The Man From Clear Lake - Earth Day Founder Senator Gaylord Nelson

Written by Bill Christofferson 

Winner of the 2007 Elizabeth A. Steinberg Prize awarded by the University of Wisconsin Press for the regional book that has brought the most distinction to the UW Press.

On Earth Day 1970 twenty million Americans displayed their commitment to a clean environment. It was called the largest demonstration in human history, and it permanently changed the nation’s political agenda. More than one billion people now participate in annual Earth Day activities. 

The seemingly simple idea—a day set aside to focus on protecting our natural environment—was the brainchild of U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin. It accomplished, far beyond his expectations, his lifelong goal of putting the environment onto the nation’s and the world’s political agendas. 

Read more about the book and Gaylord Nelson here!

Breathing Space: How Allergies Shape Our Lives and Landscapes

Written by: Greg Mitman

Mitman traces the history of allergy from the viewpoint of a person who has allergies, from its early beginnings in England with the discoveries of John Bostock and Charles Blackley through the recognition of “pollen as poison” in the United States and the attempts of patients to escape it. He tells us of the war against ragweed in New York City in the 1940s. He provides the background for understanding the location of allergy and respiratory research centers in such places as Tucson, Arizona, and Denver.

Read more about this book here!