various characters he meets along the way, but it's not enough. Still, there are some humorous anecdotes, and the book is fairly well written, but after getting thorough all 50 states, the reader is not left with any lasting impressions of the experience.
May 21, 2009
Finally picked this up again after reading the first few pages after the book release party. Which was held at a bowling alley, of course.
It hasn't bowled me over yet (*ahem*). But I feel obligated to finish it, since the author is the husband of a friend of a friend.
LATER: I give up. I got through the introduction and the beginning of his cross-country trip, but I'm not engaged. He's approaching his trip -- which in theory is a memorial to his father -- as a marketing event: press releases, interviews by Eric & Kathy (hideously annoying radio hosts), flashbacks to his days as a driver of the Oscar Mayer wienermobile... no thanks.
It hasn't bowled me over yet (*ahem*). But I feel obligated to finish it, since the author is the husband of a friend of a friend.
LATER: I give up. I got through the introduction and the beginning of his cross-country trip, but I'm not engaged. He's approaching his trip -- which in theory is a memorial to his father -- as a marketing event: press releases, interviews by Eric & Kathy (hideously annoying radio hosts), flashbacks to his days as a driver of the Oscar Mayer wienermobile... no thanks.
November 6, 2012
I really WANTED to love it, but state by state, I just didn't :( Two stars is a little harsh, but three would be generous. The story line & journey had a definite appeal, .... and the author grows on you BUT honestly it seemed lacking. Maybe it was too choppy between state borders? Maybe it was better suited for his web blog?
The only consistency was in talking about Weinermobiles, Miller High Life plugs, ex girlfriends or failed hook ups. I wish he'd spent more time writing about the senior bowling league members! Anyhow, guess that's why it was for sale at the dollar store ...
The only consistency was in talking about Weinermobiles, Miller High Life plugs, ex girlfriends or failed hook ups. I wish he'd spent more time writing about the senior bowling league members! Anyhow, guess that's why it was for sale at the dollar store ...
May 21, 2009
I loved the idea of this book - Traveling to each state to bowl and get an impression of the people in a very down to earth setting. Today I decided to abandon it. Had the book been more about the goal than the drinking and promotional stunts along the way, it might have been interesting. After 31 states and an honest effort, I have moved on. I have too much to read to constantly have this hanging over my head.
September 28, 2011
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars – it offers endearing (if few and far between), perspectives on life and places I otherwise wouldn’t be privy to. I almost set it down in favor of a long list of books I would rather read, but I had the feeling there was something worth reading right around the corner, and I was right. At about 2/3 the way through, MW started sharing more interesting insights that, w/ the book’s title, I would have thought would have been nonstop right from page 1!! I enjoy books like this…where the author takes a trip, meeting strangers along the way, looking at life from a different perspective. I feel we make our best observations when we’re listening and open and receptive to our experiences. However, I think MW saw himself as an outsider in the bowling alleys, making quips about the people there, playing to the stereotypes we all have, as well as focusing on himself most of the time (failed relationships, corporate sponsor, etc.). But that’s not where the main potential for this book…it’s in walking into a new bowling alley in a new state, meeting new people, and hearing about life in their shoes. When MW did that, or talked about interesting places in that state, he made a connection from that far-off place to the reader, and it was great!
