Dowdy, an archivist for the Memphis Public Library, shares what he has found in manuscript collections, archival newspapers, and historic maps and photos about the lesser-known history and culture of Memphis. He examines the city's history in its most important decades, and well-known figures like Elvis Presley, Sam Philips, Clarence Saunders, and W.C. Handy, along with lesser-known institutions and individuals like Popeye Pumphrey, a gangster who inspired William Faulkner's Sanctuary; the Boy Scout who captured German spies during World War I; Tony Vaccaro, the journalist who secured the first interview with the newly inaugurated President Truman; and the radio station that pioneered the use of remote broadcasts. He then discusses some of the primary and secondary sources available at the library, including papers of E.H. Crump, Roane Waring, Mayor Walter Chandler, Mayor Frank Tobey, and the 1940 and 1944 presidential elections. No index is provided. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)