Local Authors
A hate crime strikes the house of Max, Brian, and their newly adopted son Donte. Clinging to his idealism, Max helps his family navigate this difficult time with grit, faith, and acceptance. This novel was written by Malcolm Varner of Grove City, Ohio who is a social worker and mental health advocate. He received his undergraduate degree from Oberlin and his MSSA from Case Western Reserve University.
Everyone ages, and nearly everyone will also experience having to support aging relatives. Being prepared is the best way to handle this inevitable life stage. This book addresses a breadth of topics that are relevant to aging and caring for the elderly, analyzing each thoroughly and providing up-to-date, practical advice. It can serve as a concise and comprehensive resource read start-to-finish to plan for an individual's own old age or to anticipate the needs of aging relatives, or as a quick-reference guide on specific issues and topics as relevant to each reader's situation and needs.
Using an interdisciplinary approach, Aging with a Plan: How a Little Thought Today Can Vastly Improve Your Tomorrow develops recommendations for building sustainable social, legal, medical, and financial support systems that can promote a good quality of life throughout the aging process. Chapters address critical topics such as retirement savings and expenses, residential settings, legal planning, the elderly and driving, long-term care, and end-of-life decisions. The author combines analysis of recent research on the challenges of aging with engaging anecdotes and personal observations. By following the recommendations in this book, readers in their 40s, 50s, and early 60s will greatly benefit from learning about the issues regarding aging in the 21st century--and from investing some effort in planning for their old age and that of their loved ones.
After the sudden death of their parents in the jungles of Central America, twelve-year-old science geek Andora "Andi" Boggs and her diva teenaged sister, Bethany, move to rural Killdeer, Ohio to live with their eccentric twenty-something aunt. And while the timeworn house has been home to the Boggs family for generations, Andi feels far from at home. Exploring the attic in her grief, she discovers proof of another Andora Boggs in the family tree hidden in a Depression-era trunk. Despite the meddling of the citizens of Killdeer, Andi and her new friend, Colin Carter, are determined to find out who this first Andora was, how she vanished, and why no one in town wants to talk about her. As more and more unanswered questions pile up, Andi and Colin must decide who they can trust with their secrets and who is interested in Andora's story for the wrong reasons.
In 1937, the Great Depression was still lingering, but at baseball parks across the country there was a sense of optimism. Major League attendance was on a sharp rise. Tickets to an Indians game at League Park on Lexington and East 66th were $1.60 for box seats, $1.35 for reserve seats, and $.55 for the bleachers. Cleveland fans were particularly upbeat--Bob Feller, the teenage phenomenon, was a farm boy with a blistering fast ball. Night games were an exciting development. Better days were ahead.
But there were mounting issues facing the Indians. For one thing, it was rumored that the team had illegally signed Feller. Baseball Commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis was looking into that matter and one other. Issues with an alcoholic catcher, dugout fights, bats thrown into stands, injuries, and a player revolt kept things lively.
In Bad Boys, Bad Times: The Cleveland Indians and Baseball in the Prewar Years, 1937-1941--the follow-up to his No Money, No Beer, No Pennants: The Cleveland Indians and Baseball in the Great Depression--baseball historian Scott H. Longert writes about an exciting period for the team, with details and anecdotes that will please fans all over.
In The Beats: A Graphic History, those who were mad to live have come back to life through artwork as vibrant as the Beat movement itself. Told by the comic legend Harvey Pekar, his frequent artistic collaborator Ed Piskor, and a range of artists and writers, including the feminist comic creator Trina Robbins and the Mad magazine artist Peter Kuper, The Beats takes us on a wild tour of a generation that, in the face of mainstream American conformity and conservatism, became known for its determined uprootedness, aggressive addictions, and startling creativity and experimentation.
What began among a small circle of friends in New York and San Francisco during the late 1940s and early 1950s laid the groundwork for a literary explosion, and this striking anthology captures the storied era in all its incarnations--from the Benzedrine-fueled antics of Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Burroughs to the painting sessions of Jay DeFeo's disheveled studio, from the jazz hipsters to the beatnik chicks, from Chicago's College of Complexes to San Francisco's famed City Lights bookstore. Snapshots of lesser-known poets and writers sit alongside frank and compelling looks at the Beats' most recognizable faces. What emerges is a brilliant collage of--and tribute to--a generation, in a form and style that is as original as its subject.
