News and information from Steve’s author and writing life
Road Trip 2024 Highlights
An Amazing Visit to the National World War II Museum in New Orleans
My wife Kate and I took a wonderful road trip South this fall that included a memorable few days at the fabulous National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana! I can’t say enough about how high quality and special this place is – if you have the opportunity, by all means GO! The museum is filled with great interactive exhibits, personal stories, videos, recordings, documents, and a mixture of the home front and battlefront during the Second World War. It also tells the story of WWII from a military, social, economic, and political perspective.
One of our absolute highlights was meeting and talking with WWII Navy veteran Vincent Sottile (shown below with me), who celebrated his 99th birthday while we were there. Vincent served as an ensign on landing craft at the Leyte Gulf and Guam. He came home and became a gastroenterologist and worked at his profession until he was 96! (“I started to get a little tired,” he said, explaining why he decided to retire). It was an honor and a humbling experience to meet Vincent and take in this wonderful museum that pays tribute to the WWII generation. If you go, I’d suggest allowing 2-3 days to enjoy the experience fully!
A New Interpretative Plaque Marks the American Humanitarian Mission to Ireland During The Great Famine, a Story Told in My Book, Voyage of Mercy
I’m excited that the Friends of the Boston Harborwalk have installed a new and beautiful interpretative plaque to commemorate the massive American assistance effort to Ireland during the Great Famine of 1846-47, a story I told for the first time in my book, Voyage of Mercy.
I was honored to edit the copy and captions for this sign, and my book and name are mentioned in the caption describing the USS Jamestown, which left from the Charlestown Navy Yard in March 1847 with food for the starving Irish. The Jamestown was the first of more than 150 ships that provided food to Ireland in 1847 and 1848, as the American people participated in the world’s first humanitarian mission!
The plaque is located directly opposite Pier 1 at the Navy Yard, which is where the USS Constitution is docked. Shout-outs to Steve Landrigan of the Friends sign team for creating the content; and to Jamestown Urban Management (whose name is totally coincidental), which leases the property from MassPort, for covering the cost of design, manufacture, and installation of the plaque, and expressed great enthusiasm about adding interpretive signage!
If you live in the Boston area, or are planning to visit, I hope you can make your way to the area and check out this great new addition to the history of Boston and the history of the United States!
Thanks to NewSouth Bookstore!
As part of the “work and history portion” of our Southern road-trip, I spoke on The Great Abolitionist at the The NewSouth Bookstore, a wonderful independent in Alabama’s capital city of Montgomery. I’m shown with (from left) bookstore manager Jessala White, and co-owners Suzanne LaRosa and Randall Williams, who – along with the audience –made me feel very welcomed! (I stopped into the store the day before the event to check it out). I really appreciated the people who turned out on a rainy evening to hear about Charles Sumner. Thanks also to someone who is not shown, NewSouth’s Gabbi Emerson, who could not attend, but who worked with me throughout to organize this fun event. Thanks, NewSouth! 
Montgomery Confronts its Mixed History of Slavery and Civil Rights
Montgomery, like many Southern cities, has a dramatic mixed history – about 100 years apart – of slavery and the fight for civil rights. I think the city does a good job of confronting and dealing with it honestly. Here are just a couple (of many) examples. We visited the stirring and excellent Rosa Parks Museum at Troy University, which dealt both with her heroic decision on a Montgomery public bus in December 1955, and the civil rights movement in general; and we toured the “First White House of the Confederacy,” home to Confederate States of America (CSA) President Jefferson Davis and his family in early 1861 before the Confederacy moved its capital to Richmond, Virginia. There are numerous examples of slavery and civil rights history throughout the city, which makes it worth visiting to gain a sense of the city, the region, and the country during both the Civil War and civil rights eras.
A Fascinating Stop in Dayton, TN, Location of the Celebrated “Scopes Monkey Trial” of 1925!
Another historical highlight was our stop in Dayton, Tennessee at the Rhea County Courthouse and Museum, location of the celebrated “Scopes Monkey Trial” of 1925. The trial began on July 10 of that year, and kicked off eleven days of what would become one of the most famous trials in U.S. history.
