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1. Winter 2012: Best new books

   February 25, 2016 10:56 am Leave a Comment

   The Slaves’ Gamble: Choosing Sides in the War of 1812
   Gene Allen Smith
   This book, written by TCU history professor Smith, tells the little-known story of how growing conflicts between the fledgling U.S., Great Britain, Spain, and various Native American groups presented an opportunity for slaves as the various factions, “tried to mobilize the free black and slave populations in the hopes of defeating the other.” Available at major booksellers.

   CBRN and Hazmat Incidents at Major Public Events: Planning and Response
   Dan Kaszeta ’91  
   Based on Kaszeta’s two decades of managing emergency planning and response, this book allows readers to minimize the possibility of a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) disaster or a hazardous material (hazmat) incident at public events and also details the tools needed to quickly respond and avoid or minimize casualties and damages. Available at Amazon.com.

   New From TCU?Press
   Fair Park Deco
   This 300-page book focuses specifically on the Art Deco art and architecture of Dallas’ Fair Park — the public spaces, buildings, sculptures and murals that were designed for the 1936 Exposition. The art and architecture are featured in original photography by Jim Parsons and David Bush, as well as in historic photographs. Available at major booksellers and online at prs.tcu.edu.

2. Winter 2011: Best new books

   10:55 am Leave a Comment

   Hitler’s Ethic: The Nazi Pursuit of Evolutionary Progress
   Richard Weikart ’80
   A professor of modern European history at California State University, Stanislaus, Weikart examines how Hitler’s belief in evolutionary ethics influenced Nazi policies of eugenics, euthanasia and racial exterminations. The book was recently released as a paperback.
   Available at amazon.com.

   Two Traditions One Space: Orthodox Christians and Muslims in Dialogue
   George Papademetriou ’66 MTh
   For centuries Orthodox Christians and Muslims have co-existed in close proximity. This work examines the historical connections as well as contemporary efforts at dialogue promoting understanding between the followers of these two religions.
   Available at somersethallpress.com.

   New From TCU Press
   Home Truths: A Deep East Texas memory
   Gerald Duff
   Duff’s memoir of growing up in East Texas and the Gulf Coast community of Nederland, where he deals with intrusive family members, judgmental classmates and marital bliss and misery, will ring familiar to anyone who has ever lived in a small town.
   To purchase: 1.800.826.8911

3. Books: Conversation with Sherri Lee ’68

   10:55 am Leave a Comment

   Sherri Lee ’68 is an avid gardener and local fig expert in Knoxville, Tennessee. She recently published an award-winning cookbook about figs titled Under the Fig Leaf: A Cookbook for Fig Lovers and enjoys traveling throughout the South lecturing about her horticultural and culinary pursuits. In between garden club gigs, Lee whips up new fig recipes and ruminates on her next publishing endeavor, “probably adventure stories with my grandchildren.”

   In your book, you talk of sampling figs right off the tree as a little girl. What inspired you to grow your own trees as an adult in Tennessee? Yes, we’d eat them right off the tree. That’s what most people did back then. Figs are what you call a backyard tree in the South, and that’s how most people of my generation knew of figs. You just went out in the backyard and picked the figs. My grandmother had very few left over to cook. In the summer all the kids were outside. We’d eat all the figs we could eat and then we’d play kick the can. That was just part of the summer ritual.  Figs have recently become really chic again. I was ahead of my time. They are very healthy, low in calories, low in fat, high in antioxidants. With the growing interest in edible landscaping and growing your own produce, part of that is encouraging people to grow a fig tree. My grandmother, who lived through the Depression, would flip her wig if she knew what I’d paid for figs trying to finish this project because they are very expensive when you have to buy them. But it’s easy to have your own tree. It will grow right there in your yard.

   Did you have any trouble finding people willing to taste-test your fig creations? There are a lot of people from Texas and from all over the South up here, so I would have regular fig feasts when I was planning my cookbook. People would know when my figs were in. I’ve sort of become “The Fig Lady” around here. So, we’d have figtinis and appetizers with pancetta, fig breads, fig butter, entrees and salads. I’d cook as many things as I could cook and I’d get opinions. I finally hired someone to help me. We worked for six weeks, whipping out recipes, and I ended up with about 130 for the book. The problem is that there are so many good ways to do it. We’d get in the kitchen and get one wild-brained idea after the other. You can easily get sidetracked having a good time eating figs.

