The Golden West edited by Alicia Christensen celebrates the Bison Books tradition of giving readers the best historical, literary, and original western literature, bringing together some of the most beloved and iconic stories of the American West. Published in celebration of Bison Books' 50th anniversary, The Golden West collects iconic Western voices who have published with Bison Books throughout the years. Stories include those depicting adventures of the Corps of Discovery to the trials of the Oregon Trail, from traditional Sioux culture to Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, and from the cowboys, ranchers, farmers, and mountaineers who often make up our … Continue reading A celebration of Bison Books

Author A. B. Guthrie Jr. (1901–91) was a historian and novelist whose 1949 book The Way West won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. He was also a fantastic storyteller who could write a great murder mystery. The University of Nebraska Press has recently begun re-releasing his murder mysteries, all of which feature small-town Montana sheriff Chick Charleston and his highly educated sidekick, Jason Beard, in paperback editions. The most recent of those, Playing Catch-Up was recently reviewed in the Washington Post by Dennis Drabelle who said “for anyone who doesn't know Guthrie's work, Playing Catch-Up is a fine place to … Continue reading Murder mystery review

Cover Me: A Health Insurance Memoir is Sonya Huber’s story about her experiences with health care in the United States. From college graduation through hear early 30s, Huber struggles to find a job she enjoys that provides insurance covering routine care — dental checkups and fillings, doctor's visit's, and, eventually, labor and delivery and health care for an infant. She becomes a healthcare activist and, at times, works for non-profits dedicated to improving health care for the middle class and poor, while, ironically, going without insurance herself. Huber’s irreverent and affecting memoir of navigating the nation’s health-care system brings a … Continue reading Sonya Huber interview

Sleep in Me by Jon Pineda is a story of how a boy comes to deal with his sister’s tragic accident that leaves her paralyzed and mute. Pineda’s memoir is a heartrending coming-of-age story about a boy haunted by a family tragedy. Brevity, which is an online journal associated with Creative Nonfiction, gave Sleep in Me a great review. Ira Sukrungruang said, “Pineda treats the incident with a poet’s gaze, without overly sentimental impulses, with concise and concrete language, and intelligent and heartbreaking exposition.” Read the full review at Brevity Book Reviews. Continue reading Review from Brevity

Welcome back! While we were out on break, quite a lot happened. Here’s a quick round up of the news that you may have missed over the holidays:   In Scoreboard, Baby, Ken Armstrong and Nick Perry undercover the true and shocking story about the University of Washington’s 2000 football season and what some players got away with off the field. Krystina Lucido from PressBox reviewed Scoreboard, Baby saying that it  “is not only a closer look into a system that has failed victims who have suffered at the hands of star athletes, but is a call to the court … Continue reading Holiday News

The year was 1846. The Donner Party set out for California in a wagon train, a trip that usually takes between four and six months. When winter set in, they became snowbound in the Sierra Nevadas. They food supplies became low, along with their health and spirits, and some, it is believed, resorted to cannibalism. Searching for Tamsen Donner is about Gabrielle Burton’s quest to find the truth about Tamsen Donner, who was a stoic pioneer woman who saw her children to safety but stayed with her dying husband at the cost of her own life. For Burton, Tamsen’s story … Continue reading Searching for Tamsen Donner listed as a favorite

Dan O’Brien's work of fiction, Stolen Horses is about pleasant McDermot, Nebraska and how the cattle town came to be a place of quiet, beautiful refuge to those looking for a place to relax. This of course was the case until a local journalist uncovers a medical scandal epitomizing the problems facing the divided community, between the local inhabitants and the new comers looking to settle in. Francis Moul from the Lincoln Journal Star called Stolen Horses a “beautiful, complex, rich tale that draws the reader into the disparate lives of characters that grip our attention.” Read the full review   Enrique Martínez Celaya: … Continue reading LJS gives rave reviews of two fall titles