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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Social Media Warfare
Michael Erbschloe
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781138036024, $69.95, HC, 327pp, www.amazon.com
Social media applications can be weaponized with very little skill. Social media warfare has
become a burden that nation states, government agencies, and corporations need to face. Michael
Erbschloe has worked for over 30 years performing analysis of the economics of information
technology, public policy relating to technology, and utilizing technology in reengineering
organization processes. In "Social Media Warfare: Equal Weapons for All" he draws upon his
decades of experience and expertise to address the social media warfare threat in a reasonable
manner that reduces uncertainty requires dedication and attention over a very long-term. To stay
secure, individuals, corporations, and governments need to develop the capability to defend
against social media warfare attacks. "Social Media Warfare" addresses unconventional warfare
strategies and tactics that takes time and experience, plus planning and dedication, to succeed.
"Social Media Warfare" will help managers develop a sound understanding of how social media
warfare can impact their nation or their organization. Enhanced with the inclusion of a fourteen
page glossary of key terms, as well as a ten page index, "Social Media Warfare" is a
comprehensive study that is unreservedly recommended for community, academic, and
governmental library Cybersecurity/Cyberwarfare collections and supplemental studies reading
lists. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "Social Media Warfare" is also available in a Kindle format ($55.96).
HAZMAT Guide for First Responders
Michael L. Madigan
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781138036291, $129.95, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Michael L. Madigan works as a master instructor for the Department of Homeland Security for
the Civil Support Teams and hazardous material emergency response operations on weapons of
mass destruction and threat assessments to the United States Army Chemical, Biological,
Radiological and Nuclear School (USACBRN) in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He is also
retired from the United States Army where he served as a senior chemical operation specialist to
the USACBRN School, CENTCOM, and the Multi- National Forces Command (MNFI) in Iraq.
He is also an Adjunct Professor for Homeland Security Related Topics, Emergency Management,
Terror/Terrorism History and Related Operations, and Weapons of Mass Destruction at Central
Texas College on Fort Leonard Wood Campus, Missouri. He draws upon his many years of
experience and expertise in "HAZMAT Guide for First Responders" for the specific mission of
helping to train hazmat response teams and other responders in disaster training, techniques, and
planning. "HAZMAT Guide for First Responders" will also help define and sharpen training
plans and assumptions. Focusing on lessons learned from real-world experiences during actual
disasters, "HAZMAT Guide for First Responders" will help to establish a well-trained
professional first responder, individuals, and teams. Such lessons are emphasized so that planners
and responders learn to anticipate how their community is likely to react under real disaster
conditions, and plan accordingly. Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation,
"HAZMAT Guide for First Responders" includes a four page Bibliography and a fifteen page
Index. While a fundamental and unreservedly recommended addition to professional,
community, academic, and governmental library Occupational Health & Safety collections in
general, and HAZMAT supplemental studies lists in particular, it should be noted for individual
reading lists that "HAZMAT Guide for First Responders" is also available in a Kindle format
($64.95).
Too Young to Be Old
Nancy K. Scholssberg
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242
www.apa.org/books
9781433827495, $19.95, PB, 182pp, www.amazon.com
As the "Baby Boomer" generation reaches retirement age, an unprecedented number of
Americans will soon be 55 or older. More so than ever before, the question on our minds is: How
do I age well? "Too Young to Be Old: Love, Learn, Work, and Play as You Age " by Nancy K.
Schlossberg (Professor Emerita of Counseling and Personnel Services at the University of
Maryland) is accessible and upbeat guide that builds on the concepts Professor Schlossberg first
pioneered in her popular books Retire Smart, Retire Happy and Revitalizing Retirement with an
engaging take on positive aging. Looking at the basic issues of aging health, finances,
relationships, and how to live more creatively readers will be able to think about and develop a
deliberate plan to age happily. Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation,
impressively informative and ultimately inspiring, "Too Young to Be Old" is highly and
unreservedly recommended for Senior Citizen Center, community, and academic library
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Too Young to Be Old" is also
available in a Kindle format ($15.38).
The Essential Book of Homesteading
Ashley English
Lark Crafts
c/o Sterling Publishing
1166 Avenue of the Americas, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10036
9781454710202, $24.95, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com
In barnyards and backyards, on rooftops and in alleyways, a development called the modern
homesteading movement is happening. Whether it is in the form of turning a lawn into a
vegetable garden, or getting a flock of chickens, or transforming cucumbers into pickles, people
everywhere are taking charge of their own food supply. Ashley English (who has degrees in both
holistic nutrition and sociology, and who has worked with numerous nonprofit organizations
committed to social and agricultural issues, and is a member of Slow Food USA) is a major
figure in the return to homesteading, and with the publication of "The Essential Book of
Homesteading: The Ultimate Guide to Sustainable Living" gives newcomers her time-honored
tips for successfully overseeing food production in their own homes. Totally updating material
from her phenomenal homesteading books (Keeping Bees, Keeping Chickens, Canning &
Preserving, and Home Dairy) this new collection covers everything from preserving jams and
jellies to whipping butter and keeping a hive of honeybees. Ashley provides entry points,
troubleshooting tips, and inspiration for putting the food a family consumes back in their own
hands. Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone,
commentary, organization and presentation, "The Essential Book of Homesteading" truly lives up
to its title and is highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and
academic library collections.
Faster, Higher, Farther: The Volkswagen Scandal
Jack Ewing
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393254501 $27.95 www.wwnorton.com
Faster, Higher, Farther: The Volkswagen Scandal focuses on the revelation that Volkswagen had
installed software in its cars to thwart emissions testing devices: a fact that led to massive recalls,
lawsuits, and scandal that revealed not just Volkswagen's actions, but the depths to which efforts
went to circumvent the law. Surprisingly, this is the first book to, years later, discuss the power,
corruption, and high-level involvements behind the company's deception and cover-up. These
details reveal not just one company's actions and illegalities, but the dangerous connections
between business and political interests which allowed it to occur unchecked until
whistleblowers revealed the truth.
Retcon Game
Andrew J. Friedenthal
University Press of Mississippi
3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS 39211
9781496811325 $65.00 www.upress.state.ms.us
Retcon Game: Retroactive Continuity and the Hyperlinking of America is recommended for
college-level readers of American history, sociology and cultural inquiry, and considers how
retroactive continuity has moved from its roots in comic book culture to popular media
presentations and beyond. In modern society, electronic media can easily be edited and changed,
deleted, or adjusted - and Retcon Game considers the changing and changeable nature of source
materials and information in modern America. The past is not a stable series of verifiable events,
but a situation in flux which can be constantly rewritten - and this affects worldviews and
perceptions of reality itself. College-level audiences will relish the discussions of Retcon
Game.
The Great Outdoors: A User's Guide
Brendan Leonard
Artisan Books
c/o Workman Publishing Company
225 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014-4381
www.artisanbooks.com
9781579657079, $24.95, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
"The Great Outdoors: A User's Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before Heading into the
Wild" by Brendan Leonard (who is a writer and filmmaker whose work focuses on travel and
adventure and the human experience with both) is an easy and comprehensive introduction to
outdoor life that will ensure that even the most novice of outdoor enthusiasts won't get lost in the
woods while finding an activity he or she loves to do in the great outdoors. Featuring some 400
strategies for engaging in the outdoors, and expert tips and tricks, "The Great Outdoors: A User's
Guide" makes Mother Nature easier to understand than ever before. Leonard also shares survival
skills ranging from how to bandage a wound and read a topographical map, to how to drive on
sand and safely remove a tick. Organized thematically and written in short takeaway entries with
line drawings, "The Great Outdoors: A User's Guide" is a friendly, effective, practical way into
the outdoor lifestyle. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Great
Outdoors: A User's Guide" is very highly recommended, especially for community and academic
library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of aspiring outdoor
enthusiasts that "The Great Outdoors: A User's Guide" is also available in a Kindle format
($9.99).
Prepper's Total Grid Failure Handbook
Alan Fiebig & Arlene Fiebig
Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440, Berkeley CA 94703-3440
www.ulyssespress.com
9781612436371, $15.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Batteries don't last forever. Self-reliant, renewable electricity is vitally necessary in order to
successfully survive a long-term disaster. "Prepper's Total Grid Failure Handbook" by Alan and
Arlene Fiebig teaches how to create your own power by choosing cost-efficient solar panels;
incorporating a micro-hydro system; or harnessing the wind with turbines. "Prepper's Total Grid
Failure Handbook" also covers the problems of managing energy story through selecting durable
battery banks; rewiring for energy efficiency; and control energy consumption. Even in the
absence of a disaster, with "Prepper's Total Grid Failure Handbook" anyone can learn to live
comfortably on less by installing a high-efficiency refrigerator and LEDs; using a
human-powered washing machine; and in charging laptops and cell phones. Written in an
approachable, easy-to-understand style, "Prepper's Total Grid Failure Handbook" is the ultimate
instructional guide and manual to creating, storing and utilizing lifesaving power in the most
critical circumstances, and provides the dedicated prepper with everything needed to survive
long-term without grid power. While unreservedly recommended for both community and
academic library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists and reference
collections that "Prepper's Total Grid Failure Handbook" is also available in a Kindle format
($9.99).
Motherprayer: Lessons in Loving
Barbara Mahany
Abingdon Press
2222 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., PO Box 280988, Nashville, TN 37228-0988
www.abingdonpress.com
9781501827273, $18.99, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
In "Motherprayer: Lessons in Loving", Barbara Mahany generously shares personal love letters
on the mysteries and gifts of mothering, interspersed with family recipes and gentle essays, all
offering beautiful lessons in how to love, and how to love well. In her bracingly honest style, she
captures the ephemeral moments of motherhood, including the hard, the glorious, the laughter,
and the tears, and then invites her readers to pay attention, cradle our loved ones in prayer, and
see the sacred lessons in loving. These stirring meditations bring into sharp focus one essential
question: How do we love breathtakingly? Inspired and inspiring, "Motherprayer: Lessons in
Loving" is a life-affirming, life-enhancing, life-embracing read from cover to cover. While very
highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading
lists that "Motherprayer: Lessons in Loving" is also available in a Kindle format ($13.25).
Librarians should be aware that "Motherprayer: Lessons in Loving" is available as an MP3 Una
audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781543627480, $9.99).
The Biography Shelf
The Flight
Dan Hampton
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway New York, New York 10007
9780062464392 $28.99 www.harpercollins.com
The Flight: Charles Lindbergh's Daring and Immortal 1927 Transatlantic Crossing comes from
an aviation historian who is himself a decorated fighter pilot, and who offers a vivid story of
Lindbergh's first non-stop flight across the Atlantic in The Spirit of Saint Louis. Lest readers
think this is another Lindbergh biography, it should be advised that the aviation focus includes
many discussions of the history surrounding his achievement, aviation challenges, and social and
political feelings of the times. The result reads like fiction and includes all the characters
surrounding Lindbergh's life, but is a dramatic, involving survey of all the technical, social and
political influences on the 1927 crossing and Lindbergh's flights as a whole.
My War in Italy
Keith W. Mason
University of Missouri Press
113 Heinkel Bldg., 201 S. 7th St., Columbia, MO 65211
www.umsystem.edu/upress
9780826220592 $32.95 amazon.com
Part of "The American Military Experience Series", My War in Italy: On the Ground and in
Flight with the 15th Air Force is the true-life autobiography of American pilot Keith Mason with
emphasis on his military service during World War II. He was squadron officer in the 460th
Bomb Group, 15th Air Force in Spinazzola, Italy. Mason successfully persuaded his superiors
that he would be more useful as a squadron operations overseas than a flight instructor in
Arizona. His war stories include tales of enduring mind-crushing boredom, flagrant
incompetence, and overwhelming fear. "Airmen didn't live from day to day but rather from
mission to mission. They learned to tolerate the danger, fear, bone-chilling cold, and long hours
in cramped confinement. Given the relentless sence of insecurity and uncertainty, aircrews were
subject to intense psychological trauma." A riveting read from cover to cover, My War in Italy is
highly recommended for both public library collections and personal reading lists.
Cloud Messenger
Karen Trollope-Kumar
FriesenPress
www.friesenpress.com
9781460287699, $24.99, HC, 348pp, www.amazon.com
Canadian medical student, Karen Trollope-Kumar went to India to study social and preventive
medicine and met a young pediatrician named Pradeep. His dream of working in the Himalayan
foothills captured her imagination, and the man captured her heart. They married in a Hindu
wedding ceremony and pledged to share a life of service and spiritual growth. "Cloud Messenger:
Love and Loss in the Indian Himalayas" is the poignant, heartwarming, intensely personal, and
gently humorous memoir in which Karen recounts an eleven-year chapter of their unusual lives.
She and Pradeep worked as medical doctors in the Himalayas, first in a rural hospital and later in
remote mountain villages. When disasters struck (an assassination, an earthquake, a political
crisis) their ideals, their safety, and their relationship were put at risk. "The Cloud Messenger" is
a story of adventure and idealism, culture and medicine, faith and love, and it raises enduring
questions such as: How can we cross religious and cultural boundaries? What happens to our
dreams in the face of danger and disillusionment? And when dreams diverge, when one spouse
can no longer continue on a certain path, what path do we choose? Candid, informative,
thoughtful, engaging, an inherently fascinating account from beginning to end, "Cloud
Messenger" reveals a fascinating life lived in 'interesting times' and will prove to be a welcome
and appreciated addition to both community and academic library Contemporary Biography
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Cloud Messenger" is also available
in a paperback edition (9781460287705, $15.95) and in a Kindle format ($3.03).
Lucky Jim
James Hart
Cleis Press
101 Hudson Street, Suite 3705, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302
www.cleispress.com
9781627782142, $17.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
James Hart is a former business executive and CEO of the award-winning literary magazine,
DoubleTake. His collection of poems, Milding, was published in 2004. For several years he was
a board member of the National Council on Alcoholism, and in 2005 he cofounded OUT for
Work, a career fair development program for the LGBT community in New York City. "Lucky
Jim" is his memoir recounting the story of how he survived a violent childhood home, found
incredible words inside him, created a love that was both so right and so wrong, and finally found
the strength to be his true self. Jim is a master at building relationships. Charming, funny, and a
great listener with a guru's insight, his success in life and business was based on his ability to
connect with others, from people recovering in 12-step groups in Upstate New York to those
living in the rarified air of Martha's Vineyard. But after 20+ years sober, one slip-up triggered an
active addiction that threatened his relationships with his then-wife, singer-songwriter Carly
Simon, his recovery friends, his severely disabled son, and even with himself as he began to
confront his sexuality. An inherently fascinating and impressively candid read from beginning to
end, "Lucky Jim" is especially recommended for community and academic library Contemporary
American Biography collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Lucky Jim" is
also available in a digital book format ($11.49). Librarians should be aware that "Lucky Jim" is
also available as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781520075358,
$29.99, CD).
The Animals' Freedom Fighter
Jon Hochschartner
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9781476668185, $35.00, PB, 216pp, www.amazon.com
Founded in the 1970s and today active in more than 40 countries, the Animal Liberation Front
has in recent years been considered a domestic terrorist group by both the FBI and the Southern
Poverty Law Center--despite the ALF's official stance of nonviolence. A clandestine, phantom
cell organization, the ALF has functioned as a sort of Underground Railroad for captive animals,
executing raids and attacks on animal testing facilities. Yet little has been written about the group
or its founder. With unprecedented access by biographer Jon Hochschartner, "The Animals'
Freedom Fighter" is the story of Ronnie Lee, the unassuming British activist who launched an
extremist movement that continues to use intimidation and economic sabotage to advance its
cause. A seminal biographical study, "The Animals' Freedom Fighter" is an inherently fascinating
and informative read. While very highly recommended for both community and academic library
Biography collections, it should be noted for non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
Animal Liberation Front that "The Animals' Freedom Fighter" is also available in a digital book
format ($9.99).
The Cookbook Shelf
The Haven's Kitchen Cooking School
Alison Cayne
Artisan Books
c/o Workman Publishing Company
225 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014-4381
www.artisanbooks.com
9781579656737, $35.00, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Learning to cook has never been simpler (or more delicious) thanks to "The Haven's Kitchen
Cooking School: Recipes and Inspiration to Build a Lifetime of Confidence in the Kitchen" by
Alison Cayne (who is the owner of Haven's Kitchen, a cooking school, cafe, and event space in
New York City). Each of the book's nine chapters centers on a key lesson: for example, in the
eggs chapter, readers will learn about timing and temperature while poaching, frying, and
scrambling; in the soups chapter, they will learn to layer flavors through recipes like Green Curry
with Chicken. The rigorously tested recipes (including wholesome lunches, dinner-party
showstoppers, and delectable desserts) will become part of readers' daily repertoires. Beautiful
photographs show both the finished dishes and the how-to techniques, and helpful illustrations
offer further guidance. A complete and comprehensive 'how to' textbook for highschool Home
Economics classes, as well as novice family kitchen cooks, the palate pleasing, appetite
satisfying recipes range from Jose's Black Beans; Mixed Vegetable Tempura; Braised Cabbage;
and Fish Chowder; to Goat Cheese Tart; Miso Balsamic Vinaigrette; Sweet Chili Sauce; and
Coconut Milk Tapioca Pudding. Of special note are the lessons on timing and temperature; the
layering of flavors; and the seasonality of vegetables. While very highly recommended for
community and academic library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"The Haven's Kitchen Cooking School" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).
Salad Days
Amy Pennington
Sasquatch Books
1904 Third Avenue, Suite 710, Seattle, WA 98101
www.sasquatchbooks.com
9781632170859, $22.95, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Amy Pennington is a cook, author, and urban farmer. In The pages of her newest cookbook,
"Salad Days", Amy draws upon her years of culinary experience and expertise to showcase 75
simply outstanding salad recipes that feature not just greens with zesty dressings but also
incorporate satisfying proteins, such as fish, chicken, eggs, cheese, and nuts, as well as other
toothsome ingredients like grains and noodles, and even fruit. Salad Days is organized according
to how and when we eat, featuring grain bowls, fast and fresh salads, winter salads, noodle
salads, fruit salads, cooling salads, and salads for a crowd -- making it easy to identify just the
right salad to satisfy a particular craving or any dining occasion. With fresh greens as their base,
the salads range from Roasted Beets and Beet Green Salsa Verde; Onion-Pomegranate Salad;
Celery, Chickpea, and Raisin; Green Onion Vinaigrette with Mixed Greens and Kale; to Snap
Pea and Potato with Mustard Vinaigrette; Shaved Cabbage and White Onion with Pomegranate
and Orange-Caraway Dressing; Little Gem and Cilantro Salad with Watermelon Vinaigrette; and
Zucchini Noodles with Feta and Lemon. Of special note is the chapter devoted to Vinaigrettes &
Dressings. Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "Salad Days" is impressively 'kitchen
cook friendly' in organization and presentation, making it an ideal and highly prized addition to
personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Salad
Days" is also available in a Kindle format ($11.99).
Adam's Big Pot
Adam Law
Hachette Australia
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9780733630699, $15.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
A professional Australian chef, Adam Law draws upon his many years of experience and
expertise to present "Adam's Big Pot: Easy Meals for Your Family", a beautifully illustrated
cookbook that showcases thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' dishes that would grace any dining
occasion ranging from simple family meals to elegant dining occasions. A pleasure to browse
through and inspiring to plan menus with, the recipes comprising "Adam's Big Pot" range from
Chilli, Garlic & Eggplant Salad; Salmon with Braised Mushrooms & Lettuce; Pork, Green Beans
& Lime Leaf; Lamb Vindaloo; and Soy Sauce Chicken; Barbecue Noodles; Steak & Asparagus
Donburi; Taco Rice Gratin; Bananas in Coconut Milk; and Pumpkin Custard. Clearly, "Adam's
Big Pot" will prove to be a prized, original, and favored addition to personal, professional,
family, and community library cookbook collections.
Recipes from the Herbalist's Kitchen
Brittany Wood Nickerson
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
www.storey.com
9781612126906, $24.95, HC, 312pp, www.amazon.com
Experienced herbalist Brittany Wood Nickerson understands that food is our most powerful
medicine. In "Recipes from the Herbalist's Kitchen: Delicious, Nourishing Food for Lifelong
Health and Well-Being", she draws upon her impressive expertise to reveal how the kitchen can
be a place of true awakening for the senses and spirit, as well as deep nourishment for the body.
With in-depth profiles of favorite culinary herbs such as dill, sage, basil, and mint, Nickerson
offers fascinating insights into the healing properties of each herb and then shares 110 original
recipes for scrumptious snacks, entrees, drinks, and desserts that are specially designed to meet
the body's needs for comfort, nourishment, energy, and support through seasonal changes. With
her palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen cook friendly dishes ranging from Braised Beef
Shanks with Gremolata; Cucumber Raita with Dill and Black Mustard Seeds; Apple and Parsley
Salad; and Almond Wasabi Pesto; to Poached Peaches with Tarragon; Pea Greens and Radish
Salad with Yogurt Mint Dressing; Root Vegetable Pie; and Butternut Squash Stuffed with French
Lentils and Walnuts, "Recipes from the Herbalist's Kitchen" will prove to be an exceptionally
appreciated and enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library
cookbook collections. A simple pleasure to browse through and inspiring to plan menus with, it
should be noted that "Recipes from the Herbalist's Kitchen" is also available in a digital book
format ($9.99).
