Messenger - Vol. 1, No. 2, Page 24 Winter 1992 Between the covers Incidents of My Life: Edmund Ruffin's Autobiographical Essays, edited by David F. Allmendinger, professor of history. University Press of Virginia. Edmund Ruffin is remembered as an innovative agriculturalist and pioneer in soil chemistry and as an advocate of Southern secession. This book includes his memoirs written in 1851, with additions in 1853 and 1855. Ruffin, Family and Reform in the Old South by David F. Allmendinger, professor of history. Oxford University Press. While focusing on the life and thought of Edmund Ruffin, a 19th-century agricultural reformer and Southern secessionist, this book also offers a unique perspective on life in the antebellum South. The Evolution of Technology by George Basalla, professor of history. Cambridge University Press. Reprinted in Italian and Spanish. The book presents an evolutionary theory of technological change, challenging the notion that technology is advanced by the efforts of a few individuals who produce revolutionary inventions that owe little to the technological past. Jean Toomer's Years with Gurdjieff by Rudolph B. Byre, assistant professor of English. University of Georgia Press. The author examines the literary decline of African-American writer Jean Toomer and his enthusiasm for the theories of George Gurdjieff, a Russian psychologist, philosopher and mystic. A Private Proposal by Laverne Zaremba Coan, Delaware '75, alias Laverne St. George. Avalon Books. In this romantic novel, heroine Hayley Lancaster's boss suspects her of stealing company secrets, even as he falls in love with her. Beyond Methodology, edited by Judith A. Cook, Delaware '75, and Mary Margaret Fonow. Indiana University Press. The editors have assembled 15 articles studying feminist research and issues. Shakespeare's Comic Changes: The Time Lapse Metaphor as Plot Device by Roger L. Cox, professor of English and comparative literature. University of Georgia Press. The author argues that the thread connecting Shakespeare's comedies is a plot in which character change is presented metaphorically instead of realistically. Prehistoric Cultures of the Delmarva Peninsula: An Archaeological Study by Jay F. Custer, professor of anthropology and director, Center for Archaeological Research. University of Delaware Press. This study traces the cultural development of the prehistoric Native American societies of the Delmarva Peninsula region over the past 15,000 years. November 1948 by Carl Dawson, chairperson, Department of English. University Press of Virginia. Dawson writes about the year his family moved from a small English village to Southern California. A New York Times book reviewer called the work "a superbly constructed memoir" and "a sensitive and deeply satisfying journey into the past." How to Quit Drinking Without A.A. by Jerry Dorsman, Delaware '69, '71. New Dawn Publishing Co. An addictions therapist for the Cecil County (Md.) Health Department, Division of Mental Health, Dorsman "challenges drinkers to come to the conclusion he reached a dozen years ago: The benefits of drinking are not worth the problems drinking causes," according to a Philadelphia Inquirer reviewer. The Physician-legislators of France by Jack D. Ellis, chairperson, Department of History. Cambridge University Press. Between the birth of France's Third Republic and the outbreak of World War I, medical doctors served as mayors of French towns and ranked second only to lawyers as members of parliament. In this book, Ellis explores the careers of France's physician-legislators. Why Her, Why Now: A Man's Journey Through Love and Death and Grief by Lon Elmer, Delaware '69. Bantam Books. This diary of Elmer's thoughts and feelings following the death from cancer of his wife, Nancy, dispels cultural expectations on how men are "supposed" to deal with loss. Delaware's Indians by Harvey Curtis Fenimore Jr., Delaware '71M. Dover Post Co. This first book in the "Granddad's Delaware History Series" describes the lives of the Lenape, Sickoneysinks and Nanticoke tribes in colonial Delaware. Cosmic Rays and Particle Physics by Thomas K. Gaisser, Bartol Professor. Cambridge University Press. Concentrating on the highest-energy cosmic rays, this book describes where they may originate, acquire energy and interact in large-scale shock waves, in supernova remnants and in accreting neutron stars. Nutritional Menu Concepts for the Hospitality Industry by Beth Carlson Ganem, Delaware '80. Van Nostrand Reinhold. The book covers all aspects of basic food chemistry, food service and