Books


If you have published a general-interest book in the past six months, please let us know. Review copies should be mailed to Virginia Tech Magazine, 105 Media Building (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 directly to The Grove (0446), Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061.

FICTION

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The Ambassador's Son by Homer Hickam (industrial and systems engineering '64) is the second in the author's series about the World War II adventures of U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Josh Thurlow and his crew of coastal North Carolina misfits.

The publisher is St. Martin's Books (175 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10010); http://www.stmartins.com.

book cover Masters of Midnight: Erotic Tales of the Vampire by William J. Mann, Michael Thomas Ford, Sean Wolfe, and Assistant Professor of English Jeff Mann features four provocative novellas of contemporary gay vampires.

The publisher is Kensington Publishing Corp. (850 Third Ave., New York, NY 10022); http://www.kensingtonbooks.com.

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In Fingering the Family Jewels: A Derek Mason Mystery by Greg Lilly (management science '85), secrets and lies unravel as Mason, a gay man estranged from his relatives, returns home to dig into his family history with the help of a reporter.

The publisher is Regal Crest Enterprises, LLC (PMB 210, 8691 9th Ave., Port Arthur, TX 77642); http://www.RegalCrest.biz.


ATHLETICS

book cover In Rising Expectations: The Changing Times and Life of the Blacksburg Sports Club, Dean Emeritus of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences James R. Nichols, a past member of Virginia Tech's Athletic Committee and former president of the Blacksburg Sports Club, charts the organization's 40 years of supporting varsity athletic programs at both Virginia Tech and Blacksburg High School.

The publisher is Lot's Wife Publishing (P.O. Box 1844, Staunton, VA 24402); http://civic.bev.net/bbsc.

book cover On the heels of his success in endurance sports after his retirement from academe, Dallas Smith (Ph.D. engineering mechanics '69) recounts his race adventures in Falling Forward: Tales from an Endurance Saga.

The publisher is Yucca Tree Press (270 Avenida de Mesilla, Las Cruces, NM 88005); http://www.barbed-wire.net.


SELF-HELP

book cover Ready, Set, Go! Take Control of Your Professional Future: A How-to Guide that Ignites Your Fire Within by Martha Joh Reeder-Kearns (finance '79) provides insight, direction, and motivation to help readers achieve their professional goals.

The publisher is M2 Pathways (P.O. Box 773, Bozeman, MT 59771); http://www.m2pathways.com.

book cover In George C. Marshall: A Marshall Plan for Leadership and Selfless Service, Stewart W. Husted (Ph.D. secondary education '68), the John and Jane Roberts Chair in Free Enterprise Business at Virginia Military Institute, uses the Marshall Plan to offer 183 historical lessons for a successful management career rooted in the highest levels of personal integrity and good character.

The publisher is Xlibris (436 Walnut St., 11th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106); http://www.xlibris.com.

book cover What Is Marriage? by Sam (mechanical engineering '78) and Debbie (computer science '77) Wood offers insights into understanding marriage from a Christian perspective.

The publisher is Family Fortress Ministries Inc. (P.O. Box 1505, Jamestown, TN 38556); http://www.familyfortress.org.

book cover In The Law School Breakthrough, Christopher J. Yianilos (political science '94), who graduated in the top 10 percent of his law school class and is presently chief counsel to Virginia Sen. John Warner, provides techniques for overcoming every obstacle law school students are likely to face during the three most challenging years of their lives.

The publisher is Career Press (3 Tice Rd., P.O. Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417); http://www.careerpress.com/.


SCIENCE

book cover A book-on-CD by John R. Coiner Jr. (chemical engineering '70), Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge Mountains contains photographs and information about 180 wildflowers indigenous to the region.

To purchase a copy, contact the author by mail at 3024 Cranehill Dr., Lynchburg, VA 24503; or by e-mail at sooner2@adelphia.net.

book cover In Forest Canopies, edited by Margaret D. Lowman and H. Bruce Rinker (forestry and wildlife '79), nearly 60 scientists and educators examine the biodiversity, ecology, evolution, and conservation of forest-canopy ecosystems.

The publisher is Elsevier Academic Press (200 Wheeler Rd., 6th Floor, Burlington, MA 01803); http://books.elsevier.com/.

book cover In Basic Theory of Exploration Seismology, Emeritus Professor of Geophysics John K. Costain and Emeritus Professor of Geophysics and former chair of the Department of Geosciences Cahit Coruh discuss seismological applications of the Fourier and Hilbert transform, deconvolution, and the basics of refraction and reflection seismology.

The publisher is Elsevier Academic Press (200 Wheeler Rd., 6th Floor, Burlington, MA 01803); http://books.elsevier.com/.


COMPUTERS

book cover In A Beginner's Guide to Developing Documentum Desktop Applications, M. Scott Roth (industrial and systems engineering '91), a senior software engineer and Microsoft Certified Solution Developer, has compiled the best information from numerous sources to create a comprehensive, hands-on guide. For more information, go to http://www.dm-book.com/.

The publisher is iUniverse (2021 Pine Lake Rd., Ste. 100, Lincoln, NE 68512); http://www.iuniverse.com/.


TRAVEL

book cover In Mondo DC, Jeff Bagato (English '86; M.A. '88) examines more than 40 of the oddest and most interesting places in Washington, D.C.-- the Squished Penny Museum, the International Spy Museum, and "The Exorcist" stairs, among them--including the history and highlights of each.

The publisher is AuthorHouse (1663 Liberty Dr., Ste. 200, Bloomington, IN 47403); http://www.mondoDC.com.


THEATER

book cover The Perfect Stage Crew: The Compleat Technical Guide for High School, College, and Community Theater by John Kaluta (industrial arts '81) provides low-cost, low-tech solutions to the most common and complex staging problems.

The publisher is Allworth Press (10 E. 23rd St., New York, NY 10010); http://www.allworth.com.


EDUCATION

book cover Teambuilding Puzzles by Mike Anderson, Jim Cain, Chris Cavert, and Tom Heck (industrial arts '86) includes puzzles and activities for creating teachable moments in problem-solving, consensus building, and leadership in any group.

The publisher is FUNdoing Publications; http://www.fundoing.com/online_store.htm.

The recipient of a "Teachers Choice Award" from Learning magazine, The Official Toobeez® Team Building Games Activity Guide by Tom Heck (industrial arts '86) is a multimedia training CD-ROM featuring 25 unique team activities.

The publisher is TeachMeTeamwork.com (P.O. Box 1831, Asheville, NC 28802); http://www.teachmeteamwork.com/products.html.


COOKBOOKS

book cover Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Council of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Masterpieces: A Celebration of Food and Art in Virginia, compiled by Sara Johnson-Ward (art '89) collects 83 recipes (along with corresponding artwork) from supporters of Virginia's art organizations, including entries from Professor Anna Fariello of Virginia Tech's Center for Interdisciplinary Studies.

The publisher is the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (200 N. Boulevard, Richmond, VA 23220); http://www.vmfa.state.va.us/Bookstore.html


HISTORY

book cover Spanning literature, psychology, and social and intellectual history, At Day's Close: Night in Times Past, by Professor of History A. Roger Ekirch, is a meticulously researched exploration of night in the centuries before electric lighting.

The publisher is W.W. Norton and Co. (500 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10110); (500 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10110); http://www.wwnorton.com.



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