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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Preventing Election Violence Through Diplomacy
Bhojraj Pokharel
United States Institute of Peace Press
http://bookstore.usip.org
9781601277480 $19.95 pbk / $TBA ebook
Synopsis: Focusing on three case studies in Africa, this book analyzes the utility of diplomacy in
preventing election violence. After defining and identifying the key dimensions of preventive
diplomacy to prevent or reduce election violence, it looks at presidential elections between 2006
and 2017 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and Nigeria. Drawing on personal
experience, the literature, case study reviews, and expert interviews and roundtables with
academics and practitioners, the book highlights conditions for the success and the failure of
preventive diplomacy, offering recommendations to the international community for maximizing
the efficacy of this unique tool.
Critique: Drawing upon three case studies in Africa, Preventing Election Violence Through
Diplomacy scrutinizes strategies for risk management, selecting the best diplomatic actors,
delivering diplomatic messages to target audiences, common mistakes when attempting to
prevent or mitigate election-related violence, and much more. "Diplomatic actors should be
careful not to engage in mirror imaging, the analytical fallacy of assuming that the audience
thinks precisely the same way the speaker does. [...] For example, the Western political tradition's
concept of term limits may seem alien to nations with a history of one-party, authoritarian, or
dynastic rule." Preventing Election Violence Through Diplomacy is a resource that will help save
not only lives, but also the democratic future of entire nations, and worthy of the highest
recommendation for professional diplomats as well as public and college library collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that an ebook version is forthcoming.
Editor's Note: Author Bhojraj Pokharel is an internationally recognized expert on organizing
elections in conflict or postconflict situations. His personal experience includes serving as head
of Nepal's Election Commission from 2006 to 2009, as well as being appointed to serve on a
high-level panels for Bangladesh's 2008 parliamentary elections, and for South Sudan's referenda
process in 2010-11.
Food or War
Julian Cribb
Cambridge University Press
One Liberty Plaza, Fl. 20, New York, NY 10006
www.cambridge.org
9781108712903, $12.95, PB, 350pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Ours is the Age of Food. Food is a central obsession in all cultures, nations, the media,
and society. Our future supply of food is filled with risk, and history tells us that lack of food
leads to war. But it also presents us with spectacular opportunities for fresh human creativity and
technological prowess.
In "Food or War", Julian Cribb describes a new food system capable of meeting our global needs
on this hot and overcrowded planet. "Food or War" is especially relevant reading for anyone
concerned about the health, safety, affordability, diversity, and sustainability of their food -- and
the peace of our planet. It is not just timely -- its message is of the greatest urgency.
"Food or War" is especially commended to the attention of consumers, 'foodies', government and
corporate policymakers, researchers, cooks, chefs and farmers. Indeed, anyone who cares about
their food, where it comes from and what it means for them, their children and
grandchildren.
Critique: As the world's human population continues to grow, the question of how to avoid mass
starvation or wars over food supplies becomes increasingly vital to maintaining peace.
Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Food or War" is unreservedly
recommended for both community and academic library collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Food or War" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$8.00).
Editorial Note: Julian Cribb is an Australian author and science communicator. His career
includes appointments as newspaper editor, scientific correspondent for The Australian
newspaper, director of national awareness for Australia's science agency CSIRO,and president of
national professional bodies for agricultural journalism and science communication. His
published work includes over 9000 media articles and nine books. He has received more than
thirty awards for journalism. His books include: The Forgotten Country (AFP 1986), Australian
Agriculture (Morescope 1990), The White Death (Angus & Roberston 1996), Sharing
Knowledge (CSIRO Publishing 2002), Dry Times (CSIRO Publishing 2009), Open Science
(CSIRO Publishing 2010), The Coming Famine (UCP 2010) Poisoned Planet (Allen&Unwin
2014) and Surviving the 21st Century (Springer 2017).
Climate Action Planning, revised and expanded edition
Michael R. Boswell, Adrienne I. Greve, Tammy L. Seale
Island Press
2000 M Street NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20036
www.islandpress.org
9781610919630, $35.00, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Climate change continues to impact our health and safety, the economy, and natural
systems. With climate-related protections and programs under attack at the federal level, it is
critical for cities to address climate impacts locally. Every day there are new examples of cities
approaching the challenge of climate change in creative and innovative ways -- from rethinking
transportation, to greening city buildings, to protecting against sea-level rise.
"Climate Action Planning: A Guide to Creating Low-Carbon, Resilient Communities" is a
specifically designed instructional meant to help planners, municipal staff and officials, citizens
and others working at local levels to develop and implement plans to mitigate a community's
greenhouse gas emissions and increase the resilience of communities against climate change
impacts. This fully revised and expanded edition of "Climate Action Planning" goes well beyond
climate action plans to examine the mix of policy and planning instruments available to every
community, and also examine process and communication to respond to the questions of: How
does a community bring diverse voices to the table? What do recent examples and research tell
us about successful communication strategies?
This new edition of "Climate Action Planning" brings in new examples of implemented projects
to highlight what has worked and the challenges that remain. A completely new chapter on
vulnerability assessment will help each community to identify their greatest risks and
opportunities. Sections on land use and transportation have been expanded to reflect their
growing contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. The guidance in "Climate Action Planning" is
put in the context of international, national, and state mandates and goals.
"Climate Action Planning" is the most comprehensive book on the state of the art, science, and
practice of local climate action planning. It should be a first stop for any local government
interested in addressing climate change.
Critique: Exceptionally informative, well written, deftly organized and presented, "Climate
Action Planning: A Guide to Creating Low-Carbon, Resilient Communities" should be
considered a mandatory addition to community, college, and university library Contemporary
Environmental Studies collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students,
academia, social activists, urban land use planners, city management officials, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "Climate Action Planning" is also available in
a digital book format (Kindle, $19.24).
Editorial Note: Michael R. Boswell is a Professor of City & Regional Planning at California
Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. He currently serves as an advisor to
UN-Habitat's Planners for Climate Action (P4CA) initiative.
Adrienne I. Greve is a Professor of City & Regional Planning at California Polytechnic State
University in San Luis Obispo. She served as project director for the State of California
"Adaptation Planning Guide."
Tammy L. Seale is Associate Principal at PlaceWorks, Inc. and leads their Climate Action &
Resiliency Services division.
Scam Me If You Can
Frank W. Abagnale
Portfolio
c/o Penguin Random House
penguinrandomhouse.com
9780525538967 $19.00 pbk / $14.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: Maybe you're wondering how to make the scam phone calls stop. Perhaps someone has
stolen your credit card number. Or you've been a victim of identity theft. Even if you haven't yet
been the target of a crime, con artists are always out there, waiting for the right moment to steal
your information, your money, and your life.
As one of the world's most respected authorities on the subjects of fraud, forgery, and cyber
security, Frank Abagnale knows how scammers work. In Scam Me If You Can, he reveals the
latest tricks that today's scammers, hackers, and con artists use to steal your money and personal
information--often online and over the phone. Using plain language and vivid examples,
Abagnale reveals hundreds of tips, including:
The best way to protect your phone from being hacked
The only time you should ever use a debit card
The one type of photo you should never post on social media
The only conditions under which you should use WiFi networks at the airport
The safest way to use an ATM
With his simple but counterintuitive rules, Abagnale also makes use of his insider intel to paint a
picture of cybercrimes that haven't become widespread yet.
Critique: Anyone can fall for identity theft or other scams. The proliferation of modern
technology makes it easier than ever for identity thieves to write checks, take out credit cards,
order legal or illegal goods, and much more in another person's name. Social media is a treasure
trove of impersonation information such as birthdays, addresses, or names of family and contacts.
Even the most prudent individual is at risk if a company holding their information has a data
breach - remember the Equifax scandal of 2017? Scam Me If You Can lists precautions that
everyone should take to minimize risk, and offers detailed instructions about what to do if the
worst happens. In today's increasingly digitized world, Scam Me If You Can is an absolute
"must-have" for public library collections and for every man, woman, and child. Indeed, parents
are strongly advised to teach their young adult or teenaged children the lessons of Scam Me If
You Can (especially concerning what personal information should NOT be shared on any form
of social media), the earlier the better! Highly recommended. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that Scam Me If You Can is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.99).
Art and Advertising in Buffalo Bill's Wild West
Michelle Delaney
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
www.oupress.com
9780806164304, $45.00, HC, 248pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody (February 26, 1846 - January 10, 1917), star of the
American West, began his journey to fame at age twenty-three, when he met writer Ned Buntline.
The pulp novels Buntline later penned were loosely based on Cody's scouting and bison-hunting
adventures and sparked a national sensation. Other writers picked up the living legend of
"Buffalo Bill" for their own pulp novels, and in 1872 Buntline produced a theatrical show
starring Cody himself. In 1883, Cody opened his own show, Buffalo Bill's Wild West, which
ultimately became the foundation for the world's image of the American frontier.
After the Civil War, new transcontinental railroads aided rapid westward expansion, fostering
Americans' long-held fascination with their western frontier. The railroads enabled traveling
shows to move farther and faster, and improved printing technologies allowed those shows to
print in large sizes and quantities lively color posters and advertisements. Cody's show team
partnered with printers, lithographers, photographers, and iconic western American artists, such
as Frederic Remington and Charles Schreyvogel, to create posters and advertisements for Buffalo
Bill's Wild West. Circuses and other shows used similar techniques, but Cody's team perfected
them, creating unique posters that branded Buffalo Bill's Wild West as the true Wild West
experience. They helped attract patrons from across the nation and ultimately from around the
world at every stop the traveling show made.
In "Art and Advertising in Buffalo Bill's Wild West", Michelle Delaney showcases these
numerous posters in full color, many of which have never before been reproduced, pairing them
with new research into previously inaccessible manuscript and photograph collections. Her study
also includes Cody's correspondence with his staff, revealing the showman's friendships with
notable American and European artists and his show's complex, modern publicity model.
Beautifully designed, "Art and Advertising in Buffalo Bill's Wild West" presents a new
perspective on the art, innovation, and advertising acumen that created the international frontier
experience of Buffalo Bill's Wild West.
Critique: Impressively informative, profusely illustrated, exceptionally well organized and
presented, "Art and Advertising in Buffalo Bill's Wild West" is an original and meticulously
researched work of seminal scholarship and an enduringly valued contribution to the growing
cannon of William 'Wild Bill' Cody literature and lore. While especially recommended for both
community and academic library collections, it should be noted that "Art and Advertising in
Buffalo Bill's Wild West" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $36.95) for the
personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in
the subject.
The Artist's Garden
Jackie Bennett
White Lion Publishing
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781781318744, $40.00, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A beautifully produced volume of truly great art, "The Artist's Garden" by gardening
and art expert Jackie Bennett showcases a visual wealth of gardens that have inspired and been
home to some of the greatest painters of history. These gardens not only supplied the inspiration
for creative works but also illuminate the professional motivation and private life of the artists
themselves - from Cezanne's house in the south of France to Childe Hassam at Celia Thaxter's
garden off the coast off Maine.
Flowers and gardens have often been the first choice for artists looking for a subject. A garden
close to the artist's studio is not only convenient for daily material and ideas, but also has the
advantage of changing through the seasons and over time. Claude Monet's Giverny was the
catalyst for hundreds of great paintings (by Monet and other artists), each one different from the
one before. Sometimes a whole village becomes the focus for a colony of artists as at Gerberoy in
Picardy and Skagen on the northernmost tip of Denmark.
"The Artist's Garden" is about the real homes and gardens that inspired these great artists --
gardens that in many cases can still be visited today! The relationship between artist and garden
is a complex one. A few artists, including Pierre Bonnard and his neighbor Monet were keen
gardeners, as much in love with their plants as their work, while for others like Sorolla in
Madrid, his courtyard home was both a sanctuary and a source of ideas.
Critique: An informative and lovely pleasure to simply browse through, "The Artist's Garden:
The Secret Spaces That Inspired Great Art" will have immense and enduring appeal to both fine
art enthusiasts and dedicated gardeners alike. While very highly recommended, especially for
community and academic library World Art History collections, it should be noted for the
personal reading lists of art students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "The Artist's Garden" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$33.29).
How Charts Lie
Alberto Cairo
W.W. Norton
www.wwnorton.com
9781324001560, $25.95
How Charts Lie: Getting Smarter About Visual Information considers the translation of basic
data into infographics, diagrams and charts, but offers a powerful focus on how such charts affect
perceptions of truth and sometimes don't adequately represent the raw data. Alberto Cairo is a
data visualization expert well versed in such presentations and here discusses how such charts
can produce misleading patterns to outright lies. The key to successfully understanding visual
representations of data is to learn more about how to interpret visuals, a lesson provided in this
book, which teaches not just how to read a chart, but how to understand how expectations and
encoding methods influence chart interpretations. Both college-level and general-interest
collections will find this a powerful reference that advises consumers how to better interpret the
data being represented in graphic form.
Little Farmstead Living
Julie Thomas
Martingale & Company
www.shopmartingale.com
9781683560142, $34.99
Little Farmstead Living: Creating a Country Life Just Past the City Limits tells how to create a
rural farmstead feel to home decor and experiences that is specific to properties just beyond the
city limits. From interior design to handling chickens and bringing the seasons indoors with
decorative touches from plant greenery to local thrift shop pictures, this book mixes and matches
recipes, artistic touches, and home embellishments for a multifaceted approach to crafting a rural
environment indoors and out. The focus on various facets combining atmosphere and country
living will delight readers seeking their own rural refuges who want direction on how to do so
and what to do when they get there.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Winning Strategies for ACT Essay Writing
Aimee Weinstein
Vibrant Publishers
www.vibrantpublishers.com
9781949395457, $29.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Winning Strategies For ACT Essay Writing: With 15 Sample Prompts" by Dr. Aimee
Weinstein is a deftly crafted guidebook that offers step-by-step, proven strategies for crafting a
winning ACT essay. It includes suggestions for approaching the writing task, analyzing the issues
presented, and managing time effectively. The book contains fifteen sample prompts using the
exact same format as the official ACT tests. Each prompt includes a sample pro/con chart so
students can learn to carefully plan and organize the essay before writing.
Additionally, "Winning Strategies For ACT Essay Writing" describes techniques to think
through, outline, and write an engaging introduction, impressive supporting paragraphs, and
powerful conclusion. There are recommendations for selecting a point of view and using solid
evidence to support the argument. Additionally, there is a discussion of the ACT scoring rubric
and reasons for taking the essay portion.
"Winning Strategies For ACT Essay Writing: With 15 Sample Prompts" is suitable for use with
or without a tutor. By reading and practicing with this text, students will gain the tools and
confidence to write a high scoring essay.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation for analyzing each prompt,
carefully planing the essay, making a compelling argument, use=ing the allotted time effectively,
evaluating sample essays, and increase student test taking confidence, "Winning Strategies For
ACT Essay Writing: With 15 Sample Prompts" is an ideal and unreservedly recommended study
guide and should be a part of ever school district and community library college ACT test taking
instructional reference collection.
Editorial Note: Dr. Aimee Weinstein is a writer and professor whose passion is coaching students
on how to write effective essays for college applications as well as the ACT and SAT. She works
full-time at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia as a Term Assistant Professor of
Humanities and Graduate Pathway Advisor with INTO Mason. Dr. Weinstein works with the
INTO Mason Mentoring Committee and is part of the Mason Faculty Learning Community on
the Study of Teaching and Learning. She received her doctorate from the Department of Higher
Education at George Mason University where she focused on teaching writing to second
language learners via a hybrid classroom. Dr. Weinstein lived for more than ten years in Tokyo,
Japan where she taught writing at Temple University, Japan. She has held positions at The
George Washington University and Prince George's Community College (MD), teaching classes
in various levels and genres of writing. Her previous publications include several food and travel
articles in English-language magazines in Japan.
How to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon: 2020 Powerhouse Edition
Penny C. Sansevieri
Independently Published
9781695420793, $12.99, PB, 204pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Named as one of the top influencers of 2019 by New York Metropolitan Magazine,
Penny Sansevieri has also taught Amazon-centric classes and webinars to thousands of authors
leading up to the release of this ultimate guide to mastering the Amazon marketing system.
Amazon.com is the 800 pound gorilla of on-line book marketing.
In the pages of "How to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon: 2020 Powerhouse Edition" she
draws upon her years of experience and expertise to share her proven strategies for utilizing
Amazon as a core part of a book marketing strategy that will immediately start building a book's
target market exposure and dramatically upgrade overall book marketing efforts by authors,
publishers, and publicists!
"How to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon" will enable even the most novice self-
published author to: Increase their sales through perfectly timed pre-order campaigns; Get their
book ranked #1 in its category; Find the perfect keywords and categories that will help their book
soar up the Amazon charts; Achieve top visibility for their book with lucrative keywords; The
secrets to running a successful Amazon ads campaign that won't cost a fortune!.
"How to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon" also shows how to: Leverage a secret tool to
get hundreds of reader reviews; Use Kindle Unlimited to greatest advantage; Boost sales with
strategic eBook strategies; Create book descriptions that convert more browsers to buyers;
Identify and locate secret categories that drive bigger sales; Leverage Amazon-owned Goodreads
so it's working for a specific book.
"How to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon" is an essential, go-to resource if for authors
and publishers who really want to use all the features Amazon offers that have proven to work to
increase and sustain book sales.
If "How to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon" is purchased on Amazon, then also
included as free bonuses are: Blogger and social media listings, sample templates, and dozens of
additional resources to get started with smarter book marketing right away. A special code to get
this great information in a step-by-step video format!
It should be noted that the Midwest Book Review is favorably cited in "How to Sell Books by the
Truckload on Amazon", including (with permission) some of the marketing advice with respect
to book reviews by Jim Cox, it's editor-in-chief.
Critique: An absolutely essential and invaluable instructional resource and reference by a
seasoned and accomplished expert on the subject, this newly updated and expanded edition of
"How to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon" by Penny Sansevieri (who founded and
operates Author Marketing Experts and is the author of instructional guides and manuals on
various aspects of marketing books), is an unreservedly recommended addition to the personal
reading lists of authors, publishers, and book publicists. While an especially recommended
addition to community and academic library Writing/Publishing collections, it should be noted
that "How to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $5.99).
5-Minute Book Marketing For Authors: 2019 Edition
Penny C. Sansevieri
Independently Published
9781074789930, $9.99, PB, 148pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Now in a fully updated and expanded 2019 edition, "5 Minute Book Marketing for
Authors" is a complete and expertly presented instructional reference and guide by a seasoned
and experienced professional and expert in the art, science and craft of marketing books.
Author Marketing Experts' Penny Sansevieri clearly lays out step-by-step DIY instructions on all
aspects of book marketing including the effective use of such marketing tools as Goodreads,
Amazon.com, More Books, eBook Pricing & Promotion, Writing Reviews, Websites,
Newsletters, Social Media, Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, Instagram, Pinterest, and more!
Critique: An absolute 'must read' for every aspiring (and even seasoned) author hoping to
establish themselves commercially and bring to the attention of the widest and highest possible
number of intended readers for their particular book(s), "5-Minute Book Marketing For Authors:
2019 Edition" is especially recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic
library Writing/Publishing collections. An ideal addition to all Creative Writing class curriculum
supplemental studies lists, it should be noted that "5-Minute Book Marketing For Authors: 2019
Edition" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
The Book Review Companion
David Wogahn
DavidWogahn.com
PartnerPress.org
c/o Author Imprints
www.authorimprints.com
9781944098148, $12.95, PB, 210pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Author David Wogahn is president and founder of AuthorImprints, an award-winning
professional publishing services company that helps authors and businesses publish books using
their own publishing imprint.
Withe the publication of "The Book Review Companion: An Author's Guide to Getting and
Using Book Reviews" he has drawn upon his years of experience and expertise to create a handy
instructional reference guide to the art and science of reviewing books that is loaded with
feedback from authors on the subject.
"The Book Review Companion" includes step-by-step instructions for getting and using book
reviews including: Proven review strategies applicable to any book, and any author; The ten
major sources for reviews, including sixty resources; Amazon review policies demystified and
clarified; A complete guide to soliciting and using endorsements and blurbs; Detailed
instructions and resources for contacting book bloggers.
Of special note is the inclusion of a special bonus section written specifically for new
authors.
Critique: It should be noted that in "The Book Review Companion: An Author's Guide to Getting
and Using Book Reviews" the Midwest Book Review is favorably cited and one of its reviewer's
has contributed an impressively informative interview on the subject of book reviews.
No matter whether an author that is traditionally published or self-published, "The Book Review
Companion" will prove to be an ideal DIY instructional guide and manual that will be an
enduringly valued and often referred to resource when authors and novice publishers are creating
marketing campaigns for their books -- especially for those working with limited budgets!
Impressively informative, expertly organized and presented, "The Book Review Companion" is
unreservedly recommended for author, publisher, and book publicists professional reference
collections. While especially commended for community and academic library
Writing/Publishing collections, aspiring and even seasoned authors should be aware that "The
Book Review Companion" is also available in an inexpensive digital book format (Kindle,
$0.99).
The Christmas Shelf
We Follow the Star
Corinne Seganos and Richard Dillon
www.richarddillonpiano.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $8.91 MP3 amazon.com
We Follow the Star is an album of piano renditions of beloved Christmas carols, as well as two
original compositions by pianist Richard Dillon, "A Winter's Night" and "We Follow The Star".
Corinne Seganos provides beautiful vocals, and supporting instrumentation includes alto flute,
percussion, violin, fretless bass, and more. A rapturous new way to experience timeless musical
celebrations of the holiday season, We Follow the Star is highly recommended for personal and
public library Christmas music collections. The tracks are "Wexford Carol", " A Winter's Night",
"Huron Carol", "We Follow the Star", "Coventry Carol", "Silent Night", "I Saw Three Ships",
"What Child Is This?" and "In the Bleak Midwinter".
Christmas Is Coming!
The Metropolitian Museum of Art
Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
115 West 18th Street, 6th floor, New York, NY 10011
www.abramsbooks.com
9781419737497, $24.99, HC, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The Christmas season is one of the most wonderful times of the year, and from the
Metropolitan Museum treasury of stories, poems, recipes, and songs, "Christmas Is Coming" is
certain to light up the holiday season and enable families to joyfully celebrate everything there is
to love about this very special time of the year.
Filled with favorite Christmas stories, such as " 'Twas the Night Before Christmas" and "Little
Women, A Merry Christmas"; plus songs as well as original poems from Lee Bennett Hopkins,
Naomi Shihab Nye, and others; original recipes from Erin Gleeson, Yvette van Boven, and
Yotam Ottolenghi; and other holiday trappings.
All the artwork is from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, ranging from religious
paintings depicting the Nativity, to 20th-century illustrations showing Santa Claus, to wintry
scenes of snowy landscapes and ice skaters. With beautiful art and joyful text, "Christmas Is
Coming!" is a wonderful book for the entire family to share.
Critique: A pure delight to browse through from first page to last, "Christmas Is Coming!:
Celebrate the Holiday with Art, Stories, Poems, Songs, and Recipes" should be a part of every
family and every community library collection. It should also be noted that "Christmas Is
Coming!" is available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.49).
Santa: My Life & Times
Santa Claus, author
Jared Green, contributor
Bill Sienkiewicz, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781787732223, $24.99, HC, 128pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Beautifully illustrated by comic book legend, Bill Sienkiewicz. "Santa: My Life &
Times" is official autobiography of Santa Claus and the perfect Christmas present for all adults in
touch with their inner child, as the man himself tells for the first time ever the true story behind
the legend that is Santa Claus.
Just imagine what it would be like to sit beside Santa Claus and hear for the first time the true
story of his miraculous life as only Santa himself could tell it. Old Kris Kringle tells the story of
his life, from his childhood to the workings of his toyshop, and on the mysteries of his Christmas
Eve flight, in an illustrated Christmas keepsake specifically designed for families to read
aloud.
Critique: Beautifully and energetically illustrated throughout, (and of special note is the inclusion
of an original poem by Santa himself!), "Santa: My Life & Times" is an extraordinarily
informative and inherently fascinating memoir that is unreservedly recommended for family and
community library Christmas holiday season collections. It should be noted for personal reading
lists that "Santa: My Life & Times" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$19.99).
Every Knee Shall Bow: A Christmas Collection
Gaye Frances Willard
Fairgrove Publishers
9780988252844, $16.95, HC, 44pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In "Every Knee Shall Bow - A Christmas Collection", artist Gaye Frances Willard
shares the 'why' for each of the eight elegant paintings in her Christmas series. Within these
pages readers will learn the inspiring story behind the creation of each truly memorable image.
More than just seasonal images, they are an artistic representation of the timeless truth of
scripture. Through the paintings and the words you will be encouraged to celebrate the Christ of
Christmas "with all of your heart, with all of your soul and with all of your mind".
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, Gaye Frances Willard's "Every Knee Shall Bow: A Christmas
Collection" is a unique and extraordinary volume of art and commentary that is unreservedly
recommended for personal, family, church, seminary, and community library collection.
Christmas in Winter Hill
Melody Carlson
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.revellbooks.com
9780800736101, $16.99, HC, 176pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Krista Galloway is not a fan of Christmas. After her rough childhood in multiple foster
homes, the holiday season just brings too many bad memories to the surface. But when she
accepts a job as a city manager in the mountain town of Winter Hill, Washington, Christmas is
part of the deal. The small town is famous for its Christmasville celebration, something that the
city manager . . . well, manages.
As she tries to make her tiny new apartment feel like home for her and her eight-year-old
daughter, Emily, Krista begins to wonder if this move was a mistake. She doesn't always feel
welcomed in the close-knit town, and Emily continually wonders, "Where's the snow?" Can a
friendly stranger and his family help restore Krista's Christmas spirit before the big day?
Critique: A deftly crafted and wonderfully holiday season appropriate novel from a gifted
storyteller, "Christmas in Winter Hill" by Melody Carlson will prove to be an enduringly
appreciated addition to any and all community library collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Christmas in Winter Hill" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.44) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781974970742,
$29.99, CD).
A Cowboy Christmas
Shanna Hatfield
TwoDot
www.globepequot.com
9781493042340, $26.95
A Cowboy Christmas: Western Celebrations, Recipes, and Traditions is a blend of recipes,
how-to instructions, photos, and interviews that advocates creating a Christmas celebration with
a cowboy theme. Those who look for traditional holiday celebrations with distinct Americana
themes will find this a fine gathering that covers everything from stories of cowboy holiday
traditions of the past to decorations and homemade gifts. Color photos, a series of folksy, fun
discussions, and fine entertainment guides blend with the recipes to make for a winning
discussion.
The Science Shelf
The Firefly Guide to Minerals, Rocks and Gems
Rupert Hocheitner
Firefly Books Ltd.
www.fireflybooks.com
9780228102281, $19.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Comprised of step-by-step questions and answers accompanied by detailed color
photographs for easy identification, "The Firefly Guide to Minerals, Rocks and Gems" is
designed by mineralogist Rupert Hocheitner for easy and reliable identification of minerals, gems
and rocks by students and non-specialist general readers.
The identification process begins with the stone's streak color, which is how "The Firefly Guide
to Minerals, Rocks and Gems" is organized: Blue, Red, Yellow, Brown, Green Black and White.
Using a sequence of straightforward questions and answers (and aided by over 1,000 photographs
and drawings) this field guide narrows down the possibilities among 350 minerals, gems and
rocks to reach the conclusive classification.
Identification is then further narrowed down with respect to Crystal form, Hardness, Luster,
Density, Cleavage, Break and Tenacity. Each rock's main photograph shows the general or
typical view, and identification tips about features are noted in the margins of the respective
page.
Similar stones are presented for comparison and tips are provided that can eliminate imposters.
Drawings show the mineral's crystal shape. The chemical formula reveals the elements from
which the mineral is composed. There is also information about where the stone is typically
found and some of the ways that humans have utilized it.
Critique: Packed with beautiful photographs of earth's many rocks, minerals and gems, "The
Firefly Guide to Minerals, Rocks and Gems" is an ideal instructional reference for geology
students, amateur mineralogists and collectors alike -- making it unreservedly recommended for
personal, professional, community, and academic library collections.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
You Can Prevent a Stroke
Joshua S. Yamamoto, MD & Kristin E. Thomas, MD
RosettaBooks
www.rosettabooks.com
9781948122405, $19.99, HC, 184pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Natural aging leads to artery plaque, high blood pressure, and slower and irregular
heartbeats. You can do everything right, and time will still pass. You will still age. While you can
influence some aspects of aging on your own, some you cannot -- at least not without your
doctor's help. Fortunately, the biology of aging is no longer mysterious. Heart and blood vessel
health is knowable, measurable, and manageable.
In "You Can Prevent a Stroke", Dr. Joshua Yamamoto (a physician in private practice at Foxhall
Medicine, PLLC, which he founded with his wife in 2013) and Dr. Kristin Thomas (a
board-certified internist and partner with Foxhall Internists, PC, before starting Foxhall
Medicine, PLLC, with her husband) help us understand what we can do, and what we can ask of
our doctors, to manage the effects of aging on our circulation so that we do not have a stroke. For
years, they have approached patients with the fundamentals learned at The Johns Hopkins
Hospital: "Take responsibility for your patient's health, go in-depth, have an unswerving
commitment to solving problems, be thorough, thoughtful, and have attention to detail."
There is no one-size-fits-all solution or magical cure for anything. But there are principles that
can serve as useful guides for everyone and provide an approach to managing the natural
processes that affect us all.
Some preventative steps include: Establishing a relationship with a physician; Knowing the
health of your heart; Knowing the health of your arteries; Knowing the regularity of your
heartbeat; Knowing if it's time to take a medicine to prevent plaque in your arteries, and whether
you need a pill to prevent a blood clot
Strokes are usually said to be tragic and random. They are certainly tragic, but they are not
random. Strokes can be avoided, and "You Can Prevent a Stroke" will explain how.
