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The vibrant city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, goes by a lot of nicknames thanks to its quality of life enjoyed in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Home to the Penguins, Pirates, and Steelers, it’s often called the “City of Champions” for its sports fandom. Its three rivers and 446 bridges also make it “The City of Bridges.” And, its affordability and attractions make it one of America’s most livable cities. One Pittsburgh reference that may strain credulity is “the Paris of Appalachia,” touted by a group of local college librarians who promoted the region’s arts a few years ago for an industry conference. It’s also the title of a recently reissued book by author and former journalist Brian O’Neill, a title once overheard on a local bluegrass radio broadcast.
You would think this slim volume of 152 pages is a put-down by a born and raised New Yorker, but it’s actually a tribute to the city where O’Neill now lives, exploring its past and present, and its pros and cons. No doubt, its best stamp of approval comes from Pittsburgh native and actor, Michael Keaton, who says, “This is a terrific book. This guy gets it.” O’Neill takes the reader on Pittsburgh’s journey — its fall from industrial preeminence as a steel titan, its struggle as a “city of smokestacks, smog and grime,” and its decline in population to its status today as criminally underrated while at the same time investing in the AI revolution. It’s an arc that can be compared to Paris’ historic struggles, once the center of Enlightenment and production that became a stinky and eventually war-torn city, to one today facing over-tourism and a population exodus.
Like in Paris, the arts abound in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh has its own versions of the Louvre, making it a dream come true for art lovers in America. This is thanks in part to one of its great patrons and steel revolutionary, Andrew Carnegie. The Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh’s “crown jewel” of museums, brings the world of French Impressionism to visitors with one of its most famous paintings, “Water Lilies” by Claude Monet. Pop art fans can also appreciate the Andy Warhol Museum (another Pittsburgh native son) and his soup cans. The city also boasts the best-ranked history museum in America, the Senator John Heinz History Center, named in honor of another great Pittsburgher from the prominent Heinz family…