Press News – University of North Georgia Press

New Release: Brehe’s Grammar Anatomy – OER

The University of North Georgia Press is pleased to announce the release of our latest Open Education Resource: Brehe’s Grammar Anatomy by Dr. Steven Brehe, out August 4, 2018. As the University Press Partner for Affordable Learning Georgia, UNG Press is publishing this textbook as one of six Open Education Resources releasing this year.

Considered “a delight to read,” Brehe’s Grammar Anatomy makes grammar accessible, no matter who you are. This book provides a more in-depth look at beginner grammar terms and concepts, providing clear examples with limited technical jargon. Whether for academic or personal use, Brehe’s Grammar Anatomy is the perfect addition to any resource library.

Features:
• Practice exercises at the end of each chapter with answers in the back of the book, to help students test and correct their comprehension
• Full glossary and index with cross-references
• Easy-to-read language supports readers at every learning stage

As an Open Education Resource, this text is completely open access. It can be reused, remixed, and reedited freely without seeking permission.

We’re excited to share this textbook. Until its release, don’t miss our other exciting Brehe’s Grammar Anatomy events:

June 8 — Book Announcement
June 25 — Cover Reveal
June 29 — Press Release
July 13 — Sample Chapter
July 13 — Giveaway Starts
July 27 — Special Interest Blog
July 30 — Launch Info
August 4 — Release

Our Favorite Summer Reading Spot

My favorite summer reading place now only exists in my memory. I grew up in Miami, and we had a medium-sized cabin cruiser we dry docked in Key Largo, where storage facilities cost a lot less than in Miami. Most weekends, we’d drive down to Key Largo and take Robinson Crusoe past Blackwater Sound, past John Pennekamp Coral Reef, out to the shipping lanes. Sometimes the water was so clear, you could see small, colorful fish swimming through the coral. In the shipping lanes, the water changed rhythm, into deeper rolls. Through all of this, I would sit in the bow, feeling a bit like the Winged Victory of Samothrace flying over the water. And while my parents fished, I would stay in the bow reading. That’s still my favorite reading spot, especially in the summer.

—B. J. Robinson, Director

As a mother, I find myself grabbing five or ten minutes here or there to read. My children, you see, have a sixth sense. As soon as I start reading, their spidey senses tingle and they immediately stop their independent play to come find me and ask me for something. Anything. That said, my favorite summer reading spot is inside in my comfy chair next to a window while we are having one of our wonderful summer storms. Extra points if the power is out.

—Corey Parson, Managing Editor

My favorite summer reading spot is inside. Is that bad? I love the outdoors, but I hate how bugs will swarm around me if I try to read. Plus, I’m allergic to pollen and bushes and pollen and trees and, did I mention, pollen. 5 minutes outdoors and I’m sneezing. Instead of killing myself, I stay inside and read by the window. (Like a cat, only better because I have thumbs.) I get to see the greenery and admire my flowers, all without sacrificing myself for a mosquito’s dinner.

—Jillian Murphy, Assistant Managing Editor

My favorite summer reading spot is Yahoola Creek Park in Dahlonega, Georgia. Yahoola has a mountainous backdrop, and there is a calm creek winding through the park with many shade trees lining its path. Sometimes, I like to pack a hammock and set it up between two trees next to the creek. The creek, along with the soft murmur of other people at the park, gives a nice white noise while reading. If it gets too hot, you can always take a step into the cold water and see a hiding crawfish or a sunbathing turtle. I think that is the biggest perk of reading here. A lot of outdoors places don’t have any way to beat the heat. And if you need a break from reading entirely, there is always something to watch: birds, squirrels, people fishing or playing sports.

—Josh Vaughn, Summer Intern

From a very young age, the small creek located behind my house has always been my favorite place to visit with a book in hand. I am a strong believer that nature is one of the great stimulators of the imagination, whether one is creating a work of art or consuming it voraciously. The cool breeze blowing on one’s face, the rustling of the tree branches overhead, and the occasional glimpse of one’s reflection in the rippling water nearby. What better place could there possibly be to detach from the noise of the world around us and properly visualize what is within the printed pages of a book?

