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    Queen of the Road: The True Tale of 47 States, 22,000 Miles, 200 Shoes, 2 Cats, 1 Poodle, a Husband, and a Bus with a Will of Its Own
    Unavailable
    Queen of the Road: The True Tale of 47 States, 22,000 Miles, 200 Shoes, 2 Cats, 1 Poodle, a Husband, and a Bus with a Will of Its Own
    Unavailable
    Queen of the Road: The True Tale of 47 States, 22,000 Miles, 200 Shoes, 2 Cats, 1 Poodle, a Husband, and a Bus with a Will of Its Own
    Ebook344 pages5 hours

    Queen of the Road: The True Tale of 47 States, 22,000 Miles, 200 Shoes, 2 Cats, 1 Poodle, a Husband, and a Bus with a Will of Its Own

    By Doreen Orion

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    A pampered Long Island princess hits the road in a converted bus with her wilderness-loving husband, travels the country for one year, and brings it all hilariously to life in this offbeat and romantic memoir.

    Doreen and Tim are married psychiatrists with a twist: She’s a self-proclaimed Long Island princess, grouchy couch potato, and shoe addict. He's an affable, though driven, outdoorsman. When Tim suggests “chucking it all” to travel cross-country in a converted bus, Doreen asks, “Why can’t you be like a normal husband in a midlife crisis and have an affair or buy a Corvette?” But she soon shocks them both, agreeing to set forth with their sixty-pound dog, two querulous cats—and no agenda—in a 340-square-foot bus.

    Queen of the Road is Doreen’s offbeat and romantic tale about refusing to settle, about choosing the unconventional road with all the misadventures it brings (fire, flood, armed robbery, and finding themselves in a nudist RV park, to name just a few). The marvelous places they visit and delightful people they encounter have a life-changing effect on all the travelers, as Doreen grows to appreciate the simple life, Tim mellows, and even the pets pull together. Best of all, readers get to go along for the ride through forty-seven states in this often hilarious and always entertaining memoir, in which a boisterous marriage of polar opposites becomes stronger than ever.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRandom House Publishing Group
    Release dateJun 3, 2008
    ISBN9780767930215
    Unavailable
    Queen of the Road: The True Tale of 47 States, 22,000 Miles, 200 Shoes, 2 Cats, 1 Poodle, a Husband, and a Bus with a Will of Its Own

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    Reviews for Queen of the Road

    4/5

    126 ratings32 reviews

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    • 3/5
      This was an OK read, although the materialism throughout a bit much at times, even if Orion was almost apologetic about it and claimed to have changed. It was interesting to see her roll through places I've lived and get a visitor's perspective on them. This is definitely summer reading.
    • 5/5
      This was the funniest book I ever read. I picked it up after seeing the review saying it was a cross between David Sedaris and Bill Bryson. Absolutely true! If you love travel memoirs, humor and reading about a loving, wonderful, real relationship, this book is for you. Added bonus: I learned a lot about places in the US in a very enjoyable way.
    • 5/5
      My entire book club loved this book. It was so refreshing to get a glimpse into a good, solid relationship for once. We read favorite lines to each other during our meeting and laughed out loud all over again. But, in addition to all the humor, we learned a lot about little known, fascinating places in the US. It was also nice to see the growth everyone on the bus experienced. All of this led to one of the best discussions we ever had. All in all, a highly enjoyable read.To the previous reviewer: Wow. Jealous much? It's not like these are independently wealthly people. She explains he grew up poor, she middle class. I'm a doctor and can attest to the years of grinding, hard work we have to put in. This couple is living the American dream: live well through hard work and dedication. And, she's not asking anyone to feel her "pain." She makes fun of herself throughout the book and that's part of the hilarity. Too bad you don't have a sense of humor.
