Summer Reads: Three Local Non-Fiction Releases

Blood on Black Wax: Horror Soundtracks on Vinyl
Aaron Lupton & Jeff Szpirglas ($34.95, 1984 Publishing)
Did you know a jazz pianist and psychiatrist created the music for Invasion of the Body Snatchers, or that Poltergeist’s score was made with water chimes and musical saws? This hardcover tome from a lauded CLE print house delves deep into horror soundtracks’ surprising inspirations, with colorful, often gruesome, album art that ups the considerable creep-factor. Journey from Alien to Zombi Holocaust with this definitive love letter to the genre. 

Elusive Utopia: The Struggle for Racial Equality in Oberlin, Ohio 
Gary J. Kornblith & Carol Lasser ($48, LSU Press)
Is systemic racial equality possible? A dive into Oberlin’s past reveals the daunting obstacles facing that goal, even with the most progressive minds behind it. Informed by statistical data and primary sources, two Oberlin College professors detail the complex history of the town founded in 1833 on a commitment to equality — and how that innovative idealism devolved into the same racial tensions plaguing society today.

A Taste of The Hocking Hills
Matt Rapposelli ($24.95, Ohio University Press)
From morel mushrooms to wild turkeys, Hocking Hills boasts a vast natural bounty. The first cookbook from Cleveland-born Matt Rapposelli, a park naturalist turned chef and restaurateur at the nearby Inn at Cedar Falls, features the region’s ingredients in simple, flavorful preparations. Twenty-seven recipes, paired with stunning local photographs, are divided into seasons: Think salted Roma tomato bruschetta with basil to celebrate summer, and pan-fried pumpkin fritters to keep cozy in the fall.