Jakob, Niklas and Peter Kinnunen grew up playing together on their family's berry farm on the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan's U.P. The three of them inherit the land when their beloved uncle passes away, but Jakob goes to prison and Peter, who goes broke during the 2008 financial crash, calls Niklas and suggests they sell the land for fast cash. Niklas fights back against Peter, but Peter convinces Niklas to take a trip up north, from their homes in Milwaukee, to visit the place and get closure. Haunted by their childhoods and the absence of their beloved Jakob, they spend the weekend drinking, fighting, reminiscing and trying to figure out whether or not to sell. Woven together with moments going back four generations, The Last Huck is the saga of a family ravaged by time and modernity, yet holding on to one another for dear life. "In his first novel, J.D. Austin vividly captures the painful conflicts among the young men as they spend one last weekend in a place that were the scenes of their happiest childhood memories." -Jon C. Stott, author, Summers at the Lake: Upper Michigan Moments and Memories "We are a large country with many regional literatures. I find the analogy between the 19th-century regional novel and J.D. Austin's The Last Huck provocative and literate." -Donald M. Hassler, Professor Emeritus of English, Kent State University "The adventure that ensues not only immediately draws the reader in, but does so in a fashion that makes it virtually impossible to put the book down. It is always a joy for seasoned sojourners to witness young talent, such as J. D. Austin, blossom and flourish as we pass through this life." -Michael Carrier (MA NYU), author, Jack Handler Murder Mysteries / Hardboiled Thrillers J.D. AUSTIN has resided in the Keweenaw since 2019. He has worked as a kayak guide, ski technician and stage carpenter, among other vocations. Austin's fiction has appeared in The Incandescent Review and U.P. Reader Vol. 7. The Last Huck is his first novel.
Winner--Best Biography/Memoir of 2002, Midwest Book Awards (St. Paul, MN)A firsthand account of the lumbering era during the white pine boom years of the late 1800s - early 1900s in the northern U.S. Millions of board feet of logs were cut in deep woods camps, driven down the rivers to the sawmills and shipped by schooner and barge to build a nation. This edition includes 78 historical photographs and illustrations, a glossary, editors' notes, maps, and much more."The lumber barons, the lumberjacks, and the town people who worked in the mills--as well as the happenings of that period... are recalled by one who lived among them. I hope it will be an inspiration to others to set down their memories of the days of falling pine and belt-driven sawmills. Already too much of this story has passed beyond recall... a valuable addition not only to the history of Manistique, but to the state as well." --Ferris E. Lewis, Michigan History, Lansing"An authentic first-hand account... which tells the whole story of big-scale lumbering during the 1890s and early 1900s. Chapter by enthralling chapter, Crowe recounts the times involved in the 'big pine' operations... it rivals anything so far written... rich in description and alive with thrilling episodes." --Marquette Mining Journal"First-hand accounts of the dramatic 'big cut' by participant-observers are always illuminating. William S. Crowe's reminiscence of his years in the woods and the early days of Manistique, at the north end of Lake Michigan in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, was a classic in the 1950s. His granddaughters Lynn McGlothin Emerick and Ann McGlothin Weller have done a real service by republishing his book with ample photos and notes." -- Mary Hoffman Hunt, Midwestern Guides"Focusing on Manistique and meticulously researched, Lumberjack explores the early days of logging and the lifestyles of the countless loggers that filled the woods in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. William Crowe, the author, was a logger himself who collected and relates real stories from the men who were there. This is a mandatory book for anyone interested in the history of the Upper Peninsula. --Mikel B. Classen, author - Historian, True Tales: The Forgotten History of the U.P. and Faces Places & Days Gone By: A Pictorial History of the U.P.From Modern History Press www.ModernHistoryPress.com
What Were Pioneer Days Really Like in the U.P.?The combination of mining, maritime and lumbering history created a culture in the U.P. that is unique to the Midwest. Discover true stories of the rough and dangerous times of the Upper Peninsula frontier that are as enjoyable as they are educational. You'll find no conventional romantic or whitewashed history here. Instead, you will be astonished by the true hardships and facets of trying to settle a frontier sandwiched among the three Great Lakes.These pages are populated by Native Americans and the European immigrants, looking for their personal promised land-whether to raise families, avoid the law, start a new life or just get rich... no matter what it took. Mineral hunters, outlaws, men of honor creating civilization out of wilderness and the women of strength that accompanied them, the Upper Peninsula