Books Archives - Over The River PR

The New York Times recommends IN THE SHADOW OF GENIUS for the “discerning New Yorker”

The media can’t get enough of Barbara Mensch’s fascinating book, IN THE SHADOW OF GENIUS: The Brooklyn Bridge and Its Creators (Fordham University Press/Empire State Editions, hardcover; $34.95). The New York Times recommended her book as one of 9 coffee table books to give to the discerning New Yorker, and her book was also featured in the Washington Post, The Eye of Photography, and the Bowery Boys blog. In addition, Barbara has been interviewed by NPR stations across the country, and she has given talks at bookstores, museums and more. Check out the full roster of reviews, features, and speaking engagements below:

LITERARY SOIREE — review

SKYSCRAPER MUSEUM (New York City) — Talk & signing on 10/29/1L

ALLIANCE FOR DOWNTOWN — book mention

EYE OF PHOTOGRAPHY — feature story

PHOTO DISTRICT NEWS — Featured as “Photo of the Day” on 10/25/18

TRIBECA TRIBUNE — Feature ran on 10/24/18

WBAI-FM/Lenny Lopate At Large (New York) — Live interview on 11/26/18

BROOKLYN EAGLE — Feature ran on 11/13/18

THE NEW YORK TIMES — 9 Gift Books for the Discerning New Yorker

INTERNATIONAL CENTER OF PHOTOGRAPHY — Booksigning on 12/6/18

WNYC/All of It with Alison Stewart — Live in-studio interview on 12/7/18

PIER A — Exhibit of Barbara’s photos from the book at the pier

WFUV-FM/Cityscape — Radio interview aired on 1/23/19

WASHINGTON POST — Photo feature and interview on 12/5/18

NEW YORK TRANSIT MUSEUM — Talk and signing on 3/5/19

BOWERY BOYS HISTORY Blog — Review ran on 1/30/19

CUNY-TV/One to One with Sheryl McCarthy — TV interview on 2/18/19

DOWNTOWN MAGAZINE — Photo feature

TKSEAPORT MUSEUM — Talk & signing on 4/11/19

ROEBLING MUSEUM — Talk & signing on 5/11/19

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Blog Tour for Jerome Charyn’s Latest Historical Fiction Kicks Off 1/6!

The blog tour for critically acclaimed author, Jerome Charyn’s latest novel, THE PERILOUS ADVENTURES OF THE COWBOY KING: A Novel of Teddy Roosevelt and His Times kicks off on Sunday, January 6, the 100^th anniversary of Teddy Roosevelt’s death. Check out the full schedule.

In this novel, which The Washington Post calls “tremendous fun” and Kirkus Reviews calls, “colorful, entertaining” in its starred review, Charyn gives new dimension to Roosevelt, revealing Manhattan’s swampy underbelly after the Civil War, TR’s farcical and dangerous expeditions to the Dakota Badlands, and his personal anguish at losing his mother and wife on the same day. Like the best of E.L. Doctorow, historical detail is supported by a keen grasp of language and marked by a lack of sentimentality about the past. With a colorful supporting cast—including Buffalo Bill Cody, Eleanor Roosevelt, Leon Czolgosz (President McKinley’s assassin), plus Josephine, the loveable mountain lion who was the mascot of the Rough Riders (seen with Roosevelt on the cover), and the Rough Riders themselves, whom Roosevelt never deserted, THE PERILOUS ADVENTURES OF THE COWBOY KING is historical fiction and Jerome Charyn at their very best.

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A RIVER COULD BE A TREE: A Memoir by Angela Himsel

Angela Himsel’s fascinating new memoir, A RIVER COULD BE A TREE (Fig Tree Books Hardcover; Nov 2018) traces her seemingly impossible road from childhood cult to a committed Jewish life with warmth, humor, and a multitude of religious and philosophical insights.

