The acclaimed “route 66″ television series has been off the air for more than 40 years. Suddenly, within weeks of each other, two books have been released on the CBS-TV drama about Buzz and Tod driving across the country in a Corvette, looking for adventure.

The first book out is Robin Fletcher’s “The Route 66 TV Series” (64 pages, $14.95), published by Route 66 Magazine. The second is James Rosin’s “Route 66: The Television Series, 1960-64″ (174 pages, $19.95), published by the Autumn Road Co. Both books have their merits.

Full disclosure: Save for a few clips on YouTube, I’ve never seen the “route 66″ series. (I don’t anticipate that changing until someone puts out a proper DVD release.)  I can’t vouch for both books’ accuracy of the descriptions of all 116 episodes of “route 66.”

Rosin’s descriptions of each episode’s plot are full and detailed. Fletcher’s plot descriptions are written compactly, but also contain additional nuggets. For one, Fletcher tells where each episode was filmed. Here, we learn that “route 66″ was filmed in Route 66 towns just a handful of times — Los Angeles, St. Louis, Chicago, Santa Monica, Santa Fe and Needles, Calif.

Also, Fletcher provides information about each episode’s co-stars and where they found fame later, including Robert Redford, Walter Matthau, Leslie Nielsen, Lee Marvin, Jack Lord, Jack Warden, Martin Sheen, Ed Asner, Burt Reynolds, William Shatner, Robert Duvall and James Coburn.

Fletcher’s book also adds something that Rosin’s book does not: several pages about the ill-fated NBC-TV series “Route 66″ starring Dan Cortese and James Wilder in 1993. Released in mid-summer, the show was canceled after just four episodes. But Fletcher gives the show its due with data about the episodes and production — including Route 66 author Michael Wallis and his wife Suzanne helping lead a Route 66 Corvette tour from Santa Monica to Chicago to promote the show.

Fletcher’s book takes up just a few pages about the genesis and production of the original “route 66″ series. Rosin’s book devotes more than 30 pages to “route 66’s” back story, including interviews with producers, writers and directors, co-stars George Maharis and Martin Milner, and executive producer Herbert B. Leonard. Here, we learn that the series — especially with its on-location shoots — always faced intense deadline pressures, and script re-writes on the fly were common. Given the logistical challenges, it’s amazing how strong the show was. It’s terrific reading, and this is where Rosin’s book shines.

Rosin’s book contains about 20 pages of photographs from “route 66’s” production. About a half-dozen pages of photos occupy Fletcher’s book.

The back of Rosin’s book also contains biographies of the major “route 66″ principals, including their entertainment credits after the show ran its course.

A few minor typographical errors mar Fletcher’s book. Rosin’s writing seems to have been proof-read more thoroughly.

Some may quibble about the $14.95 price of Fletcher’s book for 64 pages. However, it’s a compact, informative book with little fat. Rosin’s book, at $19.95, is 174 pages, but its additional photos and bigger type take up more space.

Overall, I give Rosin’s book an edge over Fletcher’s. But each has something to offer. If you want a book with more photos and back story on “route 66,” buy Rosin’s. If you want more information on the episodes and the short-lived 1993 series, buy Fletcher’s.