The Place You Love is Gone--Read this Book!

This book is so profound and well-written that I actually took notes while reading it. I read paragraphs twice and thought about the essence of each statement. I could see this used as a text in sociology and especially urban anthropology. An entire class could revolve around onerous nomenclature. Like this ....

You do not have to be a past resident of Akron, The catskills or New Jersey to appreciate the meaning of this book although I had so many "yes! I love that place" moments when reading about my hometown. I came to realize just how important those places of my youth are to me, those vestiges of my former self. Are they there to this day, or are they a WalMart? It's always a Walmart. So read Melissa's lyrical verse, settle in and get ready to remember all those places you touched as a child that are a part of your soul.

I especially like this part "imagine you wedding at the end of the birch allee." This is where I always dreamed of getting married as a child. This is where I came back to to get married. Stan Hywet was my castle just waiting for me and my knight in shining armor.

One of my favorite quotes: "Ephemeral, meaningless. But they amount to forces that shaped the rocky earth and waterways (the buildings and institutions and beliefs and histories) that made me. Guard against its theft, the past of the place that made you. At least notice it, if you cannot save it." On that note, what on earth! I heard that they are closing and possibly tearing down the Rubber Bowl. Wha? You can't take away my Rubber Bowl. This is where we played the turkey day football games. It spells out Akron and you can read it when you fly over it. The blimps pass by it. You can get custard across the street from Strickland's and be in a state of sheer bliss. Thieves! Stealing my memories, my joy, my hometown from me. I'm off to listen to some Pretenders.

They better not mess with the Civic Theater!