Critique: Especially well written, organized and presented so as to be of maximum value for the
non-specialist general reader wanting to understand or who must deal with strokes with respect to
themselves or a loved one, "You Can Prevent a Stroke" is unreservedly recommended for
personal reading lists as well as community library Health/Medicine collections. It should be
noted that "You Can Prevent a Stroke" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99)
and as a complete and unabridged audio book (HighBridge Audio, 9781684574131, $29.99,
CD).
Maths, Physics and Clinical Measurement for Anaesthesia and Intensive Care
Hozefa Ebrahim, editor
David Ashton-Cleary, editor
Cambridge University Press
One Liberty Plaza, Fl. 20, New York, NY 10006
www.cambridge.org
9781108731454, $59.99, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Maths, physics and clinical measurement hold a degree of mystery and trepidation for
many who are working and training in anaesthesia, intensive care and theatre practice. "Maths,
Physics and Clinical Measurement for Anaesthesia and Intensive Care" aptly covers these core
topics in a logical and structured format, creating a more enjoyable learning experience that is
accessible and easy to digest.
Each individual chapter opens with a set of learning objectives and summary of chapter contents.
Following this is a clinical scenario that relates to the themes of the chapter and a number of
hypothetical questions relating to the scenario are laid-out. Clinical pearls are presented in boxes
for more advanced learning opportunities.
Each individual chapter closes with a set of MCQ or SBA self-test questions to test the readers'
knowledge of the chapter. "Maths, Physics and Clinical Measurement for Anaesthesia and
Intensive Care" covers everything needed for the FFICM and FRCA exams, making it an
essential text for exam candidates, tutors, and those working in theatres, anaesthesia and the
ICU.
Critique: Expertly compiled, edited, organized and presented by Hozefa Ebrahim (who is an
anaesthetist and intensivist at University Hospitals Birmingham, and college tutor for
anaesthesia) and David Ashton-Cleary (who is a consultant in Critical Care and Anaesthesia at
the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust), and featuring illustrations by Eleanor Whittingham,
"Maths, Physics and Clinical Measurement for Anaesthesia and Intensive Care" is an
unreservedly recommended core addition to hospital, medical center, college, and university
library Health/Medicine instructional reference collections. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of medical students and hospital medical team members that "Maths, Physics and
Clinical Measurement for Anaesthesia and Intensive Care" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $28.99).
The Women's Guide to Overcoming Insomnia
Shelby Harris, PsyD
W.W. Norton & Company
https://wwnorton.com
9780393711615 $18.95 pbk / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: More than 60 percent of American women have trouble sleeping which isn't surprising,
as they have a higher risk of developing sleeping problems. But addressing this issue is more
nuanced for women than for men; pregnancy and menopause are just two factors that add
complexity to an already difficult problem. At the risk of jeopardizing work, parenting,
relationships, or overall health, no woman can afford to deal with sleep deprivation on her
own.
The Women's Guide to Overcoming Insomnia is a roadmap for those who experience anything
from occasional bad nights to chronic insomnia. It outlines several methods to overcome these
issues and improve physical and emotional well- being. From medical sleep aids to nonmedical
approaches, the book looks beyond the basics of sleep hygiene, helping women to retrain their
bodies and minds for a good night's sleep every night.
Critique: Thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, The Women's Guide to
Overcoming Insomnia: Get a Good Night's Sleep Without Relying on Medication is a practical
guide to improving the quality of one's sleep. The Women's Guide to Overcoming Insomnia is
written especially for women, who may encounter sleeping problems caused or aggravated by
hormonal changes during the course of their lives, and who often face extra stress as caregivers
(whether looking after infants, young children, teenagers, or elderly family members).
Chapters address behavioral changes that can improve the quality of one's sleep, from limited
"blue light" from electronic devices as well as caffeine, alcohol, or nicotine consumption in the
hours before bedtime; to keeping one's bedroom cool; to habituating onself to the idea that the
bed is reserved expressly for sleep (sex is the only exception); to psychological techniques to
combat "unproductive worry" and much more. Although The Women's Guide to Overcoming
Insomnia cannot replace the care of a physician if needed, its practical, patient-tested advice is
invaluable for any woman struggling with sleep disorders, and highly recommended for public
library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that The Women's Guide to
Overcoming Insomnia is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Editorial note: Author Shelby Harris, PsyD is board-certified in Behavioral Sleep Medicine by
the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and treats a variety of sleep disorders in private
practice.
Lost Connections
Johann Hari
Bloomsbury Press
www.bloomsbury.com
9781632868305 $28.00 hc
9781632868312 $18.00 pbk / $10.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: There was a mystery haunting award-winning investigative journalist Johann Hari. He
was thirty-nine years old, and almost every year he had been alive, depression and anxiety had
increased in Britain and across the Western world. Why?
He had a very personal reason to ask this question. When he was a teenager, he had gone to his
doctor and explained that he felt like pain was leaking out of him, and he couldn't control it or
understand it. Some of the solutions his doctor offered had given him some relief-but he
remained in deep pain.
So, as an adult, he went on a forty-thousand-mile journey across the world to interview the
leading experts about what causes depression and anxiety, and what solves them. He learned
there is scientific evidence for nine different causes of depression and anxiety-and that this
knowledge leads to a very different set of solutions: ones that offer real hope.
Critique: Lost Connections: Why You're Depressed and How to Find Hope offers a stark new
way to understand depression and anxiety. Chapters delve into how disconnections from
important things can induce misery: disconnection from meaningful work, other people,
meaningful values, childhood trauma, status/respect, the natural world, or a secure future are all
potential magnifiers of anxiety and depression. Lost Connection does not dismiss or ignore what
modern medicine has to say about neurochemical balance, but rather offers additional perspective
on mental health factors that are not so easily addressed with the right pill. Lost Connections is a
welcome contribution to both personal and public library mental health collections, highly
recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Lost connections is also available
in a Kindle edition ($10.99).
Body by Starfleet: A Fitness Guide
Robb Pearlman
Running Press
www.runningpress.com
9780762495771 $16.00 hc / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: A fully illustrated guide that bridges the nexus between stasis and health, Star Trek:
Body by Starfleet provides real, practical, and fun exercises for Star Trek fans of all ages and
physical abilities so that they may boldly live long and prosper.
Drawing from the most celebrated and iconic elements of over 50 years of Star Trek, Body by
Starfleet will provide any pop-culture (or junk-food) junkie a fun and healthy way to engage their
warp core and get moving. Whether you view the gym as an impenetrable final frontier or
regularly bench press boulders like a Gorn, these simple, easy-to-follow instructions -- created in
consultation with a certified fitness trainer -- is for readers of all ages and fitness levels to
navigate through a series of enterprising exercises.
Everyone, from an ensign in the Command Training Program to an admiral who's voyaged
through every quadrant, will benefit from the more than 30 exercises featuring Klingon Tribble
Twists, Chekov's Cossack Squats, Jefferies Tube Climbers, and Wesley Crunchers. All of the
exercises in Body by Starfleet are designed for standard gravity so they can be performed with
little to no equipment everywhere from living rooms to gyms to holodecks. Also included is a
section covering nutrition so readers can program their replicators to eat better and cleaner, a
workout log for recording activities and progress, and special exercises aimed toward
non-humanoid species including Horta and Medusans.
Critique: Body by Starfleet: A Fitness Guide is a physical fitness workout guide created
especially for Star Trek fans of all ages. Colorful illustrations of famous Starfleet members
demonstrate practical body exercises for improving flexibility, building strength, raising one's
heart rate, and more. The tongue-in-cheek text never lets up on the Star Trek references, while
clearly and succinctly describing the actions. Body by Starfleet: A Fitness Guide is a choice pick
for spicing up one's fitness regimen, highly recommended. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that Body by Starfleet is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Chasing the Invisible
Thomas Grogan
Koehler Books
210 - 60th Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23451
www.koehlerbooks.com
9781633939431, $32.95, HC, 212pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Chasing the Invisible: A Doctor's Quest to Abolish the Last Unseen Cancer Cell" by
Dr. Tom Grogan deftly combines the suspense of a spy novel with the education and scientific
insight of a medical mystery thriller, all wrapped in a dramatic business story. In addition to
revealing the detective work of medicine and its impact on physicians and patients, Dr. Grogan
reveals a colorful cast of Wall Street investment bankers, venture capitalists and the titans of a
giant multinational company out to acquire the missing puzzle piece necessary to ensure the next
phase of life-saving innovation.
Dr. Grogan navigated his way through all those worlds to fulfill his vision. He ultimately
transformed his classic biomedical start-up company (born as a diagram on a piece of paper and a
jerry-rigged prototype built in his garage) into a successful multi-billion-dollar worldwide
enterprise, following its acquisition by a Swiss pharmaceutical giant. Today his invention of an
automated cancer diagnostics device that helps personalize the detection of cancer and enables
doctors to treat it more effectively is transforming medical practice throughout the world.
Whether interested in learning about science and medicine, or about entrepreneurship and how to
create an exciting and dynamic leadership culture, or even if just looking for a good read with wit
and humor, "Chasing the Invisible" will prove to be a rewarding and inherently fascinating read
from cover to cover.
Critique: Showcasing a unique and extraordinary quest that combined ground breaking medical
research with an entrepreneurial ambition, "Chasing the Invisible: A Doctor's Quest to Abolish
the Last Unseen Cancer Cell" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic
library Contemporary Health & Medicine collection. It should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Chasing the Invisible" is also available in a paperback edition (9781633939417,
$24.95).
The Business Shelf
Reinventing the Organization
Arthur Yeung & Dave Ulrich
Harvard Business Review Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
http://hbr.org/books
9781633697706, $32.00, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The in today's global economy, it could well be argued that the traditional corporate
hierarchy is obsolete, but what replaces it? Numerous new models (the agile organization, the
networked organization, and holacracy, to name a few) have emerged, but leaders need to know
what really works. How do you build an organization that is responsive to fast-changing
markets? What kind of organization delivers both speed and scale, and how do you lead it?
In the pages of "Reinventing the Organization: How Companies Can Deliver Radically Greater
Value in Fast-Changing Markets", Arthur Yeung and Dave Ulrich effectively collaborate to
provide leaders with a much-needed blueprint for reinventing the organization. Based on their
in-depth research at leading Chinese, US, and European firms such as Alibaba, Amazon, DiDi,
Facebook, Google, Huawei, Supercell, and Tencent, and drawing from their synthesis of the
latest organization research and practice, Yeung and Ulrich explain how to build a new kind of
organization (a "market-oriented ecosystem") that responds to changing market opportunities
with speed and scale.
While other books address individual pieces of the puzzle, "Reinventing the Organization" offers
corporate executives a practical, integrated, six-step framework and looks at all the decisions
leaders need to make (choosing the right strategies, capabilities, structure, culture, management
tools, and leadership) to deliver radically greater value in fast-moving markets.
For any leader eager to build a stronger, more responsive organization and for all those in HR,
organizational development, and consulting who will shape and deliver it, "Reinventing The
Organization" provides a much-needed roadmap for re-invention.
Critique: Enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of fourteen pages of Notes, and a twenty-
four page Index, "Reinventing the Organization: How Companies Can Deliver Radically Greater
Value in Fast-Changing Markets" should be considered as an essential, core addition to
community, corporate, and academic library Contemporary Business Management collections. It
should be noted for the personal reading lists of business students, entrepreneurs, corporate
managers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Reinventing the
Organization" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.27).
Editorial Note: Arthur Yeung is a Senior Management Adviser at Tencent Group, where he leads
and facilitates organizational innovation and leadership development. Previously, he was the
Philips Chair Professor of Human Resource Management at China Europe International Business
School (CEIBS) and taught regularly in executive programs in association with Harvard,
INSEAD, and the University of Michigan. He also served previously as Chief Human Resources
Officer of Acer Group. His website is www.ceibs.edu
Dave Ulrich is the Rensis Likert Collegiate Professor of Business Administration at the
University of Michigan's Ross School of Business and a partner at RBL Group (rbl.net), a
consulting firm focused on helping organizations and leaders deliver value. He has published
over thirty books and two hundred articles and book chapters. He has worked with over half of
the Fortune 200; has numerous lifetime achievement awards for organization, leadership, and HR
work; and is listed in the Thinkers50 Hall of Fame. His website is www.daveulrich.com
The Global PR Revolution
Maxim Behar
Allworth Press
www.allworth.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781621537151, $29.99, HC, 312pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Public Relations (PR) is everything and everywhere in our capitalist society and
culture. Because of our evolving communication technologies, now more than ever, managing
social media is a nuanced and dynamic field that requires the sophisticated touch of a trained
professional. What was effective ten or even five years ago is no longer relevant.
In "The Global PR Revolution: How Thought Leaders Succeed in the Transformed World of
PR", public relations expert Maxim Behar shows readers how to master current approaches,
create content that meets a client's needs, and evolve with ever-changing trends. Complete with
insights from over seventy PR leaders worldwide, this authoritative guide discusses such topics
as: The New Rules of Social Media; How to Speak the Language of PR; Modern PR Skills and
Tools; How to Measure Impact; The Effect of Total Transparency on Businesses; International
Perspectives on the Media; The Future of the Industry.
Behar's knowledge, experience, and down-to-earth writing will keep readers engrossed while
refining their understanding of public relations. By the time they finish, they'll be well on their
way to becoming their own expert in the field of public relations.
Critique: An ideal curriculum textbook for college and university Business Management courses,
"The Global PR Revolution: How Thought Leaders Succeed in the Transformed World of PR" is
extraordinarily well written, organized and presented. While unreservedly recommended for
community, corporate, and academic library collections, it should be noted for personal reading
lists for aspiring or practicing PR professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Global PR Revolution" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).
Editorial Note: Maxim Behar is a globally renowned public relations expert, entrepreneur, writer,
and Harvard Kennedy School graduate. He is the founder and CEO of M3 Communications
Group, Inc. He is the past president of the International Communications Consultancy
Organisation (ICCO) and is currently a member of the executive committee. He has been
awarded many titles, among them Global Chairman of the Year by the International Business
Stevie Awards and Communicator of the Decade by the Association of Business Communicators
of India
Buddha's Office
Dan Zigmond
Running Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.runningpress.com
9780762494583, $18.00, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Without setting foot in an office, Buddha knew that helping people work right was
essential to helping them find their path to awakening. Too many of us are working long hours,
dealing with difficult bosses, high-maintenance coworkers, and non-stop stress. Now more than
ever, we need Buddha's guidance. We need someone to help remind us that there is a better way.
With Buddha's wisdom at the core of every chapter, "Buddha's Office: The Ancient Art of
Waking Up While Working Well" by Dan Zigmond will help you learn how to stop taking
shortcuts and pay more attention, care for yourself and others, deal with distractions, and
incorporate Buddha's ageless instructions into our modern working life.
Critique: "Buddha's Office: The Ancient Art of Waking Up While Working Well" combines
Buddhist principles with business management advice. The result is an inherently fascinating,
impressively informative, exceptionally practical, and thoroughly 'user friendly' compendium of
insight, advice and inspiration for improving our professional and personal lives with respect to
whatever form of workplace that employs us. While unreservedly recommended for community,
corporate, and academic library Business Management & Self-Help collections, it should be
noted for personal reading lists that "Buddha's Office" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $11.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Hachette Audio,
9781549129407, $35.00, CD).
Editorial Note: Dan Zigmond is a writer, data scientist, and Zen priest. As a former executive at
Instagram, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft, he was named one of the "20 Business Geniuses
You Need to Know" by Wired magazine. He is also the co-author of Buddha's Diet: The Ancient
Art of Losing Weight Without Losing Your Mind.
Couples That Work
Jennifer Petriglieri
Harvard Business Review Press
www.hbr.org
9781633697249, $30.00
Couples That Work: How Dual-Career Couples Can Thrive in Love and Work gathers success
stories from working couples who share their strategies for joining business and relationship
success, and is highly recommended for young working couples who haven't yet faced the major
transition periods in their lives and careers. From different stages and their common pitfalls to
juggling career and family priorities and making them an active discussion for planning, this
book juxtaposes relationships, parental roles, and business demands. Working couples who want
to solidify goals and positive paths to achievement will find this packed with insights from
couples who have made decisions and choices that support both relationships and career
aspirations alike.
The Graphic Novel Shelf
The House
Paco Roca
Fantagraphics Books
7563 Lake City Way, NE, Seattle, WA 98115
www.fantagraphics.com
9781683962632, $19.99, HC, 134pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Three adult siblings return to their family's vacation home a year after their father's
death. They each bring their respective wives, husbands, and children with the intention to clean
up the residence and put it on the market. But, as garbage is hauled off and dust is wiped away,
decades -- old resentments quickly fill the vacant home.
The graphic novel "The House" by Paco Roca is at deeply personal and dedicated to Roca's own
deceased father, while at the same time entirely universal. Roca asks what happens to brothers
and sisters when the only person holding the family together is now gone.
Critique: Full-color illustrations fully enhance an original and inherently fascinating story,
making "The House" an impressive literary experience that only a deftly created graphic novel
can. While fully endorsed and recommended for both community and academic library
Contemporary Graphic Novel collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The
House" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle/comiXology, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Paco Roca (Francisco Martinez Roca) is a graphic artist and a cartoonist from
Valencia, Spain, who has won several art/writing awards. His graphic novel Wrinkles has been
adapted into an animated movie.
TAMBA, Child Soldier
Marion Achard, author
Yann Degurel, illustrator
NBM Publishing
160 Broadway, Ste. 700, East Wing, New York, NY 10038
www.nbmpub.com
9781681122366, $24.99, HC, 112pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Marion Achard is a French writer and circus performer. She co-founded a touring
circus where she performs as acrobat and juggler. She has also written children's books. This is
her first graphic novel. Yan Degruel is a French artist who has published many graphic novels for
kids including adaptations of Rudyard Kipling. Together they have produced a unique and
memorable graphic novel providing a moving testimonial to one of the most heart-wrenching and
chilling developments in modern warfare.
Critique: Although a work of fiction, this graphic novel accurately chronicles and presents the
realities of hundreds of thousands across the world, kidnapped and forced to commit atrocities.
"TAMBA: Child Soldier" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic
library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "TAMBA: Child Soldier" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle/comiXology, $12.99).
Solo: The Survivors of Chaos
Oscar Martin
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781782763345, $29.99, HC, 64pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Oscar Martin is best known for his work on as an artist and writer of 'Tom and Jerry'
comics, have been published in both Europe and the USA. He has also done a variety of comics
for the French Disney magazine Le Journal de Mickey. He received a Lifetime Achievement
Award from Warner Bros for his work on the 'Tom and Jerry' series in 2002.
His newest graphic novel, "Solo: The Survivors of Chaos" takes place in a dystopian future
where the Earth, ravaged by nuclear wars, gave birth to an array of new mutated species, which
grew and repopulated the land along with the surviving humans. But this new world is far from
peaceful, and life in it is often short and brutal.
To make life easier for his poor family, Solo, a young rat, leaves his home to become a warrior --
his personal saga will prove to be as violent as it was unexpected.
Critique: A simply riveting read from cover to cover, "Solo: The Survivors of Chaos" is a unique
and very specially addition to personal and community library graphic novel collections. It
should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated dystopian science fiction fans that
"Solo: The Survivors of Chaos" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle/ComiXology,
$16.99).
Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor - Old Friends
Jody Houser, et al.
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785866920, $16.99, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: When accused of stealing the precious Gem of Niag, the Doctor and companions go in
search of the true culprit. They soon find themselves entangled with an old friend of the Doctor's
- a rogue female Time Lord called the Corsair! Styled like a daring adventurer, with a pirate
ship-Tardis to boot, the Corsair leads the gang on a rescue mission that seems dubiously like a
heist. The Corsair was a character originally created for the TV series by Neil Gaiman and was
the first example of a Time Lord regeneration that changed their sex as well as the appearance.
"Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor - Old Friends" is her first ever appearance in the Doctor
Who graphic novel series!
Critique: A superbly scripted and expertly illustrated addition to the growing canon of Doctor
Who stories, "Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor - Old Friends" is a whole lot of fun and will
prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library graphic novel
collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of the legions of Doctor Who fans
that "Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor - Old Friends" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle/comiXology, $10.99).
The Ultimate Sky Doll
Alessandro Barbucci, author
Barbara Canepa, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785869815, $49.99, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In a parallel universe, the existence of a sweet life like android called Noa, a Sky Doll,
(artificial beings without rights and created to serve the state's desires), has been turned upside
down. After being rescued by two "missionaries", fleeing her tyrannical creator and life of
servitude to the far reaches of the galaxy. Noa comes to realize she may be more than a simple
android as she becomes embroiled in the middle of two opposing ideologies.
Critique: Collecting together all four Sky Doll books into one single coffee-table style volume
and having it translated into English for the very first time, "The Ultimate Sky Doll" is an
inherently fascinating and original science fiction graphic novel by the team author Alessandro
Barbucci and illustrator Barbara Canepa that is unreservedly recommended for the personal
reading lists of all dedicated science fiction fans, and is certain to be an enduringly popular
addition to community library graphic novel collections.
Cromwell Stone
Andreas author/illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785868887, $29.99, HC, 112pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Cromwell Stone is one of thirteen men who lived though a mysterious sea voyage.
Now his fellow survivors are disappearing in unusual and unnerving ways. He sets out to solve
the mystery, and finds himself caught up in a much bigger and stranger story.
Critique: Featuring exquisitely executive black-and-white artwork throughout, "Cromwell Stone'
is a simply riveting read from first page to last. While very highly recommended for community
library Graphic Novel collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Cromwell
Stone" is also available in a unique board book edition ($23.44).
Watch_Dogs: Return To Rocinha
Simon Kansara, author
Horne, illustrator
Simon Champelovier, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785864049, $16.99, PB, 96pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Watch_Dogs: Return To Rocinha" is based on the hit-video game and is the story of a
young hacker in Rio makes her stand against the corruption in her home and which had resulted
in the death of her parents and the loss of her younger brother to a shootout between the cops and
a drug gang. Sauda, a young hacker from the Rochinha favela in Rio, returns years later to the
neighborhood she grew up in to discover her little brother had survived and fallen under the
influence of the local gang -- the same one that has killed his parents. Determined to bring him
out, Sauda discovers that drug trafficking is just the tip of the iceberg for the corruption
consuming her hometown and that it had a corporate overlord pulling all the strings.
Critique: A thoroughly reader engaging story with all manner of unexpected plot twists and turns,
"Watch_Dogs: Return To Rocinha" is a deftly scripted and nicely illustrated graphic novel that
will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "Watch_Dogs: Return To Rocinha" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle/comiXlogy, $8.25).
The Pollen of Monte Urticando
Franquin Batem, author
Yann, illustrator
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849184588, $11.95, PB, 48pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Deep inside the Palombian jungle lays Monte Urticando, and ancient, nigh inaccessible
volcano where millennia old cactuses grow. Every 15 years they flower, and the pollen
temporarily drives away most of the dangerous predators. For the Marsupilamis, though, it's also
the signal for a strange and cruel tradition: it's time for the young Marsus to learn how to fend for
themselves, away from the protection of their parents. Will they learn to work together to
survive?
Critique: The fourth volume in the Marsupilami graphic novel series by the team of author
Franquin Batem and artist/illustrator Yann, "The Pollen of Monte Urticando " is their best work
yet and certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Graphic
Novel collections for readers of all ages. It should be noted for the personal reading lists that
"The Pollen of Monte Urticando" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle/comiXology,
$5.99).
The Audiobook Shelf
JAY-Z: Made in America
Michael Eric Dyson
Read by the author
Macmillan Audio
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781250750228 $29.99 amazon.com
Synopsis: JAY-Z: Made in America is the fruit of Michael Eric Dyson's decade of teaching the
work of one of the greatest poets this nation has produced, as gifted a wordsmith as Walt
Whitman, Robert Frost and Rita Dove. But as a rapper, he's sometimes not given the credit he
deserves for just how great an artist he's been for so long.
This book wrestles with the biggest themes of JAY-Z's career, including hustling, and it
recognizes the way that he's always weaved politics into his music, making important statements
about race, criminal justice, black wealth and social injustice. As he enters his fifties, and to mark
his thirty years as a recording artist, this is the perfect time to take a look at JAY-Z's career and
his role in making this nation what it is today.
In many ways, this is JAY-Z's America as much as it's Pelosi's America, or Trump's America, or
Martin Luther King's America. JAY-Z has given this country a language to think with and words
to live by.
Critique: Michael Eric Dyson (University Professor of Sociology, Georgetown University)
presents JAY-Z: Made in America, a career-focused biography of raper, songwriter, producer,
entrepreneur, and record executive JAY-Z (a.k.a. Shawn Corey Carter, b. 1969). Available as an
unabridged audiobook smoothly read by the author, JAY-Z: Made in America examines not only
JAY-Z's work in music, but also his influence in American society and culture, since many of his
songs were and are politically charged. Thoughtful and thought-provoking, JAY-Z: Made in
America is a welcome contribution to public library audiobook collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that JAY-Z: Made in America is also available in print from St. Martin's
Press (9781250230966, $25.99) and in a Kindle edition ($13.99). 5 CDs, 5.5 hours. Disc 5
includes a bonus PDF.
Hachette Audio
www.hachetteaudio.com
Four new audio presentations are fine choices for listeners who want standout productions.
Stephen Chbosky's Imaginary Friend (9781549143182, $45.00) is narrated by Christine Lakin,
who brings to life the story of a seven-year-old's imaginary friend. Christopher was an ordinary
boy but on the run with his single mother, who flees an abusive relationship with him in two.
Then he vanishes for six days, returning with a new voice in his head and a mission that involves
saving everyone he knows by building a tree house. An engrossing horror tale evolves. Chris
Colfer's A Taste of Magic (9781549124129, $30.00) is read by the author, whose voice brings to
life the story of a world where magic is outlawed, where Brystal Everygreen lives a staid life
until she stumbles on a book that reveals she's actually a fairy living in a repressive kingdom. She
wasn't supposed to read, wasn't supposed to discover her magical origins, and isn't supposed to
become even more involved in magical adventures...but, she does. Her experiences will change
the world in this engrossing tale. James Patterson and Maxine Paetro's The 19th Christmas
(9781549120954, $35.00) provides another Women's Murder Club thriller perfect for seasonal
enjoyment. The holidays are fast approaching and the Club is celebrating the waning of crime
and the quiet expectations of the Christmas season when a criminal known as "Loman" gains
their attention. He's planning a terrible Christmas morning: one that the Club must thwart if they
are to have a peaceable kingdom for the holidays. Seasoned audio narrator January LaVoy brings
the story to life. Irene Sankoff and David Hein's Come From Away: Welcome to the Rock
(9781549148736, $30.00) examines the award-winning Broadway musical story about
Newfoundland town Gander which welcomed over thirty pains to land in their remote refuge on
9/11. Fans familiar with the event and the musical will find this consideration the perfect analysis
of the musical's global appeal. All are outstanding stories.
The Library CD Shelf
Autumn Monsoon
Suzanne Teng and Gilbert Levy
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
Autumn Monsoon is an original, new age album of instrumental music played on Native
American flutes and drums, percussion, and stringed instruments from all over the world. The
result is a multicultural mix that draws from the music-making traditions of the American
Southwest, West Africa, the Saharan desert, and more. Captivating to the edge of rapture,
Autumn Monsoon is highly recommended to new age connoisseurs, and also makes an excellent
gift. The tracks are "Autumn Monsoon", "Indian Sisters", "Maya", "Traveler", "Blue Ngoni",
"Canyon Ghosts", "Suenos", "Andromeda", "Journey of Life" and "Prayer for Charlie".
Frozen Moments
Don Latarski
GuitarOutside.com
Heart Dance Records
www.heartdancerecords.com
$13.98 CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
Created by composer and guitarist Don Latarski, Frozen Moments is an original album of
acoustic music on baritone, classical, and water guitars. An extraordinary, subtle interweaving,
Frozen Moments incorporates water guitar sound drawn from a variety of different streams and
rivers in Oregon and California, reflecting the timeless beauty of the natural world. Frozen
Moments is highly recommended for guitar connoisseurs and public library music CD
collections. The tracks are "The Dawning Moment", "Shadow Crossing", "River Speak",
"Sarabande Migration", "Bimble", "Mima", "Xienna", "On Winter", and "River Speak p5.
2".
Asilomar
Michael Martinez
michaelmartinezmusic.com
Privately Published
$8.00 amazon.com
Composed and played by Michael Martinez, Asilomar is a beautiful solo piano album inspired by
the serenity and relaxation of the picturesque seascape Asilomar beach. The gentle, original
music is a mellifluous blend of New Age and Classical styles. Asilomar is a choice pick to listen
to while meditating, unwinding at the end of the day, or searching for inspiration. Highly
recommended! The tracks are "My Guru", "My Joyful Soul", "At Peace", "Asilomar", "High
Tide", "Not All Is Lost", "Sedona Whisper", "Ocean Meditation", and "Tender Love".
At the End of the River
The Revelers
www.revelersband.com
Privately Published
$14.98 CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com
Grammy-nominated music artists The Revelers present At the End of the River, a Cajun music
album brimming with lively, exciting songs reflecting the spirit of the dance floor. A jubilant
celebration of Cajun cultural heritage, At the End of the River is invigorating, refreshing, and
highly recommended. The tracks are "Au bout de la riviere (At the End of the River)", "Please
Please, Like We Did Last Summer", "Les blues a Blake (Blake's Blues)", "Who Who, Yea You",
"She's A Woman", "I Wouldn't Do That to You", "Pendant je suis loin de toi (While I Am Far
From You)", "You're Not To Blame", "Bonsoir, petit monde (Goodnight, Little World)",
"Southside Stomp", and "La bague diamante (The Diamond Ring)".
Dead Air
Marconi Union
Privately Published
$12.69 CD / $6.93 MP3 amazon.com
Ambient/electronic-synth performers Marconi Union present Dead Air, their tenth studio album.
An instrumental work that draws upon electronica, dub, minimalist, avant-jazz, and ambient
music traditions, Dead Air is intensely rhythmic, vibrantly original, passionately performed, and
highly recommended. The tracks are "A.M.I.D.", "Mossfield", "Imbalance", "Permafrost",
"Fractured", "Dead Air", and "Burned".
