In the Richness of the Earth: A History of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, 1843-1958 (Urban Life Series) by Steven M. Avella

In the Richness of the Earth: A History of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, 1843-1958 (Urban Life Series) Reviews

• 
  William Schram

  In the Richness of the Earth is a comprehensive history of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee. It covers the earliest time of Milwaukee being a settlement to the eve of Vatican II. I don’t remember why I bought this book, but I believe that the author or someone plugged it when I was still going to church really frequently. While I am not really a practicing Catholic at this time, I still go to church occasionally.
  
  The historical aspect of the book is really excellent and well researched. It is filled with tons of period photographs and maps and so on. As faith has a role in the history of the area where I grew up, it really does a good job of showing how the Roman Catholic Church led the development of communities and other such things.
  
  There are some things I don’t like about the book. The main problem I have with the book is its physical dimensions. It doesn’t exactly fit in with the rest of my books and it makes it somewhat annoying. Anyway, other than that, this book is pretty good for the aforementioned reasons.
• 
  Dan McCollum

  I first encountered this work while working on a class project, writing the history of a Polish Catholic parish in Milwaukee's River West neighborhood (St. Casmir Represent!). Beginning during the earliest days of Catholic presence within Wisconsin and extending to just prior to Second Vatican, In the Richness of the Earth is probably the single greatest history of the Catholic Church in Wisconsin that has been written. Rather than simply focusing on the activities of the Archbishops themselves, Avella creates a narritive which includes the voices of German, Polish, Irish, Yankee and other settlers within the state. Whereas prior generations of scholarship often attempt to smooth over disagreements and conflicts in order to create the impression of a united Church, the author gives these controversies their right due. It's a masterful history and well worth the read, I cannot suggest it enough.