The American South offers an extraordinary range of experiences, from the music clubs of New Orleans, Nashville, and Memphis to the beaches of Florida and the misty landscapes of the Great Smoky Mountains. Travelers can follow the region’s complicated history through Civil War sites, civil rights landmarks, historic towns, and museums that explore the people and events that shaped modern America. Food is equally central to the journey, whether it is Cajun and Creole cooking in New Orleans, Lowcountry seafood, or a plate served at a small-town meat-and-three. And then there is Texas—too Southern to place entirely in the West, too Western to fit neatly within the South, and distinctive enough to deserve its own place. Together, these destinations are best explored slowly, through their music, local restaurants, back roads, historic neighborhoods, and the stories that reveal a far more varied region than familiar stereotypes suggest.

Discover the American South

Our Travel Book Recommendations - The American South

Deep South, by Paul Theroux

One of the best travel books on the South comes from one of the best American travel writers, Paul Theroux. Theroux is better known for extended journeys through remote corners of Africa and Asia, but in Deep South he stays much closer to home, making a series of road trips through Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, and other parts of the region. Rather than racing from landmark to landmark, he spends much of his time talking with the people he meets in small towns, churches, diners, gun shows, and struggling communities that rarely appear in conventional travel writing. As always, Theroux is most interested in people, and he is not afraid to ask difficult questions as he tries to understand local perspectives on politics, racism, religion, poverty, and the South’s complicated relationship with its own history. The result is a book that is sometimes uncomfortable, often revealing, and consistently curious. His keen observations and willingness to linger in overlooked places give readers a nuanced and often surprising portrait of the modern American South, while also showing how much of the region remains misunderstood by outsiders. Click here to see our review of Deep South.

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Southern Living: 50 Years

One of the best books to truly capture the culture of the South comes from Southern Living magazine, in its celebration of 50 years of publications. This well-written and beautifully crafted volume offers readers a comprehensive journey through the heart of Southern culture. The book is thoughtfully divided into several engaging sections, beginning with an immersive road trip experience that guides readers through the diverse landscapes and communities of the region. It then delves into the essence of Southern homes, exploring the charming gardens, distinctive architecture, and unique design elements that characterize Southern living. Of course, no exploration of Southern culture would be complete without a nod to its renowned cuisine, and this book doesn't disappoint. It features a selection of mouth-watering recipes and culinary insights that showcase the rich flavors and traditions of Southern cooking. Through its carefully curated content and stunning visuals, this anniversary publication serves as both a celebration of Southern Living's legacy and a tribute to the enduring spirit of the South.

Dispatches from Pluto, by Richard Grant

One of the most entertaining books about life in the modern South comes, interestingly enough, from English travel writer Richard Grant. In Dispatches from Pluto, Grant and his girlfriend leave a cramped New York apartment after he impulsively buys a neglected former plantation house near the tiny Mississippi Delta community of Pluto. What follows is a funny, affectionate, and often surprising account of learning to live in an unfamiliar world of catfish farms, hunting parties, eccentric neighbors, persistent wildlife, and a house in constant need of repair. Grant introduces readers to an unforgettable cast of local characters while also looking honestly at the Delta’s deep racial divisions, poverty, generosity, storytelling traditions, and complicated relationship with its own history. His outsider’s perspective allows him to ask questions without pretending to have easy answers, and his warmth and curiosity keep the book from becoming either sentimental or judgmental. Grant is a gifted storyteller, and we highly recommend this book—as well as the rest of his work. Click here to read our full review of Dispatches from Pluto.

A Real Southern Cook In Her Savannah Kitchen, by Dora Charles

Among the many excellent Southern cookbooks, Dora Charles’ A Real Southern Cook stands out as something especially personal. One of Savannah’s most respected cooks, Charles spent more than two decades working alongside Paula Deen, but this book is very much her own story, rooted in the food traditions she grew up with and perfected over a lifetime in the kitchen. The recipes range from fried chicken, biscuits, and cornbread to greens, seafood, pies, and other deeply familiar Southern dishes, often accompanied by the memories and techniques that shaped them. Charles also writes about her motherless childhood in Savannah, her family history, learning to cook from the women around her, and the long road that eventually brought her into a professional kitchen. The result is more than a collection of recipes. It is a warm, candid portrait of Southern food as something passed down through families, neighborhoods, and generations.

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