Author Alley 2019
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.
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.
But he cannot shake a growing sense of dread.
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 BOOK IN A NEW BEACHSIDE COZY MYSTERY SERIES!
When a body turns up on the boardwalk outside Everly Swan's iced tea shop and café, she becomes the number one suspect in a murder case. Can she bag the culprit, prove her innocence, and dish up the real killer before it's too late?
Hitting All the sweet-tea spots, this series is:
Life hasn't been so sweet for Everly Swan over the past couple of years, but now she's back in her seaside hometown of Charm, North Carolina. The proud new owner of Sun, Sand, and Tea--a café right on the beach--Everly thinks that things are finally starting to look up. Until a grouchy customer turns up dead on the boardwalk with a jar of one of her specialty teas lying right next to him! When an autopsy reports poison in his system, things don't look good for Everly or her tea shop.
As the townspeople of Charm, formerly so welcoming and homey, turn their back on Everly, she fights to dig up clues about who could have had it in for the former town councilman. With the maddeningly handsome Detective Grady Hays discouraging her from uncovering leads and a series of anonymous attacks on Everly and her tea shop, it will take everything she's got to keep this murder mystery from boiling over.
INCLUDES DELICIOUS FOOD AND DRINK RECIPES
Josephine Morhard never waited for something to happen. At twelve years old, fiercely independent Josephine left her family's Pennsylvania farm to start a new life. Coming of age during one of the most devastating times in America, and weathering two bad marriages, Josephine put her personal problems aside to insure a productive future for her daughter and son. But Junior was a volatile boy of eight--until his mother came upon a novel sports idea to encourage discipline, guidance, and self-worth in her son. Out of a dream, an empty lot, and the enthusiasm of other neighborhood kids, Josephine established the first boys' baseball league in America. Her city--and the country--was watching. Beyond all expectations, the Cleveland Indians rallied behind her project. Indians legends Bob Feller, Jeff Heath, and Roy Weatherly helped hone the boys' skills; renowned sports reporter Hal Lebovitz became an umpire; and they were given permission to play in historic League Park. All the while, as Josephine's Little Indians graduated into the Junior American and Junior National Leagues, and finally a Little World Series, she instilled in her boys strong values, good sportsmanship, and an unprecedented sense of accomplishment. Some of them, like Ray Lindquist and Jack Heinen, would become Minor League players. Not one of Mrs. Morhard's boys would ever forget her. In this stirring biography of an unsung American heroine, Josephine Morhard's daughter-in-law recounts the extraordinary life and accomplishments of a resilient, selfless, and determined woman. Her inspiring true story--a long time coming--is something to cheer for.
In the second book of the popular Seaside Café Mysteries, No Good Tea Goes Unpunished, Everly Swan caters a high-profile beach wedding where the groom doesn't make it to the altar before the wedding bells ring.
Hitting All the sweet-tea spots, this series is:
Catering her childhood friend's beachfront wedding was a dream come true for Sun, Sand and Tea Shop and Café owner Everly Swan--and the hundreds of guests in attendance would be great exposure for her new business. But when the well-to-do groom is found floating facedown in the surf, the coastal vibes of a beach wedding disappear and the locals of Charm, North Carolina turn their suspicions to his new bride. Could she have been so desperate to lay her hands on his fortune that she arranged for his murder before they even set off on their honeymoon?
Everly knows her love-struck friend couldn't be behind the murder, but with clues pointing in several directions, she can't decide which wedding guest is the most likely culprit. Meanwhile, the frustratingly handsome Detective Hays has made it clear that Everly should stay out of the investigation altogether. But with a killer on the loose and a feeling that someone is watching her café very closely, Everly knows that if she can't solve this murder soon, her cake might be iced for good. This new addition to Bree Baker's cozy mysteries will keep you coming back for more!
INCLUDES DELICIOUS FOOD AND DRINK RECIPES
The performance art of burlesque, once a faded form, has made a comeback in the twenty-first century, and it has shimmied back to life with a vengeance in Cleveland. Thanks to fans and entrepreneurs, neo-burlesque has taken the stage--and it's more inclusive, less seedy, and emphatically fun.
Rust Belt Burlesque traces the history of burlesque in Cleveland from the mid-1800s to the present day, while also telling the story of Bella Sin, a Mexican immigrant who largely drove Northeast Ohio's neo-burlesque comeback. The historical center of Cleveland burlesque was the iconic Roxy Theater on East Ninth Street. Here, in its twentieth-century heyday, famed dancers like Blaze Starr and comics like Red Skelton and Abbott and Costello entertained both regulars and celebrity guests.
