"American Compass " by Bill Meissner University of Notre Dame Press , $25.00 cloth/$15.00 paper. ISBN: 0268034818;26 Bill Meissner's '72G book of poetry, American Compass, is broken into four sections. "First Corners," features poems about childhood; "Breaking Dreams," illuminates the myths and realities of American icons; "Taking the Curve," are subtle metaphors for the game of life; and "Soul Highway," his poignant and personal experiences. American Compass is a personal comment on growing up in America as well as a political comment on the sate of American culture, with its heroes and everyday people, its hopes and failures, its winners and losers. Bill Meissner is the author of three other books of poetry and a collection of short stories. He is the director of creative writing at St. Cloud Sate University in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

 

"University of Massachusetts Amherst" by Steven R. Sullivan Arcadia Publishing, $19.99. ISBN: 0738535303 From its Land Grant roots to current-day famous alumni, this book is a photographic journey from the humble beginnings of an agricultural college to a world-renowned research university. Historical images from the Special Collections and Archives department of the W.E.B. Du Bois Library are used to illustrate the transformation of the campus and to highlight the successes of our many esteemed alumni. Steven Sullivan ’91 has been collecting memorabilia of the university since he graduated. He is the secretary of the Pond Club, the fundraising arm of the UMass men's ice hockey program.

 

"Through These Doors" by Kersten Becker '96 Old Chapel Press, $40.00. ISBN: 0974755303 It’s a crisp fall afternoon. The beat of drums can be heard in the distance as the band approaches tailgaters at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium. Your heart beats a bit faster in cadence with the drums. And then they appear, the maroon and white uniforms proudly worn by one of the best bands in the nation, “The Power and Class of New England,” the UMass Minuteman Marching Band.  Such experiences had by author Kerstin H. Becker ’96 while part of the Minuteman Marching Band that led her to spend countless hours in the W.E.B. Du Bois Library and Special Collections and Archives. She documented the band’s growth from its humble beginnings and discovered how the group’s advancement paralleled the development of the campus itself. The result, the 200-page Through These Doors, (Old Chapel Press, $40), features archival photos and detailed descriptions of the history and accomplishments of the band. It’s a showstopper for anyone touched by the music and pageantry of this award-winning group.

 

"Around the Tuscan Table" by Carole Counihan '76, '81 Routledge, $22.95. ISBN: 0415946735 Around the Tuscan Table – Food, Family, and Gender in Twentieth-Century Florence (Routledge, $22.95), explores the connection between family and food and how it has evolved in 20th century Italy. Carole Counihan ’76, ’81 spent from 1968 to 1984 immersed in Italian culture and closely studied the food habits and culture of one extended Italian family described in the book. It’s an anthropological view on food in society and its place in the family structure. Interspersed with old family recipes, this book is a savory treat for lovers of both Italian culture and food.

 

"The Bellwomen" by Marjorie Stockford '78 Rutgers University Press, $25.95. ISBN: 0813534283 In the early 1970’s, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission confronted AT&T’s companywide treatment of its female and minority employees. A 1973 settlement resulted in a $38 million award that benefited employees, more than 13,000 of them women, forever changing our perceptions of women’s and men’s roles in the workplace. This case provided a catalyst bringing many more women into the paid workforce in nontraditional jobs. Marjorie A. Stockford ’78 tells the story in The Bellwomen: The Story of the Landmark AT&T Sex Discrimination Case (Rutgers University Press, $25.95).

 

"Women Seen and Heard" by Lois Phillips '73G Luz Publications, $19.95. ISBN: 0813534283 Lois Phillips ’73G is a speaker, trainer, consultant and author of the recently published Women Seen and Heard: Lessons Learned from Successful Speakers (LUZ Publications, $19.95). Her book is a practical training manual for women who want to polish their speaking skills. Phillips offers tips for overcoming stage fright and speaking with conviction without becoming overly emotional as well as advice on how to develop a career as a paid professional speaker. Twenty successful public speakers were interviewed and share their wisdom on how to prepare and deliver dynamic presentations to small or large groups.