Within Us All
Monica Williams
Heart Dance Records
www.heartdancerecords.com
$13.98 CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
Award-winning music artist Monica Williams presents Within Us All, an album of beautiful,
relaxing world flute music. A variety of guest musicians contribute to this peaceful, empowering
album of original songs bringing a warm message of self-respect, happiness, and compassion.
Supportive, emotional, and uplifting, Within Us All is highly recommended and also makes an
excellent gift. The tracks are "You are Compassionate", "You are Forgiving", "You are
Memorable", "You are Happiness", "You are Adventure", "You are Free as a Child", "You are
Resilience", "You are Integrity", "You are Not Alone", and "You are Enough". 47 min., 45
sec.
Sempre: A New Dimension
Ian Maksin
ianmaksin.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $8.91 MP3 amazon.com
Cellist, composer, and multi-lingual vocalist Ian Maksin presents Sempre: A New Dimension,
and original album of cello music drawing inspiration from Renaissance and Baroque classics,
the works of contemporary music artists, historic landmarks, and the depths of human emotion.
Sempre: A New Dimension is an extraordinary work with a profound message of love, healing,
and wholeness, highly recommended. The tracks are "Sempre", "Blues au Jardin du
Luxembourg", "Vancouver Rain", "Summer Garden Waltz", "Respiro", "Lacrimae Novae", "Per
Me, Per Te...", "Sunset on the Cascade", and "Brand New Page".
The Library DVD Shelf
Tattoo Uprising
A film by Alan Govenar
Featuring Ed Hardy
First Run Features
www.firstrunfeatures.com
$24.95
Tattoo Uprising is a DVD documentary about the history and proliferation of tattoos as art, from
their use in early Christian practices to their discovery during the voyage of Captain James Cook,
to how tattoo artists like Ed Hardy fomented their modern-day popularity in America. Revealing,
electrifying, and extraordinary, Tattoo Uprising explores an oft-overlooked dimension of art
history. Tattoo Uprising is utterly captivating from beginning to end, and is highly recommended
especially for public library DVD collections. 75 min., color.
Tai Chi Fit: Over 50 Balance Exercises
David-Dorian Ross
YMAA Publications
www.ymaa.com
9781594396748 $29.95
World-class Tai Chi expert David-Dorian Ross presents Tai Chi Fit: Over 50 Balance Exercises,
a DVD that guides the viewer in a simple tai chi lesson, shown in a mirror-view format. No
memorization and no prior knowledge of Tai Chi are required; one can just follow along with the
movements to enjoy a low-impact fitness routine with emphasis on improving balance. Tai Chi
Fit: Over 50 Balance Exercises is ideal for senior citizens, as a useful resource to reduce the risk
of falls, but completely open to Tai Chi novices of all ages and backgrounds. Highly
recommended! 35 min.
The General Fiction Shelf
Pastures New
Margaret Thornton
Magna Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9780750547208, $35.50, HC, Large Print, 330pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Having been firm friends ever since they met in a Blackpool boarding house five years
before, Val, Cissie and Janice are all now happily married, preoccupied with their growing
families. But the new decade will bring change for all three families.
Val and Sam's son's behavior is causing concern, and Val finds it hard at times to love him as she
should. Running a thriving cafe in Harrogate, Janice and her husband Phil decide to expand into
the restaurant business: have they bitten off more than they can chew? Meanwhile Cissie's life is
thrown into jeopardy when she encounters an old flame!
Critique: Set in the 1960s, this large print edition of "Pastures New" by Margaret Thornton is a
carefully crafted and thoroughly reader engaging novel by an author with an especially
entertaining narrative storytelling style that will make it a particularly popular addition to both
personal reading lists and community library General Fiction collections.
An Irish Country Family
Patrick Taylor
Forge
c/o Tor/Forge Books
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.tor-forge.com
9780765396853, $26.99, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Before Doctor Barry Laverty joined Doctor Fingal O'Reilly's practice in the colorful
Irish village of Ballybucklebo, he was an intern, working long hours, practicing new medical
techniques, falling in love, and learning what is most important in the medical field for a family
physician -- the bonds of family, friendships, and human kindness.
Years later, Barry practices everything he has learned in Ballybucklebo, a lovely village where
neighbor looks after neighbor. And while his own efforts to start a family with his wife Sue have
been frustrated, the community around him couldn't be stronger as they work together to show
their solidarity.
Shifting effortlessly between the two time periods, in his latest novel, "An Irish Country Family",
author Patrick Taylor continues the story of these beloved characters while vividly bringing the
daily joys and struggles of this delightful Irish village to life.
Critique: "An Irish Country Family" is a charming entry in Patrick Taylor's beloved and
internationally popular Irish Country series -- and arguably his best work yet. An engaging and
entertaining read from cover to cover, while unreservedly recommended for both community and
academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists of the growing legions of Patrick Taylor fans that "An Irish Country Family" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book
(Macmillan Audio, 9781250241511, $39.99, CD).
The Siege of Troy
Theodor Kallifatides
Other Press
267 Fifth Avenue, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10016
www.otherpress.com
9781590519714, $14.99, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Bombs fall over a Greek village during World War II, and a teacher takes her students
to a cave for shelter. There she tells them about another war -- when the Greeks besieged
Troy.
Day after day, she recounts how the Greeks suffer from thirst, heat, and homesickness, and how
the opponents meet -- army against army, man against man. Helmets are cleaved, heads fly,
blood flows. And everything had begun when Prince Paris of Troy fell in love with King
Menelaus of Sparta's wife, the beautiful Helen, and escaped with her to his homeland. Now
Helen stands atop the city walls to witness the horrors set in motion by her flight. When her
current and former loves face each other in battle, she knows that, whatever happens, she will be
losing.
In his novel, "The Siege of Troy", author Theodor Kallifatides provides remarkable
psychological insight in his version of The Iliad, downplaying the role of the gods and delving
into the mindsets of its mortal heroes. Homer's epic comes to life with a renewed urgency that
allows us to experience events as though firsthand, and reveals timeless truths about the
senselessness of war and what it means to be human.
Critique: A superbly crafted work of literature from first page to last, "The Siege of Troy" is an
inherently compelling novel by an author with a genuine flair for reader engaging narrative
storytelling. While unreservedly and especially recommended for both community and academic
library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that "The Siege of Troy" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99) and as a
complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781982664237, $69.00, CD).
Time for Bed: Stories
Wendy Rawlings
Louisiana State University Press
338 Johnston Hall, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803
http://lsupress.org
9780807171516, $24.95, PB, 168pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Bed is where we sleep and dream, where we make love and give ourselves nightmares.
The thirteen stories comprising author Wendy Rawlings's short story anthology "Time for Bed:
Stories" traverses the complicated terrain of bedtime activity, from adulterous couplings to
nightmares that come to life, in terms that can feel lurid, unsettling, or disturbingly funny.
A college student struggles with her mother leaving her father for a "cafeteria lady" at her high
school. A woman loses her only daughter in a mass school shooting and goes on a road trip to
buy a custom coffin, then decides to take a side trip to NRA headquarters. A daughter decides
she should be born again -- literally. Social, cultural, and familial disruptions haunt these
characters in their waking lives as they look to grab something or someone for stability.
A collection of comic stories that confront difficult and tragic events, Time for Bed crafts
dreamscapes and bizarre encounters into bedtime stories for adults.
Critique: An inherently engaging anthology showcases author Wendy Rawlings as a master of
the short story format, "Time for Bed: Stories" is unreservedly recommended for both community
and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Time for Bed: Stories" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$14.72).
Editorial Note: Wendy Rawlings is also the author of Come Back Irish, winner of the 2000
Sandstone Prize for Short Fiction, and The Agnostics, winner of the Michigan Literary Fiction
Award. Her short fiction and essays have appeared in the Atlantic Monthly, the Kenyon Review,
the Cincinnati Review, Tin House, Creative Nonfiction, and elsewhere. She is the recipient of a
Pushcart Prize and fellowships from the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, the MacDowell
Colony, and Yaddo -- and teaches creative writing at the University of Alabama.
Deadly Deceit
Natalie Walters
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.revellbooks.com
9780800737122, $29.99, HC, 338pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Independent and tenacious journalist Vivian DeMarco is back in Walton, Georgia, for
one reason -- to do her job and get out. When her boss suddenly dies under suspicious
circumstances, Vivian's only hope for finding the truth (and the next big story) is small-town law
enforcement's lanky poster boy, Deputy Ryan Frost. But the deeper they dig, the more twisted the
truth becomes, and Vivian finds herself fighting for not only answers but also her life. False
leads, incriminating emails, and someone called The Watcher force Vivian to confront the secret
of her past and decide: How much is she willing to risk for the sake of a headline?
Critique: Another deftly scripted and cliff hanger of a read by an experience author with a
genuine flair for originality, "Deadly Deceit" is one of author Natalie Walters' best novels yet and
is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library
Suspense/Thriller collections. It should be noted for the growing legions of Natalie Walters fans
that "Deadly Deceit" is also available in a paperback edition (9780800735333, $14.99) and in a
digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Third Daughter
Talia Carner
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9780062896889, $16.99, PB, 432pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The turn of the 20th century finds fourteen-year-old Batya in the Russian countryside,
fleeing with her family from endless pogroms. Desperate, her father leaps at the opportunity to
marry Batya to a worldly, wealthy stranger who can guarantee his daughter an easy life and
passage to America.
Feeling like a princess in a fairytale, Batya leaves her old life behind as she is whisked away to a
new world. But soon she discovers that she's entered a waking nightmare. Her new "husband"
does indeed bring her to America: Buenos Aires, a vibrant, growing city in which prostitution is
not only legal but deeply embedded in the culture. And now Batya is one of thousands of women
tricked and sold into a brothel.
As the years pass, Batya forms deep bonds with her "sisters" in the house as well as some men
who are both kind and cruel. Through it all, she holds onto one dream: to bring her family to
America, where they will be safe from the anti-Semitism that plagues Russia. Just as Batya is
becoming a known tango dancer, she gets an unexpected but dangerous opportunity to help bring
down the criminal network that has enslaved so many young women and has been instrumental
in developing Buenos Aires into a major metropolis.
"The Third Daughter" is a powerful story of finding courage in the face of danger, and hope in
the face of despair during a dark period of Jewish history and gives a voice to victims whose
truth deserves to finally be told.
Critique: Deftly written, "The Third Daughter" is an impressive and inherently riveting read from
first page to last. Showcasing author Talia Carner's particular flair for originality, attention to
historical detail, and distinctive narrative storytelling style, "The Third Daughter" is certain to be
an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library General Fiction collections.
It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Third Daughter" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone
Audio, 9781982688806, $39.99, MP3 CD).
Honey
Brenda Brooks
ECW Press
www.ecwpress.com
9781770414976, $15.95, PB, 232pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: When 24-year-old Nicole Hewett's beloved childhood friend, Honey, returns to their
small northern town after an unexplained six-year absence, Nicole realizes how her life had
stalled without her. But the prodigal returns with troubling secrets, and before long Nicole is
drawn into a high-stakes game. Honey is a thrilling, sensuous modern noir novel with a classic
refrain: nothing is more dangerous than love.
Critique: Showcasing author Brenda Brooks as a particularly gifted novelist, "Honey" is
unreservedly endorsed and recommended for both community and academic library
Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Honey" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Death and the Seaside
Alison Moore
Biblioasis
www.biblioasis.com
9781771962759, $14.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Nearing thirty, with an abandoned degree and half-hearted dreams of becoming a
writer, Bonnie Falls finally moves out of her parents' home and into a shabby flat. When her
enigmatic landlady takes an interest in her (and one of her unfinished stories) Bonnie's
aspirations to be a writer are rekindled, and she's quickly persuaded by the older woman's
suggestion that they go on holiday to a seaside town like the one in the story.
Critique: An intense and deftly scripted exploration of power and vulnerability, obsession and
manipulation, "Death and the Seaside" showcases author Alison Moore's genuine flair for
original and impressive storytelling skills for producing gripping psychological novel that will
hold the reader's attention from first page to last. While highly recommended for community
library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Death and the Seaside" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.59) and as a
complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781543623468, $9.99, MP3 CD).
The Chosen One
Walt Gragg
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9781984806338, $17.00, PB, 512pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Two months ago, a new leader arose in the Islamic world, the Mahdi who is known (as
his dedicated followers call him) as the Chosen One. He has rallied fundamentalist Muslim
forces across the Middle East who have driven deep into Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Standing
against them is an allied force made up primarily of the American military who are called upon to
prevent that part of the world from going up in flames.
Critique: A riveting and deftly crafted military action/adventure saga of a fundamentalist Islamic
army that is once again is on the march in the Middle East, "The Chosen One" by Walt Gragg, an
author with a genuine flair for originality and the kind of reader compelling narrative storytelling
style is especially recommended for community library collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "The Chosen One" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$12.99).
Odell's Fall
Norman Bacal
https://normanbacal.com
Barlow Books
www.barlowbooks.com
9781988025438, $0.99, Kindle
Odell's Fall is a story set against the background of racism in modern day Alabama, involving
love, jealousy and deceit, culminating in a murder in a rich lawyer's apartment. But who did it?
Odell's Fall covers romance, partnerships, lives lost and won, the legacy of Odell's heritage and
its influences, and the mystery surrounding his actions with a deft attention to detail. Under
another hand, these multifaceted subplots might have proved confusing; but Norman Bacal
excels in seamlessly entwining different perspectives, motivations, and personal, political and
legal affairs. His ability to capture the personal and professional conundrums of a man with a
secret to hide not only from the world, but from himself, makes for a riveting production from
beginning to end: a story that will leave readers thinking long after the final revelations come to
light.
The Poker Players
Edward A. Dreyfus
Enchanted Villa Press
www.edwarddreyfusbooks.com
9781080589647, $14.99, Paper, $2.99, Kindle
A group of men in their 70s gathers weekly for their beloved poker game in The Poker Players,
but their game is just that: an emotions-barred affair that involves beer, gambling, and little more,
until George's divorce is revealed. It's an event six months in the making that he's been unable to
talk about to the men he's known for thirty years. Each poker game and each chapter brings a new
revelation. It turns out that each player holds a close emotional secret that shocks the group and
further reinforces the fact that these men's interactions have been anything but close despite the
decades of familiarity and a shared gaming interest. As readers absorb this progression of events,
they receive much information about self-discovery, intimacy, sharing, and men's emotional
make-ups. It turns out that The Poker Players isn't about poker, but the larger challenge of
forming meaningful relationships in life. Readers interested in psychological connections
between men and the impact of honesty on all kinds of relationships and life choices will find
The Poker Players a vivid, exciting exploration of what happens when risks are taken in safe
environments and the Pandora's Box of intimacy is opened.
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
A Gift from the Comfort Food Cafe
Debbie Johnson
Charnwood Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444842531, $35.50, HC, Large Print, 390pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Christmas has never been Katie Seddon's favorite time of year. Whilst everyone else
shares memories of families coming together and festive number ones, the soundtrack to Katie's
childhood wasn't quite so merry: her parents' violent arguments, shattered crockery and broken
windows were a lullaby in reverse.
But since she moved to the village of Budbury on the Dorset coast, Katie and her baby son have
found a new family. A family who have been brought together by life's unexpected roads and the
healing magic of a slice of cake and a cupful of kindness at the Comfort Food Cafe. This year,
Katie's new friends are determined to give her a Christmas to remember - and with a handsome
newcomer in town, her Christmas wish for a happy home for her son might just come true.
Critique: A beautifully written romance novel that will prove to be an enduringly 'feel good' read,
this large print edition of "A Gift from the Comfort Food Cafe" by Debbie Johnson is especially
and unreservedly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library
Contemporary Romance Fiction collections.
A Lonely Heart
Kay Brellend
Magna Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9780750547369, $35.50, HC, Large Print, 432pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Growing up in fear of their cruel, drunken father, Olivia Bone and her siblings haven't
had an easy start in life. But when Livvie's fiance Joe is killed at Ypres and he bequeaths her his
house in Islington, it seems like the Bone family might finally escape the worst street in north
London.
At least Livvie has good friends, and perhaps more than a friend in Lieutenant Lucas Black, her
old boss at the Barratt's Sweet Factory. As they grow closer, she decides to enlist as a war nurse,
hoping to help brave men like him in fighting for their country. Should Livvie follow her heart,
or her head?
Critique: A skillfully crafted, impressively original, and thoroughly entertaining read from cover
to cover, this large print edition of "A Lonely Heart" by Kay Brellend will prove to be an
immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal reading lists and community library
Romance Fiction collections.
Once Upon a Cowboy Christmas
Soraya Lane
St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250224286, $7.99, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Cody Ford is a Wall Street honcho with humble Texas roots. This holiday season, he'd
be content to just stay in New York and not face his family -- and dodge their questions about
when and with whom he plans to settle down. But his father isn't getting any younger, and Cody
doesn't want to miss any last chances to see him and the rest of the folks back on the ranch. The
last person Cody was expecting to see? His one-time girlfriend, Lexi Murphy, who's been
working as his dad's new live-in nurse.
She never forgot him. Can she ever forgive him? Lexi still holds a grudge against Cody. Back
then, the college-bound heartthrob believed he was too good for a small-town girl like Lexi. But
now Cody can't help but see her in a whole new light. Could it be that this beautiful single
mother with an unbeatable can-do spirit is the one he's been waiting for all along? That depends
on whether Cody can prove to Lexi that, this time, he means business -- and if a sudden
snowstorm can lend just the right amount of Christmas magic to help move things along.
Critique: The latest 'River Ranch' novels by author Soraya Lane, "Once Upon a Cowboy
Christmas" is a wonderfully well crafted and entertaining read from first page to last. Certain to
be an enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary Romance Fiction
collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated romance novel fans
that "Once Upon a Cowboy Christmas" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99)
and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Tantor Audio, 9781515931003, $29.99, CD).
A Cowboy Like You
Donna Grant
St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250250049, $7.99, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Danny Oldman, the handsome Lone Star sheriff, is still single. He tells himself, and
anyone who asks, that he is married to his job -- and what matters most is keeping the people of
his beloved Texas hometown safe. The truth? Danny still hasn't gotten over his high school
crush. She moved away after graduation and took Danny's heart with her.
Skylar Long never thought she would have to flee Houston and return home -- where it all began
for her. But that's what happened after the man of her dreams turned out to be an actual
nightmare. Now, Skylar is desperate to escape her obsessive boyfriend. Nothing shocks her more
than seeing Danny again and realizing that their long-ago attraction is more powerful than
ever.
But can she and Danny find a way to fight against Skylar's wealthy, powerful ex who is dead set
on tearing them apart?
Critique: A riveting romance by a total master of the genre, "A Cowboy Like You" is the latest
Heart of Texas novel by Donna Grant and one that will prove to be an immediate and enduringly
popular addition to community library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections. It should be
noted for the personal reading lists of the growing legions of Donna Grant fans that "A Cowboy
Like You" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
The Western Fiction Shelf
Blaze Of Fury
Alexander Frew
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444841749, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Tired of being a gun-toting hero to some and a villain to others, ex-bounty hunter Jubal
Thorne is looking forward to a peaceful life on his late brother's farm. But when a man has such a
past, it isn't long before fate comes knocking on his door. It all starts with a stray bullet that just
misses his head, and ends in a blaze of fury against a showdown three determined gunman. In
defence of what is his own and that of a young woman he has come to love against a conspiracy
of true evil, Thorne shows that the bounty hunter might leave his profession, but his profession
will never leave him.
Critique: Still another gripping action-adventure western by the author of "The Broken Trail",
few authors can write with the vivid intensity of Alexander Frew. This large print edition of
"Blaze of Fury" is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library
Western Fiction collections.
Hard Ride To Glory
Harry Jay Thorn
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444842401, $20.99, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Having survived the horrors of battle during the American Civil War, Griffin Boone is
happy in his Wyoming valley; he has his Arrowhead ranch, his close friends, and a job as a
part-time deputy sheriff. But the peace is threatened by Ben Logan and his outlaw crew of
gunfighters and vagabond thieves. Ride with Boone to the ruins of Glory, a ghost town in the
foothills of the Big Horn Mountains, where past meets present in a blaze of gunfire. Griffin
Boone is a quiet, unassuming man -- but you cross him at your peril!
Critique: A ripping great story complete with cliffhanger action and with a gun blazing finale,
"Hard Ride To Glory" is another finely crafted and original western novel by an author with a
complete mastery of the genre. This large print edition of "Hard Ride To Glory" by Harry Jay
Thorn is especially commended for the personal reading lists of dedicated western buffs and
community library Western Fiction collections.
Outlaw Express
Gillian F. Taylor
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444841787, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 248pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Sheriff Alec Lawson has infiltrated a band of outlaws by going undercover as an
outlaw named Turner in order to capture them. But things go awry when the gang hold up a train
and in the process impulsively kidnap Lacey Fry from the Leadville express. To protect her Alex
breaks his cover in an attempt to bring the young woman to safety. Learning of the betrayal, gang
leader Bill Alcott vows to find Lawson and kill him. Lawson doesn't know the territory and he
doesn't know Lacey. But the chase is on, through snow and bloodshed, until one of the men can
run no further - and hunter and hunted finally come face to face.
Critique: "Outlaw Express" is another particularly well crafted, action packed western novel by
Gillian F. Taylor, a writer with an impressively storytelling skill set that showcases his originality
and genuine flair for creating memorable characters and equally memorably entertaining western
adventures. This large print edition of "Outlaw Express" is especially commended for both
personal reading lists and community library Western Fiction collections.
Red Ruckus
Brett Cogburn
Five Star Publishing
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432831936, $25.95, HC, 264pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A legendary town tamer and shootist, Morgan Clyde is the kind of man who will look
down the barrel of your loaded gun and keep on coming, and the kind of man there's no stopping
short of putting him in a grave when he thinks he's in the right.
He's just the kind of man that a certain little town in the lawless Indian Territory needs, the town
once known as Ironhead Station and the town that has already almost killed him more than once.
Only this time, the trouble isn't from crooked railroad men, hired killers, or the other usual
varieties of outlaws that call the territory home. It's trouble with another sort of renegade entirely,
the kind that hides behind a badge and a judge's gavel.
As usual, the odds are stacked against Morgan. Not only must he face down a gang of crooked
deputy marshals intent on killing him, but old friends encountered may prove more painful than
the bullets, and the old loves and old grudges that resurface may prove every bit as deadly.
Critique: Another deftly crafted and entertainingly original western novel by an author who is a
master of the genre, "Red Ruckus" by Brett Cogurn is an unreservedly endorsed addition to
community library collections and the personal reading lists of all western fiction fans.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
The Dog Who Knew Too Much
Krista Davis
Berkley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780451491688, $7.99, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In the latest addition to author Krista Davis' Paws & Claws mystery series, "The Dog
Who Knew Too Much" America's favorite dog comes to pet-friendly Wagtail for some rest and
relaxation, but Holly quickly discovers that this perfect pup is a total scamp who takes every
opportunity to run off and misbehave. During an outdoor treasure-hunting game, the star dog and
Trixie, Holly's beloved Jack Russell terrier, stumble across a dead body.
Holly has more than murder to worry about, though, when a man shows up after reading an
article featuring Trixie in a magazine and claims that he is the dog's rightful owner. Holly will
need to prove that she is her pup's only parent and catch a killer to restore peace to her pet-loving
happy place!
Critique: An impressively original, inherently entertaining and deftly written mystery that is
unreservedly recommended for all community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be
noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs in general, and Krista Davis
fans in particular, that "The Dog who Knew Too Much" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $7.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Tantor Audio, 9781515934257,
$24.99, CD).
Peril in the Cotswolds
Rebecca Tope
Isis Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
9781785417757, $35.50, HC, Large Print 324pp, www.ulverscroftusa.com
Synopsis: Thea Slocombe is trying to settle into normal family domestic life with Drew and his
two children in Broad Campden. But any sense of cosy domesticity is shattered when Thea finds
the body of a neighbor. No longer a house-sitter, Thea has no choice but to stay in the village and
deal with whatever happens next, even when this risks damage to her marriage. Unconvinced that
the swift conclusion made about the death by the police is the right one, Thea is compelled to
follow her nature and investigate herself. But what repercussions might there be for her, Drew
and those with whom they share this corner of the Cotswolds?
Critique: A superbly crafted British mystery, this large print edition of Rebecca Tope's "Peril in
the Cotswolds" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library
Mystery/Suspense collections and a 'must' for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery
buffs in general, and Rebecca Tope fans in particular!
Double Crossfire
Anthony J. Tata
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street, Floor 21, New York, NY 10018-2522
www.kensingtonbooks.com
9781496717924, $26.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "How do you overturn an election?" It's a question that has obsessed presidential
candidate Jamie Carter ever since her loss to businessman and political neophyte President Jack
Smart. In spite of the election results, she's determined to take what she sees as her rightful place
in the White House -- through any means possible.
First, she establishes residency in North Carolina. Then, when the state's Pro Tem of the US
Senate is found dead, she is appointed to his position by her friend, the governor. Now, there are
only three people who stand in her way: the Speaker of the House, the Vice President, and the
President himself.
The countdown begins. The assassins are ready. But when one of them tries to kill the CIA
Director under Jake Mahegan's watch, the plan is momentarily disrupted. Jake is able to prevent
one murder -- but the conspiracy is too big, and too insidious, to stop now. Senator Jamie Carter
is the mastermind behind one of the bloodiest coups ever conceived. Her highly trained killers
are closing in on all the president's men. And the course of American history will be changed
forever -- on Assassination Day.
Critique: A riveting suspense thriller of the first order, "Double Crossfire" by Anthony J. Tata is
a deftly crafted and original novel by an author with a special and distinctive flair for originality
and reader engaging, narrative driven storytelling. While unreservedly recommended for
community library Contemporary Suspense/Thriller collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Double Crossfire" is also available in a forthcoming paperback edition
(9780786043101, $9.00, April 2020) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.49).
A Noel Killing
M. L. Longworth
Penguin Books
penguinrandomhouse.com
9780143134060 $16.00 pbk. / $11.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: Christmastime in the south of France is as beautiful as ever, but when a shady local
businessman drops dead in the middle of the festivities, Verlaque and Bonnet must solve the case
while keeping the holiday spirit alive.
Antoine Verlaque, examining magistrate for the beautiful town of Aix-en-Provence, doesn't like
Christmas. The decorations appear in the shops far too early, festive tourists swarm the streets,
and his beloved Cours Mirabeau is lined with chalets selling what he regards as tacky trinkets.
But his wife and partner Marine Bonnet is determined to make this a Christmas they can both
enjoy, beginning with the carol sing at the Cathedral Saint Sauveur, a beautiful service in a
packed church.
Just as the holiday cheer is in full swing, a man is poisoned, sending the community into a
tailspin. The list of suspects, Verlaque and Bonnet quickly discover, almost fills the church itself,
from the visiting vendors at the Christmas fair to the victim's unhappy wife and his disgruntled
business partner. In A Noel Killing, with the help of an ever-watchful young woman named
France, the pair must solve the murder while the spirit of the season attempts to warm Verlaque's
stubborn heart.
Critique: Part of the captivating "Provencal Mystery" series, A Noel Killing is a murder mystery
set in a close-knit community in Southern France during the Christmas season. When a man is
poisoned during a holiday service in a packed church, the list of potential suspects includes
practically the entire town! Examining Magistrate Antoine Verlaque and his wife Marine Bonnet
must solve the mystery together. Yet despite the tragic circumstances, the magic of the Christmas
season reaches out to touch even most resistant of hearts, in this choice pick especially
recommended for public library collections and for connoisseurs of the cozy mystery genre. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that A Noel Killing is also available in a Kindle edition
($11.99).
Reputation
Sara Shepard
Dutton
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10014-3657
www.us.penguingroup.com
9781524742904, $16.00, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Aldrich University is rocked to its core when a hacker dumps 40,000 people's e-mails
(from the entire faculty, staff, students, alums) onto an easily searchable database. Rumors and
affairs immediately leak, but things turn explosive when Kit Manning's handsome husband, Dr.
Greg Strasser, is found murdered.
Kit's sister, Willa, returns for the funeral, setting foot in a hometown she fled fifteen years ago,
after a night she wishes she could forget. As an investigative reporter, Willa knows something
isn't right about the night Greg was killed, and she's determined to find the truth. What she
doesn't expect is that everyone has something to hide.
And with a killer on the loose, Willa and Kit must figure out who killed Greg before someone
else is murdered.
Critique: Showing she has also mastered the mystery/suspense genre with the publication of
"Reputation", the Sara Shepard (the author of the Pretty Little Liars series, The Lying Game, The
Heiresses, The Elizas, and The Perfectionists), has provided her legions of fans with still another
deftly crafted and inherently riveting read. While especially recommended for community library
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Reputation" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
The Preserve
Steve Anderson
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781510742093, $25.99, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In 1948 Hawaii, troubled WWII hero turned deserter Wendell Lett desperately seeks a
cure to his severe combat trauma, and The Preserve seems to be his salvation. Run by Lansdale, a
mysterious intelligence officer, and Lett's ambitious wartime XO Charlie Selfer, the secretive
training camp promises relief from the terrors in his mind. Together with Kanani Alana, a
tough-minded Hawaiian also looking for a new start at The Preserve, Lett begins to feel
hopeful.
All illusions are shattered, though, when Lett discovers The Preserve's true intentions -- to
rebuild him into a cold-blooded assassin. The deadly conspiracy runs deep, all the way to General
Douglas MacArthur, and his refusal to cooperate is met with merciless punishment. His only
hope is Kanani and her dangerous escape plan that would grant freedom from The Preserve -- if
he can hide while surviving the harsh wilderness of the Big Island.
Critique: Although a work of fiction, "The Preserve" by Steve Anderson is based on true events.
