Wisconsin Books

This is an enjoyable and highly educational contribution to the field of urban history. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, "the Cream City" (the name is derived from the cream color of the bricks used in many of its early buildings -- clay from local quarries was yellow rather than orange or red) tends to be belittled or overlooked with Chicago to its South and Minneapolis and St. Paul to its Northwest.

That's a shame because Milwaukee has a unique and colorful history of its own apart from its more prominent regional neighbors. To the extent that Milwaukee's history has been obscured or neglected, John Gurda's book redresses that oversight.

The author does a thorough job of charting the city's growth from its first settlement by various Indian tribes (Pottawanomi, Chippewa and Menomee) retreating from the hostile Iroquois, visits by explorers such as Father Marquette and Louis Joliet, and its satellite status as a secondary trading post for fur trappers based in the larger city of Green Bay, Wisconsin employed by their parent company in Montreal, Quebec. Following the War of 1812, in which both the Americans and the British claimed victory, an exclusion act was passed and many French Canadians had to leave the territory or apply for American citizenship. With the fur trade in decline, early inhabitants turned their attention to real estate development and exploiting the excellent harbor that made the Port of Milwaukee a major destination for ships on the Great Lakes.

Large scale emigration from Europe coincided with the admission of Wisconsin to the union as a state. Germans fleeing from the Revolution of 1848 made Milwaukee their adopted home and made an indelible impression upon the city. Gurda also relates how the loss of the steamship, "The Lady Elgin," which sank after a collision with a lumber boat near Winnetka, Illinois, devastated Milwaukee's Irish community. Many prominent Irish civic leaders were aboard the ill fated excursion ship.

The railroad and real estate speculators, the industrialists, the brewers and the socialists are all included in the story as well as Milwaukee's working relationship and economic and social rivalry with Chicago. As a flatlander with numerous relatives in the Badger State and in the Beer City, I know some of the details by heart and have the bruises to prove it, but John Gurda taught me some new angles. Profiles of important local nineteenth century leaders such as Juneau, Kilbourn, Mitchell and others are included.

The book is lavishly illustrated with drawings, photographs and detailed maps. Milwaukee's geography played a large role in the city's development and the sectional politics that divided various ethnic groups to the present day.

For anyone who has lived in Milwaukee or has ancestors who have lived there, this book is definitely a "must read". What makes it so interesting and informative, apart from the author's lucid and refreshing style, is the liberal use of photographs of persons, places, things and events representing the era being described, as well as, numerous maps and charts clarifying the subject matter. We found it helpful to have a street map of Milwaukee, which we frequently referred to. By the effective use of illustrations on almost every page to illuminate the text material, author Gurda has succeeded in producing as close to a "living history" as a book can become.

Beginning with the area's first native inhabitants encountered by French fur traders Jacques Vieau and Solomon Juneau near the confluence of the Milwaukee, Menomonee and Kinnickinnic rivers where they empty into Lake Michigan, the author fashions a detailed and colorful mosaic of Milwaukee's history down to the close of the twentieth century. In the second half of the nineteenth century the population of the city grew rapidly as immigrants from Europe sought escape from political persecution and successive crop failures. Most of the new arrivals were from Germany and they were very successful in transferring their customs and culture to their adopted city. Milwaukee reigned as the nation's "Deutsch Athen" until the beginning of World War I. "Gemutlichkeit", a cozy atmosphere for making one's self at home, became Milwaukee's trademark. The city's Teutonic influence was apparent in its beer gardens, choral and gymnastic societies, stage productions and German language newspapers, as well as in the thrift and industry characteristic of its workers.

Political and social scientists are sure to delight in author Gurda's account of Milwaukee's Socialist government and the manner in which successive municipal governments dealt with the social problems of an era. With but few interruptions, Milwaukee's Socialist Mayors ruled from 1910 to 1940. The first was Emil Seidel whose private secretary was Carl Sandburg who went on to win Pulitzer prizes in poetry and history, but the most noteworthy of them was Daniel Hoan who ruled Milwaukee for 19 years. A former city attorney who had parlayed his role as protector of the public weal against The Milwaukee Electric Power Company, he brought honesty and efficiency to the city's government. Time magazine, in its cover article of 1936, wrote: "Daniel Webster Hoan remains one of the nation's ablest public servants, and under him Milwaukee has become perhaps the best governed city in the U.S." It must be noted, however, that Milwaukee's Socialists were pragmatic rather than extremist in practice. Without abandoning their principles, they were able to accomplish many significant things by compromise and example despite the fact that they most often lacked a majority on the city council. The book clearly points out that Milwaukee bcame famous for many things other than beer and Harley Davidson motorcycles. To name but a few: its world famous system of neighborhood parks, its zoo, harbor and dock facilities for ocean going vessels, heavy industries, tanneries, foundries and machine tool manufacturing. It also became famous for the pride with which homeowners maintained their property. The extensive eight page bibliography provides a valuable resource to the reader wishing to further explore a particular historical point, and the twelve page index proved to be an easy route to the book's subject matter.