How does a girl who grew up in rural Indiana as a fundamentalist Christian end up a practicing Jew in New York? Strict adherence to the church’s tenets was Angela Himsel’s only way to escape a certain, gruesome death, receive the Holy Spirit, and live forever in the Kingdom of God. With self-preservation in mind, she decided, at nineteen, to study at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. But instead of strengthening her faith, Angela was introduced to a whole new world with different people and perspectives. This experience slowly opened her eyes to the church’s shortcomings. Ultimately, the connection to God she relentlessly pursued was found in the most unexpected place: a mikvah on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. This devout Christian girl found her own form of salvation—as a practicing Jewish woman.

The media has enjoyed reviewing the book, interviewing the author, and sharing some of her original essays:

Tulsa Book Review: Review, 12/20/18

Give and Take Podcast: Interview, 12/12/18

Jewish Woman’s Archive: Angela’s essay posted posted on 12/11

Jerusalem Post: Review, 12/6/18

PopSugar: Angela’s essay posted on 12/5

Arroe Collins: Unplugged and Uncut Podcast: Interview, 12/3/18

Lilith Magazine’s Blog: Q&A with Yona McDonough, 11/30/18

Jewish Book Council’s Visiting Scribe Series: Angela’s essay posted on 11/26:

Jewish Community Voice (Cherry Hill): Interview, 11/21/18

Forward: Excerpt published, 11/15/18

The Herald (Jasper, IN): Interview, 11/13/18 arranged by Moshe Schulman

Book Q&A with Deborah Kalb: Interview, 11/13/18

Too Jewish Radio: Interview, 11/12/18

The Virtual Memories Show Podcast: Interview, 11/12/18h

Times of Israel: Interview, 11/10/18

The Jewish Week: Interview, 11/6/18

The Jewish Standard: Interview 11/2/18

The Herald Times (Bloomington, IN): Interview, 10/21/18

The Jewish Week: Included in Fall Arts Preview 9/13/18

ForeWord Reviews: Review, September/October Issue

Lilith: Review, Summer Issue

Kirkus Reviews: Review, 6/18/18

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Al Schmitt On The Record: The Magic Behind the Music

Foreword by Paul McCartney

Do you ever wonder what goes into the creation of some of the best music ever recorded? AL SCHMITT ON THE RECORD: THE MAGIC BEHIND THE MUSIC (Hal Leonard Books) is the remarkable account of one of the most respected music engineers in the business.

A thorough and compelling account of life in and around the recording studio, AL SCHMITT ON THE RECORD offers an unprecedented window into some of popular music’s most seminal moments as told from Al’s unique perspective as “the man behind the glass.” This compelling memoir also shares some of the tricks, techniques, and tactics that have set Schmitt apart, from his approach to microphones, effects, and processors to setup diagrams from lauded recording sessions and, perhaps most importantly, his methods for catering to an artist’s vision and preferences. The resulting text is a must-read for audio pros and music fans alike.

Here is some of the great coverage this memoir has received:

The Entertainment Report – one of 2018’s best biographies

Focus TV’s On the Note – interview

SiriusXM’s The Diner with Lou Simon – interview

MIX Online – review

New York Journal of Books – review

The Inner Circle Podcast – interview/

Billboard – interview

SiriusXM’s Debatable – interview

CNET– review

SiriusXM’s Fab Forum on The Beatles Chanel – interview

Music Repo – included in roundup

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The Astronaut’s Son by Tom Seigel

THE ASTRONAUT’S SON (Woodhall Press Hardcover) by Tom Segiel is a fast-paced mystery that was inspired by the true story of ex-Nazi scientists and engineers at NASA. Read the well-deserved interviews and reviews for this debut thriller:

BookLoons -review

Oregon Jewish Life – included in a holiday roundup

The Times of Israel – interview

The Book Decoder Blog – review

Jennifer Tar Heel Reader Blog – review

The Book’s The Thing Blog – review

Jewish Book Council – guest post

Locus Magazine Online – included in a roundup of new releases/

The Rap Sheet Blog – included in a roundup of new releases:

Too Jewish Radio Show – interview

Tita Writes – review

Mystery Scene – review