Wisconsin Books

I have lost 10 pounds reading this book! I have it on my exercise bike and the prospect of a good 45-minute read gets me up every morning. It may be a "crime of magnitude" for me to write this review while I still have a few pages to go, but I'm online to buy multiple copies for friends and I can't keep silent because I am so excited about this book.

The Greenbush neighborhood, still known locally as just "The Bush," was Madison, Wisconsin's immigrant community in the early 20th century. The story of little Annie's disappearance is also the story of this fascinating neighborhood of Italian bootleggers and Norwegian, German, African-American and other new arrivals. Second, it is also a fascinating legal history of early Madison, with one of its two local judges playing the leading role in a tragic story of his own and a key prosecutor who became the state governor. Third, it is a fascinating true crime tale in the tradition of Ann Rule et. al. Fourth,as many true crime stories of high-profile cases must be, it is a fascinating panorama of the journalistic coverage of the crime and its courtroom aftermath, and the reporters and editors who perpetrated this coverage.

Mark Lemberger crammed all of this into about 300 pages, and found a truth-telling style that belies his status as an intersted party. It will be an omission of magnitude if this book is not made into a movie.

Though the crime being investigated here is nearly a century old, this book shows how little has changed. Rumors, speculation and personal prejudice still sway the press, the public and the law when it come to "unthinkable" and high-profile crimes. Annie was the Jon-Benet of the early 1900s, with her unsolved murder disinterred in the press on every anniversary. Especially interesting is the early role the polygraph played in this crime - 20 years after the fact, Lemberger and the other suspects basically became guinea pigs for the untested (and still controversial) lie detector. Though one reader here thought the wealth of detail bordered on overkill, it's easy to understand (and enjoy) the author's obsession.

Eighty years later, Mark Lemberger is out to vindicate his paternal grandfather, thought by some to have assaulted and killed his 7 year old daughter, Annie Lemberger, who would have been the author's aunt. The book is thoroughly researched and the reproduction of contemporaneous newspaper coverage throughout the text is interesting. Possibly to avoid allegations of familial bias, Mark goes on and on and on. I got bogged down and put it down.

All true crime buffs will be riveted to the twists and turns!

A good read and good detective story. Mr. Lemberger not only spun the yarn but solved the crime.Darn good work.

Great book showing what can go wrong when law firms let top lawyers get away with violating common practices.

Eat What You Kill: The Fall of a Wall Street Lawyer is the story of John Gellene, the only attorney to ever go to jail for making an incomplete disclosure of "connections" to creditors and parties in a bankruptcy case. While it is clear that Gellene committed an ethical lapse, the fact that he was prosecuted, convicted and served time is truly surprising. Others have failed to disclose much more and have suffered much lighter consequences. As a result, the question of why this particular case resulted in a prison sentence rather than a slap on the wrist is really interesting, particularly to lawyers.

This is a book about lawyers and the law, so that a little background on the law is helpful Representing large companies in bankruptcy is big business. The fees can run into the millions of dollars. In order to secure one of these potentially lucrative appointments, the lawyer must seek court approval of his employment and demonstrate that he is "disinterested." To show that he is "disinterested," the lawyer must submit a sworn statement disclosing his "connections" to the debtor and its creditors. Since the statement is submitted under penalty of perjury, a false statement is subject to criminal prosecution.

In the Gellene case, the large New York law firm of Milbank, Tweed was hired to represent Bucyrus-Erie Corporation in its bankruptcy proceeding. The bankruptcy was very contentious because the largest unsecured creditor, Jackson National Life, had accused the company's investment banker, Goldman Sachs, with manipulating the company's financial affairs to its own benefit. Things got worse when a Goldman Sachs partner, Mikael Salovaara, started his own firm, South Street Fund, and that firm did a deal with Bucyrus-Erie which put them ahead of all the other creditors.

All this happened before bankruptcy lawyer John Gellene entered the picture. However, it created an adversarial situation between the company and between different groups of its creditors. The debtor's attorney would be caught in the middle of this conflict and would have to navigate it in order to successfully reorganize the company. John Gellene began representing Bucyrus-Erie a year before its bankruptcy at a time when his law firm was not representing either Salovaara or South Street. However, shortly before the case was filed, Milbank, Tweed began representing South Street in another bankruptcy and also represented Salovaara in a dispute with his partner. Both of these were "connections" with creditors. However, Gellene failed to disclose these relationships in either of two affidavits filed with the court.

