William Least Heat-Moon

by William Lewis Trogdon

Start Free Trial

Introduction

Download PDF PDF Page Citation Cite Share Link Share

Last Updated on June 7, 2022, by eNotes Editorial. Word Count: 122

William Least Heat Moon 1939–

(Born William Trogdon) American Indian travel writer.

Heat Moon's first book, Blue Highways: A Journey into America (1982), is viewed as an important contribution to American "road literature." Works in this category, ranging from Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America to Jack Kerouac's On the Road, are distinguished by their presentation of fictional characters or actual persons who travel through the United States and record their experiences and impressions. Blue Highways, which recounts Heat Moon's travels through the backroads of the United States, has been praised for its sensitive and informative observations of the country and its people. Robert Penn Warren called Blue Highways "a masterpiece," adding that Heat Moon makes America "feel new in a very special way."

See eNotes Ad-Free

Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts.

Get 48 Hours Free Access
Next

Jonathan Yardley