The life of J. Richard Steffy (“Dick” to his friends) centered on ships and shipbuilding. Though he spent most of his working life as an electrician, his childhood fascination with ships and the history of their construction remained... Read More

Trying to put jazz into words can be tricky, like setting James Joyce to music. But Texas author, poet, and jazz expert Dave Oliphant has embraced a novel way to do so that is adventurous, just a little odd, and entirely satisfying.... Read More

The mention of Emily Dickinson’s name does not generally conjure up images of a hot-blooded hussy sneaking off for steamy encounters with a married man who was old enough to be her father. But that’s essentially the picture the... Read More

Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) Esad Boskailo survived the inconceivable—six concentration camps. He then managed to reconstruct his life in a new land (the US), learn a new language (English), further his studies (become a psychiatrist),... Read More

Even if Steven Schrader’s slim new memoir didn’t partially revolve around events in his family’s life in Manhattan’s Garment District, "Threads" would still be the perfect title for his fifth book, given the woven nature of the... Read More

In one passage of her memoir, "Midnight Sun, Arctic Moon", Mary Albanese recounts coming across a cabin in the Alaskan wilderness with her brother. At his request, they camp out there for the night. The next morning the sound of a truck... Read More

Herb Silverman is one of the most congenial atheists anyone could ever want to meet. Atheists have a reputation for being abrasive, pugnacious, and scornful. But Silverman isn’t like that at all. He’s a breath of fresh air.... Read More

The road across country is paved with good intentions in this charming story of an adventurous family that decides to do something special in honor of their oldest son’s bar mitzvah. Most Jewish boys about to cross the threshold into... Read More