Talking Book and Braille Service
Nebraska History Catalog
Table of Contents
The American West
Farming and Ranching
Nebraska Towns and Counties
Politics
Sports
True Crime
Instructions
If you are a registered user of the Nebraska Talking Book and Braille Service (TBBS) and would like to order any of the books from the following list, please a) click the checkbox next to the books you would like to request, b) fill out the mailing information at the end, c) then click the send order button.
The American West
DBC 01897 Roy Bean: Law West of the Pecos
by
C.L. Sonnichsen
History - The Old West | Biography
Biography of the most scandalous of frontier justices of the peaceāa seedy fellow who lived by his wits and handed down some weird decisions. Some strong language. Narrated by Dick Shasteen. (5 hours, 51 minutes)
DBC 00756 I Am a Man: Chief Standing Bear's Journey for Justice
by
Joe Starita
History - The Old West | Biography | Indian American History
In 1877, Chief Standing Bear's people, the Ponca, were removed from their ancestral lands in Nebraska's Niobrara River valley to Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). When his only son dies in 1879, Standing Bear undertakes a 600-mile journey back to Nebraska in order to bury him. This action sets the stage for a federal trial to determine whether or not Native Americans were entitled to equal protection under the law, and had they been deprived of their property, homeland, and even their lives without due process. Narrated by Alice Timm. (10 hours, 42 minutes)
DB 00913 Abilene Lawmen: The Smith-Hickok Years, 1870-71
by
Larry Underwood
History - The Old West | Biography | Law Enforcement
Two lawmen set out to protect the West's first cow town, Abilene, Kansas, from lawless cowboys that arrived with the Texas cattle herds. The first lawman, Bear River Tom Smith, preferred to use his fists. His successor, Wild Bill Hickok, used his smoking guns. Contains violence. Narrated by Bonnie Quinn.
DB 01071 Interior Places
by
Lisa Knopp
Essays | History - The Midwest | Travel Writing | Natural History
A collection of essays concerning the Midwest. Includes memoirs, as well as travel writing, and natural history. The author describes the inner character of the Midwest, as revealed by history, shaped by nature, and lived by its inhabitants. Contains some strong language. Narrated by Marjory Gloe. (11 hours, 45 minutes)
DBC 01904 The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl
by
Timothy Egan
History - The Great Plains | The Dust Bowl | Memoir
Horrific account of life on the western Great Plains during the darkest years of the Depression, when drought and wind storms produced blinding black blizzards, crop failure, and even death. Based on interviews with survivors, diaries, and newspaper accounts, this book chronicles the dust bowl years of the 1930s that terrorized communities and the determination of those who stayed. Narrated by Judy Hanefeldt. (11 hours, 35 minutes)
DBC 01973 Prairie Forge: The Extraordinary Story of the Nebraska Scrap Metal Drive of World War II
by
James J. Kimble
History - The Midwest | World War II History
James J. Kimble chronicles the Nebraska scrap metal drive of 1942 that was developed by
Omaha World-Herald
publisher Henry Doorly. The Nebraska drive was so successful it provided the template for a national drive that would yield millions of tons of scrap metal to aid in arms production during World War II. Narrated by Connie Healey.
DBC 02004 Nebraska Folklore
by
Louise Pound
Nebraska History | Folklore and Oral Tradition
Included are cave legends, snake superstitions, weather lore, tales of strong men who rival Paul Bunyan, stories of Indian lovers' leaps, and the legends of Weeping Water and Lincoln Salt Basin. A section on old Nebraska folk customs provides a wealth of information about holiday observances, literary and debating societies, and various social traditions. 1989. Narrated by Phyllis Narveson. (10 hours, 7 minutes)
Farming and Ranching
DBC 01921 Nebraska Farmer: Special Anniversary Edition 2009
edited by
Don McCabe
Nebraska Story | Agriculture
Special edition of Nebraska's leading agricultural publication celebrates its 150th anniversary. This historical edition recounts Nebraska Farmer's beginnings and chronicles the dramatic changes in the state's farming and ranching industries. Included are reprints of articles from the Farmer's archives. Narrated by Judy Hanefeldt, Dick Shasteen, and Gail Barnard.