Indian Cuisine Diabetes Cookbook
May Abraham Fridel
American Diabetes Association
1701 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311
www.diabetes.org
9781580405997, $19.95, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com
May Abraham Fridel was born in the Indian state of Kerala, one of the spice centers of the world,
and comes from a family of spice merchants. With this rich culinary heritage, she learned to cook
classic Indian dishes from her family. With "Indian Cuisine Diabetes Cookbook" she draws upon
her years of experience and expertise to compile a thoroughly palate pleasing, appetite satisfying,
diabetes treatment friendly compendium of recipes that can be used by even the most novice of
family cooks to create memorable meals for all dining occasions. With recipes ranging from
Masala Sweet Potatoes; Butternut Squash Shorba; Keralan Spice-Roasted Turkey; and Roasted
Chicken Tandoori; to Whole-Wheat Spinach Parathas; Curried Allo Anardana Salad; and
Coconut Chutney, each recipe in "Indian Cuisine Diabetes Cookbook" features 'Cook's Notes'
and a register of Choices/Exchanges. With a center collection of beautiful color photos of
finished dishes, "Indian Cuisine Diabetes Cookbook" is very highly recommended for
community cookbook collections in general, and for the personal or family collections of anyone
having to deal with diabetes in particular.
Betty Crocker Outdoor Cooking with Betty
Betty Crocker, author
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003
www.hmhco.com
9781328846051, $15.99, HC, 176pp, www.amazon.com
With more than 63 million cookbooks sold since 1950, Betty Crocker is the name family kitchen
cooks have for generations learned to trust for reliable recipes and great ideas. For over 75 years,
the Betty Crocker team has provided culinary advice to millions of Americans through
cookbooks, magazines and television. Now there is "Betty Crocker Outdoor Cooking with
Betty", a compendium 'yesteryear' compendium of Betty Crocker classic recipes and a guide to
dining and entertaining outdoors. An authentic reproduction of a cookbook classic from 1961,
packed with retro appeal. Illustrated with delightful period line drawings and color photos, "Betty
Crocker's Outdoor Cooking with Betty" is a hardcover reprint features 200 tried-and-true recipes
for barbecues, picnics, camping trips, and boating excursions ranging from Beef Tenderloin
Roast, Grilled Lobster Tails, and French Fried Onion Rings, to Swiss Steak Meal in Foil,
Summer Macaroni Salad, and Vagabond Strawberry Shortcakes. Of special note are the expert
tips on barbecue equipment and techniques. There are even illustrated instructions for an
authentic "Down-East" clambake. While very highly recommended for family and community
library cookbook collections, it should be noted that "Betty Crocker Outdoor Cooking with
Betty" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).
Stirring Up Fun with Food
Sarah Michelle Gellar and Gia Russo
Grand Central Life & Style
c/o Hachette Book Group
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9781455538744 $28.00 www.grandcentrallifeandstyle.com
Stirring Up Fun with Food: Over 115 Simple, Delicious Ways to Be Creative in the Kitchen is a
family-oriented cookbook that focuses on healthy eating, encouraging kids to be adventurous
with food choices, and also encouraging kids to be familiar with kitchen processes and cooking.
Some 100 recipes use food crafting and creative entertaining and presentation techniques to
impart these basics, pairing kid-friendly ingredients with fun food arrangements such as making
strawberry hearts, putting together Cinco de Mayo celebration foods, or preparing dishes for
Father's Day. By encouraging kids to think about creating food for entertainment, this cookbook
offers a seasonal and holiday approach the entire family can enjoy, and is packed with color
photos of foods and family.
Comfort Food Meanings and Memories
Michael Owen Jones and Lucy M. Long, Editors
University Press of Mississippi
3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS 39211
9781496810854 $35.00 www.upress.state.ms.us
Comfort Food Meanings And Memories blends culinary history with folklore and a focus on how
comfort foods were developed from American ethnic and family roots, offering insights on the
idea of comfort foods, the types of foods that came to be regarded as such, and how local comfort
foods and culinary tourism spread to become a part of local culture and cuisines across the
country. Essays consider how anthropology, genealogy, and ethnic heritage intersect in the
pursuit of answers to questions about food origins and popular trends. The blend of case history
examples and scholarship creates a lively but well-researched guide essential for any culinary
history collection, and while college-level readers will be its main audience, many a cook will
pick up the book for its wide-ranging insights.
NYC Vegan
Michael Suchman & Ethan Ciment
Vegan Heritage Press LLC
P.O. Box 628, Woodstock, VA 22664-0628
9781941252338 $21.95 www.veganheritagepress.com
NYC Vegan: Iconic Recipes for a Taste of the Big Apple provides a fine celebration of old and
modern New York tastes with a vegan twist, including ethnic, neighborhood, and regional
specialties that range from soft pretzels and knishes to pot pies, Italian lasagna, and falafel.
Recipes adapt these classics for vegan diets, and so include a number of ingredients to be found
in a good health food market, from seitan and nutritional yeast to nondairy cheeses, tofu
products, and tempeh. The result is a 'must' acquisition for any who hold affection for classic
New York fare while harboring affection for vegan cuisine.
The Zen Kitchen
Adam Liaw
Hamlyn
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9780600634744, $34.99, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Adam Liaw is a cook, author and television presenter as well as the winner of MasterChef
Australia. In "The Zen Kitchen: Real Japanese Family Food" he presents a compendium of
recipes and instructions that will enable even the most novice of kitchen cooks to prepare
healthy, delicious Japanese recipes at home, and discover Zen philosophies to guide them and
their families to healthier, more enjoyable meal times. Beautifully and profusely illustrated
throughout, the palate pleasing, appetite satisfying dishes rang from Nukazuke Pickles; Brown
Butter, Salmon Flake and Shiitake Toast; Cherry Tomato Miso Soup; and Snapper Chirimushi;
to Chicken and Prawn Chawanmushi; Quick Soy-Steeped Spinach; Eggplant Nibitashi; and
Vegetable Skewers with Miso-Dare. Very highly recommended, "The Zen Kitchen" is certain to
be an appreciated and popular addition to personal, family, professional, and academic library
ethnic cookbook collections.
PNW Veg
Kim O'Donnel
Sasquatch Books
1904 Third Avenue, Suite 710, Seattle, WA 98101
www.sasquatchbooks.com
9781632170538, $29.95, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Kim O'Donell is a twenty-year veteran of the food world as a chef, journalist, and teacher. She
has dispensed culinary advice and covered food policy for numerous publications, including
Civil Eats, the Washington Post, and USA Today. In "PNW Veg: 100 Vegetable Recipes
Inspired by the Local Bounty of the Pacific Northwest" her focus in on palate pleasing, appetite
satisfying, vegetable-based dishes that would be suitable for any and all dining occasions.
Beautifully illustrated, the recipes range from Brothy White Beans with Garlic and Rosemary;
Roasted Nightshade Salad; Planked Artichokes with Lavender-Rosemary Crumbs and Miso
Butter; Spaghetti with Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Skillet Onions; Barbecue-Braised
Collards and Chickpeas; to Potato-Only Frittata with Smoky Sweet Pepper Sauce; Blackberry
Tofu Pud; Cranberry-Caramel-Baked Apples with Honeyed Mascarpone; Rhubarb-Apple Crisp
with Hazelnut Streusel; and Robin's Mushroom Conserva. With all the recipes deftly organized
into major thematically grouped sections (Starters & Snacks; Soups; Salads; Sides; Savory
Pancakes, Patties & Tarts; Grains & Pastas; Protein; Sweet Things; Fridge & Freezer Pantry
Items), "PNW Veg" is a delight to simply browse through and inspiring to plan menus with.
While very highly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook
collections, it should be noted that "PNW Veg" is also available in a Kindle format ($14.99).
The Fabulous Fiber Cookbook
Sandra Woodruff
Square One Publishers
115 Herricks Road, Garden City Park, NY 11040
www.squareonepublishers.com
9780757004216, $16.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Nutrient fiber is a vital, essential, life-sustaining part of the human diet. The benefits of fiber
range from improved digestion, to protection against cardiovascular disease and diabetes, to
better weight control, and more. But to truly profit from fiber, it's vital to get it from
nutrient-packed foods like fruits and vegetables. In "The Fabulous Fiber Cookbook: Great
Recipes You Can't Live Without", Sandra Woodruff (who has a master's of science in food and
nutrition from Florida State University and specializes in diet-related health problems) has
compiled a compendium of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen cook friendly recipes for
nutrient fiber oriented dishes that are easy to prepare as they are absolutely delicious. Ranging
from Creamy Wheat Cereal; Chicken, Barley & Corn Chowder; Summertime Cobb Salad; and
Spicy Red Beans & Rice; to Spaghetti with Brussels Sprouts, Pine Nuts & Parmesan;
Kale-Quinoa Salad; and Glazed Almonds, the recipes comprising "The Fabulous Fiber
Cookbook" are a pleasure to browse through and ideal for planning menus with. Certain to be an
enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections, it
should be noted that "The Fabulous Fiber Cookbook" also features an extensive and informative
"Fiber Facts" section.
The Harvest Baker
Ken Haedrich
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
www.storey.com
9781612127675, $19.95, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Showcasing 150 sweet and savory recipes that celebrating the fresh-picked flavors of fruits, herbs
and vegetables, "The Harvest Baker" award-winning cookbook author Ken Haedrich serves up
nutritious, delicious, and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes for baked goods that go far
beyond the steadfast basics of zucchini bread and carrot cake. Even the most novice of family
cooks can turn out dishes ranging from Bacon, Cheddar, and Fresh Corn Muffins, to Fresh
Fennel and Italian Sausage Pizza, to Spaghetti Squash and Parmesan Quiche, to Brown Sugar
Rhubarb Tart Squares All the scrumptious recipes comprising "The Harvest Baker" add nutrition
plus amazing flavor to every meal of the day. The breadth of this impressive culinary collection
is truly extraordinary. While very highly recommended for personal, family, and community
library cookbook collections, it should be noted that "The Harvest Baker" is also available in a
digital book format ($9.99).
The Fiction Shelf
The Broken Hours
Jacqueline Baker
Talos Press
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.talospress.com
c/o Sky Horse Publishing (dist.)
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781940456553, $24.99, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
In the cold spring of 1936, Arthor Crandle, down-on-his luck and desperate for work, accepts a
position in Providence, Rhode Island, as a live-in secretary/assistant for an unnamed shut-in. He
arrives at the gloomy colonial-style house to discover that his strange employer is an author of
disturbing, bizarre fiction. Health issues have confined him to his bedroom, where he is never to
be disturbed. But the writer, who Crandle knows only as "Ech-Pi," refuses to meet him,
communicating only by letters left on a table outside his room. Soon the home reveals other
unnerving peculiarities. There is an ominous presence Crandle feels on the main stairwell. Light
shines out underneath the door of the writer's room, but is invisible from the street. It becomes
increasingly clear there is something not right about the house or its occupant. Haunting visions
of a young girl in a white nightgown wandering the walled-in garden behind the house motivate
Crandle to investigate the circumstances of his employer's dark family history. Meanwhile, the
unsettling aura of the house pulls him into a world increasingly cut off from reality, into black
depths, where an unspeakable secret lies waiting. An original novel featuring H. P. Lovecraft
(whom many consider to be the 'father' of American Horror Fantasy Fiction) as the protagonist,
"The Broken Hours" is an impressively well crafted novel that will prove to be an inherently
fascinating and unfailingly entertaining 'must read' for the legions of Lovecraft fans. While an
absolutely requisite addition to both community and academic library fiction collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Broken Hours" is also available in a
paperback edition (9781940456874, $14.99) and in a Kindle format ($9.68).
The Summer of the Osprey
Elisabeth Ogilvie
Down East Books
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rowman.com
9781608934829, $16.95, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com
When a stranger buys property on Bennett's Island and drops anchor there in an expensive lobster
boat, the locals are suspicious. Day-to-day life goes on, but dark undercurrents begin to bubble in
these chilly Maine waters. Elisabeth Ogilvie (May 20, 1917 - September 9, 2006) was an
American writer who, in the course of her literary career wrote 46 books. "The Summer of the
Osprey" is one of her best and clearly showcases her natural flair for original and reading
engaging storytelling. Now brought back into print for the edification of a new general of
appreciative readers, "The Summer of the Osprey" is very highly recommended for both
community and academic library Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "The Summer of the Osprey" is also available in a digital book format
($6.15).
Gila Monster
Colin Bainbridge
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444831108, $20.99, PB, 204pp, www.amazon.com
A stagecoach is on its way to the small town of Medicine Bend when it is attacked by outlaws.
However, the coach's passengers (the new marshal Wade Calvin; Mr Taber, insurance salesman;
and Miss Jowett, on her way to take on caring for her widowed nephew's children) manage to
repel them. Upon their arrival they all find their lives intertwined. But as they settle into life in
Medicine Bend, Gila Goad, the outlaws' vicious leader, hears news of his men's botched robbery
- and is determined to get his revenge -- especially when he learns the identity of the new
marshal. A master of the western genre, author Colin Bainbridge has penned another thrilling,
non-stop adventure that, in this Linford Western Library's large print edition, will prove to be an
enduringly popular addition to the personal reading lists of dedicated western fans, as well as
community library Western Fiction collections.
The Gun Master
Rory Black
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444831115, $20.99, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
On his way to visit an old friend, Rex Carey arrives in the township of Willow Creek. But,
unbeknownst to him, the infamous Zane Black is staying in the same hotel. Soon Rex, known
throughout the West as the Gun Master, clashes with Zane, and blood is spilled. Meanwhile,
Zane's murderous brother Forrest Black and his men are riding towards Willow Creek to rob the
bank and having no idea brother Zane is dead at the hands of the man they call the Gun Master.
Determined to avenge him, Forrest and his outlaw gang are on a collision course of gun smoke
and violence with Rex. With "The Gun Master", western action/adventure novelist Rory Black
has penned another outstanding tale that will prove to be of immense and enduring popularity for
library Western Fiction collections. Of special note is the large print format of this Linford
Western Library edition of Rory Black's "The Gun Master".
Out of the Darkness
Robert D. McKee
Five Star Books
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432834197, $25.95, HC, 356pp, www.amazon.com
As the old ways of the nineteenth century fade, "Out of the Darkness" tells a story that touches on
the themes and issues America will face in the new century that looms ahead. It is a story of
technology and its place in society. It is a story of violence, a doctor's responsibility to his patient,
and a lawyer's responsibility to his client. It is a story of forbidden love, and a story of a timid,
terrified young woman's finding her courage. It questions humankind's ability and willingness to
be a contributor in the quality and course of its own evolution. Ultimately, "Out of the Darkness"
takes a provocative look at what sort of people will populate a new age, and what sort of people
will, inevitably, be left behind. Original, thought-provoking, deftly crafted, inherently
compelling, "Out of the Darkness" is another novel from the gifted pen of Robert D. McKee who
has an impressive flair for creating unique characters and a consistently engaging plot replete
with unexpected twists and turns. While unreservedly recommended for community and
academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Out of the Darkness" is also available in a Kindle format ($7.99).
Price of Duty
Dale Brown
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway New York, New York 10007
9780062441973 $28.99 www.harpercollins.com
Price of Duty comes from the New York Times bestselling author of Iron Wolf deemed one of
the top military writers in the nation, and here tackles a powerful contemporary theme in
considering cyberwarfare and attacks. His military thriller is replete with cat-and-mouse games
and events which come eerily close to real-world news as it presents a series of characters and
U.S. allies who fall under the influence of a Russian cyber attack fostered by a Russian president
who has foregone the expense of atomic build-up for the relative ease and cheapness of a cyber
mission. As strikes hit around the world and the Russian tactics succeed, danger involves
McLanahan and his team in an unprecedented struggle with an elusive enemy and tactics that
may prove impossible to trace. The tension is exquisitely done.
The Last Notch
Arnold Hano
Black Cat Books
c/o Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520311, $9.99, PB, 232pp, www.amazon.com
Arnold Philip Hano (born March 2, 1922) is an American editor, novelist, biographer and
journalist, best known for his non-fiction work. A simply riveting read from cover to cover, his
novel "The Last Notch" is a deftly written noir western featuring an aging, self-hating gunslinger
who takes on a job to kill the territorial governor who has become a threat to the local cattle
ranchers. Of special note is an informative introduction by David Laurence Wilson, as well as a
complete bibliography of both the fiction and non-fiction work of Arnold Hano -- including those
books written under various pseudonyms. Now back in print for a new and appreciative
generation of readers, "The Last Notch" is very highly recommended for community library
Western Fiction collections and the personal reading lists of dedicated western action/adventure
enthusiasts.
Jewish Mothers Never Die
Natalie David-Weill
Arcade Publishing
www.arcadepub.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781628724073, $25.95, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In "Jewish Mothers Never Die" by Natalie David-Weill, each woman insists on being
the force, the savior, the raison d'etre of her son's career and success. Written with an especially
delicate touch by a novelist with a genuine flair for memorable storytelling, "Jewish Mothers
Never Die" reveals in tender, funny, and searing portraits how some women continue to live
through their children -- even after death. While very highly recommended, especially for
community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted
for personal reading lists that "Jewish Mothers Never Die" is also available in a paperback
edition (9781628727913, $16.99) and in a Kindle format ($10.51).
The Discovery of Honey
Terry Griggs
Biblioasis
1520 Wyandotte Street East, Windsor, ON N9A 3L2, Canada
www.biblioasis.com
9781771961493, $14.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
"The Discovery of Honey" is an anthology by Terry Griggs comprised of short stories narrated by
Hero, its hyper-precocious and nosily omniscient central character. Running wild even before she
can walk, Hero goes on riotous road trips, dabbles in DIY dark magic, falls in and out of love
with a feral bad-boy cousin, and kills a friendship with home truths. The result is funny business
all around. Exceptionally well honed and crafted prose, unique and unfailingly entertaining
scenarios, replete with deftly crafted and memorable characters, "The Discovery of Honey" is an
especially recommended addition to both community and academic library Contemporary
Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Discovery of
Honey" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.45).
A Trail of Crumbs
Susie Finkbeiner
Kregel Publications
2450 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.kregel.com
9780825444463, $14.99, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Pearl Spence has been through more in her young life than most folks could handle. But through
it all, her family has been by her side. They may not be perfect, but they love her and they all love
each other, come what may. That's one thing Pearl no longer questions. But the end of her
beautiful day signals the beginning of the end of her secure life. Now her family is fleeing their
Oklahoma wasteland. Pearl isn't sure she'll ever see home or happiness again. Are there any
crumbs powerful enough to guide her back to the dependable life she once knew? Another deftly
crafted novel of the Great Depression by author Susie Finkbeiner, "A Trail of Crumbs" is the
sequel to "A Cup of Dust" (9780825443886, $14.99 PB, $1036 Kindle) and continues narrating
the experiences of a young girl by the name of Pearl Spence. While very highly recommended as
a consistently engaging, entertaining, and ultimately upbeat conclusion, "A Trail of Crumbs" will
prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections. For personal
reading lists it should be noted that "A Trail of Crumbs" is also available in a Kindle format
($9.32).
Don't Worry, Life Is Easy
Agnes Martin-Lugand, author
Sandra Smith, translator
Weinstein Books
250 West 57th Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10107
www.weinsteinbooks.com
9781602863040, $24.00, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Diane needs to start over again. After returning from Ireland and turning the page on her stormy
relationship with Edward, the brooding Irish photographer, she is determined to rebuild her life
in Paris with help from her best friend Felix. She focuses solely on getting her literary cafe back
on track-until she meets Oliver. He is kind and thoughtful, and she may have a future with
him...until she stumbles across her former love at a photography exhibit. What is Edward doing
in Paris? Why didn't he reach out? Faced with a hail of questions, her old flame remains cold and
unresponsive. Apparently, he, too, has moved on. In order to put the past behind her, Diane must
go back over her tracks. Ireland saved her before. Can she get answers there and find peace
again? A deftly written and thoroughly absorbing read from beginning to end, "Don't Worry, Life
Is Easy" by French author Agnes Martin-Lugand is deftly translated into English for an American
readership by Sandra Smith. The result is an original and entertaining novel that is very highly
recommended, especially for community library General Fiction collections. It should be noted
for personal reading lists that "Don't Worry, Life Is Easy" is also available in a Kindle format
($12.99).
The Museum of Possibilities
Barbara Sibbald
The Porcupine's Quill
68 Main Street, PO Box 160, Erin, Ontario, Canada, N0B 1T0
www.porcupinesquill.ca
9780889844001, $19.95, PB, 182pp, www.amazon.com
In her short story anthology, "The Museum of Possibilities", Canadian author Barbara Sibbald
showcases sixteen shadow-box narratives in the form of short, succinct, concentrated scenes
depicting complicated relationships, strong emotions and hard consequences. Quirky, absorbing,
deftly crafted, entertaining, memorable, "The Museum of Possibilities" is very highly
recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library
Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.
