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Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies News

We Love Memoirs

We Love Memoirs

August 31st, 2022

Need a new book to read in honor of We Love Memoirs Day? Try one of these:

The Sky Above: An Astronaut’s Memoir of Adventure, Persistence, and Faith The Sky Above: An Astronaut’s Memoir of Adventure, Persistence, and Faith

Looking up at the stars at the age of ten, John Casper dreamed of being a space explorer. The Sky Above tells how persistence and determination led to flying in space, after serving the nation as a combat fighter pilot and test pilot.

My Seven Lives: Jana Juráňová in Conversation with Agneša Kalinová 

My Seven Lives is the English translation of the best-selling memoir of Slovak journalist Agneša Kalinová (1924–2014): Holocaust survivor, film critic, translator, and political prisoner. An oral history written with her colleague Jana Juráňová, My Seven Lives provides a window into Jewish history, the Holocaust, and the cultural evolution of Central and Eastern Europe. The conversational approach gives the book a relatable immediacy that vividly conveys the tone and temperament of Agneša, bringing out her lively personality and extraordinary ability to stay positive in the face of adversity.

Shelved: A Memoir of Aging in America Shelved: A Memoir of Aging in America

In Shelved: A Memoir of Aging in America, she reflects on the move and the benefits and deficits of American for-profit elder care. Petrovski draws on extensive research that demonstrates the cultural value of our elders and their potential for leading vital, creative lives, especially when given opportunities to do so, offering a cogent, well-informed critique of elder care options in this country.

 

 

Twenty Years with the Jewish Labor Bund: A Memoir of Interwar Poland Twenty Years with the Jewish Labor Bund: A Memoir of Interwar Poland 

Bernard Goldstein’s memoir describes a hard world of taverns, toughs, thieves, and prostitutes; of slaughterhouse workers, handcart porters, and wagon drivers; and of fist- and gunfights with everyone from anti-Semites and Communists to hostile police, which is to say that it depicts a totally different view of life in prewar Poland than the one usually portrayed. As such, the book offers a corrective view in the form of social history, one that commands attention and demands respect for the vitality and activism of the generation of Polish Jews so brutally annihilated by the barbarism of the Nazis.

Of Exile and Music: A Twentieth Century Life Of Exile and Music: A Twentieth Century Life 

This fascinating autobiography is set against the backdrop of some of the most dramatic episodes of the twentieth century. It is the story of a stubborn struggle against unjust regimes, sustained by a deep belief in the strength of the human spirit and the transcendental power of music. It is also an account of a rich spiritual life, during which the author has built upon her Jewish roots through the study of Eastern philosophy and meditation.

Bridge Builder: An Insider’s Account of Over 60 Years in Post-War Reconstruction, International Diplomacy, and German – American Relations 

“Kiep is an entertaining storyteller, and he shows a good sense of narrative pace. His memoirs are also of immediate relevance for scholars of international history. Over the past decade, historians have been eager to uncover the activities of ‘transnational,’ nongovernmental actors, as opposed to formal government-to-government relations. From this standpoint, Kiep’s wide-ranging activities as a diplomatic and financial troubleshooter are illuminating.” —William Glenn Gray, Purdue University

 

 

Through Bosnian Eyes: The Political Memoirs of a Bosnian Serb 

Through Bosnian Eyes covers a decade of Pejanovic’s service. His role in public life was characterized by an unwavering commitment to national equality and strong convictions regarding the nature of a multiethnic Bosnia-Herzegovina. As a participant in the most important political events of the time, and as a colleague of every major political leader, the author conveys a personal history that is memorable for its insights into the neglected world of Serbs who remained loyal to the nation in trying times.

Westward We Came: A Norwegian Immigrant’s Story, 1866 – 1898

Westward We Came is a memoir of Harold B. Kildahl, Sr. and his family pulling up roots in Norway and immigrating to the United States in 1866. It is a vivid description of their travels and settlement in southern Minnesota. Westward We Came is an authentic depiction of difficult pioneer life-true Americana, including the hardships as well as the joys of that time and place.

You can get 30% off all Purdue University Press titles by entering the code PURDUE30 at checkout on our website.

 


Recommended Reading for Earth Day

April 22nd, 2022

To celebrate Earth Day, Purdue University Press is featuring books on weather, climate, environmental issues, and the energy crisis. Read through the list below, or check out our books on Gardening, Botany, and Horticulture.

