Wisconsin Books

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 They are widely regarded as a failure, however, which was superseded by the universally admired Constitution, which now gets all of the attention.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.

Moving to a small town and working as a deputy sheriff is a step down for Claire Watkins, a former Minneapolis detective, but she was willing to do anything to make her daughter feel safe. When her daughter, Meg, discovers a beloved elderly neighbor's body, Claire is placed in charge of the case when it is realized as murder. Meg, still having nightmares of her father's murder (also a policeman), reveals that she actually saw her father's killer - sending Claire to wondering if the killer could have followed them to their new life. This one, although interesting, kind of plodded along for me. I like the characters, but I just couldn't get into the story all the way.

In the Twin Cities, Clare Watkins was a detective until a driver deliberately ran his car over her husband killing him. Their ten-year old daughter Meg witnessed her father's death. The two females decide they need a radical change. They move to St. Antoine, Wisconsin, hoping that small town living will benefit both of them. Still, Meg remains insecure because she saw her father's killer and realizes that she can identify him and he can recognize her.

Nine months later, the fragile peace of the Watkins women ends when Meg finds their neighbor dead. The autopsy revealed that someone murdered the kind victim. Clare decides to find out who would kill such a nice person. However, a personal problem soon surfaces as her spouse's killer arrives in St. Antoine. Clare knows he came to silence the only witness who can link him to her husband's murder. She risks her life to keep Meg safe even while she uncovers the full truth behind her spouse's death.

The exciting BLOOD COUNTRY is the first Clare Watkins mystery and it appears to be ready for a long and popular run. The characters are everyday people coping with terrible things that have occurred. Readers will cheer on the efforts of mother and daughter to more than just survive. The enthralling mystery is entertaining due to a sleight of the hand twist that makes it nearly impossible to identify the real culprit. More novels like this will brighten the world of the audience and Mary Logue will have an even brighter future ahead of her.

Claire Watkins is a damaged ex-Minneapolis police detective. She's also the protagonist of Mary Logue's new crime novel, following "Red Lake of The Heart," and "Still Explosion."

In "Blood Country," Watkins and her partner are moving toward arresting members of a major drug ring when Claire's husband, Steve, becomes the victim of what appears to be a hit-and-run accident. Shocked and desolate, Watkins abruptly resigns from the department, takes her young daughter, Meg, and flees to the small Wisconsin town of Fort Antoine. To support herself and provide a protective environment for Meg, Claire joins the county sheriff's department which hasn't seen a murder in at least a generation.

Then, Claire's neighbor is found face down in his garden. Greed has raised its ugly head, generating conflict over a real estate development. Citizens are split over maintaining traditional values, and the prospect of substantial new money.

Logue sets a consistent pace, entwining the major plot elements with other developments in a pleasing manner and, through shifting points of view and realistic action, continually raises the feeling of mystery and danger.

Logue's background as a successful poet shows in her narrative style which flirsts with free verse, providing a meter of starts and pauses. One of this novel's strengths is its thoughtful incompleteness. The main plot ans some subplots are carefully resolved by the end, but other questions posed by characters to themselves and others are left unanswered. It's an invitation to the reader to speculate about their own future.

Mary Logue has the gift of keeping the reader turning pages. In reading Blood Coutry you soon discover that there are a lot of secrets being kept in this small fictional town. Like peeling layers of an onion, the story unfolds to a surprising climax. The story is told from several points of view but the characters are well-developed and Ms. Logue gives each one a unique voice. Highly recommended!

I found this book interesting but I couldn't relate to so many of the hometown eateries as there weren't many in my area.

I grew up in Indiana and now live in Arizona. I return to Indiana several times a year to visit family and friends. This book is a great guide to those wonderful, uniquely midwestern cafes that cook and serve the best of downhome cooking. Also highly entertaining. My highest recommendations.

