Look for "Valley of Heart's Delight" in SC Valley Media

You can go to the web site of the Palo Alto Daily Post for Saturday 7/30/22 and read a higher resolution version of this (which I converted from a PDF). l have links below and excerpts for other articles about the book. 

My new book about the San Francisco Bay Area came out on July 25, 2022, and one thing I can say for certain: it is easier to get coverage for a third book, than it is for the first one. As a writer, I now have a track record with two other books and reporters know the work is credible (and, I like to think, likable as well). This has helped my new book gain attention more quickly. 

Here's the first review I received, which arrived on the publication date, thanks to veteran journalist Craig MacDonald at See California: Valley of Heart's Delight Review

Here's a brief piece in the Los Altos Town Crier: Los Altos Town Crier Article

Here's what award-winning columnist Sal Pizarro had to say in the San Jose Mercury News on Friday 7/29/2022. (Since their web site charges for membership, I've just excerpted it):

"The Valley of Heart's Delight" Gets its First Review!

"The Valley of Heart's Delight: True Tales from Around the Bay" is my new book from The History Press. Isn't that a dandy cover?

For many years I worked in daily journalism and my experiences in newsrooms was that they were a cacophony of noise and activity. Newsrooms were full of interesting, intelligent and talkative people: phones rang constantly, police radios blasted, news crews dashed in and out and reporters gabbed at each others' desks. Our deadlines were hourly and daily. Then we went home and came back for more the next day. 

Writing a book isn't anything like that. The deadlines are years, not days. The room I work in is quiet and I often feel isolated by the work. Sometimes I do something exciting and go to the library or an archive. Not noisy places, those. When the book is written, there are several more months of copy editing and then page proofs and covers to approve. By the time the book is finally published the writer wonders: do you suppose people will like it?

Today, after working on my new book for a long time, I received my first review. I wanted to share it with you. Thanks to Craig MacDonald of the popular "See California" web site for taking the time to read my book, care about California's many heritage stories and share his thoughts with you. 

CLICK HERE TO READ ROBIN'S FIRST REVIEW

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The Duvenecks: Disseminating Kindness at Hidden Villa

This photograph of Josephine and Frank Duveneck, founders of Hidden Villa summer camp, was taken in 1978 on the couple's 65th wedding anniversary. Josephine died 11 days later, shortly after completing her autobiography. Frank died in 1985 at the age of 99. Image courtesy of the Palo Alto Historical Association.

I was very surprised to read Hidden Villa was caught in the middle of a controversy about some Asian tiles on the side of the old Duveneck house. The tiles represent an ancient symbol in Asia and bear some resemblance to a swastika but are not exactly like the ones we associate with Germany. The controversy shut down the Hidden Villa children's camp this summer for the very first time.

I thought perhaps it might be a time to revisit the history of this forward-thinking couple, who made so many lives better during their lifetimes and beyond.

Here's a piece I published recently about them in the Los Altos Town Crier.

CLICK FOR ROBIN'S ARTICLE ON THE DUVENECKS