marketing for setting up healthful programs in restaurants, hotels, cafeterias and other operations. Understanding Shakespeare's Plays in Performance by Jay L. Halio, professor of English. St. Martin's Press. The book provides insights into Shakespeare's plays based not only on the text but on discussions of Shakespearean productions over the last 30 years, from Stratford-upon-Avon to the regional American theatre. Staying Alive: The Complete Guide to Energy Renewal by Marylil Humphreys, Delaware '69M. Avocet Publishing. A survey of a variety of disciplines ranging from special diets to yoga, from aerobics to biofeedback. The connecting theme is how to increase energy and integrate the work of a healthy mind and body. Mangone`s Concise Marine Almanac by Gerard J. Mangone, University Research Professor, College of Marine Studies. Taylor & Francisis. This quick-reference book overflows with facts such as the width of the Strait of Hormuz, the length of the Mississippi River and the temperatures and salinities of the world's oceans. A Union of Interests: Political and Economic Thought in Revolutionary America by Cathy D. Matson, associate professor of history, and Peter Onuf. University Press of Kansas. The authors reconstruct the discourse on American Federalism, a discussion grounded in the intense debate over the role of government in the regulation of the economy. The Comic Genius of Dr. Alexander Hamilton by Robert Micklus, Delaware '80Ph.D. University of Tennessee Press. This book focuses on the "other" Alexander Hamilton, a Scottish-born physician and essayist who lived in 18th-century Maryland and wrote the comic narrative, The History of the Tuesday Club. Democracy and Moral Development: A Politics of Virtue by David L. Norton, professor of philosophy. University of California Press, Berkeley. The author applies classical concepts of virtue to the premises of modern democracy to create a new theory of politics as practical in the political arena as it is persuasive in the theoretical realm. The Mary Shelley Reader, edited by Charles E. Robinson, professor of English, and Betty T. Bennett. Oxford University Press. This book is the first anthology of works by the author of Frankenstein. Forest Society: A Social History of Peten, Guatemala by Norman B. Schwartz, professor of anthropology. University of Pennsylvania Press. The author examines the history of Peten, in the lowlands of Northern Guatemala, where socioeconomic and sociocultural conditions have remained stable for 250 years. Fragonard: Art and Eroticism by Mary D. Sheriff, Delaware '76M, '81Ph.D. University of Chicago Press. After the French Revolution, Fragonard was condemned as a purveyor of corrupt luxury items and as a wasted talent. Sheriff challenges this view, arguing that he is best understood as an artist whose technical skill and witty manipulation of academic standards established a dynamic relationship with the elite audience he both courted and created. Clinical Electrophysiology: Electrotherapy and Electrophysiologic Testing by Lynn Snyder-MacKler, assistant professor of life and health sciences, and Andrew J. Robinson. Williams & Wilkins. Intended for physical therapy students and clinicians, the book uses case studies to illustrate how to use this technology for diagnostic testing prior to therapy. Kinetics of Soil Chemical Processes by Donald L. Sparks, professor of plant and soil sciences. Academic Press. Soil Science magazine called the book "concisely written" and recommended that it be in the library of anyone "interested in the chemistry of the soil and its application to solute transport, mineral nutrition of plants and environmental concerns." Progress in Comparative Endocrinology, edited by Milton H. Stetson, director, School of Life and Health Sciences, August Epple and Colin G. Scanes. John Wiley & Sons. From molecular biology to behavior and chronobiology, the book presents findings from numerous scientific disciplines and reports on studies involving virtually every endocrine organ. Recovery: The Loss and Return of Vision by Janet Grubb Taylor, Delaware '39. Self published. The author describes the brain hemorrhage that cost her her eyesight and the surgery and recovery process, culminating in the return of her vision. Families as Nurturing Systems: Support Across the Life Span, edited by Donald G. Unger, assistant professor of individual and family studies, and Douglas R. Powell. Haworth Press. The authors describe and analyze programs implemented in schools, the work place and other areas to support the changing needs of families .