In The Beautiful Journey, Andrea takes you on an emotional rollercoaster as she chronicles her journey through cancer. You'll laugh (yes, laugh), cry, and cheer her on as she battles to become victorious over this disease. Andrea shares her raw, honest experiences as she is forced to make heavy, life-saving decisions.
However, The Beautiful Journey is more than a story about cancer. Andrea includes many valuable lessons she learns as a result of facing this adversity, including:
- How to overcome fear
- How blessings can be found in adversity
- The difference between living a successful life vs. one of significance
- The importance of living...on purpose
- Finding the beauty in all things
- The importance of listening to your body
As you follow Andrea's story of how she claims victory over cancer, you'll be able to go on your own "beautiful journey" of self-discovery and awareness.
Many are asking, what is wrong with teaching, learning, schooling, and education, and what can be done? You will get the answers (panacea) from the letters of a mad public school teacher: intrepid, irascible, cantankerous, provocative, passionate, thought-provoking, iconoclastic, and enhanced with vitriolic demagoguery.
As a grad student / colleague said, Thanks for an enjoyable class on education issues in society. I also enjoyed your letters to the editor. I've been told that I say what other people think. Well, you write and publish what we're all thinking.
Laura Grace Weldon was the Ohio Poet of the Year in 2019 for this collection of nature filled poems. This collection casts an uncommonly bright glow. In clear language, these poems explore themes of connection and healing through subjects as unusual as cow pastures, dictionaries, to-do lists, and astrophysics. Beauty is revealed in what one reviewer calls "sacraments of the ordinary." Perfect for poetry lovers and those who haven't read a poem in years.
The disappearance of a local girl leads Special Agent Graham Grassi right to the doorstep of the sexy redhead that has haunted him since they were part of a thwarted hijacking last week.
Questioning Mickey O'Shay cuts through him as he informs her about her missing goddaughter, one of the girls involved in his investigation. He wants to keep her safe, but she won't sit on the sidelines. The life of her goddaughter is in jeopardy and Mickey's determination has him ready to handcuff her-or kiss her-in place. As time runs out though, the stakes run higher. They both struggle to ignore their attraction as they try to unravel a web of deception-- before it's too late.
Chasity Strawder, a Black woman in northern Ohio, recounts her high risk pregnancy and healthcare disparities in this urgent memoir. She also tells stories of kindness, such as when her chiropractor gave her free treatments and herbs to assist with her pain. Her memoir is a powerful call to action for Black women’s maternal health and a universal story of motherhood. Strawder is a well-known advocate for black women's maternal health through Cuyahoga County.
Listen to an interview with Chasity on Lines of Loganberry on Spotify.
The bestselling true story of a Texas congressman’s secret role in the Afghan defeat of Russian invaders is “a tour de force of reporting and writing” (Dan Rather).
A New York Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times bestseller.
Charlie Wilson’s penchant for cocktails and beauty-contest winners was well known, but in the early 1980s, the dilettante congressman quietly conducted one of the most successful covert operations in US history. Using his seat on the House Appropriations Committee, Wilson channeled hundreds of millions of dollars to support a ragged band of Afghan “freedom fighters” in their resistance against Soviet invaders.
Weapons were secretly procured and distributed with the help of an outcast CIA operative named Gust Avrakotos, who stretched the agency’s rules to the breaking point. Moving from the back rooms of Washington to secret chambers at Langley, and from arms-dealers’ conventions to the Khyber Pass, Wilson and Avrakotos helped the mujahideen win an unlikely victory against the Russians.