Nebraska Towns and Counties
DBC 01900 Norfolk, Nebraska: Images of America
by
Sheryl Schmeckpeper
Nebraska Story | Norfolk, Nebr. | History
Founded in 1866 by German immigrants, Norfolk, Nebraska grew up along the banks of the North Fork of the Elkhorn River. Today the city is the jewel of Northeast Nebraska and the state's third largest retail area. The history of the community traces its growth from a Native American campground to a bustling city. Narrated by Judy Hanefeldt. (1 hour, 30 minutes)
DBC 01970 A Guide to the Ghosts of Lincoln
by
Alan Boye
Nebraska Story | Lincoln, Nebr. | History | Ghost Stories
A general survey of ghostly sites in Lincoln, this expanded edition describes some of the most famous hauntings of the midwest- the story of the ghost at the C.C. White building and the spirit at penitentiary field. 2013 New Edition. Award winner. Narrated by Judy Hanefeldt. (4 hours, 8 minutes)
DBC 01989 The Bridge We Built: The Story of Yankton's Meridian Bridge
by
Kathy K. Grow and Lois H. Varvel
Nebraska Story | Cedar County, Nebr. | History | Architecture/Engineering
Two residents of Yankton, South Dakota, detail the building of Meridian Bridge, which crosses the Missouri River and connects Yankton with Cedar County, Nebraska. Through newspaper stories, historical correspondence and interviews they examine the planning, construction and impact of the bridge that was completed in 1924. 2001. Narrated by Dan Howell. (16 hours, 23 minutes)
DB 01089 A Visit to Hartington: A Short Story Collection About Life in a Small Nebraska Town
by
Kenny Miller
Nebraska Story | Hartington, Nebr. | Memoir
Life in a small Midwestern town, seen primarily through the loving eyes of a middle son who survives polio, the loss of a friend, and later copes with his mother's final illness. A Walton-style collection of stories featuring the school music teacher, a Norwegian bachelor farmer, and other memorable characters; about the author growing up in the 1950s, leaving home, but never forgetting his roots. Some strong language. Narrated by Margaret Polk
(British Accent)
. (6 hours, 27 minutes)
DB 01100 City and Prairie Bones
by
Billie Lee Snyder Thornburg
Nebraska Story | North Platte, Nebr. | History
Anecdotal accounts of life in North Platte, Nebraska, 1920s-1950s, when it was known as the wildest, wooliest town in the Midwest. Humorous descriptions of attempts to clean up Nebraska's "Little Chicago" and change its reputation as a haven for vice. Contains some descriptions of sex. Narrated by Tami Works.
Politics
DB 01043 One House: The Unicameral's Progressive Vision for Nebraska
by
Charlyne Berens
Nebraska Story | Political System - Nebraska
With the urging of U.S. Senator George Norris, Nebraskans voted in 1934 to trade their bicameral, partisan legislature for one that is unicameral and nonpartisan. The senator argued that a unicameral body would be more responsive to the people. With seventy years of experimentation behind it, Nebraska's Unicameral still has many supporters and some detractors. The author interviews current and former state senators and legislative observers to consider how well the unicameral experiment has lived up to its progressive vision. Narrated by Judy Hanefeldt.
DB 01073 America: Our Next Chapter; Tough Questions, Straight Answers
by
Chuck Hagel
National and Foreign Policy | Political Opinion
Nebraska's senior senator presents strategies for dealing with America's most pressing problems, including economic, foreign policy, security, and leadership. He challenges the underlying assumptions that have steered our course of action in Iraq and offers assessments regarding Israel and Palestine, China, the global economy, and rebuilding our military. In order to overcome the current partisan impasse, he makes a case for a new independent party or bipartisan ticket. Narrated by Dick Shasteen.
DB 01078 Living Blue in the Red States
edited by
David Starkey
Political Opinion | Autobiography
"Progressive" novelists, poets, essayists, and professors describe what it is like for them to live in conservative "Red" states and often feel out of step with the predominate political culture. While sometimes expressing anger or frustration, these individuals search for ways to close the political divide between the left and the right, or at least understand it. Narrated by Alice Timm.