 

"Ecology for Gardeners" by Steven B. Carroll ’90G and Steven D. Salt Timber Press, $29.95. ISBN: 0881926116 Ecologist Steve Carroll ’90G teaches ecology and botany at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri. He specializes in pollination biology, plant reproduction and problems posed by invasive species. In Ecology for Gardeners, released earlier this year, he looks at the physical environment within which garden organisms live and function and the ways plants function in their environment and form communities. Carroll examines the intricate interactions among garden-dwelling organisms, ranging from the harmful to the beneficial, and, once humans are introduced into the mix, how they can use ecological principles to wisely manage garden ecosystems. Citing hundreds of examples drawn from personal experience and from gardening and ecological literature, Carroll makes it clear that gardens are connected to the natural world in endless and important ways.

 

"The Nana in the Chair, and the Tales She Told" by Edward C. McManus ’59 Authorhouse , $14.95. ISBN: 1418448060 “These are little stories, told to a little boy, by a loving old woman who had no wealth or property so she gave him her time, attention and love. As every sane person knows, there is no greater gift.” Ed McManus was a little boy who sat with his Irish grandmother in the 1940s while she told her folk and fairy tales and stories of her adventures in Ireland and America during the early part of the last century. An old woman who was blind and arthritic, confined to her chair but with a soaring imagination and a strong Catholic faith, these stories are both entertaining and moral. Ranging from true life stories of the hard but happy times of a young woman traveling alone to America to imaginative musings about leprechauns, magic lamps, mermaids and banshees, this is an entertaining book to be shared with family, young and old alike.

 

"Crimes Against Humanity A Historical Perspective" by Benjamin Ricci iUniverse, $37.95. ISBN: 0-595-30398-6, 0-595-66163-7 Benjamin Ricci, professor emeritus of exercise science, is the father of Robert Ricci, the principal plaintiff, in the landmark class action suit brought against Milton Greenblatt, MD, who served as commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health from 1967-1973. Ricci has written a detailed account of the inhumane conditions of Belchertown State School in Massachusetts during the 1950s and 1960s, including his founding of an advocacy group to support the retarded and their families, and the story of the 20-year landmark federal court class-action suit that eventually secured rights and protections for mentally retarded citizens.

 

"Living Light as a Feather How to Find Joy in Every Day and a Purpose in Every Problem" by Ruth Fishel Health Communications, $11.95. ISBN: 0-7573-0157-6 Ruth (Haase) Fishel ’57 is the author of many bestselling books, including Time for Joy and The Journey Within. She is a national retreat and workshop leader and meditation teacher. Her most recent book, Living Light as a Feather, is an inspiring yet practical book which shows readers that the secret to finding joy and living light as a feather is to free their heavy hearts. Releasing negative habits and emotions including repressed anger, past resentments, jealousy, loss and fear. The book includes powerful personal stories of people who overcame insurmountable obstacles to find a new purpose in life, including a woman whose daughter was murdered and subsequently turned her grief into helping others who have lost family members that way.

"Earthbound and Heavenbent: Elizabeth Porter Phelps and Life at Forty Acres 1747-1817 " by Elizabeth Pendergast Carlisle Scribner, $26. ISBN: 0-7432-4440-0 Earthbound and Heavenbent describes Elizabeth Porter Phelps' life during the founding years of America. It spans three wars, a major uprising, and the emergence of a nation. This true story, set at Forty Acres, Phelps' Hadley, Massachusetts, home, provides rich detail culled from the numerous letters and diary entries kept by Phelps. Scholar Elizabeth Pendergast Carlisle '84G, '89G brilliantly combines her own narrative with excerpts from Phelps' writing, bringing to life the daily activities of a New England family. A must-read for history buffs and those of us who have long held a romanticized view of life at that time.

 

"New England Outdoor Adventure Savings Guide 2004 Summer • Fall" by Robert Goldman www.newenglandadventureguide.com, $4.95 (+ $2 shipping), RMG Publishing, PO Box 982, Portland, ME 04104. Bob Goldman ’78 knows that there are thousands of UMies out there who enjoy the outdoors. He has gathered up a book full of savings for the frugal adventurer, and shares them with you—for a nominal fee. His 28-page guidebook offers the perfect combination of outdoor fun and money saving value. Hot air ballooning, white water rafting, kayaking, Windjammer cruises, sailing, horse back riding, whale watching, scenic aviation tours of the Maine Coast, and even skydiving. Travel tips and bargains in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont are included along with a 50 percent discount offer for membership in the Appalachian Mountain Club.

