Written by Rob Levy

Several unique books by local authors were published this fall celebrating the city’s rich history, architecture, products, and trivia. Any of these books would be a welcome gift this holiday season. All books can be purchased locally or shipped from ReedyPress.com.

Candy Men by Patrick Murphy

The sweet smell of licorice and the giant candy bar painted on the factory wall at the Eads Bridge remain locked into the collective memory of generations of St. Louisans. Candy Men: The Story of Switzer’s Licorice tells the story of how two Irish-American families began a candy company in the kitchen of a tenement in St. Louis’s Irish neighborhood and showed the world that the American Dream could be built upon a foundation of candy. In a story that passes through three generations, the Murphys and the Switzers dedicated themselves to keeping the dream alive until it was ended by forces beyond their control. In an unlikely turn of events, the story continues today with a fresh twist and a renewed life of its own.

Oldest St. Louis by NiNi Harris

St. Louis has thrived for more than 250 years—from its beginnings as a French settlement in 1764 to its rapid growth in the mid-1800s to the modern metropolis we know today. While many great structures have been lost or demolished, much of this history still lives on. Within the pages of Oldest St. Louis, get to know the history of the Mound City’s most iconic buildings and the stories that bring their walls to life. Included are some of the businesses and buildings from the city’s inception through the turn of the 20th century such as the Eugene Field House (1854), Bissell Mansion (1820s), and homes in the historic Carondelet neighborhood.

St. Louis in Watercolor: Living History in the Gateway City by Jennifer Grotpeter and illustrated by Marilynne Bradley

Artist Marilynne Bradley has spent half a century capturing and immortalizing and St. Louis landmarks in the vibrant pigments of watercolor. This collection of local scenes, beautifully captured in paint, documents the pleasures of the good life in St. Louis - the applause of a good play, the sounds of music, the satisfaction of a gourmet meal, the cheers of a crowd at a sporting event, and the beauty of St. Louis’s unique architecture. Writer Jennifer Grotpeter documents the essence of the image and connects the reader with the culture of St. Louis.

St. Louis Fire Stations by Robert Pauly with Dennis Maag (a portion of the proceeds from book sales benefit Backstoppers)

A history book unlike any other, St. Louis Fire Stations is filled with rare and never-before-seen photos, detailing each St. Louis Fire Department station from the early 1800s to those operated today. Accompanying the images of fire stations are photos of firefighters and firefighting apparatus along with detailed historical accounts of each station, as well as the equipment and personnel assigned to them. St. Louis Fire Stations is the life-long work of noted St. Louis Fire Department historian and St. Louis Fire Department Museum curator, Robert Pauly. Following his more than 160 black and white photos is a full-color section of photos by long-time firefighter and fire apparatus photographer Dennis J. Maag.

Only in St. Louis! A Collection of the Area’s Most Incredible, Strange and Inspiring Stories by Charlie Brennan

The author, host of “The Charlie Brennan Show” on KMOX radio and provocateur of “Donnybrook” on KETC-TV, curates these and other stories for the first time in one volume. Brennan shares the most incredible, strange, and inspiring stories he has come across in his three decades talking about the Gateway City. Readers will learn, for example, about a St. Louis woman who woke up when she heard an intruder…who turned out to be a national celebrity. Other stories explain why Supreme Court Justices laughed aloud while hearing a St. Louis case and why former St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner listed his name and address in the phone book. Do you know which St. Louis barista became a billionaire or about the man who was attacked by a shark in downtown St. Louis.? You get the drift.

The Hill: An Iconic Italian American Neighborhood by by LynnMarie Alexander

A fourth-generation Italian American living in her great grandparents’ home offers insight to the immigrant experience in this charming book. Enticing vignettes paired with rich history and iconic photos prepare readers for a visit to The Hill, a St. Louis attraction second only to the Arch. Visitors muse how a 50 square block neighborhood manages to keep its ethnic identity, spiritual anchor, and protective sense of community decades after their immigrant parents and grandparents made their new home in America. Today, third and fourth generation young professional families are choosing to raise their children on The Hill. Take a walk down the streets of an iconic Italian-American neighborhood.