called to all. Among the eye-opening stories, you'll find True Tales includes:Dan Seavey, the infamous pirate based out of EscanabaAngelique Mott, who was marooned with her husband on Isle Royale for 9 months with just a handful of provisions and no weapons or toolsVigilantes who broke up the notorious sex trafficking rings - protected by stockades, gunmen, and feral dogs - in Seney, Sac Bay, Ewen, Trout Creek, Ontonagon and Bruce Crossing Klaus L. Hamringa, the lightkeeper hero who received a commendation of valor for saving the crews of the Monarch and Kiowa shipwrecksThe strange story of stagecoach robber Reimund (Black Bart) Holzhey The whimsical tale of how Christmas, Michigan got its monikerThe backstories of famous pioneers, such as Peter White, George Shiras III, Governor Chase Osborn and many othersThis book is a gold mine of vacation possibilities, providing dozens of fascinating little-known facts about many of the innumerable attractions found in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. With the aid of a near countless parade of carefully selected historical images, Mikel paints a picture the reader will not ever forget. -- Michael Carrier, author of Murder on Sugar Island (Jack Handler mysteries)"Deeply informative, but never boring, each chapter covers a different event or person in the often dangerous and sometimes lawless Great Lakes frontier. Maybe Michigan natives especially will be surprised by these stories from the state's past. Claussen doesn't focus on the well-known or the glamorous stories, but instead the odd, the little-known, and the people who labored so hard to provide for themselves and their families in an unforgiving and brutal environment. This is a wonderful volume to better understand the little-understood region that is Michigan's Upper Peninsula." -- Axie Barclay, Portland Book Review"It's not that these stories have never been told... yet any collection keeping stories alive seems worthy. The author delves into the darker corners of the U.P. history, some he admits he himself had a hard time believing. All told, the book is a nice sampler and keepsake of the wild, weird, and wonderful things that should have given the Upper Peninsula its own genre of 'Western'." --Konnie LeMay, Lake Superior MagazineLearn more at MikelBClassen.com
Enjoy U.P. Stories from the View of a YooperJoin us for a trip through Michigan's rural Upper Peninsula in this collection of fictional short stories. Let the characters of View from the SideRoad surprise you with their resilience, humor, and unpredictability. Whether it's a sailor who shuns water, an old maid who wants to shoot her cats, or a man who keeps his lover in the junk drawer, the stories range from witty to wry to weepy. Sharon is a master of the short form. As readers of her newspaper column and previous collections will attest, she never disappoints. Her stories will keep you turning the pages and thirsting for more. "Penned by Sharon Kennedy, a hidden gem in the wilds of Michigan's Eastern Upper Peninsula, this book is a fine collection of humorous, satirical, and poignant stories." -Jim Dwyer, Writer, Mackinac Journal "View from the SideRoad weaves vivid tales with warmth and humor. The author really knows how to captivate the reader with tantalizing stories." -Jill Lowe Brumwell, Author of Drummond Island: History, Folklore, and Early People"Sharon Kennedy is one of the Upper Peninsula's premier writers. A well-read columnist in the Eastern U.P., she has turned her attention to writing books and U.P. literature is the better for it. Her stories are reminiscent of Cully Gage's, Northwoods Readers, but with her own spin and style." -Mikel Classen, Author of True Tales: Forgotten History of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, recipient of Charles Follo Award / Historical Society of Michigan"The hallmark of each story is a unique narrative voice and a one-of-a-kind character around which the story is told. In the introduction, the author tells how some of the stories had been handed down or based on stories by both her mother and father. The author's father was an Irishman and was an endless source of great stories. This collection is special because the stories are grounded in the U.P. experience and simultaneously speak to the general human condition." -- Tom Powers, Michigan in BooksLearn more at www.AuthorSharonKennedy.comFrom Modern History Press
Enjoy U.P. Stories from the View of a YooperJoin us for a trip through Michigan's rural Upper Peninsula in this collection of fictional short stories. Let the characters of View from the SideRoad surprise you with their resilience, humor, and unpredictability. Whether it's a sailor who shuns water, an old maid who wants to shoot her cats, or a man who keeps his lover in the junk drawer, the stories range from witty to wry to weepy. Sharon is a master of the short form. As readers of her newspaper column and previous collections will attest, she never disappoints. Her stories will keep you turning the pages and thirsting for more."Penned by Sharon Kennedy, a hidden gem in the wilds of Michigan's Eastern Upper Peninsula, this book is a fine collection of humorous, satirical, and poignant stories." -Jim Dwyer, Writer, Mackinac Journal"View from the SideRoad