the long haul book review

Advertisement

Supported by

Books of The Times

‘The Long Haul’ Is a Trucker’s Slangy Tour of the Road

• Share full article

By Jennifer Senior

• May 31, 2017

THE LONG HAUL A Trucker’s Tales of Life on the Road By Finn Murphy 229 pages. W.W Norton & Company. $26.95.

Truck driving may be dangerous, and truck driving may be stressful, but Finn Murphy is here to tell you that of all species of truckers driving all species of trucks, it’s the long-distance drivers of moving vans who have it worst. You think easing a 53-foot rig through snowy Loveland Pass high in the Rockies requires steel-reinforced nerves? Ha! Here’s what requires a cast-iron stomach and the imperturbability of a Navy SEAL: Backing that rig into the twisting driveway of some starter castle in Aspen, Colo., or Greenwich, Conn., without getting stuck or crushing the new owners’ geraniums.

O.K. Perhaps that’s not fair. But Murphy, the author of “The Long Haul: A Trucker’s Tales of Life on the Road,” is not here to make friends. His point is that these long-distance movers need superb navigational skills and spatial sense in addition to the usual trucking expertise. They need to be able to drive on both the cobblestone streets of Manhattan and the back roads of rural Virginia; they need to drive gracefully in reverse; they need to know how to do U-turns in spaces the size of a teacup.

Having a keen spatial sense is also required for loading furniture, obviously. Murphy likens organizing his rig to a three-dimensional game of Tetris. The problem pieces — often lightweight and irregularly shaped — are called “chowder.”

Other terms that will prove catnip for lovers of professional slang: bobtailing, deadheading, lollipops. (Driving a tractor without a trailer; driving an empty truck; those tiny green mile markers freckling the interstate.) Hitting a low bridge is “getting a haircut.” “Chicken chokers” are truckers who move animals, “parking lot attendants” are truckers who move cars, and “suicide jockeys” are truckers who move hazardous materials. Fellows like Murphy are called bedbuggers; and their trucks, roach coaches.

I will try not to think about either of those last terms the next time I relocate. Nor will I think about the fact that movers sometimes inspect the contents of your boudoir. Murphy’s recommendation: “Salt the lingerie drawer with plastic snakes or a loaded mousetrap.” (Who says the vagina dentata is a myth?)

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul

By Jeff Kinney

Book Reviews (834)

I'm reading this book because,I think reading chapter books will help me with my reading skills and help me with the liking of fiction books.You should read this series because it is one of the most action books i've ever read and so is the movie and it includes a lot of action and characters.

i love jeff kinnyeys tghout

i love this book it make want to read it again and i had a great time reading but it had a plot and i love manny in the book would read again.

In this book greg heffley(main character) his mom makes the entire family go on a roadtrip can he make it through or will it end in disaster read to find out

amazing plot and cliffhangers more fun than ever and surprises very hilarious best for kids 9 to 13 fun for the class

Because I love them so much and they are long but not to long and perfect for me to read at this grade. I also love them because they are so funny and they are like you are reading an actual diary.

Because of the character's actions and ideas and the problems they face and what they do to overcome that problem.

This book was so good you should read it!But honestly I kind of like the movie better! What about.you? I love how they have to all fit in that mini van lol

It was very funny and its basically just a wimp who goes on a road trip

Search form

Book reviewer / member login.

LitPick Review Lucy Age at time of review - 15 Reviewer's Location - Pasadena, Maryland, United States View Lucy's profile Greg is now going on a family road trip. The trip starts off nice until things change for the Heffley family. Crazy events start happening one after another. There are attacks by seagulls and encounters with runaway pigs just to name a few. Having a family road trip involves adventures and exploring, and this is one family road trip that won’t be easy to forget.  Opinion: 

Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Long Haul is a great book. It was really funny and involved different events that don’t usually happen on a family road trip. Some more humorous events included getting locked outside of the car, a boat that wasn’t even used in the water, cinnamon rolls exploding and a whole lot more that will keep you reading.

