The American Open Road: Narrative and Popular Imagination

WINNER OF THE ELIZABETH AGEE PRIZE IN AMERICAN LITERATURE

The American Open Roadoffers a rich exploration of how the mythos of the open road has shaped, and been shaped by, American culture. Beginning with the post-World War II boom that solidified car culture as central to American life, Melton reflects on how roads, automobiles, and landscapes have been represented in literature, film, and other cultural texts, highlighting the interplay between mobility and narrative.

Melton examines how t...