A book for those of us curious about the psyche of the English and England.

Train Train follows the life of Greg, as he works with a town to rebuild their steam railway. A quest to understand the motivations of a town and the individuals within as they come to terms with the changing face of Britain.

In his gentle, thoughtful way, Graham Coster melds a review of the changes England has faced over the past generation - the closure of mines, disintegration of the railways, embrace of Thatcherism - with an examination of a character who is intrinsically English.

I'm unfortunate enough to have been on that run as a regular myself and ran with the proffesor mentioned a number of times.What the author does get across very well is the not knowing just where you are without the little remiders and the enforced lonelyness of the european system as it is not always to easy to find someone who talks the same language which i think will be missed on our American couisons.

Not a foray into the ins and outs of getting laid on the road, as one reviewer accurately observed; this book is an examination of two cultures - British and American, through the eyes of the drivers who traverse their countries (and in the British case), the countries which surround them.

What you take from this book is a reflection of what you put in - Graham Coster exemplifies true journalistic style by presenting his experiences as observations - not only of the truckers, but of his own reactions and thoughts. His observations are witty and the men who drive for a living are described in more depth than the shallow stereotypes we associate with this profession.

Coster very gently draws a picture of men who are not only beer slugging, womanizing road hogs - but careful drivers, romantic travellers and lonely creatures.

In his observations, a subtle comparison of two very similar, yet completely different cultures emerges. The differences between the American truckers and their British counterparts exemplifies the differences between the two countries themselves.

I wonder if the truckers that Graham Coster describes would be interested in themselves in this book - and in some ways it doesn't matter. As a reader, I was transported. I was in the cab, I felt the stretches of road, heard the music, ached at the endlessness of it all and finished the book with a different perception and a fuller and deeper understanding of a culture that I would never have had the opportunity to explore otherwise.

This is what a great book is supposed to do and Graham Coster does it with an impeccable eye for detail, dry humour and a gentle sense of humanity.

Written by an obvious truck enthusiast, this account of long distance travel by heavy truck across both Europe and the United States is both interesting and entertaining.

I read this in one sitting, not because I was trying to mimmick the drivers, who drive for incredibly long periods without rest, but because the book held my interest to the point where I did not want to put it down.

As someone who has travelled long distance by truck, I can report that the author has conveyed the experience very well, and his assessment of what motivates these men and how they operate is right on the mark.

There are enough trucking details to satisfy most enthusiasts, and although there is a Peterbilt on the front cover, Kenworth fans will probably glean more from this book as a result of some interesting trivia. Mention is made of a 'Northern Star', which should read 'Western Star', but otherwise, the book came across to me as being largely devoid of errors. Enjoy the ride!

Highly recommended