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See Also: 10 of the best books set in Rome | Rome holidays | The Guardian
A great book has the power to not only take you on a ride with the author, but to instill in you a burning desire to hit the road yourself. This list of the best road trip books is sure to keep you busy for a while and make you want to give your boss your two weeks notice and start packing your bags.
You are reading: Best road trip books
I put together this list as I prepare to release my own road trip book, the road always leads west, another one you should check out! 🙂
While this is primarily for inspiration or entertainment, be sure to check out my road trip planning guide if you need more comprehensive and practical information on logistics and organization.
top 5 road trip books
on the road by jack kerouac
(1957)
We’d better get rid of this one first, it’s easily the best-known road trip book ever written, a book that has inspired generations and countless imitations.
kerouac’s classic book on the road detailing his travels with his friends as they travel across america. the book was deeply steeped in jazz culture and poetry and is considered the defining work of the beat generation, which was so influential in the counterculture movement of the 1960s.
the book is available as it was first published or you can get the original version on a roll which was published as written by jack kerouac on a continuous sheet of paper 120′ long and features the real names of your friends, not pseudonyms.
blue highways by william less heat-moon
(1982)
heat-moon set out to put the past behind her by hitting the road. The premise of the book is his travels along the smallest paths, marked in blue on the map, and discover the small towns of America.
His travels to small town America show a country on the brink of change with increasing homogenization through fast food culture and shopping malls.
heat-moon does a great job of presenting the lives of the people it meets along the way, a curious cast of characters who live in “those little towns that show up on the map, if they do, just because some the cartographer has a blank to fill in.”
Travels with Charley in Search of America by John Steinbeck
(1962)
In September 1960, John Steinbeck, already a best-selling author, set out to rediscover an America with which he feared he had lost touch. According to Steinbeck’s son, the real reason for his trip was that he knew he was dying and wanted to see the country one last time.
steinbeck undertook a mammoth cross-country journey from new york, to maine, across the west coast, to california, then through the southern half of the states back east, before venturing back to the east coast . essentially completing a massive circular journey across america.
He was taking his French Poodle Charley along on his journey through a “new America” that was on the cusp of great upheaval.
steinbeck was 58 when he set out on this journey alone (well, with a dog), proving that it’s not just for aimless young 20-somethings.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig
(1974)
part philosophical treatise, part motorcycle road trip through the northern reaches of the united states and on to california.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance tells the story of a father and son motorcycle trip with a couple of friends, but also delves into fundamental questions about how to live life and tries to reconcile science, religion and more.
a powerful read that will not only inspire you to hit the road, but also inspire you to examine your own perspectives on some of these central life issues.
The Kindness of Strangers: Penniless Across America by Mike McIntyre
(1996)
It’s not a traditional road trip book where the driver is behind the wheel on the open road, instead Mike decided to hitchhike across the country from San Francisco to Cape Feed, North Carolina, which would be a challenge. in itself. but mike decided to do it without spending a dime.
I would have to rely on the goodwill and help of complete strangers on the open road to find vehicles, eat, and have a place to sleep.
It’s an incredible journey and an even more incredible story that highlights the stories and generosity of the people you meet along the way.
See Also: 5 Books About Van Gogh You Have to Read | DailyArt Magazine
Five books aren’t enough for you? Well, I’ve got another 10 awesome road trip books below and then a number of reader suggestions.
Do you want to travel more for less money?
10 other great road trip books
brendan leonard’s new american road trip mixtape
(2013)
brendan leonard has become one of the leading modern voices on road travel and the transformative nature of nature and the great outdoors.
After the breakup, Brendan set out to explore the American West while living out of the back of his truck. This book addresses the American dream and the call of the open road in Brendan’s unique and humorous style.
His most recent book, Sixty Meters to Anywhere, is another amazing read on overcoming alcoholism and finding yourself through climbing.
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
(1995)
krakauer’s book is not strictly a road trip book, nor is it a first person road trip book, but rather tells the incredible story of chris mccandless and his nomadic wanderings.
after graduating from college back east, chris donated what was left of his college fund and drove west, eventually ditching his car and hitchhiking west for several years. His travels took him to a Walden’s Pond type existence in the Alaskan jungle where he was found dead.
The book has a sad ending, but the story of his travels and Krakauer’s amazing writing will definitely inspire you to follow in Chris’s footsteps. I know he did it for me. this is one of my favorite books ever written.
The Lost Continent by Bill Bryson
(1989)
bill bryson is one of the best travel writers out there, able to turn the simplest or seemingly boring concepts into insightful, interesting and often funny reading.
