Send news of your recently published book or recording, along with a review copy, if possible, to "Issued," Oberlin Alumni Magazine, Bosworth 101, 50 W. Lorain St., Oberlin, OH 44074-1089. We'll present your review copy to the Oberlin College Library as a gift from you once your news has been published.
Chancellorville
By Stephen W. Sears '54
Houghton Mifflin Company, 1996
Drawing upon news sources and personal accounts by soldiers on both sides, Stephen Sears has written about one of the most dramatic battles of the Civil War, and the event historians consider to be Robert E. Lee's military masterpiece--taking Chancellorville. Lee violated a cardinal rule of military strategy by dividing his small army, sending Stonewall Jackson on his famous 12-mile march around the Union flank, destroying one entire corps of the Union army, while Lee drove the rest across the Rappahannock River. Jackson was killed by friendly fire eight days later, and the triumph of the Chancellorville assault led Lee to launch an aggressive campaign resulting in his greatest defeat at Gettysburg. Sears, a former editor of American Heritage, is the author of nine books, including the award-winning Landscape Turned Red: The Battle of Antietam.
The World At Night
By Alan Furst '62
Random House, 1996
Another in Furst's series of WWII thriller spy novels, The World at Night follows Polish Officer, Dark Star, and Night Soldiers. Furst has used his personal knowledge of people who were active in the French resistance movement to give his fiction authenticity. When asked about the hold Paris and the 1940 resistance movement has on him, the author replied, "The French believe in making love, drinking wine, in staying up all night, and talking about life. The hero of The World At Night believes in little else until he attempts to fight against the Germans--at the risk of sacrificing the pleasures of wine, adultery, and civilized conversation." From the beginning, the mission goes terribly wrong until the reluctant agent understands that he must gamble everything--his career, the woman he loves, and his life itself--to be effective. How a few honorable people behaved in an era when the word honor was not in fashion is the engrossing view of this book.
Manchu Palaces
By Jeanne Larsen '71
Henry Holt and Company, Inc., 1996
Award-winning poet and fiction writer Jeanne Larsen teaches literature and creative writing at Hollins College. In Manchu Palaces, Larson's third novel set in medieval China, the young protagonist Lotus narrates her coming of age in the imperial court of the reigning Manchu Qing dynasty, inside Beijing's Forbidden City. Larson examines the subjugated roles of women in traditional China, and explores, in Buddhist terms, the world of the senses, once again fusing the myths and history of China with contemporary scholarship. Nationally known for her translations of Chinese poems, the sinologist was a Shansi representative from 1972-1975.
Living With One's Past:
Personal Fates and Moral Pain
By Norman S. Care
Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 1996
With this book Oberlin's chair of the Department of Philosophy helps readers to become reconciled to themselves as flawed moral agents, and to review--and learn to live with--the harm we helplessly do to those we love. The book takes up the problems of real life--alcoholism, major depression, debilitating shyness, or extreme anxiety--which may all lead to personal failings and even to moral wrongdoing that we can neither explain or ignore. Care addresses these questions from both theoretical and personal perspectives. How to live successfully with others; how to achieve peace of mind even though we may have experienced regrettable low points in our moral behavior in the past; and an examination of the famous Twelve-Step Program of Alcoholics Anonymous are among the chapters which will benefit anyone whose life has been affected by his or her own or others moral failings.
Give Sorrow Words:
A Father's Passage Through Grief
Thomas S. Crider '63
Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 1996
Tom Crider's only child, a junior at Lafayette College, died in the middle of the night from smoke inhalation and burns in her tiny third-floor attic apartment, for want of a battery in a smoke alarm. Crider, unable to assuage his pain or find meaning in his daughter's death, was uncomfortable with conventional responses to loss and suffering. He began his secular journey--or, as he called it, a grief without God--through a year-long bereavement. This is the book, he says, that didn't exist when he needed it. Filled with allusions to stories, poems, myths, and ancient religious texts from many cultures, the book offers, without sermons or certainty, companionship in agony and an exploration of spiritual issues related to death. It is the painfully honest account of a difficult journey, gradually giving way to a sorrowful acceptance, and Crider hopes it may teach others how to find the same path.