    • 4/5
      Sometimes doing something completely out of character can be amazing. Here's an account of that.Doreen is an interesting mix! Both sympathetic and, at times, very much not.This is a memoir, based on her blog, of her reluctant (at least at first) travels around the country with her husband and pets on a converted bus. "Converted bus" does not really sum it up, though- that sounds declasse, and this conversion- with its ridiculously expensive granite countertop, and the stainless steel tiles in the shower, for example- is a custom, pricey job with all possible luxuries!I have been fascinated by RVs ever since I toured them as a kid at the Minnesota Stae Fair. I love their clockwork efficient use of space- and as a clutter-hound myself, their minimalism has a fascination! at least for a while!They had many adventures, which Orion describes in a humorous way, even those that were no doubt terrifying at the time. She and her husband rib each other endlessly, but clearly adore each other...realistically.If you enjoyed this book, you will likely adore the mysteries that feature Joe and Dottie Loudermilk and their Airstream trailer, as they travel and have adventures! Written by Gar Anthony Haywood, I only wish there were more!While I enjoyed this book, I think the Kindle price for it is absurdly high; I got it for free through a special offer.
    • 3/5
      Ah, the bus. You're either on it or you're off it. If you're a little slow on the uptake it's said that you ride the short bus. In the sixties we had, at one end of the spectrum, Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters, painting an old school bus psychedelic, naming it "Furthur" and [road]tripping their way across the country amid billowing marijuana smoke and sheets of Owsley's finest. At the other end of the spectrum was the squeaky-clean Partridge Family, a made-up family-turned-singing-group on TV, painting a school bus a suburban version of psychedlic and traveling to gigs in it.Doreen Orion, a "pampered Princess from the Island of Long," and her husband Tim, who embarked in the summer of 2004 upon a yearlong road trip in a converted bus, fall on the Partridge family end of the bus spectrum. Their bus is a marvel, a home on wheels, with a twelve hundred dollar handblown glass sink in the bathroom and cherry cabinets in the kitchen. The only music to be heard are the many ringtones on Doreen's cell phone (unless you consider her whining to be a sub-sub-subgenre of music). And while there are drugs involved on Doreen and Tim's road trip, they are of the potent potable variety (in fact, each chapter begins with a funny recipe for a mixed drink).Queen of the Road is the fairly delightful memoir of a neurotic psychiatrist and her well-grounded husband. Although Doreen Orion's voice is often grating and frequently self-centered (it's been many years since I've been away from the greater New York area, but how well I remember those Princesses...), she's also always funny. I'm not a drinker, but was sorely tempted while reading to try some of her recipes (in particular, I like the "Love Me Bender," which consists of passion fruit liqueur, champagne, and raspberry liqueur, and ends with the instructions, "Rest shaker on hip, gyrate, drink. If you can still recall that the love of your life is making you live on a bus, repeat.")
    • 3/5
      Fun airplane book, but the "Queen" is too much of a Princess for me!
    • 3/5
      Thisis psychiatrist Doreen Orion's memoir of the year she and her husband Tim (also a psychiatrist) decided to "chuck it all" in order to travel around the U.S. on a luxury bus, getting away from the stress and distraction of work and materialism and getting back to the things that really matter. Doreen, a self-professed couch potato, resisted the idea for five years and, even when she agreed, when kicking and screaming on this cross-country adventure , during which she occupied most of her time worrying about what she was wearing, which of her possessions might get broken in the event of a bus accident, and how best to mix up her next fruity martini.I loved the concept of this book, but, unfortunately, I did not love the book. "High-maintenance woman sharing 340 square feet of living space with her husband and 3 pets in a home on wheels for an entire year" has great potential, but Orion did not make good on the promise implied by the fabulous subtitle (not to mention the serious online hype) of her book. A self-described "Long Island Princess," Orion knew it was going to be a difficult trip, but rather than sucking it up and roughing it, she crammed as many of her designer clothes and shoes into the bus as possible, and she doesn't hesitate to mention them at every possible opportunity. The name dropping got old quickly, as did her attempts at witty humor, which I felt were too cutesy and made me feel like she was trying just a little too hard to make the readers like her. Queen of the Road is light and fluffy despite its attempts to explore the deeper meanings of life. It was far from compelling and was too easy to put down, though I suppose it would be a decent beach read....Click here to read my full review.
