Colossus of Roads: Myth and Symbol Along the American Highway

by Karal Ann Marling

Where can one find the world's largest prairie chicken, a restaurant shaped like a fish, a massive Paul Bunyan, or an enormous ear of corn? Roadside sculpture is a uniquely American phenomenon and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0816636729
• ISBN13: 9780816636723
• Release Date: May 2000
• Publisher: University of Minnesota Press
• Length: 152 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Folk Art Meets Capitalism

Titanic fish, overgrown birds, and a victory statue involving an impaled insect aren't likely to be found in the Louver, but they're a part of the American landscape, particularly in the north-central region. Despite introductory passages which reveal a solidly academic background and viewpoint, this book is a useful and entertaining guide to the out-sized outdoor sculptures designed to draw and hold travelers' attention. "Colossus" is not encyclopedic: so far as I can tell, the 2000 edition fails to note the Belgrade Crow. However, I can recommend this for anyone interested in, or trying to find, examples of American folk art such as the Rothsay Prairie Chicken or the Jolly Green Giant.