ME, YOU, OR THEM: 

• Boy as main character
• Family Conflicts and Relationships

CHARACTERISTICS AND EMOTIONS: 

ABOUT LITPICK BOOK REVIEWS

Our monthly newsletter, top book reviews, top reviewers, newly added books to litpick, book review videos, featured  authors, testimonials & awards, data deletion request, terms & privacy policy, become a reviewer, litpick inspires  our global community of reviewers of all ages (from third grade into adulthood) to read and review books and uses feedback and incentives to encourage them to become better writers., sign up form, authors - publishers, litpick provides authors and publishers  book reviews and a means to promote their titles worldwide through written book reviews, video book reviews, and social media blasts., submit your book for review, giveaway promotions, social media blasts, image gallery, teachers - librarians, litpick helps teachers and librarians promote reading and writing through book clubs, reading groups, and individualized, personal feedback on written book reviews., litpick in your class or library, start a reading group or book club, group signup form.

• Member Login
• Library Patron Login
• Get a Free Issue of our Ezine! Claim

Book Summary and Reviews of The Long Haul by Finn Murphy

Summary | Reviews | More Information | More Books

The Long Haul

A Trucker's Tales of Life on the Road

by Finn Murphy

• Readers' Rating:
• Genre: Short Stories
• Publication Information
• Write a Review
• Buy This Book

About this book

Book summary.

A long-haul mover's rollicking account of life out on the Big Slab.

More than thirty years ago, Finn Murphy dropped out of college to become a long-haul trucker. Since then he's covered more than a million miles packing, loading, and hauling people's belongings all over America. Known by his trucker handle as U-Turn, he spends his days (and many of his nights) in a 53-foot eighteen-wheeler he calls Cassidy. In The Long Haul , Murphy offers a trucker's-eye view of America on the move. Going far beyond the myth of the American road trip, he whisks readers down the I-95 Powerlane, across the Florida Everglades, in and out of the truck stops of the Midwest, and through the steep grades of the Rocky Mountains. As he crisscrosses the country, Murphy recounts with wit, candor, and charm the America he has seen change over the decades, from the hollowing-out of small towns to changing tastes in culture and home furnishings. Some 40 million Americans move each year, and very few have any idea what they're getting into or the kind of person to whom they are relinquishing their worldly goods. The Long Haul is also a behind-the-scenes look at the moving industry, revealing what really happens when we call in "the movers." Through it all, Murphy tells poignant, funny, and often haunting stories of the people he encounters on the job: a feisty hoarder in New Hampshire; a Virginia homeowner raging when Murphy's truck accidentally runs down a stand of trees; an ex-banker in Colorado who treats Finn and his crew with undisguised contempt; a widow who needs Murphy to bring her archeologist husband's remains and relics to a Navajo burial ceremony in New Mexico. These experiences inspire Finn's memorable reflections on work, class, and the bonds we form with the things we own and the places we live. Brimming with personality and filled with great characters, The Long Haul is a resonant portrait of the enduring appeal of manual labor in the dark underbelly of the American Dream.

• "Beyond the Book" articles
• Free books to read and review (US only)
• Find books by time period, setting & theme
• Read-alike suggestions by book and author
• Book club discussions
• and much more!
• Just $45 for 12 months or $15 for 3 months.
• More about membership!

Media Reviews

Reader reviews.

" The Long Haul can be almost shamefully enjoyable, allowing readers to have their fix of 'fabulous-life-of' porn and class outrage, too... [T]he stories Murphy tells ... my goodness, how astonishing they are, and how moving, and how funny." - New York Times Book Review "Like priests, movers shepherd us through life's transitions; like cowboys, truckers drive the roads we'll never know. Both see America in ways the rest of us don't. In The Long Haul , Murphy ... bring[s] us into his semi-mythic world." - The New Yorker "It's [Murphy's] rich perspective as a mover that makes this story of trucking life so insightful. ... A well-written story that rarely slows down." - Los Angeles Times " The Long Haul delivers because it is a survey of a culture fused to a working man's memoir--and Murphy, smartly, avoids sentiment and lazy comparisons." - The Paris Review "A veteran driver's informative, humorous and beautifully detailed memoir. ... It's a hoot to ride along with Murphy." - The Seattle Times "There's nothing semi about Finn Murphy's trucking tales of The Long Haul ." - Vanity Fair "Finn Murphy ... bring[s] readers along for a rollicking ride through a trucker's world and [provides] an insider's eye, pairing it with an involving series of encounters." - The Midwest Book Review "A rare, fascinating glimpse into the lives of big-rig pilots and the people they move… The Long Haul beguil[es] readers with wit, wisdom and observations born from decades in transit." - Denver Post

Author Information

Finn murphy.

