Ink
The latest alumni and faculty books in print.
In Defense of Indoctrination: The Liberal Arts and the Myth of Thinking for Yourself
By Simon Feldman, Associate Professor of Philosophy
Considering charges that liberal arts institutions indoctrinate their students, this book investigates the conceptual connections between critical thinking and intellectual independence and between epistemic values and social-political values. Feldman argues that neither charges of indoctrination from political conservatives nor professorial boasts of teaching critical thinking recognize the full range of values embedded in liberal arts education; most faculty want both to teach certain social values and to nurture students’ intellectual independence. Yet the indoctrination charges do raise deep questions about the ethics of teaching and learning, and they take place amid growing concerns about the social, political and economic viability of liberal arts institutions themselves.
Liars Society: A Secret Escape
By Alyson Gerber ’06
The game starts now. Jack and Weatherby—the newest members of Last Heir, the most powerful secret society in the world—have landed at an exclusive prep school in the Swiss Alps, ready to win big. Last Heir is offering the chance of a lifetime: millions of dollars, a private island and a powerful spot in the society’s inner circle. Not everyone has the same reasons for playing, but with money, power and influence up for grabs, everyone wants to win. Too bad they’re not all playing by the same rules. The third book in Gerber’s New York Times bestselling young adult mystery series, A Secret Escape will immerse readers in a world of dangerous riddles, friendship and betrayal, and an addictive search for the truth.
SASQ’ET
By Maxim Langstaff ’81
Upon the death of a grandfather she never knew, Mallory Glessner, a small-town New Hampshire veterinarian, finds herself the sole beneficiary of his massive fortune. Left with an unmarked envelope containing a mysterious key, she unlocks a secret that has haunted her family for more than 50 years. Intertwined across three generations and four continents, SASQ’ET is a story of redemption and discovery, love and survival. The book is filled with people you may recognize, both historical and contemporary, and challenges the reader to rethink their relationship to the natural world.
Who’s Hiding? Under the Sea
By Janet Lawler ’74; illustrated by James Weston-Lewis
Guess who’s hiding under the sea in this lushly illustrated, rhyming read-aloud guessing game! This playful lift-the-flap book takes toddlers on an underwater adventure, introducing them to the wonderfully weird creatures of the ocean—and shows how their unique features are what make them amazing.
The Wash-Ashores
By Hannah McKinnon ’94
With only one summer to turn things around, 30-year-old Holly finds herself fighting to hold together the one place that’s always felt like home. She’s inherited the historic Cranberry Inn on Cape Cod from her grandmother Francine. Only Francine is not dead. At least not yet. And she’s not fully convinced the Cranberry Inn is the right fit for Holly. Besides, she has an offer from a developer that she’s not sure she can turn down. Can Holly pull everyone together to ensure that her beloved Cranberry Inn will survive another summer?
Gabby Finds Her Voice
By Blair Nichols Chandler ’83
Gabby doesn’t think her voice matters—until she begins a journey of self-discovery that helps her find the courage, strength and confidence that were inside her all along. This powerful and heartwarming children’s picture book about confidence, self-esteem and speaking up is designed for kids ages 4-8 who are learning to believe in themselves.
Sea Glass Beach: A Promise of Hope
By Mary Jane Costello Ruffo ’80
After seven blissful years of marriage, Miranda Roberts abruptly becomes a widow following a tragic accident. With her faith shaken, she has lost all hope. Despite the support of her sister and members of a bereavement group, Miranda closes her heart, choosing to live in the past. While waiting for her new home to be built, she enters into an unwritten contract with Josh Turner, the kind, handsome owner of The Beach Rose Inn. Miranda’s resolve to remain devoted only to her deceased husband wanes as her heart begins to soften toward Josh and his delightful daughter, Ellie. When her new home is completed, Miranda must make a choice. Will she remain a prisoner of the past, or will she risk a second chance at love?
Cece Downing’s Start Over Summer
By Soon Wiley ’09
Recently fired from her job as an actuary and recovering from a messy breakup, 32-year-old Cece Downing is holed up for the summer in New London, Connecticut. Mounting debts soon force Cece to take the first job opportunity that comes her way—one she’s wholly unsuited for—as a deckhand on an oyster boat. Surprisingly, she finds herself loving the job, and despite her mother’s pleas to reunite with her wealthy fiancé, Cece plunges into an ill-advised romance with a handsome shipyard worker named Morgan. When a proposal to expand the oyster farm pits wealthy waterfront owners against blue collar workers, Cece is caught in the middle and must come to terms with what she’s willing to sacrifice for the life she wants to live.
Publish a book? Send Ink submissions to ccmag@conncoll.edu.