In 1960 John Steinbeck and his dog Charley set out in their green pickup truck to rediscover the soul of America, visiting small towns and cities from New York to New Orleans.The trip became Travels With Charley, one of his best-loved books.

Half a century on, Geert Mak sets off from Steinbeck’s home. Mile after mile, as he retraces Steinbeck’s footsteps through the potato fields of Maine to the endless prairies of the Midwest and stumbles across glistening suburbs and boarded-up stores, Mak searches for the roots of America and what remains of the world Steinbeck describes. How has America changed in the last fifty years; what remains of the American dream; and what do Europe and America now have in common?

Where Steinbeck generally avoided the hubbub of big cities, Mak balances descriptions of the rural plains and towns that symbolize the country's early origins with fascinating sections on urban growth and decay... An ambitious and enjoyable take on America's story * Times Literary Supplement *
Rambling, thoughtful, often funny... Wonderful * Guardian *
[A] smart, deep-rooted state of the nation report from Main Street, USA * The Times *
Perfect for armchair travellers * Choice Magazine *
The lyrical story of two journeys interwoven with a broad history and witty observations about the changes of place and people over the past 50 years -- Julia Richardson * Daily Mail *
The vividness of life is also superbly drawn with exchanges between Mak, and many of the people that he meets on the journey. There are also copious notes and research used to back up many of the points that Mak makes, and how they relate to both Steinbeck’s times, and how things are now. -- Ben Macnair * Nudge *

Geert Mak is a journalist and historian, and the internationally acclaimed author of In Europe, In America, Amsterdam and The Bridge. He is one of the Netherlands’ bestselling authors, has twice been awarded Historian of the Year and his books have been translated into more than 20 languages.