Sara Rath

Author

H. H. Bennett, Photographer: His American Landscape
A vastly revised biography of my much earlier "Pioneer Photographer" (1979), including an abundance of newly published Bennett's photographs, an enhanced biography and a detailed photographic history of the Kilbourn (Wisconsin Dells) photographer whose work hangs in the Museum of Modern Art. Available from the University of Wisconsin Press, 1 October 2010.

Night Sisters, a novel
Nell Grendon visits the Wocanaga Spiritual Camp in and finds herself becoming a spirit-medium against her better judgment. When she begins to channel the mischevious spirit of an old radio star known as "The Woman of 1,000 Voices," her troubles multiply.

Christine Wicker, author of Lily Dale: The True Story of the Town that Talks to the Dead, says "Sara Rath's portrayal of mediumship's humorous moments is laugh-out-loud funny. She captures a side of Spiritualism that few outsiders are aware of and that no story about it can be complete without."
Also available on Kindle.

Star Lake Saloon and Housekeeping Cottages: a novel
Terrace Books - University of Wisconsin Press: September, 2005.

“With a wicked sense of humor, Rath's work exudes a practical and earthy optimism...Often hilarious, and always engaging."-- Trudy Lewis, University of Missouri–Columbia.
Also available on Kindle.

Still Waters, Star Lake, a novel
Kate Waters revisits her family's cabin near Star Lake and succumbs to Ginger's invitations for adventure. Available from UW Press in 2012.

Solitarie
Achsa Sprague - Vermont poet, activist, Spirit Medium... and sister to Celia Sprague Steen who moved to Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin to teach school in 1854. If this becomes fiction it will be told from Celia's point-of-view. This project is currently in limbo.

The Complete Pig
Voyageur Press (2000)
Leslie Cross Nonfiction Award, Council for Wisconsin Writers, 2000. An affectionate and eccentric collection of entertaining information re: Pigs!

The Complete Cow
Voyageur Press (1998) -- A global view of the cow as icon; light-hearted yet serious history of cows of the world sith beautiful full-color illustrations.

About Cows
Northword Press (1987); Voyageur Press (2000) -- 60,000 copies sold internationally; an affectionately humorous look at the Mother of the Human Race.

Early works: Pioneer Photographer Easy Going Guide to Madison & Dane County
Pioneer Photographer: Wisconsin's H. H. Bennett, Tamarack Press (1979) - My firsts real book: a biography of Henry Hamilton Bennett, 19th century landscape photographer from Wisconsin Dells.
Award of Merit, Wisconsin Historical Society.

Easy Going Guide to Madison & Dane County has been long out of print, but it was a fun book with lots of historical details and amusing trivia. Written before word-processors were readily available, it was a true cut&paste effort. Once in a while copies can be found on used book sites.

Poetry Collections
Dancing With a Cowboy, Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters (1991) -- Fourth collection of poems, praised by critics for "sensory and sensual exuberance...clarity, intensity and accessibility."

Remembering the Wilderness, Northword Press (1984). Named the 1984 Banta Award Book by the Wisconsin Library Association for the finest literary achievement of the year by a Wisconsin author.

The Cosmic Virgin, Wisconsin House (1973) - Poems

Whatever Happened to Fats Domino, & Other Poems, Wisconsin House (1971)