University of Denver Spring 2026

RELEASES

Books for Your Summer Reading List Check out these new titles by DU alumni and faculty.

By Janette Ballard

Legacy of the Skies Doug Hall (BA ’81)

Transformed by India: A Life Stephen Huyler (BA ’73)

Step into the world of decorated World War I and World War II pilot and aviation pioneer Col. James Goodwin Hall (1896-1952) in this biography written by his grandson, Doug Hall. It’s a tribute to a man of great talent, curiosity, and drive. “From flying dangerous missions during World War I to earning accolades from President Roosevelt during World War II, Hall’s life and military service is the stuff of legend,” says the author. After the wars, Hall made his mark as a Wall Street broker and an auto

and airplane industry executive; he was also instrumental in the establishment of the American Quarter Horse as a racing breed. Whether racing his bay gelding, piloting cutting-edge seaplanes, or exploring the far reaches of the world, Hall lived life on his own terms—always chasing new horizons and pushing boundaries.

For over half a century, cultural anthropologist and art historian Stephen Huyler has grown to know and love the people and culture of India. He attributes his initial understanding and empathy for Indian culture to his DU courses on South Asian history and art history. In 1971, on his 20th birthday, Huyler arrived in India by bicycle rickshaw. Since then, he has conducted a lifelong survey of its art and people. His innate adaptability enables him to be quiet, observant, accepting, and accepted by a range of individuals— from maharaja to musician and from politician to potter. In this memoir, Huyler evokes an India rarely seen by outsiders, including portraits of people, places, and customs. He drew on over 12 years’ worth of field research; he has also served as a consultant and guest curator for more than 25 major museum exhibitions of Indian art. The book features a foreword by the Dalai Lama.

Under the Current Jared Siler (EdS ’14) In this novel by Jared Siler, Tristen Rhodes is a polished executive and successful entrepreneur who seems to have the perfect life. Beneath the surface, though, Rhodes is fighting a quiet war between who he is and who he believes he needs to be. His brilliance, wealth, and Silicon Valley prestige mask a truth he has never faced: the silent, unhealed wounds left by his father’s absence. When his carefully constructed life begins to crumble, he flees to California’s wild,

unyielding coast, where the ocean’s power forces him to confront the fractures in his identity and the pain he has kept buried for decades. “Under the Current” is a work of psychological fiction that dives deep into the unseen struggles men face, challenging outdated ideas of masculinity and exploring the journey from emotional numbness to authentic feeling.

14

UNIVERSITY OF DENVER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2026