Author Roger Naylor will discuss one of his favorite topics, Route 66, at the Sedona Public Library on Friday April 5, at 10:30 a.m.

Learn the story of the world’s most famous highway right in Arizona’s backyard. Sedona Car Club will display classic rides in the parking lot and local home­made pie will be served as refreshments. The event is free and open to the public.

Naylor is the author of “Arizona Kicks on Route 66,” which was chosen as the featured book for Read Around Sedona 2019. The goal of Read Around Sedona is to promote reading and discussion of a specific book to bring the community together.

Route 66 in Arizona crosses stark badlands, cloud-swept plateaus and a desert painted in scandalous hues. The road explores forests of tall pines and forests where trees have turned to stone. It brushes past volcanoes, craters and the ruins of ancient civilizations. Amid the scenic splendor, the highway John Steinbeck referred to as the Mother Road passes through small towns and the skeletons of towns. If Grand Canyon is the heart of Arizona, then Route 66 is the main artery.

Travelers looking for an old-fashioned road trip exit the interstate to dip their wheels into the mythology of the untamed highway. Bygone days aren’t gone at all, they just live on Route 66. The journey is especially poignant here because Arizona is the state that saved Route 66.

It’s all detailed in Naylor’s book, which captures the astounding scenery, small town getaways and home­made pie along the Arizona portion of the Mother Road. The stunning visual images in the book are from Larry Lindahl, a longtime photographer for Arizona Highways.

A Cottonwood resident, Naylor is one of Arizona’s premier travel writers. In 2018, he was inducted into the Arizona Tourism Hall of Fame. His work appears most weeks in the Arizona Republic. Each year, he writes the cover story for the official Arizona Visitor’s Guide and has contributed to USA Today, The Guardian, The Week, Arizona Highways and dozens more. He is also the author of “The Amazing Kolb Brothers of Grand Canyon” and “Boots & Burgers: An Arizona Handbook for Hungry Hikers.” Visit roger­naylor.com for more information.

Naylor’s books will be for sale following the presen­tation at Sedona Public Library, located at 3250 White Bear Road. Call 282-7714 or visit sedonalibrary.org for more information.