University of Nebraska Press

This Week in History: February 24-29, 2008

Happy Leap Day, bloggers! This day comes along but once every four years, so enjoy it! This week in the history books was as unique as an extra day in February. So let’s see what happened…

This Week in History

February 24, 1920: The Nazi party held its first meeting of importance in Munich.
Check out Opa Nobody by Sonya Huber for a captivating memoir reflecting on the life of her grandfather, Heina Buschman, an anti-Nazi activist.

February 25, 1964: Cassius Clay (later known as Muhammad Ali) became the world heavyweight boxing champion.
Calling all boxing fans! In January 2009, the University of Nebraska Press will release The Art and Aesthetics of Boxing by David Scott. Stay tuned for details!

February 26, 1846: Famed frontiersman and entertainer Buffalo Bill Cody was born in Iowa.
You won’t want to miss our fantastic selection of literature on the American West. View the full list here.

February 27, 1973: American Indian Movement activists occupied Wounded Knee, South Dakota, the site of the 1890 Sioux massacre.
For a vivid first-hand account of the occupation, snag a copy of Viet Cong at Wounded Knee: The Trail of a Blackfeet Activist by Woody Kipp.

February 28, 1849: The first gold prospectors arrived by ship in San Francisco, California.
If you’re into Gold Rush history, you’ll want to read On the Trail to the California Gold Rush by Alonzo Delano, a unique journal of one man’s journey to the California coast in search of fortune.

February 29, 1940: Gone with the Wind won eight Oscars at the Academy Awards.
Think Clark Gable was dreamy as Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind? Well, Paul Swan could have given him a run for his money. Read all about this actor/artist/dancer in the appropriately named The Most Beautiful Man in the World: Paul Swan, from Wilde to Warhol by Janis Londraville and Richard Londraville.

That wraps it up for this week, everyone. Check in again on Monday for new reviews of UNP books!

Linking in Lincoln: February 28, 2008

Linking for a Cause

New this month from the University of Nebraska Press, Opa Nobody by Sonya Huber details the author’s search for meaning and resonance in the life of her grandfather Heina Buschman who, like Huber, was a committed and beleaguered activist. Buschman was a socialist who campaigned against the Nazis during their reign of terror in Europe. For all of you aspiring activists out there, today’s “Linking in Lincoln” is tailor-made for you. This posting features links to a host of worthwhile causes—from cancer research to renewable energy. Find the organization that’s right for you, and then get active!

Visit the Children’s Cancer Association Web site to learn how you can make a donation to assist families with cancer-stricken children or apply to be a volunteer at an association event.

Are you a vegetarian or vegan? Are you against animal testing? Visit the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Web site to learn how to lend a hand in preventing cruelty to animals.

If you’re a visitor to this blog, you’re likely an avid reader and lover of books. Wouldn’t you like to share the gift of the written word with those who are unable to read? Visit ProLiteracy Worldwide’s Web site and sign up to become a literacy policy advocate.

Worried about the global energy crisis? Wondering what one person can do to help? Check out the Green Empowerment page to find out how you can volunteer both in the U.S. and abroad to help promote community-based renewable energy.

Undecided as to what cause to get behind? For those equal-opportunity activists, there’s a great site called VolunteerMatch. Check out their homepage and search for volunteer opportunities in your area by simply entering your zip code. You can also narrow your search by noting an “area of interest.” Push a button and, voilà! The search engine generates a list of relevant volunteer prospects in your area. Very cool!

As you can see, the possibilities are endless, so find a philanthropic match and make a difference! Thanks to author Sonya Huber for the inspiration!

Answers to Yesterday's "Tuesday Trivia"

1-B; 2-D; 3-B; 4-A; 5-A; 6-D; 7-C; 8-A; 9-B; 10-D

How did you do?
0-2: Up a creek without a paddle.
3-5: Water-ya having an off day or something?
6-8: Ex-stream-ly good job!
9-10: River-ific!

On the Airwaves

Author Mark Moyar on "Between the Covers"

Check out this interview with Mark Moyar, author of Phoenix and the Birds of Prey: Counterinsurgency and Counterterrorism in Vietnam, on "Between the Covers" with Jack Miller from the National Review.

Click here for the interview.

Happy listening!

More Praise for Chief Bender's Burden

Chief Bender’s Burden: The Silent Struggle of a Baseball Star by Tom Swift

“Will be a delightful read for A’s fans of the great pitcher who was a huge part of the first two A’s dynasties.”—Max Silberman, Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society

To view previous praise for Chief Bender's Burden, visit http://nebraskapress.typepad.com/university_of_nebraska_pr/2008/02/starred-review.html.

