A Book Review

I've been pondering lately what kinds of media offer the best form of expression for different sorts of ideas. A lyricist told me a few weeks ago that he reserves his most controversial/challenging ideas for his art because they're received better when expressed abstractly, rather than simply stated outright. So I don't know whether a blog is the best place to post a book review. I guess some people write short blogs, with a handful of concisely expressed personal reflections. However, as someone who likes to mix media, I think I'll risk it and write a review here for Drive, A Road Trip Through Our Complicated Affair with the Automobile.

Drive, by Tim Falconer, is a very readable, topical book -- particularly as the car, and our dependence on it, are under so much scrutiny in the age of climate crisis. The book has a lot to offer for anyone who is either casually or professionally interested in transportation history and culture.
Drive starts out strong, with a local focus on Toronto, and is jam-packed with meaty stats on the growth of motorization of Southern Ontario, as well as successful social movements that stemmed this growth, saving Toronto's unique neighbourhoods. Drive is accurately described as a road trip, since Falconer offers a narrative account of his journey through America in his 1991 Nissan Maxima. He makes planned and unplanned stops along the way, such as a surreal visit to the GM Power Center, where Cadillac and Corvette engines are made, as well as Detroit, Indianapolis, and other U.S. "conurbations" that have been shaped by the automobile. Woven throughout the narrative are Falconer's own reflections, along with insightful commentary and factual knowledge. Falconer uses pop culture references to good effect, retelling scenes or summarizing episodes from South Park and The Simpsons to add humour and context to his observations. The book loses speed a little towards the middle, while Falconer tries to squeeze unnecessary detail into the sections on car clubs, and personal visits. However, this is partially redeemed by the personal and participatory flavour it lends to the book. The author is careful to give space and credit to all those who insist on joining him along the way to share their story, or to simply show off their car. Four stars.