H.H. Bennett Studio, in conjunction with the University of Wisconsin Press and representatives of the Ho-Chunk Nation, will host a launch for a new book that traces the historic links between Native Americans and tourism in the Dells and examines how that legacy continues to shape the region. Picturing Indians (University of Wisconsin Press) explores the career of pioneering 19th-century photographer H.H. Bennett, "the man who made Wisconsin Dells famous." Bennett's celebrated landscapes and his portraits of the Dells' original inhabitants, the Ho-Chunk, attracted visitors from across the nation to our state and transformed the Dells into a modern tourist mecca. In examining Bennett's Native American portraits, author Steven Hoelscher provides a revealing look at relations between Indian and non-Indian communities and emphasizes the deep, longstanding and continuing ties between the Ho-Chunk Nation and Dells tourism. At the reception Hoelscher presented copies of the book to Ho-Chunk cultural advisors and representatives of the Bennett Studio. Ho-Chunk drummers in traditional regalia were on hand to mark the occasion, joined by members of Native American Tourism of Wisconsin. The historic 1875 studio of pioneer landscape photographer H.H. Bennett has been restored to its 1908 appearance. The studio and attached museum contain exhibits depicting the life and times of the man whose work brought tourists by the trainload to marvel at the beauty of the rugged Wisconsin Dells beginning in the late 19th century. Exhibits depict Bennett's prolific career, and high-end computer monitors reveal magnificent 3-D panoramas he captured on stereographic cameras he built by hand.

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Wisconsin in Words featured author Robert Booth Fowler and his book Wisconsin Votes: An Electoral History, on Thursday, May 29th. Host John Powell discussed Wisconsin election trends and history with Fowler at the WisconsinEye Studios in Madison. They talked about many factors of voting for Wisconsinites, including ethnic and religious trends, as well as successes and failures of major parties.

WisconsinEye attended one of the special programs hosted by the Verona Public Library, on Wednesday, May 21st. Author Tom Farley read from and answered questions about his book The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts. Farley shared stories about his brother Chris, and talked about why he decided to write the book.

Joan Sanstadt talks with Lisa Kivirist, one of the lead writers of Renewing the Countryside Wisconsin.  The book showcases several businesses and organizations around the state from farming to conservation and culture to tourism.  These places highlight rural communities and innovations, and the importance in the economy.

The Flavor of Wisconsin is the creation of Terese Allen, who writes cookbooks, travel guides and articles about the good food, good folks and good fun of her native state. Due out in 2009, Allen spent some time with WisconsinEye in her kitchen describing what excites her about Wisconsin ingredients and food culture. Food columnist for Wisconsin Trails magazine and Madison’s Isthmus newspaper, Terese is a cooking teacher and former chef whose passion is seasonal cooking and regional foodways.

State Senator Carol Roessler joins host John Powell at the WisconsinEye Studios to discuss the book Politicians Say the Dumbest Things. The book of quotes was collected by Senator Roessler. The program features a number of quotes included in the book. Powell and Roessler discuss the topic of media scrutiny of legislators. Roessler shares memories of her time serving in the state legislature.

Joseph M. Moran and Edward J. Hopkins, co-authors of Wisconsin’s Weather and Climate, talk with John Powell at the WisconsinEye Studios on May 5th. The Wisconsin In Words program featured discussion about the history and trends of weather conditions in Wisconsin. They also talked about today’s concerns over global warming and climate changes.

Joan Sanstadt travels to Winneconne to talk with sisters Jean Sanvidge Wouters, Diane Sanvidge Seckar, and their mother Helen Sanvidge about the cookbook Apple Betty and Sloppy Joe. Jean and Diane, along with their two other sisters wrote the cookbook including their favorite family recipes, along with stories about food and growing up. Jean and Diane also demonstrate how to make Apple Betty, one of the title dishes.

