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Announcing  The Launch Party for Walking South City:  A Journey Through Historic St. Louis Neighborhoods  In his book about a 45-mile walk around St. Louis’s South Side, Jim Merkel crafts a thorough depiction of the quirks and gems of the area. Grab your walking shoes, follow along, and get ready to look at South CityContinue reading “Time to Launch the Book”

That guy crossing Gravois Avenue at Ohio Avenue is me. That church is St. Frances de Sales Oratory. The release of Walking South City is really close.

This sculpture of an Italian immigrant family is in front of St. Ambrose Catholic Church on the Hill. Recently, I posted some testimonials about Walking South City: A Journey Through Historic St. Louis Neighborhoods from area leaders. Here are some more. This is a book that will interest anyone who is curious about the richContinue reading “More Praise for Walking South City”

We asked some locals to tell us what they think about portions of “Walking South City. ” Wow. Here’s what three said. Reading Merkel’s travel log, you get a real sense of not only what this world is like now but how it once was.  I have read many of Merkel’s books and this isContinue reading “What They’re Saying About Walking South City”

Years ago, an editor reacted to the a manuscript I’d written by writing “Congratulations on a well-written first draft.” Then as I recall, he demanded all kinds of changes. That’s the way it is with writing. .For my latest book, Walking South City, my editor has demanded change after change. I imagine It’s not muchContinue reading “Stellar! Wow!”

One notable South Side thoroughfare is Itaska Street. The city named it for the lake in Minnesota that is the true source of the Mississippi River. A handy tip: don’t try to find an address on “Itaska Street” by saying it into a phone with a GPS app. That’s because the lake in Minnesota isContinue reading “Don’t Use a GPS for this One”

You wouldn’t find this tallish stump on a trail in far southeast Carondelet Park in other walking tours of South St. Louis. But it will be in my tour book next year, because my book will be unlike any other. Stripped of bark, branches and any hint of a green canopy, it resembles the biggestContinue reading “Is that a tree? Or a huge twig?”

I’m thrilled to announce Reedy Press soon will release a new book by me, possibly later this year. In Scenes From South City, I’ll give a somewhat crackpot look at what I saw in about 50 miles of walks through the South Side. In seventeen chapters of about three miles each, all traipsed in 2021,Continue reading “A new book about oddball South St. Louis”

Right before Growing Up St. Louis came out at the beginning of April of 2020, my publisher suggested I ought to do a Facebook group to match it. Okay, I groaned to myself, thinking that was one more thing to do as I sold the book. Amazingly, the group called Growing Up St. Louis –Continue reading “My Facebook Group About St. Louis Kids”

If you’re still looking for that perfect gift, your answer might be Growing Up St. Louis or one of my other books. They all provide a special look at the people and history of the Gateway City that everybody on your list will love. On Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 5 and 6, you’ll have aContinue reading “Give the Gift of St. Louis”