‘“His (father) passing, now sixteen months ago, triggered thoughts of making my own break. In trying to recapture what advice he might have given me as a I considered the status quo versus taking more dramatic action, I was reminded of a metaphor he often repeated on the subject of risk. “You can make safe choices and sleep well,” he would say, “or you can take risks and eat well. Eating well is a hell of a lot more interesting, but it does keep you up at night.”’ p. 2-3
‘“The developers kept the famous neon sign, only they relocated it. The multi-colored crooked letters now adorn the entranceway to Kingsdale Gynecologic Associates, greeting patients on their way to a potentially dreaded exam with the warm, familiar glow of a neon bowling alley sign. Herein lies the paradox of bowling in the United States today: as a society we don’t bowl with the frequency to keep businesses like Fiesta open, yet we hold sufficient affection for its place in our civic lives to think it wholly appropriate that the old neon sign remain, even in such an unusual location.”’ p. 20
‘“The declining league trend signals a need for a dramatic shift in the business model for bowling centers, one that many have failed to successfully implement because they lack either the sophistication or the resources to do so. When AMF, the world’s largest owner-operator of bowling centers, recently sought a new CEO it hired the former CEO of a successful restaurant chain – a revealing glimpse at which part of the company’s operations would be most important to its survival and growth. Improve the food offering and get back the dining business, if not the leagues. The Fiesta Lanes of the world, it seems will have to similarly adapt if they are to regain their position as a community destination in a time when community participation is in decline.”’ p. 21
‘“My brother Peter brings my nephew Jacob, who is five, and my niece Lily, who is three, for the last hour. The kids present me with a parting gift: a road atlas with a ten-dollar bill staples to each state, accompanied by a rule not to spend one until I reach the state to which it is attached. Who needs corporate sponsors?”’ p. 26
‘“By the time my mother arrives home, her answering machine is packed with messages from neighbors and friends who saw me on TV. Now they understand. Now she understands. “Michael, you were so good! When do you think David Letterman will have you on?”’ p. 26
‘“Like any good intimidator, Bowling Spice mostly keeps quiet as we bowl, except for the odd taunting when I roll poorly and mentioning that she stole the green ball she’s rolling with from a bowling alley in Oregon. Funny, she hadn’t seemed like a criminal when she sent me an unsolicited e-mail signed with an alias.”’ p. 30
‘“F@#* it anyway. I’m going on the road trip to end all road trips. Who cares if I get a sponsor? The experience will pay for itself in...experience. That ought to keep me fed.”' p. 32
‘“I sent out press releases, made calls, sent e-mail reminders, and still no one has shown up with a video camera to reaffirm me and raise my self-esteem to atmospheric levels. Despite yesterday’s success, today’s lack of interest hits me surprisingly hard. To paraphrase something Sylvester Stallone once said describing the conundrum of fame: On one hand, it’s terribly inconvenient to be unable to venture into public unnoticed. On the other hand, you become so accustomed to the attention that merely the thought of walking through a hotel lobby and not being recognized is terrifying. Recognizing that in my internal monologue I’m equating a newspaper article and a couple of radio phone-ins with fame and, worse, that I’m searching for perspective from Rambo, I decide to get over it and get to know some of the people sharing Bowlero’s air with me today.”’ p. 36
‘“Ron talks about the house in which he had grown up, how he and his brother used to pull each other and their friends up and down its main hallway on a rug. “That hallway seemed like it was a mile long.” I sense in Ron a longing to recapture that perspective. To be able to look at the world and be filled with wonder and awe at the simple things. When hallways are mile-long playgrounds and the bed is huge and tall and the space beneath it is populated with monsters. When staying up until ten is something you brag to your friends about at school the next day.”’ p. 60
‘“People in small-towns wherever I go invariably ask,”Why’d you come here of all places?” New Yorkers take it for granted that people want to visit there, but there’s always a sense of surprise and puzzlement among the people in smaller towns that anyone would want to come to “little old” here. Indeed, on the surface I’d ask myself the same question. But spend a few nights in someone’s home, see how close they are to their family and how strong the support network is among people who all know one another so well, and the question becomes “Why am I leaving?”’ p. 203
‘“In the end it comes down to a question of “home” – where that is and what it means. For me it means my other, my siblings, their children.”’ p. 204
