Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins

Disillusioned by a deeply divided nation, a young man and his loyal dog set out on foot to rediscover the true heart of the country.

In the autumn of 1973, amidst the political exhaustion of the Watergate era, Peter Jenkins realized he felt entirely alienated from his own country. Instead of leaving, he chose to test his cynicism by walking across it, starting from Alfred, New York, with nothing but a backpack and his half-Malamute dog, Cooper. A Walk Across America chronicles the first leg of his legendary trek, guiding readers down through the backroads of the Appalachian Mountains into the Deep South. Jenkins avoids idealized travel clichés to document the ordinary citizens who gave him shelter, work, and food—from a reclusive mountain hermit to a welcoming black family in rural North Carolina. Through simple, honest prose, he records a raw story of physical endurance, deep personal healing, and the unexpected generosity of working-class communities during a turbulent period in history.

Why You’ll Love This Book

Peter Jenkins exchanges political despair for a quiet, hard-earned optimism by focusing on the quiet goodness of everyday people. The deep, unwavering companionship between Peter and his dog Cooper provides a moving emotional core that will resonate with any animal lover. It delivers a grounding, transportive escape into the backroads of 1970s rural America, celebrating the restorative power of community and simple human kindness.