Delving into firsthand accounts, rediscovering evocative imagery, and intricately weaving together long-forgotten details about the Sanitariums of Lake Geneva, including insights into their founders, staff, and patients, Sonja Akright has vividly captured the intrigue – and enduring legacy – of these once-venerated, now-vanished institutions. Now she invites readers to journey through time and explore Lake Geneva’s upscale sanitariums. Nestled in the heart of the “Newport of the West,” these facilities housed and treated patients from the regional to the far-flung, from the anonymous to the renowned. Offering an immersive, nuanced perspective on experiences within these institutions, "The Sanitariums of Lake Geneva" serves as both a tribute to the past and as a rallying cry for preserving local history. Akright's passion for her subject shines throughout this compelling narrative of the past – a storied past that has etched the landscape and character of Lake Geneva. Akright’s years of meticulous archival research, dedication to historic preservation, and determination to bring the past to life are testament to the power of community-driven stewardship, a vital aspect of safeguarding, chronicling, and giving voice to our shared heritage for future generations.

Lake Geneva was originally called Kishwauketoe by the Oneota tribe, a name meaning clear or sparkling water. Carved out by a glacier, this same crystal water has attracted residents and tourists for centuries, and continues to be a retreat for many in every season. Through a collection of vivid vintage postcards, authors Carolyn Hope Smeltzer and Martha Kiefer Cucco provide an overview of Lake Geneva's rich history, rendered in views of mansions, cottages, and camps, and in images of recreation, the surrounding towns, and, of course, Lake Geneva itself.