Wisconsin Books

A History of the Crusades, Volume Six: The Impact of the Crusades On Europe is the latest in a series of anthologies collecting essays by expert historians chronicling and analyzing aspects of the Crusades and their repercussions on world history. Volume Six includes such essays as "Crusade Propaganda" by Norman Daniel, "Financing the Crusades" by Fred A. Cazel, Jr., "The Ottoman Turks and the Crusades 1451-1522" by Halil Inalcik, and many more. Each essay is thoroughly researched, with extensive notes, and the select bibliography alone take up approximately 130 pages. An index allows for quick reference in this compilation intended for serious-minded scholars, and a handful of black-and-white photographs nicely illustrate the essay "Crusader Coinage with Greek or Latin Inscription" by John Porteous. A "must-have" for college and graduate school libraries, as are the first five volumes of this esteemed series.

This is a 665-page facsimile reprint of Moses M. Strong's study of territorial Wisconsin originally published in 1885 by the Democrat Printing Co. State Printers, Madison, Wisconsin. The original of this seminal study is nearly impossible to find, hard to pay for, and frankly needs this re-airing just for the index alone. Strong precedes his territorial history with an account of some pre territorial events that shaped the foundations of Wisconsin. He takes us back to different world, back to the late 1500's covering civil government under Florida and Louisiana, wars with the Fox Indians, the Langlade Family, Carver's explorations, the transfer to British jurisdiction from 1705 to 1775, the various Indian wars, the lead mines, covering civil governments to 1834, right up to the back door of Wisconsin Territory, and on to statehood in 1848, a grand and glorious adventure. For a hundred and forty three years, Moses Strong's very readable study has been a godsend for genealogists and other budding historians. Strong deserves the new market and kudos to the Heritage people for providing this reasonably priced volume.

This book is the last book in a series of books issued by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. It is a highly useful and interesting book for any Wisconsin history nut.

This book was a lifesaver for me. My daugter, who is learning disabled, started middle school this year and so began the nightmare. I have been researching homeschooling for sometime now but haven't had the courage to go through with it. This book covered everything, both the legal and personal issues. I now have the confidence to give my daughter the education she deserves.

Terese Allen is one of Wisconsin's finest cookbook authors who draws upon her years of collecting Wisconsin ethnic food traditions, teaching cooking classes, and working as a professional chef, caterer and restaurant manager to produce truly "user friendly" cookbooks showcasing some of the finest dining Wisconsin has to offer. Hometown Flavor is her newest cookbook and continues to document her considerable culinary expertise. From Tomato Wild Rice Soup with Italian Cheese, Smoked Fish & Fettucine with Fresh Vegetables, and Lamb, Potato & Asparagus Stew, to Spareribs with Onions, Apples & Maple Syrup, Door County Barbecue Sauce, and Cactus Salad Tostados, Hometown Flavor offers taste-please, appetite satisfying fare. But the thing that truly sets this wonderfully unique, enthusiastically recommended contribution to the kitchen cookbook collection apart from all others is her fascinating and informative tour of Wisconsin's cheese factories, butcher shops, bakeries, and other specialty markets.

Honey Girl is one of my favorite books. I've read almost all of Madge Harrah's books and Honey Girl is by far the best.
I highly recommend it.

In 1948 at the barber shop in the Lakeshore Towers Hotel in Milwaukee, someone entered and killed customer J. Adam bark, THE HOUSE DICK. Homicide detective Lieutenant Joe Burgess leads the investigation, but has a difficult time with who the barber Damon Barbara insists killed Bark; Spencer Tracy does not seem like a cold blooded killer nor why would he murder Bark.

Still he has the department check where Tracy is even as he begins searching Bark's office for clues. He soon realizes Bark had a lucrative business with a few cops as they would bust in on unmarried couples illegally using a room. Heeding his wife Lizbeth's suggestion that one of those victims sought revenge, Joe begins to make inquiries in that direction, but soon Greer Garson and Veronica Lake are shot.

This is a great regional historical police procedural starting with the insistence of the eye witness that Hollywood Spencer Tracey killed THE HOTEL DICK and never slowing down until the final spin. The story line is character driven mostly by Joe and the late Bark. This is one brand of a detective that the audience will want more of as 1948 Milwaukee comes to life in a superb whodunit.

Harriet Klausner

This is a valuable book (resource) for budding entrepreneurs. It seems to try to cover all the bases for starting a small business, but it can't do them all well in the space available between its covers. The book is only 288 pages long. If you are in the planning stages of starting a small business, then I highly recommend you get a copy of this book. Read it, study it, and outline it. There are helpful checklists to help you grasp the subjects. You will come up with a plethora of keywords and terms that you will want to google to find Web pages giving more detailed (and maybe more current) information.

I am a SCORE counselor (Senior Corps of Retired Executives) who typically does face-to-face counseling sessions three nights a month. It would really be neat if my clients would read this book BEFORE they came to their session with me because they would pretty much be "educated customers" ready to ask educated questions. Our sessions would be so much more beneficial.

My favorite chapters were:

1. Initial business concerns
2. Your business' structure
3. Business start-up details
5. Sources of business assistance (SCORE is mentioned here)
7. Your smart business plan (and a good sample plan is included)
8. Obtaining the financing you need

The book is weak when it comes to how the Internet can be used in corresponding, hiring, and marketing. But this is just one example of how googling keywords and concepts found in the book will make the book more complete. Don't treat the book as authoritative on the law. It isn't. Nor was it ever intended to be. It is light on tax information as it relates to small business.

I was particularly impressed with the material presented in Chapter 2: Choice of Legal Entity. That subject is sorely ignored in most small business books, and it is critically important. It is a subject I regularly must spend a great deal of time discussing at my SCORE sessions. This book does a pretty good job on the topic.

Chapters 4 and 9 through 12 are easy to find fault with. The topic of each could fill a book. But having these topics covered definitely will help a budding entrepreneur know some of the issues they raise.

I would have liked the book more if Chapter 6 (marketing) had been less superficial. When I read it I got the impression that the author was more a public relations expert than a marketing expert. I generally categorize public relations as a subset of marketing. Marketing includes advertising, public relations, and a whole host of other promotion techniques. I did not get this message when I read the book. I also would have liked the book better if the Internet, email, and Web sites had been discussed more. But there are many books on those subjects. Therefore, I can't complain too much about the limited discussion of computers.

When you read this book it may feel a little like it was produced on an assembly line. Maybe it was? There are 51 versions of this book sold; one for each state and the District of Columbia. Content is king, and this book has it. 5 stars!

From the moment I put this CD in my player, I was mesmerized!
I have never heard duets so perfectly performed, two players so perfectly matched, with such talent! It is a true pleasure to listen to these recordings.

Jerry Apps is a born storyteller and an observant historian of rural life in Wisconsin, past and present. In Humor From The Country, Apps has collected a wealth of anecdotes and stories celebrating the lighter side of country life. With stories based upon childhood memories, Apps reveals that country folk always knew how to have fun between their chores. Blending nostalgia with his own special brand of storytelling, Jerry Apps's Humor From The Country is a "must" for anyone who enjoys a trip down memory lane with a truly gifted guide.