Product Description
A unique history of Nebraska is presented in these pages, drawing on fifty-eight short topical chapters and a rich gallery of illustrations. Professor Frederick C. Luebke's lifelong commitment to the study of his state informs the book in every detail, as does his concern for clear and readable narrative. The treasure trove of images, many never published before, cast new light on many aspects of Nebraska's history. These include the culture of the state's Native peoples and their lives today, the building of the transcontinental railroad, the hardship endured by European immigrants, and the contributions of women, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Americans to the state. This is a book that every Nebraskan will want to own, read, and enjoy.

This second edition includes updated chapters on the current social, economic, and political climate of Nebraska and some new illustrations.

Frederick C. Luebke is Charles J. Mach Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the department of history at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His books include A Harmony of the Arts: The Nebraska State Capitol (Nebraska 1990) and Germans in the New World: Essays in the History of Immigration. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

short and sweet
This is a great resource if you teach Nebraska history.If you think you're getting in-depth info, look elsewhere.There are plenty of good pictures in here and each chapter has about 2-3 pages of writing so it's nice to read before bed.

Nebraska's history in pictures

An oversized, very handsomely illustrated history of Nebraska. There is some text, but the emphasis is on the photographs depicting various time periods in the state's development. There are 5 major sections: before statehood, the fledgling state, the emergence of modern Nebraska (1890-1930), drought and war (1930-1970), and the most recent technological era (1970-present). The photos are far-ranging and include famous people, forts, Native Americans, early town and city growth, natural formations, Dust Bowl scenes, cowboy and farm life, and the most recent developments. It's a fun book to look at and would grace anyone's coffeetable, Cornhusker or otherwise. ... Read more

Product Description
Incorporating the results of thirty years of scholarship and research, the third edition of History of Nebraska gives fuller attention to such topics as the Native American experience in Nebraska and the accomplishments and circumstances of the state's women and minorities. It also provides a historical analysis of the state's dramatic changes in the past thirty years. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

History of Nebraska
Paper back version does not appear to be complete. It has a list of images/photos, but there are NONE in the book. It does little to further any knowledge of Nebraska. Very disappointing.

Nebraska History
Extremely detailed book on the history of Nebraska. Hours of educational reading. ... Read more

Product Description
The names are oh, so familiar to fans of college football. Johnny Rodgers. Dave Rimington. Mike Rozier. Tommie Frazier. Eric Crouch. Grant Wistrom. Those names and countless others have given Nebraska football an unmatched tradition and legacy of greatness and made football Saturdays high holy days in the Cornhusker State.

In this book, we’ve attempted to distill that tradition of greatness into words and pictures. It’s a daunting task. Few programs inspire the loyalty and passion that Nebraska football exacts from its fans, and with good reason. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

THE MOST DOMINANT TEAM OF THE 80'S & 90'S
Things have been pretty tough for the Nebraska Cornhuskers in recent years.In 2004 they suffered their first losing season in over 40 years, breaking the nation's longest streak in that area.But it would be hard to argue with anyone who claimed that Nebraska was the most dominant team of the 80's and 90's, compiling an eye-popping record of 211 wins against just 36 losses, averaging less than one loss per year in those two decades.Of course the man at the helm for all but the last two seasons of the 90's was the great Tom Osborne.Nebraska Football is of course the subject of this latest offering from Triumph Books and Athlon Sports in their Game Day series, dedicated to the greatest program in college football.

On thing that really makes Nebraska unique is that they don't have the benefit of professional sports or even another large university in their state to compete with.In Nebraska, the Cornhuskers are it and it is one of the great atmospheres in all of sports.The book follows the same formula as the rest in the series, beginning with a look at the Traditions and pageantry of NU football, including their famous red sea of fans, garbed in crimson, and the blackshirt defense as it has become known.I for one never knew the story and origin behind the blackshirt defense until I read this book.

Nebraska's great players reads like who's who of college football greats: Tommie Frazier, Turner Gill, Eric Crouch, Johnny Rodgers, Mike Rozier, Grant Wistrom, Will Shields, and many more. When it comes to coaches, two names stand out, and what a pair they are!Bob Devaney took over in 1962 after Nebraska had finished 3-6-1 the previous year.NU would not have another losing season for over 40 years!Devaney went 101-20-2 and winning 8 conference titles, and two national championships.He turned the team over to Tom Osborne who would do even better with a record of 255-49-3 and three national championships.From 1994-1997, Osborne's teams lost only two games.