A quick primer on the case: John Thomas Scopes, a young high school science teacher, was accused of teaching evolution in violation of a Tennessee state law. The law, which had been passed in March, made it a misdemeanor punishable by fine to “teach any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals.”
With the help of a local businessman, Scopes conspired to get charged with this violation, and after his arrest, the men enlisted the aid of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to organize a defense. Hearing of this coordinated attack on Christian fundamentalism, William Jennings Bryan, the three-time Democratic presidential candidate and a fundamentalist hero, volunteered to assist the prosecution. Soon after, the great attorney Clarence Darrow agreed to join the ACLU in the defense, and the stage was set.
Within a few days, hordes of spectators and reporters had descended on Dayton as preachers set up revival tents along the city’s main street. Inside the Courthouse, the defense suffered early setbacks when Judge John Raulston ruled against their attempt to prove the law unconstitutional, and then refused to end his practice of opening each day’s proceeding with prayer. Outside, Dayton took on a carnival-like atmosphere as an exhibit featuring two chimpanzees and a supposed “missing link” opened in town, and vendors sold Bibles, toy monkeys, hot dogs, and lemonade.
On July 21, in his closing speech, defense attorney Darrow asked the jury to return a verdict of guilty in order that the case might be appealed. Under Tennessee law, Bryan was thereby denied the opportunity to deliver the closing speech he had been preparing for weeks. After nine minutes of deliberation, the jury returned with a guilty verdict, and Raulston ordered Scopes to pay a fine of $100, the minimum the law allowed.
In 1927, the Tennessee Supreme Court overturned the Monkey Trial verdict on a technicality but left the constitutional issues unresolved until 1968, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a similar Arkansas law on the grounds that it violated the First Amendment.
A Musical History Pilgrimage to Muscle Shoals, AL!
We had an amazing visit to the “Music Mecca” of Muscle Shoals, a small city adjacent to the Tennessee River in Northern Alabama that is the Rock/Blues/ Pop recording capital of the world. Think of almost any popular recording artist that you know and they have recorded at Muscle Shoals to capture the funky and unique sound — from The Rolling Stones, the Allman Brothers, and Lynyrd Skynyrd; to Aretha Franklin, Boz Scaggs, and James Brown; to Rod Stewart, Elton John, Bob Dylan, the Oak Ridge Boys, Dire Straits, Willie Nelson, Percy Sledge, Wilson Pickett, Etta James, Jimmy Buffet, Bob Seger, Cher, Cat Stevens, and Paul Simon. And that’s just a fraction of the artists who recorded at Muscle Shoals, and were backed-up by the region”s legendary session musicians, “The Stompers” (immortalized in Skynyrd’s famous anthem, “Sweet Home, Alabama”).
We visited three of the famous recording studios, and had an absolute blast listening to the music and the stories of one of the most iconic places in Rock and Roll /Blues / Pop music history! If you have an opportunity, make your own pilgrimage to this special place!
And it’s not EXACTLY history, but attending the Alabama-Georgia game in Tuscaloosa WAS epic!
What better way to enjoy a Southern road trip than to attend an amazing Alabama-Georgia football game on the ‘Bama campus in Tuscaloosa? None that I can think of
It was a packed and raucous house at Bryant-Denny Stadium as the crowd watched the Crimson Tide (ranked fourth at the time) beat the Bulldogs (ranked second then) 41-34 in a wild game on Saban Field. Alabama led 30-7 at the half and watched Georgia go ahead 34-33 in the second half before the Tide scored on a 75-yard touchdown pass with just over two minutes left! Georgia drove down the field again, but Alabama intercepted the potential game-tying touchdown in the end zone. The atmosphere was electric! Before the game, Kate and I soaked up the game-day atmosphere on the Alabama campus, including enjoying a few pix with the Tide band right after their practice! Great to enjoy some SEC football!
A Wonderful North End Tour
There’s nothing like a summertime tour of Boston’s historic North End! I was thrilled to conduct a tour for the Board of Directors of the University Consortium of Executive Education (UNICON), who were in town for a meeting at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management. UNICON is a global consortium of business-school-based executive education organizations with 120 members worldwide.
