Gordon MacQuarrie Books
Published by BAHA
BAHA is honored to offer you three new books of Gordon MacQuarrie's writing. MacQuarrie researcher and museum volunteer Dave Evenson has combed the files of The Milwaukee Journal where Mac wrote some 3000 columns over his two decades between 1936-1956. BAHA has also received permission from the MacQuarrie estate heirs to publish magazine articles which have never been published in book form. These books are in quality 6”X 9” paperback, from 200-300 pages.
Right Off The Reel (2018, 220 pages) is named for the column that MacQuarrie wrote for The Milwaukee Journal. The reel in the title refers to the typewriter reel, as well as the fishing reel. Most of these columns were written shortly after Mac had left Superior for Milwaukee and thus deal with the places and characters of his beloved Northwest Wisconsin. It includes chapters on both Mr. President Al Peck and the second Mr. President Harry Nohr. Other chapters deal with his life and neighbors at the cabin on Middle Eau Claire Lake, conservationists of the day, such as Ding Darling, Aldo Leopold and Sig Olson and some first drafts of stories that were worked into the Old Duck Hunters magazine stories.
Dogs, Drink and Other Drivel (2019, 293 pages) is also comprised of Milwaukee Journal columns. It deals with Mac's own dogs as well as writings about other dogs and dog trainers. Life at the lake, conservationists through Wisconsin's deer wars of the 1940's and a whole chapter of first drafts of magazine stories are included. Mac did a lot of traveling for The Milwaukee Journal and day by day reports from Alaska, the Sunny South or chasing pheasants in South Dakota make up another chapter. The last chapter is MacQuarrie's obituary as written by his friends and coworkers at the paper.
Found Stories of The Old Duck Hunters (to be released winter 2022, about 300 pages) includes six Old Duck Hunters Association, Inc. magazine stories of duck and ruffed grouse hunting and trout fishing. These stories have recently come to light and have not been published in any other collection. Another 22 stories are of adventures Mac had with friends other than Mr. President.