—Brooke Caine, Summer Intern

Intern Spotlight: Josh Vaughn

Hello, blog patrons! My name is Joshua Vaughn, but most people just call me Josh—unless you’re my mom or younger brother. In that case, it’s Joshua Kane. Since beginning college, my goal was to intern at the University Press, so I’m ecstatic to be working here this summer. Currently, I’m an upcoming senior at UNG, and I’m majoring in English, Writing and Publication and minoring in Japanese.

I wanted to work at the University Press not only because of the knowledge I will gain, but also because of the Press’ mission to provide Open Educational Resources (OERs) to students. As a student, this mission is close to my heart. I believe all students should have easily accessible course materials, and the University of North Georgia Press makes this possible.

In my free time, I like playing video games or hanging out with friends. Sometimes though, I just like to sit on my couch and binge watch Netflix while snacking on something—usually ice cream or extra toasted Cheez-its. Here are some other things about me:

I have played guitar since middle school
I love a good western movie or book
My favorite author is Hunter S. Thompson
My favorite color is orange
I can’t pick a favorite movie, but some I enjoy are The Machinist, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Mean Girls (don’t tell anyone about that last one)
I have all my wisdom teeth

After graduating, I want to teach English in Japan for a year or two before coming back to the United Sates. When I get back, I would like to work at a publishing house or press—hence the internship at the University Press. My life aspiration is not wealth, but to work somewhere I can clock out and not have to deal with work until the next morning. Thanks for taking the time to learn about me, bye!

Launch Info: “The Secret Battle” by A. P. Herbert

Congratulations to Linda Ham for winning The Secret Battle giveaway!

Originally published in 1919, The Secret Battle honestly portrays the mental horrors World War I inflicted upon soldiers. Though not autobiographical, character Harry Penrose follows the experiences of author A. P. Herbert, who fought in the Gallipoli Campaign. Penrose’s trial is likely based on that of Sub-Lieutenant Edwin Dyett, an officer who was court martialed and executed for desertion in 1916. Considered a literary masterpiece, The Secret Battle is an early example of war literature, showcasing the importance of a soldier’s mind as well as his body, and deserves “a permanent place in war literature” (Winston Churchill, from the 1988 Oxford University Press edition).

The Secret Battle (978-1-940771-38-0) releases May 28, 2018. It is a 6×9 paperback. Part of the UNG Press’ World War I series, it will make the perfect addition to any historian’s collection. It can be purchased through Ingram, Amazon, and other major retailers for $24.95.

Can’t wait? Check out our other exciting The Secret Battle events. Leave a comment below or visit us at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more.

• Mar 21 — Cover Reveal
• Apr 4 — Press Release
• Apr 25— “Editing and Annotating The Secret Battle” by Ed. Austin Riede
• May 2 — Editor Interview
• May 2 — Giveaway Begins
• May 9 — Sample Chapter
• May 16 — “Shell Shock in The Secret Battle” by Ed. Austin Riede
• May 23 — Launch Info
• May 28 — Book Release

Intern Spotlight: Brooke Caine

Salutations, fellow lovers of language! My name is Brooke Caine, and I am a senior who will be joining the UNG Press as an intern this summer. Until my junior year of high school, I did not ever see myself in an institution of higher learning, as none of my family members have ever obtained a degree, and my grades were modest at best. However, thanks to the urgings of my mother and some well-selected Advanced Placement courses during my junior and senior year, I am proud to say that I graduated from North Forsyth High School in 2011 with a GPA of 3.2 and a letter of admission to UNG for the following fall semester.

My decision to pursue writing and publication as a major was born largely from the fact that I have been almost unnaturally obsessed with literature since before I could even read or speak properly. One of my mother’s favorite stories: At fifteen months old, I would regularly pull down every book from a shelf that was even larger than myself and babble nonsense in an attempt at ‘reading’. Imagine a small and rather chubby child sitting on a mountain of discarded but nevertheless beloved books with an enormous smile on her face—that is me, albeit slightly larger now and fairly literate by this point.

In addition to my passion for the written word, I am also a lover of languages. During my time at UNG, I have studied Chinese and Russian (the first briefly and the second as a minor) both in the classroom and with native speakers who were generous enough to invite me into their culture and share with me their language, food, and friendship. Naturally, I am always delighted to see works by authors whose countries and customs are different from my own. My favorite English course by far was Immigrant Literature as it gave me an intimate perspective on the struggles and joys of those who come to this country as dreamers and the memories of the lands and people that they left behind.

