UMass Amherst: The Magazine for Alumni and Friends

Spring 2008

BOOKS RECEIVED

 

Books Received
Click on the book jacket to purchase works by university friends

 

 

 

book cover "Education Under Occupation: The Heavy Price of Living in a Neocolonized World"
by Pierre Orelus
Sense Publishers, $39.00. ISBN: 9789087901455

In this book, the author critically analyzes the ongoing and wide-ranging effects of colonialism and globalization on the poor, especially on those living in the "Third World." The author's overarching argument is that colonization was not merely about the conquest of foreign lands, but it was also about the ideological monitoring of the colonized's mind, often maintained through western hegemonic texts and institutional apparatus, such as schools and churches. Analyzing and situating colonialism in the context of western neo-liberal policy of occupation and economic, political, and ideological dominations, the author thus demonstrates how, through schools and the mass corporate media, neocolonized and occupied subjects have been mis-educated to internalize and reproduce old western values, beliefs, and norms at the expense of their own.


The voices of those brutalized by the twin iniquities of neocolonialism and imperialism have for too long been silenced. In this personal narrative, Pierre Orelus, a Haitian immigrant and educator, shares his reflections, hopes, and dreams for the future. It is time for a voice such as Pierre's to be heard by teachers, teacher educators, and others concerned with social justice. Sonia Nieto Professor (Emeritus), University of Massachusetts-Amherst Interweaving the perspectives of subject and critical observer, Pierre Orelus reveals multiple dimensions of the material and psychological devastation left in the wake of Western imperial conquest. His ruminations focus on his native Haiti, once the world's richest colony, severely punished for daring to become the first free country of free men in the hemisphere, now its most deeply impoverished andbrutalized society. But his thoughts and their implications reach well beyond, yielding valuable insight into the pain and suffering of the traditional victims, and their resilience and hope. Noam Chomsky Institute Professor & Professor of Linguistics (Emeritus), MIT In this age of the corporate university where academic trends shift as fast as youth fashion, it's a breath of fresh air to have a book like "Education Under Occupation - The Heavy Price of Living in a Neocolonized and Globalized World" that fearlessly grounds itself in a vast history of anti-colonial theory and research while expanding these horizons with a cutting critique of neoliberalism's imperialist agenda. Orelus' book is a must read for anyone interested in understanding the dark side of globalization. Pepi Leistyna Associate Professor Applied Linguistics Graduate Studies UMass Boston This is a genuine and refreshing contribution to post-colonial and neo-colonial studies. Readers will receive a unique opportunity to rethink and rewrite history, where colonizers can pay much owned restitution and colonized can reclaim lost resources and overcome ideological domination. Cesar Augusto Rossatto, The University of Texas at El Paso

Pierre Orelus ’08G, a native of Haiti, is the son of a struggling carpenter father and “madan sar” (women who buy and sell alimentary products under horrible working conditions) mother. He attended and received his first formal basic education in an old church building when he was 11, finishing high school at the age of 22.

 

book cover "The Link to Beating Cancer"
by John Link
Buy Books on the Web.Com, $13.95. ISBN: 9780741443854

"During the Spring of 1997, I was in the midst of trying out for my Varsity baseball team, when soreness in my left leg hampered my ability to play in the games and compete in practices. My doctors believed that the pain in my leg was a stress fracture caused by running, and constant lateral movement. What they believed to be a simple stress fracture was indeed a very aggressive bone cancer, Osteosarcoma, located by my knee on my left femur.

After the initial shock and confused fear of what awaited me, we decided to get a second opinion, with the same result. How did I, a 17 year-old guy, in the midst of his junior year in high school have cancer? Well I did, and had to face it head on with my family and friends." visit linktobeat for more on John's amazing story.

John Link ’02 writes, “My book is about my cancer survival as a teenager. I designed it as a book for young adults to read while battling this disease. Part of the proceeds from the sale of the book go back to raising money for cancer research.”

