The University of Nebraska Press community was saddened yesterday to hear of the death of longtime state poet Bill Kloefkorn. Bill, for many years an English Professor at Nebraska Wesleyan University, had a long relationship with the University of Nebraska Press, and published many books with us. He was kind, gracious, wonderful to work with, a beautiful writer of both prose and poetry, and gave some of the best readings I have ever heard. He was 78 years old. Cindy Lange-Kubick wrote a nice tribute story, which ran in today’s Lincoln Journal Star. Feel free to share your own remembrances … Continue reading Remembering Bill Kloefkorn

Literary concepts site Rorotoko published a post this week featuring an in-depth interview with Judith Keene, author of Treason on the Airwaves: Three Allied Broadcasters on Axis Radio During World War Two (published by the University of Nebraska Press): "Traitors in wartime have a long history. During World War Two, both Allied and Axis governments used enemy nationals to broadcast propaganda. When the war ended, the victors prosecuted a number of their own citizens for treason. "My book tracks the vivid experiences of three individuals who broadcast on Axis radio and later were tried as traitors. Although the treason laws … Continue reading Treason on the Airwaves author Judith Keene featured on Rorotoko

Lyle Spatz and Steven Steinberg, authors of 1921, received the Seymour Medal Award over the weekend. The award, named for baseball historians Harold Seymour and Dorothy Seymour Mills, is awarded each year by the Society for American Baseball Research to authors of the best book on baseball history published during the preceding year. Dorothy Seymour Mills spoke at the awards ceremony over the weekend and had the following to say about 1921: "In their book, 1921, Steinberg and Spatz have given us a snapshot of professional baseball as it was changing from the pitching-dominated game to one with much more … Continue reading 1921 receives 2011 Seymour Medal

Every step in spaceflight would be impossible without those who made previous advances in the field. This applies to NASA's shuttle Endeavour, as well, which took off on its final flight Monday morning. After Endeavour, Atlantis will take off this summer, the final American shuttle to be launched. The Outward Odyssey series, edited by Colin Burgess and published by the University of Nebraska Press, provides a popular history of spaceflight from the rocket scientists of the 1930s to today, focusing on the lives of astronauts, cosmonauts, technicians, scientists, and their families. The series brings to life experiences that shaped the … Continue reading Spaceflight: Present and Past

Fifty years ago this month, the Freedom Riders — a group of seven black and six white civil rights activists –embarked on a journey from Washington D.C. to New Orleans on a series of interstate busses. Along the way, they challenged segregation rules aboard busses, in restaurants, rest stops and elsewher. The riders faced threats, arrest and violence, but also drew national attention to their cause, and became an example to civil rights activists everywhere. Today NPR ran a story called “Remembering The 'Freedom Riders,' 50 Years Later” discussing this anniversary. A new documentary titled Freedom Riders will air this … Continue reading Freedom Riders

This season marks the 40th anniversaryof the Milwaukee Bucks’ one and only championship. One of the best-known players on that champion team was Oscar Robertson. The University of Nebraska Press is the publisher of Robertson's autobiography, The Big O: My Life, My Times, My Game. In the book, Robertson, who revolutionized basketball as a member of the Cincinnati Royals and with the Bucks, recounts his NBA struggles and triumphs. For more about Robertson, or to read an excerpt of the book, visit the book detail page on our website. Continue reading The one, the only, The Big O