Tethered Deer:
Government & Economy in a Chinese County
By Marc Blecher & Vivienne Shue
Stanford University Press, 1996
Marc Blecher recently completed a term as chair of the Department of Politics at Oberlin; Vivienne Shue held a similar position at Cornell. The authors have collaborated to bring the first systematic study of the organization and operations of Chinese government at the county level, opening a window on the Chinese state and statecraft in the bureaucratic middle-ground between Beijing policy-making and community-level politics. Even under the adverse conditions of the Mao and Deng years, there was far more latitude extended to county leaders than anyone might have expected. Using data drawn from Shulu County over a 20-year period, supplemented by their own on-site field trips, the authors cover every aspect of local, community, and political life, and, most notably, the activities of county administrators in promoting rural development, local industrialization, urbanization, and commercial expansion.
Dystonia:
The Disease That Distorts
By Eugene Smith '50
Dystonia Medical Research Foundation, 1996
You think you have normal control over all your muscles--your arm, your neck, your eyes, your foot, your vocal cords--'til one day you notice that one or more of these muscles is misbehaving--it becomes tense when you perform an ordinary task, like writing. Or your head starts drifting to the left, or to the right. Or your eyelids shut for varying periods of time. Or you begin to feel increasingly painful spasms in your neck or upper back. These could all be symptoms of dystonia, a mysterious affliction that can affect anyone, and can turn an otherwise normal life into a lifelong contest with muscles that won't mind. Smith, who himself is dealing with this frustrating disease, has been successful in enhancing our total knowledge of dystonia, providing a valuable contribution for anyone else who suffers from it, or who had a friend or loved one who feels angry and isolated dealing with this often misdiagnosed disease.
The French Nöel
By Betty Bang Mather '49
and Gail Gavin
Indiana University Press, 1996
This book focuses on the 16 nöels arranged for flute duet by Jean-Jacques Rippert or a younger member of the Rippert family in 1725. A performing edition of the nöels, the volume includes lyrics, uniting sacred and profane texts, music, and dance as performed from the late Middle Ages through the Baroque. Mather and Gavin have transcribed these pieces with lyrics of the period so they may be either sung or played. The authors also include a history of the French word nöel from its earliest usage, when it was a cry to get attention or express joy, to the 13th century's first reference to the birthday of Christ.
Teresa of Avila and the Politics Of Sanctity
By Gillian T. W. Ahlgren
Cornell University Press, 1996
The only female theologian to be published in late 16th-century Spain, Teresa sought to provide a clear defense of mystical experience, particularly that of women. As inquisitional censure increased and the authority of women's visions and ecstatic prayer experiences declined, Teresa's written self-expressions became, of necessity, less direct, and her later writing was heavily coded. Ahlgren demonstrates how Teresa's rhetorical style and theological message were directly responsive to the climate of suspicion created by the Inquisition and how they constituted a challenge to 16th-century assumptions about women. Ahlgren suggests that the strategies Teresa developed to protect women's experiences were subsequently used by Church officials to rewrite aspects of her life and thought, transforming her into the model for official Counter-Reformation sanctity.
First Person Sexual: Women & Men Write About Self-Pleasuring
Edited By Joani Blank '59
Down There Press, 1996
"Everyone does it--hardly anyone talks about it!" In this collection of short stories and vignettes told in first-person, more than 40 women and men share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in solo sex. Joani Blank is the author of several sexual self-help books and the founder of Good Vibrations in San Francisco.