 

book cover "A Slice of Apple Pie"
by R. Shamlian
Buy Books on the Web.Com, $13.95. ISBN: 9780741443854

This book is about the life and times of Randy Shamlian and of his culinary and romantic triumphs, tragedies, foibles and fables. It is a memoir to be savored.

Randy Shamlian ’97 has worked in the culinary field for over 30 years and was owner of a pastry company in Southern California for 10 years. This book chronicles his life journey from his childhood in New Jersey through his work with renowned chef Brendan Walsh to his job as a pastry chef in Montana. Some of his recollections focus on his time at UMass Amherst.

 

book cover "Rangeley and Its Region: The Famous Boat and Lakes of Western Maine "
by Stephen A. Cole
Tilbury House Publishers, $30.00. ISBN: 9780884482956

The Rangeley Lakes were the crucible of Maine's nineteenth-century sporting culture, and the Rangeley boat evolved out of this distinctive time and place. As essential to Rangeley as sporting camps, fishing guides, and brook trout, the namesake boat remains a true icon. The Rangeley and Its Region tells how entwined the boat, people, lakes, town, and economy became over a century.

Stephen Cole ’96G, is director of the natural resources and sustainable communities programs at Coastal Enterprises, Inc. He lives in Damariscotta, Maine.

 

book cover "On Dream Street "
by Melanie Almeder
Tupelo Press, $16.95. ISBN: 978-1932195354

On Dream Street is a compelling, often riveting look at some of the things that interest this perceptive, sometimes funny, always fascinating woman: Florida and Maine, World War I poets, time, lust, buzzards and ducks, noise in the night. With many of the words in this too-slim volume, Mel has accumulated poetry prizes and it's easy to see why, now that we can. She's a special talent in a demanding genre.

Melanie Almeder ’93G teaches creative writing and contemporary literature at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia.

 

book cover "An Army of Ex-Lovers: My Life at the Gay Community News "
by Amy Hoffman
University of Massachusetts Press, $8.95. ISBN: 978-1558496217

Boston's weekly Gay Community News was "the center of the universe" during the late 1970s, writes Amy Hoffman in this memoir of gay liberation before AIDS, before gay weddings, and before The L Word. Provocative, informative, inspiring, and absurd, with a small circulation but a huge influence, Gay Community News produced a generation of leaders, writers, and friends. In addition to capturing the heady atmosphere of the times--the victories, controversies, and tragedies--Hoffman's memoir is also her personal story, written with wit and insight, of growing up in a political movement; of her deepening relationships with charismatic, talented, and sometimes utterly weird coworkers; and of trying to explain it all to her large Jewish family.

Amy Hoffman ’90G is the editor of Women’s Review of Books.

 

book cover "Sounds Like This..."
by Kristin Demeo
Instantpublisher.com, $8.95. ISBN: 978-1598728194

An entertaining alphabet book for children.

Kristen (Scholz) Demeo ’89G lives in Adams with her husband, Tom ’89G, and is a substitute teacher in the local schools. In June, she published the children’s alphabet book, Sounds Like This…, now in its second printing and soon to have a CD accompaniment.

 

book cover "Uncanny Bodies"
by Robert Spadoni
University of California Press. $24.95. ISBN: 978-0520251229

In 1931 Universal Pictures released Dracula and Frankenstein, two films that inaugurated the horror genre in Hollywood cinema. These films appeared directly on the heels of Hollywood's transition to sound film. Uncanny Bodies argues that the coming of sound inspired more in these massively influential horror movies than screams, creaking doors, and howling wolves. A close examination of the historical reception of films of the transition period reveals that sound films could seem to their earliest viewers unreal and ghostly. By comparing this audience impression to the first sound horror films, Robert Spadoni makes a case for understanding film viewing as a force that can powerfully shape both the minutest aspects of individual films and the broadest sweep of film production trends, and for seeing aftereffects of the temporary weirdness of sound film deeply etched in the basic character of one of our most enduring film genres.

