Books by Alums

Shakespeare & Violence Prevention: A Practical Handbook for Educators

Julia Maclean — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 16:33:19 +0000

Shakespeare & Violence Prevention: A Practical Handbook for Educators Julia Maclean Wed, 07/09/2025 - 10:33

By Amanda Giguere (Thtr'10)

(University of Wyoming Press; 278 pages; 2025)

Shakespeare and Violence Prevention is a handbook that guides educators through an exploration of Shakespeare’s potential to address the public health issue of youth violence. Amanda Giguere presents Shakespeare’s plays as a tool to understand, address root causes of, and prevent violence in our own communities. Performance-based engagement with the plays in an educational setting allows student

s to explore violence-prevention strategies, practice empathy, and build safer communities. Youth violence is an all too relevant topic, and this text helps educators, theatre companies, and academic theatre departments understand new ways in which the performing arts can positively impact young people.

Framed by examples from Giguere’s work with the Shakespeare & Violence Prevention program, an interdisciplinary outreach project for K–12 schools developed at the ɫ��ֱ��, the text offers helpful entry points, digestible research, and practical exercises to align a violence-prevention curriculum with Shakespeare’s plays. It provides a condensed overview of key findings from violence prevention, clear synopses of the plays, and practicable strategies to implement the program. Guided by firsthand experience with a tried-and-true school program that reaches thousands of K–12 students annually, Giguere shares the Colorado Shakespeare Festival method, which focuses on “upstander” roleplays to practice violence-prevention strategies. Using a clear distillation of Shakespeare studies and violence-prevention research, she shows how the two fields naturally reinforce the concepts of teamwork, empathy, change, and hope.

Shakespeare and Violence Prevention is a handbook that guides educators through an exploration of Shakespeare’s potential to address the public health issue of youth violence.

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Silver Echoes: A Historical Roaring Twenties Novel

Julia Maclean — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 16:24:41 +0000

Silver Echoes: A Historical Roaring Twenties Novel Julia Maclean Wed, 07/09/2025 - 10:24

By Rebecca Rosenberg (Engl; Psych'76)

(Lion Heart Publishing; 379 pages; 2025)

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Chicago, 1920s: Movie starlet Silver Dollar Tabor's glittering life shatters after a brutal attack awakens a hidden self who threatens to take over. Running from a vicious attack, Silver Dollar plunges into the city's dangerous underworld of burlesque speakeasies. The lines between ambition and destruction blur, testing her love for screenwriter Carl. This Jazz Age, Prohibition-era tale explores the dark side of fame and the fragility of identity.

Colorado, 1932: Haunted by Silver's disappearance, her mother, Baby Doe, fights to save their family's silver mine. A desperate search for her daughter unearths a shocking truth, rewriting their history. This dual timeline novel weaves a tale of resilience and the enduring bond between mother and daughter.

A Spellbinding Saga of Ambition, Identity, and Redemption. Based on a true story. From the dazzling heights of the Flapper era to the rugged legacy of silver mining, Rebecca Rosenberg's "Silver Echoes" delivers a gripping historical fiction experience. Baby Doe Tabor's relentless quest for truth unearths the secrets of Silver Dollar Tabor. Perfect for fans of strong women in historical novels and stories based on real events.

Chicago, 1920s: Movie starlet Silver Dollar Tabor's glittering life shatters after a brutal attack awakens a hidden self who threatens to take over.

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The Pilot's Wife

Julia Maclean — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 16:00:39 +0000

The Pilot's Wife Julia Maclean Wed, 07/09/2025 - 10:00

By Cynthia Anderson (Chin'87)

(Embla Books; 343 pages; 2025)

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1944. As darkness descends over Europe, nineteen-year-old Hedy chooses hope in the face of the ultimate evil that grips the continent and stalks the streets of her quiet Swiss hometown.

One night in the dark forest, with only the moonlight to guide her, Hedy stumbles across a wounded American airman. Second Lieutenant Samuel Reardon was dropping supplies to the French resistance when his plane crashed. Despite the grave danger it will bring to her family to harbour an Allied soldier, Hedy can't leave Samuel injured and alone, so she hides him in her father's mountain hut.

Hedy risks everything to care for Samuel in secret, and as burgeoning feelings grow between them, the danger of their resistance work becomes ever more deadly. And soon they will be faced with the ultimate choice that will tear them apart...

2018, America. Nineteen-year-old Gina looks at her grandmother's hands that tell the story of her whole life and wonders how much time they have left together. Since her mother died, Mamie Hedy is all Gina has left. But then her grandmother reveals a shocking secret that takes them back to her home in the Swiss mountains for the last time.

After all these years, can Gina and her grandmother find the key to unlock the secrets of their shared past?

1944. As darkness descends over Europe, nineteen-year-old Hedy chooses hope in the face of the ultimate evil that grips the continent and stalks the streets of her quiet Swiss hometown.