Relive some of NU's greatest games including the 1971 "Game of the Century" showdown with rival Oklahoma, won by the Huskers 35 - 31, the 1995 Orange Bowl win over Miami, and the miraculous overtime win over Missouri in 1997 that preserved an unbeaten season.You'll thrill to many more great moments and rivalries in this thrilling look at Nebraska football.

As with all of Triumph's books it sparkles with fantastic black & white and color photography and is personalized by reflections from former players and coaches.Even if you're not a fan of NU, you can't help but respect them.

Reviewed by Tim Janson
... Read more

Product Description
Most folks consider Omaha, Nebraska, a quiet, laid-back city in America's heartland. It wasn't always that way. In the nineteenth century, the town had a different sort of reputation. David L. Bristow tells the story of "the other Omaha."

"If you want to find a rogue's rookery, go to Omaha..." it is a "fitting subject for the prayers of a nation." Kansas City Newspaper, 1873

Rudyard Kipling was both fascinated and appalled by the town.

But scores of settlers, bullwhackers, gamblers, politicians, prostitutes and confidence men saw the future in it. Omaha, grew from a speculative scheme in 1854 to a booming city by the turn of the century. Along the way, there were scores of great stories, many of which Bristow includes in "A Dirty, Wicked Town". All the stories are true-they only read like fiction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

An interesting history of my hometown.
The book starts out with a dead-on description of the Rockbrook area and proceeds to the Old Market and South Omaha.A must read if you want the real truth on Jeese Lowe; John Pershing;James Freemont and others whose names most of us know only from building,town,and street names.They were indeed a wicked bunch of wild west --- well since they wrote the laws I can't really call them outlaws now can I?

A great book--the description of 'Rock Brooke Farm' will either make you cry for what has been lost or make you cheer progess depending on your P.O.V.

My wicked home.
This book is facinating and everyone who lives in Omaha should be aware of what truly founded our fair city. Omaha has certainly risen above the wickedness of our early history and is a model for many other cities. After living in Omaha for more than half of my life I can say that it stands above the others I have lived in which include the upper midwest, the southeastern coast and Los Angeles. The stories that David Bristow told left me wanting him to continue into the 20th century further than he did. My family for example was a very successful set of bootleggers to Kansas and Missouri. I know there were many other interesting characters in Omaha's history. Come on David....bring us up to now.

Woodstock for Capitalists???????
Are you of the opinion that not even Warren Buffett can redeem Omaha?Do you want proof?Then this is the book for you.
Gleaned from 19th century newspaper headlines, it's all you wanted to know (???) about Omaha, but were afraid to ask.No fiasco goes unturned--claim jumping, parliamentary near-riots, yellow journalism, wild west shows, women of the evening, and even the depth of mud in the Old Market.It's all here in the "cesspool of iniquity!" [No, I didn't say that.It's a quote from a Kansas City newspaper in reference to Omaha!]
Yes, Warren may be the Oracle of Omaha, but this is no Delphi!Kudos, Mr. Bristow.

Good history for people who don't like "history"
David Bristow's book "A Dirty, Wicked Town: Tales of 19th Century Omaha," published by Caxton Press, is a book that any person with even the most fleeting interest in American history will find very enjoyable.

The 300-page book is divided into 22 chapters, and in a technique reminiscent of what John Dos Passos did in the "USA Trilogy," Bristow includes excerpts from actual newspaper stories to make the historical context more real.Chapters from this work have been included in "Nebraska Life" magazine, with several more forthcoming.

Bristow grew up in Des Moines, Iowa, and graduated from the University of Northern Iowa. He is formally trained in neither creative writing nor history, but instead holds degrees in psychology. Bristow does not embrace the role of historian in a traditional sense, but rather picks and chooses stories that illuminate different dimensions of Omaha history in an interesting way.

