While you've most likely heard of Route 66, did you know there was one man who was the main force behind creating this road? This biography of Cy Avery takes us from his beginnings as a farmer and teacher, to his careers as an oil man and politician. While the focus is on Avery, the book also provides in-depth information on how, as the need for good roads (i.e., not deep, mud-filled paths) developed, how people who had the vision for roads and highways worked with the U.S. government to make these dreams into a reality.
I picked up this book as part of a project I'm involved with, and came to it with no knowledge of Cy Avery at all, and only a bit of knowledge about the creation of Route 66 and the U.S. highway system. It was interesting to read about this man, who was very passionate about not only roads, but also providing access to water in Tulsa, Oklahoma. There was more to Avery than Route 66, as well; he stood up to the Ku Klu Klan, and developed plans for a municipal airport. Admittedly, I sometimes found the book a bit dry, although it was rich in detail. However, the author brings so much information to this biography that it was easy to get a clear picture of not only Avery, himself, but of the United States in that time in history.
I don't know if I'd include this in with biographies I'd suggest to all readers, but if you're interested in Route 66, or how some of the national roads came into existence, then it's definitely one to read.
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