Lackey, Kris, 1953-

RoadFrames : the American highway narrative / Kris Lackey.

Lincoln : University of Nebraska Press, ©1997.

xiv, 164 pages ; 21 cm

RoadFrames surveys America's fascination with highway travel. In a lively discussion of books written as early as 1903 and as recently as 1994, Kris Lackey reveals the crucial roles that highway and automobile travel have played through generations of American writing.
RoadFrames illuminates many of the grandiose myths and unsentimental realities that have shaped modern American life. Lackey examines - and debunks - the theme of rediscovering America, with drivers seeking to escape industrialized America and recover a mythic innocence and independence. He also traces the influence of Thoreau, Emerson, and Whitman in such automobile travelers as John Steinbeck, Tom Wolfe, and Jack Kerouac. There is an insightful discussion of road books by African American writers who reverse the romantic assumptions of many white travelers, creating highway narratives in which escape and nostalgia are not possible. The book concludes with a discussion of seven novels, extending from Sinclair Lewis's Free Air to Stephen Wright's Going Native.

0803229240 (alk. paper)
9780803229242 (alk. paper)
0803279817
9780803279810

Travelers' writings, American History and criticism.
American prose literature 20th century History and criticism.
American fiction 20th century History and criticism.
Travel writing History 20th century.
Quests (Expeditions) in literature.
Automobile travel United States.
Express highways United States.
Automobile travel in literature.
Express highways in literature.
Tourism United States.
Travel in literature.
Narration (Rhetoric)
Écrits de voyageurs américains Histoire et critique.
Prose américaine 20e siècle Histoire et critique.
Roman américain 20e siècle Histoire et critique.
Voyage Art d'écrire Histoire 20e siècle.
Quête dans la littérature.
Voyages en automobile États-Unis.
Autoroutes États-Unis.
Voyages en automobile dans la littérature.
Voyage dans la littérature.
Narration.
American fiction.
American prose literature.
Automobile travel.
Express highways.
Tourism.
Travel writing.
Travelers' writings, American.
Reiseliteratur
Reise
Reiseroman
Reisromans.
Autosnelwegen.
Letterkunde.
Littérature américaine 20e siècle Thèmes, motifs.
Roman de la route Histoire et critique.
Récits de voyages américains Histoire et critique.
Voyage Dans la littérature.
Voyages en automobile.
Highway.
Prosa.
United States.
États-Unis Descriptions et voyages.
USA.
Travelers` writings, American -- History and criticism
American prose literature -- 20th century -- History and criticism
American fiction -- 20th century -- History and criticism
Automobile travel -- United States -- Historiography
Express highways -- United States -- Historiography
Americans -- Travel -- Historiography

Criticism, interpretation, etc.
History.

Location: Library main 205600
Call No.: PS366 .T73 L33 1997
Status: Available