A distinctive urban publisher since 1941

Wayne State University Press

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Painted Turtle

Named after Michigan’s state reptile, Painted Turtle publishes books on regional topics of cultural and historical interest for a general readership.

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Brewed in Michigan: The New Golden Age of Brewing in the Great Beer State is William Rapai’s "Ode on a Grecian Urn"—a discussion of art and art’s audience. The art in this case is beer. Craft beer. Michigan craft beer, to be exact. Like the Great Lakes and the automobile, beer has become a part of Michigan’s identity. In 2016, Michigan ranked fifth in the number of craft breweries in the nation and tenth in the nation in craft beer production. Brewed in Michigan is a book for beer enthusiasts and for people who want a better understanding of what makes Michigan beer special. Cheers!

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AWARD
WINNER

Scratching the Surface

Adventures in Storytelling

A Memoir by Harvey Ovshinsky
Foreword by Don Gonyea

The inspiring story of one of Detroit’s most creative and prolific storytellers.

Paperback
Published: March 2021
ISBN: 9780814344743
$27.99
eBOOK
Published: March 2021
ISBN: 9780814344750
AWARD
WINNER

That They Lived

African Americans Who Changed the World

Rochelle Riley and Cristi Smith-Jones

Biographies on African Americans who will inspire today’s youth.

Paperback
Published: February 2021
ISBN: 9780814347546
$17.99
eBOOK
Published: February 2021
ISBN: 9780814347553
AWARD
WINNER

When Lions Were Kings

The Detroit Lions and the Fabulous Fifties

Richard Bak

An in-depth look at one of the most storied dynasties in Detroit sports history.

Paperback
Published: September 2020
ISBN: 9780814350997
$29.99
Hardback
Published: September 2020
ISBN: 9780814334270
$39.99
eBOOK
Published: September 2020
ISBN: 9780814334287
AWARD
WINNER

Northern Harvest

Twenty Michigan Women in Food and Farming

Emita Brady Hill

Pays tribute to the women behind the local, sustainable, and quality foods of northwestern Michigan.

Paperback
Published: May 2020
ISBN: 9780814347133
$26.99
eBOOK
Published: May 2020
ISBN: 9780814347140
AWARD
WINNER

The Queen Next Door

Aretha Franklin, An Intimate Portrait

Linda Solomon
With a Foreword by Burt Bacharach and Afterword by Sabrina Vonne' Owens

Reflections on the life of Aretha Franklin captured in exclusive photographs by her friend, photojournalist Linda Solomon.

Hardback
Published: October 2019
ISBN: 9780814347287
$36.99
eBOOK
Published: October 2019
ISBN: 9780814347294
AWARD
WINNER

Guardians of Detroit

Architectural Sculpture in the Motor City

Jeff Morrison

Building-by-building pictorial and historical survey of the remarkable collection of architectural sculpture found in Detroit.

Hardback
Published: March 2019
ISBN: 9780814345702
$42.99
eBOOK
Published: March 2019
ISBN: 9780814345719

Essay'd 3

30 Detroit Artists

Edited and compiled by Dennis Alan Nawrocki, Steve Panton, and Matthew Piper

Thirty illustrated essays highlighting a variety of Detroit artists.

Paperback
Published: October 2018
ISBN: 9780814345870
$25.00
AWARD
WINNER

The Faygo Book

Joe Grimm

The story behind Faygo, a Detroit soft drink company since 1907.

Paperback
Published: October 2018
ISBN: 9780814345856
$24.99
eBOOK
Published: October 2018
ISBN: 9780814345863

Alexander Girard, Architect

Creating Midcentury Modern Masterpieces

Deborah Lubera Kawsky
Foreword by Ruth Adler Schnee

Showcases the bold, innovative, and colorful architectural designs of Alexander Girard.

Hardback
Published: June 2018
ISBN: 9780814343654
$39.99
eBOOK
Published: June 2018
ISBN: 9780814343661
AWARD
WINNER

Building the Modern World

Albert Kahn in Detroit

Michael H. Hodges

A photographically rich biography of protean architect Albert Kahn.

Hardback
Published: April 2018
ISBN: 9780814340356
$39.99
eBOOK
Published: April 2018
ISBN: 9780814340363
AWARD
WINNER

Canvas Detroit

Julie Pincus and Nichole Christian

A compelling look at the contemporary art and artists that are transforming Detroit’s physical landscape.

Paperback
Published: November 2017
ISBN: 9780814344620
$39.99
eBOOK
Published: November 2017
ISBN: 9780814338803
AWARD
WINNER

Brewed in Michigan

The New Golden Age of Brewing in the Great Beer State

William Rapai

A celebration of Michigan craft beer.

Paperback
Published: October 2017
ISBN: 9780814342107
$34.99
eBOOK
Published: October 2017
ISBN: 9780814342114
AWARD
WINNER

Greetings from Detroit

Historic Postcards from the Motor City

Dan Austin

A pictorial history of Detroit through postcards.

Paperback
Published: October 2017
ISBN: 9780814344118
$24.99
eBOOK
Published: October 2017
ISBN: 9780814344125

Essay'd 2

30 Detroit Artists

Written, edited, and compiled by Dennis Alan Nawrocki, Steve Panton, Matthew Piper, and Sarah Rose Sharp

Thirty illustrated essays highlighting a variety of Detroit artists.

Paperback
Published: August 2017
ISBN: 9780814344156
$25.00
AWARD
WINNER

Detroit 1967

Origins, Impacts, Legacies

Edited by Joel Stone
With a Foreword by Thomas J. Sugrue

Examines relationships between black and white Detroit residents through the lens of 1967, fifty years later.

Hardback
Published: June 2017
ISBN: 9780814343036
$29.99
eBOOK
Published: June 2017
ISBN: 9780814343043
AWARD
WINNER

The Detroit Public Library

An American Classic

Barbara Madgy Cohn and Patrice Rafail Merritt

A photographic tour of the Detroit Public Library’s rich art and architectural history.

Hardback
Published: May 2017
ISBN: 9780814342329
$36.99
eBOOK
Published: May 2017
ISBN: 9780814342336
AWARD
WINNER

Saving Arcadia

A Story of Conservation and Community in the Great Lakes

Heather Shumaker

A David and Goliath conservation story set on Lake Michigan.

Paperback
Published: April 2017
ISBN: 9780814342046
$24.99
eBOOK
Published: April 2017
ISBN: 9780814342053
AWARD
WINNER

Heaven Was Detroit

From Jazz to Hip-Hop and Beyond

Edited by M. L. Liebler with a foreword by Dave Marsh

A comprehensive collection of essays on the long history of Detroit music by some of America’s best-known music writers.

Paperback
Published: October 2016
ISBN: 9780814341223
$24.99
eBOOK
Published: October 2016
ISBN: 9780814341230
AWARD
WINNER

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra

Grace, Grit, and Glory

Laurie Lanzen Harris with Paul Ganson

The first history of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra to describe and document its origins in 1887 to the present day, relating its changing fortunes in light of the economic, demographic, and cultural history of the city of Detroit.

Hardback
Published: September 2016
ISBN: 9780814331361
$39.99
eBOOK
Published: September 2016
ISBN: 9780814340622

Essay'd

30 Detroit Artists

Written, edited, and compiled by Dennis Alan Nawrocki, Steve Panton, Matthew Piper, and Sarah Rose Sharp

Thirty illustrated essays highlighting a variety of best-loved and little-known Detroit artists.

Paperback
Published: August 2016
ISBN: 9780814342275
$25.00

Pages