Book Review: Reaching Climax by Gary Gladstone

Reaching Climax: And Other Towns Along the American Highway
by Gary Gladstone
Ten Speed Press, 144 pages, $19.95. 2007

People who reside in oddly named towns, such as Dickshooter, Idaho and Idiotville, Oregon probably have a sense of humor. After all, it takes guts to live in a locale that lends itself to jokes. "Reaching Climax" by award-winning photographer Gary Gladstone features insightful and humorous images of these unusual places and the people who inhabit them.

Each portrait creatively illustrates the name and personality of the town. The picture of Two Egg, Florida centers on a retired tobacco farmer holding two eggs. For Hooker, Ohio, Gary Zuck stands next to the giant silver hook on a tow truck.

Other times, Gladstone juxtaposes the town's name. An image for Hell Hollow, New Hampshire features Mary Mills holding two plastic containers of strawberries. Nothing hellish there. The picture of Fickle, Indiana features a couple holding each other - very much in love.

For each portrait, Gladstone includes commentary about the characters in the image. Usually quite complimentary, these stories also highlight stories of how these unusual towns were named. Erect, North Carolina received its name after three other attempts to name the town were rejected by the postal authorities. "... the town fathers threw up their hands and, in a defiantly flippant gesture, named the town Erect, supposedly after the extremely upright posture of their very tall group leader, Tom Bray."

Reflecting on the experiences of working on his similarly-themed first book, "Passing Gas" and this project, Gladstone writes that he expected to see "cartoon towns populated by cartoon people. I expected to have to manufacture outrageous situations or arrange over-the-top settings and backgrounds to do justice to my idea of a fitting portrait. What I found was that I had not only brought cameras, film and root beer with me, I was also hauling foolish expectations, prejudices, and a bit of snobbery." It's refreshing to see the American Heartland depicted as a place of character, humor and wisdom.

Comments

[Scott Walters]

That last paragraph, and your summary sentence, is right on!

[Laura A]

I thought of you when I read those comments.

[Wallace Ragland]

I was given his first book in this series "Passing Gas And Other Towns Along The American Highway" and loved the stories. On vacation, last year, we even drove to Good Grief, Idaho just to say we went there.

I didn't know about "Reaching Climax And Other Towns Along The American Highway" but am ordering a copy for the coffee table. If it's anything like "Passing Gas" it will be a great conversation starter.