Its perhaps the most famous highway in the world California State Highway 1, a narrow strip of roadway between the cliffs and the ocean on the very edge of the continent. Blessed with spectacular natural landscapes, inspiring ocean views and the echoes of California history, Highway 1 is a scenic drive like no other. The sequel to the authors acclaimed book An Artist and a Writer Travel Highway 1 North, An Artist and a Writer Travel Highway 1 Central takes the reader on a unique literary and artistic journey through the natural and man-made beauty of Californias central coast. Lavishly illustrated with over 100 original full-color Pat Hunter watercolors depicting gorgeous landscapes and architectural treasures, this is a thinking persons travel guide that reveals hidden treasures and unexpected delights. Written as a memoir of the authors tour along the highway, the book takes an appealingly idiosyncratic perspective, as the authors record their explorations off the beaten path, their serendipitous discoveries, and their personal reactions to the places and people they encounter. A satisfying and contemplative mixture of captivating artistry and personal essay, An Artist and a Writer Travel Highway 1 Central reinvents the travel guide as a literary form.
"Pat Hunter, one of California's most recognized artists, is best known for her watercolor depictions of historical landmarks. Since the early 1990s, Hunter has been an invited artist-in-residence at the Yosemite National Park Art Center. Hunter's commissioned art can be found in numerous corporate and private collections, including more than 25 McDonald's restaurants throughout the United States. Hunter and writer Janice Stevens have collaborated on numerous books featuring Hunter's watercolors, including Fresno's Architectural Past, Volume I (2006); Fresno's Architectural Past, Volume II (2007); William Saroyan: Places in Time (2008); Remembering the California Missions (2010); and An Artist and a Writer Travel Highway 1 North (2012), all of which are available from Craven Street Books."
Janice Stevens is an author and instructor of English literature, composition and creative writing. Hunter and Stevens have collaborated on seven previous books on California locales.
Highly recommended for California collections is Pat Hunter and Janice Stevens' "An Artist and a Writer Travel Highway 1 Central," which packs in over a hundred color Hunter watercolors capturing images of the California central coast as Stevens provides the insights on California history and culture. There are plenty of travel guides that cover the region, but none adopt the unique approach of blending an artist and a writer's personal journey off the beaten path in this particular area. The result is a production that may be enjoyed as an artistic landscape collection, a work of California history, a travelogue, or all three. California collections will find it a lively, appealing addition. --California Bookwatch
