Customer Reviews

Car Hops and Curb Service: A History of American Drive-In Restaurants 1920-1960

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The humble drive-in gets the Jim Heimann treatment: well researched, excellent photo and graphics selection, bibliography, index and he designed it, too. Though it was published in 1996 I don't think there is a better book about the subject. Michael Wetzel's `The American Drive-in' (1994, ISBN 0879389192) comes close, with a lot of the same images but I thought his rather too superficial.

Heimann has clearly done a lot of research and I liked the many architectural references. Drive-ins, because of their rather temporary nature, could be designed with latest visual gimmicks and building styles yet could be easily changed to a newer look. Heimann refers to Exaggerated Modern as a suitable name for drive-in style. The book has plenty of historical photos to show the changing face of the eatery, especially in sunny California.

It seems LA was the experimental center of drive-in style with architects like John Lautner, Armet & Davis or Wayne McAllister designing establishments always that little bit different from the competition. Incidentally neither Lautner or Armet & Davis are mentioned in the index of Witzel's book.

Visually the book is a treat. Plenty of really good historical exterior black and whites of establishments backed up with color postcards and graphic material like menus or book matches. All the material is presented in a straightforward layout (and this is another area where the Witzel book falls down: the layout is far too scrappy with too much unused white page space). It is unfortunate though that the captions are set in a rather small type in long lines and frequently they refer to photos on a preceding or following spread.

Heimann has written the definitive book about a little bit of Americana and I bet it will remain in print for many years.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

Talk about filled with information-this book has all of the pictures and the details behind the car hops. I thought the uniqueness behind the Tam O Shanter was cool. Also, the celebrities that went to the drive inns and what they ordered. The book explains some of the history behind the word "car hop." Just a fun, light read!!! Highly recommended for those people who remember going to the A&W or other drive inn, especially in California.

Drive-in restaurants were already on the way out when I was growing up in the 1950's. I have only vague memories of my parents taking my siblings and I out for burgers, hot dogs and shakes at some of the local drive-ins that were already well past their prime. By the time I was in high school the few that were still in operation had dropped the car hops in place of service at the window. By the early 1970's, even these were a thing of the past. I found this book to be a fascinating study of colorful eateries of a bygone era. My only objection was the use of the unnecessarily small, double-spaced text used throughout the book--not very eye-friendly to an older reader with bifocals.