 

Spearheading Environmental Change: The Legacy of Indiana Congressman Floyd J. Fithian

Largely remembered for his participation in the Democratic reform wave that took over Congress in 1975 post-Watergate (the so-called Class of ’74) and as an advocate for Hoosier farmers, Fithian has been overlooked for his role as a force to be reckoned with on the House floor when it came to the nation’s environmental challenges. Fithian was a highly ethical, pragmatic reformer bent on preserving his country’s natural resources. Spearheading Environmental Change gives covers Fithian’s positions on ecologically sensitive issues such as pesticides, noise pollution, fossil fuels, and nuclear power and Fithian the credit he deserves as an environmental warrior on the national stage.

 

Reginald Sutcliffe and the Invention of Modern Weather Systems Science

Despite being perhaps the foremost British meteorologist of the twentieth century, Reginald Sutcliffe has been understudied and underappreciated. His impact continues to this day every time you check the weather forecast. This book makes the case that three important advances guided the development of modern dynamic meteorology, which led directly to the astounding progress in weather forecasting—and that Sutcliffe was the pioneer in all three of these foundational developments: the application of the quasi-geostrophic simplification to the equations governing atmospheric behavior, adoption of pressure as the vertical coordinate in analysis, and development of a diagnostic equation for vertical air motions. Shining a light on Sutcliffe’s life and work will, hopefully, inspire a renewed appreciation for the human dimension in scientific progress and the rich legacy bequeathed to societies wise enough to fully embrace investments in education and basic research. As climate change continues to grow more dire, modern extensions of Sutcliffe’s innovations increasingly offer some of the best tools we have for peering into the long-term future of our environment.

Ethics of the Global Environment

This book is about the ethical principles and concepts relating to the environment: nature, resources and the planet. Issues addressed include the intrinsic value of nonhuman species, obligations to future generations, and the aesthetic needs of humanity. Both universal responsibilities and their application are investigated while international responsibilities to the planet are considered in the context of some of the most alarming future scenarios: limited access to water, the changing global climate, population explosion, the destruction of ecosystems, and even the extinction of humanity.

Understanding the Global Energy Crisis

In this accessibly-written volume, central issues in global energy are discussed through interdisciplinary dialogue between experts from both North America and Europe.

Agriculture, Human Security, and Peace: A Crossroad in African Development

Covering more than the conventional “food-only” role of the agriculture, the international contributors to Agriculture, Human Security, and Global Peace detail how the solution to agricultural problems can lead to the general socioeconomic and political development of impoverished countries.

Energy and Innovation: Structural Change and Policy Implications

The move towards sustainable energy production and use is one the most challenging and profound changes currently taking place in the world’s established and emerging economies. Energy and Innovation: Structural Change and Policy Implications presents a series of informative case studies from Norway, the United Kingdom, Poland, the United States, Russia, Japan, and China that demonstrate how the pace of sustainable energy production differs by country.

You can get 30% off all Purdue University Press titles by entering the code PURDUE30 at checkout on our website.


Enriching Our World with Photography and Coffee Table Books

June 21st, 2021

We’re partial to words ourselves, but some subjects are just better in pictures. If you’re a photography enthusiast or just have an empty coffee table in need of a beautiful book, we’ve got a great list of photo books for you to skim through.


A Round Indiana: Round Barns in the Hoosier State, Second Edition

by John T. Hanou

A Round Indiana documents the 266 round barns identified in the history of Indiana, containing more than 300 modern and historical photographs alongside nearly 40 line drawings and plans. Author and award-winning photographer John T. Hanou combed through often-forgotten documents to tell the fascinating story of the farmers, builders, and architects who championed the innovative construction techniques.

 

A Place Called Turkey Run: A Celebration of Indiana’s Second State Park in Photographs and Words

by Daniel P. Shepardson

A Place Called Turkey Run captures the majesty and mystique of Indiana’s second state park in text and hundreds of full-color images. The work is organized into six distinct photo essays on the park’s beauty: sandstone; bluffs and canyons; flowing water; snow and ice; tall trees; and flowers, ferns, and fungi.

Make sure to check out its companion volume Photographing Turkey Run: A Guide to Nature Photography.

 

Purdue at 150: A Visual History of Student Life

by David M. Hovde, Adriana Harmeyer, Neal Harmeyer, and Sammie L. Morris

Purdue at 150 tells Purdue’s story through rare images, artifacts, and words. Authors culled decades of student papers, from scrapbooks, yearbooks, letters, and newspapers to historical photographs and memorabilia preserved in the Purdue University Libraries Virginia Kelly Karnes Archives and Special Collections.

 

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Through Astronaut Eyes: Photographing Early Human Spaceflight

by Jennifer Levasseur

Featuring over seventy images from the heroic age of space exploration, Through Astronaut Eyes presents the story of how human daring along with technological ingenuity allowed people to see the Earth and stars as they never had before.