Book is adorable and very descriptive of the look and feel of the small town cafes in the area

Joanne Raetz Stuttgen is a folklorist and the author of "Cafe Wisconsin" and co-author of "Cafe Wisconsin Cookbook". "Cafe Indiana: A Guide To Indiana's Down-Home Cafes" is her latest compilation and a superbly presented guide to Indian's hometown mom-and-pop restaurants in celebration of small-town Midwest culture. A perfect travel guide for anyone seeking authentic local cuisine, "Cafe Indiana" is organized into sections showcasing home-town cafes in the North; West; East; Central; South Central; and South regions of Indiana. Each entry includes directions, address, phone numbers, hours, and a descriptive and personable anecdote. Combining recommendations with cultural insights, "Cafe Indiana" is a must for anyone traveling through the state and looking for something good to eat and an intrinsically interesting place in which to have their breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

I've had the great fortune to have fished with the author, Tom Wendleburg, many times. If you don't have that same opportunity, you can do the next best thing. Buy this book and learn not only how to catch big fish on light fly tackle, but so much more. Pick up insights into productive flies, effective fish catching techniques, and apply Tom's creative approachs to fly presentation for a variety of fish species. The book makes not only great reading for entertainment value, but for me, a highly useful source of reference material for those flyfishing dilemmas we all face from time time. If your interest is to improve your flyfishing skills, or if you just enjoy reading solid flyfishing literature, this is a book for you.

Catching Big Fish On Light Fly Tackle distills decades of Tom Wendelburg's fly-fishing expertise. Here is Wendelburg's philosophy of using light tackle, his insights on surface and underwater tactics, discussions of his favorite fish (trout, bass, bluegills, salmon, and steelhead) and is favorite flies, including Wendelburg's own celebrated fly patterns. Written by a consummate fisherman and a first-rate instructor, Catching Big Fish On Light Fly Tackle is an enduring and much appreciated contribution to the annals of fly-fishing.

No sense in filling your bookshelves with other "how-to" fishing guides, this one is it! Fill your live well, load your basket, and prepare the grill, because big fish are ready at the end of your line.

A good, solid work on the excitement of trout fishing. The book is easy to read, contains lots of solid information, and is one of the better books I have read on the subject. I would say it is appropriate for the intermediate fisherperson, not basic enough for beginners, but almost anyone with an interest in fishing should enjoy it. And in Coon Valley, that's almost everyone!

The West gets to see so little of what life is really like in the Middle East, much less how gay men live. I didn't want this book to end and wish that there could be a sequel. It's like an old-style tavelogue with a big gay twist, and honor, tragedy, opportunism and harsh reality. These are real people (photos included).

One of the most beautiful travel books and memoirs ever written; one of my favourite books ever.

This absolutely remarkable story brings to life the sights, sounds and smells - in all their beauty and ugliness - of Syria. The book recounts the journey of one gay man has he spends several months traveling around this complex and exotic country, which was actually part of Mark Anthony's love gift to Cleopatra. Robert Tewdwr Moss was tragically murdered in London just after this manuscript was completed, so he never got to realize the fruits of his labors. This is such a pity because Moss was an extremely talented writer, who had a wonderful capacity to totally reinvent travel writing. This memoir works in many ways - as a profound treatise on the Middle Eastern Society; a chilling history of ethnic crimes - particularly the Armenian genocide - a picaresque adventure story, a compelling travelogue, and a touching and affecting tale of sexual self-discovery.

Moss certainly captures the essence of the Middle East - from its indescribable poverty, and its government corruption to its chaos and the unconditional hospitality and uncomplicated generosity that is offered by many of the local people. The story begins with a description of the "hot winds," "the blinding heat," the "fine brown dust" from the dust storms, the "chaos of the streets and the air "clotted with diesel fumes hanging like a cloak around us." As the story progresses and Robert leaves the city of Aleppo to travel to Damascus, he infuses the narrative with descriptions of this suffocating yet exotic world: the dirty collapsing towns that have had a "great past and no present" full of "the old merchants you see here - sly, and leathery, survivors."

