Things Seen and Unseen: A Catholic Theologian’s Notebook, Lawrence S. Cunningham (Sorin Books). During his two decades of teaching, the Notre Dame professor kept notebooks of what he calls “the vagrant workings of one theologian’s mind.” Here he shares excerpts that range from the scholarly to the personal to the popular, including reflections on the commercialization of spirituality, balancing work and family, and the quality of Church leadership.
Bloodthirsty, Flynn Meaney ’09 (Little, Brown and Company). In this send-up of the vampire-obsessed pop culture, a pale, bookish, sensitive teen decides the only way to become popular is to pretend to be one of the undead. As Finbar Frame embarks on his quest to be cool and get a date, he soon learns that reality can bite. The young adult novel is the fiction debut of Elizabeth Flynn Meaney.
Mink River, Brian Doyle ’78 (Oregon State University Press). The tale of a village on the Oregon coast and its people struggling through life with grace, this fiction debut has been called “Absolutely in the tradition of Northwest literature, richly imagined, distinctive, beautiful.” The author’s short story, “If Time Were Not a Moving Thing,” published in the spring 1987 issue of this magazine, was, he says, the genesis of this novel. Read the story.
The Gipper: George Gipp, Knute Rockne, and the Dramatic Rise of Notre Dame Football, Jack Cavanaugh (Skyhorse Publishing). “Win one for the Gipper” is a legendary ND phrase, but what’s the real story behind the talented athlete who died too young and the coach who turned a small Midwestern school into a national powerhouse? The veteran sportswriter, also author of the Pulitzer-prize nominated biography Tunney, takes readers back to the 1920s as he describes Gipp’s early family life and his relationship with the man who motivated him to football greatness.
Doing Life: A Biography of Elizabeth Jolley, Brian Dibble ’64 (University of Western Australia Press). The first book by celebrated British-born writer Jolley (1923-2007) was published when she was 53. She went on to publish more than a dozen more novels as well as short story collections and nonfiction, winning constant critical acclaim. This biography, which explores the Australian emigrant’s life, loves and literary work, was shortlisted for the 2009 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction.
The Notre Dame Book of Prayer, Notre Dame Office of Campus Ministry, edited by Heidi Schlumpf ’88 (Ave Maria Press). A collection of prayers for all occasions arranged around 12 iconic places on campus, including the grotto, the basilica, the lakes and the stadium, with photos by Matt Cashore ’94. A number of prayers and reflections are by ND faculty, staff, students and alumni, from Father Edward Malloy, CSC, Lou Holtz and Carol Ann Mooney to Kerry Temple ’74, John Monczunski and Kenneth Woodward ’57. Father Theodore M. Hesburgh, CSC, wrote the foreword; Father John I. Jenkins, CSC, the afterword.
Play Their Hearts Out: A Coach, His Star Recruit, and the Youth Basketball Machine, George Dohrmann ’95 (Ballantine). The Pulitzer-prize winning sportswriter spent eight years studying grassroots basketball and following the fortunes of an Amateur Athletic Union coach and his 9-year-old star recruit. He explores the often morally questionable workings of amateur basketball leagues as well as the personal stories of kids who are caught up in the system. Kirkus Reviews calls the book “A landmark achievement in basketball journalism.”
The Thousand, Kevin Guilfoile ’90 (Alfred A. Knopf). In this fast-paced thriller, Canada Gold, a gifted but troubled young woman whose father was recently killed, finds herself ensnared in the battle within a violent cabal of those descended from the original disciples of the Greek mathematician Pythagoras. The author’s previous novel was Cast of Shadows.
Networking Is a Contact Sport: How staying connected and serving others will help you grow your business, expand your influence — or even land your next job, Joe Sweeney ’84MBA, with Mike Yorkey (BenBella Books). The former sports agent shares his message for success through his 5/10/15 program, illustrated by examples from his own life. The book includes sections on networking for women and minorities, and discussions of the usefulness and handicaps of social networking sites.
Sacred Passion: The Art of William Schickel, Second Edition, Gregory Wolfe (University of Notre Dame Press). A chronicle of the artistic career of Schickel (1919-2009), a 1944 graduate of Notre Dame whose Living Water sculpture graces the ND grotto. His work as a painter, sculptor, architectural and furniture designer, and stained-glass artist was informed by his devotion to God. This edition offers news chapters on the artist’s recent contributions to the built environment in several communities and his recent paintings, as well as additional color images.
