University of Nebraska Press

Linking in Lincoln: July 3, 2008

IT’S A LINKING MIRACLE!

New this season from the University of Nebraska Press is, It’s Good to Know a Miracle: Dani’s Story by Sue and Jay Shotel. This book chronicles the tragedy that turned into a miracle, as 26 year old teacher Dani Shotel was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML). Her astounding story is relayed by her parents as they re-live her diagnoses, the wealth of information the learned about the disease, and the young man who came forward and saved her life. Linking in Lincoln is going celebrate Dani’s life this week, as we take a closer look at the miracle that is….well, Miracles!

What is a Miracle? Well, as I’m sure you would have guessed, we will first take a look at Wikipedia to get an answer.

Some might say inspiration is its own miracle. So what do you think inspirational quotes about miracles can achieve? Take a look here to find out!

Are miracles really miracles? This website takes some famous miracles and tells you if they are really fact or fiction.

This NY Times article takes a look at a different kind of miracle, new drugs for Aids patients that may be able to bridge the gap between life and death.

This article on OncoLink is about one person’s struggle and triumph with NK Cell Leukemia

Can we ever tire of miracles?  This article is about one injured man’s amazing recovery.  Find out what it was at USA Today.

Ok bloggers, here is to hoping the rest of your day is inspired! 

LINKING IN LINCOLN: May 22, 2008

LINKING IN LINCOLN: A SEN-HAITIAN-IONAL  EXPERIENCE!!

                                         

 

“Lyonel Trouillot’s novel Children of Heroes is a real tour de force"

The weather is getting hotter, and so is the University of Nebraska Press! New this month is Children of Heroes by Lyonel Trouillot. Chronicling a childhood where he and his sister Mariéla were abused by their father and in the end “killed the man who tyrannized them and their piously pathetic mother, who is now a “blank.” They then escaped to somewhere “far away.”Now the prolific writer Trouillot re-visits his past with this book, that while stark and tragic, gives an intimate depiction of this unique country.  From Mardi Gras to the food, to the sometimes dire political situation; this week’s Linking in Lincoln will be indulging in all things Haitian.

Did you know Christopher Columbus (actually) discovered the island of Haiti on December 5, 1492? For more information on the rich history of this country check out Wikipedia.

In post-Duvalier society, Haiti is much freer country. To get a look at the harsh reign of the Duvalier’s check out moreorless.com

The disposition of children in Haiti is well known, Trouillot’s story is evidence of that. For a closer look at the Haitian Lost Boys then go to the Washington post.com

For an interview with Lyonel Trouillot click here.

Did you know BBQ was first seen by Europeans in Haiti 500 years ago? For more social studies fun facts click here.

Interested in food (or food in general) then click here for a closer look at Haitian cuisine and how to make it!

Mardi Gras is well known...well, everywhere. Go to the Belkanaval website to see a video on how Haitians celebrate.

Well bloggers, I hope you enjoyed this edition of Linking in Lincoln. Check back with us on Friday for a rousing This Week in History.

Tuesday Trivia: May 19, 2008

ONE BOOK, ONE NEBRASKA, ONE TUESDAY TRIVIA!

Restoring the Burnt Child, by William Kloefkorn is the fourth installment in his highly regarded  memoir, that when completed, will cover the four elements of Water, Fire, Earth, and Air (and no he has no affiliation with Captain Planet). Winner of the One Book, One Nebraska award, Kloefkorn is no stranger to praise from the Great Plains literati. In this installment of Tuesday Trivia we will be taking a look at him and other  former winners of One Book, One Nebraska to see if you, our readers, have  been paying attention to these local legends.

Match the two quirky facts with their equally eccentric (Ahem,  genius) counterparts!
1.    Mari Sandoz
2.    Willa Cather
3.    William Kloefkorn
4.    Alex Kava

A)    This author was incredibly private, so much so that before her death she burned all her personal letters and papers, then tailored her will to prevent scholars from quoting her directly from what few papers remained

B)    Talk about a national sensation! This author’s books have made national bestsellers lists in Poland, Australia, Germany, and the United Kingdom.  Guess you’d have to be “Bloody” stupid not to check them out!

C)    In 1978 which author won first place in the Nebraska Hog-Calling Championship? Giving up hog-calling for writing, what ever happened to ideals, people?

D)    In 1919, at the age of 18, this author made the bold move to divorce her husband citing “extreme marital cruelty” and travel, alone, to Lincoln, Nebraska.

E)    To pay for her life as a struggling writer, this author refinanced her home, maxed out her credit cards and took up the prestigious job of a paper boy (or paper person).

