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Alumni Newsmakers

Alumni Bookshelf

Sharon Armstrong, MA ’82, co-wrote The Essential HR Handbook: A Quick and Handy Resource for Any Manager or HR Professional (Career Press, 2008). The 250-page book outlines effective guidelines and recommendations for managing employees, appraising job performance, and minimizing legal risk, among other essential elements of human resources. Armstrong, who lives in Washington, D.C., began her career in human resources in 1985 and now provides training for clients.

Blue Villa and Other Vietnam Stories (iUniverse, 2009) recounts the experiences of Ernest Auerbach, BA ’58, JD ’61, as one of the first judge associates assigned to Vietnam in 1966. His first book, Joining the Inner Circle: How to Make It as a Senior Executive (John Wiley & Sons) was published in 1990.

It’s Really Hard to Love You When You Spit on My Floor!: A Guide to Teaching With Spirit (Viking Productions, 2008) by John M. Bjorge, MA ’84, demonstrates how to apply basic spiritual principles to the classroom using colorful anecdotes, exercises, and techniques. Bjorge, a teacher at a high school in South-Central Los Angeles, wrote the book for both new teachers and seasoned professionals. He lives in Southern California with his wife, Mary.

Frank Burtnett, MA ’65, EdD ’79, wrote a student-friendly guide to college exploration, decision making, and the application process called The Bound-For-College Guidebook. The book, published by Rowman & Littlefield Education, answers 100 frequently asked questions about admission and financial aid and presents a series of exercises that teach students to navigate the high school-to-college transition.

Michelle Leigh Carson, MS ’03, wrote her first book, Midnight Reflections (StoneGarden Publishing, 2009) under her pseudonym, Katrina Michaels. The book follows a young vampire trying to make sense of a series of murders after a friend becomes a victim.

Anthony Castro, PsyD ’01, a member of the first class to graduate with a psychology doctoral degree, has written a psychology book, Creating Space for Happiness: The Secret of Giving Room (Prometheus Books, 2008), which uses narrative to discuss the importance of change in personal growth. Castro practices clinical psychology for children and adults in St. Louis, Mo.

Nathan Fishbach, BA ’74, co-wrote the new textbook Federal Criminal Restitution (Thomson West, 2008). The book provides a step-by-step approach to the determination of restitution and discusses how the criminal justice system interacts at times with the civil litigation process to determine restitution. Fishbach is a shareholder with the law firm Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek in Milwaukee.

In his book Terrorism, Crime and Public Policy (Cambridge University Press, 2008), author Brian Forst, PhD ’93, describes the many dimensions of terrorism, including the fear that feeds it, and the effective public policies needed to prevent it.

Conflict Without Chaos (Hampton Press, 2008) by Bob Greenwald, BA ’50, discusses intervention and negotiation of disputes and tensions between groups on a national scale. In the process of writing, Greenwald drew from his years of experience serving in the Community Relations Service of the U.S. Department of Justice, a position he also analyzes in the book.

In her second book, My So-Called Freelance Life (Seal Press, 2008), Michelle Goodman, BA ’89, provides a step-by-step tutorial on how to make a living as a successful freelance writer. It expands on her first book, The Anti 9-to-5 Guide: Practical Career Advice for Women Who Think Outside the Cube (Seal Press, 2006).

Much to Your Chagrin: A Memoir of Embarrassment (Atria, 2009) by Suzanne Guillette BA ’00, explores the importance of understanding even the most carefully concealed personal truths and being honest with oneself.

A Wilderness of Riches: Voices of the Virginia Colony (ScriptWorks Press, 2008) by Lenny Lianne, MA ’79, describes early colonial life through poetry. Using the voices of the first settlers, women sent as brides, Pocahontas, and the land itself, Lianne addresses the changeling nature of identity in the New World.

Candi Meridith, MPH ’04, published From Sneakers and Jeans: The Teen Girls’ Guide to Getting Around (AuthorHouse, 2007). The book is filled with health and life information for teen girls. A public health educator and motivational speaker, Meridith approached the book by recognizing that teens need engaging informational materials to curb risky behaviors.

Ever since her first book, If Women Ran the World, Sh*t Would Get Done (Conari Press, 2006) was published, women have been sending Shelly Rachanow, BA ’94, suggestions on how to make the world a better place. These suggestions are the basis for her new book, What Would You Do If YOU Ran the World? (Conari Press, 2009). The book includes the creative and do-able ideas that women have shared, complemented by inspiring quotes and action lists.

Marianne Ragins, MBA ’99, offers advice to college students and parents alike in her new book, College Survival and Success Skills 101: Keys to Avoiding Pitfalls, Enjoying the Life, Graduating, & Being Successful (Advantage Media Group, 2008). The book includes tips, guidelines, and techniques to help successfully navigate students through their college experience.

Russell A. Shorto, BA ’81, published Descartes’ Bones (Doubleday, 2008), a part-forensic, part-philosophical journey through history to examine the roots of modern culture. Shorto is currently on tour promoting both the English and Dutch language versions of his book.

Effective Clinical Practice in the Treatment of Eating Disorders: The Heart of the Matter (Routledge, 2008), co-edited by Jane Shure, BA ’76, is the first book to address what really happens behind closed doors during
eating disorder treatment; the therapeutic interventions and interactions that comprise life-changing treatment for a life-threatening disorder.

In her new self-help book, Anxiety Free Kids: An Interactive Guide for Parents and Children (Prufrock Press, 2008), Bonnie Zucker, BA ’96, offers parents strategies that help children become happy and worry free, methods that relieve a child’s excessive anxieties and phobias, and tools for fostering interaction and family-oriented solutions. Zucker is a psychologist in private practice in Washington, D.C., and in Rockville, Md. She specializes in anxiety disorders in children and adults.