River Styx – 2003

In the “Route 66” issue, River Styx succeeds in its “homage to that lingering spirit of the road” with poems (by Gaylord Brewer, Walt McDonald, Nancy Krygowski, Rafael Campo, among others), short fiction, essays, illustrations and photography. These lively pieces concentrate on the vast subject matter encountered during automobile travel around the United States. 

In the “Route 66” issue, River Styx succeeds in its “homage to that lingering spirit of the road” with poems (by Gaylord Brewer, Walt McDonald, Nancy Krygowski, Rafael Campo, among others), short fiction, essays, illustrations and photography. These lively pieces concentrate on the vast subject matter encountered during automobile travel around the United States. Anyone who’s done a family beach trip down south on 95 can relate to the disappointment in Lori Jakiela’s essay, “South of the Border,” upon stopping at the heavily bill-boarded tourist trap by the same name. Jeffrey Hammond’s essay, “My Life at the Comfort Inn,” is a skillful and amusing telling of what it’s like to spend half a week at the same motel for eight years straight. This issue demonstrates that there’s much one can experience and confront while en route, which sometimes can be more significant than arriving at the destination. [River Styx, 634 North Grand Boulevard, Twelfth Floor, Saint Louis, MO 63103. Single issue $7. http://www.riverstyx.org] – RL