The End of the City
by David Bendernagel (Grad ’00)

Following the destruction of the twin towers and the death of his estranged father, high school senior Ben Moor begins to reject his childhood obsessions—comic books, running and dreams of his own super-heroism—but as he attempts to abandon his past, he finds himself haunted by visions of a villainous alter ego.

41: Inside the Presidency of George H.W. Bush
edited by Michael Nelson & Barbara A. Perry (Faculty)

George H.W. Bush’s presidency encompassed the fall of the Berlin Wall, the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the invasion of Panama, the Persian Gulf War and the confirmation hearings for Clarence Thomas and John Tower. This book draws on interviews with senior White House and Cabinet officials to provide a multidimensional portrait of the first President Bush and his administration.

Precious Cargo: How Foods From the Americas Changed the World
by Dave DeWitt (Col ’66)

DeWitt tells the story of how Western Hemisphere foods conquered the globe and saved it from mass starvation. Focusing heavily on American foods—specifically crops and turkey—this book describes how these foreign, and often suspect, items were transported around the world and transformed cuisines.

Seeing Flowers
by Robert Llewellyn (Engr ’69) & Teri Dunn Chace

Using a unique photography process, Llewellyn shows details of flowers that few have ever seen: the architecture of stamens and pistils; the subtle shadings of a petal; the secret recesses of nectar tubes.

Toby
by Stacy A. Nyikos (Grad ’00)

This book for young children tells the story of  Toby, a newborn turtle, and his journey from a sandy nest to the ocean. Along the way he encounters pelicans, crabs, crocodiles and slides down jumbo sand dunes.

Unshackled
by J. Roy Vorhauer (Educ ’67, ’77)

This first novel by Vorhauer, who worked for decades as a teacher and principal, trying throughout his career to improve race relations in Virginia schools, tells the story of Jack and Tamara, an interracial couple in 1958, soon separated by their families. In the 1970s, Jack’s and Tamara’s jobs bring them together to confront the very thing that drove them apart: racial intolerance.

The Jewish Daughter Diaries: True Stories of Being Loved Too Much by Our Moms
edited by Rachel Ament (Educ ’11)

This collection of 28 essays is a tribute to motherhood and daughterhood, exploring complex, colorful and (at times) claustrophobic relationships. The book features an original story by Blossom and Big Bang Theory star Mayim Bialik.

Faraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field: How Two Men Revolutionized Physics
by Nancy Forbes (Col ’74) & Basil Mahon

In 1831 Michael Faraday and James Clerk Maxwell, two scientists separated in age by 40 years, discovered the existence of the electromagnetic field and devised a radically new theory that overturned the strictly mechanical view of the world that had prevailed since Newton’s time. The authors create a narrative that interweaves biographical detail from each man’s life with clear explanations of their scientific accomplishments.

No Better Time: The Brief, Remarkable Life of Danny Lewin, the Genius Who Transformed the Internet
by Molly Knight Raskin (Col ’97)

Raskin tells the story of Danny Lewin, a mathematical genius who created a set of algorithms to foster a faster Internet. On Sept. 11, 2001, organizations including the Red Cross, the FBI and national news organizations relied on the Internet when phone systems failed. Sadly, Lewin didn’t see the success of his vision—he was fatally stabbed on American Airlines Flight 11 when he tried to overcome the terrorists onboard.