Any Day Now
Robyn Carr
Mira Books
c/o Harlequin
225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, ON, Canada, M3B 3K9
www.mirabooks.com
9780778319917, $26.99, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
For Sierra Jones, Sullivan's Crossing is meant to be a brief stopover. She's put her troubled past
behind her but the path forward isn't yet clear. A visit with her big brother Cal and his new bride,
Maggie, seems to be the best option to help her get back on her feet. Not wanting to burden or
depend on anyone, Sierra is surprised to find the Crossing offers so much more than a place to
rest her head. Cal and Maggie welcome her into their busy lives and she quickly finds herself
bonding with Sully, the quirky campground owner who is the father figure she's always wanted.
But when her past catches up with her, it's a special man and an adorable puppy who give her the
strength to face the truth and fight for a brighter future. In Sullivan's Crossing Sierra learns to
cherish the family you are given and the family you choose. Another deftly crafted and
unfailingly entertaining novel by an inherently gifted author, "Any Day Now" by Robyn Carr will
be an appreciated and popular addition to community library General Fiction collections. For the
personal reading lists of the legions of Robyn Carr fans it should be noted that "Any Day Now" is
also available in a paperback edition (9780778330998, $20.54) and in a Kindle format
($12.99).
The End of Temperance Dare
Wendy Webb
Lake Union Publishing
www.amazon.com
9781477824115, $14.95, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com
When Eleanor Harper becomes the director of a renowned artists' retreat, she knows nothing of
Cliffside Manor's dark past as a tuberculosis sanatorium, a "waiting room for death." After years
of covering murder and violence as a crime reporter, Eleanor hopes that being around artists and
writers in this new job will be a peaceful retreat for her as much as for them. But from her first
fog-filled moments on the manor's grounds, Eleanor is seized by a sense of impending doom and
realizes there's more to the institution than its reputation of being a haven for creativity. After the
arrival of the new fellows (including the intriguing, handsome photographer Richard Banks) she
begins to suspect that her predecessor chose the group with a dangerous purpose in mind. As the
chilling mysteries of Cliffside Manor unravel and the eerie sins of the past are exposed, Eleanor
must fight to save the fellows and herself from sinister forces. An deftly crafted and consistently
compelling novel by an author with a genuine flair for originality, Wendy Webb's "The End of
Temperance Dare" is unreservedly recommended for community library collections. "The End of
Temperance Dare" is also available for personal reading lists in a Kindle format ($3.99).
Serenity Harbor
RaeAnne Thayne
HQN Books
c/o Harlequin Books
225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada, M3B 3K9
9780373803965, $26.99, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Computer-tech millionaire Bowie Callahan is about the last person that schoolteacher Katrina
Bailey wants to work for. As far as she can see, he's arrogant, entitled and not up to the task of
caring for his young half brother, Milo. But Kat is, especially if it brings her closer to her goal of
adopting an orphaned little girl. And as her kindness and patience work wonders with Milo, she
realizes there's more to sexy, wary Bo than she'd ever realized. Bo never imagined he'd be tasked
with caring for a sibling he didn't know existed. Then again, he never pictured himself
impulsively kissing vibrant, compassionate Katrina in the moonlight. Now he's ready to make her
dream of family come true -- and hoping there's room in it for him, too! A consistently engaging
and unfailingly entertaining novel, "Serenity Harbor" demonstrates author RaeAnne Thayne's
mastery of the genre. While very highly recommended, especially for community library
Contemporary Romance Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Serenity Harbor" is also available in a paperback edition (9780373799398, $7.99) and in a
Kindle format ($5.99).
The Greatest Hits of Wanda Jaynes
Bridget Canning
Breakwater Books
P.O. Box 2188, St. John's, NL A1C 6E6
www.breakwaterbooks.com
9781550816709, $19.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Wanda Jaynes is about to lose her job amidst a mountain of bills, and she suspects her musician
boyfriend might be romantically interested in his friend, Trish. But Wanda's life changes
radically on a routine trip to the grocery store when a gunman enters the supermarket and opens
fire. "The Greatest Hits of Wanda Jaynes" is the highly anticipated debut novel by Bridget
Canning, one of the most promising new writers from Newfoundland, and is an energetic
page-turner about the power of selflessness in a contemporary culture of fear and suspicion. An
original and impressively entertaining read from cover to cover, "The Greatest Hits of Wanda
Jaynes" is very highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library General
Fiction collections.
A Private Haunting
Tom McCulloch
Sandstone Press
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, 124 Byers Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
9781910985151, $16.00, PB, 279pp, www.amazon.com
Jonas Mortensen, a Norwegian, has been squatting in a house that actually belongs to the
traumatized Adam Fletcher, an ex-Marine who inherited it during his absence on duty in
Afghanistan. When Fletcher comes to claim it, and oust Jonas, they live side by side in an
increasingly uneasy standoff. Then a local teenage girl goes missing. Everyone comes under
suspicion, but especially Jonas, who has been helping out at the local youth club. As the hunt for
the wayward girl intensifies, the fates of the two men become inextricably linked, and the past
rears up to confront them both. "A Private Haunting" by Tom McCulloch is a deftly written and
truly gripping thriller in which two men with mysterious past lives meet in an English village
with dramatic and violent consequences. A skillfully crafted and inherently absorbing read from
beginning to end, "A Private Haunting" is highly recommended, especially for community library
collection. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Private Haunting" is also available
in a digital book format ($9.99).
A Thousand Cuts
Thomas Mogford
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781632868459, $29.00, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com
Back in 1940 a bomb exploded killing two British soldiers patrolling the Gibralta dockyards. A
Spaniard was executed for the crime, yet protests his innocence to the very last. In the present
day Spike Sanguinetti finds himself defending the violent and alcoholic Christopher Massetti in a
harassment case brought against him by the wealthy and respected Dr. Eloise Capurro. Yet the
case isn't as cut-and-dried as it first seems and Massetti walks free. Only days later, Dr. Capurro
leaps to her death from a blazing house fire before Sanguinetti's very eyes. Sanguinetti spots
someone else watching, someone hiding in the shadows. Massetti. The further Sanguinetti
investigates, the more secrets buried deep in Gibraltar's past he uncovers, and they lead him to
the doors of some of the most powerful people in town. People dangerously close to his own life
and fragile happiness. Loyalties are tested to the very limit. "A Thousand Cuts" is another
riveting novel from Thomas Mogford and showcases his genuine flair for originality and the
creation of memorable characters embedded in a compelling story. While very highly
recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"A Thousand Cuts" is also available in a digital book format ($6.15).
Loving Luther
Allison Pittman
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781496426727, $25.99, HC, 432pp, www.amazon.com
In the dark of night, Katharina von Bora says the bravest good-bye a six-year-old can muster and
walks away as the heavy convent gate closes behind her. Though the cold walls offer no comfort,
Katharina soon finds herself calling the convent her home. God, her father. This, her life. She
takes her vows a choice more practical than pious but in time, a seed of discontent is planted by
the smuggled writings of a rebellious excommunicated priest named Martin Luther. Their
message? That Katharina is subject to God, and no one else. Could the Lord truly desire more for
her than this life of servitude? In her first true step of faith, Katharina leaves the only life she has
ever known. But the freedom she has craved comes with a price, and she finds she has traded one
life of isolation for another. Without the security of the convent walls or a family of her own,
Katharina must trust in both the God who saved her and the man who paved a way for rescue.
Luther's friends are quick to offer shelter, but Katharina longs for all Luther has promised: a
home, a husband, perhaps even the chance to fall in love. An original, carefully crafted, and
absorbingly entertaining read from beginning to end, "Loving Luther" showcases author Allison
Pittman's genuine flair for compelling and memorable storytelling. While very highly
recommended, especially for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted
for personal reading lists that "Loving Luther" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781414390451, $14.99) and in a Kindle format ($14.99).
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
A Death In The Wedding Party
Caroline Dunford
Magna Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9780750544283, $35.50, HC, Large Print, 271pp, www.amazon.com
The year is 1911 and love is in the air. Despite an unfortunate resemblance to her horse, Lady
Richenda Stapleford has accepted an offer of marriage. Euphemia too has accepted one of her
beaux. But the course of true love does not run true for upstairs or downstairs. Euphemia, the
estranged granddaughter of an Earl, who launched her career as a maid in the household of the
corrupt MP Lord Stapleford has now risen to the rank of housekeeper. When a senior member of
the wedding party is murdered it falls to Euphemia to solve the crime. A deftly crafted and
riveting read from first page to last, "A Death In The Wedding Party" clearly reveals author
Caroline Dunford as a master of the genre and this large print edition will prove to be an
outstandingly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections -- and a 'must'
for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs.
The Santa Klaus Murder
Mavis Doriel Hay
Isis Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781785413537, $35.50, HC, Large Print, 306pp, www.amazon.com
Aunt Mildred declared that no good could come of the Melbury family Christmas gatherings at
their country residence, Flaxmere. So when Sir Osmond Melbury, the family patriarch, is
discovered on Christmas Day - by a guest dressed as Santa Klaus - with a bullet in his head, the
festivities are plunged into chaos. Nearly every member of the party stands to reap some sort of
benefit from Sir Osmond's death; but Santa Klaus, the one person who seems to have had every
opportunity to fire the shot, has no apparent motive. The Chief Constable of Haulmshire, who
begins his investigations by saying that he knows the family too well, wishes before long that he
understood them better. And in the midst of mistrust, suspicion and hatred, it emerges that there
was not one Santa Klaus, but two! M. Doriel Hay (1894-1979) was a novelist of the golden age
of British crime fiction. Now one of her best, "The Santa Klaus Murder" has been brought back
for a new generation of appreciative readers in this large print edition which is unreservedly and
enthusiastically recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense
collections.
Spying For Keeps
Jerry Labriola
Strong Books
PO Box 1194, Middlebury, CT 06762
9781928782926, $24.95, 304pp, http://www.jerrylabriola.com
"Spying For Keeps" by Jerry Labriola is the story of Jim Hunter, a man who is an experienced
undercover agent and called upon to assist Allied forces int heir attack upon the Nazi held
Normandy beaches and then in Japanese controlled territories on the other side of the world.
After the war is over, Jim is hired by an international organization to identify criminals in a
number of nations around the globe who are infiltrating organized crime in the United States.
Among Jim's resources is a slim backpack devise allowing him to send and receive coded
messages to intercept and interpret Nazi messages and plant false information to the enemy. A
combination of historical mystery and counter-espionage thriller that begins with the world-wide
struggle against the Axis powers of World War II and concludes with combating shadowy figures
who are seeking to exploit the Mafia in America in pursuit of their nefarious goals. An
accomplished novelist of consummate skills and a proven master of the genre, Jerry Labriola
continues to employ meticulous attention to historical detail and accuracy as background for his
deftly crafted and memorable action/adventure thriller. Attention Hollywood, "Spying For
Keeps" is the stuff from which blockbuster movies are made! Exceptionally well written and an
inherently compelling read from cover to cover, "Spying For Keeps" is an especially
recommended addition community library Mystery/Suspense collections, as well as for the
personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs.
A Panicked Premonition
Victoria Laurie
Berkley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.us.penguingroup.com
9780451473905, $25.00, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com
Professional psychic and FBI consultant Abby Cooper has used her inner visions to get her out of
many a scrape, while solving many a crime. But now she is about to face a murder scene that will
put all her powers to the test. Abby's husband Dutch has a side business providing security and
building panic rooms for wealthy clients. One morning, one of Dutch's partners, Dave, goes
missing on his way to meet a client. Abby's intuition tells her something terrible has happened to
him. Then two of Dutch's clients are found brutally murdered inside their brand new panic room,
and most of the evidence points to Dave as the killer. With the authorities racing to find and
arrest him, Abby's got to use all her intuitive prowess to get to Dave first, discover the real killer,
and save her husband's business. This is one case where Abby is positive there's far more to this
mystery than meets the inner eye! The latest addition to Victoria Lane's outstanding 'Psychic Eye
Mystery' series, "A Panicked Premonition" is a deftly crafted and inherently compelling read
from beginning to end. A 'must' for all of Victoria Lane's dedicated fans, "A Panicked
Premonition" is an especially recommended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense
collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of enthusiastic mystery buffs that "A
Panicked Premonition" is also available in a Kindle format ($12.99).
Edited Out
E. J. Copperman
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683311300, $26.99, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Mystery author Rachel Goldman is getting used to the idea that her fictional creation Duffy
Madison has somehow taken flesh-and-blood form and is investigating missing person cases not
far from where Rachel lives. Wait. No. She's not getting used to it at all, and the presence of this
real-life Duffy is making her current manuscript, what's the word?, oh yeah -- lousy. So she
doesn't want to see Duffy (the living one) at all. To make matters worse, when he shows up at her
door and insists on talking to her, it's about the one thing she doesn't want to do: Find a missing
person. But the man Duffy seeks this time around might be able to solve Rachel's problem. He
might just be the man Duffy was before he became Duffy five years ago. The only problem is she
could be letting Duffy lead her into danger yet again. The second title in the 'Mysterious
Detective Mystery' series "Edited Out" continues to document E. J. Copperman's mastery of the
genre and is very highly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense
collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of Cooperman's fans and all
dedicated mystery buffs that "Edited Out" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).
The Actress
Michael Hicks Thompson
Shepherd King Publishing
www.shepking.com
9780984528240, $24.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Martha McRae is a widow living in a small Mississippi town in the 1960s. When the most
famous actress in America, Tallulah Ivey, comes to Solo to film a controversial movie, a
prominent local citizen is shot and killed outside Ivey's bedroom window. A note is found
clenched in the dead man's hand. Martha investigates the who, what, and why of the shooting in
this twisty, suspenseful murder mystery, that is filled with humorous Southern characters and
elements of Christian theology. A unique, exceptionally well written, and inherently fascinating
read from cover to cover, "The Actress" is an especially recommended and certain to be an
enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be
noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "The Actress" is also available
in a Kindle format ($3.99).
Heat Storm
Richard Castle
Kingswell
c/o Disney Book Group
1101 Flower Street, Glendale, CA 91601
9781484787861, $26.99, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Nikki Heat and Derrick Storm team up for the first time to save Nikki's mother, Cynthia, who has
been in hiding (and presumed dead) for 17 years. Standing in their way is a nefarious group of
Chinese businessmen known as the Shanghai Seven, who have the resources-and ruthlessness-to
stop them. Novelist Richard Castle (played by actor Nathan Fillion in the popular TV series
'Castle') is the author of numerous bestsellers, including the critically acclaimed Derrick Storm
series. His first novel, In a "Hail of Bullets", published while he was still in college, received the
Nom DePlume Society's prestigious Tom Straw Award for Mystery Literature. Castle currently
lives in Manhattan with his daughter and mother, both of whom infuse his life with humor and
inspiration. An impressively fun read from cover to cover, "Heat Storm" will prove to be an
enduringly popular and appreciated addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
It should be noted for the legions of Richard Castle fans that "Heat Storm" is also available in a
Kindle format ($14.99).
The Bronx Kill
Philip Cioffari
Livingston Press
University of West Alabama, Station 22, Livingston, AL 35470
www.livingstonpress.uwa.edu
9781604891867, $25.95, HC, 252pp, www.amazon.com
On a hot August night five teenage friends challenge each other to swim the East River from the
Bronx to Queens. In the attempt, one boy drowns and the body of the only girl among them is
never found. The three survivors take a vow never again to speak about the incident. When they
reunite five years later, they find themselves at the mercy of the drowned boys's brother, an
NYPD detective, who holds them responsible for his brother's death and vows to bring them to
justice by any means possible. Now, Danny, one of the three survivors, must fight not only to
preserve his childhood friendships but to save himself and his friends from the detective's brand
of vigilante justice. Unique, impressively crafted, and an inherently riveting read from beginning
to end, "The Bronx Kill" by novelist Philip Cioffari is unreserved recommended for community
library Mystery/Suspense collections. For the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs it
should be noted that "The Bronx Kill" is also available in a paperback edition (9781604891874,
$16.95) and in a Kindle format ($4.95).
Blood Count
Jack Batten
The Dundurn Group
3 Church Street, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E 1M2
www.dundurn.com
9781459735347, $16.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
At the height of the AIDS crisis in the early nineties, a close friend of Crang's, Alex Corcoran,
loses his partner, Ian, to the disease. After Ian's death, Crang is enlisted by Alex to find the man
who infected Ian. Crang searches for the man to prevent Alex from getting himself in trouble.
However, when Alex is murdered, Crang owes it to his friends to find their killers. The case,
which explores the gay scene in Toronto at a time when LGBT culture was still very much a
hidden world and open persecution was commonplace, ends up involving a cabinet minister
afraid of being exposed. A clever and deftly crafted political mystery by a master of the
mystery/suspense genre, "Blood Count" is also an emotional and moving story of a couple whose
lives are devastated by AIDS and a community damaged by the prejudices of the world around
them. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense
collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that
"Blood Count" is also available in a Kindle format ($5.38).
Dead Certain
Adam Mitzner
http://adammitzner.com
Thomas & Mercer
www.amazon.com
9781477822593, $15.95, PB, 348pp, www.amazon.com
Ella Broden is living a double life. By day, Ella works as a buttoned-up attorney on some of the
city's most grueling cases. By night, she pursues her passion for singing in the darkest clubs of
Manhattan. No one knows her secret, not even Charlotte, the younger sister she practically raised.
But it seems she's not the only one in the family with something to hide. When Charlotte
announces she's sold her first novel, Ella couldn't be more thrilled... until she gets a call that her
sister's gone missing. Ella starts investigating with the help of Detective Gabriel Velasquez, an
old flame in the NYPD, and what she finds is shocking. If art imitates life, then her sister's novel
may contain details of her real-life affairs. And any one of her lovers could be involved in her
disappearance. Desperate to bring Charlotte home, Ella works through her list of suspects,
matching fictitious characters with flesh-and-blood men. But will it be too late to save the sister
she only thought she knew? Author Adam Mitzner is a master of the mystery genre and "Dead
Certain" is a consistently compelling novel that is very highly recommended, especially for
community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists
of dedicated mystery buffs that "Dead Certain" is also available in a Kindle format ($4.99).
The Stranger Inside
Jennifer Jaynes
http://jenniferjaynes.net
Thomas & Mercer
9781477817919, $15.95, PB, 284pp, www.amazon.com
After mystery author Diane Christie loses her husband to suicide, she and her son move to the
small coastal town of Fog Harbor, Massachusetts. Her daughter is attending college nearby, and
Diane hopes that her family can now begin to heal. But rebuilding their lives after the tragedy
isn't so simple. Diane's depressed college-age daughter, Alexa, still avoids her, critical of
everything Diane does, and even her generally amiable teenage son, Josh, has started acting out.
Diane pushes forward, focusing on her writing and her volunteer work at a local crisis hotline.
She knows that healing takes time. But then a girl from Alexa's college is found strangled. Worse
still, the murderer uses the crisis hotline to confess to Diane -- and claims she is the only one who
can stop the killing. And just when the glow of new love from an attractive admirer begins to
chase away some of the darkness, more girls turn up dead, and Diane races to solve a mystery she
fears will hit terrifyingly close to home. Author Jennifer Jaynes has proven herself to be a
consummate and consistently entertaining novelist with "The Stranger Inside" being her newest
and impressively original mystery that will prove to be an enduringly popular and appreciated
addition to community library collections and mystery buff reading lists. It should be noted that
"The Stranger Inside" is also available in a Kindle format ($3.99).
Washington Power Play
Allan Topol
SelectBooks, Inc.
87 Walker Street, Suite B1, New York City, NY 10013
www.selectbooks.com
9781590794258, $16.95, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Kelly Cameron, a young FBI agent, has just thwarted a terrorist attack on the Walter Reed
hospital in Washington, and is now put in charge of a task force to find a mole in the U.S.
Government. She soon finds evidence of a plot initiated by the Chinese government supporting
General Cartwright to be elected as the U.S. President. Kelly's efforts to thwart this plan are
hindered by Xiang Shen, a Chinese diplomat who was once her lover, and Andrew Martin, a
powerful Washington lawyer, who has strong ties to the Chinese. Kelly faces danger with
repeated attacks on her life and her daughter's kidnapping. At stake is nothing less than the global
balance of power. In "Washington Power Play", author Allan Topl has penned another riveting
political thriller of a read from beginning to end. While very highly recommended, especially for
community library Suspense/Thriller fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading
lists that "Washington Power Play" is also available in a digital book format ($9.99).
Dead Air
David A. Poulsen
Dundurn
c/o The Dundurn Group
3 Church Street, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E 1M2
www.dundurn.com
9781459736689, $17.99, PB, 376pp, www.amazon.com
Ex-cop turned private detective Mike Cobb is hired as the personal bodyguard of right-wing
radio celebrity Buckley-Rand Larmer, who has been receiving a string of vicious, graphic threats.
Once again, Cobb recruits crime journalist Adam Cullen, this time to dig into Larmer's past and
find out who might have a grudge against him. Soon it becomes evident that Cullen and Cobb
have more to contend with than the not-so-veiled threats. When Larmer's associate turns up dead,
the broadcaster is charged with the killing, but Cullen believes the murder might be related to a
series of suspicious deaths of right-wing media figures going back years. As layers of secrets and
lies peel back, Cullen and Cobb have more than Larmer's guilt or innocence to worry about. A
vicious killer is out there somewhere, poised to strike again. Another exceptional, riveting read
from a master of the genre, "Dead Air" by David A. Poulsen is very highly recommended and
will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense
collections. For the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs and fans of David Poulsen's
Cullen and Cobb series, it should be noted that "Dead Air" is also available in a digital book
format ($5.38).