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Hair Shirt

Julia Maclean — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 17:20:36 +0000

Hair Shirt Julia Maclean Wed, 02/26/2025 - 10:20

By Adrian Sobol (MEngl'15)

(Malarkey Books; 2025)

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Hair Shirt, Adrian Sobol’s second full-length poetry collection, continues his particular take on poetry. Filled with trademark black humor and absurdity, these poems transport you to a world full of stand-up-performing ghosts, invincible donkeys, surrealist torch songs, murderous priests, horses that execute criminals with math, the bittersweet beauty of the midwest, and—arguably—too much sea. Through a variety of characters, scenarios, and lyrical deftness, HAIR SHIRT offers poems for those who have ever felt intense regret, got drunk on longing, and wondered what art could be found in a life surrounded by such existential debris.

HAIR SHIRT, Adrian Sobol’s second full-length poetry collection, continues his particular take on poetry. Filled with trademark black humor and absurdity, these poems transport you to a world full of stand-up-performing ghosts, invincible donkeys, surrealist torch songs, murderous priests, horses that execute criminals with math, the bittersweet beauty of the midwest, and—arguably—too much sea.

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The Blunder Years: A Boyhood Memoir

Julia Maclean — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 17:10:06 +0000

The Blunder Years: A Boyhood Memoir Julia Maclean Wed, 02/26/2025 - 10:10

By Phil Caragol (Comm'75)

(Rocketship Books; 266 pages; 2025)

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Step into the wildly entertaining world of The Blunder Years, a laugh-out-loud debut memoir by San Francisco Comicle editor and award-winning writer Phil Caragol. Growing up in the 1950s and ’60s, Caragol’s boyhood stories capture a comedy of errors fueled by undiagnosed ADHD, a strict Catholic family, and a knack for turning everyday life into awkward, clumsy, mortifying moments…all set in historical events of the era like the JFK assassination, the Moon Landing, the British Invasion, and the counterculture movement.

Caragol shares 31 true tales that capture the coming-of-age joy, chaos, and life lessons of a scatterbrained kid—like a botched Maypole dance in kindergarten, a Boy Scout Cuban Missile Crisis prank gone wrong, an embarrassing first-crush encounter with heartthrob actress Jayne Mansfield, and psychedelic trips (one involving an imaginary pterodactyl) in the hippie years. Through his missteps, Caragol reveals universal truths and life lessons that shaped him into the person he became—showing readers that even the most comical moments can carry deeper meaning.

Perfect for fans of David Sedaris (Me Talk Pretty One Day) and J.R. Moehringer (The Tender Bar), and complete with vintage family photos, this memoir is a time capsule of a generation and a must-read for anyone who loves a good laugh with a side of life’s valuable lessons. Rediscover the innocence, mischief, and meaning of youth in The Blunder Years—a memoir where things go hilariously wrong, but life always finds a way to get it right.

Step into the wildly entertaining world of The Blunder Years, a laugh-out-loud debut memoir by San Francisco Comicle editor and award-winning writer Phil Caragol.

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Stakeholder Whispering: Uncover What People Need Before Doing What They Ask

Julia Maclean — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 17:12:50 +0000

Stakeholder Whispering: Uncover What People Need Before Doing What They Ask Julia Maclean Wed, 02/19/2025 - 10:12

By Bill Shander (MAJour'93)

(Wiley; 1st edition, 320 pages; 2025)

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People don't know what they need. The wants we communicate to others are shaped by our subconscious and the familiar, and limited by what we think is possible. But they don't always reflect our actual needs.

In Stakeholder Whispering: Uncover What People Need Before Doing What They Ask, author Bill Shander demonstrates how to get from your stakeholders' "order"―what they're asking for―to what they really need. You'll learn how to uncover the needs and desires of your clients, colleagues, bosses, customers, and other stakeholders based on what they ask for and how they ask for it, and how to deliver products and services that meet those needs.

Inside the book:

Help your stakeholders accomplish their goals and make the best decisions possible by helping them see what they really need
Shift from executing on tactics driven by others' commands, to strategic action driven by underlying needs
Transform your organization from one filled with "order-takers" into one where people work collaboratively to meet goal-oriented requirements

Perfect for managers, executives, and other business leaders, Stakeholder Whispering will also earn a place on the bookshelves of entrepreneurs, founders, designers, product and project managers, UX experts, data and business analysts, and anyone else hoping to better meet the expectations of their coworkers, managers, clients, and customers.

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Around the World in 80 Years: A lifetime of extraordinary people and adventures

Julia Maclean — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 19:45:37 +0000

Around the World in 80 Years: A lifetime of extraordinary people and adventures Julia Maclean Mon, 02/10/2025 - 12:45

By Pat Peterson (Soc'60)

(Storytellers Publishing, 298 pages; 2024)

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Pat Peterson has always been an adventurer. This memoir is more than a simple retelling of adventures around the world, nor is it a travel guide. Rather, in her own words, Pat wanted to "...share the remarkable diversity of planet Earth and the people I have met around the world whose stories, along with my own, are worth knowing". From falling off of Long's Peak after a blizzard, camping in the USSR, dancing on the Red Rock's stage, teaching in Haiti, surviving scuba in Fiji, climbing Fuji, discovering Korea, walking though Machu Picchu and Patagonia, hitchhiking 25,000 kilometers in France, boating in Provence and British Columbia, experiencing a rescue in the Grand Canyon, fishing in the Yukon, meeting Martin Luther King, Jr., digging dinosaurs, recounting the story of the Bishop of Okinawa, summiting Kilimanjaro, and more. This chronology of her life and adventures over the years reads more like a movie combination of Ann Bancroft, Amelia Earhart, and a female Indiana Jones than a memoir.

