Read On The Road in high school and not desperate to repeat the experience? We’ve got your back! These alternative road trip novels are the perfect companions for your next cross-country trip, filled with highways, diners and wanderlust.
The Price of Salt/Carol by Patricia Highsmith
Made famous by the film adaptation starring Cate Blanchett, The Price of Salt (also published under the title Carol since the movie release) is Patricia Highsmith’s tale of queer love. It culminates in a road trip across the repressive landscape of 1950s America. Part thriller, part romance, this book is perfect for anyone heading West and in need of a dynamic love story to get stuck into!
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
If you’ve never read The Grapes of Wrath, this is your sign! This great American novel follows the life of the Joad family, forced by the Great Depression to seek their fortune in California. Full of sharp social observations, colorful characters and a fascinating slice of US history, this is a must-read for any literary road tripper.
The Red Car by Marcy Dermansky
Smart, funny, and radical, The Red Car follows the life of a woman who escapes an unhappy marriage in, you’ve guessed it, a red car! A novel about freedom, autonomy and the search for fulfilment, read it on your way to San Francisco.