If you have published a general-interest book in the past six months, please let us know. Review copies can be mailed to: Virginia Tech Magazine, 105-A Media Bldg. (0109), Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061.
Books submitted to Virginia Tech Magazine for review will be donated to the library in The Grove, home of President and Mrs. Charles W. Steger, unless authors specifically request their return. Faculty, staff, and alumni wanting to contribute other books they have written should mail the books to The Grove (0446), Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061.
RELIGION
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History Professor Frederic J. Baumgartner's Behind Locked Doors: A History of the Papal Elections examines the pomp and circumstance--as well as the escalating secrecy--surrounding the Catholic Church's election of popes throughout the centuries.
The publisher is Palgrave Macmillan (175 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10010); http://www.palgrave-usa.com.
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GOVERNMENT
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Called the "roving inspector general of the modern State" by The Wall Street Journal, James Bovard, who attended Tech in the late '70s, investigates the United States' war on terrorism in his latest book, Terrorism and Tyranny: Trampling Freedom, Justice, and Peace to Rid the World of Evil. Meticulously documenting the government's post-Sept. 11 policies and actions, Bovard categorically decries them--and with ample support.
The publisher is Palgrave Macmillan (175 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10010); http://www.palgrave-usa.com.
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HISTORY
| In The Diaries of James Armistead Otey, edited by Professor of English James O. Hoge Jr. (English '66), collects the writings of gentleman farmer and Tech alumnus James Armistead Otey, formerly the proprietor of Blacksburg's Walnut Spring Farm, still in operation today. Penned from 1889 through 1926, the diaries offer a compelling look at life in Southwest Virginia at the turn of the century.
The publisher is The Pocahontas Press (832 Hutcheson Dr., Blacksburg, VA 24060, 800/446-0467).
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Compiled by editors John W. Brinsfield, a retired Army chaplain in Atlanta; William C. Davis, professor of history and director of programs at Tech's Virginia Center for Civil War Studies; the center's executive director, James I. Robinson Jr., Alumni Distinguished Professor of History; and Benedict Maryniak, a New York historian, Faith in the Fight: Civil War Chaplains is a groundbreaking, exhaustive study of "Holy Joes" who served the spiritual needs of Civil War soldiers. The text identifies 3,694 ministers commissioned as chaplains in the Union and Confederate armies, including their full names, birth and death dates, units of service, and denominations. Also featured are the written recollections of several chaplains and two essays.
The publisher is Stackpole Books (5067 Ritter Rd., Mechanicsburg, PA 17055); http://www.stackpolebooks.com.
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DESIGN
| Accessing AutoCAD Architectural Desktop by William Wyatt (Ed.D. '78), professor of drafting at John Tyler Community College, is a comprehensive text featuring tutorials for creating floor plans, foundation plans, elevations, sections, and presentation drawings using ADT's state-of-the-art design software.
The publisher is Thomson Learning (Executive Woods, 5 Maxwell Dr., Clifton Park, NY 12065-2919); http:// www.autodeskpress.com.
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ACTIVITY BOOKS
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Judy Burns (family and child development '84) and George Wills, a Roanoke-based graphic artist, have created two historically accurate activity books for children. Pets of World War II, a dot-to-dot coloring book, includes images of beloved animals of servicemen, while World War II Word Search features word puzzles that even adults will enjoy.
The publisher is Discovery Mountain Press (P.O. Box 184, Forest, VA 24551); http://www.discoverymountainpress.com.
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FICTION
| In The Mission: CIA in the Balkans, Ronald E. Estes (sociology '57), a former Marine who served 25 years in the CIA's Directorate of Operations, explores the dangers faced by a Bulgarian refugee tapped into Cold War espionage by both the CIA and the Bulgarian Intelligence Service. The publisher is iUniverse Inc. (2021 Pine Lake Rd., Ste. 100, Lincoln, NE 68512); http://www.iuniverse.com. |
| Linked by Love by Jaclyn Gotch (psychology '01) is the story of two college students who meet via the Internet, fall in love, and eventually marry. The publisher is iUniverse Inc. (2021 Pine Lake Rd., Ste. 100, Lincoln, NE 68512); http://www.iuniverse.com. |
| Drawing from actual events in his own life, Dale Alderman's (marketing '84) Being A Dad is a collection of comedic short stories that capture the chaos of parenthood. The publisher is iUniverse Inc. (2021 Pine Lake Rd., Ste. 100, Lincoln, NE 68512); http://www.iuniverse.com. |
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In Bill Yancey's (general science '71) second novel, Invictus, a twist of fate and a surprise ending resolve the growing conflicts between a doctor at an Appalachian university and his new supervisor. The publisher is Briarwood Publications (150 W. College St., Rocky Mount, VA 24151); http://www.wasileski.com/Catalog.html. |
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