It is not hyperbole to say that author John Gurda's book seems destined to become one of the most fascinating and easily read accounts of American municipal history ever written. Genealogists, in particular, will appreciate the following wise observation found in the author's Forward: "I am firmly convinced that, as the velocity of change increases, it is increasingly important to rebuild our connections with the past, whether the past involves our families, our home communities, or our entire society. We do so not for comfort but for context, not to feed a misplaced sense of nostalgia but to broaden our understanding of the world around us. History, at its root, is why things are the way they are."

I picked up this book on a whim at a local bookstore, and found it to be a wonderful read. I've always been curious about the history of the area I grew up in, and this book gives a solid introduction to the area. I cannot speak for history buffs of the region, who might quibble with a fact or two, but I'm glad to find such an engaging book on the subject.

Hard to understand the first reviewers remarks.if you buy a book called the making of milwaukee then it better have tedious detail on the subject. this book delivers. the whys and wherefores of milwaukee icons unfold for the reader and visits back to milwaukee become all the more memorable when you know the true history. this is an excellent read not only about milwaukee but about the history of the european melting pot as it grew in the midwest.this book reads like the 'forest gump' narrative of milwaukee...all of the icons come alive in a quick and thorough way.

Milwaukee, how I love thee. Let me count the ways. Those of you who have never been to Milwaukee, or -God forbid- only know what makes the news (kids beating a man to death on a porch, how much the Brewers suck, or Jeffrey Dahmer) ought to invest some time in this midwestern jewel. This is a nice book that helps explain the vibrant background of this metro area of 1.7 million. Famous folks weave through the narrative and we learn about the making of such places as the world famous Milwaukee County Zoo, Milwaukee Art Museum, Miller Brewing, the world reknowned Milwaukee County Museum of Natural History, the Schlitz Audubon Center, and the Mitchell Park Horticultural Domes. John Gurda, resident historian, provides an in-depth view of these places and many other items that have shaped Milwaukee; the settling of the area, bridge wars, the growth of the city and suburbs, annexation battles, public services, neighborhood developent and decline, civil rights, urban blight, changes in industry and service trades, freeway construction etc. etc. The book is also peppered throughout with wonderful archival photographs. A must for any student of urban studies or public administration.

Recommended.

Great information on the making of milwaukee - beer - hard work - hard labor from people who really cared about quality and their image. A stark reminder of what this town has become today. The photos in the book are incredible, including some "lost" ones. Get the book then drive through Milwaukee. You will be surprised how many buildings are still standing!

Even if you're not turned on by the nifty then/now gimmick, the photos are often large size and high quality.

This book is a milwaukee architectural history buff's dream come true.

I absolutely love these books that show the before and after of historical sites. I wish there were more local books like them. Fantastic images and great factual information. I would love to see a book like this for West Milwaukee, West Allis, Wauwatosa, etc, as this book is really more of a downtown book. The Images of America series is really nice, but it doesn't have the then and now perspective Sandra has in hers.

For anyone who lives in Milwaukee or has connections there, this is a great book. The photos are top-notch and I learned a lot about the city from the interesting explanations. My only disappointment was that the Allen Bradley clock tower wasn't in there. Maybe, being built in the early 60s, it didn't qualify as old enough, but it IS the world's largest 4-sided clock (with faces twice the size of Big Ben) and quite a landmark. So 4 1/2 stars if I could :)

Elysium in print! This book is simultaneously informative, beautiful, and intriguing, while fantastically showcasing the supreme City of Milwaukee ... "The German Athens on the Lake." The historic photographs are absolutely fascinating, while the accompanying captions are insightful; additionally, the very premise of the book--a comparison of past and present--is excellent. The only fault I find with this magnum opus is that there could have been a little more attention given to the industrial epicenter of yore--the Menomonee Valley--while there could have been less attention given to churches. Actually, I'm sure any person intimately familiar with Milwaukee will probably be able to pinpoint a handful of locations, neighborhoods, and/or specific buildings that should have been included, but it's hard to fault the author for that fact. Along with Gurda's masterpiece, this is a truly mandatory book for all Milwaukee devotees, and it should be issued to fanatics of our dear history!

I just returned from a road trip and I love this book. The set-up is extremely easy to follow.

I've lived in Wisconsin all my life and have never really explored it. I came across this book and it helped create an interesting experience on the road. There are towns and sights that I would have (and in some cases have) passed by without noticing.

