Edited by Paul Thiel | Antares Press
By Joelle Jenkins
Once you get past the touristy layer of St. Louis (the brewery, the sports, the custard … ), you’ll find the city has many stories to tell. Those seeking the inner beauty of St. Louis will find it in Under The Arch: St. Louis Stories. The book, edited by Paul Thiel with a foreword by Mayor Francis Slay, is a charming anthology of works by writers with St. Louis ties—fine storytellers who capture both the city’s rich history and its present spirit.
All of the stories shine, but our favorite is “Safe From Home,” by Eileen Dreyer, which explores the meaning of family values through the simplicity of a neighborhood baseball game in the summertime. Each of the almost two dozen stories paints a vivid picture of a different aspect of St. Louis—with topics ranging from Winston Churchill to the city’s lost caves—and each takes us beyond the conventional aspects of St. Louis to reveal the soul of a great city. The book retails for $14.95 at Left Bank Books, the Missouri History Museum, Borders and Barnes & Noble. For more information, e-mail antarespress@yahoo.com or call 314-821-5834.
