Review: A Compassionate Life
Boston College School of Theology and Ministry Professor of Moral Theology Thomas Massaro, S.J., reviews Karen Armstrong’s new book, Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life, for America magazine.
New ebook from O’Har
George O’Har, a faculty member in the English Department, has written a novel for Kindle called The Thousand Hour Club. According to O’Har, it’s “a story in which the main character, a gas-pumping drifter and college dropout, finds redemption after he enlists in the Air Force during the Viet Nam War. He does not go to Viet Nam. Instead, he is sent to the Army Language School in Monterey, California, where he is taught Arabic by an Iraqi ex-pat, who was snatched off the streets of Baghdad by the CIA. Eventually, the narrator finds himself in Athens, where he is able to reconnect to his, and by extension, America’s symbolic and spiritual past: the 5th century Athens of Socrates.”
Catholic Church & abuse crisis: a view from Ireland
The Irish Times Religious Affairs correspondent Patsy McGarry will discuss child sexual abuse and the Catholic Church on Mar. 24 at 4 p.m. in Devlin Hall 101. McGarry’s work has been recognized with a National Media Award and the Templeton European Religion Writer of the Year Award. His publications include The Book of Jesus Reports, Christianity: Articles from the Irish Times Series, and While Justice Slept: The True Story of Nicky Kelly and the Sallins Train Robbery. He also wrote First Citizen: Mary McAleese and the Irish Presidency, the Irish president’s official biography. Sponsors are: College of Arts and Sciences, The Institute for the Liberal Arts, the English Department & the Center for Irish Programs/Irish Studies.
Posted in Guest Authors
Tagged Catholic, Center for Irish Programs, English Dept., Ireland
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Why Memoir?
BC Associate Professor of English Amy Boesky (pictured), English Dept. faculty member Suzanne Berne, and Joan Wickersham—three authors of recent memoirs—discuss the complications and possibilities of the form, and how their own thinking about memoir evolved during the writing of their books. March 23, 4:30 p.m. in Devlin Hall 101.
Novelist Chang-rae Lee
Novelist Chang-rae Lee, author of Native Speaker, A Gesture Life, Aloft, and The Surrendered, will speak on Mar. 22 at 7 p.m. in Murray Function Room. His novels have won numerous awards and citations, including the Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award, the American Book Award, and the Barnes & Noble Discover Award. He has also has also written stories and articles for The New Yorker, New York Times, Time (Asia), Granta, Conde Nast Traveler, Food & Wine, and many other publications.
Posted in Guest Authors, Lowell Humanities Series
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Iran and the U.S.
Barbara Slavin, an expert on U.S. foreign policy and the author of Bitter Friends, Bosom Enemies: Iran, the U.S. and the Twisted Path to Confrontation, will speak at on Mar. 16 at 5 p.m. in Devlin Hall, room 008. A nonresident senior fellow at The Atlantic Council specializing on Iran, Slavin has served as assistant managing editor for world and national security of The Washington Times and as senior diplomatic reporter for USA TODAY. She has reported from Iran, Libya, Israel, Egypt, North Korea, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia and Syria. Slavin is a regular commentator on U.S. foreign policy on National Public Radio, the Public Broadcasting System and C-Span. Sponsor: Islamic Civilization & Societies Program.
Posted in Guest Authors
Tagged foreign policy, Iran, Islamic Civilization & Societies
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Faith and wealth
Boston College Professor of Sociology Paul Schervish, an expert on affluence, charitable giving and spirituality, has co-written (with Keith Whitaker) a new book titled Wealth and the Will of God: Discerning the Use of Riches in the Service of Ultimate Purpose that addresses the question: How can people of faith best connect their financial capacity to their spiritual aspirations?
Schervish, who also directs BC’s Center on Wealth and Philanthropy, says one thing is true– the need for a process of reflection that can help wealth holders discern, for the time and circumstances in which they exist, what to do with their material resources. Read an interview with Prof. Schervish in the most recent Boston College Chronicle.
Feminized majority
BC alumna Katherine Adam (Class of 2007) had her senior thesis published as book — a rare feat for an undergraduate project. On March 15, Adam will return to campus to discuss her book, The New Feminized Majority: How Democrats Can Change America with Women’s Values, and assess the American political climate. The event, free and open to the public, takes place at 5 p.m. in Fulton 230. Sponsor: Women and Gender Studies. More from the Boston College Chronicle.
Posted in Alumni Authors
Tagged politics, Sociology Dept, Women's and Gender Studies
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BC Libraries celebrate March
The Boston College Libraries are honoring BC is Green month with BC Greener Lib group’s new list of library resources with an environmental focus. Check out the new list of green books for 2011 and new green e-books. There also will be a luncheon book discussion on Mar. 25 at noon in O’Neill Library on Cape Wind: Money, Celebrity, Class, Politics and the Battle for our Energy Future on Nantucket Sound.
The Theology and Ministry Library is celebrating Women’s History Month by highlighting some recent arrivals that focus on women and the Church and/or feminist theology.
Posted in BC Libraries
Tagged environment, green, Theology & Ministry Library, women's history month
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BC Bookmarks 