TUESDAY TRIVIA: PILGRIMS ON ICE “By far the most authoritative analysis of Scott’s Discovery expedition ever written.” New this month from University of Nebraska Press is, Pilgrims on Ice: Robert Falcon Scott’s first Antarctic Expedition by T.H. Baughman.  Baughman chronicles the exciting, albeit tragic, 1912 South Pole expedition that ended with the deaths of Scott and his crew; shedding light on both the renowned hero, and the “bumbling fool whose mistakes killed him and his entire party.” In today’s Tuesday Trivia, we are going to take a long, perhaps cold, look at our own knowledge of the continent. Fancy an … Continue reading Tuesday Triva: Pilgrims on Ice

In the 1993 film So I Married an Axe Murderer, Canadian comic Mike Myers, contemplating the strange thing that is haggis, observes that Scottish cuisine is the only one in the world that is based on a dare. This is not strictly so: The same can be said of nearly every cuisine in the world, at least at some point in its history. What brave Roman was commissioned to determine when the flamingo buried in the back yard was ready to eat? How many Aymara Indians had to die before the potato was finally bred out of its poisonous ways? … Continue reading Guest Blogger: Gregory McNamee of Moveable Feasts

Lincoln’s Crazy Links!                                        New this month from University of Nebraska is, Pieces from Life’s Crazy Quilt by Marvin V. Arnett. This memoir about an African American woman growing up during the Great Depression, traces the fine line of memory and history. Each chapter works as a stand alone one-act play, contributing to the whole as each square does to a quilt. With comparisons to the Victorian age stories Arnett read as a child, the reader gets an apt sense of how conflicting the world in her books … Continue reading Linking in Lincoln: April, 30 2008

Praise for A Sacred Feast: Reflections on Sacred Harp Singing and Dinner on the Ground by Kathryn Eastburn “Dishes with charming names like ‘Ivalene Donaldson’s Lazy Man Fruit Pie’ beg to be tested. A Sacred Feast appears equal parts historical documentary and cookbook, with the pensive, yet lively and descriptive writing for which the author is regarded.”—Matthew Schniper, Colorado Independent Continue reading Praise for A Sacred Feast

Chief Bender’s Burden: The Silent Struggle of a Baseball Star by Tom Swift “A gem. . . . Swift’s mission is to reassert Bender as an important figure in the history of the game, both as a player and a groundbreaking figure. His book does well in both ways.”—Kevin Canfield, Chicago Sun-Times To read earlier praise for Chief Bender’s Burden, please visit http://nebraskapress.typepad.com/university_of_nebraska_pr/2008/02/starred-review.html. Continue reading More Praise for Chief Bender’s Burden

Interior Places by Lisa Knopp “Interior Places is a great sample of local nature writing, making it ideal for academic study or for those who want to start reading creative nonfiction.—Ryan Borchers, Omaha World-Herald To read earlier praise for Interior Places, please link to http://nebraskapress.typepad.com/university_of_nebraska_pr/2008/01/praise-for-inte.html. Continue reading More Praise for Interior Places

The War for America, 1775–1783 by Piers Mackesy “[A] brilliant, classic history of the American Revolution. . . . I hadn’t known about The War for America until earlier this year, when it was recommended by friends steeped in strategic thinking. . . . Mackesy’s book was first published in 1964 and is still in print in paperback. He calls it a ‘strategic history,’ which he describes as the no-man’s-land between a diplomatic history of a war and a narrative history of its battles. It is the single best such work that I ever have encountered.”—Thomas E. Ricks, Washington Post … Continue reading Praise for The War for America, 1775-1783

THE LINKS THAT BECOME US Featured this month by the University of Nebraska Press is, What Becomes You by Aaron Raz Link and Hilda Raz. A Collaborative memoir by mother and son, it chronicles the journey from female to male, and scientist to performer of Aaron Raz Link. Hilda Raz, a well known poet and feminist, plays the role of the “astonished” parent who watches the process from the standpoint of both mother and academic. With the poignant perspectives of mother and son, we can see how the self-identification methods we use to create our own lives can have significant … Continue reading Linking in Lincoln: April 23, 2008

The Enders Hotel: A Memoir by Brandon R. Schrand Starred Review “Schrand’s deeply textured memoir of life in a small Idaho town boasts a rich palette of glittering iridescent hues, somber earth tones, and delicate, evocative washes. . . . Schrand’s memoir sings, stirring the senses as much as the soul.”—Whitney Scott, Booklist For previous reviews of The Enders Hotel, please visit http://nebraskapress.typepad.com/university_of_nebraska_pr/2008/02/praise-for-th-1.html. Continue reading Starred Review for The Enders Hotel