University of Nebraska Press

Tuesday Trivia: October 13, 2008

New this month from the University of Nebraska Press, is The Grace Abbot Reader edited by John Sorensen and Judith Sealander.  Grace Abbot (1878-1939) was a “tireless and brilliant social reformer” in the early parts of the twentieth century. She used her writing talent to help develop social programs devoted to mothers, children, immigrants, and child laborers.  U.S Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter said he didn’t think “the American experience would disclose a finer illustration of the rare art of public administration” than Abbott.
Taking a nod from Ms. Abbott, Tuesday Trivia is going to provide a few facts about the state of poverty around the world and encourage you to also celebrate on October  15th for the 2008 Blog Action Day, Poverty.  On this Wednesday, blogs all over the world will be devoting their efforts to educating on poverty. Please take a moment to check some of them out here.

1.    At least 80% of humanity lives on less than how much a day?
2.    True or False: According to UNICEF 26,5000-30,0000 children die each day due to  poverty
3.    Each year there are how many million cases of malaria, with how many fatalities?
4.    Africa represents  how many of these deaths?
5.    Access to piped water into the household averages about how much for the wealthiest 20% and how much for the poorest 20% of the population?
6.    In the U.S. the foreign born poor make up how much of all poor persons?
7.    True or False:  100 million school age children are not in school?
8.    What percent of children in developing countries are estimated to be underweight or stunted?
9.    In the U.S. in 2007 how many people were in poverty, up from 36.5 million in 2006?
10.   For the 1.9 billion children in the developing world?
How many go without adequate shelter?
How many go without access to safe water?
How many go without access to health services?

Ok readers, these are not just facts or statistics. This information is relaying the way a large portion of our world lives, and how they go without. I encourage each of you check out the 2008 Blog Action Day and see where your efforts could be best placed. If you’re looking for a bit more inspiration, then check out The Grace Abbott Reader by John Sorensen and Judith Sealander,  at the University of Nebraska Press website. Have a great day!

Congratulations to University of Nebraska Press author, 2008 Laureate Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio

The Swedish Academy announcement yesterday featured French author Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio as the 2008 Nobel Prize winner in Literature for a lifetime of successful works. Le Clézio is one of 105 persons since 1901 to have received this award. 

As one of France’s best-known contemporary writers, he has published nearly 30 novels, essays and short stories.  Le Clézio is the author of Onitsha (Nebraska, 1997) and The Round and Other Cold Hard Facts (Nebraska, 2003), published by University of Nebraska Press.

“Before there was multiculturalism, there was the work of Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio. Le Clézio spins words which span the entire globe…with the sweet melancholy and sensuality which have become his trademark.” –Washington Post Book World

Nice-born Le Clézio has won numerous prizes, including the Prix Renaudot for his first novel Le Proces-Verbal at the age of 23. Over the last three decades his works have been translated in many languages including Swedish, German, and English.

The University of Nebraska Press has a long standing dedication to making available the best literature from around the world. With nearly 200 translated titles currently in print from 5 different languages, UNP is one of the largest, most active American publishers of translated works.

The University of Nebraska Press will be exhibiting Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio’s titles at the upcoming Frankfurt Book Fair October 15-19, 2008 in Frankfurt, Germany, by Combined Academic Publishers, Ltd. Please visit booth 8.0 B935 to view 2008 Laureate Le Clézio’s titles.

This Week in History: October 6-10, 2008

Well readers, it’s been a pretty interesting few weeks. The bailout passed last Friday, and some of us are ecstatic, while others are terrified. We’ve got two of the three presidential debates out of the way, and I don’t know about you, but I think my candidate is doing quite well. I’ve even been sporting shirt plastered with his face, now that is true patriotism for ya! But if you’re not a fan of politics, then we still have a great week of facts for you. Everything from the 1919 World Series scandal to the Day of Six Billion, six billion people that is. Oh, and there are a few great books too…. Care to join me?

October 8, 2001: U.S. President George W. Bush announces the establishment of the Office of Homeland Security.

War has always led to a change in any society. For Americans after 9/11 and the start of the ‘war on terror’, this was Homeland Security. To see the how other societies may have been affected by non-peaceful times, check out World History of Warfare by Christon I. Archer, John R. Ferris, Holger H.  Herwig, and Timothy H.E. Travers.