Finn Murphy grew up in Connecticut and now lives in Colorado. He started working as a long-haul trucker in 1980. The Long Haul is his first book.

More Author Information

More Recommendations

Readers also browsed . . ..

• There Is a Rio Grande in Heaven by Ruben Reyes
• So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan
• Craft by Ananda Lima
• The End of the World Is a Cul de Sac by Louise Kennedy
• The Privilege of the Happy Ending by Kij Johnson
• Roman Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri
• Witness by Jamel Brinkley
• A Kind of Madness by Uche Okonkwo
• What We Fed to the Manticore by Talia Lakshmi Kolluri
• Table for Two by Amor Towles

more short stories...

BookBrowse Book Club

Members Recommend

We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida

Discover the bestselling Japanese novel celebrating the healing power of cats.

Solve this clue:

K U with T J

and be entered to win..

Book Club Giveaway!

Before the Mango Ripens by Afabwaje Kurian

Both epic and intimate, this debut announces a brilliant new talent for readers of Imbolo Mbue and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Your guide to exceptional           books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

Subscribe to receive some of our best reviews, "beyond the book" articles, book club info and giveaways by email.

Free Weekly Newsletters

Discover what's happening in the world of books: reviews, previews, interviews, giveaways, and more plus when you subscribe, we'll send you a free issue of our member's only ezine..

Spam Free : Your email is never shared with anyone; opt out any time.

• virtual wonders
• guest posts
• review policy

Saturday 29 November 2014

Review: diary of a wimpy kid: the long haul.

• ADMIN AREA MY BOOKSHELF MY DASHBOARD MY PROFILE SIGN OUT SIGN IN

HUNTING THE HIGHWAY SERIAL KILLERS

by Frank Figliuzzi ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 28, 2024

Compelling reading for true-crime enthusiasts, especially those intrigued by the psychology of serial killers.

A former assistant director of counterintelligence for the FBI delves into the work of a special unit that examines the link between truckers and highway serial killings.

Figliuzzi, author of The FBI Way , first learned about the agency’s Highway Serial Killings Initiative in 2021. The criminal analyst who told him about HSK revealed that agents had gathered enough evidence to link long-haul truckers to a shocking 850 murders, many of them unsolved. To better grasp the group’s mission, the author ventured back into the field to study not only trucker subculture, but also the women mostly likely to fall victim to trucker serial killers. For one week, he rode the highways with Mike, a young man early into his trucking career, to get a sense of the everyday challenges and hardships truckers faced and the personality types that would be attracted to the lifestyle. Figliuzzi also interviewed a retired trucker named Dale: An alcoholic loner and gun-owner, Dale ticked “boxes on a crime analyst’s HSK checklist” that the more sociable Mike did not. From the leading academic researchers, the author gained insight into the ways prostitution and human trafficking intersected with truck stop culture to create conditions that predators could exploit to their advantage. But it was the female survivors of trucker abuse that gave Figliuzzi the most harrowing glimpses into the depths of this disturbing branch of trucker subculture. Wounded by early trauma, these women became targets of unscrupulous individuals who used drugs to lure them into situations of involuntary servitude that included prostituting themselves to truckers. As the author brings to light the important work of a little-known FBI investigative unit, he illuminates the dark underside of an industry that, while essential, is also brutal and unforgiving.

Pub Date: May 28, 2024

ISBN: 9780063265158

Page Count: 272

Publisher: Mariner Books

Review Posted Online: April 18, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2024

TRUE CRIME | PUBLIC POLICY | ISSUES & CONTROVERSIES

Share your opinion of this book

More by Frank Figliuzzi

BOOK REVIEW

by Frank Figliuzzi

Awards & Accolades

Our Verdict

Kirkus Reviews' Best Books Of 2017

New York Times Bestseller

IndieBound Bestseller

National Book Award Finalist

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

The osage murders and the birth of the fbi.

by David Grann ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 18, 2017

Dogged original research and superb narrative skills come together in this gripping account of pitiless evil.