New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2003. 1st edition, signed by author; dust jacket in protective mylar cover. F/F
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR, BOOKPAGE, AND SHELF AWARENESS - "Paula McLain is considered the new star of historical fiction, and for good reason. Fans of The Paris Wife will be captivated by Circling the Sun, which . . . is both beautifully written and utterly engrossing."--Ann Patchett, Country Living
This powerful novel transports readers to the breathtaking world of Out of Africa--1920s Kenya--and reveals the extraordinary adventures of Beryl Markham, a woman before her time. Brought to Kenya from England by pioneering parents dreaming of a new life on an African farm, Beryl is raised unconventionally, developing a fierce will and a love of all things wild. But after everything she knows and trusts dissolves, headstrong young Beryl is flung into a string of disastrous relationships, then becomes caught up in a passionate love triangle with the irresistible safari hunter Denys Finch Hatton and the writer Baroness Karen Blixen. Brave and audacious and contradictory, Beryl will risk everything to have Denys's love, but it's ultimately her own heart she must conquer to embrace her true calling and her destiny: to fly.Praise for Circling the Sun
"In McLain's confident hands, Beryl Markham crackles to life, and we readers truly understand what made a woman so far ahead of her time believe she had the power to soar."--Jodi Picoult, author of Leaving Time
"Enchanting . . . a worthy heir to [Isak] Dinesen . . . Like Africa as it's so gorgeously depicted here, this novel will never let you go."--The Boston Globe
"Famed aviator Beryl Markham is a novelist's dream. . . . [A] wonderful portrait of a complex woman who lived--defiantly--on her own terms."--People (Book of the Week) "Circling the Sun soars."--Newsday "Captivating . . . [an] irresistible novel."--The Seattle Times "Like its high-flying subject, Circling the Sun is audacious and glamorous and hard not to be drawn in by. Beryl Markham may have married more than once, but she was nobody's wife."--Entertainment Weekly
"[An] eloquent evocation of Beryl's daring life."--O: The Oprah Magazine
What made the summertime special when growing up in Cleveland? The final school bell has rung, so put on your shades, slather on the sunscreen, and relive some of your fondest memories . . .
Taking a dip at the city pool with your best friends. Building a sandcastle in your clam diggers at Edgewater Park. Pulling up to Manners Big Boy in your parents' car for a burger and a Big Ghoulardi. Cooling off with a ornate sundae at Boukair's near the Palace Theatre. Watching the Indians lose (again) but being dazzled by the fireworks at Municipal Stadium. Riding the Rocket Ship and then being terrified by Laughing Sal at Euclid Beach Park. Packing a picnic for the first season at Blossom.
Enjoy stories told by dozens of Northeast Ohioians who shared in the same fun and excitement of growing up in the Cleveland area.
Look inside and rediscover some of your own Cleveland summertime memories!
Rock and roll has been as much a part of the north coast city of Cleveland as the lake that hugs it.
Ever since Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed first called the records he was playing "rock and roll," northeast Ohio has been a driving force in this musical phenomenon. From the disc jockeys who spun the music to the musicians who played it, the clubs that welcomed it and fans who encouraged it, rock and roll has been as much a part of this north coast as the lake that hugs it. It was those early years, from the 1950s on, that led Cleveland to becoming the "Rock and Roll Capital of the World" and ultimately home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. While the city spawned several widely recognized names, such as the James Gang (with Joe Walsh), the Raspberries (with Eric Carmen), and Bobby Womack, it is the music itself that will keep this town rocking on the shores of Lake Erie, and beyond, for a long time to come.
But he cannot shake a growing sense of dread.
Discover and rediscover the world of the Queen's Thief, from the acclaimed series launch The Thief to the thrilling, twenty-years-in-the-making conclusion, The Return of the Thief.
New York Times-bestselling author Megan Whalen Turner's entrancing and award-winning Queen's Thief novels bring to life the world of the epics and feature one of the most charismatic and incorrigible characters of fiction, Eugenides the thief. Megan Whalen Turner's Queen's Thief novels are rich with political machinations and intrigue, battles lost and won, dangerous journeys, divine intervention, power, passion, revenge, and deception. The New York Times bestseller A Conspiracy of Kings won the Los Angeles Times Book Award and is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Marie Lu, Patrick Rothfuss, and George R. R. Martin.
After an attempted assassination and kidnapping, Sophos, heir to the throne of Sounis, disappears. Those who care for him--including the thief Eugenides and the Queen of Eddis--are left to wonder if he is alive and if they will ever see him again. The Queen's Thief novels have been praised by writers, critics, reviewers, and fans and have been honored with glowing reviews, "best of" citations, and numerous awards, including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, a Newbery Honor, the Andre Norton Award shortlist, and the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award.
This edition of A Conspiracy of Kings includes a conversation between bestselling author Leigh Bardugo and Megan Whalen Turner, an introduction to the characters from the world of the Queen's Thief, a map of the world of the Queen's Thief, and an exclusive teaser to Thick as Thieves.
