Originally published: Peppard Common, Oxfordshire: Cressrelles Pub., 1980.

A "Mayors Daughter" shines a spotlight on history of ordinary people from the greatest generation. The memories of Therese Christman generates a dynamic story which is birthed in the great depression and then accelerates to the greatest overflow of prosperity the world has ever known. A daughters memories, a father of fame and a renowned internationally known priest combine to bring a trilogy of a true story of a Michigan city, of a culture and of a society that was fashioned by grace to greatness through hard work, resilience of spirit, sacrifice of self and above all, a vision with leadership. Up from a small Midwestern community, came these two men, who by divine intervention found themselves in the broader stretch of community fame, social prominence and a cultural revolution. This story becomes compelling because it captures the amazing transformation of a community by one man's leadership. And the ultimate salvation of a society by another man's influence through eloquent radio broadcasting. This translates to special people with greatness of vision, motivated by love and that inner call that brings a profound change to the societies in which great men and women live. Henceforth the book ... "the Mayors Daughter." Finally, this book, through the memories of a daughter, rehearses historyin the City of Royal Oak, Michigan that now includes one of the top medical centers in the world - and all because of one man's vision and leadership. Moreover the freedom of the American culture, in part, is derived from a Catholic priest who dared to speak out against the evils of communism and the social depression that it causes. The memories of a daughter, form a trilogy to reveal history in some of its greatest triumphs. This book is a must read.

'This book ... provides a completely new and unique perspective on the tragedy ... [of] the Royal Oak story.--the author has ... traced the families of various souls lost with the battleship that fateful night in 1939. Their photographs and stories are representative of all their shipmates. Interviews with survivors bring the dramatic events vivdly to life, emphasizing the human tragedy and experience of war.' (Back cover)

Stories describe Michigan's first governor, Lewis Cass, signing a treaty with the Chippewa in 1819 and resting nearby with companions under a swamp oak a few miles north of Detroit. Cass told the story of Prince Charles II, who took refuge in 1651 under a mighty oak tree after the Battle of Worcester and lived to be crowned king. Cass later designated the locality, including the southernmost townships in Oakland County, as Royal Oak. This sector became a village in 1891 and a city in 1921. Strong roots have helped the "City of Trees" maintain its viability through the years. Home to William Beaumont Hospital, assorted high-tech graphic and sound studios, and a world-class zoo, today Royal Oak draws people into its pedestrian-friendly downtown for an eclectic mix of bars, sidewalk cafs, boutiques, theaters, and upscale lofts.

When Soupy Sales left Detroit in 1960 after seven years on WXYZ TV, he was the highest-paid local television personality and one of the most well-known and loved celebrities in town. His daytime television programs in the early morning and noontime had an enormous and devoted following. The latter, Lunch with Soupy Sales, was nationally syndicated on ABC on Saturday, starting in the fall of 1959. His late evening program, Soupyâ (TM)s On, featured everything from renowned jazz artists to pop singers to satirical skits. While he would achieve more celebrity status in Los Angeles and New York during the 1960s, the template for the puppet characters, comedy routines, and zany sketches had been set in Detroit. This study of the content and context of Soupyâ (TM)s time on WXYZ TV provides important insights into key threads of popular culture in the 1950s, including the role of television and its impact on the family and children, the influence of Cold War and consumerist ideology, Jewish-inflected humor, and jazz, especially as a component of the Detroit socio-cultural history in this period. All of these seemingly disparate topics, however, lead back to identifying the manufacturing of a television personality at a particular moment in time and in a specific location. Beyond the network of Soupy fans, anyone interested in how a television personality achieves local and national prominence should consider reading this book. Also, those who want to understand the role of the media and popular culture in the 1950s will be enlightened, and even entertained, by this exploration of Soupy Salesâ (TM) Detroit experience.

Rebecca Primus was the daughter of a prominent black Connecticut family who was sent south during Reconstruction by the Hartford Freedmen's Aid Society to teach newly freed slaves. Addie Brown was a domestic servant in Connecticut and New York City--as well as Rebecca's best friend and romantic companion. These two spirited, intelligent women wrote letters in this astonishing, historically priceless volume. Beloved Sisters and Loving Friends breaks the long silence surrounding the lives of black women in America and reveals an amazing world until now unknown. "I have today put my second class into the third Reader," wrote Rebecca from the school in Maryland's Eastern Shore that was later to bear her name. "I hear the President Johnson expect to be in Hartford the 26th," exclaimed Addie. "I wish some of them present him with a ball through his head." Shared passion, ambitions, frustrations, politics, gossip, all the fascinating minutiae of daily life, give these unique letters extraordinary flavor and richness--and offer us an unprecedented piece of American history.

Twenty years ago, Clay Bender put his faith in Jesus Christ and received a spiritual gift that allowed him to see demons that pretended to be human. As much as he hates his ominous spiritual gift, Clay cannot ignore the signs that the spiritual powers of the air are converging for an all-out assault on his hometown of Royal Oak, Michigan. With the help of his two closest friends, an intriguing woman and the nearly forgotten pastor who baptized him long ago, he must find a way to stop them before the entire community perishes - and before his own personal demons vanquish him first.