‘“The thing I liked about driving (a truck) was the think time,” she comments. “You notice the stars more, and the moon when it’s full…” She drifts off in fond memories of the road. I say my good-byes to the Huntleys and drive to the first motel I find, noticing the stars a bit more and wondering what kind of motel charges only seventeen dollars for a room. The answer is on the night-stand: the kind of motel that has a coin-operated vibrating bed. They must make a killing in quarters.”’ p. 214
‘“Over the din of crashing pins and announcements that we’re approaching the end of league play, Paul puts his finger on the dichotomous nature of being a soldier, something nearly impossible for those of us who’ve never served to understand. “I wouldn’t take a million dollars in exchange for the experience and memories,” he says, “but I wouldn’t pay a cent for one more second of it.”’ p. 220
‘“I was in advertising, too,” he says when I tell him about the job I’d quit to go bowling, and agrees with me that the field can feel like it lacks meaning. “Sometimes you wonder why you’re spending so much energy trying to get people to buy things they don’t need.” Briefly self-conscious, I put on my green pullover to cover up the Miller-High Life logo on my t-shirt.’ p. 233
‘The bartender, Raquel, has a somewhat sunnier outlook as she conveys on of the unexpected pleasures of living nearly two miles above sea level. “My kids’ favorite thing is to chase clouds down the street.”’ p. 235
‘A sign on the wall promotes a kind of social responsibility that should be reapplied throughout society: “If you knock a ball off the pool table, you must pay fifty cents in the jukebox.” I like the notion of rule breakers giving something back to society like that.’ p. 239
‘One of the carcasses, stuffed and occupying a balcony in the rear of the bar, is a two-headed calf. This fascinates me – it’s the kind of thing that I never believed existed, and it’s no replica…. ”There’s a two-headed calf in every bar in Wyoming,” he says, simultaneously deflating me and filling me with wonder.’ p. 239
‘My tribute ruined, I slow to ninety and follow signs to Historic Downtown Butte to have a look around at what I am imagining will be another quaint Old West town with wooden sidewalks, swinging saloon doors and rugged, mustached cowboys just in from the drive. I fail to find anything quaint, much less wooden sidewalks and swinging saloon doors. But I do manage to find rugged. Rugged, along with its close cousins Haggard and Trodden, has set up camp in a bar with no name that, at two in the afternoon with almost no outside light penetrating its filth-layered windows, is completely full…. I can’t tell whether it’s unemployment or a shift at a backbreaking factory that just ended that has put such misery into the faces, but I know I don’t want to catch what they’ve got. No bar should be this full and pouring so many stiff drinks this time of day. I use the pay phone to make a call and run for the car, breaking the speed limit by twenty all the way to Helena.’ p. 244-245
‘”People in bowling centers are about as friendly as you can find,” he says. “Even when I didn’t tell them I was trying to hit all fifty states they all treated me like family.” “Did you have a favorite place to bowl?” “Lots stand out, but you know Mike, the trip itself was the real destination.” p. 262
‘“His (father) passing, now sixteen months ago, triggered thoughts of making my own break. In trying to recapture what advice he might have given me as a I considered the status quo versus taking more dramatic action, I was reminded of a metaphor he often repeated on the subject of risk. “You can make safe choices and sleep well,” he would say, “or you can take risks and eat well. Eating well is a hell of a lot more interesting, but it does keep you up at night.”’ p. 2-3
‘“The developers kept the famous neon sign, only they relocated it. The multi-colored crooked letters now adorn the entranceway to Kingsdale Gynecologic Associates, greeting patients on their way to a potentially dreaded exam with the warm, familiar glow of a neon bowling alley sign. Herein lies the paradox of bowling in the United States today: as a society we don’t bowl with the frequency to keep businesses like Fiesta open, yet we hold sufficient affection for its place in our civic lives to think it wholly appropriate that the old neon sign remain, even in such an unusual location.”’ p. 20
‘“The declining league trend signals a need for a dramatic shift in the business model for bowling centers, one that many have failed to successfully implement because they lack either the sophistication or the resources to do so. When AMF, the world’s largest owner-operator of bowling centers, recently sought a new CEO it hired the former CEO of a successful restaurant chain – a revealing glimpse at which part of the company’s operations would be most important to its survival and growth. Improve the food offering and get back the dining business, if not the leagues. The Fiesta Lanes of the world, it seems will have to similarly adapt if they are to regain their position as a community destination in a time when community participation is in decline.”’ p. 21
‘“My brother Peter brings my nephew Jacob, who is five, and my niece Lily, who is three, for the last hour. The kids present me with a parting gift: a road atlas with a ten-dollar bill staples to each state, accompanied by a rule not to spend one until I reach the state to which it is attached. Who needs corporate sponsors?”’ p. 26