Winner of the LA Times Book Award
A New York Times Bestseller
A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book
A School Library Journal Best Book
"The Queen's Thief books awe and inspire me. They have the feel of a secret, discovered history of real but forgotten lands. The plot-craft is peerless, the revelations stunning, and the characters flawed, cunning, heartbreaking, exceptional. Megan Whalen Turner's books have a permanent spot on my favorites shelf, with space waiting for more books to come."--Laini Taylor, New York Times-bestselling author of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone novels and Strange the Dreamer
Unforgettable characters, plot twists that will make your head spin, a world rendered in elegant detail--you will fall in love with every page of these stories. Megan Whalen Turner writes vivid, immersive, heartbreaking fantasy that will leave you desperate to return to Attolia again and again.--Leigh Bardugo, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom
"Megan Whalen Turner is one of my all-time favorite writers . . . impossible to put down."--Holly Black, award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author of the Modern Faerie Tale series and The Darkest Part of the Forest
"Romance, intrigue, mystery, surprises, and sheer beautiful writing."--Cassandra Clare, award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author of The Mortal Instruments and Lady Midnight
"The world Turner creates is so tangible that not only do I believe in its characters, I almost believe in its gods."--Kristin Cashore, award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author of the Graceling Realm series
"A Conspiracy of Kings brings the sweetest, sharpest kind of reading pleasure. Megan Whalen Turner's books are pure joy."--Rebecca Stead, Newbery Medalist and New York Times-bestselling author of When You Reach Me and Goodbye Stranger
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Now, once again, the Queendom of the Fells seems likely to shatter apart. For young queen Raisa "ana'"Marianna, maintaining peace even within her own castle walls is nearly impossible; tension between wizards and Clan has reached a fevered pitch. With surrounding kingdoms seeking to prey on the Fells' inner turmoil, Raisa's best hope is to unite her people against a common enemy. But that enemy might be the person with whom she's falling in love.
Through a complicated web of lies and unholy alliances, former streetlord Han Alister has become a member of the Wizard Council of the Fells. Navigating the cut-throat world of blue blood politics has never been more dangerous, and Han seems to inspire hostility among Clan and wizards alike. His only ally is the queen, and despite the perils involved, Han finds it impossible to ignore his feelings for Raisa. Before long, Han finds himself in possession of a secret believed to be lost to history, a discovery powerful enough to unite the people of the Fells. But will the secret die with him before he can use it?
A simple, devastating truth concealed by a thousand-year-old lie at last comes to light in this stunning conclusion to the Seven Realms series.
Our country is divided in so many ways, with a growing chasm between men and women.
The news cycle is discouraging. Emotional and physical toxicity is at an all-time high. We're all starting to feel it in some shape or form, and many of us are struggling with how to keep our children protected from it all.
The problem is we're suffering from an empathy deficit.
But the really good news is there's a way out.
Healing starts with re-examining our modern myths about how we work, what "quality time" at home really means, and why the age-old battle of the sexes persists.
We can't continue down the path of least resistance. We need to carve a new way.
Currency of Empathy sets the stage for that new way by tackling disturbingly common issues like:
But here's the real kicker - it's not about gender - it's about nurturing empathy in our children and ourselves so we can help shape and mold happier, healthier, more productive communities and societies.
What is the hope of this book? That we all start valuing caring - especially parenting - in a way that helps us reprioritize how we spend our time, grow the superpower of affective empathy in children and adults, and heal our empathy deficit.
It's that simple, even if it doesn't seem easy, but we're willing to bet this book is the motivator you've been waiting for.
Currency of Empathy already at work:
"The revolution of the future will hinge on the empathy-inducing "co-creation" explained so masterfully and entertainingly in these pages."
"If someone feels that they could use some advice on improving their quality of life - this book is an answer."
"This book is academic without being dense and warm without being overly sentimental or new-agey."
"... an uplifting, inspiring book. It makes you think. It makes you smile. And it makes you feel more hopeful than you did before you picked it up!"
"The book will cause you to self-examine. It will provoke you to think, and think again."
