Every family in Illinois should have a copy of Mark Walczynski's new book. European colonization of America is now in very bad odor—bad White guys subjugating Native Americans and importing Africans to do their hard work. Walczynski does not contend that early colonization in Illinois (in the form of La Salle and his associates) was a good thing; he merely argues that it was historically significant and interesting, indeed, positively captivating. No unseemly Eurocentric triumphalism sullies this book.
Walczynski is park historian for the Starved Rock Foundation, which among other things is dedicated to promoting the fascinating history of the upper Illinois River. His prose is straightforward and lucid, in keeping with his commitment as an educator to historical accuracy. And Inquietus is an inspired title which deftly conveys Walczynski's take on the man—often irascible, not very likable, frequently domineering, consumed by inner demons, but endowed with a restless spirit...
