From Typewriter to Takeoff

Norman Tyler (1944–2026) was a licensed architect, city planner, and historian who became a professor, serving for many years as director of the Urban Planning Program at Eastern Michigan University. As a professor, he shared his expertise through teaching, conference presentations, published articles, a personal writer's blog, podcast interviews, as executive producer of a feature film, and through coverage by the Associated Press, and he was granted emeritus status.

Norm wrote history as storytelling, bringing to life both people and places. His previous books are on historic architecture, urban planning, transportation pioneers, and family stories. He spent time in Europe, Africa, South and Central America, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, bringing a global focus to his writing. He lived in a historic house in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with his wife, Ilene, and wrote full-time, always enjoying the challenge of a new project.