We had a great tour, and it was wonderful to meet members representing MIT, Stanford, Babson College, and others! My thanks to Eric Bergemann, UNICON board member and Senior Director of Executive Programs at the Sloan School, for organizing the event. I’m also happy to report that the group enjoyed a great Italian meal after the tour! Thanks to my friend, Erin Leone (www.erinleonephotography.com ) for the wonderful photos, including the group shot at the site of the Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 (the full story is told in my book, Dark Tide)!
My Work on Book Nine Continues
As I mentioned last issue, I’m thrilled that I’ve signed my contract for my ninth book! It’s still early to reveal the topic, but I can say I’m excited about the story and happy once again to work with St. Martin’s Press, which has done a great job publishing my previous three books, including The Great Abolitionist, A good portion of the research is completed (with a little more to go), so I’m hoping to start on the writing this fall! Thanks as always for your interest and constant support!
Kate and I Celebrate Our 44th Anniversary!
It’s not often that I include non-historical or purely personal topics in this newsletter, but I’m making an exception to announce that, in August, Kate and I celebrated our 44th wedding anniversary! We enjoyed a wonderful boat ride from the South Shore to Boston’s North End, and then a fantastic meal at Lucia’s Ristorante on Hanover Street! How blessed am I that this amazing woman said “yes” way back in 1980, and that we have loved each other endlessly since? Incredibly blessed! Come to think of it, we were celebrating our own very historical day! Thank you for everything, Kate – always have, always will, always us!
An Inspiring Writing Workshop for “The Room To Write”
I’ve taught many writing workshops during my career as an author, and I was especially excited to conduct a workshop for participants who belong to “The Room To Write,” an organization north of Boston that serves anyone who’s interested in writing, but focuses especially on seniors and veterans.
This group was terrific! We had a spirited discussion about writing, including the value of personal stories and numerous ways to improve the writing craft, and I was especially gratified with the number of great questions.
I’m shown below with Colleen Getty (left), founder of The Room to Write, and Linda Malcolm, coordinator of Senior and Veteran Programming; and with those who won door prizes – copies of my books! Thanks so much to TRTW for a warm welcome and an enriching writing experience!
At Portland Head Light in Maine, a new plaque to commemorate the crew of the USS Eagle-56, the subject of my book, Due to Enemy Action
I was thrilled this Spring to visit Portland Head Lighthouse in Portland, Maine, and see a new monument plaque erected in honor of the crew of the USS Eagle-56, the last American warship to be sunk by a German u-boat in Atlantic waters during World War II (on April 23, 1945).
The sinking, the stories of the crew members (including the 49 killed and the “Lucky Thirteen” who survived), the Navy cover-up of the sinking, and the eventual (sixty years later) reversal of the incorrect record – which brought a measure of peace and justice to the men who survived and their families – is the subject of my book, Due To Enemy Action (published in 2005). The Eagle-56, which was docked at Portland Harbor, was sunk just four miles out to sea.
Naval historian and attorney Paul Lawton, who was instrumental in convincing the Navy to change its official record, provided me with rich and valuable research that made this book possible. The previous plaque (left in the picture below) outlined the story of the event. The plaque I’m behind lists every crew member – those who died and those who survived. It is a fitting tribute to these brave heroes! You can read about this amazing story and the book here.
It was a profound honor to meet, become friends with, and tell the stories of these good and honorable men.
I’ve Enjoyed Working with Scholastic on the I Survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919 Graphic Novel
I was honored to assist a leading children’s book publishing house on a graphic novel about the Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 (as you know, the topic of my nonfiction book, Dark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919). For legal reasons, I could not say too much more at the time. But now, however, I can let you know that I was working with Scholastic as part of the publisher’s enormously popular “I Survived” series. The graphic novel (image shown below) is based on the children’s fiction book of the same title by Lauren Tarshis, who is the author of the “I Survived” series (Lauren was kind enough to ask me to read the manuscript when the original book was published). What a fun project the graphic novel was! Scholastic asked me to review graphics and dialogue to ensure authenticity and accuracy in the way the North End neighborhood and its people were depicted in 1919. Scholastic did its usual excellent job! This was my first graphic novel project, and I’m so pleased that this dramatic story is being told in an exciting and compelling form!
Two Great March Events on Boston’s North and South Shores!