The only thing that could be better is an updated version of this book. There are a few things that are out of date, but otherwise, if you plan on road tripping in Wisconsin, get this book.

This is one of the most enjoyable books I've ever read about my home state--in the midst of so much (generally) endearing weirdness, Jerome Pohlen manages to capture the spirit of this place better than any "Discover Wisconsin" ad campaign I've ever seen.

Pohlen casts a broad swath over the entire state, even above Highway 8 "up nort" (a lot of people tend to forget that we even exist, so it's always refreshing to find someone who hasn't), in search of the strange, the homespun, the downright wacky, even the morbid. And he finds it in spades. Whether you're a local Sconny looking for some ideas for day trips, or an out-of-stater passing through on the way to the Dells, there's something in this book that you'll feel compelled to stop & see. Well, if you're into fiberglass oddities and going somewhere other than Door County, that is.

This is a fun and interesting book about Wisconsin.
Each chapter, according to areas of the state, gets better and better. I couldn't put it down!

If you have an appetite for the curious or offbeat, this book will fill the bill. I don't have plans to visit all the places and things mentioned in this book, but just sitting and reading it was a hoot. Not just a guide to the oddball, but histories and trivia are included. This is Wisconsin at its best.

Most people when they go on vacation go to national parks like the Grand Canyon or theme parks like Disneyland. How many would go to see the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame with a giant embalmed worm on display? Or how about the world's biggest corkscrew? A serial killer's grave? The author saw these things and more in Wisconsin and compiled them into this book. It's an enjoyable journey through Wisconsin's strange side and is recommended for die-hard road trippers or those interested in America's stranger side.

In this particular book, Caroline is 9 years old. About a year or two after moving into their new house near Concord, Caroline and her siblings struggle to survive in their new home, hoping they will fair better then in their first year. One of the changes they have to face now is a new step-father, Mr. Holbrook. Caroline worries that having a new father might replace her real father, who died in a shipping accident 4 years ago.
But after talking to her mother and remembering the acts of kindness Mr. Holbrook did, Caroline realizes the kindness of her new step-father, and though he cannot replace her true father, she comes to accept him as her new, "Pa".
For a litle while, her life goes smoothly with her family and new father, but then an epidemic of Cholera breaks out in Wisconson. Caroline's family is soon affected, and now she must use all her strength and courage to help her them.
This particular book is one of my favorites, and it is also the most difficult to find! I had to wait for awhile before I could find a cheap price. I find the way the prices soar ridiculous and a little greedy. I hope for the sake of Caroline fans it is republished sometime.
Overall though, I love this book. I encourage anyone to read this series.

we guess this is a rare book, since it's selling for over 2,000 dollars. we got it for five dollars, and am now are thinking we should have got five copies if it's selling for so much. But the book itself was great. It's our favorite in the caroline years.
Nataley and Susanna

This book is very well written. It describes Caroline's and her siblings time in the new town of Concord. There is also a drastic epidemic that rips through the community of Concord, and several of members of the Quiner family grow quite ill. There are also several of other obstacles and points that challenge this young family.

This book is about Laura Ingall's Ma when she was nine years old. It reads very much like all the little house books about Laura Ingalls but is even easier to read. In ma's family there were three boys and three girls. Ma was the middle girl. All six of the kids like each other and get along well. Ma's name is Caroline. Her father has been lost at sea five years ago and her mother works cooking for workmen. One day Caroline overhears one of the workmen ask her mother to marry him! We learn a lot in this book like how to preserve vegetables for the winter, what kind of food to buy to last all winter, how to make a beehive, and how to behave when you're invited to a fancy house. There are also some songs like in the little house books about Laura. And we get to meet someone who Laura could have been named after. If only our parents and grandparents could write books like this about their lives. This is truly an enjoyable book.

Caroline's mother has a suprise. Caroline is getting a new Pa. Mr. Holbrook. While Caroline likes having a new Pa her brother Henry doesn't quite feel the same way. Then disaster strikes. Cholera. Everyone catches it except for Joseph and Thomas. Then when everyone gets over the cholera. Then a disaster of a different sort happens frost they have to harvest their vegtables before it hits.

This is an excellent book! This novel will take you on a grand adventure through Brazilian culture, starting with the birth of the protagonist, Pedro Archanjo, in the late 19th century to the 1960's. The story is of the life of Pedro Archanjo, a man of humble means who matures into a novelist and chronicler of the culture and customs of the Bahia state within Brazil. Major themes within the book are the Brazilian prejudices and biases against blacks/mulattoes and the religion that they practise --what we would calll vodoo. The origins of vodoo, and a helpful index of its terms, are discussed at well.

The book is quite entertaining and replete with ribald and nuanced characters. This novel definitely left me with a greater appreciation for the history, culture and development of Brazil.

