Empty City

About the Book

A suburban father and his teen-age son move into a dilapidated mansion in the depleted inner city. Will the recently divorced Gaspar and his emotionally disconnected son be able to help Brush Park residents resurrect their ailing neighborhood before it is put down like a badly injured dog? Or will Brush Park continue to dissipate – to lose its buildings, vigor, and people?

About the Author

Gabriel Shapiro is an associate professor of writing at East Central College in Union, Missouri. Previously, he earned his keep as a writer and editor. Gabriel has lived all his 39 years in the urban core, and now lives in St. Louis with his wife Sydney, two allergy-producing cats, and Paolo, the ever-youthful dog. Gabriel and Sydney love both urban and natural areas, but they long to see vigor return to their country’s many neglected cities.