Dive into books about tall tales, Ozark Mountain memories, and a Midwest skateboarder’s paradise.
A Killing Capone’s Playground the True Story of the Hunt for the Most Dangerous Man Alive
Chriss Lyon, 384 pages, historical nonfiction, In-Depth Editions, paperback (6 by 9 inches), $19.95. The St. Valentine’s Day massacre in 1929 was a violent scene that left in its wake a grotesque label for the city: “Bloody Chicago.” The violence didn’t stop that day, though, as gangsters like Fred “Killer” Burke continued to wreak havoc in Chicago. Citizens turned a blind eye, which allowed destruction to breed. However, after the death of a police officer ten months after the initial massacre, Burke was hunted down and found hiding out in a small home in Green City, Missouri. Author Chriss Lyon, historian and former public safety professional, follows these events and includes never before seen police reports, eyewitness accounts, and expert theories involving the capture of Burke in this thriller of a novel.
Leaving the Homeplace: Tales Beyond the Levee
Mary Sue “Shy” Anton, 272 pages, memoir, Acclaim Press, hardcover (6 by 9 inches), $29.95. In this memoir, Mary Sue “Shy” Anton tells the story of her upbringing in New Madrid, Missouri, during the Great Depression and everything that followed, including surviving the Great Flood of 1937 and living through World War II. Being one of ten children, a wife, a mother, and a survivor of numerous trials, Mary has many valuable life lessons and a few humorous tales to impart.
Midwest Shreds: Skating through America’s Heartland
Mandy Shunnarah, 182 pages, nonfiction, Arcadia Publishing, paperback (6 by 9 inches), $24. The American Midwest has more skating history and culture than one might anticipate. In this book, author Mandy Shunnarah takes readers on a journey to discover the heartland’s skating community and the rich history of skateboarding in this region. Jump into cityscapes, a restored cathedral in St. Louis, and other skating paradises as Mandy shares places where skateboard fanatics have found a home for their sport in the Midwest.
Mildred, Quit Hollering! And Other Ozark Folktales
Vance Randolph with commentary by Curtis Copeland and Augustus Finch, 256 pages, folktale, Acclaim Press, hardcover (6 by 9 inches), $21.51. Published over forty years after author Vance Randolph’s death, this last collection of his folk tales serves as a final farewell to the renowned Ozark storyteller. Each of the forty-plus stories in this collection are coupled with a biography, introducing those who originally told the tales to Randolph as he traveled across the Missouri and Arkansas Ozark Mountain range.
Ozark Saints: Honoring People of the Ozarks Through Stories and Imagination
Howard C. Cavner, 172 pages, memoir, Acclaim Press, paperback (6 by 9 inches), $18.44. Howard Cavner grew up in the Missouri Ozarks and has always been proud of the rural mountains he calls home. In honor of those who influenced and changed his life for the better, Howard has recorded the details, humor, and warm stories of his childhood. Jump back in time to the 1950s and join Howard in his adventures through the Ozarks.
Sometimes Grandma Calls Me Jean
Jill Pietroburgo, 40 pages, children’s fiction, BookBaby, hardcover (9 by 7 inches), $28.50. In this children’s book, Jill Pietroburgo walks through the daily life of Grace, a young girl facing her Grandma’s worsening symptoms of dementia. Throughout the story, Grace learns to interact with her grandma and navigate her dementia through conversations, visits to the care home, and special one-on-one moments. In the back of the book, the author, from West Plains, offers tips for parents to help support their children as they navigate relationships with dementia-diagnosed grandparents.
This article was originally published in the October 2024 issue of Missouri Life.
