Malaysia-based online bookstore - 15 million titles - quick local delivery with tracking number
What Were Pioneer Days Really Like in the U.P.?
The combination of mining, maritime and lumbering history created a culture in the U.P. that is unique to the Midwest. Discover true stories of the rough and dangerous times of the Upper Peninsula frontier that are as enjoyable as they are educational. You'll find no conventional romantic or whitewashed history here. Instead, you will be astonished by the true hardships and facets of trying to settle a frontier sandwiched among the three Great Lakes.
These pages are populated by Native Americans and the European immigrants, looking for their personal promised land-whether to raise families, avoid the law, start a new life or just get rich... no matter what it took. Mineral hunters, outlaws, men of honor creating civilization out of wilderness and the women of strength that accompanied them, the Upper Peninsula called to all. Among the eye-opening stories, you'll find True Tales includes:
This book is a gold mine of vacation possibilities, providing dozens of fascinating little-known facts about many of the innumerable attractions found in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. With the aid of a near countless parade of carefully selected historical images, Mikel paints a picture the reader will not ever forget. -- Michael Carrier, author of Murder on Sugar Island (Jack Handler mysteries)
Deeply informative, but never boring, each chapter covers a different event or person in the often dangerous and sometimes lawless Great Lakes frontier. Maybe Michigan natives especially will be surprised by these stories from the state's past. Claussen doesn't focus on the well-known or the glamorous stories, but instead the odd, the little-known, and the people who labored so hard to provide for themselves and their families in an unforgiving and brutal environment. This is a wonderful volume to better understand the little-understood region that is Michigan's Upper Peninsula. -- Axie Barclay, Portland Book Review
It's not that these stories have never been told... yet any collection keeping stories alive seems worthy. The author delves into the darker corners of the U.P. history, some he admits he himself had a hard time believing. All told, the book is a nice sampler and keepsake of the wild, weird, and wonderful things that should have given the Upper Peninsula its own genre of 'Western'. --Konnie LeMay, Lake Superior Magazine
Learn more at MikelBClassen.com
Winner of the U.P. Notable Books Award (2025)
The impact of Indian boarding schools has been devastating for generations of Native Americans, and the aftershocks continue to affect their descendants today. Michigan was home to three: in Baraga, Harbor Springs and Mt. Pleasant. The last to close was Holy Childhood School of Jesus, in Harbor Springs, in 1983. Sharon Marie Brunner set out to intensively study the family history and boarding school experience of nine Native American survivors who attended either the Mt. Pleasant or Harbor Springs institutions. Each faced problems linked to the scars of this experience, although their recollections included positive and negative reports. A woman whose mother attended one of these institutions, and a member of the Sault Ste Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Brunner is uniquely positioned to understand the cultural background.
Brunner deftly teases out the themes from in-person interviews transcribed in 2001. Surprising similarities and differences are explored in this highly researched social work treatise. Abuses are documented in the hope that we can prevent such a calamity from ever happening again. Whether or not you have any Native American heritage, this book is crucial to under-standing the lived experience of our fellow human beings and how we can do better. Social workers, educators and those in human services must read this book to develop policies that address the unique challenges and strengths of Native American people.
Sharon Marie Brunner, an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie [Michigan] Tribe of Chippewa Indians, combines her family and tribal experiences with historical research to provide a unique and strong foundation for this narrative history. Based on interviews with Northern Michigan Native people who had lived in an Indian Boarding School or whose parents had lived in a Boarding School, Michigan Indian Boarding School Survivors Speak Out includes the interviews Brunner conducted as well as her meticulous analysis of the resulting data, which enabled her to delineate the social, personal, and spiritual effects of this government enforced separation of children from their families, and of the lasting negative impact that resulted from the denigration of the children's Native heritage and cultural mores. I highly recommend this book. -- Sue Harrison, international bestselling author of The Midwife's Touch
Sharon Brunner provides a thoroughly researched, thoughtfully presented discussion of one of the dark sins of America: Indian Boarding Schools. The interviews with nine Northern Michigan residents, recounting their times in these schools and how the rest of their lives were affected, are deeply moving. -Jon C. Stott, author, Native Americans in Children's Literature
Sharon Brunner is a prolific writer who uses her Native American roots to craft stories that speak of the trauma Indigenous people experienced as a result of being forced to live in Christian boarding schools. Children were taken from their families, their culture and their roots. Brunner's true stories are written with a passion that flows from deep within her. -Sharon Kennedy, EUP News
Sharon Brunner's Michigan Indian Boarding School Survivors Speak Out is meticulously researched and a recommended read for the serious student of Native American history. The author focuses on the accounts of nine former boarding school residents and the effects their experiences had on their lives and the lives of their descendants. Especially appreciated is the author's detailed background presentation against which she weaves these personal narratives. Reading this book is helping me as I research my grandfather's story. -Ann Dallman, author of the award-winning Cady Whirlwind Thunder mystery series.
Kathleen M. Heideman's The Caving Grounds excavates the rubble of Negaunee, a small town in Upper Michigan hollowed by a century of mining. The extraction of hematite caused underground collapses and sinkholes; undermined neighborhoods were deemed unstable; homes, churches and even cemeteries were moved, and dangerous areas fenced. Thankfully, a guide will emerge: Rusty.