DESTINY’S DARK LIGHT by Sara Dobie Bauer is contemporary adult paranormal romance focusing on Cyan Burroughs, a white witch whose birth has been prophesied to save the world in a battle with the dreaded Dorcha, a dark and powerful sorcerer. It is a story of magic, power, witches and love.
Have you contemplated what your life would have been like if you lived abroad? Have you dreamt of taking your career overseas? You are not alone.
The victim of an extreme case of wanderlust, author Jennifer Burge, has been on a mission to see as much of the world as possible, beginning with Europe. At thirty, Jennifer began the journey in real-life, having one of the world's largest tech consulting firms finance her plans.
Within days of the collapse of the Twin Towers, the "mission" comes in the form of an international assignment in Germany. As tomorrow is no longer guaranteed, Jennifer knows she must walk through the open door or risk losing the opportunity of a lifetime.
Armed with a heavy dose of wit and sarcasm, the author relies on her professional strength to navigate the alien European landscape. Jennifer's faux pas are many before she learns to respect the true depth of the cultural divide, realizing that it is she that must change and not an entire continent.
What would your life look like if you rolled the dice and seized an opportunity to live and work overseas?
The Devil Wears Clogs' is the essential "How NOT live Abroad" guide for those interested in an honest look at what happens when you pursue your career in another country. Anyone already living outside their native country will identify with Jennifer's mistakes as well as her triumphs. The Devil Wears Clogs is the first installment of a three part-series that spans four continents.
From acclaimed author Tricia Springstubb comes a poignant and topical middle grade novel about the effects of an accidental shooting on family, friendship, and community. Perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Holm and Rita Williams-Garcia.
Twelve-year-old Nella Sabatini's life is changing too soon, too fast. Her best friend, Clem, doesn't seem concerned; she's busy figuring out the best way to spend the "leap second"--an extra second about to be added to the world's official clock. The only person who might understand how Nella feels is Angela, but the two of them have gone from being "secret sisters" to not talking at all.
Then Angela's idolized big brother makes a terrible, fatal mistake, one that tears apart their tight-knit community and plunges his family into a whirlwind of harsh publicity and judgment. In the midst of this controversy, Nella is faced with a series of startling revelations about her parents, friends, and neighborhood. As Angela's situation becomes dangerous, Nella must choose whether to stand by or stand up. Her heart tries to tell her what to do, but can you always trust your heart? The clock ticks down, and in that extra second, past and present merge--the future will be up to her.
"Lydia is dead. But they don't know this yet." So begins this exquisite novel about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio. Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee, and her parents are determined that she will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue. But when Lydia's body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together is destroyed, tumbling them into chaos. A profoundly moving story of family, secrets, and longing, Everything I Never Told You is both a gripping page-turner and a sensitive family portrait, uncovering the ways in which mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, and husbands and wives struggle, all their lives, to understand one another.
Meliora lives on the Earth-like planet of Ima where days are idyllic and worries never last. Tension enters the north continent as her father, the King of a prominent sovereignty passes away. Her mother is left with the crown, but shows no interest in ruling. In desperation to find a cure for the hereditary disease that took her husband, Queen Vesper travels off-planet to study sorcery. Magic had long been banned on Ima, leaving desperate questions in her wake. To make matters worse, soon after her departure, Queen Vesper ceases communication. The lone successor to the throne is teenage Meliora, who feels shy of the task. With her best friend, Jedrek by her side, she musters the strength to lead. Meliora's reign is short lived as the previous Queen returns after years of silence. Though once close, the woman now wielding magic isn't the mother she remembers. Includes pen and ink illustrations of scenes by Ava Reiss.
First Darling of the Morning is the powerful and poignant memoir of bestselling author Thrity Umrigar, tracing the arc of her Bombay childhood and adolescence from her earliest memories to her eventual departure for the United States at age twenty-one. It is an evocative, emotionally charged story of a young life steeped in paradox; of a middle-class Parsi girl attending Catholic school in a predominantly Hindu city; of a guilt-ridden stranger in her own land, an affluent child in a country mired in abysmal poverty. She reveals intimate secrets and offers an unflinching look at family issues once considered unspeakable as she interweaves two fascinating coming-of-age stories--one of a small child, and one of a nation.
