From Publishers Weekly
Most people know where Lincoln was shot and where Jaws was filmed. But what about the site where Hugh Grant picked up hooker Divine Brown (it was the northeast corner of Sunset Boulevard and Courtney Avenue in Hollywood) or the venue where The Clash's 1980 album London Calling was photographed (it was The Palladium, on 14th Street in Manhattan)? The U.S. embraces its own pop culture like no other country does, says advertising veteran Epting, and he shows exactly where to find American cultural hotspots in this absorbing guide. Epting divides the book thematically, with chapters such as "Crime, Murder, and Assassination" and "Celebrity Deaths and Infamous Celebrity Events," and gives exact addresses, brief descriptions and sometimes even phone numbers. Although he does include a fair amount of generally well-known information (e.g., that the Gettysburg Address was given in Gettysburg, Penn., and that Elvis lived at Graceland), Epting's quirky factoids are most appealing. Some examples: Apple Computer was born in a garage in Los Altos, Calif.; the bank Butch Cassidy robbed on August 13, 1896 is in Montpelier, Idaho; and Daryl Hall and John Oates, of the R&B-influenced pop duo Hall & Oates, first met in a Philadelphia freight elevator, where they were hiding from a gang fight that broke out at a doo-wop show. Photos. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Chicago Tribune
"James Dean Died Here is an addictively irresistible tour through pop culture past and present."
Review
“James Dean Died Here is an addictively irresistible tour through pop culture past and present.” —Chicago Tribune
National Public Radio's All Things Considered
"[A] guidebook to a broad range of historic and often hysterical American landmarks-more than 700 in all."
Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel
"Chris Epting's omnibus picks up where standard guidebooks leave off . . . you'll never again lose $40 [on] a stupid 'star tour.'"
Albuquerque Journal
"[A] guide to sites morbid, trashy and profound. Epting has assembled a treasure trove of pop landmarks!"
BookSense 76 Pick for July/Aug 2003
"Want to know where Zsa Zsa Gabor was arrested? . . . Where Elvis recorded 'Heartbreak Hotel'? It's all in here, Baby!"
Book Description
Packed with historical information, this travel guide explores the sites where pop culture history was made. With hundreds of photographs, this encyclopedic resource covers approximately 600 sites of the most famous and infamous pop culture events. The greatest landmarks from Americana, movies, music, tragedy, crime, television, and sports are included, such as where George Washington crossed the Delaware River; the diner in the film Diner; the site of the Planet of the Apes finale; the Hindenburg crash site; the Brady Bunch house; and the location of the 1980 Olympic “Miracle on Ice” hockey team victory. This offbeat travelogue provides the armchair traveler or road warrior tourist with all the information needed to visit America's pop culture sites of significance.
About the Author
Chris Epting is the author and photographer of Images of America: Huntington Beach and Images of America: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. He lives in Huntington Beach, California.
James Dean Died Here: The Locations of America's Pop Culture Landmarks FROM THE PUBLISHER
Packed with historical information, this travel guide explores the sites where pop culture history was made. With hundreds of photographs, this encyclopedic resource covers approximately 600 sites of the most famous and infamous pop culture events. The greatest landmarks from Americana, movies, music, tragedy, crime, television, and sports are included, such as where George Washington crossed the Delaware River; the diner in the film Diner; the site of the Planet of the Apes finale; the Hindenburg crash site; the Brady Bunch house; and the location of the 1980 Olympic "Miracle on Ice" hockey team victory. This offbeat travelogue provides the armchair traveler or road warrior tourist with all the information needed to visit America's pop culture sites of significance.
Author Biography: Chris Epting is the author and photographer of Images of America: Huntington Beach and Images of America: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. He lives in Huntington Beach, California.
FROM THE CRITICS
The Chicago Tribune
James Dean Died Here is an addictively irresistible tour through pop culture past and present.
Car & Travel Monthly
You could call these books magical for their power to transform your car or reading nook into a time machine. They add the dimension of nostalgia to armchair traveling while planting seeds of wanderlust for future road trips...these extraordinary photo- and fact-filled repositories will put you there.
Ventura County Star
Epting takes a unique approach to the pop-culture trail...No longer must the curious among us limit ourselves to attractions with walls, fences and admission fees...Epting's choices represent moments ranging from earthshaking to trivia-making - in other words, an intriguing complement to otherwise routine itineraries.
Publishers Weekly
Most people know where Lincoln was shot and where Jaws was filmed. But what about the site where Hugh Grant picked up hooker Divine Brown (it was the northeast corner of Sunset Boulevard and Courtney Avenue in Hollywood) or the venue where The Clash's 1980 album London Calling was photographed (it was The Palladium, on 14th Street in Manhattan)? The U.S. embraces its own pop culture like no other country does, says advertising veteran Epting, and he shows exactly where to find American cultural hotspots in this absorbing guide. Epting divides the book thematically, with chapters such as "Crime, Murder, and Assassination" and "Celebrity Deaths and Infamous Celebrity Events," and gives exact addresses, brief descriptions and sometimes even phone numbers. Although he does include a fair amount of generally well-known information (e.g., that the Gettysburg Address was given in Gettysburg, Penn., and that Elvis lived at Graceland), Epting's quirky factoids are most appealing. Some examples: Apple Computer was born in a garage in Los Altos, Calif.; the bank Butch Cassidy robbed on August 13, 1896 is in Montpelier, Idaho; and Daryl Hall and John Oates, of the R&B-influenced pop duo Hall & Oates, first met in a Philadelphia freight elevator, where they were hiding from a gang fight that broke out at a doo-wop show. Photos. (June) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Art & Photography
Book Info