Cold Hearted River
Keith McCafferty
Viking Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780525429609, $26.00, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
When a woman goes missing in a spring snowstorm and is found dead in a bear's den, Sheriff
Martha Ettinger reunites with her once-again lover Sean Stranahan to investigate. In a pannier of
the dead woman's horse, they find a wallet of old trout flies, the leather engraved with the initials
EH. Only a few days before, Patrick Willoughby, the president of the Madison River Liars and
Fly Tiers Club, had been approached by a man selling fishing gear that he claimed once belonged
to Ernest Hemingway. A coincidence? Sean doesn't think so, and he soon finds himself on the
trail of a stolen trunk rumored to contain not only the famous writer's valuable fly fishing gear
but priceless pages of unpublished work. The investigation will take Sean through extraordinary
chapters in Hemingway's life. The sixth novel in author Keith McCafferty's outstanding 'Sean
Stranahan Mystery Series', "Cold Hearted River" is another compelling read from beginning to
end that will prove be an enduringly popular addition to any community library
Mystery/Suspense collections. A 'must' for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs
in general, and Keith McCafferty fans in particular, it should be noted that "Cold Hearted River"
is also available in a digital book format ($12.99).
The Woodworking Shelf
Great Book of Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture, second edition
Robert W. Lang
Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781565239180, $29.99, HC, 344pp, www.amazon.com
Now in a revised and expanded second edition, "Great Book of Shop Drawings for Craftsman
Furniture" provides complete working shop drawings for 61 classic furniture pieces. The author,
Robert W. Lange, is a master cabinetmaker, and draws upon measured original Craftsman
antiques to create these detailed plans. With full perspective views, elevations, sections, details,
and cutting lists for each project, this revised collection gives today's woodworkers the heart of
the Craftsman aesthetic, along with all the information needed for workshop success. Profusely
illustrated from cover to cover, "Great Book of Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture" is
thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, making it an enduringly popular
addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Woodworking
collections.
The Needlecraft Shelf
Design Inspiration
Margaret Solomon Gunn
American Quilter's Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
www.americanquilter.com
9781683390138, $26.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
The newest addition to the AQS Signature Series, "Design Inspiration" brings an in-depth look
into the quilting process of award winner Margaret Solomon Gunn. Patterns are included with
easy-to-follow instructions for making three of Margaret's most well-known, award-winning
show quilts. "Design Inspiration" aptly chronicles Margaret's journey for of the three quilts from
design inspiration to finished product, providing tips and insight on how the well-designed,
pieced, and quilted masterpieces were created. Line drawings, thread suggestions, quilting
instructions, and detailed photographs are provided of the quilting designs for key areas on each
quilt. The three patterned designs will appeal to each and all skill levels. Beautifully illustrated
and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Design Inspiration" will prove to
be an enduringly popular addition to personal and community library instructional quilting
collections.
Stylish Wraps Sewing Book
Yoshiko Tsukiori
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9780804846950, $15.95, PB, 80pp, www.amazon.com
Yoshiko Tsukiori is an icon of DIY fashion, garnering fans in France, Australia, the UK and the
North America, as well as in her native Japan. Her designs span from clothes for babies and
children to women's daily wear to wedding dresses. In "Stylish Wraps Sewing Book" she draws
upon her years of experience and expertise to provide five free full-sized patterns that can be
used to create 22 timeless wraps ranging from stylish capes, coats, ponchos, and a stole, to scarfs,
fur collars, boleros, and a vest. All the pull-out sewing designs can be made in a few hours for a
fraction of what that particular garment would cost ready-made in a store. And it is easy to mix
and match different fabrics and styles to suit any wardrobe and mood. Thoroughly 'user friendly'
in organization and presentation, "Stylish Wraps Sewing Book" is unreservedly recommended
for personal needlecraft instructional reference collections.
A Little Something
Roseann Meehan Kermes
Martingale & Company
19021 - 120th Avenue NE, Suite 102, Bothell, WA 98011
www.shopmartingale.com
9781604688504, $19.99, PB, 80pp, www.amazon.com
Compiled and presented by Roseann Meehan Kermes, "A Little Something: Cute-as-Can-Be
Patterns for Wool Stitchery" will enable even the most novice of needlecrafters to stitch a
colorful array of cozy wool creations that will brighten any room in their home. Choosing from a
mix of cheerful little projects, including coasters, wall hangings, sewing accessories, bags, and
more, "A Little Something" will teach needlecrafters how to create stunning effects with easy
hand stitching, simple applique, and artful wool layering; as well as how to achieve an
effortlessly embellished look with simple techniques that even beginners can master quickly.
Enhanced with the inclusion of detailed how-to photos and clear instructions, "A Little
Something" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal and community library
Needlecrafting instructional reference collections.
Secrets of Spinning, Weaving, and Knitting in the Peruvian Highlands
Nilda Callanaupa Alvarez
Thrums Books
www.ThrumsBooks.com
9780998452357, $24.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
In "Secrets of Spinning, Weaving, and Knitting in the Peruvian Highlands", Nilda Calla aupa
Alvarez draws upon artisans of all ages who share their knowledge, lore, and deep skills,
highlighting many of the techniques used by craftspeople in the Andes. They reveal clever
highland secrets for everything from skeining yarn and knitting in reverse to weaving tubular
borders and embellishing fabric with complex stitches. For many of these techniques, they
provide concise step-by-step instructions accessible for North American crafters. Thoughtful,
detailed descriptions of Andean cultural traditions frame each section, providing context and rare
insight into what textile work means as a living heritage of the Quechua people. Profusely and
beautifully illustrated from cover to cover, "Secrets of Spinning, Weaving, and Knitting in the
Peruvian Highlands" is a unique, extraordinary, authentic, impressively informative, and highly
recommended addition to community and academic library Needlecraft collections. It should be
noted for dedicated needlecraft enthusiasts that "Secrets of Spinning, Weaving, and Knitting in
the Peruvian Highlands" is also available in a digital book format ($11.99).
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Instant Tarot
Monte Farber & Amy Zerner
Weiser Books
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
www.redwheelweiser.com
9781578636174, $18.95, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Monte Farber and Amy Zerner are the authors of 45 popular spiritual books and oracles. Of
special note is their web site at www.enchantedworld.com. Together they have developed a
unique "Instant Tarot" system specifically devised to enable beginners to read virtually every
Tarot deck. The clearly organized "Instant Tarot" text interprets every card in each of the eleven
meaning-specific positions of the Celtic cross spread. With detailed instructions, sample
questions, helpful diagrams, and a handy index, readers can easily navigate this thoroughly 'user
friendly' instructional guide. The ingenious layout of "Instant Tarot" allows individuals to also
ask any question using a one-card, three-card or full eleven card "Celtic Cross" spread to get
revealing, inspiring answers to burning questions about love, money, career -- everything else!
It's great for parties, small groups of friends and especially by yourself where, undisturbed, you
will often see subtle and formerly hidden meanings emerge from the text. Even the most novice
of tarot practitioners can set up and do tarot readings right away using the instructions provided.
No memorization is required, because each card is interpreted according to the position it appears
in -- "Instant Tarot" truly lives up to its title and tells you right where to look! While very highly
recommended, especially for community library Metaphysical & Tarot Studies collections, it
should be mentioned for personal reading lists that "Instant Tarot" is also available in a Kindle
format ($9.99).
Bringing the Tarot to Life
Scott Martin
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738752624, $17.99, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
For many readers, tarot cards reveal their deepest wisdom through creative interaction. In
"Bringing the Tarot to Life: Embody the Cards Through Creative Exploration" tarot expert and
practitioner Scott Martin shows how to use theater games and acting techniques to gain new
insights into the cards. With more than fifty imaginative exercises to be practiced alone or with a
group, "Bringing the Tarot to Life" unlocks your intuitions and helps you experience the cards
from the inside out. Just as an actor prepares for a new role, you can explore tarot through
emotions, memories, role-playing, observation, bodywork, and imagination. "Bringing the Tarot
to Life" is the perfect guide for readers who want outside-the-box techniques for relating to the
cards from the deepest parts of the soul. Impressively 'user friendly' in tone, commentary,
organization and presentation, "Bringing the Tarot to Life" will prove to be an enduringly
popular and appreciated addition to personal, community, and academic library Metaphysical
Studies collections in general, and Tarot supplemental students lists in particular. It should be
noted for metaphysical studies students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "Bringing the Tarot to Life" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).
Wicca, Plain & Simple
Leanna Greenaway
Hampton Roads Publishing Company
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9781571747716, $14.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Leanna Greenaway is the cofounder of the Psychic Study Centre and lives in the south of
England. In "Wicca, Plain & Simple: The Only Book You'll Ever Need", Greenaway takes a
contemporary approach to Wicca, also known as witchcraft, and shows how to use it as a healing
and positive force. Practice magic with tarot cards, agents, and pendulums; cast love, health,
wealth, family happiness, and career spells; and discover which herbs are beneficial when
conducting spells and rituals. Greenaway makes these life-affirming, ancient Wiccan traditions
meaningful and accessible by providing a basic understanding of the key elements of Wiccan
practice, including: Lunar magic; Initiation; Herbs and gardens; Pendulum power; Animal magic
Eminently practical, "Wicca, Plain & Simple" also includes over 25 spells for beginning
practitioners that range from fertility spells and money spells, to love spells and much more. For
those interested in her work she can be reached at www.leannagreenaway.co.uk. "Wicca, Plain &
Simple" is very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and
academic library Metaphysical Studies collections in general, and Wiccan supplemental studies
in particular. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in
the subject that "Wicca, Plain & Simple" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).
Tarot Court Cards for Beginners
Leeza Robertson
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738750163, $14.99, PB, 216pp, www.amazon.com
Leeza Robertson deepened her tarot practice many years ago after a temporary blindness induced
intuitive visions of cards and spreads in her mind's eye. She is a member of the American Tarot
Association and runs a monthly group called Tarot and High Tea in her hometown of Las Vegas,
Nevada. Leeza blogs about tarot for WitchesandPagans.com. In "Tarot Court Cards for
Beginners: Bring Clarity to Your Readings" she draws upon her years of experience and
expertise to create the ideal introduction to tarot reading for beginners. For many tarot readers,
the court cards are the most challenging cards to work with. But once you become familiar with
how these enigmatic cards work, you can turn them into friends and allies that provide powerful
insights and advice. Featuring stories, explanations, and simple exercises, "Tarot Court Cards for
Beginners" deftly explores the many facets of pages, knights, kings, and queens to enhance your
journey through the tarot. Approaching the court cards from a variety of angles, exploring the
symbols, legends, personalities, messages, and spiritual influences of each card, providing unique
tips, reading techniques, and spread ideas, "Tarot Court Cards for Beginners" is very highly
recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Metaphysical Studies
collections in general, and Tarot Reading supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It
should be noted that "Tarot Court Cards for Beginners" is also available in a digital book format
($9.76).
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Another Castle: Grimoire
Andrew Wheeler, author
Illustrated and colored by Paulina Ganucheau
Oni Press
www.onipress.com
9781620103111 $15.99 pbk / $11.99 Kindle amazon.com
Another Castle: Grimoire is a fantasy-adventure graphic novel, beautifully illustrated in striking
full color. Princess Misty of Beldora (who has been trained in self-defense due to an uptick in
princess kidnappings) finds the responsibilities of royal life stifling. Her life is upended when the
immortal tyrant Lord Badlug of Grimoire captures her, intending to marry her as a means to
conquer and inflict suffering upon her nation. But the people of Beldora aren't the only ones at
risk - the citizens of Grimoire (a multiethnic blend of humans and monsters) will also pay a
horrific blood price if Lord Badlug doesn't get what he wants! Can a valiant yet battle-inept
prince bring Misty the only sword capable of harming Lord Badlug in time? Will Grimoire's
citizens find the will to resist Badlug before he slaughters more innocents? A complete epic saga
in one volume, Another Castle: Grimoire is a treat for graphic novel connoisseurs of all ages, and
highly recommended for public library collections and personal reading lists.
Afar
Leila Del Duca and Kit Seaton
Edited by Taneka Stotts
Image
imagecomics.com
9781632159410 $14.99 pbk / $9.68 Kindle amazon.com
Afar is a full-color science fiction graphic novel adventure that readers of all ages will find
captivating. Fifteen-year-old Boetema lives a humble life in a post-industrial desert wasteland,
until she unexpectedly discovers her ability to astral project to other planets while she is asleep.
Boetema must navigate challenges in two different worlds - one barren and potentially
dangerous, one alien with threats she knows next to nothing about. When her parents must
temporarily leave her and her thirteen-year-old brother Inotu, the two are forced to make a
dangerous desert journey after a troublesome run-in with a a hostile cyborg bodyguard! The
striking art brings this saga of a strong-willed heroine, her family, and her friends to vivid life.
Highly recommended, especially for science fiction connoisseurs.
Audubon: On the Wings of the World
Fabien Grolleau & Jeremie Royer
Nobrow
http://nobrow.net
9781910620151 $22.95 amazon.com
Readers of all ages will enjoy Audubon: On the Wings of the World, a colorful graphic novel
biography of French-American ornithologist, naturalist and painter John James Audubon (1785-
1851). Born into the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti), Audubon lacked his father's
aptitude for business undertakings, but carried a lifelong passion for birds and nature as well as
courage and artistic talent. Audubon: On the Wings of the World is a fascinating and
extraordinary life story, highly recommended especially for public library graphic novel
collections.
Our Cats Are More Famous Than Us
Ananth Hirsh, author
Yuko Ota, author & illustrator
Oni Press
http://onipress.tumblr.com
www.johnnywander.com
9781620103838, $39.99, HC, 416pp, www.amazon.com
In 2008, Ananth Hirsh and Yuko Ota collaborated to launch the auto-bio webcomic Johnny
Wander. Eight years, four cats, and three moves are chronicled in "Our Cats Are More Famous
Than Us: A Johnny Wander Collection", a gorgeous hardcover omnibus, which includes a
foreword by Raina Telgemeier (Smile, Ghosts). Hirsh and Ota's charming reverie about new
adulthood will appeal to fans of Kate Beaton, Bryan Lee O'Malley, and Jeffrey Brown -- along
with anyone who's just winging it. A thoroughly entertaining read from cover to cover, "Our Cats
Are More Famous Than Us: A Johnny Wander Collection" will prove to be a popular addition to
community library Graphic Novel collections and is a 'must' for the legions of Johnny Wander
fans!
A&A: The Adventures of Archer & Armstrong - Romance and Road Trips
Rafter Roberts, author
Mike Norton, illustrator
Valiant Entertainment, LLC
350 Seventh Avenue, Suite 300, New York, NY 10001
http://www.valiantentertainment.com
9781682151716, $14.99, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com
The second volume in Rafter Roberts and Mike Nortons' Archer & Armstrong series, "Romance
and Road Trips" finds that while Armstrong on the road, Archer is taking some much-needed
personal time -- and bringing his long-distance romance with Los Angeles's number-one
superhero off of FaceTime and into the real world! Then, Archer and Armstrong go on the hunt
for Armstrong's long-lost wife, and the clues will put them on the trail of America's craziest
traveling circus! Thoroughly entertaining from cover to cover, "A&A: The Adventures of Archer
& Armstrong - Romance and Road Trips" is a 'must' for graphic novel fans and is unreservedly
commended to community librarians seeking to build up their graphic novel collections.
The Cross-Eyed Mutt
Etienne Davodeau
NBM Publishing
160 Broadway, Ste. 700, East Wing, New York, NY 10038
www.nbmpub.com
9781681120973, $24.99, HC, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Fabian is supervisor at the Louvre. He loves his job. He also loves Mathilde. When it comes
time, she presents him to her family in their vast country house and not without some
apprehension, as the Benion clan is a bit special. There's her father, Louis, who heads since 1975
the family furniture company founded in 1947, and two brothers, Maxime and Joseph. They're
not bad guys, just rather clumsy and with a decidedly unsubtle sense of humor. The fact that
Fabian works in the Louvre is a welcome coincidence, since they just found in the attic a painting
by an ancestor in the nineteenth century. It's a sorry representation of a cross-eyed mutt. Benion
asks "What is the value? Is this an eyesore or a masterpiece?" A raucous satirical comedy that
asks, "Who decides what makes a work of art worthy of being in a major museum?", The
Cross-Eyed Mutt is a superbly crafted graphic novel by multiple award-winning French comics
author Etienne Davodeau. An impressively engaging, original, and entertaining read from first
page to last, The Cross-Eyed Mutt is highly recommended, especially for community library
Graphic Novel collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that The Cross-Eyed Mutt
is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).
The Audiobook Shelf
Artificial Intelligence
Jerry Kaplan
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
9781541404915 $32.99 www.tantor.com
Artificial Intelligence: What Everyone Needs to Know is the unabridged audiobook rendition of
a scientific, philosophical, and social conundrum for the twenty-first century - how can society
best adapt to the proliferation rapidly evolving artificial intelligences? As machines become
smarter and cheaper, more and more human jobs become automated (think "self-service"
checkouts and voice mail displacing cashiers and secretaries in the present, and driverless cars
displacing driving-related careers in the future), causing unemployment that strains both private
and public institutions. The reach of sophisticated artificial intelligences may extend even further
into the realm of our everyday lives (consider "Siri" and similar problem-solving smartphone
apps). Thoroughly accessible to listeners of all backgrounds, Artificial Intelligence: What
Everyone Needs to Know stresses the importance of considering the most profound ethical
implications of modern technology. Artificial Intelligence: What Everyone Needs to Know is
highly recommended, especially for public and school library audiobook collections, and also for
listening. 4 CDs, 5 hours.
Stalin and the Scientists
Simon Ings, author
Tim Bruce, narrator
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781501948978 $TBA www.recordedbooks.com
Stalin and the Scientists: A History of Triumph and Tragedy 1905-1953 is the unabridged
audiobook rendition of an extraordinary aspect of Soviet history during the first half of the
twentieth century - its dual veneration and politicization of science. The ruling elite lavished
praise on science and scientists, but scientific ideals were also inseparably intertwined with
political ideals, and any individual scientist whose ideas fell out of political favor could be
exiled, imprisoned, or murdered. Joseph Stalin, a.k.a. the "Great Scientist", notoriously fell under
the sway of pseudo-botanist Trofim Lysenko (who denied the existence of genes), a catastrophe
that held back Soviet agricultural science for decades and contributed to the deaths of millions
through famine. Nevertheless, Soviet experts achieved incredible breakthroughs in multiple
scientific fields. At once both enlightening and riveting, Stalin and the Scientists is highly
recommended especially for public and college library audiobook collections.
Hell Divers II: Ghosts
Nicholas Sansbury Smith
www.NicholasSansbury.com
Read by R.C. Bray
Blackstone Audiobooks
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
9781504726054 $34.95 CD / $19.95 digital www.BlackstoneAudio.com
Hell Divers II: Ghosts is the unabridged audiobook rendition of the second installment of the
thrilling Hell Divers science fiction trilogy, set in a poisoned, post-apocalyptic Earth. The last
vestiges of humanity survive by orbiting the globe in aging airships, most of which have since
plummeted to doom on the surface. All that sustains the airships are the Hell Divers, courageous
men and women who venture to the surface to scavenge for the supplies the airships need. In
Ghosts, a distress signal calls Michael Everhart - the boy once known as "Tin" - to the surface
along with his loyal team. But when he discovers secrets that threaten his captain, can he and his
team withstand the ultimate betrayal? Riveting, action-packed, and brought to life with R.C.
Bray's masculine performance, Hell Divers II: Ghosts is highly recommended especially for
connoisseurs of the genre. 7 CDs, 8 hours.
High Stakes
Fern Michales, author
Performed by Laural Merlington
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781511342216 $14.99 www.fernmichaels.com
High Stakes is an unabridged audiobook thriller on MP3 CD (plays on MP3-CD enabled players
or transfers to portable devices) featuring investigative reporter Dennis West, who has allied with
the Men of the Sisterhood, a group parallel to The Sisterhood; both organizations are devoted to
aiding the needy and directly combatting the evils of the world. West receives an unexpected call
for help from an old friend, a nerd-turned-buff-male-dancer who fears that his employers are
embedded in the drug trade - and that he could be marked for assassination! High Stakes lives up
to its title with a harrowing cat-and-mouse game with a ruthless criminal organization, and is
highly recommended for connoisseurs of the genre. 1 disc, 9 hours 17 min.
The Jersey Devil
Hunter Shea
Graphic Audio
7520 Standish Place, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20855
www.graphicaudio.net
9781628513639, $19.99, CD, www.graphicaudio.net/the-jersey-devil.html
Everyone knows the legend of the Jersey Devil. Some believe it is an abomination of nature, a
hybrid winged beast from hell that stalks the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey searching for
prey. Others believe it is a hoax, a campfire story designed to scare children. But one man knows
the truth. But sixty years ago, Boompa Willet came face to face with the Devil -- and somehow
lived to tell the tale. Now, the creature's stomping grounds are alive once again with strange
sightings, disappearances, and worse. After all these years, Boompa must return to the Barrens,
not to prove the legend is real but to wipe it off the face of the earth. But it will take more than
just courage to defeat the Devil. It will take four generations of the Willet clan, a lifetime of
survivalist training, and all the firepower they can carry. But timing is critical. A summer music
festival has attracted crowds of teenagers. The woods are filled with tender young prey. But this
time, the Devil is not alone. The evil has grown into an unholy horde of mutant monstrosities.
