University of Nebraska Press

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!

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.

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.

This Week in History: September 8-12, 2008

It’s a new week, bloggers! I don’t know about you but I’ve been enjoying the new cooler weather (though not all the rain) and the series premieres of all my favorite shows! I’m not going to lie, Gossip Girl has become a guilty pleasure…..the couture is just so beautiful but lets face it, what high school kid dresses like that?  This week we’ve got a real variety for you guys! Starting with Star Trek and ending with a tribute to those lost in the September 11, 2001 attacks. Ready to start bloggers?

Sept 8, 1966: The first Star Trek premieres on NBC.
    Are you a science fiction lover? I’m a secret one…though not now, I suppose. If you are then may I present The Man with the Strange Head and Other Early Science Fiction Stories by classic Scifi author Miles J. Breuer.

Sept 9, 1543: A nine month old Mary Stuart is crowned “Queen of Scots”.
    Powerful women in the government- it’s one of the great gifts the generations before us paved the way for. For a more local legend, please check out Mayor Helen Boosalis by Beth Davis Boosalis about the first female mayor or Lincoln, NE.

Sept 10, 1945: Mike the headless chicken is decapitated, but will survive for another 18 months before choking to death.
    Now I have no book to connect this to. I can only appeal to your general sense of wonderment and hope you recognize the sheer greatness of this little story. Here is a link to miketheheadlesschicken.org for more info.

Sept 11, 2001: I can assume this date needs no introductions. Rather than focusing on the horror of this event, may I suggest following this link to the memorial and putting our efforts towards remembering those who lost their lives.

Sept 12, 2005: Hong Kong Disneyland opens in Penny’s Bay Lantau Island, Hong Kong.

I LOVE Disney movies! Beauty and the Beast was the first movie I saw in theatres, and the whole experience has always stayed with me. Now this new book from UNP, Cinderella Ball: A Look Inside Small College Basketball in West Virginia by Bob Kuska, is not the same kind of fairy tale, but I can assure you that you will walk away with the same inspiration.

Ok bloggers another week down! Be sure to take a look at the University of Nebraska Press website for these books and more. Please join us next Tuesday for a little trivia!!

Tuesday Trivia Answers

1) 1863
2) 1908
3) True
4) 5 consecutive times
5) He was 17 years old
6) 2 World Cups
7) True
8) 1930
9) 58 games in a row
10) True

Tuesday Trivia: August 11, 2008

   

  Well with the Olympics in full swing, I can think of no better time to introduce UNP’s newest book, The Global Game edited by John Turnbull, Thom Satterlee, and Alon Raab.  Since soccer is the world’s most popular sport, these editors have compiled the “literary efforts” of writers around the globe to celebrate the “universal and infinitely varied ways in which soccer connects with the human experience”. This week Tuesday Trivia will join in the celebration and quiz you on all things Futbol!!

1)    The first set of rules for soccer was developed by the London Football Association in what year?
2)    In what year was Soccer was made into an Olympic event?
3)    True or False: Soccer is the most popular team sport in the world?
4)    Real Madrid holds the record for winning the European Cup how many times in a row?
5)    Norman Whiteside was the youngest payer to ever participate in the world cup. How old was he?
6)    Mexico was the first country to hold the World Cup how many times in a row?
7)    True or False: Days before the 1966 World Cup the trophy was stolen and later retrieved by a dog.
8)    Uruguay won the first World Cup in what year?
9)    AC Milan set an Italian record for winning the most consecutive games in a row. How many did they win?
10)    True or False: In 1980 India withdrew from the World Cup because the FIFA would not allow the team to play barefoot.

Check back tomorrow for the answers blogger!

This Week in History: August 4-8, 2008

This Week in History: August 4 - 8, 2008
Well, August is officially here, and let me tell you we are sure feeling the heat here in Nebraska!  Hopefully the weather in China is a little milder because this week the summer Olympics officially begin in Beijing where over 10,000 athletes from around the world will be competing. It seems like the Olympics get bigger and bigger all the time! Did you know that even though the Olympics can be traced back to ancient Greece the modern Olympics didn’t begin until 1859? Just a little fun fact I thought I’d share. Here are some more fun facts about what was happening this week in history.

August 4, 1693: Date traditionally ascribed to Dom Perignon's invention of champagne.
Nothing symbolizes celebration quite the way a bottle of champagne does!  However, it is unlikely that champagne will ever be able to compare to the popularity of its ancient counter-part: wine. If you are a self-proclaimed wino or just like learning about wine, you should be on the lookout for Corkscrewed where author Robert V. Camuto takes his readers on an incredible journey through France’s wine country. 

   
August 5, 1962: American actress Marilyn Monroe is found dead at the age of 36 from a drug overdose in her Hollywood home. As most of us know one of Monroe’s claims to fame was her marriage to legendary baseball player Joe DiMaggio. Their marriage was highly publicized and quite dramatic.  For those of you wanting to dig into a little more baseball drama check out Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball. 

August 6, 1965: U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into law.  The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was made to help eliminate discriminatory voting practices that were being used towards blacks and other minorities in an effort to discourage them from casting their votes; the Act is seen as a landmark in the Civil Rights Movement. Pieces from Life’s Crazy Quilt is a riveting novel/memoir that retells of a time when racial turbulence was still a major part of life for African Americans in this country.

