We’ve been made aware of several more books that Route 66 fans may consider cracking open during the highway’s centennial year.
The first is Michael Kenny’s historical novel, “Summer of 66” (Amazon affiliate link), which was published in May.
Kenny dexcribed the book to Route 66 News via email:
“The story takes place in the late 1950s. Ike has set in motion his plot to decommission 66; Bud Baxter, running his family’s trading post in southeastern Kansas, sees the neon writing on the wall. Never one to back down, Bud organizes a summertime caravan which will parade from Chicago to Santa Monica spreading word of the danger.
“Roadie challenges abound, of course, odds lean against… but every new day, their wheels bring them — and us — closer to the historic-era soul of ‘Old 66.'”
Children’s book author Beth Bacon recently published “Route 66: Faces and Places Along America’s Most Famous Road” (Amazon affiliate link) through Reedy Press.
“It’s great for families traveling the Mother Road, kids wanting to learn about the people who made a difference on Route 66 — it also includes a lot of fun facts for grown-ups, too,” Bacon wrote in an email to Route 66 News.
The description for the book: “Explore Route 66 history along the way. Readers will encounter roadside attractions, vintage diners, motels, gas stations, giant sculptures, neon signs, and quirky landmarks. Travel through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. See stunning landscapes, including the Grand Canyon, Painted Desert, and Petrified Forest National Parks.”
Finally, Charles Kopp published “83 Odyssey — An Adventure Down the Spine of America on U.S. Highway 83” (Amazon affiliate link).
The highway runs over 1,800 miles through the Great Plains, from Canada to south tip of Texas. Like Route 66, it is marking its 100th anniversary.
“In 2014, I drove the entire length of 83 in a 2006 Toyota Corolla. 83 Odyssey (published by Atmosphere Press in June 2024) is a 458-page first-person account of that journey, which combines my road adventures with local history, geography, encounters with people, and some social commentary,” Kopp wrote in an email to Route 66 News.
Kopp’s book was named a winner in the Goody Business Book Awards Travel and Hospitality category.
Route 66 link: U.S. 83 cross Route 66 in Shamrock, Texas, right in front of the iconic U-Drop Inn gas station.