October 9,1919:  Black Sox scandal where the Cincinnati Reds “win” the World Series.

    Eight baseball players were banished from baseball, despite being found innocent in court. Most famous among them was Joseph Jefferson Jackson or “Shoeless Joe”. For a closer look into his perspective, the innocence he proclaimed until his death, check out Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball, by Harvey Frommer.

October 10, 1967: The Outer Space treaty, signed by more than 60 countries, enters into force.

Now I’m not exactly sure what the outer space treaty is, but to me it sounds like it could have come straight out of the pages of Miles J. Breuer’s,  The Man with the Strange Head and Other Early Science Fiction Stories. 

October 11, 1906: San Francisco public school system clashes with Japan by ordering Japanese students to be taught in racially segregated schools.

It is no secret that the U.S. has often made it hard for minorities to receive fair and equal treatment under the law. Racially segregated schools are no exception, and have often been one of the more pervasive tools. Yet athletics has often been the forerunner in pushing those boundaries. Wally Yonamine: The Man who Changed Japanese Baseball, by Robert K. Fitts, is one of these remarkable stories. To see how he helped alter the roles of Japanese in sports, check it out at UNP.

  October 12, 1999: The Day of 6 billion. The sixth billion human is born in Sarajevo, Bosnia.

Well 6 billion is a  lot of people! I think to fit all those people in one place, it would have to be a “wide open” place. Ok yeah, that’s my segue into The Wide Open: Prose, Poems,  and Photographs of the Prairie, by Annick Smith and Susan O’Connor. It probably wasn’t smooth, but the book is still good. Check it out!

Ok readers, you can find these books and more at the University of Nebraska Press website. Join us Tuesday for a little trivia. Have a great weekend guys!

Tuesday Trivia: October 7, 2008

New this month from the University of Nebraska Press is The Man with the Strange Head and Other Early Science Fiction Stories by Miles J. Breuer. Gathered together for the first time is the premiere publication of Miles J. Breuer, along with  essays, short stories, and his own letters from the discussion column of Amazing Stories.  This week Tuesday Trivia will take a very literal take on the words ‘strange head’ and share a few quirky facts on human brain. Care to join me readers? I can guarantee you’ll be a true brainiac when we’re done.

1.    Your brain uses 20% of your body’s energy but only makes up how much of its weight?
2.    True or False : Humans have the most complex brain of any animal on earth.
3.    Frequent jet lag can do what to your brain?
4.    True or False: Your brain used more power than your refrigerator light?
5.    Sunlight can make you do what?
6.    True or False:  People who ride roller coasters have a higher chance of having a blood clot in the brain?
7.    Unconsciousness will occur how long after loss of blood supply to the brain?
8.    True or False: The brain is incapable of feeling pain?
9.    A cooked potato can jump-start your brain when when you’re feeling what?
10.    The adult human brains weighs how much?

Be sure to join us tomorrow for the answers! You can also find The Man with the Strange Head and Other Early Science Fiction Stories by Miles J. Breuer at the University of Nebraska Press website.

This Week in History: September 29-October 3: 2008

Well readers, this has been another fascinating week. The economic crisis we are facing is coming to a head. One proposal has been shot down, and another one is being decided today. Regardless of what happens, we are in the throes of history folks! To keep you from biting your fingernails, This Week in History has a dating service, famous photographers and O.J. Simpson to keep you occupied. Lets not waste another minute!

September  29, 1650: Henry Robinson opens his office of Addresses and Encounters- the first documented dating service in Threadneedle Street, London

Everybody knows the secret to a great date is to be yourself, and to have a fantastic bottle of wine. Corkscrewed: Adventures in the New French wine county by Robert V. Camuto. Just be sure to limit yourself to one glass, otherwise there might not be a second date!

September 30, 1962: Mexican American labor leader Cesar Chavez founds the United Farm Workers.

Cesar Chavez  is a famous activist, a hero to the Mexican people, and a leader to the rest of the world. Have no fear though; we have a few of these kinds of people in our generation as well. Samira Bellil, born in Alergia, was raped at fourteen and rather then silent like so many women in her community, she spoke out against her attackers and got justice through the French legal system. You can check out her story in To Hell and Back: The Life of Samira Bellil by Samira Bellil.

