A suffragist, the environment, China, poetry & fantasy: 5 new books by Cape Cod authors

Women's rights, conserving the environment and a look at China's past are all issues Cape Cod authors have explored in their recent books. For one, it was a look into their own family history as well as American history. For another, it was an attempt to get conservation back on track. For the third author, the new book is the latest in a long exploration of the history of a country where he's spent much of his life.

Also part of this batch of new books are reflections on life, nature and family love in poetry, and a fanciful trip across space and time. If you're looking for something to read, take a look at what neighbors have to offer:

“Power, Passion and Faith: Emmy Carlsson Evald, Suffragist and Social Activist,” by Sharon Wyman (Open Books Press, 2022)

Wyman, a Forestdale resident, writes about Evald, Wyman’s own great-grandmother, who was the daughter of a pioneer preacher and his wife and pushed through traditional gender-based stereotypes and established the Lutheran Woman’s Missionary Society in 1892. Evald raised more than $3 million over her lifetime, providing healthcare and education to women around the world. She also was known as a speaker and for marking alongside Susan B. Anthony on behalf of women’s suffrage — including to the U.S. Congress in 1902. The movement she was part of culminated in the founding of the League of Women Voters. Since childhood, Wyman says, she had listened to stories about her great-grandmother, and greater interest blossomed when Wyman lived in Chicago, where Evald grew up. Wyman used family memories, Evald’s personal papers, scrapbooks, and photographs in piecing together this history. The book includes a study guide for use with book clubs, church groups and women’s studies classes.

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“Revoyage of the Mayflower: Societal Values — Conservation's Driving Force,” by Herbert Raffaele (independently published, 2022)

Raffaele, a Cape Cod author with several books on birds and wildlife to his credit, wrote this one about, as he describes it, “why conservation of our environment is failing here in the U.S. and over much of the world.” The book offers a nine-point framework for getting things on track, with a central chapter focusing on a parable and discussing what the status of our nation's nine extinct birds would be if Hindus and not Pilgrims had been on the Mayflower. Raffaele is the former chief of the Division of International Conservation at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where he worked on international treaties; efforts to conserve flagship species such as tigers, elephants and gorillas; and conservation projects around the world. His other books include his 2021 rewrite of “Birds of the West Indies,” a field guide to all the birds of the Caribbean islands.

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“Lust and Assassination in Early China,” by Ralph Sawyer (independently published, 2021)

This is the 23rd book for Sawyer, an internationally recognized historical scholar who has spent much time in the Far East but has lived in Orleans for more than 45 years. Sawyer specializes in Chinese military history and strategic thought, and this latest book takes a look at the long warfare, personal animosity and frequent assassinations in early periods of China’s history. The book uses material from literary depictions to help recount “significant asocial incidents” in the period ranging from the era of the Sage Emperors to the Han, and examines motivation as well as assassination as a political weapon. Sawyer says the book is intended for a general audience rather than academic specialists, so it features extensive notes on aspects likely to be unfamiliar to non-Chinese readers. His other books include “Ancient Chinese Warfare,” “The Tao of Spycraft: Intelligence Theory and Practice in Traditional China” and various translations of Chinese writings.

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“Looking Up at the Ground and Other Poems,” by Bruce “Griz” Quiel (independently published, 2021)

This first published book of poetry Quiel involves reflections by the Cape Cod writer on his life, which are described as “insightful, emotionally moving, inspiring, and relatable in many ways.” Quiel writes about nature and family love, but also what is described as the sadness and acceptance he and his family experienced from his diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome. Also addressed is what he has experienced after injuries from a car accident required him to use a wheelchair for the rest of his life. The book is illustrated by his friend Lee Franklin. Quiel says he draws much of his creative inspiration from “the peaceful and serene settings” of the Cape.

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“Space Faction: Romance & Adventure in Outer Space,” by Bob Surette (independently published, 2022)

Surette, a year-round Dennis resident, has written a science fiction novel in which the character of Bob and his wife rocket away from Earth for a new life on a planet called Psivle 7. When disaster strikes, the two are separated and Bob continues his adventures and eventually becomes immortal. That state, Surette says in a description of the book, “allows him to go back through time to see his beloved dog Maisey,” who had to be left behind when the couple traveled off Earth.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Cape Cod books, authors: history, China, environment, poetry, fantasy