American Signs: Form and Meaning on Route 66

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Summary: American Signs: Form and Meaning on Route 66
Review: A scholarly study of vintage motel signs on an abandoned highway may sound absurd, but architect Lisa Mahar draws you into her obsessive quest. She spent eight years on research and layout--driving, photographing, and analyzing the shifts in style over the 35-year heyday of what was once America's most celebrated artery. It celebrates a vanished era of local sign makers who had pride of craft and a responsiveness to location, in contrast to the standardization of corporate logos. Mahar's analysis of geometry and iconography is fascinating. (Michael Webb is the book reviewer for LA Architect magazine.)

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Summary: Interesting and informative, but book design is annoying
Review: Anyone interested in the history of roadside signs will learn much from this book, but what a chore it is to read it. The main text is in bright red type with minimal margins. Captions and diagrams are in black type (thankfully) but far too small to be read easily. In many diagrams the type is not only tiny but is also in all-caps, which might not be a problem if the diagrams weren't so wordy. Some of the photos are so small that we just have to assume that they illustrate the author's points.

I recommend the book because of its content, but be sure to get a good reading light and a magnifying glass to get the full benefit.

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Summary: what a great book.
Review: It is very possible that this book was actually written for me. As designer, it talks about nerdy things that I actually care about. Shapes, construction, and typography of signage.

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Summary: A must have
Review: This book is a must have for architects, designers, and fans of Route 66! Mahar's careful and inspired approach and method is encouraging and inspiring. Her analysis provides an insight that embraces and transcends the material. The book creates a record of 'The Road,' the nation, and vernacular culture. This complete and multi-discipline analysis provides massive visual and textual interest. The book is organized chronologically in a consistent way, highlighting the developments and changes that occured in Route 66's motel signage and culture. The whole study can also be viewed as a microcosm of the changes that occured in America during the period covered (40's - 70's). The graphics, photographs and writing will appeal to fans of Tufte's books on visual comminication, Venturi's Learning from Las Vegas, and Glassie's Folk Housing in Middle Virginia.