Off the shelf

Learn about books written by members of the VCU community.

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‘I bring this life with me wherever I go’ — an interview with author Katy Resch George

When Katy Resch George was a creative writing student at Virginia Commonwealth University, she distinguished herself with both her vivid, honest storytelling and the generous, insightful feedback she offered her classmates.

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An interview with Patricia Smith, author of ‘The Year of Needy Girls’

Patricia Smith’s debut novel, “The Year of Needy Girls,” takes place in a small town in Massachusetts upended by the murder of a young boy. In this charged atmosphere, Deirdre, a high school French teacher, loses her job after one of her students surprises her with a kiss.

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Freshman's book examines his family’s history with facing racial discrimination

In 1991, Canaan Kennedy’s father, who is black, was unlawfully beaten and arrested by police in the driveway of his parents’ Northern Virginia home.

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New book explores famous psychologists’ thoughts on ‘living the good life’

Many of history’s most influential psychologists thought deeply about what it takes to live a “good life” — a positive, fulfilled existence that is both significant and joyous.

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English professor’s new book features memoirs of 10 former inmates of Richmond City Jail

In a new book, “Writing Our Way Out: Memoirs from Jail,” a Virginia Commonwealth University professor tells his story of teaching prisoners in Richmond City Jail and compiles the memoirs of 10 former jail inmates who describe the conditions, traps and turning points that led to their incarceration.

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Novelist follows successful debut with tale of generations of winged women

When her editor told her the novel she had labored over for years wasn’t working, and, in fact, needed a complete rewrite, Michele Young-Stone was devastated.

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Gregory Smithers, Ph.D. [View Image]

Professor’s book examines Cherokee resilience amid migration and resettlement

A new book by a Virginia Commonwealth University history professor reveals how the Cherokee — one of the largest Native American tribes — dispersed around the globe.

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Alumnus’s graphic novel seeks to inspire children with learning disabilities

A Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work alumnus has authored a graphic novel that he hopes will inspire children with learning disabilities and help destigmatize special education.

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"Cut Loose: Jobless and Hopeless in an Unfair Economy" (University of California Press) [View Image]

Professor explores long-term unemployment in 'unfair economy'

In a new book, Virginia Commonwealth University professor Victor Chen, Ph.D., provides a vivid and moving look at the experiences of autoworkers in the United States and Canada to explore the impact of long-term unemployment.

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"Van Gogh's Ghost Paintings: Art and Spirit in Gethsemane" by Clifford Edwards, Ph.D. [View Image]

Professor solves the mystery of Van Gogh's 'ghost paintings'

Vincent Van Gogh created roughly 2,000 paintings, yet one artwork in particular apparently caused Van Gogh such consternation that he painted and destroyed it twice.

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