In conjunction with the publishing of Dale Van Atta's new biography of former Secretary of Defense and Wisconsin Congressman Melvin Laird, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum in Madison on April 22 sponsored a book signing and panel discussion featuring, James Baughman, Chair, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism; Reed Hall, Marshfield Clinic Executive Director; George Herring, Professor of History, University of Kentucky; Jeremi Suri, Professor of History, University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Dale Van Atta, author, "With Honor: Melvin Laird in War, Peace, and Politics."

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On April 22, 2008 Joan Sanstadt interviewed Dale Van Atta, author of "With Honor: Melvin Laird in War, Peace, and Politics." The book tells of the accomplishments of one of the most influential politicians from Wisconsin, Melvin Laird. Laird served as a Congressman, as well as Secretary of Defense. Laird worked to expand federal funding for medical research and health care. He also played a key role in military history with Vietnam troop withdrawal and promotions of women in the military.

WisconsinEye showed up at Avol's Bookstore during National Poetry Month for a poetry reading by "Wisconsin People & Ideas" statewide contest winners on April 17. Contest winners Christine Taylor, Gillian Nevers, and Christina Olson, as well as ten runners' up, read from their work. WP&I is the membership magazine of the nonprofit Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters (www.wisconsinacademy.org).

On April 8, 2008, two of the authors of Wisconsin Korean War Stories, Jennifer Miller and Sarah Larson, were at the Verona Public Library to discuss their book and read some excerpts. The book is a project of the Wisconsin Historical Society and Wisconsin Public Television, and is a companion to the documentary film produced by WPT by the same title.

Host John Powell discusses the book "Wisconsin Where They Row: A History of Varsity Rowing at the University of Wisconsin" with author Brad Taylor. The book highlights the history of rowing at the University of Wisconsin, and recounts its beginnings as the first UW intramural sport in 1874. Powell and Taylor discuss the importance of rowing for the University, the state, and society in general, at the WisconsinEye Studio in Madison, April 1st.

As part of our Wisconsin In Words program, Joan Sanstadt interviewed Doug Miller, Director of Folklore Village in Dodgeville, Wisconsin. Miller and Folklore Village were featured in the book, Renewing the Countryside – Wisconsin. The book showcases thirty-nine creative, hard-working people, organizations and businesses that represent energetic, innovative visions for Wisconsin's countryside. Following the interview, Program Director Melissa Leef led a tour of Folklore Village.

The Portage Public Library Book Club discussed August Derleth's "Shadow in the Glass." The discussion was lead by Hans Jensen and focused on themes of politics then and now, the shaping of Wisconsin's infrastructure, the conflicts over placement of Wisconsin's state capitol, and the relationship between Wisconsin's first Governor and his first lady.

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As part of our Wisconsin In Words program, Joan Sanstadt interviewed Bob Wills, manager and owner of Cedar Grove Cheese in Plain, WI. Wills and his cheese plant were featured in the book, Renewing the Countryside – Wisconsin. Capturing Wisconsin's vibrant rural heartbeat, Renewing the Countryside – Wisconsin tells the story of how this state leads the nation in forward-looking answers to the challenges facing today's rural economy and communities. The book showcases thirty-nine creative, hard-working people, organizations and businesses that represent energetic, innovative visions for Wisconsin's countryside. Project partners in developing the book are: Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service (MOSES), The Northern Center for Community and Economic Development (UW-Superior and UWEX) and Renewing the Countryside. Distributed by University of Wisconsin Press.

The Portage Public Library Book Club discussed John Muir's "The Story of My Boyhood and Youth." The discussion was lead by Anne Klein and focused on such themes as Muir's view of nature, his inventions and the impacts and importance they had on his life, his relationship with his father, and his life in south central Wisconsin.

The Portage Public Library Book Club discussed Zona Gale's "Birth". The discussion was preceded with a slide show presentation by Judy Eulberg on Zona Gale's life, highlighting her relationship with the city of Portage. Discussions touched on themes and characters, and also explored the possible relationship between elements in the book and Gale's real life in Portage.

