Book Review: The Office BFFs- Tales of The Office from Two Best Friends Who Were There by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey

Back in 2005, I started watching a TV show called “The Office.” Often unfairly compared the the British original, the US version soon found its voice and became a critical darling and a fan favorite. I’m one of those fans. I cringed over Michael’s antics, shipped Pam and Jim, and recognized oddball characters like Dwight, Kevin, Creed, and Meredith. I rolled my eyes with Stanley and Angela. I sympathized with Phyllis, Oscar, and Toby. And I related to dealing with chatterboxes like Kelly and smug douche bros like Ryan. “The Office” made me laugh and at times, made me cry. I enjoyed it until its last episode in 2013.

Being a fan of the show, I was happy to discover Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey’s podcast “The Office Ladies,” which I usually listen to at the office, of course. In their podcast they talk about what it was like to play their characters (Jenna played Pam and Angela played Angela), and all the work it took to make each episode come into fruition. Jenna provided us some fast facts about The Office and Angela had her colorful notecards to keep her on track. “The Office Ladies” is a wonderful walk down Dunder-Mifflin way. Now I’m delighted to review their book The Office BFFs: Tales of The Office from Two Best Friends Who Were There .

After The Office BFFs starts off with a very brief introduction, the office ladies get down to business chronicling their lives both pre-The Office and post-The Office, and the delicious details in-between. Jenna and Angela tell us about their struggles as aspiring actresses and the early days of The Office when they ever wondered if their show would become successful. They had no idea it would last for nearly a decade. They describe what it was like to make such classic episodes as “Booze Cruise” and “Casino Night,” and how they nearly faced death in the episode “Work Bus,” which was directed by Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston. Jenna and Angela discuss learning about how their characters would evolve of the show’s run. And they also give the scoop on what it’s like to be real pregnant and fake pregnant on the set. Guess what? Being fake pregnant is a lot more uncomfortable.

Jenna and Angela talk about being on the red carpet, meeting big time stars like Meryl Streep, seeing guest star get mega famous, and being nominated and winning awards. They discuss their sadness over Steve Carell leaving the show and how The Office could go on without such an iconic character as Michael Scott.

The two Office Ladies are also upfront on talking about their personal lives, marriage, divorce, remarriage, and having kids in ways I’m sure a lot of people can relate.

The Office BFFs is written in a narrative style, with Jenna and Angela taking turns giving us the scoop on making The Office. There’s also a lot of pictures of the cast and crew throughout the book and it’s nice to see people enjoying themselves at work. Who knew?

Now if your looking for any salacious gossip and scandalous activities that may have occurred while making The Office, you won’t find it in The Office BFFs. This isn’t just a story about making a TV show. It’s also a book about strong bonds and tight relationships. And Jenna and Angela’s solid friendship sings from the book’s pages.

The Office BFFs is a must-read for any fan of The Office, but I think anybody who is into pop culture and has wondered what it’s like to make a TV show will find this book a valuable read.

Book Review: Creative, Not Famous-The Small Potato Manifesto by Ayun Halliday

When it comes to art, entertainment, and culture, we’re all aware of the big bananas. They’re well-known actors, filmmakers, artists, musicians, singers, and writers of all kinds. These big bananas include Tom Cruise, Steven Spielberg, Bruce Springsteen, Beyonce, Andy Warhol, and Dorothy Parker.

But for every big banana, there are countless small potatoes. These people are just as talented (maybe more so), but have yet to grab the brass ring of fame and riches. However, these people have important tales to tell, and Ayun Halliday chronicles their stories in her latest book Creative, Not Famous:The Small Potato Manifesto.

Halliday is the creator of the zine The East Village Inky. She’s a theater geek who boasts of many plays. And she’s written several books. Creative, Not Famous is her latest.

In Creative, Not Famous, Halliday shares the insights and experiences of visual artists, playwrights, musicians, singer-songwriters, zine makers, actors, filmmakers, and all kinds of talented and expressive types.

