11 Books About Road Trips to Fuel Your Wanderlust

"Travels with Charley" ($11, originally $17)

Sometimes it takes a great companion to bring out the best in someone. In "Travels with Charley," author John Steinbeck and his French poodle Charley embark on a 10,000 mile road trip and meet all sorts of characters who fuel keen observations about what it means to be American. Steinbeck's travelogue is a fascinating portrait of the social forces that shaped mid-century America. Though there's debate about how much of "Travels with Charley" is indeed non-fiction, that doesn't change the fact that it's a great read.