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Adventures in Daily Prayer: Experiencing the Power of God’s Love, Bert Ghezzi ’67Ph.D. (Brazos Press). After 45 years of starting each day with a prayer, the author knows the power of daily prayer. He shares his own experiences and advice with readers in 12 chapters, each ending with Think, Pray and Act questions to inspire further discussion and reflection.
The Hanging Tree, Bryan Gruley ’79 (Touchstone). Secrets and intrigue abound in Gruley’s sequel to his 2009 mystery novel Starvation Lake. Journalist Gus Carpenter investigates the puzzling death of his second cousin, Gracie, who was found hanging in a tree on the outskirts of their small town. But he uncovers startling secrets about his family’s past in the process. Starvation Lake was nominated for an Edgar Award for Best First Novel by the Mystery Writers of America.
City of Dust: Illness, Arrogance and 9/11, Anthony DePalma (FT/Pearson). DePalma, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, is the first to examine the devastating health effects on thousands of survivors, responders, cleanup workers and community residents in the aftermath of 9/11. The author was a visiting scholar at Notre Dame’s Kellogg Institute in 2003.
Awakening Vocation: A Theology of Christian Call, Edward P. Hahnenberg ’02Ph.D. (Liturgical Press). “Does God have a specific plan for each of us?” “What are the needs of the world that call us to respond?” The author seeks to answer these and other universal questions about vocation, while advocating a theology of grace and inclusion. Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ, author of Dead Man Walking, says: “By placing compassion and solidarity at the heart of discernment, Hahnenberg reminds us all of an important truth: We discover our deepest identity by walking with those in deepest need.”
Catherine of Siena: A Passionate Life, Don Brophy ’56 (BlueBridge). Catherine of Siena advised popes, campaigned for peace in Italy and worked to reform the Catholic Church during the turbulent period of the Hundred Years War and the Avignon papacy in 14th century Europe. Brophy chronicles the life of this passionate woman and saint, using excerpts from her own letters and her spiritual masterwork, The Dialogue.
Gays Ain’t Got a Civil Right to Get Married! (neither do straights), The Anonymous, MD, ’93 (Dog Ear Publishing). The Anonymous MD weighs in on the national debate about gay marriage and proposes a solution: remove the legal status of marriage entirely and grant civil unions to all. Using canon law and civil rights for support, he shows the reader how his solution would allow religious followers to maintain the sanctity of their beliefs while still providing legal rights to same-sex couples.
Thoreau The Land Surveyor, Patrick Chura ’85 (University Press of Florida). Henry David Thoreau is best known for his environmental writings, including the masterpiece about man’s relationship to nature, Walden. Chura here examines Thoreau’s life as a land surveyor, a man making his living off the land he wanted others to protect. The text is full of little-known details about Thoreau’s life, including his 1846 survey of Walden’s Pond, which served as the origin of Walden.
Why Choose the Liberal Arts? Mark William Roche (University of Notre Dame Press). In an age when students are choosing courses of study that will make them attractive to employers, Roche argues for the essential importance of a liberal arts education. He draws on 30 years of experience in higher education as a student, faculty member and administrator to connect the educator’s perspective to the practical needs and questions of students and their parents. The author is the Edmund P. Joyce, C.S.C., Professor of German Language and Literature and Concurrent Professor of Philosophy at Notre Dame.
Was Frankenstein Really Uncle Sam? Vol. XIII: Notes on the Point of the Declaration of Independence, Richard J. Rolwing ’64M.A. (Xlibris). One of 13 volumes on the Declaration of Independence, formatted in short essays that examine the document’s ethics, politics, philosophy and theology.
The Four Stages of the American Political Party System, Stephen A. Reed ’75M.A. (Kendall Hunt Publishing). Have you ever wondered which party formed first — the Democrats or the Republicans? Learn the answer to this and all your other questions about U.S. political parties in Reed’s latest publication.
Simone Weil and the Specter of Self-Perpetuating Force, E. Jane Doering (University of Notre Dame Press). This analysis of the notebooks and lesser-known essays of French philosopher Simone Weil examines her evolving thoughts on violence, war and injustice. The author is a professor and executive coordinator of the Teachers as Scholars program at Notre Dame.