After living abroad in the UK for many years, Bryson sets out to rediscover America by visiting its small towns.
bryson’s book on hiking the appalachian trail, a walk in the woods, remains one of my favorites.
Drive Nacho Drive by Brad Van Orden
(2014)
drive nacho drive tells the story of brad and his wife sheena who quit their jobs, gave up the american dream and headed south in their beat up old volkswagon pickup called nacho.
the road takes them through all of central america, across the darien gap to south america and finally to the “end of the earth” in patagonia, where the pan-american highway finally ends.
A pretty incredible read that might inspire you to think about taking your road trip internationally (like we did).
The Cruise of the Rolling Junk by F. Scott Fitzgerald
(1924)
another of the best authors in the united states embarks on open road, this time f. Scott Fitzgerald, of The Great Gatsby fame, out with his wife Zelda on a trip from Connecticut to Alabama.
These serialized articles compiled into a book of his journey in a beat-up car (the rolling junk) and tell the story of a younger America.
Killing Yourself to Live by Chuck Klosterman
(2005)
chuck klosterman went on a road trip exploring the deaths of famous musicians across the united states.
Covered nearly 7,000 miles while visiting the site where Buddy Holly’s plane crashed, where Kurt Cobain committed suicide, or where Jeff Buckley drowned in a river.
It sure makes an interesting base for a road trip book, especially if you like music.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
(1971)
a wild, drug-filled road trip to las vegas for the only hunter s. thompson.
See Also: Top 10 Harlan Coben Books – Book Series In Order
The book, beyond the drug-addicted manic landscape, paints a different picture of Las Vegas, one that had not yet been taken over by larger-than-life hotels and strip merchandising.
side note: while las vegas isn’t necessarily my favorite place, it’s a great place to base yourself for some epic road trips from las vegas.
American Nomads by Richard Grant
(2003)
richard grant spent more than 15 years traveling the American West alongside drifters, truckers, retirees and hippies, documenting the lives of those who travel the American West.
grant examines the myths and realities of the often idealized open road while simultaneously examining the sedentary nature of the American dream.
contrasts the stories of modern wanderers with the historical figures, frontiersmen and conquistadors, who plunged into this same landscape centuries ago.
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe
(1968)
neal cassady, also featured prominently in kerouac’s on the road, set out to drive ken kesey’s bus and merry pranksters across america on an lsd-fueled psychedelic mission that takes the road “trip” to a whole new level.
The book offers a look at the hippie and countercultural movement of the 1960s.
Jupiter’s Travels by Ted Simon
(1979)
ted simon spent an amazing four years circumnavigating the world on the back of a motorcycle in the late 70’s. i actually had the chance to meet ted at the overland expo.
He left London for more than 63,000 miles through 45 countries in Africa, South America, Australia, Asia, before returning home.
An amazing journey back in the days before cell phones and the internet, and all done by yourself, with no support team or social media updates.
7 More Reader Suggestions for Best Road Trip Books
I reached out to friends, followers, and readers of this blog to source some of their favorite road trip books. this is what they recommended.
neil peart travel music
rush’s drummer explores the inextricable link between road trips and music, how music is the soundtrack to our lives, by telling autobiographical stories based on the music of a solo road trip.
road scholar by andrew codrescu
The Romanian writer enters the shadows of Kerouac as he discovers America behind the wheel.
one for the road by tony horowitz
tony went on a 7,000 mile adventure through the australian outback.
Roads: Driving America’s Great Highways by Larry McMurtry
larry has written a tribute to the path itself, where the route is the destination and not just a means.
catfish and mandala by andrew x. pham
A bike ride through Mexico, Japan, and Vietnam as Andrew (born in Vietnam but raised in California) travels, he also grapples with issues of cultural identity, immigration, and more.
neil peart’s ghost rider
another book by the rush drummer, this time neil hits the road shortly after losing his wife and daughter a year apart.
a walk through america by peter jenkins
Over 25 years ago, Peter set out to trek from New York to New Orleans with his trusty dog, a road trip not quite traditional, but definitely in the same spirit.
what road trip books would you add to this list? resonates in the comments below.
the road always leads west
of course i would be remiss not to mention check out my book the road always leads west if you love a good road trip story… 🙂
more book recommendations
- 26 Books To Inspire Your Next Epic Buzzfeed Summer Road Trip
- The Obsessively Detailed Map Of The Most Epic Road Trips In American Literature
- Books To Inspire the ultimate american road trip
- adventure journal’s 9 best road trip books
- road trip! 10 Books About Off-Road Adventures
- 10 Travel Books You Must Read From The Desk To The Trash
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See Also: 10 of the best books set in Rome | Rome holidays | The Guardian