Robert Spadoni is Assistant Professor in the English Department at Case Western Reserve University.

book cover "Colic Solved: The Essential Guide to Infant Reflux and the Care of Your Crying, Difficult-to- Soothe Baby "
by Bryan Vartabedian
Ballantine Books, $13.95. ISBN: 978-0345490681

For generations, doctors have been diagnosing babies with colic, offering little comfort and few solutions to worried, weary parents. But recent medical advances made through cutting-edge technology now reveal that many if not most cases of colic are actually caused by acid reflux. In this revolutionary book, Bryan Vartabedian, a noted pediatric gastroenterologist and the father of two babies with acid reflux, provides hands-on, practical advice about this hidden epidemic–and how to make your own baby happy again.

  • Recognize the seven signs of reflux in infancy.
  • Discover the role of milk protein allergy–the other colic.
  • Learn what, when, and how to feed an irritable baby and the best positions for sleep.
  • Recognize the role of formula, breast milk, bottle systems, burping, and pacificers in your baby’s fussiness, and irritability.
  • Understand when and why your baby may need testing for reflux.
  • Weigh the pros and cons of available treatment options.
  • Identify when a specialist is needed and where to find one.

Bryan Vartabedian ’85, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, writes, “After nearly 50 years since the initial description of colic, parents have had no choice but to live with or cope with the irritable baby. I was motivated to write Colic Solved when my own daughter suffered from intractable screaming as an infant. This book will serve as a starting point for understanding that the answer to a baby’s crying lies not in a rigid schedule or the proper shushing sound but rather in the belief that a baby’s pain is treatable and real. In short, Colic Solved is the ultimate validation for the mother of the irritable baby.” Visit colicsolved.com for more information on the book or read other opinions and thoughts on Bryan’s blog at parentingsolved.typepad.com.

book cover "A Hacker's Humiliations: A Glossary of Golf Grotesqueries "
by Joel Zuckerman
Sports Media Group, $19.95. ISBN: 9781587264443

Most of us golf without much ability. Without flair, without confidence, without poise. Our skills are scarce, we lack the knack. But you know what the teeming, tee-box masses do have? Embarrassing moments. By the bushel....
For the first time ever, these Hacker’s Humiliations, three dozen in number, are catalogued in alphabetical and chronological order, from the tee to the fairway to the green. Some of them are humorous ("Aquaman," who tumbles in, straining after his Top-Flite, getting drenched in the process, or "Jack the Pants Ripper," who literally comes apart at the seams). Others are horrific ("Rick O’Shea" risks life and limb as he endeavors to avoid a tree limb, or "The Assassin," who inadvertently cold-cocks a playing partner with an errant shot). But most, (the Bunker Chunker, the Yipper, Anna Banana, Off-the-Planet-Janet, etc.) as the title implies, are simply Humiliating.

This glossary of the game’s grotesqueries are not just a problem for the faceless golfers of the world—there are Hacker Hall of Fame Moments within the text, chronicling the unforgettable stumbling of stars through different moments in golf history.

Speaking of golf stars, some of the most recognized names in the game have provided solutions to these various and nefarious Humiliations.

Joel Zuckerman ’83 has published his fourth book, A Hacker’s Humiliations. He writes, “My next book, due in September 2008, will be significantly bigger than the first four combined. I’ve been hired by the Dye family (Pete Dye is one of the
most significant golf course architects of all time) to write the definitive book on his
celebrated career. The book is titled DYE 85 in honor of his upcoming 85th birthday and features 85 of his most significant courses.” For more on Joel and his writings visit vagabondgolfer.com.

book cover "Policy and Politics in Nursing and Health Care"
by Mary Chaffee
Elsevier Health Sciences, $64.95. ISBN: 978-0721695341

The new edition of this respected resource enables readers to analyze policy issues, enhance their political knowledge and skills, and prepare for leadership roles in policy-making and public health. Over 100 well-known nurses explore policy and politics, strategies for policy development and political action, and the application of these strategies in the four spheres of workplace, government, organizations and community.