These small potatoes talk about the challenges they face like the lack of money and time. They are brutally honest over the jealousy they feel when a small potato becomes a big banana. They discuss their inspirations and celebrate their achievements. For these small potatoes, being creative is as important as drawing breath. It’s part of their DNA.

And though some of these small potatoes may not be household names, their work is well-known. Halliday’s husband, Greg Kotis, has won an Obie and two Tony awards for the musical Urinetown. Singer-songwriter, Nick Balaban, has written music for the children’s TV show Blues Clues. And Todd Alcott co-wrote the animated film Antz.

Just a little spud myself, I found Creative, Not Famous inspiring, reassuring, and relatable. There’s a sense of community amongst small potatoes. We have to be support each other in a world that often ignores us, and if it recognizes us, it can be quite dismissive. This pocket-sized manifesto can be tucked into a knapsack or handbag. Creative, Not Famous is a book of encouragement and advocacy for small potatoes everywhere.

Book Review: Leading from the Roots-Nature-Inspired Leadership Lessons for Today’s World by Dr. Kathleen E. Allen

“Leadership today is about unlearning management and relearning being human.” – Javier Pladevall, CEO of Volkswagen Audi Retail

You know I like a book when I mark it up with post-its, write notes in the margins, highlight certain passages and nod my head along like one of those bobble-head figurines. Which is exactly what I did while reading Dr. Kathleen E. Allen’s fascinating, timely and revolutionary’s book Leading from the Roots: Nature-Inspired Leadership Lessons for Today’s World.

This book implores organizational leaders (and pretty much anyone else with a stake in the workplace) to look beyond the confines of the physical spaces where we toil to nature and how it can help us and our companies thrive.

Leading from the Roots is divided into 11 well-researched,  and finely-written chapters on concepts like cooperation, diversity, lack of waste, curbing excess, the power of limits and so much more.

Each chapter gives ample evidence on how nature can help worker’s productivity and commitment to their jobs and how simple it is to work these practices into the workplace that won’t break the bank, take up too much time, or distract us from our tasks at hand. Dr. Allen provides ample evidence through both her extensive end notes and bibliography. And each chapter concludes with a summary of the chapter’s main focus and points to ponder and discuss.

Simply put, Leading from the Roots inspired me. Dr. Allen’s lessons are doable, practical and very audience-friendly. It’s ideal for everyone-managers, workers, students and grads, religious leaders, politicians, activists, teachers, creative types, social workers, medical personal, entrepreneurs, and so on.

Leading from the Roots is a great addition to my book shelf. I highly suggest you add it to your book shelf.

Book Review: The Little Red Book of Poe-ee-tree-Words from the Heart edited by Mrs. Fields

Note: Over 10 years ago I reviewed this book for a U2 fansite. In honor of Poetry month, I decided to dust it off, make a few revisions, and publish it here at The Book Self.

U2 fans are not your typical rock and roll fans. Sure, they buy the CDs, download their music, and go to the concerts, but being a U2 fan is so much more than that. U2 fans are motivated. They are inspired to open their minds, learn new things, and get involved in causes bigger than themselves. However, they are also inspired to use own creativity. This is evident in a slim, yet powerful book of poetry and short stories called The Little Red Book of Poet-ee-tree: Words from the Heart.

The Little Red Book of Poe-ee-tree is a volume containing heartfelt prose by a collection of U2 fans throughout the globe. Their love of U2’s music and the written word lead these fans to The Heart. The Heart was an Internet poetry forum where writers cultivated their writing skills, shared their work with others, and got their creative juices flowing. Sadly, it shut down in 2003, but fortunately for the Heart community, U2 fans, and lovers of good writing, the works created for the Heart are not lost forever. They are compiled into The Little Red Book of Poe-ee-tree.

All the royalties of The Little Red Book of Poe-ee-tree went to the African Well Fund, a charity founded in 2002 by a group of U2 fans to provide a clean water sources to many African communities. The African Well Fund has built and supplied clean water and sanitation projects in Uganda, Angola and Zimbabwe. The Little Red Book of Poe-ee-tree was just one part of the African Well Fund’s comprehensive vision to help others.

