The 66 Kid

Book excerpt: It's the most famous highway in the world - find out, or remember, why. Tens of thousands of travelers from around the world spend millions of dollars every year trying to recapture the aura of a simpler time. When gasoline can top $4 a gallon and Route 66 is, in many ways, a shell of its former glory, what keeps them coming? Author Bob Boze Bell, a lifelong resident of Kingman, Arizona (one of the quintessential Route 66 towns), has accumulated a unique sense of the Mother Road's history, not to mention friendships with folks from Kingman and other Route 66 communities. In The 66 Kid--part autobiography, part narrative history, part oral history - Bell offers a highly illustrated account of the world's most famous highway full of the author's personal observations and recollections, and exciting first-person accounts from people who lived, worked, and played along the road. Bell digs deep into the roots of the Route 66, offering insights into the people who made it run: from the neon-lit motels to the greasy-spoon diners, and even the shady roadside attractions. Illustrated with period postcards and photos, as well as the author's own maps and art created for this project, The 66 Kid proves that you can still get your kicks on Route 66.