BOOKS
MU professor Steve Weinberg mentions that he’s not yet working on a new book. He says teaching this fall will delay the start of any new projects. Weinberg just spent the past 10 years pouring his energy into his seventh book, Taking on the Trust: The Epic Battle of Ida Tarbell and John D. Rockefeller. During this time, he also completed his eighth book, A Journalism of Humanity: A Candid History of the World’s First Journalism School. But his current favorite, Taking on the Trust, is attracting attention from national book critics.
May 01, 2008
Weinberg seeks truth with a capital “T”
MU professor Steve Weinberg mentions that he’s not yet working on a new book. He says teaching this fall will delay the start of any new projects. Weinberg just spent the past 10 years pouring his energy into his seventh book, Taking on the Trust: The Epic Battle of Ida Tarbell and John D. Rockefeller. During this time, he also completed his eighth book, A Journalism of Humanity: A Candid History of the World’s First Journalism School. But his current favorite, Taking on the Trust, is attracting attention from national book critics.
April 24, 2008
Fighting villains and stereotypes
LGBT comic book characters take on preconceptions
Ever wonder about Wonder Woman’s sexual orientation? Sure, she married Steve Trevor and has a daughter. But speculation surfaced in the 1950s when the comic book industry’s arch-villain Dr. Frederic Wertham, author of Seduction of the Innocents, outed the Amazonian superhero by calling her “the lesbian counterpart of Batman.”
April 17, 2008
Arellano’s column builds bridges instead of walls
He’s got an answer for everything, and it’s not always the one you’d expect. He uses Spanish profanities, explains etymology and relates historical events in a single, surprising answer. “¡Ask a Mexican!” columnist Gustavo Arellano is one sassy señor who knows it all.
April 10, 2008
Esquire writer gets Deviant
Environmental impact widens the gap between the rich and the poor
(Web Exclusive) With a growing number of headlines devoted to environmental concerns, many of us appease our consciences by purchasing organic fruit and turning off lights. But global warming and other environmental issues have not forced most to make living adjustments. Instead, those living in poverty are bearing the burden more often than not. When it comes to the allocation of dwindling resources, the low-income demographic tends to get the short end of the stick as spiking food and energy bills translate to major lifestyle changes. Although everyone is complaining, rising costs may be easier to handle if more income is coming in.
April 03, 2008
Books that blur the lines between truth and fiction
Close your eyes. Go ahead, close them. Now, try to describe the room you are sitting in. How many windows are there? What color is the floor? Can you remember what hangs on the opposite wall?
March 27, 2008
Human trafficking survivor Theresa Flores shares her story to inform and inspire
(Web Exclusive) The term “human trafficking” tends to yield different reactions. For some, it registers no associations. Others digest “human trafficking” as just another phrase, such as “genocide” or “displacement,” that describes situations in distant, troubled nations. In reality, human trafficking (both sexual exploitation and labor abuses) occurs close to home. Also referred to as modern-day slavery, trafficking occurs all over the U.S., and the Midwest is no exception. Theresa Flores, a trafficking survivor, licensed social worker and the author of The Sacred Bath, spoke at the Anti-Human Trafficking Conference, sponsored by MU’s Stop Traffic Now, on March 22. Her book chronicles her struggle to overcome the years she spent in slavery and attempts to educate the unaware and apathetic as to why the problem of human trafficking is a problem worth stopping.
(Web Exclusive) The term “human trafficking” tends to yield different reactions. For some, it registers no associations. Others interpret “human trafficking” as just another phrase, such as “genocide” or “displacement,” that describes situations in distant, troubled nations. In reality, human trafficking (both sexual exploitation and labor abuses) occurs close to home. Also referred to as modern-day slavery, trafficking occurs all over the U.S., and the Midwest is no exception. Theresa Flores, a trafficking survivor, licensed social worker and the author of The Sacred Bath, spoke at the Anti-Human Trafficking Conference, sponsored by MU’s Stop Traffic Now, on March 22. Her book chronicles her struggle to overcome the years she spent in slavery and attempts to educate the unaware and apathetic as to why human trafficking is a problem worth stopping.
