What I’ve been listening to: Trucker songs.

I’m writing a book about the time I was a truck driver, and sometimes I like to listen to trucking songs to get in the mood. Here are a few of the ones that stuck out to me:

“Give Me 40 Acres,” by the Willis Brothers

“Some guys can turn it on a dime or turn it right downtown / but I need 40 acres to turn this rig around.” A funny song about my career as a truck driver.

“That’s Truck Drivin,” by Slim Jacobs

And this one! I wish I’d known about this genre of music when I was driving. I would have felt a lot less like a failure.

“Trucker Speed,” by Fred Eaglesmith

This song is sad and slow, and I’m not a huge fan of the lyrics, but it makes me feel connected to a culture I might otherwise judge, harshly.