Penfield Books

09/30/2024

founder Joan Liffring-Zug Bourret is featured in today. She just received a posthumous award from and her name is going on a bridge in downtown Des Moines IA. A silver print of the photograph in the first slide is in the permanent collection of in NYC.

09/26/2024

Penfield Books founder Joan Liffring-Zug Bourret just received another posthumous award. A permanent plaque bearing her name will be installed on the iconic 'Iowa Women of Achievement Bridge' in downtown Des Moines IA.

08/19/2024

This story about Penfield Books' founder, Joan Liffring-Zug Bourret, is featured in Bob Campagna's exhibit at The History Center in Cedar Rapids IA!

05/03/2024

Monys Hagen was featured on “Talk of Iowa” with Charity Nebbe this week. She discussed her new book “The Worldly Game: The Story of Baseball in the Amana Colonies”. The interview was broadcast statewide on Iowa Public Radio. Click the link to stream from IPR’s website. It’s also available on NPR One, Spotify, and Apple Music!

Known as America's favorite pastime, the sport of baseball was once believed to be one the Amana Colonies' greatest challenges.

05/03/2024

author Monys Hagen appeared on “Talk of Iowa” with this week to discuss her new book “The Worldly Game: The Story of Baseball in the Amana Colonies.” The interview was aired statewide on and is available to stream at www.iowapublicradio.org . It’s also available on NPR One, Spotify, and Apple Music.

04/24/2024

Harry Oster’s close friendship with Penfield Books’ founder Joan Liffring-Zug Bourret was discussed in her 2011 autobiography “Pictures and People: A Search for Visual Truth and Social Justice”. Iowa Public Radio did a feature on Harry this week, click the link to listen & learn.

Iowa City band, The Swampland Jewels, combines a mix of Gulf Coast oldies, traditional Cajun/Creole and TexMex tunes to encapsulate the work of folklorist Harry Oster.

04/16/2024

Dr. Monys A. Hagen will be on Iowa Public Radio's 'Talk of Iowa' on Thursday May 2nd at 10am & 7pm to discuss 'The Worldy Game: The Story of Baseball in the Amana Colonies'. Thank you to Little Village Mag for the review!

In “The Obvious Child” — the lead single from Paul Simon’s 1990 Rhythm of the Saints album — the iconic songwriter sings “The cross is in the ballpark.” It’s a […]

04/16/2024

Dr. Monys A. Hagen will be on Iowa Public Radio for ‘Talk of Iowa’ with Charity Nebbe on Monday 4/29 at 10am & 7pm to discuss her new book, ‘The Worldly Game: The Story of Baseball in the Amana Colonies’. Thanks to Little Village Mag for taking the time to review the latest Penfield Books release!

03/31/2024

The latest Penfield Books release, “The Worldly Game: The Story of Baseball in the Amana Colonies” by Monys A. Hagen, is discussed in the Cedar Rapids Gazette today. Iowans enjoyed night games 4 years before the MLB caught on.

03/22/2024

03/22/2024

We had a packed house at Amana Heritage Society on Wednesday night for the official book release and signing of “The Worldly Game: The Story of Baseball in the Amana Colonies” by Monys Hagen. Monys is a riveting speaker and a PhD historian who specializes in women, immigration, and sport history. We’re taking some time off to root for the Iowa women’s basketball team in the NCAA tournament, but there will be a state wide radio program featuring Monys next month!

03/19/2024

Join us TOMORROW at the Amana Heritage Museum Auditorium at 7pm for a book signing and release of The Worldly Game: The Story of Baseball in the Amana Colonies by Monys A. Hagen, Ph.D. Hagen, a Professor Emerita of History at the Metropolitan State University of Denver, will be here to provide overview and context before signing books. The book will be for sale to the public starting at the event for $25! Light refreshments will be provided.

03/19/2024

This Wednesday in Amana IA @ 7pm!

11/01/2023

Here is an event in the Washington DC area.

Join us for the Czech Christmas Market 2023!

03/26/2023

Swamp Fox Bookstore in Iowa is sponsoring "An Evening with Michele Patrick" on March 28th at 8:00-9:00 PM EDT. Here's the link to register: https://swampfoxbookstore.com/prague or go to the Swamp Fox Bookstore website to learn more. It's free, and I'll be providing a virtual slide show journey--with 50 photos--through magnificent Prague while stopping to discuss the legends of this magical city all along the way. I'll then be engaging in a 30-minute conversation with the audience. Please register before the nationwide event, and I hope you can join me!

Michele Patrick is a Penfield Books author.

An independent bookstore in Marion, Iowa

03/15/2023

All,

Swamp Fox Bookstore in Iowa is sponsoring "An Evening with Michele Patrick" on March 28th at 8:00-9:00 PM EDT. Here's the link to register: https://swampfoxbookstore.com/prague or go to the Swamp Fox Bookstore website to learn more. It's free, and I'll be providing a virtual slide show journey--with 50 photos--through magnificent Prague while stopping to discuss the legends of this magical city all along the way. I'll then be engaging in a 30 minute conversation with the audience. Please register before the nationwide event, and I hope you can join me!

Thanks, and I also hope to be able to acquaint or reacquaint you with the beauty and mystery of Prague! Please feel free to share this link and the information with anyone who may be interested!

Michele is the author of "Haunted Prague"
published by Penfield Books

An independent bookstore in Marion, Iowa

10/20/2022

Joan Liffring-Zug Bourret has passed away. Click on the left picture below to read her obituary. To read more about her life, go to www.penfieldbooks.com and click on the red link on the home page. She will be missed by all.

Penfield Books is continuing for the foreseeable future as Joan had wished.

10/19/2022

Join us tonight October 19 @ 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM or
October 20 @ 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

History and Mysteries of Prague’s Jewish Quarter
National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library
1400 Inspiration Pl SW, Cedar Rapids, IA

The History and Mysteries of Prague’s Jewish Quarter with the Author of Haunted Prague Prague is the most mysterious of places, one of Europe’s most hauntingly beautiful—and just plain haunted—destinations....