Mary Chaffee ’83,’03H lives in Frederick, Maryland, and Brewster, and writes, “I served for 24 years in the Navy and am now a full-time PhD student in the School of Nursing at the University of Maryland Baltimore.” Recent work for the Navy has included visiting Naval hospitals and clinics around the world to improve hospital disaster preparedness. “The book makes the universe of politics accessible for nurses so they can influence health care through policy making in addition to through the care they provide for patients.”

book cover "The Lost Fleet: A Yankee Whaler’s Struggle Against the Confederate Navy and Arctic Disaster"
by Marc Songini
St. Martin’s Press, $25.95. ISBN: 978-0312286484

Songini's book chronicles Thomas William Williams' four-decades-long career—from 1840 to 1880—as the captain of the whaling vessel Florida. On its first voyage, the ship was due to sail east through the sperm whale grounds that lay toward the coast of Africa. From there it was bound for the Indian Ocean via the Cape of Good Hope. On board were Williams' wife and their infant son and daughter. The story includes his escape from the Confederate ship Alabama and accounts of a number of ship disasters off the coast of Alaska. Songini spent six years doing the research, some of it at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, which contains the most comprehensive collection of whaling documents in the world. Songini has examined a vast subject, not only the history of Captain Williams but also of the whaling trade itself, in great depth. The book, with eight pages of black-and-white photographs, is a thoroughly absorbing look at life and death at sea. Cohen, George

Marc Songini ’87 is a Boston-area journalist whose work has appeared in the Boston Book Review, the Boston Herald, and the Boston Globe. The Lost Fleet is his fourth book, and third book on New England history. He has lived in the greater Boston area for most of his life. Read more at msongini.com.

book cover "A Thread of Hope: A Woman's Spiritual Journey of Faith from Trauma to Triumph"
by Jacqui DeLorenzo
iUniverse, Inc., $16.95. ISBN: 978-0595447664

While other kids enjoyed the social aspects of school in the 1960s, Jacqui DeLorenzo experienced the torment of bullying. From the moment she stepped onto the bus, walked through the schoolyard, and stepped into the classroom, lunchroom, and even her own neighborhood, she was a target. Unfortunately, Jacqui's adulthood proved to be as challenging as her adolescence and childhood but her unwavering faith always sustained her.


A Thread of Hope chronicles Jacqui's journey through her parents' devastating breakup, the death of her thirteen-year-old brother, her own struggle to survive cancer, and her battle with an eating disorder. From the depths of depression, Jacqui has worked to completely accept the person she's become, always leaving room for growth. Jacqui's belief in the miracle of God's love guided her to improved self-worth and the realization that she could accomplish anything.


She continues to grow daily and appreciates all that life has to offer, especially the love of her family and friends, her health, and most of all, her personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Jacqui's inspiring memoir, A Thread of Hope, will touch your heart and give you hope for the future.

Jacqui DeLorenzo ’87, a licensed mental health counselor and academic counselor at North Shore Community College in Danvers, writes, “I feel this book will touch each person. It deals with bullying, parents’ breakup, death of a sibling through cancer, my own personal journey with cancer, surviving an eating disorder, and how my journey through college at UMass Amherst played a major part. Visit threadofhope.wordpress.com for more information about the book and its author.

book cover "Whale Port: A History of Tuckanucket"
by William Fournier
Walter Lorraine Books, $18.00. ISBN: 9780618547227

Long before the invention of electricity or the discovery of underground reservoirs of fossil fuels, people depended on whale oil to keep their lamps lit. A few brave Colonial farmers left their fields and headed out to sea to chase whales and profits farther and farther off shore. When they did, towns sprung up around their harbors as demand grew for sailors, blacksmiths, ropewalkers, and the many other craftsmen needed to support the growing whaling industry.


