The great American retro road trip A celebration of roadside Americana

Pujol, author of the Retrologist newsletter, offers a lovely and comprehensive guide to America's roadside signs and attractions. Obsessed since childhood with the "eye candy" of eccentric signposts buzzing by on the highway, Pujol began a "determined journey to document them" and the attractions they advertise. He divides the book into geographical regions, then further subdivides it into categories ("Roadside Quirks," "Sweet Spots," and "The Inn Crowd"). While there is an appealing obsessiveness to this cataloging, other trends emerge organically from the fantastic photographs--for instance, the trend of oversize objects dotting the American landscape (oversize burgers, boots, clowns, and, in one case, an oversize Matthew McConaughey). The text is no less fascinating, with its smorgasbord of stories, from a history of the American diner to shout-outs to notable stops, like the Greyhound bus museum in Minnesota or the Tinkertown Museum (dedicated to one man's tinkering) in New Mexico. Pujol reflects nostalgically on the disappearance of such attractions in recent years, but this is no mere elegy; it's a hopeful look at a version of America that existed once and can perhaps exist again. As Pujol puts it, "the many chain establishments" that have sprouted up to replace quirky local businesses are nonetheless still "operated by your neighbors trying to make an honest living." Pujol is a warm and witty tour guide, and there's enough room in his car for everyone. (June)