 

Memories of Life on the Farm: Through the Lens of Pioneer Photographer J. C. Allen

by Frederick Whitford and Neal Harmeyer

Memories of Life on the Farm contains over 900 picturesque images, most never-before-seen, of men, women, and children working on the farm, which remain powerful reminders of life in rural America at the turn of the twentieth century. The J. C. Allen photographs represent an historical account of the transition from pioneer practices to scientific methodologies in agriculture and rural communities.

 

Enriching the Hoosier Farm Family: A Photo History of Indiana’s Early County Extension Agents

by Frederick Whitford, Neal Harmeyer, and David M. Hovde

Enriching the Hoosier Farm Family captures the story of the state’s first Extension agents in archival photos and words, when Extension was an idea and county agents were folks who traveled muddy back roads visiting farmers day after day, year after year.


You can get 30% off all Purdue University Press titles by entering the code PURDUE30 at checkout on our website.


Five Books on the Past and Present of Veterinary Science

March 22nd, 2021

From gripping stories on the history and application of veterinary medicine to important conversations about the state of the field, Purdue University Press publishes important work on veterinary science for practitioners and enthusiasts alike.


Pioneer Science and the Great Plagues: How Microbes, War, and Public Health Shaped Animal Health

by Norman Cheville

In one century, animal health care in North America evolved from farriers and itinerant cow leeches to science-based veterinary medicine. Pioneer Science and the Great Plagues covers this century of progress fighting infectious diseases and plagues, focuses on the scientists and institutions that pioneered veterinary education and research and made conquering these plagues possible.

 

 

Leaders of the Pack: Women and the Future of Veterinary Medicine

Julie Kumble and Donald F. Smith

Leaders of the Pack explores key themes in leadership and highlights women in veterinary medicine whose stories embody those themes. By sharing unique stories that illuminate different paths to leadership and reflecting on best practices through commentary and research, Leaders of the Pack seeks to allow more female leaders to create wider pathways to the top of their profession.

That Sheep May Safely Graze: Rebuilding Animal Health Care in War-Torn Afghanistan

by David Sherman

That Sheep May Safely Graze details a determined effort, in the midst of war, to bring essential veterinary services to Afghanistan, an agrarian society that depends day in and day out on the well-being and productivity of its animals, but which, because of decades of war and the disintegration of civil society, had no reliable access to even the most basic animal health care.

 

 

Exploring the Gray Zone: Case Discussions of Ethical Dilemmas for the Veterinary Technician

edited by Andrea DeSantis Kerr, Robert “Pete” Bill, Jamie Schoenbeck Walsh, and Christina V. Tran

Exploring the Gray Zone explores difficult situations veterinary technicians face on a daily basis through the use of case examples and dialogue. The case format of the book lends itself to discussion and can be utilized in veterinary technology courses that focus on ethics, communications, management, and leadership, and the real-life case examples make the book an enjoyable read for practicing veterinary technicians as well.

 

Navigating Diversity and Inclusion in Veterinary Medicine

Lisa M. Greenhill, Kauline Cipriani Davis, Patricia M. Lowrie, and Sandra F. Amass

Navigating Diversity and Inclusion in Veterinary Medicine addresses the continued lack of the diversity in veterinary medicine, the least inclusive of all medical professions. System-wide commitment, planning, execution, and continuous assessment will position the profession to better suit the population of the nation and the world that will be served. This book is a call to action for consistent championship and cohesive approaches, and it provides a road map to building a sustainably inclusive future.


You can get 30% off all Purdue University Press titles by entering the code PURDUE30 at checkout on our website.


Recommended Reads for Women’s History Month

March 1st, 2021

To commemorate Women’s History Month, Purdue University Press is featuring books that celebrate the contributions women have made to Purdue University, the United States, and the rest of the world.


Refuge Must Be Given: Eleanor Roosevelt, the Jewish Plight, and the Founding of Israel

by John F. Sears

Refuge Must Be Given details the evolution of Eleanor Roosevelt from someone who harbored negative impressions of Jews to becoming a leading Gentile champion of Israel in the United States. The book explores, for the first time, Roosevelt’s partnership with the Quaker leader Clarence Pickett in seeking to admit more refugees into the United States, and her relationship with Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles, who was sympathetic to the victims of Nazi persecution yet defended a visa process that failed both Jewish and non-Jewish refugees.

