After 30 years living in England, American Irma Kurtz returns home to explore her native country. Americans she meets feel sure that she is not American whilst Brits are absolutely certain that she is not British. Fellow travel writer Bill Bryson had the same experience. This is an epic travelogue by Kurz who traverses the continent four times in an east west direction, closing the loop along the entire Atlantic coast and half the Pacific coast.

Irma is not your average American. As she says "America is a road country. To be without wheels is to be lame. The truth is I am a hussy of low appetites who always yearns shamelessly for rough travel, and I grab the chance whenever I can to arrive at my destination exhausted, knowing I've earned my goal the hard way. Greyhound and I were made for each other." Irma learned to drive late in life, never learned to enjoy it and as her mother so eloquently puts it "Irma is anti cars."

Thus begins her huge journey, one of epic proportions. The book colourfully describes the passing scenery, geography, topography, climate and people of the country. Lots of history is thrown in along the way, some of it landmark stuff in over 200 years of American settlement, whilst plenty of it is local, irrelevant in the wider scheme of things but overwhelmingly fascinating. We also learn of the human dynamics of Greyhound Bus travel, the unwritten protocol of who sits where, back, front or mid-section, near the toilet, near the exits, far from the driver or wherever: the protocol of avoiding eye contact with oncoming passengers if discretely trying to preserve the free seat alongside yourself. Then there are the passengers with whom Irma strikes up friendly and promising relationships which come to an end all too soon as one new friend after another finishes their relatively brief journey.

Many of her fellow passengers she describes as she observes them from across the aisle or across the waiting hall in the bus terminals. It is such a truism that the key conversation topic with the elderly is their state of health, and if the Greyhound environment can be a factor so much the better. "Last time I went on the bus" one old lady told the other "I got spasms. I hadda go lay across those three seats at the back." "My tooth was calcified to the bone" came the reply. "They hadda drill a hole so the infection could run out." Then there are the young ones she befriends, girls running away from failed love affairs back to the comfort of their home state, or girls traveling forever onwards into the hopefully awaiting arms of their lovers. A young model is traveling from Reno to "Dez Moynees" for her mother's wedding. "I hope she'll be very happy" says Irma. "She'd better be. It's her fourth time" is the response.

The story telling style is not dissimilar to that of the previously mentioned Bill Bryson. Her tale links the many places she visits with the people she meets along the way and the anticipation of the sort of establishment in which she will next have a night in bed and not on the bus. Whilst Bryson regularly enjoys a drink or two (or three) in the evenings and happily wanders into bars around the world, Irma is less able to be as adventuresome. However, her hip flask is always at hand and frequently requires refilling as she crosses the continent.

"The Great American Bus Ride" is a lively, entertaining, humourous travel book which everyone with a love of life and a sense of adventure will enjoy. If you've never been on a Greyhound Bus in your life, this book may not persuade you to do so, but it will certainly be your next closest experience.

Jump on board, grab the appropriate seat, sit back and enjoy the ride.

spend a few months touring America by Greyhound myself. This book was witty and charming and fun to read. I have ridden Greyhound a lot, but never for more than 6 or 7 hours at a time, so my experience cannot compare to hers. Only quibbles: she tends to run into more strange and unlikable people than I do, perhaps because she sought them out more than I do, perhaps because such people are more interesting to write about.

I've read several advice books for women, but having been a big fan of Irma Kurtz's column in Cosmopolitan (which is by far the best part of the magazine) I immediately grabbed it when I saw who the author was. And I wasn't disappointed - it is by far the best advice book around. She has a rare combination of wit, perspective, and sometimes tough but always fair advice tempered with compassion. When I have a problem, I find myself wondering "What would Irma say if I asked her?" Ms. Kurtz, if you ever see this, you're great!