This Place on Earth:
Home and the Practice of Permanence
By Alan Thein Durning '85
Sasquatch Books, 1996
In a quest for an environmentally sustainable way to exist as a society, Durning, a boyish 31, founded the Seattle-based Northwest Environment Watch (NEW) to study "the practice of permanence." One of his recently released studies shows that people who move to the suburbs in search of safety are actually in more danger of death or injury from traffic accidents than they were from the inner-city crime they had fled. The author explores the people and ideas that are shaping his vision for an urban economy through such simple steps as building front porches to reconnect individuals with the community. He offers many real-world solutions to the problems faced in reconciling urban and suburban people to their environment. This is Durning's third book urging that pavement is as important as parkland. He has contributed several articles to The New York Times, Foreign Policy, and The Washington Post, and is a commentator on National Public Radio.
Restoring Diversity:
Strategies for Reintroduction of Endangered Plants
Edited By Donald A. Falk '72, Constance I. Millar, and Margaret Olwell
Island Press, 1996
Intended for environmental professionals, this collection of writings examines the strategy, biology, and application of the reintroduction of rare plant species into their natural habitat. Donald A. Falk is executive director of the Society for Ecological Restoration in Seattle, Washington. Constance I. Millar is a research geneticist and conservation biologist with the Institute of Forest Genetics, USDA Forest Service in Albany, California. Margaret Olwell is endangered species coordinator for the National Park Service in Washington, D.C.
Crosby
By Dennis Haseley '72
Illustrated By Jonathan Green
Harcourt Brace & Co., 1996
Children 5-8 will be intrigued by why Crosby, an African-American youngster, prefers old, forgotten things to the nice new things his mother wants for him, and the reason why he always keeps to himself. They will find the answers in this beautifully illustrated book--the art was first painted in oils on canvas--when Crosby discovers an old junkyard kite and makes a new friend. Dennis Haseley, a psychotherapist as well as an author, has written several critically acclaimed books for children and older readers.
Selves in Discord and Resolve:
Kierkegaard's Moral-Religious Psychology, from Fear and Trembling to Sickness Unto Death
By Edward F. Mooney '62
Routledge, 1996
Mooney is said by fellow academicians to have a remarkable talent for presenting material in a way that is both accessible and engaging, even colorful at times--without sacrificing scholarly integrity. A professor of philosophy at Sonoma State University, Mooney published an earlier book on Kierkegaard, and is a contributor to The Cambridge Companion To Kierkegaard, along with numerous articles in moral psychology, existentialism, and gender studies. This new volume paints a compelling portrait of Kierkegaard's anticipation of the contemporary issue of self-identity and self-change in an uncertain world--the mobile self in discord and resolve.
Your Land, My Land:
Children in the Process of Acculturation
By Jacklyn Blake Clayton '60
Heinemann, 1996
This is a study of the acculturation of our children into elementary school, as seen by the author, the teachers, the parents, and the children themselves. The book focuses on the questions of whether there is a pattern of acculturation shared among the four students, and examines the role of the school and the classroom teacher in the acculturation process. Clayton has taught EFL and ESL classes at middle- and elementary- school levels, and teaches courses in cross- cultural awareness and multi-cultural education at Boston University.
The Bond Markets of Developing East Asia
By Robert F. Emery '51
Westview Press, 1997
Drawing on the most recent data available, the book provides detailed descriptions and analyses of the bond markets in eight East Asian developing economies, and evaluates each in terms of their individual strengths and weaknesses. Emery served as a financial specialist on East Asia at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System for 33 years.
Export Restraint and the New Protectionism:
The Political Economy of Discriminatory Trade Restrictions
By Kent Albert Jones '76
The University of Michigan Press, 1996
The work explains the origins and impact of discriminatory trade barriers on the economy and the trading system. Concluding with a review of recent developments in export restraint, the book also considers possibilities for domestic and foreign trade policy reform. Jones is professor of economics at Babson College.
Beyond Enrichment:
Building Effective Arts Partnerships with Schools and Your Community
By Jane Remer '54
American Council for the Arts Book, 1996
Including essays, case studies, interviews, strategies and personal insights from more than 45 contributors, the book addresses key issues confronting the arts and education, and provide solutions to common problems based on experience in these fields. Remer is an artist, teacher, writer, and a national arts education consultant.
