Route 66, 100th Anniversary Edition - by Michael Wallis (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The beloved, definitive book on Route 66--updated with a new chapter to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the most famous road in American culture

From its conception in 1926 to its decommissioning in 1985, Route 66 was the way to see the heartland of America. Winding through eight states and three time zones, The Mother Road was for travelers: those who appreciated the romance of the open highway. It led them from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California, acting as a guide to the towns, attractions, businesses, families, and sights of the nation's Midwest, Southwest, and West.

In Route 66: The Mother Road, Michael Wallis takes readers on an adventure from the conception of highways, through major moments in America's history, to the establishment of the national interstate highway system that signaled the decline of the fabled highway, before finally leading us down the 2,400 miles of Route 66 itself. With hundreds of photographs and text, he shows us that this road is still the enduring artery of the country, linking our past, present, and future.

First published in 1990, the bestselling Route 66: The Mother Road sparked an unprecedented revival of the forgotten towns, diners, and motels along Route 66, transforming the road from a distant memory into a vibrant, internationally recognized destination in its own right. For this 100th anniversary edition, Wallis revisits the people and places that make Route 66 what it is: an American icon.

Review Quotes

"Like others before him, from John Steinbeck to Charles Kuralt, Michael Wallis went on the road in search of America. The result is...a colorful paean to a most romantic highway." --The New York Times

"Since the do-gooders abolished public hangings, the only show in town worth watching is the traffic on Highway 66 heading West and Route 66: The Mother Road is the best book we have to tell us what we are seeing." --Stanley Marsh III, Owner, Cadillac Ranch, Amarill, Texas

"This story of our nation's most famous highway keeps alive an important part of American history. It's a delight" --Ted Drewes, Owner Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, St. Louis Missouri

"Route 66 changed the course of my whole life. I will treasure my trip forever, and this book recaptures very vividly every memory." --Bobby Troup, Songwriter, "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66"

"The tone of Route 66: The Mother Road is as friendly as that of a big diner, where the conversations of people who have just met drift through the air like the steam from their coffee cups." --Phil Patton, author of Open Road

"Any of you who love nostalgia will love Route 66: The Mother Road as much as I do." --Tony Hillerman

"A love letter to the road...He wraps the history of the route around picture of it and lets the people who have traveled and lived along the Mother Road tell their stories." --Kelli Pryor, Entertainment Weekly

"This story of our nation's most famous highway keeps alive an important part of American history. It's a delight!" --Will Rogers, Jr

About the Author

MICHAEL WALLIS is the best-selling author of 20 books, including The Best Land Under Heaven: The Donner Party in the Age of Manifest Destiny, Los Luceros: New Mexico's Morning Star, and the award-winning The Real Wild West. He is the co-founder of the Route 66 Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and enhancement of the Mother Road. In 2023, President Joe Biden appointed Michael to the Congressional Route 66 Centennial Commission. Michael lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma.