Sawage Highway

Thieves’ Highway vividly depicts the perilous world of “long-haul boys,” who drive by night to bring their goods to the markets of America’s cities. Richard Conte stars as ex-G.I. Nick Garcos, a tyro trucker bent on satisfaction from the man responsible for crippling his father—ruthless market operator Mike Figlia (Lee J. Cobb). But when Figlia gets wise to his plan, Nick finds himself in a web of treachery and heartbreak. The Criterion Collection is proud to present this searing melodrama from master Jules Dassin.

Here's an educated guess that road tapes are the second most popular type of homemade mix cassette. (One suspects that old off-road standard–the bedroom mix–would clock in at No. 1.) Hot Rods & Custom Classics is Rhino Records' big daddy of road mixes: four discs housed in an elaborate box that includes a scrupulously assembled 66-page booklet, a catalog of hot-rod accessories, a strip of decals, and even a set of fuzzy dice for your own resto rod. Musically, this collection is all over the road, ranging from selections that seem like they were written with one foot on the accelerator (Johnny Bond's "Hot Rod Lincoln," Chuck Berry's "Maybelline," War's "Low Rider") to more tangential tracks that might force you to pull into a rest stop (Hank Williams's mournful "Lost Highway," Rod Stewart's "Gasoline Alley"). Spanning multiple genres and five decades, Custom Classics is enlivened by film and ad snippets, including a public-safety message from high-speed-crash victim James Dean on, naturally, safe highway driving. –Steven Stolder

Modern highway engineering reflects an integrated view of a road system's entire lifecycle, including any potential environmental impacts, and seeks to develop a sustainable infrastructure through careful planning and active management. This trend is not limited to developed nations, but is recognized across the globe. Edited by renowned authority T.F. Fwa, The Handbook of Highway Engineering provides a comprehensive, up-to-date treatment of all aspects of highway development and engineering. Its three sections range from consideration of socio-economic and environmental factors to design, construction, maintenance, and management.