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Joliet native Jim Ridings was presented with awards for 2 of his books

The Illinois State Historical Society presented the awards at its April 23 meeting in Springfield

Joliet native Jim Ridings was presented with awards from the Illinois State Historical Society at its April 23 meeting in Springfield. (Photo provided)

By Denise M. Baran-Unland

At its April 23 meeting in Springfield, the Illinois State Historical Society presented Joliet native Jim Ridings awards for two books he published last year.

The two books are “The Illustrated History if the Cherry Mine Disaster of 1909” and “The Society of the Living Dead: The Illustrated History of Ottawa’s Radium Dial Scandal.”

The Illinois State Historical Society honored author Jim Ridings, formerly of Ottawa and now of Herscher, for the two historical books he released in 2020 that document the Radium Dial scandal and the Cherry Mine Disaster. (Photo provided)

Ridings received a Certificate of Merit for “Cherry Mine Disaster of 1909.”

He also received a Certificate of Excellence for “The Society of the Living Dead: The Illustrated History of Ottawa’s Radium Dial Scandal.”

Both of these books were reviewed in The Herald-News’ LocalLit newsletter

His 30th book, “The Illustrated History of Ottawa’s Tent Colony,” will be published June 28.

Ridings now lives in Herscher.

Denise Unland

Denise M. Baran-Unland

Denise M. Baran-Unland is the features editor for The Herald-News in Joliet. She covers a variety of human interest stories. She also writes the long-time weekly tribute feature “An Extraordinary Life about local people who have died. She studied journalism at the College of St. Francis in Joliet, now the University of St. Francis.