The Lincoln Courier newspaper in Lincoln, Ill., is set to announce its Citizen of the Year tomorrow night, and one of the 11 nominees is a longtime Route 66 advocate. That nominee is Lucille Pech of Atlanta, Ill. The Courier writes: Lucille Pech, a longtime Logan County advocate and member of the Abraham Lincoln Tourism … Continue reading Route 66 volunteer nominated for top citizen
Category: Books
Book review: “Greetings from Route 66”
The new book "Greetings from Route 66" (Voyageur Press, hardcover, 240 pages, $30) at first glance looks as though it might be a terrific addition to a roadie's library. It was written by several authors who are Route 66 enthusiasts, and it's packed with eye-pleasing pages. However, I give it only a mixed review, at … Continue reading Book review: “Greetings from Route 66”
New Route 66 book launches in Kingman next week
A new book from Voyageur Press, "Greetings from Route 66," will be launched on Sept. 18 during the Chillin' on Beale Street event in Kingman, Ariz. The book-launch event is sponsored by the Kingman Route 66 Association, and will be from 5 to 10 p.m. that day. Kingman resident and author Jim Hinckley, who's written several books … Continue reading New Route 66 book launches in Kingman next week
Using video to promote print
We've been seeing this a lot more in recent years, and it will continue to grow more popular -- using video to promote books. In this case, it's Cheryl Eichar Jett for her upcoming books from Arcadia Publishing, "Route 66 in Springfield" and "Route 66 in Madison County." Both books will be in stores on … Continue reading Using video to promote print
Booklet on Tulsa’s neon signs to be published
The Tulsa Foundation for Architecture and Leadership Tulsa are publishing a booklet about the city's historic neon signs, including many on Route 66. The booklet, "Tulsa Vintage Neon Signs," will be distributed during a release party at one of the sites of a historic sign, El Rancho Grande restaurant on Route 66, at 5-6:45 p.m. … Continue reading Booklet on Tulsa’s neon signs to be published
Book review: “Route 66 St. Louis”
In the preface to her new book, Norma Maret Bolin says the purpose of her previous work, "The Route 66 St. Louis Cookbook," was to raise funds for a more expansive historical recounting of Route 66 in the Gateway City. If you'll excuse the pun, Bolin really got cooking with her enormous new volume, "Route … Continue reading Book review: “Route 66 St. Louis”
66-to-Cali owner has a story to tell
Most of you already know about Dan Rice, owner of the 66-to-Cali souvenir shack at the Santa Monica Pier who was the guiding force behind getting an "End of the Trail" Route 66 marker erected at the pier. However, a book coming out in the winter is going to tell another side of Rice's story: … Continue reading 66-to-Cali owner has a story to tell
Notes from the road
The documentary "Route 66: Ten Years Later" will have its debut at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 9 at the Portage Theater in Chicago. Writer Tim Steil and photographer Jim Luning collaborated on their "Route 66" book during a Mother Road trip in 1999. A decade later, they decided to revisit the places they saw and see … Continue reading Notes from the road
Sooners football owes a debt to John Steinbeck
A report by J. Robert Byrom at Bleacher Report makes a fairly compelling case of why John Steinbeck's famous Depression-era novel "The Grapes of Wrath" paved the way to the University of Oklahoma becoming a college football powerhouse, even to this day. The story is too long and multifaceted to summarize briefly here. Just go … Continue reading Sooners football owes a debt to John Steinbeck
The creation of Mater
Jim Hill at Jim Hill Media got himself a copy of a new book, "Two Guys Named Joe: Master Animation Storytellers Joe Grant & Joe Ranft." Ranft could do killer impersonations of hillbillies (a toothless one in particular he called "Chucky Eisner"). But he also ultimately was reluctant to demean them in any way. An … Continue reading The creation of Mater