The
Burden of Bad Ideas:
How Modern Intellectuals Misshape Our Society
by Heather Mac Donald ’74
Ivan R. Dee
Investigative journalist Heather
Mac Donald explains how bad ideas of elite intellectuals pervade policies
on urban problems, especially those of poverty, education and social
ills, and damage the nation and the poor in particular. She shows
how bad policy ideas get started then take on a life of their own.
Mac Donald is a John M. Olin Fellow at the Manhattan Institute and
a contributing editor to City Journal.
Now What!
Tales from the Annals of a
San Francisco Bookseller
by Tro Harper ’32
Oak Point Press
Tro Harper’s career as a bookseller, begun on Powell Street in
San Francisco after World War II, spanned 32 years. This collection
of essays recounts the joy and the sorrow, the comedy and the tragedy
of his book business and the characters who were central and peripheral
to its existence. Harper was the sole proprietor of Tro Harper Books
and now lives in Santa Rosa, Calif.
Chalone:
A Journey on the Wine Frontier
by W. Philip Woodward ’58
and Gregory S. Walter
Carneros Press
In 1972, Philip Woodward joined with a partner to operate a 20-acre
vineyard. Today, his Chalone Wine Group has 200 employees and 13,000
shareholders. Chalone consists of nine wineries plus partnership with
Les Domaines Barons de Rothschild in France. The authors tell the
story of the history of the land and people of Chalone. Woodward is
chairman
of the Chalone Wine Group and its community outreach arm, the Chalone
Wine Foundation.
Net
Profit: How to Invest and Compete in the Real World of Internet Business
by Peter S. Cohan ’75
Jossey-Bass Inc.
Net Profit is an informative read for investors, managers, entrepreneurs
and consumers. It identifies nine industry segments that are likely
to become profitable in the future and outlines how to spot a sound
investment. The author lists six rules of Web investing and presents
a wealth of savvy investment advice. Cohan lives in Marlborough, Mass.,
runs his own business consulting practice and is also the author of
The Technology Leaders.
Greater Boston
by Sam Bass Warner Jr. ’45
University of Pennsylvania Press
Urban historian Sam Warner explores a vibrant, ethnically diverse
Greater Boston and illumines its historic and economic development.
He discusses
the region’s many cultural offerings, especially its music-making
organizations, and talks about the challenges Boston must overcome
in the future. The book includes Warner’s own pen-and-ink drawings.
A retired MIT professor, Warner lives in Cambridge, Mass.
Beyond
the Writers’ Workshop: New Ways to Write Creative Nonfiction
by Carol Bly ’47
Anchor Books
The “new ways” of writing Bly describes have less to do
with the traditional writing workshop paradigm
of peer review and critical analyses than with techniques from social
work, psychotherapy and neuroscience. Using these ideas, combined
with traditional teaching methods, writers improve their work from
within. Bly, author of many books, is an essayist, short story writer
and lecturer and conducts creative writing workshops.
Understanding Thomas Jefferson
by E.M. Halliday ’32
HarperCollins
E.M. Halliday explains the often enigmatic Thomas Jefferson to readers
in such a way that they understand his character in light of his personal
and social circumstances. The book includes the pivotal episodes of
Jefferson’s life as a founding father and takes readers deeper
into Jefferson’s private life, including his long relationship
with slave Sally Hemings. A longtime editor of American Heritage,
E.M. Halliday is also the author of several books and articles.
Virgin Spring
by G. “Nick” Buffington Jr. ’44
Pony-Up Press
Nick Buffington’s first novel tells the coming-of-age story of
Nic, a rebellious Midwestern teenager who follows his passion to become
a rodeo cowboy. Nic’s colorful adventures unfold amidst the romance
and magic of the U.S. Southwest in the 1940s. After a career practicing
law in New York City and Washington, D.C., Nick Buffington now lives
in Santa Fe, N.M.
2004
by Donald A. Gordon ’52
Xlibris
Set in the early part of this century, Don Gordon’s first novel
tells a tale of political intrigue leading up to the 2004 U.S. presidential
election. The characters’ scheme to unite Independent voters
into a coherent force sets the stage for a fast-paced adventure and
resulting national crisis. Gordon is an instructor at the Rocky Mountain
College of Art and Design in Denver.
