Best Part of the Book

EPISODE SUMMARYClint Lanier and Mark Perzel discuss the life and experiences of Ted Mack, focusing on his journey from a sharecropper's son in Alabama to a social worker and civil rights activist in Milwaukee, and eventually to the business world where he pursued his dream of owning a brewery. They highlight Ted's involvement in the civil rights movement, his fight against segregation, and his entrepreneurial struggles, particularly with the challenges he faced as the owner of People's Beer, a minority-owned business, as well as the systemic barriers he encountered, including government corruption and a lack of support from his own community.LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: BESTPARTReceive a 25% discount on Clint's book from McFarland's website by using the code BESTPART at checkout: mcfarlandbooks.com/product/ted-mack-and-americas-first-black-owned-breweryBOOK & DESCRIPTIONTed Mack and America's First Black-Owned Brewery: The Rise and Fall of Peoples Beer. McFarland, softcover (2023) mcfarlandbooks.com/product/ted-mack-and-americas-first-black-owned-breweryBorn a sharecropper in rural Alabama in 1930, Theodore A. (Ted) Mack, Sr., fought in the Korean War and then played football at Ohio State while earning a college degree. Brewing and selling beer, he believed, would be just another peak to attain. After all, it couldn't be more challenging than his experience in organizing buses to the March on Washington or picketing segregated schools in Milwaukee. This is the story of Mack's purchase of Peoples Brewing Company in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Though he had carefully planned for the historic acquisition, he underestimated the subtle bigotry of Middle America, the corruption of the beer industry, and the failures of the federal government that plagued his ownership. Mack's ownership of Peoples Brewing is an inspirational story of Black entrepreneurship, innovation and pride at a time when America was at an important racial justice crossroads.ABOUT CLINTClint Lanier is an assistant professor of English at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. His writing about travel, history, food and drink has appeared in the Huffington Post, Eater, and Fodors.ABOUT MCFARLANDMcFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, McFarland is recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. They have about 8000 unique works for sale and each year publish about 350 new titles. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (e.g., Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). www.McFarlandBooks.comSIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERhttp://eepurl.com/iPkvx2

SUMMARYMark interviews Lloyd Johnson and Miles Wolff, co-authors of "The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball," which documents minor league baseball's historical and statistical aspects. Lloyd and Miles discuss the evolution of the sport, the significance of the 1939 season for Tommy Lasorda, and the broader historical context of minor leagues in the U.S. They highlight the pivotal role of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) in compiling baseball statistics and stories, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on baseball and its future.LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: BESTPARTReceive a 25% discount on the book from McFarland's website by using the coupon code BESTPART: mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-encyclopedia-of-minor-league-baseballBOOK & DESCRIPTIONThe Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: A Complete Record of Teams, Leagues and Seasons, 1876–2019, 4th ed. McFarland, softcover (Aug 2024) mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-encyclopedia-of-minor-league-baseballWhen the pandemic hit in early 2020, baseball's minor leagues canceled their seasons. A few independent leagues tried abbreviated schedules, but all Major League affiliates shut down—for the first time in more than 120 years. Since then, Major League Baseball has taken over governance of the minors, and leagues and teams have been eliminated. In its fourth and final edition, this book gives a complete accounting of the minor leagues as they were known from the late 19th century through 2019.ABOUT LLOYD AND MILESLloyd Johnson is a baseball historian, writer and consultant, former president of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), former executive director of SABR, past senior research associate for the National Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, New York, and the first director of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. He lives in Belton, Missouri.Miles Wolff is the former owner of the Durham Bulls, the Quebec Capitales, the Burlington Royals, and ten other minor league, independent and summer collegiate teams. He is the former publisher and owner of "Baseball America," and "Total Baseball" named him among the top 100 most important individuals in baseball history. He lives in Durham, North Carolina.ABOUT MCFARLANDMcFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, we are recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. We have about 7500 unique works for sale and each year we publish about 350 new titles. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (e.g., Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). www.McFarlandBooks.comSIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERhttp://eepurl.com/iPkvx2