Pat Peterson has always been an adventurer. This memoir is more than a simple retelling of adventures around the world, nor is it a travel guide.

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Closed Mouths Don't Get Fed: The recipe for asking and getting what you want in the workplace

Julia Maclean — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 19:35:22 +0000

Closed Mouths Don't Get Fed: The recipe for asking and getting what you want in the workplace Julia Maclean Mon, 02/10/2025 - 12:35

By TianEn Stephenson (Mgmt'11)

(Momentus Creative Group, 253 pages; 2024)

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Inspired by her parents’ sage advice that ‘Closed mouths don’t get fed,’ TianEn unlocked the secrets to career success: ask for what you want and speak up. In ‘Closed Mouths Don’t Get Fed,’ Stephenson shares her playbook for pursuing desires, securing ‘Yes!’ responses both professionally and personally. Balancing myriad roles—a wife, mother of four sons, career dynamo, diversity advocate, and mentor—she invites readers to join her journey.

Delving into the fear of rejection and unmet needs, Stephenson confronts common barriers to fulfillment. Through candid anecdotes and practical strategies, she empowers readers to overcome setbacks, embrace vulnerability, and share knowledge generously.

With actionable insights and simple tools, ‘Closed Mouths Don’t Get Fed’ equips readers to seize opportunities and embrace life’s abundance. Stephenson’s message is clear: with courage and persistence, you can fulfill your aspirations, chart your destiny, and savor life’s richness.

Inspired by her parents’ sage advice that ‘Closed mouths don’t get fed,’ TianEn unlocked the secrets to career success: ask for what you want and speak up.

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Global Goals: The International Hockey Life of U.S. Defenseman Eric Weinrich

Julia Maclean — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 17:08:23 +0000

Global Goals: The International Hockey Life of U.S. Defenseman Eric Weinrich Julia Maclean Wed, 02/05/2025 - 10:08

By Andy DeRoche (PhDHist'97)

(iUniverse, 220 pages; 2024)

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In Global Goals, author Andy DeRoche carefully examines the life of Eric Weinrich, who played in over 1,000 NHL games and represented the United States in more international hockey tournaments than any other player. Based on thorough research, this book details the actions of Eric “Weino” Weinrich on and off the ice during his over 30 years playing hockey. It also puts his career into the context of the final years of the Cold War in terms of US relations with the USSR. In addition to being a great athlete, “Weino” was a cultural ambassador who befriended former Soviet players such as Alexei Kasatonov. DeRoche is an old-fashioned historian who has written many previous books or articles, but what makes this work unique is that Eric Weinrich himself added considerable commentary in each chapter identified as “Weino’s Wisdom.”

After first playing hockey in Rumford, Maine in the late 1970s, “Weino” led North Yarmouth Academy to a state championship in 1985. He skated for the University of Maine Black Bears for over two full seasons, helping to build the Maine program into a national powerhouse. After he played in the 1988 Olympics for the USA, he went pro with the Utica Devils in the AHL. He moved up to the New Jersey Devils in 1990, and then enjoyed a long and successful career in the NHL in Chicago, Montreal, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and elsewhere. He ended his career on the ice as a player-coach for the Portland (Maine) Pirates and would later be inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame.

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Oilfield Roughneck to University President: Bruce Benson

Julia Maclean — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 18:32:53 +0000

Oilfield Roughneck to University President: Bruce Benson Julia Maclean Mon, 02/03/2025 - 11:32

By Ken McConnellogue (Jour'90)

(MBB 5280 Press, 542 pages; 2024)

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Bruce Benson was a man in a hurry. Born on the Fourth of July, he drew on a fierce work ethic learned on a World War II-era farm outside Chicago to propel him through his eventful and remarkable life. He overcame an early family upheaval and elusive educational success to attend an Ivy League university. Unsatisfied, he left school and hitchhiked West, where he worked as a roughneck in the Wyoming oil patch. He learned rigs from the ground up before earning a Geology degree at the University of Colorado, where he learned the science of what was below ground.

After early struggles, he used grit and savvy to build a prosperous oil and gas business. Its success allowed him to pursue his passion for making a difference in education, politics, philanthropy and community service. After his first marriage ended, he met and married his soulmate Marcy, whose journey before Bruce took her from Oklahoma to the White House, where she worked for Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. They were partners in all they did, and they did plenty, using deep commitment to elevate the fortunes of countless community organizations, causes and civic endeavors.

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