Lesbian Couples: A Guide to Creating
Healthy Relationships
by G. Dorsey Green ’67 and
D. Merilee Clunis
Seal Press
This reissue of a widely acclaimed guide for lesbians in relationships
has been updated to reflect the current cultural and political climate.
It covers relevant issues such as living arrangements, work, money,
communication and conflict resolution, and presents useful examples
of problem-solving techniques. Dorsey Green is a psychologist in private
practice in Seattle. She leads workshops on lesbian relationships
and parenting.
Writing History: A Guide for Students
by William K. Storey ’83
Oxford University Press
Bill Storey’s useful guidebook about how to write about history
evolved from experiences he had while teaching writing courses at
Harvard. This concise manual succinctly addresses practical issues
historians face: finding a topic, conducting research, interpreting
source materials, constructing arguments and writing precisely. Bill
Storey is a professor of history at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss.
Creative
Spirit:
Toward a Better World
by Alexander Blackburn ’47
Creative Arts Book Company
Offering evidence from mythology and literature, as well as from new
discoveries in neuropsychology, Creative Spirit explores the imagination
and argues that literature is directly relevant to life. One reviewer
called it “required reading by any writer, teacher of writers
or anyone else interested in the state of the literary endeavors of
our culture.” Blackburn lives in Colorado Springs, Colo., and
is the author of numerous books of fiction and nonfiction.
The Big Dig:
Reshaping an American City
by Peter Vanderwarker ’65
Little, Brown and Company
Respected architectural photographer Peter Vanderwarker has once again
captured stunning images—this time of Boston’s rebuilding
of its central highway artery. His breathtaking photographs clearly
tell the story of the largest and most complex construction project
in American history. Vanderwarker lives in Newton, Mass., and runs
Peter Vanderwarker Photographs, known for its large collection of
architectural images of U.S. and European cities.
Golf
Made Difficult
by Tom Trowbridge ’60
Three Bridges Press
This charming little book, written in rhyming couplets, provides comic
relief for those struggling to learn the intricacies of golf. The
author describes it as “something of a Dr. Seussian approach
to the game.” Between golf games, Trowbridge practices law in
New York City and writes essays that have appeared in The New York
Times and in Ask Your Mother: Family Life and Other Impossible Situations.
Tidewaters of the Connecticut River: An Explorer’s Guide to Hidden
Coves and Marshes
Chapters by Carol Hardin Kimball ’53 and others
River’s End Press
This beautifully illustrated guidebook sets out to help readers appreciate
the natural and cultural heritage of the Tidewaters region of the
Connecticut River. Its overview chapters cover the river’s geology,
prehistory and history, tidal wetland vegetation, birds, fish and
river fauna. Subsequent chapters explore the various creeks, coves
and points of the river. Charter Trustee Emerita Carol Kimball lives
in Lyme, Conn., and works as a financial consultant.Generous Helpings:
Six
Stories
of California, Calamity and Love
by John M. Daniel ’60
Shoreline Press
The six stories in John M. Daniel’s new collection take place
on the California Coast in piano bars, seedy hotels, makeshift recording
studios—settings for fading dreams of glory. Earthquakes, fires
and floods and urban riots add to the mix. Daniel, a novelist, short-story
writer and editor, is also a small-press literary book publisher in
Santa Barbara, Calif.
Burma:
The Curse of Independence
by Shelby Tucker ’53
Stylus Publishing, LLC
In his first book, Shelby Tucker described his walk through Burma
with Kachin insurgents as his guides. In this book he paints a picture
of the cultural and psychological diversity of Burma’s many races
and how historical events have caused the country’s downward
spiral into misrule, mistreatment of minorities and drug trafficking.
Trained as a trial lawyer, Tucker is the author of Among Insurgents:
Walking Through Burma. He resides in Oxford, England.
Breaking Eight
by Maya Cointreau ’92
iUniverse.com, Inc.
Maya Cointreau’s first novel is written from the points of view
of two women, a perceptive first-year college student and a 45-year-old
liberal-minded teacher. Cointreau provides insights into current youth
culture and compares it to that of a generation past. Cointreau lives
on a farm in Connecticut and runs Earth Lodge Herbals, feed supplements
for horses and dogs, while working on her second novel.
These
capsule reviews were prepared by Sharon Magnuson and Paula Trespas. |
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