‘“By the time my mother arrives home, her answering machine is packed with messages from neighbors and friends who saw me on TV. Now they understand. Now she understands. “Michael, you were so good! When do you think David Letterman will have you on?”’ p. 26
‘“Like any good intimidator, Bowling Spice mostly keeps quiet as we bowl, except for the odd taunting when I roll poorly and mentioning that she stole the green ball she’s rolling with from a bowling alley in Oregon. Funny, she hadn’t seemed like a criminal when she sent me an unsolicited e-mail signed with an alias.”’ p. 30
‘“F@#* it anyway. I’m going on the road trip to end all road trips. Who cares if I get a sponsor? The experience will pay for itself in...experience. That ought to keep me fed.”' p. 32
‘“I sent out press releases, made calls, sent e-mail reminders, and still no one has shown up with a video camera to reaffirm me and raise my self-esteem to atmospheric levels. Despite yesterday’s success, today’s lack of interest hits me surprisingly hard. To paraphrase something Sylvester Stallone once said describing the conundrum of fame: On one hand, it’s terribly inconvenient to be unable to venture into public unnoticed. On the other hand, you become so accustomed to the attention that merely the thought of walking through a hotel lobby and not being recognized is terrifying. Recognizing that in my internal monologue I’m equating a newspaper article and a couple of radio phone-ins with fame and, worse, that I’m searching for perspective from Rambo, I decide to get over it and get to know some of the people sharing Bowlero’s air with me today.”’ p. 36
‘“Ron talks about the house in which he had grown up, how he and his brother used to pull each other and their friends up and down its main hallway on a rug. “That hallway seemed like it was a mile long.” I sense in Ron a longing to recapture that perspective. To be able to look at the world and be filled with wonder and awe at the simple things. When hallways are mile-long playgrounds and the bed is huge and tall and the space beneath it is populated with monsters. When staying up until ten is something you brag to your friends about at school the next day.”’ p. 60
‘“People in small-towns wherever I go invariably ask,”Why’d you come here of all places?” New Yorkers take it for granted that people want to visit there, but there’s always a sense of surprise and puzzlement among the people in smaller towns that anyone would want to come to “little old” here. Indeed, on the surface I’d ask myself the same question. But spend a few nights in someone’s home, see how close they are to their family and how strong the support network is among people who all know one another so well, and the question becomes “Why am I leaving?”’ p. 203
‘“In the end it comes down to a question of “home” – where that is and what it means. For me it means my other, my siblings, their children.”’ p. 204
‘“The thing I liked about driving (a truck) was the think time,” she comments. “You notice the stars more, and the moon when it’s full…” She drifts off in fond memories of the road. I say my good-byes to the Huntleys and drive to the first motel I find, noticing the stars a bit more and wondering what kind of motel charges only seventeen dollars for a room. The answer is on the night-stand: the kind of motel that has a coin-operated vibrating bed. They must make a killing in quarters.”’ p. 214
‘“Over the din of crashing pins and announcements that we’re approaching the end of league play, Paul puts his finger on the dichotomous nature of being a soldier, something nearly impossible for those of us who’ve never served to understand. “I wouldn’t take a million dollars in exchange for the experience and memories,” he says, “but I wouldn’t pay a cent for one more second of it.”’ p. 220
‘“I was in advertising, too,” he says when I tell him about the job I’d quit to go bowling, and agrees with me that the field can feel like it lacks meaning. “Sometimes you wonder why you’re spending so much energy trying to get people to buy things they don’t need.” Briefly self-conscious, I put on my green pullover to cover up the Miller-High Life logo on my t-shirt.’ p. 233
‘The bartender, Raquel, has a somewhat sunnier outlook as she conveys on of the unexpected pleasures of living nearly two miles above sea level. “My kids’ favorite thing is to chase clouds down the street.”’ p. 235
‘A sign on the wall promotes a kind of social responsibility that should be reapplied throughout society: “If you knock a ball off the pool table, you must pay fifty cents in the jukebox.” I like the notion of rule breakers giving something back to society like that.’ p. 239
‘One of the carcasses, stuffed and occupying a balcony in the rear of the bar, is a two-headed calf. This fascinates me – it’s the kind of thing that I never believed existed, and it’s no replica…. ”There’s a two-headed calf in every bar in Wyoming,” he says, simultaneously deflating me and filling me with wonder.’ p. 239
