The Great American Foot Race

Gr 6 Up—The story of the first footrace across the continental United States, from Los Angeles to New York City. Sponsored in 1928 by boosters of the newly created Route 66 as a way to publicize the road, the footrace stands as a symbol of the Roaring Twenties, in all its excess and aspiration. One hundred ninety-nine racers, or "bunioneers," stood at the starting line in Los Angeles, and 55 crossed the finish line in New York. Debut author Speno follows their journey through the small towns of America, recounting events of the race and regaling readers with interesting cultural and historical asides. Much of the book's attention is devoted to C.C. Pyle, the race's lively promoter, and his travails as he attempted to turn a profit on what turned out to be a fairly expensive endeavor. If Speno's highly readable account has a flaw, it is that the focus is too wide; episodes involving the runners are frequently told in summary. Students looking for an individual runner to root for will be hard-pressed. But the true star of the narrative is the landscape of the United States. Readers learn about the so-called Age of Ballyhoo, when pastimes such as flagpole sitting were all the rage; witness the racism encountered by African American runners as the competition moved through Texas; and hear of the disappointment of the citizens of Oklahoma when their hometown runner didn't stop to give a longer speech as he passed through.