    • 4/5
      I've always had a secret desire to rent a bus/RV and take off across the US and Canada, stopping whenever we see something that looks interesting, staying until we've seen whatever looks interesting. The hubster on the other hand, does not relish the thought of battling traffic in a big box, towing another vehicle and spending all his time hooking up, unhooking, and watching his dollars going down the gas tank drain. So when I saw this book on the e-book deal of the week, I knew this vicarious trip would probably be the closest I ever got to this adventure, and hit "buy." I could totally relate to some of Ms. Orion's travel aversions, but her sense of humor shines through, and although she bills herself as a "princess", her willingness to compromise and follow her husband's suggestions shows us the fun that can be had when two people with a strong marriage embark on a new phase of life together. It's not only a travelogue, but the story of personal growth, and the continued expansion of a very strong love relationship. Altogether a fun read.
    • 1/5
      I did not like this woman's story. A self-described Jewish princess, I felt she was completely out of touch with what she has and the struggles around her. We were supposed to feel sorry for her that she was 'forced' to travel around the country in a lavish RV and basically leave all work behind. While I don't begrudge her what she has, please don't write a book whining about how hard it is to get the right equipment into an expensive Rv, ignoring the fact that you have plenty of money to fix any problems that you encounter and expect most people to feel your 'pain'.
    • 3/5
      Two childless psychiatrists tour America on a converted bus for a year. That about sums it up in one sentence. Entertaining at times but not spectacular.
    • 5/5
      This book is SO FUNNY! Oh my goodness! It's definitely a book you shouldn't read in public just because you're inevitably going to start howling with laughter and people will look at you funny. I guarantee it. The language is crisp and hilarious, sprinkled with amusing sarcasm and absurd stories (and martini recipes) sure to make your day much, much better.
    • 4/5
      My husband sometimes speaks of how "someday" when we're older, we can set off across America and Canada in an RV and explore. Visit every state, take pictures, live the life of the road.Therefore, it seems appropriate to read Queen of the Road, which on the cover describes itself as "The true tale of 47 states, 22,000 miles, 200 shoes, 2 cats, 1 poodle, a husband, and a bus with a will of its own." Doreen and her husband Tim are psychiatrists, though of very different personalities. Doreen describes herself as a Long Island princess, content to stay in bed and work via laptop, obsessed with her collection of designer shoes. So when Tim suggests they customize a bus and take off on a cross-country adventure for a year, Doreen is stunned that she agrees. Setting off from Boulder, Colorado, they take a wide loop to see Mount Rushmore, the headwaters of the Mississippi, the eastern seaboard, spend the holidays in Florida, witness an armed robbery in Tucson, and then head north again for the grand climax of their trip: Alaska.In all, it's a fascinating trip. I've been to a few areas they describe, but a lot of the places were new to me. Doreen's voice rings through, witty and clear. Sometimes it's almost annoying at the beginning because she comes across as so shallow--bring along 200 shoes on a road trip? Really? But as they travel, she matures and realizes there is a life beyond her house. Her relationship with Tim is fantastic. They balance each other in so many ways.It's a memoir, it's a travelogue, it's a love story. I don't think Queen of the Road will rate as a favorite read for the year, but it offered fun ideas on what may be a "someday" trip I experience for myself.
    • 5/5
      Hysterically funny, I read parts out loud to my husband and laughed just as much the second time around!
    • 4/5
      After the virtually joyless trip I just took with Troost in Lost on Planet China (not Troost's fault...China is just not a pretty world these days), I was happy to climb aboard with Doreen Orion in Queen of the Road and travel around the (relatively) clean U.S. of A. Orion's husband convinces her to buy an enormous bus, convert it to a travel-mobile, and set out on a yearlong adventure across America. Orion is a fun traveling companion and seems to find every quirky spot and person in the country. A great summer read.
    • 4/5
      This amusing travel memoir decribes the year that aauthor, Doreen Orion and her husband, Tim Justice, their two cats and their standard poodle spent living in a cnverted bus RV. They traveled through 47 states. It is an interesting and sometimes laugh outloud funny, but occassionally the humor is too New York City or too "American Jewish Princess" to be readily accessible to my midwestern background and taste.
