" Krohe does an excellent job explaining the urban development of the region economically but also socially and politically. Nevertheless, he does not neglect rural life either, for Corn-Kings One-Horse Thieves presents a rich history of life, community, and work on the mid-Illinois farm. Krohe's study, at the end of the day, is a fine example of a resurgence of Midwest historical scholarship."—Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society
"After years of perceptive and sometimes sardonic journalism, Krohe's Corn Kings is a book that merits the attention of all Illinois historians as well as local historians generally. Teachers on any level can mine it for nuggets of information. Scholars can check it for new perspectives on old topics. And historiographers can marvel at the distance the field has come since the Centennial History of Illinois. The book is indeed a useful, if wholly unintended, contribution to the state's bicentennial."— John Hoffmann, The Journal of Illinois History
“As promised in the title, Krohe has written a plainspoken story about a certain place in mid-America. The author speaks with the warmth of familiarity, while at the same time maintaining a critical eye on the old chestnuts of history. There should be more books about the past like this one.”—Robert Mazrim, author, The Sangamo Frontier: History and Archaeology in the Shadow of Lincoln
“For four decades, Jim Krohe has been the premier writer about things Illinois. Here he brings to vibrant life an unassuming yet fertile swath of flat land—and its surprisingly variegated people—in a historical travelogue that draws, for readers’ delight, on the author’s sparkling use of metaphor and simile. Krohe is especially strong on the period between the Civil War and World War II, when mid-Illinois played a large hand in jump-starting the nation to its economic preeminence, creating a sweeping, colorful canvas of who we were, and are.”—Jim Nowlan, lead coauthor, Illinois Politics and Fixing Illinois
“Krohe is a delightful curmudgeon who goes to bat for underdogs while bringing the high and mighty to heel with witty and insightful prose. His unique take on life makes Corn Kings and One-Horse Thieves an incredibly entertaining read.”—Taylor Pensoneau, author, Governor Richard Ogilvie: In the Interest of the State
"Written with wry detachment, streaked with affection, Krohe’s book is no exercise in regional cheerleading. The result of the “wrenching transformations,” he concludes, “was a mid-Illinois that by many measures was dull, complacent, cautious, and bland.” Even by Illinois standards, it “can seem like a backwater,” for “the economic, social, and political centers of Illinois have shifted well to the northeast.” It was not always thus: the region enjoyed a heyday between the Civil War and the Great Depression."--Michael Burlingame, Illinois Times
"Krohe is both entertaining and enlightening on a wide variety of issues, events, and personalities. His literary voice is knowledgeable and bemused, with a dry wit that makes for an enthralling narrative." --James A. Edstrom, The Annals of Iowa
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