compiled by Carol Schaal
Running into the Arms of God: Stories of Prayer, Prayer as Story, by Patrick Hannon, CSC, ’88M.Div. (ACTA Publications). The Holy Cross priest here shares the experiences that speak to him of prayer. In 21 stories of work, of love, of pain and hope and family, he finds that each lived moment “holds forth the possibility of our being found by the God of Creation who because of His very nature searches us out.” Each chapter is organized around the liturgical hours of the monastic day. The foreword is by Brian Doyle ’78, editor of Portland Magazine.
Jacques and Raïssa Maritain: Beggars for Heaven, Jean-Luc Barré, translated by Bernard E. Doering (University of Notre Dame Press). A notable biography of Jacques, the “young radical agnostic,” and Raïssa, the “non-practicing Jewish immigrant from Russia,” who met at a demonstration for human rights, converted to Catholicism in 1906, and began an intense life of study, prayer, scholarly writing and pursuit of social justice. First published in France in 1995, it is now available in this English translation by Doering, an ND emeritus professor of Romance Languages and Literatures.
Touchdown Jesus: Faith and Fandom at Notre Dame, Scott Eden ’97 (Simon & Schuster). The identity of the University with football is investigated in this chronicle of Notre Dame’s 2004 football season, with its fans, fanaticism and, of course, its famous firing. The author looks at the entwining of religion and sport and at the politics played on and off the field as he serves up in-depth profiles of University leaders and the devoted fans who congregate to cheer and jeer, hope and pray.
The CIA and Congress: The Untold Story from Truman to Kennedy, David M. Barrett ’73, ’90Ph.D. (University Press of Kansas). The politics of the Cold War come to life in this detailed and colorful history. Thanks to newly declassified documents, interviews with former officials and research at several archives, the author was able to construct an unprecedented perspective on the relationship between Congress and the CIA from the agency’s inception in 1947 to the planning of the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961.
What Would Satan Do? Cartoons about right, wrong, and very, very wrong, Pat Byrnes ’81 (Harry N. Abrams, Inc.). An Entertainment Weekly “Must List” choice, this devilish collection of cartoons pokes fun at the morals, ethics and rationalizations of contemporary society. “It doesn’t count if it’s in a salad,” the snake tells Eve as she holds a bowl of lettuce and apple slices. “What’s our policy on honesty?” an executive on speaker phone asks. A moral compass that always points south, the author notes, “can help you find your way as surely as one that points the other way.” And can help you laugh, too.
How the Other Half Worships, Camilo Jose Vergara ’68 (Rutgers University Press). This oversized collection of four-color photographs of 300 churches and the people who worship at them presents a trenchant interpretation of Christianity in the nation’s blighted inner cities. The author, a renowned photographer and sociologist and a recipient of a MacArthur Genius Grant, mixes quotes from congregation members and church officials with his own analysis, providing a rich tapestry of the lived life of the religious poor.
Books in brief:
The Power of Less: Essays on Poetry & Public Speech, Samuel Hazo ’49 (Marquette University Press). The author investigates the visionary nature of poems, their ability to “startle us into the present and keep us there as long as we are in their grip.”
King James: Driven, Bill Rosemann ’93, Scott Eaton, Drew Hennessey (DC Comics). The latest adventure as a globe-trotting secret agent of basketball superstar LeBron James. For additional episodes of the comic see www.flava23.com/.
At First Sight, Nicholas Sparks ’88 (Warner Books). The master of romance continues the story of a couple introduced in True Believer, as Jeremy Marsh ponders love and the relationship that changed his life.
Echoes of Notre Dame Football: The Greatest Stories Ever Told, edited by John Heisler (Triumph Books). A foreword by coach Charlie Weis ‘78 kicks off this collection of accounts by sportswriters from Damon Runyon to David Haugh to Rick Telander as they document memorable games, profile coaches and players, and attempt to describe the ND mystique.
Jeannette Rankin: A Political Woman, James J. Lopach ’67M.A., ’68M.A., ’73Ph.D., and Jean A. Luckowski (University Press of Colorado). This definitive biography of the first woman elected to Congress explores her complexities and accomplishments.
The Dodger Fan’s Little Book of Wisdom, Kathleen McKernan ’89 (Taylor Trade Publishing). Facts, trivia and amusing quotes for true-blue fans of the L.A. Dodgers.
Innovative Approaches to Undergraduate Mathematics Courses Beyond Calculus, edited by Richard J. Maher ’65 (The Mathematical Association of America). A look at new methods for the mathematics instructor who wants to challenge, encourage and captivate students.
The Naked Duke, Sallie MacKenzie ’76 (Zebra Books). A Regency romance featuring a naive woman who travels from Philadelphia to England to find her brother and instead finds love and danger.
Between You and Me: A Memoir, Mike Wallace, Gary Paul Gates ’57 (Hyperion). This second memoir from_ 60 Minutes_ newsman Wallace again was co-written with Gates, who once worked for CBS News. The book includes a 90-minute DVD of some of Wallace’s interviews.
The Phantom Letters: Motivation at Notre Dame in the Parseghian Era, Tom Pagna (Hardwood Press). A collection of the letters signed by “The Phantom” that appeared in players’ lockers on the Monday prior to a football game. Pagna was an assistant coach under Ara Parseghian, who contributes the preface for this book.
Sometimes Form Sometimes Vessel: A Collection of Poetry, David Michael Belczyk ’03 (Xlibris). The poems here explore identity and celebrate the dignity of humanity. More information is at www.davidbelczyk.com.
Captain John Smith: Jamestown and the Birth of the America Dream, Dorothy Hoobler and Thomas Hoobler’64 (Wiley). The history and amazing adventures of the man who helped found the Jamestown settlement. The authors examine the truth behind the Pocahontas story.
The Irish in Toledo: History and Memory, edited by Seamus Metress ’55 and Molly Schiever (University of Toledo Urban Affairs Center Press). The history of the Irish in the Toledo area is detailed, followed by personal stories and memories of the immigrants’ lives in Ohio.
The Illustrated American Tourist Guide to English English, Second Edition, J. Eric Smithburn (AuthorHouse). The Notre Dame law professor here gives Yanks a peek at vocabulary so they don’t feel “two an’ eight” (anxious) when they converse with Brits.
Guadalupe and Her Faithful: Latino Catholics in San Antonio, from Colonial Origins to the Present, Timothy Matovina (Johns Hopkins University Press). A study of the tradition of devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe as it is lived out by the parishioners of San Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio. The author teaches theology at Notre Dame, where he also directs the Cushaw Center for the Study of America Catholicism.
Bridging the Gap Between Christianity & Mysticism, Ann Albers ’86 (lulu.com). A discussion of the role Jesus plays in how to understand one’s mystical nature.
The Bottom Line, Matt Welsh ’04 (Satori Group). This novel of a young man’s search for a more fulfilling existence also serves as a guide for those interested in questions of spirituality.