46 pages • 1 hour read
William Least Heat-MoonBlue Highways: A Journey into America
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1982A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In Blue Highways: A Journey into America, William Least Heat-Moon, at a personal crossroads and dealing with a separation and job loss, decides to embark on a 13,000-mile journey across the United States using only older, less-traveled routes marked in blue on old road maps. Throughout his travels in a makeshift camper van, he explores local histories and engages with resilient, everyday people, documenting their stories and reflecting on the tension between past traditions and modernity while seeking his own self-discovery.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Blue Highways: A Journey into America by William Least Heat-Moon blends travelogue and personal reflection, capturing America's backroads. Critics praise its rich descriptions and insightful social commentary. Some note a meandering pace and occasional repetitiveness. Nonetheless, it remains a poignant exploration of cultural and geographical landscapes.
Who Should Read Blue Highways: A Journey into America?
Readers who appreciate personal journeys and cultural explorations will enjoy Blue Highways: A Journey into America by William Least Heat-Moon. Fans of John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley or Jack Kerouac's On the Road will find value in its reflective narrative and attention to America's backroads and diverse communities.
RecommendedReading Age
18+yearsLexile Level
980LBook Details
Travel Literature
Action / Adventure
American Literature
History: U.S.
Race / Racism
History: World
Natural World: Environment
Natural World: Place
Life/Time: The Past