Her guide is Rusty, a drinker and a daredevil who travels the danger zones where people, houses, and herds of cattle have been lost. With Rusty and other residents, Heideman descends into the past through virgin forests, indigenous knowledge, and strong headwinds of economic development that lead to depletion. She travels underground, much the same as going down to Hades to witness the clammy workplaces that never would see the sun. -Sheila Packa, author of Night Train Red Dust
In Kathleen M. Heideman, Upper Michigan's wild woods and creatures and old timber towns and mining communities and rich but wounded earth itself have found one of their truest poetic voices. Freighted deep with her vast natural, cultural, ecological, historical, and-above all-local knowledge, her work both sings and heals the place that births it. -Jonathan Johnson, author of The Desk on the Sea
The Caving Grounds is one of the most original books I've ever read. It is partly an impressionistic history of actual caving grounds, but it is much more than that. There is weeping here. There is wild humor, passion, and mystery. -Jim Moore, author of Underground
The Caving Grounds is one hundred pages of unique, incredible, brilliant, harrowing, sad, funny, informative, and powerfully moving poems. -- Tom Powers, Michigan in Books
Kathleen M. Heideman is the author of A Brief Report on the Human Animal and Psalms of the Early Anthropocene. She lives in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
Book #2 in the Yooper Poetry Series
From Modern History Press
Winner of the U.P. Notable Books Award (2024)
Through the years, the challenge of powered transportation in the snow has been met with ideas from explorers, creative inventors and small companies, all with new ideas - often unique and sometimes successful. The name snowmobile was trademarked in 1917, but there were snow travel ideas before that date and certainly thousands more since.
Winter explorers and trailblazers sought to replace their dogsleds and snowshoes as they explored difficult locations, including remote locations, on the north and south poles. Early inventors of snow vehicles often scavenged parts from many mechanical devices, trying many power and propulsion methods, from 2- and 4-stroke engines to air propulsion, and even a snow biting screw auger concept.
The snow travel ideas from some early inventors were simply designed to solve their own needs; others came from entrepreneurs who believed folks would be impressed and want to buy their creations. Some of their ideas evolved into companies such as Polaris, Arctic Cat and Ski-Doo, which prospered and now can trace their roots back to that first snowmobile idea.
Make It Go In The Snow provides a fun look at the history of a few of the many thousands of snow travel ideas and those enthusiasts who gave them birth. Captured and recorded are a wide variety of snowmobile ideas, without offering judgment on any individual venture. Join me as I pay tribute to all those ideas; past, present, and future. But keep watching, because more snow excitement is waiting to be created.
I have read many snowmobile books over the years, and I believe Larry Jorgensen's was very informative and easy to read. It shows that Larry has done an excellent job researching information. I have recommended Make It Go In The Snow to all my snowmobiling friends, I look forward to handing out copies to them at Christmas. -- Daniel C. Blaney, Antique Snowmobile Museum, Morocco, Indiana.
Michigan plays a minor yet important part in this detailed history of snowmobiles. The first snowmobile was created in 1913 by a Ford dealer in New Hampshire. He took the rear wheels off a Model T and replaced them with dual wheels covered by tracks and replaced the front wheels with skis. He patented his invention and called it a snowmobile. A company later bought the patent and made 3,500 kits a year. As the author makes it abundantly clear, over the years backyard tinkerers, high schoolers, and just guys with a vision created snowmobiles of all shapes and sizes. If you have any interest in snowmobiles you're going to ski-doo through Make It Go in the Snow. -- Tom Powers, Michigan In Books
Jorgensen purchased his first snowmobile in 1967. Subsequently, he joined a snowmobile enthusiast group and participated in long-distance rides. The most notable was an endurance test from Fairbanks, Alaska to Seattle for the new Allsport Tracker. Pabst Brewing Company contracted him to create its programs for recreational snowmobiling and racing. He's also served on the board of the Central Division of the United States Snowmobile Association (USSA). So immersed in the activity has he been that when one of his children, then a first grader, was asked what her father did, she replied, 'He snowmobiles.' And now he's written of them as well and included a concluding chapter telling of various snowmobile museums he's discovered around the country. -- Helen V. Hutchings, SpeedReaders
From Modern History Press
Winner of the U.P. Notable Books Award (2025)
Join me on a trip to Mackinac Island's past, from the late 1940s to the present day. These are my memories of growing up on the Island, as well as some earthshaking changes that happened to affect everyone: the end of steamship visits, the building of the Mackinac Bridge, the increasing size and speed of passenger ferries, the introduction of new transportation (from 10-speeds to snowmobiles) and much more. On a more personal level, I'll share stories of how I earned my living on the Island, from house painting, cooking and bartending to delivering ferries from the factory. I'll also share my love for music and just plain having fun in rock-and-roll bands. This book includes many of my own photos that allow you to peek behind the curtains of the Jewel of the Great Lakes.
Finally a book written about the Island, by a man who's lived here his whole life. A true, first-hand account of the history and nuances of Mackinac that cannot be found in any other tome. This is the first of what - I hope - becomes a collection. --Jason St. Onge, Mackinac native, fire chief, councilman and businessman.
Tom Chambers' lifetime first-hand knowledge of Mackinac Island business history (especially ferries), local characters and fascinating Island lore make him a valued go-to resource for residents, as well as anyone interested in the Island. His deep family ties and experiences growing up and working on the Island always inform any discussion of Mackinac. I learn more about our beloved Island every time we speak. --Marta Olson, Mackinac Island author, Mintaka Designs.