He wrote to me in an e-mail from his Omaha home, "My goal was to tell a limited number of true stories, writing each so that it would read like fiction."Instead of writing a comprehensive history, Bristow was free to use his own criteria to select which tales he relates.He tells me, "I chose the stories I did because each has some universal human quality about it--humor, tragedy, love, hatred, hope, injustice, stupidity--and often all of them mixed in together.That's really why any storyteller chooses his or her subject matter."

The book opens with what can be considered as Omaha's first day.In 1854, a hasty Independence Day picnic was broken up by what appeared to be a hostile band of Indians.The early chapters of the book fill in details about Omaha's settlement and its struggle to attain viability as a community.Famous, and not so famous, episodes in Omaha history are told, all with a deep grounding in documented fact.

Bristow should be lauded for his use of primary sources.He tells me that he began his research with the usual history books, but then branched to primary materials like diaries, newspaper accounts and trial transcripts to bring each story to life.Particularly well handled is the account of the 1879 "Trial of Standing Bear" in which Bristow not only retells the story but compares different versions of Standing Bear's famous speech.

One of the themes that emerges in this unique history book is Omaha's struggle to impose the rule of law on a society that was very much controlled by notions of prairie justice, if any justice at all.In many cases, such as the lynching of George Smith in 1891, mob rule reigned and the police stood helpless as a white lynch mob broke into the County Jail and beat and hung a black man.

Shooting down misconceptions to the contrary, Bristow writes, "Omaha was, from the very start, a scheme."He uncovered plots hatched in Omaha as vast as massive land deals and a puny as rigged card games.The chapter "City of Harlots" discusses how proper society tacitly approved of the city's houses of prostitution.

Bristow wrote to me, "In some ways, each slice of the past is like a foreign country, with its own language and customs and assumptions about the world." "A Dirty, Wicked Town" is a well written and thoughtful book of history that serves as a passport to this foreign land.

It is also clear that Bristow writes through the lens of today, and he is comfortable setting up chapters so that readers can make moral judgments about the tales he is relating.He tells me, "Regarding stories such as the lynching of George Smith, I believe it's important for us to understand that those things really happened, and happened here, in this place, and that they were done by people like us.We need to be reminded of what we are capable of doing to each other."

A Fun Read and Good History
The author has taken the best stories from old histories and newspaper accounts, and created a rollicking picture of a frontier town growing up. He documents his sources, and has captured twenty two episodes in early Omaha history, from the founding of Omaha City in 1854 to the Trans-Mississippi & International Exposition and Indian Congress of 1898. It is all told in a highly readable style, with a cast of characters ranging from gamblers and prostitutes to national figures such as George Frances Train, Buffalo Bill Cody,and Ponca Chief Standing Bear. This book will stand as a classic account of Omaha history. ... Read more

Product Description
Japanese-born Hisanori Kano came to the United States in 1916 with the blessings of his influential family, the sponsorship of William Jennings Bryan, and a fervent commitment to master and apply the best of American agricultural practices on the Nebraska Plains. Forgoing an assured career in politics, the military, or business in his homeland, Kan entered the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and worked his way through as a farm laborer. Along with his dedication to farming, he brought a strong Christian faith that would lead to his ordination as an Episcopal minister and sustain him and his family through his internment during World War II.

Undertaken in 1967, after half a century in his adoptive land, Father Kano's memoir reveals how he adapted to an ever-changing American culture and landscape. According himself only modest standing among the Issei--other first-generation Japanese immigrants he was honored to call his countrymen--Father Kano elucidates in a voice as eloquent as it is polite a sorely underrepresented aspect of diversity and rural life on the North American Plains. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

