Congratulations to former CRC postodoctoral fellow Myra Rutherdale, assistant professor at York University since 2004, who has just published Contact Zones: Aboriginal and Settler Women in Canada's Colonial Past (UBC Press, 2005), which she co-edited with Katie Pickles. Contact Zones locates Canadian women’s history within colonial and imperial systems. As both colonizer and colonized, women were uniquely positioned at the axis of the colonial encounter -- the so-called "contact zone" -- between Aboriginals and newcomers. It ultimately was an embodied experience. What bodies belonged inside the nation, who were outsiders, and who transgressed the rules -- these questions are at the heart of this provocative book. Contributors include Jean Barman, Robin Jarvis Brownlie, Sarah Carter, Jo-Anne Fiske, Carole Gerson, Cecilia Morgan, Dianne Newell, Adele Perry, Joan I. Sangster, & Veronica Strong-Boag. Click here to learn more.

Belated congratulations to CMRS head Carl Still, who earlier this year published Essays In Medieval Philosophy And Theology In Memory Of Walter H. Principe: Fortresses And Launching Pads (Ashgate, 2005) which he co-edited with James R. Ginther. Click here to learn more.

Congratulations to Peter Burnell, who has just published The Augustinian Person (Catholic University of America Press, 2005), a study of Augustine's notions of human nature and of person. Through careful analysis of Augustine’s writings, Peter concludes that Augustine conceives of human nature as a unity at every level—socially, morally, and in basic constitution—despite very common objections that he fails to achieve such a conception. One early reviewer has called the book "an adventure for the mind", and another writes of "a very solid study of Augustine which begins from the unexpected but intuitively brilliant starting point of expositing Augustine’s theological anthropology." Amazon.ca has the book for sale at a good price, but here at Amazon.com curious readers can scope out the first page and index. You might also like to read more about the book at the publisher's site, here.

Congratulations to Professor Emeritus Michael Hayden and former U of S student (BA, MA) Professor Malcolm Greenshields (now at Lethbridge), who have just published Six Hundred Years of Reform: Bishops and the French Church, 1190-1789 (McGill-Queen's University Press, 2005). Mike and Malcolm shed new light on the medieval origins of the Catholic Reformation and the nature of the reform movement in the sixteenth century. Their work shows the importance of French bishops in starting the early-modern reform and their subsequent role in preparing the Catholic Church to weather the French Revolution. They also explore both the role of the French monarchy in the creation and collapse of the Catholic Reformation, and the changing attitude of peasants and the proto-proletariat toward official religion. Those of you keen to add to your collection of books by U of S history faculty might wish to note that Amazon.ca (but not Amazon.com) is offering a 34% discount just now. If you catch our drift. Click here to learn more.

Christmas shoppers on campus should know that Bill Waiser will be signing copies of his Saskatchewan: A New History at the U of S Bookstore tomorrow, Wednesday, from 12 to 1:30 pm. And in the unlikely event that any What's Up reader does not already own a copy, this would be the time to add to your personal collection of books by History faculty.

Congratulations to Man Kam Leung for his eloquent news release on CBC radio this morning concerning his donation of Asian history books to the U of S Library. Donna Canevari de Parades was also interviewed on behalf of the library.

Peter Bietenholz continues to recover from his surgery of November 24th, and yesterday was released from RUH so as to pursue his convalescence at home. Peter spent part of his time in hospital polishing his Spanish.

Man-Kam Leung, who retired last spring after forty years on campus, has donated his massive collection of books on Chinese history and culture to the U of S Library. That donation immediately makes our library one of the top five in Canada for Asian studies, and the best on the prairies. The latest edition of On Campus News features a lead photo and story on Man-Kam's wonderful gift, which will benefit generations of students and scholars. What's Up salutes you, Man-Kam!

Professor Emeritus Peter Bietenholz is resting comfortably in Royal University Hospital following surgery last week. He is devouring magazines, and reminded a recent visitor of today's CMRS Colloquium. All of us here at What's Up wish Peter the best, and look forward to seeing him back on campus and attending the colloquia in person as soon as possible.