Turn Left at the Trojan Horse: A Would-Be Hero's American Odyssey (The States of Mind Collection) - Softcover

Herzog, Brad

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0996242252 ISBN 13: 9780996242257

Publisher: Why Not Books, 2016

Synopsis

It all began with an invitation to a college reunion, leading Brad Herzog to take stock: How has he measured up to his youthful aspirations? What constitutes a heroic life? So this modern-day Odysseus in Kerouac clothing embarks on a cross-country quest for insight. But instead of a voyage home to Ithaka following the Trojan War, this would-be hero is making his way toward his alma mater in Ithaca, New York. Starting with a view of Washington's Mount Olympus, Herzog makes his way eastward, delving into his own psyche and the lives of everyday heroes along the way. He meets a teacher in a rural one-room schoolhouse in Troy (Oregon), a lifelong hobo in Iliad (Montana), a bomb-diffusing soldier from Sparta (Wisconsin) and an 87-year-old paragon of reliability in Pandora (Ohio). TURN LEFT AT THE TROJAN HORSE is a philosophical, historical and conversational trek across America and through the universal truths embedded in ancient myths. However, in the end it is simply the story of one man trying to find his way.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

"Go away. Figure it out," she was saying. "Don't come back until you do." She looked at the calendar. "You have thirty-one days."

With these words, like Helen of Troy launching a thousand ships across the Aegean, Brad Herzog's wife launched a Winnebago Aspect onto the open road.

A modern-day Odysseus in Kerouac clothing, Brad Herzog plunges into a solo cross-country search for insight. With middle age bearing down on him, he takes stock: How has he measured up to his own youthful aspirations? In contemporary America, what is a life well lived? What is a heroic life?

From the foothills of Washington's Mount Olympus, through the forgotten corners of America, and finally to his college reunion in Ithaca, New York, Brad shares his personal odyssey. Stopping in classically named towns, he meets everyday heroes, including a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse in Troy, Oregon; a modern-day hobo in Iliad, Montana; and a bomb-squad soldier in Sparta, Wisconsin. These encounters and Brad's effortlessly infused musings make for an exciting, one-of-a-kind ride.

"A truly epic journey." --A.J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically

"As we sit in Herzog's passenger seat, we cannot help but stare out the window and even see our own reflection in the glass."--Liz Robbins, author of A Race Like No Other

"Turn Left at the Trojan Horse had me howling with laughter and nodding at the razor-sharp observation." --Tahir Shah, author of The Caliph's House

About the Author:

Brad Herzog lives on California's Monterey Peninsula with his wife and their two sons. He has been described as a "modern-day Steinbeck" and a "Picasso of the Winnebago," and Lonely Planet has ranked his travel memoirs among eight classics of the genre, along with books like Travels with Charley and On the Road. As an award-winning freelance writer, he has chronicled some of the nation's most unusual and intriguing subcultures, from nudists to North Pole explorers and from Pez collectors to pro mini golfers. Please visit him at bradherzog.com.

About this edition

• Publisher: Why Not Books
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0996242252
• ISBN 13: 9780996242257
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 318