    • 3/5
      This is one of those books that has a lot of potential yet totally manages to miss the mark. Doreen Orion chronicles the year she spent traveling the country with her husband in a souped-up bus. Her accounts are filled with funny mishaps, interesting tidbits about the locations they visit and great references to her awesome husband. They are also filled clunky descriptions that are meant to be humorous, too-frequent references to being a Princess (we get it already!) and an author who is very difficult to relate to. Both husband and wife are psychiatrists and have enough money to not only renovate a bus but to take off a whole year just to wander. Granted, Orion admits to doing some work while traveling so they would have had some extra cash for spending, but she completely lost me when she wrote about how they just had to have a counter-top made of materials that cost over $320 per square foot. Despite these annoyances, I managed to finish the book feeling good about the experience. It is an interesting concept and a dream of many to be able to take such a trip, especially with someone you love and respect as much as Orion does her husband.
    • 4/5
      Queen of the Road is a wonderful book to read. It's uplifting, inspiring, and entertaining, dashed with a proper dose of sarcasm and humor. Doreen Orion's travel memoir records her and her husband's decision to take a year out of their lives and travel while they were still in their 40s. However, Doreen is a self-described hermit, and her husband is a tidy nerd. Neither personality would seemingly fit into the RV life, but Orion describes how they come to learn more about themselves than they expected. There are times when Orion is too flippant regarding her class privilege. She's writing about taking control of one's life and living in the present, but at times slips into forgetting that she is part of a privileged class who is able to afford to take a year off work, and spend freely on a year's vacation. She acknowledges this in a few places, but not enough to fdampen a bit of resentment. She also tends to overdo the Princess role she takes for herself. It's not so much that she writes about being a Princess, but just mentions it constantly. It didn't seem necessary to write about it quite so often. Those were the only two flaws in the novel, though, and what was left is still wonderful to read. The story of her husband and herself is entertaining. She describes the places they visit quite insightfully. Interestingly, she also includes a lot of history, especially female figures, in the novel when writing about the historical places they visit. Overall, this book is a welcome addition to anyone's library and seemingly has something that will interest and delight just about everyone.
    • 4/5
      Doreen and her husband Tim decide to travel America for a year in a converted bus. Well, it is Tim's dream and Doreen reluctantly agrees to go along with it. They are both psychiatrists, though Doreen usually works at home processing insurance cases. She freely admits that she is lazy and practically a shut in. She enjoys sleeping in, watching TV, and has a fetish for designer shoes. When departure date arrives they load into the fully decked out bus; pets, shoes and all. After embarking on their epic adventure Doreen realizes that she has a bus phobia, probably brought on by the bus door flying open every time they reach 60 mph. Driving under low bridges, on skinny out of the way roads and winding mountain grades also contribute to Doreen's discomfort. Then there is also the challenge of parking and navigation.The book traces Tim and Doreen's travel adventures all over America and tells the story of Doreen's transformation from couch potato to mild outdoor enthusiast. They go to theme parks, go hiking, visit tourist attractions and visit friends and family. All this while dealing with the unique challenges of living on a converted bus. By the end of the book, they have both made changes in their outlook on life. Doreen overcomes her bus fear and learns to enjoy getting out and experiencing life first-hand. Tim has calmed down and decided to make some career changes. Their marriage relationship is strengthened by all the time spent together. They learn to work with each others strengths and make allowances for each others weaknesses.Queen of the Road is a hilarious book. Doreen's self-deprecating humor really suited the topic and set the tone for the entire book. Her writing style is very engaging. Don't expect much seriousness, depth or detail about their travels. This is definitely a lighthearted, humorous tale of a trip around America. It does not give a lot of detail about places or go into any deep spiritual transformations that take place for the travelers. It is quite an enjoyable read so long as you don't come to it with serious expectations. It is Doreen's interesting personality that carries the story along more so than the travel destinations. She does not shy away from revealing her own faults and idiosyncrasies. Personally I found that I just loved Queen of the Road for the first third or so but after a while I got used to the humor and found a little boredom setting in because it did not develop or change as it went along. I would still recommend it as a light read that gives a surface introduction to some of the interesting places in America.