And hell has come home to New Jersey. Another flawlessly produced, multicast, sound and
music enhanced almost cinematic audio book production, "The Jersey Devil" is an inherently
compelling audio theatre performance that does full and complete justice to Hunter Shea's horror
fantasy epic. "The Jersey Devil" is very highly recommended to horror fantasy fans, and will
prove to be especially popular addition for community library audio book collections.
Hachette Audio
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
www.hachetteaudio.com
These audio productions are top recommendation, pairing intriguing topics with narrative styles
that are compelling and fresh. Mayte Garcia narrates The Most Beautiful: My Life With Prince
(9781478974253, $35.00), which tells of her unique connection to the musical superstar when
they met backstage at a concert. She was a teenage belly dancer; he was already famous. Their
friendship moved into collaborative realms and then into romance, and this reveals both their
relationship and wedding and the forces that eventually separated them. Anyone interested in
Prince must have this expose! Beau Lotto's Deviate: The Science of Seeing Differently
(9781478909163, $30.00) is also narrated by the author and provides a powerful survey of
perception and what lies between a vision and the brain's interpretation of it. Over two decades of
original research explores how the brain works, offering insights into optical illusions, the
science of seeing and interpreting what is seen, and how perceptions operate and influence
decision-making processes. The discussion comes alive in audio. James Patteron works with
Frank Constantini, Emily Raymond and Brian Sitts in Two from the Heart (9781478948841,
$35.00), the compelling saga of Anne, whose marriage, home, and career are all battered by
disasters. Fraught with loss, Anne realizes she's lost touch with her world, and embarks on a
cross-country road trip to gather the 'best stories' of friends, family and strangers alike. Her
journey opens up new roads of understanding in this evocative, compelling story which is perfect
for an audio listen on a car trip.
The Library CD Shelf
I Dream About This World: The Wyeth Album
Catherine Marie Charlton
www.catherinemariecharlton.com
Phil's Records
www.phils-records.com
$TBA CD / $7.99 itunes.com
I Dream About This World: The Wyeth Album is a music album inspired by the timeless
paintings of Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009). Some songs are solo piano; some are piano with
instrumentation; all are beautifully neo-classical. Consisting of mostly original works with a
meditative overall tone, I Dream About This World is a serene collection, ideal for inspiring
relaxation, creativity, and wonder. I Dream About This World is highly recommended for both
personal and public library music collections. The tracks are "Nonesuch" (4:27), "Granen (The
Spruce) Opus 75, no. 5" by Jean Sibelius (3:23), "I Dream About This World" featuring David
Darling (6:22), "Outside of Time, a Healing" featuring Nancy Rumbel (9:50), "Die Luft Ist Blau"
(4:02), "Helga Suite: Chorale by Ann Wyeth McCoy" (2:15), "A Walk" (3:13), "Off At Sea"
(featuring Nancy Rumbel & David Darling) (4:46), "All That I Feel" (3:20), "April Rain" (4:01),
and "Eternity" (4:36).
It Might As Well Be a Myth
Adam Miller
folksinging.org
Privately Published
PO Box 951, Drain, OR 97435
$14.97 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com
It Might As Well Be a Mythis an album of spoken word stories and story-songs by master
storyteller and renowned autoharpist Adam Miller. Some of the tales are traditional folklore;
others are by a variety of authors. An entrancing and magical experience for listeners of all ages,
It Might As Well Be a Myth makes an excellent gift, and is highly recommended especially for
public library collections. The tracks are "Lost in the Kalahari Desert" (1:20), "Woody Guthrie:
When the World's on Fire" (30:33), "The Lupus General Store" (7:59), "Planxty Irwin" (0:41),
"The Code" (2:33), "Agent Orange" (4:41), "Home, Dearie, Home" (3:13), "Umpqua River
Colosi" (2:59), "The Old Gray Mare" (6:30), "Will You Know Me?" (0:40), "Canning Salmon"
(3:29) and "The Old Man of the Sea" (6:58).
Mozartistic
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, Asheville Symphony, Orion Weiss & DJ Marley Carroll
Echo Mountain Recording
$TBA http://secretagent23skidoo.com
Mozartistic is an EP for listeners of all ages by Secret Agent 23 Skidoo in partnership with the
Asheville Symphony and others, interweaving classical music with hip-hop drum beats and more.
The first song is a rendition of young Wolfgang Mozart's life as a child prodigy; other tracks
provide a unique spin on Mozart's timeless, instrumental works. A fresh, new way to experience
these beloved songs, Mozartistic is highly recommended. The tracks are "Mozartistic", "Turkish
March" (From Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 11), "Supersonic Symphonic", "Mozartistic"
(Instrumental), and "Supersonic Symphonic" (Reconstructed).
Valenti
Valenti Funk
www.valentifunk.com
Privately Published
$15.00 CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
Valenti is the debut album of Valenti Funk, an instrumentalist, composer, and producer well-
known for his contributions to the award-winning group "The Effinays" and work with funk-
disco music artist Ronnie Heart. Pushing the boundaries of the genre, Valenti is funk at its
innermost core yet its songs branch out into elements of reggae, soul, disco, and dance music.
The result is an energetic listening experience sure to bring life to parties! The tracks are
"Irving/Bear Creek, Texas", "Party Fiesta" ft. Big Spook, "More Light" ft. Big Spook, "You",
"Some Mo'" ft. Lala Johnson, "Oh My" ft. Lala Johnson, "Backslide" ft. Zach Pohl, "Side To
Side" ft. Kevin Snearley, "Stank" ft. Kelyn Crapp, "Chill On The Couch" ft. Aisha Mars, and
"Parking Spot" ft. Versatile.
Kingdom of Mountains
Mystic Journey
www.mysticjourney.net
Privately Published
$14.97 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com
Kingdom of Mountains is an evocative instrumental album featuring flutes, stringed instruments,
and percussion from around the world in a fantastic pan-cultural fusion. A mellifluous, open-
minded journey of exploration, Kingdom of Mountains is a choice pick for meditative
contemplation or fostering emotional serenity, and is highly recommended for connoisseurs of
new age beauty. The tracks are "Subhadra" (4:44), "Home" (4:46), "Kingdom of Mountains"
(7:04), "Midnight in Bamako" (5:42), "Delicate Rainbow Flower" (4:41), "Yunnan" (3:44),
"Viento" (4:49), "En Passante" (4:58), "I Dream of a Castle" (4:44), and "Lebanese Girl"
(4:57).
Sam Gleaves & Tyler Hughes
Sam Gleaves & Tyler Hughes
www.TylerSamMusic.com
$TBA CD / $10.00 download
Sam Gleaves & Tyler Hughes is the self-titled debut album of a progressive duo from
Southwestern Virginia. Their mastery of the banjo and guitar shines through these sonorous
arrangements of classic ballads and two original songs. Highly recommended for connoisseurs of
folk music! The tracks are "Stockyard Hill" (3:33), "When We Love" (3:07), "Georgia Row"
(2:48), "Mister Rabbit" (2:06), "I Can't Sit Down" (2:16), "Bread and Roses" (3:14), "I Washed
My Face in the Morning Dew" (2:57), "My Stone Mountain Home" (3:08), "Lonesome Homesick
Blues" (2:51), "Well I Guess I Told You Off" (2:33), "Living with Memories" (2:50), "Mama
Paint Me A Picture" (2:31), "Sleepy Eyed John" (2:05), and "Tear Down The Fences"
(3:04).
Departure
Plucky Strum (Sheryl Bailey & Harvie S)
Whaling City Sound
www.whalingcitysound.com
Naxos of America (distribution)
www.naxosusa.com
$13.99 CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com
Departure is a new jazz album by Plucky Strum (the duo name for music artists Sheryl Bailey
and Harvie S), crafted with Sheryl's electric guitar playing, the hypnotic bass of Harvie,
electronic enhancements, and more. The result is a serendipitous treasure for connoisseurs of
creative, original jazz! Highly recommended. The tracks are "Sublime" (4:41), "Old and Young
Blues" (6:26), "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" (4:58), "Sabado Con Mi Amor" (5:48), "Now I Know"
(4:34), "The Hissing of Summer Lawns" (5:35), "What She Said" (3:55), "Cranshaw" (4:04),
"Song of the Guitar" (3:44), "Song of the Guitar" (3:44), "Good Ole Days" (5:33), and "Alone"
(5:00).
The Library DVD Shelf
I Love Toy Trains: Rail Blazers
A McComas/Stachler Production
Original music by James Coffey
TM Books & Video
PO Box 9228, Michigan City, IN 46361
9781936890446 $9.99 www.tmbv.com
Part of the award-winning "I Love Toy Trains" series, I Love Toy Trains: Rail Blazers is a DVD
showcasing both real and model trains, for trainspotters and model railroad hobbyists of all ages.
Features include the Dino Express, where one can learn about dinosaurs; an imaginary Crayola
train layout created by kids; the haunting story of Pratt's Hollow Phantom streamliner; carnival
train rides; fascinating facts about railroad history and much more. Original music by award-
winning singer/songwriter James Coffey rounds out this delightful video the whole family can
enjoy together. 34 min.
Striking Out, series 1
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$39.99 www.acornonline.com
Striking Out is a new Irish legal drama with complex characters and a multifaceted plot. When
Dublin-based solicitor Tara Rafferty (played by Amy Huberman) learns that her fiance and
fellow solicitor has been cheating on her, she breaks up with him, quits her job at their high-class
law firm, and independently accepts clients from a hastily set up office in the back of a cafe.
Collaborating with a street-smart client-turned-aide, a female private detective, and her mentor,
she accepts cases that frequently pit her against her former colleagues! A gritty, intensely human
series, Striking Out is a "must-see" for connoisseurs of the genre. Striking Out is recommended
for mature viewers due to scenes with coarse language, sexual situations, or nudity. Bonus
materials include 29 min. of interviews with the cast and crew and a behind-the-scenes photo
gallery. 4 episodes on 2 DVDs, 214 min. plus bonus, widescreen, SDH subtitles.
Rake, series 2
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$39.99 www.acornonline.com
Rake, series 2 is a DVD compilation of the second Australian television series featuring the
brilliant, sharp-tongued, yet tragically self-destructive solicitor Cleaver Greene. Cleaver
jeopardizes his legal career when he has an affair with the wife of the powerful new Attorney
General, while Cleaver's paramour Missy sparks a scandal with her memoir about her life as a
prostitute. Yet Cleaver can't let entangled drama keep him from giving his all in the courtroom;
his cases involve alleged terrorists, teenage murderers, and a man accused of leaking classified
information. Cleaver's unconventional methods and quagmire of enemies threaten to drag him
down once and for all! Rake is a superb series for connoisseurs of legal drama, highly
recommended. Bonus materials include bloopers, "5 Minutes with Cleaver Greene", and a
behind-the-scenes featurette. 8 episodes on 3 DVDs, 462 min. plus bonus, SDH subtitles,
widescreen.
Feeding Your Family's Soul
With Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
9781612619712 $59.99 www.paracletepress.com
Award-winning author Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle presents Feeding Your Family's Soul, a
DVD designed to help parents pass on the Catholic faith to their children. The recommendations
for parents are presented in seven accessible segments: "Learning to Love Our Neighbor from
Mother Teresa", "The Tradition of Prayer", "Learning and Teaching Forgiveness", "Why
Catholics Honor the Blessed Mother", "Learning and Teaching the Virtues", "Learning
Perseverance from St. Monica", and "Learning Steadfast Fath from St. Teresa of Availa". At
once both inspirational and practical, Feeding Your Family's Soul is a "must" for Catholic
families. Also highly recommended is O'Boyle's previous book, "Feeding Your Family's Soul:
Dinner Table Spirituality" (9781612618357, $15.99).
The Gardening Shelf
Potted
Annette Goliti Gutierrez & Mary Gray
Timber Press
133 S.W. Second Avenue, Suite 450, Portland OR 97204-3527
www.timberpress.com
9781604696974, $19.95, PB, 228pp, www.amazon.com
An outdoor gardening style often comes at a high price -- but it doesn't have to. Not with "Potted:
Make Your Own Stylish Garden Containers" by the team of Annette Goliti Gutierrez and Mary
Gray (the creators and owners of Potted, a garden lifestyle boutique in Los Angeles). "Potted" is
lushly illustrated and superbly designed guide empowers even the mos t novice of gardeners to
create their own show-stopping containers made from everyday materials such as concrete,
plastic, metal, terracotta, rope, driftwood, and fabric. The 23 step-by-step projects are affordable,
made from accessible materials, and most importantly, gorgeous. They include new spins on old
favorites, like the cinderblock garden made popular by design blogs or hanging planters made
from enamelware bowls, along with never-before-seen ideas like a chimney flue planter and wall
planters made from paint cans. Packed from cover to cover with color photographs and simple
instructions, "Potted" is most especially recommended for anyone who wants to turn an outdoor
space into a stylish oasis. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic
library Gardening instruction collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted for
home gardeners that "Potted" is also available in a digital book format ($9.99).
The Music Shelf
The Show That Never Ends
David Weigel
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393242256 $26.95 www.wwnorton.com
The Show That Never Ends: The Rise and Fall of Prog Rock tells how progressive rock
developed and changed, and why it remains a vibrant force in popular music today, and offers a
survey of musicians, music, and cultural trends in American rock music that led to progressive
rock's development in response to 1960s pop rock tunes. Five decades of rock music history
pinpoints how prog rock differs from other forms of rock, what made it popular, and how various
bands came to represent the evolving style. One doesn't expect such a survey to begin with
classical composers; but this narrative seeks to define prog rock's roots in historical context, and
so the sweeping overview, which encompasses rock music personalities, memoirs, interviews
and bands, succeeds in crafting a wider-ranging survey that is both unexpected and refreshingly
well-detailed.
Talking Machine West
Michael A. Amundson
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806156040 $34.95 www.oupress.com
Talking Machine West: A History and Catalogue of Tin Pan Alley's Western Recordings,
1902-1918 considers the real origins of the first western music fads in this country - the Tin Pan
Alley musicians in the age prior to radio when cowboy and Indian songs were played in wind-up
talking machine. These songs promoted a romantic image of the West, the cowboy, and the
musicians who brought the period to life, but it was the talking machine industry, centered in
New York, which recorded a wide range of cowboy and Indian music for mass listeners between
1902 and 1918. Until new, relatively little about this era was written for general-interest
audiences, but Talking Machine West is both a catalog of western recordings and a lively history
of how frontier music evolved and came to affect the rest of the country. The result is a highly
recommended survey recommended for general-interest and scholarly music history holdings
alike.
My British Invasion
Harold Bronson
Rare Bird Books
453 South Spring Street, Suite 302, Los Angeles, CA 90013
www.rarebirdlit.com
9781945572098, $17.95, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Harold Bronson co-founded the Rhino Records label, and co-ran the company with Richard Foos
for 24 years. Rhino has been considered the best reissue label in the world, and for a number of
years was awarded label of the year by the record retailers organization NARM. In "My British
Invasion" Bronson, tells his personal story which began as a passionate music fan who explored
the British music scene and met many of the performers whose music he loved, and in some
cases got to know them as a music journalist, music executive, or friend, Harold gives a true
insiders account of London's 1970s music scene. With chapters on Harold's immersion in
London's rock scene in the early '70s and others on significant music makers from the '60s and
'70s, "My British Invasion" gives both large and small scopes of the scene that brought us
Herman's Hermits, The Hollies, The Kinks, The Yardbirds, Johnny Rotten, and Pirate Radio.
Simply stated, "My British Invasion" is a 'must read" for all music fans of the British Invasion of
the 1960s and 70s. While very highly recommended, especially for community and academic
library 20th Century Music History collections and supplemental studies reading lists, it should
be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "My
British Invasion" is also available in a digital book format ($10.99).
The Christian Studies Shelf
Anointed: Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Pope Francis
Pauline Books & Media
50 St. Paul's Avenue, Boston, MA 02130-3433
0819806536 $18.95 hc / $13.00 ebook amazon.com
Anointed: Gifts of the Holy Spirit is a compilation of faith-affirming quotations by Pope Francis,
paired with beautiful, full-color photography. Inspirational and reverent, Anointed reveals Pope
Francis' abiding faith and reaches out to the reader to turn toward God in their everyday life. "In
closeness with God and in listening to his Word, we put aside our own way of thinking. Little by
little, we open what has been closed, and let go of our prejudices and ambitions. We learn instead
to ask the Lord: what is your desire? What is your will? What pleases you?" An inset ribbon
bookmark enhances this truly beautiful book, highly recommended for spiritual
contemplation.
The Justice Calling
Bethany Hanke Hoang & Kristen Deede Johnson
Brazos Press
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
9781587433993, $18.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
True justice in this world requires a deep perseverance we simply cannot muster on our own. The
world's needs are staggering and even the most passion-driven reactions, strategies, and good
intentions can falter. But we serve a God who never falters, who sees the needs, hears the cries,
and gives strength to his people through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Offering a
comprehensive biblical theology of justice drawn from the whole story of Scripture, "The Justice
Calling: Where Passion Meets Perseverance" by Bethany Hanke Hoang (Princeton Theological
Seminary) and Kristen Deede Johnson (Associate Professor of Theology and Christian
Formation, Western Theological Seminary, Holland, Michigan) invites their readers to know
more intimately the God who loves justice and calls us to give our lives to seek the flourishing of
others. "The Justice Calling" explores stories of injustice around the globe today and spurs
Christians to root their passion for justice in the persevering hope of Christ. "The Justice Calling"
also offer practices that can further form Christians into a people who join God's work of setting
things right in the world. This paperback edition is enhanced with the inclusion of a reader's
guide. "The Justice Calling" is thoroughly accessible, spiritually insightful, and highly
recommended for all members of the Christian community regardless of denominational
affiliation. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Justice Calling" is also available
in a Kindle format ($9.99).
Holy Desperation
Heather King
Loyola Press
3441 North Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60657
www.loyolapress.com
9780829445145, $13.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Desperation has many faces: the addict who has hit bottom; the laid-off worker struggling to
make the next house payment; the person who seems to have it all together but is wracked with
fear, guilt, anger, or shame. We know we need help, but we are afraid to let anyone (especially
God) see how broken we truly are. In "Holy Desperation: Praying as If Your Life Depends on It",
Catholic convert Heather King demonstrates that, when we're desperate, it's precisely the right
time to cry out to God. King, a survivor of addiction and other forms of desperation, begins with
the basics of how to pray when you're uncertain that God exists or when you feel that you're
beyond God's reach. She challenges the assumptions that only the saintly can pray and that prayer
ought to be tidy and nice. She reveals how prayer leads us beyond ourselves and into a life of
purpose, lived for the good of others. Ultimately, "Holy Desperation" is an invitation to engage in
bold, come-exactly-as-you-are prayer, offering a way forward, upward, and outward for anyone
desperate enough to cry out for God's help and presence. You are not alone. Inspired and
inspiring, "Holy Desperation: Praying as If Your Life Depends on It" is also available in a Kindle
format ($9.99) and life-changing reading and very highly recommended reading for all Christians
under stress.
Messy Journey
Lori Wildenberg
New Hope Publishers
PO Box 830711, Birmingham, AL 35283-0711
www.newhopepublishers.com
9781625915238, $14.99, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com
"Messy Journey: How Grace and Truth Offer the Prodigal a Way Home" was written by licensed
parent and family educator Lori Wildenberg specifically for parents walking the difficult road
with a wayward child. Her readers will be inspired to drink the deep waters of peace as they draw
closer to the Father of all prodigals. "Messy Journey" offers practical grace-filled and
truth-founded ways of navigating a parental relationship with a detoured child whether they are
rejecting faith, dabbling in sin, or wholeheartedly embracing sinful behavior. The underlying
message of "Messy Journey" is one of hope -- that an errant child's struggle isn't really with their
parents, it's with God. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Messy Journey" is
both inspired and inspiring. While strongly recommended reading for all members of the
Christian community, it should be noted that "Messy Journey" is also available in a Kindle
format ($9.99).
Joyce Rupp: Essential Readings
Michael Leach, editor
Marketing Department
Orbis Books
Price Building, Box 302, Maryknoll NY 10545-0302
www.orbisbooks.com
9781626982338, $22.00, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Sister Joyce Rupp, O.S.M., is an award-winning author who is also a retreat and conference
speaker. She is the co-director of The Institute of Compassionate Presence, a member of the
Servite Order, and a volunteer for Hospice. An Iowa farmer's daughter, a sister to seven, a Sister
to many, Joyce is a planter, grower, and spiritual midwife. She is also a writer, speaker, and
retreat giver who receives invitations from five continents. Her books have been published in
seven languages, including Croatian and Indonesian. She sings both chant and golden oldies,
teaches theology and practices transpersonal psychology, is a lifelong Catholic appreciated by
people of all faiths and criticized by some in her own faith as "out there". Compiled with an
informative Introduction by Michael Leach ( editor-at-large and publisher emeritus of Orbis
Books), the intended purpose of "Joyce Rupp: Essential Readings" is to provide the interested
reader where Joyce is at, where she came from and where she is going, who she is, what she is
like, and what she knows for sure -- all in her own words. While very highly recommended to the
attention of the Christian community, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Joyce
Rupp: Essential Readings" is also available in a Kindle format ($14.95).
