New Books Now Available
History is always being written, and some of the best stories are the ones closest to home. This season, we're excited to introduce a new lineup of titles that bring lesser known corners of local and regional history into the spotlight. Whether you're a longtime history buff or simply curious about the place you call home, these new releases offer fresh research, compelling storytelling, and a deeper look at the events and people who shaped our communities.
Let's dive in.
New Books Now Available
Click on the cover image or title to learn more or purchase your copy today.
Watch our author interview with Bill!
Find out what makes the Second City America's #1 macabre metropolis
Many of cinema’s scariest scenes have been filmed in Chicago. Film buffs know the list—Child’s Play, Candyman, Poltergeist III, and Flatliners. But that's just a smattering of the blood-drenched spine-tinglers that have made Chicagoans double-check shadows in alleyways for decades. Now it’s time to steady those nerves for a tour of the shriek-inducing locales we've seen on the big screen. Those terrifying scenes that haunt your dreams, that have looped across your mind’s eye during unsettling moments—head into the city to see where the frightening cinematic magic came to life.
From the haunted high-rises of the Gold Coast to the ghostly echoes of Cabrini-Green, author and connoisseur macabre Bill Reick examines how Chicago’s streets, landmarks, and neighborhoods contributed to the terrifying atmosphere in the iconic films that kept you up at night—and still do.
Two different breweries from two different centuries, both steeped in German and Texas history, happen to be connected in name only. St. Louis’s seasoned beer man Adolphus Busch and several San Antonio businessmen sought to modernize brewing in Texas and leave their distinctive mark on the burgeoning industry. They brought more than just German lager, serving up porters and bocks as well. Ultimately, Prohibition precipitated their shuttering. Meanwhile, Karl Haegelin’s Sabinas Brewery in Sabinas, Mexico, raised the bar for quality while enduring the whims of Pancho Villa. Eventually, Haeglin would move the operation to San Antonio at the end of Prohibition. By 1940, name and ownership had changed too, rebranded as Busch’s old trademark—the Lone Star Brewing Company. The reborn Lone Star, steered by Harry Jersig, would craft a recognizable, purely Texas persona—in its identity, its approach to brewing, and its relationships with customers. Join author Jeremy Banas and savor the lineage and legacy of a cherished local libation.
The Unsolved Murder of a Small-Town Iowa Principal
The 1895 death of Price V. Evans, the brand-new Osage High School principal, sparked a two-month “Was it suicide? Was it murder?” debate in Iowa. The Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette proclaimed, “There has not been another tragedy in the history of Iowa that has called forth such bitter sentiment and been the cause of so much unseemly and wordy strife.” Osage authorities ruled it a suicide—despite being shot three times—while his hometown of Williamsburg declared murder. The Evans case, still unsolved today, leads this deep dive into not just one but four murders that rocked small-town Iowa over the course of a decade. Author Deb Nicklay explores the heart-wrenching rural cases that gripped an entire state.
A curated collection of newsletter articles reveals some fascinating local history.
Packet boats were a critical lifeline for those who lived along the North River in Norwell, Massachusetts. At a time when roads were rough and unreliable, the river offered the surest passage for goods, mail, and travelers.
Like those packet boats of old, the Norwell Historical Society’s newsletter, North River Packet, makes important connections, linking us with our past. This curated collection of newsletter articles, oral histories, cemetery tour scripts, and even a play, reveals some fascinating local history.
Discover the sensational 1878 Otis Safe Robbery when Herbert Otis and a band of Boston rogues carted off a 600-pound safe from Pleasant Street, only to bungle their fortune. Walk alongside Juliette Hammond, the first woman to vote in Norwell. Read about everyday townspeople who recall tales of dairy farms on Cross Street and trips to the general store on “the Hill.”
Anyone interested in the founding of libraries across the country will delight in delving into Prescott Public Library, which showcases the pivotal role the establishment played in the Arizona city's history. The Prescott Public Library was created in 1917 when the City of Prescott took over management of the formerly private library. Prescott was established in the middle of the Civil War when Union sympathizers found gold in the Bradshaw Mountains. Even in those Wild West days, territorial secretary Richard McCormick brought with him a wagon full of 300 books, establishing a library that would become the lifeblood of the territorial capital. The Prescott Library Association was founded in 1870, and it was at the helm of the Monday Club (established 1890) that a library building was constructed. This became the Carnegie Library in 1903, the first approved in the state of Arizona. This library opened with 1,300 books in its collection. In the last century, the Prescott Public Library has grown with Prescott. Now located on Goodwin Street, the library contains over 113,000 items in its collection and serves its patrons in new and exciting ways. With more to share in the future, Prescott Public Library welcomes everyone into “Prescott’s Living Room.”
Every book on this list is a reminder that history isn't just something that happened long ago and far away. It happened here, on streets we still walk and in communities we still call home. We hope these new releases inspire you to look at your own hometown with fresh eyes and a little more curiosity. Pick up a copy today, and let us know which story you're most excited to dive into. And if these don't inspire you, feel free to check out our full catalog.