Though known primarily as the author of Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift also was an important political and religious figure and a champion of Irish rights. Leo Damrosch *68 draws on discoveries during the past 30 years for the biography Jonathan Swift: His Life and His World (Yale University Press). “A man of powerful emotions, he loved secrecy and disguise,” Damrosch writes.
The main character in Robin Lloyd ’73’s debut historical novel — sea captain Elisha Ely Morgan — is inspired by Lloyd’s ancestor, who made many voyages across the Atlantic. Rough Passage to London: A Sea Captain’s Tale (Sheridan House), follows Morgan as he sets out to sea to find out what happened to his missing brother, becomes an experienced sailor and a packet-ship captain, and picks up the trail of an illegal slave trader.
Kemi Adegoroye ’13 sings jazz and soul arrangements of holiday classics, including “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “Silent Night,” and “Auld Lang Syne,” on her debut album, Coming Home for Christmas (13 Roses Productions).