The name Jorge Amado has been largely ignored by most of the English-speaking world. His passing did not even warrant a note in the NY Times despite his works having been translated into thirty-one languages, filmed, and serialized as soap operas. His books contain some of the most beautiful prose written. There is no limit to the quality of this, in my opinion, his best work. Amado's talent for showing the beauty and glory in the mundane is unmatched. That minor gesture, this habit, those pecularities of character, all become mountains. The protagonist, Pedro Archanjo, is both a free-spirited, entertaining, beloved rogue and a fierce activist for social justice. The locale of Bahía is the home of this tale and the setting could not be better. After an American intellectual celebrity 'discovers' the writings of Pedro Archanjo, a race is on to show who was the biggest supporter of the man who has now become a hero, posthumously. The story occurs along two lines, one is in Archanjo's lifetime and the second during the hoopla generated decades later by the professor from Columbia University. Both tales are resplendent reflections of Bahían life. One has the poverty-stricken barrio of Archanjo's residence with cardsharks, gangsters, capoeiristas and sporting houses. The other modern discos, celebrity worship, and the fantastic possibilities of memory. The tale demonstrates well and humorously the appropriation of history by the present for its own purposes. There are too many wonderful aspects of this novel to describe in this small space. I recommend this novel to anyone who asks for the reason that even with the strife that takes place in it, this book contains a world completely enviable because the people in it seem far more alive than almost any we meet in life.

Tent of Miracles (THE AMERICAS)

Another Masterpiece by Jorge Amado

Although not as fast a read as "Dona Flor and her Two Husbands" or "Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon", "Tent of Miracles" is an outstanding piece of work which relates the entire life and the posthumous celebration of the Centennial of Birth of the mulatto Pedro Archanjo, alias Ojuobá- the Eyes of the King-. Archanjo's struggle throughout his entire life centers around racism, the wellbeing of the mix breed and the understanding of miscegenation in the Brazilian area of Bahia from the early 1900's until the time of his death around the end of WWII. Archanjo is a womanizer, a studhorse who could have only sons, an autodidact who mastered several languages, a grand buddy and companion, a performer of voodoo ceremonies with a free laugh, a dancer, a great conversationalist and listener, a sociologist, an anthropologist, an ethnologist, and, principally, an utterly excellent reader and writer.

Nevertheless, he does not put pen to paper on anything: the core of his work lies on the lives and struggles of the mestizo race and on proving, without little doubt, that the Brazilian face is a mestizo face and its culture is mestizo. He actually accomplishes to put in writing four books, rather pamphlets, namely: "Daily Life in Bahia", "The African Influence on the Customs of Bahia", "Notes on Miscegenation in the Families of Bahia" and a "Cookbook". "Notes on Miscegenation..." was written when he was about fifty years old and proves that no single family in the area was pure white. As a matter of fact, pure or Aryan race was a thing that did not exist in Bahia or in Brazil for all that matters. These facts, which were supported with great evidence, brought about great controversies among the stiff nosed so-called whites of the region. The voodoos ceremonies were prohibited and prosecuted by the police, the intermarriages were just about forbidden or very badly considered and the mulattos, Negroes or mestizos were considered no better than animals.
But what really stroke me was the real friendship that Archanjo was able to pursue with his - so called- twin brother: Lidio Corro, the Miracle Painter at the Tent of Miracles. They both were in love with the same woman, Rosa de Oxalá, however, Archanjo, who could have had the woman he wanted, let go of her for Lidio's sake. The book is also filled with myriad voodoo ceremonies, dances, faithfulness, enchantments, convictions and terminology.

And last, but not least, you get the benefit of a myriad examples of "magical realism" within this wonderful prose.

It is definitely worth the read.

Firstly, I would like to mention that this book was "assigned reading" for a Latin America history class. However, within the first few pages, the lines did not feel like homework. Armado weaves a picutre of Bahian life so vivid that you feel you are walking behind the characters; hence the need to brush the Brazilian dirt. His story gave much insight into Brazilian life and centered, as the other reviewers have mentioned, on the mestizo/mullato struggle. I can only offer one suggestion to future readers: although it's not absolutely necessary, it would enrich the journey through the story if the reader knew at least something about macumba -- black witchcraft or voodoo. I didn't and I wished I had.

This is a book you won't regret reading. There are some great tidbits of true genius.

To me, this is the most important and the best book by Jorge. The book is about the life of Pedro Archanjo, a mulatto man who spent his whole life fighting prejudice. The book teaches you about the Roguish lifestyle Archanjo lived, his growth and maturity and his death. It is very interesting how the interest for why Archanjo wrote grows exponentially as you keep reading. Also, the book deals with the commericalization of Archanjo after his death when an American Genius tells the Brazilian press about his respect for the land of Pedro Archanjo. Within a few days the newspapers make a big deal and lie about the life of Pedro Archanjo to sell ads. The author, a poet suffering the pangs of love, tell you about Archanjo, but also about his personal life. You may ask why I call refer to the author by first name. The reason is because after reading most of his books, I feel like I know him and I tell that this is a must read(this book has the most untraslated terms than any other of Jorge's books, which makes it so much better). If you like Jorge, please email me.

