Ink
Recent publications from Conn alumni and faculty
Keeping the Peace in the Village: Conflict and Peacemaking in Germany, 1650-1750
By Marc R. Forster, Henry B. Plant Professor of History
Based on extensive archival research, this book is a study of how rural German society evolved in the century after 1650. In the aftermath of the Thirty Years’ War, an understandable desire for peace and order co-existed with the reality of day-to-day conflicts common to any face-to-face community. The interplay of peacemaking and conflict at the local level, and the growing role of local courts, had important implications for the growth of state power.
The Rebels: Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and the Struggle for a New American Politics
By Joshua Green ’94
In his No. 1 New York Times bestseller Devil’s Bargain, Joshua Green chronicled how the forces of economic populism on the right, led by the likes of Steve Bannon, turned Donald Trump into their flawed but powerful vessel. In The Rebels, he gives an epic account of the long struggle that has played out in parallel on the left, told through an intimate reckoning with the careers of the three political figures who have led the charge most prominently. Based on remarkable inside sourcing and razor-sharp analysis, The Rebels uses the grand narrative of a political party undergoing tumult and transformation to tell an even larger story about the fate of America.
Erase Me
By Nikoo McGoldrick and James McGoldrick ’77 (writing as May McGoldrick and Jan Coffey)
In the sun-soaked streets of a California beach town, two strangers’ paths collide, sparking an unexpected and fiery connection. Brought together by chance, they quickly discover that fate has a twisted sense of humor. And their entanglement is far from your typical love story—both harbor secrets, lead double lives and are on missions of paramount importance, setting the stage for a high-stakes battle of wits and wills.
Bad Day for Grandpa
By Barry R. Norman ’79
This collection of short stories “and other drivel”—inspired by real life events that then take on a life of their own—includes “Radio Banksy,” a story inspired by Kurt Vonnegut’s appearance at the dedication of Conn’s Charles E. Shain Library in 1976. Other stories touch on the impact of the pandemic on the retired community and how aging can end up causing a bad day for Grandpa.
Confessions of a Grateful Substitute Teacher
By Barry R. Norman ’79
This compelling memoir chronicles the unexpected journey of a seasoned professional from the film, TV and music industries, who, after selling a Maine-based movie theater, finds himself in an unplanned return to the workforce due to the challenges brought about by the COVID pandemic. Confessions of a Grateful Substitute Teacher is a testament to resilience, adaptability and the profound connections that can be forged in the unlikeliest of places.
The Whole Elephant: Unlocking Solutions to the Chaos in My Life and Yours
By Jo Vanderkloot ’62 P’85 ’88 with Judy Kirmmse
Jo Vanderkloot never understood what was at work inside her wealthy family until she went to work in one of the most dangerous places in America: the 1980s South Bronx. There she found the chaos of her family on a massive scale—and she understood it was coming for all of us. To stop it rolling over you, you have to look at the whole elephant, Vanderkloot and Kirmmse argue in this compelling memoir.