Greed, depravity, and serial murder in 1920s Oklahoma.

During that time, enrolled members of the Osage Indian nation were among the wealthiest people per capita in the world. The rich oil fields beneath their reservation brought millions of dollars into the tribe annually, distributed to tribal members holding "headrights" that could not be bought or sold but only inherited. This vast wealth attracted the attention of unscrupulous whites who found ways to divert it to themselves by marrying Osage women or by having Osage declared legally incompetent so the whites could fleece them through the administration of their estates. For some, however, these deceptive tactics were not enough, and a plague of violent death—by shooting, poison, orchestrated automobile accident, and bombing—began to decimate the Osage in what they came to call the "Reign of Terror." Corrupt and incompetent law enforcement and judicial systems ensured that the perpetrators were never found or punished until the young J. Edgar Hoover saw cracking these cases as a means of burnishing the reputation of the newly professionalized FBI. Bestselling New Yorker staff writer Grann ( The Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession , 2010, etc.) follows Special Agent Tom White and his assistants as they track the killers of one extended Osage family through a closed local culture of greed, bigotry, and lies in pursuit of protection for the survivors and justice for the dead. But he doesn't stop there; relying almost entirely on primary and unpublished sources, the author goes on to expose a web of conspiracy and corruption that extended far wider than even the FBI ever suspected. This page-turner surges forward with the pacing of a true-crime thriller, elevated by Grann's crisp and evocative prose and enhanced by dozens of period photographs.

Pub Date: April 18, 2017

ISBN: 978-0-385-53424-6

Page Count: 352

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017

GENERAL HISTORY | TRUE CRIME | UNITED STATES | FIRST/NATIVE NATIONS | HISTORY

More by David Grann

by David Grann

More About This Book

BOOK TO SCREEN

IN COLD BLOOD

by Truman Capote ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 7, 1965

"There's got to be something wrong with somebody who'd do a thing like that." This is Perry Edward Smith, talking about himself. "Deal me out, baby...I'm a normal." This is Richard Eugene Hickock, talking about himself. They're as sick a pair as Leopold and Loeb and together they killed a mother, a father, a pretty 17-year-old and her brother, none of whom they'd seen before, in cold blood. A couple of days before they had bought a 100 foot rope to garrote them—enough for ten people if necessary. This small pogrom took place in Holcomb, Kansas, a lonesome town on a flat, limitless landscape: a depot, a store, a cafe, two filling stations, 270 inhabitants. The natives refer to it as "out there." It occurred in 1959 and Capote has spent five years, almost all of the time which has since elapsed, in following up this crime which made no sense, had no motive, left few clues—just a footprint and a remembered conversation. Capote's alternating dossier Shifts from the victims, the Clutter family, to the boy who had loved Nancy Clutter, and her best friend, to the neighbors, and to the recently paroled perpetrators: Perry, with a stunted child's legs and a changeling's face, and Dick, who had one squinting eye but a "smile that works." They had been cellmates at the Kansas State Penitentiary where another prisoner had told them about the Clutters—he'd hired out once on Mr. Clutter's farm and thought that Mr. Clutter was perhaps rich. And this is the lead which finally broke the case after Perry and Dick had drifted down to Mexico, back to the midwest, been seen in Kansas City, and were finally picked up in Las Vegas. The last, even more terrible chapters, deal with their confessions, the law man who wanted to see them hanged, back to back, the trial begun in 1960, the post-ponements of the execution, and finally the walk to "The Corner" and Perry's soft-spoken words—"It would be meaningless to apologize for what I did. Even inappropriate. But I do. I apologize." It's a magnificent job—this American tragedy—with the incomparable Capote touches throughout. There may never have been a perfect crime, but if there ever has been a perfect reconstruction of one, surely this must be it.

