The Boys of Rubber City transports readers to the gritty streets of 1970s Akron, capturing the untamed spirit of a working-class boyhood. It follows a group of kids as they build hidden forts, collect wheat pennies, and fight over marbles in a world alive with the hum of summer games—sandlot hardball, Chinese jump rope, and Indian wrestling. As streetlights flicker on at dusk, the boys, sunburned and scuffed, head home hungry for supper.

Beyond these daily adventures, the story explores the resilience needed to grow up in a Rust Belt city. From jumping out of trees to the harmless thrill of love notes passed on a playground, childhood here is a dance between bruised knees and budding friendships. References to Batman lunchboxes and yo-yos serve as nostalgic markers of a bygone era when kids roamed free, blissfully unaware of the hardships around them.

Through these tales, the author reflects on the essence of youth—where every scraped knee tells a story, and the laughter of children echoes through the smoke of Akron’s industry.

REVIEWS:

“Steve Smith captures the authentic action and natural spirit of childhood in The Boys of Rubber City, where we witness the joys and difficulties of growing up in The Projects of Akron, Ohio. But it’s not just his own boyhood, it’s an American childhood, and, in a larger sense, a universal childhood strained through the life and times of our culture—and plain, good fun as well.”—Robert Pope, author of Killers & Others

“Steven Smith’s The Boys of Rubber City is a beautifully written remembrance of childhood. Set in the late 1960s, it consists of a series of interlocking stories that depict the experiences of growing up in a working-class neighborhood in Akron, Ohio. The work is written from the point of view of a rugged yet emotionally complex young boy as he navigates his dreams, desires, and physical realities. With a deft sense of humor and attention to detail, Smith threads a tightly rendered and playful journey. The work is an inspiring and captivating account of a child’s life as we follow him through the streets, backyards, and abandoned fields of an ever-changing landscape. Through the use of subtly placed cultural touchstones and with just the right amount of mischief and mayhem, Smith effortlessly guides the reader back in time to a place of innocence and adventure. Steve Smith has created an elegantly written story about a boy, his friends, and the fascinating world in which they all lived.”—Blake Cook, retired professor of art and practicing artist 

“This sweet but honest story of growing up in Akron wonderfully evokes a childhood of a time gone forever. It is superbly written and creates shocks of recognition with every scene: playing superheroes, sending balls flying into mean neighborhood’s gardens, enduring the well-intentioned folks of Vacation Bible School.  Steven Smith’s writing is completely winning.”—Thomas Dukes, author of Gospels from the Lower Shelf

by Steven Richard Smith
Page Count: 133
Trim Size: 6 x 9
Publish Date: July 29, 2025
Imprint: Local History Press
Genre: History

History / US History / Midwest 
HUMOR / Topic / Regional & Cultural
HUMOR / Topic / Generational