Westmoreland, Joe. "Tramps Like Us", University of Wisconsin Press, 2003.

On The Road

Amos Lassen and Literary Pride

I just revisited Joe Westmoreland's "Tramps Like Us" and found it to be as wonderful and as honest as it was when I first read it. It's a novel written in the first person, a gay odyssey across the United States. It reads like a memoir and a travelogue rolled into one. We visit the gay scenes in various cities--the New Orleans and San Francisco undergrounds and also spend time in New York, Florida and Kansas City. The details are extensive as are the drugs and sex. We get a look at a wasted life but one full of humor and it works beautifully.
The book is the story of a modern Huck Finn--a guy who searches for a place to call home, for a better life. It is a novel in the style of the American picaresque tradition. Written in straightforward prose which at times is lyrical, its humor takes the reader on a tour of America during the 70's and 80's. Things were wilder then, before AIDS, and out narrator took full advantage of his sexual freedom.
When one feels like a refugee in his own country, he tries to find a place where he can fit. Here is a story of coming-of-age at that era when gay liberation began and the epidemic had not hit.
Simply told in simple sentences "Tramps Like Us" embodies both sophistication and purity (not of body but of mind). Possessing the idea of America's manifest destiny, there is an endless search for spiritual truth. Out two heroes--one who has seen and done it all, the other, a naive beginner remind us of the classic road stories.
During the 70's and 80's, the young traversed America having random sex and experimenting with drugs, concerned about music and style and living only to live. That world is gone now, we have been tempered by the threat of disease and drugs gone bad but as Westmoreland writes of it, it sounds like a place that we should all want to visit. His voice is original yet controlled. Everyone has that desire to run away but few actually do it. It is always interesting to read of someone who is running from something to something. Here our narrator (we never know his name) is running toward self-discovery.
Westmoreland gives an epic look at gay life in America with intensity of vision. Aimlessness was the way during the era of the book and the meanings offered in the book give definition to an age altered by the AIDS epidemic. I remember these years ad how things were. We lived hedonistically and without apology and it was both amusing and appalling, but it was real. Westmoreland shows us that.

What got to me most about this book is the author's absolute pureheartedness, despite the hell he's been through. (It's obvious that this is a memoir, despite the disclaimer.) To grow up middle class in the middle west in seeming normalcy, but actually with a psychotic tyrannical father who rapes one's sisters and a mother who does too little too late--and then to maintain one's goodness, well, that's a real achievement, that's something we really should take note of. In that sense, this book reminded me of Dostoyevsky's "The Idiot" because it's about someone who remains good in a world of evil.

There is a good deal of wonder in Tramps Like Us, Joe Westmoreland's engaging, accessible and only occasionally monotonous first-person novel, a work of fiction that reads like a memoir while functioning like a travelogue. Ripping through a series of fevered gay scenes, mainly in underground New Orleans and San Francisco, and briefly in Florida, Kansas City, and New York, Westmoreland's nose for telling detail is always keen, even as his narrator's stays buried in an endless supply of heroin, coke, and whatever other drugs he can get his hands on, along with a non-stop catalogue of frantic sex, dead end jobs or simply joblessness. Combine these trappings of a wasted life with the raging humor evident on nearly every page of this book, and you have a brilliant mix.

The United States of the 70s and 80s that comes across in Tramps Like Us is a relatively easy place for the aimless, good looking, young men and women who fill its pages, so it's especially fitting that Westmoreland let's his characters' actions speak for themselves. It's admirable also that there's a minimum of authorial comments and editorializing, though Westmoreland does spend a great many words on his own thought processes -- as his drug-addicted narrator, who it's impossible ultimately to separate from the author-would be prone to do.

And it's only initially disconcerting that episodes seem to bog down as if with no discernable trajectory, because it's not until the book's last quarter - and the onset of the AIDS epidemic - that one sees, horrifically, that there has been an ongoing and unspoken direction. What happens to the narrator and his circle, who are not passive so much as resolute in their addictions, does have a cumulative effect. Details do not merely agglomerate: they evince meanings greater than the sum of their parts.

If you're young enough to have missed these turbulent years and this lifestyle (no doubt persevering somewhere), this book may be a welcome and probably rude eye-opener. If you simply don't want to believe that people ever lived as hedonistically and unapologetically as they do in Tramps Like Us, you will be amazed and probably appalled. But you won't begrudge the read.

