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Description
Walden on Wheels: On the Open Road from Debt to FreedomIn this frank and witty memoir, Ken Ilgunas lays bare the existential terror of graduating from the University of Buffalo with $32,000 of student debt. Ilgunas set himself an ambitious mission: get out of debt as quickly as possible. Inspired by the frugality and philosophy of Henry David Thoreau, Ilgunas undertook a three year transcontinental journey, working in Alaska as a tour guide, garbage picker, and night cook to pay off his student loans
In this frank and witty memoir, Ken Ilgunas lays bare the existential terror of graduating from the University of Buffalo with $32,000 of student debt. Ilgunas set himself an ambitious mission: get out of debt as quickly as possible. Inspired by the frugality and philosophy of Henry David Thoreau, Ilgunas undertook a three-year transcontinental journey, working in Alaska as a tour guide, garbage picker, and night cook to pay off his student loans before hitchhiking home to New York.
Debt-free, Ilgunas then enrolled in a master's program at Duke University, determined not to borrow against his future again. He used the last of his savings to buy himself a used Econoline van and outfitted it as his new dorm. The van, stationed in a campus parking lot, would be more than an adventure--it would be his very own "Walden on Wheels." Freezing winters, near-discovery by campus police, and the constant challenge of living in a confined space would test Ilgunas's limits and resolve in the two years that followed. What had begun as a simple mission would become an enlightening and life-changing social experiment. Walden on Wheels offers a spirited and pointed perspective on the dilemma faced by those who seek an education but who also want to, as Thoreau wrote, "live deep and suck out all the marrow of life."Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: New Harvest
Published: 05/14/2013
ISBN: 9780544028838
Pages: 296
Weight: 0.55lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.60w x 1.00d
Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 02/11/2013 pg. 52
Kirkus Reviews 04/15/2013
Booklist 05/01/2013 pg. 55
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4.4 ★★★★★
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 5
Best LitRPG
Format: Kindle
This is absolutely the best litRPG I've ever read as well as the best self-published series. Between the character progression, the amazing sense of humor, and the relatability of the characters, this is my top recommendation for anyone interested in litRPGs. I fell in love so much that I had to sign up for the Patreon account so I could get my fix regularly (5 new chapters each week). I even managed to get my roommate hooked on the audiobooks.
If you're looking for a fun story with loveable characters, surprising insights, and epic fights, this is for you.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2022
★★★★★ 5
What the??!!!!??
Format: Kindle
This book"kills" it!!! It kept making me laugh out loud and waking up my wife... NOT COOL!! She needs her sleep...and I can't really tell her what is so darn funny because She Hasn't read any of this series and wont get the joke. It also brought tears to my eyes reminding me of actual life events I've lived through. Loss,honor, loyalty, friendship, dangerous situations... Amazing stuff! I can't stop laughing and reading. Awesome...
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Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2025
★★★★★ 4
A lot of useless skipping around...
Format: Kindle
So, I really enjoy the underlying story, but I really wish the writing was cleaned up. There were so many little sections, a few paragraphs to a few pages that were bouncing all over the place. And while some sort of moved the plot along, the vast majority were just filler.
It would have been significantly more fluid if events were portrayed through characters experiences, than just having narration about everything happening all over.
In addition, I know this is a web novel, and they tend to be written chapter by chapter. This, painfully, results in less cohesion from start to middle to end. The story ends up feeling choppy, and the overall arc throughout the book suffers. In fact, over >700 pages and we really didn't make a ton of headway until ~60% of the way through the book. That's when things really started. The majority before was fluff and filler. Useful, but only once distilled and refined.
I'm really hoping that for future books, Shirtaloon spends some time really thinking what is critical for the plot, and how to incorporate as much of that plot progression through the lenses of the characters in lieu of just narrating pages and pages of stuff. For example, instead of spending 100s of pages on mentioning all the places in the world crumbling from infighting and corruption, instead portray that through the character. It reads so much better, and ends up being more concise, and allows for opportunities for further character development all while building the world.
I love more story, but I'd prefer reading a 700 page story. Not a 400 page story in 700 pages. Let's make all the pages matter.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2022
★★★★★ 5
great series
Format: Kindle
I have really enjoyed these books. Highly recommend reading them. Plan to read all of the series. Keeps getting better.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2026
★★★★★ 5
Another Good One in the Bag
Format: Kindle
Love the change this adventure keeps taking. We go from our LitFantasy to a comic book adventure. One of the most interesting LIT tales I have read so far. The adventure continues to hold you captured and throws in a few twist. Didn’t see those 3 making an appearance in the Reapers Realm. But, no other spoilers, just read it; it’s definitely worth reading!!!
Cheers 🍻
Peace ✌🏾 & Love ❤️
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Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2025