The poets published in The Little Red Book of Poe-ee-tree write about love and loss, heartbreak and joy. They write with clear-eyed optimism and downcast despair. These poems take us on a journey of both the writers’ hearts and souls, and our individual interpretations to their work. Some poems a mere few lines, whereas others nearly tell a story.

Jennifer’s startling “Modern Day Warfare” uses the frightening images of mustard-gas lies and biological-warfare thoughts, along with rat-ta-tat fists to chillingly describe abuse both emotional and physical.

Kel, in the poem “Africa” describes the continent as a living, breathing human female, inhaling her warm earthy air. This poem puts a very personal face on one’s personal journey throughout the African landscape.

Mrs. F. conveys the love a mother has for her children in the poem “Earth and Angels.” Phrases like “He darts in dizzy zig zags…Listens wide-eyed, hoots at the owl” and “Head filled with fairies and music…She skips and sings” give us an intimate look at the special qualities that make our sons and daughters so special to us.

All the poems, whether short or lengthy, are very strong, and open to many interpretations. I don’t know how these poets came to their words. Sometimes a poem just comes to someone and easily flows out onto paper. Sometimes constructing a poem is like throwing a bunch of words into the air, and then constructing a poem using the scattered words. However the poems came to be in this book, they came through what Allen Ginsberg once called, “ordinary magic.”

Several short stories are also collected in The Little Red Book of Poe-ee-tree. When writing a short story, writers also face challenges. Writers need to grab the reader and tell a complete story in a short amount of words. And these stories have to be engaging, draw the reader in, and achieve a believable conclusion without seeming to be tacked on in haste.

This is expertly done in Laurie CK’s “Pennycake.” In this story, carefree memories of a 1970’s childhood are recalled with its birthday rituals and lazy summer days. The brief mentions of Noxzema, Keith Partridge, and 8-Track tapes give the reader a strong idea of a certain place in time. This story also evokes what it is like to be a child facing real life unexpected grief and a subsequent loss of faith.

The one quibble I do have with this book (and it is a minor one) is the limited amount of writers. I don’t know if this is because only a few writers were accepted or only a few writers chose to submit their work. This could also be because the Heart was a small group to begin with. If anything this book begs for a sequel.

 

Author! Author! An Interview with Jonas Salzgeber

Twenty-seven years old and hailing from Thun, Switzerland, Jonas Salzgeber is the author of The Little Book of Stoicism and blogs for a small army of remarkable people at njlifehacks.com. He’s an expert in Stoic philosophy and passionate about self-made dark chocolate and buttered coffee with collagen.

1. 

I started taking writing seriously in 2015 when I started blogging with my brother Nils. Before that, I wrote papers for university and personal stuff in my journal.

2. What inspired you to write The Little Book of Stoicism?

Well, I fell in love with Stoicism when I read Ryan Holiday’s books The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy, and The Daily Stoic. So I continued reading about Stoic philosophy, I read the original texts and modern books. I started writing about it on the blog and people loved it.

During my research for blog articles, I found that it’s quite hard to get a clear overview of the philosophy. Despite reading many books on the topic, it was still hard to explain it properly to friends. So, it became my goal to provide a clear and simple overview and make Stoicism easy to grasp and put into practice. Suddenly, I was writing a “Little Book” that became more and more thorough.

3. What challenges did you face writing this book and how did you deal with them?

The challenges were twofold. First, doing research was quite a challenge because there are many different translations for the ancient texts. Ryan Holiday, for example, used his own translations with Stephen Hanselmann. I ended up using quotes from different sources. In retrospect, I’d deal with that beforehand and only go with one source. For the average reader, this isn’t an issue. So it’s no big deal and I’m ok with the way it turned out.

Second, writing a book is a massive challenge. I had to overcome my inner resistance to sit down to write every day. And actually produce something. Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art was truly helpful. Also, I had to deal with fears and insecurity. Will people understand what I write? Will it be helpful? Will people pick up the book and reading? How to bake marketing in the book? Further, how to structure the book? What to include, what to leave away. I find that writing a book is great opportunity for personal growth. I overcame procrastination, built perseverance and strength during the writing process. Also, I was able to embrace the Stoics’ advice and put it into practice.