   So, what’s it like being The Fig Lady? I’m not sure that’s why my parents spent all that money for me to go to TCU. But it’s fun. I do a lot of speaking engagements to gardening clubs. I’ve been all over the South. One of my friends even gave me the specialized “fig lady” license plates for my 1968 Firebird.

   You received acclaim for Under the Fig Leaf, winning The Eric Hoffer Award and placing as a finalist for the Benjamin Franklin Award. Were you surprised by all of the attention for your first effort? I went to New York for the Benjamin Franklin award (ceremony). There were only three finalists, and it was like winning the Academy Award. I’m going to write more books now. I want the main prize.  I’m already plotting how I can go back and win the award. It was fun to be recognized. I am an independent publisher, and both of these associations recognize independents. I think it would be fun to write adventure stories with my grandchildren. I haven’t actually started the work yet but I’ve been thinking about it.

    

4. Books: Conversation with Jeremy Kraatz ’08

   10:55 am Leave a Comment

   Jeramey Kraatz ’08 studied English and advertising at TCU and went on to the MFA program at Columbia University where he landed an internship at Marvel Comics.

   Now he’s written a book series about a 12-year-old Texas boy named Alex who is born into a family of super villains. He dreams of following in his parents footsteps, but strikes up a friendship with a girl from a rival faction called the Rangers of Justice and begins to re-think his loyalties.

   Kraatz currently works at Funimation Entertainment, the Flower Mound-based company that licenses anime shows such as DragonBall Z, and was recently on campus to talk with English students about his writing career.

   How did you get your inspiration for The Cloak Society?

   I am a huge comic book nerd. I’ve been collecting them for three decades now and even before I could read, I would make up stories that went with the pictures. I loved superheroes and super villains.

   After I graduated from TCU, I went right into the Columbia master’s of arts in writing program. In my last semester, I was writing a lot about comic books and how comic books had an effect on my life growing up and where they fit into pop culture.

   I was an intern working in the editorial department at Marvel Comics and was literally talking about superheroes all day, every day for a semester. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies had just come out and it was such a weird mash-up, so I wondered what if you did Romeo and Juliet, with superheroes vs. super villains and instead of the nanny, there’s a robot and instead of the friar, there’s a journalist. I thought it would be interesting to make the super villain sympathetic and tell the story from his perspective.

   I kept making notes in my head about the characters and pretty soon The Cloak Society started to emerge from that.

   What are you doing now?

   I’m in the final stages of editing the next book in The Cloak Society series; there’s going to be three in all. The next one will be out in the fall of 2013 and the next one will be out in fall 2014.

   What advice do you give students who want to be writers?

   First, read as much as you can. That’s hard when you have to spend all day at a computer writing. You’ve been reading what you’ve been writing all day and when you get home you think ‘Do I really want to open a book?’ But it’s so beneficial and it’s so crucial to good writing, they really go hand in hand.

   Also it sounds simple, but you have to simply start writing. Sit down at the computer and open up a document, and start writing, even if you don’t know where you’re going. Try to do that every day. Write about what interests you. I love comic books and superheroes and super villains, so it’s no surprise that’s what my first book is about.

   What’s been the feedback so far?

   It’s been great. I just did a short tour around the Chicago area and went into elementary schools and middle schools. The kids were so excited. I and a couple of other children’s book authors would walk in and you’d think we were rock stars.

   To be able to talk to the actual audience the book was intended for — 8- to 12-year-olds — was so exciting. They were such gracious fans. They knew all about the characters. They knew all about me.

   That feedback from kids has been the best part of the publishing process for me. Kids are actually picking this up and reading it. I’ve also heard from librarians, who say that for reluctant readers, this is the kind of book they’ll pick up and read because it reads like a comic book.
   On the Web:
   For more about The Cloak Society and his other works, go to jerameykraatz.com.

