Wisconsin Books

This was a truly amazing collection of short stories - it's not easy to pull someone into another world in just a few pages, but Leslea Newman can do it. I've already passed this on to two other friends. This is a book you want to share. :) Laura

This is a collection of stories that offer a fresh perspective on current issues of homosexuality and anti-Semitism. It lends a unique voice to those experiencing growing pains and self-discovery. In these stories characters anxiously discover their lesbian identities while beginning to understand, and finally to embrace, their Jewish heritage.

These nine stories add a dose of humor while confronting the issues of our time like AIDS, and issues that have been around for centuries like mother-daughter misunderstandings. Ms. Newman's characters are just a bit crazy but this helps to transfer the story from the pages to memory.

"A Letter to Harvey Milk," by Leslea Newman, is a collection of 9 stories that explores what it means to be Jewish and lesbian in America. The book includes a glossary of the many Yiddish terms used in the stories.

Newman deals with a number of issues throughout the book: the AIDS crisis, President Reagan's controversial visit to Bitburg, the legacy of the Holocaust, religious chauvinism, "coming out" to parents, preservation of the Yiddish language, and more. Some of her issues seem a bit obvious and even forced, but overall she handles the material effectively.

I found the best story in the collection to be the title story; it's about the relationship between an elderly Jewish man and his writing teacher, a young Jewish lesbian. Also impressive is "The Gift," which consists of snapshots of a woman's life from age 5 to adulthood. "Something Shiny" tells the story of a woman's participation in a lesbian & gay march on Washington. Although much of the book has a dated feel, overall the collection is very moving, and Newman effectively uses touches of humor to offset the seriousness of much of her subject matter. For interesting companion texts, try "Rubyfruit Jungle," by Rita Mae Brown, and "Zami," by Audre Lorde.

I read this book as part of my women's studies class and want to thank my professor, Marlene Howell, for leading me and my classmates to this book several years ago. This book really opened my eyes to two worlds that I, as a boring, straight, Presbyterian girl, had always been fascinated by: Judaism and Lesbianism. Newman structures her book so that each of the stories represents one candle on the Hannakah menorah, revealing each woman's fears and issues as they come to terms with their sexuality, religious, and personal issues such as sexual abuse. There are reflections on the Holocaust and discrimination against Jews and homosexuals. While Newman helped me to reflect on my own sexuality, and to discover my own love for other women-without erotic details-you don't need to be bi, lesbian, or Jewish to take something away from this book.

It was indeed a fine match that paired Morris/Moishe/Moniek Goldner, a man with a compelling story to be told, with Larry Stillman, a man who can really tell a story. I have read many books and stories on the Holocaust and its survivors, many by the most celebrated authors in the world. This book compares favorably to the best of them by the best and most famous of these authors.

Everything about Morris is amazing and told with clarity and great style by Mr. Stillman. It is the kind of book you will stay up all night in order to finish. He has clearly done his research carefully to give a flow and continuity to what must have been somewhat disjointed and random series of incidents remembered by Mr. Goldner.

Buy this book for yourself and enjoy the pleasure of sharing it with your dearest friends.

Of all the fascinating personal stories coming out of WW II that I've read, A MATCH MADE IN HELL is unquestionably at the top of my list. It's a gripping, nail biting true account of a notorious Polish outlaw and a young Jewish man who is determined to survive long enough to avenge the horrible death of his family at the hands of the Nazi occupiers. Author Larry Stillman has done a magnificent job in researching and writing this book. The young Jewish man survived the war, came to the US and now lives in the Chicago area. A must read.

A Match Made In Hell: The Jewish Boy And The Polish Outlaw Who Defied The Nazis is the true story of sixteen year old Moniek Goldner and Polish outlaw Jan Kopec. The two were brought together by chance during the darkest days of World War II and formed a most unlikely partnership. Moniek began as an accomplice to robbery and black market trading, but soon learned enough to join a resistance group -- and that made it possible for him to commit acts of sabotage and directly fight against the Nazis. An important contribution a particular aspect of the struggle against the Nazi holocaust, A Match Made In Hell is a powerful, unusual, and vividly memorable story of desperation in murderous times.