Gellene successfully guided Bucyrus-Erie through its reorganization and his firm was paid nearly $2 million in fees for doing so. Unfortunately, his successful plan put the company's old adversary, Jackson National Life, in control of the company. Years later, Jackson found out about the failure to disclose and sued Milbank, Tweed to return its fees and for malpractice. This proved to be very costly for Milbank, Tweed but it was worse for John Gellene. The publicity spawned by the fee litigation prompted the U.S. Attorney to file criminal charges against Gellene. A deal to plead to a misdemeanor fell through and the case went to trial. The prosecution sought to portray the failure to disclose as black and white, the while the defense attempted to put the statement in context. The jury sided with the U.S. Attorney and Gellene was convicted and sentenced to 15 months in prison. Gellene went from being a highly respected bankruptcy attorney to a convicted felon in a relatively short period of time.

Eat What You Kill does a good job of telling the story and does an adequate job of explaining why this lawyer did what he did, but really fails to answer the big question of why John Gellene was prosecuted. The book does its best job at opening a window onto the pressures faced by a big firm lawyer struggling to survive but cutting corners to do so.

Part 1 of the book does a slow but methodical job of setting the stage. In particular, it describes the world of the large New York law firm where security is an illusion. Gone are the days where clients maintained loyalty to a single firm and firms maintained loyalty to their partners. This world was replaced by a much more fluid one where clients award their business to the best suitor and partners compete against each other in a continuous tournament to see who can bring in the most clients, or failing that, who can bill the most hours. In such a world, it is tempting to cut corners if doing so means being able to attract more business and bill more hours. Additionally, it creates an atmosphere where the "service partners," the ones who perform and supervise the work, must maintain the good will of the "rain makers" who bring in the clients.

Parts 2 and 3 of Eat What You Kill tell the guts of the story in a fast-paced, easy to read manner. It is exciting to watch (at least from a bankruptcy lawyer's vantage) as John Gellene tries strategy after strategy to bring the reorganization to a successful conclusion before the company implodes under the weight of the litigation. Then, just as Gellene has achieved success, everything comes crashing down on him with the weight of a Shakespearean tragedy.

Part 4 and the epilogue try to make sense of what happened. This part of the story could have benefited from a thorough job of editing and re-writing. Pieces of the story which were apparent from the original telling are replayed over and over again in over 70 pages of mind-numbing discussion without achieving a coherent explanation. The epilogue strays into proposals for reforming legal ethics while paying scant attention to the story.

It is possible for the reader to put together the "why" of John Gellene's actions, but it requires some patience. In short, Gellene was placed in an atmosphere where he had to succeed to survive. Disclosing the connections to Salovaara and South Street would have risked losing a lucrative piece of work that he had already been working on for a year. It would have also risked incurring the displeasure of his rain maker who controlled the relationships with Bucyrus-Erie, South Street and Salovaara. The disclosures were one piece of paper of thousands filed in the case. There must have been overwhelming pressure to give them scant attention and move on to more substantive issues. If Gellene did weigh the risks in any detail, he probably dismissed them, since disclosure violations frequently resulted in mild consequences. Thus, it is likely that John Gellene felt sucker-punched when he was indicted, tried and convicted.

Unfortunately, the book gives little emphasis to the "why" of his prosecution. White color prosecutions are rare and prosecutions for failure to disclose conflicts in a bankruptcy case are rarer still. In this case, the Asst. U.S. Trustee (an official charged with overseeing bankruptcy proceedings) had previously been the U.S. Attorney. Perhaps he approached the case with a prosecutor's mindset rather than from a bankruptcy point of view and thus was able to lobby for a prosecution. This was a case where a big New York law firm collected millions of dollars in fees in a case filed in Wisconsin. Perhaps jealousy and mistrust of outsiders played a role. Unfortunately, these themes are not discussed in any depth.

This is an interesting book about an interesting topic, but a revised edition could be better.

Hats off to Professor Regan for his prodigious research and painstaking, vivid recreation of the saga of a prominent lawyer's startling rise and fall --an all-the-more remarkable achievement given Gellene's refusal to cooperate in this project. This is an amazing look-behind-the-curtain as to: how large law partnerships reward and penalize their producers and non-producers; how complicated bankruptcy negotiations unfold; how investment bankers and vulture investors exploit weakened corporations; how a brilliant professional succumbed under pressure to career-ending ethical blunders; and much more. An extremely valuable reading experience for practioners and students of law and business that deserves to be a best-seller.

Read for: lessons in bankruptcy law and practice, junk bonds, vulture investment, corporate law generally, white collar crime and trial tactics, and a nuanced ethical exploration

Avoid if: seeking simple answers, easily bored by thorough and balanced legal arguments

"Eat What You Kill" explores in excruciating detail the rise and fall of John Gellene, bankruptcy attorney extraordinaire, who failed to disclose a conflict of interest which landed him in prison.

