Summer 2026 Alumni Book Roundup
July 2, 2026
By
Isabella Dunn ’28
This summer, alumni are bringing stories to life through comedy, folklore and history, celebrating the arts with photography, music and poetry, and publishing scholarly research that expands knowledge of fields in both the sciences and humanities.
Anne Brigman’s Songs: Her Life, Her Photographs, Her Poems by James Rhem ’69
After spending 15 years researching the early feminist Anne Brigman, Rhem wrote the first biography to explore Brigman’s sexuality and its impact on her photography and poetry. His book documents the life of an artist whose images of nude women and commitment to creative freedom earned international recognition in the early 20th century. The book also includes a reprint of Brigman’s “Songs of a Pagan” and the companion volume “Wild Flute Songs,” which has never before been published.
Be Your Own Hero by Jeanne Cherundolo McPhillips Dolan ’86 (under the pen name Jeanne Marie)
Geared toward college students, recent graduates and young professionals making big changes in their lives, this book is a guide for women “to step into their confidence, own their stories and lead with courage.”
Captive Ecologies: The Environmental Afterlives of Slavery by Jennifer C. James ’88
A professor of English and Africana studies at The George Washington University, James examines how Black art and culture is closely tied to environmental history and ecological freedom. She uses an array of works, both well-known and obscure, to give a detailed look into an often underrepresented history.
Constructing American Childhood by Holly N. Stevens White M.A. ’12, Ph.D. ’17
White, an adjunct faculty member in William & Mary’s history department, writes about how definitions of childhood in early America codified social hierarchies and remain with us today. Through analyzing historical documents and records, White explores age-based laws to answer the question of why subjective age restrictions still exist and who these laws benefit through the intersections of race, gender and class.
Funny Stuff: How Comedy Shaped American History co-edited by Ryan Lintelman ’09
Edited by Lintelman and Laura LaPlaca, this book brings together collections from the National Comedy Center and the Smithsonian Institution and combines them with photographs and essays to explore how comedy has affected American history, from vaudeville and the silent film era to modern television, cartoons and stand-up acts.
Hold On for Dear Life by Annelise Tarnstrom Osborne ’96
In this novel of idealism, resilience, hubris and the cost of building a business, three Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduates launch a peer-to-peer trading platform. This quickly develops into a success, but eventually falls to hardship and setbacks that force them to reckon with their initial ideals.
The Kingdom of Almonds by Ariel Kaplan ’99
The third and final installment in the Mirror Realm Cycle, a fantasy series inspired by Jewish folklore and set during the Spanish Inquisition, follows Toba, Naftaly and their friends as they journey through a gate into Aravoth, home of the Ziz bird.
Letters From the Empire by Jason Moore ’00
Written as a series of letters, Moore’s book explores France from the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte through the lasting impact of his rule on Paris and the nation. This novel combines historical fact with creative narrative storytelling through the intimacy of correspondence.
Maggie the Dread by Austin Gilkeson ’03
In Gilkeson’s debut young adult novel, Sebastian and a 12-year-old vampire goddess embark on a fantastical, comedic adventure with just six days to save the world from destruction.
Menhaden: A Biologist’s Thirty-Two Year Journey With the Fish and the Fishery by Joseph W. Smith M.A. ’80
Containing scientific research, industry history and personal anecdotes, this book traces the evolution of the U.S. menhaden fishery since the 1980s. With a humorous yet academic tone, Smith examines its operations, management practices and economic significance.
The Other Love by Henri Cole ’78
Cole’s new poetry collection follows the 2023 release “Gravity and Center,” and discusses the passage of time through everyday domesticity brought together in lyrical verse.
Pet Shop Boys: Song by Song: Volume 2 2005–2025 by Wayne Studer ’77, M.A. ’78
Following the publication of Volume 1 (1984–2004) in the popular “Song by Song” series, Studer turns to the second half of the career of British pop duo Pet Shop Boys. The book examines every song released during the title period, covering both major hits and more obscure releases.
Roses in December by Jody L. Allen Ph.D. ’07
In her newest book, Allen details the history of a Black community in Virginia’s Hanover County over the century beginning with Reconstruction and leading into the Civil Rights Movement. Between 1865 and 1965, these residents embraced liberty as they organized for education, employment and religious freedom and built a community that flourished despite hardship.
Stronger Than You Think: Building Lifelong Resilience by Sherry Hamby ’85, M.A. ’89
In her first book, Hamby, a research professor of psychology at the University of the South, examines resilience through a broader perspective and argues that overcoming adversity requires more than inherent grit. Drawing on over 30 years of research and personal experience, she guides readers in their managing emotions, interpersonal relationships and environments.