John W. Kropf — Author
“These poems, by turns funny, sad, and achingly lyrical, remind me of why I came to poetry in the first place.”
—George Bilgere, author of Imperial
​​​​
“Whoever you are, in John Kropf’s collection, A Midwestern Heart, you will find something to identify with or remember...all written with a practiced hand that captures the Midwest beautifully, accurately, and with as much as heart as the poet could give.”
—Don Illich, author of Chance Bodies
​​
Winner of the 2023 Local History Publication Award from Bowling Green State University’s Center for Archival Collections - Category: Independent Division​
​
“. . . well-written and, for those of a certain age, suffused with nostalgia.”
​​​
“Inherently fascinating, impressively informative, enhanced with a section of color plates, exceptionally well written, organized, and presented—and certain to be of immense interest to anyone with childhood memories of drawing with color crayons.”
​
Turkmenistan was once the world's most feared territory. Now, as an independent country located between the hot spots of Afghanistan and Iran, with one of the planet's largest natural gas reserves, Turkmenistan is virtually unknown to the outside world. This personal story blends two years of adventure with Turkmenistan's tumultuous history to present an intriguing profile of the country and its people.
​
“...a fascinating narrative bound to hook adventurers.”
—Publishers Weekly
​​
​​