Ronald E. Ostman and Harry Littell, the authors of Wood Hicks and Bark Peelers, published this fall by Penn State University Press, will present their work and sign books at two events in the area on Sunday, Oct. 30, and Monday, Oct. 31.

Wood Hicks and Bark Peelers showcases the stunning photography of William T. Clarke. Clarke worked at the turn of the 20th century to document the everyday life of lumber workers in northern Pennsylvania and the impact that their work had on Pennsylvania’s forests. The photographs themselves are a surprising discovery, developed from salvaged glass plate negatives found in a toolshed belonging to descendants of Clarke. The book and the story of the discovered photographs were recently featured by Slate’s The Vault blog.

At 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30, the authors will present and sign books at Penn State’s Pasto Agricultural Museum at the Ag Progress Days site, 2710 West Pine Grove Road in Pennsylvania Furnace. More info about this event is available at http://agsci.psu.edu/pasto/events/wood-hicks-and-bark-peelers.

The authors will speak at 1 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31, at the Columbus Chapel and Boal Mansion Museum, 163 Boal Estate Drive in Boalsburg.

Ostman and Littell will discuss the discovery and restoration of the Clarke photographs in the book, and the lives of the workers in the lumber camps so hauntingly depicted in the photos. Copies of Wood Hicks and Bark Peelers will be available for purchase at a discount, and the authors will sign books after each presentation.

For more information about the book, contact Penn State University Press publicity manager Cate Fricke at crf16@psu.edu, or by phone at 814-865-1329.

– submitted by Cate Fricke, Penn State University Press