The bird book Nebraska deserves
Nebraska is known to the North American birding community almost exclusively for a single phenomenon: the spectacular spring migration of waterfowl and cranes along the Platte River in late March.The state is otherwise largely terra incognita to all but locals, who have managed to keep its ornithological riches a relative secret.But anyone who has spent time in the forests of the southeast, the wooded buttes of the northwest, or the vast prairies of the sandhills knows that here lie treasures.Few other states boast such a large and varied avifauna, its components drawn from east, west, north and south; regular breeders include Acadian Flycatcher and Cordilleran Flycatcher, Blue Jay and Pinyon Jay, Long-billed Curlew and American Woodcock, and the birder with time and a full tank of gas can find all these and many more such pairs in a single day in the field.
Finding out about these treasures has been difficult.Birding in Nebraska in most of the twentieth century was a particularist affair, meaningful communications generally oral and private.All this has changed, however, with the publication of Ross Silcock et al.'s new Birds of Nebraska, an exemplary production providing native and visitor alike with a comprehensive introduction to the state's birds.Each of the 440+ species so far recorded is treated fully, with detailed summaries of its temporal and geographic distribution, abundance, and status in the state.For out-of-staters, rudimentary bird-finding information is provided, its usefulness varying with its specificity: for some species, directions are provided to likely sites, while for others the advice consists solely in the identification of promising habitat types.
The book is handsomely and well produced by the University of Nebraska Press.Editorial slips are remarkably few for a work of this scope and detail; spelling errors ("Ulnus" for "Ulmus," for example) are nearly non-existent, and the prose is generally clear and readable.Nebraska birders, it goes without saying, will find this the most useful book on their birding bookshelf, but the rest of us too will profit from the impressive new standard set by this work. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

A wonderfully written book by a legendary professor
The late, Professor Robert E. Knoll was my english composition professor at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln in the early, 1980s. He was a remarkable human being with an inquiring mind and treasured by his many students, faculty and administration during his tenure of more than four decades with the university. His devotion was always to his students and to his love of Nebraska.

Prairie University is more than just a history book. It is colorful storytelling, sometimes sad, often humorous, about the people and life of the university in this very unique, Nebraska setting.You will come away from this book with a better perspective of the Nebraska culture and Nebraskan values, as well as an appreciation for the role of higher education in helping to shape the culture, and how that is juxtaposed with state and local politics. If anything, you will learn that the University of Nebraska is much more than just football!

I highly recommend. ... Read more

Product Description
General Books publication date: 2009Original publication date: 1921Original Publisher: The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co.Subjects: Hamilton County (Neb.)Clay County (Neb.)Notes: This is an OCR reprint of the original rare book. There may be typos or missing text and there are no illustrations.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there. ... Read more

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Enlarged Edition ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Strong timely piece
This history offers an in-depth look at a midwestern city that is growing in both scale and importance. It does so in a very approachable manner, and it does so without boring readers with unnecessary specificity.

As a newer Nebraskan and someone who is even newer to Omaha, I very much appreciated having a text to fall back upon as a means of learning about Nebraska's largest city. It was a worthwhile read for anyone interested in how Omaha came to be and a worthwhile companion for anyone interested in the urban midwest.

Well written history of the City of Omaha
As a born-and-raised Omahan, I'm biased.. but this book is great. As some of the reviews mention, it does a great job of tying local events in Omaha's history into the national goings-on of the time.

This is a wonderful book about the incredible history of Omaha. ... Read more

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Product Description
This overview of Nebraska history follows roadways to the well-known and lesser-known points of interest from early French and Spanish explorers to modern agriculture and the ongoing plight of Native Americans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good historical guide
This is Nebraska's entry in the Roadside History series of state historical guides mainly designed for travelers in each state, written by Candy Moulton. The book is divided into five sections: Lewis and Clark Country (NE part of the state), River Country (SE part of the state), Oregon Trail Country, Sandhills Country, and Panhandle Country. Focusing on major highways that traverse each section, the book gives a thorough history of towns, cities, historical sites, and the people who inhabited them all, some famous, some infamous. It's a great book for travelers in the state, and between the specific roads traversed and the comprehensive index, ease of use couldn't be improved upon. Armchair travelers or anyone just interested in learning about Nebraska's past will also benefit from the book. It contains numerous photos and a detailed chronology of Nebraska history as well. One thing it, or any of the books in this series, doesn't contain is information about tourist attractions, lodging, restaurants, etc. But it's loaded with historical information and is an essential work for anyone interested in Nebraska's past.

roadside history of nebraska
I began this book with interest but that changed quickly as I realized I could not trust the information it contained.We live on the site of the Print Olive ranch mentioned in the book.Candy Moulton states it is besidethe Dismal river, which it is not.The Dismal is over 65 miles away.Theold Print Olive ranch is on the South Loup River.I look out my window atit daily.If Ms. Moulton could not even check the river's name on a map,how can we trust the information she includes which is unverifiable.Verydisappointing! ... Read more

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Product Description
Where the eastern and western currents of American life merge as smoothly as one river flows into another is a place called Nebraska. There we find the Platte, a river that gave sustenance to the countless migrants who once trudged westward along the Mormon and Oregon trails. We find the Sandhills, a vast region of sandy grassland that represents the largest area of dunes and the grandest and least disturbed region of mixed-grass prairies in all the Western Hemisphere. And, below it all, we find the Ogallala aquifer, the largest potential source of unpolluted water anywhere.