October 1, 1939: After a one-month siege of Warsaw, hostile forces entered the city.

War is not the only thing to mark Warsaw. If you spoke to Gary Gildner, a former teacher at the University of Warsaw, and coach of the baseball team, the Warsaw Sparks then you might see a very different city. Check out The Warsaw Sparks: A Memoir by Gary Gildner  for the whole story.

October 2, 1949: Annie Liebovitz, American photographer is born.

    Often through art, especially photography, we are allowed to see the world through new lenses. This is the beauty of it. Now while Ms. Liebovitz focuses her skills on photographing famous people, the photographers in The Wide Open: Prose, Poetry, and Photographs’ of the prairie edited by Annick Smith and Susan O’Connor, are focusing on the beauty of America’s prairies. Don’t miss it!

October 3, 1995: O.J. Simpson found not guilty of the murders of his ex-wife Nicole and her friend Ronald Goldman.

    Prison writing by inmates, guards, teachers, and chaplains has long since been a tradition analyzed  by critics and scholars. Now while O.J. Simpson wrote his book “If I Did It." outside the big house, I can’t help but wonder if it would have been a bestseller if he had written inside. Either way, check out Jail Sentences: Representing Prison in Twentieth Century French Fiction by Andrew Sobanet for more on this remarkable genre.

Thanks for joining us readers! Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you Tuesday with another installment of Tuesday Trivia.

Linking in Lincoln: October 1, 2008

New this month from the University of Nebraska Press, is The Entire Earth and Sky: Views on Antarctica by Leslie Carol Roberts. Ms. Roberts first arrived in Antarctica with Greenpeace, and was hoping to save the world. Now she wants to save Antarctica, a feat that some might say is just as great. What this book does is chronicle not only her work, but the efforts of scientists, explorers throughout the nineteenth century. This week Linking in Lincoln is going to add our small contribution to the cause, and share some links about this great continent.

1.    Did you know the average summer temperature at the South Pole is around -35F. For more fun facts about Antarctica, please head to icecube.wisc.edu

2.    What happens in Antarctica, who lives there? Did you know there are no native inhabitants? For a complete guide to its history, people, cities, and culture head to ralphrobertmoore.com

3.    For some background information on the Antarctic Treaty, head to Antarctica.ac.uk

4.    In 1984 Antarctica was the 2nd most successful movie ever released in Japan. Head to imbd.com for the details.

5.    Classroom Antarctica is a website dedicated to the literature of Antarctica, historically a symbol of mystery.  Check it out for some really great books (well slightly less great than you would find here at UNP)

6.    This video depicts one year in Antarctica, in a matter of only 6 minutes. Visually, it’s striking and gives an fascinating look into the reality of the few, brave souls who have taken up residence there. Head to youtube.com for Antarctica Time Lapse: A Year on Ice.

Ok readers, you can find this book, The Entire Earth and Sky: Views on Antarctica by Leslie Carol Roberts at the UNP website. Join us tomorrow for another installment of This Week in History!

Off the Shelf: The Plain Sense of Things by Pamela Carter Joern

Read from the first chapter, "Ghost Town", of The Plain Sense of Things by Pamela Carter Joern:

“Gramp went to fetch Billy himself after the telegram arrived announcing that Carlene had died. Grandma took to her bed, turned her face to the rose patterned wallpaper. Gramp sat at her back, careful not to mar her Double Wedding Ring quilt, tentatively reached his hand out toward his wife but could not think what to offer. He shrugged his shoulders, stood, said well then, and clumped off to the Elmyra train station.

This Week in History: September 22-26, 2008

Well readers, it’s been a pretty big week in my little world. My hopes of becoming the next Mrs. Clay Aiken were dashed as this month's People hit the stands and formally announced his lack of interest in my (the fairer) sex. I have no doubt women all over the U.S. were equally disappointed. Now if you are not a fan of Mr. Aiken or are slightly more interested in the books and history we’re about to present then let me delay you no further.  After all we’ve got a pretty eclectic week for you, everything from Lewis and Clark to Dr. Seuss to Luke Skywalker. If you want to lament with me however, then please go ahead.

September 22, 1888: The first issue of National Geographic Magazine is published.