One of seven children of a high-ranking government official, Loung Ung lived a privileged life in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh until the age of five. Then, in April 1975, Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge army stormed into the city, forcing Ung's family to flee and, eventually, to disperse. Loung was trained as a child soldier in a work camp for orphans, her siblings were sent to labor camps, and those who survived the horrors would not be reunited until the Khmer Rouge was destroyed.
Harrowing yet hopeful, Loung's powerful story is an unforgettable account of a family shaken and shattered, yet miraculously sustained by courage and love in the face of unspeakable brutality.
--Boston Book Review "The most honest, observant and timely book written this year about the American generation now approaching thirty . . . Chaon speaks with clarity of feeling, and more than a little oddball wit, about the lives of those left behind the demographic curve of America--men and woman with pointless jobs, doughy faces, soured relationships, bad credit. . . . Each story pulls you into its subtle emotional vortex, largely because of Chaon's knack for simple but poignant detail."
--New York Newsday "Remarkable . . . Each story is a marvel of complexity, dense with meaning and nuance. . . . Very few first works are as solid, moving, and pitch-perfect as Chaon's."
--The Cleveland Plain Dealer
"[AN] OFTEN PERCEPTIVE, LUCID VOICE."
--The New York Times Book Review
Internationally acclaimed as a surgeon and brilliant researcher, particularly in the therapy of shock, Dr. George Crile was one of the dynamic personalities of our time, both in private and professional life. Following his death in 1943, Grace Crile brought together her husband's voluminous autobiographical writings to form this illustrated, two-volume work, adding important sidelights on a distinguished career that included experiences in two wars, travels through Europe and Asia, expeditions to Africa and Alaska, and association with notables in both medical and non-medical fields.
1st edition, inscribed by Grace Crile; 2 volumes; volume 2 has dj in protective mylar cover; dj has many tears, but all text is legible; red cloth with black and gilt decoration on spines; binding tight; text clean and bright.
Meanwhile, some people will stop at nothing to prevent Raisa from ascending. With each attempt on her life, she wonders how long it will be before her enemies succeed. Her heart tells her that the thief-turned-wizard Han Alister can be trusted. She wants to believe it-he's saved her life more than once. But with danger coming at her from every direction, Raisa can only rely on her wits and her iron-hard will to survive-and even that might not be enough.
The Gray Wolf Throne is an epic tale of fierce loyalty, unbearable sacrifice, and the heartless hand of fate.
Don Robertson was a true Clevelander. He was born and raised in Cleveland, and after stints in the Army and one year at Harvard, he returned to Cleveland and attended Case Western Reserve University for one year. He then became a reporter and columnist for The Plain Dealer (1950-1955 and 1963-1966), The Cleveland News (1957–1959), and The Cleveland Press (1968–1982). He wrote 18 published novels, most of which took place in Cleveland and the fictional town of Paradise Falls, Ohio. Robertson is probably best known for his trio of novels featuring Morris Bird III: The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread (1965), The Sum and Total of Now (1966), and The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened (1970). Set in Cleveland between 1944 and 1953, each of the three novels revolves around a major event in the city’s history: the East Ohio Gas explosion, the Indians winning the pennant, and the Korean War. Reviewers compared the trilogy to the works of Mark Twain, Booth Tarkington and J. D. Salinger.
The first of the Morris Bird III trilogy, The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread, takes place on a quiet autumn afternoon in 1944, when nine-year-old Morris Bird III decides to visit a friend who lives on the other side of town. He grabs the handle of his red wagon and, with his little sister in tow, begins an incredible pilgrimage across Cleveland . . . and out of childhood forever. Set against the backdrop of one of the worst industrial disasters in American history, Don Robertson's enduring, beloved masterwork is a remarkable story of destiny, bravery, and responsibility.
1st edition; dust jacket in protective cover; edges chipped and creased; head of spine has 1" piece missing from top; red cloth with black image of wagon embossed on front bottom; endpapers lightly tanned; former owner's name in pencil on ffep. G/G-
Don Robertson was a true Clevelander. He was born and raised in Cleveland, and after stints in the Army and one year at Harvard, he returned to Cleveland and attended Case Western Reserve University for one year. He then became a reporter and columnist for The Plain Dealer (1950-1955 and 1963-1966), The Cleveland News (1957–1959), and The Cleveland Press (1968–1982). He wrote 18 published novels, most of which took place in Cleveland and the fictional town of Paradise Falls, Ohio. Robertson is probably best known for his trio of novels featuring Morris Bird III: The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread (1965), The Sum and Total of Now (1966), and The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened (1970). Set in Cleveland between 1944 and 1953, each of the three novels revolves around a major event in the city’s history: the East Ohio Gas explosion, the Indians winning the pennant, and the Korean War. Reviewers compared the trilogy to the works of Mark Twain, Booth Tarkington and J. D. Salinger.