A fast-paced historical thriller that will linger in the mind and memory long after the novel is
finished and set back upon the shelf, "The Preserve" is an especially recommended addition to
community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "The Preserve" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
The Devil Close Behind
Janet Dawson
Perseverance Press
c/o Daniel & Daniel, Publishers
PO Box 2790, McKinleyville, CA 95519
www.danielpublishing.com
9781564746061, $15.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Private investigator Jeri Howard is on vacation in New Orleans when a friend asks a
favor: her sister Laurette has disappeared with a boyfriend, and Jeri's trip turns into a case. Slade,
a mercurial musician, tends to strike out when thwarted, sometimes leading to deadly
consequences. Jeri's investigation takes her from French Quarter clubs to workaday NOLA, then
back to California, into jeopardy -- and an explosive conclusion!
Critique: A ripping and gripping novel of mystery and suspense from beginning to end, "The
Devil Close Behind" showcases author Janet Dawson's skill set as a writer in general, and master
of the genre in particular. While unreservedly recommended, especially for community library
collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery suspense thriller
fans that "The Devil Close Behind" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$10.99).
Death is a Private Eye
Gil Brewer, author
David Rachels, editor
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520779, $17.95, PB, 232pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Ably compiled and edited by David Rachels, "Death is a Private Eye" is comprised of
the short story mysteries of the late Gil Brewer (November 20, 1922 - January 9, 1983). As
Rachels writes in his informative introduction -- "The reason these stories are being published
only now, rather than 40 or more years ago when they were first written, is that Gil Brewer's
markets have come back to him. Brewer published his first great noir story in 1955, and he kept
writing great noir stories for more than 20 years, long after there were magazines eager to buy
them. . . . Now, in 2019, with Brewer's reputation as an important figure in 20th-century
American crime writing continuing to grow, the time has come for his later short stories finally to
find their audience."
Critique: While very highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections,
and as an absolute 'must read' for the legions of dedicated mystery fans in general, and pulp
fiction style private eye devotees in particular, "Death is a Private Eye" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Lost Tomorrows
Matt Coyle
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608092451, $16.95, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A phone call thrusts Rick Cahill's past and all its tragic consequences into his present.
Krista Landingham, his former partner on the Santa Barbara Police Department, is dead. When
Rick goes to the funeral in the city where his wife was murdered and where he is seen as guilty
for her death in the eyes of the police, he discovers that Krista's death may not have been a tragic
accident, but murder.
Hired by Krista's sister, Leah, to investigate, Rick follows clues that lead him to the truth, not
only about Krista's death, but about the tragedy that ruined his life. Along the way, Leah shows
him that his life can be salvaged and he can feel love again if he can just move beyond his past.
But the past is Rick's present and will always be until he rights his one great wrong.
In the end, Rick is left with a decision that forces him to confront the horrific actions he'll need to
take to exact revenge and achieve redemption.
Critique: Another riveting good suspense thriller of a novel by author Matt Coyle, "Lost
Tomorrow" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to any and all community library
Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all mystery
buffs and the growing legion of Matt Coyle fans that this latest Rick Chaill novel is also available
in a paperback edition (9781608093632, $16.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$10.49).
Relentless
Shawn Wilson
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608093700, $26.95, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Cherry blossom season is Washington, D.C.'s most beautiful time of the year. But as
tourists flock to the city, this year's festivities are marred by the discovery of the naked body of a
young woman floating in the Tidal Basin. Veteran homicide detective Brian (Brick) Kavanagh is
assigned to the case. He's shocked when he learns the victim is connected to another homicide
which makes the investigation very personal for him. Brick's efforts to solve the case are
thwarted by departmental politics and a rush to judgment. Convinced that justice has not been
served and the wrong person is in jail, Kavanagh risks all to relentlessly pursue the truth.
Overlooked evidence ultimately leads to a devastating conclusion in a heartbreaking case.
Critique: A riveting police procedural style mystery by an author with a particularly deft touch as
a storyteller, "Relentless" by Shawn Wilson will prove to be an impressively popular addition to
community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists
of all dedicated mystery buffs that "Relentless" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$10.49).
Tracking Game: A Timber Creek K-9 Mystery
Margaret Mizushima
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781643851358, $26.99, HC, 282pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: An explosion outside a community dance sends Mattie Cobb and Cole Walker reeling
into the night, where they discover a burning van and beside it the body of outfitter Nate Fletcher.
But the explosion didn't kill Nate -- it was two gunshots to the heart.
The investigation leads them to the home of rancher Doyle Redman, whose daughter is Nate's
widow, and the object of one of their suspect's affection. But before they can make an arrest, they
receive an emergency call from a man who's been shot in the mountains. Mattie and Robo rush to
the scene, only to be confronted by the ominous growl of a wild predator.
As new players emerge on the scene, Mattie begins to understand the true danger that's
enveloping Timber Creek. They journey into the cold, misty mountains to track the animal -- but
discover something even more deadly!
Critique: "Tracking Game" is the fifth installment in Margaret Mizushima's deftly crafted Timber
Creek K-9 mystery series. An inherently fascinating 'whodunnit' style mystery novel, "Tracking
Game" is a riveting read from cover to cover and will prove to be an immediate and enduringly
popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the
personal reading lists of Margaret Mizushima fans and all dedicated mystery buffs that "Tracking
Game" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Body on the Train
Frances Brody
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781643851600, $26.99, HC, 329pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: London, 1929. In the darkness before dawn, a railway porter, unloading a special train
from Yorkshire, discovers a man's body, shot and placed in a sack. There are no means of
identification to be found and as Scotland Yard hits a dead end, they call on the inimitable Kate
Shackleton, a local sleuth, confident her local knowledge and investigative skills will produce
results. But it's no easy task.
Suspicion of political intrigue and fears of unrest in the Yorkshire coalfields, impose secrecy on
her already difficult task. The murder of a shopkeeper, around the same time, seems too much of
a coincidence. The convicted felon was found with blood on his hands, but it's too tidy and Kate
becomes convinced the police have the wrong man.
By then it's too late. Kate finds herself in a den of vipers. The real killer is still at large, and
having tinkered with Kate's car, nearly causes her to crash. Not only that, but Scotland Yard has
turned their back on her. As Kate edges toward the shocking truth, she's going to need all the
strength and resourcefulness she can muster to uncover this sinister web of deceit.
Critique: Another deftly written and simply riveting read from the pen of a master of the genre,
Frances Brody's "The Body on the Train" is the latest Kate Shackelton mystery novel and will
prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to any and all community library
Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated
mystery buffs and the growing legion of Frances Brody fans that "The Body on the Train" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Verse and Vengeance
Amanda Flower
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781643851518, $26.99, HC, 307pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A bicycle race is not Charming Books proprietor Violet Waverly's idea of a pleasant
pastime. But police chief David Rainwater wants them to enter the Tour de Cascade as a couple,
so she reluctantly consents.
The Tour de Cascade is the brainchild of Violet's Grandma Daisy. The race is a fundraiser to
build the Cascade Springs Underground Railroad Museum. But not everyone in this Niagara
Region village supports the race. As if the bike race weren't tiring enough, pesky private
investigator Joel Redding is snooping around Charming Books. It takes all of Violet's and
Grandma Daisy's ingenuity to keep Redding from discovering the shop's magical essence --
which communicates with Violet through books.
When Redding perishes in an accident during the race, David discovers that the brake line of the
private eye's bike was cut. Worse, Violet tops his list of suspects. As Emerson the tuxedo cat and
resident crow Faulkner look on, Charming Books steers Violet to the works of Walt Whitman to
solve the crime. But no other names ring a bell as culprits, and as David's investigation picks up
speed, Violet will have to get in gear to clear her name.
Critique: A fun, fast paced, and impressively original mystery by one of the very best, "Verse and
Vengeance" is the newest addition to author Amanda Flower's simply outstanding 'A Magical
Bookshop Mystery' series. While certain to be an immediate and popular attraction for any
community library's Mystery/Suspense collection, it should be noted for the growing legion of
Amanda Flower fans that "Verse and Vengeance" is also available for their personal reading lists
in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Murder at the Opera
D. M. Quincy
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781643852355, $26.99, HC, 330pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Amateur sleuth Atlas Catesby is about to discover the dark side of the bright lights. His
long-awaited night at the opera with Lady Lilliana ends abruptly when a notorious courtesan is
shot to death in London's Covent Garden.
The infamous victim was the mistress of the powerful Marquess of Vessey. Atlas believes that
the marquess (his former brother in law) is responsible for the long-ago death of Atlas's sister,
Phoebe. Atlas seizes the opportunity to potentially avenge his sister's death. But his inquiry is
complicated when Phoebe's grown son implores Atlas to help prove Vessey's innocence.
Plunging into the cutthroat backstage life of the theatre community, the adventurer and the
noblewoman soon discover that ruthless professional rivalries can escalate into violence, setting
the stage for death in "Murder at the Opera".
Critique: Author D. M. Quincy's third riveting Atlas Catesby mystery set in the Regency England
of 1815, "Murder at the Opera" once again showcases this novelist's complete master of the
mystery genre with another historical where meticulous attention is routinely paid to even the
most smallest of details. While fully endorsed and unreservedly recommended for community
library Historical Mystery collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of all
dedicated mystery buffs that "Murder at the Opera" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $12.99).
The Bodies in the Library
Marty Wingate
Berkley Prime Crime
www.penguinrandomhouse.com
9781984804105, $26.00
The Bodies in the Library tells of Hayley Burke's new job as the curator of a rare book library in
a Georgian home in England. Her pleasure over her new position is married by odd characters,
resistance to her new ideas for the library, lack of knowledge about some of its holdings, and
finally, a murder in the library. Originally charged with overseeing the collection, Hayley now
must preserve the First Edition Society itself by solving a murder. This moving story will intrigue
bibliophiles and anyone interested in literary-based murder mysteries.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
The Best of Jerry Pournelle
John F. Carr editor
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
www.baen.com
9781982124175, $16.00, PB, 576pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The late Jerry Eugene Pournelle (August 7, 1933 - September 8, 2017) was an
American polymath: scientist in the area of operations research and human factors research,
science fiction writer, essayist, journalist, and one of the first bloggers. In an obituary in
gizmodo, he is described as "a tireless ambassador for the future". Pournelle is particularly
known for writing hard science fiction, and received multiple awards for his writing. In addition
to his solo writing, he wrote several novels with collaborators, most notably Larry Niven.
Pournelle also served a term as President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.
(Wikipedia)
Compiled and edited by John Francis Carr (a successful and experienced American science
fiction editor and writer in his own right), "The Best of Jerry Pournelle" is a compendium that
includes a sampling of both Pournelle's own stories and contributions by his fellow SciFi authors
who worked in collaboration with him and/or who were influenced by him.
Critique: An impressive anthology showcasing some of the best of Jerry Pournelle's work, this
simply outstanding contribution to the archives of Science Fiction is fully endorsed and
unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Science Fiction & Fantasy
collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists dedicated science fiction enthusiasts,
as well as the legions of Jerry Pournell's fans, the "The Best of Jerry Pournelle" is also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Minecraft: The End
Catherynne M. Valente
catherynnemvalente.com
Del Rey
c/o Penguin Random House
penguinrandomhouse.com
9780399180729 $17.99 hc / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: The brand-new official Minecraft novel is an epic battle for survival! When humans
enter the End, a pair of endermen must decide which side they're really on.
For as long as they can remember, the twin endermen Fin and Mo have lived in the mysterious
land of the End. On the outskirts of the great enderman city of Telos, they explore ancient ruins
under the watchful gaze of the mighty ender dragon. They have everything they need in the end
ship they call home, and know everything there is to know about their world - or so they think
until the strangers from another dimension arrive.
The invaders are called humans, and they've come to steal artifacts and slay the ender dragon. Fin
and Mo are ready to protect their home from the trespassers, but when they come face-to-face
with the humans, they discover that they aren't as prepared for battle as they'd thought. Caught off
guard, the twins are trapped in the middle of a war between the endermen and the humans, with
the future of their home at stake.
Critique: An official fantasy novel set in the world of the fantastically popular building-and-
survival game Minecraft, Minecraft: The End is primarily set in the area of the game that players
only reach when attempting the one of the game's greatest challenges - The End, where the
ferocious Enderdragon challenges any player who wishes to "beat the game". The End is also
populated by Endermen, who are murderously hostile to any human that looks upon them. But
the Endermen see themselves as servants of the Great Chaos, duty-bound to contest Order, by
opposing humans (whose tendency to construct buildings establishes them as servants of order)
and injecting disorder into human structures (by stealing the occasional block). The End is a
beautiful, eerie place where two young Endermen, Fin and Mo, live on their own, apart from and
on barely-passable terms with the other Endermen. Sometimes, on special days, the Enderdragon
communicates with them. The Enderdragon is definitely not nice, yet they feel an attachment to
it... and then one day, a small band of human explorers ventures into The End, with a self-
appointed mission to slay the Enderdragon! A vivid, emotional saga with shocking twists and
turns, Minecraft: The End is a "must-read" for connoisseurs of the game. Also highly
recommended are the previous official Minecraft novels: "Minecraft: The Island" by Max
Brooks; "Minecraft: The Crash" by Tracey Baptiste; and "Minecraft: The Lost Journals" by Mur
Lafferty. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Minecraft: The End" is also available
in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Supernova Era
Cixin Liu, author
Joel Martinsen, translator
Tor
www.tor.com
9781250306036 $27.99 hc / $14.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: Eight light years away, a star has died, creating a supernova event that showers Earth
in deadly levels of radiation. Within a year, everyone over the age of thirteen will die.
And so the countdown begins. Parents apprentice their children and try to pass on the knowledge
needed to keep the world running.
But when the world is theirs, the last generation may not want to continue the legacy left to them.
And in shaping the future however they want, will the children usher in an era of bright
beginnings or final mistakes?
Critique: Supernova Era is a science fiction novel that postulates: what if a disaster were to kill
everyone over the age of thirteen? What if the adult generations had only one year to teach the
younger generation how to survive before their passing? What type of world would the children
create - a dream of impossible brilliance, or a macabre nightmare similar to "Lord of the Flies"?
Smoothly and superbly translated into English, Supernova Era is the unforgettable chronicle of
the permanent transformation of human culture, riveting to the very last page. Highly
recommended, especially for personal and public library science fiction collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that Supernova Era is also available in a Kindle edition
($14.99).
Antediluvian
Wil McCarthy
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
www.baen.com
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
www.recordedbooks.com
9781481484312, $25.00, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: What if our legends are older than we think? All the Stone Age has left behind are
rocks and bones; all other materials have rotted away, leaving no trace. But what if "cave men"
never existed, and the Stone Age was a time of great sophistication still preserved in our oldest
stories?
In a brilliant and dangerous brain hacking experiment, Harv Leonel and Tara Mukherjee are
about to discover entire lifetimes of human memory coded in our genes, and reveal ancient
legends (ranging from knights and trolls, to flood myths, to the birth of humanity itself) that are
as real as they are deadly.
Before disaster erased the coastlines and river valleys of the Antediluvian age (i.e. before the
Flood) men and women struggled and yearned and innovated in a world of savage contrasts into
which Harv and Tara are thrust, unprepared. Will their science be enough to save them?
Critique: A deftly crafted, impressively original, and unique time travel novel that showcases
author Wil McCarthy's extraordinary narrative storytelling style, "Antediluvian" is unreservedly
recommended for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted
for the personal reading lists of all dedicated time travel sciences fiction fans that "Antediluvian"
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio
book (Recorded Books, B07ZTQPCD4, $24.49, 10 hours 46 minutes).
Hell Divers VI: Allegiance
Nicholas Sansbury Smith
Blackstone Publishing
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781538557198, $24.99, HC, 400pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: After a long and bloody battle, legendary Hell Diver Xavier Rodriguez reigns as the
dutiful but reluctant new king of the islands. Advised by a council of former sky citizens as well
as Cazadores, he works to assimilate the two societies peacefully. But not all Cazadores have
accepted the new order.
While X tries to ease tensions at home, a rookie team of divers, led by Michael Everhart, returns
to the skies in Discovery, formerly the ITC Deliverance. Their mission: to locate other human
survivors throughout the world and rescue them. But Michael's team aren't the only ones
searching for survivors. A gruesome discovery reveals that android defectors continue to hunt
humans across the globe. And they may not be the only ones.
In a race against time, the Hell Divers may be the only obstacle to enemies bent on wiping out
the final pockets of survivors and extinguishing the human genome forever.
Critique: Another simply riveting read from the imaginative pen of science fiction author
Nicholas Sansbury Smith, "Hell Divers VI: Allegiance" is unreservedly recommended for
community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of all dedicated sci-fi buffs in general, and the growing legions of Nicholas Smith
fans in particular, that "Hell Divers VI: Allegiance" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781982669867, $9.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.29).
1636: The China Venture
Eric Flint and Iver P. Cooper
Baen Books
www.baen.com
9781481484237, $25.00
1636: The China Venture adds another adventure to the alternate history series, and prior readers
should be delighted. Here the new United States of Europe is embarking on trade talks with the
Chinese Empire, with savvy former pirate Zheng Zhilong's knowledge of the futuristic town of
Grantville helping predict the future of the Ming dynasty. Zheng has a personal stake in the
outcome because he struggles to help his family, but China is suspicious of strangers. Can the
Grantsville people help establish new diplomatic relations between empires armed with the
foreknowledge of change? An engrossing alternate history emerges, based on the foundations of
the 1636 premise and highly recommended for prior fans of the series.
The Christian Studies Shelf
Invitation to Church History: American
John D. Hannah
Kregel Publications
2450 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.kregel.com
9780825443855, $49.99, HC, 464pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Invitation to Church History: American" by John D. Hannah (who is the Department
Chairman and Distinguished Professor of Historical Theology at Dallas Theological Seminary) is
specifically designed for both an educated lay audience and for students in introductory college
and seminary church history courses. A profusely illustrated and visually stunning textbook,
"Invitation to Church History: American" is carefully written for first-time learners as it walks
readers through the story of God's people from Christ to the contemporary church around the
world.
"Invitation to Church History: American" enhances and facilitates learning through photos that
make the material come alive for the reader; diagrams clarify and distill complex concepts and
sets of information; and review materials aid the student in processing and retaining the concepts
in each chapter.
Readers will gain a clear understanding of the meaning of the gospel, the wonder of divine
redemption, and the majesty of God. The story of the church is presented as part of the
redemptive history of God and His people. With a conservative, Christ-centered perspective.
Critique: "Invitation to Church History: American" is exceptionally well written, impressively
informative, deftly organized and accessible presented, making it an ideal and unreservedly
recommended curriculum textbook for study groups, seminary students, clergy, and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.
Divine Humility
Matthew A. Wilcoxen
Baylor University Press
One Bear Place, #97363. Waco, TX 76798-7363
www.baylorpress.com
9781481309981, $39.95, HC, 237pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Matthew A. Wilcoxen, Ph.D., is an Anglican priest and systematic theologian. He is
the Associate Rector at Church of the Resurrection in Washington, D.C., and the founder of The
Augustine Center in Georgetown.
In "Divine Humility: God's Morally Perfect Being" Wilcoxen first examines how to refer
properly to God's being. Contending with those who say that human concepts cannot
communicate God's being at all, Wilcoxen articulates an account of theological concepts that
holds together simultaneously both God's objectivity (that he is "for us") and God's subjectivity --
that he remains yet totally free.
Wilcoxen also argues that the concept best positioned to achieve this objective is humility,
which, in the Christian tradition, has been considered the paragon of virtues and should thus
fittingly be attributed to God's character.
Wilcoxen next explores divine humility through the work of three different theologians --
Augustine, Karl Barth, and Katherine Sonderegger. Augustine, Wilcoxen argues, ascribes
humility to God in a tantalizing way, but fails to explain further its doctrinal implications. Karl
Barth articulates a more developed doctrine of divine humility by linking God's divine being to
his redemptive work. But Barth's account ultimately suffers because it flatly equates humility
with obedience and divides the divine will into the separate entities of the Father and the Son. It
is the recent work of Katherine Sonderegger that best articulates an account of divine humility
that carries forward Augustine's mantle and overcomes the problems in Barth's account. By
connecting God's humility to divine energy, Sonderegger shows how God can be near to creation
without overwhelming it.
Ultimately, Wilcoxen contends that humility's importance as a divine attribute indicates that it
should be fully considered in any Christian doctrine of God. Divine Humility serves as an
important reminder to Christians that God can be near to creation without overwhelming it.
Critique: Enhanced for seminary students and academia with the inclusion of an eight page
Bibliography, twenty-six pages of Notes, and a four page Index of Names and Subjects, "Divine
Humility: God's Morally Perfect Being" is a meticulous work of theological scholarship that is as
informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking. An ideal and core addition
to church, seminary, community, college, and university library Contemporary Christian
Theology collections and supplemental studies reading lists, "Divine Humility" is unreservedly
recommended for students, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject.
Armchair Mystic
Mark E. Thibodeaux, S.J.
Franciscan Media
https://info.franciscanmedia.org
9781632532886, $16.99, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Taking a decidedly accessible non-specialist general reader approach, in "Armchair
Mystic: How Contemplative Prayer Can Lead You Closer to God" spiritual director, retreat
director, high school teacher, and a Jesuit priest, Mark E. Thibodeaux (who holds a Master of
Divinity degree from Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts) deftly
blends theory and practice, gently and concretely taking the reader through the first steps of
contemplative prayer.
"Armchair Mystic" begins with the necessary details of time and place to pray, then presents the
maturation of the prayer life in four stages: Talking at God, Talking to God, Listening to God,
and Being with God. Step-by-step exercises throughout "Armchair Mystic" provide concrete
examples of how to use the concepts discussed. "Armchair Mystic" will prove invaluable to
individuals and small groups who are new to contemplative prayer, or who wish to deepen their
experience of it. This newly updated and expanded edition includes a new preface and afterword
from the author.
Critique: Informative, thought-provoking, inspired and inspiring, "Armchair Mystic: How
Contemplative Prayer Can Lead You Closer to God" will prove to be of immense value for
seminary students, clergy, and non-specialist general readers -- and should be considered an
important and unreservedly recommended addition to church, seminary, and academic library
Contemporary Christian Theology collections and supplemental studies curriculum lists.
Gateway of Life
Mary B. Cunningham
SVS Press
575 Scarsdale Road, Yonkers, NY 10707
www.svspress.com
9780881415247, $20.00, PB, 197pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The Bible, taken on its own, gives us little information about Mary, the virgin who
bore and gave birth to Jesus Christ. Yet throughout the history of the Christian Church she has
been the focus of unparalleled love and devotion, the subject of fervent prayer. For countless
people she is the heavenly mother, the first one to turn to with their urgent hopes and desperate
needs. To add to this, she has been the subject of significant debate over the centuries,
concerning theology as well as devotion.
Theologically, there were ancient questions centered on the person of Christ, whom she bore in
her womb. More recently, many Christians as well as non-Christians are puzzled: What in the
Bible gives us the foundation for this degree of attention to Mary? Is not her veneration a
potentially dangerous exaggeration, akin to goddess-worship? Is it not God, and His Christ and
His Spirit, that are our proper focuses?
Such questions arise especially in the churches born of the Reformation, although they can
emanate also from people within churches where she is deeply venerated. It is not always easy to
answer such queries, as the heartfelt love surrounding our experience of Mary makes it
impossible fully to explain and still less feasible to convince someone of it. Yet we can learn a
great deal from an informed and engaged exploration of the ways Mary, the Mother of God, has
been understood in the Church. "Gateway of Life: Orthodox Thinking on the Mother of God ", by
scholar and person of faith Mary B. Cunningham, provides exactly that.
Critique: Mary B. Cunningham is Assistant Professor in the Department of Theology and
Religious Studies at the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom. She has published articles
and books on Byzantine homiletics, hagiography, and hymnography. In "Gateway of Life:
Orthodox Thinking on the Mother of God" she provides an impressively thoughtful and thought-
provoking study of the role of Mary and her place within the context of Christian history and
Christian theology. Of immense interest for clergy, seminary students, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject, "Gateway of Life" is unreservedly recommended for
church, seminary, and academic library Contemporary Christian Theology collections in general,
and the role of Mary within Orthodox Christianity in particular.
First and Second Thessalonians
Nathan Eubank
Baker Academic
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
9781540962430, $29.99, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The Pauline epistles, also called Epistles of Paul or Letters of Paul, are the thirteen
books of the New Testament attributed to Paul the Apostle, although authorship of some is in
dispute. Among these letters are some of the earliest extant Christian documents. They provide
an insight into the beliefs and controversies of early Christianity.
First and Second Thessalonians are the two of the Pauline epistles or letters addressed to the
Christian community of Thessalonia and were added to the official canon of the New Testament
by the Council of Nicea under the rule of the Emperor Constantine.
The final volume of the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture New Testament series, "First
and Second Thessalonians" by Nathan Frank (Associate Professor of New Testament, University
of Notre Dame) interprets Scripture from within the living tradition of the Church for pastoral
ministers, lay readers, and students.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "First and Second Thessalonians"
is unreservedly recommended for seminary, church, college, and university library New
Testament Studies collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminary
students, clergy, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"First and Second Thessalonians" is also available in a paperback edition (9780801049446,
$21.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Revelation as Civil Disobedience
Thomas B. Slater
Abingdon Press
2222 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., PO Box 280988, Nashville, TN 37228-0988
www.abingdonpress.com
9781501841743, $29.99, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Thomas B. Slater is Professor of New Testament Language & Literature at McAfee
School of Theology. He teaches introductory and advanced courses in New Testament studies
and New Testament Greek. His Ph.D. is from King's College London. He is an ordained elder in
the Georgia North Region of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, and holds positions on
denominational committees.
In "Revelation as Civil Disobedience: Witnesses Not Warriors in John's Apocalypse", Professor
Slater contends that the New Testament book of Revelation is a form of civil disobedience that
focuses upon sustaining a faithful witness in spite of the consequences. Professor Slater defines
civil disobedience as resisting unjust laws in nonviolent ways even if it means the potential death
of the protestor (e.g., Rev. 12:11).
Along those same lines, "Revelation as Civil Disobedience" also redefines conquering as
sustaining a faithful witness under duress, modeled after the faithfulness of Jesus, even to death
(e.g., 1:5; 2:10, 26-28; 6:9-11; 14:12; 20:4). Even when resistance is expressed in military terms,
Christians never take up arms (e.g., Rev 12:7-12; 14:1-5; 19:11-21) but overcome evil through
their faithful witness. Professor Slater argues, for example, that Rev 19:21 symbolically refers to
a powerful spoken witness that defeats evil.
This study develops a way for Christians to read and appreciate the Book of Revelation. Many
decry the violent nature of the book without noting that Christians are never encouraged to take
up arms. Along those same lines, many lay persons see the Book of Revelation as a justification
for military intervention against Satan and his minions. They too miss the fact that the Book of
Revelation never tells Christians to arm themselves. Rather, Christians defeat evil by witnessing
faithfully. Both sides would be challenged to rethink and reassess their respective positions given
the stress on faithful witness in this final book comprising the New Testament.
Critique: Thoughtful and thought provoking, documented in detail, and an inherently interesting
read recommended for all students of the New Testament, it should be noted that "Revelation as
Civil Disobedience" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.19).
What Is the Bible and How Do We Understand It?
Dennis R. Edwards
Herald Press
P.O. Box 866, Harrisonburg, VA 22803
www.heraldpress.com
9781513805641, $12.99, PB, 120pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Reading the Bible is one thing. Understanding how the Bible came to be and how it
can guide our faith and life? That's quite another.
In the pages of "What Is the Bible and How Do We Understand It?", urban minister Dennis R.
Edwards (Associate Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary, Lisle, Illinois) offers a
succinct and profound investigation of Scripture. By holding up Jesus as the interpretive key and
inviting us to read the Bible with the marginalized, Professor Edwards challenges us to a
Christ-centered approach to hermeneutics. What does it mean to read the Bible with Jesus at the
center? How does Scripture illuminate the work of God in the world?
Professor Edwards shines light on contemporary debates about the Bible and calls us to faithful,
loving interpretations and applications of the Word of God.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "What Is the Bible and How Do
We Understand It?" is particularly recommended for both seminary students and non-specialist
general readers. An ideal selection for Bible study groups, it should be noted for personal reading
lists that "What Is the Bible and How Do We Understand It?" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $8.69).
Francis of Assisi: Messenger for Today's World
Robert Waldron
New City Press
202 Cardinal Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538
www.newcitypress.com
9781565486898, $19.95, PB, 108pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Francis of Assisi: Messenger for Today's World" by Robert Waldron will well serve
as an introduction to the life of on of the world's favorite saint. In this informative study Waldron
explores Francis from three perspectives: biographical, psychological and aesthetic.
"Francis of Assisi: Messenger for Today's World" is innovative because Waldron understands
Francis through our new science of psychology and through the beauty of Bellini's masterpiece
St. Francis in the Desert -- the painting shown on the cover of the book.
For a psychological understanding Waldron employs Carl Jung's theory of individuation: the
steps taken by Francis to become his True Self. Waldron also employs Bellini's painting to shed
light on St. Francis the mystic, he who was gifted by God with the Stigmata.
Waldron also addresses Francis's poem The Canticle of the Creatures, offering an exegesis of the
poem that also provides insights into the saint's life as Christian and as a mystic. "Francis of
Assisi: Messenger for Today's World" also includes a Study Guide that encourages the reader to
go more deeply into understanding Francis's life.
Critique: An ideal text for individual and group studies of the life, work and message of Francis
of Assis, this deftly written, thoroughly 'reader friendly', inspired and inspiring presentation is
unreservedly recommended to the attention of all members of the Catholic community. It should
be noted that "Francis of Assisi: Messenger for Today's World" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Political Science Shelf
Understanding Emotions in Post-Factual Politics
Anna Durnova
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060-3815
www.e-elgar.com
9781788114813, $115.00, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: With the coming of the Trump administration, politics in America was introduced to
the concept of 'alternative facts' -- a code phrase for deliberately and knowingly lying to the
American public as a means of exerting, fostering, and protecting corruption.
