History of Nebraska

by James C. Olson, Ronald C. Naugle

"History of Nebraska" was originally created to mark the territorial centennial of Nebraska, and revised to coincide with the statehood centennial. This one-volume history quickly became the standard text for the college student and reference for the general reader, unmatched for three generations. This third edition, which has been thoroughly revised and rewritten while preserving the spirit and intelligence of the original, affirms and extends that record. Incorporating the results of thirty years of scholarship and research, the third edition of "History of Nebraska" gives fuller attention to such topics as the Native American experience in Nebraska and the accomplishments and circumstances of the state's women and minorities. It also provides a historical analysis of the state's dramatic changes in the past thirty years.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

502 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1997

About the author

James C. Olson was an American historian, educator and school administrator who served as president of the University of Missouri System from 1976 until 1984. He had been a vice chancellor at the University of Nebraska and chancellor at University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Reviews

[Courtney B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did I read it? Yes. Would I wish it on my worst enemy? Maybe, we are enemies after all.

It is...thorough. But it is also repetitive and gets so deep in the weeds that you lose track of what is happening. I would not have been able to write lectures from it if I hadn't also purchased the brief version by Naugle. The organization and chronology is often bizarre and nonsensical. For example, the chapter on World War II is before the chapter on the establishment of the Unicameral in 1937. Why? And then, the statistics are listed in such painful detail. Give us a chart, I am begging you.

But, if you have to teach the history of Nebraska, I guess you take what you can get.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fairly comprehensive one volume history of the State of Nebraska. This book has an academic feel, and is probably the basis for a college course on the subject, but is also written in such a way to make it accessible to the general reader with extensive citations for further reading for someone looking for more in-depth information. Having not read the previous three versions of a book first published to mark the territorial centennial in 1954, I found the 4th edition to reflect current research on all of it's topics, from the historic peoples, to the environment, to politics, both historic and current (limited only by it's publication date). This books look at the good and the bad of the History of Nebraska and I appreciated both the things I learned from this book as well as the context it gave to things I knew that reflect the unique spirit of Nebraska and Nebraskans.

[John Adams · Rating 2 out of 5]

The layers of revision have resulted in a book that doesn't consistently follow a particular school of history; most of the chapters focus on economics (with many dull recitations of statistics) and politics (mostly focused on governors), with the dabbling in the histories of women and minorities not really integrated with the rest and very little narrative that might make for more interesting reading.

[Amanda Gibbs · Rating 2 out of 5]

The worst history book to depict the state of Nebraska. Chapters are redundant, reiterating points over again, while many other details are left out. There is an obvious bias to the eastern side of the state.

Granted, if this book makes you angry too, it'll make you search for a better history text so at least there's that. Even in my college Nebraska History course we ditched this book after a few weeks.

[Eavan · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took 4.5 years, but I finally finished this dull and disorganized book.

[Teagan E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great, well-written, an amazing resource and feat of information-gathering, it was nonetheless exhausting. I did however like reading it slowly and in conjunction with other works of historical significance.