August 7, 1945: President Harry Truman announces the bombing of Hiroshima with an atomic bomb while returning from the Potsdam Conference aboard the heavy cruiser USS Augusta (CA-31) in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.The dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan can (unofficially) be seen as the beginning of the Cold War, one of the most panicked times in American history.  In his book, Wildfire and Americans, Roger Kennedy brilliantly explores the “untold history” of the Cold War, and for you political history buffs out there, this one is a must! 

August 8, 1794: Joseph Whidbey and George Vancouver lead an expedition to search for the Northwest Passage near Juneau, Alaska.
Even today, Alaska seems to be a place shrouded in mystery.  It’s so extraordinary that people were exploring this northern wilderness in 1794!  Authentic Alaska is a great way to start exploring this isolated land for yourself while in the comfort of your own home. This book is an amazing way to learn about America’s last frontier and its people. 

Tuesday Trivia Answers

1) True
2) Africa, South America, Antarctica
3) 202
4) 4
5) Beijing 2008
6) "Faster, Stronger, Higher"
7)Vancouver, Canada (Winter Olympics)
8) 1912
9) 776 BC
10) "Naked"

This Week in History: August 5, 2008

Ok bloggers, we are 3, yes count them, 3 DAYS away from the opening ceremonies of the summer Olympics in Beijing! Now I, an avid anti-sports fan, am even brimming with excitement at the prospect of watching athletes around the word strive for the gold (or in most cases strive and then fall short, but we’ll cheer them all the same). Since the whole world has a love affair with the Olympics, this is the perfect season to introduce UNP’s newest book Personal Record: A Love Affair with Running by Rachel Toor. Chronicling her transformation from self professed couch potato to an avid long distance runner, this book is both hysterically funny and incredibly inspiring. Who knows maybe I’ll be running in London during the 2012 games?

1.)True or False: In ancient times the athletes would both practice and compete in the nude.

2.) Which 3 countries have never hosted the Olympics?

3.) How many countries participated in the 2004 Olympics in Athens?

4.) How many athletes have won medals at both the winter and Summer Olympics?

5.) FUWA is the name of what Olympic mascot?

6.) The Olympics motto is “Citius, Altius, Fortius”. What does it mean?

7.) The next winter Olympics will be held in 2010, where?

8.) In what year were the last solid gold medals awarded for first place?

9.) The Olympics began when?

10.) The word gymnasium comes fro the Latin word gymnos meaning what?

Ok, check back tomorrow for the answers!!

 

This Week in History: July 28 - August 1

This Week in History: July 28-August 1, 2008

This week we say farewell to the month of July.  How does time go by so fast?  Before you know it we will be rushing around trying to get ready for Christmas again!  Well, the good news is that football season is only a month away and we still have some time to enjoy the extreme heat before the extreme cold sets in. But, before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s look back at what was happening this week in history.

July 28, 1994: Baseball pitcher Kenny Rogers of the Texas Rangers throws a perfect game.
As all baseball fans know, throwing a perfect game is no small feat, especially at the professional level. Maybe a few of you out there were lucky enough to watch as Rogers in his moment of glory. That’s why television is so great; it allows us to witness great moments such as Rogers.   Where would baseball be without television?  If you’ve ever pondered this question yourself, you should check out Center Field Shot by James R. Walker and Robert V. Bellamy Jr. which explores television’s impact on the game.

July 29 1958: U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs into law the National Aeronautics and Space Act, which creates the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Space travel is an extraordinary subject and for those of you interested in learning more about outer space and humanity’s struggle to get there, should check out Chris Gainor’s To a Distant Day or David Hitt, Owen Garriott, and Joe Kerwin’s Homesteading Space.  Explore what it really took for us to reach the final frontier.

July 30, 1930: In Montevideo, Uruguay wins the first World Cup.
Although soccer isn’t huge in the United States, the sports impact around the world can’t be denied.  To help you better understand the way soccer has influenced the world, be on the lookout for The Global Game (which will be coming soon).  This fantastic book is a collection of numerous works written by authors from around the world about this popular sport.  The Global Game editors are John Turnbull, Thom Satterlee, and Alon Raab.

July 31, 1498: On his third voyage to the Western Hemisphere, Christopher Columbus becomes the first European to discover the island of Trinidad.
Exploration has long been a fascination of human beings because we are always trying to discover the unknown. Unfortunately, for most of us living today, exploration into the unknown is limited to the deep sea and space.  However, even if you can’t be a deep sea diver or an astronaut, you can still explore, and a place that might be of interest to you is Nebraska’s Cowboy Trail which is an old railroad turned tourist destination.  Luckily, if you ever want to venture on this trail Keith Terry has written a user’s guide appropriately titled Nebraska’s Cowboy Trail. 

August 1, 1936: Olympic Games: Summer Olympic Games - The Games of the XI Olympiad open in Berlin.
With the Olympics just around the corner, this seemed like a good event to include in this week’s history.  I don’t know about any of you, but one of my favorite events in the summer Olympics is field and track even though I myself am not an avid runner.  If any of you want to learn more about runners and their passion, be on the look out for Personal Record by Rachel Toor, where Toor gives us a inside look into the world of running.