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| © John Gurda |
As I’ve dabbled more and more into this writing thing, my thirst for really good writers and well-written commentary has grown commensurately, resulting in an almost daily search for something good to read.
It hasn’t been easy to find in our local paper. I’ve complained a time or two about the slants the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel takes on things, most recently their apparent vendetta against the Milwaukee Police Department and Chief Ed Flynn (who was a classmate of mine in high school, believe it or not, but that’s another story), leading one to believe that we have a less than stellar police department when in my opinion the opposite is true.
How was I to know some of the best writing was right here in Milwaukee? If you’re not aware, you should be.
During one of my recent rants about this, my wife Laura handed me the Crossroads section of the Journal Sentinel, and said, “Here, if you’re looking for something well-written, read John Gurda’s column.”
I rarely got to the Crossroads section and was only slightly familiar with John Gurda. I knew he had done “The Making of Milwaukee,” the first feature length history of Milwaukee published since 1948. MPTV actually did a series based on the book in 2006 that won an Emmy. But I didn’t know he wrote a monthly column.
I’ve come to find out that John is an accomplished writer and probably the most noted Milwaukee historian around. John writes about what’s good about Milwaukee and what needs fixing. If you want to know ANYTHING about Milwaukee’s history, you probably can find it in one of John’s columns.
Gurda’s thoughtful, insightful approach is compelling, with an historical flavor. He has a refreshing style that is descriptive and to the point yet easy to read. My wife has been a Gurda fan for many years and describes his writing as “poetic; it just draws you in.” I have to agree.
His most recent submission, in Sunday’s Crossroads section, talks about the positive impact made by the Recreation and Community Services division of MPS, who he says is responsible for “enriching the lives of local citizens…” For all the bad things we’ve been hearing about MPS lately, Gurda’s assessment and perspective is refreshing. You can read it here.
I could go on and on about how enjoyable Gurda’s columns are, but if you don’t know already, you should find out for yourself. This search page on JSOnline gives you access to John’s recent work.
My suggestion is to reserve the first Sunday morning of every month for coffee and some quiet time. Grab the Journal Sentinel, pull out the Crossroads section, and enjoy a really compelling perspective on Milwaukee. As John’s web site says, “The past is always present.”
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You can see John in person at the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center on Saturday January 7 at 7:30 p.m. His talk is about “A Region Built on Water,” discussing how Milwaukeeans have used – and abused – their water resources, all the way from native American times to recently. He is sure to have an insightful spin on this critical situation.
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Follow me on twitter: @jpalmer7890
https://www.milwaukeemag.com/blog/PalmersPerspective