I want to thank the communities and readers of Abington (MA) and Middleton (MA) for two great events in March. The Town of Abington selected my book, The Caning, as its community-wide read for 2024, and we had an outstanding discussion on March 14. I’m shown here with Library Director Deb Grimmett, who organized the event. I’ve spoken in Abington several times and have always been treated with “welcoming warmth” by residents. “Your comments about the research and writing process were insightful, and I know that the audience thoroughly enjoyed the question-and-answer session,” Deb wrote to me afterwards.
On St. Patrick’s Day, I visited the beautiful Flint Library in Middleton MA (complete with its historic and spectacular stained glass window) to discuss my book, Voyage of Mercy, an appropriate topic for the day! The event was co-sponsored by the library and the North Shore chapter of the American Association of University Women (AAUW). I’m shown here with Lou Hills, who presented me with a print of the USS Jamestown as it departed Boston for its mission to Ireland! This group engaged in an excellent discussion and asked some amazing questions – a terrific way to spend a St. Patrick’s Day afternoon.
For a listing of my future events, click here.
I Enjoyed my Appearance on “The Morning Show” (Newburyport, MA) to Discuss Dark Tide and the Great Boston Molasses Flood…
I had a great time recently appearing on “The Morning Show,” an interview format show in Greater Newburyport, MA, to talk about Dark Tide and the Great Boston Molasses Flood. My thanks to host Mary Jacobsen for asking great questions during the 30-minute Zoom interview, and for offering me a chance at the end to talk about The Great Abolitionist! “The Morning Show” airs locally on WJPB (96.3 FM), Channel 9, and on their YouTube channel on Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. You can listen to the interview here or watch it here (about 25 minutes long).
Forbes House Museum in Milton MA
I greatly appreciate the nice shout-out from the Forbes House Museum in its January newsletter. In her introductory column, Executive Director Heidi Vaughan pointed out that the house regularly gets visits from book groups after they’ve read my book, Voyage of Mercy: The USS Jamestown, the Irish Famine, and the Remarkable Story of America’s First Humanitarian Mission. Heidi also notes that I’ll be visiting the house in June to discuss The Great Abolitionist.
Robert Bennet Forbes, one of the heroes of Voyage of Mercy, built the house in 1833 in Milton, MA. It’s a great place to visit if you have the opportunity, with wonderful history, and — as Heidi notes — a terrific staff and tour guides. You can find out more about the Forbes House Museum here!
A Special Thanks to One of My Most Loyal Readers, World War II Navy Veteran Frank DiPietro
I’m so grateful for all of my readers, but I must admit I have a special place in my heart for veterans who enjoy my books. That’s especially true for the remaining World War II veterans who are still with us! For instance, I’d like you to meet 96-year-old WWII Navy veteran Frank DiPietro, who has been kind enough to have read several of my books and said he is looking forward to my upcoming (eighth) book, The Great Abolitionist.
Frank grew up in Cambridge, MA and raised his family in my hometown of Burlington, MA. Frank recently visited Washington, D.C. as part of the amazing Honor Flight program, and enjoyed several events and celebrations of his service. He is shown below at the U.S. Navy Memorial, posing along the famous “sailor with duffle bag” statue; at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall; and receiving a warm reception from an Honor Flight Navy representative. Frank served his country as a USN gunnery mate in the Pacific from 1942-1946. I could not be more honored (and humbled) by his support, and I thank him profoundly for his service!
Paul Revere House 2023
I was part of this special event last year with a couple of other authors – but this year, I was thrilled to be the sole author at the Paul Revere House in Boston’s North End for the Winter Book Fair. It was a great way to usher in the Christmas and holiday season. The PRH bookstore has my “Boston” books on sale –Dark Tide, The Boston Italians, and A City So Grand – and I was on hand to sign them for holiday gift-giving.
New Bronze Sculpture at St. Leonard’s Church to Honor Italian Immigrants and Culture in Boston’s North End
“Footsteps on a Gangplank” is the genius of sculptress, Nancy Schon (now 95 years old!), most famous for the “Make Way for Ducklings” sculpture in the Boston Public Garden.
I’m thrilled to fully support an effort by Boston’s North End Historical Society to fund a very special project that honors the early days of Italian immigration and culture in the iconic Boston neighborhood.
