James H. Bissland, a New Englander who has lived in Ohio since 1976, has spent most of a lifetime reading and researching American history. He earned a bachelor's degree in history from Cornell University and master's in American history from the University of Massachusetts. He received a Ph.D. in mass communication studies from the University of Iowa after course work there and at Brown University that included work in history. He is the author, co-author, or editor of several books, including Bountiful Ohio: Good Food and Stories from Where the Heartland Begins and Long River Winding: Life,