Born on the West Side of Chicago, Tom Russo grew up in the western suburbs of Northlake, Elmhurst and Melrose Park, where he learned to skate with his two sisters, waiting each winter for the creek to freeze over. Over the years, he ice-skated and roller-skated on both quads and in-line skates. Today, as he travels, Russo seeks out local rinks to skate and feel the skate culture of those rinks and the communities they host. His skates of choice are quads! His freelance writing topics range from hobby to professional, as well from recreation to the technical. Tom currently lives in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and enjoys yearlong cycling and roller skating. He has made a career of volunteer work and serves on the City of Myrtle Beach Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee.
Impactful writing characterizes Tom Russo's newly released book, Chicago Rink Rats: The Roller Capital in Its Heyday....This book is not just for industry insiders, but for a larger American audience. Anyone interested in American studies and culture would find this forgotten information insightful. The histories of common pastimes such as bicycles and baseball are somewhat well known, but roller skating doesn't enjoy the same common background knowledge. This book is a great addition to that lost history. Readers will be astounded to learn the impact roller skating played in the war effort, to women's and African-American's rights, and even to the post-war baby boom." The National Museum of Roller Skating
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