FICTION
The Qwikpick Adventure Society (Dial Books for Young Readers, 2007) by Sam Riddleburger (Tom Angleberger '92) chronicles the exploits of three friends who spend their free time hanging out at the local Qwikpick store. They make it their mission to set eyes on a famous fountain before its scheduled demolition at the Crickensburg Wastewater Treatment Plant. The story is based on a real life "sludge fountain" in Christiansburg, Va. One friend narrates the adventure -- with pictures, maps and handwritten notes on notebook paper provided by the other characters. The novel offers a humorous and sewage-filled look into the lives of kids growing up in small-town America.
Floating Midnight (River Lily Press, 2007) is the debut collection of short stories from Michael G. Richards '87. The stories cover a broad range of topics; the title story alone conveys the struggles of growing up as an adolescent as well as the painful memories that adults live with and the subsequent lessons that can be learned. Many of Richards' works discuss the complex experience of coming into manhood. Novelist William O'Rourke describes the volume as "an original mix," full of stories that are "both gritty and elegant."
The Law Clerk (Kent State University Press, 2007) is a novel by Scott Douglas Gerber '83. Gerber tells the tale of Sam Grimes, a law school student suffering from a romance gone sour. Looking for escape, Grimes moves to Rhode Island to work as a clerk for a Providence judge. As fate would have it, Grimes finds himself entangled in both a new romance and a groundbreaking federal case concerning the son of a Mafia boss. By the end of Gerber's judicial thriller, we find that all of these seemingly incongruent elements collide. Scott Douglas Gerber teaches law at Ohio Northern University. He is the author of several books including The Declaration of Independence: Origins and Impacts (2002) and The Ivory Tower: A Novel (2002).
HISTORY
Susan Wise Bauer M.A. '94, Ph.D. '07 believes that history should be studied chronologically. In The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome (W.W. Norton, 2007), Bauer urges readers to make connections across countries and cultures linking Britain to the far coast of China. The book offers a complete chronological history of major human events all over the world, from the time of the Sumerian king Alulim to the fall of Rome. Each chapter includes a timeline and maps to help the reader make associations between simultaneous events transpiring in two very different and geographically separated countries like Britain and India. The book blends history with human emotions to reveal the relationships between various classes and people. Bauer combines historical events with the literature of the time, primary sources such as private letters, folklore and other materials to give the reader a human face of history and the causes behind world events.
Martha W. McCartney '59 offers an unrivaled set of data regarding Virginia's first settlers. Her book, Virginia Immigrants and Adventurers, 1607-1635: A Biographical Dictionary (Genealogical Publishing Company, 2007), reveals the brief stories of over 5,500 men, women and children who settled along the James and York rivers following the founding of the first English colony at Jamestown. McCartney provides annotated biographical sketches of the "original colonists." The reader may discover a colonist's origin, names of the ships they traveled on, spouse names, their residences, occupations, position in the colony, dates and circumstances of their death, and more; sometimes minute details about their life are also included. Cary Carson, retired vice president of the research division of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, said the work "connects the dots among the multitude of record collections. Tens of thousands of separate data points fit together to make whole lives, real lives … [it's] the largest congregation of Virginia founders since the colony's ‘ancient planters' took leave of James Fort."
NONFICTION
Staying Afloat: Life Aboard Houseboats, Barges and Liveaboards (Peanut Butter Publishing, 2004) by Jeri Callahan '57 offers a unique perspective on real estate. But there is something different about the houses of Callahan's interest. Indeed, the homes themselves are not located on land at all, but upon a bed of water. Throughout Staying Afloat, Callahan creates portraits of the lives and residences of those located along the Washington state coastline. In chapters like "Home At Last," Callahan chronicles couples who have traded in the confines of their previous homes for houses that, quite literally, float on water. In "Whose Lake Is This?," Callahan describes the problem of nonmigratory Canada geese and their disruption of cordial houseboat living. For the artistically inclined, the book also contains some drawings of houseboats to accompany the descriptions. Throughout Staying Afloat, Callahan weaves stories of those who choose to live on the water.
Bruce Caldwell '74 has edited a new edition of The Road to Serfdom (University of Chicago Press, 2007) by F. A. Hayek. Hayek's most well-known book, The Road to Serfdom began as a memo to the director of the London School of Economics in the early 1930s. Since then, the book has become an important reminder of the value of liberal democracy, and the dangers that war can pose for civil society. In a greater sense, The Road to Serfdom is a significant proclamation of the power of ideas. The new edition also contains an appendix of related documents. Published by the University of Chicago Press, the book is a second volume in a collection of Hayek's work. Caldwell is general editor of The Collected Works of F. A. Hayek.
In Quakerism: A Theology for Our Time (William Sessions Limited, 2007), Patricia A. Williams '75 presents an explanation of Quakerism for the everyday reader. Of specific mention is the Quaker doctrine of the Inward Light, whereby the main form of guidance rests in an inward, universal power to transform people into loving, compassionate beings. Of additional mention is the role of science in modern theology. Williams argues that, instead of hindering Quakerism, modern technology in fact assists it, which renders the religion particularly suitable to the present day. The book itself is divided into three parts: "The Stable Core: The Light Within," "Scripture: The Challenge of Rational Criticism," and "Science: The Encounter With Empirical Knowledge." Williams is the award-winning author of Doing Without Adam and Eve: Sociobiology and Original Sin, and has edited two volumes of writings on Quakerism.
Professor George W. Grayson J.D. '76 navigates mexico's political waters
George W. Grayson J.D. '76 has an eye on Mexican political luminary Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. In Mexican Messiah (The Pennsylvania State University Press, 2007), Grayson chronicles the extent of Obrador's life and accomplishments, from his childhood in Tabasco to his ascendance as Mexico's "legitimate president." Following his university studies, Obrador spent time living with a group of impoverished Chontal Indians. This helped solidify his reputation as a champion of the oppressed. After founding the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), Obrador used his newfound political stature to secure a position as the mayor of Mexico City. Despite the city's economic and criminal problems, Obrador made a significant difference through public works, political marches, and a tireless work schedule. Despite losing a close presidential election, Obrador became an incendiary political figure with sights on the 2012 election.
Throughout Mexican Messiah, Grayson paints Obrador as a "secular messiah, who ... preaches a doctrine of salvation by returning to the values of ... fairness for workers, Indian's rights, fervent nationalism and anti-imperialism." Mexican Messiah is available in both English- and Spanish-language versions.
In 2007, Grayson also published The Mexico-U.S. Business Committee: Catalyst for the North American Free Trade Agreement (Montrose Press, 2007), which provides a different perspective on the development of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Grayson opposes conventional wisdom that credits government officials for NAFTA. Instead, he believes that the Mexico-U.S. Business Committee (MEXUS) and its leader Rodman Rockefeller deserve the recognition for Mexico's entry into the World Trade Organization and its subsequent move away from protectionism. Through interviews with business and political leaders in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, Grayson highlights the behind-the-scenes efforts of MEXUS that contributed to NAFTA's conceptualization. He looks specifically at how Mexico's membership in the Bilateral Framework Agreement and General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade marked the beginnings of economic openness that led to NAFTA.
The William and Mary Alumni Magazine features books by alumni and faculty. Books published recently can be sent with any publicity materials to: William and Mary Alumni Magazine, P.O. Box 2100, Williamsburg, VA 23187. Due to limited space, it may be several issues before a notice is published.