Author Doug Schmidt held a book signing for his new book "They Came to Bowl: How Milwaukee Became America's Tenpin Capital." The signing was held at the historic Holler House in downtown Milwaukee on December 4. WisconsinEye spoke with Doug Schmidt about the history of bowling in Milwaukee and throughout Wisconsin, and with Marcy Skowronski, the owner of Holler House, about the history of the Holler House tavern and bowling lanes.

Editor in Chief of AARP Publications in Washington, Hugh Delehanty, gave a book reading of the new book "The Power of Experience: Great Writers Over 50 on the Quest for a Lifetime of Meaning," at Barnes & Noble West in Madison on December 6. The event was hosted by AARP. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. The book was compiled and edited by Jeremy Janes.

Editor in Chief of AARP Publications in Washington, Hugh Delehanty, gave a book reading of the new book "The Power of Experience: Great Writers Over 50 on the Quest for a Lifetime of Meaning," at Barnes & Noble West in Madison on December 6. The event was hosted by AARP. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. The book was compiled and edited by Jeremy Janes.

Author James Campbell, a Wisconsin native discusses his new book "The Ghost Mountain Boys" a book about a battle fought in the Pacific theatre during World War II. Campbell gave a book reading at Border's Books in Madison on November 20.

Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author, David Maraniss, discusses his book "When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi" at a branch of the Madison Public Library on November 11/15. A Wisconsin native, Maraniss, currently works as an associate editor at the Washington Post. He won the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for coverage of Bill Clinton during his 1992 campaign for president. Maraniss also authored "Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero," "They Marched into Sunlight," and "First in His Class: A Biography of Bill Clinton."

Hosted by Border's Books and Wisconsin People and Ideas, the membership magazine of the nonprofit organization the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters, this program is a spin off National Public Radio's "This I Believe" programming. The radio segment, short, first-person essays expressing an author's personal belief, insight, or guiding life principle, was adapted for this event focusing on Wisconsin authors. The event was held at Borders Books West on November 15. The Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters, founded in 1870, is an independent, nonprofit organization, separate from state government and the university. Funded by grants, private endowments and members, the academy aims act as a catalyst for ideas and action.

Joan Sanstadt interviewed Randall Davidson, author of 9XM: WHA Radio and the Wisconsin Idea, about the first radio station in Wisconsin in WisconsinEye Studios in Madison on October 24.

Author Erika Janik unearths the stories that she said got lost to history even though they may have made local headlines at the time. Her book "Odd Wisconsin" features stories from Wisconsin's past that she said will surprise, perplex, astonish, and otherwise connect readers with the state's fascinating history. Janik discussed the book on October 14 at the Wisconsin Historical Museum in Madison, Wis. as part of the Wisconsin Book Festival. The Wisconsin Book Festival is the state's largest literary festival, according to organizers, with approximately 10,000 annual attendees, making it one of the largest in the nation, they say.

Author and University of Wisconsin-Madison English Professor Caroline Levine ("Provoking Democracy: Why We Need the Arts") discusses her book with Jane Simon, curator of exhibits at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Arts. Levine argues that the arts serve democracies best when they deliberately disrupt domestic tranquility. This event, part of the Wisconsin Book Festival took place at the Helen C. White Hall on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. The Wisconsin Book Festival is the state's largest literary festival, according to organizers, with approximately 10,000 annual attendees, making it one of the largest in the nation, they say.

Authors Matthew Rothschild ("You Have No Rights") and Chris Finan ("From the Palmer Raids to the Patriot Act: A History of the Fight for Free Speech in America") discussed the cost of tranquility in America. This event, part of the Wisconsin Book Festival, took place at the Venue Red Gym in Madison, Wis. on October 12. The Wisconsin Book Festival is the state's largest literary festival, according to organizers, with approximately 10,000 annual attendees, making it one of the largest in the nation, they say.