F)    Though celebrated for writing in the tongue of the “ordinary” person, this author was occasionally criticized for doing just that in place of activism to alter their often harsh conditions.  I mean really, who wants to read about successful people?

G)    This author was appointed the State Poet of Nebraska (very comparable to the Poet Laureate) in 1982. So you can just take that, Mr. Ted Kooser!

H)    This author’s first book was a memoir chronicling her father’ life. This dutiful daughter endured a whole heck of a lot of rejection before seeing Old Jules published in 1935
.
Well readers, if you combine the powers of the rings of the five planeteers and call upon Captain Planet….then you will have wasted your time, as he probably cannot help you solve this quiz. On the other hand, you could just check out The University of Nebraska Press and take closer look at Restoring the Burnt Child by William Kloefkorn.

Tuesday Trivia: May 12, 2008

WELCOME TO THE HOTEL “TRIVIA”
We have all longed for different lives at some point or another. The lure of the unfamiliar has captured many a person, and propelled them into lives of distinction and sometimes disappointment. What would happen, however, if we were constantly faced with individuals as opposite from ourselves as day is to night? In the center of the rural boomtown of Soda Springs, Idaho, stands the historic Enders Hotel, Café, and Bar, a three-story brick building that has been many things to many people. But to one family who bought it as an attempt to renew themselves it was home, a place they desperately tried to hold on to and yet, after seventeen years of living there, the very place from which they wanted to escape. Growing up under its leaking roof, Enders Hotel author Brandon R. Schrand watched a cast of broken characters pass through the hotel doors—an alcoholic artist, a forgotten boxing champ, an ex-con, a homeless family—and tried to find his own identity among those revolving faces. Haunted by a father he had never seen, he tested the faces of those drifters for familiarity. Winner of the River Teeth Literary Nonfiction Prize, The Enders Hotel reveals the promises and warnings of western boomtown life—stories of alcoholism, murder, betrayal, hope, and finally, redemption.
This week TT is going to honor the timeless tradition of providing residence for strangers (at a small fee) by testing our knowledge on all things Hote
1.    The oldest hotel is the Hoshi Ryokan in Komatsu, Japan. It was built in what year?
2.    True or False: There are three underwater hotels in the world today and they are located in                          Sweden, Dubai, and Florida.
3.    The President Wilson Hotel in Switzerland boasts how much a night for their royal suite.
4.    True or False: Room 217 of the Stanley Hotel where Stephen King wrote The Shinning, is actually             haunted.
5.    Which of these hotel movies were nominated for a razzie, and which for an Oscar?
         A. Grand Hotel
        B. Hotel Rwanda
        C. Four rooms and a hotel
        D. Holiday inn
        E. Hotel Pariaso
6.    The Lizzie Borden bed and breakfast is home to the 1892 famous double murder of who?

*Now, a few questions about one of America’s most famous hotels. Can you guess which one it is?*
7.    Both Sir Arthur C.  Clarke who wrote the Short Story 2001: A Space Odyssey and Stanley Kubrick            who directed the film, lived here.
8.    Americas oldest living person, Alpheas Cole, died here in 1988 at the ripe old age of 112.
9.     This hotel has been home to such famous people as
        A.    Mark Twain
        B.    Bob Dylan
        C.    Allen Ginsberg
        D.    Edie Sedgwick.
10.    1978 Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols was arrested for the murder of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen in room 100.

Check back tomorrow for your results!

Linking in Lincoln: April, 30 2008

Lincoln’s Crazy Links!

                                       New this month from University of Nebraska is, Pieces from Life’s Crazy Quilt by Marvin V. Arnett. This memoir about an African American woman growing up during the Great Depression, traces the fine line of memory and history. Each chapter works as a stand alone one-act play, contributing to the whole as each square does to a quilt. With comparisons to the Victorian age stories Arnett read as a child, the reader gets an apt sense of how conflicting the world in her books was from the one she existed in. Today for Linking in Lincoln we are going to play a bit with this theme. As each link stands alone, keep in mind how it contributes to the larger story of Arnett’s life. If you find you are intrigued, then don’t hesitate to pick up your own copy of this book. Happy Linking!

Ever read a one act play? Of course you have…. right? Well, just in case you’re looking for some new ones or, ahem, a first one….we’ve got the website for you. Just go to One-Act Plays.com and take the literary plunge!

Did you know Ford Motor Company was once accused of being Nazi Collaborators? To get the whole scoop along with a broader history of the company go to Wikipedia.com

For more stories of real people who lived during the depression, visit this website!