Pub Date: Jan. 7, 1965

ISBN: 0375507906

Page Count: 343

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1965

More by Truman Capote

by Truman Capote

• Discover Books Fiction Thriller & Suspense Mystery & Detective Romance Science Fiction & Fantasy Nonfiction Biography & Memoir Teens & Young Adult Children's
• News & Features Bestsellers Book Lists Profiles Perspectives Awards Seen & Heard Book to Screen Kirkus TV videos In the News
• Kirkus Prize Winners & Finalists About the Kirkus Prize Kirkus Prize Judges
• Magazine Current Issue All Issues Manage My Subscription Subscribe
• Writers’ Center Hire a Professional Book Editor Get Your Book Reviewed Advertise Your Book Launch a Pro Connect Author Page Learn About The Book Industry
• More Kirkus Diversity Collections Kirkus Pro Connect My Account/Login
• About Kirkus History Our Team Contest FAQ Press Center Info For Publishers
• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions
• Reprints, Permission & Excerpting Policy

© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Popular in this Genre

Hey there, book lover.

We’re glad you found a book that interests you!

Please select an existing bookshelf

Create a new bookshelf.

We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!

Please sign up to continue.

It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!

Already have an account? Log in.

Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.

Almost there!

• Industry Professional

Welcome Back!

Sign in using your Kirkus account

Contact us: 1-800-316-9361 or email [email protected].

Don’t fret. We’ll find you.

Magazine Subscribers ( How to Find Your Reader Number )

If You’ve Purchased Author Services

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up.

• Engineering & Transportation

Sorry, there was a problem.

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

The Long Haul: A Trucker's Tales of Life on the Road Paperback – June 5, 2018

“There’s nothing semi about Finn Murphy’s trucking tales of The Long Haul .”―Sloane Crosley, Vanity Fair

• Print length 256 pages
• Language English
• Publisher W. W. Norton & Company
• Publication date June 5, 2018
• Dimensions 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.2 inches
• ISBN-10 039335587X
• ISBN-13 978-0393355871
• See all details

Editorial Reviews

About the author, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ W. W. Norton & Company; Reprint edition (June 5, 2018)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 039335587X
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0393355871
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.2 inches
• #51 in Trucks & Vans (Books)
• #5,600 in Memoirs (Books)

About the author

Finn murphy.

Finn Murphy is the author of forthcoming Rocky Mountain High (W.W. Norton, June 2023) and The Long Haul, the national bestseller about his many years as a long-haul trucker. He grew up in Connecticut and now lives in Colorado on a small ranch with forty cows, two miniature horses, six chickens, his partner Deb, and a Blue Heeler named Charley.

In addition to his writing, Finn is a PSIA certified adaptive ski instructor, an active member of the local Grange, and advises small business owners on best practices.

Finn is an engaging, humorous, and sought-after speaker who has appeared across the country at book festivals, libraries, industry conferences, and more. Finn has been featured on Fresh Air with Terry Gross, All Things Considered, PBS News Hour, and The Long Haul was named a finalist for the Indies Choice and the Colorado Book Awards. Topics include the “hemp space,” the moving and trucking industry, American society, writing, and life as a serial entrepreneur and small business owner.

Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 60% 28% 8% 3% 1% 60%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 60% 28% 8% 3% 1% 28%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 60% 28% 8% 3% 1% 8%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 60% 28% 8% 3% 1% 3%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 60% 28% 8% 3% 1% 1%

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers find the writing style lively, brilliant, and engaging. They also find the insights on human nature terrific, informative, and thought-provoking. Readers describe the author as a raconteur and say the stories are well-told. They describe the book as fascinating, fun, and a fabulous read.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the book fascinating, fabulous, and entertaining. They say it's full of stories that range from funny to sad to maddening. Readers also mention the book is riveting and disquieting. They also say it is exciting, well-written, and informative.

"...with a very smart and wry sense of humor, not to mention an interesting back story and an amazing work ethic...." Read more

"...The book is full of stories that range from funny to sad to maddening to a mix of all three...." Read more

"...Murphy provides many episodes which are riveting and disquieting...." Read more

"...It's filled with moments that will make you think deeply about your own transitions in life and question Americans’ need to pursue material..." Read more

Customers find the writing quality of the book to be good. They also say the author is unassumingly brilliant, has a good sense of humor, and keeps the writing style lively. Readers also mention the book is highly readable, entertaining, and educational. They appreciate the vocabulary challenges and find the book zestful rather than elegaic.

