Small World is a unique tribute to the land of the free, featuring a world of stories culled along America’s highways and byways. From Rome (Oregon) to Athens (New York), from Moscow (Maine) to Mecca (California), Herzog embarks on a fascinating journey into the nooks and crannies of the nation – tiny towns struggling to live up to their grandiose names. Shattering the notion that distance alone translates to wonder, this perpetual traveler probes everything from the dark history of Congo (Ohio) to the residue of slavery along the great river in Cairo (Illinois). He encounters a cast of characters as varied as the landscape – devout ranchers and devoted nudists, miners and migrants, artists and activists, hillbillies, hippies, hermits and Hare Krishnas.

Herzog brings to bear the same sense of humor and acute observations that made States of Mind a hit and discovers that there is, indeed, a fascinating world right in our own backyard. The hamlets in Herzog’s Small World are full of cultural curiosities, historical wonders and exotic folks – and you don’t even need a passport to get there.