This is a true, born-and-raised Islander perspective. Teen years on a snowmobile (when no one knew what they were), beach parties with a guitar, bike relays with competitors that turned into friends. An avid photographer and lifelong collector of memorabilia and stories, Tom Chambers has cataloged life on Mackinac for the last 50 years and now has a story, or two, to tell. -- Becki McIntire Barnwell, Islander and former co-owner of Hotel Iroquois.
I recommend Memories of a Mackinac Island Native for its first-hand account of the author's personal history, because of its remarkable island lore, captivating characters and rich Mackinac Island history. His real-life experiences such as the harrowing time he spent on the Straits of Mackinac II during a storm brought to life the danger that exists when traveling on the Great Lakes. -- Sharon Brunner, UP Book Review
I found Tom Chambers' detailed recording and history of the development of the ferry service to the island and the names and descriptions of the many ferries that plied the waters of the straits very interesting. His descriptions of how the island's Main Street changed over the years are fascinating. Readers will skip very few chapters -- Tom Powers, Michigan In Books
From Modern History Press www.ModernHistoryPress.com
Winner--Best Biography/Memoir of 2002, Midwest Book Awards (St. Paul, MN)
A firsthand account of the lumbering era during the white pine boom years of the late 1800s - early 1900s in the northern U.S. Millions of board feet of logs were cut in deep woods camps, driven down the rivers to the sawmills and shipped by schooner and barge to build a nation. This edition includes 78 historical photographs and illustrations, a glossary, editors' notes, maps, and much more.
The lumber barons, the lumberjacks, and the town people who worked in the mills--as well as the happenings of that period... are recalled by one who lived among them. I hope it will be an inspiration to others to set down their memories of the days of falling pine and belt-driven sawmills. Already too much of this story has passed beyond recall... a valuable addition not only to the history of Manistique, but to the state as well. --Ferris E. Lewis, Michigan History, Lansing
An authentic first-hand account... which tells the whole story of big-scale lumbering during the 1890s and early 1900s. Chapter by enthralling chapter, Crowe recounts the times involved in the 'big pine' operations... it rivals anything so far written... rich in description and alive with thrilling episodes. --Marquette Mining Journal
First-hand accounts of the dramatic 'big cut' by participant-observers are always illuminating. William S. Crowe's reminiscence of his years in the woods and the early days of Manistique, at the north end of Lake Michigan in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, was a classic in the 1950s. His granddaughters Lynn McGlothin Emerick and Ann McGlothin Weller have done a real service by republishing his book with ample photos and notes. -- Mary Hoffman Hunt, Midwestern Guides
Focusing on Manistique and meticulously researched, Lumberjack explores the early days of logging and the lifestyles of the countless loggers that filled the woods in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. William Crowe, the author, was a logger himself who collected and relates real stories from the men who were there. This is a mandatory book for anyone interested in the history of the Upper Peninsula. --Mikel B. Classen, author - Historian, True Tales: The Forgotten History of the U.P. and Faces Places & Days Gone By: A Pictorial History of the U.P.
From Modern History Press
www.ModernHistoryPress.com
Kathleen M. Heideman's The Caving Grounds excavates the rubble of Negaunee, a small town in Upper Michigan hollowed by a century of mining. The extraction of hematite caused underground collapses and sinkholes; undermined neighborhoods were deemed unstable; homes, churches and even cemeteries were moved, and dangerous areas fenced. Thankfully, a guide will emerge: Rusty.
Her guide is Rusty, a drinker and a daredevil who travels the danger zones where people, houses, and herds of cattle have been lost. With Rusty and other residents, Heideman descends into the past through virgin forests, indigenous knowledge, and strong headwinds of economic development that lead to depletion. She travels underground, much the same as going down to Hades to witness the clammy workplaces that never would see the sun. -Sheila Packa, author of Night Train Red Dust
In Kathleen M. Heideman, Upper Michigan's wild woods and creatures and old timber towns and mining communities and rich but wounded earth itself have found one of their truest poetic voices. Freighted deep with her vast natural, cultural, ecological, historical, and-above all-local knowledge, her work both sings and heals the place that births it. -Jonathan Johnson, author of The Desk on the Sea
The Caving Grounds is one of the most original books I've ever read. It is partly an impressionistic history of actual caving grounds, but it is much more than that. There is weeping here. There is wild humor, passion, and mystery. -Jim Moore, author of Underground
The Caving Grounds is one hundred pages of unique, incredible, brilliant, harrowing, sad, funny, informative, and powerfully moving poems. -- Tom Powers, Michigan in Books
Kathleen M. Heideman is the author of A Brief Report on the Human Animal and Psalms of the Early Anthropocene. She lives in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
Book #2 in the Yooper Poetry Series
From Modern History Press
At a time when Democracy is under attack, the riveting new novel, Sparks of the Revolution, is a vibrant reminder of where our Democracy was born and the people and principles that brought it to life. A small group of patriots, first sparked by a lawsuit James Otis brought and then argued, led Boston and, ultimately, the 13 colonies to move from resistance to revolution. Otis argued against allowing arrogant customs officials to enter, without warning, into Boston's homes and businesses, supposedly in search of smuggled goods. He popularized the phrase a man's house is his castle.Sparks of the Revolution brings to life the people and events that ultimately led to a painful and bloody separation from Great Britain. England's thirst for revenue led to attempts to tax Americans without allowing any voice or representation of those being taxed. The brave citizens of Boston said NO to the most powerful country on earth.