Author Michael Perry discusses his book "Truck" at Borders Books and Music in Madison Wisconsin on October 11 as part of the Wisconsin Book Festival. Raised on a small dairy farm, Perry equates his writing career to cleaning calf pens -- 'just keep shoveling, and eventually you've got a pile so big, someone will notice.' The Wisconsin Book Festival is the state's largest literary festival, according to organizers, with approximately 10,000 annual attendees, making it one of the largest in the nation, they say.

The winning entries from the 2007 Wisconsin People and Ideas magazine/Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops Writing Contest, read their works as part of this Wisconsin Book Festival event on October 11. First place short story contest winner was Christopher Scalia, a doctoral candidate in English Literature at UW-Madison; second place was Kirk Farber, a novelist formerly of Milwaukee; and Ingrid Aamot, a freelance artist and graphic designer from Madison, took third place honors. For poetry, the top winner was Joel Friederich, a poet living in Sarona, in northwest Wisconsin; second place was Sara Parrell, a practicing nurse and writer from Madison; and third place was Kay Sanders, a poet and essayist from Oshkosh. The event took place at Avol's Bookstore in Madison, Wis. The Wisconsin Book Festival is the state's largest literary festival, according to organizers, with approximately 10,000 annual attendees, making it one of the largest in the nation, they say.

Authors and scholars, Bob McChesney and John Nichols, challenged assumptions about the mass media, while asserting that the health of the democracy relies profoundly on a media sector that is courageous, free and unfettered during this Wisconsin Book Festival event at the Overture Center in Madison, Wis. on October 11. Nichols, a columnist with The Capital Times and The Nation, and McChesney, a professor of communications at the University of Illinois, are the authors of many political books, including Tragedy and Farce: How the American Media Sells Wars, Spins Elections, and Destroys Democracy. The Wisconsin Book Festival is the state's largest literary festival, according to organizers, with approximately 10,000 annual attendees, making it one of the largest in the nation, they say.

Author Larry Widen, owner of the Times Cinema in Milwaukee, and Dave
Luhrssen, Arts and Entertainment editor of the Shepherd Express, discuss the movie palaces of Milwaukee’s past at UW-Milwaukee’s Union Theater on October 5.

Four established Milwaukee writers, attempted to bridge the artificial gap between generations when they introduced four younger writers during this Wisconsin Book Festival event. The eight readings highlighted the continuity of Milwaukee's writing community and introduce new voices to audiences. Susan Firer, author of the poetry collection “The Laugh We Make When We Fall,” introduced Ellen Elder, a doctoral student in creative writing at U.W. Milwaukee. Jim Hazard, author of “Fire in Whiting, Indiana,” which was chosen as a Notable Book by the Library Association, introduced James Blessington, whose stories have appeared in Phoenix, Projected Letters, and Arbutus. Kimberly Blaeser, U.W. Milwaukee professor and author of the poetry collections Apprenticed to Justice and “Trailing You,” introduced Carol Lee Saffioti-Hughes, author of the poetry chapbook “The Lost Italian” and the Sound of Words.” John Koethe, Milwaukee's first poet laureate and author of the poetry collection, “Sally's Hair,“ introduced Chuck Stebelton, the author of “Flags and Banners” and “Circulation Flowers” and Literary Program Manager at the Woodland Pattern Book Center. The Wisconsin Book Festival is the state's largest literary festival, according to organizers, with approximately 10,000 annual attendees, making it one of the largest in the nation, they say. This event took place on October 4.

Author Frank Aukofer reads from the new edition of his book “City With A Chance,” which is dedicated to his time as a Milwaukee Journal reporter during the turbulent days of 1967 where Milwaukee experienced a race riot and open housing demonstrations led by Father Groppi. The event took place at the Harry W. Schwartz Bookshop in Milwaukee on October 1.

