Indiana University Press blog

May author events for Matthew Tully

Matthew Tully, author of Searching for Hope and award-winning political columnist for the Indianapolis Star, has the following events scheduled for this month:

May 8
Tully will discuss his book and the education system at the Bloomington Rotary Club meeting. His talk begins at noon at Alumni Hall in the Indiana Memorial Union. This event is open to rotary club members and their guests. 

May 12
Tully will discuss his book with Project Home Indy, a non-profit organization that helps homeless teenage girls who are pregnant or parenting to gain self-sufficiency. The speech will begin at 2:00 p.m. at the Indiana Landmarks Center in Indianapolis.  

May 15
Tully will speak about his series of columns on Manual High School at the Marion County Central Library in Indianapolis at 6:00 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. Copies of Searching for Hope will be available for purchase, and a booksigning will follow the event.

May 23
Tully will be the featured speaker at the Avon Education Foundation's 5th Annual Community Breakfast. The breakfast will be held from 7:45 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at Serendipity @ Metropolis in Plainfield. Tickets are available at the Avon Community School Administration Center between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Cost is $25 per person or $300 for corporate tables of eight.

For more information on these events, visit Tully's blog.

Celebrate Bloomington history at a 'Town and Gown' booksigning for two new IU Press books

On May 16, from 4 to 6 p.m., IU Press and the City of Bloomington present “Town and Gown,” a celebration of the release of two historically significant books—Showers Brothers Furniture Company by Carrol Krause and Herman B Wells by James H. Capshew.

The event, a part of Historical Preservation Month activities, will take place in City Hall Atrium and is free and open to the public. Mayor Mark Kruzan and IU Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs Tom Gieryn will introduce the authors who will read from and sign books. Books will be available for purchase at a 20% discount.

When the Showers family arrived in Bloomington, IN, the railroad had only recently come to town and a modest university was struggling to survive. Having spent the prior 18 years moving from place to place, the family decided to settle down and invest its modest resources to start a furniture company. The business proved to be extremely profitable and a stroke of good fortune for the small community. The company’s success strengthened Bloomington's infrastructure, helping to develop new neighborhoods, and the philanthropic acts of the Showers family supported the town’s continued development. The family’s contributions helped Indiana University through difficult times and paved the way to its becoming the largest university in the state. In The Showers Brothers Furniture Company, Carrol Krause, a member of Bloomington’s Historic Preservation Commission and a Herald-Times columnist, tells the story of a remarkably successful collaboration between business, town, and gown.

Energetic, shrewd, and charming, Herman B Wells was the driving force behind the transformation of Indiana University—which became a model for American public higher education in the 20th century. A person of unusual sensitivity and a skilled and empathetic communicator, his character and vision shaped the structure, ethos, and spirit of the institution in countless ways. Wells articulated a persuasive vision of the place of the university in the modern world. Under his leadership, IU would grow in size and stature, establishing strong connections to the state, the nation, and the world. His dedication to the arts, to academic freedom, and to international education remained hallmarks of his 63-year tenure as President and University Chancellor. Wells lavished particular attention on the flagship campus at Bloomington, expanding its footprint tenfold in size and maintaining its woodland landscape as new buildings and facilities were constructed. Gracefully aging in place, he became a beloved paterfamilias to the IU clan. A faculty member of the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at IU Bloomington, and former Wells house boy, James Capshew shows how Wells built an institution, and, in the process, became one himself.

For more information on the event, contact Nancy Hiestand, Program Manager Historic Preservation, at hiestann@bloomington.in.gov or 812-349-3507.

Podcast: Jim Capshew discusses new biography of Herman B Wells

On this epidsode of the IU Press podcast, I speak with Indiana University faculty member James Capshew about his new biography Herman B Wells: The Promise of the American University. We discuss Capshew’s experience writing the book and Dr. Wells’s legacy to IU and higher education.

April author events for Matthew Tully

Matthew Tully, author of Searching for Hope and award-winning political columnist for the Indianapolis Star, has two events scheduled this month:

April 19
As part of Educator's Apprecation Week, Tully will discuss Searching for Hope and sign copies from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Barnes and Noble in Carmel, IN.

April 26
Tully will be the guest speaker at the Decatur Township Educational Foundation's annual celebration. The event will be held in Indianapolis, IN, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information on the event, contact Patty Poehler at the foundation.

IU Libraries to host book launch for 'Herman B Wells' biography April 18

In celebration of the man who made Indiana University what it is today, the IU Libraries will host a reception to introduce a new biography by James H. Capshew, Herman B Wells: The Promise of the American University, published by IU Press.
 
Held April 18 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the lobby of the Herman B Wells Library, the event will feature remarks by President Michael A. McRobbie and IU Libraries Dean Brenda L. Johnson. Professor Capshew, who is a faculty member in the History and Philosophy of Science Department, will read a selection from the biography. Wells-themed hors d’oeuvres and Wells cake will be served, and copies of the book will be available for purchase.
 
In researching the biography, Capshew relied primarily on the IU Archives, a department of IU Libraries that maintains the university’s historic records. Wells’s papers and other professional and personal items are part of these extensive collections, which document IU’s origins and development. Selected items from the IU Archives will be on display during the event.
 
