Take a ride on Brinkley's 'Majic Bus'

COEUR d'ALENE - For those who weren't able to hear author Douglas Brinkley speak Thursday at the Idaho Humanities Council's annual lecture and dinner at The Coeur d'Alene Resort, there is another opportunity for readers to share a collective Brinkley experience.

"Majic Bus: An American Odyssey," written by Brinkley, is the October selection for the Coeur d'Alene Public Library's Pageturners book club.

The club will discuss "Majic Bus" when it meets Oct. 23 at 10:15 a.m. in the Community Room at the Coeur d'Alene Public Library, 702 E. Front Ave. The discussion will be led by George Ives.

"Majic Bus" follows the experience created by Brinkley who arranged to teach a six-week experimental class aboard a fully equipped sleeper bus. The class would visit 30 states and 10 national parks. They would read 12 books by great American writers and experience cultural activities that included a Bob Dylan concert in Seattle, gambling at a Vegas casino, Bourbon Street jazz in New Orleans, Elvis Presley's Graceland and William Faulkner's Rowan Oak.

Visit the Research and Information Desk at the library to check on the availability of "Majic Bus."

Pageturners discussions are open to any adult readers.

Brinkley, a professor of history at Rice University, is the author, co-author and editor of more than two dozen books exploring American history and literature, the American presidency, and contemporary culture and events.

He is the official historian for CBS News, contributed to CNN, NBC and PBS news productions and a contributor to the New York Times, Boston Globe, Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone.