With the University Press of Kentucky 2016 Holiday
Sale going on now, there is no better time to fill your online shopping cart
with gifts for the book lovers in your life. Currently offering over 1,800
titles at a discount of up to 80 percent, the sale has books in all different
genres from which to choose. From historic novels and
new fiction to cocktail and cookbooks, UPK has something for almost every
reader.
For
the readers with a keen interest in fiction, UPK offers Kentucky writer Crystal
Wilkinson’s first novel, "The
Birds of Opulence," winner
of the 2016 Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. In “The Birds
of Opulence,” Wilkinson tells the story of several generations of women living
in the rural southern black township of Opulence as they experience and
sometimes surrender to madness. The Goode-Brown family, led by matriarch and
pillar of the community Minnie Mae, is plagued by old secrets and embarrassment
over mental illness and illegitimacy. Meanwhile, single mother Francine Clark
is haunted by her dead husband and forced to fight against both the moral
judgment of the community and her own rebellious daughter, Mona. The residents
of Opulence struggle with vexing relationships to the land, to one
another and to their own sexuality. As the members of the youngest
generation watch their mothers and grandmothers pass away, they live with the
fear of going mad themselves and must fight to survive. At once tragic and then
hopeful, this captivating novel is a story about another time, rendered for our
own.
Fenton
Johnson, another celebrated Kentucky writer, has returned with his first new
novel in over a decade, "The
Man Who Loved Birds," a story inspired by the real-life state police
kidnapping and murder of a legendary storyteller and petty criminal. Johnson
engages pressing contemporary issues through a timeless narrative of ill-fated
romance. Having taken great risks — to immigrate to America, to take monastic
vows — Bengali physician Meena Chatterjee and Brother Flavian are each seeking
safety and security when they encounter Johnny Faye, a Vietnam vet, free spirit
and expert marijuana farmer. Amid the fields and forests of a Trappist
monastery, Johnny Faye patiently cultivates Meena’s and Flavian’s capacity for
faith, transforming all they thought they knew about duty and desire. In turn
they offer him an experience of civilization other than war and chaos.
For
bourbon aficionados, UPK offers two new titles, "More
Kentucky Bourbon Cocktails," by Joy Perrine and Susan Reigler, and the
second edition of "Kentucky
Bourbon Country: The Essential Travel Guide," by Reigler.
Following up on their best-selling "The
Kentucky Bourbon Cocktail Book," Perrine and Reigler return with more
reasons to appreciate bourbon whiskey. This mouthwatering volume features more
than 50 delicious new concoctions — including variations on classics such as
the old fashioned and the Manhattan — and even adds a splash of Kentucky flavor
to mojitos, sangria, lemonade and coffee. It also serves up recipes from
leading bartenders, prize-winning drinks from cocktail competitions, and a bourbon-inspired
buffet featuring edibles that will be a feast for aficionados. The useful
bourbon glossary and bibliography will appeal to professional or at-home
bartenders eager to experiment, invent and savor their own recipes.
In
"Kentucky Bourbon Country," Reigler offers essential information and
practical advice to anyone considering a trip to the state’s distilleries or to
the restaurants and bars on the Urban Bourbon Trail. Featuring 200 full-color
photographs and a bourbon glossary, the book is organized by region and
provides valuable details about the Bluegrass — including attractions near each
distillery and notes on restaurants, lodging, shopping and seasonal events in
Kentucky’s beautiful historic towns. Reigler weaves in little-known facts about
the region’s best-kept secrets, such as the historic distillery used as a set
in the movie "Stripes" and the fates of used bourbon barrels. Whether
you’re interested in visiting the place where your favorite bourbon is made or
hoping to discover exciting new varieties, this handy and practical guide is
the key to enjoying the best of bourbon.
For
the home cook with an interest in history, "The
Historic Kentucky Kitchen: Traditional Recipes
for Today's Cook," by University of Kentucky Libraries Associate Dean Deirdre A. Scaggs
and Andrew W. McGraw, has been released in paperback. In it, the authors have
assembled more than 100 dishes from 19th and 20th century Kentucky cooks,
collected from handwritten books, diaries, scrapbook clippings, and out-of-print
cookbooks from the UK Special Collections
Research Center. This assemblage brings together a variety of classic
dishes, complete with descriptions of each recipe’s origin and helpful tips for
the modern chef. The authors, who carefully tested each dish, provide recipe
modifications and substitutions for rare and hard-to-find ingredients.