Yet Milton Regan's book offers more than an ethics case study. A blow-by-blow survey of corporate restructuring, bankruptcy litigation tactics, and white collar criminal prosecution, Regan's book overwhelms with useful instruction. Though focused upon Gellene's life at law, Regan uses it as a prism to explore the environment of many others swimming in the same waters.

Lay readers may find the professorial tone both vice and virtue, as the riches grow tiresome to anyone uninterested in following the pros, cons, counter-pros, and counter-cons of various litigation tactics and arguments. Within this web of contextual detail, the ethical story threads diverse legal doctrines.

Offering no simple denunciations or defenses, Regan sees Gellene as merely a lawyer who tends to lie to avoid the consequences of his own negligence. Flawed, perhaps, but hardly a gross flaw.

Refraining from potshots or praise permits Regan to hold Gellene accountable while looking more deeply into the practice of corporate law itself. Regan's conclusions seem to be that lawyers, preoccupied with the business of law, lose sight of its spirit.

A better read, simply as a page-turner, than many novels.

Gellene, the protagonist/anti-hero of this book, graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Georgetown with degrees in philosophy and economics. He graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School, then clerked for Justice Morris Pashman of the New Jersey Supreme Court. Pretty impressive resume, eh? He had the "world at his feet," yet before much more time had passed he was in a prison cell.

This book should act as a warning on several levels. On one of them, it warns a certain type of investor about the nature of the chapter 11 process (in the course of which Gellene made the false statements that led to his downfall). Vulture investing in the instruments of distressed companies going through this process isn't an explicit theme of the book, one it ends up here nonetheless. There are traps for vultures, too.

I have read the book a few times and some of the pictures are quite gruesome. I (in a morbid way, I suppose) enjoyed the book; and while I would reccomend it as reading for those who are intrigued by dastardly crimes, IT IS DEFINITELY NOT FOR THE SQUEEMISH!

Ed Gein is perhaps one of the weirdest "psychos" of the 20th century, and his dastardly doings are unparalleled as Robert Gollman does a fairly decent job of bringing Gein's attrocities to light.The book's title America's Most Bizarre Murderer, lives up to it's name as we find Gein dancing in the moonlight with a self exhumed corpse, and the various human-made furniture pieces ie., human skin lamp shade and chair seat, skull bed posts, and bones galore. Gein served as a future role model for film makers Alfred Hitchcock (Psycho), and Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre). The book also focuses on the disappearance and murder(butchering) of local hardware store owner Bernice Worden. Ole Ed keeps busy alright! Gollman's writing is a little slow at times, but does the job of bringing the gruesome details we true crime fans crave. Coincidentally, he was also the judge who presided over Gein's case. This is one true crime to have in your collection, especially if you love the unusual, and I do mean UNUSUAL!

Seriously, well worth buying just for the in-line depictions. Come for the 'artist's renditions,' stay for the photos of dressed and hanging womanmeat. Best book on the subject. Don't bother saying that you know about the case without owning this one.

This book is not for the weak of stomach or heart. It is the true account of the man who inspired Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho"
_and_ Tobe Hooper's "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre". The book is written by the judge of the trial and contains transcripts of the trial.
It is a well written book but it is extremely disturbing to realize this was a real person, a man who was regarded as "the quiet type" before his horrible crimes were discovered.

If you are interested in true, bizarre crimes, this is an excellent book. My advice is to make sure you have some lighter reading before your bedtime or you could very well have nightmares from this book. I know I _did_ and I don't consider myself as one who frightens easily. But the sheer catalog of atrocities, done by a real person on real people is truly disturbing.

This is a book about Edward Gein, the mild mannered, Midwestern psychopath from Plainfield, Wisconsin who, in the nineteen fifties, would shock the nation with his gruesome crimes. Edward Gein would become the basis for the best selling book by Robert Bloch, "Psycho", as well as for the Hitchcock film of the same name. Accounts of Edward Gein's heinous crimes would also enter the consciousness of a young Tobe Hooper who, as an adult, would write and direct the classic cult film, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre".

The author, who was the judge who presided over Edward Gein's trial, writes a cogent, factual account of the last grisly crime perpetrated by of Edward Gein, that of hardware store owner Bernice Worden, who was a widow of fifty-eight at the time of her murder. He also touches upon Edward Gein's other grisly crimes and bizarre practices, all of which shocked the nation at the time of their discovery.