Erin O'Brien's lively storytelling and Bob Perkoski's color photos give readers a peek into the raucous Ohio Burlesque Festival that packs the house at the Beachland Ballroom every year. Today's burlies come in all shapes, ethnicities, and orientations, drawing a legion of adoring fans. This is a show you won't want to miss.
"An amazing real life perspective on African safari that has been delightfully shared. Funny and witty. Footsteps well worth following." -Philip Coetzee, South Africa, Advanced Nature Guide, author of Birds for Beginners.
Four friends, all big-city dwellers, embark on their first African safari. An internationally published travel writer and her husband, an award-winning travel photographer, are joined by their life-long friends on a journey to South Africa and Zimbabwe. Previously, their exploration of over 60 countries took them to big cities and historical monuments around the globe. But this trip is different.
Traveling around Kruger National Park and Victoria Falls, they crisscross the bush and meet African wildlife in its natural habitat. Which predators, grass eaters, branch nibblers, and birds of prey did they find? What did the animals do in the presence of people? How did it feel to be only a few feet away from a pride of lions devouring their kill, a herd of suspicious elephants, an intimidating Cape buffalo, or an unpredictable rhinoceros?
In an easy to read, conversational style, the author, Alex Shaland, delivers a fair mix of wildlife photography, animal and bird factual data, and practical information. Shaland shares his experiences as a first-time safari explorer and sprinkles the narrative with a good dose of humor and personal stories.
If a trip to Africa is in your plans, this entertaining and informative book, jam-packed with photos of animals and birds, will help you make the first step on the way to your dream. If you are interested in wildlife, nature, and animal protection, the story will enrich your knowledge of the animal kingdom. At the very least, it is just fun to read.
Lydia Lymkin is inspired to learn about the Declaration of Independence while watching an Independence Day parade in her hometown. Lydia's father explains the reasons for and the importance of this historic document that launched the founding of the United States of America.
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. This first book in series introduces one of the most charismatic and incorrigible characters of fiction, Eugenides the thief. The Queen's Thief novels are rich with political machinations and intrigue, battles lost and won, dangerous journeys, divine intervention, power, passion, revenge, and deception. Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Marie Lu, Patrick Rothfuss, and George R. R. Martin.
Eugenides, the queen's thief, can steal anything--or so he says. When his boasting lands him in prison and the king's magus invites him on a quest to steal a legendary object, he's in no position to refuse. The magus thinks he has the right tool for the job, but Gen has plans of his own. 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 The Thief includes an exclusive piece by Megan Whalen Turner about her inspiration for the setting of the story, 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.
A Newbery Honor Book
An ALA Notable Book
A YALSA Best Book for Young Adults
A Horn Book Fanfare Book
A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
A Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon Book
A Junior Library Guild Selection
"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
"Trust me. Just read it. Then read it again, because it will not be the same river twice."--Lois McMaster Bujold, acclaimed and Hugo Award-winning author of the Vorkosigan Saga, the Chalion Series, and the Sharing Knife series
In addition to its charismatic hero, this story possesses one of the most valuable treasures of all--a twinkling jewel of a surprise ending. --Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"To miss this thief's story would be a crime."--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)
"A literary journey that enriches both its characters and readers before it is over."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"A tantalizing, suspenseful, exceptionally clever novel."--The Horn Book (starred review)
The fascinating history of Zoar, from the German Separatists who settled there to the present-day historical village
In 1817, a group of German religious dis-senters immigrated to Ohio. Less than two years later, in order to keep their distinctive religion and its adherents together, they formed a communal society (eine güter gemeinschaft or "community of goods"), where all shared equally. Their bold experiment thrived and continued through three generations; the Zoar Separatists are considered one of the longest-lasting communal groups in US history.
Fernandez traces the Separatists' beginnings in Württemberg, Germany, and their disputes with authorities over religious differences, their immigration to America, and their establishment of the communal Society of Separatists of Zoar.
The community's development, particularly in terms of its business activities with the outside world, demonstrates its success and influence in the 19th century. Though the Society dissolved in 1898, today its site is a significant historical attraction. Zoar is based on ample primary source material, some never before utilized by historians, and illustrated with thirty historic photographs.
Age 5-7
"I Want a Dog!"
Esperanza is a curious, imaginative eight-year-old, growing up in 1980s Cleveland in a town called Summerville. In the midst of trying to outwit school and neighborhood bullies, staying three steps ahead of her annoying brothers, fanatically idolizing her teen sister, and constantly straddling the line between (almost) right and (not so) wrong, Esperanza has a problem--a BIG one, and it has something to do with the Laura Ashley dress-wearing snob Tiffany Wheatley! Esperanza has come to the conclusion that only owning a dog will help her solve her "Tiffany" problem.
Come join Esperanza and the Summerville crew on an adventure to see whether Esperanza will earn the "Snoopy" dog of her dreams!