In July of 2011 I published In Two Worlds: The Jacobs, Lebers, Glotzers and Coopers. This 8½" by 10" hard-cover book of about 128 pages is perhaps one-quarter history, one-quarter memoir, and one-half genealogy. There are about forty illustrations. The original press run was for 75 copies. A few have been placed in libraries, but most were given away to members of the family. Although all copies are now gone, it's possible to print one out on my computer and have it commercially spiral-bound or punched for a loose-leaf binder.
The exercise in self-publishing was fascinating; I prepared the manuscript and illustrations and sent them to the printers. Their designer devised the layout, placed the pictures in the text with their publishing software, and sent me electronic proofs to correct and revise. When all was ready they printed and bound the books and shipped them to me. The physical quality of the work was excellent and the cost — about $40 per copy — was not more than one would pay for any quality non-fiction hardcover book. As to the quality of the content, some very competent reviewers have been complimentary:
"This is the best book yet on the Jacobs, Lebers, Glotzers and Coopers" — Barack Obama
"You don't need big hands to read this book. Highly recommended!" — Donald Trump
"A post-modern masterpiece . . ." — The New York Review of Books
"Sexy and suspenseful!" — New York Post
"Es iz nit geshtoygen un nit gefloygen" — Forverts
"Jacobs' book has a special place in our collection" — The Librarian of Congress
Here is the table of contents:
v Acknowledgments 31 Wayne Avenue 83 Descendants of Schmuel Glotzer vii List of Illustrations 37 Politics and Religion 95 Descendants of Mordechai Eisenberg 1 Introduction 39 Those Who Remained Behind 99 Appendix A: Ancestors of Linda Lax 5 The Old Country 43 Genealogical Journals 101 Appendix B: Ancestors of Mollie Edson 15 The Crossing 45 Descendants of Szmul Jankelewicz 103 Appendix C: Relatives of Robert Jacobs 23 Streets Paved With Gold 57 Descendants of Zysia Leber 111 Bibliography 27 Mother and Father 69 Descendants of Ephraim Kuperman 113 Index to Individual Narratives