University of Toledo Press

11/23/2023

DEVASTATING NEWS ... Joe Boyle, author of the upcoming 5-book set Toledo's War, died yesterday. He was an exceptional educator, historian, storyteller, and author -- and we are just scratching the surface.

In typical Joe fashion, he announced his own passing on Facebook in a positive and loving final goodbye. Joe wrote, “I want to use this one last opportunity to thank you all for loving me, and to tell you again that I love you. Do great things with every day that you’ve got. Never take life for granted. Make memories with the people you love.”

While he saw the galleys of his upcoming books, we are crushed he won't get to hold the finished product, that we are hoping to take delivery of very soon. May you rest in peace, Joe. Toledo's light is shining a bit less brightly today.

11/09/2023

CARLSON CONVERSATIONS ... the second speaker in the University of Toledo Carlson Conversations Lecture Series, Joe Boyle discusses his upcoming book Toledo's War.

10/23/2023

FALCONS HONOR ROCKET ... former UToledo Archivist and author of "An Institution for the Promoting of Knowledge" Barbara Floyd was honored at Bowling Green State University today. Floyd's book on the history of the University of Toledo won the Local History Publication Award from BGSU's Center for Archival Collections. The award was presented by Sara Butler-Tongate, Reference Archivist and Chair of the Local History Publication Awards Committee.

07/27/2023

CHECK IT OUT ... Joe Boyle, author of our upcoming release "Toledo’s War," sat down with BGSU’s Alannah Graves to discuss the process of documenting World War II using the shared experiences of residents of the Glass City. Joe also shared a few favorite stories discovered during his research. It's a great listen!

Joe Boyle takes the audience on an educational adventure of lost newspapers and found family letters while discussing the importance of Local History. The first half of the interview goes into how historians "do history" with brief explanations of vocabulary and research methods. The second portion....

06/21/2023

PART 1 ... of the venerable London Mitchell's conversation with Joseph Boggs, the award-winning author of Prohibition's Proving Ground.

Guest Joe Boggs' book Prohibition's Proving Ground discusses a new perspective on why rum running was so prevalent in the Toledo-Detroit-Windsor corridor during prohibition. Our chat looks at the tremendous impact of the automobile.

06/15/2023

NOW AVAILABLE ... "My Three Lives," the autobiography of Holocaust survivor Philip Markowicz. Initially released in 2010, the book has been out of print for years.

Markowicz (1924-2017) had a remarkable life. His family lived in Przerab, Poland, where his father was a Chassidic Jew and a rabbi. Their lives were filled with religion and joy until the Germans invaded Poland.

After the invasion, Philip's family fled to Lodz, believing they would be safer there. Like many other families, they were sent to the Lodz ghetto where all members of his family, with the exception of Philip and his brother Henry, perished.

Eventually, they were sent to a series of concentration camps, ending the war on a death march. Once the war ended, Philip began rebuilding his life, meeting his wife in a Displaced Persons camp and subsequently moving to the United States, where he settled in Toledo to begin his life anew.

The book is available at Gathering Volumes and at utoledopress.com

06/13/2023

CONGRATULATIONS ... to Barbara Floyd, author of "An Institution for the Promoting of Knowledge," for being selected the 2023 recipient of the Daniel J. Saevig Blue T Award.

Congratulations to the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award honorees! These alumni were nominated based on their outstanding achievement in his or her field of endeavor. Each honoree will be recognized at our annual Homecoming Gala on Sept. 29.

Leave them congratulatory remarks in the comments below!

06/07/2023

CONGRATULATIONS … to Barbara Floyd for winning the Bowling Green State University Center for Archival Collections’ Local History Publication Award (professional division) for works published in 2022.

Barbara’s book, "An Institution for the Promoting of Knowledge: The University of Toledo at 150," is a thorough examination of the history of one of the area’s oldest institutions. The book is available at Gathering Volumes in Perrysburg and Rockets Bookstore on Bancroft. It can also be ordered at www.utoledopress.com

Congratulations Barbara, and thank you to the BGSU Center for Archival Collections for holding this annual event that recognizes the efforts of authors who strive to preserve our region’s history and culture.

06/06/2023

On the 79th anniversary of D-Day, we remember all of those who served. To read about the impact World War II had on the Glass City, pre-order your copy of Toledo's War at utoledopress.com

05/19/2023

SAVE THE DATE ... for the 30th Art on the Mall, Sunday, July 30. In addition to dozens and dozens of artists, we will be there too! Be sure to look for our yellow pop-up tent and take advantage of great deals on some of our recent releases.

05/18/2023

IT IS OUR HONOR ... to announce the re-release of the autobiography of Holocaust survivor Philip Markowicz. Initially released in 2010, the book has been out of print for years.

Markowicz (1924-2017) had a remarkable life. His family lived in Przerab, Poland, where his father was a Chassidic Jew and a rabbi. Their lives were filled with religion and joy until the Germans invaded Poland.

