Michael Olesker wrote a column for the Baltimore Sun for twenty-five years. He is the author of six previous books, including Michael Olesker's Baltimore: If You Live Here, You're Home, The Colts' Baltimore: A City and Its Love Affair in the 1950s, and Front Stoops in the Fifties: Baltimore Legends Come of Age.

Olesker draws on Baltimore's diverse and often isolated and mutually hostile neighborhood, political and clerical tribes. He compiles a group portrait that is both sad and celebratory. Baltimore Sun A powerful tribute to our vast melting pot... Amid the rich metaphors and unique vernacular that are quintessentially Olesker, Baltimore's mosaic of religions and nationalities become one. Baltimore Jewish Times

• Contents: Introduction "Don't Give In to the Bastards" The Americanization of Zlotte Dancing on the Roof Times Square The Home Movie "America Was What You Saw at the Movies" Sinatra and DiMag The Man in the Closet Michele and Jake "You Do Not Have to Melt to be American" Crossing Park Circle Lenny and Artie Twenty-Three Nations Ray Charles in the Cafeteria City College The Forbidden Fruit The Riots "You Gotta Marry in the Faith" God in Protective Custody O'Malley's March

Michael Olesker wrote a column for the Baltimore Sun for twenty-five years. He is the author of six previous books, including Michael Olesker's Baltimore: If You Live Here, You're Home, The Colts' Baltimore: A City and Its Love Affair in the 1950s, and Front Stoops in the Fifties: Baltimore Legends Come of Age.

Olesker draws on Baltimore's diverse and often isolated and mutually hostile neighborhood, political and clerical tribes. He compiles a group portrait that is both sad and celebratory. Baltimore Sun A powerful tribute to our vast melting pot... Amid the rich metaphors and unique vernacular that are quintessentially Olesker, Baltimore's mosaic of religions and nationalities become one. Baltimore Jewish Times

• Contents: Introduction "Don't Give In to the Bastards" The Americanization of Zlotte Dancing on the Roof Times Square The Home Movie "America Was What You Saw at the Movies" Sinatra and DiMag The Man in the Closet Michele and Jake "You Do Not Have to Melt to be American" Crossing Park Circle Lenny and Artie Twenty-Three Nations Ray Charles in the Cafeteria City College The Forbidden Fruit The Riots "You Gotta Marry in the Faith" God in Protective Custody O'Malley's March

Michael Olesker wrote a column for the Baltimore Sun for twenty-five years. He is the author of six previous books, including Michael Olesker's Baltimore: If You Live Here, You're Home, The Colts' Baltimore: A City and Its Love Affair in the 1950s, and Front Stoops in the Fifties: Baltimore Legends Come of Age.

Olesker draws on Baltimore's diverse and often isolated and mutually hostile neighborhood, political and clerical tribes. He compiles a group portrait that is both sad and celebratory. Baltimore Sun A powerful tribute to our vast melting pot... Amid the rich metaphors and unique vernacular that are quintessentially Olesker, Baltimore's mosaic of religions and nationalities become one. Baltimore Jewish Times

• Contents: Introduction "Don't Give In to the Bastards" The Americanization of Zlotte Dancing on the Roof Times Square The Home Movie "America Was What You Saw at the Movies" Sinatra and DiMag The Man in the Closet Michele and Jake "You Do Not Have to Melt to be American" Crossing Park Circle Lenny and Artie Twenty-Three Nations Ray Charles in the Cafeteria City College The Forbidden Fruit The Riots "You Gotta Marry in the Faith" God in Protective Custody O'Malley's March