Two Kingdoms & Two Cities
Robert C. Crouse
Fortress Press
P.O. Box 1209, Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209
http://fortresspress.com
9781506421568, $79.00, HC, 274pp, www.amazon.com
The recent emergence of "two kingdoms" and "two cities" approaches to Christian social
thinking are shown to have a key and often unacknowledged connection to Luther's reshaping of
the Augustinian paradigm. The project works for a better understanding of Luther's own thought
to help understand the convergences and divergences of Christian political theology in the
twentieth century and today. In particular, Luther's two-kingdom thinking issued forth in a strong
distinction of law and gospel that was also worked out in twofold pairs of Israel and church,
general and special revelation, creation and redemption, and especially the outward and inward
life. "Two Kingdoms & Two Cities: Mapping Theological Traditions of Church, Culture, and
Civil Order" traces this legacy through acceptance and modification by Niebuhr and Bonhoeffer,
Lutheran and Catholic neoconservatives, Reformed two-kingdom proponents, Augustinian
liberals, and finally Oliver O'Donovan. The conclusion reflects on both the historical narrative
and its connection to an account of modern liberalism, as well as a theological reflection on
hermeneutical decisions of the "twoness" of Christian theology. Very highly recommended for
seminary and academic library Christian Studies collections, "Two Kingdoms & Two Cities" is
based on a dissertation by Robert C. Crouse (who is Assistant Professor of Systematic theology
at Knox Theological Seminary) completed at Wheaton College under the supervision of Daniel
Treier.
The Wisdom of the Body
Christine Valters Paintner
Ave Maria Press
PO Box 428, Notre Dame, IN 46556
www.avemariapress.com
9781933495828, $16.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
The distorted view of the perfect female body created by popular culture, television, movies, and
the media often causes women to become uncomfortable with their own bodies. In "The Wisdom
of the Body: A Contemplative Journey to Wholeness for Women", Christine Valters Paintner,
(the Abbess of the online retreat center Abbey of the Arts), draws from Celtic, desert, and
Benedictine traditions) seeks to help Christian women connect with their bodies through writing,
visual art, and movement. Enhanced with an informative Introduction, a two page listing of
Acknowledgements; four pages of Notes; and a three page listing of Additional Resource, "The
Wisdom of the Body" is an extraordinarily inspired and inspiring work that will linger in the
mind and memory long after the book is finished and set back upon the shelf. While very highly
recommended for all members of the Christian community, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "The Wisdom of the Body" is also available in a Kindle format ($13.48).
The Good Book
Deron Spoo
David C. Cook
c/o Cook Communications
4050 Lee Vance Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.davidccook.com
9780781414418, $22.99, HC, 400pp, www.amazon.com
"The Good Book: 40 Chapters That Reveal the Bible's Biggest Ideas" by Deron Spoo (Pastor of
First Baptist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma) offers a user-friendly guide to the Bible's biggest ideas.
A chapter from the Bible accompanies each chapter of the book, which helps readers understand
the context and content of the Scripture passages in a way that can open the whole Bible.
Designed as a forty-day journey through forty key chapters of the Bible, The Good Book will
appeal to those who already love and read the Bible regularly as well as to those who are just
beginning their Christian journey. "The Good Book" will prove to be a great evangelism tool for
explaining the major themes of Scripture to those who want to know more about God, Jesus, and
the core beliefs of Christianity; gives new believers an overview of the Bible and lays a
framework to help them understand Scripture passages; helps longtime Christians rediscover the
basic themes of Scripture and experience these truths in a new way; and encourages Scriptural
literacy as it pushes readers to read both one chapter of the book and one chapter of the Bible
each day for forty days. "The Good Book" can also be used by small groups in an eight-week
church-wide program or a forty-week journey that focuses on one Bible chapter each week. "The
Good Book" will help people understand and live by the transformative truths of the Bible.
Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, inspired and inspiring, "The Good
Book" is very highly recommended for church, seminary, and community library Biblical Studies
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Good Book" is also available
in a Kindle format ($9.99).
Questioning Evangelism, second edition
Randy Newman
Kregel Publications
2450 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.kregel.com
9780825444289, $17.99, PB, 280pp, www.amazon.com
There was something different about the way Jesus communicated with the lost: He didn't force
answers upon people, He asked questions. So why don't we? Following Christ's lead, Randy
Newman (who has served in campus ministry for over thirty years, now teaches at several
evangelical seminaries and ministers in a variety of churches, and is currently a Senior Teaching
Fellow with The C. S. Lewis Institute in Washington, DC.) has been using a questioning style of
evangelism for decades. Now in an updated and expanded second edition of "Questioning
Evangelism: Engaging People's Hearts the Way Jesus Did" he provides practical insights to help
Christians engage others in meaningful spiritual conversations. He challenges Christian to
examine how they think about people, their questions, and Christianity's crucial message.
Inspired and inspiring, "Questioning Evangelism" is very highly recommended, especially for all
members of the Christian community regardless of denominational affiliation. It should be noted
for personal reading lists that "Questioning Evangelism" is also available in a Kindle format
($12.14).
The Gaming Shelf
Bean Bag Games for Everyone
Laura Lee
Busy Bee Enterprises
6073 North 2300 West, Cedar City, UT 84721
www.beanbaggames.net
9780998013909, $38.95, PB, 1156pp, www.amazon.com
"Bean Bag Games for Everyone", compiled by Laura Lee (a licensed elementary teacher in four
states and who has had many assignments in church youth groups) is a compendium of more than
1,000 indoor and outdoor games and activities for everyone using bean bags. Now anyone can
add more enjoyment and fun to learning, family fun, travel, holidays, camping and even games
just for fun to be enjoyed with family and friends. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and
presentation, "Bean Bag Games for Everyone" is an especially unique and highly recommended
addition to family, school, and community library recreational games and gaming
collections.
The Education Shelf
Summer Matters: Making All Learning Count
Elizabeth M. McChesney & Bryan W. Wunar
Marketing Department
ALA Editions
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9780838915615, $50.00, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Summer reading for children is a long standing and cherished tradition in school and community
libraries across America, but today's kids need to master new skills and competencies. Today's
summer programming needs to move beyond reading to engage children with hands-on activities,
thus keeping their brains active even when school is out. In "Summer Matters: Making All
Learning Count", a team of librarians and educators from the Chicago Public Library (CPL) and
Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry present a guide based on their award-winning,
STEAM-inspired approach. "Summer Matters" outline practical steps for libraries and cultural
institutions to partner in creating a sustainable summer learning program that's both fun and
educational. "Summer Matters" also explains what STEAM is and why it's important for
libraries; provides evidence-based research on summer slide, the achievement gap, and 21st
century learning skills; walks readers through building a cultural partnership, collaborating
efficiently, and sustaining the relationship into the future; offers tips for managing institutional
change; provides guidance for developing a new vision for summer at the library, with pointers
on adding learning tracks to existing programs and addressing design challenges; details how
CPL evaluates and assesses their program; and includes templates for a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU), mission statement, logic model, and sample Summer Learning Challenge
evaluations. Loaded from cover to cover with innovative program ideas, "Summer Matters" is an
outstanding and thoroughly 'user friendly' resource that will ensure that learning continues even
while school is out.
Learning Transformed
Eric C. Sheninger & Thomas C. Murray
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416623892, $31.95, PB, 260pp, www.amazon.com
With all that we know about how students learn, the nature of the world they will face after
graduation, and the educational inequities that have existed for centuries, maintaining a
traditional, one-size-fits-all approach to teaching and learning is tantamount to instructional
malpractice. International security, the success of global economies, and sustainability as a global
society all depend on the success of our education system in the years to come. It's our obligation
to prepare our students for their future not our past. In "Learning Transformed: 8 Keys to
Designing Tomorrow's Schools, Today" Eric C. Sheninger (Senior Fellow, International Center
for Leadership in Education) and Thomas C. Murray (Director of Innovation for Future Ready
Schools) outline eight keys each a piece of a puzzle for transforming the K - 12 education system
of teaching and learning to intentionally design tomorrow's schools so today's learners are
prepared for success -- and stand ready to create new industries, find new cures, and solve world
problems. The traditional model of schooling ultimately prepares students for the industrial
model of the past. If we want our students to become successful citizens in a global society, we
must dramatically shift to a more personal approach. Failure is not an option. We can no longer
wait. Let Learning Transformed show you how you can be a part of the solution. Informative,
thoughtful, insightful, practical, timely, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, commentary,
organization and presentation, "Learning Transformed" is very highly recommended for school
district, college, and university library Teacher Education collections. It should be noted for
classroom teachers, school board members, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in
the subject that "Learning Transformed" is also available in a digital book format ($27.32).
Creating the Anywhere, Anytime Classroom
Casey Reason, Lisa Reason, Crystal Guiler
Solution Tree
555 North Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404
www.solution-tree.com
9781943874866, $29.95, PB, 168pp, www.amazon.com
As technology continues to shift the educational landscape, most K-12 teachers' instructional
strategies remain mostly unchanged. "Creating the Anywhere, Anytime Classroom: A Blueprint
for Learning Online in Grades K-12" reveals how to enhance student learning in online and
blended classrooms. This user-friendly resource offers direct guidance on the steps K-12
educators must take to facilitate online learning and maximize student growth using readily
available digital tools. Each individual chapter includes suggestions, tips, and examples tied to
pedagogical practices associated with learning online, so you can confidently and fully engage in
the best practices with your students. "Creating the Anywhere, Anytime Classroom" covers such
issues and benefits as: Using technology tools like online classroom platforms and apps to foster
digitally enhanced learning; Understanding the benefits of learning online and its advantages
over traditional real-world classrooms; Learning how to effectively facilitate digital learning
experiences and organize the online learning space in a way that encourages comfort, motivation,
and engagement; Studying the challenges and opportunities teaching online offers; Gaining
strategies and examples to help initiate and sustain digital learning while engaging students.
Exceptionally and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Creating the
Anywhere, Anytime Classroom" is very highly recommended for school district, college and
university library Teacher Education collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be
noted that "Creating the Anywhere, Anytime Classroom" is also available in a Kindle format
($24.92).
Unlocking English Learners' Potential
Diane Staehr Fenner and Sydney Snyder
Corwin
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
9781506352770 $29.95 www.corwin.com
Unlocking English Learners' Potential: Strategies for Making Content Accessible is packed with
ideas for content and ESOL teachers on how to meet content standards using new strategies
backed by activities. The templates for success involve identifying paths to potential and
reaching them through various techniques that build an English learner's skills and apply them to
their reading and language development alike. From application activities and questions about
teaching academic language to this audience to identifying what close text reading involves, this
workbook is packed with keys to successful EL teaching techniques for modern audiences.
Take the Journey
James A. Percoco
Stenhouse Publishers
480 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781625311436 $29.33 www.stenhouse.com
Take the Journey: Teaching American History Through Place-Based Learning comes from a
historian and educator who shows teachers how to take students to places where American
history happened. The focus is on a 180-mile National Heritage area through various battlefields,
presidential estates, and more, but while teachers may think that a personal appearance is
required or difficult, the joy of this book is that it can be used in the classroom as well as on a
local journey through American history. Chapters explore the basic concepts of place-based
learning strategies as they encourage developing a virtual classroom that makes visiting and
understanding these key areas a snap. Content elements include blog features while tips on using
vodcasts to developing a reader's theater offer a wide range of possibilities to teachers seeking a
wider-ranging approach to classroom history discussions than most.
Positive Behavior Supports in Classrooms and Schools, second edition
Keith Storey & Michal Post
Charles C. Thomas, Publisher
2600 South First Street, Springfield, IL 62704
http://www.ccthomas.com
9780398091651, $34.95, 318pp, www.amazon.com
The collaborative work of Keith Storey (Clinical Director at Ed Support Services in Oakland,
California) and Michal Post (San Francisco State University and College of Alameda), and now
in a newly updated and expanded second edition, "Positive Behavior Supports in Classrooms and
Schools: Effective and Practical Strategies for Teachers and Other Service Providers" is unique
collection of studies that will provide teachers and other service providers with the knowledge
and skills for positive behavior supports in school settings, thereby improving the academic and
social skills of their students. It is written in an informational format that teachers and other
service providers can immediately put to use. The text is generic across age levels K-12, and
focuses on the positive behavior supports in school settings. Each chapter begins with Key
Written Questions, followed by Window to the World case studies, Discussion Questions, and
suggestions for classroom and school activities. Additionally, an overview of positive behavior
supports is examined, which includes measuring behavior, functional assessment and analysis,
reinforcement, punishment, classroom structure, preventative procedures and Interventions,
cooperative learning and peer tutoring. The self-management strategies, social skills instruction,
and school-wide positive behavior supports are vital points that will prove valuable for training
purposes. "Positive Behavior Supports in Classrooms and Schools" is a comprehensive and
thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional 'how to teach' textbook book is specifically recommended
for teachers and other direct service providers in a non-technical manner illustrated with specific
real-world examples. "Positive Behavior Supports in Classrooms and Schools" is unreservedly
recommended for both college and university library Teacher Education collections and
supplemental studies reading lists.
Learning Under Neoliberalism
Susan Brin Hyatt, Boone W. Shear, Susan Wright, editors
Berghahn Books
20 Jay Street, Suite 512, Brooklyn, NY 11201
www.berghahnbooks.com
9781782385950, $120.00, HC, 228pp, www.amazon.com
As part of the neoliberal trends toward public-private partnerships, universities all over the world
have forged more intimate relationships with corporate interests and more closely resemble
for-profit corporations in both structure and practice. These transformations, accompanied by
new forms of governance, produce new subject-positions among faculty and students and enable
new approaches to teaching, curricula, research, and everyday practices. The ten contributors to
"Learning Under Neoliberalism: Ethnographies of Governance in Higher Education" use
ethnographic methods to investigate the multi-faceted impacts of neoliberal restructuring, while
reporting on their own pedagogical responses, at universities in the United States, Europe, and
New Zealand. Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by the team of Susan B. Hyatt (Associate
Professor of Anthropology at IUPUI and founder of that department's MA program in Applied
Anthropology); Boone W. Shear (Lecturer in the Anthropology Department at the University of
Massachusetts, Amherst); and Susan Wright (Professor of Educational Anthropology at Aarhus
University, and founder of the research program Education, Policy and Organisation in the
Knowledge Economy), "Learning Under Neoliberalism" is a seminal contribution in the form of
consistently outstanding scholarship with respect to college and university level practices and
policies vis-a-vis corporate and governmental entities. While unreservedly recommended for
academic library Educational Governance Studies collections, it should be noted for the personal
reading lists of students, education policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "Learning Under Neoliberalism" is now also available in a paperback
edition (9781785335266, $29.95).
The Travel Shelf
All Over the Place
Geraldine DeRuiter
Public Affairs Books
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 West 57th Street, #1321, New York, NY 10107
www.publicaffairsbooks.com
9781610397636, $26.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Hilarious, irreverent, and heartfelt, "All Over the Place: Adventures in Travel, True Love, and
Petty Theft" chronicles the years Geraldine DeRuiter spent traveling the world after getting laid
off from a job she loved. Those years of exploration around the globe taught her a great number
of things -- though the ability to read a map was never one of them. She has only a vague idea of
where Russia is, but she now understands her Russian father better than ever before. She learned
that what she thought was her mother's functional insanity was actually an equally incurable
condition called "being Italian". She learned what it's like to travel the world with someone you
already know and love -- how that person can help you make sense of things and make far-off
places feel like home. She learned about unemployment and brain tumors, lost luggage and lost
opportunities, and just getting lost in countless terminals and cabs and hotel lobbies across the
globe. And she learned that sometimes you can find yourself exactly where you need to be --
even if you aren't quite sure where you are. Informative, entertaining, unique, "All Over the
Place: Adventures in Travel, True Love, and Petty Theft" is a thoroughly absorbing and
memorable read from beginning to end. While very highly recommended, especially for
community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "All Over the
Place" is also available in a Kindle format ($14.99).
Route 66 Adventure Handbook, fifth edition
Drew Knowles
Santa Monica Press
P.O. Box 850, Solana Beach, CA 92075
www.santamonicapress.com
9781595800916 $19.95 amazon.com
Now in its "High-Octane fifth edition", Route 66 Adventure Handbook is packed to the brim
with travel information, trivia, black-and-white photographs, and more. Spotlights on the best
vintage motels, cafes, museums, attractions, natural wonders and more make Route 66 Adventure
Handbook a "must" for the car's dashboard or glove compartment on a Route 66 road trip! Highly
recommended, especially for travelers (or armchair travelers) of America's most iconic
highway.
California's Best Trips
Sara Benson
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
www.lonelyplanet.com
9781786572264 $22.99 pbk / $13.49 ebook amazon.com
California's Best Trips: 33 Amazing Road Trips lives up to its title with almost three dozen
excellent California road trip ideas, ranging from 2-day getaways to week-long adventures.
Packed with maps (including a pull-out map), recommended hotels, top-rated restaurants, "must-
see" destinations, and much more, California's Best Trips is easy to use and a delight to browse.
Full-color photography enlivens this choice pick for automobile glove compartments whenever
traveling in California for business or pleasure.
Local Eats Paris: A Traveler's Guide
Natasha McGuinness and Anne Bentley
Yellow Pear Press
yellowpearpress.com
9780997066425 $14.95 amazon.com
Featuring colorful art throughout, Local Eats Paris: A Traveler's Guide is a brief introduction to
the cuisine of France (especially its capital city of Paris) especially for travelers who are
unfamiliar with French delicacies. It should be noted that Local Eats Paris is not a cookbook, but
rather a culinary tourist guide; each French foodstuff is paired with a color illustration and a
mouth-watering description, often peppered with a bit of history. "While there are many different
variations of quiche, one of the most popular is quiche Lorraine, which originated in the Lorraine
region of France and clearly was named by very creative people. This savory pastry is made on
an open-faced tart crust and traditionally features light and fluffy eggs, cheese, meat (usually
ham) and vegetables (usually onion), and can be enjoyed either hot or cold."
The Hunting/Fishing Shelf
The Little Red Book of Hunter's Wisdom
Jay Cassell & Peter Fiduccia
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781616083939, $16.95, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Compiled and collaboratively edited by the team of Jay Cassell, (the editorial director at
Skyhorse Publishing and who has hunted all over North America. writing for Field & Stream,
Sports Afield, Outdoor Life, Petersen's Hunting, Time, and many other outdoor oriented
publications)and Peter Fiduccia (one of the most recognized authorities in the deer hunting
community, known throughout North America as the "Deer Doctor", and an award-winning
journalist and has hosted the Woods N' Water television series for thirty-two years, as well as the
founder and consulting editor for Whitetail Hunting Strategies magazine), "The Little Red Book
of Hunter's Wisdom" is packed from cover to cover with thoughtful and witty quotes drawn from
Ernest Hemingway, Annie Oakley, Rudyard Kipling, David Mamet, William Faulkner, Marco
Polo, and hundreds of others on the essence of man and his relationship to the hunt, with all its
joys, idiosyncrasies, and challenges. Being a true hunter is a way of life, and "The Little Red
Book of Hunter's Wisdom" is packed with memorable comments from men and women who live
and breathe it. "The Little Red Book of Hunter's Wisdom" has words to live by for any outdoors
enthusiast who enjoys a weekend in the woods or a relaxing Sunday on the lake. An inherently
informative and thoughtful read from beginning to end, "The Little Red Book of Hunter's
Wisdom" will prove to be an enduringly popular and appreciated addition to both community and
academic library Hunting/Fishing collections. For the personal reading lists of all dedicated
hunting enthusiasts it should be noted that there is finally both a paperback edition
(9781510719002, $12.99) and a Kindle edition ($11.16) of "The Little Red Book of Hunter's
Wisdom".
Clamming The Pacific Northwest Coast
Ken Axt
Frank Amato Publications
PO Box 82112, Portland, OR 97282
www.amatobooks.com
9781571885272, $19.95, PB, 88pp, www.amazon.com
Clam digging is a North American term for a common way to harvest clams (edible infaunal
bivalve mollusks) from below the surface of the tidal sand flats or mud flats where they live. It is
done both as an individual activity (for enjoyment or as a source of food) and commercially (as a
source of income). Clamming is a rapidly growing hobby in the Pacific Northwest. It's great fun
for all ages, you don't need a boat or expensive tackle, and chances are there is a location near
you. As a "how to" instructional guide and manual, "Clamming The Pacific Northwest Coast"
with its simple and illustrated instructions will even the most novice reader effectively and
successfully harvesting clams in just minutes. For those with some experience and seek to
broaden their skillset, "Clamming the Pacific Northwest Coast" is, simply stated, the most
comprehensive guide for harvesting razor and bay clams. Also included are: informative maps,
charts, tides, equipment, regulations, recipes, and much more. Easy to read and full of personal
experience and family stories, "Clamming the Pacific Northwest Coast" is one of those rare
guidebooks that are informative, fun, and inherently interesting. Absolutely 'user friendly' in
organization and presentation, "Clamming The Pacific Northwest Coast" will prove to be an
appreciated and enduringly popular addition to personal and community library collections.
