As I was thinking about departing from my usual posts about travel literature, I came across an excellent post by  Almost Fearless on guidebooks. As she points out, they do have a purpose.  And I am addicted to guidebooks, so I don’t want their absence on this site to lead anyone to think I do not respect guidebooks.  I just focus here on the literature that goes into the traveler’s library.

But as I am still thinking about American road trips, I thought I should mention road guide series that can be very helpful to those who follow the Larry McMurtry route in his book Roads, and follow the freeways.

• Insight Guides United States on the Road’s comprehensive look at travel on American highways gets high marks for covering a whole lot of this country plus forays into Canada and Mexico.
• Drive I-95 by Stan Posner and Sandra Phillips-Posner.For driving north south, Boston to Miami on I-95.
• Along Interstate 75 by Dave Hunter. For I-75 from Detroit to the Florida border. Both these books provide strip maps loaded with symbols to inform the driver, and supplemental information and background material. Hunter’s book tends to be more chatty and personal, while the Posner book seems to be better organized and visually easier to follow.
• Scenic Highways and Byways. National Geographic provides a look at the smaller roads preferred by Steinbeck.
• Live Your Road Trip Dream: Travel for a Year for the Cost of Staying Home by Phil and Carol White covers everything from the monetary to the psychological preparation for totally moving your life to the road.
• Caution Funny Signs Ahead: Road Trip America, belongs in the traveler’s library just for fun.

For a comprehensive list of books that guide the driver, see Road Trip America. Photo by VMB, all rights reserved.