Plano Reads: The Vagabonds: The Story of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison’s Ten-Year Road Trip
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Plano Reads: The Vagabonds: The Story of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison’s Ten-Year Road Trip

Second Tuesday Book Club begins our fall reading season with Jeff Guinn’s The Vagabonds on September 8.

We will meet on Tuesday, September 8, at 7:15 p.m. using Zoom. Register for this session by sending an email to Cathe Spencer or fill out your information on Zoom here. You can join this Zoom book club session via computer or phone.

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The Vagabonds: The Story of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison’s Ten-Year Road Trip by Jeff Guinn

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Between 1914 and 1925, Henry Ford and Thomas Edison, two legendary names in American history, joined forces for a series of car trips through the United States. On the early roads of the nation, the Vagabonds, as this inventive pair called themselves, explored the possibilities of “auto camping” and cross-country travel. This interesting book shows us how the friendship of these two men helped the summer road trip become a familiar part of American life.


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Stuart Shiffman at Bookreporter.com calls The Vagabonds “a charming account of America in the early 20th century … Any reader who has ever traveled around or across America by car can appreciate what Guinn has captured: colorful and insightful portraits of these two giants of American industry, and a wonderful biography and historical narrative.”

Kirkus describes it as “an entertaining story that mixes sharp portraits of two vivid personalities with details of their travels and a portrait of American society– an amusing account of celebrity travelers through the primitive and yet familiar America of 100 years ago.”


Author and former journalist Jeff Guinn, who lives in Fort Worth, is the author of twenty-two books of nonfiction. Look at this link for a list of his titles available in print and e-formats through Overdrive and the Plano Public Library catalog.


The Thomas Edison Center, at Menlo Park, New Jersey, honors the memory of Thomas Edison, and educates visitors about his impact on American invention, research and development. Take a look at its website here.

Edison’s house and laboratory are part of the Thomas Edison National Historical Park, also in New Jersey. You’ll find a biography, a timeline, photos, and more, at this website.

To explore the life and legacy of Henry Ford and the Ford Motor Company, visit the website of The Henry Ford museum complex at Dearborn, Michigan, which has recently reopened to the public. It includes the Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, and the Ford Rouge Factory tour.

Have fun learning more, and join Second Tuesday Book Club on Zoom on Tuesday, September 8.

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