Sparks of the Revolution made me feel like I was right there in pre-Revolutionary Boston, both emotionally and intellectually... This book gives us a chance to reflect on the foundation of our Democracy. What an opportunity to see our common roots and move us toward a more unified America! This is a must-read book for patriots of today, whether liberal or conservative. --Tom Ridge, former Governor of Pennsylvania and Secretary of Homeland Security
Sparks of the Revolution does a terrific job bringing to life the key leaders in Boston who led America into the Revolutionary War. The historic scenes and larger-than-life figures that Todd Otis describes are vivid and engaging. Most importantly, the book reminds us that ideals, such as truth, justice and freedom that were the bedrock of our fight for independence, are still relevant today as we work to preserve and protect our democracy. -- Amy Klobuchar, US Senator, Minnesota
From Modern History Press
On a warm summer day in northern Michigan, a family of mice finds their way to Mackinac Island, the jewel of the Great Lakes, to start a new life. Tag along and enter a world of whimsy in A Mouse Tail on Mackinac Island.
Join the family--Father Mouse, a lover of cheese; Mother Mouse, a singer of lullabies; Max Mouse, a collector of stamps and Millie and Maizy Mouse, sweet little babies--as they search for the perfect home. What adventures will they have? Where will they live? What dangers will they encounter? With vibrant illustrations and a charming story, A Mouse Tail on Mackinac Island will capture both your heart and imagination.
Soon to become a Mackinac favorite - make way for this amusing and entertaining story. Whimsical illustrations, filled with recognizable details, engage the reader throughout this thoughtful book. Who wouldn't want to join the little Mouse family on an island adventure? --Jennifer Powell, author and illustrator, What I Saw on Mackinac
Maggie Chambers and Summer Porter have created a fun and colorful adventure of a family of mice all readers will enjoy - and, like a bite of island fudge, A Mouse Tail on Mackinac Island will prove very satisfying! --Jim Bolone, co-author, The Dockporter
Magnifying the little things in life, A Mouse Tail on Mackinac Island is a charming story told with an educational twist. Heartwarming characters, a unique setting and glorious imagery will make this book a family favorite and Mackinac Island staple. -- Kate Dupre, local artist and proprietor, Watercolor Cafe
This charming children's book captures the essence of Mackinac Island. A classic 'tail' for people of all ages that will spark a sense of wonder for years to come. --Mayor Margaret Doud, city of Mackinac Island
Learn more at www.MouseTailOnMackinac.com
From Modern History Press
Britta, an eleven-year-old girl has lived in soul-deep sorrow since her mother left their family. When Britta's father forgets her birthday, he decides to give her a dog (although Britta asked for a cell phone!). They adopt Crash, an Australian shepherd from their local animal shelter in Sault Ste. Marie, a small city in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and the adventures begin.
Rescuing Crash, the Good Dog is a story about broken hearts-not only Britta's and her father's but also a dog's broken heart-and it is a story about the bonds between daughters and fathers and good dogs and also not-always-so-good cats.
...a delightful and heartwarming story about the ways our rescued pets rescue us right back. -- Angeline Boulley, NYT Best-Selling author of Firekeeper's Daughter.
I loved this story about healing broken hearts and broken families-both human and animal... A wonderful and satisfying ending. -Janie Chang, Globe and Mail bestselling author of The Porcelain Moon and The Library of Legends.
A powerful tale of finding friendship in the most unexpected places. Rescuing Crash showcases the true heart of animal rescue in this fast-paced story of companionship, family, and healing. A must-read for young readers. -Nikki Mitchell, author of the Magic Shoebox Adventures
...perfect for readers who enjoy emotional, character-driven stories about family, resilience, and the special connection between humans and animals. Rescuing Crash is a touching and uplifting read that will resonate with anyone who has ever loved and been loved by a pet. -Michelle Goaley, Project Director Early Literacy Professional Learning, Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators
Learn more at SueHarrison.com
The Coca-Cola Trail is a journey for anyone interested in discovering the history and growth of the world's most recognized product. The trail will take readers to the places in America that tell the story - places where you can see, touch, and remember. Whether a serious Coca-Cola memorabilia collector, a person interested in American business history, or simply a fan - The Coca-Cola Trail provides a fresh new look at a trusted old friend. 30 chapters cover each bottling plant location in meticulous detail, including unique and ghost billboard signage.
So, what is a Coca-Cola Bottler? Well, from a legal standpoint, it's a franchisee of the Coca-Cola company, who has been granted the right to bottle and sell Coca-Cola in an exclusive territory. This franchise or contract has been amended and otherwise changed somewhat over the years to add many additional brands, but in the beginning, it was granted for the sole purpose of bottling and distributing Coca-Cola throughout the bottler's territory.
In the early years, it was bottled one bottle at a time, placed in wooden cases, and hauled to the customer in horse or mule-drawn wagons. The bottling plants were crude and the task was difficult but by acquiring these franchises, these entrepreneurs had unknowingly won the lottery. They had settled on investing in a product that would change the world. A fabulous beverage with a delicious, unique taste profile that provided a refreshing boost to the drinker. Even in today's world, with thousands of brands of both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, Coca-Cola remains at the top in providing that unique taste and special experience in a beverage. You combine this great product with brilliant advertising and marketing from The Coca-Cola Company and voila you have a brand and company and a bottling and distribution system that has been so successful that books upon books have been written about it for over 100 years. That is unique in itself.
