Books by Alums
Thrones
Gloria Parnham Bradfield (Jour’59) has captured the political intrigue, suspense and humor of 19th century American life in her insightful novel, Thrones (Xlibris). Set in 1848, Bradfield’s story transports the reader into the smoldering political climate of the antebellum South where men manipulated, conspired and debated the future of the country as they steeled their positions for what was to come.
Read moreHearing the Mermaid’s Song
Over nearly a decade, anthropologist Lindsay Hale (Anth’84) spent countless hours studying the Umbanda religion. Through his dedication and hard work, Hearing the Mermaid’s Song was born. This book goes into intricate detail about the interesting religious practices and beliefs of the Umbanda religion, which has its origins in Rio de Janeiro and its surrounding urban areas where Afro-Brazilians, many ex-slaves or the descendants of slaves, practiced versions of the religion handed down to them by their ancestors.
Read moreSam, Meriam and Me
In this novel sociology professor Baheej Khleif (PhDSoc’71) of Columbia College of Chicago draws the reader into a complex love story concerning a love triangle between three people of different cultures and religions. The clashing cultures and the mix of values and traditions make this story compelling from a cultural standpoint.
Read moreFootball and Philosophy: Going Deep
In this novel by Michael W. Austin (PhDPhil’04), an associate professor of philosophy at Eastern Kentucky University, the author offers an insightful look into the world of football and explores the personal philosophies of people involved in America’s most popular sport.
Read morePitch Black
Chuck Sisson’s (EdD’74) latest novel is a thrilling mystery about Stan, a man who inadvertently discovers illegal drugs while moving artifacts on a Navajo reservation. He gets captured, knocked unconscious and thrown in a basement of a supply center. The story focuses on Stan’s experiences in the pitch black basement and his brother Larry’s desperate search to find him before time runs out.
Read moreMamma Mania: Managing the Craze of 0-5 year olds
Amy Jewett Sampson’s (Comm,Jour,’90, MPubAd’99) first novel is about managing the chaos that results from having multiple young children and a full time career. The book features advice for young working mothers and gives tips to help them succeed.
Read moreComfort Me
Louis Ceci’s (MEngCompSci’88) debut novel is an intricate and touching story about a small town in Oklahoma in the 1960s. Fifteen years after his mother left the town in disgrace, the main character, Mally, must return to take care of his sick grandfather.
Read moreCapital Letters: Authorship in the Antebellum Literary Market
David Dowling (PhDEngl’95) writes about the market revolution of the 1840s and 1850s, how it swept the United States and how the world of literature confronted for the first time the gaudy glare of commercial culture.
Read moreGender, Bullying and Harassment: Strategies to End Sexism and Homophobia in Schools
Elizabeth J. Meyer (MEdu’97) adds a new dimension to countless studies of bullying and harassment in schools by examining the key gender issues related to such behaviors.
Read moreThe Great Bluff Street Sled Race and Other Adventures
Beginning with a catastrophic sled race, the Great Bluff Street Sled Race, by Robert L. Moore (Engl’61), describes unforgettable events in the lives of ordinary people.
Read moreColumbine
Drawing on extensive interviews, police reports and his own reporting, Dave Cullen (MEngl’97) meticulously pieces together what happened on April 20, 1999.
Read moreSo Long Longmont and Stuff & Nonsuch
Both books by Longmont resident Donald Greenly (A&S’65) are memoirs. So Long Longmont is a critical look at Longmont: how it was and how it is, while Stuff & Nonsuch is a critical look at the way the world wags, as seen by the author, who lets fly rancor and sputum into the wind, letting it splatter wherever to offend or amuse as the reader sees spit.
Read moreAsk Papa Jack: Wisdom of the World’s Oldest CEO
Ask Papa Jack is a compilation of anecdotes, stories and “papa-isms” that exemplify not only the work and business style of “Papa Jack” Weil, the author Steven Weils’ (MBA’85) grandfather, but his extraordinary life.
Read moreYucatán Through Her Eyes: Alice Dixon Le Plongeon, Writer & Expeditionary Photographer
This biography by Lawrence Gustave Desmond (PhDAnth’83) tells the story of Alice Dixon Le Plongeon, who left London to travel to the Yucután peninsula in southeastern Mexico with husband and Mayan archaeologist Augustus Le Plongeon.
Read moreOut of Focus…Again: A Journey From Depression to Recovery Through Courage, Love and Commitment
Ann Kochenberger (Edu’65, MBA’68) chronicles her years of desperation as the mother of two small children and as a young wife married to a university professor who found herself deep in the black abyss of depression.
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