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Title

Tales of the Wide-A-Wake Café

by Curt Munson

Review

I stumbled across this book while shelving and was immediately attracted to the book by the cover art.  Everyone who grew up in Edmond prior to 1972 and the closing of the Wide-A-Wake Café knew about the Wide-A-Wake.  Located at the corner of 2nd and Broadway or more famously at the corner of Route 66 and Highway 77, the Wide-A-Wake was open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for 45 years.

This book is a fictionalized account of the waitresses featured in the cover art.  But the places and people depicted in the story are true.  Dr. Wynn was the doctor and yes, the hospital was above the Broncho Theatre (now Othello’s).  The Conoco station cattycornered from the Wide-A-Wake still stands.  The waitresses who were able to attend college went to Central State.

The time frame for this book is 1937 to the end of World War II in 1945 – tough times not only for our nation but also the little town of Edmond, Oklahoma.  The author states “At every point in the preparation of this book I sought the highest level of authenticity I could achieve.  This extended to the clothing, music, prices, pay, and tips and even what movie was playing on a particular night.”  The book is well researched and a very enjoyable read for history buffs and readers of fiction. ~ Anita Hill

Review Date

Reviewed November 2012