When he was 29, Henry James traveled to Europe with his sister and aunt, visiting France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and elsewhere. Together, they did all sorts of touristy things, and after his aunt and sister left, Henry went horseback riding, met famous poets, and documented just about everything he did through letters he wrote to friends and family back in the United States. Throughout his whole life, James wrote letters – thousands and thousands of letters, letters the University of Nebraska Press is slowly but surely editing and publishing in a collection titled The Complete Letters of Henry James. The … Continue reading Henry James in Europe, UNP in the Wall Street Journal

Pancho Segura was as good as any other tennis player out there, back when he was at the top of his game in the 1950s and 1960s. He was also handsome, charming both on and off the court, and had an amazing story. Segura was born into a poor family in Ecuador and happened to live near a tennis court, where his skill – even as a skinny, undernourished kid — didn’t go unnoticed. A combination of luck and skill landed him in the United States, where he played briefly in college, went pro, traveled the world, and then became a … Continue reading Pancho Segura on NPR, Alice in Jamesland in NY Review of Books, and quilts in the Lincoln Journal Star

Memorial Day is nearly here (if you’re lucky, Memorial Day weekend has already begun), and barbecues, boating and other Memorial-Day activities are imminent. But I thought I’d focus today’s post on the history of Memorial Day and (of course) a corresponding title. Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, was first observed on May 30, 1868, and was a way of honoring the soldiers who died in America’s Wars.  You can view the order creating Memorial Day here. The day has changed some over the years – the name changed, obviously, and the VFW and American Legion began selling poppies to … Continue reading In honor of Memorial Day…..

Today is the official release of Rainy River Lives, the text of which was written nearly 100 years ago, and which almost never saw publication. In 1932 anthropologist Ruth Landes arrived at the Manitou Rapids Reserve on the Rainy River, which flows along the Ontario-Minnesota border, to conduct her doctoral research. There, Landes met Maggie Wilson, who became both a friend and an invaluable source. Wilson, a traditional Ojibwe storyteller, described to Landes what life was like on the reservation during the early 20th century, as the Ojibwes were being relocated and forced to assimilate. After Landes left the reservation, … Continue reading The backstory of Rainy River Lives