    • 2/5
      I had high hopes for this book, especially since my sister's husband just bought a city bus and is refurbishing it for their retirement. The first thirty-some-odd pages did not disappoint. I laughed out loud and thought Ms. Orion and I would get along great. Then the book reminded me that some relationships are meant to be fleeting; about halfway through the book I was muttering, "I get it. You're funny. Stop trying so hard." While I would read any article Ms. Orion writes, the book overstayed its welcome.
    • 3/5
      A good read. Most of the travelogues I read are concerned with younger people traveling, so it was interesting to read the adventures of an older couple traveling by bus. They certainly had some interesting experiences.
    • 3/5
      This is a book suitable for flights and/or vacations where long delays and "wasted time" are to be expected. Having a book like this on-hand during those times sure makes time go by faster. The story is enjoyable and the trials and obstacles that Doreen goes through are told in a light-hearted manner, but I found myself still kept at a distance. Maybe it's just me, but I couldn't connect on a personal level with someone like her. When she talks about being a Jewish princess, I understand what that means, but I can't connect to it as I don't live my life anything like that. When she talks (at length) about her alcoholic drinks and how a good part of the story revolves around her next one, I can't relate. A good story and not a complete waste of time, but not my cup of tea (or something stronger, for Doreen's sake).
    • 5/5
      What a great read! I live in Boulder County myself so it was fun to read about things that I've become so familiar with. While I'm somewhere between a princess and a Boulder hippie, I found this book extremely fun and relatable. I liked the casual, easy style of writing; it felt like a friend telling me the tale of her vacation.
    • 2/5
      'Queen of the Road' is an extremely light read for a generation that is not my own. I would recommend this book to my middle-aged mother who also shares an obsession for everything designer. Doreen Orion is an interesting narrator in her memoir detailing her travels across country with her goofy husband. As portrayed quite obviously, Doreen makes a slight change from lazy professional with a love for material things to being slightly less lazy and in love with material things. Although this is not my ideal genre (I need to be more selective with Early Reviewer books!), I can understand how a woman lying on the beach might enjoy this read - I did catch myself laughing at times. However, I could not identify with the author, nor commiserate in any way, and did not like her as a person. A self-proclaimed Princess, such quotes as "A Princess can do anything she puts her mind to - provided she's wearing the right outfit" are a dime a dozen. Throughout the memoir are 1-2 page excerpts that detail the history of some of the places the duo visited. These history lessons were very out of place and I wish Ms. Orion would have kept a consistent tone - goofy/materialistic and city-knowledge are too different to combine as they were in their extremes.Do not read this book if you are looking for something substantial.
    • 4/5
      Doreen and her husband, Tim, are both psychiatrists in their mid-forties. Tim is a dedicated workaholic with a demanding practice. Doreen has given up practice and works filing insurance claims from the comfort of her bed in her pajamas and is proud of the fact the she hardly ever leaves the house. Out of the blue, Tim convinces her that they will take a year off and drive around the United States in a converted bus. This book details that journey.At first I wasn't sure whether I would like Doreen's narrative as her rich, material world lifestyle is the exact opposite of my own lifestyle but I couldn't have been more wrong. I found myself relating to her throughout the whole book. Doreen is simply hilarious, an outspoken person who will say just about anything. I was chuckling joyously chapter after chapter and even found myself reading parts aloud to my husband quite often, which rarely happens around here as he is a non-reader. Humour aside, the journey they take was very interesting and informative to me. As a Canadian my knowledge of US geography is middling but even those who are experts on the topic will find Ms. Orion's journey of interest. While they do go to some famous tourist spots, Doreen chooses mostly to talk about lesser known tourist attractions, RV parks, the automotive challenges they experienced and the people they met on the way.This is the type of book one can pick up and read a chapter at a time and pick up again later and not loose the flow of the narrative. Highly recommended, especially for summer beach reading or winter armchair travelling.
    • 3/5
      Queen of the Road is an easy and light read. it's the memoir of Doreen Orion's initially dreaded year long bus trip with her husband Tim. both are psychiatrists, which is frequently mentioned throughout the book.overall, the book was entertaining. while Queen of the Road generally follows a chronological sequence, the author often becomes tangential. as the book is not meant to be literary (i hope...) this lead to a casual conversational style.the self discovery of the journey is a little over-played. after all, isn't that what travel is all about? Doreen's self-deprecating humor can at times be witty and is, in the end, the saving grace of this book.
