A host of new works by Oxy alumni explore explore themes of democracy, resilience, and human connection—as well as our fascination with horses, dragons, and ocean life
Everyday Democracy: Civil Society, Youth, and the Struggle Against Authoritarian Culture in China, by Anthony J. Spires ’92 (Columbia University Press). Everyday Democracy examines two youth-led volunteer groups in China, revealing how their values and practices foster new, more democratic forms of association. Drawing on more than a decade of fieldwork, Spires pinpoints the seeds of a democratic culture inside an authoritarian regime. These insights not only illuminate China’s unique dynamics but also shed light on the broader challenges facing emerging democratic movements worldwide. Spires is a sociologist and associate professor at the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies. He majored in Asian studies at Occidental and is the author of Global Civil Society and China (2024).
The Warrior and the Dragon, by Rusty Reece ’71 (iUniverse). Jason is a war-weary warrior seeking peace in Smoky Springs. Tasked with delivering a magical athamé, he is hunted by the necromancer Erlender. Along the way, he meets Akela, a shapeshifting wolf who helps him unlock his ability to transform into a dragon—fulfilling a prophecy of which he was unaware. When his village is threatened, Jason trains Smoky Springs’ women and children in combat, leading them to victory in a battle that leaves him seriously wounded. As Erlender closes in, Jason must choose between his quest and protecting those he swore to defend. The Warrior and the Dragon is the first book in a planned fantasy trilogy by Reece, who majored in mathematics at Oxy and turned to fantasy writing after retiring from El Camino College as professor emeritus of mathematics. He lives in Manhattan Beach.
Riding, by Pardis Mahdavi ’00 (Duke University Press). In Riding, Mahdavi meditates on the lessons learned over a lifetime of horseback riding and the falling, failing, and joy it brings. Mahdavi shows how her relationship with horses gives her insights into intergenerational strength and tools for healing intergenerational trauma experienced within her Iranian-American family. Riding from the mountains of Iran to the beaches of California, Mahdavi shares her love affair with horses, rediscovers a homeland she longs for, and ultimately finds her strength. A diplomacy and world affairs major at Oxy, Mahdavi is a journalist, entrepreneur, coach, and keynote speaker. Her work has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Ms., and the Huffington Post.
Don’t Eat the Cleaners! by Susan Stockdale ’76 (Peachtree Publishing Company). Growing up swimming in the ocean off Miami, Stockdale was enthralled by the experience, which helped inspire her 11th picture book, an exploration of animal life beneath the waves. Stockdale’s deep dive into coral reef life celebrates the teamwork of the tiny but mighty cleaner fishes and shrimp that scrub larger ocean animals of pesky parasites in return for a tasty meal. Sea turtles, manta rays, and even sharks line up for a scrubbing in “cleaning stations” around the world, just like at a car wash. Cleaners even have specialties, like “sea dentist” cleaner shrimp that clean the teeth of a moray eel. And all the ocean animals must remember the rule if they want a scrubbing by the clean team: Don’t eat the cleaners! A studio art major at Oxy, Stockdale lives in Chevy Chase, Md.
The Laissez Faire Light of Life, by Darren Angelo ’73. Nynan Genes is a man shaped by displacement and resilience. Rescued as a child after his homeland was invaded, he is raised by a family of doctors but struggles to belong. Though a brilliant student, he abandons a prestigious college scholarship, disillusioned by his peers’ blind optimism. Instead, he trains as a plumber in the Midwest, finding unexpected kinship in mentor John Jeffries and his family, who embrace him as one of their own. Yet Nynan remains haunted by the loss of his parents, sister, and country. His fragile stability comes from a relationship with a melancholic artist and teacher, but the world itself seems unsettled. Over decades, bizarre meteorological events threaten humanity, mirroring Nynan’s inner turmoil. As he grapples with trauma and connection, can he forge a meaningful life amid the chaos of his past and a planet in peril? The Laissez Faire Light of Life is the seventh novel by Angelo, aka Anthony Iacoboni ’73, who lives with his wife in Spain and works as a psychologist and English teacher.
Podcast: True Stories From an Old Dirt Road, by Anthony Ciardelli ’10. Sharon, Vt., is perhaps best known as the birthplace of Mormonism founder Joseph Smith. A short stretch of dirt road in Sharon has seen some fascinating things that you wouldn’t expect in a sleepy Vermont town. Ciardelli—who grew up on that dirt road and in the house where some of these things occurred—tells the whole story in this seven-episode podcast. An art history and visual arts major at Occidental, he lives in Manhattan Beach.
We All Dream, by Terry Kitchen ’81 (terrykitchen.com). Kitchen’s first album of new material since 2020’s Next Time We Meet, We All Dream features the Boston singer-songwriter at his most essential: a voice, a guitar, a story, a glimmer of hope. Joined by a talented array of friends, including Rebecca Lynch ’81 on harmony vocals, Kitchen (aka Max Pokrivchak ’81) weaves an intimate portrait of who we are at this critical moment, and why we all need each other. Combining the storytelling tradition of folk with Kitchen’s pop instincts, We All Dream is a welcome gentle breeze over a too-long ravaged landscape.
Top image: Terry Kitchen '81 performs "We All Dream," the title song of his new album.
