In Dulci Jubilo: Songs of Christmas for Guitar and Voice, Kevin McCormick ’90, Rachel McCormick (Mirabilis Records). The father-daughter duo, with guitar and voice by Kevin and voice by Rachel, celebrates the mystery and glory of Advent and Christmas through 14 songs. “Silent Night” and other classics are joined by lesser known hymns such as “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming,” “See, Amid the Winter’s Snow” and “El Noi de la Mare.”
Crime Rib, Leslie Budewitz ’84 (Berkley Prime Crime). A follow-up to the 2013 Agatha Award for Best First Novel winner, Death al Dente, this second food-lovers’ village mystery continues the exploits of Erin Murphy. The heroine owns a gourmet food market in Jewel Bay, Montana, and when a local chef is killed she grills some suspects to smoke out the killer. Budewitz is the first author to win an Agatha Award for both nonfiction and fiction.
The Dylanologists: Adventures in the Land of Bob, David Kinney ’94 (Simon & Schuster). All Bob Dylan’s fans really want to do is analyze him, categorize him — and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Kinney here dissects the subculture of rabid Dylan followers. While the story of those fans offers a revealing portrait of the artist and the cultural movements he helped create, it also presents an affectionate exploration of the meaning of fandom and the healing power of art.
The Spirit of Christmas at Notre Dame, Susan Mullen Guibert ’87, ’93M.A., Brendan O’Shaughnessy ’93, illustrated by Nicholas Gunty ’12 (Corby Books). On the eve of final exams, first-year ND student Grace is distressed. But a ride around campus in Santa’s sleigh helps her recapture the wonder of childhood Christmases past. This special Santa — who was inspired by Notre Dame’s iconic leader, Father Theodore Hesburgh, CSC —reveals how the spirit of Notre Dame evokes feelings of family warmth, enchantment and spiritual comfort.
Holy Smokes! Golden Guidance from Notre Dame’s Championship Chaplain, Paul Dykewicz (Xulon Press). For around 40 years, Father James Riehle, CSC, ’49, ’78MNA served as a spiritual leader for Notre Dame student-athletes. With stories from former coaches and such players as Raghib Ismail ’94 and Joe Theismann ’71, the author highlights the life and advice of the cigar-smoking hockey fan whose priestly presence inspired, motivated and guided many.
Creative works web extra
Timberos Del Norte, Timberos Del Norte (Mr. Pauly). A CD of Cuban dance music from composer-producer Paul Matthews ’94, trombonist Raul “Ralo” Vallejo and some of Cuba’s finest vocalists. The group mixes elements of funk, R&B, jazz and rock with traditional Cuban styles to showcase the evolving musical genre called Timba.
Songs of the Deliverer: A Modern Day Story of Christ, Elvo Fortunato Bucci ’77 (CreateSpace). You only need the Bible to learn about Jesus, the author says, but in this fictional work he gives readers an opportunity to engage Christ in a modern day and experience spirituality in a new way. The website songsofthedeliverer.com offers a recording of one of the songs used in the book.
Time Bomber, Robert P. Wack ’83 (Boissevain Books). World War II and time travel are combined in this historical novel, which features real-life mathematician and pilot Willem Jacob van Stockum. Set in France, the novel depicts both the bravery and sacrifice of soldiers who fought for the Allied nations during the war’s final days and expands to a “what if” scenario of making choices based on time travel.
Interpreting Abraham: Journeys to Moriah, edited by Bradley Beach and Matthew Powell ’91 (Fortress Press). In this collection of essays, writers explore the 19-verse Biblical story of Abraham and Isaac. They discuss questions of family, loyalty, faith and choices, and look at the changing interpretations of the Akedah text over time. The interpretations of such varied thinkers as Kant, Kierkegaard, Kafka and Derrida also are discussed here.
Children and Other Wild Animals, Brian Doyle ’78 (Oregon State University Press). Through short vignettes, the author explorers the astonishing variety of life on this planet. With notes on badgers, otters, sons, hawks, daughters, dogs, bears, inebriated robins, parrots, tigers and other zoological matters, these reflections embrace the joy of seeing and savoring life’s astounding beings.
Classrooms and Clinics: Urban Schools and the Protection and Promotion of Child Health, 1870-1930, Richard A. Meckel ’70 (Rutgers University Press). The goal of public school health policies in the later 19th and early 20th century, says the author, was to improve students’ academic performance by improving their health,. He charts and explains the changes various policies underwent through time, and looks at how such policies resulted in the partial medicalization of American primary education.
