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Posts published in “News”

Five Questions with Chad Zimmerman, Executive Editor for Economics

Chad Zimmerman recently joined the Press as executive editor in the Books Division, acquiring new titles in economics, business, and public policy. Chad came to us from Oxford University Press, where he worked most recently as a senior editor building a robust list in public health, including books in health economics and policy. We’ve been excited to welcome him not only to the Press but to Chicago, and by way of introduction, we put together some questions about his interests. What are you looking for in a book, and what kind of project gets you excited? Voice. That is a terribly nonspecific answer, but hear me out: Most people who write books are experts in what they’re writing about. Whether their book is any good depends on how they express (and in many cases, limit) their knowledge for the good of the reader. That expression takes the form of their writing voice. And writing voice comprises not just narration, but also how the work is structured.    Reading is a “what’s in it for me?” activity. It is the author’s job to respect their reader and meet them on their level, whether that’s expert or non-expert. Very few authors have the […]

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Five Questions with D. Vance Smith, author of “The Arts of Dying”

How do we talk about one of life’s most persistently hard to describe events: death? Poets, musicians, playwrights, philosophers, theologians, and artists have tried to describe death for centuries, but this question still puzzles us today. With his new book, The Arts of Dying: Literature and Finitude in Medieval England, D. Vance Smith goes back to consider the ways that medieval people thought and wrote about death. We talked with Vance about the book, how people in the Middle Ages thought about dying, the problems of language when it comes to death, and how ideas about death and dying are presented now. He also touches on the particular relevance of these questions today as we face the tragedy of the coronavirus pandemic. How do you come to this subject? Was there a particular piece of literature that sparked your interest? I wrote a book a while ago (The Book of the Incipit) about the many ways medieval people thought about beginnings and shaped them in literature, and I started thinking about endings and what Foucault called the “analytic of finitude” then. Dying is the ultimate ending, and I found the intellectual and emotional challenge of writing about it important, but […]

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Chicago Distribution Center Temporarily Closed

In response to the Illinois Stay-at-Home Order and with the greatest concern for the health and welfare of our staff and the greater community, we have decided to temporarily close the Chicago Distribution Center (CDC) effective Monday, March 23. The CDC will be remained closed for the duration that the Stay at Home order is in effect, until April 7 or longer if required.  Though print book orders for our titles are delayed, all e-books published by the University of Chicago Press are available and on sale at 30% off using code EBOOK30 at checkout through our website.  In the last two weeks, many members of the Press staff have worked to ensure that parts of our business can continue unimpeded in case of a shutdown, including increased use of print-on-demand resources and increased availability of e-books. We are also considering relationships with other suppliers that would allow a portion of orders to be filled if they cannot be filled at the CDC. We will continue to work on all of these efforts.  Meanwhile, we recognize that this has been a challenging time for many in the publishing industry, including our partners at many booksellers around the country. You can still continue to order our books and those of our distributed client publishers directly from many independent bookstores through their websites and indiebound.org as well as through […]

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Snow Wreaks Havoc on Travelers

High winds and pilling snow drifts left thousands of travelers stranded on highways, subways and airports this Christmas. More…

Buffett: “Economy a Shambles”

Warren Buffett said the US economy is a “shambles” and that, “We haven’t got the economy moving yet.” In an interview with CNBC Wednesday.  More…

Senator Questions Obama Firing of 3 Taxpayer Watchdogs

When Obama ran for President promising transparency and honesty, he was apparently speaking of such things in the "Chicago sense" and not literally. At least that’s what some are starting to wonder as the administration removed two more inspector generals who dared to question actions by members of the current administration. More…

PANDEMIC!

The World Health Organization has issued a warning to nations around the world to be on the lookout for outbreaks of the swine flue after cases surfaced in Mexico and the United States.  More…

Tel Aviv Bound Airplane Diverted After Passenger Rushes Cockpit

  A Delta Air Lines bound from New York’s J.F.K. Airport to Tel Aviv, Israel was diverted to Boston’s Logan Airport after a 22-year-old passenger rushed to the front of the aircraft and began pounding on the cockpit door.  More…

Ballistics Match In Craiglist Killing

A handgun found in the apartment of Phillip Markoff, the man accused of  killing Julissa Brisman in a Boston hotel during a botched robbery, matches the same weapon used in the crime police say.  More…

Ford Loss Less Than Expected

The only US automaker to turn away government aid posted a less than expected first-quarter loss and reduced cash consumption sending stock up during early morning trading.   More

France Losing Control – Revolution May Come

As strikes and civil disobedience increase, Former French prime minister, Dominique de Villepin stated that conditions in France are deteriorating and that, “The government is losing control… there is a risk of revolution…”   More…

Sen. Jim Webb Puts Marijuana Legalization On The Table

    Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) who is a leader in the congressional effort to reform the criminal justice system, said that all issues – including drug legalization – must be on the table.  More…

Pirate Bay Judge Exposed As Conflicted Jurist

The Swedish judge who sentenced founders of the Pirate Bay website to jail last week forgot to tell anyone that he was in bed with copyright protection associations and serves on the board of the Motion Picture Association of America.  More…

Elk Grove Cedes O’Hare Fight

Chicago suburb, Elk Grove Village is dropping it’s legal fight to prevent expansion of O’Hare International Airport because plans to build a roadway through an industrial park in the village were reportedly dropped.  More…

Suicide Bombers Kill 60 In Iraq

Two suicide bombers wearing vests stuffed with explosives detonated their bombs in separate attacks in Baghdad and north of Baghdad killing a total of sixty people police said.   More…