This book not only appeals to people who enjoy an action packed story, but also to those interested in issues of morality, personal development, survival, religion, and WWII history. A great book discussion pick!

I bought this book for a class in First Nations Social Justice to give us a background on the American Indian culture and beliefs. This was one of my favorite books of the class. It was easy to read and understand as well as a great story. The author breaks down each concept such as the types of souls or beings in the "afterlife" and discusses their roles in it. From a western point of view, learning about the culture of the Great Lakes American Indians was a really interesting comparison that made me WANT to read a "text book."

Highly recommended!

I've had the pleasure of being taught by John Boatman at the University level... he is very knowledgeable and passionate about his subject. If you only read one book on this topic, this should be it.

The book is a quick read. It is written in plain language, but filled with forceful words. If all could read it- it would help make sense of alternative philosophies other than those of our European ancestors.

In this book, Boatman tells us the stories, myths and legends of Western Great Lakes Native Americans. It is an insightful book of stories rendered directly from tribal elders. Boatman explains the reverance of all life held dear by Native Americans. He also explains the inconsistancies normally beheld in books on the subject written by outsiders and Europeans. This book is thought provoking and enlightening. We can all learn from these teachings, weather we are Native American or not. This is a universal book, filled with timeless lessons

Mr. Degler's book is writing and history at it serious best. Using Frank Tannenbaum's "Slave and Citizen," as a launching pad, Carl Degler adds in all the nuances, bells and whistles needed not only to give us a good historical account, but also to tell an exceedingly interesting story. He "texurizes" and puts "flesh and bones" onto Tannebaum's skeletal framework: Taking up where Tannenbaum's leaves off, he adds dimensionality to that author's work. In re-examining the Tannenbaum hypotheses with a fine-tooth comb, Degler sorts and churns them, and squeezes them until all the truth is wrung out. Then he begins anew with his own modified hypotheses that extend and builds upon those of Tannenbaum. In this re-examination, nothing is left to chance. Every cul de sac is explored until its secrets are dug up. Only then does Degler move on to the next topic and on to the next discovery.

The book is much too rich and robust for a single review to do it any kind of justice; for the real substance lies in the beauty of the details and in the many culturally fresh examples. The best one can do is to point to the highlights of the book and to encourage the reader to buy it and discover for himself what outstanding historical writing is really like.

In Degler's version of the comparative analysis of slavery in the U.S. and Brazil, two central questions guide the study:

(1) What accounts for the development of miscegenation in Brazil, and the corresponding development of segregation in the U.S.?

(2) Can the differences in the two forms of slavery account for these societal differences?

It is chapter I and II, of six, that does the heavy lifting, as the author sets about the business of answering these two questions. Regarding the first, it seems that Brazil did not experience the same hardening of attitudes into a negative and stereotype-laced ideology about the evils of being blacks and of blackness, as was to become a commonplace in the U.S. This was true in part because, even during slavery, freed blacks were a normal accepted part of Brazilian societal and cultural life. Although there were, and still remain racial sensitivities, a racial caste system was not allowed to develop in Brazil. As far as the racial hierarchy was concerned, there were "whites" and descending gradations of mulattoes that led to blacks being at the bottom of the ladder. But a much more important difference, was that Brazilians always saw slavery as a "morally dirty business": a moral wrong, and unlike the majority of Americans, uniformly refused to identify with, or to rationalize its immorality. At no time, did Brazilian morality show sympathy for, or solidarity with, the slave owning classes as was done in the U.S. With the single exception of a handful of Quaker families from the Northeast (where slavery was unprofitable in any case), Americans North and South were sympathetic to the causes of the slave owning class, and after the Civil War, closed ranks to unify the nation under the banner of white supremacy.

