The Big Empty: Contemporary Nebraska Nonfiction Writersedited by Randolph and Nina Shevchuk-Murry “The Big Empty isn’t about nothing. It’s about Nebraska, its writers and its potential.” —Rick Brown, Kearney Hub Read earlier praise for The Big Empty Continue reading More Praise for The Big Empty

Encyclopedia of the Great Plains Indiansedited by David J. Wishart “[T]his book is a triumph of information about Plains tribes that must be on the bookshelf of everyone at all interested in their history and future. The tribes and reservations are, after all, important as ‘islands of population increase in a sea of rural population decline,’ in the Great Plains.”—Francis Moul, Lincoln Journal Star “[W]ell written and informative. . . . This is a quality publication that scholars and aficionados of American Indian history and cultures and Great Plains and Oklahoma histories will want to read and own.”—The Chronicles of … Continue reading Praise for Encyclopedia of the Great Plains Indians

Buffalo Nation: American Indian Efforts to Restore the Bison by Ken Zontek “This is a complete book on Natives and their relationship to bison. It is an important historical record, yet is as up-to-date as today’s headlines in the continuing search for compromise and success in providing wildlife biodiversity once again in the Great Plains.”—Francis Moul, Lincoln Journal Star “Highly recommended. A very good book.”—CHOICE Continue reading Praise for Buffalo Nation

The Complete Letters of Henry James, 1855–1872, Vols. 1 & 2 Edited by Pierre A. Walker and Greg W. Zacharias  “[James’s] letters have never before appeared in their entirety. The University of Nebraska Press is attempting, slowly, to make up for that fact in a scholarly edition that obviates the need for any other.”—Benjamin Markovits, Times Literary Supplement Read earlier praise for The Complete Letters of Henry James, Vols. 1 & 2 Continue reading More Praise for The Complete Letters of Henry James

On the Cutting Edge by Dr. Robert F. Brodsky (Gordian Knot Books) “An engaging chronicle of deadly weapons, technological marvels, and the quirky human personalities behind the military and space age science that transformed the modern world, accessible to readers of all backgrounds and highly recommended.” —Midwest Book Review Continue reading Praise for On the Cutting Edge

‘ve read very few memoirs in my not-so-short lifetime (Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Wharton’s A Backward Glance, I can’t think of any others, but I’m sure there are more I’ve read) because, as a rule, I stay as far away from nonfiction as possible. But I recently read a book called Pieces from Life’s Crazy Quilt by a woman named Marvin V. Arnett. A woman named Marvin? She explains that it is a namesake of a beautiful friend of her mother’s, another woman named Marvin.

The memoir traces Arnett’s life during her elementary school years, circa the Depression. It gives a
perspective into a black community salted with other races (for instance, Polish immigrants and descendants play roles in Arnett’s life) in Detroit during this era.  And there is a sense of community that is lost today in Detroit-sized cities; I bet one would be hard pressed to find a community like Arnett’s, where everyone knew everyone and took care of everyone.

Continue reading “On reading memoirs”

Miracle Collapse: The 1969 Chicago CubsBy Doug Feldmann Foreword by Don Kessinger 25% Off in May, 2007 Twilight of the Long-ball Gods: Dispatches from the Disappearing Heart of BaseballBy John Schulian 25% Off in May, 2007 Tris Speaker: The Rough-and-Tumble Life of a Baseball LegendBy Timothy M. Gay 25% Off in May, 2007 See more Deals from the Diamond taking place during May, 2007 during our Spring Baseball Sale! Continue reading Baseball Books on Sale

The Enigma Woman by Kathleen A. Cairns “A new book out this month finally tells us the entire tale of Nellie Madison for the first time, and it is so terrifically researched, so well put together, you might forget the story took place in 1934. . . . [I]t’s a physically lovely, beautifully produced book. . . . The Enigma Woman is top-shelf stuff for votaries of high quality historic crime stories. Professor Cairns will keep you mesmerized in contemplation of a most curious murder case, one in which our recalcitrant heroine could not speak until she was within the … Continue reading More Praise for The Enigma Woman