 

 

Independent Vision: Dorothy Harrison Eustis and the Story of The Seeing Eye

by Miriam Ascarelli

Drawing on correspondence, private papers, and newspaper accounts of the day, Miriam Ascarelli chronicles the life of Dorothy Harrison Eustis, the woman responsible for founding The Seeing Eye, the first guide dog school in the United States.

 

The Deans’ Bible: Five Purdue Women and Their Quest for Equality

by Angie Klink

The Dean’s Bible shares the stories of five Purdue women, Dorothy C. Stratton, Helen B. Schleman, M. Beverley Stone, Barbara I. Cook, and Betty M. Nelson. The book spans one hundred years of their interwoven lives, their shared causes and obstacles, and their pursuit of equity for all people.

 

In Their Own Words: Forgotten Women Pilots of Early Aviation

by Fred Erisman

In Their Own Words takes up the writings of eight women pilots as evidence of the ties between the growth of American aviation and the changing role of women. Although these women were well known in the profession and widely publicized in the press at the time, many are largely overlooked today.

 

 

Divided Paths, Common Ground: The Story of Mary Matthews and Lella Gaddis, Pioneering Purdue Women Who Introduced Science into the Home

by Angie Klink

Based on extensive oral history and archival research, Divided Paths, Common Ground sheds light on the important role female staff and faculty played in improving the quality of life for rural women during the first half of the twentieth century. It is also a fascinating story of two very different personalities, Mary Matthews and Lella Gaddis, united in this common goal.

The Queen of American Agriculture: A Biography of Virginia Claypool Meredith

by Frederick Whitford, Andrew G. Martin, and Phyllis Mattheis

This is the story of Virginia Meredith, whose lifetime of work had her referred to as “the most remarkable woman in Indiana” and the “Queen of American Agriculture.” Meredith was also the first woman appointed to serve on the university’s board of trustees, had a residence hall named in her honor, and worked with her adopted daughter, Mary L. Matthews, in creating the School of Home Economics at Purdue University.

Escaping Extermination: Hungarian Prodigy to American Musician, Feminist, and Activist

by Agi Jambor, edited by Frances Pinter

Written shortly after the close of World War II and published for the first time in 2020, Escaping Extermination describes how Agi Jambor and her husband escaped the extermination of Hungary’s Jews through a combination of luck and wit.

 

 

Finding Edith: Surviving the Holocaust in Plain Sight

by Edith Mayer Cord

Finding Edith describes the childhood and adolescence of a Viennese girl growing up against the backdrop of the Great Depression, the rise of Nazism, World War II, and the religious persecution of Jews throughout Europe. Edith was hunted in Western Europe and Vichy France, where she was hidden in plain sight, constantly afraid of discovery and denunciation.

 

Of Exile and Music: A Twentieth Century Life

by Eva Mayer Schay

This autobiography is set against the backdrop of some of the most dramatic episodes of the twentieth century. It is the story of a stubborn struggle against unjust regimes, sustained by a deep belief in the strength of the human spirit and the transcendental power of music.

 

Crowns, Crosses, and Stars: My Youth in Prussia, Surviving Hitler, and a Life Beyond

by Sibylle Sarah Niemoeller, Baroness von Sell

Crowns, Crosses, and Stars is Sarah Niemoeller’s story from the privileged world of Prussian aristocracy, through the horrors of World War II resisting both Hitler’s dictatorship and his genocidal efforts, to high society in the television age of postwar America.

 

Sisters in Science: Conversations with Black Women Scientists on Race, Gender, and Their Passion for Science

by Diann Jordan

Sisters in Science is a book of interviews with prominent black women scientists across the United States. These scientists are pioneers in their chosen scientific profession and represent a broad spectrum of disciplines, ages, and geographical locations.


You can get 30% off all Purdue University Press titles by entering the code PURDUE30 at checkout on our website.


Books on the History of Flight

January 13th, 2021

Purdue University Press has a fascinating collection of books on the history of flight, from the writings of eight early women aviators to stories on the lives of notable Hoosier pilots. Read through the list below, or check out the rest of our books on flight & space.


In Their Own Words: Forgotten Women Pilots of Early Aviation

by Fred Erisman

Amelia Earhart’s prominence in American aviation during the 1930s obscures a crucial point: she was but one of a closely knit community of women pilots. In Their Own Words takes up the writings of eight early women pilots—Harriet Quimby, Ruth Law, sisters Katherine and Marjorie Stinson, Amelia Earhart, Louise Thaden, Ruth Nichols, and Anne Morrow Lindbergh—as evidence of the ties between the growth of American aviation and the changing role of women.

