The Kindness of Strangers - Mike McIntyre - 3.5 stars

[Booknblues]

In 1994 journalist Mike McIntyre was feeling restless and dissatisfied and set out to discover how kind Americans really were by hitch-hiking without a penny from the San Francisco bay area to Cape Fear. His goal was to count on the kindness of strangers.

It is an interesting if inherently unwise proposition. He was able to find some truly kind and interesting people, some strange people and some who would have been wisest to avoid.

I enjoyed following along on his journey, but I don't think I would have enjoyed being part of it.

[NancyJ]

I wouldn’t say it’s truly a measure of kindness. Fearlessness maybe, on both sides. People used to hitchhike a lot back in the 1970’s where I lived. My friends and I thought nothing of hitching to a friend’s house 2 towns away. We actually reasoned that it was safer than riding our bikes on the highway. We were a lot smarter though the day we decided to hitch to New York City. We got 2 miles and called someone to pick us up.

I do like the premise otherwise. There was a documentary on tv about a couple who moved to a new town after they lost their jobs and money. It was really nice to see how many people helped them, and how they did it.

[Booknblues]

I often hitched back in the early 70s but would not consider it now.
McIntyre is a tall man, 6'4" , 37 years old when he did this and always made a point of being clean cut and squeaky clean looking.

While reading it, I was surprised at the number of women who took him in, remembering Ted Bundy. I guess I should not have been surprised that a good share of these women had previously been in abusive relationships.