Short Takes

 Alabama Public Radio broadcasted Don Noble's review of THE RISE AND DECLINE OF THE REDNECK RIVIERA. "Some chapters generate nostalgia, some anger, fear and loathing. All chapters can educate us and make readers think about what they value most..."

Congratulations to the Georgia Review for receiving 10 citations at the 2012 GAMMA Awards! The Georgia Magazine Awards (GAMMA) previously only recognized publications in Georgia; however, the program was extended to other magazines in the southeast many years ago. The Georgia Review won three gold, two silver, and two bronze awards, along with three honorable mentions.

CORNBREAD NATION 6 is "revealing and insightful" (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) and at least one reviewer has "hardly put the volume down." (Athens Banner-Herald)

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "[THE BREEDING BIRD ATLAS OF GEORGIA] provides color pictures and a wealth of information about each bird—habitat, life history, distribution, population trends, interactions with humans, diets and threats facing it."

A new United Nations Development Program report for Africa was recently released in Nairobi entitled "African Human Development Report 2012: Towards a Food Secure Future." It focuses on the same issues of persisting famine, food insecurity, and policy priority that are in the forthcoming book, SILENT VIOLENCE.

Marc Sommers, author of STUCK, has an op-ed in Sunday's New York Times. In his piece, Sommers addresses the popularity of Rwanda's Paul Kagame.

In the June issue of Atlanta Magazine, both THE RISE AND DECLINE OF THE REDNECK RIVIERA and THE WORLD OF THE SALT MARSH are picked as "great nonfiction reads."

Award News

Congratulations to John C. Inscoe and his book, WRITING THE SOUTH THROUGH THE SELF, for winning the Georgia History Book of the Year from the Georgia Historical Society. The recipient of the 2012 Malcolm Bell Jr. and Muriel Barrow Bell Award, WRITING THE SOUTH THROUGH THE SELF was named as the best book on Georgia history published in the previous year. “The Awards Committee was impressed by how John Inscoe approached southern and Georgia history through autobiography and memoir to reveal fresh insights into the southern temperament,” said Dr. Paul Pressly, chairman of the committee. 

Congratulations to Linda LeGarde Grover and Melinda Moustakis! Both of their books, THE DANCE BOOTS and BEAR DOWN, BEAR NORTH, have made the 2012 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing Shortlist. "The awards are intended to encourage new or emerging writers and honor the Saroyan literary legacy of originality, vitality and stylistic innovation. The Saroyan Prize recognizes newly published works of both fiction and non-fiction. A prize of $5,000 will be awarded in each category. Winners will be announced this summer."

Two of our books have tied for first place for the Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Award from the Florida Historical Society. SOUTHERN PROHIBITION by Lee L. Willis and SOUTHERN CIVIL RELIGIONS by Arthur Remillard have each earned this year's Moore Award. This award is for a book relating to Florida's ethnic groups or dealing with a significant social issue from an historical perspective. The award will be presented at the society's Annual Meeting & Symposium Awards Luncheon on May 24th. Good luck to both authors!

Congratulations to Joan Maloof! Her book, TEACHING THE TREES, won the Senior Prize for the Silent Spring Essay Contest. Co-sponsored by the British Council, the International Consortium of Environmental History Organizations, and the Consulate General of the United States, Munich, this contest was launched to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring.

UnCivil War Series Co-Editor Named Gregory Chair in the Civil War Era at UGA

Congratulations to Stephen Berry, one of the editors for the UnCivil Wars series, for being named the inaugural holder of the Amanda and Greg Gregory Chair in the Civil War Era in the University of Georgia Franklin College of Arts and Sciences!

UnCivil Wars is a series dedicated to new ways of seeing and telling the American Civil War. Berry and series co-editor Amy Murrell Taylor work closely with authors to produce books that focus on unconventional social types and to think deeply about narrative strategy, telling their stories through memory, reverse chronology, snapshots and glimpses, multiple perspectives, or microhistory.

This new series currently has two books in it: Stephen Berry's WEIRDING THE WAR and the just-released RUIN NATION by Megan Kate Nelson. Writing for the News & Observer, John David Smith praises WEIRDING THE WAR "not because its characters exhibited oddities or peculiarities, but rather because of their intensely human, commonplace experiences, strengths and weaknesses. Their mundane stories remind us of the 'weirdness' of war generally and the connection between individuals in the past and ourselves."

UGA’s Stephen Berry named Gregory Chair in the Civil War Era

May 16, 2012

Writer:Sam Fahmy

Contact:Stephen Berry

Athens, Ga. – Noted historian Stephen Berry has been named the inaugural holder of the Amanda and Greg Gregory Chair in the Civil War Era in the University of Georgia Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.