“We are so pleased that the IU archives could offer such rich material for this biography,” said Dean Johnson. “Professor Capshew spent years poring over the Wells papers, discovering a great deal of illuminating information about Herman B Wells and his influence on the university. It’s been especially fascinating to learn from Capshew about how and why Wells built the university’s Main Library in 1969. That building is now the Herman B Wells Library, where we are honored to host this exciting event. Professor Capshew has done a remarkable job of portraying Wells not only as a visionary but also as a compassionate person whose presence enriched the lives of so many, and this biography offers an opportunity for the IU community to be reintroduced to this extraordinary man.”
 
The culmination of more than a decade of work, Herman B Wells incorporates Capshew’s firsthand knowledge of the IU president and chancellor as his friend and former employee. Capshew worked as a houseboy for Wells in the 1970s, when Capshew was an IU undergraduate and Wells served as university chancellor.
 
“He really changed my life in all kinds of positive ways,” said Capshew. “He did the same for the university. I’ve tried to make this book a comprehensive survey of his life and career, focusing on his main areas of involvement and what he stood for.”
 
Publishing Capshew’s book holds special meaning for IU Press, as it was President Wells’s idea and initiative to establish a press at Indiana University in 1950. “Throughout the years until his death, President Wells remained a mentor to the Press and a prime supporter of its work, recognizing its importance to Indiana University,” said Janet Rabinowitch, Director of IU Press. “We are proud and honored to publish this book.”
 
Capshew will be available to sign copies of the book and answer questions about his research. In addition, a new paperback edition of Wells’s autobiography, Being Lucky: Reminiscences and Reflections, will be available. The event is free and open to the public. For more information on the event, contact Helene O’Leary at IU Libraries.

Staff recommendations for 50% off spring book sale

Today is the first day of spring, and we're celebrating with a 50% off book sale! It can be a daunting task to make a selection from our 2,000+ titles, so we surveyed our staff to see which books they recommend to jump-start your spring reading. We hope you find something you like from the list below, which includes a wide range of interests from American History to Women's Studies! Check out the IU Press website for a complete list of books. Our sale ends March 22, so don't delay purchasing your favorite titles at half off!

American History

• Defeating Lee
  Dave Hulsey, Director of Sales and Marketing
• The Darkest Dawn
  Rich Pierce, Systems Analyst/Programmer
• Somebody’s Darling
  Bernie Zoss, Production Director
• Dillinger: The Untold Story
  Rhonda Vander Dussen, Sales and Marketing Assistant
• A Life is More Than a Moment
  Mary Lou Shelly, Senior Customer Service Representative

Anthropology

• Connected in Cairo
  Angela Burton, Managing Editor
• The Art of Loving Krishna
  Marvin Keenan, Project Manager

Art & Photography

• Contemporary Quilt Art
  Linda Bannister, Journals Marketing Manager
• Saving the Big Cats
  Kate Matthen, Marketing and Sales Coordinator
• Real Stories of Big Cat Rescues
  Mary Beth Haas, Sales Manager

Education

• Searching for Hope
  Mandy Clarke, Trade Marketing and Publicity Manager
• Conversations with Great Teachers
  Rebecca Tolen, Sponsoring Editor

Film & Media

• The Year's Work in Lebowski Studies
  Dan Pyle, Production Coordinator and Vendor Liaison
• The Magazine Article
  Joy Andreakis, Electronic and Serials Publishing Manager

Literature & Essays

• Earth Works
  Laura Baich, Electronic Marketing Manager
• Rural Free
  Jennifer Witzke, Marketing Designer
• Petersburg
  Peter Froehlich, Rights Manager

Books from the Global African Voices series:

• Little Mother
  Dee Mortensen, Senior Sponsoring Editor
• Life and a Half
  June Silay, Project Manager
• Murambi, The Book of Bones
  Jennifer Coyle, Customer Service Representative

Book from the Break Away Books series:

• The Glimpse Traveler
  Sarah Jacobi, Assistant Sponsoring Editor

Book from the Library of Indiana Classics series:

• A Girl of the Limberlost
  Kathy Stout, Accounting Associate

Music

• Debussy Redux
  Raina Polivka, Sponsoring Editor
• Beethoven in America
  Pam Rude, Senior Book Designer

Nature

• Wildflowers and Ferns of Indiana Forests
  Linda Oblack, Sponsoring Editor
• 101 Trees of Indiana
  Nancy Lightfoot, Project Manager
• Fishes of Indiana
  Steve Carter, Warehouse Manager
• Mammals of Indiana
  Laura Hohman, Production Assistant
• Perennials Short and Tall
  Dan Nichols, Operations Director
• The Natural Heritage of Indiana
  Tony Brewer, Composition Coordinator

Politics

• Richard G. Lugar, Statesman of the Senate
  Janet Rabinowitch, Director

Railroads

• Moonlight in Duneland
  Mary Blizzard, Book Designer
• The Indiana Rail Road Company
  Jamison Cockerham, Book Designer

Science

• Dinosaurs of Eastern Iberia
  Bob Sloan, Editorial Director
• Why You Can Never Get to the End of the Rainbow And Other Moments of Science
  Ted Boardman, Technology Director

Women’s Studies

• A Home of Her Own
  Judith Caldwell, Journals Production Manager
• To Write Like a Woman
  Darja Malcolm-Clarke, Project Manager

World History

• Last Folio
  Mollie Ables, Marketing Services Coordinator
• The Style of Paris
  Theresa Halter, Publicity Coordinator

Win an autographed copy of Searching for Hope!

