Route 20 @ Talking Leaves
Nelson is a retired professor of English at SUNY Fredonia and author of the just-released book Twenty West: the Great Road Across America. Twenty West focuses on the American history of the country's longest road, US Route 20, which stretches 3300 miles from Boston, Massachusetts to Newport, Oregon.
Nelson's fascination with Route 20 stems from having grown up near, commuted on, and traveled along it for many years. When speaking with Jonathon Welch of Talking Leaves he commented on the book saying, "I have not finished reading Twenty West, but I have read a bit of it and I think it's quite good, very entertaining, and full of very interesting historical and geographical information about Route 20."
A book about Route 20 may not be at the top of your reading list this summer, but it should be. "Anything is worth writing about if it is written about well, from a tiny river to a space ship - Nelson grew up and lived along the highway his whole life making it something he feels connected and passionate about, which makes the book interesting for people who don't have the connection he does with Route 20," Welch explained.
In addition to Nelson's personal ties with Route 20 he also focuses on the literature, scenery, geology, politics, and wilderness of the route. This history that makes up the route can be seen right from the beginning as Nelson brings up the great writers and founders of religion in the East who lived and wrote on or near Route 20, including Anne Bradstreet and Phyllis Wheatley.
After hearing that twenty west is written about a highway some may automatically think of Jack Kerouac’s US 6. However, Welch put this comparison to rest stating, "Any book written about a road in this country is compared with Kerouac's US 6, but Kerouac wrote about people on the highway and Nelson is writing about the highway itself in addition to the people on it, but in a nonfiction way rather than as a novel like Kerouac."
Copies of the book are available for purchase at both Talking Leaves locations, and will of course be available at the event. The public is invited and there is no admission charge.
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