Books

About the Books & Why I Chose to Self-Publish

My books center on preserving local history through a deeply personal perspective. Portrait of an Automobile Dealer traces the story of my family’s multi-generational car dealership, one of the earliest in Montgomery County, Maryland. It blends family memories, photographs, and historical documents to capture more than a hundred years of transformation in both the automobile industry and the surrounding community.

I chose self-publishing because it allowed me the freedom to tell these stories authentically and without compromise. Traditional publishing often emphasizes commercial appeal, but my goal was different: to preserve local and family histories that might otherwise be forgotten. Though my books may not fit traditional publishing molds, they are the result of careful research, rooted in local heritage, and filled with personal meaning.

“Portrait Of An Automobile Dealer, Fourth Edition” The book, “Portrait Of An Automobile Dealer” began as a personal journey to document the legacy of a family business with deep roots in Rockville, Maryland. What started with the First Edition in September 2012 eventually grew into something much larger, earning recognition from local historians and preservationists, and evolving into a definitive historical archive.

The Third Edition, published in 2016, received the Arthur M. Wagman Award for Historic Preservation Communication from Peerless Rockville. This prestigious award honors writers and historians whose work promotes a greater understanding of Rockville’s architectural and cultural heritage. It was a tremendous honor to receive this acknowledgment, not only for the book itself but also for the role it plays in preserving our community’s past.

One of the greatest advantages of self-publishing, is the ability to revise and enhance the book over time. Each edition has allowed me to build on the last, adding newly discovered photos, correcting dates, and incorporating fresh material from archives like the now-digitized Montgomery County Sentinel.

The newly released Fourth Edition is the most comprehensive version yet. Highlights include:

• Over 70 new images
• A new cover image and dust jacket color to differentiate it from earlier editions
• Updated historical dates and timelines
• Previously unpublished material unearthed during recent research

This final edition is the result of over a decade of research, dedication, and the flexibility that only self-publishing could offer. It’s more than just a book, it’s a living record of Montgomery County’s automotive history, seen through the lens of a family legacy.

Whether you’re revisiting this story or discovering it for the first time, I hope this edition of Portrait Of An Automobile Dealer offers a meaningful glimpse into the history of Reed Brothers Dodge and the enduring spirit of Rockville’s past.

Lewis Reed Photograph Collection (1898–1960)  Second Edition

Step back in time with the newly expanded second edition of the Lewis Reed Photograph Collection (1898-1960), a monumental tribute to a century of history captured through the lens of a local legend. This updated volume has grown into an impressive 384 page archive, housing more than 2,500 photographs. Most of these images are over a century old, meticulously preserved by Lewis Reed–the pioneering founder of Reed Brothers Dodge whose passion for photography documented a world in transition.

What sets this collection apart is its rarity; a significant number of these images have remained hidden from the public eye for decades, appearing here in print for the first time. Far from a simple gallery of pictures, the book features detailed, informative captions throughout, offering readers small snippets of history that breathe life into the people and places of the past. It serves as a rare, unfiltered window into an era that helped shape the Montgomery County we know today.

Lewis Reed’s influence as a photographer extends far beyond this single collection. He was a well-known documentarian of the region, and today, many of his early works serve as the backbone of Montgomery History’s photo archives. His eye for detail has made his photography an indispensable resource for highly regarded historical publications, including Rockville: Portrait of a City by Eileen S. McGuckian, Jane C. Sween’s Montgomery County: Two Centuries of Change, and several volumes of the Images of America series.

Beyond the bookshelf, Reed’s visual legacy has reached national audiences. His work has been featured on major television programs such as the History Channel’s American Pickers, the Science Channel’s Impossible Engineering, Maryland Public Television, and PBS’s most-watched history series, American Experience. This second edition invites you to explore that same world-class photography in its most comprehensive form yet.

Preserving the Legacy

Reed Brothers Dodge is more than a story about automobiles, it’s a story about people, perseverance, and place. Capturing nearly 100 years of history, the books were created to ensure that the voices, faces, and milestones of the past are not forgotten. They serve as a lasting tribute to those who built the business and the community around it, preserving their memory for future generations.

Today, both books are part of Montgomery County’s historical record. They’re available in digital form through Montgomery History’s online collections and in print at the Jane C. Sween Research Library.

To find out more or order a copy, visit the BOOKS tab at the top of this page and choose a title from the drop-down menu. Available selections include Portrait of Auto Dealer and Reed Photo Collection.