After the invasion, Philip's family fled to Lodz, believing they would be safer there. Like many other families, they were sent to the Lodz ghetto where all members of his family, with the exception of Philip and his brother Henry, perished.

Eventually, they were sent to a series of concentration camps, ending the war on a death march. Once the war ended, Philip began rebuilding his life, meeting his wife in a Displaced Persons camp and subsequently moving to the United States, where he settled in Toledo to begin his life anew.

We are currently accepting pre-orders at the reduced rate of $22.95. Once the book is released this summer the price will increase to $29.95. Be sure to order your copy now!

NOTE: This is a PRE-ORDER. Books will not ship until they arrive from the printer this July. The discounted rate of $22.95 is only available for a limited time. The price will rise to $29.95 once the book is in stock.

05/08/2023

NOW ACCEPTING PRE-ORDERS … for Joe Boyle’s work, “Toledo’s War.” The five-book set is a comprehensive narrative telling the story of World War II through the experiences of the men and women of the Glass City. It will be available in August.

Starting today, on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of VE Day, you can place your order for an autographed box set of all five volumes of “Toledo’s War.” This is the only way to get all five volumes all at once, this August. The set retails for $79.95.

Don’t want to commit to the entire set? Do you find Joe’s ebullient nature off-putting? That is OK, we are also accepting pre-orders just for “Toledo’s War, Volume 1: War on the Horizon,” at the discounted rate of $17.95. Volumes 2 through 5 will released, one each month, starting in September. Place your pre-orders now, at: www.utoledopress.com

The mission of the University of Toledo Press is to publish professional quality books with relevance to general readers in Toledo, Northwest Ohio, and the Western Lake Erie region. The UToledo Press will read and consider for publication manuscripts that investigate, highlight, and celebrate the un...

04/23/2023

GREAT PIECE ... by The Blade's Tom Henry about Toledo's Prohibition-era mobster Thomas "Yonnie" Licavoli.

This year marks a centennial that many Toledoans don’t know about, let alone would consider a cause for celebration. Thomas “Yonnie” Licavoli, a ruthless ...

12/16/2022

AN INSIGHTFUL READ ... Jack Lessenberry's assessment of Barbara Floyd's book "An Institution for the Promoting of Knowledge: the University of Toledo at 150." The book is available at Gathering Volumes in Perrysburg and Rockets Bookstore on Bancroft, next to UToledo.

TOLEDO — Universities often have official histories written about themselves, and most of those I’ve seen are mainly good for collecting dust on a coffee ...

11/14/2022

A fairly accurate assessment of what our little operation tries to do every day. For people without a NYTimes subscription, here is an excerpt: "University presses take up titles that the Big Five, as the publishing conglomerates are called collectively, often won’t touch — not just works of scholarship but also small-market books for general readers: poetry, short stories and essays; memoirs and biographies; field guides and natural history; art and photography; local and regional history, among many others."

As corporate houses get bigger and more commercial, these publishers are doing work that is vital in the marketplace of ideas.

10/28/2022

THE KILLER COMES TO TOWN ... read all about the late Jerry Lee Lewis's friendship with Peppermint Club owner Duane Abbajay in chapter 5 of A Bar In Toledo, available at discerning retailers, including Tiedtke's Coffee Shop, 4444 Keystone Dr., Maumee.

10/27/2022

NOW AVAILABLE ... our latest release, "An Institution for the Promoting of Knowledge: The University of Toledo at 150" is available at Gathering Volumes, 196 E. South Boundary, Perrysburg, and Rockets Bookstore, 3047 W. Bancroft St., Toledo. The book can also be ordered at utoledopress.com. Written by former UToledo archivist Barbara Floyd, this is a thorough look at the first 150 years of the University of Toledo.

09/23/2022

TIME IS RUNNING OUT ... to place your pre-order for "An Institution for the Promoting of Knowledge: The University of Toledo at 150," by Barbara L. Floyd. Floyd retired in 2017 after serving as UToledo Archivist for 31 years and director of the UToledo Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections for 20 of those years. This 328 page, 8x10 inch hardbound book examines the history of the University of Toledo since its inception in 1872. It is the first thorough examination of the institution's history since Dr. Frank R. Hickerson, penned his tome "The Tower Builders: The Centennial Story of the University of Toledo" in 1972.
The book is the result of two years of hard work and joy for Floyd. Instead of just collecting the historical records of the university as the archivist, she used those records and countless others to piece together the narrative of the university and tell its amazing story. The story of the university is not an entirely happy one, however—there have been many bumps and bruises along the way in the past 150 years, most of them self-inflicted. Floyd has attempted to put that aside and approach this history of the institution by basing the narrative on the sources, of which there are many. Indeed, it took Floyd more than two years of research to complete her manuscript.
Pre-order the book now at utoledopress.com at a reduced rate of $29.95 a copy (regularly $39.95). This reduced rate is only for a limited time. Books will ship in October, once they arrive from the printer.

