Climbing the Nittany Mountain: 1960's Penn State Football Memoir & Love Story Told Through Letters

Climbing the Nittany Mountain is part love story and part college football memoir.

This book chronicles in the epistolary style, through the exchange of hundreds of handwritten letters over the course of two years, the budding romance between high school sweethearts. They are separated when Russ attends college 150 miles away at Penn State University. The letters are a fascinating, intimate glimpse into the thoughts, feelings, insecurities, and dreams of the two young lovers. They were written from 1960-1962, and reflect the popular teenage culture and colloquialisms of western Pennsylvania during that time. Readers are invited to eavesdrop into their letters and personal feelings.

This story is also a personal account of Russ’s playing football at Penn State. It begins with his recruitment by Coach Joe Paterno, and includes many anecdotes and details of his football team experience.