Surrounded by Reality

by Moe, Doug

• ISBN13: 9780976353935
• ISBN10: 0976353938
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-10-30
• Publisher: Jones Books

Summary

The stories in this book offer a fair view of recent and not-so-recent life in Madison, Wisconsin, and include a tale about the man who got rich writing the Oscar Mayer wiener jingle, as well as one about a young hitchhiker who had decided to try to start her life over in Madison, but never made it to the city.

Author Biography

Doug Moe is a lifetime Madisonian and a 1979 UW-Madison graduate. Since 1997 he has written a daily newspaper column about the city for The Capital Times. Prior to that, he was editor of Madison Magazine. He is the author of several books, including "The World of Mike Royko," a Chicago Tribune Choice Selection of the Year, and most recently, "Lords of the Ring: The Triumph and Tragedy of College Boxing's Greatest Team."

Table of Contents

Introduction	ix
How Many Miles Surrounded by Reality?	xii
1997
The Riddle of Otis Redding: The Soul Great Crashed into Lake Monona and Died 30 Years Ago with His Band---But the Legend Lingers	1	(5)
Big Man with a Big Heart:Chris Farley Was Madison's Own	6	(4)
1999
No Foretelling If He'd Get Refund	10	(3)
Era Ends for ``Honorable Mother''	13	(3)
2000
Billiards Duo Racks Up Memories	16	(2)
Basketball Against the Big Guy	18	(3)
A Mother's Life Now Seems So Brief	21	(2)
Detective Lulling a Great Character	23	(3)
The Mystery of Alfred Lawson---Who?	26	(2)
Picture Is Worth . . . A Lot of Coincidences	28	(3)
Eisenberg: It's Great to Be Back	31	(3)
2001
It Was a Dark and Stormy Tale	34	(3)
The Classiest Guy in the Room	37	(2)
Coppola Disaster Unfolded Here	39	(3)
``Snowball's'' Story Is Madison's	42	(3)
Playboy Dresses Down UW Myth	45	(2)
Ex-Showgirl Still Quite a Show	47	(4)
2002
Two Murder Cases Eerily Similar	51	(2)
Shake the Hand of Max Hurwitz	53	(3)
Some Derby: No Racing Form	56	(2)
A Good Con Story Makes a Day	58	(3)
Editor Gets Autograph the Hard Way	61	(2)
The Sinner Sprang the Preacher	63	(3)
Poet Is a Stranger in His Own Land	66	(2)
Tip of the Hat to a Great Journalist	68	(3)
Bobby Fischer, the FBI, and Us	71	(3)
Can't Judge a Book by Its Owner	74	(2)
Sen. McGuire? Might Have Been	76	(3)
2003
Son of Pilot Thanks City for Its Generosity	79	(3)
Roll Call: TP Museum Resurrected	82	(2)
Hirschfeld Art Finds Home Here	84	(3)
Did UW Discovery Kill Stalin?	87	(2)
Recalling One Colorful Character	89	(3)
Ugliest Couch and Proud of It	92	(3)
Terror Cell on Fordem Avenue?	95	(3)
Yes, Terror Suspect Lived Here	98	(3)
War at Home Goes on DVD	101	(2)
A Slice of Life from the ``Pieman''	103	(3)
Nick's Bump: Hear It, Drink It	106	(3)
Recalling the Great Daydreamer	109	(4)
2004
Hirsch Wore Greatness with Grace	113	(3)
How Elroy Came to Be ``Crazylegs''	116	(3)
``Spike'' a Legendary Wrestler	119	(3)
Three Steps to Fashion Recovery	122	(2)
Dr. Zorba Paster---Abducted!	124	(4)
Rocky Rococo's Full Circle at 30	128	(3)
The Fess: Full of Good Stories	131	(2)
Rising Adventure, Dramatic Descent	133	(4)
Neviaser's Circle Grew and Grew	137	(3)
Hope and Doom on Interstate 26	140	(3)
Mister Giblin Has Left the Room	143	(3)
Recalling (Gulp) Cowboy Eddie	146	(3)
Tale of Ovens Founder Intriguing	149	(3)
Teetotaling Bar Owner: No Swearing in Here Missouri Tavern Proprietor Hits 100	152	(3)
``Thanks for the Use of the Hall''	155	(2)
Madison Airman---A Lost Hero?	157	(4)
Steve Caravello, A Madison Great	161	(3)
Stray Ends Up with Royal Treatment	164	(3)
Early Pilot Recalls Highs of Flying	167	(3)
A Salute to Grit and Perseverance	170	(3)
Another Christmas in Jail Cell	173	(4)
2005
A High-Flying Life Comes to End	177	(3)
Hot Dog! Oscar Ode Still Lives	180	(4)
Onion Guy Comes Well Disguised	184	(3)
How Many Lawyers Does It Take. . .?	187	(3)
``He's Had a Heart Attack'': Interview Subject Collapses at Home	190	(4)
``Last Show'' for `50s-Style Dr. Bop	194	(3)
Parks Was Often Angry, Often Right	197	(3)
The Gobbler Was One of a Kind	200	(3)
Sheboygan Rascal Is at It Again	203	(3)
Idea Came to Him on Visions	206	(4)
Schiro Golf Tales a Link to Past	210	(3)
Sunsets and Great Memories	213	(3)
Boom Box Parade Is Ours First	216	(3)
``Fit Man'' Lets Good Times Roll	219	(3)
Critics Aside, Wisconsin Is Burger Heaven	222	(3)
A Different Triumph of the Will	225	(3)
Interview with a Nazi Hunter	228	(3)
Now 75 Square Miles of Unreality	231