There may be something in the water at the Thompson home in Roswell, where father and son are celebrating joint book publications.

William A. Thompson, 17, translated from Latin a new edition of a book by Napoleon Bonaparte.

The 1820 book has a mouthful of a title: “Educating Children for Leadership: A System of Education for the Infant King of Rome and Other French Princes of the Blood, Drawn Up by the Imperial Council of State, With the Approbation, and Under the Personal Supervision of the Emperor Napoleon.”

Bonaparte, born 240 years ago on Aug. 15, promotes leadership in young people by teaching what leadership is about, why it is important, and the many tools used by leaders. James R. Messenger edited and published the book.

Thompson was the Latin translator. The three-time winner of the National Latin Exam Gold Medal, Thompson attends Holy Spirit Preparatory School where he has studied French, Latin and classical Greek.

He dedicated his share of the proceeds of book sales to benefit a charity for laptops for disadvantaged kids.

Thompson’s father, Phillip, penned the book “Between Science and Religion” about Catholic intellectuals and their engagement with religion and science in the 20th century. He is the executive director of the Aquinas Center of Theology, Emory University. It is from publishing house Lexington Books of Lanham, Md.

The family attends St. Peter Chanel Church, Roswell.

Thompson, who is 50, admitted by e-mail, “Yes, my son is much smarter than I was at that age.”

The 79-year-old former St. Pius X High School football coach George Maloof is a 2009 inductee to the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Maloof coached at St. Pius X for 26 years, leading the Golden Lions to 18 winning seasons and five postseason appearances, including the 1968 Class AA state championship and the 1965 Class AA state runner-up. His career record was 162-83-12.

Maloof is married to his wife Anita and both of his sons, Kevin and Keith, played for their dad at St. Pius X. Kevin is now the head football coach at Dacula High, and Keith is the head football coach at Norcross High. Maloof also has two daughters, Karen Maloof Rackley and Kathy Maloof Kieffer, and five grandchildren.

Maria Cressler has been appointed to lead the Jesuit Retreat Center at Ignatius House.

As the new executive director, Cressler is to succeed Bob Fitzgerald at the center. Cressler takes over the position on Sept. 14. Fitzgerald isn’t going away. He will continue his work with the center in giving retreats and offering spiritual direction.

Cressler has been a member of St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Smyrna, since July 2004 where she has been director of adult faith formation. Prior to her arrival in the Big Peach, Cressler served as the director of youth ministries at St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Auburn, Ala. Her service in the church has included prison work, spiritual direction and various retreat ministries.

Cressler has been well educated in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola, having gone through the full exercises in 2007.

Maria is married to her husband John and has three grown children.

Father Henry Atem and youngster Mandela Ngwesse caught up with each other at the recent gathering of ACCCRUS, the African Conference of Catholic Clergy and Religious in the U.S.

Mandela will enter Bishop Rogan Minor Seminary this month in Cameroon where Father Atem began his preparation for priesthood.

No word if Father Atem was giving the young man tips on what classes to pay attention in, the most difficult teachers, or how to avoid mischief.

Mandela was visiting Cartersville from Buea, Cameroon, for his aunt Gladys Sone’s wedding. Sone is a parishioner of St. Francis of Assisi Church, Cartersville