Bob Kann presents a program to the Culinary History Enthusiasts of Wisconsin (CHEW) organization about Lizzie Kander, founder of the Settlement House in Milwaukee. Bob’s book, “A Recipe for Success: Lizzie Kander and Her Cookbook,” chronicles Kander’s life as an educator of Jewish immigrants to help assimilate them into their new American way of life. Compiled from her cooking classes for young girls, Kander published a fundraising cookbook, The Way to A Man's Heart ... The Settlement Cook Book, which has sold over 2 million copies. Kann spoke to a crowd gathered at the Willy Street Coop in Madison, Wis. on October 3.

Jerry Apps reads from his new book about a young farmer who manages a Midwestern pickle factory in 1955. Mixing humor with rural history, “In a Pickle” is a lament for a way of farm life lost to corporate farming, but it is also a hopeful story about the strength tradition still has to inform and inspire daily life. Apps spoke to a crowd at Madison’s Seqouya Branch Library on September 26.

Author and Denver sports writer, Terry Frei, discussed his book, "Third Down and a War to Go," with Joan Sanstadt on September 21. The new second edition of the book delves into the lives of the 1942 UW Badgers football team who served on all fronts during World War II.

Steve Walters, Madison Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, interviewed Sanford Horwitt, author of "Feingold: A New Democratic Party." A Milwaukee native who now resides in Arlington, Va., Horwitt conducted numerous interviews for his book with U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Middleton, his family, colleagues and friends to paint a portrait of the Wisconsin Senator from his early childhood years in Janesville through his current position as what Horwitt called one of the most independent members of Congress.

Joan Sanstadt interviewed author, Michael Bie, about his book, "It Happened in Wisconsin" in Madison, Wis. on September 14. The book offers a historical view of some familiar and some not-so-familiar stories from Wisconsin’s past.

Host Joan Sanstadt interviewed author Jon Kasparek about his book, “Fighting Son: A Biography of Philip F. LaFollette,” on August 24. The book examines the life of “Fighting Bob” LaFollette’s youngest son, Philip, from childhood through his life of public service.

Authors Ruby West Jackson and Walter T. McDonald discussed their book "Finding Freedom: The Untold Story of Joshua Glover, Runaway Slave." The book tells Glover's story from his escape from a St. Louis plantation, his arrest by a federal marshal in Racine, Wis. and his quest for freedom, which took him to Canada during the middle of the 19th century.

Author Sheila Cohen discussed her children's book "Mai Ya's Long Journey" with Wisconsin In Words Host Joan Sanstadt. The subject of the book Mai Ya Xiong also joined the conversation about the book which followed her family's journey from Loas to the United States.

Terese Allen read from her new book "Café Wisconsin Cookbook" at Madison's Borders Books west location June 5. The cookbook consists of recipes collected from local cafes throughout Wisconsin.

Author Jerry Apps, a professor emeritus of Agriculture at the University of Wisconsin, grew up on a dairy farm in the 1940's. He has written more than 35 books, many on rural history and country life. He talks about his most recent work "Living a Country Year: Wit and Wisdom from the Good Old Days," a book which chronicles each month of the year with a story and wit from his days on the farm.

Author Robert A. Birmingham discusses his book "Aztalan: Mysteries of an Ancient Indian Town," about what archaeologists have learned from one of the state's premiere archaeology sites near Lake Mills. For many years Birmingham served as Wisconsin State Archaeologist and currently teaches at the University of Wisconsin -- Waukesha. The book was published by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press.

Madison's Borders Books hosted authors William Tishler and Margaret Bogue on May 14 to discuss their most recent works. Tishler's "Door County's Emerald Treasure" discusses one of Wisconsin's oldest parks and Bogue's Around the "Shores of Lake Superior" is a guide to discovering what Lake Superior's shoreline has to offer.

Author Yi Fu Tuan discusses his book "Coming Home to China," about returning to his homeland after being away for many years. The event was held at Madison's Border's west bookstore May 10.