weaves vivid tales with warmth and humor. The author really knows how to captivate the reader with tantalizing stories." -Jill Lowe Brumwell, Author of Drummond Island: History, Folklore, and Early People"Sharon Kennedy is one of the Upper Peninsula's premier writers. A well-read columnist in the Eastern U.P., she has turned her attention to writing books and U.P. literature is the better for it. Her stories are reminiscent of Cully Gage's, Northwoods Readers, but with her own spin and style." -Mikel Classen, Author of True Tales: Forgotten History of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, recipient of Charles Follo Award / Historical Society of Michigan"The hallmark of each story is a unique narrative voice and a one-of-a-kind character around which the story is told. In the introduction, the author tells how some of the stories had been handed down or based on stories by both her mother and father. The author's father was an Irishman and was an endless source of great stories. This collection is special because the stories are grounded in the U.P. experience and simultaneously speak to the general human condition." -- Tom Powers, Michigan in Books"For some sailors, climbing the career ladder on a Great Lakes freighter involves paying a pungent price as illustrated in the story, 'Tank,' a wonderfully funny portrait of what can happen to a lifelong bachelor oblivious to any sense of personal hygiene. This book is an entertaining read." -Rich Hill, Author of West of the River, North of the BridgeLearn more at www.AuthorSharonKennedy.comFrom Modern History Press
After their beloved Shih Tzu, Chrissy, discovers the body of a popular local psychologist in a snowdrift weeks before the wedding, a series of unexplainable setbacks begin to foil their wedding plans. Is it deliberate sabotage or a curse?
This book is the collected images of Joanna Walitalo''s first five years of woodburning artwork. Pyrography, the use of heat or fire to create an image, is an uncommon and sometimes under-appreciated media in the art world and commonly considered more of a craft. Joanna, like many other Midwest kids, was given a craft wood-burner when she was young, tried it once or twice, burnt herself and subsequently put it away. Many years later, she picked it up again, and this time stuck with it, pushing herself to create high detail, realistic artwork. Her professional background in biology, environmental policies and forestry led her to the idea of incorporating what she had learned about wood products into this unique art form, using her skills as an artist to spread the message of love, beauty and respect for the environment and our natural resources. The concept that all of her work is done on scrap wood builds an ethic of recycling into each piece of art. The name J. Walitalo was chosen because it covers both James and Joanna, a husband and wife team. The Walitalos enjoyed this hobby, where they could work together, James preparing and finishing the wood on which Joanna does her artwork. "It is very satisfying to work together to create something unique and special, especially when I can do it with my best friend," Joanna reflects, referring to her husband James. No two pieces are the same because of the wood--each piece is a different size, species and grain. Sometimes it takes a while to find the right piece of wood for a particular image or to find the right image to fit a particular piece of wood. Each piece of art is done freehand, either drawing from life or from looking at reference photos."Joanna''s vision is honest and straightforward. Walitalo loves wood, and she thoughtfully integrates the natural design of the various wood grains and knots within her rendering. Under Joanna''s experienced craftsmanship, scraps of basswood, pine, curly maple, etc. become her partners in the creative process. Walitalo''s drawings are a wonderful example of the artist uniting her life''s passions with her perfect expressive medium." --Michael Volker, Assistant Professor (Lecturer III) Painting and Drawing, CMU "An extraordinary convergence of art, personal experience, growth and utilization of a renewable resource as a canvas. The narrative depicts and shares with the reader the thinking of the artist, her experiences in life and in her work. Joanna Walitalo has created a collection of artwork that utilizes pyrography to recognize people, nature and landscapes, and brought it to a single work that shares wood, nature and life." --Andrew J. Storer, Dean, College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, MTU "Joanna Walitalo has an amazing capacity to recognize the personality of her subjects-both animal and human-and infuse that element into the finished piece. Using fine lines in either ink or pyrography, she brings forth the character of the time and place in her art. Her ethics of recycling wood that has either been rejected or has passed its time of usefulness as a product, lends heart and value to her work. This is an artist who loves, understands and values the natural world and can bring nature right into your home. Incredible!" --Barb Rogers, Manager, Wildlife Recovery Association, and retired art instructorLearn more at jwalitalowoodburning.com
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