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sdbecque's review
3.0
This is a great book on a really interesting topic. I was hoping that this book would make more the argument that is announced in the title, instead it's mainly a collection of thoughts and observations and things are occasionally linked together. Still there are moments that make it really worthwhile, if you are interested in the creation of the American Myth, and American popular culture. As another reviewer pointed out, the main problem is the book looks like it was designed as a free pamphlet, a lot of bad black and white photos, a lot of text. Occasionally sections read like someone's field notes typed up. But it's short, so its a quick read.
otterno11's review
4.0
In spite of being over thirty years old now, The Colossus of Roads is still a fascinating and thought provoking treatise on the origins and folkloric role of roadside attractions in the culture and history of the United States. I first read it ten years ago just before starting a masters program in history, and I found that the arguments and ideas introduced here shaped my interests in ways that I didn't even realized at the time.
In the Colossus of Roads, Marling takes on the bizarre and amusing topic of kitschy roadside attractions, seemingly a trivial, frivolous subject, and explores the deep web of meaning that connects them, from the commercial origins of Paul Bunyan and giant fish, to mini golf, to the “great” in the Great Gatsby. These modern “myths” of the American highway are the products of a rich mix of cultural influences that in the 20th century caused the citizens of small towns throughout the country, particularly the Midwest and especially Minnesota to build large, weird statues in order to draw the eye to their communities. Drawing together many disparate but linked elements from historical, literary, and sociological sources in its concise 120 pages, there are so many interesting threads to look into I think they could be the starting point for many researchers and novelists alike. There are certainly themes introduced here that could spark new and interesting research topics and I find that the rich tapestry of ideas are able to inspire all manner of stories.
Even as changes in technology make such oddities even more relics of the 20th century, I still feel that travel and place remain important in the North American milieu and the cultural geography of the continent. Colossus of Roads is a good starting place for anyone interested in the history of such kitsch along the transportation infrastructures of North America. In addition to it’s informative chapters, it’s bibliography is stuffed full of sources to seek out for even more. I do find myself returning to the Colossus of Roads again and again, obsessed by the breadth of this short but weighty book’s themes.
In the Colossus of Roads, Marling takes on the bizarre and amusing topic of kitschy roadside attractions, seemingly a trivial, frivolous subject, and explores the deep web of meaning that connects them, from the commercial origins of Paul Bunyan and giant fish, to mini golf, to the “great” in the Great Gatsby. These modern “myths” of the American highway are the products of a rich mix of cultural influences that in the 20th century caused the citizens of small towns throughout the country, particularly the Midwest and especially Minnesota to build large, weird statues in order to draw the eye to their communities. Drawing together many disparate but linked elements from historical, literary, and sociological sources in its concise 120 pages, there are so many interesting threads to look into I think they could be the starting point for many researchers and novelists alike. There are certainly themes introduced here that could spark new and interesting research topics and I find that the rich tapestry of ideas are able to inspire all manner of stories.
Even as changes in technology make such oddities even more relics of the 20th century, I still feel that travel and place remain important in the North American milieu and the cultural geography of the continent. Colossus of Roads is a good starting place for anyone interested in the history of such kitsch along the transportation infrastructures of North America. In addition to it’s informative chapters, it’s bibliography is stuffed full of sources to seek out for even more. I do find myself returning to the Colossus of Roads again and again, obsessed by the breadth of this short but weighty book’s themes.
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