The book contains many police reports and court transcripts. It details Edward Gein's "confession" to the Bernice Worden murder, as well as the author's judicial review of that statement. Ms. Worden's autopsy report is included in the book, as is Edward Gein's personal and medical history, as well as his psychiatric evaluation. It is clear the Edward Gein had an abnormal attachment to his deceased mother. It was an attachment that would manifest itself in unimaginable ways. It is almost hard to believe that such a diminutive, seemingly inoffensive man could be such a madman, but who but a madman would do what he did? Edward Gein, it was discovered, had turned his small farmhouse into a gruesome charnel house, replete with furnishings adorned with human flesh and bones.

The book also includes a chapter on the judicial decision that determined Edward Gein was insane and caused him to be committed to a hospital for the insane for an indeterminate period. Ten years later, Edward Gein was determined to be fit to stand trial for the murder of Bernice Worden, and the author became the presiding judge. One of the most curious aspects of the trial was Gein's request that his assigned counsel be the attorney who had presided over his sanity hearing years earlier. That attorney, however, had since become an assistant district attorney on the case against Gein. Notwithstanding that, he promptly resigned from his position as a state prosecutor and became Edward Gein's defense attorney.

The book contains transcripts from the trial, which makes for somewhat dry reading. There is some hair-raising testimony, however, on what was found at Gein's home, as well as on some of the ghoulish practices in which Gein engaged. The trial, which took nearly a year from start to finish, resulted in Gein's return to the hospital for the insane. The book contains an interview with the forensic psychiatrist at the hospital, as well as the hospital superintendent, in order to include information on Ed Gein's years at the hospital to which he was confined. The book also includes a post trial, hospital interview with Edward Gein himself. Moreover, the book contains an appendix in which the forensic psychiatrist contributes what he labels as "Gein humor", which is typical of "community reactions to a horrifying event.", and he engages in a brief analysis of this phenomenon.

This book is a pretty straightforward, although at times tedious, hodge-podge account by the author, which focuses more on the crime for which Edward Gein stood trial, rather than any in-depth summary analysis of Gein himself or his actions. Aficionados of true crime will find this book of some interest, as it is an insider's account of "the case of the century" and provides a birds-eye view into one of the most horrifying and bizarre crimes ever to be committed.

The book promises "eight pages of blood-curdling police photographs", and this is an absolute understatement. I have never before seen such shocking photographs included in a true crime book. They are the stuff of nightmares and serve to provide the reader with a brief, visual glimpse into the life of Edward Gein, a man with a secret hobby so depraved that it would shock the entire nation when it came to light. Lovers of true crime accounts will find something of interest in this insider's comprehensive foray into a crime committed by a seemingly innocuous man from America's heartland who ended up being so deviant from the norm.

We tend to think of dictatorships in a very specific way. One man cannot rule alone and this book describes the political manuvering and the ideological underpinnings of Franco's Spain. I was surprised that Fascist Italy was the ideological wellspring for the Iberians. I found particularly interesting the idea of Corporatism as a means of organizing society.

This is a very thorough, carefully referenced, and clearly written narrative and analysis of Franco's tenure as the autocrat of Spain. Payne begins with a concise introduction to the relevant background of Spanish politics and the origins of the Civil War, providing a nice overview of the major ideological currents and which of these currents is likely to have had the greatest influence on Franco. Payne's discussion of the origin of the Civil War is probably the most controversial part of the book. His position, laid out extensively in a prior book is that the actions of the Spanish Leftist and Radical parties were the primary contributors to the demise of the Second Republic. Payne's points are well taken but other scholars have tended to emphasize the role of the right in destabilizing the Second Republic. Payne then provides a nice overview of the Civil War, concentrating on the politics of the Nationalist side, the development of Nationalist ideology, and Franco's role as the eventual leader of the Nationalist movement. The narrative of Franco's participation in and leadership of the Nationalist cause shows the qualities that characterize his whole career as the Dictator of Spain. Cautious, thorough, tenacious once committed but politically flexible, and a very good judge of subordinates. The Nationalist triumph in the Civil War derived to a large extent from Franco's military professionalism. While certainly not an outstanding commander, his competence and the unity command inherent in having a single leader gave the Nationalists a substantial advantage over the Republicans. Payne divides the subsequent regime into 3 phases. The initial consolidation of power and semi-fascist phase, a period of authoritarian nationalism with a strong emphasis on Catholic traditionalism, and the final relative reformist phase from about 1960 to Franco's death. Each of these phases is discussed well with a good balance of narration and analysis of the underlying currents. Payne does a particularly nice job of tracing the tortuous history of internal regime politics and the impact of external events on the regime. Franco emerges as an unusually capable politician who was able to balance competing groups within his regime and willing to make key compromises when necessary. At the end of the 1950s, it became clear that the regime's economic policies were total failures. Franco had the flexibility to accede to marked changes in policy that played a major role in Spain's subsequent remarkable economic development. Payne is thorough, dispassionate, and makes judgements free of rightist or leftist cliches.