Reviewers "Over the Moon" for In the Shadow of the Moon

In the Shadow of the Moon: A Challenging Journey to Tranquility, 1965-1969 by Francis French and Colin Burgess

“The writers have gone beyond old Soviet propaganda to tell the untold stories of heroic cosmonauts through new and recent interviews. This volume captures the anxiety and haste shown by both nations at the height of the space race . . . . This series will be read by future generations when they want the complete perspectives of the original generation of space explorers.”—Space Times

For earlier praise for In the Shadow of the Moon, go to http://nebraskapress.typepad.com/university_of_nebraska_pr/2007/07/praise-for-in-t.html.

Tuesday Trivia: February 26, 2008

A Trivia Tribute to Tributaries

On a warm day in late May, Mike Barenti slid a whitewater kayak into the headwaters of central Idaho’s Salmon River and started paddling toward the Pacific Ocean. Kayaking Alone: Nine Hundred Miles from Idaho's Mountains to the Pacific Ocean is the gripping account of his two-month, nine-hundred-mile solo journey into the world of the Columbia Basin. And so we take today’s “Tuesday Trivia” to the rapids, quizzing you on the Columbia River Basin, Salmon River, and Snake River. Will you paddle your way to a perfect score or flail about in the rushing water? Let’s dive in and see…

1. The Columbia River Basin covers approximately how many square miles?
A. 500,000
B. 375,000
C. 260,000
D. 420,000

2.How many states contain a portion of the Columbia River Basin?
A. 5
B. 3
C. 8
D. 7

3. What percentage of the Columbia Basin watershed is in Washington?
A. 22%
B. 19%
C. 32%
D. 11%

4. The Salmon River of Idaho is also known as what?
A. “The River of No Return”
B. “The Slithering Waterway”
C. “The Forked Tongue”
D. “Slippery When Wet”

5. The Salmon River was once named after which famous explorer?
A. Meriwether Lewis
B. William Clark
C. Marco Pollo
D. James Cook

6. Which of these rivers in the largest tributary of the Columbia River?
A. Mississippi River
B. Salmon River
C. Main River
D. Snake River

7. How long is the Snake River?
A. 1,356 miles
B. 2,072 miles
C. 1,038 miles
D. 987 miles

8. The Snake River rises in which national park?
A. Yellowstone
B. Yosemite
C. Joshua Tree
D. Disneyland

9. What is the name of the largest gorge of the Snake River? (Hint: It’s also one of the deepest in the world.)
A. Death Valley
B. Hell’s Canyon
C. Devil’s Pass
D. Jackson Hole

10. What is the maximum depth of the gorge mentioned above?
A. 6,700 feet
B. 5,980 feet
C. 7,350 feet
D. 7,900 feet

Be sure to visit the UNP blog tomorrow for the answers.  Have a great afternoon!

Continued Praise for Adventures in the West

Adventures in the West edited by Susanne George Bloomfield and Eric Melvin Reed

“The various writing styles and authenticity of subject matter make these stories an excellent way to introduce students to American West culture.”—True West

To read earlier praise for Adventures in the West, please visit http://nebraskapress.typepad.com/university_of_nebraska_pr/2007/11/praise-for-adve.html.

Praise for Ed Barrow

Ed Barrow:  The Bulldog Who Built the Yankees’ First Dynasty by Daniel R. Levitt

“The author has an astounding facility with detail: The sheer number of names, dates and salaries he tosses around is mind-blowing, and the 18 informational tables in the appendix are worthy of inclusion in an economics textbook. . . . A labor of love of great value to Yankees fans and hard-core baseball junkies.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Substantive baseball history filtered through the career of one of the game’s overlooked titans.”—Wes Lukowsky, Booklist

“Levitt revisits the vexed matter of Sox owner Harry Frazee’s motives in selling baseball’s greatest player to New York and, in so doing, debunks the previous debunking of Glenn Stout and Richard A. Johnson in 2000, in Red Sox Century. . . . Eight years ago Stout and Johnson convinced me of their views; today I am just as convinced by Levitt.”—Katherine A. Powers, Boston Globe

Praise for North American Indians in the Great War

North American Indians in the Great War by Susan Applegate Krouse

“Inspired by the tireless work of Joseph K. Dixon, long an advocate for Native American rights, anthropologist Susan Krouse has compiled numerous firsthand accounts of Native Americans who served in World War I. . . . Krouse has done an admirable job of taking his monumental work and writing a wonderful account of Indian warriors in the Great War.”—Military Heritage