An insightful lens into the contemporary state of post-factual politics, "Understanding Emotions
in Post-Factual Politics: Negotiating Truth" by Anna Durnova (Department of Public and Social
Policy, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic and Institute for Advanced Studies, Vienna,
Austria) is timely study that deftly explores the perceived binary nature of facts and emotions,
suggesting ways to integrate them. Professor Durnova shows that in order to understand
post-factual politics, we must unveil the role of emotion in the discursive registers through which
politics is constructed and knowledge is legitimized.
By analyzing and comparing scientists' protests against the Trump presidency with famous
scientific controversies in modern medicine, "Understanding Emotions in Post-Factual Politics"
redefines truth as a negotiation in public discourse between the interplay of values, beliefs and
facts. Individual chapters examine the ways in which people see emotions as being opposed to
facts, unpacking how this ultimate opposition limits public discussion on science in the wake of
alternative facts and 'fake news'.
Political science students and academics will find the new discussion of post-factual politics
through the lens of emotions a timely and important read. "Understanding Emotions in
Post-Factual Politics" is also ideal for social movements scholars with the March for Science a
key case study used to examine the gap between emotions and facts in modern day times.
Critique: Enhanced with the inclusion of figures, a listing of abbreviations, and informative
introduction to 'post-factual politics' (including a note on methodology and data material), an
appendix, a twenty-eight page list of references, and a five page index, "Understanding Emotions
in Post-Factual Politics: Negotiating Truth" is a seminal, ground-breaking work of simply
outstanding scholarship -- making it unreservedly recommended for college and university
library Contemporary Political Science collections and supplemental curriculum studies reading
lists.
Pitchfork Populism
Bradford R. Kane
Prometheus Books
15200 NBN Way, Blue Ridge Summit, PA 17214
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633885820, $25.00, HC, 376pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Deftly identifying the political, social, and cultural forces led to the election of
President Donald Trump, in "Pitchfork Populism: Ten Political Forces That Shaped an Election
and Continue to Change America" veteran political analyst Bradford Kane informatively
examines the forces that led to the rise of the current form of populism and considers their
continuing influence on the future of American politics.
"Pitchfork Populism" also explores ten dynamics of American politics and society that played a
role in the 2016 presidential election and continue to exert an influence on current politics. Kane
examines both the present impact of the Trump presidency and the future trajectories of the
trends that brought Trump to power. Some of these dynamics have deep historical roots, such as
the cultural divide between those who define our national identity in terms of rugged
individualism versus those who emphasize community collectivism. Kane notes that these
opposing viewpoints helped craft our national identity as far back as the 1700s.
"Pitchfork Populism" also considers the effect of changing demographics, such as the trend that
points to the emergence of a new majority composed of combined minority groups, which will
have a profound effect on community relations and politics. Kane foresees a return to established
policy processes and governing principles after the Trump presidency, as opposed to rule based
on the president's personal interests. He anticipates greater empowerment of the electorate as
more demographic groups are increasingly enfranchised.
Kane also forecasts the potential impact of recent developments on the 2020 election and beyond.
Other topics discussed are the role of the media, accountability, globalization, the future of
bipartisanship, and more. This astute analysis by a veteran government insider will help
Americans understand recent events and provides a roadmap for navigating the future political
landscape.
Critique: A timely and inherently fascinating study, "Pitchfork Populism: Ten Political Forces
That Shaped an Election and Continue to Change America" is an extraordinary and unreservedly
recommended addition to community and academic library Contemporary Political Science
collections and curriculum supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading
lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"Pitchfork Populism" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Editorial Note: Bradford R. Kane has served in the US Congress as Legislative Counsel to
Congresswoman Cardiss Collins; as Counsel to the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee
on Commerce, Consumer Protection; and as a member of President Clinton's Task Force on
Health Care Reform. Thereafter, he served the State of California as Deputy Controller,
Legislation, and subsequently, as a Deputy Secretary of Information Technology. He was also a
member of the Nielsen Media Research Task Force on Television Measurement; created the
Bipartisan Bridge (a public policy initiative to advance bipartisanship in American government);
and developed environmental and economic equity initiatives. In the global arena, he was CEO
of the International Commission on Workforce Development; a Strategy Council member of the
United Nations Global Alliance on ICT & Development; and Director of International
Development and Director of Strategic Initiatives for TechSoup Global.
The Military Shelf
A Raid Over Berlin
John Martin
Charnwood Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444842227, $35.50, HC, Large Print, 162pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Trapped inside a burning Lancaster bomber 20,000 feet above Berlin, wireless operator
John Martin consigned himself to his fate and turned his thoughts to his fiancee back home. In a
miraculous turn of events, however, the twenty-one-year-old was thrown clear of his
disintegrating aeroplane and found himself parachuting into the heart of Nazi Germany, where he
was soon captured.
Drawn from his own memories, and from conversations with other POWs, "A Raid Over Berlin"
is the true-life account of a Second World War airman who cheated death in the sky, only to face
interrogation and the prospect of being shot by the Gestapo, before enduring months of sorrow
and hunger as a prisoner of war. Above all, however, it is the story of one man's courage and
determination in the face of adversity.
Critique: A deftly written and thoroughly fascinating account, "A Raid Over Berlin" by John
Martin will prove to be a welcome addition to the growing body of World War II memoirs and
biographies. This large print edition of "A Raid Over Berlin" is an especially recommended
addition to the personal reading lists of dedicated military history buffs, as well as both
community and academic library World War II history collections and supplemental studies
reading lists.
The American History Shelf
Washington's Revolutionary War Generals
Stephen R. Taaffe
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
www.oupress.com
9780806164311, $39.95, HC, 360pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: When the Revolutionary War began, Congress established a national army and
appointed George Washington its commander in chief. Congress then took it upon itself to
choose numerous subordinate generals to lead the army's various departments, divisions, and
brigades. How this worked out in the end is well known. Less familiar, however, is how well
Congress's choices worked out along the way.
Although historians have examined many of Washington's subordinates, "Washington's
Revolutionary War Generals" by Stephen R. Taaffe (Professor of History at Stephen F. Austin
State University, Nacogdoches, Texas) is the first study to look at these men in a collective,
integrated manner. A thoroughgoing study of the Revolutionary War careers of the Continental
Army's generals (their experience, performance, and relationships with Washington and the
Continental Congress) )Professor Taaffe provides an overview of the politics of command, both
within and outside the army, and a unique perspective on how it affected Washington's
prosecution of the war.
The principle contention of Professor Taafe is that it is impossible to understand the outcome of
the War for Independence without first examining America's military leadership. His description
of Washington's generals (who they were, how they received their commissions, and how they
performed) goes a long way toward explaining how these American officers, who were short on
experience and military genius, ultimately prevailed over their professional British
counterparts.
"Washington's Revolutionary War Generals" follows these men through the war's most important
battles and campaigns as well as its biggest controversies, such as the Conway Cabal and the
Newburgh Conspiracy, Professor Taaffe deftly weaves a narrative in the grand tradition of
military history. Against this backdrop, his depiction of the complexities and particulars of
character and politics of military command provides a new understanding of George Washington,
the War for Independence, and the U.S. military's earliest beginnings.
Critique: Expertly combining biography, institutional history, and political analysis,
"Washington's Revolutionary War Generals" is a meticulously researched work of seminal
scholarship, and an eminently readable and impressively informative contribution to the growing
body of American Revolutionary War literature. While especially recommended for both
community and academic library American History collections in general, and American
Revolutionary War supplemental studies curriculums in particular, it should be noted for the
personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in
the subject that "Washington's Revolutionary War Generals" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $32.95).
From the Halls of the Montezumas
Alan D. Gaff & Donald H. Gaff, editors
University of North Texas Press
1155 Union Circle #311336, Denton, TX 76203-5017
www.untpress.unt.edu
9781574417678, $39.95, HC, 486pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: James L. Freaner is arguably one of the most important unknown Americans in our
nation's history. Freaner gained fame throughout the country during the Mexican War while
covering General Winfield Scott's campaign. As one of America's first war correspondents,
Freaner's letters appeared in newspapers under the byline "Mustang," and his reports from the
front included information unavailable elsewhere. Among Freaner's scoops were the publication
of complete casualty lists (long before official reports became public), detailed battle
descriptions, and observations on postwar Mexico.
Despite his widespread fame as a reporter, Freaner's greatest contribution to the United States
came during a conversation with Nicholas P. Trist, negotiator of the peace treaty with Mexico.
After Trist had passed along an outrageous proposal from the Mexican commissioners, he was
recalled, but Freaner convinced Trist to ignore the order and begin a new round of negotiations.
Trist resumed, concluded the war, and added California, Nevada, Utah, and other territory to a
growing country. This acquisition was second in size only to the Louisiana Purchase and was a
direct result of James Freaner persuading Trist to brazenly conclude a treaty when he had no
authority to do so.
"From the Halls of the Montezumas" is a complete compilation of Freaner's Mexican War
reporting. Editors Alan D. Gaff (an independent scholar and President of Historical
Investigations) and Donald H. Gaff (Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of
Northern Iowa) have annotated the text with footnotes identifying people, places, and events, and
also have added illustrations of key figures and maps. They supplement Freaner's dispatches with
biographical information that ranges from his early career to his journey to the gold fields of
California and his untimely death at the hands of Indians in California in 1852.
Critique: A sterling work of seminal scholarship and an impressive contribution to 19th Century
American history, "From the Halls of the Montezumas: Mexican War Dispatches from James L.
Freaner, Writing under the Pen Name "Mustang" is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of
a ten page Bibliography and a twelve page Index. While especially and unreservedly
recommended for community, college, and university library collections, it should be noted for
the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "From the Halls of the Montezumas" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $31.96).
The World History Shelf
A Brief History of China
Jonathan Clements
Tuttle Publishing
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9780804850056 $16.99 pbk / $10.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: For millennia, China was the largest and richest nation on earth. Two centuries ago,
however, its economy sank into a depression from which it had not fully recovered - until now.
China's modern resurgence as the world's largest nation in terms of population and its
second-largest economy - where 800 million people have been lifted out of poverty in the space
of a few decades - is the greatest untold story of the 21st century.
A Brief History of China tells of the development of a rich and complex civilization where the
use of paper, writing, money and gunpowder were widespread in ancient times and where silk,
ceramics, tea, metal implements and other products were produced and exported around the
globe. It examines the special conditions that allowed a single culture to unify an entire continent
spanning 10 billion square kilometers under the rule of a single man - and the unbelievably rich
artistic, literary and architectural heritage that Chinese culture has bequeathed to the world.
Equally fascinating is the story of China's decline in the 19th and early 20th century - as
Europeans and Americans took center stage - and its modern resurgence as an economic
powerhouse in recent years.
In his retelling of a Chinese history stretching back 5,000 years, author and China-expert
Jonathan Clements focuses on the human stories which led to the powerful transformations in
Chinese society - from the unification of China under its first emperor, Qinshi Huangdi, and the
writings of the great Chinese philosophers Confucius and Laozi, to the Mongol invasion under
Genghis Khan and the consolidation of Communist rule under Mao Zedong. Clements even
brings readers through to the present day, outlining China's economic renaissance under Deng
Xiaoping and Xi Jinping.
What really separates this book from its counterparts is the focus on women, and modern themes
such as diversity and climate change. Chinese history is typically told through the stories of its
most famous men, but Clements' telling gives women equal time and research - which introduces
readers of this book to equally important, but less commonly-known facts and historical
figures.
Critique: A Brief History of China: Dynasty, Revolution and Transformation lives up to its title
as a concense yet accurate account of 5,000 years of Chinese history, up to the present day.
Written with a scholar's attention to detail, yet thoroughly accessible to readers of all
backgrounds, A Brief History of China is especially notable for its equitable emphasis on the
historical contributions of women, as well as men. A Brief History of China is a "must-have" for
public and college library World History collections, highly recommended. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that A Brief History of China is also available in a Kindle edition
($10.99).
A Brief History of Korea
Michael J. Seth
Tuttle Publishing
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9780804851022 $15.99 pbk / $10.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: Korea was one of the last countries in Asia to be visited by Westerners, and its borders
have remained largely unchanged since it was unified in the seventh century. Though it is one of
the world's oldest and most ethnically homogeneous states, Korea was not born in a vacuum.
Geographically isolated, the country was heavily influenced by powerful China and was often
used as a bridge to the mainland by Japan.
Calling themselves as "a shrimp among whales", Koreans borrowed elements of government,
culture, and religion, all the while fiercely fighting to maintain independence from powerful
neighbors. This fascinating book tells the story of Korean domestic dynasties, empires, and
states, as well as foreign conquest, occupation, and division. Today, the two Koreas are starkly
different - North Korea a nation closed to the world and South Korea an economic powerhouse
and center of Asian democracy.
Chronicling significant events right up through 2018's Singapore Summit, author Michael J. Seth
presents a relevant, interesting, and important history of Korea within a larger global context.
Korea's history is a turbulent one, but ultimately the story of a resistant and resourceful people in
search of lasting peace.
Critique: Michael J. Seth (Professor of World History at James Madison University) presents A
Brief History of Korea: Isolation, War, Despotism and Revival, a resource written with the
expertise of a scholar, yet thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds. A Brief History of
Korea encapsulates the rich legacy of Korean history from ancient times to the 2018 Singapore
Summit. Here is the saga of people sandwiched between extremely powerful neighbors, of
dynasties, empires, states, brutal foreign conquest, and in twentieth century, division into two
drastically different nations. Inset sections of full-color photographs, a bibliography, and an index
round out this "must-have" for public and college library World History collections. Highly
recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that A Brief History of Korea is also
available in a Kindle edition ($10.99).
India: A Short History
Andrew Robinson
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500295168, $16.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Throughout its long history, India has signified many things. To pilgrims from ancient
China, India was the birthplace of the Buddha. To Alexander the Great, it was a land of
philosophers and armies mounted on elephants. To ancient Rome, it was a source of luxuries. At
the height of the Mughal Empire in 1700, India meant wealth, boasting nearly 25 percent of the
world economy, but then, under British rule, its economy declined.
India's identity continued changing in the nineteenth century as colonial India was known for its
extremes of wealth and poverty (epitomized by the Taj Mahal and famines, maharajas and
untouchables) as well as for its spirituality: many- armed Hindu gods, Sufi saints and Buddhist
philosophy, Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore.
This short history of India by Andrew Robinson places as much emphasis on individuals, ideas,
and cultures as on the rise and fall of kingdoms, political parties, and economies, telling a new
story on a different scale.
Critique: Exceptionally informative, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation,
"India: A Short History" is and ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal reading
lists, as well as both community and academic library history collections in general, and India
supplemental studies reading lists in particular.
Editorial Note: Andrew Robinson has written more than twenty-five books on the arts and
sciences. They include Lost Languages: The Enigma of the World's Undeciphered Scripts, India:
A Short History, and Earthshock, which won the Association of Earth Science Editors
Outstanding Publication Award. He is also a regular contributor to magazines, such as Current
World Archaeology, History Today, The Lancet, Nature, and Science. A former literary editor of
The Times Higher Education Supplement, he was also a visiting fellow at the University of
Cambridge.
Life in Medieval Europe: Fact and Fiction
Daniele Cybulskie
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526733450, $19.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Life in Medieval Europe: Fact and Fiction" by Daniele Cybulskie was written
especially for those who have ever found themselves watching a show or reading a novel and
wondering what life was really like in the Middle Ages. What did people actually eat? Were they
really filthy? And did they ever get to marry for love?
In "Life in Medieval Europe: Fact and Fiction", inquisitive readers will find a wealth of fast and
fun answers to all their secret questions ranging from eating and drinking, to sex and love,
whether people bathed, what they did when they got sick, what actually happened to people
accused of crimes, medieval table manners, tournaments, and even toothpaste. From the etiquette
of royalty to whether or not people really did poop in the moat.
Critique: A fun and informative read from cover to cover, "Life in Medieval Europe: Fact and
Fiction" is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional,
community, and academic library Medieval History collections. It should be noted for the
personal reading lists of students, academia, and the non-specialist general reader with an interest
in the subject that "Life in Medieval Europe: Fact and Fiction" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $12.99).
Ireland and the Great War
Niamh Gallagher
Bloomsbury Academic
c/o Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781788314626, $115.00, HC, 280pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: On 4 August 1914 following the outbreak of European hostilities, large sections of
Irish Protestants and Catholics rallied to support the British and Allied war efforts. Yet less than
two years later, the Easter Rising of 1916 allegedly put a stop to the Catholic commitment in
exchange for a re-emphasis on the national question of Irish independence from Great
Britain.
In "Ireland and the Great War: A Social and Political History", Niamh Gallagher (a lecturer in
modern British and Irish history and a fellow of St Catharine's College at the University of
Cambridge) draws upon a formidable array of original research to offer a radical new reading of
Irish involvement in the world's first total war. Exploring the 'home front' and Irish diasporic
communities in Canada, Australia, and Britain, Gallagher reveals that substantial support for the
Allied war effort continued largely unabated not only until November 1918, but afterwards as
well.
Rich in social texture and with fascinating new case studies of Irish participation in the conflict,
"Ireland and the Great War" has the makings of a major rethinking of Ireland's twentieth
century.
Critique: A meticulously presented work of original scholarship, "Ireland and the Great War: A
Social and Political History" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended contribution to
the growing body of 19th Century Irish Emancipation literature. While a fully endorsed addition
to college and university library 19th Century Irish History collections and supplemental
curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia,
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Ireland and the Great War"
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $103.50).
Envisioning Empire
Robert A. Olwell & James M. Vaughn, editors
Bloomsbury Academic
c/o Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781350109964, $115.00, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by the team of Robert A. Olwell (Associate
Professor of History, University of Texas at Austin) and James M. Vaughn (Assistant Professor
of History, University of Texas at Austin) the contributors to "Envisioning Empire: The New
British World from 1763 to 1773" collectively examine the pivotal period between the end of the
Seven Years' War and the dawn of the American Revolution.
"Envisioning Empire" reinterprets the development of the British Empire in the 18th century.
With exceptional geographical scope, it also provides new ways of understanding the actors and
events in many imperial arenas, including West Africa, North America, the Caribbean, and South
Asia.
While 1763 has long been seen as marking a turning point in British and British-colonial history,
"Envisioning Empire" treats this epochal year, and the decade that followed, as constituting a
discrete 'moment' in Imperial history that is significant in its own right. Exploring the programs
and plans that sought to incorporate the vast new territories and millions of new subjects into the
British state and imperial system, it demonstrates how the period between the end of the Seven
Years' War and the beginning of the American Revolution was one of contested ideas about the
future of British overseas expansion.
By examining these competing imperial visions and designs from the perspective of Britain's new
subjects as well as from that of British ministers, "Envisioning Empire" both illuminates and
complicates the boundaries that have been drawn between the first and second British empires
and reveals how the Empire was being conceived, discussed, and debated during an era of rapid
transformation.
Critique: The nine erudite and informative essays that comprising "Envisioning Empire: The
New British World from 1763 to 1773" are enhanced for academia with the inclusion of an
impressively informative introduction (The Spirit of 1763), a list of figures, a listing of the
contributors and their credentials, and a fifteen page index. A collective work of seminal
scholarship, "Envisioning Empire" is unreservedly recommended, especially for college and
university library 18th Century History collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be
noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject
that "Envisioning Empire" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $103.50).
Retreat from Moscow
David Stahel
Farrar, Straus & Giroux
175 Varick Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10014
www.fsgbooks.com
9780374249526, $35.00, HC, 560pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Germany's winter campaign of 1941 - 1942 is commonly seen as its first defeat. In
"Retreat from Moscow: A New History of Germany's Winter Campaign, 1941-1942", David
Stahel (who is a senior lecturer in European history at the University of New South Wales, and
teaches at the Australian Defence Force Academy) is a bold, gripping account of one of the
seminal moments of World War II in which he argues that instead it was its first strategic success
in the East. The Soviet counteroffensive was in fact a Pyrrhic victory. Despite being pushed back
from Moscow, the Wehrmacht lost far fewer men, frustrated its enemy's strategy, and emerged in
the spring unbroken and poised to recapture the initiative.
Hitler's strategic plan called for holding important Russian industrial cities, and the German army
succeeded. The Soviets as of January 1942 aimed for nothing less than the destruction of Army
Group Center, yet not a single German unit was ever destroyed. Lacking the professionalism,
training, and experience of the Wehrmacht, the Red Army's offensive attempting to break
German lines in countless head-on assaults led to far more tactical defeats than victories.
Using accounts from journals, memoirs, and wartime correspondence, "Retreat from Moscow"
goes directly into the Wolf's Lair to reveal a German command at war with itself as generals on
the ground fought to maintain order and save their troops in the face of Hitler's capricious,
increasingly irrational directives. Excerpts from soldiers' diaries and letters home paint a rich
portrait of life and death on the front, where the men of the Ostheer battled frostbite nearly as
deadly as Soviet artillery.
Critique: Enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of an informative introduction, sixty-two
pages of notes, a twenty-two page bibliography, and a two page index, "Retreat from Moscow: A
New History of Germany's Winter Campaign, 1941-1942" is an extraordinary and unreservedly
recommended addition to community and academic library World War II Military History
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Retreat from Moscow" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book
(Tantor Audio, 9781452645865, $29.99, CD).
The United Kingdom: The Unification & Disintegration of Britain Since AD 43
John D. Grainger
Pen & Sword
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
c/o Casemate
https://www.casematepublishers.com
9781526748195 $39.95 hc / $6.90 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: John Grainger examines the long and erratic process by which the British Isles was
gradually (and as it turns out, temporarily) unified over the course of eighteen centuries, and the
subsequent beginnings of the process of disintegration, manifested in an independent Ireland and
increasing devolution to, and nationalism in, Scotland and Wales.
Taking the Roman (partial) conquest and forming of the province of Britannia as his starting
point, he outlines the major stages by which unification was brought about, through invasions (or
in reaction to the threat thereof) and the vagaries of dynastic succession. James I was the first
monarch to reign simultaneously over the whole British Isles but full political union was not
completed until the Act of Union that came into effect on 1 January 1801, against the backdrop
of war with France. It was maintained for just 122 years before the Republic of Ireland gained
independence in 1922. John Grainger sees the granting of their own parliaments to Wales and
Scotland as further stages in the process of disintegration, which may be accelerated by
'Brexit'.
Critique: Former teacher and historian John D. Grainger presents The United Kingdom: The
Unification & Disintegration of Britain Since AD 43, a scholarly, in-depth examination of how
the British Isles have gradually unified over the course of centuries - and how that unification
may be fracturing today, accentuated by internal disagreement and controversy over "Brexit"
(Britain's withdrawal from the European Union). Expensively researched, and featuring an index
for ease of reference, The United Kingdom is a salient, measured, and illuminating study of
history with reflections on what Britain's past means for its present and future, highly
recommended especially for public and college library World History collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that The United Kingdom is also available in a Kindle edition
($6.90).
Hitler's Great Gamble
James Ellman
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811738491, $34.95, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: On June 22, 1941, Hitler invaded the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa, one of the
turning points of World War II. Within six months, the invasion bogged down on the outskirts of
Moscow, and the Eastern Front proved to be the decisive theater in the defeat of the Third Reich.
Ever since, most military historians have agreed that this was Hitler's gravest mistake.
In "Hitler's Great Gamble: A New Look at German Strategy, Operation Barbarossa, and the Axis
Defeat in World War II", author James Ellman argues that while Barbarossa was a gamble and
perverted by genocidal Nazi ideology, it was not doomed from the start. Rather it represented
Hitler's best chance to achieve his war aims for Germany which were remarkably similar to those
of the Kaiser's government in 1914. Other options, such as an invasion of England, or an
offensive to seize the oil fields of the Middle East were considered and discarded as unlikely to
lead to Axis victory.
In Ellman's recounting, Barbarossa did not fail because of flaws in the Axis invasion strategy, the
size of the USSR, or the brutal cold of the Russian winter. Instead, German defeat was due to
errors of Nazi diplomacy. Hitler chose not to coordinate his plans with his most militarily
powerful allies, Finland and Japan, and ensure the seizure of the ports of Murmansk and
Vladivostok. Had he done so, Germany might well have succeeded in defeating the Soviet Union
and, perhaps, winning World War II.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, expertly organized, impressively documented, and deftly
drawing on a wealth of primary and secondary sources (including many recently released),
"Hitler's Great Gamble" is a provocative, informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking study
that is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library World War II
collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of
students, academia, and military history buffs that "Hitler's Great Gamble" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $17.82).
The Civil War Shelf
Johnsonville
Jerry T. Wooten
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611214772, $29.95, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Johnsonville" doesn't mean much to most students of the Civil War. Yet, its
contribution to the Union victory in the Western Theater is difficult to overstate, and its history is
complex, fascinating, and heretofore mostly untold. "Johnsonville: Union Supply Operations on
the Tennessee River and the Battle of Johnsonville, November 4-5, 1864", by Jerry T. Wooten
remedies that oversight with the first full-length treatment of this subject.
Wooten has unearthed a wealth of new material that sheds light on the creation and strategic role
of the Union supply depot, the use of railroads and logistics, and its defense by U. S. Colored
Troops. His study covers the emergence of a civilian town around the depot, and the roll all of
this played in making possible the Union victories with which we are all familiar.
This sterling monograph also includes the best and most detailed account of the Battle of
Johnsonville. The fighting took place on the heels of one of the most audacious campaigns of the
war, when Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest led his cavalry through western Tennessee
on a 23-day raid. On November 4-5, 1864, Forrest's troopers attacked the depot and shelled the
city, destroying tons of invaluable supplies. The complex land-water operation nearly wiped out
the Johnsonville supply depot, severely disrupted Gen. George Thomas's army in Nashville, and
impeded his operations against John Bell Hood's Confederate army.
Prior works on Johnsonville focus on Forrest's operations, but Wooten's deep original archival
research peels back the decades to reveal significantly more on that battle as well as what life was
like in and around the area for both military men and civilians. Civil War students thirst for
original deeply researched studies on fresh topics. And that is exactly what "Johnsonville: Union
Supply Operations on the Tennessee River and the Battle of Johnsonville, November 4-5, 1864"
provides them.
Critique: An original and seminal work of simply outstanding and detailed scholarship,
"Johnsonville: Union Supply Operations on the Tennessee River and the Battle of Johnsonville,
November 4-5, 1864" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended for community,
college, and university library American Civil War collections and supplementary curriculum
lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and dedicated
American Civil War buffs that "Johnsonville: Union Supply Operations on the Tennessee River
and the Battle of Johnsonville, November 4-5, 1864" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Jerry T. Wooten is the Park Manager for Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park in
Nashville, Tennessee. Formerly, he served as Park Manager at Johnsonville State Historic Park,
as Director of State Historic Sites for the Tennessee Historical Commission, and as Park
Historian at the Pamplin Historical Park and National Museum of the Civil War Soldier in
Petersburg, Virginia. Originally from Clarksville, Tennessee, Jerry is an American History and
Public History graduate of Austin Peay State University (BS), Murray State University (MA),
and Middle Tennessee State University (Ph.D.) Jerry has researched, written, and presented
programs about the Civil War for most of his professional life. He serves on the Tennessee Civil
War Preservation Association's Board of Directors and is a frequent speaker at Civil War
roundtables, historical organizations, state and national parks, and museums.
The Self-Help Shelf
Indistractable
Nir Eyal
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, Ste 400, Dallas, TX 75204
www.benbellabooks.com
9781948836531, $26.95, HC, 300pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: It's called distraction and often results in procrastination. But what would be possible if
you followed through on your best intentions? What could you accomplish if you could stay
focused? What if you had the power to become "indistractable?"
In "Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life", author, former
Stanford lecturer, and behavioral design expert, Nir Eyal reveals distraction's Achilles' heel in his
groundbreaking new DIY instructional.
In the pages of "Indistractable", Eyal explains the hidden psychology driving us to distraction. He
describes why solving the problem is not as simple as swearing off our devices: Abstinence is
impractical and often makes us want more.
With "Indistractable" Eyal lays bare the secret of finally doing what you say you will do with a
four-step, research-backed model. Indistractable reveals the key to getting the best out of
technology, without letting it get the best of us -- including: Why distraction at work is a
symptom of a dysfunctional company culture - and how to fix it; What really drives human
behavior and why "time management is pain management"; Why your relationships (and your
sex life) depend on you becoming indistractable; How to raise indistractable children in an
increasingly distracting world.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organize and presented, "Indistractable: How to Control
Your Attention and Choose Your Life" is 'real world practical' and will prove to be an immediate
and enduringly popular addition to community and college library Self-Help/Self-Improvement
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Indistractable" is also available in a
paperback edition (9781526610218, $13.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.38).
Intuitive Intelligence
Paul O'Brien
www.Divination.com
Beyond Words Publishing
www.beyondword.com
9781582706986, $17.99, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: What happens when a vision of creative freedom, courageous risk-taking and good
timing come together? What if you focused on what fascinates you, then mastered some skills,
including a level of intuitive decision-making that helps you make the right moves at the right
time? The answer is a life filled with success on your own terms.
"Intuitive Intelligence: Make Life-Changing Decisions with Perfect Timing" by Paul O'Brien is
unique book about self-discovery and manifesting your true destiny. Distilling a lifetime of
business and personal adventures into an eloquently articulated process for making the best
strategic decisions with an ever-improving sense of timing, O'Brien's true stories of lessons
learned will intrigue and delight the reader, while the presentation of skills required to make
great decisions with perfect timing captivate and motivate.
O'Brien's elegant Visionary Decision Making process and philosophy clearly define the essential
skills of accessing intuition when you need it most. "Intuitive Intelligence" clearly and effectively
shows readers how to take charge of their life and fearlessly take the risks that will that help them
realize their goals and dreams to fearlessly take those risks that will grow them as a person.
Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "Intuitive Intelligence: Make Life-Changing
Decisions with Perfect Timing" is especially recommended for both community and academic
library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Intuitive Intelligence" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Paul O'Brien is the Executive Director of the Divination Foundation
(www.Divination.com) and for 30 years has hosted Pathways radio, a podcast interview program
focused on personal and cultural transformation.
The Liquor Shelf
Octopus Publishing
www.octopusbooksusa.com
Two new cocktail books are recommended picks for any enthusiast of recipe guides for mixing
drinks. For a classic coverage, Henry McNulty's Vogue Cocktails; Classic Drinks from the
Golden Age of Cocktails (978184091788, $12.99) is a handy hardcover pocket reference that
uses the archives of Vogue, the British cocktail classic, to provide recipes inspired by libations
from the 1930s. The organization of these 150 recipes by base spirit makes it easy to create Mint
Juleps, Pink Gin, or a Crimean Cocktail, while the alphabetical arrangement by name within
spirit category makes for a quick at-a-glance reference. Salvatore Calabrese produces the
foreword for The Art of the Cocktail (9781781576564, $12.99), which focuses on cocktails and
artists who enjoy them, as well as art-themed drinks and twists on classics. Each cocktail recipe
is accompanied by discussion of its influences and origins, and each enjoys an artistic facing
page inspired by artist information and fun facts. The art anecdotes and fun stories are as much
an appeal as the recipes themselves.
The Cookbook Shelf
Super Easy Soups and Stews
Abigail R. Ghering, editor
Good Books
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781680994827, $16.99, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Knowledgeable compiled and deftly edited by experienced cookbook author Abigail
Ghering "Super Easy Soups and Stews: 100 Soups, Stews, Broths, Chilis, Chowders, and More!"
showcases a culinary compendium of ridiculously easy and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly"
recipes. Whether you like to prepare dinner on the stovetop or in your slow cooker, Instant Pot,
pressure cooker, Dutch oven, or Ninja Foodi, there are plenty of delicious options here.
The recipes range from Meatball Tortellini Soup; Baked Potato Soup; Egg Drop Soup; and Beef
and Black Bean Chili; to Chickpea Chili; Harvest Corn Chowder; Mushroom Stew; Crab Bisque
and more!
All of the recipes use ingredients that are inexpensive and easy to find at any local grocery store.
There are also helpful ideas for freezing soups, time-saving tips for prepping ingredients, and
handy substitutions to customize soups to specific tastes and dietary needs.
Critique: Profusely illustrated with full color photography throughout, "Super Easy Soups and
Stews: 100 Soups, Stews, Broths, Chilis, Chowders, and More!" is an especially and
unreservedly recommended addition to personal, family, professional, and community library
cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Super Easy Soups and Stews" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Sweet Vegan Treats
Hannah Keminsky
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781510741843, $22.99, HC, 264pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Hannah Kaminsky has developed an international following for her delicious recipes
and mouthwatering food photography at the award-winning blog BitterSweetBlog.com. She is
the author of Vegan Desserts, Vegan a la Mode, and Easy as Vegan Pie. Passionate about big
flavors and simple techniques, she works in San Francisco's bay area developing recipes and
photographing food from morning to night.
With "Sweet Vegan Treats: 90 Recipes for Cookies, Brownies, Cakes, and Tarts" this longtime
vegan author and culinary expert has compiled an impressive array of creamy, luscious treats that
will leave guests wondering, are you sure this is vegan? And to prove these creations will
surprise all taste buds, every recipe has been taste-tested and approved by both vegans and
non-vegans alike!
These original, mouthwatering recipes include: Chocolate chip cookie pie; Baklava tart; Lace
Florentine cookies; Mocha revelation cake; Lychee cupcakes with raspberry frosting; Almond
avalanche bars; Chili chocolate tart; and more!
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "Sweet Vegan Treats: 90 Recipes for
Cookies, Brownies, Cakes, and Tarts" is an inspiring culinary compendium for browsing through
and planning menus with. It will prove to be an extraordinary and enduringly popular addition to
family, personal, professional, and community library Vegan cookbook collections. It should be
noted that "Sweet Vegan Treats: 90 Recipes for Cookies, Brownies, Cakes, and Tarts" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
The Real Japanese Izakaya Cookbook
Wataru Yokota
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805315286, $18.99, HC, 128pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Izakaya cooking is all about enjoying hearty and flavorful Japanese food with drinks
and friends at your local hole-in-the-wall hangout. Similar to tapas or pub food, izakaya fare
ranges from tasty bar snacks to substantial salads, stews, grilled meats and seafood dishes (all
made fresh with minimal fuss and maximum flavor) and served alongside a chilled glass of beer
or sake.
"The Real Japanese Izakaya Cookbook" by Wataru Yokota allows you to recreate over 120 of
these classic izakaya dishes in your own kitchen at home. These include standards like Yakitori
Chicken Skewers, Crispy Gyoza, and Grilled Wagyu Beef with Shiso. Vegans and vegetarians
are also well catered to with dishes like Daikon Salad with Yuzu Dressing, Chargrilled Fava
Beans and Baked Tofu with Ginger Sauce. Chef and author Wataru Yokota adds his own unique
twists to signature Japanese recipes, like Miso-Simmered Pork and Grilled Mackerel with Plum
Sauce.
Yokota's recipes are simple and quick, aimed at working folks who don't have a lot of time to
cook but love trying new and interesting flavors. "The Real Japanese Izakaya Cookbook"
provides clear step-by-step photos and instructions for each dish. The introduction gives
guidelines for selecting, pouring and mixing drinks to complement the recipes -- and even how to
quickly grill and smoke meat to give it that authentic izakaya taste!
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, with recipes that range from Chikuwa
Fish Cake and olive Pinchos; Sweet and Sour chicken Meatball Skewers; Stuffed Mackerel
Fritters; and Deep-Fried Tofu in Dashi Sauce; to Sardines Simmered in Sake; Beef Curry
Japanese Style; Eel and Egg Rice Bowl; Soba Noodle and Tomato Salad; and Soy Sauce
Bruschetta, "The Real Japanese Izakaya Cookbook" is a unique and certain to be highly prized
addition to personal, professional, and community library Japanese cookbook collections.
Asian Noodles
Maki Watanabe
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9780804852166, $14.99, PB, 96pp, www.amazon.com
Now with "Asian Noodles: 86 Classic Recipes from Vietnam, Thailand, China, Korea and Japan"
compiled and presented by Asian culinary expert Maki Watanabe even the most novice of
kitchen cooks are provided with a compendium of 'user friendly' recipes and invaluable tips for
creating delicious Asian noodle dishes at home with minimal fuss and time.
These 86 noodle recipes comprising "Asian Noodles" cover the Asian cuisines best known for
their noodle dishes: Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. They include all the
classics that are already well-loved in the West -- from Vietnamese Pho to Korean Japchae, and
Pad Thai to Chinese Wonton Noodles (with gluten-free options available in the form of Japanese
Soba and Udon noodles). However, this book also highlights many lesser-known classics that are
popular in Asia but not yet widely found in Western restaurants.
"Asian Noodles" is divided into four major chapters: Tossed Noodles with Sauces and Toppings,
Stir-Fried Noodles, Noodles with Soup and Japanese-Style Noodles. A bonus chapter gives a
selection of 10 delicious Asian desserts such as Cilantro Sorbet and Mango Pudding -- to eat
after your noodles are all gone!
Each chapter outlines basic cooking methods for the different types of noodle preparation,
complete with step-by-step instructions and photos. Additional sections give information on
noodle dish staples and garnishes and a shopping guide to help you identify and source the
ingredients correctly.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated throughout and showcasing palate pleasing, appetite satisfying
recipes that range from Taiwanese Chicken Noodles (Taiwan); Stir-Fried Noodles with Pork and
Vegetables (China); and Beef Pho Noodle Soup (Vietnam); to Lemongrass Noodles with Spare
Ribs (Thailand); Korean Cold Noodles (Korea); and Chicken Soup Soba (Japan), "Asian
Noodles: 86 Classic Recipes from Vietnam, Thailand, China, Korea and Japan" will prove to be
an immediate and enduringly popular addition to family, personal, professional, and community
library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Asian Noodles" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Elegant Pie
Karin Pfeiff-Boschek
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
www.andrewsmcmeel.com
9781524853297, $24.99, HC, 180pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Everyone kitchen cook knows that serving a pie for dessert makes family and guests
happy. And serving one with a beautifully designed crust that makes guests swoon is even better.
Pies are easy to make as stunningly attractive as the most decorative cakes using some basic
techniques and the appropriate care when working with pie dough.
The recipes and techniques presented in "Elegant Pie: Transform Your Favorite Pies into Works
of Art" by Karin Pfeiff-Boschek provide any home baker the instructions and tools needed to
create breathtaking works of pie art. From preparation of the dough to the last moments of
baking, all methods are clearly presented using step-by-step photographs. A flat surface, rolling
pin, sharp knife, different size and shaped cookie cutters make embellishing an ordinary pie crust
easy. The 25 designs, arranged by three levels of difficulty, range from graphic art styles to
seasonal-inspired florals.
Beautifully decorated pies are a hit on social media, and until now there has not been a book on
how to create these stunning works of edible art. A master pie designer Karin Pfeiff-Boschek
explains in superbly illustrated detail her textile-based methods used to reproduce her most
popular top crust works of art.
Critique: The pie as an edible art form! "Elegant Pie: Transform Your Favorite Pies into Works
of Art" will prove to be one of the most popular additions to any personal, professional, family,
or community library cookbook collection. It should be noted that "Elegant Pie: Transform Your
Favorite Pies into Works of Art" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
The Complete Hummus Cookbook
Catherine Gills
Hatherleigh Press
c/o The Hatherleigh Foundation
62545 State Highway 10, Hobart, NY 13788
www.hatherleighpress.com
9781578268207, $20.00, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Hummus is a dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini,
lemon juice, and garlic. It is popular in the Middle East and Mediterranean, as well as in Middle
Eastern cuisine around the globe. It can also now be found in most grocery stores in North
America and Europe.
Protein-rich and vegan-friendly, hummus is one of the healthiest and most nutritious dishes that
many people don't talk more about. But with the introduction of "The Complete Hummus
Cookbook" showcasing more than one hundred palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, health
promoting recipes that is all about to change!
Profusely illustrated throughout, and showcasing 100+ delicious and nutrious recipes, "The
Complete Hummus Cookbook" shows everyone just how hummus is extremely versatile,
low-cholesterol, protein-rich and healthy dietary option.
"The Complete Hummus Cookbook" also provides useful information on the perfect food to pair
hummus with as well as how to make different kinds of hummus with chickpeas, black beans,
lentils, edamame and green peas.
Critique: A thoroughly vegan friendly and unreservedly recommended addition to personal,
family, professional, and community library cookbook collections, it should be noted that "The
Complete Hummus Cookbook" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
American Cuisine and How It Got This Way
Paul Freedman
Liveright
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com
9781631494628, $39.95 www.amazon.com
American Cuisine and How It Got This Way blends history with anecdotes and fun facts about
America's evolving food, and is a fine pick for American history and culinary collections alike.
Where other books focus on regional food trends and flavors, Paul Freedman examines the
influences of technology on food traditions, the rise of processed foods, and the evolution of
processed food tastes over time. With nearly a hundred illustrations accompanying history and
recipes, this is a fun book perfect for food fans.
The 3-Ingredient Baking Book
Charmain Christie
Robert Rose
www.robertrose.ca
9780778806349, $24.95
The 3-Ingredient Baking Book: 101 Simple, Sweet & Stress-Free Recipes offers a simple
formula for success by featuring quick desserts that can be made effortlessly. Most rely on
time-saving prepared ingredients, such as puff pastry dough, chocolate puffed cereal, or
self-rising flour, but all can be made from just three ingredients (most are common in any pantry)
and all lend to baked goods that lend to everyday use or entertaining. Color photos complete the
attraction to an exceptionally easy production.
The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Discovering the Clown, or The Funny Book of Good Acting
Christopher Bayes & Virginia Scott
Theatre Communications Group
http://www.tcg.org/publications
9781559365611, $16.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Discovering the Clown, or The Funny Book of Good Acting" by the team of
Christopher Bayes and Virginia Scott offers a unique glimpse into the wild world of the Clown,
unveiling a classic character best generally described as "the playful self, the unsocialized self,
the naive self... the big stupid who just wants to have some fun with the audience."
Impressively informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Discovering the Clown, or The
Funny Book of Good Acting" must be considered as an essential guide for artists and actors
wanting to set free the messy and hilarious Clown within themselves.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Discovering the Clown, or The
Funny Book of Good Acting" is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal,
professional, community, and academic library theatre/cinema/tv collections.
Editorial Note: Christopher Bayes is one of the most sought after teachers of Clown and Physical
Comedy in the country. He has taught internationally and been on the faculty of many prestigious
schools, including Yale, The Juilliard School, Brown, and NYU's Graduate Acting Program. He
is the co-founder and head of The Funny School of Good Acting in Brooklyn, New York. He is
currently Professor and Head of Physical Acting at Yale School of Drama.
Virginia Scott is a director/devisor/teacher of Physical Theater, and co-founder of The Funny
School of Good Acting. She has taught Clown at The Juilliard School, Pace University, the
Actors Center, CAP 21, and Tisch School of the Arts.
Get Out: The Complete Annotated Screenplay
Jordan Peele
Inventory Press
c/o Distributed Art Publishers
155 Sixth Avenue, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10013-1507
www.artbook.com
9781941753286, $19.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Jordan Peele's powerful thriller "Get Out" debuted in 2017 to enormous public and
critical acclaim. Written for the age of Obama and Trump, "Get Out" scared audiences and
skewered white liberal pieties at the same time. Rather than rely on popular archetypes, Peele
wove together the material realities and daily manifestations of horror with sociopolitical fears
and elements of true suspense, and combined them with pitch-perfect satire and a timely cultural
critique.
This companion paperback to the film presents Peele's Oscar-winning screenplay alongside
supplementary material, including an essay by author and scholar Tananarive Due and in-depth
annotations by the director. This edition of "Get Out" is richly illustrated with more than 150
stills from the motion picture and presents alternate endings, deleted scenes and an inside look at
the concepts and behind-the-scenes production of the film.
Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "Get Out" is unreservedly recommended for
personal, professional, community, and academic library Contemporary Cinematic Studies
collections and reading lists.
Editorial Note: Jordan Peele (born 1979) is an American writer, director and producer. Peele's
directorial debut, Get Out (2017), earned him an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay
as well as nominations for Best Picture and Best Director. In 2012, Peele founded Monkeypaw
Productions, which amplifies traditionally under represented voices and unpacks contemporary
social issues, while cultivating artistic, thought-provoking projects across film, television and
digital platforms.
The Biography Shelf
Niccolo Machiavelli: An Intellectual Biography
Corrado Vivanti
Princeton University Press
41 William Street, Princeton, NJ 08540
http://press.princeton.edu
9780691151014, $27.95, HC, 280pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Niccolo Machiavelli: An Intellectual Biography" by Corrado Vivanti is a colorful,
comprehensive, and authoritative introduction to the life and work of the author of "The
Prince".
This impressively informed and informative study provides an unparalleled intellectual
biography that demonstrates the close connections between Machiavelli's thought and his
changing fortunes during the tumultuous Florentine republic and his subsequent exile. Vivanti's
concise account covers not only Machiavelli's most famous works )(The Prince, The Discourses,
The Florentine Histories, and The Art of War) but also his letters, poetry, and comic dramas.
While setting Machiavelli's life against a dramatic backdrop of war, crisis, and diplomatic
intrigue, this meticulous work of seminal scholarship also paints a vivid human portrait of the
man.
Vivanti's narrative breaks Machiavelli's life into three parts: his career in a variety of government
and diplomatic posts in the Florentine republic between 1494 and 1512, when the Medici
returned from exile, seized power, and removed Machiavelli from office; the pivotal first part of
his subsequent exile, when he formulated his most influential ideas and wrote The Prince; and
the final decade of his life, when, having returned to Florence, he wrote The Art of War, The
Florentine Histories, the satirical play The Mandrake, and other works.
Along the way, this deftly crafted biography presents unmatched accounts of many intensely
debated topics, including the precise nature of Machiavelli's cultural and intellectual background,
his republicanism, his political and personal relationship to the Medici, and his ideas about
religion.
Critique: Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) was a Florentine statesman, writer, and political
philosopher. Corrado Vivanti, (1928-2012) was one of the world's leading Machiavelli scholars.
"Niccolo Machiavelli: An Intellectual Biography" is an essential and core addition to both
community and academic library biography collections in general, and Machiavelli supplemental
studies curriculums in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students,
academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Niccolo
Machiavelli: An Intellectual Biography" is also available in a paperback edition
(9780691196893, $18.95).
Napoleon: The Spirit of the Age: 1805-1810
Michael Broers
Pegasus Books
148 West 37th Street, 13th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.pegasusbooks.com
9781681776699, $29.95, HC, 544pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Napoleon: The Spirit of the Age" is the second volume of Michael Broers' three
volume life of Napoleon Bonaparte, covering the tumultuous years 1805 to 1810, a period which
marks the zenith of Napoleon's power and military success. Like volume one, it is based on the
new version of Napoleon's correspondence, made available by the Fondation Napoleon in Paris.
It is the story of Napoleon's conquest of Europe (and that of his magnificent Grande Armee) as
they sweep through the length and breadth of Europe.
This detailed and meticulously presented study opens with Napoleon's as yet untested army
making its way through the Bavarian Alps in the early winter of 1805, to fall upon the
unsuspecting Austrians and Russians, and crushing them at Austerlitz. This was only the
beginning of series of spectacular victories: over the Prussians in 1806, and then the Russians,
which brought the Tsar to defeat in 1807. It follows the army into Spain, in 1808, most
ill-considered step in his career as ruler, and then through the most daunting triumph of all, the
final defeat of Austria at Wagram, in 1809, the bloodiest battle in European history up to that
time.
These five years encompass the dramas of Napoleon's separation from Josephine amid the
turmoil of ruling a pan-European empire. These years also saw Napoleon navigate plots against
him, his clash with the Pope and excommunication, and his loss of trust in many of those closest
to him. It closes with his marriage to Marie-Louise, the daughter of his defeated enemy, the
Emperor of Austria. With the greatest "trophy bride" in history on his arm, Napoleon now turns
again to face his only remaining enemy, Britain, and the challenge of ruling an empire that now
spans the entirety of Europe.
Critique: Enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of 16 pages of bo color and black/white
illustrations, maps, plates, thirty-six pages of notes, and a thirty-five page index, "Napoleon: The
Spirit of the Age: 1805-1810" is an impressively informative, exceptionally well written, and
seminal work of thorough and original scholarship. While unreservedly recommended for both
community and academic library Napoleon Bonaparte collections and supplemental curriculum
study lists, it should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "Napoleon: The Spirit of the Age: 1805-1810" is also available in a
paperback edition (9781643132334, $19.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Ed Garvey Unvarnished
Rob Zaleski
University of Wisconsin Press
728 State Street, Suite 443, Madison, WI 53706-1418
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299323707, $24.95, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Edward R. Garvey (April 18, 1940 - February 22, 2017) was an American lawyer,
politician, activist, and a Wisconsin legend in the state and in the nation's progressive
movement.
"Ed Garvey Unvarnished: Lessons from a Visionary Progressive" by professional journalist,
newspaper columnist, and freelance writer Rob Zaleski is an exceptionally informative, well
written, and inherently interesting account of Garvey's life, his accomplishments, and his insights
into Wisconsin politics.
Of particular interest and relevance to the politics of today are the chapters on Civil Rights,
Political Defeats, Environmental Triumphs, The Anti-Environmentalists, and this astute
biography's final chapter, Battling Parkinson's.
Critique: Simply stated, "Ed Garvey Unvarnished: Lessons from a Visionary Progressive" is an
unreservedly recommended and key addition all personal, community, college, and university
library Wisconsin Biography collections in general, and 20th Century Wisconsin Politics
supplemental studies lists in particular.
The Life of Lou Reed
Howard Sounes
Diversion Books
443 Park Avenue South, Suite #1004, New York, NY 10016
www.diversionbooks.com
9781635766387, $26.99, HC, 416pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: As band leader of the Velvet Underground and later a successful solo artist, Lou Reed
(March 2, 1942 - October 27, 2013) was much more than what the general public came to know
as the grumpy New Yorker in black who sang "Walk on the Wild Side". To his dedicated
admirers, he was one of the most innovative and intelligent songwriters of modern times -- a
natural outsider who lived a tumultuous and tortured life.
In the course of his deep research into Reed's life, from a humble upbringing on Long Island to
his death from liver disease, Howard Sounes interviewed more than 140 people who knew the
artist intimately -- some of whom have not spoken publicly about him before.
With new revelations from former wives and lovers, family members, fellow band members and
celebrities, and music industry figures, "The Life of Lou Reed: Notes from the Velvet
Underground" offers an updated, unfettered look at Reed's creative process, his mental health
problems, his bisexuality, his three marriages, and his addictions to drugs and alcohol.
Featuring previously unpublished photographs of some of Reed's most private moments, "The
Life of Lou Reed" is the definitive account of one of rock 'n' roll's most complicated and brilliant
prophets.
Critique: An absolute 'must read' for the legions of Lou Reed fans, "The Life of Lou Reed: Notes
from the Velvet Underground" is an extraordinary and deftly presented account of his life and
career. While unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library
American Biography collections in general, and Lou Reed supplemental studies in particular, it
should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that "The Life of Lou Reed: Notes from the Velvet
Underground" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.49) and as a complete and
unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781543624137, $9.99, MP3 CD).
Saint Padre Pio: Man of Hope, expanded edition
Renzo Allegri
Franciscan Media
https://info.franciscanmedia.org
9781632532862, $18.99, PB, 302pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Canonized on June 16, 2002, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina (25 May 1887 - 23 September
1968) was a Capuchin monk and mystic whose life was marked with miracles and wonders, but
who said that his only desire was "to be a poor friar who prays."
"Saint Padre Pio: Man of Hope" by journalist Renzo Allegri is an intimate biography. Readers
will see the results of this humble Capuchin's prayers and discover for themselves the Source of
his great hope.
This newly updated and expanded edition contains five new chapters covering the years between
beatification and canonization, St. Pio's continued work in people's lives, and the devotion of St.
John Paul II to this extraordinary saint of our day.
Critique: Especially recommended to the attention of all members of the Catholic community,
"Saint Padre Pio: Man of Hope" is as informative as it is inspiring. While unreservedly
recommended for church, seminary, and academic library collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Saint Padre Pio: Man of Hope" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Gardening Shelf
Succulents at Home
John Tullock
The Countryman Press
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.countrymanpress.com
9781682683842, $21.95, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Succulents have become some of the most popular houseplants, and with good reason:
they're easy to grow -- most of the time. But what happens when a plant outgrows its pot? How
can you avoid your succulents from getting sunburned? How do you turn one plant into more
plants?
In "Succulents at Home: Choosing, Growing, and Decorating with the Easiest Houseplants
Ever", expert gardener and succulent expert John Tullock addresses these questions and many
more. Here, aspiring gardeners will learn to make the most of their plants from the how and why
of soil and container choice to step-by-step instructions for repotting, propagating new
succulents, and creating arrangements like terrariums and wreaths.
"Succulents at Home" is complete with a catalog of 75 species ranging from flower-shaped
echeverias, pointy haworthias, and flowering kalanchoes, to round mammillaria cacti, and more -
- which includes special care instructions for each variety.
Critique: Tullock's friendly voice and years of experience, and enhanced with more than 100
color photographs, make "Succulents at Home: Choosing, Growing, and Decorating with the
Easiest Houseplants Ever" an essential guide for fool-proof succulent gardening. And with a
focus on growing succulents to enjoy indoors, Succulents at Home" is the perfect instructional
guide and reference for plant lovers wanting to raise succulents in all regions and climates.
Exceptionally well organized and presented, making it an ideal addition to both community and
academic library gardening collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Succulents at Home" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Automotive Shelf
Hemi Muscle 70 Years
Darwin Holmstrom
Motor Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9780760365199, $40.00, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Hemi Muscle 70 Years: Chrysler, Dodge & Plymouth High Performance" is the
complete illustrated story of the legendary engine and the cars it powered. Author Darwin
Holmstrom explores how Chrysler's Hemi engine became the number one choice for drag racers
and stock car racers across the country, campaigned to great success by drivers like Richard
Petty, Don Garlits, David Pearson, Sox and Martin, and more.
In 1950, Chrysler debuted a potent high-performance overhead-valve V-8 engine. Originally
called the FirePower, it would soon be better known by the name "Hemi." Intended to power
Chrysler's luxury cars, the Hemi found a higher calling: humiliating its competitors on the street
and at the race track.
On top of learning how the Hemi engine came to be, you'll also see how the Hemi remained the
engine to beat on the street, stuffed into some of the most desirable performance cars in
automotive history: the 'Cuda, Road Runner, Charger, GTX, and Challenger, to name a few. The
Hemi made such a lasting impact that Chrysler revived it as the top engine for the twenty-first
century Challenger and Charger.
Today, Hemi is a household name, known to enthusiasts and consumers alike, often imitated,
never duplicated. "Hemi Muscle 70 Years" clearly lays out the reason why.
Critique: An absolutely 'must read' automotive history for all dedicated muscle car fans, "Hemi
Muscle 70 Years: Chrysler, Dodge & Plymouth High Performance" is beautifully and profusely
illustrated throughout. An impressively informed and informative compendium, "Hemi Muscle
70 Years" is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library
Automotive History collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
Bugatti T and Its Variants
Lance Cole
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526756763, $28.95, PB, 64pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Bugatti T and Its Variants: Type 35 Grand Prix Car and its Variants" by Lance Cole
the first in the new CarCraft series from Pen & Sword Books that delivers an innovative
presentation to the car enthusiast by covering the engineering, design, and modeling of one of
motoring's greatest cars across all its epochs.
Ettore Bugatti changed engineering history with his genius and innovations. With its clever
engine design, new suspension thinking, and distinct body style, Bugatti's T35 and its variants
defined a new era of design and driving and must surely rank as true 'supercars'. A motor sport
legend was also cast down by these Bugattis.
Experienced automotive writer, industrial designer and Bugatti Owners Club member Lance
Cole pays tribute to the car in a detailed yet engaging commentary. New photography, the design
story, and full coverage of the modeling options in synthetic materials and die cast metals, create
a narrative of vital interest.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, "Bugatti T and Its Variants: Type 35 Grand Prix Car
and its Variants" is a truly extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal,
professional, community and academic library Automotive History collections in general, and
Bugatti automotive studies lists in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of
automotive fans that "Bugatti T and Its Variants: Type 35 Grand Prix Car and its Variants" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Neo Classics: From Factory to Legendary in 0 Seconds
Jurgen Lewandowski, author
Rene Staud, photographer
teNeues Publishing
350 Seventh Avenue, Suite 301, New York, NY, 10011
www.teneues.com
9783961712007, $125.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In the automotive world, Neo Classics are rare manufactured vehicles, one-of-a-kind
high-end cars, special short-run cars, and "young classics". They are vehicles that become
legends (and coveted collectors' items) the moment they leave the factory. Faster, more powerful,
more exclusive: whether they're called supercars or hypercars, these are turbo-charged fantasies
in chrome. For most of us, however, they will remain dreams on wheels.
In "Neo Classics: From Factory to Legendary in 0 Seconds", professional photographer Rene
Staud brings the dream a little closer. Image after gleaming full color photographic image, the
"Master of Light" brings these shining stars to our coffee table--from the Bugatti Chiron to the
Lamborghini Huracan Spyder to the Mercedes AMG One. Each beautifully rendered image is
accompanied by an expert text from the seasoned automotive writer and aficionado, Jurgen
Lewandowski.
Critique: A unique, simply elegant, coffee table style volume (11.1 x 1.2 x 13.5), "Neo Classics:
From Factory to Legendary in 0 Seconds" is a simple delight for all dedicated automotive
enthusiasts to browse through one informative page at a time. Certain to be an immediate and
enduringly popular addition for personal, professional, community, and academic library
Automotive History collections, "Neo Classics: From Factory to Legendary in 0 Seconds" is
unreservedly recommended.
Editorial Note: Rene Staud is considered one of the most sought-after automotive photographers
and one of the most innovative in the industry. With the Magicflash lighting system, he has given
not only his art, but studio photography in general an important impulse. He has published six
volumes with teNeues. With more than 70,000 copies sold, they are in turn classics of
automotive literature.
Jurgen Lewandowski, the automotive section editor of the Suddeutsche Zeitung for over 20
years, and the author of roughly 100 books about cars. Among his books published by teNeues
are the best-selling titles The Porsche 911 Book and The Ferrari Book - Passion for Design.
Jaguar: The Art of the Automobile
ZSef Enault and Michael Levivier
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784726171, $50.00, www.amazon.com
Jaguar: The Art of the Automobile comes from two journalists, one the executive editor of a
motoring magazine and website; the other a professional test driver, who join with the car
manufacturer to create a visual history of Jaguar's revolutionary car designs. Access to Jaguar's
archives of models and images places this survey above any competitor, creating a history of
design, style, and technical detail that is packed with sharp color images throughout (some in
double-page spreads). From the technological advancements that different Jaguar models
represented to changing standards that resulted in models that were less effective (as in the
anti-pollution standards that took away the XJ12's reputation for power), this follows the advent
of new models, the fall and discontinuation of old ones, and the influences on revised automobile
versions. The result will prove a hit to prior Jaguar and auto history fans who will find this
coverage detailed, specific, and hard to put down.
The Needlecraft Shelf
Japanese Wonder Crochet
Nihon Vogue, author
Gayle Roehm, translator
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805315279, $15.99, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Japanese Wonder Crochet: A Creative Approach to Classic Stitches" shows a creative
approach to classic crochet stitches such as Aran, herringbone, Bavarian, waffle, crocodile,
reversible crochet, and many more. In Japan, crochet work is often added to knitted garments;
while you may choose to incorporate these techniques into your own knitting projects, Japanese
crochet is a great pleasure in and of itself.
