Wenzel first conceived the idea for the book three years ago when he was asked to give a talk on the Mayors of Scranton for the Mall at Steamtown's History Month. Wenzel was particularly interested in providing a written record of recent events from the past 40 years. The terms of Mayor James Walsh, Mayor Eugene Peters, Mayor Eugene Hickey, Mayor James McNulty, Mayor Wenzel, Mayor Jim Connors and current Mayor Chris Doherty are highlighted. Wenzel thoroughly researched the career of each mayor. The Scranton Times opened up its archives and the Albright Memorial Library and the Lackawanna Historical Society provided assistance. Personal interviews with former mayors and their families give the work a human touch, while memorabilia from past campaigns bring long ago election battles to life.