Spring 2025 Alumni Book Roundup
April 18, 2025
By
Jackson Maynard ’25
A journey along the Continental Divide Trail, the influence of musical theater legend George M. Cohan, poems about domestic life, a handbook for understanding terrorism, how to forge leaders of integrity — these are a few of the topics explored in the newly released titles by William & Mary alumni.
The Fed and the Flu: Parsing Pandemic Economic Shocks co-authored by Elizabeth “Lisa” J. McNey Sweet ’82
Along with several co-authors, Sweet studies various pandemics and their economic impacts. The book is split into five major parts, dealing with different pandemics throughout history and the approaches taken by federal governing bodies. Sweet and her co-authors seek to educate and better prepare the public and the government for future pandemics, using past research and events as learning opportunities.
Financial Valuation: Applications and Models (FVAM) co-authored by Harold Martin ’79
An adjunct faculty member at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William & Mary, Martin has spent over two decades teaching forensic accounting in the Master of Accounting program and guest lecturing on valuation topics at W&M’s business and law schools. This comprehensive valuation text aims to serve as a reference guide for professionals and a teaching tool for educators in accounting and finance.
Handbook of Understanding Terrorism: Forensic Social Sciences Case Studies co-edited by Stephen Morewitz ’75, M.A. ’78
This book sets out to capture the theoretical conceptualization of terrorism with ideas such as psychopathology, ideological and religious extremism, and macro-criminological theories. The book uses case studies and various theories to help readers better understand these phenomena.
A History of the Music for Wind Band by Leon Bly ’66
Director of bands at the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart in Germany from 1981 until 2009, Bly spent 12 years researching and crafting two volumes that illuminate the historical and cultural developments of wind band music. Available in print and electronic form, this book ranges from ancient times all the way to the present.
Joan Mitchell Paints a Symphony & Elvis Presley by Lisa LaBanca Rogers ’82
A children’s book author, Rogers received the Kirkus Star for her biography about abstract expressionist Joan Mitchell. The book aims to inspire individuals of all ages and backgrounds to create their own works regardless of what field they are in. The story about Elvis portrays his early days, from his first guitar to his rise to fame, sharing knowledge to new generations about the “King of Rock ’n’ Roll.”
Might of the Chain: Forging Leaders of Iron Integrity by Mike Studeman ’88
Studeman, a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral and national security expert, uses his experience and leadership to help guide American leaders. His book reveals the hidden world of intelligence and never-before-heard stories of unsung heroes tackling high-stakes crises in national security. Studeman visited William & Mary in February and participated in a Q&A with Pamela Eddy, associate provost for faculty affairs & development, about the book and his career.
Reclaiming Modernity: Essays on a Paradoxical Nostalgia by Larry Bennett ’72, P ’01
Focusing on the idea of nostalgia, Bennett grapples with the reasons our modern society holds onto the past through means such as brutalist architecture. Furthermore, Bennett argues that although designs and societies continue to change, certain buildings and architecture hold historical and communal values. He specifically looks at Detroit, Chicago and New York City’s Brooklyn borough. Besides architecture, Bennett writes about the resurgence of old technology, including vinyl records and players.
Rich Wife by Emily Bludworth de Barrios ’05
This collection of long poems explores motherhood, marriage, wealth and domestic life. Drawing on inspiration from poets such as James Schuyler and Chelsey Minnis, de Barrios uses a structure that “echoes the cluttered charm of a dresser adorned with hats and hairpins, vials and scarves,” according to the book’s description. De Barrios is a winner of the Felix Pollack Prize in Poetry and has appeared in numerous publications, including the Harvard Review.
Safe Harbor by Padma Venkatraman M.A. ’94, Ph.D. ’01
We all have safe harbors — whether people, places or things. In this middle grade novel, Geetha feels as though she has lost all of hers when she and her mother emigrate from India to Rhode Island after her parents’ divorce. While struggling to assimilate to her new life in the United States, Geetha befriends Miguel. Together, they help rescue a wounded harp seal on the beach, an experience that encourages Geetha to face and embrace her emotions of anger, sadness and fear. “Safe Harbor” follows Geetha in her search for her safe harbors amid life’s turbulent waters. Venkatraman was inspired to write this moving novel in verse when she stumbled upon a seal on a Rhode Island beach herself. Like Geetha, she emigrated from India, and her writing reflects her personal experiences.
Temporary Gods and Arbitrary Arrangements by Angelo Letizia Ph.D. ’14
What does one life matter, or two or three, or a thousand? These are some of the questions Letizia poses in his novel that follows Joseph, a history and philosophy professor whose wife is affected by multiple sclerosis. The book explores themes of love, responsibility and caregiving. You can listen to him read a few excerpts in a virtual launch by Silver Bow Publishing.
The Waypoints: From 400 Farewells and 3,000 Miles by Diane “Grace” Hull Gansauer ’77
This book follows Gansauer’s seven-year journey along the Continental Divide Trail from the border with Mexico to the border with Canada via short, inspiring stories set against a background of mountains, rivers and forests. Gansauer interviews families of people who have passed away and carries those stories throughout her hike. By the time she completed all 3,100 miles of the trail, she had honored more than 400 life stories. “The Waypoints” chronicles the wisdom that overlapped her experience of these lives and the trail.
Yankee Doodle Dandy: George M. Cohan and the Broadway Stage by Elizabeth Titrington Craft ’04
Craft tells the life story of musical theater legend George M. Cohan. Regarded as the founder of musical comedy, Cohan is known for hit songs such as “You’re A Grand Old Flag” and “Give My Regards to Broadway.” In this book, Craft paints a picture of Cohan as not only a musician, but also someone who influenced patriotism and the identity of the nation. Craft is an associate professor at the University of Utah, where she has been teaching since 2016.