The Handy Wisconsin Answer Book

Illustrating the state's unique character through a combination of facts, stats, and history, as well as the unusual and quirky!

Beer, cheese, lakes, rivers, cabins, and cities. With a diverse geography, beautiful natural wonders, and vibrant cities, tourism naturally plays a major role in Wisconsin’s economy, and its nickname, “America's Dairyland,” speaks to the importance of agriculture. Of course, cheeseheads abound in Green Bay and throughout the state, as do the Effigy Mounds—burial mounds—in the form of animals or birds of the Woodland Indians.

From log-rolling, the state capital in Madison and its politics, famous breweries, major manufacturers Kohler Company, Johnson Controls, John Deere, Caterpillar Inc. and Harley-Davidson motorcycles to the Milwaukee Art Museum, Willem Dafoe, Georgia O’Keeffe, the infamous Jeffrey Dahmer, Al Jarreau, and other notable people and places, The Handy Wisconsin Answer Book answers to nearly 1,400 questions the Badger State’s unique and interesting history, people, and places, including:

Why is Wisconsin called “Wisconsin”?

How much snow falls in Wisconsin?

Which Native American tribes called Wisconsin home?

How did log rolling become a sport?

How many acres of State Forests does Wisconsin have?

Was Paul Bunyan a real person?

Where is the Pabst Mansion located?

How many beer festivals are there in Wisconsin?

Where is Roundy’s headquartered?

Which waterway is most important to Wisconsin?

What is unique about Wisconsin’s capitol building?

Where did the Green Bay Packers get their name?

How much milk does it take to make one pound of butter?

How many towns in Wisconsin claim to be the UFO Capital of the World?

Covering its industries, politicians, arts, media, culture, and, of course, sports dynasties and legends, The Handy Wisconsin Answer Book takes an in-depth look at the state’s variety, along with its fascinating history, people, myths, culture, and trivia. It's an informative and fun look at the Badger State, people, history, and culture!

Mark W. Meier was born and raised in a Western Wisconsin community near La Crosse. Despite his travels, the “Coulee Region” will always be his home. Mark earned a BS degree in philosophy, holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and is a licensed private pilot. He published the science fiction series Ebony Sea under the pen name Marc Meiner, and he contributed to the fiction anthologies Shadows and Teeth and Lost and Found. He produces a news/talk show on local radio 1410-WIZM and lives with his wife, Linda, and their dog, Stitches.

Terri Schlichenmeyer is an award-winning, self-syndicated book reviewer. In addition to several columns written each week, she’s contributed to several Uncle John’s Bathroom Readers and other trivia-type books. You can read Terri’s book reviews in more than 200 newspapers and magazines throughout the world. She lives in a little corner of Wisconsin with two dogs and one very patient man.