Into the Dark, Christopher Sokol ’09J.D. (CreateSpace). This thriller follows the frightening adventures of 16-year-old Alison Hightower. On the anniversary of her father’s death, Alison discovers a mysterious piece of sheet music. As she and her friend Christian Sutcliffe begin to investigate the piece of music, they come face-to-face with an ancient evil.
Powerful Vegan Messages: Out of the Jungle for the New Generation, H. Jay Dinshah and Anne Dinshah ’91 (American Vegan Society). Five editions of Out of the Jungle were published by H. Jay Dinshah, who died in 2000. Here his daughter presents an updated, expanded, renamed version that work. The book introduces veganism and offers tips on how to live a compassionate lifestyle that does not harm animals.
Slow Viscous Flow, William E. Langlois ’53 and Michel O. Deville (Springer). This book on hydrodynamics was first published 50 years ago; a revised and expanded second edition is now available. It offers coverage on such topics as the second principle of thermodynamics, time dependent flows, plane periodic solutions and corner eddies, as well as an analysis of the Stokes operator.
Shakespeare’s Medieval Craft: Remnants of the Mysteries of the London Stage, Kurt A. Schreyer ’92, ’01M.A. (Cornell University Press). The author explores the relationship between the mystery play tradition from the late medieval period and Shakespeare’s work. He uses the 16th century Chester Banns, a document that called for the continued performance of the mystery plays, “to uncover the material connections between Shakespeare’s stage and the mysteries.”
The Visitor: André Palmeiro and the Jesuits in Asia, Liam Matthew Brockey ’94 (Belknap Press). He was nicknamed “Father Visitor,” and the priest spent nine years traveling throughout three continents during the 17th century to inspect Jesuit missions. Called “a global history in the guise of a biography,” this account of Palmeiro’s journeys east highlights the collision of East and West in the early modern era.
God Overheard: Take Five! Brief Daily Reflections on the mystery of faith, life, love and Grace Paschal Baute ’57 (Baute Publishing). While scientists are accepting the mystery of faith, people of faith are accepting scientific precepts of evolution. The author explores the challenges of a personal faith that can embrace reality, and sustain and empower resilience.
Under Chad’s Spell Michael Varga ’85M.A. (CreateSpace). Charlene and Madison, two idealistic Peace Corps volunteers, are serving in Chad, Africa, in the turbulent 1970s when civil war breaks out. Written by a former Peace Corps volunteer and Foreign Service officer, the novel also highlights the people and culture of Chad.
Sports Medicine, Notre Dame: The Life and Times of a Sports Medicine Specialist at the University of Notre Dame, Leslie M. Bodnar, M.D. (Corby Books). A physician for the Notre Dame football team from 1949 to ‘85, the orthopaedic surgeon talks about the experiences of working with seven different football head coaches, from Frank Leahy to Gerry Fast, and the changes in the treatment of injuries through the years.
Dark Light of Love, John S. Dunne (University of Notre Dame Press). The beloved ND theology professor, who died in 2013, left behind several unpublished manuscripts. Dark Light of Love represents the first volume to be published after the priest’s death. Here Dunne examines darkness as a metaphor, and continues his quest of faith seeking understanding, shining a light on the puzzles that perplex each of us.
Institutional Racism, Organizations, and Public Policy, James D. Ward, Mario A. Rivera ’77M.A., ’83Ph.D. (Peter Lang International Publishers). In today’s workplace, barriers and procedures that disadvantage ethnic minority groups still exist. In this Black Studies and Critical Thinking release, the authors propose that racism in both the public and nonprofit sectors does not necessarily result from institutional bias but from self-perpetuating processes.
Lose Your Inches Without Losing Your Mind! 10 Simple Weeks to a Slimmer Waistline and a Healthier You, Justine SanFilippo ’00 (River Grove Books). The author says she wanted to lose 45 pounds and four dress sizes but became frustrated by the diets she tried. Here she shares the balanced plan that worked for her, and includes tips, tricks, motivational thoughts and worksheets. Her blog, with fitness and nutrition tips, can also be found at happyhealthypeople.com/.
An Irish-American Odyssey: The Remarkable Rise of the O’Shaughnessy Brothers, Colum Kenny (University of Missouri Press). Their impoverished parents fled the 1840s famine in Ireland, but the four brothers — James; Francis, ND class of 1900; Martin, who attended ND from 1896 to 1899 and served as captain of its basketball team; and John — found determination and effort would pay off in the land of opportunity. They left their mark in art, advertising, journalism and public service, and the family’s relationship with Notre Dame continues to this day.
Carol Schaal ’91M.A. is managing editor of this magazine.