John E HallwasJohn E. Hallwas, Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Western Illinois University, has written or edited two dozen books related to Illinois and the Midwest, including the award-winning Cultures in Conflict (1995), the highly praised true crime narratve The Bootlegger (1998), and the recent Dime Novel Desperadoes (2008), which won the Midland Authors Award for Best Biography. A noted historian and writing teacher, he has spoken in more than 150 communities in Illinois and other Midwestern states. Read More Read Less