In contrast, in post-slavery Brazil, blacks were quickly integrated into Brazilian life as artists, historians, writers, musicians, engineers, etc. and their contributions to society embraced. Not so in post-slavery USA, where after a brief decade of "Reconstruction" came "the Redemption," in which the "color curtain" fell and a century of Jim Crow darkness was introduced into the U.S., the reverberations of which are still being felt. Outside of proscribed black enclaves, such as the black ghettoes, as remains more or less true now, American blacks pretty much lived a "social death" on the margins of mainstream society, in which their contributions either went unacknowledged or were conveniently subsumed under a surrogate white aegis. Even today, in the U.S. there remains no separately acknowledged black humanity based on a black identity and subjectivity.

Chapter two attempts to answer the second question. And here I believe that Tannenbaum's analysis of the religious aspects of slavery is the more persuasive, and gets closer to ground truth than does Degler's. The reader may recall that while Tannenbaum argued that the two forms of slavery may have been equally repressive, the Brazilian version was more humane simply because, in principle, it granted the slave an element of humanity and moral equality with the slave owner that was missing in the U.S. version. It was the Portuguese and Catholic Justinian Code that did this. Slaves under the Brazilian system could be brave, virtuous, magnanimous, and patriotic. They had a soul and could be baptized as Christians. No such luck if you happened to be an American slave.

Degler appears to skirt this very important issue altogether and opts to explain the difference in terms of demographics: the fact that Brazil contained a significantly larger number of free blacks than did the U.S. Degler attributes this larger number to three factors: (1) there were more slaves in Brazil which naturally resulted in more freed slaves; (2) Portuguese slave owners tended to free ailing slaves to avoid the extra care of them; and (3) Brazilians had no reason to fear that freed slaves would rise up against the slave owners, for they were seen as normal and full Brazilian citizens. Thus Degler's argument of the differences reduces to one of demographics rather than one of moral and religious accountability.

Chapter three take us on a dizzying excursion down the dark road of racial distinctions based on skin color and blood classifications. It compares America's "one drop rule" with Brazil's "pure African blood rule." In this instance, demographics may have had more to do with the racial classifications than anything else, but this time the author shies away from making his case based on demographics. The very fact that a majority of Brazilians were, and remain mulattoes, must have had a great deal to do with the way the races were eventually defined. There are three categories: White, mulattoes, and Negroes. According to the author, while there is definitely a more subtle kind of color prejudice in Brazil than in the U.S., unlike in the U.S., anti- discrimination laws in Brazil are strictly enforced and thus racism has not been allowed to take root in Brazil and get out of hand as it has in the U.S. But, even so, it is as true in Brazil as it is in the U.S. that interracial marriages are frowned upon and discouraged.

Chapter four focuses on the psychological aspects of race, and it is here that I wish the author had spent more time. Degler claims that just as is true in the U.S., "place" based on color is a settled issue in Brazil. The idea of upward mobility for blacks is pretty much a "dead letter" in Brazil. As is true in the U.S. blacks suffer from self-hatred and all of the same psychological problems that inhere in a society that uses race as the basis of its caste system.

As the author notes in the preface, while Brazil moves from class to identity politics, the U.S. is moving in the opposite direction. In Brazil, as in the U.S., the better educated, the more skillful, are either whites or mulattoes, and they both are encouraged to see themselves as better than Negroes.

The last two chapters are a recap of the author's main themes. As noted earlier, any review is unlikely to do more than skim the surface as I have tried to do and as Maxine Margolis did in her review for the NYT Review of Books. However, I think she got it horribly wrong, failing to shed her Americanized racial rose-colored glasses. In this respect, I doubt if I have done much better.

But the book deserves five stars.

What large country in the Western hemisphere is a melting pot of races and religions, has a long history of geographically-based slavery, and whose popular culture portrays an image of "white is better"? Many people north of the border would instantly say America. But for those south of the border, Brazil might be the first answer. Both answers are correct as both Brazil and the USA are large countries with diverse populations and a history of slavery and racism. But the similarities end there and a host of differences arise. This book examines both and asks the question why. Why was racism more aligned with slavery in the US versus Brazil? Why is inter-racial marriage more acceptable in Brazil than in the US? Or more importantly, why do people of all colors often believe that "whiter is better" in both countries. This book attempts to answer these questions by examining the economic and social history of both countries, and how this was affected by the natural environment of climate and geography.

