Postmarked Akron

Akron, Ohio is truly a Midrust town.  For a thirty year period in the 1900s it was the fastest growing city in America, and during that time the number of postcards sent to and from Akron was staggering.  Lost in all of these postcards are remarkable stories – the stories of presidents, actors, and athletes. More importantly, these postcards hold the stories of “common” people living “uncommon” lives. 

The book includes over 200 postcards curated from my collection, and unlike other postcard books, I go beyond the picture on the front and explore the lives of the writers and senders.

You won’t believe what I’ve found. 

Now available on Amazon.

The Lost Kingdom of Pittsburgh – A true Story of Art and Exile

Tucked in a quiet suburban neighborhood outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the end of a dead-end street lies the most remarkable structure – a Chinese paifang. This decaying, but still stunning arch, frames the driveway to a compound deep in the woods. 

I discovered this paifang almost fifty years ago when I was a child.  When I found that it was still standing a few years ago,  I went looking for the story.

I never could have imagined that the tale would cover almost 150 years and nearly 8,000 miles and is formed at the intersection of the lives of a Chinese bishop on the run from Communist authorities, a Pittsburgh steel heiress, and a renowned artist.

The Midrust is never short of surprises.

Now available on Amazon.

Paper Legends and Lore – Stories From Scrapbooks

Long before the era of craft store-powered scrap books with color pages, fancy borders, and endless stencils and stamps, scrapbooks were simple volumes of black paper with pictures, clippings, and handwritten notations.

Sadly, as time went by, these scrapbooks were tucked away, and their authors passed away.

This is the true story of three remarkable scrapbooks: a family heirloom, an estate sale find, and a trash can rescue. 

The stories are heartwarming, tragic, and strangely connected. 

Coming in 2026