Fashion, suspense, history, hackers and dogs - what more could you ask for from this month's alumni-penned selection? 1. Author Peter Blair Degree Chemical Physics; PhD Chemistry Book Scotland in 3D – A Victorian Virtual Reality Tour Most people think that 3D imaging is something very modern and are amazed to find out that 3D was the best-selling format of photograph around 1860. The technology was developed in St Andrews by Sir David Brewster and took the world by storm. In the 1860s virtually every middle class home had a stereoscope to view 3D photos and it became an essential parlour entertainment – almost the Victorian equivalent of the television. This book celebrates the 170th anniversary of Brewster’s invention. The book contains over 200 antique 3D images of Scotland from the author’s collection; these can be viewed in glorious 3D using the included fold-out stereoscope. The reader is taken on a tour of Scotland via the main Victorian tourist hot spots, following in the royal footsteps of Queen Victoria, and meeting local heroes from William Wallace to Andrew Carnegie, Bill Shankly and Andy Murray. It includes many views of Edinburgh. The images are accompanied by a serendipitous selection of history, poem, anecdote and quotation. The history of stereoscopy and the main Scottish stereo-photographers are covered at the end. Prepare to be amazed by Victorian ingenuity and the beauty of Victorian Scotland. Scotland in 3D – A Victorian Virtual Reality Tour 2. Author Michael Dizon Degree Law Book A Socio-Legal Study of Hacking: Breaking and Remaking Law and Technology The relationship between hacking and the law has always been complex and conflict-ridden. This book examines the relations and interactions between hacking and the law with a view to understanding how hackers influence and are influenced by technology laws and policies. In our increasingly digital and connected world where hackers play a significant role in determining the structures, configurations and operations of the networked information society, this book delivers an interdisciplinary study of the practices, norms and values of hackers and how they conflict and correspond with the aims and aspirations of hacking-related laws. Describing and analyzing the legal and normative impact of hacking, as well as proposing new approaches to its regulation and governance, this book makes an essential contribution to understanding the socio-technical changes, and consequent legal challenges, faced by our contemporary connected society. A Socio-Legal Study of Hacking: Breaking and Remaking Law and Technology 3. Author P.J. Miller Degree Veterinary Studies Book Designer Dogs, Awkward Hugs & a Pigeon: Veterinary Tales, Again Dr. P. J. Miller is back! Following his first installment, Cute Poodles, Sweet Old Ladies & Hugs, Dr. Miller has compiled another volume of truly awesome veterinary tales. Come along for the ride again as Dr. Miller delivers stories that feature colourful clients, endearing pets, his own beloved bulldog, and a hurricane. All the sassy hospital staff that readers came to love are back, including that special staff member who seems to work by her own particular standards of professionalism (you know the one). In Designer Dogs, Awkward Hugs & Pigeons, Dr. Miller goes behind the scenes of his veterinary practice to provide a true insider’s view into life as an animal doctor. Dr. Miller employs the same unique style of humorous storytelling that readers loved in his first novel. Hidden behind the humor, Dr. Miller gives a deeper glimpse into how emotional and strong the human-animal bond can be. A must read for any aspiring veterinary professional or animal lover. Designer Dogs, Awkward Hugs & a Pigeon: Veterinary Tales, Again P.J. Miller's website 4. Author August Thomas Degree Creative Writing Book Liar's Candle In this brilliant debut thriller, set in the US embassy in Turkey, one young woman finds herself at the centre of a deadly plot and marked for death ... An intelligent, fast-paced spy novel for fans of Olen Steinhauser and Joseph Kanon. Penny Kessler, a young intern at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, wakes up in a hospital on the morning of July 5th to find herself at the centre of an international crisis. The day before, the Embassy had been the target of a devastating terrorist attack that killed hundreds of Penny’s friends and colleagues. Not only has a photograph of Penny emerging from the rubble become the defining image of the event (#TheGirlwiththeFlag), but for reasons she doesn’t understand, her bosses believe she’s a crucial witness. Suddenly, everyone is desperately interested in what Penny knows. But what does she know? And who can she trust? As she struggles to piece together her memories of the event, she discovers that Zach Robson, the young diplomat she’s been falling for all summer, went missing during the attack. Now his boss at the CIA, Christina Ekdahl, wants people to believe that Zach was a traitor. In a race to keep from being killed and to uncover the truth, Penny reluctantly partners with Connor Beauregard, a rookie CIA officer on his first overseas assignment. But the two won’t survive unless they can outwit - and outmaneuver - everyone from the Turkish president and his daughter to Islamic extremists, to the US State Department, to the CIA itself. Liar's Candle 5. Author G.S. Wilson Degree PhD History Book Jefferson on Display: Attire, Etiquette, and the Art of Presentation When we think of Thomas Jefferson, a certain picture comes to mind for some of us, combining his physical appearance with our perception of his character. During Jefferson’s lifetime this image was already taking shape, helped along by his own assiduous cultivation. In Jefferson on Display, G. S. Wilson draws on a broad array of sources to show how Jefferson fashioned his public persona to promote his political agenda. During his long career, his image shifted from cosmopolitan intellectual to man of the people. As president he kept friends and foes guessing: he might appear unpredictably in old, worn, and out-of-date clothing with hair unkempt, yet he could as easily play the polished gentleman in a black suit, as he hosted small dinners in the President’s House that were noted for their French-inspired food and fine European wines. Even in retirement his image continued to evolve, as guests at Monticello reported being met by the Sage clothed in rough fabrics that he proudly claimed were created from his own merino sheep, leading Americans by example to manufacture their own clothing, free of Europe. By paying close attention to Jefferson’s controversial clothing choices and physical appearance--as well as his use of portraiture, architecture, and the polite refinements of dining, grooming, and conversation--Wilson provides invaluable new insight into this perplexing founder. Jefferson on Display: Attire, Etiquette, and the Art of Presentation Your book If you are a member of the alumni community and have recently published a book, we would be delighted to include it in the Alumni Bookshelf. Email the information, along with your degree details, to Brian Campbell: Email Brian Campbell Please note Books are added to the bookshelf in order of submission. All of the further information links listed are the external websites of the book publisher, the author, or the bookseller. The University of Edinburgh is not responsible for the content and functionality of these sites. This article was published on 2024-10-28