What a wonderful book. Honest, funny, poignant, and ultimately full of the sorts of things that sees a thinking person to actually come through rough experiences to some sort of peace. If you ever wanted to read "Candide" hits America in the late 70's and early 80's this is your book. Joe Westmoreland really has something here. Highly, highly, highly recommended.

This is a wonderful book in the American picaresque tradition, a great read that I couldn't put down. Westmoreland's clean, straightforward, often lyrical prose and deadpan humor carry the reader along on his journey through the America of the mid-70's to 80's. It's a tender reminder of wilder times, told by a narrator who you can't help but love whether you're gay or straight, male or female, or ... whatever!

I have never written a book review and do not have the gift of the written word. But I did want to share my thoughts about this wonderful book. I have never read a book on the Civil War and I am so glad that I finally did and that it was this book. I didn't want to put it down. It expressed in every detail what it was like for a family to live through that war. Dr. Best has done a superb job of research and you feel as if you are there with each and every member of this family. You won't be sorry you purchased the book.

Steven Best did a fantastic job of making you feel you are there with the Best brothers (ancestors for me) as they go through the hard times of the civil war, fighting for what they know is right as taught them by their christian parents. He has done a remarkable job in researching and bringing to life the characters and vivid scenes of the civil war. I had a hard time putting the book down until I had it finished. It's a great book told about great men in an era not to be forgotten. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the civil war.

I liked this book so much that, after twenty pages or so, I closed the book and put it back into my briefcase! My reason was simple-I could see this book was going to be one that I did not want to hurry through; I wanted to take my time and really enjoy it. I was on an airplane flight of less than an hour so I saved it until I had a long cross-country flight. I am glad I did.

When Philosophers Were Kings is the Civil War saga of a Wisconsin family. Our country was only nine-four years old when this family history commences. It begins in Daingerfield, Texas in Northeast Texas, home of a troubled population in 1861, when the Federal Garrison at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor in Charleston, SC is fired upon. You will travel to Big Spring and Portage, Wisconsin on through to Baltimore and on to Bull Run, the infamous creek in NE Virginia that saw two defeats for the Union Army. You will see the battlefields of Perryville, Kentucky, Paint Rock Bridge, Alabama, Murfreesboro, Tennessee and Chickamauga at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. You will get a first-hand description of the Southern military prisons in Danville, Virginia, Libby Prison in Richmond and in Andersonville. The guerrilla conflict in Missouri during the Civil War is weaved into the story as is William C. Quantrill, the Confederate guerrilla chieftain. The Bushwackers and the Jayhawkers are also part of the tale.

Dr. Best and his family before him researched the Best family history and the roles played by various family members in the Civil War. The book explains the impact the events of the war had upon each of them. His family members did as many did in the 1860s-they left their hometowns for battle with cheering crowds and music playing. They carried their unit colors at Perryville until wounded or they were simply left for dead on the battlefield. For them the romance of battle quickly dissolved into a horrible reality of hate, blood, bullets, and death. Each was forever changed and that, of course, is true for any military person who has seen combat. Attitudes changed and even spiritual values were challenged. Best's ancestors came from good families-spiritually solid, morally upright, and socially responsible. In the end it was a strong family that proved to be these soldiers' best asset. You will feel the sense of loss that the family members felt after the battles in which their sons and brothers fought. Best's ancestors' personalities will come alive for you as he relates everything his research has revealed about them.

The information is accurate and comes from seven years of researching the United States National Archives, Union and Confederate Civil War military records, biographies, letters, diaries, and memoirs. Although When Philosophers Were Kings is a work of fiction, nearly all the events are true. It reads like a James Michener novel in that respect. Nonetheless, an author cannot know for certain how anyone, even his own ancestors, would have really thought or acted nearly 150 years ago. There is, therefore, dramatization of events to some degree. It is the story between the lines that is captured so very well by Best.

There is an interesting parallel superimposed on the story of the conflict. Best sets the tone for each chapter with quotations from philosophers, such as, Strepsiades and Socrates, and Greek proverbs. You don't have to be a philosopher to appreciate the motive behind this. However, it was Socrates, who said basically that until philosophers were kings and political greatness and wisdom meet, cities would not have rest. In the Civil War there were two kings, Lincoln and Davis, with two different philosophies. The Civil War was a time when philosophers were indeed kings. There are no familiar legends in this book and this book does not use nostalgia to whitewash the massive destruction and human misery that characterized the Civil War. Still this is not an anti- or pro-war novel. This book is written by a man from the North, who lives in the South, and is well acquainted with war and life's trials. The book doesn't take sides and draws no conclusions. As intricately entwined as the Civil War is in the story, the war is really a backdrop for this family history. It will be enjoyed by Civil War historians and by people who have only a rudimentary knowledge of this period of time. If you want an excellent chronicle of one family's journey, you have it with Stephen Best's When Philosophers Were Kings. It is flat out an excellent read.