4. Why should people read your book?

Why shouldn’t people read my book? Traditional schooling doesn’t help much when it comes to real life. It doesn’t teach how to live well. It doesn’t answer questions like how to deal with my sorrows. How to deal with anger grief, fear, and pain? What to do about reoccurring depressive thoughts?

This was exactly what ancient schools of philosophy were all about: how to live a good life? Even though such schools don’t exist anymore, you and I and most people are in a great need of a guide to life. Stoicism can be that guide. Like an old reliable walking stick, it’s a guide to life based on reason rather than faith and helps you deal more effectively with challenging life situations reliably.

Everyone who’s interested in personal growth should read the book. Even if you’re not interested in Stoic philosophy, there are countless invaluable tools that help you when life happens. It’s highly actionable and for anyone seeking a calm and wise life.

5. What advice would you give to other writers and authors?

Be vulnerable. We’re all human. Persevere in your undertaking. The struggles you’re going through are not unique. Even the very best writers all face these exact same challenges. Read the War of Art, it’ll help you keep going when the process becomes an immense hurdle.

6. Future projects?

As I’m a working full-time job, my full focus is on the book launch. Writing a book is one thing, making sure people know about the book is a whole other challenge. Once the book is out and we’ve got some time to breathe, we’ll focus on growing our audience with the blog.

As for the next book, Nils and I plan to write about powerful mindsets to adopt for ambitious people who want to be their best. It’s not very concrete yet.

7. Anything else you’d like to add?

Thanks for the interview opportunity. I highly appreciate your support.

What’s always good to keep in mind is this: Life is supposed to be challenging. Don’t bury your head in the sand when it gets tough. See it as opportunity to show what you’re made of. Every challenge offers an opportunity for growth.

And for the folks who waste their time watching Netflix and scrolling through social media: Start reading books! That’s a much smarter way to spend your time. You only have this one life, so try to make the best of it. Don’t let a day go by without learning.

Author: Jonas Salzgeber
Author blog: www.njlifehacks.com
Book page: www.njlifehacks.com/the-little-book-of-stoicism/
Excerpt: https://s3.amazonaws.com/njlifehacks/The+Little+Book+of+Stoicism+-+Free+Sample+Practices.pdf
Publisher: Indie
Genre: Non-Fiction, Philosophy, Psychology, Self-Help
Release Date: January 28th, 2019
Length: 60k words
Available formats: Mobi, EPub, PDF

 

 

Book Review: The View from Flyover Country-Dispatches from the Forgotten America by Sarah Kedzior

When not being ignored by the two coasts, flyover country is being celebrated as where the “real Americans” live, usually by conservative pundits. And to these pundits, real Americans are defined as white and for the most part living in the suburbs or rural areas who define themselves as conservative Christians.

But not so fast, living in flyover country, I know we are a much more diverse bunch and so does Sarah Kedzior, which she sums up in her collection of essays The View from Flyover Country-Dispatches from the Forgotten America.

A reporter for Al Jazeera America and residing in St. Louis, Missouri, Kedzior’s essays focus on such thorny topics as race, income inequality, the friction among generations, education, foreign policy, the media, women’s issues and so much more.

Kedzior starts off The View from Flyover Country with an introduction rolling out what her collection of essays is all about, giving the reader a clear idea on what to expect among its six parts.

In Part One, Flyover Country, Kedzior defines flyover country and topics such as how expensive cities are killing creatives and hipster economics.

Part Two, Post-Employments, explains issues of survival, how workers are paying a steep price, zilch opportunities and how sometimes these issues make people do extreme things like lighting themselves on fire.

Race and religion define Part Three, where Kedzior writes about the tragedy of Trayvon Martin’s murder, Black Lives Matter, and what happened in Ferguson in the wake of Mike Brown being gunned down by police.

In Part Four Kedzior examines the broken promise of a higher education, and how school debt has crippled countless smart, hard-working and talented graduates. She also decries the deplorable pay of adjunct professors who work tirelessly to educate our students.

