NPR Road Trips: Roadside Attractions: Stories That Take You Away... (Audio CD) by Noah Adams

NPR Road Trips: Roadside Attractions: Stories That Take You Away... (Audio CD) Reviews

• 
  Sheri

  The most memorable highlights of a road trip are often the quirky and sometimes kitschy attractions you discover along the way. Unusual museums, small town claim to fame attractions, long-dead celebrity shrines, local landmarks – all the stuff you never knew you wanted and needed to see until you stumble onto it. After all, you’ve come this far and when will you ever get the chance to see it again. A short stop to see what it’s all about soon turns into a fun, and dare I say, worthy diversion. And don’t forget how you’ll have the honor and distinction of telling others how you stopped to see the unexpected, unusual, and unique roadside attraction that turned out to be more interesting than one would think.
  
  It’s an interesting and educational listen; you’re sure to hear about something that piques your curiosity and interest enough to want to visit!
• 
  Cyndi

  This is an audio full of interviews and quick stories about road trips. One of the stories is about the parents taking a road trip with young kids. It was hilarious...from this side of the fence. When I was that young parent I wished for a wall I could install in the backseat so they couldn't even look at each other.
• 
  JZ

  I enjoyed it. I've been to a couple of these, and look forward to seeing more.
• 
  Angie

  “The people who listen to public radio don’t necessarily look like our stereotype of listeners. They’re not all sort of high tone people in LL Bean outfits” —Garrison Keillor
  
  This is a fun audio collection of clips specific to fairs around rural America. Although the county fair was not a mainstay for my childhood, I do have memories of it and similar, smaller festivals. These clips brought some of those memories back to me as I listened. It’s interesting to hear about a culture of Americans which is focused so little upon.
• 
  Gail Cooke

  Hearing the call of the open road but not quite ready to answer it? Not to worry - just give a listen to NPR ROAD TRIPS / ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS, and enjoy all the baffling, odd, humorous, really weird things to be found across our great land.
  
  With a variety of commentators and interviewers you will meet the stand-up comedians who run the elevators at Seattle's Space Needle, visit the Elvis Is Alive Museum (have they heard about this at Graceland?), and discover some small towns with a purpose - each wants to have the biggest ball of twine.
  
  If you think most exotic sights are to be found across the big pond, think again. Bet they don't have a velvet museum, but we do. You may not want to admit that you're old enough to remember Burma Shave signs, whether you do or not you'll thoroughly enjoy being reminded of them. If you truly don't know what Burma Shave signs are - be prepared to grin.
  
  So many of the sights visited are pure Americana and may never be seen again, so it's a pleasure to hear about many for the first time. ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS is a gem of a CD - 60 minutes of fun and remembering for you, your family, and friends.
  
  - Gail Cooke
• 
  Stephanie Chambers

  Little snippets of travel. It made me want to go on a road trip! Totally what I needed to escape right now.
• 
  Jackie

  Most of these roadside attractions I have never heard of before. I have heard and seen other roadside attractions, that this book doesn't mention, and of course I have heard of and been to The Space Needle...but most of these were hidden gems, that I just learned about.
  
  The library only had an audio version of this book, and I am not sure if there is a physical book, with photos....but, there should be. This may have been a broadcast, or several broadcasts on NPR radio, put together to form an audio book.
  
  I decided to do my own research while listening this book, to get an idea of the attractions described. I looked up videos and photos. It was quite a fun experience.
  
  This audio book is only an hour long, if you listen without deviating into research. When I was listening to the first chapter, I kind of zoned out, and thought the book was going to be a long, boring one-hour read.
  
  By chapter 2, it mentioned the Space Needle, and then I actually started paying attention. When I finished listening to the book, and finishing my research, I listened to the first chapter again, and realized I missed a couple of other fun things.
  
  Overall, I enjoyed the book, but only because I was able to look up the visuals for it.
  
  I just noticed there are some pictures on the cover that did not show up at all the book. How strange....
• 
  Faye

  This was a pretty fun, fast read. I LOVE anything done by NPR anyway but this was about the reporters going around to various state fairs and festivals, sampling all of the unique ways each state celebrates with specific contests and features. I loved the husband calling part. Too darn funny. For a quick way to step away from your everyday life and enjoy a laugh and interesting facts, check this one out. Highly recommend. I don't even know if this one should count as an entire book because it was only an hour.
• 
  Arizonagirl

  I was looking for some short audiobooks to reach my annual reading challenge goal and found this one on my wishlist. For some reason, I was thinking this would be traveling shows such as Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me that were recorded on the road. Actually, it is a collection of interviews and reports of state fairs and carnivals. It did make me rethink my career choice if a cotton candy vendor can make six figures.
• 
  Mae

  This was not a book, just a collection of NPR clips. Not great.
• 
  Sarah

  Nice stories for a walk or quiet afternoon at home; a quick listen.
• 
  Kelly Whitt

  This would be good to listen to for an hour of a road trip. Roadside attractions are fun and quirky and the stories of road trips were entertaining.
• 
  Selena

  This was fun! Disappointed it was so short.
• 
  Tristain

  There should be fewer white people stories, more indigenous + nature stories.
• 
  Dale

  National Public Radio has combed through its broadcast archives and found 13 different stories about the great American institution - the road trip. But, these aren't just any stories. These are stories that feature another great American institution - the roadside attraction.
  
  The stories cover a variety of quirky attractions including the Elvis Is Alive Museum, The Velveteria (featuring black velvet paintings of Elvis and lots more!), the world's 2nd biggest ball of twine, a series of backyard folk art exhibits in Michigan and even a couple of more famous attractions like Florida's Cypress Gardens and Seattle's Space Needle. A slightly off topic, but very interesting, story about the famed Burma Shave signs is also included. The stories wind up with the story of an epic musical piece written in the classical style about the trials and tribulations of the family car-based vacation.
  
  The stories are all told with a sense of good-natured fun and some, like the story about the Velveteria and the musical tribute to the family road trip have moments where they are laugh-out-loud funny. The first story was fairly weak. But, taken as a whole, these stories are well worth your time.
  
  See all of my review of NPR audio materials at:
  http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/searc...
• 
  Joy

  I'm sorry, when Amazon starts out its blurb on a book by mentioning the prairie dog town in "western Kansas" and that same blurb mentions another famous, and I've-been-there-goofy-attraction (largest ball of twine,) I suddenly must read...well, listen....to these tales once they're released!
  
  Another huge bonus...Amazon knew I'd want to read this book because it said those who search for books by Hank Stuever.....yeah, that's right, my favorite WPost journalist.....well, this is now a must read/listen.
• 
  Susan

  Meant to be listened to, this is a collection of NPR style essays. Just fun and light reading.
• 
  Relyn

  I have a thing for National Parks and another thing for NPR. So, this really thrills me. I loved learning more about my beloved national parks. This was a wonderful collection.
• 
  Justin

  Fun review of fairs across the country and across time.
• 
  Jana Eichhorn

  This was precisely my jam.
• 
  Ed

  A few collection of essays that I might use in class
• 
  JUDY Ott

  a delightful collection of memories taken in America by families and couples. They visit unusual places like the second largest ball of twine, a cabin without beds or electricity for 2 weeks.