Syl Sobel

I am an attorney, a former newspaper reporter, and retired director of publications for a federal government agency. I started writing books about US government when my daughter asked me to write a book for her on how the government works. After it came out, my younger daughter asked me to write a book for her, too. So I asked her what to write about, and she said "cool things about presidents." After that book came out, my editor asked me if I had any more book ideas. When I told her that my older daughter suggested the first book, and my younger daughter suggested the second book, but now I was out of ideas, my editor said: "Mr. Sobel, you should have had more kids."

That was more than 20 years ago. Both girls have started their careers. I've had 5 books published, and self-published one. I also cover high school sports for our local community newspaper.

Next year I've got a new book coming out, Boxed Out of the NBA: Remembering the Eastern Professional Basketball League, which I coauthored with my childhood friend from Scranton, Pa., Jay Rosenstein. The book recounts the history of the Eastern League, the second-best pro league behind the NBA during the 1950s and early 60s when the NBA had only 8-10 teams and an unwritten quota on African-American players. This book tells the story of some of the best professional basketball players you never heard of. Will keep you posted on its progress.