Off the beaten page: the best trips for lit lovers, book clubs, and girls on getaways

Blending literature and travel, this book offers a look at 15 U.S. destinations featured in the works of famous writers.

Designed as a guide to help avid bibliophiles experience, in person, the places they've only read about, award-winning journalist Terri Peterson Smith takes readers on lively tours that include a Mark Twain inspired steamboat cruise on the Mississippi, a Devil in the White City view of Chicago in the Gilded Age, a voyage through the footsteps of the immigrants and iconoclasts of San Francisco, and a look at low country Charleston's rich literary tradition.

With advice on planning stress-free group travel and lit trip tips for novices, this resource also features "beyond the book" experiences, such as Broadway shows, Segway tours, and kayaking, making it a one-of-a-kind reference for anyone who wants to extend the experience of a great read.