Maschino's owner to publish vintage photo book

by Melissa Wilson

SBJ Staff

The Ozarks has again added to its burgeoning stable of local artists.

Nancy Brown, owner of Maschino's Home Expressions, has finished one book and is in the process of finishing another. The book in progress is a history of the urban Ozarks told through her grandfather Domino Danzero's photo-graphs of Midwesterners in the early 20th century.

The yet-to-be-titled book, which will also tell the story of her grandfather's journey to America from his native Italy, and his subsequent careers as a chef and restaurateur, will be published by Arcadia Publishing in Chicago and is due out by Thanksgiving.

Brown co-authored the book with her mother, Leola Maschino, and her daughter, Karol Brown.

"It's been a pleasure to work with three generations of our family ... It's been a joy for my mother to see her father's photographs used in this way, and it's been fun for my daughter to put words to these photographs that she grew up seeing. Of course, it's also been a real pleasure for me to be part of this," Brown said.

Brown said she chose to write the historic book under the name Nancy Maschino Brown to show readers the connection among the three authors.

The completed book, called "Daytrippin' in the Ozarks," provides directions to and historical tidbits about day trips in the area, which Brown said she wrote as a result of owning the Walnut Street Inn for 12 years and giving advice on day trips to guests who wanted to explore the area.

"Many of our guests would say, 'What's there to do here? We've been to Branson and we've been to Bass Pro, is there anything else?' So this (book) is a response to that," Brown said.

"Daytrippin' in the Ozarks" contains eight sections with different themes, such as the mills of the Ozarks, Civil War sites, garden spots and a section titled "Beyond Branson," which Brown said literally circles Branson and takes daytrippers around the strip to the lesser-known areas of Taney County.

"Each (section) has a different flavor and a different theme," Brown said. "The more I do, the more I find there is to do."

Brown said the book's premise is for travelers to leave Springfield in the morning and be able to return in the evening or before. It also contains suggestions for places to stop for lunch, picnic spots and dinner. Side trips and alternate routes are also included.

Ironically, Brown said, she was offered a contract with Arcadia Publishing for the photographic history book when looking for a publisher for "Daytrippin' in the Ozarks."

"A friend of mine, Elise Crain, knew I was doing the day trips book and faxed me some information about Arcadia Publishing in Chicago," Brown said. "I called Arcadia and told them about the book and they said 'by the way, we don't do books like this, but we specialize in photographic books of regional and local history.'"

Brown said she told the Arcadia representative about the book-in-progress of her grandfather's photos and was offered a contract almost immediately.

Arcadia Publishing will handle the marketing and regional distribution of the photographic book, but Brown said she does not know yet which local bookstores will carry it.

"I know Arcadia works with Barnes & Noble and Hastings, and I'm assuming the book will be available in those stores, but I won't know for sure until the book has been published," Brown said.

Brown said she thinks a second volume of "Daytrippin' in the Ozarks" is on the horizon.

"I think the section on trout fishing in the day trips book could be expanded. I really haven't gone that far west in the book