February 24, 2009
Stewart Gordon, '66, MA'67, PhD'72
When Asia Was the World: Traveling Merchants, Scholars, Warriors, and Monks Who Created the "Riches of the East," Da Capo Press, 2008.
While European civilization stagnated in the "Dark Ages," Asia flourished as the wellspring of science, philosophy and religion. Linked by a web of spiritual, commercial and intellectual connections, the distant regions of Asia's vast civilization, from Arabia to China, hummed with trade, international diplomacy and the exchange of ideas. Stewart Gordon, senior research scholar at U-M's Center for South Asian Studies and author of three books on Asia, has fashioned a compelling look at a time when Asia was the world by relating the personal journeys of Asia's many travelers.
AAUM: What do you mean by the title of your book, "When Asia Was the World"?
In the thousand years from 500 to 1500, Asia was the center of scientific innovation, sophisticated long-distance trade and elegant urban life. Family, intellectual, commercial, philosophic and ambassadorial networks tied Asia into a common world in spite of great oceans, high mountains and vast deserts. Tracing these networks shows that Europe was on the margins of this vibrant, exciting world.
In general, describe Asia during the time period you chronicle in your book.
For men (and some women) with education and skills, Asia was a world of opportunity. Literally hundreds of thousands of people moved across Spain, North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, Persia and India and on to Southeast Asia and China. They knew where to go to become a government official, a judge, a soldier, the leader of a mosque or a successful trader. So much information flowed across Asia that weavers in western India knew—year by year—what colors of cloth sold well in Indonesia or Egypt. A Tunisian spice trader, resident on the west coast of India, branched out into recasting broken copper and brassware shipped all the way from the Mediterranean and made good money at this 12th century outsourcing.
You base each chapter of the book on the memoir of someone who lived in Asia. Can you name two or three of the most interesting stories and why you chose them?
This is history, not fiction—stories of real people, Asians who lived in this world. I chose people who moved (rather than staying in one city their whole life) and left observant, thoughtful memoirs. We can see life around them through their eyes. I opted for rather ordinary folk who stayed in hostels, caravanserais [roadside inns] or monasteries, people who were like many others who traveled for the same reasons.
One of my favorite travelers is Ibn Sina. Late in the 10th century he was a precocious youth who studied both medicine and neo-Platonist philosophy. It says much about this Asian world that teachers and books were readily available in the Central Asian caravan city of Bukhara where he lived. Through the course of his life, Ibn Sina moved from court to court seeking patronage for his studies. Among dozens of other books, he produced the "Canon of Medicine," which circulated in Arabic from Afghanistan to Spain. It was then translated into Latin and became the most widely used medical book of medieval Europe. Centuries later it was one of Europe's first printed books.
Another favorite is Abraham bin Yiju, a Jewish spice trader who lived on the Malabar Coast of India. His story emerges from more than 150 letters found in a building next to a synagogue in Cairo. Sometimes the letters are so intimate that his feelings flow across 1,000 years and touch the heart. Christian Crusaders kidnapped Abraham's brother and sister and took them to Sicily. He frantically tried to reach them by letter to offer what money and assistance he could. "Would I write all that is in my heart, no letter could contain it."
How did you find these stories?
The accounts were written in many different languages. Fortunately, there has been much academic interest in historical travel accounts in the last 20 years, so scholars have produced translations. I selected the memoirs I used from about 40 that I considered. It took more than a year to find them.
Can we learn from Asia's past to understand its present and predict its future?
We should to keep in mind the long history of networks that cross national boundaries in Asia. We still find them today—in finance, religious institutions, friendship, family and scholarship. These ties are often at least as strong as ties to any country.
Did you write the book for scholars or a more general readership, and what can either audience take away from the book?
A journalist friend challenged me to bring this Asian world alive for a general readership. "When Asia was the World" is the result. The stories contain all the necessary background, in addition to lots of maps and illustrations. It has heartened me that the book, in its first year, is also being taught in high schools, community colleges and universities. The book has been translated into Korean, Indonesian and, most recently, Arabic.
