welcome to News Bytes, an online newsletter featuring the books and authors of the University of North Carolina Press's online newsletter. August and September are very much summer months in the Tar Heel state. Temperatures can remain in the 90s, and droughty conditions alternate with torrential downpours and evening thunderstorms. Our obsession with rain is mirrored in garden writer Elizabeth Lawrence's piece, "Rain Signs," on the folklore of rain: which frogs, flowers, and insects can predict its onset. . . . Hurricanes are more likely to strike in the late summer, as evidenced by 1996's Fran (September 5-6). Jay Barnes, "Mr. Hurricane History," profiled Fran and other hurricanes to strike the state in North Carolina's Hurricane History, newly updated to reflect the stormy summer of 1996. Jay, also author of the forthcoming Florida's Hurricane History, is profiled in this issue.
With our wealth of farmer's markets and backyard gardening, Tar Heels are always in search of new ways to use our glorious produce. The late Beth Tartan takes us through the old-fashioned process of "puttin' up," with mouth-watering recipes for pickles, relishes, and even Peach Honey. . . . Tourists traveling to the western part of the state can visit Cherokee, a thriving community that fosters a sense of history. Cherokee storytellers are as active today as ever telling traditional and new stories, and the work of some contemporary storytellers was captured in Living Stories of the Cherokee, collected by Barbara Duncan. Here we treat you to "The Legend of the Corn Beads." . . . On the other side of the state, visitors who take in The Lost Colony are witnessing the work of the pioneer of outdoor drama, Paul Green. Green was part of the generation of southern writers who took the world by storm in the first half of the century and is also known for his progressive writings on race relations. . . . These are the best months for a long weekend at the beach, so we offer again a list of books about the North Carolina coast, ranging from travel and tourism guides to history, literature, and nature guides.
Look for news about the Press, our books, and our authors: awards won, bookstore events featuring UNC Press authors, and excerpts from reviews.
Just a reminder: all books mentioned here are available at bookstores, including online booksellers. You can also order directly from UNC Press. Call 1-800-848-6224. Say you saw it on our website.
We hope this issue of News Bytes reminds you again about some of North Carolina's greatest treasures: its writers, its storytellers, its agricultural abundance. It should also remind you of Mother Nature's importance throughout Tar Heel history. Read and enjoy!
|
|
|