This is without a doubt one of the finest books I have ever read. I read it cover to cover and not only did I find it a fascinating read, but it was also a work which breaks down many preconceived notions about the structure and dynamics of the Franco regime. This, read with Hitler Stopped by Franco, will certainly change some ideas about the character and motivation of Franco. This book cites well from primary sources, and is certainly one of the best researched works I have seen on the subject. Any person who questions the motives or history of the Franco regime should read this book. (Especially if they have read the terrible articles in the New York Times lately).

Mr. Payne's book The Franco Regime contains a wealth of first class information. In the course of studying it - a pleasurable affair, because of its fine style - I had however some disappointments when I went after checking some footnotes.

1. On page 139 (in my copy) Payne relates the Guernica bombing. I was inclined to believe his every word, but his footnote 54 mentions an important author with the alleged name Geoffrey Speer. However, following footnote 56 I studied Mr. Southworth's book Guernica! Guernica!, in which obviously the same author's name is spelled - correctly - George L. Steer. He is the author of The tree of Gernika. It is strange that Southworth book seems to be recommended by Payne, whereas Southworth is highly critical of Payne himself, who is accused of credulity of neo-franquist sources. I would have liked (and expected) that Payne had defended himself.

In the same vein there is on p. 647 an odd recommendation of the book of the German Walther L. Bernecker, Spanien seit dem Burgerkrieg, that is very biased, or at least very hostile, against Franco, whereas Payne is making a case for reappraisal of Franco as a leader who deserves some credit.

It seems that Mr. Payne mentions or recommends books that he did not give much attention.

I must admit these are or not very important issues, but it makes me a bit anxious about the other footnotes.

I can still remember the many radio news broadcasts of my youth where the announcer said "Generalisimo Francisco Franco." Never General Franco or Spanish head of state Franco, always the full title. In terms of his leadership and his role in the world, there is a great deal to be impressed about. Of course, like so many "dictators for life" he lived about a decade too long. In this engaging and complete history of Franco's accomplishments, we learn of his successes, mistakes and firm grip on what was generally a rather light-handed dictatorship.
What was most impressive about Franco was his ability to play all sides against each other. As a history professor friend of mine says, "The Spanish Republic was a strange animal." With so many factions so bitterly opposed, it was inevitable that a conservative backlash would occur against the republic. Given that the political middle had essentially disappeared in Europe and another war was obviously on the horizon, it was inevitable that the Spanish Civil War become international in scope. Franco was a leader of the insurrection and his final rise to power was largely due to the support of Mussolini and Hitler, and not insignificantly, the Catholic Church. However, even though he was also ideologically disposed to favor the fascist states in the Second World War, Franco was largely able to keep Spain out of the war. Furthermore, despite the hostility of the victorious democracies after the war, he was able to remain in power and preside over an economic expansion unprecedented in the history of Spain.
Payne examines all aspects of the reign of Franco in explicit detail. Statistics from economic productivity to the crime rate and number of executions per year are all used to explain the successes and weaknesses of the Franco government. There is also no hint of an ideological tilt to the descriptions. Unlike other writers who let their personal political beliefs creep into their descriptions, Payne keeps to the facts. Sometimes, too much so, as there are places where a bit of additional historical analysis would have improved the telling.
Much is made at the end about how Franco was urged to transfer power before his health reached the point where it would lead to a comatose government. While some of this is true, Franco's handling of the ascension of Prince Juan Carlos was masterful. After the death of the dictator, there was no great upheaval in Spain, and the way King Juan Carlos handled the attempted coup was masterful. Spain emerged as a stable society, avoiding most of the trauma that occurs when authoritarian governments end.
For many years, I have been fascinated by the actions of Franco. To me, he has always seemed to be the ultimate political survivor and I have wondered how he managed to do it. After reading this book, I am pleased with my decision to read it, for now I know much about how Franco was able to do what he did, die a natural death while still in power.

Imagine yourself being flown back in time to the late 1930's and dropped of into a dark and lonely alley on the north side of Chicago, commonly known as Little Italy. This area, ruled by the mob, forms the setting for Little Caesar, world's first gangster novel.

Sam Vettori is one of the toughest gang-bosses of Little Italy, but his days are counted. A new ambitious predator is on the verge of throwing Sam from his throne. Cesare Bandello, commonly known a 'Rico', is that guy. On more than one area has Rico proven to be Sam's superior, but on pulling the strings Sam stays the expert. That's why both decide to co-operate. But when a robbery turns bad -a captain of the police gets killed- everyone starts fending for themselves.