Part Five is a careful examination of our media and how gaining access seems to be only available to the well-connected elite (don’t I know it!) and the problem of fringe media in the Internet age.

Foreign policy makes up Part Six when it comes to gender, Edward Snowden, the situation in Iraq and basic human rights.

Finally, Kedzior sums things up with a standout essay on the importance of complaining. If people didn’t complain, women wouldn’t have the right to vote, black people would still be at the back of the bus, and gay people wouldn’t be able to marry those they love.

While reading The View Flyover Country, I marked several pages with post-it notes and wrote down some key quotes and passages in my well-worn notebook. Kedzior writes in a down-to-earth way with smarts and clarity. She truly cares about these issues and implores us to also care about them.

The View from Flyover Country is a treasure of a book and is ideal for both the college classroom and book discussion groups everywhere.

Book Review: You Play the Girl-On Playboy Bunnies, Stepford Wives, Train Wrecks & Other Mixed Messages by Carina Chocano

Is there a book you wish you had written? Is there a book you would have written if you had the ambition? Well, thank goodness Carina Chocano had both the desire and motivation to write a book and that book is her collection of essays, You Play the Girl: On Playboy Bunnies, Stepford Wives, Train Wrecks & Other Mixed Messages.

I love pop culture, and I’ve been studying and writing about pop culture since I was in high school. But despite my mad love for film, TV shows, music, and obviously books, I’ve often been dismayed (if not downright pissed off) by how girls and women are portrayed in these various works, and how they affect society and those we care about.

Chocano shares this loathing,  wonders these same issues, and writes about them in this dazzling collection of essays (which also acts as a caring and concerned love letter to her daughter, Kira).

After a brief introduction, You Play the Girl is divided into four distinctive parts:

Part One: Down the Rabbit Hole covers topics like Playboy bunnies, the classic Good Housekeeping column, “Can This Marriage Be Saved?” and MTV-inspired movie Flashdance.

Part Two: The Pool of Tears muses on the concepts such topics like ingénues and bad girls.

Part Three: In You Wouldn’t Have Come Here, Chocano writes about the surrealism of the “Real Housewives,” awkward men who choose “Real Girls” over real-live women, and the singular, life-changing journey of redemption of eating, praying and loving.

Part Four: In Mad Tea Party, Chocano acknowledges that girls love math even if Barbie claims, “Math is hard,” women as a trainwreck, the phenomenon of the Disney movie Frozen, and wraps up things with her desire for a feminist dance number (personally, I suggest bellydancing).

There are several reasons why I Iove You Play the Girl. First, Chocano is an excellent writer. Sure, she’s technically proficient but most importantly she has a distinctive voice, down to earth, wise, but also funny and charming. Plus, she just makes you think. Her essays are deeply researched and make you reflect on how pop culture affects you in ways you never thought possible, whether it comes to classic sitcoms like Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie to the current day of reality television with its collection of real housewives, bachelors and bachelorettes.

Chocano also has interesting opinions when it comes to classic movies like The Philadelphia Story and a movie I hope is never considered a classic, Pretty Woman. And when it comes to how boys and girls are portrayed coming-of-age books, films and TV shows, Chocano sums things up with this passage:

“In the male coming-of-age story, the boy creates himself. In the female coming-of-age story, the girl is created by forces around her.”

She questions why in an age of diversity and women making strides in business, academia, politics, technology, activism, arts and entertainment, and business our definition of what makes a woman attractive and sexy grows more and more narrow.

Chocano likewise has a very interesting take on women’s magazines and how they prey upon women’s insecurities and perceived failings as wives, mothers, workers, and just human beings as a whole even in this age of “You go, girl!”

Throughout You Play the Girl, Chocano looks at the details but also gives us the big picture on so many attention-grabbing topics. Simply put, You Play the Girl is one of the best books I’ve read this year.