The project will be an interactive bronze sculpture in the form of “Footsteps on a Gangplank,” signifying the steps that all immigrants coming from Europe had to take when emigrating by ship to the U.S. between 1850-1920. The sculpture will be installed at the steps of the St. Leonard Church Peace Garden in the North End. St. Leonard Parish, formed in 1873, was the first Catholic Church built by Italians in the North End – today St. Leonard gets about one million visitors per year. The “Footprints” sculpture will lead churchgoers and visitors directly into the church.
Internationally renowned sculptor Nancy Schon is leading the design of the project (shown below). Now age 95, she is best known for the “Make Way for Ducklings” sculpture in the Boston Public Garden and the “Tortoise and Hare” sculpture in Copley Square. Her sculpture work and public art can be found all over the world. When she was told about the project idea, Nancy said: “I knew I had to find a way to represent a universal idea of people seeking a new and better life for their families and future generations.” She did so by depicting the footsteps of Italian immigrants leading directly to the church they built. “We hope it gives continuity for generations to come as it symbolizes the path Italian immigrants walked as they crossed the Atlantic to the U.S.,” Nancy said. You can visit Nancy’s website here.
As the North End Historical Society describes it: “With love and devotion, descendants can walk in the footsteps of their ancestors whose dream it was to make a new and better social, economic, and spiritual life for their families and future generations.” The Society will build connections with the Eliot School and St. John’s School in the North End to offer students learning opportunities about the Italian immigrant experience. In addition to Nancy Schon, the project leadership team includes Tom Damigella, President of the North End Historical Society; and Anthony (Tony) Cortese, project coordinator and trustee of the Society.
The Society has established the Noble Journey Sculpture Fund and hopes to raise $50,000 by January, which will be used to pay the foundry for the sculpture project. The goal is for the sculpture to be installed by mid-February in time for the final event in a year-long celebration marking St. Leonard’s 150th anniversary, which will include a visit by Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley.
It is rare that I ask you for contributions, but I’m making an exception for this worthy project in the neighborhood I love and have written about extensively (Dark Tide, The Boston Italians, and A City So Grand) I hope you’ll be kind enough to consider an online donation here. If you prefer to write a check, please make the check payable to “North End Historical Society,” and indicate “Noble Journey Sculpture Fund” on the memo line (or somewhere on the check). Mail it to P.O. Box 130512, Boston, MA 02113 (donations of more than $100 will automatically receive a one-year membership in the North End Historical Society). For questions you might have about the project, contact Anthony Cortese at adcortese@gmail.com
Thanks for your consideration. I think “Footsteps” will be an amazing addition to the history and the culture of the North End neighborhood!
North End Redux – A Wonderful Evening at Suffolk University Discussing “The New Catholics” (Italian immigrants) in Boston
I enjoyed a fantastic evening in the Fall of 2023 at Suffolk University Law School in Boston, where I was honored to present to a great live audience, plus a large group of livestream viewers, on “The New Catholics Come to Town,” a history of how North End Italian immigrants interacted with the church hierarchy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The program, part of the 2023 prestigious Lowell Institute’s Lecture Series, was the third (and final) in a series entitled “Religion in the Evolution of Boston’s North End Neighborhood,” which coincides with the 300th anniversary of Old North Church and the 150th anniversary of St. Leonard’s Parish, the first Italian immigrant parish in New England. The series was co-sponsored by the wonderful people at the Paul Revere Memorial Association, Suffolk University, WGBH Forum, and the North End Historical Society.
It was an honor to talk about my ancestors at this forum –what a great venue too, with the Massachusetts State House and the Park Street Church close by, and many friends of the North End in the audience. In addition, we had livestream viewers from as close by as Charlestown, MA and as far away as Buenos Aires!
If you couldn’t join me, you can watch the event here!
I Enjoyed a Busy and Exhilarating Fall 2023 Appearance Schedule
I wrapped up a busy, but outstanding Fall speaking season, which included a variety of appearances at a number of great locations. I finished the year with a total of 670 total appearances as an author! (over 20 years). I’m blessed by the organizations that invite me to speak – and even more blessed by those who ask me to return multiple times. My thanks to all of you!
I’d also like to thank my wife Kate, my sister-in-law, Pat Doyle, and my friend, Sue Hannan, for their invaluable assistance at these events –including handling book sales, taking photos, and helping with set-up and organization.
