Rochester Lives provides profiles of the people that made Rochester, New York, and those who lived in New York's third largest city and made a significant contribution to society. The city has a population of over 200,000. Over 700,000 reside in Monroe County, and over a million live in the five-county Rochester Region. Initially, Rochester was known as the "flour" city because of its mills on the falls of the Genesee River that ground wheat grown south of the city. Then it became known as the "flower" city because of the nurseries — the largest in the United States — of George Ellwanger and Patrick Barry, and James Vick, who provided seedlings and trees to worldwide markets.

    In the 1990s, Rochester became known as the "World Image Center" because it's home to the University of Rochester's Institue of Optics, Rochester Institue of Technology's College of Imaging Arts and Sciences, and over ninety imaging and optics firms, including Eastman Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch and Lomb. The city's economy continues to grow. Downsizings of the major corporations have been more than offset by the growth of small- and medium-sized companies, particularly high tech firms, in most years.

    Rochester is a conservative but progressive city known for the philanthropy of its citizens. It has always been known as family-oriented community and as a good place to raise a family. A high percentage of its residents own their homes. In recent years, the Greater Rochester Visitors Association has promoted Rochester as "Made for Living."

    Rochester Lives provides forty-five biographical sketches of the city's natives and residents. The Prologue provides a description of Rochester and the Introduciton contains an overview of Rochester history through the twentieth century. The Epilogue highlights the twenty-first century and the years ahead, including the Renaissance 2010 Plan. The book also includes twelve stories about the people of Rochester.

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