"African American Mosaic: A Documentary History from Slave Trade to the Twenty-first Century" Volumes I and II By John Bracey and Manisha Sinha Prentice Hall, $40 each ISBN: 0130922889/ISBN: 0130922870 "African American history leads us to reevaluate a 'consensus' view of American history by highlighting contradictions and conflicts," write the authors of this two-book anthology. Developed by UMass Amherst professors of Afro-American studies, John Bracey and Manisha Sinha, this anthology spans the decades to cover a dynamic history and its evolvement to modern-day American society. In Volume I, topics progress chronologically, taking readers from the forced migration of the peoples of West and Central Africa to the New World and childbirth under slavery and emancipation, to the promises and disappointments of Reconstruction. Volume II covers the failure of Reconstruction and carries the reader through the rise and fall of Jim Crow, 20th century urbanization, and development of Civil Rights movement. The anthology closes with an analysis of the range of political and social opinions that characterize contemporary black life.

 

"Amherst, Massachusetts 01002: One of the Best Small Towns in America" By Vincent J. Cleary Collective Copies, 71 S. Pleasant St., Amherst, 413-256-6425, $17 With a passion for his hometown, Vince Cleary, UMass Amherst classics professor, has collected decades' worth of tales from all historical outlets across the Amherst area. The result is a look back on how Amherst has shaped and changed over the years. It's trip down memory lane filled with details any fan of the small college town will enjoy. As Cleary notes: "The book has evolved into my personal Amherst history, the story of my 32-plus years here." UMass Amherst topics covered in the work include: John Calipari and Marcus Camby, Walter Chesnut, WFCR and Bob Paquette, the various steeples on campus, swans on the pond, the 2003 graduation at McGuirk Stadium, UMass Transit, the Marching Band, and Harold Ziff of the Journalism department. Jeffery Amherst Books, Amherst Books, Food for Thought Books and Hastings, all in downtown Amherst, and the University Store at UMass Amherst (413-545-2619) carry the book.

 

"Memoirs of a Papillon: The Canine Guide to Living with Humans without Going Mad" By Dennis Fried, Ph.D. Eiffel Press, $14 ISBN: 0967933501 It's not every day you'll pick up a dog's memoir, but that's just what Dennis Fried '77 Ph.D. packages in this story of Genevieve the papillon. As Fried stresses at the beginning, "Genevieve wrote this book by her actions, attitude, expressions, and indomitable personality. Granted, I typed the words but the content is all Genevieve's." The result is a witty tale of the strong bond between a dog and the humans it lives with, all told from Genevieve's point of view. The idea is fresh: Where else could you read about journeying into a pet supermarket from the dog's perspective? An Appendix adds to the fun with a quiz for pets: "How Intelligent is Your Human?"

 

"A Tongue in the Sink: The Harrowing Adventures of a Baby Boomer Childhood" By Dennis Fried, Ph.D. Eiffel Press, $14 ISBN: 096793351X Dennis Fried Fried '77 Ph.D. has a knack for blunt, dry humor that shines through in this nostalgic reflection of a 1950s childhood in Catskill, New York. As Fried notes, upstate New York is an area "referred to a the 'sticks,' the 'boonies,' or the 'country.' "A New York City resident considers the unfortunate inhabitants of that remote region to be from the 'sticks' or the 'boonies.' On the other hand, his own weekend retreat is said to be in the 'country.' " The book gives a humorous look at how lifestyle's and regions have changed through the years. Fried began Eiffel Press in 1999 to self-publish "Memoirs of a Papillon."

 

"Sidney Poitier: Man, Actor, Icon" By Aram Goudsouzian University of North Carolina Press, $30 ISBN: 0807828432 Aram Goudsouzian '97 has completed the first full biography of famed actor Sidney Poitier. As Goudsouzain includes in her work, Poitier, a 2002 recipient of the Academy Award for lifetime achievement, left his home on Cat Island when he was age 15 and came to the United States to discover racism and poverty. He was thrown off stage during his first audition with the American Negro Theater because of his Bahamian accent. He then self taught himself pronunciation to mimic radio announcers and triumphed in his next audition with the troupe. Goudsouzain, who teaches history at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY, retells Poitier's tale of achieving notoriety in the United States, of living through the various political climates of decades past, and of what Poitier gained and lost as a result. It is truly a portrait of humanity.

