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Previews
Previews
by Anne Downey '95G
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Letters to Jackie: Condolences
from a Grieving Nation
Ellen Fitzpatrick
Ecco/Harper Collins, 2010
See at amazon.com
A few years ago, Ellen Fitzpatrick was pondering a research problem while on her way to Boston's Kennedy Library: where could she find material that would tell her what the average American thought of John Kennedy during his presidency? And then a memory from Jan. 14, 1964, surfaced—she was 11 and sitting in the living room of her Amherst, Mass., home with her parents and five siblings, watching Jacqueline Kennedy thank the nation for the thousands of letters she had received since her husband's assassination. "Whenever I can bear to, I read them," Mrs. Kennedy said in her brief television appearance. "All his bright light gone from the world."
"Of course," Fitzpatrick thought to herself. "The letters!" At the library, the archivist brought her a couple of boxes to sort through. "I was astounded by the richness of the collection," she remembers. She learned that of the 1.5 million letters Mrs. Kennedy received, 15,000 from Americans, among others, were kept. Fitzpatrick changed course—she had been researching a book on U.S. liberalism, but she decided that the letters, which had remained virtually untouched by scholars since 1965, deserved a book of their own.
"It was clear why they remained untouched," Fitzpatrick says. "The copyright is retained for 90 years by the letter writers or their heirs. In order to publish them, I had to contact all those people for permission." Fitzpatrick read all 15,000, identified 3,000 that she felt were worthy of publication and published 250 that she divided into categories: vivid recollections of Nov. 22, 1963; views on politics, society and the Presidency; and personal experiences of grief and loss.
Reading the letters, one is transported back to those four days in November when a shocked nation sat transfixed by their television sets. The voices are intimate and immediate, and astonishingly personal given the reserved culture of the time. "Dear beloved one," one begins. Another woman confesses, "Twenty six years of: —escaping from Hitler—growing up in wartime China fleeing from Communism—watching my father's futile struggle against cancer—seeing my roommate killed in an automobile accident—all these I deemed adequate preparation for some of life's bitter moments. Yet NEVER, until last Friday, have I felt such a desperate sense of loss and loneliness." Less than two hours after the assassination, Gen. Douglas MacArthur telegrammed: "As a former comrade in arms his death kills something within me."
Some of the letters eloquently address the research problem that Fitzpatrick initially faced. "We needed him to remind us all that it could be fashionable to be good and aspiring, strong and witty, determined and unbending, hopeful and charitable," one reads. But, as Fitzpatrick writes, the letters "are less about [Kennedy] than they are about those whose hearts he captured and their dreams for their country." That kind of lesson is not necessarily conveyed by approval ratings. "I wanted to re-capture for younger generations some sense of what President Kennedy meant to the nation," she says. "Students can understand that he was one of the most popular presidents, but they don't get what a strong emotional chord he struck. The letters speak powerfully to that." ~
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Overviews:
Pioneering Women in American Mathematics: The Pre-1940 PhD's
by Judy Green and Jeanne LaDuke '62G
American Mathematical Society, 2009
See at amazon.com
More than 220 women earned doctorates in mathematics prior to 1940, including four from New Hampshire, and this useful text, 30 years in the making, focuses on their work and careers.
The Anarchist
by John Smolens '82G
Three Rivers Press, 2009
See at amazon.com
Smolens' well-structured sixth novel is a gritty portrait of America in 1901 and teems with dissidents, anarchists, Pinkertons and prostitutes whose lives converge when President William McKinley is assassinated by Leon Czolgosz.
Give Over the Heckler and Everyone Gets Hurt
by Jason Tandon '07G, Black Lawrence Press, 2009
See at amazon.com
Tandon's second, tragicomic collection of poems takes the reader to the Kwik-Stop, Mr. Donut, porches and parking lots, and offers fresh images and an empathic, quietly ironic voice, as in the very short "Opening Night": "Lit up on the only marquee in town: CURLY FRIES ARE BACK."
Also see:
In Their Own Words: Descriptions of new and recent written work by the authors themselves Elizabeth Hubbell '86G
Zoe B. Alley '79
Gregory Funaro '91
Richard LaPalme UNH '75
David S. Rawding '08
Bill Shea '52
Also of Note: Ronald D. LeBlanc (professor of history)
Cathy A. Frierson (professor of history)
Pavel Cenkl '94G
News from alumni of the Department of Theatre and Dance: Tommy Labanaris '02
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In Their Own Words
Descriptions of new and recent written work by the authors themselves
Elizabeth Hubbell '86G
See at amazon.com
Learning: A Challenge to Parents, Educators and Legislators
Ordinarily, teachers focus on one subject for one age group in one type of school. I, on the other hand, have taught in both public and private schools, and have dealt with a wide range of subjects for students from ages three to ninety-two! When my husband's work caused us to move frequently, I needed to be resourceful about what teaching posts I could find. I received an MAT in Secondary English from UNH, and taught literature and writing, first to middle school students and then to adult business college students. In addition, though, I also taught U.S. history and civics, world history, science, penmanship, public speaking, test taking skills, sex education, pre-school (that was the three year olds) and the AARP Driver Safety Program (that was the ninety-two year old.) Those varied experiences helped me see that students of all ages have similar hopes and frustrations as they learn, and the learning is what counts, hence the title of my book. Learning is an entertaining and thought-provoking collection of stories about what really happens in the classroom. My e-mail address is included in the introduction, and I look forward to e-mail conversations about education with readers.
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Zoe B. Alley '79, with pictures by R.W. Alley
See at amazon.com
There's A Wolf at the Door: Five Classic Tales
As the daughter of a child psychologist, I must say that publishing a book is very ego-gratifying! It's also great to have a career without wardrobe restrictions: pajamas are my favorite writing wear. There's a Wolf at the Door is my first children's book. As a mother of two (who are now 17 and 20), I always enjoyed reading stories that were twisted versions (in a good sense) of recognizable storylines, and I loved stories that had a moral. In retelling these stories, I give iconic characters a new voice. For example, did you know that the Three Little Pigs were named Alan, Gordon and Blake? Or, that Little Red Riding Hood was a fashion victim? Or that The Boy Who Cried Wolf was really just desperate for some decent conversation?
My husband, who is an internationally known illustrator, did the graphic novel-styled illustrations, and the book has received three "starred reviews" in The Horn Book, Booklist, and Kirkus. The sequel—There's a Princess in the Palace—will be published in September 2010.
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Gregory Funaro '91
See at amazon.com
The Sculptor
My debut thriller, The Sculptor, tells the story of Dr. Catherine Hildebrant, a Brown University art history professor who is not only the world's foremost scholar on Michelangelo, but also the author of a controversial book on his sculptures. Living alone, counting the days until her divorce is final, Cathy is awakened one morning by FBI agent Sam Markham. It seems someone has murdered missing Boston Rebels wide receiver Tommy Campbell, preserved his body, and painted and posed him in the figure of one of Michelangelo's statues. When Cathy accompanies Markham to the garden of a wealthy businessman to help analyze Campbell's remains, she discovers the unimaginable: the killer has not only drawn on her book for inspiration, but has also dedicated his sculpture to her. Determined to clear her name, desperate to catch the killer before he kills again, Cathy joins forces with Special Agent Markham in a frantic race against time to stop the man who calls himself The Sculptor.
The Sculptor was released by Pinnacle Books in January of 2010, and is available online and in bookstores everywhere. The prequel, which finds Sam Markham on the trail of a serial killer even more twisted than The Sculptor, is due out in the spring of 2011.
Please visit my website, www.gregoryfunaro.com, to learn more about me and my books.
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Richard LaPalme '75
See at amazon.com
The Employee's Mentor
As creator and head of Spalding Sporting Goods' entry level IT training program in the early 1980's, I combined my masters in education from Springfield College with my experiences as a tennis coach to mentor new employees on how to successfully transition from academia to the work world. I continued mentoring employees in various contexts throughout the remainder of my twenty-seven-year career in Information Systems.
My book, The Employee's Mentor, reflects the knowledge I gained over those 27 years. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, each year in the United States approximately 1.2-million individuals receive 4-year degrees from colleges and universities. Another half-million receive masters, Ph D's, and other various professional degrees. Most of these people will seek full-time employment with the goal of becoming career professionals. Until now, no one has written a book addressing their specific entry-level anxieties and needs. The Employee's Mentor, is a concise (90 pages) practical guide to the first days, weeks, and months of professional employment.
Most newly-minted graduates feel confident in the classroom, but have little idea what will be expected of them in the workplace. The Employee's Mentor explains the crucial differences between the academic and professional environments and the adjustments these differences require for success. The book also details how to communicate effectively in the workplace, as well as how to use each day to prepare for the reader's all-important initial performance evaluation. The Employee's Mentor demystifies the boss and clearly explains "how to manage your manager".
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David S. Rawding '08, illustrated by Mohammad Qovaizi
See at amazon.com
Lucas the Traveling Crab
I have always had a passion for reading, and with that love of literature, came an attraction to writing. At UNH, I was able to workshop my stories and dabble in poetry. I graduated with a BA in English, and am currently pursuing my MFA in Fiction Writing at SNHU.
Lucas the Traveling Crab is my first children's book, and was inspired by the beautiful New England Coast and my own childhood memories of playing among the tide pools. It follows the character of Lucas, a European Green Crab, living in a New England tide pool. Lucas and his friends Sam Shrimp, Rick Rockfish, and Betty Bluefish love to play games—their favorite game is hide-and-go-seaweed. One day, fate steps in, and Lucas is taken from his beloved home. As Lucas searches for a way back to the ocean, he learns all about the adventure of traveling to new places.
Ages 4-8 will love this illustrated adventure, where children can learn about the excitement of traveling, embedded with important lessons along the way. A portion of the profits from Lucas the Traveling Crab will go to non-profits that support at-risk youth. You can learn more about Lucas at www.lucasthecrab.com.
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Bill Shea '52
See at amazon.com
Aviation Memoir
My book reflects my love for aviation, education and government. Since graduating from UNH, I have been a high school teacher, pilot, jazz musician, college administrator, chief of the California Aeronautics Division, and a presidential appointee as FAA Associate Administrator for Airports in the United States, including overseeing Dulles International and Reagan airports.
I should be finished with book number two, an analysis of airline deregulation, airport gridlock, and future aircraft by 2018!
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Also of Note...
Slavic Sins of the Flesh: Food, Sex and Carnal Appetite in Nineteenth-Century Russian Fiction
by Ronald D. LeBlanc (professor of history),
University Press of New England, 2009
See at amazon.com
In this creative, "gastrocritical" study, LeBlanc examines how food and dining function as tropes for male sexuality in the works of Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and other writers, and how their writing influenced the culture of turn-of-the-century and revolutionary Russia.
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Children of the Gulag
by Cathy A. Frierson (professor of history) and and Semyon S. Vilensky
Yale University Press, 2010
See at amazon.com
Frierson and Vilensky, who is a Gulag survivor, as well as a compiler and publisher, reveal the fates of millions of children who lost parents, siblings, homes, identities, and lives to political repression under Lenin and Stalin in Soviet Russia. The writers interviewed survivors, analyzed memoirs, and include state documents to explore children's experience of WWII, and to add another dimension to the history of the Russian side of the war.
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Nature and Culture in the Northern Forest: Region, Heritage, and Environment in the Rural Northeast
edited by Pavel Cenkl '94G
University of Iowa Press, 2010
See at amazon.com
Cenkl, who is professor of humanities and regional studies at Sterling College, edited this wonderful collection which investigates the affinities between natural history, aesthetics, and human emotions. Comprised of four sections, the collection includes essays on personal encounters with flora and fauna; on using personal encounters in the classroom; on key figures in the region's literary and cultural development; and on the ways that historical and contemporary commercial influences affect how we "read" the region through the works of Thoreau, Emerson, and Frost.
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News from alumni of the Department of Theatre and Dance:
- Tommy Labanaris '02 recently received a 2009 Spotlight on the Arts Award: Best Actor in a Musical for Bobby Strong in "Urinetown" at Seacoast Repertory Theatre in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He will be returning to Bristol Valley Theater in Naples, New York for his sixth summer, and will be performing in "Red, White, and Tuna," "Boeing, Boeing," and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels."
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Anne Downey '95G, a freelance writer who lives in Eliot, Maine, received her Ph.D. in English from UNH.
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