The Last American Road Trip

A Memoir

By: Sarah Kendzior

Narrated by: Sarah Kendzior

Written and read by New York Times bestselling author of They Knew, Hiding in Plain Sight, and The View from Flyover Country, Sarah Kenzidor, The Last American Road Trip navigates a changing America as Sarah and her family embark on a series of road trips in an audiobook that is part memoir, part history, and wholly unique.

"...a thoughtfully researched commentary, and Kendzior's narration matches that spirit."—AudioFile on The View from Flyover Country

It is one thing to study the fall of democracy, another to have it hit your homeland—and yet another to raise children as it happens. The Last American Road Trip is one family’s journey to the most beautiful, fascinating, and bizarre places in the US during one of its most tumultuous eras. As Kendzior works as a journalist chronicling political turmoil, she becomes determined that her young children see America before it’s too late. So Kendzior, her husband, and the kids hit the road—again and again.

Starting from Missouri, the family drives across America in every direction as cataclysmic events—the rise of autocracy, political and technological chaos, and the pandemic—reshape American life. They explore Route 66, national parks, historical sites, and Americana icons as Kendzior contemplates love for country in a broken heartland. Together, the family watches the landscape of the United States—physical, environmental, social, political—transform through the car window.

Part memoir, part political history, The Last American Road Trip is one mother’s promise to her children that their country will be there for them in the future—even though at times she struggles to believe it herself.

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books.

©2025 Sarah Kendzior (P)2025 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"Kendzior is an absolutely terrific writer—a preeminent voice of her generation—and her love for this troubled country flows like a kind of lifeblood through her work. I tore through The Last American Road Trip like it was a great novel—except that the sadness and wisdom it imparted stayed with me far longer than most fiction. Every American, whatever their politics, will recognize a country that they love, that they miss—and that they might be able to reclaim."—Sebastian Junger

“Impassioned... Kendzior stitches together history, travelogue, and political analysis to deliver a trenchant defense of flyover country... It adds up to a poignant portrait of life in the Trump era.”—Publishers Weekly

“A graceful—and righteously angry—travelogue through a troubled land.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Get out there while you can!

This writing is a true inspiration to get out and see it and reflect on it while there’s still time. No matter what! Thanks Sarah!

Very interesting and educational

Loved the narration by the author herself Was very enjoyable. Highly recommend this audio book

Listening to this is 2025 is eerie and comforting.

As we're experiencing the a rapidly declining end of the US as we know it, listening to this has encouraged me to dig deeper into my understanding of our country and the amazing history that has shaped us. I've spent more time looking into the region I call home and the places we visit and I thank Sarah for that. Sarah's voice has become one I go to when I feel overwhelmed with fear about the future for my daughter, not because she paints a positive light; because she's right- she's always been right. Her writings help me make sense of it all, no matter how awful it is. Our collective history of the rapid summit to the top of world as well as our even faster decline happening while we work, raise children, and live our daily lives is hard to digest but somehow Sarah does with facts that most don't know, and sentiment that many of us feel.

Sarah tells the truth!

Sarah’s books, including this one, are excellent. Sometimes also difficult because they shine the light of truth on my troubled America.

Thoughtful reflections of the times.

Loved it all - from the stories, to the research of American history, to the humor. A wonderful way to think about parenting these days, but not just for parents - for anyone looking for some guidance in this troubled world.

Another brilliant book from Sarah

Exquisite writing, always informative, with brains, guts, and so much heart! A look at America inside and out.

(another one of) sarah's masterpiece(s)

a stirring memoir for our times; a book for the realists. the beautiful travel diary of a family's trips across america woven through with stories of her dark underbelly. a book that will be read years from now by people who want answers about how we got to where we are (and weren't reading all of sarah's work along the way). hopeful, heartbreaking, poignant, and devastating by turns. an absolute triumph.

Listen if you want to open a vein

OMG. This was awful. I have nothing against depressing books--I read quite a few--but this one made me want to open a vein.

As well:
1. Heavy handed on the poetic repetition. Author does it CONSTANTLY. 10 sentences in a row will start with the same couple of words, e.g., "Route 66 where..." or "Logic says..."
2. The structure. Again, if Kendzior had not been so heavy handed but it's super fragmented. At about the 30 percent mark, I realized there were probably 20 paragraphs that went something like, "When I was pregnant with my daughter..." Because she NEVER tells an entire story.
3. Circling back. The endless story about Twain, say, circles back around and around and around and then he shows up in other chapters. I was seriously bored with Twain.
4. Too much telling. Plenty of showing but how many thousands of ways do you want to TELL your reader that the world is going to hell in a handbasket? I AGREE with nearly everything she says but do we need to hear her tell us the same thing again and again: "Since I lost my reproductive rights..." or whatever.
5. Kids and husband have no names. Always "My son," "My daughter," "My husband." Why? Because they are only literary devices for her to illustrate her point. I have zero idea of who her husband is. As for her kids, all the dialogue is in service of her make A POINT.

Basically, it reads like: We went to ______________, where they slaughtered all the Indians. We went to ____________, where there was a mass shooting on every day of our vacation. We went to________________ where ______ was imprisoned because he was black.

Like I said, agree with her, familiar with much of the depressing history. Just wanted more than an outpouring of doom and gloom.

And if you've visited a place multiple times and you still can't pronounce the name of the town (Tucumcari) then I'm just annoyed.

Way too negative for my taste

Seem like everything is going wrong with the United States it’s not perfect, but it’s not as dire as the speaker is promoting