These ecological treasures are all part of the nature of Nebraska. With characteristic clarity, energy, and charm, Paul A. Johnsgard guides us through Nebraska's incredible biodiversity, introducing us to each ecosystem and the flora and fauna it sustains and inviting us to contemplate the purpose and secrets of the natural world as we consider our own roles and responsibilities in our connection with it.

Paul A. Johnsgard is Foundation Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and winner of several state and national writing awards for his books. He is the author of more than forty books, including Prairie Dog Empire: A Saga of the Shortgrass Prairie, Crane Music: A Natural History of American Cranes, and This Fragile Land: A Natural History of the Nebraska Sandhills, all available from the University of Nebraska Press. ... Read more

Product Description
This book an EXACT reproduction of the original book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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Product Description
Nebraska's early towns were wild and woolly and Wayne Lee's book features ten of them. Lee describes the lawmen, desperados, vigilantes and killers. He tells the storyies of the men and women who lived with the violence running rampant around them.

Back in print due to popular demand. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Nebraska History at its finest
A great author captures the early frontier days as they were meant to be read, heard and told.In the days before Husker football (before the 1890's), Nebraska was in its infancy.Many towns popped up and law and order was not always to be found. Wayne Lee tells of these tales in the river towns, cattle drive towns and farming communities.This book is more interesting than you can imagine.Also, another great purchase is Wayne Lee's Bad Men and Bad Towns.If you buy these books, you not be unhappy.

Great Nebraska History
Not your typical history book.This one is full of stories about Nebraska starting in the mid 1800's and the stories show just how unlawful and savage this area could be.The pictures are wonderful.As a Nebraskaninterested in history on my home state, I found this to be a veryinteresting book.

Great Nebraska History
Not your typical history book.This one is full of stories about Nebraska starting in the mid 1800's and the stories show just how unlawful and savage this area could be.The pictures are wonderful.As a Nebraskaninterested in history on my home state, I found this to be a veryinteresting book. ... Read more

Product Description
On a horrific night in October 1975, Erwin Simants brutally murdered six members of the Henry Kellie family in tiny Sutherland, Nebraska. Massive media attention to the grisly story soon spawned a historic collision between two of the most cherished American constitutional protections the First Amendment's guarantee of a free press and the Sixth Amendment's guarantee of a criminal defendant's right to a fair trial before an impartial jury.

Rights in the Balance is the story of the complex legal battles set in motion that tragic night on the western Nebraska plains. In juxtaposition to the criminal prosecution of Erwin Simants, Mark Scherer traces the Nebraska Press Association's battle to overturn a gag order imposed on the media by state court judges. Prohibited from publishing certain details about the crimes and the Simants prosecution, the association set its own arduous legal course that would lead ultimately to the U.S. Supreme Court and the landmark ruling issued in Nebraska Press Association v. Stuart. The decision, one of the most closely followed in American constitutional history, remains one of the high court's most significant statements and controlling precedents on the troublesome and recurring conflict between the rights of free press and fair trial.

Balancing the nuances of myriad legal considerations against the very human dimensions of both the constitutional litigations and the Simants prosecution, Scherer offers up a narrative accessible not only to communications and legal specialists and scholars but also the interested general public. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The first amendment clashes with the sixth amendment more often than one would think
The first amendment clashes with the sixth amendment more often than one would think. "Rights in the Balance: Free Press, Fair Trial, & Nebraska Press Association v. Stuart" is an examination of the modern media and its interference with the court system as people attempt to get a fair trial in today's society. A deft examination that hopes to find the fine line that can lie between the two peacefully, "Rights in the Balance: Free Press, Fair Trial, & Nebraska Press Association v. Stuart" is a top pick for community library law collections. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description