THE METHOD TO THE MADNESS: Donald Trump’s Ascent By Aaron Short C’03 and Allen Salkin (All Points Books, 2019, $28.99.) Two journalists, with more than 30 years of collective reporting on Donald Trump W’68, interview more than 100 of his closest associates. Highlighting a unique range of voices, from Al Sharpton to Roger Stone to Tucker Carlson, they make the case that Trump’s ostensibly erratic approach to politics is consistent with his carefully honed personal and professional style. Buy this book
DEATH IN THE COVENANT By Alison von Rosenvinge Gr’00 L’03 writing as D. A. Bartley (Crooked Lane Books, 2019, $26.99.) In this second novel of the “Abish Taylor Mystery” series, Detective Taylor, once a member of the Mormon church, investigates the death of an apostle in the community where she grew up. As she digs deeper, she uncovers truths that may get her own father, still a devoted member of the church, excommunicated. Buy this book
THE NEWS AT THE ENDS OF THE EARTH: The Print Culture of Polar Exploration By Hester Blum Gr’02 (Duke University Press, 2019, $26.95.) A professor of English at Penn State, Blum tells a remarkable history of 19th- and early 20th-century polar exploration through an offbeat collection of printed ephemera: ship newspapers, playbills, menus, and cairn notes (messages left at stone markers by sailors). Her survey shows how print culture played a key role in the psychological survival of explorers during harsh polar winters. Buy this book
WHISPER NETWORK By Chandler Baker C’08 (Flatiron Books, 2019, $26.99.) This fast-paced modern mystery is set in the corporate headquarters of an apparel brand after the sudden death of its CEO. As a younger male executive steps up to fill his shoes, rumors start to spread about his treatment of women, eventually leading to catastrophe. Buy this book
AESTHETIC INTELLIGENCE: How to Boost It and Use It in Business and Beyond By Pauline Brown WG’95 (Harper Business, 2019, $29.99.) Aesthetics are a crucial part of business strategy, argues Brown, the former chair for luxury brand LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton North America. When companies harness their aesthetic intelligence”the other AI”they can build market share, gain customer loyalty, and create lasting value. Buy this book
MORE THINGS IN THE HEAVENS: How Infrared Astronomy Is Expanding Our View of the Universe By Peter Eisenhardt C’78 and Michael Werner (Princeton University Press, 2019, $35.) Two NASA scientists who worked on the launch of the Spitzer Space Telescope guide readers on an infrared exploration of the cosmos, “which often differs dramatically from what is seen in visible light.” Featuring many of Spitzer’s captivating images, their book yeilds an exciting look at how infrared technology aids in our understanding of the universe. Buy this book
TOO SMART FOR OUR OWN GOOD: Ingenious Investment Strategies, Illusions of Safety, and Market Crashes By Bruce I. Jacobs G’79 GrW’86 (McGraw Hill Education, 2018, $40.) Risk is unavoidable, especially in investing. But the severe and widespread financial crises we have suffered in recent decades were made by us. By understanding how and why this is so, we may be able to avoid, ameliorate, and even anticipate future downturns, says Jacobs, cofounder of Jacobs Levy Equity Management. Buy this book
THE INSTRUMENTAL UNIVERSITY: Education in Service of the National Agenda After World War II By Ethan Schrum Gr’09 (Cornell University Press, 2019, $47.95.) After World War II, elite research universities in the United States underwent a profound change. The “instrumental universities,” as Schrum calls them, framed their missions around solving social problems and promoting economic development. His book is a sweeping study of higher education in postwar America. Buy this book
THE ENCHANTING WORLD OF FOOD By Katie Barney GEd’69 (Conduit Press, 2019, $34.95.) Barney’s sixth cookbook includes cuisine from more than 200 countries, contributed by ambassadors, their chefs, and the author’s international friends. Each section begins with a brief history of the country and its cuisine, as well as dining etiquette for visitors, and ends with a list of special terms, holidays, and enriching facts about the country. Buy this book
THE LETTERS OF COLIN ROWE: Five Decades of Correspondence Edited by Daniel Naegele GFA’94 Gr’96 (Artifice Books on Architecture, 2018, $49.95.) More than 300 letters from the legendary architectural historian and critic Colin Rowe are reproduced here with explanatory notes from the editor. The letters span a period of nearly 60 years and are addressed to his family, colleagues, and former students at Cornell, covering topics from furniture and landscapes to politics and aging. Buy this book
Very Briefly Noted
TERRY ADKINS: Infinity Is Always Less Than One Edited by Gean Moreno and Alex Gartenfeld (Duke University Press, 2019, $55.) Buy this book
CHEATING DEATH: How to Add Years of Joy and Meaning to Life By Howard Englander W’54 (Howard Englander, 2019, $12.95.) Buy this book
THE SOUL’S JOURNEY: Communicating with Your True Self to Discover Your Destiny By Ken Gaus WG’74 (Healing Light Publishing, 2019, $13.95.) Buy this book
EQUITY MANAGEMENT: The Art and Science of Modern Quantitative Investing By Bruce I. Jacobs G’79 GrW’86 and Kenneth N. Levy WG’76 G’82 (McGraw Hill Education, 2017, $75.00.) Buy this book
HITLER: Öncesi & Sonrası By Güran Tatlıoğlu WG’64 (Sonçağ Yayınları, 2019, $24.50.) Buy this book
