Once, I had the pleasure of spending a little time with John Eastberg at The Pabst Mansion. Though we’d never before met, when I arrived I found that John had pulled out a sampling of architectural drawings and photos of old schoolhouses drawn by Ferry and Clas.
Quickly, I learned that Eastberg is not only a veritable encyclopedia of Milwaukeeana, but appreciates the same things I do and, most importantly, is outgoing, friendly, welcoming and not only willing, but eager, to share the Brew City treasures he’s unearthed in his decades of research.
His recent book on Frederick Layton, "Layton’s Legacy," was a wonder of research, history and book design.
Now, Eastberg dishes up "Pabst Farms: The History of a Model Farm," published in a stunningly lavish hardcover edition distributed by the University of Wisconsin Press.
Page after page of astonishing historical images, from farm shots to portraits to beer labels to images of buildings, bring to life the farms west of Milwaukee that Pabst operated to feed its hungry Cream City brewery.
As always, laced through the photographs is Eastberg’s history of the farm, written in his trademark compelling, readable style, making this surely the best book of Milwaukee or even Wisconsin history of 2014.
Available at local bookshops and via Amazon.
A book that’s been getting a lot of use since it landed on my desk a few months ago is "Bibliography of Metropolitan Milwaukee," compiled by Ann M. Graf, Amanda I. Seligman and Margo Anderson and published in hardcover by Marquette University Press.
Arranged thematically, the 300-plus-page bibliography lists hundreds, nay thousands, of works about Brew City, from historical works to articles and books about race relations, business and industry, social and economic conditions, politics and government, law and much more.
Available at local bookshops and at Amazon.
From author John Lubetkin comes "Custer’s Gold," an historical novel set in Wisconsin around the time of the Civil War.
"145 years ago few states followed with greater interest the construction of the nation’s second transcontinental railroad, the Northern Pacific than those along the Mississippi and Ohio rivers," said Lubetkin in an email. "Wisconsin, for example, was another state which enormously benefited from the just completed (1869) Transcontinental Railroad, and had little if nothing to gain from a competitive railroad.
"Thus, with conflicted interest, Wisconsin residents followed the army in general and the popular Custer in particular as they protected the surveyors (with varying degrees of success) in battles with the Sioux along the picturesque Yellowstone River. While Wisconsin’s citizens certainly weren’t about to root for the Indians, they certainly wanted the Northern Pacific Railroad to fail."
"Custer’s Gold" builds on a "volatile mix of Custer, Sheridan, Grant, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, stolen gold, robber barons, wholesale corruption and romance." Published in September, the book is available from Amazon.
In an entirely different vein is Calie Herbst’s self-published paperback, "A Mom’s Guide to Milwaukee." Herbst – who has been a contributor to OnMilwaukee.com and runs MiltownMoms.com – offers up a handy companion for parents (not just moms!) seeking out Milwaukee fun with the little ones.
There are chapters covering great options for arts and crafts, for birthday parties, for day trips. You can locate the best beaches, the most family friendly restaurants, indoor playgrounds and museums.
There are also suggestions for cooking classes, dance lessons, opportunities for community service and the best memberships for your family.
Clean, well-organized and easy to use, this guide should be in your glove compartment. Available at local bookshops and at Amazon.
Recent titles from the fabulous Wisconsin Historical Society Press include...
"Little Hawk and the Lone Wolf," a Menominee memoir by Raymond C. Kaquatosh that is also a gripping coming of age story on a Wisconsin reservation.
"The Heart of Things," by John Hildebrand, is subtitled, "A Midwestern Almanac," and is a book of days rooted in the seasons of the Badger State.
"Seventh Generation Earth Ethics: Native Voices of Wisconsin," by Dr. Patty Loew, profiles a dozen influential members of Wisconsin Indian Nations, each of whom uses the Ojibwe’s "Seventh Generation Philosophy" in making environmental decisions that will impact the land for generations to come.
"Cris Plata: From Fields to Stage," by Maia A. Surdam, is the latest in the publisher’s Badger Biography Series for young readers, and profiles the ongoing journey of Wisconsin farmer turned musician Cris Plata.
"Blaze Orange: Whitetail Deer Hunting in Wisconsin," by Travis Dewitz, chronicles the tradition and lifestyle of Wisconsin’s annual deer hunt in this illustrated hardcover.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