I read this book as part of a college class, but it is a great stand-alone book that does not require an instructor to help you understand it. It is a good example of a multidiscplinary work, and draws from many fields in the social sciences such as history, economics, sociology, and geography. The book is great reading, and deservedly won the Pulitzer Prize in History in 1972. It is a good study on slavery, though its textual difficulty is beyond that of an introductory text on the subject.

A very concise and succinct summary of race relations, their origins, and history in a very objective manner with numerous references to other credible sources. It also points the way to controlling the expression of racism at all social levels.

By comparing and contrasting the two separate, though similar contries, Degler not only provides a world class history of the institution of slavery in both countries, but forces the reader to examine their own prejudices in the matter. Perhaps it is the best book written upon the subject, and is a valuable addition to historians, socialogists, and anyone interested in understanding the difficulties of overcoming discrimination.

Terrific book, well organized and has just about every plant to be found in the fields of Wisconsin.

I spent 10 years as a naturalist in the Madison area, and I wish this book had been available then. Theodore Cochrane's descriptions are precise and well-written, and his tight collaboration with Kandis Elliot and Claudia Lipke (the designers / photographers) ensures both the accuracy of the images and an economy of space that is often missing in field guides: virtually every page is packed to the gills with information. The only problem with the book is that the title suggests it is of limited use outside the UW-Madison Arboretum. This is not the case. In fact, the book would be useful to prairie enthusiasts throughout most of the upper Midwest.

Excellent book for those interested in Midwest prairie plants. Photos are very good quality and plant descriptions are thorough yet concise. Organized by plant family.

Written by Theodore S. Cochrane (Senior Academic Curator of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Herbarium), Kandis Elliot and Claudia S. Lipke (senior artists in the Department of Botany), Prairie Plants of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum is a beautiful guide featuring full color photography throughout. Each page of this lavish guide features a different plant, with descriptions of its leaves, flowers, fruits, range and habitats in Wisconsin, and other insights, not to mention multiple images of the species' leaves and flowers especially. A brief introductory section discussing prairies, a glossary, and an index round out this lavish reference, which is surely the next best thing to visiting the UW-Madison Arboretum in person.

Bob Litak has a very special way of touching one's heart. It must be his special knowledge and relationship with "Santa". This is a must read. Simple. Moving. It would make a fabulous Christmas gift!

This book will put you in the Christmas mood in July. It made me remember a more innocent time of life.

A wonderful and heartwarming story about a small town Santa and his charming Mrs. Claus. This book can put a smile on the grinch's face and a hum in the bahhumbug of Mr. Scrooge. A must read to "get you in the Christmas spirit".

The excitement of Christmas fills your heart as the author Bob Litak shares his heart- felt story with you. Most of us can relate to getting a job which was not one you asked for nor something you even wanted, but somehow turned out to be a blessing in disquise. Laughter and sadness tug at your heart strings as a friendship forms such a strong bond. Helps one to understand how much you can grow with in yourself. But most of all, it helps put the children back in our lives and makes us once again "Believe in Santa" If you enjoy reading a heart-felt story than I highly recomend this fantastic book.

Essential book if you want to visit sacred sites in Wisconsin. It's organized by region and religion or type of site. They give brief accurate description of the location and why it is important, along with contact info. I'd especially recommend it to anyone living in Wisconsin or neighboring states. It's great for weekend road trips.

Sacred Sites of Wisconsin will remind people of childhood trips to Holy Hill or the Dickeyville Grotto. What a great opportunity to think back on churches and other places that mean so much to us. And what a great opportunity to visit them again!

