Land of Amber Waters: The History of Brewing in Minnesota Review

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Land of Amber Waters: The History of Brewing in Minnesota ReviewThis is clearly the most authoritative book on Minnesota brewing history that could be written. The author's research is thorough and meticulous; his writing is clear and to the point; the photographs alone are worth the price of the book.Land of Amber Waters: The History of Brewing in Minnesota Overview"A heartfelt paean to the pioneering breweries of the Midwest, packed with details and excellent photos. Land of Amber Waters is sure to delight anyone interested in the storied history of American brewing." —Garrett Oliver, Brewmaster of The Brooklyn Brewery, and author of The Brewmaster's Table

"Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza." —Dave Barry

For centuries, brewmasters both professional and homegrown have pursued the perfect pour—a delectable combination of barley, yeast, water, and hops—and few states can claim as devoted a relationship to beer as Minnesota. For a time it seemed that every town had its brewery and a beer garden was a highlight of every local celebration. Dedicated home brewers and casual pub crawlers alike will be amazed by the stories of Minnesota beers and breweries featured in Land of Amber Waters.

Starting with the first brewery in 1849, Doug Hoverson tells the story of the state's beer industry from the small-town breweries that gave way to larger companies with regional and national prominence, including Hamm's, Grain Belt, and Schell's, to the vibrant beer culture of today, led by a new wave of breweries such as Summit, Lake Superior Brewing Co., and Surly, and brewpubs like Town Hall Brewery, Fitger's, and Granite City Brewpub, and sustained by microbreweries, home brewers, and beer aficionados.

From the first illegal brewer at Fort Snelling to the craft brewers and major companies of today, nearly 300 breweries have opened and operated at one time or another in 125 cities and towns around the state. Complete with a comprehensive list of Minnesota's breweries—including many never before published—and more than 300 tempting illustrations of beer and breweriana, Land of Amber Waters marvelously chronicles Minnesota's rich brewing traditions.

Doug Hoverson teaches social studies and coaches the debate team at St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights, Minnesota. He is the assistant editor of American Breweriana Journal, an award-winning homebrewer, and a certified beer judge.


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House Of Cards: Baseball Card Collecting and Popular Culture (American Culture) Review

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House Of Cards: Baseball Card Collecting and Popular Culture (American Culture) ReviewCollecting baseball cards evokes memories of crisp wax paper; the assault of a preadolescent nose with the aroma of sickly sweet, often stale, powder-sugar coated bubble gum; the thrill of your first Ted Williams card; and of clothes-pinning your sixth Pedro Ramos in your bicycle spokes.
In stark contrast, Bloom's book portrays collectors in the angry, white man role; discusses the collector's insecurities about their rapidly declining social position; their disturbing attitudes toward blacks and women; and their apparent inability to get a date in high school. Why is Bloom saying such disparaging things about the people who collect baseball cards?

Bloom spent some time in the late 1980s attending baseball card shows in Minnesota. His observations at the shows, sports card shops, interviews with hobbyists, and secondary research, form the basis for this adaptation of his doctoral thesis.

Baseball card collecting can evolve from a children's hobby to an adult's business. But the hobby took on an entirely new dynamic during the Reagan years. Many American boys collected cards, and in the economic boom of the 1980s, price's escalated, and collectors found (if mom hadn't gotten there first) treasure troves in long-forgotten, old shoe boxes. Unfortunately, many believed, including Bloom, that the newfound wealth corrupted the hobby.

Bloom's typical adult collector is white, male, and lower-middle class. In turn, Bloom blames these card collectors for failed marriages, deceit, deception, the manipulation of children, the exclusion and derision of women, and distancing the races.

But is the assertion valid that adult collectors are sexist, merely because the majority are male? Similarly, are they racist because a majority are white? Is the fact that Mickey Mantle's 1952 Topps rookie card sells at a higher price than Willie Mays' 1952 card, justifiable evidence of racism among the collecting enthusiasts as the author brazenly maintains?

The impact and social ramifications of collecting baseball cards appear to be stretched beyond the realm of plausibility to make an alarming, though questionable, point. Is it possible that collecting bits of cardboard, emblazoned with the images of childhood heroes, really be the cause of this much social discord?

But the author has missed a critical point. Bloom states that the cards, in and of themselves, "are of no real consequence." Most collectors would vehemently disagree. Baseball cards derive their value by resurrecting the reminiscences of the collector's youthful heroes. There is a collective social memory which envelops the collectors and their cards. The fact that trade guides indicate that selected cards may have some extrinsic value is nice, but for the majority of collectors, not paramount. The same native affinity does not permeate collecting spoons, stamps or coins, or even football or basketball cards. The fact that these collectibles are baseball cards matters a great deal.House Of Cards: Baseball Card Collecting and Popular Culture (American Culture) Overview

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