Just the Way Things Were Done: A Political History of Blue Island Volume I: 1920-1965 (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781495223198)

Joseph Thomas Gatrell was born and raised in Blue Island, Illinois. Like everyone else who grew up here, he heard the legends and rumors about politicians and dirty politics, local cops, gambling, men whose names you had to whisper if you even said them aloud, and the fix. Years into adulthood, when he published The Blue Island Sun newspaper, he heard those and some new ones. By July, 2010, he had heard enough. Mr. Gatrell began doing research and interviews with those who had information about the way things were done in Blue Island. "Just The Way Things Were Done" is volume one of a political history of Blue Island. It tells the story of how the community went from Paul T. Klenk, a visionary who began to modernize Blue Island during the Roaring 20s, to John M. Hart, a corrupt and ultra-conservative mayor, who brought change to a grinding halt. Mayor Hart willed that the city never would change, and the force of that will was so great that it seems to have become a curse. In many ways, Blue Island never has changed physically or philosophically. "I had to find out what happened and why," said Mr. Gatrell, "and I did. When I did, I was very surprised, sometimes pleasantly, but too often I was disappointed. The result is a political history book for those who want to know the story of the real Blue Island. Anyone who prefers the fairy tale version, well, this book is not for them." Joseph Thomas Gatrell still lives in Blue Island in a somewhat historic brick bungalow on a usually quiet street. He is referred to as a "retired teacher and marathoner," but he says this is inaccurate." I'm not retired from anything, and no one ever will retire me." He adds that Blue Island is a great place to live, work, write, and be virtually anonymous. "Decades ago mobsters and crooked politicians lived here and operated with impunity because the fix was in. They could live here today for a different reason. Blue Island is a quiet, peaceful little town that no one seems to be paying attention to. That's probably one more reason it never has changed." During 2012, Mr. Gatrell published the novel, COUNTERPUNCH. It is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Contact Joseph Thomas Gatrell via joegatrell@att.net.