Appendices include a useful list of prairie nurseries and seed sources and a directory of representative tallgrass prairies. Although the directory is by no means intended to be comprehensive, one can still complain about the omission of sites such as the Rockefeller Experimental Tract near Lawrence, Kansas. Where the Sky Began, possibly supplemented by a localized and biologically more detailed study (e.g., O. J. Reichman\u27s Konza Prairie: A Tallgrass Natural History), will give the general reader a highly enjoyable introduction to the history and biota of the tallgrass prairie

Saikku, Mikko

English

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska

University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Great Plains Quarterly Great Plains Studies, Center for 1995 Review of Where the Sky Began: Land of the Tallgrass Prairie By John Madson Mikko Saikku University of Helsinki Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/greatplainsquarterly  Part of the Other International and Area Studies Commons Saikku, Mikko, "Review of Where the Sky Began: Land of the Tallgrass Prairie By John Madson" (1995). Great Plains Quarterly. 1002. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/greatplainsquarterly/1002 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Great Plains Studies, Center for at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Great Plains Quarterly by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. 276 GREAT PLAINS QUARTERLY, FALL 1995 Where the Sky Began: Land of the Tallgrass Prairie. By John Madson. Ames: Iowa State University Press, 1995. Appendices, refer-ences, index. xii + 340 pp. $24.95. Originally published in 1982, this is a most welcome revised edition ofJohn Madson's clas-sic study of probably the least appreciated of North America's original landscapes--the tallgrass prairie. Unlike its western neighbors, the mixed and shortgrass prairies, almost all tallgrass prairie has been plowed over. Larger remnants of this prairie type persist only in the Nebraska sandhills, the Flint Hills ofKan-sas, and the Osage Hills of Oklahoma, where soil conditions do not favor cultivation. Where the Sky Began vividly portrays the original landscape. Characterized by plain but impressive grasses, beautiful forbs, rich wild-life, and immense continental climate, the tallgrass prairie possesses striking aspects that are splendidly described by Madson. In addi-tion to the land itself, Madson includes people, but only the European settlers, in his account. Human thought and action on the landscape is detected from the first explorers and settlers to modern farmers. Their awe before the vast inland sea of grass, their hardships in conquer-ing it for agriculture, and their sense of loss once the deed was done receive a fine and highly personal portrayal in Madson's work, though a non-native to the Plains may occa-sionally find his narrative slightly sweet. Closely following the recent advances in protection and restoration of the tallgrass prairie, the final chapter has been signifi-cantly expanded in the updated edition. In "People's Pastures," Madson lovingly describes the efforts required to restore a patch of old farmland to its original condition. Anyone harboring dreams of a backyard miniprairie will find his accounts encouraging. Madson, an Iowa native, could still have paid more attention to significant on-going restoration and research efforts in Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma. For example, the Konza Prairie Research Natural Area near Manhattan, Kan-sas, with over 8,000 acres of prime tallgrass prairie, hardly gets a mention, and the most ambitious restoration project today, the Na-ture Conservancy's Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in the Osage Hills of Oklahoma occupying over 32,000 acres, receives only two short para-graphs. Reasons for the consistent failure to create a tallgrass national park could have been addressed in more detail as well. Appendices include a useful list of prairie nurseries and seed sources and a directory of representative tallgrass prairies. Although the directory is by no means intended to be com-prehensive, one can still complain about the omission of sites such as the Rockefeller Ex-perimental Tract near Lawrence, Kansas. Where the Sky Began, possibly supplemented by a localized and biologically more detailed study (e.g., O. J. Reichman's Konza Prairie: A Tallgrass Natural History), will give the gen-eral reader a highly enjoyable introduction to the history and biota of the tallgrass prairie. MIKKO SAIKKU Renvall Institute University of Helsinki, Finland 

Review of \u3ci\u3eWhere the Sky Began: Land of the Tallgrass Prairie\u3c/i\u3e By John Madson