Ever since I was a child, I have been a firm believer that every story deserves to be told as there is always someone who needs to hear it. To that end, my goal is to work in a publishing company that focuses specifically on the voices that have heretofore been pushed aside or even erased in the flow of history. During the course of my internship, I would like to learn the basics of the industry—proofreading, editing, marketing, design, production—in a work environment that promotes a global and open-minded perspective, both in business practices and the works that we produce for our student body and community.

Shell Shock in “The Secret Battle”

We’re honored to have The Secret Battle editor Dr. Austin Riede as a guest author today. Dr. Riede is an English professor at the University of North Georgia.

What drew me most to The Secret Battle is its frank and curious exploration of the phenomenon of shell shock, the particular form of war trauma that developed during the first World War. While all wars generate trauma, shell shock has become a historical (if still inexact) term that signifies the individual trauma of soldiers and nurses in the war, as well as the larger cultural trauma of the war.

While The Secret Battle is not the first novel to explore the issue of shell shock, I think it is the first to do so from the point of view of a sympathetic, but somewhat detached, narrator. The unnamed narrator, like Herbert himself, has seen and experienced the war firsthand. The narrator who tells the story of Harry Penrose is clearly interested in his friend, but he is also confused about what has happened to him, and the question of why this happened to Harry and not to him—or to any other soldier who may have found himself in the same position.

Among the myriad characters in British literature suffering shell shock, Harry Penroses’s case is perhaps the most subtle and understated. In Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, Septimus Smith suffers rather ostentatiously and schizophrenically. In her novel Return of the Soldier, Rebecca West’s Chris Baldry suffers from easily identifiable (and clearly allegorical) amnesia, like Ford Madox Ford’s Christopher Tietjens from his Parade’s End tetralogy,. Later depictions of shell shocked soldiers, the fictional Billy Prior and the fictionalized Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon in Pat Barker’s Man Booker prize winning Regeneration trilogy, are similarly overtly traumatized. All of these are excellent explorations of what shell shock meant for British literature and culture, and Harry Penrose deserves to take a place among them. His shell shock is less easy to identify. The symptoms are subtle and the situation is non-allegorical. Although Harry Penrose’s story is unique, what is so striking, both to the narrator and to the reader, is how easily it could have happened to anybody. Among the literary depictions of shell shock, Harry Penrose—no artistic or mathematical genius, no paragon of manhood—is the most typical and in many ways, the most tragically and unnecessarily doomed.

The Secret Battle releases May 28, 2018. While you wait, don’t miss out on our other exciting The Secret Battle events:

As I Say Goodbye

As the year comes to a close along with my journey with the UNG Press, I can’t help but reminisce and get nostalgic about when I first started. Yeah, it may have just been fall of last year that I began this journey, but I can still feel nostalgic and sappy. I just have a lot of feelings. Let’s reminisce together, shall we?

I remember walking up the stairs on my first day, wiping sweaty palms on my jeans for the umpteenth time. To say I was nervous is an understatement. I held my breath as I knocked open the door as entered the room where I would be working for the next few months. All my nerves, however, disappeared within the first few minutes of entering the room, thank to Ms. Jillian Murphy. She immediately made me feel welcomed and established a welcoming aura. She encouraged me to always ask questions about anything I didn’t understand and would help me with any issues I encountered. She definitely made the working environment a stress-free space. It motivated me to do my best on each assignment and not be afraid to ask questions or for help whenever needed.

The assignments I was assigned throughout my journey were challenging, but they were also very rewarding. Every assignment taught me a different process of getting a post approved and published so the public could see it. The experience I have gained from my time at the UNG Press has increased my (at-the-time very little) knowledge on the different processes that have to applied to every post. It has made me appreciate the Press’ hard work even more.

As my final days approach (with the Press, that is), I can only say this to all my co-workers and bosses: Thank you. You’ve made my work experience memorable and have helped me grow and mature. I am sad because this is a time of goodbyes, but I am also happy to see the UNG Press grow and flourish with new workers. I know great things are to come with this Press, and I can’t wait to watch and read them.