 

Book Review: The Actor’s Life-A Survival Guide by Jenna Fischer

Back in the day, I believe it was in the year 2006, when MySpace was still a thing and we were all friends of Tom, Jenna Fischer wrote a post on her MySpace page where she discussed the trials and tribulations she faced as an aspiring actor. Already well-known as  the sweet and vulnerable Pam Beesly on The Office, Ms. Fischer’s MySpace post resonated with a lot of people, even people with no acting ambitions.

Now Fischer has turned that MySpace post into something more with her book The Actor’s Life: A Survival Guide that is at turns both a memoir of Jenna’s journey to acting success and a wise and practical primer for aspiring actors.

Fischer fell in love with acting and performing as a child. She took acting and dance classes and performed in both community and school productions, including acting as the Fiddler in Fiddler on the Roof, which must have been quite a challenge for a someone going to all-girls Catholic school.

After earning a degree in theater at Truman State University in Missouri, this St. Louis native packed her bags and headed out to Los Angeles. All Fischer had was her college diploma, a beat up car and some saved up cash. But she also had a big dream to make it as an actress in both television and in film. She thought it wouldn’t be long before she saw her name on the marquee of movie theaters or among the credits of a hit television show.

Boy, was she wrong. It took her eight years to finally become a success on The Office and in movies like Blades of Glory and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. And in that nearly decade long road, Fischer dealt with the good, bad and ugly of being an aspiring actor, which she isn’t afraid to share in The Actor’s Life.

When it comes to the survival guide, Fischer offers sound advice on getting the right headshot, getting into the film and television’s actor union SAG (Screen Actors Guild), and building one’s resume as an actor. She also advises on finding and keeping an agent and manager.

Fischer also discusses in detail the arduous auditioning process, the heartbreak, the glory, and how to keep going on.

Want to know what it’s like to be on the set as an extra, a bit player saying three lines in one scene, a guest star or part of the main cast? It’s not glamorous, but once you’re performing, you’re reminded why you chose acting as a vocation.

Of course,  even once one makes it things don’t go smoothly. Pilots for TV shows don’t get picked up,  shows get cancelled, speaking parts get edited out,  a movie bombs at the box office even if you’re an established name. You may even get fired. Fischer was recently fired from a TV show. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. She’s now the star of the ABC show Splitting Up Together, which is filming its second season.

Interspersed throughout The Actor’s Life are Fischer’s tales of getting speaking parts on hit shows like Spin City and That 70’s Show, working less than desirable office gigs, falling apart at The Pottery Barn because she felt like such a loser, filming kissing and sex scenes, her wonderful relationship with her manager Naomi Odenkirk, and the dos and don’ts on how to behave on the set.

Fischer also discusses creating opportunities by generating DIY acting projects and how the iconic book The Artist’s Way helped her on her journey as did actor and friend Molly Shannon.

Within the pages of The Actor’s Life include inspirational quotes by a diverse collection of people-Einstein, Sheryl Sandburg,  Marilyn Monroe, Jon Hamm and Debra Messing.

I enjoyed reading The Actor’s Life,  starting with an introduction by Steve Carell who played the bumbling Michael Scott on The Office to Fischer’s loving acknowledgements to family, friends, and colleagues at the very end.

The Actor’s Life is honest,  funny and wise. Fischer’s writing voice is empathetic, truthful and warm. It’s a must read, and not just for actors. I’m using it as a guide as I get my writing career back on track.  I also think this book is ideal for teachers, guidance counselors, and college career centers.

It was The Office that made me a fan of Jenna Fischer and The Actor’s Life is one reason why I remain a fan.

Well that,  and we both suffer from MCG-Midwestern Catholic Guilt.

 

Book Review: Shrill-Notes From a Loud Woman by Lindy West

I’ve been a fan of writer Lindy West since her Jezebel.com days. Whether she was writing about pop culture or social issues, I found her writing voice to witty and wise,  a welcome relief from tiresome clickbait and lazy listicles.

So it was a thrill to read West’s memoir Shrill: Notes From a Loud woman.

Growing up,  West was nerdy, shy and fat, not exactly a recipe for success. Yet, she was able to find success, both professionally and personally, once she became an adult and found her voice.