Moss had a gift for describing the intricate details of everyday life, from the clothes to the exotic foods, to the markets and bazaars, and of course, the Arab frankness towards sexual transactions, which "are regarded in a purely practical light." The text recounts Moss's trips to various ancient sites, and there are some gorgeous descriptions of the ancient towns of Palmyra, Bosra, and Lattakia (Have a map of Syria handy so that you can trace his journey). There's also an excellent introduction by Lecretia Stewart that fills in the blanks about Robert's life and work and talks, quite frankly about his horrific murder and about his somewhat closeted sexuality. Cleopatra's Wedding Present is profound and beautiful, and is without a doubt, one of the best travelogues of the Middle East that I have ever read. Robert Tewdwr Moss was a real talent, and as this story shows, his loss was just terrible.

Michael

Cleopatra's Wedding Present is an account of the solitary wandering of a Briton through the back roads and alleyways of Syria. What draws this urbane, openly gay man to a country like Syria is a question that draws the reader immediately into the book. Fittingly, Moss begins his book not in Damascus, but in culturally and geographically isolated northern city of Aleppo. He makes his way through a maze of noisy, cluttered streets to the Baron Hotel, an establishment of fading glory, where notables such as Lawrence of Arabia and Theodore Roosevelt once stayed. In the hotel bar, he quickly meets a fellow Briton, Rupert, and becomes entangled with the comings and goings, and affections, of a few young Syrian men. Through Rupert, like himself, an outsider, a loner, and also attracted to Syrian men, Moss realizes that it is only natural for such strangers in a strange land to find in Syria a place to come to terms with one's strangeness.

Moss forays from Aleppo to other locations in Syria in chapters that begin abruptly, with Moss on the road to a new destination. In other locations, his experiences are similar in tone to that of Aleppo: A lonely man, part tourist, part journalist, and partly a man in quest of some ineffable longing, meets a few people in the new locale, and strikes up brief friendships before moving to the next destination. These vignettes of ordinary people, though, mainly young men, such as the ex-commando named Jihad, but also a variety of people, such as Gladys, the Christian florist recently repatriated from New York, are the highlights of the book. In these vignettes, Moss illustrates how everyday life in Syria is shaped by history, culture, and an oppressive political regime. Nonetheless, the characters Moss encounters are truly individual, never simple products of their environment.

Insightful, too, are the author's mediations on the longing that draws us to travel, and its counterpart heartache at leaving a place. "To travel is to always be to some extent in a state of bereavement, always to have somebody die on you a little," he writes. The fact that Moss was murdered on the day he finished the book, shortly after returning from Syria to London, is oft cited as reason to read this book. This would be a poor reason to read the book; however, his thought that "partir, c'est toujours mourir un peu," does take on added poignancy as a result of his death. To illustrate this theme of love and loss, Moss relates Rupert's doomed pursuit of Syrian boys, culminating in a letter to Rupert the Moss intercepts and steams open. He also relates the more successful, yet also more tragic, love affairs of the Victorian Mary Digby, whose final love, a sheik, brought her to Syria, where she would die. However, it is frustrating that Moss himself initiates a narrative that is personal, not only journalistic, and focused on desire, only to direct the reader's gaze away from himself. Moss speaks of the pain of parting, yet himself takes leave of all he meets in a cool and aloof fashion. The letter we wish he would open is his own, but this letter, scarce begun, remains sealed.

I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting an up close and personal look at life in Syria. From a literary aspect, Moss proves a talented writer, who intertwines elegy, elegance, and wit, in a style reminiscent of Evelyn Waugh. However, because of the disjointed narrative, and the frustration with this fascinating persona who begins his own tale several times, only to turn away from it, I found myself wanting to skim the best parts of the book and leave the rest, wondering how Moss might have rewritten it.

I haven't actually read the book yet, but it sounds delightful. I know the author's identical twin sister, Susan, who is one of those people who is lovely in every respect. I'm sure that Sara shares her sweetness, grace and talent, and I eagerly look forward to reading this book.

