Social

Common Courage grew out of the last public interviews with noted Northwest human rights activist and former Catholic priest Bill Wassmuth, who died of ALS (Amytrophic Lateral Schlerosis) / Lou Gehrig’s disease in 2002.

Through her frank and moving interviews with Wassmuth in his last months of life, Vogt chronicles Wassmuth’s fascinating story–from Idaho farmboy to popular Catholic priest to outspoken human rights activist and his final battle with his illness–while also capturing his views on the challenges of small town activism.

The book, with foreword by famed civil rights lawyer Morris Dees of the Southern Poverty Law Center, also tells the story of the monumental grassroots community battle against hate groups in the Pacific Northwest. Wassmuth, whose parish rectory was bombed in 1986 by Aryan Nations followers trying to silence him, helped galvanize Northwest residents to run the neo-Nazi group out of the region. It is regularly used as a teaching text at the University of Idaho and Idaho State University. University of Idaho Press (Distributed by Caxton Press): 

PRAISE FOR COMMON COURAGE

“Andrea Vogt’s moving account of the life and brave death of Bill Wassmuth
combines an investigative reporter’s thoroughness with a poet’s grasp of the
spiritual side of his crusade against hate… a disturbing and insightful account of a Catholic priest’s soulful journey through the turbulence of the late 20th century.”—Chicago Tribune columnist James Coates, author of “Armed and Dangerous: the rise of the survivalist right.”

“Next time someone says they only know two things about Idaho—spuds and racists—I’ve got an antidote.”—Idaho Statesman

From Simonetta Cesaroni to Elisa Clapps: Stories of Imperfect Crimes

This haunting collection of True Crime stories offer a unique glimpse into the dark side of European and Italian crime. From a German truck driver who was Europe’s most prolific serial killer to an Italian hair fetishist in the UK and the Beasts of Satan gang of adolescent killers near Milan, these contemporary and cold cases send shivers down the spine. Original reporting by Andrea Vogt and exclusive new information from the Italian detective who investigated many of the cases himself. Available in hardback, 2011, Rizzoli

By Rossella Diaz

Preface Marco Ligabue, Introduction Matteo Gamba and Afterword in English and Italian by Andrea Vogt

“In cinese, la parola ‘capire’ è composta da due caratteri, ming, luminoso, e bai, bianco. Insieme indicano la luce che rischiara il buio dell’incomprensione e dell’ignoranza. C’è questo e molto altro nell’indagine di Rossella Diaz. Soprattutto, c’è la possibilità di capire. Capire cose che non sono affatto facili da dire”. (Marco Ligabue)

“Questo libro dovrebbe essere studiato a scuola, magari in quell’ora di ‘identità di genere’ che chiedevamo nei movimenti studenteschi. Renderebbe la società migliore, crescerebbe uomini migliori”. (Matteo Gamba)

“Gli uomini che rispettano i diritti delle donne sono i nostri alleati più importanti nella lotta contro il femminicidio. Sarebbe un grave errore emarginare padri, figli, fratelli, mariti e partner nel rilevante dibattito per cercare di porre rimedio ai problemi legati alla discriminazione e alle violenze”. (Andrea Vogt)

(Editor and co-author, 2nd edition)

Released in October 2006 by the International Women’s Forum, BOLOGNA INSIDE, Second Edition: Everything You Need to Know to Make Bologna Home, is an expatriate’s guide for English speakers living in Italy, with a special focus on Bologna, Italy. The 192-page volume, also available in online format, is aimed not at tourists, but rather at newcomers who seek to call Italy “casa” but need additional help navigating resources, services, and bureaucratic procedures.  With 90 personal vignettes by 60 unique international women, this guide available in both traditional and ebook format, offers a unique, personal read for those interested in a truly “inside” view of daily life in Italy.