That a picture is worth a thousand words is a truism that cannot be denied. In 'Americana: A Photographic Journey,' Mathew Tekulsky has gathered 125 images from across America. Each photo has a story to tell. For example, the photograph of Nathan’s Original at Coney Island brings to mind hotdog eating contests. It also reminds us of the thousands of beach-goers that have eaten at this iconic eatery. With the value of a photo so high, this book is worth 125,000 words and thousands of dollars. Don’t just buy this book, flip through its pages, and then put it away on a shelf. Revel in the imagery. Imagine the history of each item depicted. Use your imagination’s eye to see the people eating at the diner or standing in line somewhere. How did the old car become a fixture of the landscape? This book is a delight to the visual senses.

The United States has almost 250 years of history. If you count the time before we became our own country, the years extend beyond our imagination. Within our boundaries, the population and cultures are diverse. Mathew Tekulsky has carried his camera around the land (especially the Northeast and California), taking snapshots of Americana. These pictures capture the spirit of our nation so well that he named the book 'Americana.' What could be more iconic of America than a NY Yankee’s game photograph? Pictures are more fun than words because they allow your imagination to run wild. Every time you peruse this book, you can create a new story from what the picture may evoke. One day you can look at the photo of Nathan’s Original and imagine you are eating one of their famous frankfurters. The next time you can imagine digging into the steamed clams. This book gives you a flight of fancy each time you look through it.