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[jfb]

The Times had an article a couple of days ago about the Federal Writers' Project, part of Roosevelt's Works Progress Administration. Just as the rest of the WPA used federal money to create jobs for other laborers, the Writers' Project created work for writers--among them Saul Bellow, Studs Terkel, Richard Wright, and Zora Neale Hurston. Their best-known project was the American Guide series, a volume for each of the 48 states. I have, and love, Massachusetts and New York.

"The complete set comprises the most comprehensive account of the United States ever got together, and nothing since has even approached it," Steinbeck writes in [Travels with Charley]. "It was compiled during the Depression by the best writers in America, who were, if that is possible, more depressed than any other group while maintaining their inalienable instinct for eating."

Comments

[evandra.livejournal.com]

Are these in print? At the library? Do you have exact title/author info so I can look them up? They sound amazing...

[jfb.livejournal.com]

Looks like they're mostly out of print. At Amazon, you can search for, say, "wpa guide massachusetts" and find five "used & new" copies available, and you can click on the author ("federal writers project") to get more listings. The NYC guide seems to be in print, but may go out again. They tend to come and go.

I found both of mine at the Avenue Victor Hugo (http://www.avenuevictorhugobooks.com/) in Boston, but it looks like now they only have Utah. And LA! For nearly ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS. Stupid first edition.