Red, White, and the Blues

RED, WHITE, AND THE BLUES: A Long and Hard Ride over Treacherous Terrain by John R. Hall is an unforgettable true story of a man coming to terms with his own demons the only way he knows how: by losing himself on the open road. This is the story of a man, of a country, of debilitating lows, and, ultimately, of redemption. Part memoir, part collection of essays, part political treatise, Red, White, and the Blues is a must-read for motorcycle enthusiasts and anyone who's struggled to find their place in the world. At turns funny, emotionally devastating, and incisive, Hall's work will enthrall readers as he offers affecting commentary on racism, politics, and depression--as well as friendship and the incomparable freedom of riding long and hard. In 2011, North Dakota's Bakken oil boom was turning the earth (literally) and men (figuratively) inside out, even as it generated unprecedented wealth. John R. Hall was on the verge of securing his future in the Bakken when a confrontation with a coworker led him to leave it all behind and head across the US on his Harley "Deuce." Pursued by the screeching demons of abuse, financial distress, and his own tortured thoughts, John would find heartache and rough terrain on the open road--but also the kindness of strangers and sights of heartbreaking beauty. John is a biker (in the sense that he "lives to ride and rides to live"). John Richard "Little Ricky" Hall has been a street performer, cab driver, magician, IT/IS specialist, long-haul trucker, soldier, and oil field worker, and has done damn near everything in this life--and taken more than his fair share of hard knocks in the process. Red, White, and the Blues is both a riveting account of a fateful cross-country motorcycle ride and a searing indictment of the American dream. Readers of John's work will be rewarded as the pages of Red, White, and the Blues turn, but John also offers the following traveler's advisory: "treacherous terrain lies ahead." (WARNING: IF YOU ARE A DONALD TRUMP MINION, THEN JOHN'S BOOK IS PROBABLY NOT FOR YOU).