Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Lyons, John J., ed.
Wisconsin. A Guide to the Badger State.
American Guide Series, Works
Projects Administration, 1941. From the mother of all guidebook series, the Wisconsin
edition,nearlysevendecadesold,isstillthestandardforanyoneinterestedinthehistory,
natural history, and culture of the state.
Ostergren, Robert C., and Vale, Thomas R., ed.
Wisconsin Land and Life.
Madison:
University of Wisconsin Press, 1997. This amazing (heavy but eminently readable) book
may be the most perfect synthesis of natural history and cultural geography.
Leary, J.
Wisconsin Folklore.
Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1998. Linguistics,
storytelling, music, song, dance, folk crafts, and material traditions. The chapter on Mil-
waukeeisms is worth the price of the topic. Even the Smithsonian has recognized the
uniqueness of the topic.
McAnn, D.
The Wisconsin Story: 150 Years, 150 Stories.
Milwaukee:
Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel,
1998. Most articles are about historical minutiae most folks have never heard
about but are fascinating highlights to the general history books. It's engaging and prob-
ably your best bet for an easy vacation read.
Nesbit, Robert.
Wisconsin: A History.
Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1989. This
is standard reading.
Boudreau, Richard, ed.
The Literary Heritage of Wisconsin: An Anthology of Wisconsin
Literature from Beginnings to 1925.
La Crosse, WI: Juniper Press, 1986. This is a con-
densed version of the state's literary canon.
Perry, Michael.
Population: 485
(Harper Perennial, 2002);
Truck: A Love Story
(Harper
Perennial, 2006); and
Coop
(HarperCollins, 2009). Wisconsin has had a few luminaries
of literature (Jane Hamilton, Kelly Cherry, Lorrie Moore, et al.), but Perry is the best au-
thorinthestate.Toexperiencesmall-townWisconsininawonderfullylow-key,hilarious
way, read these books.