Just finished this great little book last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. Steven's depiction of his ancestors, the reality of their doubts about the goodness and plans of the Lord and yet perseverance to push on to obtain character and hope that does not disappoint, I'm sure, characterized his own personal struggle over the last 20-30 years. Through all their struggles, losses, awful death and carnage, they believed that God was in control... they might not know the reason why something happened... but that's ok, cuz that's why God is God and we're not. May I be able to describe to my children and grandchildren as well as he did what their ancestors and forefathers were like and have them relate or hold fast to those precious roots. As you are reading the book, you may want to access his website ... to see pictures of his real ancestors and what happened to them after the Civil War. I would highly recommend the book to any reader

Based on the true story of a Wisconsin family drawn into the dramatic and dangerous events of the American Civil War, When Philosophers Were Kings by former military intelligence analyst Steven M. Best is a powerful novel of two men, both educated in the philosophy of Plato, who must confront the horrors of the American conflict that pitted brother against brother. An impressively written Civil War saga of dilemmas, both physical and spiritual, ruthless conflicts and unforgiving tolls, When Philosophers Were Kings is thoroughly entertaining and will linger in the mind and imagination of the reader long after the novel is finished and placed back upon the shelf.

My two year old son absolutely loves these books. I must admit that I was hesitant about then at first, being a Garth Williams purist and all, but they are well adapted and illustrated. I think that he mostly enjoys the illustrations at his age. Children of any age will enjoy them.

Winter Days in the Big Woods, an adaptation from the Little House on the Prarie classic series, will delight children and peak their interest in Pioneering life. The illustrations capture the attention and imagination of young children, whetting their appetite for more.

In this adaptation, kids get a glimpse into daily life of a close-knit family during Amrerica's pioneering days. Kids will learn about churning butter, baking bread and doing the general daily tasks to run a household and prepare for winter.

For anyone who has loved the original Laura Ingalls Wilder books, or even the television series years ago, this is a perfect introduction to the very young. My children have enjoyed these books for years and have now moved on to the books Wilder herself wrote. Put together, they've created fond, wholesome childhood memories for my children.

This was my daughter's favorite book from the time she was about 3-8 years old. I bought it as a introduction to the original Little House books and continued to collect the entire set of these "First Books". Bright, cheery with excellent artwork showing strong family relationships.

"Winter Days" is one of my favorite books in the "My First Little House Books" series, and one of my favorite books about autumn. The Ingalls family prepares for winter with time for the harvest and food storage. Mary and Laura participate in daily chores and entertain themselves with their rag dolls, paper dolls,and by using a thimble to draw on the frosted window. Beautiful illustrations bring Laura's log cabin world to life, and are an excellent starting point for discussing how life is different then it used to be, and how some things never change.

A true story that will take you back through the years. It will teach a lesson for all of us to know. Very touching.

Wonderfully crafted story depicting life in a small midwestern town. Reminded me of my own father's workshop. He and Dick Probert would have been great friends. Causes one to ponder what really is important and how values are formed. As an instructor in a technical college, I would like to have this book on the reading list for every student and faculty member.

I was fortunate to read a bound galley of ARCHIE'S WAY. It reminds me more of TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE than JOE AND ME, but no matter what you compare it to, this is a book to share with friends. Funny, sad, sweet, and imbued with the scent of sawdust and cutting oil throughout, it's the kind of book that anyone who has ever done any kind of woodworking or metalworking should read. Through work (which may be art without your knowing it), the best kind of lasting friendships are built.

This short memoir is a true love story. The author loves both shopwork and his friend Archie. It is hard to tell which this book is more about. You need not be a shop - either metalworking or woodworking - enthusiast to enjoy the book. Archie was a truly interesting guy and the author portrays him well. The memoir is appropriately brief. Mr. Probert does not waste time nor is there any hint of self-aggrandizement (always refreshing in a memoir). An enjoyable quick read.

Some of us are lucky enough to find a true mentor in our lives, someone who opens our eyes to a special world, and in so doing, gives us a glimpse of ourselves. Such a person is Archie Raasch, the subject of Richard Probert's book Archie's Way. A man of few words and many talents, Archie is an unforgettable character whose down-to-earth wisdom is vanishing from our hurried world.

Archie's Way sparkles with the joy of discovery implicit in new relationships. Probert's mastery of visual, sound and textural detail gives the book sensory complexity without being overbearing. A few of the mechanical descriptions, though were a little too technical for one unfamiliar with the landscape of the workshop. But this was only a minor flaw and did not distract from my overall enjoyment of the book.

