Ed Simon is the author of An Alternative History of Pittsburgh from Belt Publishing choosing figures from the story of Pittsburgh and updating the relevance of events along the way. His choices include prehistoric Pittsburgh, Emma Goldman and Alexander Berkman with the assassination attempt on Henry Clay Frick, the Carnegie International with Pablo de Sarasate, Billy Strayhorn meeting Duke Ellington, Evelyn Nesbitt The Girl on the Red Velvet Swing, John Kane, Stephen Foster, Andrew Carnegie, Andy Warhol. Rachel Carson, with a stop at Shadyside Presbyterian Church and East Liberty at the end.. Ed Simon writes for the History News Network, the Atlantic, Paris Review, Newsweek, The Washington Post and and several websites including The Millions. His fondness for the city where he spent his formative years is obvious in this conversation with Jim Cunningham.