I’ve been made aware that three books — with Route 66 as a central theme — have been released in recent weeks, coinciding with the highway’s centennial.
One is Crystal Sershen’s “Dust & Dreams: Roadmap of the American Soul” (Amazon affiliate link). She describes her book this way:
A lyrical memoir, Dust & Dreams is told in the voice of Route 66 herself: the Mother Road—goddess, storyteller, and witness to a century of American longing and becoming. As she narrates her life’s story, Mama Road takes her readers on a journey through time and space, riding shotgun with travelers both real and imagined. Each chapter explores a different town or stretch of the highway—all of them her children—revealing histories, heartbreaks, moments of joy, and the breathtaking magnitude of the Great Wide Open.
The book interweaves historical fact, lyrical vignettes, lullabies, and poetic reflections to explore the themes of wanderlust, resilience, land, loss, and the sacredness of motion. What emerges is a soulful portrait of a country in flux—and a road that refuses to be forgotten.
The book has a companion blog on Substack. Sershen’s book was designated as an official U.S. Route 66 Centennial project.
Next is “Route 66 Centennial Edition: 100 Years of Legends, Diners & Roadside Wonders” (Amazon affilate link) by a father-and-son team, Jake and Keith Provance.
This is what Jake said about the book in an email:
With Route 66 reaching its 100th anniversary, we wanted to create the Route 66 book we wished existed. Something more conversational, story-driven, and enjoyable than a standard travel guide. Route 66 has been part of our family story for generations, and that personal connection helped shape the tone of the book.
The result is a 160-page paperback that blends Route 66 history, legends, diners, motels, roadside attractions, and Americana in a way that is meant to feel warm, accessible, and fun for readers.
The book is published by Life Impact Publishing of Tulsa.
Next up is “Route 66: Road Trip Diary,” where graphic designer and Route 66 enthusiast Luke Spanton writes a tribute to the Mother Road and a remembrance of his and his family’s adventures along the legendary highway.
The book includes 64 full-page photos from Spanton’s road trips, along with historical details and personal observations about each landmark, and an essay recounting his Route 66 “origin story.”
Additionally, Spanton has included locator maps to help travelers find featured sites — a way of encouraging readers to experience Route 66 for themselves.
Readers wanting to take a deeper dive into Route 66 history will find an extensive “Library” section, while those planning their own road trips might appreciate a list of websites and phone numbers.
“Route 66: Road Trip Diary” will be available at select indie book stores and in gift shops along Route 66. The author will also have a signing booth at the Catoosa Blue Whale Visitor Center’s grand opening on May 30. Retail locations and author appearances will be listed on route66roadtripdiary.com.
Lastly, the Sapulpa Historical Society and Sapulpa Main Street banded together to release “The Great Beckoning,” a two-book series on the city that unwraps some of the most turbulent and romantic, yet little-known tales of the American West.
“We started out looking at how natural overland trails and developing transportation methods shaped Sapulpa’s development,” said author Kirby Lee Davis. “That research revealed a long, winding epic of glorious triumphs and heart-crushing tragedies that impact us to this day.”
“The Great Beckoning” takes readers from America’s colonial days and the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma statehood and the rise of U.S. 66, the highway now celebrating its centennial.
“That’s what spurred this whole project,” said Brean Fowler, a longtime Sapulpa Main Street board member. “I had reviewed a few books about Route 66 in Oklahoma and realized Sapulpa was barely mentioned, if at all. I knew we could create something better.
“Sapulpa has such a vibrant history, and our Dewey Avenue sits right in the heart of Route 66. I knew we had to create something that told our story! I mentioned that last summer to Kirby while he was gathering chunks of pavement for what became Sapulpa’s Great Route 66 Giveaway (another Sapulpa Main Street project underway this year). After I shared my idea, he paused a moment, then said, ‘I can do that.’ And he did! He gave us just what we wanted.”
To obtain photos for the book, Sapulpa Main Street turned to the Sapulpa Historical Society and its archives. That’s when the project broadened, for Museum Curator Rachel Whitney wanted the book to include more on the founding and development of Sapulpa.
That’s when “The Great Beckoning” split into two volumes — one published by the historical society, one by Main Street.
“Book One: The Story of Sapulpa and the Ozark Trail” (Amazon affilate link) takes readers to 1720, when English colonists first met members of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation in what became the southeastern United States.
“Those events are difficult to revisit, and yet it’s vital to the story,” said Whitney, whose society has documented much of this history through books written by past members over the last 50 years.
“That long invasion process, which factored into several wars, led to the tragic resettlement efforts that followed,” Davis said. “And that’s how a Creek warrior named Sapulpa ended up opening a trading post, blacksmith shop, and farm along a natural trail the railroads would use to penetrate Indian Territory, establishing towns and making new markets. Our highways naturally followed them.”
That transition leads readers to “Book Two: The Story of Sapulpa and Route 66″ (Amazon affiliate link). It explains the rise of that legendary road, the first all-weather concrete path across the American West. Sapulpa shared in all the good and bad that followed until America’s Main Street reached its heyday. That’s when the state bypassed Sapulpa’s Route 66 with the Turner Turnpike. Its success, and the interstates that followed, would divert most traffic from Route 66, leaving many smaller communities struggling.
“And yet, as with nearly all romantic tales, things gradually turned around,” said Davis, “although it took some time. Quite some time, in many cases.”
“The Great Beckoning” explains all of that, ending with twists shaping Sapulpa and Route 66 today.
“We’re quite proud of how it turned out,” said Whitney, “both with the books and our city!”
“The Great Beckoning” is available in paperback at Amazon.com. The books may also be found at the Sapulpa Historical Society Museum, Sapulpa Main Street office and several Sapulpa merchants.
Full-color hardcovers are in development, as are Kindle electronic editions. The society and Main Street are also discussing audiobook options.
To learn more about the society and its many operations, go to .sapulpahistory.org. To find more about Sapulpa Main Street, go to sapulpamainstreet.com.
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