NEW BOOK FOR BABY BOOMERS — John Kuhner, left, owner of BookMarx Bookstore, is helping to promote the new book written by Steubenville resident and author Barry Bardone, entitled, “291 12th Avenue: You’re a Thousand Memories Away, or Are You?” Bardone’s first book “No Choice: Andrew Kimball in the Revolutionary War,” is available at the bookstore, as well. Those who purchase either book at BookMarx, located at 181 N. Fourth St., will receive a free, signed copy of Bardone’s 2003 book about being a substitute teacher, called “Always Put Your Name on the Board.” His newest book is also available on Amazon. -- Contributed

STEUBENVILLE — Baby Boomers. Although they grew up in different cities, different towns across America, they share a common thread … the memories of childhood. The laughter of playgrounds, the hum of corner stores, the friendships that carried them through. Those moments shaped who they became. And they still remain etched in the heart.

For those who find joy in looking back, in remembering the rhythm of simpler days, Bloomingdale resident Barry Bardone has written a new book that invites readers to step once more into the past. His work is not only about history, but about connection and the bond of shared experiences.

Bardone’s path to authorship was not a straight one. He enlisted in the Air Force, later spending 28 years working the second shift for the Erie Lackawanna Railway. Writing was always there, tucked quietly into his heart. But it was not his profession.

It was at his 50th high school reunion at Paterson Eastside High School in Paterson, N.J., that classmates encouraged him to begin writing.

“Many of my classmates I had not seen in 50 years; many I knew in the 1950s before entering high school,” Bardone recalled. “Be they now a pauper or a millionaire, I pay no mind. They are a living affirmation and testimony to my youth. They are part of a bygone era — a time I’ll cherish always — never to experience again.”

That encouragement lit a spark. Upon returning to the Ohio Valley, Bardone began to write. His first book, “No Choice: Andrew Kimball in the Revolutionary War,” blends historical fact with storytelling. Though the main character is fictional, the accounts are grounded in history. His newest release, “291 12th Avenue: You’re a Thousand Memories Away, or Are You?” is a nostalgic journey through the 1950s, filled with quizzes, photographs and recollections that speak directly to Baby Boomers. “No matter what our current situation is,” Bardone said, “all of us share a powerful bond with our childhood family and friends and that time.”

While the newest title is available on Amazon, all of Bardone’s books are sold at BookMarx Bookstore, at 181 N. Fourth St. in Steubenville. Those who purchase either autographed copy locally, will receive a free, autographed copy of “Always Put Your Name on the Board.” This work, written in 2003, is a humorous look at his decades as a substitute teacher in Jefferson and Hancock counties. Bardone taught every grade, and was consistently asked back because of the way he connected with students.

“It is filled with tips and supplies information that will answer your questions about what to expect in the classroom,” he explained. “This simple text is peppered with many humorous experiences, students’ remarks, letters, spelling, wishes and my personal observations and opinions.”

His observations are marked with a binoculars icon throughout the book. One memorable moment came while giving a test to fourth graders. A girl passed a note to the boy beside her. Bardone retrieved it and read it aloud, trying not to laugh. The note asked if the boy would like to meet under the bridge after school and kiss. It is these small, human moments that fill his pages with warmth.

Yet through all of it — the railroad shifts, the classrooms, the reunions — writing has remained his joy. “I advise how to take oneself back to their youth,” Bardone said of his semi-biographical work. “It has several quizzes covering the time period, photos and personal experiences. I compare Paterson, with Fitchburg, Mass., and Steubenville, explaining they were very similar. The people, jobs, stores, cars, attitudes and events are the same in each town. The only thing different is they are hundreds of miles from each other.”

For Baby Boomers, Bardone’s books are more than stories. They are keepsakes. Reminders of the “good old days.” Of friendships and family bonds that time cannot erase. With quizzes to test memory, photographs to spark recognition and reflections to warm the heart, his work is a gift worth giving — to parents, grandparents, or even yourself this Christmas, he commented.

“Baby Boomers born between 1945-49 will remember the fifties,” Bardone said. “Although growing up in different cities, towns and villages, I bring into focus that all Boomers experienced the same America.”

Through his words, Bardone offers not only history, but a chance to pause, to reflect and to remember.

Because sometimes, all it takes is a page, a photograph or a memory to remind us: The past is never as far away as it seems.