Excerpts from a book about OU’s tumultuous early history will be broadcast on KGOU starting today.

Titled “OU Rising,” the broadcasts are based on retired OU history professor David Levy’s book, “The University of Oklahoma: A History, Volume 1.” The book covers the university’s founding in 1890 and goes through 1917.

“Twenty episodes will give listeners a taste of the early history of the university,” Levy said.

The university had to deal with two fires, financial difficulties and political clashes, which lead to the firing of OU’s first president, David Ross Boyd.

KGOU General Manager Karen Holp wrote the scripts with Levy.

“Dr. Levy’s research is meticulous and fascinating,” Holp said. “I like the idea because you walk around this campus and you see all these names - Gittinger Hall, Van Vleet Oval - and you wonder who that person was... they were real people.”

The program airs Monday through Friday at 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. on 106.3 FM in Norman.