We Need An Interurban Trolley System

There's a very memorable scene in the 1975 historical novel Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow (1931-2015), in which a character, who I think was a Jewish immigrant, traveled 138 miles from the Lower East Side of Manhattan to Springfield, Massachusetts. He reached his destination by transferring to various trolley lines. The novel is set in the early years of the 20th century. I don't know if such a transit system existed back then or was just a product of Doctorow's imagination, but I do know that this system is not available today. And that's too bad, because an interurban trolley system would help reduce bumper-to-bumper traffic and polluting car emissions.

Very Apt Descriptions

Here are Google A.I.'s recent descriptions of this blog:

"Urban Book Maven is an online blog and cultural archive authored by writer and cultural critic Charles Michael Smith. The blog focuses on the intersection of LGBTQ+ culture, Black history, literature, and arts, often sharing historical essays, author interviews, and reflections on queer and multicultural heritage. Notable topics frequently discussed on the site include the legacy of Black gay writers (such as Assotto Saint) and historical accounts of nightlife and anti-violence resistance [sic] in communities of color." (accessed May 28, 2026)

In an earlier description, A. I. described the blog as "an active blog featuring literary commentary, personal essays, and reflections with recent content published as of March 2026. The site has been noted in academic contexts regarding queer literature and features posts exploring themes of travel, memory, and literature." (accessed April 24, 2026)

I would say that the above statements are very apt descriptions.