    • 4/5
      I don't usually care for chick lit...and I thought the title indicated that this book would be another addition to that genre. However, I found this collection of travel memories to be insightful, fun to read, and absolutely hilarious. I could easily relate to Doreen Orion's excitement at seeing new sights across the country, and her funny takes on people and places.I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has ever gone unwillingly on an adventure. Orion's travels are as interesting as the book itself.
    • 4/5
      This lovely little tale had everything I was looking for: adventure, true love, quirky relatives, and animal sidekicks. Though Doreen Orion tells her story with a tongue-in-cheek attitude (each chapter begins with a martini recipe), she can't help but admit that it was a life changing experience. Like all good travel adventure stories she discovers that the most meaningful experiences aren't the ones you plan. By the end I felt as if I had been along for the ride myself, in addition to having made new friends in Doreen, Tim, Shula, Miles and Morty. Pick up this book if you are ready for an unexpected adventure with some real heart.
    • 5/5
      Okay, how could you not want to pick up this new title from Broadway Books ??? The cover and subtitle grabbed me, but I was captivated in the first 10 pages of this travel memoir from Doreen Orion.Both Orion and her husband Tim Justice are practicing psychiatrists. Tim is still seeing patients in an office setting while Doreen consults from home for insurance companies etc. Tim is a busy guy, always with a project on the go. He enjoys the outdoors as well. On the other hand, Doreen is more than happy to stay in her pajamas, work from home, watch television and never leave the house. Her record is 118 hours in without stepping a foot outside. Two seemingly polar opposites.Without quite knowing how it happened, Doreen agrees to Tim's dream - to travel across America in a bus for a year. That's right - a bus. But what a bus it is! (Take note that their bus ends up being the September centerfold for Bus Conversions magazine.)Orion is an extremely funny woman. I was laughing out loud right from the beginning and wondered if she could keep it up throughout the book.....she did.After an initial 3 week test run, they set out. Not everything goes quite to plan - the bus has some issues and so does Doreen - she's terrified of the bus.With a fantastic sense of humour, Orion describes the trip, her relationship with Tim, the people they meet and the situations they find themselves in.Just a few weeks into the trip they notice a shift in their outlooks and attitudes."Getting to the top of the bell tower reaffirmed for me that Tim and I were making new choices about how to live our lives and whether it was finding time for that climb or putting our careers on hold, we were doing things differently that we had in the past, giving us hope that the lessons learned on the road about what was truly valuable might just stick".And this is really the essence of the book. How do you want to live your life and what is really important? As we follow Tim and Doreen's travels, you start to look at your own life and wonder what you could do a little bit differently.It's also a love story. They are together 24/7 for a year. Although they already have a good marriage, they rediscover each other on the road.Fascinating as well is the ongoing travelogue. The places they visit are detailed, and an appendix gives web addresses for many of the places.I love a good travel memoir and this was one of the best I've read. This would be a great selection for a book club. There is a thoughtful list of discussion questions to get you started at the end. ( Oh - and a cocktail recipe at the beginning of every chapter!) As well, Orion will attend your book group - either in person or by speakerphone.The idea of a boat trip was bandied about at the end of the book. Sounds like a great idea Doreen and Tim - can't wait to hear what adventure you embark on next! You can always follow along at Doreen's blog.
    • 4/5
      Talk about terrific summer reading! Queen of the Road is a hilarious, easy read. Doreen Orion had me laughing out loud as she humorously related the adventures, and misadventures, she and her husband had in a year-long bus trip across America. There are also touching moments as Orion traces the parallel journey of self-discovery that the trip inspires in both she and her husband. Between her wonderful description of the sites they see, her funny portrayals of Project Nerd (her husband) and her own mounting bus phobia, and her reflections on the way they and others choose to live their lives, I never wanted to put this book down. I would highly recommend Queen of the Road to any reader.
    • 3/5
      This was an OK read, although the materialism throughout a bit much at times, even if Orion was almost apologetic about it and claimed to have changed. It was interesting to see her roll through places I've lived and get a visitor's perspective on them. This is definitely summer reading.