THE NOT-QUITE STATES OF AMERICA:

The Not-Quite States of America is an exuberant, informative and longoverdue introduction to the United States beyond the states by way of an all- American road trip like no other. Part pop history, part travelogue in the tradition of Sarah Vowell, Eric Weiner and the great Bill Bryson, the utterly charming Doug Mack returns as our favorite nerdy travel guide, joyfully plunging into a quirky, quixotic quest to find America where it is least
expected.

When you get right down to it, the United States of America is not merely a nation of states. We are also comprised of “territories,” parcels of land that comprise the most populous overseas empire on the planet. They, too, are the USA. They're filled with US National Parks and US post offices and people as proudly red-white-and-blue as any Daughter of the American Revolution. They hoist Old Glory up the flagpole. They serve in our military in great numbers. And yet, the rest of America often forgets they exist. Rattle off a few – Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Marshall Islands – and most of us are left scratching our heads. Where are they? Who are they? Why do they matter, anyway? Their story, collectively, has never been told until now.

From bustling cities to quiet back roads to Lost World jungles of the we'redefinitely- not-in-the-states-anymore variety, Mack journeys the globe exploring the big-picture complexities, eccentricities, and ironies of the
territories, including their status and role in both historic and present-day American affairs. With a lively mix of wit and scholarship, Mack probes the diverse, convoluted story lines of their present-day populations, from
millennia-old indigenous groups to shadowy military and governmental operations to the tropical-paradise dropouts, schemers, and dreamers who lit out for the territories in search of adventure and freedom. The Not-Quite States of America promises readers an unforgettable journey and offers a fresh perspective on this weird and wonderful country of ours.

Doug Mack is a freelance writer based in Minneapolis and specializing in travel, food, design, and culture stories. His articles and essays have appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Newsday, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Minneapolis Star Tribune, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel, WorldHum.com, Conde Nast Traveler's “Daily Traveler” blog, and AOL Travel. He graduated from Carleton College with a degree in American Studies, and has since turned his attention to the rest of the world. Mack