The Union Bookshelf regularly features new books written by (or about) alumni
and other members of the Union community. If you're an author and would like to
be included in a future issue, please send us a copy of the book as well as your
publisher's news release. Our address is Office of Communications, Union
College, Schenectady, N.Y. 12308.
Elmer H. Antonsen '51
The author, who is
professor emeritus of linguistics and of Germanic languages at
the University of Illinois, contends that older runic inscriptions
(circa 150-450 A.D.) are linguistic monuments that must undergo
a strict comparative-historical and synchronic linguistic analysis before they can be of
use for mythological, cultural, historical, or religious studies. He did
such an investigation, and his book, Runes and Germanic Linguistics, sheds
new light not only on the runic writing system but
also important aspects in the historic development of
present-day Germanic languages (including English). He also discusses
the question of the demarcation of linguistic stages and
language death, and the questionable cultural conclusions that
have been drawn from the inscriptions. Other matters touched on include onomatology,
etymology, paleography, graphemics, Northern archeology, the status of women, and the
influence of Christianity. The book was published by Mouton de Gruyter of Berlin
and New York.
D.J. Fitzgerald '56
The author says this about Warwork, his collection of
eleven short stories: “If these stories have a common theme, it is that the
principal characters have been touched in some way by the experience of war.”
The title story is about warwork; “A Knight Came Riding” is about a young
married woman whose reality impinges on her dreams; “The Sign” is about a
hopeless romantic and his near collision with reality; “A Plagimus on Sunday” is
about an evil bird-or perhaps just a bird; “Travel, Adventure, and Pay” is about
a rifle platoon in combat. Both Warwork and the author's previous book, Toyland,
are available from 1st Books Library at www.1stbooks.com or 1-888-280-7715.
Hershel Raff '75
Physiology Secrets (2nd Edition) is a good balance of basic
physiology and clinical applications with comprehensive coverage of physiology.
The book is intended for medical, dental, and graduate students taking medical
physiology. Physiology, the study of how things work, is a critical component of
medical education, and is often the most difficult subject for many college
graduates who are otherwise well-trained in molecular and cellular biology and
genetics. As basic science courses are increasingly becoming problem-based, with
an emphasis on clinical applications of basic science principles, the Physiology
Secrets Q & A format is well suited to focusing on the key information in
each area of what can be a difficult subject of study. The author is professor
of medicine and physiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin and director of
the Endocrine Laboratory at St. Luke's Medical Center in Milwaukee. For more
information, go to www.hanleyandbelfus.com.
Janet Carlson '79
Social and Personality Assessment of School-Aged Children:
Developing Interventions for Educational and Clinical Use, edited by Janet
Carlson and Betsy Waterman, focuses on the development and application of
assessment processes that lead to appropriate and effective interventions for a
range of social and emotional difficulties experienced by school-aged children.
The authors bridge the gap between clinical “diagnostic” approaches and
school-based “classification” systems by focusing on understanding problems and
effecting solutions. Contributions from leading practitioners provide
information on such topics as functional behavioral assessment, information
processing, computer-based test interpretation, and the role and influence of
family functioning. Carlson is a professor in the Counseling and Psychological
Services Department at the State University of New York at Oswego. The book was
published by Allyn & Bacon of Boston, www.ablongman.com or 1-800-278-3525.