In Surrounding Fort Knox, Including Southern Indiana, Van Stockum indulges his readers (and himself) with a 730 page wander through multiple counties on the Kentucky and Indiana shores of the Ohio River, and even into the Kentucky interior. He astutely pairs unique tales of historical peoples with informative discussions of the landforms and waterways that make this area enticing to visit and explore. Even a life-long resident of these areas, this reviewer included, will find something new and fascinating to learn. The author invariably finds those “other” people and places of note, perhaps hidden near the more traveled destinations.
The book is organized ideally for the intermittent reader, with short chapters grouped by cities, towns, and destinations. You can pick it up and put it down over multiple sessions; skip around in accord with your whims. It can be used as handy reference to plan an excursion, or to just relax and mentally wander through the terrain. There are simple maps for guidance, selected photos, and some eye-catching illustrations by Van Stockum’s long-time collaborator Steven Eilers. Just for kicks, there are 11 chapters on the Civil War in Kentucky! This book would be at home on the shelves of history buffs or the naturally curious.
– Philip Hendershot, an engineer, resident and native of Southern Indiana