Berry, the author of four books on the Civil War era, joined the university’s department of history in 2007 and was selected as the Gregory chair after a national search.

“I can think of no UGA scholar more worthy of this honor than Steve Berry,” said UGA President Michael F. Adams. “He is a historian of the first order, and his research and writing have helped not only thousands of students but also many people, like myself, who have an ongoing interest in the Civil War. I am deeply grateful to the Gregorys for their generosity to the university and support of this important position in the history department.”

Berry’s first book, All That Makes a Man: Love & Ambition in the Civil War South (Oxford University Press, 2003) was a finalist for the 2004 Peter Seaborg Award for Civil War Scholarship. Princes of Cotton: Four Diaries of Young Men in the South, 1848‐1860 (UGA Press and the Southern Texts Society, 2007) was described in one review as “an extraordinary contribution to Southern history.” House of Abraham: Lincoln & the Todds, A Family Divided By War (Houghton Mifflin, 2007) was a Book of the Month Club main selection and received a Publisher’s Weekly starred review. A reviewer of Berry’s most recent book, Weirding the War: Stories from the Civil War’s Ragged Edges (2011, UGA Press), wrote that “saying something truly new about the American Civil War seems impossible, but here is a book that offers an explosion of new perspectives and insights, often surprising and sometimes disturbing.”

In addition to authoring several articles in scholarly journals, Berry has written for magazines such as Civil War Monitor and North and South. He has given presentations at more than 20 conferences as well to historical associations, civic groups and primary and secondary school teachers.

“Steve Berry has developed in a short period of time a national reputation as a leading scholar of the Civil War era. His work brings a fresh perspective to one of the defining periods in our nation’s history,” said Hugh Ruppersburg, interim Franklin College dean. “The support of the Gregorys continues to elevate a department with established strengths in Southern history to the great benefit of our students and faculty.”

Short Takes

"Such scholars as Vincent Carretta, in PHILLIS WHEATLEY, find [Wheatley's] poetry more nuanced than her modern black critics have allowed. . . . Phillis Wheatley is a reminder that African-American literature began not as autobiography or protest but religious poetry, the literature of yearning. . . . We leave her, thirsting for the upper courts of the Lord."—Harper's Magazine

The Mobile Press-Register praises Harvey H. Jackson III's "robust and readable history" of the Redneck Riviera and proclaims that, "[i]f after finishing this beer-soaked and sand-whipped tour de force you don't find yourself heading to the beach, check your pulse."

Roy Hoffman, author of CHICKEN DREAMING CORN, has two pieces in the new issue of South Writ Large, UNC's global studies initiative in the Center for Southern Studies. The never-before-published essay, "The Unexpected South," follows an excerpt from CHICKEN DREAMING CORN.

In other news for Hoffman's CHICKEN DREAMING CORN, the novel is now available as an audiobook, in addition to the previously available e-book and paperback editions. The audiobook may be purchased on Amazon or the Audible website.

Don't miss the short interview on Points: The Blog of the Alcohol and Drugs History Society with Lee L. Willis about his book SOUTHERN PROHIBITION. 

Science Magazine's Christopher Cokinos commends THE BIOREGIONAL IMAGINATION and its editors Tom Lynch, Cheryll Glotfelty, and Karla Armbruster for their "valuable contribution to the Venn diagram field of ecocriticism, where literature, science, and yes, activism can and should coexist."

Alan Duben hails Amy Mills for her book STREETS OF MEMORY in a recent South European Society and Politics: "It is striking that Mills, the foreign ethnographer, has managed to touch the soul of the city and the society at large, courageously confronting head on one of the most sensitive issues in Turkish society—the systematic bases of belonging and exclusion. . . .Mills's study will, I believe, be of poignant. . . interest to local readers with whom its themes will painfully reverberate as they now confront in other venues many of the very same issues she raises."

In the most recent issue of Environment and History, Michael Paolisso raves about Christine Keiner's work on THE OYSTER QUESTION: "THE OYSTER QUESTION is a must read for those of us who study the Chesapeake Bay and its oysters, for the watermen who will harvest oysters, and for watershed's citizens whose daily economic, political and cultural life choices affect the health of North American's largest estuary. . . . [O]ne of the best, recent books written on the Chesapeake Bay."

"Carefully researched and thoughtfully illustrated with 52 crisp black and white photos, THE WORLD OF THE SALT MARSH is a book for your keeper shelf."—Darien News

Interview with Paul Harvey about his new book, Moses, Jesus, and the Trickster in the Evangelical South

In his new book, MOSES, JESUS, AND THE TRICKSTER IN THE EVANGELICAL SOUTH, Paul Harvey uses four characters that are important symbols of religious expression in the American South to survey major themes of religion, race, and southern history. Through his cast of four central characters, Harvey reveals diverse facets of the southern religious experience, including conceptions of ambiguity, darkness, evil, and death.