Go online to read more about this author and book.
http://web.mac.com/stewart_gordon
Posted by tobiaslw at 03:52 PM | Comments (0)
February 23, 2009
Jan Wahl, MA'58, illustrated by Monique Felix
Bear Dance, Creative Editions, 2008.
The book: A brawny bear with an ear for the music of nature is captured and caged for the amusement of people, but it cannot truly dance until it does so wild and unrestrained.
The author: Jan Wahl has devoted most of his career to writing children's books, authoring more than 100 and winning several awards. His works include "Tailypo!" "Little Eight John," "I Met a Dinosaur" and "The Field Mouse and the Dinosaur Named Sue."
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:49 PM | Comments (0)
Steven Gilbar, '63
Chicken à la King & the Buffalo Wing: Food Names and the People and Places That Inspired Them, Writer's Digest Books, 2008.
The book: We all know that the sandwich and eggs Benedict are named after people and that Dover sole and Irish stew are named after places. But what about the Granny Smith apple or the Bing cherry, the Bermuda onion or Anaheim chile? In this book you'll find bite-sized entertaining histories of how certain foods and beverages came to be named after people or places--complemented by more than 45 pull-out recipes. This fun and informative reference "menu" is perfect for foodies and language lovers alike.
The author: Steven Gilbar is the author of several references and anthologies, including "Reading in Bed: Personal Essays on the Glories of Reading," "Bibliotopia," "Published & Perished: Memoria, Eulogies, and Remembrances of American Writers" and "Natural State: A Literary Anthology of California Nature Writing." He lives in Santa Barbara, California.
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:45 PM | Comments (0)
Gloria Burgess, '75, MA'77
Dare to Wear Your Soul on the Outside, Jossey-Bass, 2008.
The book: In this book, the author uses the story of her father's relationship with William Faulkner as a starting point to explore a classic topic: how to bring forth the character qualities of love, wisdom, trust, faith, gratitude, creative action, vision and integrity. She declares the sacred promises of legacy living as part of a transformational process that helps us connect to our past by honoring those who came before us, living with intention in the present and freeing our talents so we can realize our potential. The book also includes exercises for fostering greater authenticity and purpose in our lives.
The author: Gloria J. Burgess is an international speaker, corporate consultant and executive coach. She is the founder and principal of Jazz, Inc., a professional consulting and coaching firm for corporations and individuals.
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:43 PM | Comments (0)
John Baldoni, MA'99
Lead by Example: 50 Ways Great Leaders Inspire Results, American Management Association, 2008.
The book: Taking over the top job, whether it's the CEO of a company or the manager of a department, is never easy. When done the right way, it results in inspired leadership; when done the wrong way, it can lead to disaster. This book reveals the traits and abilities leaders need to know to inspire others to follow them. Filled with examples of visionary leaders who have overcome their shortcomings and achieved greatness, it shows readers how to build trust, drive results and win the respect of the people they lead.
The author: John Baldoni is a leadership consultant, speaker and author of seven books, including "Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders." In 2007, he was named one of the 30 Most Influential Leadership Gurus by Leadership Gurus International. His leadership writings have appeared on BusinessWeek.com and FastCompany.com, and he has been featured or quoted in many publications.
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:41 PM | Comments (0)
Brian Reich, attended '97-'99, and Dan Solomon
Media Rules!: Mastering Today's Technology to Connect With and Keep Your Audience, Wiley, 2007.
The book: The authors have seen how changes in both technology and society can affect the communications and operations of an organization. Now, they provide you with a framework for understanding this dynamic world. It doesn't matter whether you're in the business of disseminating information or producing products, this book will prepare you to distinguish yourself from the competition by creating new models to better serve your audience and harnessing the full potential that technology provides.
The author: Brian Reich is director of New Media for Cone, Inc., a brand strategy and communications agency that creates stakeholder loyalty and long-term relationships through cause branding and corporate responsibility, marketing, public relations, and issues and crisis management initiatives. He has spent much of his life working with political organizations, helping to direct dozens of campaigns across the country.
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:40 PM | Comments (0)
Sam Wyly, MBA'57
1,000 Dollars and an Idea: Entrepreneur to Billionaire, New Market Press, 2008.