Their writings confront issues relating to the developing technology and possibilities of aviation, the importance of assimilating aviation into daily life, and detail the part that women might—and should—play in advancing aviation. These writings also talk about how aviation may enhance women’s participation in contemporary American society.

 

British Imperial Air Power: The Royal Air Forces and the Defense of Australia and New Zealand Between the World Wars

by Alex M. Spencer

British Imperial Air Power examines the air defense of Australia and New Zealand during the interwar period. It also demonstrates the difficulty of applying new military aviation technology to the defense of the global Empire and provides insight into the nature of the political relationship between the Pacific Dominions and Britain.

 

IN THEIR OWN WORDS is out on January 15, 2020.

 

Cheerio and Best Wishes: Letters from a World War II Hoosier Pilot

by Ralph H. Schneck and Donald R. Schneck

Cheerio and Best Wishes is told entirely through letters written by a young Hoosier pilot to his family and friends during service in World War II. One hundred thirty-eight letters are presented in the book, curated by his family and recently rediscovered by his son, along with carefully created photograph albums.

The letters and pictures in this book offer a comprehensive story of how US airmen were prepared and trained for war, and detail the daily experience of a bomber pilot flying missions over Germany.

 

Flying the Beam: Navigating the Early US Airmail Airways, 1917–1941

by Henry R. Lehrer

The systems, regulations, and technologies of civil aviation that we use today are the product of decades of experimentation and political negotiation, much of it connected to the development of the airmail as the first commercially sustainable use of airplanes.

Flying the Beam draws on period documents, pilot memoirs, and firsthand investigation of surviving material remains to trace the development of aeronautical navigation of the US airmail airways from 1917 to 1941. From the lighted airways of the 1920s through the radio navigation system in place by the time of World War II, this book explores the conceptualization and ultimate construction of the initial US airways systems.

 

BRITISH IMPERIAL AIR POWER is written by Alex M. Spencer, who curates two collections at the National Air and Space Museum.

 

“Cap” Cornish, Indiana Pilot: Navigating the Century of Flight

by Ruth Ann Ingraham

“Cap” Cornish, Indiana Pilot tells the story of Clarence “Cap” Cornish, a Hoosier pilot whose life spanned all but five years of the Century of Flight. Dedicating his life to flight and its many ramifications, Cornish helped guide the sensible development of aviation as it grew from infancy to maturity. Through his many personal experiences, the story of flight nationally is played out.

Cornish’s many accomplishments include piloting a “Jenny” aircraft during World War I, serving as chief pilot for the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, monitoring and maintaining safe skies above the continental United States during World War II, and directing Indiana’s first Aeronautics Commission. In 1995, at the age of ninety-seven, he was recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest actively flying pilot


You can get 30% off all Purdue University Press titles by entering the code PURDUE30 at checkout on our website.


Books on Health and Aging

October 16th, 2020

From a memoir on navigating America’s elder care system to the go-to resources on living with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, Purdue University Press has a timely and useful collection of books on the experience of aging in America.


THE COMPLETE GUIDE FOR PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE AND THEIR LOVED ONES by Lianna Marie

Life with Parkinson’s Disease

 

The Complete Guide for People With Parkinson’s Disease and Their Loved Ones

by Lianna Marie

 

The Complete Guide serves as the go-to book for comprehensive, easy-to-understand information for all Parkinson’s patients and their loved ones. A trained nurse and primary caregiver for her mother, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, Lianna Marie draws upon over twenty years of education, research, and direct experience.

 

Everything You Need to Know About Caregiving for Parkinson’s Disease

by Lianna Marie

 

Caregivers for those with Parkinson’s disease do the utmost for their loved ones, often neglecting their own health in the process.  This book is not just about caring for a loved one, but also about taking care of yourself, providing an essential resource for all caregivers of those with Parkinson’s disease.

 

 

book cover, an elderly woman sitting on a book shelf
SHELVED: A MEMOIR OF AGING IN AMERICA by Sue Petrovski

Healthy Aging and Elder Care

Shelved: A Memoir of Aging in America

by Sue Petrovski

 

Shelved provides readers with a personal account of what it is like to leave a family home and enter a new world where everyone is old and where decisions like where to sit in the dining room fall to low-level corporate managers. Showcasing the benefits of communal living as well as the frustrations of having decisions about meals, public spaces, and governance driven by the bottom line, Petrovski delivers compelling suggestions for the transformation of the elder care system.

Changing Seasons: A Language Arts Curriculum for Healthy Aging

by Denise Calhoun

 

In Changing Seasons, Denise Calhoun provides a language-based, interdisciplinary program to help older adults improve their communication skills. The activities in the book promote meaningful interactions and the creation of a stimulating environment, underscoring the importance of sustaining quality of life as we and those we love age.

