Wisconsin Idols

"Wisconsin Idols is a collection of short essays about inspirational figures with intriguing and often surprising connections to Wisconsin. Each piece tells an engaging story about a political, sports, showbiz, arts, scientific, or literary celebrity who either lived in the state or had a notable experience while passing through. The list of 100 is divided into six parts: Thinkers, Creators, Boundary Breakers, Scene Stealers, Melody Makers, and Champs. The diverse subjects include world-changers such as the Beatles, Oprah Winfrey, Orson Welles, Georgia O'Keeffe, Duke Ellington, Ann Landers, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Bart Starr, Jackie Robinson, Lorraine Hansberry, Elvis Presley, Harrison Ford, Hattie McDaniel, Nirvana, and Abraham Lincoln. They also include lesser-known trailblazers who deserve a turn in the spotlight, such as jazz drummer Viola Smith, photographer Pedro Guerrero, suffragist Ada James, American Indian comedian Charlie Hill, boundary-breaking politician Vel Phillips, Nazi resistance fighter Mildred Fish Harnack, dance innovator Anna Halprin, Hmong historian Chia Youyee Vang, fearless scientist Harriet Bell Merrill, and girl group the Chordettes"--