Ever heard of a six word memoir? Legend has it Ernest Hemingway once bragged that he could write an entire story in six words. Authors have been taking their own hand at it since. For memoirs click here, if you’re more of a science fiction fan (like myself) than click here.

How much do you know about the Victorian Era? For a comprehensive history go, once again, to Wikipedia.com and see if you can imagine how different it must be from growing up in Detroit during the  depression.

    Did we peak your interest at all? If so, then check out the University of Nebraska Press website to get your own copy!

Linking in Lincoln: April 23, 2008

THE LINKS THAT BECOME US

Featured this month by the University of Nebraska Press is, What Becomes You by Aaron Raz Link and Hilda Raz. A Collaborative memoir by mother and son, it chronicles the journey from female to male, and scientist to performer of Aaron Raz Link. Hilda Raz, a well known poet and feminist, plays the role of the “astonished” parent who watches the process from the standpoint of both mother and academic. With the poignant perspectives of mother and son, we can see how the self-identification methods we use to create our own lives can have significant impact on the ones we love. Ranging from the scientific to the personal, this book transcends issues of gender, science, career, and even family to come to a conclusion simply human. This week Linking in Lincoln will explore topics with the same variety and (hopefully) thoughtfulness. So link away, bloggers!

Within recent years, the term “Transgender” has become increasingly commonplace. Yet, while perhaps not prominent, their impact on the community has always existed. To get a feel for what the often silenced group has contributed, here is a website devoted to Famous Transgender People ….Who are Known for Something Else.

Hilda Raz is a famous poet, feminist, editor, essayist, and reviewer (not to mention former professor of mine!) who’s impact on the literary world has been significant to say the least. But don’t just take my word for it, check out her website here.

Are you like me (and pretty much everyone else I know), and have no clue what Taxonomy is? Well then check out the greatest resource for all unknown questions at Wikipedia.

Think your life is worthy of print? If so, then take a gander at the Scholastic website to find out how to Write Your Own Memoir

Just a bit jealous that Aaron and Hilda Raz could get along so well they could write a memoir together? I might be myself, a little…. Well fear no longer, here are some steps to dealing with even the most (do we even use the word…?) “involved” mothers. Take a look and get on the fast track to writing your own mother/child memoir at ehow.com

That’s it for today dear bloggers. I hope we’ve inspired you to take a closer look at your own memoir worthy life. Don’t forget to check out What Becomes You this month from the University of Nebraska Press…and make sure to put your mother on speed dial!

Starred Review for The Enders Hotel

The Enders Hotel: A Memoir by Brandon R. Schrand

Starred Review

“Schrand’s deeply textured memoir of life in a small Idaho town boasts a rich palette of glittering iridescent hues, somber earth tones, and delicate, evocative washes. . . . Schrand’s memoir sings, stirring the senses as much as the soul.”—Whitney Scott, Booklist

For previous reviews of The Enders Hotel, please visit http://nebraskapress.typepad.com/university_of_nebraska_pr/2008/02/praise-for-th-1.html.

More Praise for Bicycling beyond the Divide

Bicycling beyond the Divide by Daryl Farmer

“The book isn’t just bicycle talk. Much to Farmer’s credit—and the fact that he keeps journals—he gives us some historical background of the towns and places he visits. He also shares his personal life and his feelings, such as loneliness, anger and moments of happiness. All in all, it’s a good read for anyone contemplating a long-distance bicycle journey or some other adventure.”—Algis J. Laukaitis, Lincoln Journal Star

Schwartz Memoir Continues to Garner Praise

Good Neighbors, Bad Times by Mimi Schwartz

“Schwartz’s excellent presentation defies categorization. It has some elements of journalism, autobiography, history, reporting, feature writing, and literature. All these components are creatively combined to result in an eminently readable product that grips the reader’s attention. Schwartz has augmented our limited capacity to comprehend the Holocaust, which is ultimately an incomprehensible phenomenon.”—Morton Teicher, National Jewish Post & Opinion

To read earlier praise for Good Neighbors, Bad Times, please visit http://nebraskapress.typepad.com/university_of_nebraska_pr/2008/01/praise-for-good.html.

Turn on, Tune in... Dinty W. Moore Podcasts

Fans of Dinty W. Moore and his acclaimed, experimental, and completely hysterical memoir Between Panic and Desire are in for a treat. Check out the links below. The first is a recent interview with Dinty on the "Greg and Dan Show" on WMDB Radio in Peoria, Illinois. The second is a recording from Dinty's Ohio State University appearance, where he read from the chapter "Son of George McManus." Happy listening!

Download Moore_GregandDanShow.mp3

Download Moore_OSUReading.mp3