Publisher of local history, biography & memoir
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The Biggest, Busiest, and Best Suburb in New England by Heather S. Cole
Beginning in 1908, millionaire industrialist George F. Willett proposed to transform Norwood, Massachusetts, into “the biggest, busiest, and best suburban municipality in New England.” Utilizing his personal fortune and driven by reformist zeal, his bold vision promised to change the small town forever. Discover how the grand experiment unfolds, the forces that brought it down, and the surprising ways Willett’s legacy continues to shape Norwood today.
Stages: The Life & Times of a Kansas Actor by Tom Frye
Tom Frye is a beloved actor, director, and educator who has been making people laugh—both on and off stage—for more than half a century. In Stages, he shares his madcap adventures of growing up in a time before color television, building a career as a working actor, and falling in love with life. From his hometown of Wichita, Kansas, to the lights of Broadway and beyond, Frye’s stories are delightful, poignant, and laugh-out-loud funny.
Not quite a celebrity memoir, Stages includes some name-dropping of the rich and famous, but also intimate recollections about close friends and family. Those who know Frye will likely recognize the cast of characters who populate his tales. Those that don’t will want to invite him to the next neighborhood trivia night. And he’ll probably come.
“A Most Infamous Young Swindler” The Short Tragic Life of Thomas Langrel Harris by Patricia J. Fanning
Artistically gifted, rejected by his parents, plagued by uncontrollable mood swings, and a suicide at age 24, Thomas Langrel Harris was gay, manic, and, quite possibly, a genius. Oscar Wilde called him “a most infamous young swindler” while Edward Steichen referred to him as “one of the biggest men of our time.”
This is the story of a talented artist, significant photographic model, and mercurial young man, all trace of whom Fate seemed determined to erase.The settings range from the small town of Petersburg, Illinois, to the grand boulevards of Paris, France. Unidentified for nearly a century, the tale of this elusive yet fascinating figure can now be told.
Wish You Were Here: Vintage Postcards of Norwood, Massachusetts by Patricia J. Fanning
The postcards in this volume, all from the Robert N. and Susan Donahue Collection, tell the story of this community from its founding to the late twentieth century. Businesses, houses of worship, educational, health care and recreational facilities, public buildings, landmarks and homes are all represented.
For many, these views will spark nostalgia; for others, they will be totally unfamiliar. Either way, this was vintage Norwood.
Watch a recording of a book talk on Wish You Were Here, held at the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood on March 25, 2024: http://71.174.214.34:1500/CablecastPublicSite/show/12901
Rock Street Press is a new small book publisher specializing in local history, biography and memoir. If you are looking for a publisher for your book, please get in touch. Rock Street Press provides complete proofreading, design and publishing services. If your project is not yet ready for publication, we can refer you to experienced developmental editors and writing coaches.
Send us an email with a one-page description of your project and a brief biography to start the conversation: RockStreetPress @ gmail.com (remove the spaces).
Heather S. Cole 