Little Caesar is simply a masterpiece. Not only because it is the first of its kind and it gave birth to a whole range of gangster fiction, but also because the peculiar way it is composed. Although it is written in an almost objective and factual style -almost like in a newspaper-, it still succeeds in getting the reader emotionally involved into the action. The action itself, of which there is plenty, is being reported in a very compact narrative, which gives the story a fast and suspenseful pace.

One warning though: the book contains quite some thirties-slang, which might disturb the inexperienced reader. Do you know what happens if someone turns yellow, for example?

Written in a straightforward and almost colorless style, this book reads a bit like a docudrama, or even a long film treatment, so it's not surprising to learn that the author went on to a very successful career as a screenwriter. Author Burnett gives us an entertaining peek at a presumably typical rise-and-fall in the Chicago underworld of the early twentieth century, long before this type of material was well-mined by others. As usual, we are indebted to Otto Penzler for a beautiful edition; the jacket art is a deco masterpiece.

Little Caesar is a great example of what it takes to survive in the world of organised crime, and shows whsat goes on in the minds of criminals like me. 4 stars cause of the cliff-hanger ending,but still a must read.

Wow...I give this book 5 STARS. One of the best gang books ever, This is about 5 guys that their lives have change from friends to stab in the back.

This novel is a masterpiece of spare prose, vividly telling the story of the rise and fall of a 1920s gangster in 1/2 to 1/3 the number of pages that a present-day writer would take. The novel is fast-paced and expertly evokes the era, though readers unfamiliar with the times might have a little trouble with some of the slang expressions. Like his The Asphalt Jungle, this became the template for numerous subsequent imitations, including the films The Long Good Friday and Scarface.

It's been a while since I followed the Green Bay Packers, but when I picked up this book, I became a rabid fan all over again. I loved the tributes to the old Packer greats, and the jokes and fun photos were a real treat too (check out the old Packeretts photo). If you consider yourself an Packer fan, order this book NOW!!!

As a big fan of the Green Bay Packers, I immediately went crazy for The Packer Fanatic Hand book. If you're looking for some side-splitting entertainment, this is the book for you. Honestly, I laughed until I was in pain.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I think any Packer fan will. I loved the jokes and cartoons, the stats on old players, and most of all the story about that Packalope guy (I've actually seen him at a game or two!). Read this book, it's sweet!

This is the funniest Packer book that I have ever read. Not only are there great jokes, but there are also really cool antidotes by people associated with the Packers. (I especially liked the story by Brett Farve's brother and the one by the former Packer cheerleader). If you love the Packers, you owe it to yourself to read this book.

A friend handed me this book knowing full well that I am not a Packers fan or even a football fan. I am, however, a fan of Americana - like a Hot Dog stand that looks like a hot dog, weird social commentary t-shirts and such. THIS BOOK IS AMERICANA. In a strange society-understanding way it brings clarity to why so many people become possessed by the spirit of their home-town football team. The story by Cheryl Paronto Paul on being a Packer Cheerleader is a must-read for understanding the Barbie frame-of-mind. The jokes are SO BAD they are great (you know what I mean). For anyone who has wanted to find a deeper meaning into the reasons why an average guy from a small town in the heartland of America would paint himself green and stand in sub-zero tempretures to NOT see a game because he has to huddle inside a warm bathroom stall every few minutes, I can't think of a better source than this book.Ladies, give this book to your guy (no matter what team he roots for) to let him know you understand his pain.

The day I received this book I thumbed through it page by page and loved the photos and descriptions from the start. I was easily able to identify every wildflower I came across in our woods. Unfortunately, after the very first time I thumbed through the book the pages separated from the spine (it was easily repaired with crazy glue) but I was disappointed with the binding. I love the book enough that I would rather keep it than return it though.

I really enjoyed using this book to identify wild flowers at the various State Parks I visited in Door County. I also went to the Ridges Sanctuary and one of the employees noticed I had this book and said it was the best book available.

The fact that the flowers are organized by color really makes this book easy to use.

I also visited Michigan and bought the Michigan book as well.

I highly recommend this book!

This is an excellent reference book whether you are a serious plant-hound, or just someone out for a walk, wondering about "the pretty flowers". It has a great deal of information, sometimes almost too much for the casual observer, but the photos are great, making indentification very simple in most cases, and the facts on origins of many of the flowers are fascinating. Its small size makes carrying it in a pocket or pack very convenient, and the color coding makes finding a particular plant quick and easy.

I just loved this book. It is full of information on flowers you see every day along the road. A great teaching tool for children. We keep it in the car. The pictures are great and easy to identify

The beautiful pictures, size, and easy to read text are wonderful! I've been able to identify plants that I had not been able to before with other guides because the pictures are so clear.

