Madison: The Illustrated Sesquicentennial History, Volume 1, 1856–1931 (Volume 1)

Review

“Every page and every illustration selection bears the stamp of Stu Levitan’s passionate and opinionated affection for his adopted hometown. Using a multitude of published and unpublished sources and the magnificent collections of photographs and illustrations available for Madison research, Levitan informs, entertains, engages, surprises, and, in some instances, will outrage. Historically informed Madison readers will have ‘I never knew that’ moments, and newcomers to the Madison area will be astounded to see the transformations wrought since Madison struggled into being in 1837 as a hamlet/capital. Madison historians who now refer offhandedly to Parks, Thwaites, and Mollenhoff have a new name to add to their list: Levitan.”—Jack Holzhueter, historical consultant and retired editor, Wisconsin Magazine of History“A fascinating ramble through the attic of Madison’s past.”—Isthmus“More fun than a yearbook”—The Capital Times“It’s remarkable how hard Stuart worked. It’s great for the city, and it will be enduring for decades and decades to come.”—Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, Mayor of Madison, Wisconsin

About the Author

Stuart D. Levitan is an award-winning print and broadcast journalist and the author of Madison in the Sixties. He has written extensively for local and national publications and hosts public affairs programs on radio and television. A former county supervisor and chair of Madison’s primary land use and housing committees, he has also lectured on civil rights and urban renewal at the University of Wisconsin. From 1987 to 2015, he was a labor mediator/arbitrator for the State of Wisconsin.