Through the fictional village of Tuckanucket, Whale Port explores the history of these towns. Detailed illustrations and an informative narrative reveal the way Tuckanucket's citizens lived and worked by sharing the personal stories of people like Zachariah Taber, his family and neighbors, and the place they called home. Whale Port is also the story of America, and the important role whales played in its history and development as people worked together to build communities that not only survived, but prospered and grew into the flourishing cities of a new nation.

Mark Foster ’85 wrote this book and his father, Gerald Foster ’95 illustrated.

book cover "New Directions in Technical Reviews"
by William Fournier
$7.50 (download) 15.07 (paperback)

This book is for practioners and teachers of Technical Reviews or Design Reviews / Audits.

It includes developing and teaching classes in Technical Reviews, PDRs, and PRRs. Over 10 years ago, he developed and taught “On the Road to Virtual Technical Reviews” concept into a three day class, and has made continual improvements and is teaching a one day class version.

Bill Fournier ’79 lives in Fairfax, Virginia.

book cover "Defeat Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: You Don't Have to Live with It -- An Eight Step Protocol"
by Martha Kilcoyne
Triple Spiral Press, $16.95. ISBN: 978-0979476938

An Eight Step Protocol - Developed by the author which enabled her to fully recover from CFS - When I was three months pregnant with my second child, I caught a flu virus that changed my life. For the next four years I lived in the clutches of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. When I realized that most of the medical profession considered my illness to be "in my head", I felt so isolated, struggling to understand what was wrong with me knowing that it was a real physical illness. CFS shut down my life as I knew it and forced me to become a recluse spending most of my time in bed between short lived efforts to have a "normal" life. But slowly, through much trial and error, I began to understand the patterns and the cruelty of CFS. In the end, I defeated Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and now live a full and healthy life - totally free of CFS. This book shares in detail the eight step protocol that I developed and followed as I slowly and steadily regained my health. It s written in a clear, concise format, understanding the struggle that CFS sufferers have with memory and concentration. By consistently following these steps, I hope that you too can defeat Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. You don t have to live with it! My motivation for writing this book is to bring a new voice to the Chronic Fatigue dialogue - contrary to the message of a permanently compromised lifestyle which is prevalent in the medical and patient communities, there are many former CFS patients who are fully recovered. I'm one of them! My message to patients, medical practitioners and care givers is that despite the unknowns of CFS, you CAN manage those aspects of CFS that you ARE in control of. My protocol is a proactive, self-management approach implemented 24-7. Decide to defeat Chronic Fatigue Syndrome!

Martha Kilcoyne ’76 writes, “I’m a formerly bed-ridden Chronic Fatigue patient who is now fully recovered. I’ve written a book about my experience, Defeat Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: You Don’t Have to Live With it, which includes an eight-step protocol to help other CFS/Fibromyalgia sufferers to recover. If you’re familiar with CFS, the message that pateients get from the medical community is that one has to ‘live well’ with CFS—no one gets fully well again. My mission is to get the message out to CFS patients that you can get well. I’m someone who has and I’ve climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa to prove it!”

book cover "Isn't It Their Turn to Pick Up the Check"
by Jeanne Fleming
Free Press, $21.00. ISBN: 9781416542001

Your next-door neighbor's two-year-old broke your most expensive vase, and your neighbor hasn't offered to replace it. Your best friend expects you to shop at the boutique she just opened, though her very pricey clothes look terrible on you. And your sister says she needs $1,500 to send her child to creativity camp, but you think what your sister needs is a job. What do you do?


Such tricky and emotionally charged dilemmas involving money are ubiquitous. Yet few of us know how to handle them. In "Isn't It" Their "Turn to Pick Up the Check?" Jeanne Fleming and Leonard Schwarz - the authors of the enormously popular "Do the Right Thing" column in "Money" magazine and the blog of the same name on CNNMoney.com - dissect a host of thorny, sometimes comic, inevitably awkward, and frequently infuriating money-and-ethics problems that arise among friends, relatives and neighbors.

Here's just a sample of the situations they respond to:

Who gets Grandma's jewelry?

I lent money to my niece, and now my brother wants a loan.

My rich friend keeps encouraging me to do things I can't afford.

