399 Kansas Characters

by Danielle Dougherty

The introduction to this work explains that the author is a true Kansan -- living and working in the state for many years. He served as the assistant director of the Kansas Heritage Center, and is the author of many other publications about Kansas history. The more colorful “Kansas Characters” were chosen though as the author states, there are far too many to include in this single volume. The characters in this book range from ‘real’ people such as Amelia Earhart to Sparky the ESU mascot.

This revised version of 399 Kansas Characters is available in paperback and includes many helpful cross-references for librarians, but can be somewhat confusing to those who are unfamiliar with the concept of cross-references. The book has 8 chapters, each dedicated to a characteristic-al type of the person/thing included in the biographies. As an example, one chapter entitled “To the Stars through Difficulties” for instance, lists explorers, scientists, adventurers and aviators. The entries are listed numerically and alphabetically, and cross-referenced with other listed characters. There are very few pictures (this is not a children’s book), but the book does hold a lot of hometown appeal given that the list of characters includes William Allen White and Sparky, both “characters” recognized in Emporia. Written in a slightly comic tongue-in-cheek tone, this is a book you’ll get a kick out of reading – even if it is a reference book!