Call the kids, grab the picnic basket, and load up the wagon for this colorful salute to the great American family hauler. The entire evolution of the station wagon is examined, from the "depot hacks" that shuttled passengers to their trains in the 1920s to today's popular SUVs and minivans. The emphasis, however, is decidedly on the fantastic classics that came into their own during the postwar boom of the 1950s and '60s, including the Chevrolet Nomad, Pontiac Safari, Studebaker Wagonaire, and Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser. Also included are beautiful woodys from several manufacturers and rare wagons from bygon manufacturers like Packard. The wonderful images in this nostalgic, one-of-a-kind history include period color photography, fascinating print advertisements, and exclusive modern color photographs of lovingly restored wagons.

One of the New Yorker's Best Books of 2022 Bill McKibben—award-winning author, activist, educator—is fiercely curious. “I’m curious about what went so suddenly sour with American patriotism, American faith, and American prosperity.” Like so many of us, McKibben grew up believing—knowing—that the United States was the greatest country on earth. As a teenager, he cheerfully led American Revolution tours in Lexington, Massachusetts. He sang “Kumbaya” at church. And with the remarkable rise of suburbia, he assumed that all Americans would share in the wealth. But fifty years later, he finds himself in an increasingly doubtful nation strained by bleak racial and economic inequality, on a planet whose future is in peril. And he is curious: What the hell happened? In this revelatory cri de coeur, McKibben digs deep into our history (and his own well-meaning but not all-seeing past) and into the latest scholarship on race and inequality in America, on the rise of the religious right, and on our environmental crisis to explain how we got to this point. He finds that he is not without hope. And he wonders if any of that trinity of his youth—The Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon—could, or should, be reclaimed in the fight for a fairer future.

Noted magazine writing veteran Scotty Gosson takes an informative and lighthearted look at the lowly station wagon. Long lauded as a family mover unworthy of respect, the vintage style and quirky functionality of old wagons is now finding favor with enthusiasts and baby boomers alike. Their unique shapes and smile-inducing purpose separates wagons from more typical vintage rides, and in modified or customized form, wagons take on an entirely different personality.

A pictorial history of the evolution of the wooden station wagon in America. Over 300 photos illustrate the evolution of the station wagon from the early 1900's Depot Hack to the stately estate wagons of the 1950's. The historical facts are traced in the accompanying text that runs throughout the book. The 160 pages contain mostly colour images of every kind of wooden station wagon produced. This hard cover volume is finished with a full colour wrap.