By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO – I am happy to announce the publication of my fifth book, with the sixth very soon to follow. Just published on Amazon as well as Barnes and Noble is Volume 1 of Schlepping and Schmoozing through San Diego County, which is drawn from over three decades of my coverage of San Diego County’s Jewish community as well as from some of my stories about various sightseeing attractions in the county.
All the chapters in Volume 1 concern people or places within The City of San Diego, whereas in Volume 2, the subjects are drawn from the surrounding cities and towns within San Diego County. Volume 2 already is written but awaits final indexing, which in my opinion is very important for any non-fiction book, if that book is to become useful for either current-day readers or future historians.
Combining stories about the Jewish community and sightseeing attractions in the city reflects my dual writing interests. While I have covered the Jewish community since 1986, that avocation overlaps with a career that I followed in tourism-related public relations. I served for nine years as the executive director of the San Diego Cruise Industry Consortium, the organization created by former Acting San Diego Mayor Bill Cleator to successfully attract cruise ships to a San Diego homeport. Additionally, my public relations agency helped to bring Old Town Trolley Tours of San Diego to the city in 1989, and in handling that account, I hired the first staff, laid out the initial route, served as the first general manager, and developed the script which, I’m pleased to say, still is used, at least in part, today.
Most of the stories within the volume are about San Diego’s Jewish community, with several branches of Judaism represented. There also are stories about some of the best-known Jews who lived in San Diego, among them Judges Jacob Weinberger and Edward Schwartz, biologist Jonas Salk, electrical engineer Andrew Viterbi, and oceanographer Walter Munk. You’ll also meet some of the rabbis of our community along with interesting lay people, some of them born Jewish, others who chose to join our faith.
Many of the stories combine sightseeing and the Jewish experience, my not being one to compartmentalize the various passions of my life.
None of the chapters in Volume 1 nor in Volume 2 repeat any of the stories that I chronicled in my previous four books, which in chronological order were Louis Rose: San Diego’s First Jewish Settler and Entrepreneur; Schlepping Through The American West: There Is a Jewish Story Everywhere; Waxie: An American Family Business Success Story; and 77 Miles of Jewish Stories: History and Anecdotes Along Interstate 8.
Instead, the stories were carefully culled to introduce newcomers to Jewish San Diego to some of its byways, and to refresh the memories of longtime San Diego residents about some of the area’s history.
The book may be ordered on Amazon. In San Diego County, I will be pleased to accept invitations to lecture about these or any other of my books. I can be reached via the email address mentioned below. Books may be ordered through Amazon or Barnes and Noble either by writing my name, Donald H. Harrison, into one of their search bars, or by writing the name of the book in which you are interested. Or, you can just click on this link https://www.amazon.com/Schlepping-Schmoozing-Through-Diego-County/dp/1072834979
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com
Mazel to you, Don! Looks like a great way to introduce newcomers to San Diego!
Another interesting book to add to my list! Having just learned of your involvement in bringing the Old Town Trolley Tours to San Diego, I need to add a big thank you! While visiting relatives here 20 years ago, I took this tour – it was fantastic, a highlight of my visit! Having lived here for six years now, I think I might go again!
I’m looking forward to reading this guide to Jewish San Diego. Don Harrison has got to be the best tour guide with his vast knowledge and experience of all things Jewish in San Diego.