For
fans of the history of Kentucky and/or the history of wars, author and former
UK administrator David J. Bettez’s "Kentucky
and the Great War: World War I on the Home Front" makes a great gift.
It provides the first comprehensive analysis of the impact of World War I on
Bluegrass society, politics, economy and culture, contextualizing the state’s
involvement within the national experience. Bettez exhaustively researched
study examines the Kentucky Council of Defense — which sponsored local
war-effort activities — military mobilization and preparation, opposition and
dissent, and the role of religion and higher education in shaping the state’s
response to the war. The Thomas
D. Clark Medallion winner, also describes the efforts of Kentuckians who
served abroad in military and civilian capacities, and post-war memorialization
of their contributions, making it the perfect companion to commemorate the
100th anniversary of U.S. entry into the war.
For
the outdoor enthusiast or backyard naturalist, "Amphibians
and Reptiles of Land Between the Lakes," by David H. Snyder, A. Floyd
Scott, Edmund J. Zimmerer and David F. Frymire, is a definitive guide to the
amphibians and reptiles of a unique region applicable to the wider ecosystem of
Western and Central Kentucky and Tennessee. The book offers detailed
descriptions and stunning color photographs of the salamanders, frogs, toads,
turtles, lizards and snakes found in the region. Each entry includes the
species’ scientific and common names as well as information on its
distribution, habitat and natural history. This handy reference illustrates the
collective ecological effect that these under-appreciated species have on the
habitats in which they thrive.
For
readers from Central Kentucky or those interested in Civil War history, "Kentucky
Rebel Town: The Civil War Battles of Cynthiana and Harrison County,"
by UK alumnus William A. Penn, provides a detailed account of the military
action that took place in this Kentucky region during the war. Because of its
political leanings and strategic position along the Kentucky Central Railroad,
Harrison County became the target of multiple raids by Confederate general John
Hunt Morgan. Conflict in the area culminated in the Second Battle of Cynthiana,
in which Morgan’s men clashed with Union troops led by Maj. Gen. Stephen G.
Burbridge (the “Butcher of Kentucky”), resulting in the destruction of much of
the town by fire. Featuring new maps that clearly illustrate the combat
strategies in the various engagements, this book provides an illuminating look
at divided loyalties and dissent in Union Kentucky.
Of
specific interest in Western Kentucky is a biography of one of the state's
favorite sons. In "Alben
Barkley: A Life in Politics," historian James K. Libbey offers the
first full-length biography of this larger-than-life personality, following
Barkley in his transition from local politician to congressman, then senator,
senate majority leader, vice president, and senator once again. Born to poor
tenant farmers in a log cabin in Graves County, Barkley rose to achieve a
national political stature equaled by few of his contemporaries. Libbey also
reveals Barkley’s human side, from his extremely humble beginnings to his
dramatic and chilling final speech at Washington and Lee University in 1956,
when he said, “I would rather be a servant in the house of the Lord than to sit
in the seats of the mighty,” delivering the legendary quote moments before
succumbing to a massive heart attack. A significant contribution to American
history, this definitive biography offers a long overdue look at the “Iron Man”
of politics.
Of
specific interest in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky are a pair of newly
reissued Secketary Hawkins novels by Robert F. Schulkers. Long before Nancy
Drew and the Hardy boys, Secketary Hawkins and his gang of “Fair and Square”
boys were solving mysteries and stopping crimes along the riverbanks of the
Ohio River. Beginning in 1918, the members of the Fair and Square Club captured
the imagination of thousands of children and adults alike, as they explored the
diverse Kentucky landscape in pursuit of adventure, mystery and doing good. For
over three decades, Schulkers’ creation provided inspiration to many young
readers, including Harper Lee, who references his work in her iconic novel
"To Kill a Mockingbird." Schulkers’ stories made their debut in The
Cincinnati Enquirer, taking the nation by storm with weekly installments of "Stoner’s
Boy" and "The
Gray Ghost." Now both novels are available once again.
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