U.S. briefing

Ruth Suckow's Iowa Interiors returns in a centennial edition

Final Thursday Press is bringing back Ruth Suckow's 1926 story collection with new illustrations, accompanied by an exhibition in Cedar Falls.

An open book beside stacked copies of Iowa Interiors on a wooden table.
An open copy of Iowa Interiors and a stack of the centennial edition on a wooden table.

Cedar Falls-based Final Thursday Press is returning Ruth Suckow's Iowa Interiors to print for its centennial. First published in 1926, the collection contains 14 stories about life on Iowa farms and in small towns. The new edition pairs those stories with illustrations by Iowa artist Claudia McGehee.

Julie Husband and Jim O'Loughlin are editing the volume, which will also include a new introduction. McGehee created 14 scratchboard illustrations, one for each story. The Hearst Center for the Arts in Cedar Falls is exhibiting the original artwork from September 10 through December 6.

The Ruth Suckow Memorial Association says copies of Iowa Interiors have become increasingly difficult to find. It has made many of the original stories available online while preparing for the new edition. The collection portrays people dealing with work, family life and changes in their communities.