And though her voice brought her admirers it also brought her haters,  mostly obnoxious trolls.

You see West is a woman with an opinion. She’s also fat. How dare she!

Through her feature articles and opinion pieces, West expressed her disdain for rape jokes and the struggles with body shaming. In response, she often faced horrific comments telling her she should be raped and ripped her apart for not being a tiny size two.

West fully describes in Shrill what it was like to be caught up in hail storm of hatred. It was a time of loneliness and tears,  vulnerability and anger, but it was also a time where West found support, decency, empathy and a the will to go on as a writer and just person trying to live her life

But in the end West triumphed. She triumphed so much a troll even reached out to her to apologize.

Today, West is having the last laugh. Shrill is gaining lots of praise, including praise from two of my faves, Caitlin Moran and Samantha Irby. Now based in Seattle West now writes for GQ,  The Guardian,, and other assorted highly respected publications. She founded the advice blog for teenagers called I Believe You/It’s Not Your Fault. West is also blessed with a loving family and a happy marriage. Hmm, maybe being shrill isn’t such a bad thing.

Though Shrill is West’s story, it’s also the story of every woman with an opinion and  one who doesn’t fit into our society’s slender notion on how to behave…and look like. I highly recommend it.

Book Review: Hidden History of Detroit by Amy Elliot Bragg

Mention the city of Detroit and, at best, people might think of the auto industry or classic Motown songs. Yet, there is a history to Detroit that dates long before Henry Ford and the Supremes. And this history comes alive in Amy Elliott Bragg’s Hidden History of Detroit.

Inspired by her blog Night Train to Detroit, Michigan native, Bragg writes of Detroit’s beginnings, from its founding by the expedition leader Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac to its namesake the Grand Monarque of Ville de Troit to the advent of the automobile at the turn of the last century.

What’s striking about the Hidden History of Detroit is how some of the issues facing the city’s early years are familiar to large American cities in 2012. Detroit’s history has had its share of political rivalries, labor upheaval, ethnic strife and crumbling infrastructure. Not happy with the roads you drive on? Detroit’s earliest “paved” streets were made of wood, which took on rather odd smells when they got wet.

Yet, Detroit grew due to an entrepreneurial spirit long before Henry Ford invented the Model T. Industries like lumber, tobacco, liquor, media and pharmaceuticals were quite successful and inspired many people to find their fortunes in Detroit.

Detroit’s early years were also rich with larger than life characters like the “boy governor” Stevens Thomson Mason, who was acting governor at the tender age of twenty-five. Then there is James Scott, a millionaire gambler and raconteur who left the city a considerable sum of $600,000 when he died but with one caveat — a statue had to be erected in his honor,

The ladies also had an impact on Detroit’s history. Heiress Clara Ward, the Kim Kardashian of her day, scandalized people with her multiple marriages, wild partying and performances at the Folies-Bergere. Sadly, she allegedly died a pauper and in her obituary the Detroit News just had to mention how Clare Ward had been spurned and shunned by her family and companions.

One compelling chapter focuses on early Detroit’s penchant for parties and drinking and is simply called “Liquor.” While many American towns were founded by religious folks who eschewed alcohol, Detroit was founded by traders, and as Bragg puts it, “…where you had trade, you had booze.” These parties were quite rowdy and made frat parties look like prayer circles. I laughed out loud when she described one party as being “liver crushing.”

I have to admit I was overwhelmed at times by all of the information Bragg provides in this slim tome (less than 200 pages). At times I thought I would need to organize the names, dates, facts and figures on an Excel spreadsheet. She certainly did her homework, and I can only imagine her glee over finding out another interesting tidbit about Detroit’s history while doing her research. The book’s illustrations and photographs also aid in telling Detroit’s history.

Thanks to Bragg’s exhaustive research, the early days of Detroit come alive with interesting facts and figures who are fleshed-out human beings. This is no dusty and musty history text book. Hidden History of Detroit is fun read for any history buff, and you don’t have be a citizen of Detroit to enjoy it. It may even make you wonder, “Hmm, what’s the hidden history of my city?”