Branch Rickey: Baseball’s Ferocious Gentleman by Lee Lowenfish “[A] well-written, carefully researched, judicious appraisal of one of the most energetic, visionary, and creative men ever to inhabit the front office of a baseball team. . . . It is a measure of Rickey’s unflagging energy and creativity that Branch Rickey, a superbly detailed text, is such a lengthy volume: the man accomplished enough for several lifetimes. Lowenfish has given us a definitive portrait of a great American original.”—Elysian Fields Quarterly Read earlier praise for Branch Rickey at http://nebraskapress.typepad.com/university_of_nebraska_pr/2007/02/praise_for_bran.html. Continue reading More Praise for Branch Rickey

The Poetics of Golf by Andy Brumer “Brumer will surprise you with most of his interpretations of the game’s hidden qualities. If you know someone who sees golf as another dimension of life, you should buy that person this book.”—Hot Springs Village Voice “If you’re a golfer and have an undeniable passion for golf literature, get your hands on Brumer’s The Poetics of Golf. It will whet your appetite for the mystical side of golf using the game itself as a looking glass.”—Eye on Golf Blog* *Read the full review at http://eyeongolf.blogspot.com/. Continue reading Praise for the Poetics of Golf

Adventures in the West: Stories for Young Readers edited by Suzanne George Bloomfield and Eric Melvin Reed "[T]he stories are uplifting and teach the value of honesty, pluck, hard work, and true grit."—KLIATT To read earlier praise for Adventures in the West, please visit http://nebraskapress.typepad.com/university_of_nebraska_pr/2007/11/praise-for-adve.html. Continue reading More Praise for Adventures in the West

Only a Game by Bill Littlefield “Littlefield isn’t merely a voice of sanity in the overly critical, overly hyped world of sports, he’s also a fine writer whose wry essays explore the pains and pleasures of fandom, the perseverance of great athletes in lesser-known sports like women’s ice hockey, and the intersection of sports and family. Littlefield blends a love of sports with a healthy perspective, a yearning to look at sports as one part of a life, but not the only part. . . . The author’s love of sports is abundant, but it’s an adult kind of love. … Continue reading Praise for Only a Game

The Gambler and the Bug Boy: 1939 Los Angeles and the Untold Story of a Horse Racing Fix by John Christgau "One could almost think that this entertaining work by Christgau . . . is a novel if it weren’t for the 40 pages of citations at the back. . . . Recommended . . . for those enjoying character-driven historical true crime."—Library Journal Read earlier praise for The Gambler and the Bug Boy at http://nebraskapress.typepad.com/university_of_nebraska_pr/2007/09/praise-for-th-3.html. Continue reading More Praise for The Gambler and the Bug Boy

  Santa Anna of Mexico by Will Fowler "Drawing on archives in Mexico, Spain, Britain, and Texas as well as published sources, Fowler supplies a much-needed corrective to existing impressions of Santa Anna with this balanced and well-written work."—Library Journal Continue reading Praise for Santa Anna of Mexico

The Invention of Kool-Aid and Other Nebraska Moments New this month from the University of Nebraska Press, Nebraska Moments, New Edition by Donald R. Hickey, Susan A. Wunder, and John R. Wunder. This literary ode to the Cornhusker State showcases triumph, tragedy, comedy, and accomplishments that could have happened nowhere else and that reveal the rich culture and history under the state’s deceptively quiet surface. How much do you know about our nation’s 37th state? Here’s an interesting tidbit: Kool-Aid was invented in 1927 by Edwin E. Perkins of Hastings, Nebraska. Thirsty for more interesting Nebraska facts? Attempt the Nebraska-related … Continue reading Tuesday Trivia

post composed by David Shields On the occasion of the University of Nebraska Press’s reissue of Body Politic, I was interviewed by the Mariners Radio Network; Patrick Lagreid asked me what I thought about the recently completed 2007 Major League Baseball Season. I started laughing, because I realized I didn’t even know who had won the World Series. I don’t follow sports really, and I haven’t for a very long time. What I follow instead are the crises in and around sports: The Oklahoma State football coach who berated a female sports reporter for not only writing an article that … Continue reading Fear and Fantasy Realized in Sports