In the video below, Harvey explains the four figures (Moses, Jesus, Trickster, and Absalom) in his book, and the different literary and artistic examples he uses to explore these characters. He also states why it makes for a compelling read, particularly for students.

Southern Food Writing Conference and International Biscuit Festival

This Wednesday marks the start of the Southern Food Writing Conference and International Biscuit Festival in Knoxville, TN. "An Evening with Alton Brown" will kick-off the festivities on Wednesday night. The inaugural conference for Southern Food Writing will take place on Thursday and Friday, followed by the 3rd annual International Biscuit Festival on Friday.



The Southern Food Writing Conference "celebrates the art and the craft of writing about food in the South." Authors, journalists, and bloggers will be sharing their professional perspectives on Southern food writing. One of our very own acquisitions editors, Regan Huff, will be providing a publisher's perspective on the field of Southern food writing. She will be joining several University of Georgia Press authors, including Brett Anderson, editor of CORNBREAD NATION 6, Fred Sauceman, editor of CORNBREAD NATION 5, and Nathalie Dupree, author of NATHALIE DUPREE'S SOUTHERN MEMORIES and NEW SOUTHERN COOKING.

More information about the events, including registration and ticket prices, can be found here.

New UGA Press Director Appointed

Press Release from UGA Today:

Lisa M. Bayer named director of the UGA Press

May 10, 2012

Contact: Toby Graham

Athens, Ga. - Lisa Bayer, current marketing director and regional trade editor at the University of Illinois Press, has been named director of the University of Georgia Press following a national search.

"Lisa Bayer's experience and exceptional knowledge of academic publishing make her the right choice to direct the University of Georgia Press," said William Gray Potter, university librarian and associate provost, to whom Bayer will report. "She is a creative and forward-thinking leader who will add to the UGA Press's existing record of success and distinction."

While at Illinois, Bayer led the marketing activities for this $4 million scholarly publisher, whose title output is approximately 100 new books annually. She also has been a key member of the management team responsible for establishing the Illinois Press's vision and direction, strategic goals, and fiscal planning.

Prior to coming to Illinois in 2006, Bayer held marketing and sales positions at Southern Illinois University Press, Penn State University Press, Minnesota Historical Society Press, and the Redleaf Press. She holds a bachelor's degree in education (English) and a master's degree in English from Southern Illinois University.

Bayer succeeds Nicole Mitchell, who had served as the director since 2001 and left in late 2011 to become director of the University of Washington Press. Bayer's appointment is effective July 1.

Founded in 1938, the UGA Press is the largest book publisher in the state. It has been a member of the Association of American University Presses since 1940. With a full-time staff of 24 publishing professionals, the Press currently publishes 80-85 new books a year and has more than 1,500 titles in print. It has well-established lists in Atlantic World and American history, American literature, African-American studies, southern studies and environmental studies, as well as a growing presence in the fields of geography, urban studies, international affairs and security studies.

Fall 2012 titles announced

The Fall 2012 seasonal catalog is now available on our website featuring titles that will be published from September through February 2013. We have an exciting range of new books in the categories of history, geography, international relations, legal studies, civil rights, literary studies, environmental studies, creative writing, and food studies.

A few of the highlights include:

Joshua D. Rothman’s FLUSH TIMES AND FEVER DREAMS: A STORY OF CAPITALISM AND SLAVERY IN THE AGE OF JACKSONis narrative history set against a backdrop of frenzied economic speculation and racial violence.

In KATHARINE AND R.J. REYNOLDS: PARTNERS OF FORTUNE IN THE MAKING OF THE NEW SOUTH, Michele Gillespie offers the first biography of a fascinating couple who helped shape the New South.

Robert J. Cottrol examines the impact of law on peoples of African descent in the Americas in THE LONG, LINGERING SHADOW: SLAVERY, RACE, AND LAW IN THE AMERICAN HEMISPHERE.

LIFE ON THE BRINK: ENVIRONMENTALISTS CONFRONT OVERPOPULATION is a collection of essays that reassesses a crucial and controversial environmental issue.

Four new volumes in the Geographies of Justice and Social Transformation series continue to build this area of our list in exciting directions.

THE NATURAL COMMUNITIES OF GEORGIA is the long-awaited, landmark reference to the ecological diversity of the state.

EAT DRINK DELTA: A HUNGRY TRAVELER'S JOURNEY THROUGH THE SOUL OF THE SOUTH is former AJC writer Susan Puckett’s lively guide to sampling the foodways of the Mississippi Delta.