‘My tribute ruined, I slow to ninety and follow signs to Historic Downtown Butte to have a look around at what I am imagining will be another quaint Old West town with wooden sidewalks, swinging saloon doors and rugged, mustached cowboys just in from the drive. I fail to find anything quaint, much less wooden sidewalks and swinging saloon doors. But I do manage to find rugged. Rugged, along with its close cousins Haggard and Trodden, has set up camp in a bar with no name that, at two in the afternoon with almost no outside light penetrating its filth-layered windows, is completely full…. I can’t tell whether it’s unemployment or a shift at a backbreaking factory that just ended that has put such misery into the faces, but I know I don’t want to catch what they’ve got. No bar should be this full and pouring so many stiff drinks this time of day. I use the pay phone to make a call and run for the car, breaking the speed limit by twenty all the way to Helena.’ p. 244-245
‘”People in bowling centers are about as friendly as you can find,” he says. “Even when I didn’t tell them I was trying to hit all fifty states they all treated me like family.” “Did you have a favorite place to bowl?” “Lots stand out, but you know Mike, the trip itself was the real destination.” p. 262
February 17, 2020
Bowling Across America is the ideal vicarious read! Here's this guy with a perfectly average life, everything is just fine, and he decides, "Hey, I'm going to go bowling in each state of the union." And he does it! This memoir chronicles Walsh's bowling adventures and tells the stories of the folks he meets along the way.
On the writing: Walsh is definitely not a seasoned author. While his writing isn't bad, it is a little bit extravagant at times. At first the humor was a major turn-off, really just cringey and dated. However, there were many times that I found myself laughing out loud before the end.
I wish that there had been a touch more description of setting and that the people were... I don't know, made more real? I know this is asking a lot from a memoir, but the story could have been much more immersive.
If you are wary of this book because it's about bowling, an admittedly dorky sport, let it be known that Bowling Across America is actually a story about people, and about how we are brought together through common interests.
Popsugar 2020 Reading Challenge: A book you picked because the title caught your attention
On the writing: Walsh is definitely not a seasoned author. While his writing isn't bad, it is a little bit extravagant at times. At first the humor was a major turn-off, really just cringey and dated. However, there were many times that I found myself laughing out loud before the end.
I wish that there had been a touch more description of setting and that the people were... I don't know, made more real? I know this is asking a lot from a memoir, but the story could have been much more immersive.
If you are wary of this book because it's about bowling, an admittedly dorky sport, let it be known that Bowling Across America is actually a story about people, and about how we are brought together through common interests.
Popsugar 2020 Reading Challenge: A book you picked because the title caught your attention
May 22, 2020
this is one of those books where I said if I don't read this hardcover while in quarantine, when would I?
It was a really interesting read albeit at a time long gone. He wrote this as a form of tribute to his father who wanted to play handball in all states, but died before he could. This was after Bowling Alone, but way before bowling alleys became even more scarce. Amusingly, I've been to the one he bowled in in NYC.
I liked his references back to his Oscar Mayer days and some of the people he shared his trip with. The final totals of mileage, beer, etc. was wonderfully crazy. A good, light read
It was a really interesting read albeit at a time long gone. He wrote this as a form of tribute to his father who wanted to play handball in all states, but died before he could. This was after Bowling Alone, but way before bowling alleys became even more scarce. Amusingly, I've been to the one he bowled in in NYC.
I liked his references back to his Oscar Mayer days and some of the people he shared his trip with. The final totals of mileage, beer, etc. was wonderfully crazy. A good, light read
January 21, 2012
This is a great story. It is a nonfiction story, but it's so much more than that. You can almost say it's about following your heart and being free. In a way it's about self discovery. Now I know what you're thinking, 'Bowling? Who would want to read a story about bowling?' To tell you the truth it's about a lot more than guy driving around the country aimlessly bowling. I mean not to sound cheesy or anything but, it's about his journey.
After the death of his father Mike Walsh sets out to fulfill a dream of his father's. His father always wanted to play handball in all 50 states. But wait isn't this a book about bowling? Well, yes but Mike was a bowler not a handball player. So he put his own twist on his father's dream, instead of playing handball he would bowl. Mike quit his job, withdrew his savings, borrowed his mom's car, and set off on the adventure of a lifetime. Along the way he met several interesting people and heard more than his fair share of amazing tales.