"...After reading this fully engrossing, often hilarious , sometimes mind-boggling description of the life of people involved in this industry, I’ll..." Read more

"...He’s a funny guy with a very smart and wry sense of humor , not to mention an interesting back story and an amazing work ethic...." Read more

"...All of the stories are told with the author’s trademark self deprecating humor and great compassion...." Read more

"...His book is highly readable , entertaining and downright educational...." Read more

Customers find the book insightful, fascinating, and informative. They say it's filled with wisdom and rectitude. Readers also mention the book entertains and makes them think. They mention the author is smart and wry with a witty sense of humor.

"...After reading this fully engrossing, often hilarious, sometimes mind-boggling description of the life of people involved in this industry, I’ll..." Read more

"...Often I found myself laughing out loud. He’s a funny guy with a very smart and wry sense of humor, not to mention an interesting back story and an..." Read more

"...mix between an autobiography, a book of short (true) stories, a social commentary , and a rare inside look at the trucking and moving industries...." Read more

"...is encyclopedic and written about with humor and terrific insights on human nature ...." Read more

Customers find the storytelling in the book moving, funny, and insightful. They also appreciate the descriptions of daily occurrences and problems told with humor and pathos. Readers mention the book has a lot of humor and drama.

"...The writing is excellent and the narrator impressive and relatable . Here's a sample:..." Read more

"... Finn's storytelling is powerful , and the people he encounters throughout the book are a true encapsulation of the America I know...." Read more

"...This is a totally interesting book with a lot of humor and a lot of drama as well ." Read more

"...Murphy is a marvelous story-teller , writer and, most importantly, a fine human being. Thank you for sharing your story and humanity...." Read more

Customers find the book's information quality excellent. They say it provides a perfect description of a moving agency, helpers, and dispatchers. Readers also mention the book is entertaining and informative for anyone contemplating a move. They appreciate the personal stories about different moves.

" Moving ! A tour de force of wit, charm and candor and American ways. Could not put it down...." Read more

"...companies, and movers its just full of sweet amusing and interesting stories about moving , trucking, and life in America. Highly recommend" Read more

" Excellent account of a mover having been in the business for many years and starting out in western Connecticut almost exactly dealing with the same..." Read more

"It is well written, lots of personal stories about different moves ." Read more

Customers find the book interesting, charming, and insightful. They appreciate the simple style yet very interesting. Readers also appreciate the colorful and highly descriptive choice of words.

"...I was mesmerized by his colorful and highly descriptive choice of words as well as storytelling skills. It was hilarious, entertaining and addictive!..." Read more

"Entertaining and insightful look into the world of long haul movers. Equally enjoyable was the author's discussion on CSPAN's Book TV...." Read more

"The book provides an interesting look into a world that people who don't drive big rigs for a living never experience, even though truckers are..." Read more

"...style. Autobiograph of a long haul mover-trucker. Charming , insightful, witty. It's a great read:: I've bought and given away 3 other copies." Read more

Reviews with images

Voyage on the American Super-Slab beyond the mono-culture.

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

Top reviews from other countries

• About Amazon
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Sell products on Amazon
• Sell on Amazon Business
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Become an Affiliate
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Host an Amazon Hub
• › See More Make Money with Us
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Amazon and COVID-19
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices

• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices

Publisher: Black Rose Writing

Publication Date: 06/06/2024

Copyright Date: N/A

ISBN: 9781685135235

Binding: Paperback

U.S. SRP: 24.95

Get the best author info and savings on services when you subscribe!

IndieReader is the ultimate resource for indie authors! We have years of great content and how-tos, services geared for self-published authors that help you promote your work, and much more. Subscribe today, and you’ll always be ahead of the curve.

• (Optional) Your Book's Title

THE LONG HAUL

By lena gibson.

• Posted by IR Staff
• July 15, 2024

Soon after the action of Lena Gibson’s  Switching Tracks   (Train Hoppers Book 1), Elsa and her partner Walker take time for her to recuperate after a near-fatal fight. Unfortunately, she’s a wanted woman: GreenCorps wants her and her key to the ancient seed-vaults that survived the collapse of civilization. And so does Grady, the rebel leader who fights GreenCorps and hopes the seed-vaults will help build a more just, equitable society. The result is a rough-and-tumble sci-fi Western, in which a band of outlaws with thick skin and hearts of gold take on the powers that be for the good of the common people.