Jim De La Rosa shares his compelling narrative in 'Building the Apollo Capsules,' chronicling the evolution of his career in aerospace engineering and his crucial role in the Moonshot program. From working on Hound Dog cruise missiles to testing Apollo's unmanned capsules, Delarosa provides a detailed account of the rigorous testing procedures that preceded the manned moon missions. This memoir also sheds light on the pivotal contributions of Hispanic engineers, celebrating their often-overlooked dedication and expertise in one of humanity's greatest technological achievements.LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: BESTPARTReceive a 25% discount on Jim's book from McFarland's website by using the coupon code BESTPART at checkout: mcfarlandbooks.com/product/building-the-apollo-capsules/BOOK & DESCRIPTIONBuilding the Apollo Capsules: An Engineer's Memoir of the Moonshot Program and Its Debt to Hispanic Team Members. McFarland, softcover (2023) mcfarlandbooks.com/product/building-the-apollo-capsules/This firsthand account of the development of the Apollo 11 mission gives a behind-the-scenes look at the 1969 moon landing mission from an engineer's perspective. The technical problems and solutions of designing a capsule to carry three astronauts—Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins—safely to the moon and back are covered in detail from the author's point of view. The contributions of Latino personnel in the Apollo program are described.ABOUT JIMJim De La Rosa is a retired aerospace engineer living in Tucson, Arizona. He has taught Radar electronics in the Air Force, worked for Hughes Aircraft Company, designed electronic circuits for Airborne Radar systems, designed Flight Control Systems for Guided Missiles at North American Aviation, designed systems for the Apollo capsules that took astronauts to the moon, designed electronic systems to fly the Space Shuttle, designed systems for rockets at The Aerospace Corporation and was a Consultant Engineer.ABOUT MCFARLANDMcFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, McFarland is recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. They have about 7500 unique works for sale and each year publish about 350 new titles. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (e.g., Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). www.McFarlandBooks.comSIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERhttp://eepurl.com/iPkvx2

SUMMARYThis podcast episode features an interview with Maria Kaj, the author of "Women and the Olympic Dream: The Continuing Struggle for Equality, 1896–2021." Maria talks about the long and ongoing fight for gender equality in the Olympics, celebrating the progress made while acknowledging the barriers that still exist.LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: BESTPARTReceive a 25% discount on Maria's book on McFarland's website by using the coupon code BESTPART: mcfarlandbooks.com/product/women-and-the-olympic-dreamBOOK & DESCRIPTION“Women and the Olympic Dream: The Continuing Struggle for Equality, 1896–2021." McFarland, softcover (2022) mcfarlandbooks.com/product/women-and-the-olympic-dreamOn an April morning in 1896, unemployed single mother Stamata Revithi ran the 40 kilometers from Marathon to Athens, finishing in 5 hours 30 minutes. Barred from the first Olympic marathon, she was determined to prove herself. Through more than a century of Olympic Games history, women athletes—who were held back from swimming because long skirts were required, limited to running single-lap races because of fallacies about fragility, or forced to endure invasive gender exams—competed in spite of endless challenges. From Athens 1896 to Tokyo 2020, this history of women's participation in the Olympic Games centers on athletes who overcame entrenched inequity to gain inclusion.ABOUT MARIAMaria Kaj is a writer, independent scholar, and instructor who regularly posts on her blog kajmeister.com. A former banker, she now coaches students on history, business, and economics through multiple university partnerships, as well as volunteering as a tax preparer for low-income residents of Alameda County. She also just received her Masters in history, with a thesis that focused on cultural interpretations of medieval accounting practices. Everything has a story!Website: kajmeister.comFacebook: facebook.com/kajmeisterLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/maria-kaj-43620011Maria has published two other books:"Outside the Rio Spotlight: American Triumphs You Didn't See at the 2016 Olympics" (self-published, 2018): www.amazon.com/Outside-Rio-Spotlight-American-Triumphs/dp/1985262762/"The A to Z Olympics: 26 Torch-Worthy Tales & Tidbits" (self-published, 2021): www.amazon.com/Olympics-26-Torch-Worthy-Tales-Tidbits/dp/B092CKZB6VABOUT MCFARLANDMcFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, we are recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. We have about 7500 unique works for sale and each year we publish about 350 new titles. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (e.g., Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). www.McFarlandBooks.comSIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERhttp://eepurl.com/iPkvx2