Our brother is stealing our inheritance.

Our freeloading friends are driving us crazy.

I just made a bundle of money, and I don't want my family to know.

Fleming and Schwarz also report on the results of two groundbreaking surveys designed to illuminate the money-and-ethics problems we confront every day. The surveys reveal, for example, just how many of us have a friend or relative who's a freeloader or a deadbeat; how common we believe it is for someone to lie, cheat, or pretend to be loving in order to be in someone else's will; and the percentage of men - compared with women -who say you should never marry someone who is deeply in debt, no matter how much you love them.

Isn't It Their Turn to Pick Up the Check? offers a fascinating tour of the secret life of other people's money disputes and delivers witty, down-to-earth money advice for dealing with all the maddening problems any one of us could confront at any time.

Jeanne Fleming ’74 of Palo Alto, California, has written a book on money and ethics called, Isn’t it Their Turn to Pick Up the Check?. She appeared on “Good Morning America” in January and is a columnist for Money Magazine and for the CNN/Money Website. Visit Coming Up Empty for more information.

book cover "The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide "
by Mary Lou Heiss and Robert Heiss
Ten Speed Press, $29.95. ISBN: 978-1580087452

Whether it's a delicate green tea from China or a bracing Assam black, a seemingly mild-mannered cup of tea represents a turbulent history of intrigue and conquest, tradition and revolution, East and West. In this sweeping tour through the history, culture, and lore of this 2,000-year-old beverage, veteran tea professionals Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss provide an in-depth resource for tea lovers, covering all aspects of production and consumption?from the terroir in which a tea bush is cultivated to the time-honored rituals of brewing and drinking. At once passionate and carefully researched, this weighty tome will infuse readers with a deep appreciation for the illustrious, invigorating, and elusive leaf.

Mary Lou Heiss ’72 and her husband, Robert, owners of the Northampton store Cooks Shop Here are co-authors of two books; The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide, and one with 50 recipes titled, Hot Drinks: Cider, Coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate, Spiced Punch, and Spirits. Mary Lou writes, “We have utilized our knowledge and experience from traveling to the sources of tea manufacturers in China and Japan to paint a more complete picture of tea than is covered in other tea books.” They have been invited by the luxury cruise line Silversea Cruises to lead a Tea Cruise from Singapore to Hong Kong in late February. For more information on their store visit cooksshophere.com. To find out more about the tea cruise contact culinarycruises@montrosetravel.com.

book cover "Worcester County's Polish Community (MA) (Images of America)"
by Barbara Proko
Arcadia Publishing, $19.99. ISBN: 978-0738554549

Polish settlement in Worcester County had humble beginnings: a small group of German Poles in the 1870s. Over the next decades, thousands of Russian and Austrian Poles, fleeing economic and political hardship, pinned their hopes for a better life on jobs in the burgeoning industries of central Massachusetts. Practicing their religion in their native tongue was vital to these devout Catholics.

New England’s first Polish parish was founded in Webster, with others following in Worcester, Gardner, West Warren, Clinton, Southbridge, and Dudley. Polish clubs served as central gathering places in Gilbertville, Uxbridge, and South Grafton. Worcester County’s Polish Americans share an intricate web of relationships—family, religious, business, social, cultural, educational, political, and athletic—that celebrates their heritage and sustains them today as one of the region’s largest ethnic groups.

Barbara Proko ’68 recently produced her third photo history in Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series. Worcester County’s Polish Community is the first book to document this sizabel ethnic group in Central Massachusetts. Her earlier works are The Polish Community of Worcester and  The Polish Community of New Britain.”

book cover "Petal on a Black Bough"
by Richard Cohen
Airleaf Publishing & Bookselling, $16.95. ISBN: 9781600023224

Petal on a Black Bough is historical/ fantasy. It is a fusion of Celtic mythology with the reality of World War I to the start of World War II, a period that includes the Irish struggle for independence. The mythological warrior-goddess Medb (Maeve) known for sorcery, licentiousness, and affinity for war, emerges from the past to seek warriors who will help with Ireland’s independence.