 

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CREATING MOMENTS OF JOY ALONG THE ALZHEIMER’S JOURNEY by Jolene Brackey

Memoirs and Guides on Alzheimer’s

 

Creating Moments of Joy Along the Alzheimer’s Journey: A Guide for Families and Caregivers, Fifth Edition, Revised and Expanded

by Jolene Brackey

 

Creating Moments of Joy is filled with practical advice for those impacted my Alzheimer’s disease, and sprinkled with hope, encouragement, new stories, and generous helpings of humor. We are not able to create perfectly wonderful days for people with dementia or Alzheimer’s, but we can create perfectly wonderful moments, moments that put a smile on their faces and a twinkle in their eyes. Five minutes later, they will not remember what we did or said, but the feeling that we left them with will linger.

 

At Wit’s End: Plain Talk on Alzheimer’s for Families and Clinicians, Second Edition

by George Kraus

 

A straightforward summary of leading advice for understanding and caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease, written without technical jargon and impractical nuance. With this broad, thoughtful, and grounded approach, family members, clinicians, and caregivers are better able to discover and make wise choices from a wealth of effective interventions in all areas of care. It also allows them to care for themselves and their families in the dynamic and supportive care process.

 

A Return Journey: Hope and Strength in the Aftermath of Alzheimer’s

by Sue Petrovski

 

A Return Journey draws on journals the author kept as a caregiver during her mother’s eight-year battle with Alzheimer’s, and on her correspondence with other caregivers who were kind enough to share their innermost feelings and emotions. Petrovski clearly and wisely explains that in Alzheimer’s care there are no “right” ways, no “best” decisions, no “perfect” answers.

 

Forget-Me-Not: A Memoir of Anne Bashkiroff’s Alzheimer’s Crusade

by Gail Holland and Anne Bashkiroff

 

Anne Bashkiroff was a pioneer in the fight for Alzheimer’s awareness. The consequences of Alzheimer’s and the extended burden the disease places on families and caregivers was not fully known in the 1970s. Instead of giving up after her husband’s diagnosis with the disease, Bashkiroff moved to make the world aware. Her strength and dedication led her to help establish the Family Survival Project.

 

 


You can get 30% off all Purdue University Press titles by entering the code PURDUE30 at checkout on our website.


Stories of Survival and Hope

July 15th, 2020

The stories of Holocaust survivors are as inspiring as they are haunting, but the common thread holding them together is persistence in the face of unthinkable devastation and suffering. Purdue University Press is proud of our part helping preserve their stories, several of which you can find below.

 


Escaping Extermination: Hungarian Prodigy to American Musician, Feminist, and Activist

by Agi Jambor, Edited by Frances Pinter

 

Written shortly after the close of World War II, Escaping Extermination tells the poignant story of war, survival, and rebirth for a young, already acclaimed, Jewish Hungarian concert pianist, Agi Jambor. From the hell that was the siege of Budapest to a fresh start in America, the author describes how she and her husband escaped the extermination of Hungary’s Jews through a combination of luck and wit.

Unpublished until now but written in the immediacy of the horrors of World War II and the Holocaust, Escaping Extermination is a story of hope, resilience, and even humor in the fight against evil.

 

Eva and Otto: Resistance, Refugees, and Love in the Time of Hitler

by Tom Pfister, Kathy Pfister, and Peter Pfister

Eva and Otto is a true story about German opposition and resistance to Hitler as revealed through the early lives of Eva Lewinski Pfister and Otto Pfister, who worked with a little-known German political group that resisted and fought against Hitler in Germany before 1933 and then in exile in Paris before the German invasion of France in May 1940.

The book provides a sobering insight into the personal risks and costs of a commitment to the duty of helping others threatened by fascism. Their unusually beautiful writing—directed to each other in diaries and correspondence during two long periods of wartime separation—also reveals an unlikely and inspiring love story.

 

Finding Edith: Surviving the Holocaust in Plain Sight

by Edith Mayer Cord

Finding Edith is the coming-of-age story of a young Jewish girl chased in Europe during World War II. Like a great adventure story, the book describes the childhood and adolescence of a Viennese girl growing up against the backdrop of the Great Depression, the rise of Nazism, World War II, and the religious persecution of Jews throughout Europe.

