University of Nebraska Press

This Week in History: May 26-30, 2008

Well bloggers, it’s about that time again, yep, This Week in History! Children’s stories, the holocaust, and we’ll catch back up with our favorite womanizer King Henry VIII. And now for the events…..

May 26, 1830: The Indian Removal Act is passes by Congress.

The Indian Removal Act suggested (strongly) that many Native Americans surrender their land. For a closer, more autobiographical look at the Native community today, please check out American Indian Autobiography by H. David Brumble III.

May 27, 1933: Walt Disney releases the Three Little Pigs, featuring the hit song “Who’s afraid of the Big Bad Wolf”

If kiddie tales is your idea of quality literature (and to all those with young children, then I understand that it may be…) then please check out the best UNP has to offer with Twinkle Tales by L. Frank Baum, renowned author of The Wizard of Oz.

May 28, 1952: The women of Greece are given the right to vote.

The independence of women has long been a hot issue, and reading Eight Women, Two Model T’s, and the American West, by Joanne Wilke is a perfect way to celebrate it.

May 29, 1940: The first prisoners arrive at a new concentration camp called Auschwitz.

The Holocaust is an appalling time in our history, yet there were moments of true goodness going on amidst it. Good Neighbors, Bad Times by Mimi Schwartz, chronicling the good deeds done by one village, may shed some light on this dark story.

May 30, 1536: King Henry VIII marries Jane Seymour preceding this execution of Anne Boleyn.

Oh, will his antics never end! King Henry VIII may be famous for falling in love (also for being crazy, ruthless, and violent), but having 8 wives and executing two of them has never made for an ideal man. If romance happens to be up your alley, then may I introduce Mr. Ted Kooser and his book of poetry, Valentines. Read it, and even a King won’t be able to hold a candle to him.

Well, bloggers thanks for checking us out! See you next week for Tuesday Trivia.

Book

Check out an excerpt from UNP author Joel Denker's book World on a Plate

http://www.culinate.com/books/book_excerpts/The+World+on+a+Plate

Linking in Lincoln: May 29, 2008

If you’re an avid follower of current events, then you must be aware that in addition to spring, it’s also wildfire season. This month from the University of Nebraska Press is Wildfire and Americans, by Roger G. Kennedy. The book is a desperate plea to Humans to re-evaluate our place in the larger ecosystem. Kennedy’s unique perspective on natural disasters and the moral role of humans, mixed with his suspicions of the political system create a very compelling read. This week, Linking in Lincoln will throw themselves into the fire…the wildfire that is, and find out just how informed we should be on the subject!

Are you curious what a wildfire consists of? How they start? Just how dangerous they are? The United States Geological Survey (USGS) provides a great explanation, which you can find here.

How can you protect you and your family from wildfire? State Farm provides a detailed list of what to do before and during the fire.

One of Kennedy’s arguments is that there are no natural disasters, only human disasters. Check out this Newsday article by Wolf Schafer to see how “Humans create, worsen natural disasters.”

Well this may not be the same kind of bad weather, but check out Jazz Goddess Lena Horne’s stunning rendition of “Stormy Weather” here on youtube.

Since we’re on the subject of youtube, and if you don’t scare easily, check out real footage of the 1999 Willow Fire in Apple Valley, California.

Are you like me, and a sucker for a natural disaster movie? I won’t lie, Twister both terrifies and delights me. If you too like to be thrust into a world where nature, and not man has all the control then check out disasterflicks.com.

On a more serious note, wildfires are incredibly dangerous. In addition to protecting you and your family, take a look at the MRSC website to check out wildfire prevention.

The effects of wildfire damage are considerable to say the least, the loss of lives, personal property, and homes take their toll each year. Here, CBSNews takes a closer look at the devastating effect.

What do you think bloggers, are you now a wildfire authority? Well, I hope so! At any rate, check back on Friday for This Day in History!