After looking at this book on my bookshelf for years I finally picked it up for a quick glance. I seldom put it down after that. I also grew up in WI but was a city girl in Racine. I didn't know much about life on the farms that dotted the landscape as viewed from the backseat of a car or over the handle bar of a bike. I have to say I was never much curious what went on there. I guess I had as romantic a notion of it as anyone else. Sara De Luca's fine work depicting the life her family lead on their dairy farm was a pleasure to read, enlightening in it's depiction of farm life, and touching in it's complex and beautiful rendering of family and home.

I am a college student in L.A. who is from (and intends to go back to) Minneapolis, Minnesota. Whenever I get homesick for the midwest I pick up "Dancing the Cows Home" and read a chapter or two and inevitably feel better. I love hearing about her close-knit Scandinavian family and the dynamics of farm life. I can highly recommend this book to any corn-fed, prarie-loving midwestener!

This book caught my attention because I grew up on a small farm in Mn. I could relate to many of the stories told by Sara. Especially the story in which the little girls go to the big city. I thought it was interesting that it was Sara's mother who was so tied to the farm rather than the father. I'm glad that her father got a chance to do what made him happy at the end. I'm also glad that Sara made peace with her roots and was able to come back to and love the place that she was so eager to leave.Although I no longer live on a farm I live in the heart of farm country. This memoir took me back to my own wonderful, but rarely easy, days of farmlife. It was the best place in the world to grow up as far as I'm concerned. What a pity that so few people will experience it as more and more cooperative farms take over. The decline of the family farm is a very bad thing for our country. Thank you Sara De Luca for preserving your experience for future generations. The only negative thing that I can say about this book is that I felt it had a rather abrupt ending. It lacked closure for me in some way.

These are great little books (there are several in the series). These are adaptations of the Little House books, formatted as picture books with full color illutrations that are inspired by Garth Williams original Little House artwork. The Deer in the Wood is an abbreviated excerpt from the Ingalls Wilder novel Little House in the Big Wood. The quiet pictures and straitforward text present the incident of Pa Ingalls going on an overnight hunt, only to come back "empty handed" because he could not kill the wondrous and gentle deer that he encountered. The story was great in the original book, and the essential elements are presented here with perfectly matched illustrations. One of those books that you hope your kids will choose for you to read at bedtime.

Each book is not a story so much as a scene from a department store window. The stories have no plot to speak of. The characters have no personality at all. Production values are high, and my daughter was interested in a glimpse of life in another place and time. But these books are so much less than they could have been. Bide your time and get the originals instead.

I've been a fan of Little House books since I was in second grade. With this series made for young readers, I can start reading my favorite books to my niece before she is even in school. This book in particular was a very endearing story about a mama deer and her baby. Madelyn loved it! I thought the illustrations would make Garth Williams proud.

My 3 year old daughter loves her "Laura Books" and can't wait till night so she can hear another. I fell in love with the novels when I was a little girl and am so happy that I can share the stories with my little girl. The stories are easy to read. I have almost every one and plan on getting all of them.

I found the book to have all the depth of a Saturday afternoon coffee and gossip woman's group. While amusing it only attempted to skim the top most layer of it's subject. I would save my money and pass by this and future offerings by this author.

I'm not that familiar with the topic, so this was a wonderful book to get me acquainted. I liked the tone of the book, particularly because it was not preachy in any way, and the author handled the topic with respect. I'm new at New Age, but not old age. The book was easy to get around in, and I thank the author for bringing it into the world for people like me, who want to continuously learn. She puts everything in question and answer format, and that is extremely helpful. I have now purchased 7 copies for my book club and we had a vibrant discussion on the topics covered.