The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened concludes the story of Morris Bird III. Now, at seventeen, he's on the verge of adulthood . . . and he's fallen in love. It's 1952 and the Korean War hangs over his head like a dangling sword, and his prickly, complicated relationship with his cold and silent father has never been satisfactorily resolved. When Morris's own mortality stares him in the face, he learns what it truly means to become a man.
Signed first edition; dust jacket in protective cover; light creasing along bottom of rear cover; flaps scotch-taped to endpapers; binding tight; text clean and bright. VG/G+
Don Robertson was a true Clevelander. He was born and raised in Cleveland, and after stints in the Army and one year at Harvard, he returned to Cleveland and attended Case Western Reserve University for one year. He then became a reporter and columnist for The Plain Dealer (1950-1955 and 1963-1966), The Cleveland News (1957–1959), and The Cleveland Press (1968–1982). He wrote 18 published novels, most of which took place in Cleveland and the fictional town of Paradise Falls, Ohio. Robertson is probably best known for his trio of novels featuring Morris Bird III: The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread (1965), The Sum and Total of Now (1966), and The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened (1970). Set in Cleveland between 1944 and 1953, each of the three novels revolves around a major event in the city’s history: the East Ohio Gas explosion, the Indians winning the pennant, and the Korean War. Reviewers compared the trilogy to the works of Mark Twain, Booth Tarkington and J. D. Salinger.
The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened concludes the story of Morris Bird III. Now, at seventeen, he's on the verge of adulthood . . . and he's fallen in love. It's 1952 and the Korean War hangs over his head like a dangling sword, and his prickly, complicated relationship with his cold and silent father has never been satisfactorily resolved. When Morris's own mortality stares him in the face, he learns what it truly means to become a man.
Signed first edition; dust jacket in protective cover; head of spine has small tear at top; edges chipped and tanned; some creases; red cloth over green boards; binding tight; text clean. VG/G
When a recent college graduate with a smoking habit is called to serve on the board at his local church, he immediately struggles with separating his public and private lives. His fantasized ideas of religion suddenly become dangerously real as he's enmeshed in a perfect storm of events which leads to, of all things, spending three extremely paranormal days behind bars. When it's all said and done, it seems as though he has entered through the gates of hell and been released to the flip side of life.
There, friends and family often appear as enemies and everyone speaks using a strange, coded lingo. With a mind full of problems, but no solutions, he tries to navigate in this bizarre new world, experiencing strange phenomena on the highways, unnatural episodes during house visits and hospital stays, and futuristic visions while at sea. He journeys across the United States trying to get home, veritably touched by a host of eclectic men and woman along the way.
Hades' Melody is a remarkable coming-of-age memoir which unabashedly explores abandonment, solitary spirituality, prophecy and the dark songs of language. It's a spectacular narrative that delves into the psyche of an individual searching for answers during the subtly explosive dawn of a new era.
Don Robertson was a true Clevelander. He was born and raised in Cleveland, and after stints in the Army and one year at Harvard, he returned to Cleveland and attended Case Western Reserve University for one year. He then became a reporter and columnist for The Plain Dealer (1950-1955 and 1963-1966), The Cleveland News (1957–1959), and The Cleveland Press (1968–1982). He wrote 18 published novels, most of which took place in Cleveland and the fictional town of Paradise Falls, Ohio. Robertson is probably best known for his trio of novels featuring Morris Bird III: The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread (1965), The Sum and Total of Now (1966), and The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened (1970).