If you like history of any type, you must read this book. Part history, part travel guide but always interesting, and when you've finished you'll be a master of some particular trivia questions.The Coca-Cola Trail is chockfull of very interesting - every page brings a new delight of some lesser-known areas of the US. A wonderful book that I highly recommend to all history buffs. -- Linda Thompson, host of The Authors Show
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Coke memorabilia and also to anyone who is interested in learning a different portion of the history of the South. Of course, Coke extended past the southern states, even in the beginning, with one of the earliest bottling plants being located in Leadville, Colorado. If you grew up drinking Coke, this is somewhat like a trip down memory lane as well; filled with pictures of old places and people who were active in the first years of Coke. -- S. Byrd, Atlanta, GA
Coca-Cola is an international sensation, and Larry Jorgensen of Lafayette, Louisiana, has written a book documenting the many places in the United States showcasing Coke history or attractions unique to Coca-Cola. Jorgensen spent two years researching this book, which is also filled with historic photos and recent shots of places and people. -- Louisiana Book News
From Civil War boots sewn by German immigrants to a massive international corporation with a script image nearly as familiar as the stars-and-stripes, The Coca-Cola Trail is a great American story well narrated by Jorgensen. -- Mack Hassler, U.P. Book Review
Waiting in the night, hidden behind a remote island, no lights showing, pirates would lure unsuspecting ships into unknown waters. Then they would silently slide up to them and board the ship. The crew would be killed and the bodies thrown over the side, weighted down with chains. The pirates would take the cargo, sink or burn the ship, and then, just as quietly, sail away into the night. Dead men tell no tales, nor do they testify in court.
Forget everything you've learned about pirates from Johnny Depp films. Instead of chasing down ships laden with gold, the Great Lakes pirates were after commodities. There were fur pirates, timber pirates, religious pirates, and inept pirates. Just about anything that could be sold fell prey to pirates. Cargos could be stolen and then sold at the next port.
Loaded with rare period photos and engravings of the infamous pirates who wreaked havoc in Great Lakes waters and shore communities, Classen's inviting narrative is fast-paced and filled with legends of treasures and daring exploits. -Sue Harrison, international best-selling historical novelist
Piracy on the Great Lakes is a swashbuckling treat and fascinating addition to Great Lakes lore. Historical vignettes filled with fur traders, religious extremists, and Civil War opponents bring it to life. You'll be surprised, entertained, and enlightened by the tales of high adventure that await you in these pages. - Tyler R. Tichelaar, PhD, award-winning author of The Mysteries of Marquette
Replete with hair-raising tales of black-sailed ships, desperate and bloody conquests, frontier politics, revenge, and retribution, Mikel Classen's Piracy on the Great Lakes paints a vivid picture of piracy's social and economic role in America's adolescence. Classen contex-tualizes the broad strokes of the Civil War, the late stages of the fur trade, and the timber market with anecdotes of personal detail that are often far stranger than fiction. - J.D. Austin, author of The Last Huck
I learned a lot about the Great Lakes and was impressed by the extensive research Mikel B. Classen must have done. He has packed a lot of information into less than 100 pages. I would recommend it to anyone seeking a good read about our Great Lakes. - Larry Jorgensen, author of Shipwrecked and Rescued
This slim volume contains a wealth of information on a subject that seems as reluctant to reveal its history as the historical pirates of the Great Lakes who guarded their anonymity. Piracy on the Great Lakes is filled with photographs and illustrations that complement the narrative. Classen has written a fine survey of pirating on the Great Lakes and even readers with some knowledge of the subject will find it worth their time. -- Tom Powers, Michigan in Books
Winner of the U.P. Notable Books Award (2024)
The Last Huck stands out as one of the most impressive debut novels of this decade. --Joseph D. Haske, author of North Dixie Highway
Jakob, Niklas and Peter Kinnunen grew up playing together on their family's berry farm on the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan's U.P. The three of them inherit the land when their beloved uncle passes away, but Jakob goes to prison and Peter, who goes broke during the 2008 financial crash, calls Niklas and suggests they sell the land for fast cash. Niklas fights back against Peter, but Peter convinces Niklas to take a trip up north, from their homes in Milwaukee, to visit the place and get closure. Haunted by their childhoods and the absence of their beloved Jakob, they spend the weekend drinking, fighting, reminiscing and trying to figure out whether or not to sell. Woven together with moments going back four generations, The Last Huck is the saga of a family ravaged by time and modernity, yet holding on to one another for dear life.