 

Rebuilt from Broken Glass: A German Jewish Life Remade in America

by Fred Behrend with Larry Hanover

 

Fred Behrend’s childhood came to a crashing end with Kristallnacht (the Night of Broken Glass) and his father’s harrowing internment at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. But he would not be defined by these harrowing circumstances. Behrend would go on to experience brushes with history involving the defeated Germans. By the age of twenty, he had run a POW camp full of Nazis, been an instructor in a program aimed at denazifying specially selected prisoners, and been assigned by the U.S. Army to watch over Wernher von Braun, the designer of the V-2 rocket that terrorized Europe and later chief architect of the Saturn V rocket that sent Americans to the moon. This book tells his story.

 

Of Exile and Music: A Twentieth Century Life

by Eva Mayer Schay

This fascinating autobiography is set against the backdrop of some of the most dramatic episodes of the twentieth century. It is the story of a stubborn struggle against unjust regimes, sustained by a deep belief in the strength of the human spirit and the transcendental power of music. It is also an account of a rich spiritual life, during which the author has built upon her Jewish roots through the study of Eastern philosophy and meditation.

 

 


You can get 30% off all Purdue University Press titles by entering the code PURDUE30 at checkout on our website.


Books for All Boilermakers

May 1st, 2020

Our wonderful selection of books on Purdue include two books published for Purdue’s 150th Anniversary, Ever True and Purdue at 150, biographies on notable Purdue alumni, a new collection of Neil Armstrong’s letters, and many others.


 

Ever True: 150 Years of Giant Leaps at Purdue University
by John Norberg


 
 
 
 

Purdue at 150: A Visual History of Student Life
by David M. Hovde, Adriana Harmeyer, Neal Harmeyer, and Sammie L. Morris


 
 
 
 
A Reluctant Icon: Letters to Neil Armstrong


edited by James R. Hansen

 
 
 
 

Wings of Their Dreams: Purdue in Flight, Second Edition
by John Norberg


 
 
 
 

Dear Neil Armstrong: Letters to the First Man From All Mankind

edited by James R. Hansen
 
 
 
 

Calculated Risk: The Supersonic Life and Times of Gus Grissom
by George Leopold


 
 
 
 

Spacewalker: My Journey in Space and Faith as NASA’s Record-Setting Frequent Flyer
by Jerry Ross and John Norberg


 
 
 
 

Becoming a Spacewalker: My Journey to the Stars
by Jerry L. Ross and Susan G. Gunderson


 
 
 
 

The Deans’ Bible: Five Purdue Women and Their Quest for Equality
by Angie Klink


 
 
 
 

A Purdue Icon: Creation, Life, and Legacy
edited by James L. Mullins


 
 
 
 
 

Slow Ball Cartoonist: The Extraordinary Life of Indiana Native and Pulitzer Prize Winner John T. McCutcheon of the Chicago Tribune
by Tony Garel-Frantzen


 
 
 
 
 

For the Good of the Farmer: A Biography of John Harrison Skinner, Dean of Purdue Agriculture
by Frederick Whitford


 
 
 
 

A University of Tradition: The Spirit of Purdue, Second Edition
by Purdue Reamer Club


 
 
 
 

Just Call Me Orville: The Story of Orville Redenbacher


by Robert W. Topping

 
 
 
 
Heartbeat of the University: 125 Years of Purdue Bands


by John Norberg

 
 
 
 
 
Divided Paths, Common Ground: The Story of Mary Matthews and Lella Gaddis, Pioneering Purdue Women Who Introduced Science into the Home


by Angie Klink

 
 
 
 
Ross-Ade: Their Purdue Stories, Stadium, and Legacies


by Robert C. Kriebel

 
 
 
 
Uncle: My Journey with John Purdue


by Irena McCammon Scott

 
 
 
 
The Queen of American Agriculture: A Biography of Virginia Claypool Meredith


by Frederick Whitford, Andrew G. Martin, and Phyllis Mattheis

 
 
 
 
 

The Grand Old Man of Purdue University and Indiana Agriculture: The Biography of William Carroll Latta


by Frederick Whitford and Andrew G. Martin

 
 
 
 

Midas of the Wabash: A Biography of John Purdue


by Robert C. Kriebel

 
 
 
 

Letters of George Ade

edited by Terence Tobin

 
 
 
 

Force for Change: The Class of 1950

by John Norberg

 
 
 
 
 

Edward Charles Elliott, Educator

by Frank K. Burrin
 
 
 
 

The Hovde Years: A Biography of Frederick L. Hovde

by Robert W. Topping

 
 
 

Richard Owen: Scotland 1810, Indiana 1890

by Victor Lincoln Albjerg

 
 
 
 

My Amiable Uncle: Recollections of Booth Tarkington

by Susanah Mayberry

 
 
 
 

The Dean: A Biography of A. A. Potter

by Robert B. Eckles

 
 
 


 

Enter the code PURDUE30 when checking out on our website to receive your 30% discount.


