The Toronto Globe and Mail published a book review of Kevin Chong’s “Neil Young Nation: A Quest, An Obsession (and a True Story).” In the book, Chong tells about he re-traced Neil Young’s trek from his native Canada to Southern California in the mid-1960s, before the folk-rock musician became a star.

A significant chunk of that route followed Route 66, from Albuquerque westward.

Reviewer Douglas Bell writes:

Chong’s random observations of the American road are equally effective. At one stage he turns off the main highway onto the legendary Route 66. “I announced to the car ‘I want a taste of history’ . . . we got three blocks . . . before coming to a dead end. So much for history.”

Too bad Chong didn’t have the “Here It Is!” maps to keep that from happening.

Actually, I’m glad this book was written. I read Jimmy McDonough’s “Shakey: A Neil Young Biography” a few years ago. In it, Young told about driving from Canada to Albuquerque and west on 66 in a gigantic hearse. Young didn’t give a lot of details about the trip, but he said it was fun and an adventure.

The first chapter of Chong’s book can be read here.