 

"Revolting Bodies? The Struggle to Redefine Fat Identity" By Kathleen LeBesco, Ph.D. University of Massachusetts Press, $19 SBN: 1558494294 As Kathleen LeBesco '98 Ph.D. says, this book on social construction of beauty was fueled with frustration of how things are and imagination of how they could be. In this work, LeBesco, associate professor of communication arts at Marymount Manhattan College, N.Y., argues that 'revolting' is in the eye of the beholder. If analyzed in political terms, it becomes representative of overthrowing authority, rebelling, protesting, and rejecting. As such, the redefinition of a fat body (usually thought of in modern society as a revolting body) has been sparked by people who challenge the popular dogma around nature, health, and beauty. LeBesco also explores where alliances can be bridged among challengers of this doctrine; she include examples in the areas of fat fashion and activism among fat, queer, and disability politics. Among her scholarly writing on identity construction, LeBesco has received a top competitive paper award from the Disability Caucus of the National Communication Association.

 

"Images of America: The Polish Community of Worcester" By Barbara Proko, John Kraska Jr., and Janice Baniukiewicz Stickles Arcadia, $20 ISBN: 0738513385 With her passion in Polish genealogy and the local history of Worcester, Mass., former journalist Barbara Proko '68 set out to construct a photo history using more than 200 vintage images. With the research and marketing help of John Kraska Jr. and Janice Baniukiewicz Stickles, Proko pieced together the first book ever documenting Polish immigration to and settlement in Worcester. Proko's book details a century (1870-1970) of reflection on family, school, work, military and community. The result tells the story of the Polish community within a larger context, including local events like the neighborhood destruction that made way for the "Worcester Expressway" construction to the world wars that directly impacted both the United States and Poland. Strengthening that personal connection, Proko and her co-authors even attended St. Mary's High School when growing up (mentioned in chapter six as the only New England Polish high school).

 

"Ideas are Free: How the Idea Revolution is Liberating People and Transforming Organizations" By Alan G. Robinson & Dean M. Schroeder Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., $25 ISBN: 1576752828 The goal of this book is to help managers to realize the wealth of ideas they have at hand within their front-line employees. Alan G. Robinson, UMass Amherst Isenberg School of Management professor, co-developed the idea with Dean M. Schroeder, a professor at the College of Business Administration at Valparaiso University. Employees, the men explain, work on the front-lines daily. As such, they have a much closer view of the problems faced in their routines -- and can more adequately develop solutions. The professors' guide is a blueprint for company managers to encourage their employees to share their ideas. As founder of Monster.com, Jeff Taylor '01, raves, "Filled with real-world stories of how great companies generate, act on, and reward new ideas, 'Ideas Are Free' will inspire any manager who believes, as I do, that only the innovative thrive!"

 

"Toddler: Real-life Stories of Those Fickle, Irrational, Urgent, Tiny People We Love" Edited by Jennifer L. Margulis "Big Bird is Just Big Bird" by Eve S. Weinbaum Seal Press, $15 ISBN: 158005093X Jennifer L. Margulis has captured the magic, humor and chaos of raising a toddler with this collection of stories from parents far and near. Eve S. Weinbaum, UMass Amherst labor studies professor, shares a story about her two toddlers and her son's evolving understanding of gender roles. After reading a parenting guide that told its readers, "Boys are much more aggressive both physically and verbally, while girls are more compliant. Boys come to like group play, girls one-on-one," Weinbaum responded with: "No one told this to my toddlers. They and their daycare friend violate willy-nilly the rules laid out in this modern-day bible of parenting." The tale, one of 50 included in the book, is inspirational in that it represents and reaffirms parents' collective questions.

 

"Golf in the Lowcountry: An Extraordinary Journey Through Hilton Head Islands & Savannah" By Joel Zuckerman Saron Press, Ltd., $30 ISBN: 0965079163 It was a seven-word want ad that changed the life of Joel Zuckerman '83 forever. "Wanted: Golf Writer for Hilton Head Newspaper," was all it said, but it was enough to peak the passions of this "vagabond golfer." Zuckerman has released an intimate portrait of golf in the setting of one of the most renowned coastal destinations: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia. He writes, "It's more than the temperate climate, lush vegetation and mellow pace of life that are hallmarks of this special environment É In a word, recreation is the key attraction of the area É To my mind, it's the dozens of spectacular courses that make this region so inviting." From vistas of Harbour Town Golf Links to a "mind-boggling" array of holes at The Landings Club, Zuckerman is an amiable and informed tour guide of the region's best courses.