...an honest, absorbing, and ultimately redemptive saga with the expansive reach of Steinbeck, the spare immediacy of Carver, and the relentless plot and slashing irony of Franzen. It reads at times like like a fairy tale and at times like a dispatch from the cultural front lines, where young men must navigate the roughness and tenderness required to be fully human in modern times. -- George F. Lewis, Daily Mining Gazette
In his first novel, J.D. Austin vividly captures the painful conflicts among the young men as they spend one last weekend in a place that were the scenes of their happiest childhood memories. --Jon C. Stott, author, Summers at the Lake: Upper Michigan Moments and Memories
We are a large country with many regional literatures. I find the analogy between the 19th-century regional novel and J.D. Austin's The Last Huck provocative and literate. -Donald M. Hassler, Professor Emeritus of English, Kent State University
The adventure that ensues not only immediately draws the reader in, but does so in a fashion that makes it virtually impossible to put the book down. It is always a joy for seasoned sojourners to witness young talent, such as J. D. Austin, blossom and flourish as we pass through this life. --Michael Carrier (MA NYU), author, Jack Handler Murder Mysteries / Hardboiled Thrillers
The Last Huck stands out as one of the most impressive debut novels of this decade. The characters, sardonic, clever, and intensely authentic, efficaciously propel Austin's masterful narrative through the backdrop of Michigan's Upper Peninsula like skate blades cutting Lake Superior ice in late winter. With this splendid, unforgettable, first effort, J.D. Austin proves himself a name to watch out for in American letters. --Joseph D. Haske, author of North Dixie Highway
From the first sentence, you know this novel was written by a master. And The Last Huck happens to be J.D. Austin's first literary novel; add to that, Austin real young.His deep characterizations, strange and haunting plot, and his words (Oh, those elegant, rugged words!) boggled my mind. Talented? You better believe it. This is a guy to watch, maybe with a touch of envy, but mostly with an ecstatic realization that we've just added a giant to the ranks of Midwest authors the likes of Jim Harrison, Charles Baxter, Bonnie Jo Campbell, and Stuart Dybek. --Sue Harrison, author of Mother Earth Father Sky
J.D. AUSTIN has resided in the Keweenaw since 2019. He has worked as a kayak guide, ski technician and stage carpenter, among other vocations. Austin's fiction has appeared in The Incandescent Review and U.P. Reader Vol. 7. The Last Huck is his first nove
Explore the depths of love and loss across three generations of women
Hummingbird is a spiritual memoir about the connection between three generations of women--the author, her mother and her beloved maternal grandmother whose wisdoms taught the author how to exist in the world by following her intuition and listening to her heart. Follow Diana on a journey of more than five decades as an author, nurse, research psychologist, teacher, cancer survivor, and more. With insightful prompts, the reader is also invited to explore their own ancestral connections.
...Raab offers poignant and thoughtful insights to help us heal intergenerational trauma. Raab rightly reminds us that our ancestors live on in us and we are invited to call on them anytime we need help... -- SONIA CHOQUETTE, New York Times bestselling author, The Answer is Simple and Ask Your Guides
Diana Raab knows the terrain of the human heart... she invites readers to reflect upon their own life's journeys and to use writing and journaling to navigate a pathway for healing... -- TERRA TREVOR, author of We Who Walk the Seven Ways
Hummingbird is not only a poignant spiritual memoir, it is an invitation. Raab is accessible and authentic... She opens hearts and deftly offers insightful prompts, sweetly encouraging the reader's collaboration. -- MARILYN KAPP, author of Love is Greater Than Pain
With disarming honesty, Raab slows down our jittery minds to share the intimacies of experiencing trauma and healing self-care in a way that they feel as normal as sleeping and eating... A safety net for the reader to explore their own path to hope. -- TRISTINE RAINER, author of Your Life as Story, and The New Diary
DIANA RAAB, PhD is an award-winning memoirist, poet, workshop facilitator, thought leader and survivor. She is the author of 13 books and frequently speaks and writes on the topics of healing and transformation. Raab is a regular contributor to numerous magazines and her work has been published and anthologized worldwide. To learn more, visit: https: //www.dianaraab.com
Learn more at www.DianaRaab.com
From Modern History Press
Ride in the back of the ambulance with Sherry Lynn Jones
Share the innermost feelings of emergency services workers as they encounter trauma, tragedy, redemption, and even a little humor. Sherry Lynn Jones has been an Emergency Medical Technician, Emergency Room Nurse, prison healthcare practitioner, and an on-scene critical incident debriefer. Most people who have observed or experienced physical, mental or emotional crisis have single perspectives. This book allows readers to stand on both sides of the gurney; it details a progression from innocence to enlightened caregiver to burnout, glimpsing into each stage personally and professionally.
Corrections the third realm of emergency care behind layers of concrete and barbed wire. Join in the dangers, challenges, and truth-is-stranger-than-fiction humor of this updated and revised second edition of Confessions of a Trauma Junkie. In addition to stories from the streets and ERs, medics, nurses, and corrections officers share perceptions and coping skills from the other side of prisons' cuffs and clanging metal doors.
Emergency Service Professionals Praise Confessions of a Trauma Junkie
A must read for those who choose to subject themselves to life at its best and at its worst. Sherry offers insight in the Emergency Response business that most people cannot imagine.
--Maj Gen Richard L. Bowling, former Commanding General, USAF Auxiliary (CAP)
Sherry Lynn Jones shares experiences and unique personal insights of first responders. Told with poetry, sensitivity and a touch of humor at times, all are real, providing views into realities EMTs, Nurses, and other first responders encounter. Recommended reading for anyone working with trauma, crises, critical incidents in any profession.
-- George W. Doherty, MS, LPC, President Rocky Mountain Region Disaster Mental Health Institute
Sherry has captured the essence of working with people who have witnessed trauma. It made me cry, it made me laugh, it helped me to understand differently the work of our Emergency Services Personnel. I consider this a 'must read' for all of us who wish to be helpful to those who work in these professions.
