ON FRIDAY, APRIL 28th, WE’RE RETURNING WITH “BEYOND” FT. JOHN GURDA. 

John Gurda is a historian, writer, and tv personality who has published over 20 books. John researches and writes about Milwaukee neighborhoods, people, industries and places of worship and is fascinated by "why things are the way they are." Below we caught up with John to get to know him better.

What do you typically eat for breakfast? Just the basics: cereal, fruit, and OJ.

What do people know you for? The five-hour Making of Milwaukee PBS documentary, and my role as the bike-riding historian on PBS’s Around the Corner with John McGivern.

How is Milwaukee special to you? Milwaukee is in a really nice sweet spot between large and small; we have all the resources of a metropolis but the manageability and human scale of a much smaller community.

What may people not know about you? I spent six months as a Congressional page when I was in high school. I’m also the defending rock-skipping champion (senior division) at the Ontonagon (MI) Labor Day celebration.

What drives your creativity? Beats me. I’ve always wanted to make things.

What are you going to talk to us about this month? Beyond the Present and Beyond Security, focusing on my rather improvised career as a Milwaukee historian.

Ticket registration for “BEYOND” opens here, Monday, April 24th at 11AM CST. Grab a ticket as fast as you can — they are free but limited!