5. Face reading: Deborah Ferguson ’86

   February 23, 2016 1:32 pm Leave a Comment

   Face reader Mac Fulfer’s take on … Deborah Ferguson ’86, anchor, “NBC 5 Today,” KXAS-TV:

   Her close-set cheeks say she is the go-to person if there is a crisis, emergency or deadline. She can crank it into high gear and run circles around most people in getting it done.

   She has about four hours of barn-burning energy and really does not have a lot of patience, nor does she like to work with slow people, stupid people or plodders who drag things out and waste time.

   Thick, even eyebrows indicate that she is mentally brilliant, with a focus on people. She likes real-world examples.

   High eyebrows indicate that she is selective and does not like to be rushed in making a decision. Things need to feel right to her first.

   Compassion lines (circled), means she is a sensitive person who has experienced grief, loss and pain, both in her personal life and professional life. When she is comforting someone and says, “I know exactly what you are going through,” they know she is telling them the truth.

   The ball on the tip of her nose means she inherited a creative or artistic gene and needs an outlet for her creative contribution.

   Full lips are a sign that she has a natural expressive ability and an ability to communicate.

   The light bouncing off her movie-star cheeks make her striking so when she walks into the room people will notice. It is her source of natural charisma.

   Ferguson’s take on Fulfer’s analysis:
   “xxxxxxxxxxx.”(Still to come)

   Next face: Bob Schieffer ’59, moderator, “Face the Nation,” CBS News

   Sidebars:
   Face value: Attorney turned professional face reader Mac Fulfer ’71
   Fulfer reads some “TCU famous” faces
   Face reading 101

6. Face reading 101

   1:12 pm 2 Comments

   Faces are not symmetrical.

   Differences in the sides of a face give insight into the changes in a person’s life.

   Start by drawing an imaginary vertical line down the center of a face, from the forehead to the chin. Then note what’s different between the right and left sides. (Remember, it’s the person’s left and right; not yours.)

   Left-brain functions, which control the right side of the body, are concerned with data, facts, logic, concrete thinking and linear time. So the right side of the face reflects the exterior or business side.

   The right brain, which controls the left side of the body, is concerned with the non-linear, imaginative, intuitive, emotional, dream or childhood world. The left side of a face shows our personal side and inner thoughts and feelings.

   Details count in face reading, including differences in lines, eyebrows, eyes, nose, nostrils, cheeks and ears. The more noticeable the difference, the more significant the meaning. Fulfer often uses a 10-point scale to rate facial features. Lines or features at either end of the spectrum are the most revealing.

   An asymmetrical face shows that a person has one style in their personal life and a different style in their professional life. For example, the angle of a person’s eyes indicates a different approach to personal life versus the business world. If the left eye angles up and the right eye angles down, we can conclude that a person is optimistic in personal matters and relationships, but tends to be pessimistic and guarded about the working world and public arena.

   * * *

   The shape of the forehead, which covers the frontal lobe of the brain, can indicate a great deal about one’s thought process and problem solving style.

   Eyebrows are powerful visual cues that create a response based on their shape, position and type, and they provide insight into a person’s mental outlook.

   Eyes reflect our outlook, attitudes and level of openness. The shape, depth, size and angle tell a lot about a person’s world view. Check each eye separately. They may have slightly different shapes.

   Noses give insight about how people sustain themselves. It indicates the amount of energy a person has and their work style.
   The tip of a person’s nose offers insight to their attitudes about money. The bigger the tip, the greater the concern with money.
   The size of the nostrils gives clues about the flow of energy and how we spend money.

   Ears are the “doors” to reality. They indicate our learning style, or how we take in and process information.

   Cheeks indicate personal power as perceived by others. Often, the people unconsciously respond first to a person’s cheeks.

   Mouths reveal styles of expressiveness and degree of sensuality. The mouth shape (when relaxed) reveals how people listen.

   Chins indicate a person’s resilience and handling of criticism.

