Welcome to Detroitland: Stories from the Motor City's Captivating Past
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From eccentric visionaries and cultural trailblazers to forgotten workers and larger-than-life personalities, Welcome to Detroitland: Stories from the Motor City's Captivating Past by Richard Bak brings Detroit's remarkable history to life through a collection of compelling and often overlooked stories.
Spanning the 1880s through the 1960s, the book introduces readers to an unforgettable cast of characters, including Hank Ballard, creator of “The Twist”; daring parachutist Clem Sohn, known as the “Bat-Man”; the charismatic minister James “Prophet” Jones; Josephine Bielawski and the young women whose labor made Detroit "Cigar Central"; and Hall of Famers Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay, who once faced off against incarcerated hockey fans. Through vivid storytelling and extensive historical research, Bak reveals the people and moments that shaped the city’s identity and legacy.
Author Richard Bak is the author of thirty books, including Detroitland: A Collection of Movers, Shakers, Lost Souls, and History Makers from Detroit's Past (Wayne State University Press). Bak has received six Foreword Indies Book of the Year Awards, two Michigan Notable Book awards, four Midwest Book Awards, two Regional Emmy Awards, the Stuart D. and Vernice M. Gross Award for Literature, and many feature-writing awards from the Society of Professional Journalists.
Books will be available for purchase and signing.