That Ribbon of Highway: Highway 99 from the Oregon Border to the State Capital

Rating:
Summary: Armchair Time-travel
Review: "That Ribbon of Highway" wonderfully captures the memory of those times when travel along "the Main Street of California" was indeed an adventure, before Interstate 5 made travel through the state a matter of speeding from origin to destination with the only experience with the outside world involving, say, a quick stop at the drive-through window at yet another stamped-out McDonald's. As the author points out, of the three major north/south highways in California, Highway 101 may have been more romantic, Highway 395 more mysterious, but it was Highway 99 that truly served as "the peoples' highway," and thus is arguably more important in a historical scope.

I like this book a lot. The author and photographer have wonderfully captured the historical spirit of Highway 99. I give it four stars instead of five only because I don't want to build the expectations of this book too much. It isn't a big, coffee table-sized tome filled with large glossy full-color photos and expansive essays. Rather, it's more a small, "night stand" sized volume, with black and while photos and brief treatments of the various points of interest along the stretch of the highway between the Oregon border and Sacramento. However, the modest format of the book likely compliments memories of those pre-Interstate 5 days more adeptly than would a Time/Life version of the subject; this little book goes gentle on the memories of our hearts by bringing them to the fore rather than revising them with someone else's vision.

For those readers who treasure the memories of a time when travel by road seemed a richer, more colorful experience, I heartily recommend this enjoyable little book. HJ

Rating:
Summary: Armchair Time-travel
Review: "That Ribbon of Highway" wonderfully captures the memory of those times when travel along "the Main Street of California" was indeed an adventure, before Interstate 5 made travel through the state a matter of speeding from origin to destination with the only experience with the outside world involving, say, a quick stop at the drive-through window at yet another stamped-out McDonald's. As the author points out, of the three major north/south highways in California, Highway 101 may have been more romantic, Highway 395 more mysterious, but it was Highway 99 that truly served as "the peoples' highway," and thus is arguably more important in a historical scope.

I like this book a lot. The author and photographer have wonderfully captured the historical spirit of Highway 99. I give it four stars instead of five only because I don't want to build the expectations of this book too much. It isn't a big, coffee table-sized tome filled with large glossy full-color photos and expansive essays. Rather, it's more a small, "night stand" sized volume, with black and while photos and brief treatments of the various points of interest along the stretch of the highway between the Oregon border and Sacramento. However, the modest format of the book likely compliments memories of those pre-Interstate 5 days more adeptly than would a Time/Life version of the subject; this little book goes gentle on the memories of our hearts by bringing them to the fore rather than revising them with someone else's vision.

For those readers who treasure the memories of a time when travel by road seemed a richer, more colorful experience, I heartily recommend this enjoyable little book. HJ