Faculty Favorites

.... wherein members of the faculty share their favorite books with us all.

Teresa Booker from African-American Studies: The God of small things, by Arundhati Roy (Harper, 1998) is fascinating fiction written in a fascinating way. Two or three stories happen at the same time; inanimate objects get a persona, and the author incorporates flashbacks to move the story forward. I was first drawn to read Salt: A world history, by Mark Kurlansky (Walker, 2002) from watching the History Channel. This author writes history, but not in a chronological way, and he interweaves the tremendous value of salt to civilization over time. I was remember particularly the Chinese custom of salting large quantities of one vegetable each year.

Douglas Thompkins from Sociology: Losing the race: Self-sabotage in Black America, by John McWhorter (Fress Press, 2000). McWhorter is a linguist at the University of California whose argument is not the same as Shelby Steele s. He provides a new approach to questioning past racial history and sense of victimhood. He suggests we need to say "Let's look at this", to critique current situations and behaviors and to look for a new approach. His book may be a wake-up call.

Joe King from Law and Police Science: Imperial hubris: Why the West is losing the war on terror, author anonymous (Brassey s, 2004). This title is interesting for many reasons. First, it is written by a serving officer in the CIA and not complimentary to his superiors. Second, he highlights the mistakes and omissions of both the Clinton and the Bush administrations and calls for the dismissal of higher-ups who failed to see the threat. I share his lament that people in policy and decision making roles, in both administrations and in the civil service, were not held accountable for their failures and oversights that led to 9/11.

Compiled by Janice Dunham

Recent Acquisitions

Atkinson, M. (2003). Tattooed: The sociogenesis of a body art. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. GN419.3.A75 2003

Bass, W.M.. (2003). Death’s acre: Inside the legendary forensic lab the Body Farm where the dead do tell tales. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons. GN69.8.B37 2003

Brown, L.M. (2003). Girlfighting: Betrayal and rejection among girls. New York: New York University Press. HQ798.B723 2003

Chan, J.B.L. (2003). Fair cop: Learning the art of policing. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. HV7923.C44 2003

Covey, H.C. (2003). Street gangs throughout the world. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas. Ref. HV6437.C68 2003

Essig, M.R. (2003). Edison & the electric chair: A story of light and death. New York: Walker & Co. HV8696.E87 2003

Jacoby, T. (Ed.). (2004). Reinventing the melting pot: The new immigrants and what it means to be American. New York: Basic Books. JV6475.R45 2004

Keppel, R.D. (2003). The psychology of serial killer investigations: The grisly business unit. Boston: Academic Press. HV8079.H6 K467 2003

Lord, A. & Rayment, L. (Eds.). (2003). Dangerous and severe personality disorder (DSPD). Leicester, UK: British Psychological Society for the Division of Forensic Psychology. RC554.D35 2003

Lord, V.B. (2004). Suicide by cop – inducing officers to shoot: Practical direction for recognition, resolution and recovery. Flushing, NY: Looseleaf Law Publications. HV8143.L67 2004

Malik, I.H. (2004). Islam and modernity : Muslims in Europe and the United States. London ; Sterling, VA: Pluto Press. D1056.2.M87 M35 2004

Mariani, C. (2002). Terrorism response handbook for police officers in New York State. Flushing, NY: Looseleaf Law Publications. KFN6145.M37 2002

The nature and scope of the problem of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests and deacons in the United States 1950-2002: A research study conducted by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, the City University of New York, February 2004: For the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2004).Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Spec. Coll. BX1912.9.N38 2004

Noll, S. & Trent, J.W., Jr. (Eds.). (2004). Mental retardation in America: a historical reader. New York: New York University Press. HV3006.A4 M435 2004

Perlmutter, D. (2004). Investigation religious terrorism and ritualistic crimes. Boca Raton: CRC Press. HV8079.O25 P47 2004

Petersilia, J. (2003). When prisoners come home: Parole and prisoner reentry. New York: Oxford University Press. HV9304.P464 2003

Marlene Kandel