The Automotive Shelf
Illustrated Dictionary of Automobile Body Styles, second edition
Lennart W. Haajanen
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9780786499182, $39.95, PB, 277pp, www.amazon.com
The automobiles manufactured today fit a fairly small number of body types, namely sedans,
coupes, station wagons, the SUV, hatchbacks, and a few others. The meanings of these familiar
terms have changed over the decades as automotive design has evolved. Along the way, a greater
number of earlier body types have fallen out of use and become historical curiosities. Who today
can identify a charabanc, a dos-a-dos or even a phaeton? Now in a fully updated and expanded
second edition, "Illustrated Dictionary of Automobile Body Styles" by Lennart W. Haajanen (a
retired technical consultant, vice president of the Swedish Bugatti Club and editor of its
newsletter, the Bugazette) defines all distinct body types since the early days of the automobile,
many of which were derived from horse-drawn vehicles. Entries, many including clear line
drawings, describe popular types and variations from different countries and time periods as well
as terms for body components. Subtypes and subtle distinctions are explained and common
misuses of terms and designations are clarified. Uniquely informed and informative,
comprehensive, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Illustrated
Dictionary of Automobile Body Styles" is very highly recommended for personal, professional,
community, and academic library Automotive History reference collections and supplemental
studies reading lists.
The Business Shelf
Legal Guide for Starting & Running a Small Business, 15th edition
Attorney Fred S. Steingold
Nolo Press
950 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.nolo.com
9781413324075, $39.99, PB, 456pp, www.amazon.com
Whether just starting a small business, or already engaged with a business is already up and
running, legal questions crop up on an almost daily basis. Ignoring them can threaten any
enterprise -- but hiring a lawyer to help with routine issues can devastate the bottom line. Now in
a fully updated and expanded 15th edition, "The Legal Guide for Starting & Running a Small
Business" by Attorney Fred S. Steingold (who practices law in Ann Arbor, Michigan and is an
expert on small business law, representing and advising many small businesses) includes how to:
raise start-up money, decide between an LLC or other business structure, save on business taxes,
get licenses and permits, choose the right insurance, negotiate contracts and leases, avoid
problems if you're buying a franchise, hire and manage employees and independent contractors,
attract and keep customers (and get paid on time), and limit personal liability while protecting
personal assets. Including the latest legal information and tax rules for small businesses, "Legal
Guide for Starting & Running a Small Business" is an ideal and practical reference for the sole
proprietorship, or an LLC or corporation, or a one-person business operating out of their home,
or a company with a large staff leasing space. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and
presentation, and very highly recommended for company, community, and academic library
Business Management collections, "Legal Guide for Starting & Running a Small Business" is the
next best thing to having a personal attorney on retainer. It should be noted for personal reading
lists that "Legal Guide for Starting & Running a Small Business" is also available in a Kindle
format ($23.99).
High-Growth Levers
Mark Faust & Rob Vickery
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
www.pelicanpub.com
9781455622597, $22.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
In "High-Growth Levers: How the Turnaround Mindset Propels Your Company", leading
corporate strategist Mark Faust proves that your business can see positive growth with the
application of action plans like assessing pressures and trends and defining the culture of your
company. Whether you are a millennial manager, seasoned business owner, or fledgling
entrepreneur, "High-Growth Levers" is an informed and informative 'must-read' guide that is sure
to boost economic performance. Organized into three major sections (Strategy; Culture;
Innovation), "High-Growth Levers" is an exceptionally well written, organized and presented
read that is as thoughtful and thought provoking as it is insightful and inspiring. While very
highly recommended, especially for community and academic library Business Management
collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted for business students, business
owners, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "High-Growth
Levers" is also available in a Kindle format ($13.97).
The Crafts Shelf
Crafting for Cat Ladies
Kat Roberts
Lark Books
1166 Avenue of the Americas, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10036
www.larkcrafts.com
9781454710394, $16.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
Original, charming, entertaining, trendy, creative and a lot of fun to make, "Crafting for Cat
Ladies" by Kat Roberts is comprised of 35 feline themed do-it-yourself crafts which divided into
four sections: Accessories, Apparel, Home, and Party. The simple and rewarding projects range
from a kitty clutch wallet and cat print jeans to kitty-shaped coasters and cat-themed tablecloth.
Each project includes easy-to-follow step-by-step photography as well as an overview of the
tools and materials used in "Crafting for Cat Ladies" projects, along with all the necessary
templates. Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, "Crafting for Cat Ladies" is
thoroughly 'user friendly in organization and presentation, making it an ideal and highly
recommended addition to the personal crafts collections of community libraries in general, and
anyone with a feline companion of their own in particular!
The Art Shelf
Art of Power
Caitlin Blackwell, author
Peter Black, contributor
Oliver Cox, contributor
Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, New York, NY 10003
www.prestel.com
9783791356631, $50.00, HC, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Compiled with commentary by Caitlin Blackwell (who is the inaugural Bute Fellow at Mount
Stuart, which is located on the Isle of Bute off the coast of Scotland.), "Art of Power:
Masterpieces from the Bute Collection at Mount Stuart" focuses on the extraordinary Bute
Collection at Mount Stuart and its illustrious history. John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, was one of
history's most enthusiastic art collectors. As tutor to Prince George, Bute became indispensable
to the royal household. Soon after his accession to the throne, the King made Bute Prime
Minister -- a career that was cut short after the Peace of Paris in 1763. Forced out of London by
an angry mob, Bute retired to an estate at Luton, where he spent the rest of his years in private
study and amassing a collection of 500 paintings, including major works by Venetian painters
such as Tintoretto, Bordone, and Veronese. Bute had a special interest in Dutch and Flemish
pictures, building the greatest collection of its kind in Britain. "Art of Power" features over thirty
masterpieces, mainly genre paintings and landscapes, and including jewel-like landscapes by
Brueghel and Savery. The collection is housed at the Bute family's Scottish seat, Mount Stuart,
on the Isle of Bute. Two seminal essays, one by Peter Black (Quality and Quantity: Bute and the
Collecting of Dutch Paintings) and the other by Olicer Cox (Creating a King: The Third Earl of
Bute and George III) delve into the history of Bute's collection, focusing on his relationship with
King George III, and his wide ranging passions, which resulted in rooms filled floor to ceiling
with works of art. Enhanced for scholars and art history students with the inclusion of a five page
Bibliography and a three page Index, "Art of Power" is unreservedly recommended for personal,
community, and academic library European Art History collections and supplemental studies
reading lists.
Pencil Art Workshop
Matt Rota
Rockport Publishers
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781631592690, $22.99, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Matt Rota is a New York artist who currently teaches at the School of Visual Arts graduate visual
narrative program, and has taught in the illustration department at the Maryland Institute College
of Art. His drawings and prints have been exhibited at the National Arts Club, the Society of
Illustrators, and Last Rites Gallery in New York; the Copro Gallery in Lost Angeles; Galerie
L'Oeil du Prince in Paris; and other international locations. With "Pencil Art Workshop:
Techniques, Ideas, and Inspiration for Drawing and Designing with Pencil" Matt has created a
complete and profusely illustrated course of instruction in a single volume. Thoroughly 'user
friendly' in organization and presentation, "Pencil Art Workshop" is a compendium of
do-it-yourself exercises as Matt covers drawing with a line, drawing with tone, drawing quickly,
photo-realistic drawing, and adding color. While very highly recommended for art school and
community library collections, it should be noted for art students and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that "Pencil Art Workshop" is also available in a Kindle
format ($11.99).
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
The Best of Gordon Dickson Volume 1
Hank Davis, Editor
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
9781476782171 $16.00 www.baen.com
The Best of Gordon Dickson Volume 1 collects under one cover some fourteen of this long-time
sci-fi great's varied works, which represent a satisfyingly diverse mix of themes and short stories.
These were all chosen from the first half of his career and ranges from a spinster aunt who gains
superpowers to men facing impossible odds with a squad of aliens. All are excellent, engrossing
short stories designed to entertain and make the reader think, recommended for prior Dickson
readers and newcomers alike.
The Seven Deadly Sins: Seven Scars They Left Behind
Stories by Shuka Matsuda
Created by Nakaba Suzuki
Vertical, Inc.
451 Park Avenue South, 7th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.vertical-inc.com
9781945054136 $10.95 hc / $7.99 ebook amazon.com
The Seven Deadly Sins: Seven Scars They Left Behind is an anthology of short text stories that
serve as a prequel to the fantasy manga and anime series "The Seven Deadly Sins". A blend of
action and character drama thoroughly accessible to fans of all ages, the series is set in a fantasy
world where certain soldiers, called Holy Knights, possess incredible magic powers. The titular
Seven Deadly Sins are seven of strongest Holy Knights of all time. On one pivotal day, Zaratras,
the Captain of the Holy Knights was murdered, allegedly by the Seven Deadly Sins, who
afterward scattered to the corners of the earth. Few people knew the whole truth about what
happened that fateful day... only a prophecy remained to suggest that the Seven Deadly Sins
might return when they are most needed. The Seven Scars They Left Behind takes place during
the ten years when the Seven Deadly Sins remained hidden; each story illuminates a facet of its
corresponding character. Illustrated with a handful of black-and-white drawings by series creator
Nakaba Suzuki, The Seven Scars They Left Behind is an excellent introduction or supplement to
the manga/anime series. Highly recommended.
Those Who Run in the Sky
Aviaq Johnston
Inhabit Media
http://inhabitmedia.com
9781772271218, $13.95, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com
"Those Who Run in the Sky" by Aviaq Johnston is a coming-of-age fantasy epic that follows a
young shaman named Pitu as he learns to use his powers and ultimately finds himself lost in the
world of the spirits. After a strange and violent blizzard leaves Pitu stranded on the sea ice,
without his dog team or any weapons to defend himself, he soon realizes that he is no longer in
the word that he once knew. The storm has carried him into the world of the spirits, a world
populated with terrifying creatures (black wolves with red eyes, ravenous and constantly stalking
him and water-dwelling creatures that want nothing more than to snatch him and pull him into
the frigid ocean through an ice crack) as well as beings less frightening, but equally as incredible,
such as a lone giant who can carry Pitu in the palm of her hand and keeps caribou and polar bears
as pets. After stumbling upon a fellow shaman who has been trapped in the spirit world for many
years, Pitu must master all of his shamanic powers to make his way back to the world of the
living, to his family, and to the girl that he loves. An original, entertaining, and inherently
engaging novel from beginning to end, "Those Who Run in the Sky" will prove to be an
enduringly popular addition to the personal reading lists of dedicated fantasy fans, as well as
highschool and community library Science Fiction/Fantasy collections.
The American History Shelf
Food in the American Gilded Age
Helen Zoe Veit, editor
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25, East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
www.msupress.msu.edu
9781611862355, $34.95, HC, 344pp, www.amazon.com
Food was incredibly diverse in post - Civil War America. It was an era of gross income
inequality, and differences in diet reflected the deep disparities between upper and lower classes,
as well as the expansion of a flourishing middle class. In compiled and edited by Helen Zoe Veit
(Associate Professor of History at Michigan State University), "Food in the American Gilded
Age" excerpts from a wide range of Gilded Age sources ranging from period cookbooks, to
advice manuals, to dietary studies -- revealing the jarring eating and cooking differentials
between classes and regions at a time when technology and industrialization were transforming
what and how people ate. Most of all, the contributors show how strongly the fabled glitz of
wealthy Americans in the Gilded Age contrasted with the lives of most Americans. Featuring a
variety of sources as well as accessible essays putting those sources into context, "Food in the
American Gilded Age" provides a remarkable portrait of food in a singular era in American
history, giving a glimpse into the kinds of meals eaten everywhere from high society banquets to
the meanest tenements and sharecropping cabins. Of special note are all the recipes showcased
throughout "Food in the American Gilded Age". Featuring a Glossary of Nineteenth-Century
Cooking Terms; eight pages of Notes, and a nine page index, "Food in the American Gilded
Age" is a unique and highly recommended addition to both community and academic library
American History collections, and is a 'must' for those with an interest in 19th and 20th century
American popular culture with respect to foods, diets, and menus.
Brule River Country
Nan Wisherd
Cable Publishing
14090 E. Keinemen Road, Brule, WI 54820
www.cablepublishing.com
9781934980767, $25.95, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
"Brule River Country" by Nan Wisherd is a compendium of stories drawn from the history of the
Lake Superior region. Starting with the fur traders' journals and ancient maps, moving on to
stories of the early settlers, and including the strife caused by a Communist Movement, "Brule
River Country" sweeps through four centuries of legend, lore and history. Organized into five
principle sections (Charting the Brule River Country; Boat Builders in the Brule River country;
The Brule River Country in 1906; Pioneers & Entrepreneurs in the Brule River Country; Early
Social & Political Activities in the Brule river Country), and enhanced with the inclusion of an
informative Introduction and Afterword, three pages of Source Notes, and an eighteen page
Bibliography, "Brule River Country" is an inherently engaging read from beginning to end.
Exceptionally well researched, written, organized and presented, "Brule River Country" is very
highly recommended, especially for community and academic library American History
collections and supplemental studies lists. For the personal reading lists of students and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Brule River Country" is also
available in a paperback edition (9781934980774, $18.95) and in a Kindle format ($9.95).
The World History Shelf
The Mongol Conquests
Carl Fredrik Sverdrup
Casemate
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
9781910777718 $59.95 www.casematepublishers.com
The Mongol Conquests: The Military Operations of Genghis Khan and Sube'etei is a scholarly,
detailed history of how the Mongols created the greatest landlocked empire in history, eventually
spanning from Korea in the east to Hungary and Poland in the west. Focusing especially on the
military operations of these two great generals, The Mongol Conquest draws upon Mongolian,
Chinese, Near Eastern, and European sources to reconstruct these ancient campaigns that made
world history. The Mongol Conquests also presents evidence to contradict popular beliefs about
the Mongols, such as that they used terror as a deliberate strategy or possessed skill at siege
warfare. The Mongol Conquests is highly recommended for both public and college library world
history or military history shelves.
The Military Shelf
Battle for the North Atlantic
John R. Bruning
Zenith Press
www.zenithpress.com
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartous.com
9780760339916, $40.00, HC, 300pp, www.amazon.com
"The Battle of the North Atlantic" by John R. Bruning is the story of the longest continuous
military campaign of World War II. An arena of military conflict that ran from 1939 until the
defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945 -- though it reached its peak from mid-1940 through the end of
1943. German U-boats and other warships of the German navy were pitted against Allied
merchant shipping. Initially, convoys of merchant ships were protected for the most part by the
British and Canadian navies and air forces. Starting in the early fall of 1941, before Pearl Harbor,
these forces were aided by ships and aircraft of the United States. Beginning on the first day of
the European war and lasting for six years, this Northern Atlantic based conflict arena involving
thousands of ships and stretching over hundreds of miles of the vast ocean and seas in a
succession of more than a hundred convoy battles and as many as a thousand single-ship
encounters. Tactical advantage switched back and forth over the six years as new weapons,
tactics, and countermeasures were developed by both sides. The Allies gradually gained the
upper hand, driving the German surface raiders from the ocean by the end of 1942 and decisively
defeating the U-boats in a series of convoy battles between March and May 1943. Profusely
illustrated throughout, "The Battle for the North Atlantic" is an extraordinarily informative and
consistently compelling read from beginning to end. While unreservedly recommended for both
community and academic library 20th Century Military History collections, it should be noted for
the personal reading lists of dedicated military history buffs that "The Battle for the North
Atlantic" is also available in a digital book format ($23.00).
For Want Of A Gun
Christian M. DeJohn
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764352508, $84.99, HC, 392pp, www.amazon.com
"For Want Of A Gun: The Sherman Tank Scandal of WWII" by Christian DeJohn (a published
historian completing a masters degree in military and American history, as well as a former
United States Cavalry tanker with hands-on experiences as a gunner in an M1 Abrams tank, and
a veteran of service in Bosnia-Herzegovina) is remarkable story exposing the Sherman tank
scandal of World War II. This was a war time scandal that involved some of the biggest
American names and stretched from the White House and Pentagon to factories and battlefronts.
Outgunned by more powerful German opponents, the inferiority of American tanks led to some
of the worst setbacks of the war -- including prolonging the war in Europe. US tankers ultimately
prevailed, but over 60,000 armored division soldiers were killed and wounded -- it was their
preventable sacrifice that inspired the Hollywood movie Fury. Included in "For Want Of A Gun"
are striking images of the Sherman's adversaries (photographed exclusively at the National
Museum of Cavalry and Armor), along with original equipment, documents, period propaganda,
and vintage photos of Sherman tanks in action. As a German officer noted, "I was on this hill
with six 88mm antitank guns...Every time they sent a tank, we knocked it out. Finally we ran out
of ammunition, and the Americans didn't run out of tanks." A unique and impressively
informative study, "For Want Of A Gun" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to the
personal reading lists of dedicated World War II military history buffs, and an ideal addition to
both community and academic library 20th Century military history collections.
The Great Rescue
Peter Hernon
HarperCollins
195 Broadway New York, New York 10007
9780062433862 $27.99 www.harpercollins.com
The Great Rescue: American Heroes, An Iconic Ship, and the Race to Save Europe in WWI
offers a different kind of story about the U.S.S. Leviathan and its entry into the war, and
documents the ship's journey through two concurrent disasters as it navigated the treacherous
waters of a flu pandemic and a war alike. While many accounts of the ship document its
harrowing North Atlantic crossing at the peak of the flu, a secondary story of its involvement in
war and its influence on efforts to save England and France from defeat have been largely untold
until now. Its multiple voyages and individual acts of heroism come alive in this powerful saga,
which is hard to put down.
Proud to Be a Marine
C. Brian Kelly with Ingrid Smyer
Sourcebooks Inc.
1935 Brookdale Road, #139, Naperville, IL 60563
9781492636588 $18.99 www.sourcebooks.com
Prize-winning journalist C. Brian Kelly and his columnist wife Ingrid Smyer-Kelly present Proud
to Be a Marine: Stories of Strength and Courage from the Few and the Proud lives up to its title
with true tales of men - and women! - of courage, honor, and sacrifice who served in the Marine
Corps. Spanning history from the American Revolution to the modern day, these tales include
stories of the first African-Americans and women to enter the Marine Corps, stories of valor
recognized through awards such as the Medal of Honor, stories of grace under pressure, and
much more. An index enhances this inspirational anthology, highly recommended for public
library collections and personal reading lists.
The Coloring Book Shelf
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: 100 Images to Inspire Creativity
Disney Editions
www.disneybooks.com
c/o Hachette Book Group
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9781484789742 $15.99 ColorbyDisney.com
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: 100 Images to Inspire Creativity is an adult
coloring book, although young people can certainly enjoy it as well. The book consists entirely of
black-and-white pages of artwork featuring characters from and patterns inspired by the classic
animated movie, Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, ideal for embellishment with
color pencils or other artistic tools. An excellent resource for developing one's imagination,
getting into a Halloween holiday mood, or simply relaxing, 100 Images to Inspire Creativity lives
up to its title and is highly recommended.
The Philosophy Shelf
The Cambridge Companion to Philosophical Methodology
Giuseppina D'Oro & Soren Overgaard, editors
Cambridge University Press
32 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013-2473
www.cambridge.org
9781107121522, $110.00, HC, 496pp, www.amazon.com
Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Soren Overgaard (Associate Professor of Philosophy
at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark) and Giuseppina D'Oro (Reader in Philosophy at
Keele University, Staffordshire, England), "The Cambridge Companion to Philosophical
Methodology" offers clear and comprehensive coverage of the main methodological debates and
approaches within philosophy. The twenty informed and informative articles comprising this
outstanding volume collectively approach the question of how to do philosophy from a wide
range of perspectives, including conceptual analysis, critical theory, deconstruction, experimental
philosophy, hermeneutics, Kantianism, methodological naturalism, phenomenology, and
pragmatism. The contributors deftly explore general conceptions of philosophy, centered on the
question of what the point of philosophy might be; the method of conceptual analysis and its
recent naturalistic critics and competitors; perspectives from continental philosophy, and also a
variety of methodological views that belong neither to the mainstream of analytic philosophy, nor
to continental philosophy as commonly conceived. A fundamental work of outstanding merit,
"The Cambridge Companion to Philosophical Methodology" is enhanced with the inclusion of an
informative introduction by the editors; a listing of the contributors and their credentials; a
thirty-two page Bibliography, and a sixteen page Index. While unreservedly recommended as a
core addition to both community and academic library Contemporary Philosophy collections, it
should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"The Cambridge Companion to Philosophical Methodology" is also available in a paperback
edition (9781107547360, $29.99) and as an eTextbook ($24.00).
Hamilton and Philosophy
Edited by Aaron Rabinowitz and Robert Arp
Open Court Publishing Company
70 East Lake Street, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60601
www.opencourtbooks.com
9780812699609 $18.95 pbk / $12.24 ebook amazon.com
Part of the "Pop Culture and Philosophy" series, Hamilton and Philosophy: Revolutionary
Thinking assembles thoughtful essays by a diversity of learned authors, examining ideas
pertinent to the smash hit Broadway musical "Hamilton" (which in turn is based on the life of
Alexander Hamilton, one of America's Founding Fathers). Individual writings include "The Right
Way to Win Over Posterity", "Who's the Hero?", "Founding Fathers, Founding Slavers", and
much more. Sophisticated yet accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Hamilton and Philosophy
is especially recommended to anyone interested in a deeper, richer understanding of the play or
of the life of this remarkable man.
