I love opportunities to support local, and in this case, I accepted an offer to review Secret Wisconsin: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure ($27, Reedy Press), by local authors Tom and Kristi Manus.
Kristi is a Madison-area native, and she and Tom now live in Eau Claire. The two are freelance travel writers and run the website Small Town Plus Size.
Even though I’ve lived in Wisconsin for many years and have traveled throughout the state, I learned quite a bit about the state’s quirkiness and some of its best-kept secrets.
For example, Luck, Wis., made national news last year after a guy purchased a Megabucks ticket there and won $15.1 million. However, I had no idea that Luck is home to the Yo-Yo Capital of the World Museum. It pays homage to Duncan Yo-Yo, which reached 90 percent of the market in 1962.
Also, I never knew that a Friday morning fish fry existed until I read about Oliver’s Bakery in Kenosha. Imagine getting deep-fried white fish alongside some doughnuts at 8:30 a.m. Honestly, that sounds like a delicious pairing.
I appreciated that Tom and Kristi covered all corners of the state and kept their write-ups short and easy to read. Also, most of the activities they listed are free.
You can purchase Secret Wisconsin: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other booksellers.
