University of Nebraska Press author Andy Brumer believes that golf is, quite literally, poetry in motion. His book, The Poetics of Golf, considers the game from unexpected and often surprising angles. At once contemplative and compelling, it explores the links between golf and life by way of art and literature, philosophy and psychology. Think making the case for golf as an art form is a, eh hem, “long shot?” Well, Andy Brumer would like to convince you otherwise, so he’s written a guest spot for our blog. Here are his musings on art, life, and his love of golf (yes, … Continue reading Would Pablo Neruda Have Played at Putting?

Linking to Lee (that’s General Lee to you, soldier!) New this month from the University of Nebraska Press is Benjamin Franklin Cooling’s Counter-Thrust: From the Peninsula to the Antietam. In its pages, Cooling tells the story of the summer of 1862, when a Confederate resurgence threatened to turn the tide of the Civil War. Counter-Thrust recounts in harrowing detail Robert E. Lee’s flouting of his antagonist George B. McClellan’s drive to capture the Confederate capital at Richmond and describes the Confederate hero’s long-dreamt-of offensive to reclaim central and northern Virginia before crossing the Potomac. Here in all its gritty detail … Continue reading Linking in Lincoln: January 10, 2008

On the Winter 2007 Issue… So the cover of my Prairie Schooner, Winter ’07 issue is already gone—I sliced it off with an X-acto knife so I could frame Chris Ware’s fantastic image of Nebraska for my wall. Chicago may try to claim Ware and the dark, comic vision of his graphic novels for themselves, but his roots are undeniably Nebraskan, and this cover is destined to be a classic. Of course the inside of the issue holds up as well. Highlights for me are: Leslie Lawrence’s stirring essay on the death of her partner of more than twenty years, … Continue reading A Word from Kate Flaherty on Prairie Schooner

A Very Whit-y Installment of “Tuesday Trivia” “To have great poets, there must be great audiences.”—Walt Whitman Walt Whitman knew the value of an intelligent and careful reader—a reader not unlike you, fellow blogger. So reward yourself for your devotion to the literary life with a healthy helping of “Tuesday Trivia.” This week’s theme is…you guessed it…Mr. “Leaves of Grass” himself. If you’re a fan of Mr. Whitman, you won’t want to miss Leaves of Grass: The Sesquicentennial Essays, edited and with an introduction by Susan Belasco, Ed Folsom, and Kenneth M. Price, a new volume from the University of … Continue reading Tuesday Trivia: January 8, 2008

Well, bloggers, it’s a brand new year. And there’s no better way to smartly close the first (partial) week of 2008 than with a fresh dose of… This Week in History December 30th, 1975: Golfer Tiger Woods was born. Many would argue that Tiger Woods’ golf game is pure poetry on the green. Andy Brumer, author of The Poetics of Golf would agree. Check out his book, which explores the links between golf and life by way of art and literature, philosophy and psychology and includes portraits of various players—including Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Annika Sorenstam, and Arnold Palmer, among … Continue reading This Week in History: December 30th, 2007-January 4th, 2008