Almost Heaven — Martin Fletcher

After seven years as Washington correspondent of The Times, Martin Fletcher set off to explore the raw and untamed land far from cities and national parks. This is his account of a journey which took him to places few tourists would ever visit, to communities largely unknown to outsiders, to the quintessential America. He encounters snake-handlers, moonshiners, creationists, outlaws, polygamists, white supremacists, and communities preparing for Armageddon. He goes bear hunting in West Virginia, fur trapping in Louisiana, diamond digging in Arkansas, and gold prospecting in Nevada.