Charlie Parker and Thematic Improvisation
By Henry Martin '72
Scarecrow Press, 1996
Intended for musicologists and jazz students, the book provides a fresh assessment of the contributions of Charlie Parker through an analysis of his improvisations in a variety of genres. Martin is a faculty member of the Jazz and Contemporary Music Program at the New School for Social Research.
It's Our Military, Too!
Women and the U.S. Military
Edited By Judith Hicks Stiehm '57
Temple University Press, 1996
Through accounts by women on active duty, retired officers, and civilians, the book offers insights into numerous pressing issues concerning women and the military. It dispels common myths about women in service, and explores the reasons for the persistence of these tales in light of increased female participation. Stiehm is professor of political science at Florida International University.
Wings
Music by Jeffrey Lunden '80, Book & Lyrics by Arthur Perlman
BMG Music, 1996
Exploring the unknowable, silent world of a stroke victim, Arthur Kopit's play, Wings, was first produced by The New York Shakespeare Joseph Papp Public Theater in March 1993. This premiere original cast recording tells the story in music and lyrics of former aviator and wing-walker, Emily Stilson, and her personal journey as she struggles to recover from a debilitating stroke. Four Oberlin graduates participated in the production: Jeff Lunden '80 composed the music; Thomas Z. Shepard '58 produced the show; Bradley Vieth '82 was musical director; and Alex Rybeck '79 performed as second keyboardist.
Elliot Carter, Samuel Barber, Seymour Shifrin:
Sonatas for Cello and Piano
Rhonda Rider '78, Cello
Lois Shapiro, Piano
Centaur Records, 1995
Three mid-20th century American sonatas are performed on cello and piano: a jazzy and innovative 1948 work by Elliot Carter; a well-loved sonata composed by 22-year-old Samuel Barber, and a seldom-heard piece by the late composer, Seymour Shifrin. Cellist Rider, on the faculty at Brandeis University, concertizes and gives masterclasses in contemporary music across the country, and performs in the Naumberg Award winning Lydian Quartet. She has earned acclaim as soloist in traditional and contemporary performances and recordings, and is a winner of the Concert Artists' Guild Award. Pianist Lois Shapiro is on the faculty of Wellesley College and the Longy School of Music.
Winterfische, by Paul Kolhoff '76, is set in Ohio, but written in German and published in Germany by DuMont's Kriminal-Bibliothek. The author heads a school for emotionally disturbed teenagers in Richmond, Va., and is looking for an American publisher. The mystery delves into the fractured lives of characters beset by greed and "a less than blessed lust," says the author.
The Conversation Begins: Mothers and Daughters Talk About Living Feminism includes chapters by Barbara Seaman '57, and her daughters Elana and Shira Seaman '83. Barbara Seaman lives in New York City and is a contributing editor to Ms. magazine. Her 1969 book, The Doctor's Case Against the Pill, was updated and reissued in both a 10th and 25th Anniversary Edition, and received an "alternative Pulitzer" in 1996 from Project Censored. Edited by Christina Looper Baker and Christina Baker Kline, published by Bantam, 1996.
Michaelean, by Margo Hennebach '80, fuses folk, pop, and Celtic music. Features Hennebach on piano and vocals, and includes nine of her original compositions. Hennebach has toured the U.S., performing in numerous folk festivals and headlining many of the nation's top folk venues. Issued by 1-800 PRIME-CD, 1996.
Twentieth Century Music for English Horn and Oboe, with Carolyn Hove '80 on horn. Hove has been the English horn player with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra since 1988. Issued by Chystal Records, 1996.
Cookin': A Musical Smorgasbord for the Whole Family, by Gary Rosen '68, is a collection of 12 food-inspired children's songs, and nine original songs by Rosen, who composed the music and lyrics, and sings and plays guitar. Issued by GMR Records, 1996.
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