Ink

Recent books from alumni authors

The Problem of Piracy in the Early Modern World
Co-edited by John Coakley, associate registrar for curriculum

In the early modern period, both legal and illegal maritime predation was a common occurrence, but the expansion of European maritime empires exacerbated existing and created new problems of piracy across the globe. Seeking the meanings and motivations behind piracy, this collection of original scholarly essays highlights case studies from around the globe, revealing that while European states attempted to fashion piracy into a global and homogenous phenomenon, it was largely a local and often idiosyncratic issue.

Bartholemew and the Summer of Grace
By Lisa (Kingman) Forness ’81

Bartholemew, a small cricket who lives beneath a yellow and blue dinghy on the shores of Cape Cod, decides to finally introduce himself to the four children who come to stay at a small cottage on Bay Street each summer. It turns out to be the best summer yet, filled with new friendships, exciting adventures and unforgettable memories. Illustrated in color by Dominique Hance, this chapter book for children ages 6-12 reminds readers that the most valuable treasures in life are best enjoyed together, and that friendship, love and kindness are what matter most. 

#BIDENWON: The Art of Recovery
By Cathy Hull ’68 

With tongue planted firmly in cheek, Hull, an award-winning author-illustrator, wittily writes and scathingly draws her own conclusions as she takes readers image by image through four years of pivotal events and watershed moments during the Biden administration.

Barkley L. Hendricks: Piles of Inspiration Everywhere
By Susan Hendricks and David Katzenstein ’76

With large, double-page spread illustrations, this book takes the reader on a journey into the otherwise publicly inaccessible home and studio of the late renowned artist and Professor Emeritus of Studio Art Barkley L. Hendricks, showcasing the environment that both inspired and energized him. A collaboration between photographer David Katzenstein and Hendricks’ wife, Susan, the book features writings from the artist’s own journals alongside the stunning photographs of his personal surroundings, offering an unprecedented look into Hendricks’ life and creative process.

Brownie
By David Katzenstein ’76

This collection of photographs was created by Katzenstein as he traveled the globe between 1979-1989 using the Kodak Duaflex camera, a successor to Kodak’s famous Brownie camera. Throughout the project, Katzenstein’s goal was to embrace the camera’s limitations as a means of pushing the boundaries of composition, juxtaposing foreground and background while heightening the use of color. The result is a colorful, personal and sensitive view of the world.

Terrance McPhee and the Toy Eating Tree
By Kathleen MacInnis Kichline ’69

In this delightfully fun sequential story, young Terrance McPhee launches his paper airplane from the top of a hill, only to have it soar off course and land in the limbs of a tree. Friend after friend comes to help free Terrance’s plane from the clutches of the branches—first by hurling an action figure, followed by a gorilla toy, a basketball, and even a boomerang—but the tree seems to gobble each one up. When the unlikeliest of helpers comes along—a butterfly!—the friends are in for a big surprise. Kichline’s rollicking rhymes and Scott Ward’s vibrant illustrations make this a wonderful read-aloud for families and educators of young children. 

Little Movements
By Lauren Morrow ’09

Black choreographer Layla questions all of her personal and professional life choices when she takes a residency in a very small, white Vermont town. There, she finds that creating art for art’s sake is not as valued as exploring familiar tropes of struggle and oppression. She must contend with the institution’s director and her dancers while managing a long-distance relationship with her husband. Little Movements explores issues of race, class, art and ambition, but perhaps most importantly, it’s a novel about self-discovery—about what it means to push through despite all that might stand in the way.

Gilbert and the Ghost
By Heather Pierce Stigall ’91

Gilbert often feels invisible, just like the ghost living at 632 Savannah Street. Despite his family’s disbelief, Gilbert leaves gifts for the ghost: a friendship bracelet, a plate of cookies, even a drawing with a note. When each disappears one by one, Gilbert finds that believing and friendship are worth the effort. Gothic, whimsical illustrations make this picture book perfect for the spooky season, while its earnest themes make it worth a read all year round.

Adventures of a Bitterroot Boy
By George Reeves ’87

These far-fetched fables chronicle a slightly embellished 1970s childhood in small-town Hamilton, Montana, inspiring chuckles and resonating with the sometimes mischievous youngster who dwells within us all.