Here’s a summary of events:
Due to Enemy Action in Plymouth, MA
I’m so grateful to the residents of Pine Hills in Plymouth (MA) for inviting me to speak on my book, Due to Enemy Action: The True World War II Story of the USS Eagle 56. As always, this crowd was engaged, energetic, and asked wonderful questions.
Due to Enemy Action was published in 2005, and happened to be the only book I hadn’t previously discussed at Pine Hills – so the organization invited me back for a SEVENTH time! Thanks to Pine Hills for this terrific evening! I love this story and it was an honor to talk about the heroes who are the subject of the book.
And several outstanding Voyage of Mercy events!
I want to thank the large and enthusiastic crowd that turned out at Norwood’s (MA) Morrill Memorial Library to hear my presentation on my book, Voyage of Mercy. I was honored to be part of the prestigious Stuart Plumer Author Series, named in memory of one of the library’s longtime champions, who served as a member of Morrill’s Board of Trustees for 33 years.
My thanks to Liz Reed, Adult and Information Service Department head, for organizing the event; to Aesop’s Fable, the independent bookstore from nearly Holliston, MA, for handling book sales; and to the people of Norwood who turned out to support the program. This group asked some of the best questions I’ve heard in a long time!
My sincere thanks to The Irish Ancestral Research Association (TIARA) of Greater Boston for hosting me at its annual banquet held at the Irish Cultural Center in Canton, MA. What a great afternoon! This hard working and dedicated group focuses on genealogical research and Irish culture, and honored me by asking me to speak on Voyage of Mercy. We had a large crowd in attendance and many more on the accompanying livestream.
Thanks to TIARA officers, who helped plan and coordinate this well-run event – Mary Glover, Susan O’Connor, and Anne Patriquin.
I spent an enjoyable afternoon speaking about Voyage of Mercy, to attendees of the Mystic Valley Elder Services (MVES) Independent Legacy Society Luncheon. What a great group and a great organization! Based in Malden, MA, MVES has a mission to assist older adults and adults living with disabilities to live independently with dignity in a setting of their choice.
The organization provides at-home care, nutrition services, transportation, referrals to and support for caregivers, and many other services. The Voyage of Mercy story – which details the generous humanitarian response by the American people to Irish famine victims – dovetailed beautifully with MVES’s fine work, especially highlighted as we headed into Thanksgiving week.
My thanks to all who made this day possible: MVES CEO Lisa Gurgone; Development Director Jenny Vanasse; the entire MVES team; and the welcoming audience. I’m shown with MVES board members (from left): James Oosterman, Janice Donatelli, and Kristin Ahlman; and in the signing line with former Malden Mayor Ed Lucey. Thanks MVES!
I was honored to be invited back to the prestigious College Club of Boston for the third time, in this case to discuss Voyage of Mercy. The spectacular Back Bay location is home to one of the oldest women’s intellectual and social clubs in the nation (I felt in good company, since abolitionist and suffragist Lucy Stone and author Mark Twain were among the speakers at the club!)
This group welcomed me during a pre-presentation reception and delicious dinner, and then asked insightful questions during the Q&A afterward. I’m shown here with club members Ann Hurley (left, who helped organize the event) and Angela Dunwell. Thanks (again) to the College Club for a great evening!
Our 2023 Great Lakes Road Trip Involved Football, Foliage, Freshwater, Ferries (Oh, and History too!)
Kate and I enjoyed an amazing “Great Lakes” road trip this Fall that took us to all five Great Lakes, and saw us explore Michigan and Wisconsin (mostly) on an adventure that included plenty of foliage, football, freshwater, ferries, and – of course – history.
This part of the country was crucial to America’s defense during the War of 1812, from Captain Oliver Perry’s USS Niagara, which engaged in the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813, to Mackinac Island where Fort Mackinac looks over the strategic convergence of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron (the fort’s control switched back and forth during the American Revolution, and in July 1812, the British captured the fort in the first land engagement of the War of 1812; it reverted back to American hands after the war).
Then, we ventured to the locks at Sault St. Marie, Michigan, an incredibly strategic point during World War II, when ships carrying iron ore from Canada and the Western U.S. crossed from Lake Superior to Lake Huron, where their cargo was then delivered to factories in Detroit, Western Pennsylvania, and Ohio, and transformed into steel for the war effort.