March 20, 2008
Jackson scores with Hoops
Major Jackson wants you to drop the remote and start engaging.
March 13, 2008
(Web Exclusive) Is it possible to find the perfect meal while on the road? Probably not. But with a little help from the experts, you can cook your own dish no matter where you are. Whether it’s foil-wrapped dinners over a campfire or the sizzling New Orleans creole and cajun cooking, these foods will add a touch of tradition to any vacation.
March 06, 2008
Making serial murders a family affair
Until a death sentence did they part. Ray and Faye Copeland were just another seemingly average farming couple trading livestock, raising a family — and conducting multiple murders. OK, so maybe they had a sinister side. On their small farm northeast of Kansas City, the Copelands executed at least five farmhands as part of an elaborate scheme that enabled them to purchase livestock with fraudulent checks. In the mid-’80s, the elderly couple committed several murders until the cops arrived with a warrant to search the farm in October 1989. After their cases went to court, 76-year-old Ray and 69-year-old Faye became the oldest married pair to receive the death sentence. More than a decade later, a relative of the couple is revealing the story via the fantastically disturbing comic book series, Family Bones.
February 28, 2008
Bookmobile drives up literacy in Columbia
At about 3:45 p.m., the library starts to move, turning left onto Garth Avenue and heading north. Stocked with around 2,500 books, CDs and DVDs, it rumbles into a small parking space outside a one-level brick building and comes to a sputtering stop.
February 21, 2008
A red carpet killing
Award show season is in full swing, and Hollywood is in a chaotic, well-dressed frenzy. Amidst all the glamour and glitz, MU alumna and Los Angeles Times columnist Mary McNamara is turning heads with her recently released book, Oscar Season. Although the book has elements of a classic murder mystery, it also offers wit and snark to keep readers on their toes.
February 14, 2008
Tippecanoe and trivia, too
He led his soldiers to victory to establish our nation. He is recognized on the $1 bill as our first president. He also wore a pair of dentures made out of hippopotamus bone. It’s easy to forget that the heroic George Washington, like all U.S. presidents, had his share of quirks. To honor the singularities of our 43 chief executives on President’s Day, Vox explores the lighter sides of the U.S. heads of state.
February 07, 2008
Forget what mom said, go ahead and judge a book by its cover
For some people, going to the bookstore is a quick and easy trip. They walk in, grab the right book, and they’re on their way. But for others, finding the right book is as difficult as solving algorithms. So forget the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover.” With marketing today, there is no reason not to — the reader just needs to know what to look for.
December 13, 2007
These anthologies offer talent from different genres
In an American literary field saturated with the nectar of blooming writers, readers can have a difficult time plucking a select few. It’s only fitting that the term anthology comes from the ancient Greek word for flower-gathering.
December 06, 2007
Getting smart quick is as easy as reading these books
Knowledge is power, right? That’s what the public service announcements say. So this holiday season, buy a book for someone. Vox compiled a list of informative books to stuff stockings and satiate the need to know. These recently published books work for everyone from Brian the Brain to Trivia Night Tom.
November 29, 2007
These storytellers use more than words
Storytelling isn’t just a technique to get little kids to fall asleep. In fact, Sarah Howard, the children and youth services coordinator at Daniel Boone Regional Library, says the library started a storytelling club with activities for older children. Today, storytelling is an interactive and entertaining art form for listeners of all ages. “I think that stories reflect things going on in people’s lives,” Howard says, “even if it’s not something going on in their life at that moment.”
Larry Brown shares his stories
For 25 years, Larry Brown has shared his stories with others. He is an assistant professor of human geography at MU and is the co-founder and co-president of the Mid-Missouri Organization for Storytelling, which is headquartered in Columbia. Visit brownstory.com to get to know more of Brown’s own story.
November 15, 2007
Poetry for the people ... of Missouri
The search is on for the state’s first poet laureate
The Show-Me State is ready to show off its artistic talent and is in need of the perfect poet to help. On Oct. 12, Gov. Matt Blunt announced that his office is accepting nominations for an official poet laureate to serve in Missouri.
