M. Lynn Squires, who lives in Charleston, West Virginia, calls herself “an urban Appalachian author.” This is her fifth book, as usual expanding her writing genres that include a cook book and a book about the craft of writing. Looking Back at Charleston is a compilation of her fascinating magazine columns, “Looking Back,” which explore the history of Charleston places, mostly prominent buildings. It makes a nice gift that will assuage the curiosity of readers and expand their awareness of places they have noticed. Each short essay includes color photographs or color reproductions of old post cards, most showing how the places looked at various times.
Scott Depot, West Virginia: self-published, 2018. 131 pages with color photos. Oversized trade paperback