Gravity, the Allure of Distance: Essays on the Act of Travel by W. Scott Olsen, and: Finding Higher Ground: A Life of Travels by Catharine Savage Brosman (review)

B o o k R e v i e w s Qravity, the Allure of Distance: Essays on the A ct of Travel. By W . S c o t t O lse n . S a l t L a k e C it y : U n iv e r sit y o f U t a h P r e ss, 2 0 0 3 . 2 1 2 p a g e s, $ 1 7 .9 5 . Finding Higher Qround: A Life of Travels. By C a t h a r in e Sa v a g e B r o sm a n . R e n o : U n iv e r sit y o f N e v a d a P r e ss, 2 0 0 3 . 2 1 6 p a g e s, $ 2 1 .9 5 . Reviewed by Lars Erik Larson U n iv e r sit y o f C a lifo r n ia , Lo s A n g e le s W riter s o f p e r so n al essays h av e lo n g d r aw n u p o n th e sp ac e o f th e h igh w ay to h elp st eer th e ir w or k aw ay fr o m n ar cissism . T h e c o n fr o n ta tio n s, r a n d o m ' n ess, an d r e m o te n ess im p or ted by th e r oad ofte n b a lan c e th e ge n r e ’s in e vitab le p u ll tow ard th e self. In G rav it y , the A llu re o f D ist an ce, W . Sc o t t O lse n ach ie v e s th is b a lan c e th r ou gh h is stu d y o f th e “a c t o f tr av e l” an d th e p er for m an ce o f a m in d in m ot io n . W h ile O lse n is th e sole a c t o r in th ese tr av els, h is in sigh ts are c o n v e y e d in a sp ir it o f in qu iry in t o th e gen er al p r o ce ss b y w h ich th e r oad gives r ise t o var io u s selve s. Bu t as an y d r iv er k n ow s w h o h as sp e n t tim e in a n au toV in c e n t H r o n . D R I V I N G . D at e u n k n ow n . O il. 6 4 V 2" x 7 4 V s "- M u se u m o f N e b r a sk a A r t C o lle c t io n , Kear n ey , N e b r a sk a . M u se u m p u r c h ase . P u r c h a se aw ar d fr om P r air ie Ligh t A r t s Sh o w c a se 1992. 3 4 8 W e s t e r n A m e r ic a n L it e r a t u r e F a l l 2 0 0 4 m o t iv e b u b b le, in r u sh -h ou r , or in ru r al r e ver ie, t h e h igh w ay is n o gu a r an te e o f lib e r atio n fr om th e self; it c a n ser ve in ste ad to r ein for ce w h at on e alr e ad y...