John Waters is putting his life on the line. Armed with wit, a pencil-thin mustache, and a cardboard sign that reads “I’m Not Psycho,” he hitchhikes across America from Baltimore to San Francisco, braving lonely roads and treacherous drivers. But who should we be more worried about, the delicate film director with genteel manners or the unsuspecting travelers transporting the Pope of Trash?

Laced with subversive humor and warm intelligence, Carsick: John Waters Hitchhikes Across America is an unforgettable vacation with a wickedly funny companion and a celebration of America’s weird, astonishing, and generous citizenry. Waters will be in conversation with Louis Bayard, a regular reviewer for the Washington Post and former book critic for Salon. Bayard is the author of many critically acclaimed novels, most recently Roosevelt’s Beast, and he teaches fiction writing at George Washington University. Book signing to follow.