Road trips are at the heart of North American culture.
From the pioneers who chased the Gold Rush out west, to college students who take to the open road at the start of summer, cross-country road trips are a rite of passage.
It’s one of the beautiful things about this giant continent — anyone with a car can go anywhere!
There is nothing like the pull of the open road — a set of wheels provides you with a freeing feeling that can’t be obtained anywhere else. But road trips aren’t just about exploration, they are also symbolic. A car is the visible expression of freedom, a driver's license the ticket and the cross-country trip the destination. It’s no wonder a host of authors have written classic literary novels that document their experiences along the way!
Inspired by well-known works of literature, like Jack Kerouac’s On the Road and Tom Wolfe’s Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, this infographic follows the narrative arcs of six books to give us a guide to literary road trips across America.
Check out these awesome routes that recreate each authors' experience. Who knows — you may end up writing a literary road trip of your own!
This infographic guide to literary road trips across America was created by and is being reproduced here courtesy of carrentals.com.