In Sacred Sites Of Wisconsin, John-Brian and Teresa Paprock effectively collaborate to profile over 400 places around the state of Wisconsin that are known for worship and pilgrimage, ranging from churches, temples, and synagogues to cemeteries, effigy mounds, and retreat centers. Each location has its history described, along with what makes it sacred and all the information a traveler will need to find and enjoy it, such as contact hours, location, and phone number. Sacred Sites Of Wisconsin contains nearly 80 photographs of its many destinations, and maps of each reason. A superb reference for anyone seeking to take a spiritual journey within Wisconsin, no Wisconsin community library state reference collection would be complete with the inclusion of John-Brian and Teresa Paprock's Sacred Sites Of Wisconsin.

Sacred Sites of Wisconsin is a complete guide to buildings, places and natural areas that are or have been considered sacred in Wisconsin. Inclusive in its approach, it showcases the diversity of beliefs that are a part of Wisconsin heritage.

This guide will be of interest to spiritual seekers, historians, and those who might want to expand their knowledge of their own faith and its heritage in the state.

Best of all, Sacred Sites is a guidebook, meant to be kept in the car for quick reference. It includes contact information, hours and directions for the sites.

Sacred Sites would also make a great holiday gift for those with an interest in the sacred.

A classic study into graphics as a system. It's long overdue for a reprint (in English).

You may consider reprinting this book. I know many people who would buy it - I bet you could sell them as hot bagels! Marjan Trutschl

Been trying to find my own copy of this for well over a year. SOMEBODY PLEASE REPRINT IT.

Best Data Visualization book I've ever read. I would love to buy one, I only have a photocopy. A borrowed the Univ. of Maryland copy while I wrote my dissertation. Highly Recommended!

I bought this yesterday and finished it today and I have to say I was blown away. When first purchasing the book I was a bit hesitant, thinking of how very wrong D.A. Stern could have gotten it. It would be so very easy to make a collection of documents boring. This book reminded me why I love horror so much. It brought back the feelings I had when first reading Lovecraft's many stories. I just can't stop talking about this book. I recommend it to any and all horror lovers, especially fans of Lovecraft.

I bought this book in April of 07. I have been in contact with the author and Emmis Publishing because this book is fantastic! Since I am a theatre director I thought that this book would make a great play, it plays so visually even though a lot of exposition is written in e-mail or recorded therapy "transcripts." Our high school repertory theatre company has commissioned the book to be written into a play and will be opening in December of 07. Mr. Stern is able to take the somewhat unbelievable events of this Psychiatric Institute and infuse them with believability and real relationships between the characters. That is why I wanted to adapt this book into play form. Please go buy this book if you are into supernatural fiction that "feels" real. Every page looks and reads like it was pulled away from some dusty bin and has been thrust upon your lap.

A great piece of horror fiction and a thrilling new way to "write!"

I'm not a big fan of horror books, but if you liked the Twilight Zone, you will love this book. It has the single most important ingredient for a horror book: believabilty. You don't have to believe in the supernatural to enjoy this book; you just have to believe that there are those who do. The author does the rest, moving the plot and the characters along beautifully. The mystery and tension build quickly as Dr. Charles Marsh learns about his young patient. Does he begin to believe her because he is scientifically convinced that she is not hallucinating, or is his judgment impaired by his growing love for her (not to mention the drugs)?

The format of the book is a big part of the fun. This is not a straight narrative, but a collection of "documents;" some are handwritten notes, some transcripts of patient therapy sessions, some strange and oddly realistic excerpts from other "books". We get to know the characters quickly and easily through these documents, and the plot barrels along to the surprising and satisfying conclusion.

When any given publisher releases a book with a theme in which it specializes, such a work does not necessarily warrant attention; chaff gets pretty thoroughly mixed with palatable morsels in many cases, and this is as true with horror -- more true, perhaps -- than with many other genres. But when a reputable regional publisher releases a bona fide horror title, it makes a conscientious fan wonder whether it might not be worth a closer look.

This is certainly the case with Emmis Books' Shadows in the Asylum: The Case Files of Dr. Charles Marsh, an innovative work written by D.A. Stern, bestselling author of a number of Blair Witch Project adaptations and spinoffs. Not only does it warrant a closer look, its innovative structure both encourages and compels one.

