Author: Belinda Clarke

Matthew L. Schuerman (MSJ94)

In “Newcomers: Gentrification and Its Discontents,” Schuerman recounts the past sixty years of gentrification, starting when it was still a counter-cultural phenomenon, and continuing to the present day, when it has taken on the dimension of a culture war. Through intimate accounts of the central figures of the movement, as well as detailed explorations of policy decisions, “Newcomers” reinvigorates the debate over gentrification’s pros and cons with objectivity, grace, and wit. He focuses on three cities—New York, Chicago, and San Francisco—but the stories he tells resonate throughout the country. Gentrification, Schuerman argues, is not primarily a cause of urban ills, but a symptom of something larger: the transition from a manufacturing economy to an information-based one. Real estate developers and marketers were quick to take advantage of the trend, while local and national leaders failed to treat it seriously. Kirkus Reviews said: “The author humanizes the community transformations so that readers who have never set foot in those locales—and even those who know them personally—fully comprehend the dynamics involved.”

Ian Douglass  (MSJ06)

“Life is Short & So Am I” is the story of a boy who fell in love with wrestling before he was able to walk. Born with achondroplasia, a condition that causes disproportionate dwarfism, Dylan Postl had endured multiple surgeries by the age of 12. And yet, he held on to the dream that he would one day become a professional wrestler. Ignoring the naysayers and against doctors’ recommendations, Dylan began training in his teens, and he soon began appearing on local independent shows. Before he turned 20, he was signed by the world leader in sports-entertainment, WWE, to play the role of Irish grappler Finlay’s feisty sidekick, Hornswoggle, and remained a firm fixture in the company for a full decade.

While most of Dylan’s adult life has been spent in the wild world of the wrestling industry, Life Is Short is more than a story of a little person’s journey through a world of giants; it’s a memoir of elation and anguish, triumph and disappointment, and of how an endlessly positive outlook combined with the unwavering support of family and friends helped him become a success in his industry and a loving, responsible father. It’s a story about a man who still loves wrestling — but loves his family above all else.

Don Zminda (BSJ70)

In “The Legendary Harry Caray: Baseball’s Greatest Salesman,” Zminda delivers the first full-length biography of Caray since the broadcaster’s death in 1998. It includes details of Caray’s orphaned childhood, his 25 years as the voice of the St. Louis Cardinals, his tempestuous 12 years broadcasting games for the Chicago White Sox, and the 16 years he broadcast for the Chicago Cubs while also becoming a nationally-known celebrity. Interviews with significant figures from Caray’s life are woven throughout, from his widow Dutchie and grandson Chip to broadcasters Bob Costas, Thom Brennaman, Dewayne Staats, Pat Hughes, and more.

Kevin Salwen (BSJ79) and Kent Alexander

Salwen and Alexander present a harrowing and comprehensive chronicling of the terrorist bombing at the 1996 Olympic Games and the security guard caught in the middle. On July 27, 1996, a former cop turned security guard named Richard Jewell spotted a suspicious bag in Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park at the 1996 Summer Games. Inside was a bomb, the largest of its kind in FBI and ATF history. Minutes later, the bomb remotely detonated by the attacker into a crowd of  50,000 people. While the explosion killed one person and wounded 111, the death toll could have been far worse if not for Jewell, who alerted authorities and helped evacuate the area. While the games played on, the pressure mounted to find the bomber responsible. Within three days, Jewell went from the hero to the FBI’s main suspect and his identity was released by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a false accusation that forever changed his life and let the true bomber roam free to commit more bombings.