"Disguised as yet another chick-lit novel about disastrous dating, this book moves beyond genre constraints to offer a provocative and intelligent look at the ways that people search for a meaningful life," notes a Publisher's Weekly review. "While Karrie's dates are truly hilarious -- like the man who wears the same outfit every day, and the man who barks like a dog to show affection -- there's also a sense of poignancy as Karrie truly attempts to give each man his due. Her dates wind through the decades, tracing history as they do, and what's left when the laughter dies down is a normal woman looking for a normal type of happiness, but one who passes by her lucky break like a ship in the night. Those expecting a light and fluffy confection will be pleasantly surprised by this more substantive fare."

Graff, a New York City actress, notes on her website (http://www.lauriegraff.com) that she has dated her share of amphibians and may (or may not) have used them as a basis for her first novel. She swears no frogs have been harmed during the writing of this book.

Michelle McGoff-McCann '94 has published Melancholy Madness: A Coroner's Casebook (Mercier Press, 2003), her first book. Based on the recently discovered nineteenth-century casebook of Coroner William Charles Waddell, the book "reveals bizarre tales of murder and investigation in the drumlins, valleys and towns of County Monaghan," notes the publisher. "Never before has a book been written describing the duties, events and cases encountered by a nineteenth century coroner in Ireland," reads the publisher's description. "The book is based upon a casebook just recently discovered and has never been lodged in any archive anywhere." McGoff-McCann's book highlights such cases as "The Illegitimate Half-Sisters Of Oscar Wilde," which tells about how Emily and Mary Wilde died tragically at Drumaconner House while dancing by the fire; and "The Legend Of The Sleepwalking Nun," in which Sister Mary Keogh is discovered drowned in the Convent lake near the Crannog.

McGoff-McCann, who was born in Binghamton, fulfilled a lifelong dream when she left her six-figure salary in Silicon Valley, USA to move to the Gap of Dunloe to begin writing her book in a house with two cats, a dog and a cow in the front field. She moved to Monaghan in 2001 where she met her husband, and was married six months later. She works as a confidence building and creative writing teacher in County Monaghan.

In her book, McGoff-McCann acknowledges the late poet and Binghamton professor, Milton Kessler, who was her mentor at Binghamton.

McGoff-McCann's book, which was published in Ireland, can be ordered in the United States through Mercier's US agent, Irish Books and Media, The Franklin Business Centre, 1433 Franklin Ave. East, Minnesota, 55404-2135, via e-mail at irishbook@aol.com, or by phone at (800) 229-3505.

John Brick MA '79, PhD '81, Editor, Handbook of the Medical Consequences of Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Haworth Press, Inc. 2004). "The Handbook of the Medical Consequences of Alcohol and Drug Abuse is a cutting-edge evaluation of the medical effects of the most abused drugs in America today," reads the publisher's description. "The contributors to this peer-reviewed book include leading experts in medical physiology, psychopharmacology, and neuropsychology. The book describes the most current research on the acute and chronic effects of alcohol, stimulants, inhalants, marijuana, and opiates on human organ systems and behavior. It will also help you explore and understand the prenatal effects of these drugs as well as tobacco and nicotine."

David E. Smith, MD, president and medical director of the Haight Ashbury Free Clinics in San Francisco calls it "the most up-to-date findings on alcohol and other abused drugs. . . . a highly readable and informative source of information on a wide range of medical and other health consequences for physicians and other key health professionals." Penny Booth Page, MLS, Director of Information Services, Rutgers University Center of Alcohol Studies, wrote: "Society has long understood that use of alcohol and other drugs can have serious negative social, psychological, and medical effects. Offers a detailed overview of how these substances act on various organs and systems of the body, and the resulting acute and chronic health effects."

Keith Strassberg '96, CPA, CISSP, has published Network Security: The Complete Reference (McGraw-Hill, 2003), a book he coauthored with Roberta Bragg and Mark Rhodes-Ousley. "Network security covers so many issues and technologies that nobody can master all of them," notes Bill Camarda in a Barnes and Noble review. "Still, systems need to be secured, and administrators need to secure them. If that's your job, you can refer to Network Security: The Complete Reference for a solid briefing on just about any security challenge you might face. This book offers intelligent coverage of the entire security "lifecycle," from risk analysis to attack response. Need to review the fundamentals of access, authentication, and authorization? Or the principles of security architecture? Need a primer on what you can do to harden your existing network right now? Need a better understanding of the limitations of firewalls? It's all in here."

Strassberg is an independent security consultant whose professional experiences cover all facets of information security, including designing and deploying secure infrastructures, implementing firewalls and intrusion detection systems, performing computer forensic investigations, developing policies and procedures, and performing vulnerability testing.

Keith B. Miller '83 has published a book he edited, Perspectives on Evolving Creation (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2003). "The common prevailing view of conflict between evolutionary theory and Christian faith is a false caricature," reads the book's description on Miller's website."In reality, many evangelical Christian scientists and theologians have responded positively to evolutionary ideas since the time of Darwin. This volume brings this Christian reflection up to date and takes a relatively comprehensive look at the current science of evolutionary theory from a clearly articulated orthodox Christian perspective. It includes scientific evidence as well as informed theological discussion. Contributors represent a wide variety of disciplines - biology, genetics, geology, paleontology, astronomy, cosmology, philosophy, theology, and the history of science."

Reviewer Kevin Padian wrote: "At last, a book written by evangelical Christians that shatters the myth of necessary conflict between creation and evolution. All Christians should read this book for instruction and perspectives on science that they can trust and think about. So should all scientists, Christian or not, who are interested in the practical rapprochement that is possible between science and religion. Keith Miller has done a tremendous service in gathering knowledgeable scientists with a variety of theological views. Their science is accurate and their perspectives should be discussed extensively by students and professors together all over campus."

Miller is a research assistant professor in geology at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. He is also a fellow of the American Scientific Affiliation and an officer of the Affiliation of Christian Geologists.
For more info, go to http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~kbmill/index.html