For my Merry Christmas present for you this year I offer recommendations of two of the books I am reading. You can find them yourself, I use Libby.
“Polka Heartland, Why the Midwest Loves to Polka” by Dick Blau and Rick March. Yeah, pretty clear what this book is about. By the way, Polka is still alive in Wisconsin from where me and the authors hail. This book covers the history, the culture, the people and venues here in beautiful cheesehead land. It’s text and lots of pictures. By the way, polkas here are played by “Dutchmen”, not because they are from the Netherlands, although some of the backwoods taverns might be. It’s a cultural experience, let’s leave it at that. I’m about the only Polka King left up here where you used to be able to run into one every time you tripped over a rock. Just sayin’
“Driftless” by David Rhodes takes place in “Schottische Heaven,” the “Driftless Area” of Wisconsin/Minnesota/Iowa. So called because there is no “Drift” here. Weird, huh? I’m not telling you what Drift is, you have to go read the book. Anyway, there are no accordions in the book, and more concertinas and squeezeboxes (what you call “melodeons”) than (piano) accordions anyway. Rolands and CBAs are seen as curious interlopers. The reason I bring this up is because amongst all the interesting characters in the interweaving stories is a cougar (the four legged variety which I have yet to see) and a mediocre (in her own mind) bass player trying to get by in the area dance bands, the musical connection. I didn’t tell you much of the story, but it’s well written and very telling of the culture of the Driftless. Plus I know you have google.
Anyway, Merry Christmas to you and please, tell us what books you got for us. Thanks!
“Polka Heartland, Why the Midwest Loves to Polka” by Dick Blau and Rick March. Yeah, pretty clear what this book is about. By the way, Polka is still alive in Wisconsin from where me and the authors hail. This book covers the history, the culture, the people and venues here in beautiful cheesehead land. It’s text and lots of pictures. By the way, polkas here are played by “Dutchmen”, not because they are from the Netherlands, although some of the backwoods taverns might be. It’s a cultural experience, let’s leave it at that. I’m about the only Polka King left up here where you used to be able to run into one every time you tripped over a rock. Just sayin’
“Driftless” by David Rhodes takes place in “Schottische Heaven,” the “Driftless Area” of Wisconsin/Minnesota/Iowa. So called because there is no “Drift” here. Weird, huh? I’m not telling you what Drift is, you have to go read the book. Anyway, there are no accordions in the book, and more concertinas and squeezeboxes (what you call “melodeons”) than (piano) accordions anyway. Rolands and CBAs are seen as curious interlopers. The reason I bring this up is because amongst all the interesting characters in the interweaving stories is a cougar (the four legged variety which I have yet to see) and a mediocre (in her own mind) bass player trying to get by in the area dance bands, the musical connection. I didn’t tell you much of the story, but it’s well written and very telling of the culture of the Driftless. Plus I know you have google.
Anyway, Merry Christmas to you and please, tell us what books you got for us. Thanks!