   Lines and wrinkles are badges of honor. The deeper and more noticeable, the more pronounced the quality it indicates. Lines on the left side are about personal issues, while the ones on the right relate to the outer world, include professional life. Horizontal lines on the forehead are mental development lines, indicating developed mental abilities. Diagonal lines on the forehead are mental pressure lines, developed by years of intense effort.
   Sidebars:
   Face value: Attorney turned professional face reader Mac Fulfer ’71
   Fulfer reads some “TCU famous” faces

7. Fulfer’s take on a few Frog faces

   1:11 pm Leave a Comment

   Bambi eyelids and warrior cheeks were but a few of the facial features that caught face reader Mac Fulfer’s eye as he read the “TCU famous” mugs we rounded up. Fulfer knew who Bob Schieffer was and the chancellor, Victor J. Boschini, Jr., but he was mostly unfamiliar with the rest of the faces we showed him. We didn’t tip him off either. Carolyn Cruz photographed our panel of Frogs during the month of April, and then we simply showed Fulfer a copy of the photo.

   Click a name below to see what Fulfer said about their face, plus their reaction to Fulfer’s analysis.

   Deborah Ferguson ’86
   Anchor, “NBC 5 Today,” KXAS-TV

   Bob Schieffer ’59
   Moderator, “Face the Nation,” CBS News

   Chris Del Conte
   TCU Director of Athletics

   Victor J. Boschini, Jr.
   Chancellor

   Nowell Donovan
   Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

   Darron Turner ’85
   Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs,
   Inclusiveness and Intercultural Services

   Jesús Castro-Balbi
   Associate Professor of Cello,
   TCU School of Music

   Jim Schlossnagle
   Head coach, TCU Baseball

   German Gutierrez
   Director of Orchestral Studies,
   TCU School of Music

   Wendy Davis ’90
   Senator, Texas State District 10

   Tejay Johnson ’12
   First-team All-Mountain West Conference safety

   Mac Fulfer ’71
   Amazing Face Reading
   Sidebars:
   Face reading 101
   Face value: Attorney turned professional face reader Mac Fulfer ’71

   On the Web:
   www.amazingfacereading.com

   Video:

8. Face reading: Bob Schieffer ’59

   1:09 pm Leave a Comment

   Face reader Mac Fulfer’s take on … Bob Schieffer ’59, moderator, “Face the Nation,” CBS News:

   Bob’s high forehead, with its horizontal Einstein lines, indicates that he is not only brilliant but that he has also worked hard to develop his intellect. This premise is reinforced again by his even eyebrows, which show that he sees all the related aspects quickly and easily.

   His big, low ears reveal that he takes in information very carefully and wants to be sure that he got it right.

   The three vertical lines in between his eyebrows are the mark of a perfectionist. But don’t try to rush him into making a decision. Those low ears say that he prefers wisdom over speed.

   The lines on the base of his nose reveal that it easier for him to give than receive. His round chin says that in his actions he puts people first.

   His hooded lids also reveal that he gives away more of his life force than he gets back.

   The wide mouth with thin lips belong to a person with a wry sense of humor, but also to one who plays his emotional cards close to the vest.

   His straight mouth (it does not turn up or down) indicates he is an honest listener. He does not make what the other person says better than what they said nor worse, but instead is a good reflective mirror and a good sounding board.

   His “power pouches” (no one wants to have them called “jowls”) give him great authority and are a source of his personal power. The dimple in his chin is the mark of a good sport.

   Schieffer’s take on Fulfer’s analysis:
   “xxxxxxxxxxx.” (Still to come)

   Next face: Chris Del Conte, TCU Director of Athletics

   Sidebars:
   Face value: Attorney turned professional face reader Mac Fulfer ’71
   Fulfer reads some “TCU famous” faces
   Face reading 101

9. Face reading: Chris Del Conte

   1:08 pm Leave a Comment

   Face reader Mac Fulfer’s take on … Chris Del Conte, TCU Director of Athletics:

   The high forehead says he is good with logic theory, planning and academics but needs distinctions. He wants to be able to compare and make up his own mind. The big lower area of his forehead indicates that he is earthy and grounded and prefers to take his thoughts and bring them down to earth for some grounded, practical value. This trait also says he does not work well cooped up in a small space. He actually thinks best when pacing or walking around. Most professional athletes have this feature.

