After more than three years’ work, Growing Up St. Louis: Looking Back Through the Decades will be out in a month. Officially, the release date is April 1. Unofficially, I’ve been told, it may show up at bookstores a week or two early. I think you’ll like how the snippets of my interviews of more than 100 St. Louisans about their childhood turned out.
I’m partial to the kid at the wheel above. He’s my Uncle Sidney Duerr, who died not long ago at the age of 91. I was glad I interviewed him before that about life in the 1930s. He was one of a few relatives and friends I interviewed. The rest were people I hadn’t met. They’re rich, poor, black, white, with all kinds of backgrounds. One is Tabitha Stowers, who was Kirkwood High School’s 2017 Homecoming Queen. Her picture is below.
I’ll sign copies for you and tell some of those stories at the book’s Launch Event at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 11 (the day before Easter) at the St. Louis Public Library’s Central Library, 1301 Olive St. In addition to my talk, there will be a panel discussion with five people I interviewed. The youngest person on the panel will be 11 and the oldest will be 103. Afterwards, we’ll celebrate with drink and food nearby at the Lucas Park Grille, 1234 Washington Avenue.
If you can’t make it, you can find the times and dates for other presentations and signings by clicking the menu above and the “Upcoming Events.” I look forward to seeing you. You’ll find this book was worth waiting for.
Jim Merkel the Writer 