Though university folk are generally expected to produce scholarly works, UC alumni, faculty and staff also write novels, family histories, personal journeys, self-help books and works of spiritual guidance. The following are just some of the recently published general-interest books.
SKIP
INTO THE LIGHT
Seven Lonely Places, Seven Warm Places
by April Bolton, A&S '75
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Why can't I eat all the cookies? I mean, really, why? It's a good question, one that parents might be tempted to answer with the ubiquitous, but muddy "Because I said so." Author April Bolton has a better answer -- one firmly grounded in morality and on a level that kids can grasp. Her book, whimsically illustrated and contemporarily styled, explains how gluttony and the other six deadly sins make us lonely. And lonely is something even the tiniest tots understand. Because children's experience is limited, says the author, they rely on what they've seen and felt, not necessarily on what we've told them. With that in mind, the book conveys the essence of each misdeed in brief, tangible snapshots: "Envy is a foggy place… where what you have shrinks and fades and what your friend has grows big and bright." The lonely places are quickly followed by the cure -- seven virtues that lead us out of loneliness and into the light. Or, as Bolton would tell children: "Justice divides your peanut butter sandwich into a zillion parts." The author is a recipient of the UC Elliston Prize for Poetry. Order information: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, local bookstores, or the St. Anthony Messenger Press at 1-800-488-0488. See Crane's online author's page for family photos. |
KEEPIN' IT SIMPLE
The Legal Writer
by Judge Mark Painter, A&S ’70, JD ’73
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If you've ever sifted through pages of legalese at a mortgage closing, pretending you weren't confused, you'll appreciate Mark Painter's recent effort. Written in an approachable, often humorous style, the judge wryly observes, "There are two things wrong with legal writing. One is style. The other is content." Beginning with the startling premise that legal writing shouldn't be different from any other writing, Painter's book offers 30 rules for improvement. Specific, concise topics include examples that can help all of us -- even lawyers -- improve our prose. Chapters such as "Know Your Audience" and "Edit, Edit, Edit" confirm what many of us have always suspected: Those legal documents just don't need to be so darn difficult. Most admirably, this short book follows Painter's own maxim: "The fewer the words, the more memorable the point." A self-described "plain-language crusader," Painter is a UC adjunct professor of law and judge for the Ohio Court of Appeals. Order information: Attorneys and law firms can purchase the book online at http://books.lawyersweekly.com. The rest of us should write to Jarndyce and Jarndyce Press, 2449 Fairview Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45219. Include a check for $24.95, which includes tax, shipping and handling. |
CITY
OF ANGLES (SIC)
Cincinnati Revealed
by Kevin Grace, A&S '76,
and Tom White
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Streetcars and subway construction. Paddle boats and pocket watches. City canals and Model Ts. Glimpses of artifacts like these serve to spark our curiosity about Cincinnati's early years and what life was like for its citizens. Cincinnati Revealed offers plenty of pictorial clues, from jubilant celebrations of a team's victorious season to proper portraits of still-famous cultural and architectural landmarks. Authors Kevin Grace and Tom White tell Cincinnati's story through a unique tour of 200 rarely seen photographs and vintage postcards. From its bawdy beginnings as a frontier town to its rise as an industrial center in the early 20th century, the Queen City is charmingly exposed in this remarkable visual history. Kevin Grace is a UC archivist and historian; Tom White is head of conservation and binding for University Libraries. Order information: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, local bookstores |