Our two new Flannery O’Connor Award winners’ books: E. J. Levy’s LOVE, IN THEORY and Hugh Sheehy’s THE INVISIBLES.

Short Takes

Post No Ills Magazine describes Iain Haley Pollock's SPIT BACK A BOY as "an evocative and graceful body of work tangled in questions about maturity and playfulness, solitude and silence, race and representations of race and the ways in which we recognize what we value."

Rednecks and non-rednecks alike will want to read THE RISE AND DECLINE OF THE REDNECK RIVIERA according to a recent review in The Jacksonville News. "Even if you're not a redneck, you will want to go to the Alabama coastline when you read Harvey H. Jackson III's new book."

“Whether or not you have an attachment to the Gulf Coast, you’ll find much that is interesting and entertaining in THE RISE AND DECLINE OF THE REDNECK RIVIERA. . . . Mr. Jackson’s personal perspective enhances rather than interferes with his analysis, and his lucid, often pithy writing makes this book an engaging read.”—The Washington Times

In a recent interview for Kirkus, Charles Seabrook, author of THE WORLD OF THE SALT MARSH, recalls what it was like growing up around the salt marsh: "I’ve had many good times in the salt marsh. In my childhood, I spent many a day in the marsh in back of my boyhood home on John’s Island, S.C. I guess that’s why I grew to love salt marshes so much. I loved the unique sulfide smell of the marsh. It’s the smell I now equate most with my childhood, though some people don’t care for it, especially if they’re visiting the coast for the first time."

"John Lane's latest nonfiction book, MY PADDLE TO THE SEA, is the sort paddlers dream of writing: a book that captures all of the passion and all the ambivalence about a beloved river and region. Like other classic river narratives . . . the book is by turns provoking, exhilarating, nerve-wracking, and soothing, providing the full quiver of emotions one experiences when descending a river."—Terrain.org

Upcoming events for the week of May 7th

May 8, 2012

THE WORLD OF THE SALT MARSH by Charles Seabrook
Location: Manuel's Tavern
Atlanta, GA
Time: 7:00pm
Description: Talk/Signing with books for sale by A Cappella Books

ELBERT PARR TUTTLE by Anne Emanuel
Location: Newcastle
Atlanta, GA
Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Description: Award/Talk/Signing – Anne Emanuel to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southern Center for Human Rights. Pre-registration required.

THE RISE AND DECLINE OF THE REDNECK RIVIERA by Harvey H. Jackson III
Location: Anniston Star lobby
Anniston, AL
Time: 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Description: Signing – Event co-sponsored by The Anniston Star and Longleaf Style.

May 9, 2012

CORNBREAD NATION 6 edited by Brett Anderson
Location: Octavia Books
New Orleans, LA
Time: 6:00pm
Description: Talk/Signing – Panel will consist of contributors Lolis Elie, Sara Roahen, Wayne Curtis, Bob Marshall, and David Grunberg.

May 10, 2012

THE WORLD OF THE SALT MARSH by Charles Seabrook
Location: Dunwoody Nature Center
Dunwoody, GA
Time: 7:00-8:30pm
Description: Talk/Signing – Spend an evening with author and columnist Charles Seabrook as he talks about his new book. The event is free and open to the public, however, advanced registration is required.

In the News: Doing Recent History

On Thursday, May 3rd, the New School in New York will be hosting a launch event for the new book, DOING RECENT HISTORY. The event will begin at 6:00pm and feature a panel and book signing. Co-editor Claire Bond Potter will be joined by contributors Gail Drakes and David Greenberg, with David K. Rosner moderating the discussion. More information about the event can be found here.

DOING RECENT HISTORY is the definitive guide to the practice of recent history. It explores the challenges of writing histories of recent events where visibility is inherently imperfect, hindsight and perspective are lacking, and historiography is underdeveloped. DOING RECENT HISTORY offers guidance and insight to any researcher considering tackling the not-so-distant past.

Journalists, historians, and interdisciplinary scholars are constantly trying to write about recent history and end up struggling with the accompanying challenges. New technologies and new evidence present exciting new challenges and opportunities in the field of history. The recent past is also often a highly contested one, requiring interdisciplinary methods and an attention to ethical engagement of living subjects. With no other book out there exploring these methodological and ethical issues, DOING RECENT HISTORY is an important resource, particularly for those in higher education.

In this YouTube video, Renee C. Romano gives a good overview of the book.

"How I wish DOING RECENT HISTORY had been available when I began writing histories that were 'just over my shoulder.' Potter and Romano demonstrate that tackling recent history poses unique challenges, and they offer absolutely indispensable guidance in meeting them."—Alice Echols, author of HOT STUFF: DISCO AND THE REMAKING OF AMERICAN CULTURE