Tuesday Trivia Answers

A. 12
B.5
C.13
D.1
E.11
F.10
G.9.
H.2.
I.8.
J.7.
K.3.
L.6.
M.4

Tuesday Trivia: May 27, 2008

SPORTS TRIVIA!

New this week from the University of Nebraska Press is Beyond the Dream: Occasional heroes of Sports by Ira Berkow. Famous New York Times sports columnist, Berkow has compiled a book of his notable athlete profiles. Ranging
from the MVP’s to the player who never quite made it big, this book encapsulates all the behind the scenes people, stories, and events that shape a compelling sector of our culture. This week, Tuesday Trivia will take a look at some of the sports figures featured in the book and see how familiar you are with these athletic heroes! Match the Sports hero with their fun fact!

A.    Casey Stengel
B.    Christine “Chris” Evert
C.    Joe Louis
D.    Pete Rose
E.    Muhammed Al
F.    Bobby Fischer
G.    Rod Laver
H.    Hank Aaron
I.     Arnold Palmer
J.    Gale Sayers
K.    Joe DiMaggio
L.    Roger Maris
M.    Ted Williams

1.    This player was banned from the league for betting on this own team
2.    MLB created an award given annually to the most effective hitters in the league
3.    After Achieving a 56 game hitting streak was considered to be a “picture perfect player”
4.    This player is a 2 Time MVP winner
5.    This tennis player won 18 Grand Slam singles titles
6.    This baseball player broke Babe Ruth’s single season home run  record
7.    This football player was born and raised here in Omaha, Nebraska
8.    Two words: Ice Tea and Lemonade
9.    This man was the number one tennis player in the World for 7 years straight
10.    This chess player was a teenage prodigy
11.    This boxer is famous for the line “Float like a butterfly, and sting like a bee”
12.    This baseball player is nicknamed “Dutch”
13.    This baseball player earned a congressional Gold Medal in 1982

How did you do bloggers? Are you a sports trivia aficionado? Check back tomorrow to find out!

As if to prove my point...

This showed up in the New York Times yesterday.

More Praise for Chief Bender's Burden

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

“Fans of baseball’s Pre-Golden Age will appreciate the scholarship that went into Chief Bender’s Burden, Tom Swift’s sad but sweet biography of the Native American pitcher . . . from the University of Nebraska Press, a constant source of quality baseball literature.”—Ron Kaplan, ForeWord

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

Praise for Nebraska's Cowboy Trail

Nebraska’s Cowboy Trail: A User’s Guide by Keith Terry
“Terry’s book is ideal for anyone ambitious enough to want to walk, run or ride along the trail. . . . The book is broken down into sections, much like the Cowboy Trail is. It not only makes it easier for readers to find information about one particular part of the trail, but it also makes it more inviting for those who might be tempted to try to traverse the whole thing.”—Jerry Guenther, Norfolk Daily News

Praise for The Golden Volcano

The Golden Volcano by Jules Verne, translated and edited by Edward Baxter

“Proof that the Frenchman’s fiction never disappoints, this version is the first authentic English translation of Verne’s original manuscript and restores the story as he originally wrote it. . . . Full of adventure and action, the novel also succeeds in providing social commentary on the evils of greed and debauchery. The differences between Verne’s manuscript and his son’s are highlighted in the preface and demonstrate how his son’s unfortunate rewrites completely altered a wonderful story that includes fascinating depictions of the arctic wilderness and the hardships of living there.”—Erica Swenson, Library Journal

More Praise for Jackalope Dreams

Jackalope Dreams by Mary Clearman Blew

“What Blew has achieved in her first novel is nothing less than stunning: a story beautifully told, characters richly conceived and developed, lessons subtly delivered, complete with shoot-’em-ups, horse wrangling and hidden stashes of cash. . . . [I]t is the poetry and preciseness of Blew’s writing that set Jackalope Dreams apart from others of its ilk. Hers is storytelling of the highest order.”—Sherry Devlin, Missoulian

You can read previous praise for Jackalope Dreams at http://nebraskapress.typepad.com/university_of_nebraska_pr/2007/12/praise-for-jack.html.