Allen Kurtz, a Sun City resident and first-time author and self-publisher, announces the release of “Grandpa’s Money: An Autobiographical Novel of Small-Town Life in a Big City World,” now available from Amazon.

Originally from a small Illinois community known for horseradish, corn and soybeans, near the Mississippi River, Kurtz was the first in his family of Democrats and union members to attend college. He writes about the history of unions extensively.

He is the oldest child in a family of six and is a self-proclaimed expert on most things he has an interest in, primarily history, politics and music. He has been a registered Democrat, Republican and Libertarian; currently Kurtz is a stubborn, vocal Independent and votes accordingly.

“Grandpa’s Money” is his first serious attempt at writing something thoughtful and purposeful since college. He is former junior high American history teacher, a business education senior high teacher and a community college instructor, where he learned to master everything but math and science. He has also owned and operated a DJ and photography company until the Covid pandemic put them out of business. One of the many humorous stories includes how Kurtz and his wife got into that business without the intention of ever starting a business.

The main substance of the book is the true story of when his grandfather lost his job and his union pension went missing when the local steel plant closed. He always told his grandson that a union pension was as good as gold. Now it had vanished into thin air, and the family was close to broke. The grandpa held various menial jobs the rest of his life, but never to the standard of living the family was used to.

Years later, curiosity got the best of him, and decades later, during the Covid lockdown, Kurtz deliberated how a union pension plan could go broke. In his research, he followed the money trail from St. Louis, to Chicago, then New York, Detroit, Phoenix and finally Las Vegas. To his shocking discovery, even for a former history teacher, he found how others had conspired to create, then destroy the American Dream of the Middle Class.

Kurtz believes Sun City residents will enjoy this novel since his autobiography includes childhood memories of growing up in his Midwest secluded suburban neighborhood of Henderson Heights.

His novel includes 47 short stories with titles like “On the Waterfront with Norma Rae,” “Daddy, what’s an OPEC?” and “The Phoenix-Vegas Connection.” Some are humorous, and others are serious as the author searches for “Grandpa’s Money.” 

This is a true American mystery tale and Kurtz believes Baby Boomers who want to relive the glory days of America will love the book. Kurtz adds other history lovers will also enjoy the stories, as he shares the cultural heritage of the United States of America he discovered along the way. He reports on the American experience of 19th and 20th century immigrants, workers, entrepreneurs, criminals, unions and politicians.

Visit amazon.com/dp/B0C9S89ZPJ.