Alumni Authors Check Out These Recently Written Reads by Davidson College Alums
December 4, 2025
Get ready to add some new titles to your reading list! We're shining a spotlight on the incredible literary accomplishments of our alumni authors. From debut novelists making waves to seasoned writers with multiple bestsellers, their words are reaching readers far and wide.
Wyche Fowler: A Political Life in Georgia, Congress, and Abroad
By R. William Johnstone
A former chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Wyche Fowler ’62, who also served as an ambassador to Saudi Arabia, writes of Fowler’s life and work. It is a tale about what can be accomplished through hard work and perseverance in a legislative process built on compromise.
Medication, Mental Illness and Murder
By Edward L. Jones III ’77
While Kim Crespi was getting a haircut, her husband David murdered their five-year-old twin daughters during a game of hide and seek. No one, least of all Kim, ever suspected that the life the Crespis had lovingly woven together could be destroyed in less than 40 minutes. In Medication, Mental Illness, and Murder, author Edward L. Jones III chronicles David Crespi’s struggles with insomnia and depression, the role SSRI antidepressants may have played in the killings, and Kim’s unimaginable journey of trauma, suffering and eventual forgiveness as documented by her journal entries.
The Resettlement of Vesta Blonik
By Denise Smith Cline ’79
Inspired by a true story, this historical/literary work chronicles a Depression-era version of catfishing. Unmarried and on the verge of losing her Minnesota home, Vesta Blonik leaves everything behind after receiving letters from self-described North Carolina farmer Gordan Crenshaw. What ensues is a tale of deception and the possibility of finding love in unlikely places.
Death Without Fear: Collective Wisdom for Making Peace with Mortality
By L. Saxon Elliott ’80
Informed by more than four decades of clinical experience, this authoritative yet accessible manual for mortals contains a curated compendium of philosophical, spiritual, psychological, and practical answers to death anxiety. From the ancient wisdom of sages and shamans to contemporary, empirically derived approaches, psychologist Saxon Elliott provides tools to replace fear with acceptance and live more freely and fully.
Dancing with the Dragon: Cautionary Tales of a New China from an Old China Hand
By Patrick Jenevein ’80
In an honest and free-wheeling conversation with New York Times best-selling author Steve Fiffer, Jenevein recounts the story of his two-decade attempt to work fairly, forthrightly, and faithfully with his Chinese counterparts, his travels via jumbo jets, puddle jumpers, jeeps, and camels, his elation over sealing a groundbreaking deal designed to bring success to everyone, and his disappointment—and disbelief—over being betrayed by his Chinese partners, who had also become friends. Equally important, he reflects on the current state of US-China relations and offers a roadmap for the critical coming years.
The Receiver
By Seth Jaffe ’93
Finally, a story where “quantum” means physics, not wizardry in a lab coat. From research on neutrino vectoring to international espionage, The Receiver is a fast-paced, techno-sci-fi thriller, where the stakes are high and the tension never lets up.
GrowthTime! A Coaching Fable—The Clear Path to Unlock Your Best Life and Leadership
By Quinn Harwood ’96
GrowthTime! is a journey with a trusted coach—someone who truly understands the pain, barriers, and confusion, but also shares the hope to live with purpose, lead with boldness, and make change in the world. Whether you’re a next-generation leader, a mid-level manager, or someone determined to reach your maximum potential, this book is your roadmap to growth, resilience, and success.
This article was originally published in the Fall/Winter 2025 print issue of the Davidson Journal Magazine; for more, please see the Davidson Journal section of our website.