SUMMARYStep into the world of 'I Fart in Your General Direction: Flatulence in Popular Culture' and discover the surprising influence of flatulence in books and movies. From medieval literature to contemporary comedies, author Don Corrigan takes a lighthearted but informative approach to exploring the role of farts in popular culture. Delve into the pages of Chaucer's tales, where farting and mischief go hand in hand, or journey into the works of Mark Twain, who found subtle ways to incorporate fart-related humor. I challenge you to listen to this episode without cracking a smile!LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: BESTPARTReceive a 25% discount on Ryan's book on McFarland's website by using the coupon code BESTPART: mcfarlandbooks.com/product/i-fart-in-your-general-directionBOOK & DESCRIPTION“I fart in your general direction!” Flatulence in Popular Culture. McFarland, softcover (2023) mcfarlandbooks.com/product/i-fart-in-your-general-directionThis exhaustive work on flatulence breaks new wind on every aspect of abdominal gas in popular culture. A definitive taxonomy of farts details the characteristics of each variety, including barking spiders, cheek squeakers and green apple dirties. Philosophical positions on colonic expression are examined, from Confucius, Hume, Voltaire and the existentialists. Chapters cover a wide range of fart-focused stand-up comedy, cinema, children's books, toys and merchandise. The author's postscript describes a lifetime preparing for his subject through fraternity membership and offbeat assignments as a newspaper journalist.ABOUT DONDon H. Corrigan is the editor emeritus for the Webster-Kirkwood Times weekly newspapers in St. Louis, where he has written on the outdoors and environment for four decades. He is a professor emeritus of Webster University, where he directed student studies for the school's Outdoor/Environmental Journalism Certificate. He lives in St. Louis.Don has published 3 other books with McFarland: Nuts About Squirrels: The Rodents That Conquered Popular Culture (2019), American Roadkill: The Animal Victims of Our Busy Highways (2021), and coming soon, In Search of Manhood: American Men's Movements Past and Present (Oct 2024). He's also published several books with Reedy Press: Show Me…Natural Wonders: A Guide to Scenic Treasures in the Missouri Region (2007), Show Me...Nature's Wrath: Tornadoes, Floods, Ice Storms, and Other Natural Disasters (2009), Environmental Missouri: Issues and Sustainability-What You Need to Know (2014), Amazing Webster Groves: Six Square Miles of the American Dream (2022); and The Public Journalism Movement in America: Evangelists in the Newsroom (1999, Praeger).Don's Blog: environmentalecho.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/corrigannewsContact: corrigan@timesnewspapers.com, 314-928-2699 ABOUT MCFARLANDMcFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, we are recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. We have about 7500 unique works for sale and each year we publish about 350 new titles. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (e.g., Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). www.McFarlandBooks.comSIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERhttp://eepurl.com/iPkvx2

In this episode, host Mark Perzel has a conversation with Ryan B. Case, the author of Mr. Bojangles, Dance: Jerry Jeff Walker, Sammy Davis, Jr., and the Song That Made Nixon Cry. Join us as we dive into the fascinating story behind this iconic song and the lives it touched.LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: BESTPARTReceive a 25% discount on Ryan's book on McFarland's website by using the coupon code BESTPART: mcfarlandbooks.com/product/mr-bojangles-danceBOOK & DESCRIPTION:Mr. Bojangles, Dance: Jerry Jeff Walker, Sammy Davis, Jr., and the Song That Made Nixon Cry, McFarland, softcover (2024) - www.mcfarlandbooks.comThree men's lives, told through the story of one song. Jerry Jeff Walker, the singer and writer behind the classic hit “Mr. Bojangles,” never would have expected that his song, inspired by an experience in a New Orleans jail cell, would make Richard Nixon cry, or that it would be covered by Sammy Davis, Jr., the entertainment giant and, controversially, a supporter of Nixon.This work, told through the perspective of writer, performer and listener, traces these three men's overlapping journeys through the American consciousness. Chapters discuss the history of Walker's song, Davis's rise from rags to riches, Nixon's journey from grocer's son to president, and more.ABOUT Ryan B. CaseRyan B. Case is a writer and musician and was the leader of the Americana band The Victrolas from 2005 to 2011. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee with his wife and two persnickety cats.Website: www.ryanbcase.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/ryatone/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ryanbcasesongs/ABOUT MCFARLANDMcFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, we are recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. We have about 7500 unique works for sale and each year we publish about 350 new titles. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (e.g., Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). www.McFarlandBooks.comSIGN UP FOR THE PODCAST NEWSLETTERhttp://eepurl.com/iPkvx2

