The Missouri Humanities Board of Directors recently announced two books to represent Missouri as the 2026 Great Reads from Great Places, including This Place of Promise: A Historian's Perspective on 200 Years of Missouri History by Gary R. Kremer, SHSMO executive director emeritus. Kremer's book was selected in the adult literature category to represent Missouri in 2026. Published in 2021 as a way to commemorate Missouri’s bicentennial of statehood, this unique work presents the perspective of Kremer, one of the state's foremost historians, as he ponders why history played out as it did over the course of the two centuries since Missouri’s admittance to the Union. In the writing of what is much more than a survey history, Kremer, a fifth-generation Missourian, infuses the narrative with his vast knowledge and personal experiences, even as he considers what being a Missourian has meant to himself and all of the state’s people, and how the forces of history shaped people and determined their opportunities and choices. This Place of Promise offers collective experiences that draw upon the past in an attempt to make sense of the present and plan for the future.
Stand Straight, Ella Kate by Kate Klise of Norwood, Mo. was selected in the children’s literature category. The book is about Ella Kate Ewing “Missouri's Giantess" from Scotland County, Mo. It is based on the true story of Ewing, a woman born in 1872 who suffered from gigantism, growing to be 8'4" tall. Illustrated by M. Sarah Klise, Stand Straight, Ella Kate, tells how the Scotland County native overcame ridicule and used her height to become a successful and independent performer in traveling shows, turning her difference into a strength. It's a story about embracing individuality.
"Great Reads from Great Places" is a national initiative of The Center for the Book at the Library of Congress, which promotes a community of 46 affiliated centers to promote reading, libraries and literacy. Missouri Humanities is the affiliate for Missouri. The books are written by authors from their state or territory and take place in their state/territory and/or celebrate local culture and heritage.
Congratulations to Gary Kremer and Kate Klise for this state and national recognition! Learn more here.