I have two disappointments with this book. First, the binding is not very good and the pages fall out easily which makes it a bit impractical for toting about in the field. Second, I would have liked to see the plants that are considered as an invasive species by the WI DNR clearly identified and marked. This is invaluable for people like me who are concerned with preserving our native plants and curtailing the invasives.

Otherwise, it's a great field guide.

I bought this book about a year ago and devoured it. If you live in or have connections to Wisconsin, this is a great read. It gives details on some of the cases you may have read about briefly in the newspaper, but never found out the outcome of the trial. I wish Marv would write more!

This book briefly profiles 50 Wisconsin crimes (mostly murders) over the last century. Recent famous murder cases are included, like the Dahmer murders, the Monfils paper vat murder, and the Lawrencia Bembenek case in Milwaukee. There are also several cases dating back to the early part of the century, such as the Annie Lemberger murder in Madison.

If you live in Wisconsin and have a morbid curiousity about crime, this book is fascinating. The book tends to have a "gossipy" tone, the editing is uneven, and some of the photographs are not of good quality. Despite all that, each crime profile is gripping. The author provides lots of details about each case, and has done an excellent job in selecting which crimes to include. Many of the crimes he profiles led to modifications in the criminal justice or emergency systems; for example, as a result of the Monfils paper vat murder, procedures for releasing recordings of 911 calls have been changed.

This is not an intellectual book. It will not appeal to anyone's higher nature. And I couldn't put it down.

The last time I visited relatives in Wisconsin, we drove by "Ed Gein's cemetary" on the way to getting pizza. My uncle told stories of the crime which may stretch the truth a bit, but ultimately were fascinating. Marv Balousek does a very good job summarizing Gein and many more fascinating crimes committed in Wisconsin. Aside from some clarity and editorial errors, this is very well written and ultimately hard to put down. Recommended for all true crime buffs even for those with no ties to Wisconsin.

Wisconsin -- home to Badgers, cows, cheeseheads, ...and some of the most jaw-droppingly bizarre murderers the world has seen. Balousek captures this in a journalistic style free (except for the subject matter) from gratuitous sensationalism. A fascinating read.

I've been a long-time fan of Leopold's A Sand County Almanac. In reading it again recently, however, I realized how little I knew about Leopold's background. Lorbiecki's biography is a well-written introduction to one of the great 'fathers' of conservation.

Leopold's career truly ran the gamut, from foresty to public relations to writing to academia. But beyond his work life, Lorbiecki illustrates the importance family played for Leopold, both in shaping his values from childhood, and in the devotion he later showed to his wife and children.

I'd strongly recommend that anyone interested in Leopold, and more generally in the history of American land and game conservation, to give A Fierce Green Fire a try.

As someone who is intimately familiar with the work of Aldo Leopold I was quite diappointed with this book. Although there are no glaring inaccuracies with the biography there is one obvious problem with it. A far far superior treatment of Leopold's life and work has already been written. Curt Meine's book "Aldo Leopold: His Life and Work" is such a better treatment of both Leopold's 'life and work' that Lorbiecki's book never needed to be written. "A Fierce Green Fire" is a superficial treatment of one of the most, if not the most, profound thinkers of our time and cannot hold a candle to Meine's book. If Leopold enthusiasts really want to learn about Aldo Leopold I would suggest Meine's book--don't cheat yourself.

I don't agree with review #1. As a long time Leopold reader and having read Curt Meine's book, I think this treatment of Leopold is great for an introduction to the great man's life and work. This is the kind of book which makes you think about how you live, and what you can contribute to the greater good. Not an encyclopedia on Leopold, but a great intro.

Being an environmentalist and teacher I have long been acquainted with the work of Aldo Leopold. This book, while unstinting in praise for the man, lets his life work speak for itself. I was impressed by three things: One, the depth of his feeling for sustainable landscape, whether used or preserved. I had somehow believed that his revelation with the dying wolf was the beginning of his environmental conscience, but it was there almost from the beginning. Two, the evolution of his feeling for the preservation of wildlife. Although he was a hunter all his life, his feeling toward "predators" took a 180 degree turn during his life, as did the nation's, eventually. Finally, we see the handicaps he labored under, from an early severe illness to problems in later life, that makes his accomplishments even more impressive. I am often put off by biographers because they feel that every day in the life of their subjects mush somehow be accounted for. By what looks like severe editorial restraint, she allows her book to flow like an exciting novel. I have already bought extra copies for friends working with the enviornment and will probably do more

It is true. Not too many Americans are aware that the Founding Fathers called the Articles of Confederation of 1781 our, "first Federal Consti-
tution." Mr. Jensen points out that they were the written expression of the political philosophy of the Declaration of Independence. If one understands the concept of local state sovereignty (or independence) as expressed in the Articles, then they will have a much better understanding of the argument between the Federal Government and the Confederate Government (1861-1865)which was only a continuation of the long argument over the nature of the Union of American States. (And, as one reviewer points out, it is an on going argument until this day.) All in all, it is an excellent read; and very pertinent information.

