Best of the best 2013

We are proud to announce that Lincoln and Medicine by Glenna R. Schroeder-Lein was recently chosen as one of the "Best of the Best" University Press Books for Public and Secondary School Libraries by the American Library Association.

Committee member Gay Ann Loesch said "The controversies over the mental and physical conditions of the 16th presidential family are examined in light of today's medical knowledge, making the title informative, approachable, documented, and fascinating reading, shedding new light on the health issues of Lincoln's family. This medical history of Abraham Lincoln and his family lends itself to integrating this period of history and the practices of medicine of the times, providing a core resource for allied health curriculum in high schools, thus enhancing the study of both areas. Readers will learn about sixteenth century American history, culture, medical remedies and practices and be able to compare them to modern medical treatment and knowledge."

Also honored as "outstanding" was Walter Frank's Making Sense of the Constitution: A Primer on the Supreme Court and Its Struggle to Apply Our Fundamental Law. Hilary Albert called it "a marvelous introduction to the constitution and how the Supreme Court and our governmental structure are supposed to work, while still being mindful of different or varying opinions. A great deal of the book focuses on the bill of rights and the amendments, both the history and the evolving views of the various justices. There is also a discussion about how the court itself works. Overall, this is a great start for someone interested in learning about constitutional law who has no background at all."

Several other titles were selected for inclusion in the 2013 edition of University Press Books for Public and Secondary Schools, an annual collection published with the support of the American Library Association, the American Association of School Librarians, and a committee of Public Library Reviewers. Included in the bibliography are: 

Heavenly Bodies, by Cynthia Huntington

Lincoln's Ladder to the Presidency: The Eighth Judicial Circuit, by Guy C. Fraker
Lincoln and the Constitution, by Brian R. Dirck

Giant in the Shadows: The Life of Robert T. Lincoln, by Jason Emerson 

The Madness of Mary Lincoln, by Jason Emerson
Lincoln and Race, by Richard Striner
Lincoln as Hero, by Frank J. Williams
The Mary Lincoln Enigma: Historians on Americas Most Controversial First Lady, edited by Frank J. Williams and Michael Burkhimer (Enigma)
The Chattanooga Campaign, edited by Steven E. Woodworth and Charles D. Grear
Mending Broken Soldiers:The Union and Confederate Programs to Supply Artificial Limbs, by Guy R. Hasegawa

ISHS Recognizes Seven SIU Press Books and Authors at Annual Awards Banquet

The books of Southern Illinois University Press received honors at The Illinois State Historical Society's annual awards banquet in Springfield, Illinois, on Saturday, April 27. Of the sixteen awards given for scholarly books, seven were awarded to SIU Press titles, including Book of the Year, an honor bestowed upon Jason Emerson's book, Giant in the Shadows: The Life of Robert T. Lincoln, an in depth look at the life of Abraham Lincoln’s son.

"Our judges felt that this 600-page tome had all of the elements that make a great history book:  an interesting and popular topic with wide appeal; excellent narrative writing style; extensive, exhaustive research from sources never used before; and well-organized bibliographic citations that make it a source for scholars now and in the future.  As one reviewer stated, 'Emerson sweeps away a century of myths and misinformation about Robert T. Lincoln, including the musty, old canard that he had no respect for his famous father and no sympathy for his emotionally fragile mother.  This is an intimate, in-depth portrait that will be praised, quoted and consulted for years to come.'"

In addition to Emerson's win, two other SIU Press books were finalists for the Book of the Year award and took home awards for Superior Achievement: Guy C. Fraker's Lincoln's Ladder to the Presidency: The Eighth Judicial Circuit and Dr. David A. Joens's From Slave to State Legislator: John W. E. Thomas, Illinois' First African American Lawmaker.

Fraker's book explores Lincoln's years as a lawyer traveling Illinois' Eighth Judicial Circuit, where he not only gained respect as a skilled attorney and mesmerizing speaker, but also built a political base and refined his views on the important issues of the day, many of which he would face in the White House.  Lincoln’s Ladder to the Presidency: The Eighth Judicial Circuit shows how Lincoln's experiences from 1837 to 1860 on muddy roads, in homes of friends, and in courtrooms on the circuit guided him when he became president. 

From Slave to State Legislator: John W. E. Thomas, Illinois’ First African American Lawmaker examines the life of the first African American elected to the Illinois general assembly and a recognized leader of the state's African American community for nearly 20 years.  He paved the way for those that followed.  The judges cited Dr. Joens's "ability to explain a highly complex issue" and "highly praised the author’s scholarship," stating that he, "does a great job in recreating the life and times of Thomas using hundreds of newspaper accounts and government documents from 1870 to 1899."

