A week before spring semester, a Philadelphia writing professor sets out for L.A. to deliver a friend's car. His first night on the road, alone in a Super 8 motel, he makes three pro/con lists: one for staying in his job; one for staying in his relationship; and one for staying in Philadelphia. This book-length essay is a log of the author's life on the road, peppered with reflections on his family, history, and life's simple pleasures. In these...