The Everett D. Graff Collection of Western Americana consists of some 10,000 books, manuscripts, maps, pamphlets, broadsides, broadsheets, and photographs, of which about half are described in the present catalogue. The Graff Collection displays the remarkable breadth of interest, knowledge, and taste of a great bibliophile and student of Western American history. From this rich collection, now in The Newberry Library, Chicago, its former Curator, Colton Storm, has compiled a discriminating and representative Catalogue of the rarer and more unusual materials. Collectors, bibliographers, librarians, historians, and book dealers specializing in Americana will find the Graff Catalogue an interesting and essential tool. Detailed collations and binding descriptions are cited, and many of the more important works have been annotated by Mr. Graff and Mr. Storm. An extensive index of persons and subjects makes the book useful to the scholar as well as to the collector and dealer. The book is not a bibliography but rather a guide to rare or unique source materials now enriching The Newberry Library's outstanding holdings in American history.

The book covers the long-forgotten history of Lake County, Illinois. The period takes place mainly in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The first chapter tells the story of Robert Dady. Starting with nothing and never learning to read or write, Robert would become the largest landowner in the county. His daughter, Nellie Conrad, became one of Waukegan’s most successful businesswomen. She built the Times Theater, Roller Rink, two subdivisions, plus miscellaneous other real estate ventures. The next chapters concern Lake County violence in the form of fights, mobs, and riots. Most kinds of violence were common and accepted in society. Penalties were light for all but the worst crimes. Ethnic Lake County and North Chicago follows. Profiles for the various ethnic groups are covered. The area had Albanians, Armenians, Blacks, Bulgarians/Macedonians, Croatians, Czechs, Danes, Finns, Germans, Greeks, Irish, Italians, Jews, Lithuanians, Poles, Romanians, Russians, Slovaks, Slovenes, and Turks. Next are stories about Lake County men who overcame adversity. Most had little education and not many prospects. They overcame it all and became successful men in their communities. Famous Lake County women follow the men. These women had an impact on a number of county affairs. One Lake County woman was the first woman to vote in the state. The Lake County Historical Society is named after one of the county’s most influential women. The next chapter concerns Lake County women acting badly. Some Lake County women were anything but meek, and the reader might be surprised at just how violent some of them actually were. None of the county’s women could keep up with Lake County’s all-time worst woman. The next chapter tells the story of the Bender family. The Benders lived in the country for a time but were sent packing because of their detestable ways. They soon settled in Kansas and became one of the most famous serial killers in American history. Kate bender was the brains of the whole operation. The book finishes up with miscellaneous stories about Lake County men and women. Some of the stories covered include Lake County’s lynching record, hermits, gypsies, women farmers, and Lake County’s strongest man. Also included is the Fats baseball team. The Fats played baseball in the county a number of times and sported a 640- pound first baseman. Located in the ethnic Jewish profile is the story of Meyer Kubelsky, father of comedian Jack Benny. Jack Benny is Waukegan’s favorite son but not so much Meyer.