Seating Matters: State of the Art Seating Arrangements, Paul O. Radde ’62 (Thriving Publications). Searching for a dynamic way to set up your meeting room? Radde’s book includes five principles for troubleshooting or setting up any room, as well as 71 example illustrations.
Bring on the Books for Everybody: How Literary Culture Became Popular Culture, Jim Collins (Duke University Press). From Oprah’s Book Club to iPads to movie adaptations of old British classics, literature has become cool again. Collins, a Notre Dame professor of Film, Television, and Theatre, examines the rising accessibility of literary culture in light of the ever-expanding digital culture.
Brand NFL: Making and Selling America’s Favorite Sport, Michael Oriard ’70 (University of North Carolina Press). A look at the development of football and the NFL and its place in U.S. life. The new 2010 paperback edition includes analysis of the offseason labor negotiations and their potential effects on the future of the sport, and how the NFL is dealing with the latest research on concussions and head injuries.
Numerical and Statistical Methods for Bioengineering: Applications in MATLAB, Michael King ’00Ph.D. (Cambridge University Press). As the first MATLAB-based numerical methods textbook for bioengineers, King’s book integrates concepts with statistical analysis. It also includes examples from clinical trials and bioinformatics, which generally are not found in other engineering numerical methods textbooks.
Beyond the Hedge, K.A. Wolberg ’87Ph.D. (Tate Publishing). In her first foray into young adult fiction and fantasy literature, Wolberg uses imagery, symbolism and myth to illustrate the importance of choosing between good and evil. When Missy Fletcher goes through the hedge behind her house, she finds herself in a magical world of mythical creatures and adventures.
Angel and Diesel, A Change in Family Plans, Joseph Lakatos ’90 (New Hanover Printing and Publishing). Diesel the dog is determined to bring some extra fun into the McQueen family’s Saturday plans, reminding the reader that there is nothing more important than quality family time. Lakatos, a follicular lymphoma survivor, wrote and illustrated this children’s book with his 9-year-old son, Dillon. The net proceeds will support The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
A Century of Detection: Twenty Great Mystery Stories, 1841-1940, John Gruesser ’81 (McFarland). Featuring mystery stories by Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle and Ralph Ellison, Gruesser offers a survey of the mystery genre during the crucial years of its initial development. The book is divided into six sections, each with an introduction and analysis, and could be used as a textbook for professors teaching detective fiction or as an anthology for any mystery lover.
Thrillers: 100 Must Reads, David Morrell and Hank Wagner ’82 (Oceanview Publishing). Some of the greatest modern thriller writers and critics have collaborated to produce essays about the 100 best literature thrillers, from the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur to The DaVinci Code. Along with editing the volume, Wagner contributed three essays about the novels Koko, The Tears of Autumn and Marathon Man.
What a Tall Tale! (A Book of Meditations), Ed Hoffman ‘51 (PublishAmerica). Reflecting on Scripture, prayer and his own life experience, Hoffman takes the reader on a journey through 52 short meditations on life and death. Selections include, “Be Still and Know,” “What Do I Want?” and “Never Ask for More Time.”
Domestic Violence in Postcommunist States: Local Activism, National Policies, and Global Forces, edited by Katalin Fabian ’90M.A. (Indiana University Press). Using research compiled with the help of nine other scholars and activists from post-Communist countries, Fabian analyzes how domestic violence has emerged as a significant public policy issue in Europe and Eurasia. She focuses on the influence of women’s groups, human rights activists and other nongovernmental groups on the development of state policies and public perception of the issue.
Contemporary Women’s Movements in Hungary: Globalization, Democracy, and Gender Equality, Katalin Fabian ’90M.A. (Woodrow Wilson Center and Johns Hopkins University Press). The post-Communist period brought many changes to the lives of women in Hungary, with state policies that raised women’s political and economic welfare being replaced with an opportunity to participate freely in democratic institutions and the market economy. Fabian examines these changes and their impact on women and women’s organizations in Hungary.
The Language of Branding, John F. Gaski ’71, ’73MBA (Nova Publishers). Branding is one of the most important, yet also frustrating, facets of the marketing world. Notre Dame marketing professor John Gaski explores some of these issues, including semantic problems with the word brand and the usefulness of the entire concept.