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Midwestern History and Culture

Heartland: Comparative Histories of the Midwestern States

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" . . . an impressive collection of essays . . . gives as clear a picture of the Midwest as a whole as one is likely to get." ―Journal of American History

" . . . excellent insight into how and why the midwest ticks so well in a unique beat of its own." ―South Bend Tribune

"[Madison] can take a bow for a job well done." ―Indianapolis News

"I found Heartland to be a treasure. Had I turned a dog-ear each time I read something worth remembering, the book would be in tatters. . . . a wonderful companion." ―Myron A. Marty, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"An ambitious book, full of insight, which provides a useful first step in trying to understand that elusive entity―the Midwest." ―Clifford E. Clark, Jr., Minnesota History

" . . . strong and interestingly written . . . " ―Indianapolis Star

" . . . should be of interest to the serious reader of history who is curious about the Midwest, its origins, its development and its constituent states." ―Northwest Ohio Quarterly

" . . . these essays are the stuff of excellent and readable intellectual history . . . " ―History

" . . . a successful achievement. Heartland is an enjoyable book . . . " ―Great Plains Quarterly

"Because this book has the capacity to affect one's thinking, it deserves to be read. It may even persuade some readers to discard the term Middle West." ―Richard S. Kirkendall, Gateway Heritage

"Heartland is an excellent presentation, in summary, of the history and background of the 12 Midwestern states." ―Journal of the West

To the cultural czars of the two coasts, America's heartland is frequently depicted as an amorphous, undifferentiated mass of land and people. Twelve experts examine individual states of the Midwest, examining the origins and nature of the unique midwestern cultural Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

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First published February 1, 1988

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About the author

James H. Madison

48 books15 followers
James H. Madison is the Thomas and Kathryn Miller Professor of History Emeritus, Indiana University Bloomington. Madison serves on the boards of Indiana Humanities and the Indiana Historical Society and is a member of the Indiana Bicentennial Commission. He began teaching Indiana history in 1976 and has lectured and consulted widely on Indiana topics.

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Profile Image for Marvin.
2,247 reviews68 followers
October 23, 2009
A series of well-written, 20–30-page essays on the history of each of 12 midwestern states. Nearly all claim that their state is the most typically midwestern, and therefore the most typically American.
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