UNL | Libraries

University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
Great Plains Quarterly Great Plains Studies, Center for 
1995 
Review of Where the Sky Began: Land of the Tallgrass Prairie By 
John Madson 
Mikko Saikku 
University of Helsinki 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/greatplainsquarterly 
 Part of the Other International and Area Studies Commons 
Saikku, Mikko, "Review of Where the Sky Began: Land of the Tallgrass Prairie By John Madson" (1995). 
Great Plains Quarterly. 1002. 
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/greatplainsquarterly/1002 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Great Plains Studies, Center for at 
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Great Plains Quarterly by an 
authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. 
276 GREAT PLAINS QUARTERLY, FALL 1995 
Where the Sky Began: Land of the Tallgrass 
Prairie. By John Madson. Ames: Iowa State 
University Press, 1995. Appendices, refer-
ences, index. xii + 340 pp. $24.95. 
Originally published in 1982, this is a most 
welcome revised edition ofJohn Madson's clas-
sic study of probably the least appreciated of 
North America's original landscapes--the 
tallgrass prairie. Unlike its western neighbors, 
the mixed and shortgrass prairies, almost all 
tallgrass prairie has been plowed over. Larger 
remnants of this prairie type persist only in 
the Nebraska sandhills, the Flint Hills ofKan-
sas, and the Osage Hills of Oklahoma, where 
soil conditions do not favor cultivation. 
Where the Sky Began vividly portrays the 
original landscape. Characterized by plain but 
impressive grasses, beautiful forbs, rich wild-
life, and immense continental climate, the 
tallgrass prairie possesses striking aspects that 
are splendidly described by Madson. In addi-
tion to the land itself, Madson includes people, 
but only the European settlers, in his account. 
Human thought and action on the landscape 
is detected from the first explorers and settlers 
to modern farmers. Their awe before the vast 
inland sea of grass, their hardships in conquer-
ing it for agriculture, and their sense of loss 
once the deed was done receive a fine and 
highly personal portrayal in Madson's work, 
though a non-native to the Plains may occa-
sionally find his narrative slightly sweet. 
Closely following the recent advances in 
protection and restoration of the tallgrass 
prairie, the final chapter has been signifi-
cantly expanded in the updated edition. In 
"People's Pastures," Madson lovingly describes 
the efforts required to restore a patch of old 
farmland to its original condition. Anyone 
harboring dreams of a backyard miniprairie 
will find his accounts encouraging. Madson, 
an Iowa native, could still have paid more 
attention to significant on-going restoration 
and research efforts in Nebraska, Kansas, and 
Oklahoma. For example, the Konza Prairie 
Research Natural Area near Manhattan, Kan-
sas, with over 8,000 acres of prime tallgrass 
prairie, hardly gets a mention, and the most 
ambitious restoration project today, the Na-
ture Conservancy's Tallgrass Prairie Preserve 
in the Osage Hills of Oklahoma occupying 
over 32,000 acres, receives only two short para-
graphs. Reasons for the consistent failure to 
create a tallgrass national park could have 
been addressed in more detail as well. 
Appendices include a useful list of prairie 
nurseries and seed sources and a directory of 
representative tallgrass prairies. Although the 
directory is by no means intended to be com-
prehensive, one can still complain about the 
omission of sites such as the Rockefeller Ex-
perimental Tract near Lawrence, Kansas. 
Where the Sky Began, possibly supplemented 
by a localized and biologically more detailed 
study (e.g., O. J. Reichman's Konza Prairie: A 
Tallgrass Natural History), will give the gen-
eral reader a highly enjoyable introduction to 
the history and biota of the tallgrass prairie. 
MIKKO SAIKKU 
Renvall Institute 
University of Helsinki, Finland 


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Review of \u3ci\u3eWhere the Sky Began: Land of the Tallgrass Prairie\u3c/i\u3e By John Madson

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