HEARTLAND HIGHWAYS: In Search of America Paperback – October 20, 2025

A Road Trip Story with Heart, Humor, & Hope! ---- Feels like a conversation with an old friend! If you are looking for a soul-warming escape, this is it. WINNER of the 2025 American Writing Awards for non-fiction, travel story! Book of the Year 2025 Awards Finalist for the Independent Author's Network in two categories: “Non-Fiction: Adventure” and “Travel!”John W. Butler is an award-winning author and radio/TV broadcaster—a storytelling road warrior with a country soul and a sharp wit, equal parts Texas radio charm and Maine forest mystery."Heartland Highways has all the ingredients of a classic road narrative: humor, grit, cultural soul.” - C.S. (Reviewer)Perfect for readers of Blue Highways, Eat Pray Love, and Travels with Charley—a journey through America’s heart that feels like coming home.The perfect read for America's 250th birthday, because what better way to celebrate than with a genuine, entertaining, soul-searching road trip through the whole dang country? Tired of the nonstop noise in the country? "Me too," Butler said. "So I did something extreme—I traded 'screens for scenes' and drove 33,321 miles across America. What I found: real people, authentic stories, and the genuine hope we’re starving for." Take a detour from the chaos. More than a road trip—it’s a journey back to connection, humor, and the humanity we’ve been missing. It will warm your heart and soul."Heartland Highways is the ultimate road trip. John Butler has shown how someone can truly discover what our country is all about after 250 Years and the many different people that make the US great." Roger T. (Reader review)"With a unique blend of humor, insight, and poignant reflection, he allows readers to see America through the eyes of a true 'detourist,' someone who embraces the unexpected and finds beauty in the unplanned." - Canton HeraldI'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys tales of travel or who simply wants to connect with a man who has worked his way through a life that has delivered significant highs and lows. John, it seems, has dealt with this extremely well. I'm sure I'll reflect on his story for quite some time." - A.S. (London Review)"I loved this book ... this is just good travel writing that feels like he sat down at the end of the day, wrote what he did that day, and then edited it all when he finally finished travelling." - J.D. NetGalley Review)"...hugely touching and insightful. I really enjoyed my time with him, genuinely feeling that I was sharing this extended trip ... I'll reflect on his story for quite some time." A.S. (NetGalley Review)"Heartland Highways has all the ingredients of a classic road narrative: humor, grit, cultural soul." - C.S. (Review) "A road trip for the soul - without leaving your sofa." -B.J. (Review)A Hopi tribesman he spent time with called him "The Truth Seeker." "Seasoned journalistic writing, keen observation, careful listening, and wisdom acquired by living life’s ups and downs bring the reader into the passenger seat for a trip across America. The journey invites us to take the detours, whether on the road or in our minds, to live fully and to grow our spirits and connections to what really matters." - C.K. (Review)"I was a 'detourist.' I didn't follow an itinerary. Followed hunches and locals saying, 'It's just 15 minutes that way-you can't miss it.' Spoiler: I missed it. But what I found instead was better." It's John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley ... On the Road by Jack Kerouac ... and William Least Heat-Moon's Blue Highways, with fewer dogs and more coffee stops. John W. Butler is an authentic voice.Visit: www.HeartlandHighways.com Read more