University of Denver Spring 2025

RELEASES

DU Books You’ll Love From historical fiction to memoir and research, discover the latest works by DU faculty and alumni.

A Long Way from Rough Creek Ruth Parsons (MSW ’71, PhD ’85), professor emerita in the Graduate School of Social Work

The Applicant Nazli Koca (PhD ’24)

Ruth Parsons grew up on a small farm in the Appalachian Mountains along Rough Creek. Her world was defined by material poverty and rich ties to family and the land. While recognizing the ways she was shaped by the land, the people and the language of that place, she had her eyes set on exploring what was beyond those hills. For Parsons, education was the way out. In her new memoir, “A Long Way from Rough Creek,” Parsons reflects on her years as a student at DU during Woodstock West, teaching from 1978 to 2000 and sailing in the Caribbean for 20 winters, among other adventures. Throughout,

“The Applicant” is the 2024 Colorado Book Award winning novel by Nazli Koca that explores what it means to be an immigrant, woman and emerging writer. Leyla is a Turkish twenty-something living in Berlin who failed her thesis, lost her student visa and sued her German university in an attempt to reverse her failure. What used to be at arm’s reach— writerly ambitions, tight-knit friendships, a place to call home—is now imperiled. While she waits for the German court’s verdict on her future, Leyla begins to parse her unresolved past and untenable present in the pages of her diary. She gives voice to the working class and immigrant struggle to find safety, self expression and happiness.

she found the joy of living without fear, exploring the unknown, taking risks and being open to what’s present and what’s to come.

Fighting for Your Marriage: Positive Steps for Preventing Divorce and Building a Lasting Love Howard Markman, Galena Rhoades and Scott Stanley, professors in the Department of Psychology “Fighting for Your Marriage”

is based on the widely acclaimed PREP approach (Prevention and Relationship Education Program). In their newest book, the authors break down how to avoid divorce using the basics of happy, communicative relationships. Research has found that couples who use these strategies can handle conflict more constructively, protect their happiness and reduce the odds of breaking up. “This [book] is the best wedding present,” says Rhoades.

“Everybody should learn these skills and develop those ground rules for how they want things to go in their marriage, and it will, as we know from research, lead to better experiences together.”

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UNIVERSITY OF DENVER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2025