Over 100 full color, high gloss photos depict the city of Scranton, Pennsylvania

Hometown Pride

Photographer ALYSSA AMORI, a resident of Scranton, Pennsylvania illustrates her love for her hometown through her camera lens. Over a six-month period in 2007, Alyssa captured the essence of the city from its historic architecture to its parks and festivals.

Over 100 images include: Roger Clemens' appearance with the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre Yankees, Nay Aug Park, Scranton Cultural Center, Lackawanna County Courthouse, Everhart Museum, Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel, Steamtown National Historic Site, St. Patrick's Day Parade, The Mall at Steamtown and Lake Scranton.

Alyssa's ultimate hope is to get the book into the hands of as many Scranton service men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan as possible. The book is designed to provide the troops with a much welcome glimpse of home. Amori is looking for individuals or groups willing to either provide addresses or donations to finance the printing and mailing of the books to the troops. To offer assistance, please email Alyssa at alyssa@tribute-books.com

REVIEW

Scranton, Pennsylvania is like all other cities in that it is like all other cities yet maintains a distinctiveness that is attractive and unique. In this book, Amori manages to capture the history of the city as well as the current energy that it exudes in a series of photographs. I was most impressed by the photo of the Albright Memorial Library. Made of solid stone having windows constructed in a medieval style and with a turret in the corner, it looks like a fortress. Which in some sense is what it is, a place where people can go any place that someone has written about, secure in the knowledge that there is security in knowledge.
After looking through these pages, I have a strong desire to visit Scranton; my biggest treat would be to take a ride on the steam locomotive in the Steamtown National Historic Site. I would close my eyes and count the buffalo and Native Americans that we are passing by as I travel across the North American continent. The photography is excellent; each picture exudes energy, even when there is no hint of movement.

Reviewed by: Charles Ashbacher