   Large nostrils mean he comes from a space of abundance, and he is generous to a fault with those to whom he is connected. His challenge may be in telling people “no” when they ask for his help. His answer is most often “yes,” and his internal feeling is, “I have plenty, I can do that.” His challenge may be in taking on too much.

   Full round cheeks indicate he is a consensus builder and can get others on his bandwagon. He also has the broad cheeks of an Energizer Bunny and can keep going and going. He will eventually wear out most others who are trying to keep up with him.

   Angled eyebrows say, “Don’t jack with me,” which indicate he stays mentally in control and give him a sense of authority. If anyone ever tells him that he is intimidating, they are reacting to his eyebrows.

   His power dimples show that he leads by encouraging and lifting others up rather than trying to push them around — He will say, “Thank you. I really appreciate that. You did a great job.”

   The dimple in chin indicates that he is a good sport and can adapt to whatever the situation at hand requires.

   Del Conte’s take on Fulfer’s analysis:
   “I was honored to join some of my esteemed TCU colleagues in this very unique endeavor. It was my first foray into face reading. The results were definitely interesting.”

   Dr. Robin Ward, Del Conte’s wife, offers a few comments too:
   “Fulfer was right on when he said that Chris ‘thinks best when pacing.”  Based on the phone calls Chris has taken while at home, I think he has walked to China and back. The comparison to the Energizer Bunny was quite accurate, as Chris is always ‘going and going.’ Additionally, Chris was born a giver. His mother once shared with me that, when in elementray school, Chris packed a suitcase full of his own clothes to give to a friend a friend was being teased because he had worn the same clothes 3 days in a row.”

   Next face: Victor J. Boschini, Jr., TCU chancellor

   Sidebars:
   Face value: Attorney turned professional face reader Mac Fulfer ’71
   Fulfer reads some “TCU famous” faces
   Face reading 101

10. Face reading: Victor J. Boschini, Jr.

    1:07 pm Leave a Comment

    Face reader Mac Fulfer’s take on … Victor J. Boschini, Jr., TCU chancellor:

    He is brilliant as shown by both his ears and his forehead. His dominant forehead belongs to a person good with logic, theory and planning; he can take on problems that might overwhelm others.

    The vertical access hairs at the start of his right eyebrow reveal an intuitive intelligence, a capacity for tapping into his internal pattern recognition to know quickly if something is going to work or not. He would call it trusting his gut.

    Small ears say he is visual and takes in information best when he sees it. They also indicate that in his experience, most things usually work out better when he does it his way.

    Close-set cheeks and small ears say that he has limited patience with people who are stalling or dragging things out. The cheeks also make him the go-to guy. In a crisis or on a deadline he can kick it into high gear and run circles around most people.

    Visionary eyebrows also show he is good at seeing potential. Low ears and high eyebrows are the mark of a strategist who is good with long-range planning and goals. But low ears say he will not be rushed into a decision; it needs to feel right.

    Abundant eyelids and round eyebrows are the mark of a people person. His eyelids make him approachable and reveal his capacity for making lasting connections with people. These eyelids also mark his loyalty in relationships. The round eyebrows tell me he puts people first and is compassionate.

    His broad nose indicates that he is a natural provider and those under his umbrella of support are covered for life. Large nostrils announce that he is generous to a fault with those he bonds or connects with.

    This same personality characteristic is echoed by the fact that when he smiles his gums show, revealing a person whose approach in relationships is not, “what can I take?” but rather, “what can I give?”

    Boschini’s reaction to Fulfer’s analysis:
    “I went into the whole “process” with a very skeptical attitude……until I sat and watched him as he read the faces of several couples I knew.  These were people I knew fairly well.  In every case I felt like he was right on target.  He definitely made a believer out of me.”

    Next face: Nowell Donovan, TCU Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

    Sidebars:
    Face value: Attorney turned professional face reader Mac Fulfer ’71
    Fulfer reads some “TCU famous” faces
    Face reading 101