Publisher's Synopsis
Life growing up in Park Ridge, Illinois is seen here through the eyes of a long-time resident. Beginning in 1954, this is not a traditional history book, but rather the author's memoir from birth through age 36 and beyond. The 50s, 60s, and 70s were a time of great change in this town just outside of Chicago city limits. It's the place Hillary Rodham Clinton called home.
The author describes memorable events that shaped his life as a "Park Ridgie," a term he came to understand after marrying the daughter of a Chicago cop. But first, he journeyed through Madison Elementary, Lincoln Junior High, and Maine South High School. Park Ridge is a beautiful, isolated stop on the tracks heading out to Harvard. It is in a prime geographic location with desirable access to expressways, O'Hare Airport, and the City of Chicago. This results in it being populated by people of means, huge renovated houses, a desire for upscale opportunities for dining and shopping, and a country club at the heart of it all. If you weren't aware that some observers of your suburban oasis react viscerally to your nice clothes, fancy cars, and general good fortune, you've hereby been put on notice. Park Ridge balances small-town feel with upper-class aspirations. And it's the people that make it great. Seventy essays will take you from the Cuban Missile Crisis to The Summer of Love, Hot Dog Day to the Elbert Smith White Sock Award, with lots of other stops in between. This is a book about a place, but also a time, and lots of fond memories.
