Compiled
by Carol Schaal '91M.A.
Hot Lights, Cold Steel: Life, Death and Sleepless Nights
in a Surgeon's First Years, Michael J. Collins, M.D.,
'71 (St. Martin's Press). A fast-paced memoir of the fear,
heartbreak, humor and triumph of the author's four-year residency
in orthopedic surgery. Can that young boy's leg be saved? How
do you tell a woman she has widespread cancer? And when do you
stop being bone tired? "We were learning that all the training
and all the caring in the world were not going to solve every
problem," Collins writes. What he also learns is the role he truly
plays as a doctor, a role in which compassion is integral to the
treatment.
Commander of All Lincoln's Armies: A Life of General
Henry W. Halleck, John F. Marszalek '63M.A., '68Ph.D.
(Harvard University Press). The general known for his failure
in leading the Union troops from 1862 to 1864 as Lincoln's chief
war adviser comes under the microscope in this biography. Halleck's
early achievements ranged from his service in Mexican War battles
to his writing on military theory to his highly regarded work
as a lawyer and as an entrepreneur. While these successes earned
Halleck an early reputation as a man of action, the author analyzes
what he sees as the psychological traits that led to Halleck's
inability to make important wartime decisions.
Cast of Shadows, Kevin Guilfoile '90
(Knopf). In this philosophical thriller set in the near future,
a fertility doctor grieves over the murder of his daughter. When
he acquires DNA found at the scene, he decides to clone the unknown
man who beat and strangled his daughter. The distraught father
hopes one day to look into the face of the genetic replica of
the killer and try to understand what drove him to his vicious
act. The unsettling plot gives rise to questions of free will
and evil, nature and nurture, science and religion.
How to Save for College, Joseph Russo and
Jim Belvin (Random House/Princeton Review). Russo, director
of student financial services at Notre Dame, and Belvin, director
of financial aid at Duke University, offer advice on investments,
prepayment plans, education tax benefits, loans and other topics.
From "Determining Financial Need" to "Okay, So We Didn't Save
Enough. Now What?" the chapters guide parents through saving strategies.
The book offers detailed information on government programs, including
the 529 savings plan, and educational loans.
Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman,
Jamie Reidy '92 (Andrews McMeel Publishing). The self-proclaimed
slacker, who spent four years in pharmaceutical sales, here serves
up a stimulating dose of the legal business of selling drugs.
The methods drug reps use to promote their products can vary from
quixotic to informative, the author reveals as he takes readers
behind the scenes in this comedic and at times X-rated expose.
DVD
A Man for All Generations: Life's Lessons from Fr. Ted
Hesburgh, CSC, DVD produced by the Notre Dame Alumni
Association (New Group Media). In this 30-minute
film, Father Hesburgh, Notre Dame president emeritus, shares his
reflections on such topics as tolerance, fear, honesty, coping
with loss, prayer and facing death. Available in DVD and VHS format.
For more information visit http://alumni.nd.edu/letter.html.
Books in brief:
The Biblical Truth about America's Death Penalty,
Dale S. Recinella '76J.D. (Northeastern University Press).
Does the Bible support capital punishment? The author analyzes
scripture and looks at how the death penalty functions today.
Runaway Eating: The 8-Point Plan to Conquer Adult Food
and Weight Obsessions, Cynthia M. Bulik '82 and Nadine
Taylor (Rodale). The authors discuss eating problems developed
by women in midlife and present a patient-tested plan for breaking
free of diet and weight obsessions.
John F. Kennedy: A Biography, Michael O'Brien
'65 (Thomas Dunne Books). A new consideration of the popular
president's strengths and shortcomings. Includes 16 pages of photos.
Shipshewana: An Indiana Amish Community, Dorothy
O. Pratt '95M.A., '97Ph.D. (Quarry Books). A cultural history
of the third-largest settlement of Old Order Amish in the world
and how they remain "a people apart." The author is assistant
dean for the ND College of Arts and Letters.
Golden Boy, Paul Hornung '57, as told to
William F. Reed (Simon & Schuster). "My life was all
about games, girls, gambling and gin joints," and here the Heisman
winner takes readers behind the scenes of that life.
Conversations with Audre Lorde, edited by
Joan Wylie Hall '70M.A., '76Ph.D. (University Press of Mississippi).
This gathering of 21 interviews with the African-American writer
and activist reveals the many sides of a critic of injustice.
The Encyclopedia of African American Military History,
William Weir '50 (Prometheus Books). More than 300 entries
highlight the military service of African Americans from the Revolutionary
War to the present.
Earth-Friendly: Re-Visioning Science and Spirituality
through Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, and Rudolf Steiner,
Adrian M. Hofstetter, O.P., '52M.A., '56Ph.D. (Lindisfarne
Books). A collection of essays exploring the interplay of science
and the sacred.
Separatist Christianity: Spirit and Matter in the Early
Church Fathers, David A. Lopez '93 (Johns Hopkins
University Press). A view of the relationship between early Christians
and the Roman empire.
The Four Winners: The Head, The Hands, The Foot, The
Ball, Knute Rockne '14 (Once-and-Future Books).
A re-issue of the famed football coach's only novel. Originally
published in 1925 for a young adult audience, the story follows
the challenges that beset a young football player.
Tough Choices: Bringing Moral Issues Home, Sean
Lynch '98, '00M.Ed., and Brian O'Brien '00M.Ed. (Ave Maria
Press). An educational resource designed for use in Catholic schools
or youth programs. A general overview of issues is followed by
several "moral dilemma" scenarios and questions that teens can
discuss with their parents and the class.
Faith and Fortune: The Quiet Revolution to Reform American
Business, Marc Gunther (Crown Business). The
stories of corporations that believe "doing good is good business."
Father Oliver F. Williams, CSC, '61, '69M.A., a Notre Dame management
professor, is among those interviewed.
The Last Slider, Peter K. Connolly
(Trafford Publishing). The launch of a nuclear submarine provides
the background to this novel of suspense. The author attended
Notre Dame in the 1950s.
Just Deserts, Ralph Wright '50 (Xlibris).
In this novel of lies and deception, love and second chances,
a college fund-raiser faces mounting personal and professional
problems.
(April 2005)