This is a book I can very much relate to being a major bowler myself. I suggest it to all of the people who doubt bowling as a sport and bowlers as athletes. You know who you are. There is a part in the first chapter and it says, "The bowling alley is a gathering place, and much more transpires within its confines than merely a series of sporting contests divided into ten frames." It goes on to explain the various other things that happen in a bowling center. This is perhaps my favorite part. In essence it tells you about how for so many a bowling center is a home. Just before summer my home center closed. Just as Mike's did in the book. I spent more time at Pullman's than I did at home. The friendships and family I created there will last me longer than any other relationship I will make. I did this book review desperately hoping I could get some respect for the sport, and this book really helps with that.
Over all it was an amazing book and I give it an A. There is a warning though. A lot of swear words are used, including the f-bomb. It also talks a lot about sex. There are no sex scenes in the book though. This is not for the faint of heart and I encourage all to read it so you can maybe try to see my point of view on bowling.
After the death of his father Mike Walsh sets out to fulfill a dream of his father's. His father always wanted to play handball in all 50 states. But wait isn't this a book about bowling? Well, yes but Mike was a bowler not a handball player. So he put his own twist on his father's dream, instead of playing handball he would bowl. Mike quit his job, withdrew his savings, borrowed his mom's car, and set off on the adventure of a lifetime. Along the way he met several interesting people and heard more than his fair share of amazing tales.
This is a book I can very much relate to being a major bowler myself. I suggest it to all of the people who doubt bowling as a sport and bowlers as athletes. You know who you are. There is a part in the first chapter and it says, "The bowling alley is a gathering place, and much more transpires within its confines than merely a series of sporting contests divided into ten frames." It goes on to explain the various other things that happen in a bowling center. This is perhaps my favorite part. In essence it tells you about how for so many a bowling center is a home. Just before summer my home center closed. Just as Mike's did in the book. I spent more time at Pullman's than I did at home. The friendships and family I created there will last me longer than any other relationship I will make. I did this book review desperately hoping I could get some respect for the sport, and this book really helps with that.
Over all it was an amazing book and I give it an A. There is a warning though. A lot of swear words are used, including the f-bomb. It also talks a lot about sex. There are no sex scenes in the book though. This is not for the faint of heart and I encourage all to read it so you can maybe try to see my point of view on bowling.
January 6, 2014
Most of us out there have a goal or bucket list to do some things we've always wanted to do. This guy, Mike Walsh, took one of his dreams, and decided to try and bowl in all 50 states...and this is his story.
The author quits his job and makes his way around the US (all 50 states) to try and bowl at least one game in each...along the way we meet many of his friends from different stages of life as he pursues his goal...
Recommended for anyone with a sense of adventure, but I bet those guys who are looking for something to read between the weekly football games or perhaps during their favorite sport's offseason would enjoy this book while relaxing in their man-cave.
All in all a very entertaining and interesting book.
The author quits his job and makes his way around the US (all 50 states) to try and bowl at least one game in each...along the way we meet many of his friends from different stages of life as he pursues his goal...
Recommended for anyone with a sense of adventure, but I bet those guys who are looking for something to read between the weekly football games or perhaps during their favorite sport's offseason would enjoy this book while relaxing in their man-cave.
All in all a very entertaining and interesting book.
December 19, 2009
What a great find! I'm a sucker for a story that combines bowling and the hope that comes with the open road. I had a great time while reading this book (although I could have gone without the dig on my home state). The story is quirky, the writing is clever and the outcome is exactly what you'd expect it to be.
I would have liked Walsh to have experienced more of each state - and the bowler in me would have liked him to have improved his average - but, this was a great first book and one that convinced me that Mike Walsh is the kind of guy you want to know. Reading about his experiences and the people met along the way made me smile like few other books have this year.
I would have liked Walsh to have experienced more of each state - and the bowler in me would have liked him to have improved his average - but, this was a great first book and one that convinced me that Mike Walsh is the kind of guy you want to know. Reading about his experiences and the people met along the way made me smile like few other books have this year.