DBC 01946 The Rhythm Boys of Omaha Central: High School Basketball at the '68 Racial Divide
by
Steve Marantz
Nebraska Story | Civil Rights Movement | Black History | Sports - Basketball
The 1968 Omaha Central High School basketball team made history with its first all-Black starting lineup, nicknamed the Rhythm Boys, and was considered the heavy favorite to win state championship. In early March, third-party presidential candidate George Wallace visited Omaha on a campaign stop. By the time he left, racial tensions were ignited and star center Dwaine Dillard was in jail. A true-life drama of civil rights plays out amidst a city on the brink of riot, with the state's largest high school united by basketball but caught between angry political factions. Narrated by Brad Muerrens. (8 hours, 30 minutes)
Sports
DBC 01955 Big Red Report: 1971 National Championship; 40th Anniversary Commemorative Issue
edited by
Shane G. Gilster
Nebraska Story | Sports - Football
Tabbed the best team in 125 years of collegiate football, the 1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers dominated their opponents on both sides of the football. Nebraska claimed its national championship with a 38 to 6 victory against Alabama in the Orange Bowl. Narrated by various readers. (3 hours, 20 minutes)
True Crime
DBC 01892 In Cold Storage: Sex and Murder on the Plains
by
James W. Hewitt
Nebraska Story
More than 40 years after the dismembered bodies of Edwin and Wilma Hoyt were found near McCook, Nebraska in 1973, author James W. Hewitt uncovers new details about the crimes that shocked the small town. Harold Nokes, later convicted of the murders, gives the author his first and only interview. 2015. Narrated by Connie Healey. (5 hours, 9 minutes)
DBC 01913 The Death of Raymond Yellow Thunder, and Other True Stories from the Nebraska-Pine Ridge Border Towns
by
Stew Magnuson
Nebraska Story | Civil Rights Movement | Indian History
The 1972 murder of Raymond Yellow Thunder was a graphic reminder of conflict between some members of the Oglala Lakota Pine Ridge Reservation and some members of bordering communities, such as Whiteclay and Gordon. The context for this modern-day tragedy include the history of Black Hills incursions, the Ghost Dance, Wounded Knee and the second Wounded Knee, and the American Indian Movement. The author explores the painful nuances of misunderstanding and prejudice that have plagued this blended region. Some strong language. Narrated by Michael Cartwright.
DBC 01943 Black Glasses Like Clark Kent: A GI's Secret from Postwar Japan
by
Terese Svoboda
WWII History | War Crime
After her uncle's suicide, the author investigates his stunning claim that military police may have executed their own men during the occupation of Japan following World War II. Contains descriptions of violence. Narrated by Janene Sheldon. (6 hours, 45 minutes)
DBC 01959 Three Bodies Burning: The Anatomy of an Investigation into Murder, Money, and Mexican Marijuana
by
Brian Bogdanoff
Nebraska Story | Law Enforcement and Criminology | Criminal Court Case
Authorities responding to a brush fire on the outskirts of Omaha make a grisly discovery. Three human bodies were burning. Omaha police detective provides an insider's account of an investigation that involved murder, money, and a Mexican drug cartel. Riveting account describes an intense investigation on the part of the homicide unit, crime lab, and DNA analysts that ultimately resulted in successful prosecution within federal court. Contains violence and strong language. Narrated by Alice Timm. (8 hours, 10 minutes)
DBC 01998 Abandoned Prayers
by
Gregg Olsen
Midwest | True Crime
Eli Stutzman was born and raised in one of Ohio's strictest Amish communities, but behind the peaceful facade was a quietly tormented rebel. After the suspicious death of his pregnant wife, Stutzman abruptly severed his ties with the Amish. Taking his young son Danny with him, he embarked on a cross-country spree of compulsive pickups, rampant drug abuse, and violence. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1990. Narrated by James Shelley. (13 hours, 30 minutes).
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