Alumni essays capture faces and places in time. In October 2005, Western Reserve Academy released Without Reserve, a collection of 52 essays by 53 Reserve alumni.  The guest essayists cover six decades at Reserve -- from the 1930s to the 1980s. Several of these alumni authors are well-known, even famous for their prose, including R. W. "Johnny" Apple Jr. '52, Ted Gup '68, Ian Frazier '69 and Melissa Pierson '76. Others have published frequently or had careers closely associated with writing.

Hear what Class of 1952 alumnus and Without Reserve senior editor Jim Gramentine has to say about his inspiration for compiling the book through these audio clips:

Why I Did It (:45) - Editor Gramentine says the idea occurred to him while he was interviewing alumni and exchanging e-mails for background on his last book, Change and Constancy, a history of Reserve from the '60s through the early '80s.

Living on the Edge (:41) - Anyone who spent time at Reserve knows there are some interesting tales to tell. As senior editor, did Jim find himself faced with tough decisions regarding essay content and propriety?

Playing Favorites (2:03) - As he read through essays and talked with authors, did Jim have a favorite essay? Jim says it was difficult to decide.

Just Putzing Around (:52) - Remember putzes? So did our alumni authors! The collection includes one or two choice tales.

The Fan Factor (1:30) - Finally, more than a few essayists wrote about adults who had a profound impact on the young people they taught and coached. While the essay collection names many faculty--and some colorful staff as well--did certain individuals get a little additional ink? Well, here’s the scoop.

Purchase your copy of Without Reserve through the online Campus Store.