This author has done a very nice job in bringing forth what to most people is unfamiliar territory. I have read numerous articles about the book and heard this author on the radio. She apporaches the subject from a compassionate journalistic point of view, and does not pretend to presnt herself in any other way. A very honest read, and I HIGHLY recommend the book, especailly to those who would like a helpful and comforting overview of the topic from various practitioners of mystical arts. As the author recently said on a radio interview, this book is not meant to be a directory, and those who are not portrayed in the book and who are making rather a fuss about it, need to look at their own basic philoshoy of "things happen for a reason." Thus, if a certain psychic happened to be excluded, well...guess what...there was probably a reason for that. Any way, it was a GREAT read, and I am lookiing forward to her next book, Famous Wisconsin Artists and Architects.

From Jack...
I was intersted in this topic but also a little cautious about it. I found the book to have a lot of insight into the world of psychics, tarot readers, astrologers, healers, numerologists, etc. It is an incredible read and you won't be able to put it down! Very informative and makes me feel more comfortable with the topic in general.

I purchased 11 books on hiking, camping, and touring in Wisc. Of these books that I purchased, this book is the best for hiking (4 of the 11 books were on hiking.)

It is especially good if you:

- don't know Wisc too well (I grew up in Wisc, so am very familiar with Wisc, but I never paid attention to the names of the incredibly wonderful places my folks took us to when I was a kid, which was a big mistake.)

- want to go on the best hikes

This book has the best hikes (when compared to the other hiking books I bought.)

It's a great book for the first-time hiker or for a hiker that doesn't know the hikes in Wisc. I wish I had bought this book ten years ago when I first wanted to hike with friends in Wisc. Ten years ago, I purchased "Guide to Wisconsin Outdoors" and "Wisconsin Handbook", which weren't right for me at the time (even though both are excellent books) because they weren't for hikers, but more for folks that wanted to drive through an area and know what the cities have to offer in way of entertainment and amentities. Those two books, while absolutely perfect for folks who prefer to either drive through, do indoor activitity, and learn about an area's local amenities (which can be important information), they set me back several years on my goal to get up to speed on hiking in Wisc. I needed a hiking book.

So, I finally found this book. I bought other books on hiking (4 of them), but I liked this the best. Now that I know more about the areas I went to as a kid, I now know that this book lists the best areas for hiking. All of the best hiking areas we went to as kids are in this book (except one, which is a not so well-known area that our family would go to - but none of the other hiking books I bought listed it either.)

I want to mention the cons of the book, so you know what's missing and so you know what you may need to find elsewhere. When you travel to a faraway location, it's a good idea to know the local amenities of the area (restaurants, etc.). This book doesn't have that information. However, I would definitely not buy a book that tries to cover both hiking and amenities in one book because that's what I did ten years ago and that method failed me because I ended up not getting the hiking information I needed (other info got crowded out by the info on amenities) so I ended up not hiking in Wisc for several years as a result because I was stalled on it - I didn't have the info I needed and I didn't know how to get the information from faraway. I was in Washington at the time (majestic views but not as peacefully pastorial as beautiful Wisc), and back then, you couldn't find the books you needed online like you can now.

So, I suggest buying Hiking Wisconsin and finding the hiking locations through it, and then figure out amenities through other sources (the other two books that I mentioned do a good job on amenities, though I wouldn't recommend them for hiking.) Also, triple AAA covers amenities for free (but a bit too briefly when compared to the two books I mentioned.)

If you are an experienced hiker that has already gone on more than 75 different hikes in Wisc, most likely this book will be a repeat for you since it covers the top 100 hikes.

I liked this book because it has the best hikes. It was important to me to find the beautiful locations my parents took us to when we were kids (my Dad knew some really good areas.) Those were great places and created great memories for me. So, I just didn't want to go to any place that simply had a so-so hike - I wanted it to be special and see something that moved me as much as the hikes moved me when I was a kid.

So, if your goal is to find the best areas to hike, I'd buy this book.

This book was originally recommended to me by some hikers at an EMS. I've now been to a couple of places discussed in the book, and I've found that it gives a good sense of what's going on at the places described in the sense of what sorts of terrain, etc that you might encounter.

But it seems to only mention a SMALL subset of the possible hikes in an area. For example at the Kettle Moraine park (Southern Unit) it failed to mention that most of the trails have longer and more difficult variations. And it didn't mention going up to the top of a hill, where you can see the entire park.

