First published 2013
Philip Caputo sets out to answer a question that struck him while standing on an Alaskan island: how does a nation populated by every race on earth stay united? In 2011, during one of America's most polarized periods, Caputo embarks on an epic road trip with his wife and two English setters. They travel 16,000 miles from Key West, Florida to Deadhorse, Alaska in their truck and classic Airstream trailer, dubbed "Fred" and "Ethel." Along the way, Caputo talks with ordinary Americans about their lives and beliefs. He meets West Virginia evangelists, a Native American shaman who also runs a taco business, and countless others from different backgrounds. Through these conversations, Caputo explores both the forces that bind Americans together and the divisions that threaten to tear the country apart. His journey reveals the complex reality of contemporary America.
Genres: travel, american, contemporary, non-fiction, 21st-century, americana
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: road-trip
Setting: Alaska, Deadhorse, Florida, Key West
Period: 2011
320 pages · Hardcover · Henry Holt and Co.