Gardening Books from Purdue University Press

April 14th, 2020

Whether you’re a master gardener or in need of a pleasant distraction Purdue University Press publishes wonderful books on the outdoors, including books on horticulture, agriculture, and the natural history of the Midwest. Below you can find a few of our featured titles on gardening.


A History of Zinnias: Flower for the Ages

by Eric Grissell

 

A History of Zinnias is a cultural and horticultural history documenting the development of garden zinnias—one of the top ten garden annuals grown in the United States today.

“A perfect book for those who love history, plants, the unraveling of mysteries, and a wry sense of humor. Through meticulous research, Eric Grissell debunks numerous tall tales about zinnias and gives readers the real story.”

—Ellen Dean, curator, UC Davis Center for Plant Diversity

The deep and exciting history of garden zinnias pieces together a tale involving Aztecs, Spanish conquistadors, people of faith, people of medicine, explorers, scientists, writers, botanists, painters, and gardeners. The trail leads from the halls of Moctezuma to a cliff-diving prime minister; from Handel, Mozart, and Rossini to Gilbert and Sullivan; from a little-known confession by Benjamin Franklin to a controversy raised by Charles Darwin; from Emily Dickinson, who writes of death and zinnias, to a twenty-year-old woman who writes of reanimated corpses; and from a scissor-wielding septuagenarian who painted with bits of paper to the “Black Grandma Moses” who painted zinnias and inspired the opera Zinnias.

Free Preview of the Book.

Interview with Eric Grissell.

 

Native Trees of the Midwest: Identification, Wildlife Values, and Landscaping Use

by Sally S. Weeks, Harmon P. Weeks, Jr., and George R. Parker

 

Native Trees of the Midwest is a definitive guide to identifying trees in Indiana and surrounding states, written by three leading forestry experts. Descriptive text explains how to identify every species in any season and color photographs show all important characteristics. Not only does the book allow the user to identify trees and learn of their ecological and distributional attributes, but it also presents an evaluation of each species relative to its potential ornamental value for those interested in landscaping.

The revised and expanded second edition contains a chapter on introduced species that have become naturalized and invasive throughout the region. All accounts have been reviewed and modifications made when necessary to reflect changes in taxonomy, status, or wildlife uses. Keys have been modified to incorporate introduced species.

 

A HISTORY OF ZINNIAS was released in March of 2020.

 

Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest : Identification, Wildlife Values, and Landscaping Use

by Sally S. Weeks and Harmon P. Weeks, Jr.

 

As the definitive identification guide to the shrubs and woody vines of Indiana, this book also provides coverage of 90% of the species to be found in surrounding Midwestern US states. As well as covering indigenous species, it also includes all currently known invasive shrubs.

The authors provide practical guidance concerning the potential ornamental value of each species for those interested in landscaping and also evaluate their potential value for encouraging wildlife. Designed for experts in natural resource management as well as the interested general public, the volume includes distribution maps, identification keys, and an index of both common and Latin names.

 

Possum in the Pawpaw Tree: A Seasonal Guide to Midwestern Gardening

by B. Rosie Lerner and Beverly S. Netzhammer

 

Inspired by actual gardeners’ inquiries, each chapter deals with such down-to-earth subjects as when to start seeds, why plants might fail to bloom, pruning techniques, identifying and controlling common pests, home fruit production, plant propagation, harvesting and storing, and seasonal gift ideas.

Possum in the Pawpaw Tree is aimed at the heartland of the United States, where “normal” weather means bitter winters, torrential spring rains, and summer drought. Since such normal weather is assured, midwestern gardeners must be prepared for the unexpected. The seasonal arrangement serves as a starting point for beginners and provides reminders for more experienced gardeners. Monthly topics cover houseplants, garden flowers, vegetables, woody landscape plants, lawns, and ideas for new gardening adventures.

 

The Complete Plant Selection Guide for Landscape Design

by Marc Stoecklein

 

 

In this book the author has created a quick and easy-to-use reference guide for choosing plant material for landscape designs. This reference manual includes comprehensive lists with search criteria for each of the major plant groups, including trees, shrubs, groundcovers, perennials, vines, grasses, and ferns.

The book is technical enough for the professional, yet simple enough to be used by the layperson. Both botanical and common names are used and an extensive amount of cultural and environmental information is presented.

 

 


 

You can get 30% all Purdue University Press titles by ordering from our website and using the discount code PURDUE40.