In "Japanese Wonder Crochet", a swatch pattern is provided for each stitch which helps
crocheters practice the mechanics of the stitch before applying them to larger projects. The
personal and home accessory projects included provide something for every level of time
commitment -- from potholders and cup cozies to tote bags and blankets.
The 25 exciting projects showcased in "Japanese Wonder Crochet" include: A patchwork throw;
A reversible cowl; Bags in Bavarian, crocodile, Aran stitches and more; Totes in herringbone and
rib stitches; A vintage bag and floral brooch in bullion stitch; A tea cozy, mittens, a shawl and
more!
An extensive introduction by Japanese knitting and crochet expert Gayle Roehm explains the
stitch charts as well as the differences and similarities between Japanese and Western styles of
crochet. A guide to stitch symbols and extensive lessons provide visual guidance.
With Japanese Wonder Crochet and a little practice, crocheters and Japanese-style knitters can
open up many new horizons using the wonderful patterns that so many Westerners have already
fallen in love with.
Critique: Ably translated into English for an American needlecrafters by Gayle roehm, "Japanese
Wonder Crochet: A Creative Approach to Classic Stitches" by Nihon Vogue introduces crochet
enthusiasts outside Japan to the wonderful crotchet techniques and charts that are so popular
within the country. A unique and profusely illustrated step-by-step instructional guide and
manual, "Japanese Wonder Crochet" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional,
and community library needlecrafting collections.
Free-Motion Quilting 101
Ashley Nickels
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781641550024, $24.95, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Quilters want to finish their quilts -- and that often means doing their own machine
quilting. In "Free-Motion Quilting 101: Techniques & Patterns for Beginners", teacher and
quilter Ashley Nickels provides in-depth, step-by-step instruction on learning the technique of
free-motion quilting, combined with simple small projects that reinforce the technique. Quilters
will have fun while learning the necessary steps to complete a quilting project.
"Free-Motion Quilting 101" is deftly divided into three parts -- workbook-style practice; project
session, and in-depth reference for finishing a quilt. It also features 15 foundational designs, as
well as 3 simple projects and 1 larger project that is a culmination of the techniques learned in
the book.
Free-Motion Quilting 101 focuses squarely on mastering the technique on a regular home sewing
machine and is the ideal instructional guide and reference that will enable new quilters quickly
pick up first to learn how to free-motion quilt successfully.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, "Free-Motion Quilting 101: Techniques & Patterns for
Beginners" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in commentary, organization and presentation -- making
it unreservedly recommended for personal and community library Needlecrafting collections in
general, and quilting instructional studies lists in particular. It should be noted that "Free-Motion
Quilting 101" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Martingale & Company
www.shopmartingale.com
Edyta Sitar's Patches of Stars: 17 Quilt Patterns and a Gallery of Inspiring Antique Quilts
(9781683560388, $29.99) comes from the designer of Laundry Basket Quilts who uses star quilts
and antique quilt inspirations to put together new patterns and ideas. Instructions for almost
twenty of Sitar's custom quilt designs accompany their foundations of inspiration and pages
packed with colorful patterns, examples, and full-page finished quilts. Lisa Bongean of Primitive
Gatherings helps stitchers expand their ideas and techniques with Wool, Needle & Thread: The
Go-To Guide for Wool Stitchery (9781683560319, $28.99). Step-by-step instructions for wool
applique projects accompany photos and tips that range from fabric considerations to tools and
threads. A dozen embroidery stitches are presented in sharp photos that leave nothing to wonder,
while five projects put the stitch instructions to work in completed designs. Lissa Alexander
compiles Mix it Up! 16 Quilts from Cake Mix & Cupcake Mix Papers (9781683560302,
$27.99), presenting a patchwork compilation especially appropriate for beginners because it
requires no special sewing skills to prove successful. All that is needed is a pack of Cake Mix
Papers for 10" squares or Cupcake Mix Papers for 5" squares, a stack of fabrics, and this book,
which allows beginners to pick a pattern and sew and cut on the dotted lines to produce quilt
blocks. Newcomers to Cake Mix and Cupcake Mix Paper piecing will find this book the perfect
place to start.
The Sports Shelf
Play Better Basketball
Kathy Brook & Dawn Smith
Firefly Books Ltd.
www.fireflybooks.com
9781770859739, $19.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Play Better Basketball" is a fully illustrated guide to improving performance at
playing one of the world's most popular team sport games. The skills packed between these
covers are those that pros like Stephen Curry, Kawhi Leonard and Kia Nurse use to dominate the
court. From the fundamentals of footwork to team defensive strategies, "Play Better Basketball"
teaches how to play winning basketball no matter the situation.
"Play Better Basketball" applies to all levels of basketball -- from the driveway to the
gymnasium. More than 300 step-by-step photographs accompany detailed yet easy-to-follow skill
descriptions. Beyond the basics of footwork and body position, these instructions emphasize the
decision-making that is key to translating new skills to a competitive basketball game.
Grow and refine your skills with 50 dynamic drills, each with built-in modifications to challenge
development and make practice exciting. "Play Better Basketball" was specifically created for
athletes who want to raise their level of play, polish their skills and achieve their hoop goals. It's
time to play better basketball!
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, "Play Better Basketball" is an ideal physical education
curriculum textbook and expertly organized and presented as a personal DIY instructional
reference for amateur players seeking to improve their performance on the court. It should be
noted for school and community library collections that "Play Better Basketball" is also available
in a hardcover edition (9781770859746, $25.95).
Research Methods and Design in Sport Management, second edition
Damon P. S. Andrew, et al.
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
www.HumanKinetics.com
9781492574910, $109.00, PB, 376pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: As the sport management industry continues to grow and evolve, so do the methods for
gathering and applying research findings to drive successful sport organizations. Now in a newly
updated and expanded second edition, "Research Methods and Design in Sport Management"
includes web resources, and imparts modern explanations of research design, implementation,
analysis, and assessment that are specific to the discipline of sport management.
An invaluable resource for both students and practitioners, the text first helps readers understand
the research process and then delves into specific research methods. Special attention is devoted
to the process of reading and understanding research in the field, preparing readers to apply the
concepts long after reading the text and learning the foundational skills including: How to
conduct a thorough literature review; Theoretical and conceptual frameworks to guide the
research process; How to develop appropriate research questions and hypotheses; Techniques for
conducting qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research; Methods for analyzing data
and reporting results.
This newly expanded second edition also introduces a new section on emerging methods and
trends in the field, including social network analysis (SNA) and sport analytics. Readers will be
exposed to methods of SNA data collection and interpretation, as well as how to collect and
analyze data and communicate the results of sport analytics research. Of special note is a chapter
dedicated to legal research in sport management provides a non-intimidating discussion of the
unique elements evident in sport law research, such as legal precedence, case briefing, and
special writing elements.
Critique: Comprehensive, effectively organized and presented, "Research Methods and Design in
Sport Management" is an ideal curriculum textbook and is unreservedly recommended for
personal, professional, college and university library Sport Management collections and
supplemental studies lists. It should be noted that "Research Methods and Design in Sport
Management" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $82.00).
The Travel Shelf
50 Hikes in Eastern Massachusetts
Madeline Bilis
The Countryman Press
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.countrymanpress.com
9781682683521, $22.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Showcasing 50 beautiful trails around Boston and the Cape, Madeline Bilis shares her
years of outdoors experience in the Boston area, providing 50 hikes for people of all skill and
experience levels in the profusely illustrated pages of "50 Hikes in Eastern Massachusetts".
While the Berkshires tend to get all recognition when it comes to hiking in Massachusetts, the
eastern part of the state is packed with treasures for lovers of the outdoors. From the rocky ledges
of the Blue Hills Reservation to the sandy stretches of the Cape Cod National Seashore,
incredible trails and vistas abound in this varied region.
In addition to stunning natural views, with "50 Hikes in Eastern Massachusetts" hikers and day
trippers will delight in discovering dozens of small towns, cultural attractions, and historical sites
during your adventures around Boston and the Cape.
Hikes include: Noanet Woodlands; Myles Standish State Forest; Great Island Trail; Middlesex,
Fells Reservation, and more!
Critique: Illustrated with 50 color photographs, and featuring 50 maps, "50 Hikes in Eastern
Massachusetts" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation. Impressively
detailed and informative, making it ideal for planning trips with, "50 Hikes in Eastern
Massachusetts" is especially recommended for personal, community, and academic library
collections. It should be noted that "50 Hikes in Eastern Massachusetts" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Paris: A Curious Traveler's Guide
Eleanor Aldridge
The Countryman Press
c/o W.W. Norton & Company
www.countrymanpress.com
9781682683880 $22.95 pbk / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: In the last few years, Paris has undergone a huge transformation. It's fostered one of the
coolest creative scenes in Europe, some of the continent's best nightlife, and a "bistronomy"
movement that has influenced dining around the globe. Yet while millennial travelers pour into
the city, travel guides continue to focus on a staid checklist approach to Paris's big attractions.
There's currently no book on the market aimed at younger (perhaps more budget-conscious)
American visitors that truly captures the city's revived energy-until this one.
A Curious Traveler's Guide to Paris will direct readers to the best paintings in the Centre
Pompidou and tell them how to beat the lines at the Orangerie. It will guide them to quirky,
little-known museums and secret squares. It will tell them how to find the city's coolest
speakeasies, best neo- bistros, and most unusual boutiques. Informative yet opinionated, it is an
insider's guide to Paris without pretension.
Critique: Featuring 100 color photographs, Paris: A Curious Traveler's Guide is packed cover to
cover with neighborhood highlights of Paris, recommending both mainstream and lesser-known
attractions, and enriched with an index for ease of use. From fine art, to architectural treasures,
culinary delights, standing-room-only wine bars, unforgettable hotels and more, Paris: A Curious
Traveler's Guide will delight vacationers and armchair travelers alike. Highly recommended! It
should be noted for personal reading lists that Paris: A Curious Traveler's Guide is also available
in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
The Architecture Shelf
Courtyard Living
Charmaine Chan
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500519202, $60.00, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Courtyards have long played an important function in residential design, regulating
light, shade and the use of space. With thousands of years of tradition as inspiration,
contemporary architects are realizing courtyard living afresh.
"Courtyard Living: Contemporary Houses of the Asia-Pacific" by Charmaine Chan is lavishly
illustrated survey showcasing 25 residences across the Asia-Pacific region features homes from
Australia, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, India, Vietnam and
Sri Lanka.
Structured by courtyard function, "Courtyard Living" consists of five chapters on privacy;
multigenerational living; sightlines; light and ventilation; and living with nature that are richly
illustrated with photographs as well as architectural drawings showing courtyard positions within
floor plans.
Presenting unique lifestyle opportunities afforded by contemporary courtyard design, "Courtyard
Living" is an inspirational resource for anyone interested in indoor-outdoor living.
Critique: A unique and certain to be prized addition to personal, professional, community,
college, and university library Contemporary Architecture and Interior Design collections,
"Courtyard Living: Contemporary Houses of the Asia-Pacific" is inspiring to simply browse
through for both architecture professionals, architecture students, aspiring interior designers, and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.
The World by Design
A. Eugene Kohn & Clifford Pearson
RosettaBooks
www.rosettabooks.com
9781948122498, $34.99, HC, 328pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Founded on July 4, 1976, Kohn Pedersen Fox quickly became a darling of the
architectural press with groundbreaking buildings such as the headquarters for the American
Broadcasting Company (ABC), the Procter & Gamble headquarters in Cincinnati, and the World
Bank Headquarters in Washington, DC.
By the early 1990s, when most architecture firms in the U.S. were struggling to survive a major
recession, KPF was busy with significant buildings in London, Germany, Canada, Japan, Korea,
and Indonesia -- pioneering a model of global practice that has influenced architecture, design,
and creative-services firms ever since. Like any other business, though, KPF has stumbled along
the way and wrestled with crises. But through it all, it has remained innovative in a field that
changes all the time and often favors the newest star on the horizon.
Now in its fifth decade, the firm has shaped skylines and cities around the world with iconic
buildings such as the World Financial Center in Shanghai, Roppongi Hills in Tokyo, the
International Commerce Centre in Hong Kong, the DZ Bank Tower in Frankfurt, the Heron
Tower in London, and Hudson Yards in New York.
Forthright and engaging, in the pages of "The World by Design: The Story of a Global
Architecture Firm", Kohn examines both award-winning achievements and missteps in his
50-year career in architecture. In the process, he shows how his firm, KPF, has helped change the
buildings and cities where we live, work, learn, and play.
Critique: Nicely illustrated with full color photography, "The World by Design: The Story of a
Global Architecture Firm" is an inherently fascinating personal and corporate history that will be
of particular interest to professionals and non-specialist general readers with an interest in
architecture. While very highly recommended for both community and academic library
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The World by Design" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Downsize: Living Large in a Small House
Sheri Koones
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781641550338, $34.95, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The 25 small houses presented and showcased in "Downsize: Living Large in a Small
House" by Sheri Koones are owned by people who have made a conscious decision to downsize
from a larger home to a smaller home -- or who just decided to build small in the first place.
Some of the houses are new (site-built or prefab), others are remodels. All are 2,000 sq. ft. or
less. The featured houses show how to use space efficiently through such strategies as: creative
storage space; multi-purpose rooms; pocket and barn doors; integrating smaller appliances.
These exceptional houses show how small can be comfortable, practical, energy efficient and
beautiful.
Critique: A novel and unique addition to professional, community, and academic library
Contemporary Architecture collections and supplemental studies reading lists, "Downsize:
Living Large in a Small House" is beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout. For the
personal reading lists of architecture students and non-specialist general readers with an interest
in the subject it should be noted that "Downsize: Living Large in a Small House" is also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.74).
How To Build Your Own Tiny House
Roger Marshall
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781631869075, $26.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Roger Marshall is a woodworker with decades of experience designing living spaces in
the tight quarters of yachts. He has built his own house, studios, greenhouses, and numerous
stone and wooden garden projects.
In "How to Build Your Own Tiny House" Marshall draws upon his extensive expertise to create
a comprehensive guide to the actual construction process, building codes, and regulations, not
another pretty picture book about tiny houses.
"How To Build Your Own Tiny House" offers anyone with basic carpentry skills step-by-step
instructions to successfully build a tiny house (250 to 1,000 square feet.) A profusely illustrated
instruction manual, "How To Build Your Own Tiny House" covers everything from forming a
bill of materials to the basics of frame construction; to detailing wiring and plumbing a tiny
home, to construction codes for small buildings. "How To Build Your Own Tiny House" also
gives pointers as to where local regulations may apply, and also includes a section on building
appropriately sized furniture for a tiny home.
Of special note is the inclusion of a selection of tiny home designs -- each of which can be
expanded as needs change!
Critique: Of special value for the non-specialist general reader considering constructing their own
tiny house project, "How To Build Your Own Tiny House" will prove to be an enduringly valued
and appreciated addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library
Contemporary American Architecture collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be
noted that "How To Build Your Own Tiny House" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $18.01).
White Houses
Philip Jodidio
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500519837, $50.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Devoted to all-white houses, "White Houses" by architecture expert Philip Jodidio
celebrates the ever popular "non-color" of white as a perfect backdrop for contemporary
lifestyles
Sometimes seen as an absence of color, white in fact reflects the purity of the entire spectrum. In
the history of design, white houses often embody the bright, clean clarity associated with
twentieth-century giants Le Corbusier, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and Richard Meier.
"White Houses" presents and informatively showcases the most striking, innovative, and unusual
white houses by contemporary architects, spanning the globe from Asia to the Americas. The
featured houses represent every scale and a wide range of locations and terrains, from seaside
retreats to space-saving urban homes and grand country residences.
From radical new takes on traditional building forms in Latin America to state-of-the-art urban
projects in Europe and Japan, each featured house employs the apparent simplicity of white to
reflect light and accent materiality, pressing the frontiers of form to the point of abstraction. No
longer an anonymous box, the contemporary white house is the embodiment of the architectural
archetype, reinterpreted and refreshed.
Critique: Profusely and beautifully illustrated with 260 full color photographs, "White Houses" is
a unique, special, and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, corporate,
community, and academic library Contemporary Architecture collections and supplemental
studies reading lists.
After the Final Curtain
Matt Lambros
www.mlambrosphotography.com
Jonglez Publishing
http://www.jonglezpublishing.com
9782361953485 $39.95 amazon.com
Synopsis: In the early 20th century the streets of small towns and cities across America were
filled with the lights and sounds of movie theaters. The most opulent - known as "movie palaces"
- were designed to make their patrons feel like royalty; people would dress up to visit. But as
time went on it became harder and harder to fill the 2,000+ seat theaters and many were forced to
close.
Today, these palaces are illuminated only by the flicker of dying lights. The sound of water
dripping from holes in the ceiling echoes through the auditoriums. In After the Final Curtain:
America's Abandoned Theaters internationally-renowned photographer Matt Lambros continues
his travels across the United States, documenting these once elegant buildings. From the
supposedly haunted Pacific Warner Theatre in Los Angeles to the Orpheum Theatre in New
Bedford, MA - which opened the same day the Titanic sank - Lambros pulls back the curtain to
reveal what is left, giving these palaces a chance to shine again.
Critique: After the Final Curtain: America's Abandoned Theaters is an extraordinary tour of these
lingering remnants of shuttered theatrical entertainment centers, capturing their architectural
legacy on film. The grand opulence of what they once were shines through the still images - these
were places where men and women used to dress up for an evening of fine entertainment (or
perhaps, a vaudeville performance). The text offers history and background of each showcased
location, in this striking coffee-table book that is simply captivating to page through from cover
to cover. Highly recommended.
The Railroading Shelf
Railways and Industry in the Tondu Valleys: Bridgend to Treherbert
John Hodge & Stuart Davies
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526727251, $60.00, HC, 200pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: John Hodge is a former railway manager during the 1960s who, since retirement in
1992, has produced many articles and books on South Wales railways. With the assistance of
Stuart Davies, Hodge's "Railways and Industry in the Tondu Valleys: Bridgend to Treherbert"
begins with a history of the industrial development of the Tondu Valleys, including the
succession of great industrialists who led the way in the area.
This is followed by a chapter on the position of the Tondu Valleys in the South Wales Coalfield
with colliery and colliery company details. Railway passenger services are next covered,
followed by railway coal services. Then follows a detailed account of the sole railway depot
which covered all the operations in the Tondu Valleys.
A location specific account then follows of Llynfi Valley detailing both railway and colliery
aspects, following the line from Bridgend, through Tondu, and all locations to Cymmer Afan and
on to the original terminus at Abergwynfi, then from Blaengwynfi through the Rhondda Tunnel
to Treherbert.
The north end of the South Wales Mineral Railway became an adjunct to the Tondu Valley with
the closure of the former Rhondda & Swansea Bay line and this is also included in similar detail.
The closure of the passenger service in 1970 and renaissance of a new service from Maesteg to
Cardiff in 1992 concludes the account.
Critique: Detailed Appendices of operating statistics completes this very comprehensive account,
making "Railways and Industry in the Tondu Valleys: Bridgend to Treherbert" the fullest
illustrated account ever produced of this part of the South Wales scene and is a must for all
British railway history buffs interested in either the railway or mining activities (or both) in this
part of South Wales. While very highly recommended for personal, community, and academic
library British Railway History collections and supplemental studies reading lists, it should be
noted that "Railways and Industry in the Tondu Valleys: Bridgend to Treherbert" is also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, 24.99).
Steam on the Eastern and Midland
David Knapman
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781473891784, $49.95, HC, 136pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Steam on the Eastern and Midland: A New Glimpse of the 1950s and 1960s" is the
second volume from David Knapman's personal record of railway views that were captured on
black and white film in the late 1950's and 1960's, until the demise of steam on British
Railways.
The style of the book, in keeping with Knapmann's first volume, "Steam on the Southern and
Western", is the well tried and tested pictures and captions format and the majority of pictures are
black and white photography. Not every picture portrays a train as there are interesting branch
line and infrastructure scenes to view as well, whilst trains will be on main line and secondary
routes.
"Steam on the Eastern and Midland: A New Glimpse of the 1950s and 1960s" carries its share of
photographs of British Railways standard locomotives in the locations appropriate to the regions.
Where preservation starts to overlap with the still active steam scene, some historic photographs
are included. Photographs will be grouped by a particular location, for example, York on the
Eastern and Hatch End on the Midland. Each of these topic areas will provide a flavour of the
railway activity at the time. "Steam on the Eastern and Midland: A New Glimpse of the 1950s
and 1960s" provides the reader with another gentle meander through the 1950's and 1960's
railway scene and stir the memories of those who lived through those times.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout with black-and-white historic photography, "Steam on
the Eastern and Midland: A New Glimpse of the 1950s and 1960s" is exceptionally informative
and will prove to be a prized and appreciated addition to any and all personal, professional,
community and academic library British Railway History collections and supplemental studies
reading lists. It should be noted that "Steam on the Eastern and Midland: A New Glimpse of the
1950s and 1960s" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $24.99).
The Art Shelf
The Wyvern Collection: Medieval and Later Ivory Carvings and Small Sculpture
Paul Williamson
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500022832, $95.00, HC, 448pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Paul Williamson is Keeper Emeritus and Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the
Victoria and Albert Museum and an Honorary Research Fellow at the Courtauld Institute of Art.
His many books include Gothic Sculpture, 1140 - 1300; Medieval Ivory Carvings: Early
Christian to Romanesque; and Medieval Ivory Carvings, 1200 - 1550.
The Wyvern Collection is one of the most important collections of medieval ivory carvings and
small sculpture, and this beautifully and profusely illustrated compendium showcases the best of
the collection to the public for the first time.
"Medieval and Later Ivory Carvings and Small Sculpture " is the second catalog of the Wyvern
Collection and informatively celebrates an outstanding group of medieval ivory carvings and
small sculpture -- arguably the finest assemblage of its kind in private hands.
Medieval and Later Ivory Carvings and Small Sculpture has pieces from every period of the
Middle Ages, including rare pieces from the Early Christian era, spectacular panels from the
workshops of tenth-century Constantinople, objects produced by the celebrated carvers active in
South Italy in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, and several important pieces from the
Romanesque period.
At the heart of the collection is an outstanding group of Gothic ivories whose highlights include
one of the most important secular medieval ivories discovered in recent years. The collection also
features a number of small amber, hard stone, jet, wood, and mother-of-pearl carvings.
In addition to their virtuoso craftsmanship, many of these pieces have illustrious histories as part
of famous aristocratic or ecclesiastical collections. This is a precious opportunity to study these
miniature masterpieces.
Critique: Featuring informatively some 325 informatively captioned and full color illustrations,
"The Wyvern Collection: Medieval and Later Ivory Carvings and Small Sculpture" is a truly
extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community,
college, and university library Medieval/Renaissance art collections and supplemental studies
lists.
How to Draw Without Talent
Danny Gregory
North Light Books
c/o Penguin Publishing Group
www.penguin.com
9781440300592 $24.99 pbk / $18.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: Want to draw but don't think you have the talent? This book is for you--no experience
or formal training required! Danny Gregory, co-founder of the popular online Sketchbook Skool,
shows you how to get started making art for pleasure with fun, easy lessons. Get started fast with
just a pen and paper, learn to see your subject with new eyes, and enjoy the creative process.
Critique: How to Draw Without Talent is a nontraditional, self-study guide that breaks down
learning how to draw into bite-sized basics that can be readily absorbed by anyone with a
sketchbook, a pen or pencil, and perseverance. Each page or two-page spread offers a different
practice suggestion, lesson, or insight into the process of drawing. Full-color illustrations help
clarify the recommendations and suggested exercises. How to Draw Without Talent is an
invaluable guide for budding artists of all ages and backgrounds. Highly recommended! It should
be noted for personal reading lists that How to Draw Without Talent is also available in a Kindle
edition ($18.99).
The Art of Looking Up
Catherine McCormack
White Lion Publishing
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9780711242173, $45.00, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: From the floating women and lotus flowers of the Senso-ji Temple in Japan, to the
religious iconography that adorns places of worship from Vienna to Istanbul, all the way to bold
displays like the Chihuly glass flora suspended from the lobby of the Bellagio Hotel in Las
Vegas: "The Art of Looking Up" by Catherine McCormack takes her readers on a fabulous and
beautifully illustrated tour of the extraordinary artworks that demand an alternative
viewpoint.
A history of art expert, Catherine deftly guides her readers through the stories behind the
artworks -- their conception, execution, and the artists that visualised them. In many cases, these
artworks also make bold but controlled political, religious or cultural statements, revealing much
about the society and times in which they were created.
Divided by these social themes into four sections (Religion, Culture, Power and Politics) and
pictured from various viewpoints in glorious colour photography, tour the astounding ceilings of
these and more remarkable locations: Vatican Palace, Rome, Italy; Blenheim Palace,
Oxfordshire, UK; Louvre Museum, Paris, France; Dali Theatre-Museum, Figueres, Catalonia;
Museum of the Revolution, Havana, Cuba; and the Capitol Building, Washington, DC,
USA.
Four eight-page foldout sections showcase some of the world's most spectacular ceilings in
exquisite detail.
Critique: Inspirationally beautiful to simply browse through, this coffee table style (9.7 x 1.1 x
12.6 inches) volume is impressively informative and exceptionally well written, organized and
presented -- making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community
and academic library World Art History collections and supplemental studies curriculum lists.
While an especially appropriate 'Memoral Fund' acquisition selection for libraries, it should also
be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject
that "The Art of Looking Up" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $35.99).
Editorial Note: Catherine McCormack is a writer and art history lecturer based in London. She
regularly teaches at Sotheby's Institute of Art, Dulwich Picture Gallery and UCL, where she
completed her PhD and was a Teaching Fellow. Her writing has been published in The
Independent, Architectural Review, Stylist, Glass magazine, LABEL magazine, and in
international academic journals and museum exhibition catalogues. She is also resident art expert
at Blacks Club Soho and has appeared on Sky News and BBC Breakfast talking about art.
Catherine is also the author of Women in the Picture (Icon Books, 2020).
Gordon Onslow Ford
Sepp Hiekisch-Picard, et al.
Lucid Art Foundation
c/o Distributed Art Publishers
155 Sixth Avenue, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10013-1507
www.artbook.com
9781732667303, $65.00, HC, 348pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: This substantial volume is the first major resource on the life and work of Gordon
Onslow Ford (26 December 1912 - 9 November 2003), the British-born painter who was the
youngest member of Andre Breton's surrealist group in Paris, and who spent more than 50 years
in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Marked by an initial interest in automatist techniques, Onslow Ford's painting gradually
developed through studies of Eastern philosophy, mysticism and ecology resulting in complex
and varied works that incorporated cosmic charts and biomorphic abstraction.
"Gordon Onslow Ford: A Man on a Green Island" is a superbly produced volume that is
comprised of a series of thoroughly researched essays, as well as previously unpublished archival
material, and more than 200 color illustrations, deftly traces Onslow Ford's time spent in Paris,
stints in New York and Mexico, culminating in his move in 1947 to the Bay Area.
Organized and published by the Lucid Art Foundation (cofounded by Onslow Ford in 1998), this
is a long-overdue and impressively executed survey that will effectively bring a critically
interesting artist up out of an undeserved obscurity.
Critique: Enhanced for academia with the inclusion of an informative Introduction by Fariba
Bogzaran, an eight page Chronology, a five page Biography, and an eight page Index, "Gordon
Onslow Ford: A Man on a Green Island" is a meticulous and collaborative work of informed and
informative scholarship that is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional,
community, college, and university library Contemporary Art History collections in general, and
Gordon Onslow Ford supplemental studies reading lists in particular.
The Woodworking Shelf
Carving Small Characters in Wood
Jack Price
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing Company
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781497100183 $12.99 pbk amazon.com
Synopsis: Great for beginners, Carving Small Characters offers simple carving techniques in a
smaller format to create compact caricatures.
This book starts you off with fun, easy lessons on carving a basic character, then slowly
progresses into more complex challenges like creating features and expressions. Detailed
directions and high-quality photography walk you through each lesson, from carving the body,
face, and clothes to ears, hairstyles, and grimaces. A final chapter provides insight on displaying
your caricatures, a bonus challenge, and an inspirational small character gallery.
Author and renowned caricature woodcarver Jack Price is the leading voice to learn from on how
to create small statuettes! A well-respected carver, Price is also the author of the popular books
Carving Compact Characters and 50 Character Patterns for Woodcarvers. Beginning his career in
1975, he has been specializing in compact figures since 1978, with most of his work ranging
from 2-3 inches in height. Inside Carving Small Characters in Wood, you'll learn everything you
need to know to carve mini wooden statuettes from the leading expert of carving 2-inch tall
figures!
For beginner caricaturists, or carvers who want to learn how to create smaller figures, Carving
Small Characters is packed with approachable carving techniques and progressive lessons that
will help you create tiny figures with big personalities!
Critique: Featuring full-color photography illustrating step-by-step processes, Carving Small
Characters in Wood: Instructions & Patterns for Compact Projects with Personality is a hands-on
guide to crafting small caricatures out of wood - creating simple, cartoon-like figures that may be
as small as two inches high. Expert caricature woodcarver Jack Price walks the reader through
basic methods followed by more advanced techniques for adding detail. Carving Small
Characters in Wood is a treasure for hobbyist workers, highly recommended.
Solid-Point Pyrography
Lisa Shackleton
The GMC Group
www.gmcbooks.com
9781784945206, $14.95, PB, 96pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Pyrography or pyrogravure is the free handed art of decorating wood or other materials
with burn marks resulting from the controlled application of a heated object such as a poker. It is
also known as pokerwork or wood burning. (Wikipedia)
Living with her family in West Yorkshire, England, Lisa Shackleton started pyrography as a
hobby and very quickly fell in love with it. She is now one of the leading exponents of
solid-point pyrography in the UK, and demonstrates at many of the major woodturning shows in
the UK and abroad.
