'I can't remember reading a book where the author is continually making fun of himself yet becomes more and more admirable and likeable as the book goes on. He has created a cast of interesting and entertaining characters that are vivid, memorable, and a pleasure to hang out with. The book is an unexpected delight' - Luke Rhinehart/George Cockcroft, The Dice Man
What do you do if you want to get underneath the skin of a country – to understand its people and feel its heartbeat? You can follow the rest of the tourists, or you can take the advice of Watergate reporter Bob Woodward’s source, Deep Throat, and ‘follow the money’.
Steve Boggan did just that by setting free a ten-dollar bill and accompanying it on an epic journey for thirty days and thirty nights across 3,300 miles armed only with a sense of humour and a small, and increasingly grubby, set of clothes.
As he cuts crops with farmers in Kansas, pursues a repo woman from Colorado, gets wasted with a blues band in Arkansas and hangs out at a quarterback’s mansion in St Louis, Boggan enters the lives of ordinary (and extraordinary) people as they receive – and pass on – the bill. Add to that the missionaries from Missouri, the Amish in Michigan, the banker from Chicago and the deer hunters from Detroit, and what emerges is a chaotic, affectionate and funny portrait of a modern-day America that tourists rarely see.
Follow The Money: A Month in the Life of a Ten-Dollar Bill
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Review
I absolutely loved this book' Frank Cottrell Boyce
‘A terrific read’ Rosie Boycott
'Boggan has constructed a hugely endearing narrative personality...his raconteurship has you chuckling as the author ill-advisedly microwaves his underwear, delightedly discovers a "drive-thru bottle shop", and generally behaves, in refreshing contrast to the exhausting get-up-and-go of the travel genre, with a lovably shambolic lassitude.' Guardian
'Its randomness is its joy' Independent
'A picaresque travelogue about chasing an idea through down-home modern America.' The Times
'A laugh-out-loud triumph' The Sun
‘A compelling, inspiring and oddly reassuring portrait of modern America. Fantastic debut.' Time Out 5-Star Review
'Steve Boggan's quest to plant a ten dollar bill into the heart of America...is an astute one.' We Love This Book
'The strength of Boggan's writing is the clear, clean and non-judgemental prose style that lets the remarkable and disparate lives of those he encounters speak for themselves. Heart-warming, fascinating stuff.' Big Issue
‘Thoroughly enjoyable debut, in the vein of Louis Theroux and Jon Ronson, which gives us an intelligent and humorous portrait of an America tourists rarely see’ The Bookseller
'An interesting book from an exciting new publisher' Conde Nast Traveller
'Charming, often funny and engrossing in the moment' The Australian
'The journey of Boggan's ten dollar bill lasts thirty days, covers three thousand miles, and reveals an image of America, one that transforms the ordinary and mundane into something that seems almost transcendent.' Digital Journal
'Boggan covers six states and a distance of 3000 miles, relating his experiences with a self-deprecating wit’ Lonely Planet Magazine
'I can't remember reading a book where the author is continually making fun of himself yet becomes more and more admirable and likeable as the book goes on. He has created a cast of interesting and entertaining characters that are vivid, memorable, and a pleasure to hang out with. The book is an unexpected delight' - Luke Rhinehart/George Cockcroft, The Dice Man.
‘A terrific read’ Rosie Boycott
'Boggan has constructed a hugely endearing narrative personality...his raconteurship has you chuckling as the author ill-advisedly microwaves his underwear, delightedly discovers a "drive-thru bottle shop", and generally behaves, in refreshing contrast to the exhausting get-up-and-go of the travel genre, with a lovably shambolic lassitude.' Guardian
'Its randomness is its joy' Independent
'A picaresque travelogue about chasing an idea through down-home modern America.' The Times
'A laugh-out-loud triumph' The Sun
‘A compelling, inspiring and oddly reassuring portrait of modern America. Fantastic debut.' Time Out 5-Star Review
'Steve Boggan's quest to plant a ten dollar bill into the heart of America...is an astute one.' We Love This Book
'The strength of Boggan's writing is the clear, clean and non-judgemental prose style that lets the remarkable and disparate lives of those he encounters speak for themselves. Heart-warming, fascinating stuff.' Big Issue
‘Thoroughly enjoyable debut, in the vein of Louis Theroux and Jon Ronson, which gives us an intelligent and humorous portrait of an America tourists rarely see’ The Bookseller
'An interesting book from an exciting new publisher' Conde Nast Traveller
'Charming, often funny and engrossing in the moment' The Australian
'The journey of Boggan's ten dollar bill lasts thirty days, covers three thousand miles, and reveals an image of America, one that transforms the ordinary and mundane into something that seems almost transcendent.' Digital Journal
'Boggan covers six states and a distance of 3000 miles, relating his experiences with a self-deprecating wit’ Lonely Planet Magazine
'I can't remember reading a book where the author is continually making fun of himself yet becomes more and more admirable and likeable as the book goes on. He has created a cast of interesting and entertaining characters that are vivid, memorable, and a pleasure to hang out with. The book is an unexpected delight' - Luke Rhinehart/George Cockcroft, The Dice Man.
