Reading List: An Alum’s Debut Novel Set at a Mermaid Burlesque
Alumni books that caught our eye
Reading List: A Debut Novel Set at a Mermaid Burlesque
And other alumni fiction and nonfiction that caught our eye
The Battle for Boston: How Mayor Ray Flynn and Community Organizers Fought Racism and Downtown Power BrokersFordham University Press, 2025
By Don Gillis (GRS’78,’15)
A longtime political activist and a senior advisor to Flynn looks at the pol who stood against busing and abortion but fought a different battle over development in the city as mayor from 1984 to 1993.
Cross My HeartAtria Books, 2025
By Megan Collins (GRS’08)
Collins’ twisty page-turner follows Rosie Lachlan, a transplant recipient whose heart was broken in more ways than one, as she becomes obsessed with her donor’s husband.
Duet for OneRegal House Publishing, 2025
By Martha Anne Toll (LAW’83)
In Toll’s second novel, Adam, a gifted violinist and the son of a two-piano musical couple, struggles with their legacy and his relationship with English professor Dara, herself wounded by divorce.
EavesdropperRootstock Publishing, 2025
By (SSW’67)
In 1953, a 14-year-old girl—facing the normal problems of adolescence in a small Massachusetts town amid nuclear war fears and the Red Scare—learns that her family has secrets worth hiding.
The MesmeristDoubleday, 2024
By Caroline Woods (GRS’08, Wheelock’09)
In 1894 Minneapolis, spiritualism is all the rage, and a young resident of the Bethany Home for Unwed Mothers must unravel her roommate’s mysterious past to stop a series of unexplained deaths. Is there dark magic afoot—or a more earthly killer?
Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify
and the Costs of the Perfect PlaylistAtria/One Signal Publishers, 2025
By Liz Pelly (COM’11)
Drilling down into today’s vertically consolidated music industry, Pelly examines the effects of streaming on artists and listeners alike, where the money goes, and how it shapes what you hear.
Raising Awe-Seekers: How the Science of Wonder Helps Our Kids ThriveFree Spirit Publishing, 2025
By Deborah Farmer Kris (Wheelock’98, CAS’98)
You hear a lot about concerns facing children and teens, from social media to eating disorders to climate change. A former teacher and advisor to the PBS KIDS show Carl the Collector, Kris says awe and wonder can boost kids’ self-esteem and ability to deal with challenges.
The Resounding Revolution:
Freedom Song after 1968University of Illinois Press, 2025
By Stephen Stacks (STH’12)
Stacks examines the legacy and continuing importance of the music of the Civil Rights Movement in keeping the history alive—and motivating today’s activists.
Startup Mindsets: A Blueprint to
Thrive in an Innovation-Driven
and Globally Connected WorldPenguin Random House, 2025
By Earl Valencia (ENG’03)
Tech leader and start-up founder Valencia wants to democratize the lessons of Silicon Valley for competitors around the world. The book was cowritten with investor and podcast host Dan Gonzales.
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