In the illustrated pages of "Solid-Point Pyrography" Lisa has created a thoroughly 'user friendly'
beginner's guide to the art and practice of solid-point pyrography. The solid-point woodburning
tool is reasonably prices and easy to use, with a variety of tips for drawing, shading and mark
making, providing a quick and cost-effective introduction to this wonderfully creative and
enjoyable ancient craft.
Critique: "Solid-Point Pyrography" is comprised of 15 simple and deftly presented step-by-step
solid-point projects suitable for the absolute beginner. Also provided is a wealth of useful and
practical information on equipment and techniques, to guide the aspiring wood burning hobbiest
though every step of the way. Whether decorating a wooden bangle or producing a pleasing work
of art, "Solid-Point Pyrography" is all that is needed to become an accomplished wood burning
artist -- making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal and community
library Hobby/Crafts instructional reference collections.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Kryon Oracle Card Deck
Lee Carroll
The Kryon Writings Inc.
https://store.kryon.com
9781888053210, $19.95, 44- Card Deck, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Since 1989, Kryon has given messages for humanity which are filled with profound
wisdom and heartfelt spiritual instructions for living a positive, uplifting life. "Kryon Oracle
Card Deck" is forty-four card deck has been carefully created to offer daily wisdom and spiritual
guidance. Within the accompanying guidebook is a system where every card has a corresponding
quote from Kryon. In addition, Lee Carroll, the original channel for Kryon, gives personal
insights for each card's quote, revealing a deeper meaning of Kryon's messages.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, the Kryon Oracle Card Deck from channeller Lee Carroll is an
extraordinary and beautifully crafted addition to personal and professional metaphysical studies
in general, and tarot/oracle card collections in general.
The Education Shelf
Curriculum Planning and Instructional Design for Gifted Learners, third edition
Joyce VanTassel-Baska & Ariel Baska
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
www.prufrock.com
9781618218896, $75.00, PB, 300pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Now in a newly updated and expanded third edition, "Curriculum Planning and
Instructional Design for Gifted Learners" by the team of Joyce VanTassel-Baska and Ariel Baska
continues to be an ideal guide to designing curriculum for the gifted at any level of learning and
in any subject area.
This new edition of "Curriculum Planning and Instructional Design for Gifted Learners" deftly
addresses the need to differentiate at all levels in the design process; shows how to customize
curriculum for advanced learners; uses national standards, such as the Common Core State
Standards and Next Generation Science Standards, as the point of departure for design; and
demonstrates how the differentiation process works in math, science, social studies, and English
language arts.
Special needs gifted learners, such as those who are twice-exceptional, second language learners,
students from poverty, and minority students, are also included as a group for further
differentiation and customization of curriculum and instruction. This new edition of "Curriculum
Planning and Instructional Design for Gifted Learners" may also be used to provide a curriculum
guide for teachers in a master's program in gifted education or those taking endorsement
classes.
Critique: An ideal curriculum textbook and instruction manual, "Curriculum Planning and
Instructional Design for Gifted Learners: 3rd Edition" is unreservedly recommended as an
essential and core addition to school district, college, and community library Contemporary
Education collections and supplemental studies lists.
Editorial Note: Joyce VanTassel-Baska, Ed.D., is the Smith Professor Emerita at William &
Mary, where she developed a graduate program and a research and development center in gifted
education. She has published widely, including 30 books and more than 700 refereed journal
articles, book chapters, and scholarly reports. Ariel Baska teaches all levels of Latin, including
Advanced Placement, in Fairfax County Public Schools, VA. She received her bachelor's degree
in Classics from William & Mary and her master's degree in curriculum studies with an emphasis
in gifted education from George Mason University.
Your Students, My Students, Our Students
Lee Ann Jung, Nancy Frey, Douglas Fisher, Julie Kroener
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416628095, $30.95, PB, 159pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Your Students, My Students, Our Students: Rethinking Equitable and Inclusive
Classrooms" deftly explores the hard truths of current special education practice and outlines five
essential disruptions to the status quo.
The collaborative educational experts Lee Ann Jung, Nancy Frey, Douglas Fisher, and Julie
Kroener show how to: Establish a school culture that champions equity and inclusion; Rethink
the long-standing structure of least restrictive environment and the resulting service delivery:
Leverage the strengths of all educators to provide appropriate support and challenge; Collaborate
on the delivery of instruction and intervention; Honor the aspirations of each student and plan
accordingly.
To realize authentic and equitable inclusion, classroom teachers must relentlessly and
collectively pursue change. "Your Students, My Students, Our Students" was not written for
"special educators" or "general educators" but for all educators as it informatively addresses the
challenges, maps out the solutions, and provides tools and inspiration for the work ahead.
Of special note is the inclusion of real-life examples of empowerment and success that illustrate
just what's possible when educators commit to the belief that every student belongs to all of us
and all students deserve learning experiences that will equip them to live full and rewarding
lives.
Critique: An ideal instructional resource and guide, "Your Students, My Students, Our Students:
Rethinking Equitable and Inclusive Classrooms" is unreservedly recommended for school district
in-service workshops, college and university library Teacher Education collections and
supplemental curriculum lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of teachers, school
administrators, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Your
Students, My Students, Our Students: Rethinking Equitable and Inclusive Classrooms" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.40).
Off to a Good Start
Kathleen M. Feeley & Emily A. Jones
Woodbine House
6510 Bells Mill Road, Bethesda, MD 20817
www.woodbinehouse.com
9781606132876, $29.95, PB, 400pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In "Off to a Good Start: A Behaviorally Based Model for Teaching Children with
Down Syndrome: Teaching Programs" Kathleen M. Feeley (Director of the Center for
Community Inclusion, Long Island University) and Emily A. Jones (Licensed Behavior Analyst
and Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Queens College) share the compelling
research about the benefits of using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) methods with children
with Down syndrome, describe ABA principles and procedures, and provide the ABA-based
curriculum they've used for nearly 20 years to successfully teach infants through kindergartners
with Down syndrome.
"Teaching Programs" shows readers how to teach hundreds of essential skills using proven
discrete-trial methods with prompts and reinforcement rather than the more informal ways that
people typically teach children with Down syndrome and covers: Background information on
how the teaching programs are structured, how to progress through them, and how to use the
included planning and tracking forms; How to organize materials and yourself, and work
teaching into your day; General information on enhancing the learning environment and helping
your child learn throughout the day (e.g., positioning your baby, keeping the environment
stimulating, being responsive, ensuring that reinforcement is actually reinforcing, using visual
schedules and token systems).
Also presented is: Comprehensive information on teaching specific skills to children in four age
groups: infants & toddlers, early childhood, preschool, and kindergarten; within each age group,
skills are divided into motor, social-communication, cognitive, and self-help development, and
organized into teaching programs with specific steps to teach each skill; Using prompts and
reinforcement to shape desired behavior and skills; How to minimize behavior which interferes
with learning such as distracting parents/teachers with attention-seeking cute behavior, escaping
from demands, or tuning out; Using behavior modification tools: functional behavior assessment
and positive behavior support to manage behavior as the child gets older; How to access
community resources and opportunities including early intervention, parent groups, inclusive
recreational activities, scoping out preschool and kindergarten programs, understanding special
education rights, and communicating with teachers and group leaders about ways to include your
child.
Critique: An ideal curriculum textbook for both classroom teachers and involved parents of
preschool and elementary school Down syndrome children, "Off to a Good Start: A Behaviorally
Based Model for Teaching Children With Down Syndrome: Teaching Programs" is unreservedly
recommended for school district, college, and university library Down Syndrome Education
instructional reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
Science Curriculum Topic Story, second edition
Page Keeley and Joyce Tugel
Corwin
www.corwin.com
9781452244648, $45.95
The second updated edition of Science Curriculum Topic Story: Bridging the Gap Between
Three-Dimensional Standards, Research, and Practice covers the three centerpieces of science
education: content, scientific and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts. It shows
teachers how to apply these three basic science concepts in an approach that updates material for
new standards and research-based resources and directs science educators to incorporate the
latest practices throughout their work with students. From more STEM approaches to study
guides in six categories and new connections between concepts and instruction approaches, this
is a key tool for helping teachers modernize their standards and classroom approaches, and
should be in every education reference collection.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
For the Love of Rescue Dogs
Tom Colvin, Paula Sunday, and Mick McAuliffe
CompanionHouse Books
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing Company
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781621871897 $19.99 pbk / $17.09 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: The perfect read before you bring your rescue pet home, For the Love of Rescue Dogs
is a witty and informative book on all things canine-related. Featuring over 250 stunning pictures
of cute dogs, this resource illustrates the many facets of their personality, provides tips on
training, and explains the best ways to care for a rescue dog. Know how to give them the life
they've always wanted as you flip through the pages of this books that's as adorable as it is
enlightening!
Critique: Illustrated with full-color photography throughout, For the Love of Rescue Dogs: The
Guide to Selecting, Training, and Caring for Your Dog lives up to its title as a practical reference
and resource for anyone interesting in adopting a puppy or dog from an animal shelter. Chapters
discuss how to choose a dog that best fits one's lifestyle, do's and don'ts of having both children
and dogs, house-training, basic obedience training, keeping one's dog healthy, dealing with
problem behaviors, and much more. An index rounds out this thoroughly accessible, easy-to-use,
"must-have" for prospective dog owners. Highly recommended! It should be noted for personal
reading lists that For the Love of Rescue Dogs is also available in a Kindle edition ($17.09).
The Economic Studies Shelf
Intergenerational Equity: Corporate and Financial Leadership
Julia M. Puaschunder
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060-3815
www.e-elgar.com
9781788978828, $120.00, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Exploring a topic of growing importance that has scant coverage, "Intergenerational
Equity: Corporate and Financial Leadership " by Julia M. Puaschunder (a Post-Doctoral
Researcher, Columbia University and Princeton University and Department of Economics and
the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis, The New School, US) brings to the fore a
comprehensive discussion of intergenerational predicaments.
"Intergenerational Equity" informatively explores just how corporate and financial social
responsibility can leverage intergenerational harmony through Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) and Socially Responsible Investment (SRI).
A warming earth under climate change, overindebtedness crises and demographic aging of a
Western world population are putting pressure on future generations. Transparency and
accountability are key for monitoring corporate and financial social responsibility in the interplay
of public and private actors to ensure a sustainable humankind and intergenerational
harmony.
"Intergenerational Equity" insightfully discusses the human constituents of responsibility and the
international emergence of CSR, paying special attention to global governance multi-stakeholder
partnerships. The rise of SRI in the international arena in the wake of stakeholder activism and
intrinsic socio-psychological motives of socially responsible investors are also outlined and the
role of leadership, trust and managerial ethics accentuated.
Critique: Enhanced for academia with the inclusion of figures, tables, an informative
introduction, thirty-one pages of references, and a ten page index, scholars, executives and
readers motivated by the desire to improve corporate and financial market activities will benefit
immensely by a careful reading of "Intergenerational Equity: Corporate and Financial
Leadership" -- making it an ideal curriculum textbook and an unreservedly recommended
addition to corporate, college, and university library Economic Studies and Business
Management collections and supplemental studies lists.
The Library Science Shelf
A-Z Common Reference Questions for Academic Librarians
Heather Dawson
Facet Publishing
www.facetpublishing.co.uk
9781783304110, $79.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Heather Dawson is an Academic Support Librarian in the Information Services
Department of the LSE Library and the author of two books from Facet Publishing, UK. In "A-Z
Common Reference Questions for Academic Librarians" she draws upon her years of experience
and expertise to help academic librarians tackle the questions most commonly asked by students,
academics and researchers.
A broad cross-disciplinary A-Z of themes including topics such as literature searching,
plagiarism, and using online resources are covered, helping you to address a query confidently
and quickly. Each topic is split into three sections to guide the reader's response to: common
inquiries encountered; points to consider, with an exploration of the issues and challenges that
might arise; and guidance on where to look, listing annotated UK and international resources in
print and online including key organizations, scholarly bodies, digital libraries, statistical data,
and journal article indexes.
"A-Z Common Reference Questions for Academic Librarians" fully updates and expands the
author's previous book, "Know it All, Find it Fast for Academic Libraries", and includes new
sections on: blogging and social media; text and data mining and data visualization; assistive
technology resources; early career researchers; impact measurement including bibliometrics,
citation analysis, and journal rankings; academic internet searching; LGBT studies; Middle East
studies; project management; open access (OA) publishing; research data management; study
skills; and systematic reviews.
Critique: Very highly recommended as being ideal for a library science curriculum or as in-
service training textbook for library students and/or aspiring academic librarians, "A-Z Common
Reference Questions for Academic Librarians" is impressively well organized and presented.
This thoroughly 'user friendly' resource is unreservedly endorsed for the Library Science
instructional reference collections of community, college, and academic libraries and library
systems.
The Dance Shelf
Dancing Longer, Dancing Stronger
Robin Kish & Jennie Morton
Princeton Book Company
614 Route 130, Highstown, NJ 08520
www.dancehorizons.com
9780871273970, $39.95, PB, 368pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Based on the latest scientific research, "Dancing Longer, Dancing Stronger" by Robin
Kish and Jennie Morton offers a complete conditioning program to help dancers improve
technique and lessen the danger of injury. By presenting general principles of injury prevention
as well as specific exercises for increasing strength and flexibility, "Dancing Longer, Dancing
Stronger" provides information that dancers of all ages and skill levels can use to improve
performance. Common problems are discussed in a question and answer format. "Dancing
Longer, Dancing Stronger" also gives a thorough overview of anatomy and exercise
physiology.
Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, and featuring numerous black-and-white
photographic illustrations throughout, "Dancing Longer, Dancing Stronger" is an ideal and
unreservedly recommended curriculum textbook for private dance academy or public school
dance classes, as well as the personal DIY reading lists of any and all aspiring dancers ranging
from ballet, to tap, to modern, to folk, and beyond.
Editorial Note: Robin Kish earned her MFA in kinesiology and an MS in physiology and
biomechanics. She is a licensed massage therapist and certified in Pilates. She has been on the
faculty of Chapman University since 2006 and is an active member in the International
Association of Dance Medicine and Science, Performing Arts Medicine Association, and
National Dance Education Organization. After a career in ballet and musical theater, Jennie
Morton trained as a sport massage therapist and osteopath, then obtained her MS in psychology.
She is currently an Adjunct Professor at Chapman University and has more than 25 years of
experience training dancers in injury prevention and supporting recovery. She is a board member
for the Performing Arts Medicine Association and the author of The Authentic Performer.
The Jewelry Shelf
Diamond Jewelry: 700 Years of Glory and Glamour
Diana Scarisbrick
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500021507, $80.00, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: From time immemorial, diamonds have long symbolized political power and authority
in Europe. "Diamond Jewelry: 700 Years of Glory and Glamour" by Diana Scarisbrick deftly
explores the individuals who commissioned and wore extraordinarily precious diamond
ornaments from the mid-fourteenth century to the present day.
Exquisite paintings and breathtaking photography highlight the diamonds of figures as enduring
as Louis XIV of France and Queen Elizabeth I of Great Britain, as well as screen icons such as
Elizabeth Taylor. From Lisbon to London and Stockholm to St. Petersburg, these figures used
diamond jewelry to reinforce their power. Like royal dress, diamonds were worn to dazzle and
impress - at weddings, coronations, christenings, and state visits - and were presented as gifts,
which often proved remarkably successful as instruments of diplomacy.
More than three hundred illustrations capture the changing styles of diamond jewelry that mirror
the trends of the time: late Gothic naturalism, the culture of the Renaissance, Baroque splendor,
Rococo elegance and the imperial grandeur of the First and Second Napoleonic Empires.
"Diamond Jewelry: 700 Years of Glory and Glamour" offers an inherently fascinating overview
of one of the world's most iconic gems.
Critique: Diana Scarisbrick is an art historian specializing in the history of engraved gems and
jewelry. Her publications include Rings: Jewelry of Power, Love and Loyalty and Portrait Jewels:
Opulence and Intimacy from the Medici to the Romanovs. Now with the publication of
"Diamond Jewelry: 700 Years of Glory and Glamour" she continues to provide an impressively
informative and beautifully illustrated study that is a pleasure to simply browse through.
Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Diamond Jewelry: 700 Years of Glory and
Glamour" is unreservedly recommended for personal and professional reading lists, and would be
an ideal Memorial Fund acquisition choice for community, college, and university library
collections.
The Martial Arts Shelf
The Complete Martial Artist
Willie 'The Bam' Johnson
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
www.ymaa.com
9781594396533, $18.95, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Willie "The Bam" Johnson, is an award winning martial arts teacher whose mission is
to help young adults and others become empowered through martial arts, in order to make good
life choices. He is a seven-time sport karate and kung fu world champion, a two-time All
American champion, and a nationally ranked Triple Crown martial arts champion. He teaches at
The Bam Martial Arts Academy in Laurel, Maryland.
In "The Complete Martial Artist: Developing the Mind, Body, and Spirit of a Champion"
Johnson draws upon his years of experience and expertise to offers young adults and
twenty-something's a DIY opportunity to see what martial arts can do for their lives as he shares
his own childhood story of hardship and redemption along with: How to adopt martial arts values
as a way of living; Important universal principles to live by; Creating a championship attitude;
Examples about martial arts forms (kata) and sparring; How to get started and be successful in
your personal martial arts journey.
"The Complete Martial Artist" can be a key unlocking a door to personal self-development and
achieving a balanced approach to living.
Critique: Profusely illustrated in black-and-white throughout, "The Complete Martial Artist:
Developing the Mind, Body, and Spirit of a Champion" is impressively 'user friendly' in
commentary, organization and presentation, making it an ideal addition to personal, professional,
dojo, community, and academic library Martial Arts instructional reference collections. It should
be noted for dedicated martial arts students that "The Complete Martial Artist" is also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
The Religious Studies Shelf
The Epistle of James
James D. Dvorak & Zachary K. Dawson, editors
Pickwick Publications
c/o Wipf and Stock Publishers
199 West 8th Avenue, Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401-2960
http://wipfandstock.com
9781498224581, $40.00, PB, 348pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by James D. Dvorak (Professor of Greek and
New Testament at Oklahoma Christian University in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) and Zachary K.
Dawson (who is a PhD candidate in New Testament at McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton,
Ontario), "The Epistle of James: Linguistic Exegesis of an Early Christian Letter" is a collection
of essays that applies to the book of James with respect to linguistic methods of analysis that are
based on the same theoretical framework, namely Systemic-Functional Linguistics.
This volume in the Pickwick Publications McMaster Linguistic Exegesis of the New Testament
series is unique in that it provides a theoretically consistent and unified approach to a single New
Testament book, which makes the whole volume useful for researchers and students of
James.
Each individual essay makes its own creative use of this linguistic perspective to engage
important critical questions and to pave new ground for Jacobean scholarship based on linguistic
analysis. Various topics in this volume include the textual structure and cohesion of the letter,
intertextuality, rhetorical strategies, ideological struggle, interpersonal relations, and other topics
related to the letter's social context and language use.
Critique: A compendium of simply outstanding and meticulous scholarship that is unreservedly
recommended for church, seminary, college, and university library Contemporary New
Testament Theology collections in general, and The Epistle of James supplemental studies lists
in particular, "The Epistle of James: Linguistic Exegesis of an Early Christian Letter" is
comprised of eleven erudite and insightful articles, a listing of the contributors and their
credentials, a six page Index of Modern Authors, and a seven page Index of Ancient
Sources.
The Music Shelf
Rock Chronicles, third edition
David Roberts, editor
Firefly Books Ltd.
www.fireflybooks.com
9780228101598, $20.95, PB, 576pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: David Roberts has edited more than 20 music reference book projects at Guinness
World Records including British Hit Singles and Albums and Rockopedia. He is also the author
of Rock Atlas: 650 Great Music Locations and the Fascinating Stories Behind Them.
Compiled and edited by Roberts, this newly updated and expanded third edition of "Rock
Chronicles: Every Legend, Every Line-up, Every Look" is fully updated to mark the recent loss
of many important, innovative and beloved musicians who changed the world of music,
including: David Bowie, the irreplaceable Prince, Tom Petty, George Michael, Lemmy of
Motorhead, Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots, two of the
three members of Emerson Lake and Palmer, poet philosopher Leonard Cohen, Gregg Allman,
the great Chuck Berry, Glenn Frey of the Eagles, Leon Russell, J. Geils, and too many
others.
Specifically designed for today's visual-savvy generation, "Rock Chronicles" uses color-coded
infographics for quick-glance coverage of the ever-shifting line-ups, appearances, labels, sounds
and successes of 250 of the most important rock acts from 1960 to time of press in 2018.
Insightful commentary highlighted with photographs gives the lowdown on every member --
whatever their role in the band and however short-lived their time with them.
Bands change their line-ups, musicians pass away, and of course new music is released. This new
and comprehensive edition has been updated to reflect the many such changes since the previous
book including: Date of death of deceased band members and revisions to the descriptive text to
reflect this change; Revised text if there has been a major development in an active band; New
albums for those bands still active on timeline; Revised timelines for bands still active: Grammy
Awards; Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees.
Critique: Comprehensive, information-packed, expertly organized, and compellingly presented,
Rock Chronicles is the essential and throughly 'user friendly' reference for everyone who is a
dedicated fans of rock music -- and all those associated with it. Simply stated, this new third
edition of "Rock Chronicles" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional,
community, college, and university library musicology reference collections in general, and Rock
Music supplemental studies reading lists in particular.
The Literary Studies Shelf
Becoming Willa Cather: Creation and Career
Daryl W. Palmer
University of Nevada Press
Mail Stop 0166, Reno, NV, 89557-0166
www.unpress.nevada.edu
9781948908276, $39.95, HC, 264pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: From the girl in Red Cloud who oversaw the construction of a miniature town called
Sandy Point in her backyard, to the New Woman on a bicycle, celebrating art and castigating
political abuse in Lincoln newspapers, to the aspiring novelist in New York City, committed to
creation and career, "Becoming Willa Cather: Creation and Career" by Daryl W. Palmer
(Professor of English at Regis University in Denver, Colorado) is a groundbreaking literary
biography that offers a provocative new look at Willa Cather's evolution as a writer.
Willa Cather has long been admired for O Pioneers! (1913), Song of the Lark (1915), and My
Antonia (1918) -- the "prairie novels" about the lives of early Nebraska pioneers that launched
her career. Thanks in part to these timeless masterpieces of literary fiction, she is often viewed as
a representative of pioneer life on the Great Plains, a controversial innovator in American
modernism, and a compelling figure in the literary history of LGBTQ America. A century later,
scholars acknowledge Cather's place in the canon of American literature and continue to explore
her relationship with the West.
Drawing on original archival research and paying unprecedented attention to Cather's early short
stories, Professor Palmer demonstrates that the relationship with Nebraska in the years leading up
to O Pioneers! is more dynamic than critics and scholars thought. Readers will encounter a
surprisingly bold young female author whose youth in Nebraska served as a kind of laboratory
for her future writing career. "Becoming Willa Cather" changes the way we think about Cather, a
brilliant and ambitious author who embraced experimentation in life and art, intent on re-
imagining the American West.
Critique: A masterpiece of meticulous scholarship, exhaustive research, insightful analysis, and
featuring a ten page listing of Works Cited, along with a six page Index, "Becoming Willa
Cather: Creation and Career" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to
community, college, and university library 20th Century American Literary Biography collections
in general, and Willa Cather supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted
for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "Becoming Willa Cather: Creation and Career" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $37.95).
The Technology Shelf
Photonic Applications for Radio Systems and Networks
Fabio Cavaliere & Antonio D'Errico
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com
9781630816650, $169.00, HC, 301pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Photonics is the physical science of light (photon) generation, detection, and
manipulation through emission, transmission, modulation, signal processing, switching,
amplification, and sensing.
"Photonic Applications for Radio Systems and Networks" photonics systems and technology
experts Fabio Cavaliere and Antonio D'Errico by is hands-on and practical new resource that
provides optical network designers with basic but necessary information about radio systems air
interface and radio access network architecture, protocols, and interfaces, using 5G use cases as
relevant example.
"Photonic Applications for Radio Systems and Networks" introduces mobile network designers
to the transmission modeling techniques for the design of a radio access optical network. The
main linear and non-linear propagation effects in optical fiber are covered. It also introduces
mobile network designers to the optical technologies used in digital and analog radio access
networks, such as optical amplifiers and transmitters, and describes different deployment
scenarios, including point-to-point fiber systems, wavelength-division multiplexing systems, and
passive optical networks.
New integrated photonic technologies for optical switching are also discussed, as well as
explaining and illustrating the principles of optical beamforming and how optical technologies
can be used to provide accurate phase and frequency control of antenna elements.
Critique: An ideal curriculum textbook, "Photonic Applications for Radio Systems and
Networks" is expertly organized and presented. While unreservedly recommended for
professional, college, and university library collections, it should be noted for the personal
reading lists of students, academia, technicians, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "Photonic Applications for Radio Systems and Networks" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $119.63).
The VNA Applications Handbook
Gregory Bonaguide & Neil Jarvis
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com
9781630816001, $169.00, HC, 375pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In "The VNA Applications Handbook", the capabilities and limitations of modern
VNA in the context of challenging real-world applications are explained, as well as insights for
optimizing test setups and instrument settings, making accurate measurements and, equally
important, avoiding costly mistakes.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented by two prominent experts in the
field, Gregory Bonaguide (Senior Applications Engineer at Rohde & Schwarts specializing in
spectrum analyzers and vector network analyzers) and Neil Jarvis (Applications Engineer at
Rhode & Schwartz), "The VNA Applications Handbook" is authoritative new resource that
provides guidelines for performing a wide variety of Vector Network Analyzers (VNA)
measurements. While unreservedly recommended as a college and university curriculum
textbook, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and technicians
that "The VNA Applications Handbook" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$132.65).
Editorial Note: Artech House provides today's professionals and students with books and
software from the world's authorities in RF/microwave design, wireless communications, radar
engineering, and electronic defense, GPS/GNSS, power engineering, computer security, and
building technology. Artech House is a subsidiary of Horizon House Publications, Inc., publisher
of the Microwave Journal.
Artech House
www.artechhouse.com
Vince Rodriguez's Anechoic Range Design for Electromagnetic Measurements (9781630815370,
$169.00) discusses the best methods to measure different kinds of antennas, examining the
design of indoor ranges for RF measurements and considering best practices for measuring
systems and antennas. Reference collections strong in electromagnetics will appreciate a specific
guide to making measurements and identifying the options of ranges and designs, and will also
find the examples and references perfect for those working with designs based on
electromagnetic processes. Henry Lau's Practical Antenna Design for Wireless Products
(9781630813253, $179.00) covers antenna basics and designs that lend to optimum performance,
and is recommended for any electronics reference collection strong in antenna design and
applications. Examples on wearable electronic products are presented in a format which builds
blocks of knowledge and links antenna design basics to math and analytical approaches, making
this college-level and professional reference a fine consideration.
The Philosophy Shelf
Mister Rogers and Philosophy
Eric J. Mohr and Holly K, Mohr, Editors
Open Court
www.opencourtbooks.com
9780812694772, $19.95
Mister Rogers and Philosophy: Wondering Through the Neighborhood joins others in the
Popular Culture and Philosophy series that joins television and film experience to philosophical
contentions, and is recommended reading for media studies and philosophy students alike. It
closely inspects the tenets and presentation of Mister Rogers Neighborhood, exploring his
character and ideals and linking his warm legacy to philosophy in a way that encourages TV
viewers to think about the presence of philosophy in everyday life. From links between children's
attractions to puppetry and changes in behavior from observations to Mister Rogers' lessons
about love, this is an involving title that is revealing, lively, and directly connects philosophy to
beloved cultural icons.
The Criminology Shelf
Last of the Gladiators
James M. LaRossa, Jr.
Bancroft Press
PO Box 65360, Baltimore, MD 21209
www.bancroftpress.com
9781610882392, $32.95, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: From the 1960s until the turn of the 21st century, New York City was the world's
epicenter of organized and white-collar crime. During those four decades, the most feared Mafia
chiefs, assassins, defrocked stockbrokers, Orthodox Jewish money-launderers, and Arab bankers
sought the counsel of one man: Jimmy LaRossa, a Kennedy-era prosecutor who became the
defense lawyer of first resort.
On January 30, 2009, his son, James M. LaRossa Jr., snuck his famous and mortally ill father
from New York Presbyterian Hospital to a waiting Medevac jet, where we flew in secret to a
place few people would look for two die-hard New Yorkers: a town in Southern California aptly
named Manhattan Beach.
During their five years in exile, they, "the LaRossa boys" as they came to be known, made their
mark as a most irreverent and unrivaled father/son duo. While the son cooked his father his
favorite Italian dishes and kept him alive using the most up-to-date equipment and drugs, the
father recounted his legendary courtroom exploits to his son -- who recorded them for later
publication.
Not only is "Last of the Gladiators" a memoir about some of the seminal legal events of a
generation, but it's also a love story between a father and son -- a theme not often seen in
American arts and letters.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and uniquely informative 'insider' account of New York's
underworld, "Last of the Gladiators: A Memoir of Love, Redemption, and the Mob by the Son of
the Legendary Trial Lawyer Jimmy LaRossa" will have a very special appeal for anyone with an
interest in organized crime and the role played by their defense attorneys. While unreservedly
recommended for both community and academic library American Biography collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Last of the Gladiators" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Holocaust Studies Shelf
Tehran Children
Mikhal Dekel
W.W. Norton
www.wwnorton.com
9781324001034, $27.95
Tehran Children: A Holocaust Refugee Odyssey covers an unusual history: that of Jewish
children evacuated to Iran during World War II. It was 2007 when Dekel told an interested
colleague that her father was one of a thousand such children in Tehran during the war. She knew
little more and didn't even consider him the usual Holocaust survivor, but her exploration of his
life resulted in ten years of research into the Tehran Children and others who were deported from
Poland to settlements in the Soviet Union and its many republics. No Holocaust history
collection should be without this exploration of a little-known aspect of Holocaust relocation
history.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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