Two other SIU Press books were given the distinction of the Award of Superior Achievement: the late Robert S. Eckley's Lincoln’s Forgotten Friend, Leonard Swett and Herbert K. Russell's The State of Southern Illinois: An Illustrated History.

About Lincoln's Forgotten Friend, Leonard Swett, one of the judges said "It shows great scholarship in research and compilation. I loved this book and could not put it down." Dr. Eckley’s wife, Nell Eckley, accepted the award on her late husband’s behalf.  

The State of Southern Illinois: An Illustrated History was praised by the judges as well for "present[ing] the history of Southern Illinois from the glacial period to the present in a lively and well-written style. The author uses a variety of sources to show that 'Egypt' was not just an extension of Dixie, that most of Southern Illinois residents did not want to secede during the Civil War, and that many African- Americans lived in peace in the region for many years."

Finally, two SIU Press books were awarded a Certificate of Excellence: The Essential Paul Simon: Timeless Lessons for Today’s Politics, edited by John S. Jackson, and the second edition of The Poorhouse: Subsidized Housing in Chicago by Devereux Bowly, Jr. 

About The Essential Paul Simon one judge stated, "This collection offers compelling, relevant, timeless insights into the challenges Americans and their elected officials face today." The second edition of The Poorhouse: Subsidized Housing in Chicago updates and provides five new chapters to the author's 1978 publication. With dozens of black-and-white  photographs and commentary about who designed the buildings how the architecture affected the residents, the new book provides an architectural record of public housing in the City of Chicago.

"The ISHS Awards Program continues to recognize the best of the best in the broad canvas of historical interpretation," said ISHS President Russell Lewis. "The Society seeks out what is exceptional in the state—the best books, the best exhibits, the best teachers—and the nominations we get always surprise us with their creativity, insight, and resourcefulness. This year's harvest is no exception. Congratulations to all!"

Remembering Jake Adam York

(This entry was originally posted on a temporary blog site in December.)

We here at Southern Illinois University Press had the pleasure of working with Jake Adam York on two of his books: A Mumuration of Starlings and Persons Unknown. An exceedingly talented, kind, and funny man, we consider ourselves lucky to have had the opportunity to know him, and regret that our time was cut short. On December 16, Jake Adam York passed away at age 40 after suffering a stroke. We'd like to share with you some video we took when he visited the SIU campus in 2011 for the Little Grassy Literary Festival.











We will miss him.

You look hungry

(A version of this entry was originally posted on a temporary blog site in November.)

Here's a recipe from Cooking Plain, Illinois Country Style by Helen Walker Linsenmeyer. Before sharing it here, we decided to test it ourselves. (It's a tough job, but we do it. We do it for you.) Below is a picture of a poppy seed cake, courtesy of our systems administrator. He chose a powdered sugar topping, rather than the suggested custard topping. Want to make it yourself?

Poppy Seed Cake

You won't find poppy seed cake around very much anymore, and few cookbooks include it, which is too bad. Possibly poppy seeds fell into disfavor after the trauma of the drug scene in the 1960s. This cake looks interesting, and the custardy topping makes it a complete dessert.

2/3 cup poppy seeds
1 cup milk
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
5 egg yolks
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Grated rind of 1 lemon
2-1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 egg whites, beaten

Soak the poppy seeds in 1 cup milk for an hour before starting to mix cake. Cream butter until lemon colored and fluffy, add sugar 1/4 cup at a time, and beat until mixture resembles whipped cream. Beat In egg yolks, one at a time. Sift flour with baking powder and salt and add to batter in thirds, alternating with ½ cup milk. Stir in poppy seeds, lemon rind, and vanilla and blend thoroughly. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into batter. Turn into 10-by-4-inch loaf pan or 10-inch round-form pan which has been lightly greased and dusted with flour. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched lightly with fingertip. Turn out on wire rack to cool. Serve with cooked custard topping.

Custard topping

2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
4 egg yolks, beaten
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in top of double boiler, add eggs yolks and beat until smooth. Add milk gradually and continue mixing until all lumps are removed. Set over boiling water and cook over medium heat until thick, stirring constantly. Stir in vanilla. Cool and pour over slices of poppy seed cake as served.  

Makes a 10-inch loaf cake.

Virtual Book Signings

In December, Glenna Schroeder-Lein visited the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop in Chicago, to discuss her new book from SIU Press, Lincoln and Medicine.

(Above is Part 1. You can also see Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4,

This isn't the first time our authors have visited the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop. Check out their YouTube Page to see Virtual Book Signings featuring Guy Fraker, Brian Dirck, Michael Burlingame, Jason Emerson and Kenneth Winkle and more.