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Pittsburgh History Collab with Local Authors

  • Riverstone Bookstore 5841 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, PA, 15217 United States (map)

We are delighted to bring you this author collab for two book about Pittsburgh history. Find more details about the books and their authors below.

Want to pre-order The Soul of Pittsburgh? You can do so here.

Want to pre-order City Steps of Pittsburgh? You can do so here.

About The Soul of Pittsburgh:

"Europe stretches to the Alleghenies, America lies beyond." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
"They are my people and this is my town and it does my heart good just to be here." - Art Rooney Sr.
What does it mean to be from Pittsburgh? Author Ed Simon explores the nature of the Yinzer and how the Steel City shapes anyone who is fortunate to call it home.

About the author:

Ed Simon is Special Faculty for Public Humanities in the English Department of Carnegie Mellon University and editor of Belt Magazine. A widely published author, his most recent books include Devil's Contract: The History of the Faustian Bargain and The Soul of Pittsburgh: Essays on Life, Community and History.

About City Steps of Pittsburgh:

Exploring Pittsburghs Ups and Downs
In Pittsburgh, the elevation varies wildly, fluctuating 660 feet from highest to lowest points throughout the area and making it one of the hilliest cities in the United States. Throughout this unruly and physically challenging landscape, the city's first mass transportation system was built - a steadily expanding network of public stairways, locally referred to as "city steps," these flights of stairs are a throwback to a very different time in history and a very different Pittsburgh. Authors Laura Zurowski, Charles Succop and Matthew Jacob present the history of the Steel City steps and a walking guide to their scenic locations today.

About the authors:

Laura Zurowski is a technical writer at the University of Pittsburgh. Since 2017, she has published the blog Mis.Steps: Our Missed Connections with Pittsburgh’s City Steps. Laura graduated from Emerson College and Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where she received a master’s degree in education,

Charles Succop has worked in the City of Pittsburgh Archives since 2017 and is the local historian behind the popular @‌pghthenandnow Instagram account. He graduated from Appalachian State University and the University of Pittsburgh, where he received a Master of Library and Information Science degree.

Matthew Jacob works for the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority. Matthew holds a degree in history from Temple University and a master’s degree in public management from Carnegie Mellon University.