At the intersection of ON THE ROAD by Jack Kerouac and CANDIDE by Voltaire, stands, with thumb extended, RIDES, "Fast Eddie" Wanderhaven's search for truth, wisdom, and redemption. Traveling the length and breadth of the United States on little more than his wits and ethereal sustenance, young Eddie meets a wild array of American characters, gains and loses love, and ultimately discovers the meaning of life as he returns homeward. Sweet, painful, swift, and at times profane, Eddie's story is both universal and specific to the Baby Boom generation, helping give voice to a unique chapter in American history.