February 23, 2014
Not impressed. I found his stories to be inane and rather pompous. Also his little quips of insulting neighbors was uncalled for. Especially since he used real names without permission! The overall quest he embarked on was adventurous and a nice way to honor his father. But it became more about as others have stated, drinking, failed hook-ups and almost insulting the individuals that he chose to immerse himself with. As if he came to think he was better than them. Sorry Mike you're not. And again not impressed with this book. If you plan on reading it. Save your time. Read something else.
March 17, 2016
07/11: I really wanted to like this one and just couldn't get into it at first. But, it grew on me. He got the world of Navy Seahawk pilots right (Jacksonville, FL), and he nailed New Orleans. His drive across west Texas cracked me up. His never ending quest with the ladies was irritating, but you gotta love his response to a question about this from a reporter in Washington State, "That's been one of the surprises on this trip, Sterling. IT turns out that women really aren't that impressed with unemployed guys who spend a lot of time in bowling alleys."
August 11, 2009
I really liked this book - perhaps because I would love to just stop everything I'm doing, put life on hold, and travel the country like Mike did (but I'd probably never have the guts to do it). It read like a diary of the trip, including more than just his experiences at the various bowling alleys, which is what I'd hoped for before reading it. And I just loved the descriptions of the people he met along the way. It was a bit slow at times, yes; but overall it was an easy and enjoyable read.
December 28, 2014
Meh this ones ok, when it started out it seemed so amazing but as I progressed the execution of the story seemed a bit flat and distraught. It's not the worst but I was expecting something good. Walsh does have a pretty good writing talent and he is in sync with his words but this story is as stale as bread. I'll read another on of his books and while this ones not anything to write home about it has a charm and style that's all it's own and for that I commend Walsh.
J Vera
J Vera
January 2, 2016
Yet another casualty of my reading endeavors. I thought it was quite interesting at first, but now I find myself avoiding reading it, as it just wasn't something I wanted to continually read about. I simply lost interest in the subject matter. Perhaps if I was more of a fan of bowling I would appreciate the writing and the purpose of the author's endeavors.
August 5, 2011
this book was not only tacky, but lazily written. out of fifty states only about four were enjoyable to read. i believe it was the authors lack of interest in his task, and more of his interest in the opposite sex and beer, which he couldn't write about either. mike walsh... go back to your day job.
Want to read
April 1, 2009This is the latest book recommended by my daily DearReader e-mails. Once in a while these recommendations really appeal to me, and this is one. A son sets out to retrace his dead dad's bowling dreams. Come on.....sappy? Yes. But in a sweet kind of way.
August 23, 2009
This was an amusing, light read. I think it might appeal to anyone who ever spent some time bowling, which I did MANY years ago. It was long enough ago that I can no longer remember why I thought bowling was fun!
January 2, 2012
Great premise, but after about 7 or 8 states every section sounded the exact same...no sense of buildup so there wasn't a conclusion other than "I'm done now." Great idea, but needs more to become more than that.
April 27, 2013
Hilarious and surprisingly poignant,Bowling across America is an ode to Americans and America. I picked it up on a whim at the library and it is now one of my favorites. I would recommend it to anyone.
November 22, 2008
I thought this book was fun... I would have never gone and bowled all over the US, but hearing about Mike's travels makes me want to go see other places.
Read
November 12, 2009Um...what is this really about? Instead of learning about the adventures of traveling across the country, the author wrote about marketing ploys and the need for media attention. I don't think so.
March 26, 2009
This was a good book, and you don't need to be as much of a bowling dork as I am to enjoy it. It does get a little slow in parts. But overall, it's humorous and a good read
May 13, 2009
A really great read. A guy wants to bowl one game in every state. Talks about the people he meets along the way. Think of it as Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives in bowling allies across America.
May 24, 2009
The title explains what happens in the book. What made me enjoy it is all the people the author met during his trip. He made to trip to honor his father's memory.
June 5, 2009
CLunky. I usually like stories like this but this one simply didn't appeal
May 25, 2012
He is an entertaining speaker!
February 21, 2013
Great book. Enjoyed the travel
commentary as much as the bowling! Was wishing for more.
commentary as much as the bowling! Was wishing for more.
March 21, 2013
I enjoyed reading about his experiences throughout all the states, and the people he ran into. I also enjoyed the fact that he explained why he was doing what he was.
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