Unlike more traditional books, Shadows in the Asylum's story unfolds in the form of a variety of documents, including medical records, newspaper clippings, historical documents, journal entries, email messages, and even the scribbled notes of its central character. This makes a passive reading of the book difficult and challenges the reader to glean the information that will reveal the secrets contained within its pages.

Events in the book revolve around the title Dr. Charles Marsh, a man with a dark past who has recently assumed a position as a psychologist at an asylum in Wisconsin. Marsh soon develops an interest in one of the institution's patients, a woman who suffered a mental breakdown while on an archaeological dig in northern Wisconsin and now claims to be haunted by spectral monsters. From that point onward, the lines between patient and healer begin to blur, and Marsh is inexorably drawn into a struggle with his uncertainty about what is real and what is imaginary, and what can be addressed with the tools of science and what cannot.

While the works of horror master H.P. Lovecraft are evoked by the contents of this book -- and, along with the Blair Witch Project, invoked by the publisher in its promotional and backflap materials -- discerning readers will also detect the influence of an earlier by equally seminal father of the genre: Bram Stoker, whose Dracula is a compilation of diary entries, letters, newspaper articles, phonograph transcripts, and the like. Shadows in the Asylum takes this concept a step further by presenting it graphically as well as textually. (A technique, by the way, that would make this book an ideal prop for live-action horror roleplaying games like Cthulhu Live.)

It would not be right to include any spoilers or give away any surprises here, and so this review will forgo providing too many details of the horror that lurks at the roots of this compelling story (although the most fanatic horror aficionados already know what sort of creatures lurk in the cold wastes of the upper Midwest ...). For those looking for that exceptional work that transcends what they have come to expect from an often dissatisfying genre, however, suffice it to say that Shadows in the Asylum will not disappoint.

Very well written. Informative and educational. I'm fortunate to live within easy reach of all of these rides and will try most all this summer.

I bought this as a gift for a motorcycling relative. They loved it and use it quite often. Great recommendations for beautiful drives.

Sunday Rides On Two Wheels: Motorcycling In Southern Wisconsin by Barbara Barber is an original and "user friendly" travel guide to motorcycling for fun and relaxation in and around the southern Wisconsin area. Travel routes, black-and-white photographs, and a spiral binding for easy reference while on the go, make Sunday Rides On Two Wheels an excellent, enjoyable and very worthwhile vacation planner and travel guide for the dedicated motorcyclist.

I have to honestly say that this book is one of the best I have ever spent my money on. I have been riding motorcycles for about two years and in that time I have tried to find backroads in the suburbs of Chicago and southern Wisconsin using detailed maps, but have found nothing but construction and traffic. I noticed this book on Amazon and right away thought it would be another waste of money, but to my surprise it was nothing but fun to read.

Barbara clearly explains each area of travel with history, facts, opinions, road conditions, contact information, pictures, etc. and the maps and directions are very clear. From the very start I could not wait to start up my Honda F4i sportbike and hit the road. My first tour was the Breakout Ride in the Kenosha area which was an absolute blast to ride. Being from the northern parts of Illinois with nothing but rushed traffic, very secluded roads and beautiful scenery were all I saw the whole day, which is what riding should consist of. I had loads of fun going down the few Rustic roads on the tour, with the overhanging trees and hills and curves that took my breath away more than once. It was such a great change of pace to have this much fun on my bike and I will definitely be making this a weekend activity until the winter comes. I cannot wait to take some further trips up to the Kettle Moraine area and even further up near LaCrosse.

A few things to look out for are the missing road signs in Wisconsin which occur frequently in the remote parts and a few of the directions in the book had a couple right/left turns switched. Also, the mileage was off on a few of the roads which weren't really a big problem once you figured out where you were going. Overall though, thanks to Barbara's experiences and research, she has made it possible for any kind of rider to enjoy a fun and scenic bike tour. I will definitely recommend this book to my group of friends and I would recommend it to any rider looking to have some fun on two wheels. Great job Barbara!!!