Black Elk, Inc. Speaks (Saying, "Show Me the Money")

For most university presses, a book that sells a million copies is a rarity. When that book relates to the history of the region in which the university is located and a much-loved literary figure in the state, well, that would be almost too good to be true.

But what has been true for the University of Nebraska Press is about to end. Black Elk Speaks -- a story of American Indians on the Great Plains -- is heading East, to the State University of New York Press.

While any loss of a book like Black Elk Speaks would hurt, some at Nebraska and others in the university publishing world see this as more than just a coup for one press and a disappointment for another. According to Nebraska officials, no one currently at the press knew that the trust that controls the book was contemplating a move. One person who did know last year was the press director, who then moved to SUNY Press, where he signed a deal to move the book shortly after arriving.....

Here's the article.

A note to anyone who might pick up the link from this blog entry: While SJ and I do share the same first name, we are not, in fact, the same person.