We enjoyed some great “football history” too, with stops at the “Big House” at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor; Lambeau Field in Green Bay; to the wonderful Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Canton is also home to the First Ladies National Historic Site and the President William McKinley Museum and Burial site.
Scenery is amazing too – from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in the northwest part of the “lower mitten” of Michigan – where the water is the color of the Caribbean! – to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where we visited Whitefish Point and the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum (contains an exhibit on the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald in 1975); and cruised alongside the magnificent Pictured Rocks on Lake Superior in Munising, Michigan. On the way home, we visited Indiana Dunes National Park and Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio, each with its own splendor and beauty; and General George Washington’s “headquarters on the Hudson” in Newburgh, New York. We even made stops to see a great friend at Penn State and to visit Little League International headquarters in Williamsport, PA!
Kate and I love our road trips – what a special way to see all this great country has to offer!
After 21 years, Dark Tide is still going strong!
During 2023, its 20th anniversary year, it was gratifying to see Dark Tide being read and enjoyed in so many ways! It was a nice summer treat to see the book featured as a “Bookseller Favorite” at Barnes & Noble and very special when our friend let us know that the book is being featured at the President Calvin Coolidge Birthplace gift shop in Vermont (see photos below).
I can’t list all the organizations who read Dark Tide thus far this year, but my thanks to several, including: the Quail Ridge Book Store (Raleigh, NC) Saturday Morning Book Club, which read the book earlier this year; the Notre Dame Academy (Hingham, MA) AP U.S. History classes, whose students read Dark Tide for their summer reading; and summer reads by the McAuliffe Evening Book Club at the Framingham (MA) Public Library and the Brown Bag Book Club at the Weeks Public Library in Lancaster, NH. The New England Historical Society wrote an updated feature story on the molasses flood this year.
Nearly 25 communities have selected Dark Tide as their community-wide read, many high schools and colleges use the book in their curricula, and the Boston Discovery Guide lists Dark Tide as one of its “12 Fascinating Books About Boston.” They are in no particular order, but if you scroll down, you’ll see I’ve drawn “lucky number 7.”
I’m proud to say that after 21 years, Dark Tide is still the only adult nonfiction book about the Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919! And there are always nuggets of news and information that crop up about Dark Tide and the molasses flood, for which I’m so grateful; like this great “Love Letter to the Beverly Public Library,” written by Beverly (MA) resident Sean Devlin to the Salem News. In it, Sean recalls the North End tour he (and more than 200 Beverly residents!) took with me when his community selected Dark Tide as its community-wide read.
My thanks to all of you who have supported Dark Tide for the last two decades – and I hope you continue to do so! I appreciate your support of all my other books as well.
And while I’m on the subject of Dark Tide, there’s a brand new plaque in Boston’s North End to mark the Molasses Flood site!
It’s great to see that the Boston Parks and Recreation Department and Harborwalk Boston have erected a new permanent marker plaque at the molasses flood site titled, “No Escape from Gigantic Molasses Wave,” complete with photos and a really accurate description of the flood disaster.
I was glad to have helped with the editing of the text and even more pleased to see the new plaque unveiled as part of the refurbishment of the Langone Park/Puopolo Playground on Commercial Street in the North End. You’ll see it right behind the home-plate screen at the ballfield just to the left of the bocce courts — visit the North End and check it out!
Another road trip with a flair for the historic — and my May 2023 Blog that links the trip and my upcoming book!
I’ve chronicled a few road trips Kate and I have taken to see some great historic (and relaxing!) spots in our great country, and this spring was no different. We covered 12 states, venturing as far south as St. Augustine, Florida, America’s oldest town, founded in 1565.
These photos show — in roughly “historical” chronological order — me at the beautiful St. Augustine Cathedral, and on Aviles Street, the “oldest street in America,” along with the “rough draft” of the Declaration of Independence, located at Jefferson’s Monticello just outside of Charlottesville, VA.
