The American Motel [Hardcover]

Michael Karl Witzel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2000

Taking their name from an amalgamation of the words "motor" and "hotel", motels were conceived as roadside lodges for pioneering American motorists who increasingly set out on vacations by car. As such, the motel's development has largely paralleled that of the automobile. Renowned pop culture historian Michael Karl Witzel examines the evolution, architecture and decor of the American motel in all its forms, from the traditional "motor court" to gimmicks like individual miniature log cabins, cement tepees, and more. An intensely visual presentation also features photography of advertising and collectible memorabilia and souvenirs, and is accompanied by an authoritative history of the motels genesis and its development to the present day.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Motorbooks International (August 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0760301018
• ISBN-13: 978-0760301012
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 10.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #622,392 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Member, American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and Thoroughly Enjoyable!!, September 22, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The American Motel (Hardcover)

I love Michael Karl Witzel's books (his Route 66 book inspired me to drive the whole route). This may be his best one yet. It has great photos and interesting text and brings back wonderful memories of childhood vacations, when getting to spend the night in a motel was half the fun. But one of the other great aspects of this book is its ability to appeal to a variety of readers, not just fans of the motel. If you enjoy pop culture, roadtrips, roadside Americana, or traveling, this book is for you. I highly recommend it!

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Standard Witzel treatment of another roadside theme, July 29, 2000

By 

Doug Pappas - See all my reviews

This review is from: The American Motel (Hardcover)

The prolific Michael Karl Witzel, whose past works include similar volumes about diners, gas stations, drive-ins and Route 66, now focuses on "The American Motel."

Anyone who's read his past books knows what to expect: detailed research (complete with very useful bibliography), competent writing and an eye-pleasing mixture of modern photos and antique postcards to illustrate the topic, reproduced in full color on glossy paper. It's a good read and a delightful browse.

Having said all that, though, the text is marred in several places by a jarring factual error and an annoyingly preachy tone. Witzel repeatedly misidentifies eastern U.S. 40 as the Lincoln Highway rather than the National Road, which for hard-core roadies is like confusing a Chevy and a T-Bird. And I don't expect, or desire, to see the phrase "prayer has been taken out of the schools and God from our government" in a book on roadside architecture.

Still, if you're interested in the subject, you'll want this book.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The One Motel Book to Have, May 28, 2002

By 

Bjorne Magnussen (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The American Motel (Hardcover)

I have the Margolies motel book and personally, I think Witzel has the lock when it comes to research and writing. Sure, this is some in-depth stuff and can be dry at times (these are motels, after all), but the dedicated road enthusiast/pop culture historian really wants to know all of this information. A collection of photographs with just a little bit of text does little to document history. Witzel's book not only has a great collection of images, but the editorial depth needed to tell the story. If I were to recommend one book on motels, Witzel's The American Motel would be the one. A seminal work on one of our most cherished American/roadside icons.