--Dennis Potter, LMSW, CAADC, CCS, FAAETS, ICISF Faculty
Confessions of a Trauma Junkie is an honest, powerful, and moving account of the emotional realities of helping others Sherry Lynn Jones gives us a privileged look into the healing professions she knows firsthand. The importance of peer support is beautifully illustrated. This book will deepen the readers respect for those who serve.
--Victor Welzant, PsyD, Director of Education and Training, The International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc (ICISF)
Learn more at www.SherryLynnJones.com
Biography & Autobiography: Medical - General
At a time when her friends were planning cushy retirements, Nancy Wesson instead walked away from a comfortable life and business to head out as a Peace Corps Volunteer in post-war Northern Uganda. She embraced wholeheartedly the grand adventure of living in a radically different culture, while turning old skills into wisdom. Returning home becomes a surreal experience in trying to reconcile a life that no longer fits. This becomes the catalyst for new revelations about family wounds, mystical experiences, and personal foibles.
Nancy shows us the power of stepping into the void to reconfigure life and enter the wilderness of the uncharted territory of our own memories and psyche, to mine the gems hidden therein. Funny, heartbreaking, insightful and tender, I Miss the Rain in Africa is the story of honoring the self, discovering a new lens through which to view life, and finding joy along the path.
Inspiring and educational when it comes to what we can accomplish when we put our best foot forward, I Miss the Rain in Africa shows how Nancy Daniel Wesson and others are putting the needs of others ahead of themselves--and what we can all do when it comes to stepping out on faith and choosing to act. -- Cyrus Webb, media personality and author, Conversations Magazine
I would think that many of us could learn or strive to live life to the fullest by following Nancy's example. Imagine venturing into new realms-especially at a later time in life when we possess meaningful knowledge for analyzing, but also for applying a critical philosophical perspective on new experiences. Gary Vizzo, former management & operations director, Peace Corps Community Development: African and Asia
I Miss the Rain in Africa is an absorbing record of the exploration of self by a woman who, at age 64, enters a remote area of Africa to work with an NGO. Part adventure, part interior monologue, this is an account of a 21st century derring-do by an intrepid, intriguing and always optimistic woman who will, undoubtedly, enjoy a fourth and maybe even a fifth act wherever she may find herself. --Eileen Purcell, outreach literacy coordinator, Clatsop Community College, Astoria, Oregon
Wesson offers a montage of stories and experiences that introduces the reader to the colorful people and challenging life in Uganda. Wesson's observations are shared with humor, respect, and compassion. For anyone who has ever won-dered what serving in Peace Corps or immersing oneself in a radically different life overseas might be like, this book provides a portal. --Kathleen Willis, Retired Peace Corps Volunteer-Community Organizer, former organizational development consultant
Learn more at www.NancyWesson.com
Enjoy a Visual Trip to See How People Lived and Worked in the U.P. in Centuries Past!
Classen's pictorial history is the next best thing to a time machine, as we get a front-row seat in the worlds of shipping and shipwrecks, iron and copper mining, timber cutting, hunting and fishing and the everyday lives of ordinary folks of Michigan's Upper Peninsula across more than 100 years. Faces, Places and Days Gone By peers into our past through the lenses of those that lived and explored it. See what they saw as time passed and how the U.P. evolved into the wonderous place we know today.
From the author's unique collection, witness newly restored images from long lost stereoviews, cabinet cards, postcards and lithograph engravings. Join us on a visual journey to relive some of those moments, and discover a unique heritage through those faces and places. From the Soo to Ironwood, from Copper Harbor to Mackinaw Island-you'll never see the U.P. in quite the same way!
With his book Faces, Places, and Days Gone By, historian Mikel B. Classen has achieved a work of monumental importance. Drawing from his collection of archival photographs, Classen takes readers on a journey in time that gives rare insight into a vanished world. --Sue Harrison, international bestselling author of The Midwife's Touch
Classen's compilation of photographs from his personal collection span more than 100 years of U.P. history and is sure to bring history to life for readers. Each photo is accompanied by a blurb explaining the story within the image. The collection encompasses myriad subjects, such as homesteading, lighthouses, ships, and even sled dogs. The restored images honor the everyday lives of Yooper and document U.P. heritage and culture. Chronicle, Vol. 46., No. 2 (Historical Society of Michigan)
Mikel Classen's Faces, Places, and Days Gone By provides a fascinating and nostalgic look at more than a century of Upper Michigan photography. From images of iron mines and logging to Sunday drives and palatial hotels, you are bound to be in awe of this chance to visit the past. -- Tyler R. Tichelaar, award-winning author of Kawbawgam: The Chief, The Legend, The Man
Mikel Classen's new book, Faces, Places, and Days Gone By, belongs in every library in Michigan. And when I say every library, I'm talking about every public, high school and college storehouse of knowledge. -- Michael Carrier, MA, New York University, author of the award-winning Jack Handler U.P. mystery series
I found this photographic history of Michigan north of the bridge surprisingly informative and enjoyable. It piqued my interest when I did a first quick look and had to stop and return to one striking photograph after another. And then there is the photo of a Native American mother holding her baby. I can't help but wonder if, in a few years, the child will be taken from her and sent to a church or government school which will ruthlessly try to entirely strip the child of its Native American culture. Regretfully it was a fairly common practice. Obviously, my response to the photographs was both intellectual and emotional. This book is a rich historical look at the Upper Peninsula that literally shows it from the ragged edge of the frontier to the 1920s. -- Tom Powers, Michigan in Books
Learn more at www.MikelBClassen.com
From Modern History Press www.ModernHistoryPress.com
Winner of the U.P. Notable Books Award (2025)
Join me on a trip to Mackinac Island's past, from the late 1940s to the present day. These are my memories of growing up on the Island, as well as some earthshaking changes that happened to affect everyone: the end of steamship visits, the building of the Mackinac Bridge, the increasing size and speed of passenger ferries, the introduction of new transportation (from 10-speeds to snowmobiles) and much more. On a more personal level, I'll share stories of how I earned my living on the Island, from house painting, cooking and bartending to delivering ferries from the factory. I'll also share my love for music and just plain having fun in rock-and-roll bands. This book includes many of my own photos that allow you to peek behind the curtains of the Jewel of the Great Lakes.
