All Summer Long

It's snowing in Portland, Oregon right now and like a lot of people I'm longing for summer. But it's not because of the weather. My friend, Al Drake and Flat Out Press recently reprinted his "Lents Collection" featuring three of the hot rod author's publications that take place in the Lents district of Portland. The collection includes Beyond the Pavement, One Summer, and Tillamook Burn.

Al is most well known for his books that document 1950s Portland hot rod culture and drive-ins. His Fifties Flashback will make you want to jump into a time machine to cruise Sandy Blvd and savor a Tik Tok burger.

Over my Christmas break, I enjoyed reading the re-released "Lents Collection" and have to say my favorite of the trio is One Summer. It takes us to '40s Portland where protagonist Chris is spending his last summer before he starts high school. The events of the summer have an effect on his character and shape the man he becomes. It was interesting to read about the boy, who would later become a hot-rodder, shopping with friends at Goodwill for go-cart wheels. Or picturing the "Lents gang" walking through the S.E. neighborhood to the Mt. Scott drugstore for phosphates and comic book reading.  

Above: Al Drake at Jim Dandys. 

After reading his books, you will feel how much love Al has for the 1940s and 50s. He likes to joke about being stuck in that time. All of his hot rod magazine columns and books are still typed up on his 1958 Royal Heritage that he received new from his sister Bonnie. 

Above: Al's trusty 1958 Royal Heritage

So, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that his books are now available on Kindle through Amazon. It is exciting to think that these once out of print books are now finding a new audience online. Flat Out Press also has a Facebook page and blog. Sounds like Al Drake and Flat Out are cruising along with the times.