“Last Bus to Wisdom” by Ivan Doig – Teachings of the American Unknown

Glorified in books and movies since it was possible, the idea of escaping the comfort and safety of your home and put yourself at risk to aimlessly travel the country (or even the world) has become somewhat a staple of North American culture, as well as many other places on Earth.

The idea behind it is to learn about how the world really works, about what it means to survive when left to your own devices, and about how far you can push yourself. Many see it as a major coming-of-age moment, as is the case in Ivan Doig's Last Bust to Wisdom.

The book begins by introducing us to Donal Cameron, a young boy raised by his grandmother to be the cook at their family ranch in the Montana Rockies. Unfortunately for them both, in the summer of 1951 grandma needs to have surgery, and her only option in regards to Donal is to send him off with her sister in Wisconsin.

As he arrives there, he meets Aunt Kate, unsatisfiable, mean and degrading to seemingly everyone, even her husband Herman the German. After one transgression too many, Aunt Kate decides to ship Donal to the authorities, sending him out on a Greyhound bus... unbeknownst to her though, Herman the German has decided to join him in flying the coop.

And so, the unlikely pair set out for the great American voyage together, embarking on the journey of a lifetime that will profoundly change them both.

Though unfortunately this is the last novel Ivan Doig published before leaving this Earth, it may very well be one of his best works, starting with the depiction of the times (1950s) and the characters inhabiting that period.

Whether he's taking us to Western Montana or Wisconsin, Doig always carefully describes life in those places down to fine details that are too precise to be anything but accurate.

He gives insights into the various practices and even the small habits of all the people we meet in different locales, creating a mesmerizing and unique atmosphere, that of a world gone by.

The characters themselves are all created with exceptional care, Doig taking the time to flesh out each and every one of them, giving them their own voices, motivations and thoughts.

They feel so real to the point where it seems Doig based them on people he knew back in the day. Not a single word uttered or action taken feels illogical or out of place. Most notable though is Donal's evolution and the way the story opens up as his view of the world is expanded.

We start off with his very limited awareness of what's happening in the world, and slowly progress with him, thinking on increasingly important and far-reaching issues.

He notices more and more about the many people coming on and off the bus, each of them having their own unique story to tell, such as a WWI German draftee who fled to America, a small Sheriff who thinks big and a saddle rider world champion.

The dynamic between Donal and Herman is also quite interesting to watch as, despite their age and culture differences, they each have a lot to teach the other.

While Donal shows Herman the American West and shares with him his knowledge on the American way of life, Herman teaches Donal the many valuable lessons he's learned about human nature. Sometimes funny and often insightful, their conversations certainly make for highlights in a book already full of them.

All in all, Last Bus to Wisdom is a flawless novel in every sense of the word. Powerful, moving and insightful, Ivan Doig's last work is certainly one for the ages, a novel anyone who enjoys exploring the human nature will thoroughly enjoy and maybe even keep coming back to over the years.

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Ivan Doig (June 27, 1939 - April 9, 2015) Personal site Ivan Doig is an American, and has been publishing textbooks and novels dating all the way back to 1972.Many of his novels are set in his home state, Montana, and his more renowned works include The Sea Runners and The Eleventh Man.