Bookshelf

Scam Artists of the Galaxy by Thomas Wm. Hamilton ’60. In his fourth work of science fiction, retired astronomer Hamilton spins a tale about creative conmen who travel from planet to planet in the year 2470 (Strategic Book Publishing & Rights Agency, $10.95).

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Stockholm: The Adrenaline-Fueled Adventures of an Accidental Scientist by Robert Lefkowitz ’62. A memoir from the Nobel Prize-winning cardiologist-turned-scientist who was described by the Swedish press corps as “the happiest Laureate” (Pegasus Books, $27.50).

When the World Laughs: Film Comedy East and West by William V. Costanzo ’67. Costanzo, a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of English and Film, describes the intersection of humor, history and culture (Oxford University Press, $35).

Syllabus: The Remarkable, Unremarkable Document That Changes Everything by William Germano’72 and Kit Nicholls. Taking a fresh look at the syllabus, the authors suggest new ways to engage students and create more collaborative learning (Princeton University Press, $24.95).

Some Assembly Required: Decoding Four Billion Years of Life, from Ancient Fossils to DNA by Neil Shubin ’82. Shubin, a professor of organismal biology and anatomy at the University of Chicago, recounts the evolution of human and animal life in a lively and accessible manner (Pantheon, $26.95).

Romance in Marseille by Claude McKay; edited by William J. Maxwell ’84 and Gary E. Holcomb. An early, overtly queer work of Black modernist fiction is published for the first time after being buried in an archive for almost 90 years (Penguin Classics, $16).

The Look of the Book: Jackets, Covers and Art at the Edges of Literature by Peter Mendelsund ’90 and David J. Alworth. This artful investigation into book cover design was named one of the “Best Books of 2020” by The New York Times (Ten Speed Press, $50).

The Mall: A Novel by Megan McCafferty ’95. The latest from bestselling YA author McCafferty is a coming-of-age story set in a New Jersey mall in 1991 (Wednesday Books, $18.99).

Amnesty: A Novel by Aravind Adiga ’97. Ariga won the 2008 Man Booker Prize for his novel The White Tiger; in his newest work, a young illegal immigrant must decide whether to report a murder (Scribner, $26).

A Glorious Liberty: Frederick Douglass and the Fight for an Antislavery Constitution by Damon Root ’99. How Douglass’s fight for inalienable rights for all helped to shape American history in the 19th century and beyond (Potomac Books, $26.95).

Reclaiming Her Time: The Power of Maxine Waters by Helena Andrews-Dyer ’02 and R. Eric Thomas. A celebration of the life, wisdom and wit of the iconic California congresswoman (Dey Street Books, $26.99).

The Rocket Years: How Your 20s Launch the Rest of Your Life by Elizabeth Segran ’05. rough data and storytelling, Segran unpacks the reasons why the choices you make in your 20s may have the greatest impact (Harper, $26.99).

— Jill C. Shomer