The University Press of Kentucky

"With a voice that is at once sad, beautiful, angry, and deceptively lyric, Collins guides us through the heat-shimmered lowlands of her characters' everyday lives to the bittersweet inner sanctums that enable them to survive. These are trips from which we come away enlightened, emboldened, and sometimes enraged, but always strangely hopeful."—Will Lupens, from the foreword_x000D_CD Collins's debut short story collection invites readers into a world shaped by the smell of tobacco leaves, the sweat of factory work, and the rush of rumors moving through a small town. A world where a besieged farmer attempts to protect herself from her father and comes to recognize that the white-hot fury they share is part of their inheritance. A public defender labors tirelessly for the community and against the forces that have destabilized her own happiness and autonomy. A solitary maintenance man communicates profoundly with animals and nature but is fearful of human connection._x000D_Blue Land offers twenty stories interwoven with complicated characters who struggle with loved ones, the dangers of longing, and the lure of addiction as solace. This collection is a haunting work of Kentucky literature that probes southern and Appalachian life, sexual abuse, belonging, queer identity, and the environment. Collins's stories offer embodied histories of the state, shattering preconceived notions and effectively channeling her characters' voices to a sometimes dismissive, uncomprehending world. But Blue Land is not just for those with generational roots to the region—it is for those who have just arrived, those who left long ago, and those willing to listen.

"With a voice that is at once sad, beautiful, angry, and deceptively lyric, Collins guides us through the heat-shimmered lowlands of her characters' everyday lives to the bittersweet inner sanctums that enable them to survive. These are trips from which we come away enlightened, emboldened, and sometimes enraged, but always strangely hopeful."—Will Lupens, from the foreword_x000D_CD Collins's debut short story collection invites readers into a world shaped by the smell of tobacco leaves, the sweat of factory work, and the rush of rumors moving through a small town. A world where a besieged farmer attempts to protect herself from her father and comes to recognize that the white-hot fury they share is part of their inheritance. A public defender labors tirelessly for the community and against the forces that have destabilized her own happiness and autonomy. A solitary maintenance man communicates profoundly with animals and nature but is fearful of human connection._x000D_Blue Land offers twenty stories interwoven with complicated characters who struggle with loved ones, the dangers of longing, and the lure of addiction as solace. This collection is a haunting work of Kentucky literature that probes southern and Appalachian life, sexual abuse, belonging, queer identity, and the environment. Collins's stories offer embodied histories of the state, shattering preconceived notions and effectively channeling her characters' voices to a sometimes dismissive, uncomprehending world. But Blue Land is not just for those with generational roots to the region—it is for those who have just arrived, those who left long ago, and those willing to listen.

Isra Shadi, a twenty-one-year-old woman of mixed Palestinian and white descent, lives in California with her paternal amu (uncle), amtu (aunt), and cousins after the death of her mother and abandonment by her father at a young age. Ever the outcast in her amu and amtu's household, they eagerly encourage Isra to marry and leave. After rejecting a string of undesirable suitors, she marries Yusef, an old love from her past._x000D_In Amreekiya, author Lena Mahmoud deftly juggles two storylines, alternating between Isra's youth and her current life as a married twentysomething who is torn between cultures and trying to define herself. The chapters chronicle various moments in Isra's narrative, including the volatile relationship of her parents and the trials and joys of forging a partnership with Yusef. Mahmoud also examines Isra's first visit to Palestine, the effects of sexism, how language affects identity, and what it means to have a love that overcomes unbearable pain._x000D_An exploration of womanhood from an underrepresented voice in American literature, Amreekiya is simultaneously unique and relatable. Featuring an authentic array of characters, Mahmoud's first novel is a much-needed story in a divided world.

Many still see the Vietnam War catastrophe as the ultimate cautionary tale for US presidents faced with wartime decisions. A singular focus on Vietnam, however, overlooks the seismic shift in strategy following attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on September 11, 2001. When Presidents Fight the Last War: The Oval Office, Sunk Costs, and Wartime Decision-Making since Vietnam is a groundbreaking work that draws on high-level interviews and archival materials to show how recent presidential decisions to cut losses or double down on military conflicts abroad have been made with the goal of avoiding either another Vietnam or another 9/11._x000D_Offering five case studies, author Bryan N. Groves examines presidencies from Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama and explains how commanders in chief have chosen to escalate or de-escalate major conflicts based on what they stood to gain—or, more importantly, lose—in the process. As Groves reveals, in spite of the different contexts, policies, and priorities that defined these administrations, all shared a remarkably similar approach to war adjustments._x000D_When Presidents Fight the Last War provides a unique look inside the Oval Office throughout a half century of inflection points while offering vital insights and predictive tools to handle future sunk cost scenarios.

Jonathan Demme, one of the most influential and dynamic directors of the twentieth century, was a fearless and radical filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer—a compassionate artist, advocate, and humanist who was compelled to tell the stories of marginalized communities. His intense passion and appreciation of music, culture, and art were interwoven throughout his life and extraordinary body of work. There's No Going Back is the first complete biography of an auteur whose remarkable and versatile career encompassed acclaimed narratives, documentaries, and films spanning nearly five decades. Best-known for Melvin and Howard (1980), The Silence of the Lambs (1991), Philadelphia (1993), and Beloved (1998), Demme was an Oscar-winning filmmaker with a recognizable style and voice. He often used that voice to champion women's rights and amplify social and environmental justice issues. Demme was also well-regarded for the loyalty, devotion, and collegiality shown to the actors, camera, and technical crew he retained in his film projects. Cinephile and journalist David M. Stewart affirms that Demme was more than just a quirky filmmaker and product of 1970s New Hollywood; he was ceaseless and earnest in his approach to capturing humanity in all its complexities. Including interviews with Demme's collaborators and colleagues, Stewart presents the many facets of the filmmaker's life seen through the eyes of those who were in his warm, eclectic orbit. Presented is a compelling and fitting tribute to the brilliance and breadth of the man behind the camera.