KWF Authors: Current Releases by Knight-Wallace Fellows
High Heat: The Secret History of the Fastball and the Improbable Search for the Fastest Pitcher of All Time
By Tim Wendel ’96
Tim Wendel ’96 has published his sixth book, “High Heat: The Secret History of the Fastball and the Improbable Search for the Fastest Pitcher of All Time.” Wendel takes the reader through Cooperstown’s archives, an aerodynamic testing lab in Birmingham, Alabama and America’s ballparks in an examination of fastball mechanics and his quest to determine baseball’s fastest hurler. Featuring interviews with baseball greats and stories of the men who threw the ball, “High Heat” is a fast-paced journey through the past and present of our national pastime. “High Heat" was named an editor's selection by New York Times Review of Books.
High Stakes: The Rising Cost of America’s Gambling Addiction
By Sam Skolnik ’08
Prompted by his year as a Knight-Wallace Fellow, Sam Skolnik ’08 authored his first book, “High Stakes: The Rising Cost of America’s Gambling Addiction.” Skolnik examines the explosive growth of legalized gambling in the U.S., the rise of addicted gamblers and what it all means. In “High Stakes,” we meet politicians eager to promote legalized gambling as an economic cure-all, scientists wrestling with the meaning of gambling addiction, and ensnared players so caught up in the chase that they’ve lost their livelihoods and their minds. Throughout it all, Skolnik—an avid poker player—never loses sight of the human side of these struggles.
The Other Side of Mercy: A Killer’s Journey across the Great Divide
By Jonathan Martin ’09
Jonathan Martin ’09 co-authored “The Other Side of Mercy: A Killer’s Journey across the Great Divide.” The book is based on the Seattle Times series that won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of the ambush slayings of four Lakewood police officers. Martin was a reporter on the award-winning team. In this book, the Martin and co-author Ken Armstrong go deeper to tell a story of our nation’s racial divide, the political risks of mercy, and missed opportunities to stop a man going mad.
Scoreboard, Baby: A Story of College Football, Crime and Complicity
By Nick Perry '11
Congratulations to Nick Perry ’11 and his co-author Ken Armstrong. Their book, “Scoreboard, Baby: A Story of College Football, Crime and Complicity,” was named the winner of the Edgar Allan Poe award for Best Fact Crime book of 2010. Perry and Armstrong chronicle the University of Washington’s march to the 2001 Rose Bowl and answer one of sports’ most enduring questions: If winning is everything, what are we left with? “Scoreboard, Baby” exposes the rot beneath a celebrated season â�” and the ruins left behind, showing how a community’s blind embrace of a football team compromised judges, prosecutors, police agencies, a proud university and the media.
The Last Kestrel and Far From My Father’s House
Two Novels By Jill McGivering '10
Jill McGivering ’10 has written two novels. Her first release, “The Last Kestrel,” which has been compared to “The Kite Runner,” is available in paperback. Her second book, “Far From My Father’s House,” will be published in August 2011. Both novels follow war correspondent Ellen Thomas and traditional, rural women through the hostilities and struggles in South Asia, a region McGivering has covered for 25 years as a BBC correspondent. The first book is set in Afghanistan, the second in Pakistan. The books examine the nature of news, the ethical dilemmas and tough choices reporters make when covering wars. McGivering in now writing her third novel, which takes her to new territory: Asia’s past.
Rogue Island
By Bruce DeSilva ’81
Bruce DeSilva ’81 was awarded the Edgar Award for best first novel 2011, for his book, “Rogue Island.” The book was also shortlisted for the Anthony and Barry award and listed as one of the 10 most notable first novels of the year by Publishers Weekly. DeSilva tells the story of a working class neighborhood that is systematically burning to the ground. Liam Mulligan, an old-school reporter at a dying newspaper, thinks the Providence, R.I., police are looking in all the wrong places. And people he knows and loves are vanishing in the flames. As the neighborhood burns, Mulligan must find the hand that strikes the match. The novel, published by Forge, is at once an authentic evocation of life in a 21st-century American city and a lyrical tribute to the dying newspaper business. The sequel, "Cliff Walk," will be published in early 2012, and DeSilva is working on the third book in the series.
Green Wedding: Plannning your Eco-friendly Celebratioin
By Mia Narvaro '88
Inspired by the overwhelming response to her New York Times article, Mia Narvaro ’88 published “Green Wedding: Plannning your Eco-friendly Celebration.” The book is an authoritative guide to how couples can minimize the environmental impact of their weddings while still ensuring a joyous and elegant celebration. Filled with gorgeous photographs, “Green Wedding” presents ideas on everything from planning the ceremony and reception to ecotourism honeymoons.
Dear Dad: Reflections on Fatherhood
By John Fountain '00
John Fountain ’00 released “Dear Dad: Reflections on Fatherhood.” Inspired by his essay for National Public Radio’s “This I Believe Series,” the book is an anthology of essays, poetry and prose written by some of the nation’s finest journalists and writers in celebration and examination of fatherhood. It is the first publication from WestSide Press, an independent publishing house founded by Fountain in 2009.
Married to Africa: A Love Story and The Diversity Advantage
By G. Pascal Zachary '89
G. Pascal Zachary ‘89 recently published the memoir, “Married to Africa: A Love Story.” While a foreign correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, Zachary met his future wife, Chizo Okao, at the zoo in Accra, Ghana. The book is a tender and charming account of a marriage and a look at how two people get to know each other across culture and race.
Zachary’s earlier book, “The Diversity Advantage,” provides a provocative roadmap to the new civilization arising out of sweeping shifts in the world economy. He reveals that the key new determinants for any nation’s economic, political and cultural success are, surprisingly, a diverse population and a mongrel sense of self. Roaming the globe, Zachary shows how the rise of new forms of identity and migration are helping to determine who will win and who will lose in the next century.
Hamas
By Bora Bayraktar '06
Bora Bayraktar ’05 published his second book, “Hamas.” In January 2006, an Islamist organization linked with deadly attacks to civilians won a decisive majority in the Palestinian Parliament. This was a blow to the peace process. Hamas, an organization classified as a terrorist organization by the European Union, Israel and the United States, is a "democratic force" for the Palestinian people. Bora Bayraktar, a journalist covering the region for the last two decades, puts light on this dilemma. He details the Islamist movement's roots, social structure and institutions and interviews Hamas and Israeli leaders to understand if Hamas can transform itself to an organization prepared to make peace with Israel.