National Geographic is known for taking that in depth look into our world, our cultures, and nature that is necessary for a well balanced perspective. For me Antarctica is a perfect representation of this. To see what one of UNP’s authors have come to know about the continent, take a look at The Entire Earth and Sky: Views on Antarctica,by Leslie Carol Roberts.

September 23, 1886: Lewis and Clark return to St. Louis after exploring the Pacific Northwest of the United States.

Oh, Lewis and Clark! However did they make it without Sacagawea? To find out please check out Why Sacagawea Deserves the Day Off and Other Lessons from the Lewis & Clark Trail, by Stephanie Ambrose Tubbs.

September 24, 1991: Theodore Geisel aka Dr. Seuss dies today.

I think we can all agree that Dr. Seuss was a real lover of children. For another UNP author who can say the same, please check out Against Joie de Vivre by Phillip Lopate.

September 25, 1951: Mark Hamil, American Actor is born today.

There can, perhaps, be no better representative of science fiction than Star Wars. For a look at what came before this brilliant trilogy have a look at The Man with the Strange Head and other Early Science Fiction Stories by Miles J. Breuer.

September 26, 1774: Johnny Appleseed, American Environmentalist is born.

In the age of Global Warming, we have grown used to the conflict between progressing as a society at the possible risk of nature and protecting the environment at the possible risk of progression. As Midwesterners we are privileged to have a large part of this threatened landscape in our own backyards. You can see this beautifully outlined in The Wide Open: Prose, Poetry, and Photographs of the Prairie, by Annick Smith and Susan O’Conner

Well readers, have a great weekend. Join us again Tuesday for some Tuesday Trivia!

Linking in Lincoln: September 24, 2008

“Longing itself is nothing but the heart’s open spaces,”

New this month from the University of Nebraska is The Darkened Temple by Mari L’Esperance. Winner of the Prairie Schooner Book Prize in Poetry, this book concentrates on the disappearance of a mother and the space that leaves in the author’s heart. This week Linking in Lincoln will take a look at this book and see what we can make of the authors intentions and themes.

Who is Mari L’Esperance? Well the curse of the poet is often that they are destined to be anonymous for most of their careers. Rarely do we find, even the most brilliant poet, on the cover of People magazine. So thank god for Poets& Writers.com. Check out Ms. L’Esperance’s page there.

What is the dark? What does darkness mean in scientific terms, poetic, artistic? As always we turn to the informative Wikipedia .com for a few thoughts.

If temples are more your thing, dark or not, then head to youtube.com for a look at Lost Temples: Mayan Pyramids of Chichen Itza.

What is the Prairie Schooner Book Prize? Well, other than an honor you might say? Well check out the UNL website for the complete 411.

As an avid reader, nothing is more exciting then the idea of all my favorite authors coming together in an place where we, the readers, can connect with them on a level playing field. This place is called the RedRoom.com or (maybe Myspace for writers) and you should check it out!

Well readers, for a closer look at The Darkened Temple and other great works of poetry, head to the UNP website. Don’t forget to join us next Friday for “This Week in History.”

Tuesday Trivia: September 22, 2008

A  Sparky Tuesday Trivia!!
In 1987 poet, author, and former baseball player, Gary Gildner went to Poland to teach at the University of Warsaw on a Fulbright scholarship. One January day a sportswriter came knocking, asking for help with a baseball team he had organized, one that could not win. Gildner agreed to help him and out of it came the memoir, The Warsaw Sparks by Gary Gildner in which he reminisces about his time coaching baseball in Warsaw and the many colorful characters he encountered. This week Tuesday Trivia is going to take our own little trip to Warsaw (through the World Wide Web of course) and see just what this city is all about. Care to join me readers?

1.    Warsaw was founded in what year?
2.    Warsaw became the capitol of Poland in what year?
3.    Between the years of 1655 and 1795 Warsaw was occupied how many times?
4.    True or False: Warsaw is located on the left side of the Vistula River?
5.    Chopin was born just outside Warsaw in what year?
6.    The world’s first public library was opened in Warsaw in what year?
7.    The Warsaw act did what?
8.    The 1989 free elections marked what?
9.    The Warsaw uprising began in 1944 and lasted how long?
10.    How many people were killed?

How do you think you did? Be sure to check back tomorrow for the answers! Remember you can find The Warsaw Sparks and countless others at the UNP website.