About the Author
Steve Boggan was chief reporter at The Independent and co-founder of its investigations unit before moving into feature writing for The Times, the Guardian, the Daily Mail and the Evening Standard. He lives in London and this is his first book.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Imagine going to the corner shop but as well as coming out with the morning paper you also find that you have acquired a complete stranger you informs you that he is going to follow around until you pass on the ten pound note that you received in your change for the newspaper. I'm fairly sure that if that ever happened to me the stranger would immediately be classified as an oddball and would therefore be firmly instructed to "go away"(or words to that effect). It would appear though that the citizens of Kansas, Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri and Michigan must be a far more tolerant bunch than me because when Steve Boggan decided to follow the progress of a ten dollar bill around the States for thirty days he received almost complete co-operation, although in some cases he was kept at arm's length by those who probably agreed that he was an oddball but were too polite to ask him to go away.
Although this is classified as being a travel book it isn't the places Steve Boggan visited but the people he met during his journey that makes this book a memorable read. Boggan first tenders the ten dollar bill in the small town of Lebanon, chosen because it is the place originally calculated as being the centre of the USA. I personally thought that this was an odd place to start this adventure, surely Wall Street, the financial capital or Fort Worth, where dollar bills are printed, would have been a more fitting choice, but that is one of the few things that I could criticise this book about. I'm not sure if Boggan was lucky or whether it is because they are written about in an extremely skilful manner, but each person that receives the ten dollar bill has an interesting story to tell and each of their stories gives the reader a remarkable insight into the lives of the ordinary American.... Read more ›
Although this is classified as being a travel book it isn't the places Steve Boggan visited but the people he met during his journey that makes this book a memorable read. Boggan first tenders the ten dollar bill in the small town of Lebanon, chosen because it is the place originally calculated as being the centre of the USA. I personally thought that this was an odd place to start this adventure, surely Wall Street, the financial capital or Fort Worth, where dollar bills are printed, would have been a more fitting choice, but that is one of the few things that I could criticise this book about. I'm not sure if Boggan was lucky or whether it is because they are written about in an extremely skilful manner, but each person that receives the ten dollar bill has an interesting story to tell and each of their stories gives the reader a remarkable insight into the lives of the ordinary American.... Read more ›
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Mrenshaw
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
An interesting read and quite a different one. After the prologue that gives the history behind this book (The Guardian newspaper in the UK asked him to follow a £10 note for as long as he could).
The author starts out in Lebanon, Kansas as it's close to the centre of mainland USA (although this differs if you use a Mac or a PC apparently!) and then he sets off on his journey of over 3000 miles. What follows wasn't what I expected - I thought it would be a dry text on the money changing hands and where it went too and that would be it.
Instead the story of IA74407937A was about people and places in America - from a blues band to bible belt people to builders, all ordinary folk and the tale is well told and gives a glimpse of America that isn't biased by Hollywood or the latest news story or foreign policies. Instead you get a old fashioned kind of warm of decent honest people who are just like everyone else - warm and welcoming despite their own troubles.
The trip of the $10 bill is about a month and it's a good read to see all the different areas that Steve Boggan passed though and the tales he gathers on his way - it's a heart warming read that is laid out in a readable fashion, without too much text crammed into the pages and nice touches such as GPS coordinates to let you look up the places.
Good value at the price and recommended.
The author starts out in Lebanon, Kansas as it's close to the centre of mainland USA (although this differs if you use a Mac or a PC apparently!) and then he sets off on his journey of over 3000 miles. What follows wasn't what I expected - I thought it would be a dry text on the money changing hands and where it went too and that would be it.
Instead the story of IA74407937A was about people and places in America - from a blues band to bible belt people to builders, all ordinary folk and the tale is well told and gives a glimpse of America that isn't biased by Hollywood or the latest news story or foreign policies. Instead you get a old fashioned kind of warm of decent honest people who are just like everyone else - warm and welcoming despite their own troubles.