Beginning with a rare moment of quiet, THE LONG HAUL trusts the reader and pulls them straight into the story without belaboring the events of the last novel. There’s just enough time to introduce the key players (with choice nuggets of description like “the way he stood reminded Elsa of Caitlyn’s cat before she pounced”) and the central conceit (GreenCorps is an agricultural megacorporation that has converted its terminator seeds—which will grow into crops but won’t reproduce, forcing farmers to purchase more—into an oppressive political authority). Then the text launches into a sure-footed gallop that rarely lets up.

Author Lena Gibson has good instincts for storytelling. The text traverses a well-imagined post-apocalyptic world, but little time is spent on retelling the collapse of society, or even on plotting the rise of the current status quo. The story keeps its focus on the central conflict: people deserve food and water, large corporations want to turn a profit, and heroes will fight to defend the former against the latter. This reality is hardly limited to the post-apocalyptic future, so THE LONG HAUL describes it primarily through simple but effective descriptions of food and the natural world. The reader learns everything they need from how characters keep track of sunlight and shade in a valley versus open plains, or how they treasure fresh food and begrudge preserved or processed goods. This indirect but consistent storytelling is highly effective.

THE LONG HAUL does have a few issues. Though the prose is generally clean and confident, punctuation is misplaced in a few jarring instances, leading to comma splices (“Her instincts indicated that he was okay, still, she fretted.” and “The news wasn’t unexpected, nevertheless; it left her shaken”). At other times, clauses are linked poorly (“Walker appreciated her slim build, sharp tongue, and loved her how she was”). These errors rarely overwhelm the intended meaning of the text, but they do clash with the overall sense of care.

The larger narrative structure is energetic and strong, but it can also falter in some key moments. Much of the plot is a chase, and that tension pervades the text, but the action grinds to a halt near the climax. Moments such as a crucial legal hearing or the sharing of trust with a powerful new ally should enjoy similar emotional intensity—but instead the entire concluding episode feels rushed. THE LONG HAUL is excellent with action, but it doesn’t handle its drama quite as well. Nevertheless, the overall impression remains one of clear vision, strong prose, and relentless page-turning momentum.

Lena Gibson’s THE LONG HAUL has a self-assured prose style, sympathetic characters, and a plot with as much powerful momentum as the trains that tie its agro-capitalist dystopia together.

~Dan Accardi for IndieReader

This post may contain affiliate links. This means that IndieReader may make a commission if you use these links to make a purchase. As an Amazon Affiliate, IndieReader may make commission on qualifying purchase.

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

How to Help Kids Build Character Strengths with Quality Media

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

Diary of a wimpy kid: the long haul.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 5 Reviews
• Kids Say 35 Reviews

Based on 35 kid reviews

Kid Reviews

Report this review, no character development, the best series to read..

This title has:

• Educational value
• Great messages
• Great role models

Awesome book!

One of the best books in this series that i've read so far, road trip troubles.

• Too much swearing

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul Review

It is a very funny book, my favorite family road trip book, what to read next.

Dork Diaries 1: Tales from a NOT-SO-Fabulous Life

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made

Science Fair

Graphic novels and memoirs, graphic novels that teach history, related topics.

• Cars and Trucks
• Brothers and Sisters
• Horses and Farm Animals

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul

You’ll never know how good the first three “ Diary of a Wimpy Kid ” movies were until you’re forced to see the fourth one.

And it’s not just because “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul” has a whole new cast, although that is one in a series of contributing factors in its inferiority. It’s been five years since the last movie, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days,” so finding new actors was a necessity in the series’ perpetual middle-school setting.

But the previous cast ( Zachary Gordon , Devon Bostick , Steve Zahn and Rachael Harris ) brought a level of humanity to the zany proceedings that kept them relatable and grounded. “ Dog Days ” even featured some legitimate, father-son drama. Bostick in particular brought a wonderfully weird, subversive vibe to his big-brother bully character, Rodrick. And while none of the previous films fully captured the spirit of the popular Jeff Kinney books that inspired them—a silly and smart mix of cynicism and heart—they came way closer than this new installment does.

