The blue plate special, meatloaf, a cheeseburger deluxe, a milkshake in a frosty mixing canister, a hot cup of joe?all served by a friendly face in a well-lighted aluminum tube. Such are the special joys of the American diner. And it was just these pleasures that photographer Stephan Schacher set out to document when he left New York on a journey through North America that would test both his stomach and his resolve. Schacher?s mission: to feed his hunger only at diners, and to photograph both his meal and his server every time. The result is a unique and deeply human story?quirky and nostalgic and generous?of one man's quest to discover North America's diner culture and his own place in it.Traveling from a Jersey diner to the Canadian Rockies to a shoreside clambake shack on the Pacific Ocean, Schacher's culinary adventure is documented here with a wealth of visual materials. The author's arresting photographs of succulent steaks and greasy fries, of smiling waitresses in uniforms or jeans, and brightly colored plastic dishes and table mats are supplemented by maps showing thephotographer's route across the continent.

"Schacher traveled across the U.S. and Canada in three stages, first in a 1978 Volkswagen van, then in a 35-foot motor home and, finally, by motorcycle. Over the 13,318 miles he covered, he visited 70 highway eating establishments, and photographed the food he ate and the women who served it to him. The result is a collection that oozes with sentimentality about North American culture. In Wawa, Ontario, Lori smiles kindly, standing before a moose head mounted to a wall. At the Eureka Lodge in Glennallen, Ala., Daphne seems stricken, as if the bear stitched onto the quilt hanging behind her might jump out at any moment. Schacher hit 20 states and six Canadian provinces, and consumed a variety of bland, fried stuff along the way: T-bone steak and fries, cheeseburger and fries, fish and chips, etc. The photos of the food aren't nearly as striking as the ones of the women: most look happy, though some seem resigned or distant, hinting at too many plates served and too many coffee cups refilled. " Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

As satisfying as a good cheeseburger and a chocolate shake, this photo-journal documents Schacher's trek across North America to pursue his mission to eat only at diners and to photograph every meal and every server. The charming photographs of greasy fries and smiling waitresses are supplemented with maps of Schacher's route and with his log of restaurants, meals and servers.
Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Stephen Schacher studied fine arts and photography at the Art Center College of Design. He has workedon assignment for various magazines, including Interview, Rolling Stone, and Vanity Fair, and has done portraits of such celebrities as Christo, Wolfgang Joop, and the Dalai Lama. Schacher has been living and working in New York and Zurich since 1997.