The trip of the $10 bill is about a month and it's a good read to see all the different areas that Steve Boggan passed though and the tales he gathers on his way - it's a heart warming read that is laid out in a readable fashion, without too much text crammed into the pages and nice touches such as GPS coordinates to let you look up the places.
Good value at the price and recommended.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By N Morgan
Format:Paperback
From the moment I started reading 'Follow The Money' I felt a part of the journey. I laughed out loud, cried and felt connected to the author and the friends he made a long his way. This book is massively entertaining and I would highly recommend it!
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By S. Hallam
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I laughed, I cried and was with the author every step of the way via his superb prose. Being a traveller, I'd never been keen on the US as a destination, but now I want to go and smell the trees, hear the corn fields whispering on the wind and meet the hospitality of the Americans described in the book. You will not be disappointed with this book.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By markr
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
This is a book of very enjoyable travel writing in which the author follows the journey of a 10 dollar bill around the United States. He visits 6 states in all and the book is made up of his encounters with a wide range of people who have the bill across a 30 day period. Every time the bill changes hands the author has to follow it - and that means spending time with people he hardly knows, and who have little reason to trust him. Despite this ,the kindness and help he gets from pretty much everyone he comes across makes this a heartwarming as well as interesting, if eccentric, tale.
The book flows along well, and i read it in just a few sittings.
Very enjoyable reading
The book flows along well, and i read it in just a few sittings.
Very enjoyable reading
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Tox
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I sat listening to Radio 4 the other week where this book was being discussed and was fixated. There are a small number of books where a writer decides to do something totally off the wall, Dave Gorman springs to mind. In this case Steve Boggan flies to the centre of the US, marks a 10 dollar note and starts to follow it across the country.
On the journey we meet a variety of examples of Americans from the bemused woman who thinks this is a scam but can't see what is going on to the bemused preacher who doesn't get the real meaning of Chuck Berry's "My Dingaling". The overwhelming feeling is of generous and very patient people who go that extra mile to help out someone doing something they don't quite get, but are too polite to criticise.
Well written and instantly engaging, the book lived up to my initial interest after the Radio 4 broadcast. It is witty and at the same time a serious travel story which left me wondering, what if you followed a Euro across Europe, now where is my Passport?
On the journey we meet a variety of examples of Americans from the bemused woman who thinks this is a scam but can't see what is going on to the bemused preacher who doesn't get the real meaning of Chuck Berry's "My Dingaling". The overwhelming feeling is of generous and very patient people who go that extra mile to help out someone doing something they don't quite get, but are too polite to criticise.
Well written and instantly engaging, the book lived up to my initial interest after the Radio 4 broadcast. It is witty and at the same time a serious travel story which left me wondering, what if you followed a Euro across Europe, now where is my Passport?
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
If you like Danny Wallace, you'll love this...
If you like Danny Wallace, you'll love this... think Yes Man heads to the US of A and you'd be about right. Read more
Published 22 days ago by EJ
3.0 out of 5 stars
Horses for courses
The idea of physically following a ten dollar bill from Lebanon in Kansas, USA and travelling 3,300 miles through Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana and arriving 30 days later... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Zola fan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great idea for a travel story
This was a great idea for a theme for travel writing. It was interesting , humorous and enlightening on life in the USA. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Bill G
4.0 out of 5 stars
Money : it's a gas.
The thought has probably occured to you : where has my $10 note come from? Where is it going? On the other hand, you may also never have this thought at all. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Mr. M. A. Reed
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great read
A warm, funny and intriguing story. I could not quite believe that people would accept the author's explanation for his journey and found myself hungry to learn what happened next. Read more
Published 8 months ago by denise955
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loved it!
Once i started i couldnt put this down, reading the whole thing in 2 days. Great characters, wonderfully described. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Matt
5.0 out of 5 stars
Steve Buggan
This established writer has come up with a remarkable concept, launched his marked $10 dollar and chased it around hamlets, villages, towns& cities. Read more
Published 8 months ago by redroy
2.0 out of 5 stars
Nice here, isn't it?
Similar to "Round Ireland with a Fridge", this is "Round America with a Ten Dollar Bill", and both books can be filed in the "Light Entertainment" travel section at the local... Read more
Published 8 months ago by J. Mcgregor
4.0 out of 5 stars
.
Well written and a good idea but I found this didn't have the humour that I was expecting. A very good travel book for anyone wanting to know more about the US and its' people.
Published 8 months ago by T
5.0 out of 5 stars
so, so much more than a travel book
I was instantly gripped by this book, and went on to LOVE it. At first, I couldn't quite believe that people would allow a total stranger into their lives. Read more
Published 8 months ago by F Simpson
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