Still, this is the best reference on hiking in Wisconsin in this format.

Hiking Wisconsin was my first encounter with the "America's Best Day Hiking" series. After this experience, I hope I have more encounters with this series in the future.

This book possesses all of the attributes of a well-written guide. There are 55 hiking destinations described here, and a couple of trails are described at each destination. The destinations are scattered throughout the state, but there is a noticably higher concentration in the south than in the north. Also, the last 9 hikes are grouped in a category entitled "urban," which for this author means Milwaukee and Green Bay.

Each hike features a map (they appear to be computer-generated), difficulty ratings from 1 boot (easiest) to 4 boots (most difficult), directions to the trailhead, and an excellent, detailed description of the trail. There is also a summary table in the front of the book, so choosing a trail to hike is very easy.

Trail lengths range from 0.7 miles to 14.5 miles with the average at only 2 or 3 miles. This is, in my opinion, the greatest drawback of this book. Too many of the hikes described here are short nature hikes. For experienced hikers (such as myself), 2 miles counts as a warm-up; we expect more out of a hike. I know that longer options are availible at many of these locations. Thus, the author frequently makes the unusual choice of describing two short trails over a longer, meatier, more interesting one. This is the only reason I cannot give the book 5 stars.

The book itself is unusual because it measures 8.5x11 inches, quite large by hiking book standards. To compensate, the publisher has made the pages perforated so you can tear them out as opposed to take the entire book with you on a hike. I don't view this as a good alternative. If your desk looks like mine, the pages are better off in the book so that they don't get lost. This is not a major problem, but the design is unusual, and I thought it should be noted.

In conclusion, despite the drawbacks mentioned above, this is still the best, most complete guide to Wisconsin hiking on the market. As such, I would recommend it for purchase to anyone interested in learning more about Wisconsin hiking.

I am happy to own this guide. I particularly like to be able to review the different places where I can go hiking before I go, so I know I am making a wise choice. It has information for biking, boating, etc. It does not have information for cross-country skiing, however.

One thing I really like is that it tells you about different stops along the trails, so you can use this to make sure you have not deviated from the trail.

A fascinating book written by a veteran of the Spanish civil war that strips it of both the idealism of the left and dismissal of the right.

While only roughly half of the book covers the Spanish civil war and the authors participation it is as a previous reviewer points out the "American Orwell" Herrick writes with the bitterness of a man whose ideals had been betrayed and who had seen for himself the betrayal of many of the men who went to fight for what they felt was the freedom of the Spanish people against the tyranny of dictatorship and fascism.

What many of them found was the growing Shadow of the 'dictatorship of the left' in the form of Stalin-ism ever encroaching upon them. Already men had began to be silenced by the Russian backed leaders of the Brigade and every day republican controlled land began to resemble tyrannical Stalinist Russia as its lackeys in Spain seemed to be far keener on dispatching left wing opponents in Spain than fighting fascists (It is well documented the destruction of the CNT and POUM by the Communist party)

Herrick also details the rise of military leaders placed in positions of power for little more than cosmetic reasons, to create an image to the world. One a University professor the other an African American. Concerning the second man it is particularly moving in that far from as some more cynical historians have painted him he was a simple man who resigned himself to 'follow party orders' while knowing full well his own shortcomings as a less than competent leader (This was later to prove true with a disastrous attack let by him that lead to heavy casualties) It is also interesting how one of Herricks friends another African American attempted to lead a protest against his appointment and how Herrick commentated on that he could as if anyone else did it would be perceived as 'racist'

The arguing, the incompetence and pointless political debates are all examined in full here. A fascinating read, this may be in many ways similar to Orwell's biography but the book "In red and green" is one I would also draw comparisons to. Especially in that book the part where Irish republican troops discuss shooting their commanding officer because he had once served in the Irish republic during the black and tan wars! (This in spite of the fact that he was now a committed anti fascist and ironically Jewish! Well, Ryan did go on to support the Nazis)

A fascinating insight into one mans history on the left during the first half of the last century. After reading the books of Orwell, In Red and Green and Jumping the line you will come to the conclusion that it was no surprise that Franco won, the only surprise in fact being that he took so long to do it.