When Jesup W. Scott donated 160 acres of land near what was supposed to become a major railroad terminal as an endowment for a new university in Toledo, he did so because he believed such an institution would be vital to the development of what was destined to become the “Future Great City of the W...

09/14/2022

GREAT ARTICLE ... in today's Blade. Thankful for the wonderful coverage of A Bar In Toledo by The Blade and the article by Jason Webber.

There was just something about Duane Abbajay. A dashing man of Syrian descent, with olive skin and a penchant for Aramis cologne, Abbajay was the kind of ...

09/13/2022

THANK YOU BCAN ... for the great interview with Stephanie and Dominic, authors of A Bar In Toledo. The book is available at Gathering Volumes and Tiedtke's Coffee Shop, plus online at utoledopress.com and on Amazon.

09/12/2022

ANOTHER VENUE ... still haven't snagged your copy of A Bar In Toledo? Live in Monclova Township / Maumee? Swing on by Tiedtke's Coffee Shop today! They are fully stocked with our new release.

09/11/2022

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY ... for the local authors book fair! Stop on by!

09/10/2022

DID YOU MISS OUT? ... Didn't get a chance to attend our book launch downtown Friday or our Meet the Authors event today at Gathering Volumes? Not to fear! Stop on out tomorrow between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for Gathering Volume's annual local authors book fair. We will have copies of A Bar In Toledo and many other UToledo Press books.

09/05/2022

Yup!

09/03/2022

CHECK OUT THIS PODCAST ... longtime Toledo area media giant London Mitchell spoke with Dominic Vaiana and Stephanie Abbajay about their new book "A Bar In Toledo." Be sure to listen to their interview using the link below.

A new book, A Bar in Toledo: the Untold Story of a Mafia Front Man and a Grammy-Award Winning Song, relates the fascinating story of Duane Abbajay, his popular Toledo bars, and the musicians and mobsters with whom he crossed paths.

09/02/2022

BOOKS ARE IN ... we are happy to announce "A Bar in Toledo" has arrived. Pre-orders are now closed. All pre-orders will ship in the next few days. The book can still be ordered at utoledopress.com. They will also be available at Gathering Volumes in Perrysburg starting this weekend.

08/24/2022

PRE-ORDERS ... are now being accepted for "An Institution for the Promoting of Knowledge: The University of Toledo at 150," by Barbara L. Floyd. Floyd retired in 2017 after serving as UToledo Archivist for 31 years and director of the UToledo Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections for 20 of those years. This 328 page, 8x10 inch hardbound book examines the history of the University of Toledo since its inception in 1872. It is the first thorough examination of the institution's history since Dr. Frank R. Hickerson, penned his tome "The Tower Builders: The Centennial Story of the University of Toledo" in 1972.

The book is the result of two years of hard work and joy for Floyd. Instead of just collecting the historical records of the university as the archivist, she used those records and countless others to piece together the narrative of the university and tell its amazing story. The story of the university is not an entirely happy one, however—there have been many bumps and bruises along the way in the past 150 years, most of them self-inflicted. Floyd has attempted to put that aside and approach this history of the institution by basing the narrative on the sources, of which there are many. Indeed, it took Floyd more than two years of research to complete her manuscript.

Pre-order the book now at utoledopress.com at a reduced rate of $29.95 a copy (regularly $39.95). This reduced rate is only for a limited time. Books will ship in October, once they arrive from the printer.

When Jesup W. Scott donated 160 acres of land near what was supposed to become a major railroad terminal as an endowment for a new university in Toledo, he did so because he believed such an institution would be vital to the development of what was destined to become the “Future Great City of the W...

08/15/2022

PRE-ORDERS ... are now being accepted for “A Bar in Toledo: The Untold Story of a Mafia Front Man and a Grammy-Winning Song,” by Dominic Vaiana and Stephanie Abbajay. The book recounts tales of a pair of popular Toledo bars – the Peppermint Club and its successor, The Country Palace – and the colorful life of owner Duane Abbajay.

When Duane took over his brother’s bankrupt nightclub in downtown Toledo in 1962, he promised his wife it would be a quick turnaround to protect his family’s name. Instead, he became the face of a bar that transformed Toledo’s entertainment scene and inspired a Grammy-winning country song. Emotional, theatrical, and dripping with nostalgia, “A Bar in Toledo” is a love letter to the golden age of American music—and the dark underworld that helped make it all possible.

Pre-order the book now at utoledopress.com at a reduced rate of $17.95 a copy (regularly $24.95). Books will ship in September, once they arrive from the printer.

The fascinating story of a local man, his popular Toledo bars, and the musicians and mobsters with whom he crossed paths.