Of course, there’s an intentionally over-the-top quality to the comedy in both the movies and the source material. With their conspiratorial antics and minimalist sketches, Kinney’s books are about kids, for kids, in the most awkward and angst-ridden time in their young lives. (Although my son has read them all and loves them, even though he’s only 7. Maybe he’s planning early for the misery of puberty.)

“The Long Haul,” which returning director David Bowers co-wrote with Kinney himself (shockingly), jettisons everything that’s honest and worthwhile about the books in favor of hackneyed misadventures and gross-out scatological humor. And that’s before the Heffley family inadvertently adopts a baby pig from a country fair.

It is a tried-and-true premise, the wacky family road trip, but “The Long Haul” breathes no new life into it. From weirdoes on the highways and woeful motels with empty pools to kitschy roadside attractions and calamitous off-road detours, you have seen this all before. Many, many times. This material had long seemed stale when the “ Vacation ” reboot came out in 2015. Bowers’ slapstick tone and frantic pacing strain desperately to create an escalating sense of giddy mayhem, but the result feels like a lot of wheel-spinning.

This time, the Heffleys pack up the minivan to celebrate their Meemaw’s 90 th  birthday, taking place somewhere in Indiana. Mom Susan (now played by Alicia Silverstone , who isn’t nearly nerdy enough) wants the family to bond, so she outlaws electronic devices and insists on card games and sing-alongs. (If you didn’t already have a powerful urge to run from the theater, the family’s totally sincere rendition of the Spice Girls ’ “Wannabe” surely will provide the final push you need.)

But dad Frank ( Tom Everett Scott) secretly still has work to do. The eponymous wimpy kid, Greg (a likable Jason Drucker), tries to sneak in time playing his favorite video game, Twisted Wizard, on his phone. And rocker older brother Rodrick (played as a much dimmer bulb by Charlie Wright ) wants to bang his head to the music of his terrible metal band, Loded Diper. The youngest Heffley child, Manny (Dylan and Wyatt Walters), makes shrieky noises of his own every time his pacifier falls out of his mouth.

Such concern over the detrimental, cumulative effects of prolonged screen time couldn’t be more relevant. And trust me, the struggle is real. But “The Long Haul” reduces these figures—especially the parents—to shrill stereotypes, as flimsy as their stick-figure renderings on the page.

Greg and Rodrick figure out a way to satisfy their needs by reprogramming the GPS and taking the family closer to Indianapolis, where there just happens to be a video game convention the same weekend. Greg figures if he can post a video of himself meeting his gamer idol (an obnoxious Joshua Hoover ), he can live down the Internet infamy he’s achieved in an unfortunate meme. (It’s a complicated attempt to contemporize the book—don’t ask.) And Rodrick thinks he can play some drumming video game and win some money.

Needless to say, nothing goes as planned. But along the way, there are plenty of poop, pee and vomit jokes (courtesy of copious sticks of fried butter and a spinning amusement park ride). There is the aforementioned pig, who ends up being the cleverest character of all. And out of nowhere, there is a lengthy and lovingly crafted homage to the shower scene in “Psycho.” It’s the only segment the film critics in the audience at my screening enjoyed.

The downside of this is that you’ll have to have a potentially uncomfortable conversation in the car with your kids on the way home, explaining the importance of “Psycho.” The upside is that you’ll get to talk about “Psycho”—instead of “The Long Haul”—which should improve your own haul significantly.

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series “Ebert Presents At the Movies” opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

• Owen Asztalos as Rowley
• Charlie Wright as Rodrick
• Jason Ian Drucker as Greg
• Alicia Silverstone as Susan
• Tom Everett Scott as Frank

Cinematographer

• Anthony B. Richmond
• David Bowers
• Jeff Kinney
• Ed Shearmur

Writer (based on the book by)

• Troy Takaki

Leave a comment

Now playing.

The Last of the Sea Women

The Wild Robot

We Live in Time

Look Into My Eyes

The Front Room

Matt and Mara

The Thicket

The Mother of All Lies

The Paragon

My First Film

Latest articles.

TIFF 2024: The Room Next Door, Hard Truths

TIFF 2024: Young Werther, Addition, My Father’s Daughter

TIFF 2024: Table of Contents

TIFF 2024: Daniela Forever, Can I Get a Witness?, Ick

The best movie reviews, in your inbox.