The book: This memoir reveals the creative process, relationships, struggles and financial strategies that allowed the author to become one of Forbes magazine's 1,000 wealthiest people in the world. From the hardships his parents faced trying to hold onto the family cotton farm during the Depression to the coaching he received on the high school football field, this self-made billionaire describes how his early days in Louisiana prepared him for what lay ahead. He recounts how he risked $1,000 of his savings to found University Computing and then took it public in 1965, making him a millionaire at age 30.
The author: Sam Wyly founded and grew companies on the leading edge of advancements in technology, energy, retail and investments over a career spanning 45 years. He is an active proponent of clean air through clean energy.
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:38 PM | Comments (0)
Lynn Z. Bloom, '56, MA'57, PhD'63
Writers Without Borders: Writing and Teaching Writing in Troubled Times, Parlor Press, 2008.
The book: This book presents research on the nature of essays and on the political, philosophical, ethical and pragmatic considerations that influence how we read, write and teach them in times troubled by terrorism, transgressive students, and uses and abuses of the Internet. Each of the 11 essays addresses in its own way the essay itself as one way to live and learn with others. And they reinforce the author's reputation for presenting innovative and sophisticated research with a writer's art and a teacher's heart.
The author: Lynn Z. Bloom is Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor and Aetna Chair of Writing at the University of Connecticut. She has authored or edited numerous books, including "Composition Studies as a Creative Art," "The Seven Deadly Virtues," "The Arlington Reader," "The Essay Connection" and two volumes of "Composition Studies in the 21st Century."
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:36 PM | Comments (0)
Ilana Feldman, PhD'02
Governing Gaza: Bureaucracy, Authority, and the Work of Rule, 1917-1967, Duke University Press, 2008.
The book: Marred by political tumult and violent conflict since the early 20th century, Gaza has been subject to a multiplicity of rulers. Still not part of a sovereign state, it would seem too exceptional to be a revealing site for a study of government. This book proves otherwise, demonstrating that a focus on the Gaza Strip uncovers a great deal about how government actually works, not only in that small geographical space but more generally. Gaza's experience shows how important bureaucracy is for the survival of government.
The author: Ilana Feldman is assistant professor of anthropology and international affairs at George Washington University.
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:20 PM | Comments (0)
Jana Bommersbach MA'71
Bones in the Desert: The True Story of a Mother's Murder and a Daughter's Search, St. Martin's Press, 2008.
The book: Loretta Bowersock and her daughter, Terri, ran a successful furniture store and seemed to be living the American dream—until one man decided to take it all away. Taw Benderly had worked his way into Loretta's heart, home and business. Terri had always known that the handsome, charming and usually unemployed Taw was manipulating her mother, but she did not know the extent of the abuse. Then, Loretta went missing. It would be more than a year before Terri learned that, before killing himself, Taw murdered the 69-year-old Loretta.
The author: Jana Bommersbach is a journalist and author of "The Trunk Murderess: Winnie Ruth Judd," which was nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award and won Arizona's only literary prize. She has been Arizona's Journalist of the Year, won a Regional Emmy for her television writing and has been honored with two lifetime achievement awards for her reporting. She lives in Phoenix.
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:20 PM | Comments (0)
Robert Gibbs, MLA'84
"Urban Retail Planning Principles for Traditional Neighborhoods" in New Urbanism and Beyond: Designing Cities for the Future, edited by Tigran Haas, Rizzoli, 2008.
The book: The complex challenges facing cities today--scarcity of resources, growing economic divisions and rampant sprawl, among others—are forcing a reconsideration of urban design. New Urbanism, a leading movement within urban design, advocates a return to small-town urban forms: human-scale, pedestrian-friendly streets, a reinvigoration of cities and a stop to suburban sprawl. This new volume, drawing on a conference and debates at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, comprehensively examines New Urbanism today and speculates about its future.
The author: Robert Gibbs is founder of Gibbs Planning Group, an urban development firm. He lives in Birmingham, Michigan.
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:20 PM | Comments (0)
Robert Gibbs, MLA'84
"Neighborhood Retail" in Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design with Nature by Douglas Farr, Wiley, 2007.
