For years, readers of The Grand Rapids Press have been urging Tom Rademacher to publish a book of his best works. Say hello to "Splitting Wood," a compilation of columns that spans his years at the newspaper. A native of Grand Rapids, Rademacher used imagery and his keen powers of observation to deliver exceptional stories of everyday people, and "Splitting Wood" brings it all home in a book that is nothing less than a keepsake.

Tom Rademacher has been employed part-time as a lifeguard, factory worker, silkscreener, taxi-cab driver, handyman and swim coach. He has now worked nearly 31 years at The Grand Rapids Press.