On to the Civil War era! We visited Columbia, S.C., the state capital, which displays all aspects of its Civil War history. The sobering “Ordinance of Secession” passed in December 1860, and a statue of Senator John C. Calhoun are located in the capitol building, and just outside is the very moving monument to the First Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers, a tribute to the first former slaves and free blacks who became members of the Union Army after plantation owners fled their homes on the Sea Islands off the coast of South Carolina. Massachusetts abolitionist Thomas Wentworth Higginson commanded this first “colored regiment” in the Union Army, who fought bravely in Florida in 1863.
We also went to the haunting Petersburg National Battlefield in Virginia, which included a moving stop at nearby City Point, Virginia, where General Ulysses S. Grant had his headquarters toward the end of the war as Richmond was about to fall — President Abraham Lincoln visited City Point just days before he was assassinated. There is an important scene in my new book, The Great Abolitionist, that takes place at City Point, because Charles Sumner was part of Lincoln’s entourage there. My latest blog describes how the happenings at City Point in 1865 illustrate the way Sumner and Lincoln learned from each other — I hope you enjoy it.
Last on the history-related pictorial chronology (though it was the first stop on our road trip) was the site of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 that began in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and spread rapidly. It was the nation’s first general strike, and the first time federal troops were used in a labor dispute.
And lest you think our road trip was purely educational, we found plenty of great time to relax. Kate is shown here on beautiful St. Augustine Beach, and at our resort in Charlottesville, VA (where, in addition to visiting Monticello, we also visited the University of Virginia and had lunch with one of Kate’s former students!). Also, check out the gorgeous sunrise on spectacular St. Simons Island, Georgia (one of our favorite spots), and the remarkable Driftwood Beach on nearby Jekyll Island, just a few miles from St. Simons!
I’ve heard from many of you that you enjoy these “historical travel updates,” so I’ll continue to share them with you when appropriate. And as always, I encourage you to visit as many historical spots as you can in an effort to learn as much as possible about our history.
Xavier Society for the Blind transcribes Voyage of Mercy into braille
Voyage of Mercy has been transcribed into braille and is available in the Xavier Society for the Blind library. Since 1900, Xavier Society for the Blind has been providing free braille and audiobooks to blind and visually impaired people worldwide in order for them to learn about, develop, and practice their faith. Connect with XSB on Facebook or click here to access their complete catalog of free items.
An 80-Year Old Photo Helps Me to Reflect and Remember on Memorial Day
Memorial Day gave me time to think about why it’s so important to find a few minutes to reflect and remember. It’s the day we remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice —laying down their lives in battle for their comrades and their country.
With the accompanying photo, I take you back 80 years — to WWII in 1943. When I teach my college WWII class, I tell my students that 1943 was the “slog year” for the U.S. and its Allies, as opposed to the more “celebrated” years of 1942 (a victory at Midway that turned the tide of the war in the South Pacific), 1944 (the successful D-Day landings), and of course, 1945 (the end of the war with Allied victories in Europe and the Pacific). In contrast, 1943 was a year of hard fighting, slow progress, rationing, and an overall feeling of sadness and resignation for Americans on the home-front that they were in this war for the long haul.
In its September 1943 issue, Life magazine published this photograph of three dead Americans on a beach in New Guinea. The photo was significant because it was the first time the War Department censors allowed the printing of a photo of dead Americans — the first time Americans had seen their dead in a photo. This particular photo was chosen by editors — and allowed by censors — because the soldiers’ faces are obscured. It was a more innocent time, for sure; the thought of being protected from the sight of dead bodies today seems almost quaint.
Each time I look at this photo, it haunts me. I think of the pain Americans at home and abroad must have felt during this hard year of all-encompassing war — the sacrifices made, the lives lost, the families torn apart. There is gallantry and heroism in war, but there is horror and suffering as well. Eighty years ago — 1943 — was the most difficult year of the war for Americans.
It’s why I think, on Memorial Day, we have a solemn obligation to remember — always — those who gave their lives in battle for the ideal of freedom. The three dead American GIs in this photo are among the more than 400,000 U.S. combat deaths in World War II alone. Thousands more perished in earlier wars, and thousands more have lost their lives since.
The spirit of Memorial Day is eternal. To those who have laid down their lives in battle, we owe a sacred debt we can never repay. For those of us who reap the benefits of their sacrifice, and to each succeeding generation who will continue to reap those benefits, we have a duty to remember and reflect and give thanks.