Lynne Potts

Lynne Potts is the author of A Block in Time: History of Boston’s South End Through a Window on Holyoke, chronicling two hundred years in a neighborhood that has experienced dramatic ups and downs since it was first built on landfill in swamplands of the Boston Harbor. Of the book, one reviewer wrote: “These pages portray the transformation of a neighborhood culturally, economically, socially and architecturally as it has gone from splendor through deterioration to dignified elegance. It can serve as an inspiration for people who care about their neighborhoods and want to see them work.”

A second book, Faces of a Neighborhood: Boston’s South End in the Early Twenty-first Century, chronicles the lives of 22 people living in a diverse neighborhood — sharing both the conveniences and complexities of urban life in the 21st century. The subjects range from a teenager studying computer science to a 93-year-old poet, and include a fabric artist, flea market saleswoman, dog walker, international arbitration lawyer, hotel concierge, and many more. It’s a study in contrasts as well as common interests and affections.

Lynne has also published magazine and newspaper articles on people, places, and current events, including ones on controversial housing development projects, library closings, and hardware stores. Her travel articles have appeared in The Boston Globe newspaper and The Online Travel Journal. The story “Shoes for Rent” was published by Guernica Magazine.