How would you like to win a free autographed copy of Searching for Hope? Email winsearchingforhope@gmail.com with your name and mailing address by this Thursday, March 1 at 11:59 p.m. (EST) to enter the contest. Three autographed copies are available, and winners will be notified by email. To learn more about the contest, visit Matthew Tully's blog.   

March author events for Matthew Tully

Matthew Tully, author of Searching for Hope and award-winning political columnist for the Indianapolis Star, has several events in Indianapolis this month:

March 2

Bookmamas, a new and used bookstore located at 9 S. Johnson Ave., will host a book launch party and signing with Tully from 6 to 9 p.m.

March 13

Tully will attend an event hosted by the Indiana Association of Rehabilitation Facilities to discuss the challenges facing schools at 6 p.m. (Location TBD. Check the events section on Tully's blog for updates.)

March 14

To kick-off SPOKES, a new community outreach group, School on Wheels will host "An Education Conversation with Matthew Tully" at the Ball and Biscuit bar and lounge on Mass Ave.

The event will last from 5 to 8 p.m. with Tully 's remarks at 6:30 p.m., followed by a Q&A session.

Drink specials will be available before and after the talk. A $5 donation is suggested to benefit School on Wheels. All attendees must register for the event.

March 15

Tully will be the guest speaker at the League of Women Voters of Indianapolis annual pitch-in lunch at the North United Methodist Church on Meridian St.

Registration is from 11 to 11:30 a.m. with lunch service beginning at 11:30 a.m. Tully's talk on education and politics will begin at noon.

As this is a pitch-in lunch, please bring a dish to share along with your own serviceware, utensils, and napkins.

For more information:

Please visit Matthew Tully's blog for more news about author and book events.

Also, be sure to check out Tully's Indianpolis Star columns on The Manual Project.

Book review: Searching for Hope

"Searching for Hope is an even-more-compelling version of the saga Tully chronicled in his Manual Project, a series of columns in 2009 and 2010 that detailed life at Emmerich Manual High School." —Indianapolis Monthly

Choir featured in 'Searching for Hope' to perform at Carnegie Hall

In 2009, award-winning Indianapolis Star columnist Matthew Tully walked into the halls of Manual High School, a failing school in a rough Indianapolis neighborhood. Without so much as a glance, he had been granted unfiltered access to Manual for an entire school year. Little did he know what would become of it. In a series of columns for the Star, Tully began to tell the complex story of the everyday drama, failures, and triumphs in one of the nation’s many troubled urban public high schools. The community’s reaction was astounding. Newspapers weren’t dead.

On February 20, the Manual High School choir, the ManualAires, will perform during an event at Carnegie Hall, featuring composer Greg Gilpin (a Manual fan) and Clay Aiken, among other performers. The choir is a big portion of Tully’s new book, Searching for Hope: Life at a Failing School in the Heart of America. One of Tully's columns about the choir moved Star readers to mail in nearly $100,000 in donations and afforded the kids the opportunity to accept their invitation to perform. The donations came in increments of $2 to $20,000.

Tully’s book, set to release this month, is not a collection of these columns, but a first-person account of his experience, his time with students, parents, teachers, counselors, police, and administrators, and his assertion that schools like Manual are a national emergency and should be treated as such.

"A gritty, wonderfully honest investigation of life in an urban American high school in the 21st century. The despair, the apathy, the misplaced anger, the frustrations and fights for something better are all there. The school in Indianapolis where Tully spent so much time is close to what I have found in many big cities, but few reporters have gone as deep as Tully has,” said Jay Mathews of the Washington Post.

In this gripping story, Tully walks readers into classrooms, offices, and hallways, painting a vivid picture of the profound academic problems, deep frustrations, and apathy that absorb and often consume those within. Yet this intimate view also reveals the hopes, dreams, and untapped talents of some amazing individuals. Providing insights into the colossal challenges confronting those who seek to improve the quality of America’s schools, and those who do not, Tully argues that school leaders and policy makers must rally communities to heartfelt engagement with their schools if the crippling social and economic threats to cities such as Indianapolis are to be averted.

About the author
Matthew Tully is a political columnist for the Indianapolis Star. His columns on public schools have helped drive debate over education reform in Indiana. Tully’s commentary has appeared in the Wall Street Journal and Education Week, and he has appeared on MSNBC, NPR, and numerous other national media outlets. He was named Indiana Journalist of the Year in 2008 and won the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism in 2010. For more information on the book, visit Tully's blog or listen to an IU Press podcast with him.