The book: This book is both an urgent call to action and a comprehensive introduction to "sustainable urbanism"--the emerging and growing design reform movement that combines the creation and enhancement of walkable and diverse places with the need to build high-performance infrastructure and buildings.
The author: Robert Gibbs is founder of Gibbs Planning Group, an urban development firm. He lives in Birmingham, Michigan.
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:20 PM | Comments (0)
Amin Ghaziani, '98
The Dividends of Dissent: How Conflict and Culture Work in Lesbian and Gay Marches on Washington, University of Chicago Press, 2008.
The book: Marching on Washington is a hallowed tradition of American political protest, and demonstrations led by the women's rights, civil rights and antiwar movements all endure in popular memory. Between 1979 and 2000, four major lesbian and gay demonstrations took place there, and while these marches were some of the largest of their time, they have been sorely overlooked—until now. Drawing on extensive archival research, historical data, original photographs, interviews with key activists, and more than a thousand news articles, this book offers a thorough analysis of these marches and their organization.
The author: Amin Ghaziani is a Cotsen Postdoctoral Fellow in the Society of Fellows and a lecturer in sociology at Princeton University.
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:20 PM | Comments (0)
Homer A. Neal, MS'63, PhD'66, Tobin L. Smith, '88, and Jennifer B. McCormick, MPP'04
Beyond Sputnik: US Science Policy in the Twenty-First Century, University of Michigan Press, 2008.
The book: Public policy exerts a huge impact on how the scientific community conducts its work. This book is a comprehensive survey of the field for use as an introductory textbook and a reference guide for legislators, scientists, journalists and advocates seeking to understand the science policy-making process. Detailed case studies, on topics from cloning to homeland security, offer readers the opportunity to study real instances of policymaking. The authors propose practical ways to implement sound public policy in science and technology and highlight how these policies will guide the results of scientific discovery for years to come.
The authors: Homer A. Neal is the Samuel A. Goudsmit Distinguished University Professor of Physics, interim president emeritus and vice president for research emeritus at U-M and a former member of the US National Science Board. Tobin L. Smith is associate vice president for federal relations at the Association of American Universities and formerly assistant director of the U-M and MIT Washington, DC, offices. Jennifer B. McCormick is an assistant professor of biomedical ethics in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the Mayo College of Medicine and the associate director of the Research Ethics Resource, part of the Mayo Clinic's NIH Clinical Translational Science Award research programs.
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:20 PM | Comments (0)
Stewart Gordon, '66, MA'67, PhD'72
When Asia Was the World: Traveling Merchants, Scholars, Warriors, and Monks Who Created the "Riches of the East," Da Capo Press, 2008.
The book: While European civilization stagnated in the "Dark Ages," Asia flourished as the wellspring of science, philosophy and religion. Linked by a web of spiritual, commercial and intellectual connections, the distant regions of Asia's vast civilization, from Arabia to China, hummed with trade, international diplomacy and the exchange of ideas. The author has fashioned a compelling and unique look at Asia from 700 to 1500—a time when Asia was the world—by relating the personal journeys of Asia's many travelers.
The author: Stewart Gordon is senior research scholar at the Center for South Asian Studies at the University of Michigan and author of three books on Asia. He lives in Ann Arbor.
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:20 PM | Comments (0)
Katie Webster Raeder, MBA'91, North American editor
The Good Hotel Guide 2009: Great Britain & Ireland, The Good Hotel Guide Ltd., 2008.
The book: This guidebook specializes in small owner-managed hotels and bed and breakfasts in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and the Channel Islands. It includes budget bed and breakfasts and good-value hotels as well as luxurious country houses. Founded 31 years ago, this guidebook is totally independent, receiving no payments, hospitality or advertising from hotels. Selected hotels are recommended by its readers, backed up where necessary by an anonymous professional inspection.
The author: Katie Webster Raeder is the North American editor of "The Good Hotel Guide."
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:20 PM | Comments (0)
Sandra Samons, MSW'76
When the Opposite Sex Isn't: Sexual Orientation in Male-to-Female Transgender People, Routledge, 2008.
The book: When there is uncertainty about the gender identity or social gender role of an individual, determining exactly who the opposite sex is can be a complicated question for both the transgender person and those who seek to relate to her. This book offers a combination of insights and common sense understanding of the diversity of the human condition together with concepts of gender and sexuality that expand the horizons of any mental health professional, regardless of the clinical focus of his or her work.
