Our sister operation here at the University of North Dakota is called The Digital Press at the University of North Dakota. Earlier this year, we collaborated with them to publish John J. Cox’s translation of Jurij Koch’s The Cherry Tree which is still available for free download or as a low cost paperback here. Our close relationship with The Digital Press and our support for their open access publishing model means that we often do what we can to amplify their good news.

This week’s The Digital Press released a book called Sun Ra Sundays, which is the authoritative and thoroughly revised version of Rodger Coleman’s well-know blog series of the name name. Sun Ra was a charismatic musician, band leader, poet, and thinker. His works and especially his musical output blended together his own story of alien abduction, with Afrocentric themes, tightly orchestrated and disciplined jazz and improvised music, and elaborate stage performances. The publication of this book coincides with a surge in interest in Afrofuturism and in Sun Ra more specifically.

In fact, North Dakota Quarterly published a long review essay titled “Whither Sun Ra” which we’ve made available here.

So, if you’re looking for some Sun (Ra) to brighten up the long winter days, check out The Digital Press’s Sun Ra Sundays here.

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