Looking for holiday gifts for the avid reader on your list?
Kent State University Press, the book publishing arm of the university, may have just what you need.
Kent State University Press releases numerous titles each year beyond academic books, including numerous books on Ohio, its history, people and nature.
“These are the sorts of books that are both of great historical and artistic value and are simply stirring, interesting, and accessible for a wide variety of readers,” said Susan Wadsworth-Booth, director of the Kent State University Press. “We enjoy bringing stories like this to our region. We’re always proud to bring high-quality books to general readers. Many of these titles make excellent holiday gifts!”
Here are some titles worth considering, including newly published books and bestsellers from the Kent State University Press catalog:
“Art and History in the Ohio Judicial Center: A Visual Tour” by Richard W. Burry
The Ohio Judicial Center, completed in 1933, showcases the work of 12 artists all publicly commissioned during the 1920s and ’30s. This is the first book to celebrate the building’s impressive architectural detail and highlight its 200 Art Deco and Beaux Arts style murals, reliefs and mosaics. This photography book features more than 200 color photographs that show the building’s artwork in exquisite detail, including the ornate detail of objects such as furnace grates, lighting and elevators.
Burry tells the story of the public art in the Ohio Judicial Center and provides illuminating historical context, helping the present-day reader to understand the building’s art not only from a contemporary perspective but also through the eyes of those living almost a century ago.
“The Political Transformation of David Tod: Governing Ohio during the Height of the Civil War” by Joseph Lambert Jr.
This biography of Ohio Governor David Tod, who governed the state during the Civil War, details how Tod started his career as a fiery partisan, but the seriousness of the Civil War led him to put country above political party to help save the Union. Before his election, Tod was widely regarded as Ohio’s most popular Democrat. He rose to prominence in the old Western Reserve, rejecting the political influence of his well-known father, a former associate justice of Ohio’s Supreme Court, a previous member of the Federalist Party, and a new, devoted Whig. As a fierce Democratic Party lion, the younger Tod thrilled followers with his fearless political attacks on Whig adversaries and was considered an unlikely figure in the battle to keep the Union intact.
However, the Civil War and the serious consequences of its potential outcome came to outweigh his loyalty to the Democratic Party. Placing the restoration of the Union above all else, Tod eagerly shed his partisan identity to take up the Union cause. As governor, he quickly pledged Ohio’s support to the nation’s leader, President Abraham Lincoln. Tod rallied Ohioans to support the war and equipped scores of physicians and nurses with medical supplies to tend to Ohio’s wounded soldiers.
"Moments of Truth: A Photographer’s Experience of Kent State 1970” by Kent State alumnus Howard Ruffner
This book reproduces 150 of Ruffner’s photographs, taken during the days surrounding May 4, 1970, when the Ohio National Guard opened fire on students protesting the escalation of the war in Vietnam, killing four and wounding nine others. Ruffner was then a student photographer for the Kent State student newspaper and yearbook. Along with the photos — some of which were used as evidence in civil trials against the National Guard, and many of which have not been previously published – Ruffner offers his stirring narrative of the tragic events.
“The House that Rock Built: How it Took Time, Money, Music Moguls, Corporate Types, Politicians, Media, Artists, and Fans to Bring the Rock Hall to Cleveland” by Norm N. Nite and Tom Feran
A reader's favorite, this book chronicles the effort led by radio personality Norm N. Nite to have the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame located in Cleveland. Nite argued that the city’s deep historical connection to rock music through Alan Freed and the Moondog Coronation Ball made Cleveland the best location and began lobbying local and state politicians, fundraising with music moguls and civic leaders, and promoting the museum to the broader Cleveland public. As fans got involved, especially with their overwhelming response to a USA Today phone poll, Nite’s campaign to bring the Rock Hall to Cleveland was ultimately successful.
This book, told from Nite’s perspective, draws on both first-person accounts and exclusive interviews with influential business leaders, government officials, and giants of the music industry. A detailed record of the Rock Hall’s inception and creation, the book is a tribute to the people who made it happen and to the music it celebrates.
“Small Town, Big Music: The Outsized Influence of Kent, Ohio, on the History of Rock and Roll” by Kent State alumnus Jason Prufer
Another perennial favorite with readers, Prufer’s book looks at Kent, Ohio’s special place in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. Winner of a 2020 Gold Award in the Independent Publisher Book Awards, in the Great Lakes Best Regional Non-Fiction category, the book relies on oral histories, hundreds of rare photographs and original music reviews, to explore the countercultural fringes of Kent, Ohio, over four decades.
Firsthand reminiscences from musicians, promoters, friends and fans recount arena shows featuring acts like Pink Floyd, The Clash, and Paul Simon as well as the grungy corners of town where Joe Walsh, Patrick Carney, Chrissie Hynde and DEVO refined their crafts. More than just a retrospective on performances that occurred in one midwestern college town, Prufer’s book illuminates a fascinating phenomenon: both up-and-coming and major artists knew Kent was a place to play — fertile ground for creativity, spontaneity, and innovation
“Resurrection of the Wild: Meditations on Ohio’s Natural Landscape” by Deborah Fleming
Winner of the 2020 PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay, Fleming’s book is an impassioned call for recognizing and preserving the ecological wonders of Ohio’s unique and beautiful environment. Fleming, who has lived in rural Ohio and cared for its land for decades, shares 14 interrelated essays, blending her own experiences with both scientific and literary research. The book discusses both natural and human histories as it focuses on the Allegheny Plateau and hill country in Ohio’s eastern counties. “Resurrection of the Wild” becomes a compelling argument for the importance of ecological preservation in Ohio, and Fleming’s perspective resonates with readers both within and beyond the state’s borders.
“Wild Ohio: The Best of Our Natural Heritage,” by Jim McCormac and Gary Meszaros
A photographic documentation of the most outstanding natural habitats in Ohio, “Wild Ohio” singles out the best of Ohio’s natural lands and documents their importance in words and photographs. Because the state has lost over 90% of its wetlands and over 99% of its original prairie, “Wild Ohio” focuses especially on rare and declining animals and plants with the intention of inspiring a love of nature and an interest in conservation.
The book features approximately 40 sites, encompassing nearly every type of habitat found in the state and representing all regions of Ohio. Naturalist McCormac’s descriptive text provides an overview of each site and tips for visitors. Meszaros’ photographs highlight the visual beauty of each area’s flora, fauna and landscape.
For more information and to purchase Kent State University Press books, visit www.kentstateuniversitypress.com.