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We Are ND: The Story of Notre Dame as Told by Her Alumni

New book shines historic light on famed campus

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"We are ND" focuses on the testimonies, anecdotes, confessions and heartfelt memories of Notre Dame’s alumni.

Booklink, which brought us the gorgeous Scenic Ireland four-book set taking the reader through Ireland’s four provinces (click here for images from the Scenic Ireland book set), continues its homage to Irish America with "We Are ND: The Story of Notre Dame as Told by Her Alumni."

More than a coffee table book – although the incredible images of Notre Dame’s campus over time make it a pleasure to leaf through the 159 pages – "We are ND" focuses on the testimonies, anecdotes, confessions and heartfelt memories of Notre Dame’s alumni.

Whether tied to the university by family legacy or pride in being Irish-American, whether the first in the family to attend college or the most recent of a long line of Notre Dame graduates, the students whose voices sound throughout this collection share an immense attachment to the Notre Dame community.

Students tell the myriad eclectic stories of their personal experiences of the university, from the postwar 50s and turbulent 60s through the changing 70s, when ND became co-educational, the glorious football achievements of the 80s, and the technological revolutions of the 90s.

Alongside never-before-published personal photographs, students recall the role that the university played in their seminal years. Some stories tell of meeting the classmate who would later become a husband or wife, while others remember being at Notre Dame during historical events such as Pearl Harbor, the Kennedy assassinations, and protests against the Vietnam war.

Some students recount their amazement at the supportive environment the close-knit community engendered, whether in helping a blind student to excel or in remembering a classmate who had passed away. Others invoke certain professors or religious mentors who left a life changing impact on those they advised.

Personal but culturally universal stories are the highlight of the collection, such as the testimony of Patrick J. Sarb Sr. ’76, a defensive back who gave up his spot in an infamous football game in order to allow Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger to play – the rest is cinematic history.

Interspersed with the words of graduates who could be their parents and grandparents, alumni of the new millennium show how, while Notre Dame is an evolving place, the sense of family and community spirit that makes it unique has endured throughout the decades.

Recommended retail price: $49.95

Irish America price: $39.95 plus $3.95 plus shipping and handling

We Are ND is available for purchase by calling 1-800-582-6642 or by sending an e-mail to scenicireland@irishamerica.com.

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