All That Road Going: A Novel (Hardcover)

If you've ever taken a Greyhound bus trip overnight or cross country, chances are you will be able to relate to All That Road GOING by A.G. Mojtabai. On the other hand, if you've never experienced the pleasure of riding on a Greyhound bus cross country, sit back and relax in the comfort of your own home while author A.G. Mojtabai takes you there through her rich descriptions and extensive character development in the mind altering reality of travel via Greyhound.

The first 40 pages or so had me wondering if author A.G. Mojtabai in fact had a story and where she was going with it. I was about to throw in the towel when of all places I got stuck at the airport for an hour and had some time to kill. Luckily, I had this book along for the journey.

For the most part, the characters in this book are trying to get to a better place, away from their hurts and pains so they can make a fresh start in a new city. One is going to revisit an his hometown where anyone who would have known him is now dead. Another is on board because he doesn't know what else to do while his dying common law wife lies dying in a hospital bed. There are also two children aboard, ages 6 and 8 who are being sent unaccompanied by their alcoholic, co-dependent mother to live with their aunt. A young 15 year old girl is heading home one day post partum after giving birth to a baby she was forced into giving up for adoption. There are more characters as well. The author touches on their thoughts, emotions, and actions, one by one, as the Greyhound bus continues down the never ending road. The author makes no apologies for the characters thoughts on race, class, or lifestyle choice. This is the real world of Greyhound travel.