13 Best Road Trip Books
We analyzed 5+ expert sources, curated book lists, and recommendations from successful people to find the 13 best road trip books according to the internet — not just one person's opinion. Each book on this list was mentioned by at least two independent sources, and the ranking is based on how frequently each title appears across all sources studied. This consensus-based approach ensures you get recommendations backed by multiple experts, not a single reviewer's bias.
Goal: Find the best Road Trip books according to the internet (not just one person's opinion).
Method:
- Search for "best road trip books" and study the top 5+ pages.
- Add only the books mentioned 2+ times.
- Rank the results neatly here.
13 Best Road Trip Books
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases (at no extra cost to you).
On the Road
Also recommended by
6 people
Steve Jobs recommended this bookSteve Jobs
Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip.
Steve Jobs's recommendation of this book 
Walter Isaacson recommended this bookWalter Isaacson
"Read [this book]." - Walter Isaacson
Walter Isaacson's recommendation of this book 
Bob Dylan recommended this bookBob Dylan
"It changed my life like it changed everyone else’s." - Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan's recommendation of this book 
Josh Waitzkin recommended this bookJosh Waitzkin
"Opened up the ecstatic beauty of life’s little moments to me as a teenager." - Josh Waitzkin
Josh Waitzkin's recommendation of this book 
Ev Williams recommended this bookEv Williams
On the "books read" section of Ev Williams' GoodReads profile.
Ev Williams's recommendation of this book 
Lex Fridman recommended this bookLex Fridman
Lex Fridman mentioned this book on Instagram.
Lex Fridman's recommendation of this book
Travels with Charley
In Search of America
Also recommended by
3 people
Richard Branson recommended this bookRichard Branson
Richard Branson recommended this book on his "70 must-read books" blog post.
Richard Branson's recommendation of this book 
Tim Ferriss recommended this bookTim Ferriss
"Beautifully written, simply written, and hilarious." - Tim Ferriss
Tim Ferriss's recommendation of this book 
Austen Allred recommended this bookAusten Allred
"Most American book of all time." - Austen Allred
Austen Allred's recommendation of this book
Lost Children Archive
A Novel
Also recommended by
2 people
Barack Obama recommended this bookBarack Obama
Barack Obama's favorite books of 2019 list.
Barack Obama's recommendation of this book - Natalie Portman recommended this book
Natalie Portman
"It’s gorgeous, poetic, inventive, and political." - Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman's recommendation of this book
Into the Wild
Also recommended by
1 person
Gretchen Rubin recommended this bookGretchen Rubin
Gretchen Rubin mentioned this book on "The Tim Ferriss Show" podcast.
Gretchen Rubin's recommendation of this book
American Nomads
Travels with Lost Conquistadors, Mountain Men, Cowboys, Indians, Hoboes, Truckers, and Bullriders
We All Loved Cowboys
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Fear and Loathing, Book 1
Also recommended by
3 people
Anthony Bourdain recommended this bookAnthony Bourdain
"The book that probably influenced me more than any other." - Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Bourdain's recommendation of this book 
Jordan Peterson recommended this bookJordan Peterson
Recommended on Jordan Peterson's website.
Jordan Peterson's recommendation of this book 
Naval Ravikant recommended this bookNaval Ravikant
"It was entertaining, but I sort of gave up after a bit." - Naval Ravikant
Naval Ravikant's recommendation of this book
Blue Highways
A Journey into America
Also recommended by
1 person
George Raveling recommended this bookGeorge Raveling
"One that I read twice." - George Raveling
George Raveling's recommendation of this book
Lovecraft Country
A Novel
Also recommended by
1 person
Felicia Day recommended this bookFelicia Day
"I read [this] book ages ago and it's everything I hoped for and more." - Felicia Day
Felicia Day's recommendation of this book
The Lost Continent
Travels in Small Town America
Also recommended by
1 person
Mike Rowe recommended this bookMike Rowe
"One of my favorites." - Mike Rowe
Mike Rowe's recommendation of this book
Are You Listening?
Flaming Iguanas
An Illustrated All-Girl Road Novel Thing
Jupiter's Travels
Four Years Around the World on a Triumph
Sources
- 1
13 Best Books About Road Trips to Inspire Your Next Adventure
oprahdaily.com
- 2
15 Best Road Trip Books To Inspire An Adventure
theroadtripexpert.com
- 3
21 Best Road Trip Books of All-Time: Fuel Your Wanderlust & Hit the Road
desktodirtbag.com
- 4
21 Best Road Trip Books To Spark Adventure | The Uncorked Librarian
theuncorkedlibrarian.com
- 5
Drive My Car: 20 Must-Read Road Trip Books
bookriot.com
Edited by
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.
Comments
Did we miss something? Have feedback?
Help us improve this page by sharing your thoughts