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Last spring, Charles Beares III ’55 published a memoir titled "Men Enter Car First," which offers a fascinating look at his self-proclaimed "colorful" family history. The book covers two exciting worlds: the amusement park business on his father’s side, connected to West View Park, and the vibrant circus life on his mother’s side.
The memoir is filled with captivating stories and enriched by over 40 of Beares' personal collection of photographs. One such story is about Ward’s arrival at West View Park in 1932, where she performed daring handstands on a sway pole 100 feet in the air. It was there that she met Beares' father, who immediately fell for her. The memoir even includes some family recipes at the back. One of the memoir’s standout features is its striking cover, which shows Beares’ mother, Inez Ward, sitting on the head of her favorite elephant, Babe, from the Tom Mix Circus.
"Men Enter Car First" is available at Riverstone Books in McCandless Crossing (North Hills) or on Amazon.