Life: America's Most Scenic Drives : On the Nation's Highways and Byways (Life Books) [Hardcover]

Editors of Life (Author)

Book Description

Series: (Life Books) | Publication Date: May 1, 2004

Now, for the first time ever, the LIFE Scenic Drives Atlas is brought to life through the breath-taking photography of LIFE Magazine. In this unique traveler's companion you'll find two books in one ¾ a perfectly sized atlas containing a photographic chronicle of America's most picturesque, photogenic drives, plus beautiful full-color, detailed maps of all 50 states and the Canadian provinces. This book reveals the pleasure of a taking your time driving down the sun-kissed coast of California and the wonder of discovery driving through our country's beloved heartland. See, in vivid color, what you would experience while driving down our recommended scenic route from Maine to Massachusetts while the autumn leaves are turning. It's an ideal reference for traveling in North America, unlike any other atlas. As you travel, you'll enjoy the opportunity to visit the locations depicted through the photography in this atlas, plus try your hand at shooting those same pictures! This is unlike any road atlas you've ever seen!

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Life (May 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932273212
• ISBN-13: 978-1932273212
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 0.8 x 11.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,601,713 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed, March 7, 2006

By 

Athelas (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Life: America's Most Scenic Drives : On the Nation's Highways and Byways (Life Books) (Hardcover)

The Book Description in the Editorial Review describes "the LIFE Scenic Drives Atlas." Which may be a book that exists somewhere. But it is not this book. From the description I expected an ATLAS, a collection of maps along with descriptions of marked scenic roads and highways, and included somehow, a photographic record of what these drives are like. (The review does mention "detailed maps".)

Instead there is a 2 page introduction, two satellite images of the US (east and west) with a red dot for each of the 40 drives the editors selected, and for each of the 40 drives there is a phone number you can call (about half toll and half toll-free) and a web page where one can get information about the drive.

This is followed by about 160 pages of pictures with some chamber of commerce type text and a lot of pictures. To be fair, the pictures are often excellent and a few are gorgeous. The text on the other hand is there to extol the beauties or interesting aspects of the drive, and in not at all informative about what the drive is like or even how to get on it. They depend on the phone numbers and web pages for that.

If it were advertised as a coffee table book, I would have no objection. But it is advertised as a reference and an atlas which it certainly is not.

3.0 out of 5 stars Just tip of the iceberg, July 7, 2011

By 

Gudrun S. Crittendon "Gudrun C." (Golden, CO, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Life: America's Most Scenic Drives : On the Nation's Highways and Byways (Life Books) (Hardcover)

A book with impressive photos, yet it only seems to cover a small amount of the possibilities of this great country. I expected a larger amount of possible routes in the many states of the U.S.

5.0 out of 5 stars must have for motorcyclists, August 16, 2010

By 

grannybiker - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Life: America's Most Scenic Drives : On the Nation's Highways and Byways (Life Books) (Hardcover)

A must read for anyone planning a motorcycle trip. If you don't look at this book before you plan your trip you're making a big mistake! I've already had friends asking to borrow it!