Finally a book written about the Island, by a man who's lived here his whole life. A true, first-hand account of the history and nuances of Mackinac that cannot be found in any other tome. This is the first of what - I hope - becomes a collection. --Jason St. Onge, Mackinac native, fire chief, councilman and businessman.
Tom Chambers' lifetime first-hand knowledge of Mackinac Island business history (especially ferries), local characters and fascinating Island lore make him a valued go-to resource for residents, as well as anyone interested in the Island. His deep family ties and experiences growing up and working on the Island always inform any discussion of Mackinac. I learn more about our beloved Island every time we speak. --Marta Olson, Mackinac Island author, Mintaka Designs.
This is a true, born-and-raised Islander perspective. Teen years on a snowmobile (when no one knew what they were), beach parties with a guitar, bike relays with competitors that turned into friends. An avid photographer and lifelong collector of memorabilia and stories, Tom Chambers has cataloged life on Mackinac for the last 50 years and now has a story, or two, to tell. -- Becki McIntire Barnwell, Islander and former co-owner of Hotel Iroquois.
I recommend Memories of a Mackinac Island Native for its first-hand account of the author's personal history, because of its remarkable island lore, captivating characters and rich Mackinac Island history. His real-life experiences such as the harrowing time he spent on the Straits of Mackinac II during a storm brought to life the danger that exists when traveling on the Great Lakes. -- Sharon Brunner, UP Book Review
I found Tom Chambers' detailed recording and history of the development of the ferry service to the island and the names and descriptions of the many ferries that plied the waters of the straits very interesting. His descriptions of how the island's Main Street changed over the years are fascinating. Readers will skip very few chapters -- Tom Powers, Michigan In Books
From Modern History Press www.ModernHistoryPress.com
Join us for epic adventures in the U.P. on land and lakes
Pirates, thieves, shipwrecks, sexy women, lost gold, and adventures on the Lake Superior frontier await you In this book, you'll sail on a ship full of gold, outwit deadly shapeshifters, battle frontier outlaws and even meet the mysterious agent that Andrew Jackson called the meanest man he ever knew. Packed with action, adventure, humor, and suspense, this book has something for every reader. Journey to the wilds of the Lake Superior shoreline through ten stories that span the 19th century through present day including The Wreck of the Marie Jenny, The Bigg Man, Wolf Killer, and Bullets Shine Silver in the Moonlight.
Mikel B. Classen is a longtime resident of Sault Sainte Marie in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. His intimacy of the region, the history and its culture gives this book a feel of authenticity that is rarely seen. As a writer, journalist, columnist, photographer, and editor with more than 30 years experience, his breadth of knowledge is unparalleled.
It's clear that Mikel B. Classen knows and loves the Lake Superior area of Michigan and brings it to life in a delightful way. If you want frequent laughs, unusual characters who jump off the page, and the fruit of a highly creative mind, you've got to read this little book.
-- Bob Rich, author, Looking Through Water
From Modern History Press.
Learn more at www.MikelClassen.com
The Frugal Book Promoter assures your book gets the best possible start in life, whether your publisher assigns zero dollars or thousands to your book's marketing campaign. A former publicist, the author provides no-nonsense basics to build the essentials you need to build a time-saving social media campaign and knock'em dead lists of influencers that will be more effective than anything you could buy. Pick and choose from dozens of ideas for promotions that she developed or refined through extensive (and award-winning) book campaigns of her own. Several will match your pocketbook and personality.
The most expensive part of book promotion are the mistakes. This book will save you time and money.
--Dan Poynter, legendary author of The Self-Publishing Manual
Carolyn Howard-Johnson's Frugal Book Promoter is... a classic
--Bookbaby.com
Carolyn Howard-Johnson is] an incessant promoter who develops and shares new approaches for book promotion.
--Marilyn Ross, founder, Small Publishers of North America and coauthor of The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing>
The Frugal Book Promoter has given me ideas that would never have occurred to me and has changed the way I think about book promotion.
-- Mark Logie, award-winning poet and short-story writer
Carolyn Howard-Johnson (@FrugalBookPromo) is a multi award-winning author of both fiction and nonfiction. She is a former publicist for a New York PR firm and a marketing instructor for the UCLA Extension Writers' Program. She has appeared on hundreds of TV and radio stations both nationally and locally, and her poetry, essays, columns and stories are published frequently in journals and on the web. She admits to loving marketing almost as much as she loves writing.
Learn more at www.HowToDoItFrugally.com
From Modern History Press