The author: Sandra Samons is a licensed clinical social worker and marriage and family therapist. She has specialized in gender identity issues since 1992 and has given many workshops and presentations on various aspects of transgender. Previously, she developed a broad background of experience as a therapist, working with adolescents, adults, couples and families.
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:20 PM | Comments (0)
Hazen Schumacher, '50, MA'51, and John Stevens
A Golden Age of Jazz Revisited 1939-1942: Three Pivotal Years of Musical Entertainment, NPP Books, 2008.
The book: This book sets classic jazz music against the backdrop of a changing world. It describes a three-year period, 1939-1942, when jazz was the popular music around the globe. Featuring vivid photographs of original 78 RPM shellac discs as well as many of the artists of the time, the book also includes two CDs with selections played by the outstanding musicians of the era. The book is designed so that readers can listen to the selections—from ballads and blues to boogie-woogie and Dixieland—that are described in the text.
The author: Jazz historian and lecturer Hazen Schumacher held a number of administrative and teaching positions at U-M, including director of broadcasting and media resources, and director of the master's program in telecommunications. For 30 years, he was producer and host of the radio program "Jazz Revisited," which was produced in Ann Arbor and distributed by National Public Radio.
Web site:
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:20 PM | Comments (0)
Curt Stephenson, '77
Those Who Stay, AuthorHouse, 2008.
The book: This is a true story about a young boy's dream to play football for the Wolverines and their legendary coach, Bo Schembechler. Follow the dream from its roots as the book takes you into the locker room and out onto the field. You'll also be center stage at the Rose Bowl and witness the oddities that surround major college football. Read this story of the boy who became a man by adopting one of the coach's vision statements: "What the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve, and those who stay will be champions."
The author: Curt Stephenson played football for U-M from 1973 to 1977. He was a member of four Big Ten Championship teams and participated in one Orange Bowl and two Rose Bowls. Stephenson was honored as a two-time Academic All-Big Ten in 1976 and 1977 and played briefly with the Buffalo Bills. He now oversees a multibillion dollar development company and resides with his family in California.
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:19 PM | Comments (0)
Nami Mun, MFA'07
Miles from Nowhere, Riverhead Books, 2008.
The book: Joon is a Korean immigrant whose parents have crumbled under the weight of her father's infidelity; he has left the family, and mental illness has rendered her mother nearly catatonic. So Joon, at the age of 13, decides she would be better off on her own; a choice that commences a harrowing and often tragic journey that exposes the painful difficulties of a life lived on the margins. Joon's adolescent years take her from a homeless shelter to an escort club, through struggles with addiction, to jobs selling newspapers and cosmetics, committing petty crimes and, finally, toward something resembling hope.
The author: Nami Mun won a Hopwood Award for fiction while at U-M and has since received a Pushcart Prize as well as several scholarships and residencies. Her stories have been published in the 2007 Pushcart Prize Anthology, The Iowa Review, Evergreen Review, Witness and other journals. Tin House named her an Emerging Voice of 2005. She lives and teaches in Chicago.
Web site: http://milesfromnowherethenovel.wordpress.com/
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:15 PM | Comments (0)
Roy S. Neuberger, '65, MA'66
2020 Vision, Feldheim Publishers, 2008.
The book: Set in the days and weeks that follow a global terror attack, this book takes you on a daring and unforgettable journey as a group of Jewish survivors trek through the chaos, pursuing their hope of reaching the Holy Land. As they get closer to their destination, the dangers intensify, until the book reaches its spellbinding climax. The novel not only confronts the concerns and challenges of our times, but offers readers a glorious vision of faith and hope in the future.
The author: Following two years in government work, Neuberger became publisher and editor of a weekly newspaper in Cornwall, New York. He has also worked as a yeshiva administrator and hedge fund operator and has published two other books, "From Central Park to Sinai: How I Found My Jewish Soul" and "Worldstorm: Finding Meaning & Direction Amidst Today's World Crisis."
Posted by tobiaslw at 05:14 PM | Comments (0)