Monster of a Land, On the Road in Search of Modern America by Lauren Hough
In NYT Bestselling author Lauren Hough’s first book, LEAVING ISN’T THE HARDEST THING, she wrote about growing up in a religious cult, coming of age as a lesbian in the military, and what it’s like to live on the margins of society. In her new essay collection, MONSTER OF A LAND, she attempts to recreate a modern-day TRAVELS WITH CHARLEY, John Steinbeck’s 1962 travelogue/memoir. Hough embarks on her cross-country journey with her husky mix, Woody, as wingman, talking along the way with strangers she encounters. From the homeless woman begging in the beignet line in New Orleans to a poet at the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur, Lauren Hough learns that when it comes down to it, we have a lot more in common than she expected.
Setting out from Austin, Texas in her ramshackle 2001 Dodge Ram van converted into a camper, Hough anticipates more animosity than she receives. As a six-foot lesbian with close cropped hair, she’s been harassed by men and women alike.
Hough’s voice is brazenly unapologetic – forthright and bold and at times confrontational. In a land divided by political and socio-economic differences, Hough says, “Woody’s named for a folk singer who said this land was ours. I don’t know about that, but I know it’s the land we’ve got. I want to believe we could make it beautiful, if we could just be a little kinder to one another.”
I recommend Lauren Hough’s MONSTER OF A LAND for Fans of Mary Karr’s LIAR’S CLUB, Jeanette Walls GLASS CASTLE, and Tara Westover’s EDUCATED. Listen to my conversation with Lauren Hough on Superior Reads on WTIP Radio 90.7 Grand Marais on Thursday, June 25 at 7pm and the 27th at 6am, or stream it from the web at www.wtip.org.