Host Mark Perzel has a conversation with David Yamane, author of Gun Curious, as he shares his personal experience and exploration of America's complicated gun culture and offers valuable perspectives on the reasons behind firearms ownership while addressing the issues and concerns associated with gun violence. LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: BESTPARTReceive a 25% discount on Gun Curious with coupon code BESTPART on McFarland's website: www.mcfarlandbooks.com/product/gun-curious/ BOOK & DESCRIPTIONGun Curious: A Liberal Professor's Surprising Journey Inside America's Gun Culture, Exposit Books, an imprint of McFarland, softcover (June 2024) - www.mcfarlandbooks.com/product/gun-curious/More than ever, it feels like cultural and political divisions over firearms are tearing the United States apart. Guns are an undeniable and contradictory presence in America, both widely owned and controversial. This book does something remarkable: it promotes insight over animosity in understanding the complex reality of guns in America. It challenges firearms skeptics, entertains enthusiasts, and informs the uncommitted by taking readers on a surprising journey inside gun culture.A lifelong liberal from the San Francisco Bay Area, David Yamane became a new gun owner as a 42-year-old and embarked on an immersive twelve-year study of American gun culture. Weaving together his personal experiences and sociological observations to explain why guns make sense to those who own them, he illuminates defensive gun ownership, the risk of negative outcomes associated with firearms, and what responsible gun ownership looks like in the twenty-first century. This book lowers the heat on America's inflamed arguments about firearms and models the civil discussions we desperately need.ABOUT DAVIDDavid Yamane is a Professor of Sociology at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He earned his BA ('91) in sociology from the University of California at Berkeley and his MS ('94) and PhD ('98) in sociology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. After teaching at the University of Notre Dame and holding a post-doc at the University of Virginia's Center on Religion and Democracy, he joined the faculty at Wake Forest in 2005.Since 2011, Professor Yamane has become an internationally recognized scholarly authority on guns and a calming voice in our divisive national argument on the issue. An Asian American and lifelong liberal from the San Francisco Bay Area, Yamane became a first-time gun owner as a 42-year-old and began a 12-year journey into the complex world of firearms in America. Having one foot outside and one inside gun culture allows him to speak with compassion across our paralyzing differences. FOLLOW DAVIDBook website: www.guncurios.comPersonal website: www.DavidYamane.comYouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@LightOverHeatTwitter/X: www.twitter.com/davidyamaneLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/davidyamane

In this pilot episode of Best Part of the Book, a personal nod is given to the small rural town of Ashe County where McFarland has called home since it was founded in 1979. Host Mark Perzel talks with Janet Pittard, author of A Hospital for Ashe County: Four Generations of Appalachian Community Health Care. Janet shares favorite stories she uncovered in the extensive research and over 100 interviews she performed in the writing of the book. You don’t have to be from Ashe County, North Carolina to appreciate these hometown stories surrounding a small hospital in a rural Appalachian community. BOOK DESCRIPTION: When Ashe County Memorial Hospital opened in November 1941, it was the realization of a dream for the poor, sparsely populated county in the mountains of northwestern North Carolina. Building a hospital is a major undertaking for any community at any time. Accomplishing this in the waning days of the Great Depression and on the brink of World War II, while scant local resources were taxed by catastrophic floods and severe snows, was a remarkable feat of community organization. This is the story of the generations of supporters, doctors, nurses, emergency personnel and others whose lives are interwoven with regional health care and the planning, building and operation of (the “new”) Ashe Memorial Hospital. This legacy, brought to life through 114 photographs and personal interviews with 97 individuals, traces the development of health care in a remote Appalachian community, from the days of folk remedies and midwives, to horseback doctors and early infirmaries, to the technological advances and outreach efforts of today’s Ashe Memorial Hospital. LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: BESTPARTReceive a 25% discount on any of Janet's titles published by McFarland with coupon code BESTPART. BOOKS BY JANET PITTARD A Hospital for Ashe County: Four Generations of Appalachian Community Health Care, McFarland, hardback (2016), softcover(2019) - https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/a-hospital-for-ashe-county-2/ The Ashe County Frescoes of Benjamin F. Long IV, McFarland, 2021, co-authored with David Chiswell. https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-ashe-county-frescoes-of-benjamin-f-long-iv/ Stephen Shoemaker: The Paintings and Their Stories, McFarland, 2013, co-authored with Stephen Shoemaker. https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/stephen-shoemaker/ ABOUT JANET PITTARD Janet was born and raised in Southern Pines, North Carolina and has always loved writing stories. Her love of stories came from her father, who entertained his little girl with stories he thought up while driving the state’s winding mountain roads for his job. That is where Janet’s love of western North Carolina originated. Now she combines her love of writing with her love of her mountain home in West Jefferson, generating stories and books set in the High Country. Janet began her career as a freelance writer after retiring from the North Carolina Governor’s Office with 30 years of service. She wrote over 100 stories for Our State Magazine from 2003 to 2009 and also wrote for several projects with UNC-TV’s Our State program. Later she contributed stories to two published anthologies related to Ashe County and wrote for an online newspaper called Ashe County Line. Janet is a regular participant in Wordkeepers, a local writing group. ABOUT MCFARLAND McFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, we are recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. We have about 7500 unique works for sale and each year we publish about 350 new titles. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (e.g., Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). www.McFarlandBooks.com

You can explore a wide-range of topics and preview books you might want to read on Best Part of the Book, a McFarland podcast. I'm Mark Perzel and I'll be your host on a journey through the fascinating world of nonfiction books published by McFarland. Founded in 1979, McFarland & Company is best known for their serious treatment of popular culture. But on Best Part of the Book, you'll explore a diverse array of topics from history to pop culture, sports to science, and everything in between. Best Part of the Book, subscribe now!