This is a very old book; it was first published in 1940. Not very many history books are still worth reading almost 70 years after their publication, and this one just barely makes the cut.

What makes this book worth reading is that, very simply, there is virtually nothing newer on the subject. The Articles of Confederation are an important passage in early American history. They are widely regarded as a failure, however, which was superseded by the universally admired Constitution, which now gets all of the attention. The Articles of Confederation are the ugly step-child of American history. No one wants to write about them, so this book from 1940 is still -- by default -- one of the best books on them.

The chief strength of the book, now, is that it describes in some detail the history of how the Articles of Confederation came to be. It gives a very detailed history of the politics of the revolutionary era, not in the large sense of mass politics, but in the more focused sense of the back and forth fighting in Congress. It very properly focuses upon the central importance of the Western lands. Some of the colonies -- Virginia in particular -- had absurd claims to own land all the way to the "South Seas." Other colonies did not. This lead to huge and understandable conflicts.

The weakness of the book is the silly and simplistic interpretation. According to Jensen, the politics of the period is the split between the evil conservatives, who plotted, first, to stay with King George and then, failing that, for an oppressive central government designed to hold down the common man, versus the righteous radicals who opposed all government, of any kind, except local government. In essence, Jensen takes up Jefferson's view of the period -- the battle between democrats and "monocrats" -- changes the labels a bit, but basically endorses it as if that highly partisan view was all there was to it. It is really absurd. Jensen sees leaders such as George Washington and John Adams as pure black conservatives. It is a cartoonish interpretation.

I don't suppose one in ten Americans realize there was a first constitution of the United States before there was "the" Constitution of the United States. Merrill Jensen is the definitive historian of that period - up to 1789 when the present Constitution took effect - and this book is one of several of his covering the topic. Reading of this period would do much to remind Americans that the debate over the nature of American government has been going on since 1776. The debate concerns "weak" central government (the Articles of Confederation) vs. "strong" central government (the Constitution). The Federalists (favoring the Constitution) won politically, but their victory did not settle the argument. Any American presidential or congressional election campaign brings out the same themes sounded 200 years ago as the Constitution faced ratification. In any event, Jensen does much to rehabilitate the history of the Confederation, clarify the agruments, and takes care to note the remarkable accomplishments of the Confederation congress. His writing style is very accessible and the book is a quick read.

Merrill Jensen's "The Articles of Confederation" is a great review of a truly neglected form of government. Jensen shatters the Federalists myths of "national government" and the Continental Congress inheriting the powers of the British Parliament.

Jensen details the beginnings of the federal union in 1774 with the collapse of the colonial governments and the meeting of the First Continental Congress in September 1774. It is shown how conservatives, primarily merchants, land speculators, and admirers of the British government, fought independence up until the very signing of the Declaration of Independence. Although they supported the colonial cause many were frightened by "republicans" and "democracy". Due to these fears they supported a strong central government similar to Britian.

The radicals, Richard Henry Lee, Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson,
Thomas Burke, and John Adams were avid supporters of Independence. The radicals also supported a weak central government dependent on the states for support and were unwilling to embrace a new national government. With some exceptions, most radicals were localist and democrats because they believed that through their state governments self government would function best. The conservatives were fearful of local government and it's democratic tendencies. Many were also immersed in land speculation and did not like the participation of the "rabble" in politics.

Jensen takes the Articles from the debate in 1776 through ratification in 1781. One interesting aspect is how the eastern delegates,NY, Maryland,, Pennylvania, etc, were willing to cede the western land to Spain just to keep their region powerful at the expense of the farmers and artisans of the west. Men like Daniel St. Thomas Jenifer, John Jay, Samuel Chase, and John Dickenson were more interested in the land claims than the liberty of the western settlers.

Thomas Jefferson was the most farsighted concerning the west. he proposed Virginia retain title to her claims to be surrendered to Congress only if the land was made into "free and independent states" He also proposed a radical plan to "give land to those who would settle it" thereby attacking the root of land speculation.

Overall the Articles were not a "weak" government, nor were they ineffective as later Federalist propaganda states. They were the embodiment of the American Revolution, revolt against distant centralized authority and the sovereignty of the individual colonies against the centralized power of parliament. Overall a great history.