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The Old Man and the Harley: A Last Ride Through Our Fathers' America | 
 enlarge | Author: John J. Newkirk
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Category: Book
List Price: $24.99
Buy New: $16.49
You Save: $8.50 (34%)
New (24) Used (6) from $13.45
Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 220824
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 400
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.5
ISBN: 1595551808
Dewey Decimal Number: 917.30409044
EAN: 9781595551801
ASIN: 1595551808
Publication Date: September 2, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Product Description
Ride with a father and his son on an amazing journey through America's past. On June 22, 1939, nineteen-year-old Jack Newkirk straddled a well-worn Harley-Davidson VL Big Twin and set out to see both the New York and the San Francisco World's Fairs. Both the boy and his country were on the brink of an irrevocable transformation. Both would soon be at war. And both would emerge forever changed. But for one last gilded summer, the "World of Tomorrow" promised peace and prosperity to a weary nation. In The Old Man and the Harley, author John J. Newkirk retraces this epic odyssey with his aging father. Along the way, they discover the healing power of the road, the faith and strength of the American people, and the inspiration to face some of today's most pressing challenges. The rickety 1930's-era Harley becomes a ride of revelation as the author paints a sweeping panorama of the bravery, ingenuity, and grit that turned the riders of the Great Depression into our Greatest Generation
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
 Amazing story of of America the way is should be December 30, 2008
Deborah S. Roelandts (Oconomowoc Wisconsin)
I received this book Christmas Eve, started it Christmas day and finished it the 26th. It is an amazing story of America, the way it was,and I wish, the way it should be today. A book you can't put down. A great story of America and the perseverence to follow a dream. It was a ride and an adventure I would have liked to have been a part of. You get a real feeling of what "The greatest generation" lived through, worked for and accomplished both as individuals and as a Country. It is great reading for anyone !
John Roelandts
Oconomowoc Wisconsin
So Much More December 11, 2008
M. Zimmerman (Wisconsin)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I knew a little bit about this book before it was published, so I was eagerly anticipating its release. I knew it was going to be about the "Old Man's" 1939 cross-country ride. I knew it was going to be about the author's 2005 retracing of that ride. But I didn't expect it to be about so much more. I didn't expect to learn so much about the Scarsdale Jack and the Flying Tigers. I didn't expect to learn so much about the music of the time. I didn't expect it to be so much about America - an America that feels so different from today. Simply put, this is one of the best books I've read in a long time. As I read Section One, I found myself feeling jealous in two distinct ways: jealous of the Old Man for having the opportunity (not the mention the resourcefulness and fortitude) to make such a ride in 1939; and jealous of the author for having the opportunity to document this amazing story. He clearly did quite a bit of research to be able to tell it with such vivid detail, and is obviously proud (with good reason) of his family. It is a tale told with warmth, humor, zest, respect, and a profound sense of appreciation for the sacrifices made by an earlier generation. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Harleys, adventure, history, or America. Or, like me, all of the above.
another Jack Newkirk! November 22, 2008
Daniel Ford (New Hampshire)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Most of the reviewers seem to be bikers, but this book will also interest history buffs, especially those who know about the Flying Tigers of Burma and China. (For more about them, see Flying Tigers: Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers, 1941-1942.) The "Old Man" of the title was the cousin of "Scarsdale Jack" Newkirk of the Flying Tigers, who commanded its 2nd Squadron and was shot down and killed while strafing a target in Thailand in March 1942. The author of this book was named after him, and there's much good stuff in the book about the pilot and the American Volunteer Group. Blue skies! -- Dan Ford
It's more than an old man and a Harley... November 19, 2008
Graf (New York, USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
... It's a portrait of America - then and now. It is an inspiring and adventurous story that reveals a colorful look into America's cultural history from a few unique points of view. It makes the reader reflect on what it means to be an American and asks us what we can all do to keep helping our nation or even just "the next man down the road". The book reads like a motorcycle; it flows comfortably, it's entertaining, it's spiritual, it's timeless, and it's traditional.
 A true adventure of a life time November 15, 2008
Tim
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is one of those books I wished I had had while going through High School history class. As I read each page I would wonder what's down the road for Jack and the Raspberry? I couldn't imagine doing a trip like this now a days. Jack was alone on a cross country trip on a motorcycle that needs to be fixed or repaired daily with little more than about $100, a change of clothes, and a bed roll and only 18. Makes me feel like a wimp as I ride across this country from hotel to hotel on my cushy ride behind a fairing. A great look back into a bygone era. A great look into "the greatest generation" that help build this nation. This is a great ride, a great book.
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