Although Robertson declares on his title page that Harv is a novel, its first chapter admits that the book is a loose collection of stories. In 40 anecdotes Harv describes the progress of his life from toilet training at age two to the blindness which forces him to return to diapers at age 65. In the meantime, he proposes to a prostitute who befriends him, falls into the grave at a funeral, saves kittens from freezing, and eventually marries the childhood girlfriend who knocked out two of his teeth. Harv frequently combines bawdy humor with nostalgia and tenderness. [Library Journal, 1985]
Cleveland: John T. Zubal, Inc. Publishers, 1985. Signed by author. F/F
Once inside the mansion, the girls try to unravel the clues to the old place. Their curiosity takes hold, leading them from one place to another. In the end they find themselves TRAPPED inside the wall of the mansion and fighting for their lives!
Something had to change.
Two parents challenge one another to find balance between work and family life. Their stories are both uproarious and poignant as they raise children and strive to leave their mark on the wider world. Filled with tender moments and plenty of laughs, Here Be Dragons recounts the adventures of a family trying to stay afloat, and offers a life raft to the rest of us in choppy waters.
Hidden in Plain Sight is a down-to-earth subjective account of the author's abbreviated brush with cancer. An abrupt melanoma diagnosis threatens to unhinge an otherwise unproblematic orientation. There is an unsettling role reversal as the author, a registered nurse, becomes the patient.
Past and present intertwine as vivid examples of God's provision are illuminated during a crisis that seemingly surfaced out of nowhere. The universal themes are thought-provoking and relatable, regardless of one's status or circumstances.
May 9, 2019 marks the ten-year anniversary of the author's cancer-free status!
It is entertaining to be anti-Masonic and perpetuate conspiracy theories and stories based on satanic worship rather than join Freemasonry or any other private organization primarily structured with improving the individual in society. The Masonic term "making good men better" is the desire of the craft concerning all people living in a multicultural society to better themselves. This is masonry in a nutshell. To achieve this betterment takes a great deal of work and self-introspection, which the critics of the craft refuse to endure and fail to examine the important historical esoteric symbols associated with the craft. This book is dedicated toward neutralizing such superficial negative ideology pursued by critics who have a personal interest in negating the significant works of the greatest fraternal organization in the world. Contained herein are chapters on women in Freemasonry, the Catholic Church, and Freemasonry (which contains an addendum relating to over one hundred cardinals and bishops who, under pseudonyms, were Freemasons), a chapter on the 133rd Psalm (providing a line-by-line interpretation of a work which provides the important ideological, humanistic basis for both society and Freemasonry) with an important chapter analyzing the final end-period of a man's life as it related to Ecclesiastes Chapter 12. Men join Freemasonry because in their hearts, they seek to improve themselves. In a reality, any can start living as principled individuals, exercising the same values without being a Freemason. All that is required is desire and work effort, with a foundation from the Holy Bible to betterment of himself. However, the Masonic Craft assists an individual in this journey by providing defined structure, support, and a roadmap that helps focus the advancement and, as such, increases the probability of a successful outcome. Freemasonry centers on learning how to charge one's self with thought and physical conduct. However, in order to improve, one must read, study, and understand the true nature of reality in life, buttressed by the role of oneself and those with which one socializes. This philosophy underlines why the most important virtues of Freemasonry are symbolic and teach us to be better humans. Freemasonry gains its structure and foundation through an inherent love of an adherence to the Holy Bible and would not exist without that devotion. The foundation of Masonry is predicated on the fact that the craft and the Bible are intricately interconnected, just as other holy books around the world are central to their Freemason organizations. Much of Masonry's symbolism is taken from biblical sources, especially Genesis and the stories surrounding the building of King Solomon's temples. Great emphasis is placed on the development of moral and ethical virtues and the building of character, with truth being the guiding principle of our lives. Thus, brotherhood and charity are natural outcomes and further define one of Masonry's major tenets. Masonry uses proven methods to enhance the lives and spirits of members in a tangible way. In every Masonic lodge, upon its altar, there is a Holy Bible supporting the square and compasses. This old familiar book, so beloved by so many generations, is our Volume of the Sacred Law and represents the Great Light in Freemasonry. The Bible is open when the lodge opens; the Bible is closed when the lodge closes. No lodge can transact its own business, much less initiate candidates into the mysteries of the craft, unless the Book of Holy Law lies open upon its altar. It is the true responsibility of each individual Mason to seek out and understand the true nature of reality through the teachings of Freemasonry discovered in the symbols of the craft. The individual must learn to recognize and interpret the footprints of the deity and the sublime methods that he uses to reveal his message. So mote it be. May the mystery begin
