I read the following titles by William Least Heat-Moon:
"On Blue Highways" a mosey on the back/forgotten roads of the lower states. This has so much history, humor, and good down home feel. His descriptions of all the good eats he partakes of here and yonder makes you hungry!
"On River Horse" what a journey making his way from the east to west coast on waterways of all sizes and configurations. His experience is your journey.
Currently reading: "Roads to Quoz" he is back on the back roads again but this time with Q his wife and he is digging deeper into the history and meaning behind the great USA.
http://www.concordiasentinel.com/news.php?id=5
The Great Mound written about in "Roads to Quoz"
