"If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." Toni Morrison
We are pleased and excited!
Third Mind Bookstore, on Washington Street in Downtown Ann Arbor, is currently displaying all 6 books we have authored and published. Stop in and say Hi to owner Arthur Nusbaum and check out Third Mind’s special books and other items. And Thank You, Arthur, for your support of local authors.
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From Norm,
I have completed the final draft of a book on the life of Harriet Quimby. No Reason to Be Afraid: The indominable spirit of Harriet Quimby is narrative nonfiction relating the life story of a captivating “New Woman” with a turn-of-the-last-century spirit of independence and freedom. Harriet Quimby achieved many firsts during her life–one of the first American women with a driver’s license and her own runabout; a popular international journalist and the first to use a camera on her many trips; a silent-film actress who wrote screenplays for D.W. Griffith; the nation’s first woman to earn a pilot’s license; the first woman to fly solo over Mexico and who gained international celebrity as the first to fly across the English Channel; and a pilot paid a handsome $100,000 in 1912 to be the featured flier in the Boston Air Show.
Raised on an isolated Michigan farmstead, she matured into a vibrant and audacious young woman who gained special status, first in the artistic community of turn-of-the-century San Francisco, and then in New York as a popular writer and adventurous pilot. The tragedy of her all-too-brief life story encompasses much of historical interest and mirrors one of the most interesting eras of American history.
I would share a .pdf of this book with anyone interested in being a reader and providing thoughts for me on the narrative. Let me know if you are interested.
History is filled with the stories of Autocrats. Thomas Durant managed construction the Union Pacific’s transcontinental railroad. As described in my new book, Crossing the Continent, his character was typical of this autocratical style of leadership.
“His manner of dealing with a complex situation was not to thread his way through the maze of possibilities but rather to sweep along with him everyone and everything that might be useful, leaving conflicts and choices to be sorted out later. Action, and not direction, was his forte. He longed to be at the center of events, barking orders to and demanding absolute obedience from subordinates whom he kept in ignorance of his true design. Often, he did not know himself what his ultimate design was. Like an inept monarch, he was more certain of his authority than of his policy and had a tendency to heed the last voice that advised him. The result was a pattern of frenzied activity riddled with false starts, wasted motion, confusion, and contradiction followed by hesitation, uncertainly, and delay. Fueled by nervous energy, Durant was a whirlwind blowing furiously, wreaking havoc in its wake before dying away.”
Maury Klein. Union Pacific: Volume I, 1862-1893
Norm’s book, Crossing the Continent, was released on January 1st and is now available on Amazon Books as a paperback, an eBook, or free through “Kindle Unlimited.” We hope you procure a copy, enjoy its many stories, and leave an Amazon review.
It has been a while since we updated you on our writing activities, so expect a few new Blog posting in upcoming days. Norm is working with a publishers agency to promote his book,Crossing the Continent: The Stories of Transportation Trailblazers. With a release date of January 1, it can now be ordered on Amazon Books.
The world knows the United States as the home of growth, innovation, and technology, but a few components have played a crucial role in making it one. Transportation is one element that made the country what it is today. The development of railways, highways, and the aviation boom turned America into a global economic hub.
Transportation became a formidable challenge in the early 19th century as the United States began stretching beyond its 13 colonies. The Appalachian Mountains stood as a significant obstacle to expansion.
It was the likes of George Washington who acknowledged the immediate need for navigable rivers to bring the nation together. Washington’s untiring commitment to push for the Patowmack Canal became the foundation for later projects.
The Erie Canal was one of these projects that became a monumental achievement. Inaugurated in 1825, it connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, turning New York City into a busy trade hub and opening the floodgates for settlers heading West.
An operational Erie Canal opened the doors of new opportunities, offering traders and farmers a path that could fuel their livelihood, securing the nation’s future.
The middle years of the 19th century saw the rise of railroads as the new arteries of the nation. The Transcontinental Railroad was the jewel in the crown of America’s rail system. This network brought the country together, allowing goods and people to travel faster and further. The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad was a physical manifestation of the American belief in overcoming the impossible.
The rise of automobiles in the 20th century changed how Americans travel. The National Road became the torchbearer for future cross-country highways. The country will witness the Interstate Highway System’s development in the coming years, transforming how Americans move from one place to another.
It was now that their fellow citizens could experience their homeland’s greatness in all its glory, and for many, the road trip became a rite of passage. Like the railroad, the highway became the thread that wove the country together, connecting people and places in ways never imagined.
Modern America was all about innovation and turning the impossible around. The rise of the aviation industry changed the way Americans look at distance. It was the determination of Cal Rodgers, who made the first cross-country flight, and William Boeing, who revolutionized passenger flight and opened the skies to the public.
Soon, air travel was not just limited to those with money. Commercial airlines shrank the nation even further. Families could unite in hours, and businesses could expand operations globally. It was the beginning of a revolution that changed the world forever.
Today, we stand at the crossroads of new transportation technologies like electric vehicles, hyperloops, and space travel. But it’s essential not to forget about those pioneers who made it all a reality.
Norman Tyler’s Crossing the Continent: The Stories of Transportation Trailblazers is an ode to those who made it all possible. The book delves deep into America’s aspirations for a fully functional transportation system. It also pays homage to the efforts that turned the country into a business and technology hub.