Her powers also enable her to shape shift, change ages, and migrate through space and time. Medb finds her hero, Philip, in a French hospital for the wounded where she masquerades as nurse, Lady Madeline. Unfortunately, their alliance and affair result in tragedy because of her eventual transformation to a near human state. Her change affects those within her circle, including her heir, Maeve Dwyer to whom Medb has given her spirit. The others in the group include Maeve’s artist lover Matthew, as well as her father Patrick who smuggles guns to the Irish; but the irony of the conversion from Medb to Maeve Dwyer affirms the futility of war and the necessity of love and peace.

Richard Cohen ’68G is retired as the vice-president of academic affairs and professor of English at the University of Maine, Presque Isle. He is the author of four novels. For more information on his writing career and publications visit blackboughbooks.com.

book cover "The Polish Community of Worcester"
by Barbara Proko
Arcadia Publishing, $19.99. ISBN: 0738513385

Near the beginning of the twentieth century, thousands of Polish immigrants embarked upon the American Dream in Worcester as the city's lowest-paid mill workers. Slowly, they carved out their own "Polonia," with Millbury Street as the center. By the 1920s, Worcester's Polish community had built a parish with the largest parochial school in the county, established several civic associations, and become an influential group in the city's economy and ethnic composition. The Polish Community of Worcester celebrates the resilient and patriotic spirit of Worcester's Polonia from 1870 through 1970, with rare photographs from private collections and family albums.

Barbara Proko ’68 writes, “I’ve just produced my third photo history in Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series. Worcester County’s Polish Community is the first book to document this sizable ethnic group in Central Massachusetts. My earlier works are The Polish Community of Worcester and The Polish Community of New Britain.” Barbara would love to hear from old friends and can be reached at bjproko@yahoo.com.

book cover "Ordinary Secrets: Notes for Your Spiritual Journey"
by Robert Southard
O Books, $16.95. ISBN: 978-1846940675

Have you spent 20 years in a Tibetan monastery studying with monks, or sequestered yourself away in a cave on a mountain, meditating and living on bread and water? Bob Southard hasn't either. He has spent many years learning from and working with shamans from many countries and traditions, but has found that even this isn't necessary. In Ordinary Secrets, Bob shares his distilled wisdom of 25 years of searching, leading him to understand how an ordinary person can have an extraordinary spiritual journey. He shares discoveries that have helped him on his journey, such as states of mind (for example, living in the present and being open to learn) and important tools (such as journeys, intentions and affirmations) that will help you find the true spirituality inside yourself. This is a highly experiential book with many journeys presented to help you on your path. You are encouraged to find and travel on your path, not his or anyone else's, and to trust yourself in this most exciting and important spiritual journey.

Robert Southard ’68 lives in Duxbury and writes, “In the book I share 25 years of searching and aim to explain how an ordinary person, as most of us are, can have an extraordinary spiritual journey.”

book cover "Backroads of New Jersey: Your Guide to New Jersey's Most Scenic Backroad Adventures"
by Paul Johnson
Voyageur Press, $21.95. ISBN: 978-0760329542

Discover the Garden States natural splendors, historic sites, and hidden pleasures by way of twenty-nine backroad tours. From scenic lake country and woodland forest preserves to the glistening white-sand stretches of the Atlantic shoreline; from battlefields of the Revolutionary War to intriguing corners of old, industrial centers like Paterson, Hoboken, and Newark; from the Great Swamp to the Pine Barrens--the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi River: Whether youre planning a day trip, looking for unusual destinations, or simply want to learn more about the region, this book takes you beyond the bustling city and busy turnpike to the true heart of New Jersey.

Paul Johnson ’70 is a photographer whose work has appeared in books, magazines, and advertising throughout the world. Paul is director of photography for the Wohlfarth Galleries in Provincetown and Washington, D.C., and an associate of Weld Artists in Maine.

 

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