"Jumping the Line" is a hobo phrase for "riding the rails," or hitching a ride on a freight car. It also brings to mind crossing boundaries, maybe even switching sides. Herrick has done both. Beginning life as a rail-riding hobo, Herrick developed an awareness of the plight of the downtrodden and eventually became not a member but employee of the American Communist Party. Herrick was hard-working element of the Party and an able union organizer and cell initiator. Willing to put his life on the line in backing his beliefs, Herrick traveled to Spain with the Abraham Lincoln brigade to fight the fascists in the Spanish Civil War. Comintern, the International Communist Party, hoped this effort would lead to a home for Communism in Spain. While Herrick's soldiering was brief (he quickly took a bulled to the neck, nearly crippling him), the Communist atrocities and double-dealing there made him see the Party in an entirely different light. Returning to the States an anarchist at heart, Herrick had a wife to support and was tied to the Party for a paycheck. His outspokenness about the Stalin-Hitler pact led to his dismissal and his full emergence as an anarcho-social democrat. Appearing in these pages as Herrick formalizes his distrust of all power is such figures as Emma Goldman, Cole Porter and Herrick's former employer Orson Welles. This fascinating work is historically enlightening and a textbook in the formation of practical anarchism from an adventurer-author struck from the same mold as George Orwell.

This book is, very simply, the best memoir ever published by an American volunteer in the Spanish Civil War. It is a relentless autopsy on the murdered idealism of the young Communists who went to fight the fascists in Spain but ended up serving as hard guys for Russian dictator Josef Stalin and his secret police. It also shows clearly that the native supporters of the Spanish left were out for more than just a repudiation of fascist aggression: they were fighting for a social revolution, based on the labor movement, of a kind Stalin hated and feared much more than he did the fascists. This book also stands as a uniquely truthful and beautiful account of the lives of American and international Communist cadres; Bill Herrick speaks for every comrade who risked his or her life fighting for the world revolution in the 1930s, only to be brutally betrayed by Stalinism. It is extremely doubtful that a better book about the appeal of revolutionary Communism or the experience of its youthful militants will ever be written, at least in English.

"Jumping The Line" is a brutally honest and frank account of William Herrick's life on the American Left - as a young Communist who quickly became disillusioned with the excesses of Stalinism and of Soviet Anti-Semitism. An early volunteer in the Abraham Lincoln Battalion fighting Fascism in Spain, Herrick was badly wounded in the first major battle fought by the Lincolns at Jarama. Transferred to a hospital, Herrick witnessed firsthand the betrayals and backstabbing policies of the Soviet Secret Police and their minions. In one horrific episode, Herrick recounts how, as an "unreliable" he was forced to be involved in an GPU\International Brigade execution of accused "Trotskyist" civilians, an event that has haunted him to this day.

Returning home, Herrick then suffered the emotional wound of the Hitler-Stalin Pact, and being Jewish, promptly broke with the Party - courageously demonstrating as "a veteran of the Spanish Civil War - victim of the Hitler-Stalin Pact. He went on to adventures serving as a majordomo of sorts for Orson Welles - and some of the tales told here about "Citizen Kane" are quite hilarious. Herrick once told Life Magazine that his reasons for going to fight Hitlerism in Spain were that "As A Jew I know what Hitler is doing to my people".While he later admitted that it was the Party who instructed this to say the aforementioned remark, his pride and emotional attachment to his people clearly stands out in "Jumping The Line" as well as his "no prisoners taken" attitude towards both Fascism and Communism. This is indeed a memoir that Jews and all interested in the Spanish Civil War worldwide should read and while Herrick is a man who will admit his faults with candor, he is nonetheless a brave man and excellent writer - "Hermanos" is also strongly recommended by this reviewer.