Written media that has inspired your lifestyle choice

[Thorne]

Hello,
I know this has been discussed before, but my reasons for asking are slightly different and related to my research efforts. I am also aware of that fact that a lot of you have been inspired by different stories, both fiction and non-fiction, when choosing your life path. I would like to know which books, poems, articles, magazines, zines, etc. you've read that had the greatest influence on your decision to become a "houseless traveler". Or any you've read since then that have either changed or reinforced your point of view.

The reason for this is because, one of my research objectives has to do with understanding people's reasons for choosing this lifestyle and I've noticed in both the interviews and in the off the record conversations that I've had with people, books are a large contributor. I have already begun building a reference library, but I would like to know what I've missed, and what as many others as possible are reading. So, if you could please use this thread to tell me what you've read, and explain how the words have inspired you in 2-6 sentences, your help will be greatly appreciated.

I have access to an academic library and plan to go find any books you've mentioned and use them as sources for my research if they fit my goals. However, if you have a copy of the ebook, or have a link please pass it along to me here or via a PM if you are able to do so. I am working on building a reference library for both my research and to eventually stock the Way Station library.

Or, if you have read something that did not necessarily inspire you but you still think might be useful to my research and/or the Way Station library, please include those too and just state your reasons for suggesting it.

Thank you again for all your help. Everyone here at STP has been wonderful in supporting the HnH Project.

Thorne

 

[albertson]

Kind of corny, but On The Road had a huge influence on my life. Dharma Bums is another good one, it's largely about train hopping. I like Kerouac.

If you can find a copy, No Pie in the Sky uses the works of three authors to discuss the hobo as culture hero.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/81598.No_Pie_in_the_Sky

 

[Thorne]

If you can find a copy, No Pie in the Sky uses the works of three authors to discuss the hobo as culture hero.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/81598.No_Pie_in_the_Sky

Hey, I actually found a copy at the University library. Going to go pick it up tomorrow morning. I'll let them retrieve it for me. LOL.

 

[Ristoncor]

I'm in school currently, but the things that have inspired me to travel when I done were:
Into the Wild by Jon Krakaeur
The texts of the rapper Keny Arkana
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Reading squat.net

 

[ellilis]

To add in another book, Evasion (Author listed as anonymous) was definitely inspiring ^^

 

[AmarieLu]

I'm in school currently, but the things that have inspired me to travel when I done were:
Into the Wild by Jon Krakaeur
The texts of the rapper Keny Arkana
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Absolutely - all of the above mentioned. Aside from that, I grew up talking about the choice of a nomadic lifestyle with my Mom. It was a life she had the opportunity of living in her younger years and I've known all my life that I belonged out on the road.

Cheers

 

[Traveler]

Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach.

 

[Matt Derrick]

Days of War, Nights of Love by Crimethinc definitely got me off my ass

 

[spoona]

I tend to lurk in the shadows on these forums and never contribute but since these two threads have been pretty helpful...
The White Rick by Hugh Thomson is his own story about stumbling across Inca ruins in 1980s Peru with local help. Tequila Oil's another travel book about him bumming around Mexico.
American Gods-Neil Gaiman won't inspire any lifestyle choices but it's a cool novel playing with the idea of the US as a cultural melting pot