There is a line of tension throughout the book that is skillfully drawn so as to tantalize the reader to discover the true nature of Archie and to tap the wellspring of his enigmatic quirkiness. The later chapters move from the technica of the machine shop to the mysteries of the wood shop and the labyrinthian paths of Archie's woods. There amidst the fragrance and beauty of the natural world, the layers of Archie's character are respectfully revealed, the book takes on a warmth, much like the patina of well-worked wood.

Probert is an engaging storyteller with a wonderful sense of character. Archie's Way is a rewarding glimpse into a sadly disappearing way of life.

This book is really well-thought-out and well written. But the best point about "Basic Technical Japanese" is that it pulls no punches regarding the difficulty of the language. The attitude seems to be, "look, this a tough subject, it's a lot of work, we can't and won't make it easy, so let's get on with it." The authors throw a lot of Japanese at the student in a hurry. They introduce the phonetic alphabets (katakana and hiragana) in Chapters 3 and 4. After that, romanized spellings are no longer available, and Japanese words, phrases, and sentences are given as the Japanese read them. Kanji (Chinese characters) are introduced starting in Chapter 5. Following chapters present the grammar and further vocabulary. In other words, Japanese is presented as it really is. This looks (and is) difficult at first. But if the student is persistent and puts in a solid effort up front, he or she soon learns that the writing system, though complicated, really can be learned. One could say that, in addition to presenting the Japanese writing system, the first chapters allow for some early confidence building. It really provides a lift to the student (at least it did to me) to be able to read a little real Japanese after only a few weeks of study.

Too many foreign language textbooks try to simply the learning process. Although this may be valid for many subjects, it probably isn't best for languages. Languages just don't have the basic logic that allows for simplified texts. Languages must be mastered by brute force, meaning lots of memorizing and practicing (and this is especially true of Asian languages). The best language books, therefore, explain grammatical points clearly and thoroughly, present a large basic vocabulary, and try to be as comprehensive as possible. "Basic Technical Japanese" does this very nicely.

One caveat though. Even having said what I said above, trying to tackle the Japanese language and writing system at the same time is a huge chore. I'd say a student might do well to start with some basic introduction, even one that doesn't introduce the writing system, just pick up a little grammar and vocabulary (in fact, I ultimately went back and did just that). The authors of "Basic Technical Japanese" also give several references that I myself have found very handy in that regard.

This is a marvelous book: in a few weeks you will be able of reading and writing phrases like: "zinc and chlorhidric acid mix to produce hydrogen and heat". Very clear, well constructed with a lot of examples and exercises. It does not need a dictionary or else it is totally self contained.

This book is an excellent book for foreign students who want to learn technical Japanese at any level. This is the best book on technical japanese I have seen.

"Basic Technical Japanese" is a monumental achievement. It allows a newcomer to Japanese, on his or her own, to acquire a reading knowledge as well as a cultural understanding of the language within the technical context. From day one, you will feel a real sense of accomplishment and by the end of the text, you will definitely be able to pick up almost any technical article in Japanese and with your trusty dictionary (suggestions on appropriate dictionaries are offered by the authors) be able to read and understand it. This text is also being used in the classroom. One of my favorite books and a good bargain at this price.

I basically agree with many of the other reviewers, but want to be a bit more specific. I attended the Cornell FALCON Program many years ago which focuses on spoken Japanese, but the biggest problem thereafter was developing a professional vocabulary for reading. Virtually all textbooks I knew until this one (except the Jorden book "Reading Japanese" which only covers about 550 kanji) rely on "brute force" memorization of largely unrelated kanji compounds which makes it very hard, even with a good dictionary, to learn to make sense of kanji compounds one has never seen before. I'm probably more determined to read Japanese than most, but brute force just isn't remotely time-efficient and it certainly is no fun.

This book (a very big pedagogical improvement over its predecessor by the same authors "Reading Technical Japanese") teaches you to recognize the building blocks, much as if you were expanding your English vocabulary by learning common Latin and Greek roots, prefixes, and suffixes for English words. And this approach helps build vocabulary well beyond the target areas of math, physics, chemistry, and biology also--I found I could read geography, economics, etc far more easily. Reading unfamilar material can still be hard work, but this book is FAR more efficient and I think gives a greater insight into the language.

It also teaches characteristics of the written scientific language one doesn't pick up in classes on the spoken language.

I literally went from not being able to read a Japanese elementary school math or science book easily (even though I probably knew close to a 1000 general kanji before this book, there were gaps in crucial places that made science very frustrating) to being able to read some college-level science text books and regular technical trade journal after finishing this book. And I worked through this book in about a month--that's what I mean by efficient.

There was nothing quite like it for business and finance (a great problem) and I wish they would tackle that field as well, or that someone would follow their approach.