Tayler Lord and Anna Weir are publicists at UNP who share a cubicle and cannot stop talking about books (or the much-awaited fall weather, for that matter). Today they also share their thoughts about a few upcoming titles they’re particularly excited about as readers. The books in this discussion will be published in January and February.

Tayler Lord: How are we already talking 2018?! These books are still technically in our Fall/Winter 2017 but wow, I can’t believe we’re talking about books with 2018 publication dates. My first pick is the January book Courage and Grief: Women and Sweden’s Thirty Years’ War by Mary Elizabeth Ailes, one of two new titles in the Early Modern Cultural Studies series. Most of my knowledge of early modern studies is centered in England and France, which is to say I know next to nothing about Sweden during that time period. I’m excited to gain at least some knowledge about this area of history thanks to this new book.

What’s your first pick for 2018, Anna?

Anna Weir: My first pick will be released in January as well. With accessible writing laid out in a gorgeous landscape format, I can imagine The JPS Rashi Discussion Torah Commentary left open on the dining table after a family’s discussion over the scriptures. Approaching a writer like Rashi, one of the most authoritative commentators on Torah for hundreds of years, can be a little intimidating, but Steven and Sarah Levy use modern examples to explain why this medieval commentator’s wisdom is truly timeless.

What’s your February pick, Tayler?

TL: My February pick is one that’s very close to home! It’s called American Quilts in the Industrial Age, 1760–1870: The International Quilt Study Center and Museum Collections. I say close to home because the center is located in Lincoln, Nebraska. I studied textiles at UNL for a few semesters and got to visit the quilt museum a few times on class trips. It’s a beautiful place and I think we, Lincolnites, tend to forget about its extensive collection (I know I certainly do). It’s a point of pride to work on one of the books that catalogs the museum’s important works.

What else are you looking forward to?

AW: Switching gears—I’m looking forward to The Black Bruins by James W. Johnson. This book highlights Jackie Robinson’s sports career before baseball, as well as four other athletes (Woody Strode, Tom Bradley, Kenny Washington, and Ray Bartlett), all of whom were star players from UCLA at a time when few African Americans were on the field. More than their athletic accomplishments, however, Johnson details each man’s accomplishments off the field—from law enforcement to acting to local politics and activism. With the near-constant stream of racially-charged news, this book feels particularly poignant.

Tune in next month for more picks from your friendly neighborhood publicists!