Escapees January-February 2024

from the bookshelf

Frequently, at this time of the year, we travel the country, not expecting to be somewhere in particular because of weather conditions. It’s a perfect time to fi nd interesting places to see and things to experience that are nearby and o ff the beaten track. This issue’s two books will give us plenty of places to see and visit. The fi rst book is a new edition of a classic Route 66 travel book, by Drew Knowles. The second is a varied list of pop culture landmarks, many of them amusing and informative. Books for RVers By MARCELLA GAUTHIER #12371

It Happened Right Here: America’s

Pop Culture Landmarks CHRIS EPTING • SANTA MONICA PRESS 2023 • ISBN: 9781595801203 PAPERBACK: $14.95 • KINDLE: $10.99 This is written by Chris Epting and is a rather hysterical and historical list of interesting places to visit. Chris has written other books including James Dean Died Here and Marilyn Monroe Dyed Here . culture history. This is an amusing read and crammed with facts. While traveling, no matter where you fi nd yourself, there is something nearby to see or visit. This is pop culture at its best. A great help is a list of vari ous states in the back of the book and what you might fi ndnearby. Notable places to visit include the hometown of the inventor of the Rueben sandwich, the Brady House, Napoleon Dynamite locations or Jessica Fletcher’s Cape Cod house (from Murder She Wrote ) found in, of all places, California! You will fi nd the history and locations of the various sites that will make watch ing your favorite shows much more interesting. The fi lming locations for TwinPeaks or Northern Exposure are close to each other in Washing ton State. There are many photos, history and location of landmarks of American popular culture. An amus ing read for a traveling companion to read aloud as you travel. No fair peeking while driving! (No that is not a typo, I guess she wasn’t a true blond!) Chris started a new genre, the telling of pop

Route 66 Adventure Handbook 6th Edition DREW KNOWLES • SANTA MONICA PRESS 2023 • ISBN: 978159801210 PAPERBACK: $22.99 • KINDLE: $10.99 This is a highly rated book that even Road & Track magazine says, “Don’t leave your driveway without it” It’s a must-have book for your travel library. Drew Knowles is an expert guide of all things on “The Mother Road.” This new, updated edition has 24 pages of color photos of the sights along the way, including GPS coordinates for most of the photos so you don’t miss them. He includes over 85 maps to enhance the jour

ney. There is so much history and culture of this fi rst cross-country road from Chicago to Los Angeles. Who can ignore Route 66 which can be a meandering trip along America’s traveling history. Motels, cafés and the Cadillac Ranch are just a few of the many places to experience. You can visit it in this book or better yet follow the book’s guidance as you visit each location along the way. Additional help can be found in the compre hensive index in the back of the book. In addition, this book includes beginning sections: Foreword, by David Knudson Executive Director of National Historic Route 66 Federation, Author’s Preface, About The 1957 Atlas, Where Is Route 66 Anyway, Why Travel Route 66, Get The Most From Your Route 66 Adventure, How To Use This Handbook” and How To Find Route 66. These sections alone are wonderful reading and will whet your appetite to head down the road and have your own Route 66 adventure.

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ESCAPEES Magazine January/February 2024