American Signs Form and Meaning on Rte. 66

The roadside sign is an American icon: a glowing evocation of the golden age of the open road. Yet signs, more than nostalgic symbols, are complex pieces of design that reflect signmakers' ambitions and intentions, reveal cultural and economic trends, and stand as evidence of vernacular traditions. American Signs combines text and image to analyze the motel signs of Route 66 -- their concept and influences, typestyle and color choice, form and composition, context and placement. With its insightful writing, clear graphic diagrams, and hundreds of contemporary and historic images, American Signs is a singular reading experience and a groundbreaking study. Book jacket.

Lisa Mahar is a cofounder and partner in the New York architecture and design firm MAP. Her first book, Grain Elevators, won the AIA International Book Award. Mahar is the recipient of the Design Arts Awards from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts and is a winner of the ID Magazine Graphic Design Honor Award.