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Health & Fitness

Cyril Wecht, Steve Blass Among Local Authors at History Center's Books in the 'Burgh

The Heinz History Center will help kick off the holiday season with its 11th Annual "Books in the 'Burgh" holiday book fair this Saturday, Dec. 1.

The Senator John Heinz History Center will help kick off the holiday season with its 11th Annual “Books in the ‘Burgh” holiday book fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1

Visitors will have the chance to purchase signed copies of books and mingle with more than 50 of their favorite local authors. The Books in the ‘Burgh event and History Center Museum Shop are FREE and open to the public, while regular admission prices apply for all History Center exhibits.

“Books in the ‘Burgh” will feature author talks throughout the day, including a special Q&A discussion at 11 a.m. with noted forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht, who will discuss some of his most famous cases.

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The History Center and the statewide PA Civil War 150 initiative will also launch an exciting new publication, “The Civil War in Pennsylvania: A Photographic History,” at the event. At 1 p.m., the book’s three authors will discuss how they uncovered hundreds of rare and never-before-seen Civil War images which are included in the book ($34.95, 312 pages).

Other authors attending “Books in the ‘Burgh” include (with their featured titles):

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  • Steve Blass, Pirates announcer and former pitcher – “A Pirate for Life”
  • Andy Russell, former Steelers linebacker – “Beyond the Goalpost”
  • Brian O’Neill, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist – “The Paris of Appalachia: Pittsburgh in the 21st Century”
  • Eleanor Schano, broadcast media legend – “Riding the Airwaves: The Life and Televised Times of Eleanor Schano”
  • Dave Crawley, KDKA-TV personality – “Cat Poems” and “Dog Poems”
  • Chuck Finder, former Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sports reporter – “The Steelers Encyclopedia”
  • Jim O’Brien, noted Pittsburgh sports historian and author – “Immaculate Reflections”

Docent Tours this Saturday

With regular History Center admission, visitors can enjoy the History Center’s six floors of exhibition space, including its newest exhibit, Gridiron Glory: The Best of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which features more than 200 football artifacts from the Pro Football Hall of Fame collections, exclusive videos from the vaults of NFL Films, and a special section on the Steelers and football in Western Pa.

Visitors can also sign up for free docent-led tours of the Gridiron Glory exhibit on Saturday at 11 a.m., noon, and 1 p.m. The History Center is a self-guided museum and docent-led tours are typically reserved for large groups or field trips.

The award-winning History Center Museum Shop will be open for holiday shopping and offers chic gifts, retro toys, and unique jewelry that complement more than 250 years of Western Pa. culture on display at the History Center. 

Author Talk schedule:

  • 11 a.m. – Cyril Wecht, Q&A session on his most famous cases
  • Noon – Jim O’Brien will discuss his book, “Immaculate Reflections”
  • 1 p.m. – Brian Butko, Mike Kraus, David Neville, and Ken Turner discuss their new book, “The Civil War in Pennsylvania: A Photographic History”
  • 2 p.m. – Jessie Ramey will show visitors how to research and use resources at the History Center’s Detre Library & Archives
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