The Science Shelf
How the Zebra Got Its Stripes
Leo Grasset
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
www.pegasusbooks.com
9781681774145, $26.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Why do giraffes have such long necks? Why are zebras striped? And why does the clitoris of the
female hyena exactly resemble and in most respects function like the male's penis? Deploying the
latest scientific research and his own extensive observations in Africa, in "How the Zebra Got Its
Stripes: Darwinian Stories Told Through Evolutionary Biology", author Leo Grasset offers
answers to these questions and many more. Complex natural phenomena are explained in simple
and at times comic terms, as Grasset turns evolutionary biology to the burning questions of the
animal kingdom, from why elephants prefer dictators and buffaloes democracies, to whether the
lion really is king. The human is, of course, just another animal, and Grasset's exploration of two
million years of human evolution shows how it not only informs our current habits and behavior,
but also reveals that we are hybrids of several different species. Serious science at its entertaining
and accessible best, "How the Zebra Got Its Stripes" is very highly recommended for both
community and academic library General Science collections. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"How the Zebra Got Its Stripes" is also available in a Kindle format ($12.99).
The Greatest Story Ever Told--So Far
Lawrence M. Krauss
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
9781476777610, $27.00, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
"The Greatest Story Ever Told--So Far: Why Are We Here?" is a seminal and unique work of
scientific history in which theoretical physicist Lawrence M. Krauss (Director of the Origins
Project at Arizona State University and the author of more than 300 scientific publications and
nine books, including "A Universe from Nothing" and "The Physics of Star Trek") leads us to the
furthest reaches of space and time, to scales so small they are invisible to microscopes, to the
birth and rebirth of light, and into the natural forces that govern our existence. His unique blend
of rigorous research and engaging storytelling invites us into the lives and minds of the
remarkable, creative scientists who have helped to unravel the unexpected fabric of reality -- with
reason rather than superstition and dogma. Krauss has himself been an active participant in this
effort, and he knows many of them well. "The Greatest Story Ever Told--So Far" challenges us to
re-envision ourselves and our place within the universe, as it appears that "God" does play dice
with the universe. In "The Greatest Story Ever Told--So Far" Krauss celebrates the greatest
intellectual adventure ever undertaken -- to understand why we are here in a universe where fact
is stranger than fiction. Exceptionally informed and informative, thoughtful and
thought-provoking, "The Greatest Story Ever Told--So Far" is a consistently compelling and
absorbing read from beginning to end. While very highly recommended, especially for
community and academic library collections, it should be noted for students and non-specialist
general readers that "The Greatest Story Ever Told--So Far" is also available in a forthcoming
paperback edition (9781476777627, $16.00) and in a currently available eTextbook format
($12.99). Librarians should be aware that there is a complete and unabridged audio book edition
(Brilliance Audio, 9781480595576, $24.99).
The Economic Studies Shelf
From Great Depression to Great Recession
Atish R. Ghosh & Mahvash S. Qureshi, editors
International Money Fund
PO Box 92780, Washington, DC 20090
9781513514277, $27.00, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
The global financial crisis and the ensuing Great Recession raised concerns about adjustment
fatigue, deflation, currency wars, and secular stagnation that presented a sense of deja vu: similar
concerns had arisen at the time of the Great Depression and at the end of World War II. As with
earlier crises, these concerns prompted calls for greater international policy cooperation -- both to
achieve a sustainable recovery from the crisis and to prevent future crises. "From Great
Depression to Great Recession" is comprised of papers given at a 2015 symposium of eminent
scholars convened by the IMF to discuss how history can inform current debates about the
functioning and challenges of the international monetary system. An introductory chapter sets the
stage for the other chapters in the volume by giving a broad overview of the performance of the
international monetary system over the past century, highlighting the key events and challenges
that shaped it. Subsequent sections look at historical antecedents of today's challenges, describe
how the modern international monetary system has been (and continues to be) shaped through
international financial diplomacy, provide a present-day perspective, and examine the analytics
of international policy coordination. It should be noted that The International Monetary Fund
(IMF) is an international organization of 185 Member Countries. It was established to promote
international monetary cooperation, exchange stability, and orderly exchange arrangements; to
foster economic growth and high levels of employment; and to provide temporary financial
assistance to countries in order to help ease balance of payments adjustments. Informed and
informative, "From Great Depression to Great Recession" is unreservedly recommended for
personal, professional, community, academic, corporate, and governmental library Economic
Studies collections.
Money: Free and Unfree
George Selgin
Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001-5403
www.cato.org
9781944424299, $24.95, HC, 382pp, www.amazon.com
The United States has endured crippling financial crises, together with many other sorts of
monetary disorder, throughout its history. Why? The popular answer has long been that U.S.
banks have been under-regulated, that increased regulation and centralization over the years have
helped, and that still more regulation and centralization is needed. In "Money: Free and Unfree",
George Selgin (a Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Monetary and Financial
Alternatives at the Cato Institute and Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of
Georgia) turns this conventional wisdom on its head. Through a series of painstakingly
researched essays covering U.S. monetary history since before the Civil War, he traces U.S.
financial disorders to their source in misguided government regulations. State governments were
early culprits -- but in taking advantage of the Civil War to dramatically increase its own
involvement in the banking and currency system, the federal government set the stage for even
worse problems to come. Instead of addressing the root causes of these crises, the Federal
Reserve Act reinforced some of them, while dramatically increasing the potential for
politically-motivated abuse of monetary policy. Professor Selgin's revisionist thesis may shock
and anger champions of monetary orthodoxy, but they'll be hard-pressed to refute the solid
scholarship upon which that thesis rests. Impressively informed and informative, thoughtful and
thought-provoking, "Money: Free and Unfree" is an impressively researched and reasoned
iconoclastic study that is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library
Economics collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for students and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Money: Free and Unfree" is
also available in a digital book format ($11.99).
The Political Science Shelf
Not a Scientist
Dave Levitan
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com
9780393353327, $15.95, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com
"Not a Scientist: How Politicians Mistake, Misrepresent, and Utterly Mangle Science" by Dave
Levitan (a professional journalist whose work has appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Scientific
American, Slate, and many other outlets) is an impressively revealing tour of the political tricks
that politicians (and those that fund them) use for the deliberate purpose of subverting scientific
progress. Readers will learn about the political tactics of The Butter-Up and Undercut, The
Certain Uncertainty, and The Straight-Up Fabrication. "Not a Scientist" exposes and dismantles
all of these deceptive arguments, and many more, in an exceptionally informative probing and
hilarious examination of the ways our elected officials attack scientific findings that conflict with
their political agendas. The next time you hear a politician say, "Well, I'm not a scientist, but...,"
you'll be ready. In a time when the president of the United States has deliberately chosen
anti-science appointees to head key science oriented and/or dependent federal agencies (such as a
climate change denier to be in charge of the Environmental Protection Agency), "Not a Scientist"
is an urgently required and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic
library Political Science collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for
students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Not a Scientist" is
also available in a digital book format ($8.61).
Drain the Swamp
Congressman Ken Buck with Bill Blankschaen
Regnery
300 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
9781621576389 $28.99 www.regnery.com
Drain the Swamp: How Washington Corruption is Worse Than You Think offers an insider's
focus on Congressional processes and corruption, and adopts a bipartisan examination of the
forces at work on Washington politics which pulls no punches and features no heroes or saving
grace. From lavish parties and paid opinions to votes sold to the highest bidder, how both
Republicans and Democrats have worked together against taxpayer interests, and politicians right
up to the President who have said one thing and supported another, this is a thought-provoking,
damning consideration that provides a fearsome, fierce condemnation of Washington's business
as usual, and should be on the shelves of any political studies collection.
The Social Issues Shelf
Remember Little Rock
Erin Krutko Devlin
University of Massachusetts Press
PO Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
www.umass.edu/umpress
9781625342683, $90.00, HC, 264pp, www.amazon.com
In "Remember Little Rock", Erin Krutko Devlin (Assistant Professor of History and American
Studies at University of Mary Washington) deftly explores public memories surrounding the
iconic Arkansas school desegregation crisis of 1957 and shows how these memories were
vigorously contested and sometimes deployed against the cause. Delving into a wide variety of
sources, from memoirs to televised docudramas, commemoration ceremonies, and the creation of
Little Rock High museums, Professor Devlin reveals how many white moderates proclaimed
Little Rock a victory for civil rights and educational equality even as segregation persisted. At the
same time, African American activists, students, and their families asserted their own stories in
the ongoing fight for racial justice. Professor Devlin also demonstrates that public memory
directly bears on law and policy. She argues that the triumphal narrative of civil rights has been
used to stall school desegregation, support tokenism, and to roll back federal court oversight of
school desegregation, voter registration, and efforts to promote diversity in public institutions.
"Remember Little Rock" examines the chasm between the rhetoric of the "post - civil rights" era
and the reality of enduring racial inequality. Expertly researched, exceptionally informative,
impressively organized and presented, "Remember Little Rock" is an extraordinary and seminal
work of truly impressive scholarship and one that is unreservedly recommended for both
community and academic library 20th Century American History collections in general, and
Contemporary African-American History supplemental studies lists in particular. "Remember
Little Rock" is also available in a paperback edition (9781625342690, $28.95) for the personal
reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.
Black and Blue
Jeff Pegues
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781633882577 $24.00 www.prometheusbooks.com
Black and Blue: Inside the Divide Between the Police and Black America comes with the
authority and experience of a CBS News Justice and Homeland Security Correspondent who
provides statistics and facts from both sides of community-police interests, and who explores a
wide range of social, political, and security issues central to law enforcement and public safety.
Pegues had access to some of the top officials in the country, including FBI director James
Comey and the police chiefs of top cities, and he's interviewed community leaders and others
who offer their different perspectives on problems and solutions. The result is an exploration
which is key to understanding the nature of police forces, their concerns, and the issues that are
central to public health and safety efforts. The result is also recommended for discussion and
debate at the high school to college and community levels.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
How to Be Good with Words
Don LePan, Laura Buzzard, Maureen Okun
Broadview Press
c/o FedEx Trade Networks
555 Riverwalk Parkway, Tonawanda, NY 14150
www.broadviewpress.com
9781554813254, $14.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
In recent decades, the contested areas of English usage have grown both larger and more
numerous. English speakers argue about whether we should say man or humanity, fisher or
fisherman; whether we ought to speak of people as being disabled, or challenged, or differently
abled; whether it is acceptable to say that's so gay. More generally, we ask, can we use language
in ways that avoid giving expression to prejudices embedded within it? Can the words we use
help us point a way towards a better world? Can we ask such questions with appropriate
seriousness while remaining open-minded -- and while retaining our sense of humor? To all these
questions "How to Be Good with Words" is a concise and user-friendly guide that definitively
answers yes. The collaborative effort of Don LePan, Laura Buzzard, and Maureen Okun, "How
to Be Good with Words" provides clear-headed discussions of many of the key issues including
Class; Disability; Gender; Humans & Other Animals; Race; Relationship Status; Religion;
Sexual Orientation; Political Controversies; Seriousness & Humor; Euphemism & Plain
Speaking; and Political Correctness. Of special note is the inclusion of Bias-Free Vocabulary: A
Short List. A unique, extraordinary, thoroughly 'user friendly' study, "How to Be Good with
Words" should be considered a 'must read' for any and all aspiring writers, and a core addition to
both community and academic library Writing/Publishing instructional resource collections.
The Rules of Screenwriting and Why You Should Break Them
Bill Mesce, Jr.
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9781476668505, $29.95, PB, 228pp, www.amazon.com
Only a couple of generations ago, the Hollywood-based movie industry ran on gut instinct as film
schools, audience research departments, and seminars on screenwriting were not yet dominating
the cinematic medium. Today the standard is the analytical approach, intended to demystify
filmmaking and guarantee success (or at least minimize failure). The trouble with this method is
that nobody knows how to do it they just think they do and films are made based on models of
predictability rather than the merits of the script. "The Rules of Screenwriting and Why You
Should Break Them" by Bill Mesce(an adjunct instructor at several New Jersey universities and
colleges, and an author, screenwriter, and playwright) provides a true insider's look at the craft
and business of screenwriting while exploding some of the popular myths, demonstrating how
little relevance the rules have to actual filmmaking. With long experience in film and television,
Mesce provides insightful how-not-to analyses, with commentary by such veterans as Josh Sapan
(CEO of AMC Networks), bestselling author Adriana Trigiani, and Oscar nominated
screenwriter Nicholas Pileggi (Goodfellas). Impressively informed and informative,
exceptionally well organized and presented, "The Rules of Screenwriting and Why You Should
Break Them" should be considered a "must read" for any and all aspiring screenwriters. While
very highly recommended for community and academic library Writing/Publishing collections in
general, and screenwriting supplemental studies lists in particular, it should be noted for students
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Rules of Screenwriting
and Why You Should Break Them" is also available in a Kindle format ($15.99).
Crash! Boom! Bang! How to Write Action Movies
Michael Lucker
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
9781615932634 $26.95 www.mwp.com
Crash! Boom! Bang! How to Write Action Movies provides an insider's look at writing action
films and comes from a professional screenwriter and teacher who pairs observations of the
industry with writer's tips. It is designed for writers who are already familiar with action and
adventure productions, who want to hone and refine their screenwriting skills in the genre; but
newcomers will also find it a fine introduction to features of the action production, and will find
the process quite accessible and logical. From outlining stories and producing snappy dialogue to
tightening up writing, this produces plenty of examples from successful action productions to
illustrate all the concepts of what separates casual from superior writing.
The Computer Shelf
C Programming: A Self-Teaching Introduction
R. Chopra
Mercury Learning
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9781683920908 $44.95 www.merclearning.com
C Programming: A Self-Teaching Introduction is intended as a workbook of self-teaching
routines and approaches and comes from an instructor familiar with student processes at the
novice learning level. Students just entering into not only C programming environments but
programming in general receive a primer that defines terms within the context of C programming
approaches, covering major topics and blending real-world application examples with
discussions of C relationships, code approaches, and explanations of why some approaches are
more useful than others. Output examples after running C routines are analyzed and explained
and the result is a primer that isn't just about C programming alone, but about basic, common
best practices.
The Literary Studies Shelf
Literary Theory for Beginners
Mary Klages, author
Illustrations by Frank Reynoso
For Beginners LLC
155 Main Street, Suite 211, Danbury, CT 06810
www.forbeginnersbooks.com
9781939994608 $15.95 pbk / $15.10 Kindle amazon.com
Part of the excellent "For Beginners" series that breaks down complex subjects into an accessible
format aided with black-and-white illustrations, Literary Theory for Beginners lives up to its title
with a plain-terms discourse on why literature matters, and basic methods for studying,
interpreting, and thinking about literature. From classical humanism to psychoanalysis, to gender
and queer theory, postcolonialism, postmodernism and more, Literary Theory for Beginners is a
superb introduction to gaining a deeper understanding of the human condition through its greatest
written works. Highly recommended, especially for public, high school, and college library
Literary Studies shelves.
The Secret History of Jane Eyre
John Pfordresher
W.W. Norton
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393248876 $26.95 www.wwnorton.com
The Secret History of Jane Eyre: How Charlotte Bronte Wrote Her Masterpiece comes from an
English scholar who reveals the hidden story behind the novelist and her works, narrowing its
focus to her masterpiece Jane Eyre and how it was created, and considering the author's intense
drive for secrecy surrounding her project. Letters, diaries, and other materials were consulted as
Pfordresher examined her life and how she created Jane Eyre, offering a fresh, new approach to
her background and achievement which fills in many blanks about her life and the methods by
which she created her famous work. No study of Charlotte Bronte could be complete without
consulting this in-depth review.
The Technology Shelf
The ABCs of Fiber Optic Communication
Sudhir Warier
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
9781630814144 $149.00 www.artechhouse.com
The ABCs of Fiber Optic Communication represents a unique achievement because it's the only
handbook to cover both the basics of fiber optic communications and troubleshooting related to
networks, manufacturing, optical equipment, and more. The latest advancements and the
applications and makeup of the fiber system from theory to troubleshooting is covered in
chapters that discuss fundamentals and problems such as transmission range, transport networks,
system maintenance, and defects in fiber connectors. The result is packed with math and
technical details and is a 'must' for any working in fiber optics.
The Language Studies Shelf
A Latin Picture Dictionary for Everyone
James W. Cochola & Donald E. Sprague, authors
Lydia Koller, illustrator
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
1570 Baskin Road, Mundelein, IL 60060
www.bolchazy.com
9780865167490, $22.00, PB, 211pp, www.amazon.com
Specifically designed as a curriculum supplemental text for Latin students, "A Latin Picture
Dictionary for Everyone: Lingua Latina Depicta" asks the learner to make a ready connection
between an image and its corresponding Latin word. Illustrated exercises provide an opportunity
for students to practice with and internalize the Latin vocabulary. Special features include
black-and-white line drawings present everyday objects and scenes from everyday life (animals
and numbers, colors, the family, buildings, transportation, the house, furniture, pastimes,
professions, the military, parts of the body, clothing, food shopping, food preparation, and the
arts) with one image from the Roman world and a corresponding image from the modern world.
The line drawings invite students to color the pictures with each object is drawn for ready
recognition and easy connection to its Latin label. Very highly recommended for highschool,
college, and university Latin Language courses, "A Latin Picture Dictionary for Everyone:
Lingua Latina Depicta" includes a set of exercises, of varied complexity accompanying each set
of illustrations. Additionally, "A Latin Picture Dictionary for Everyone: Lingua Latina Depicta"
is enhanced with the inclusion of appendices that include Pronunciation of Classical Latin; Major
Parts of Speech and Their Uses; How Latin Words Work: Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives; A
Grammatical Outline; as well as a Pictorial Glossary of Additional Latin Vocabulary and
Synonyms.
Vulgar Tongues
Max Decharne
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
9781681774640 $26.95 www.pegasusbooks.com
Vulgar Tongues: An Alternative History of English Slang is a lively survey of the English
language that narrows its focus to slang, covering how such language often begins as a form of
defiance and evolves into its own culture when it is adopted by mainstream English speakers as
part of daily language. While readers might think this trend to be relatively new or particular to
the English language; in fact slang has existed for centuries around the world, and embraces a
range of populations, purposes, and subcultures. This fun pairing of linguistics and history will
delight any who want a different focus on the origins and social and political purposes of
slang.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
The Handy Diabetes Answer Book
Patricia Barnes-Svarney & Thomas E. Svarney
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Rd., #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075
www.visibleinkpress.com
9781578595976, $21.95, PB, 400pp, www.amazon.com
Diabetes mellitus, commonly referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic disorders in which
there are high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period. Symptoms of high blood sugar include
frequent urination, increased thirst, and increased hunger. If left untreated, diabetes can cause
many complications including diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, or death.
Serious long-term complications include cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic kidney disease,
foot ulcers, and damage to the eyes. Compiled by Patricia Barnes-Svarney and Thomas E.
Svarney, "The Handy Diabetes Answer Book" is the go-to guide for diabetics, prediabetics, their
loved-ones and care-takers. It answers questions in plain English on all aspects of the condition.
It also introduces the scientists behind breakthrough advances in care. Easy to use and
informative reference, brings the complexity of the illness into focus and provides practical
assistance for managing the malady through the well-researched answers to nearly 950 common
questions. Impressively informative, exceptionally well organized and presented, "The Handy
Diabetes Answer Book" should be considered essential reading for anyone having to deal with
diabetes within themselves or a loved one. While very highly recommended for both community
and academic library Health/Medicine collections in general, and Diabetes supplemental studies
reading lists in particular, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Handy Diabetes
Answer Book" is also available in a Kindle format ($17.92).
The Obesity Epidemic
Robyn Toomatch
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421422497 $22.95 www.press.jhu.edu
The Obesity Epidemic: Why Diets and Exercise Don't Work And What Does comes from a
physician who considers who losing weight is so difficult, and examines the history, causes, and
genetic and social influences on obesity. Her examination goes beyond maintaining that the
problem lies in caloric intake and considers why food has become a problem and how it's
marketed around the world. The latest research blends with some twenty years of working with
overweight patients to consider the many answers that don't work and why it's important to make
healthy eating routines much easier than they currently are. Any interested in the real roots of
obesity around the world will find this a powerful probe.
The Psychology Shelf
Understanding OCD
Adam B. Lewin and Eric A. Storch, Editors
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849057837 $18.95 www.jkp.com
Understanding OCD: A Guide for Parents and Professionals provides a comprehensive survey of
various childhood obsessive disorders, treatment options, and their symptoms and related
illnesses, providing parents of a child newly diagnosed with OCD with a toolbox explaining the
latest diagnostic procedures and what they mean in terms of treatment outcomes. As chapters
explore how OCD can be managed at home, at school, and beyond, parents receive the latest
research combined with tips and guidelines designed to help them understand the hierarchy of
fear, psychological approaches, and how to handle treatment-resistant OCD.
Tools for Helpful Souls
Ilse Sand
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781785922961 $14.95 www.jkp.com
Tools for Helpful Souls focuses on sensitive people and personalities and considers how these
people can make good caretakers, even though the effort can be a challenge for them. It comes
from a theology graduate and former parish priest who has trained in psychotherapeutic circles,
and it offers a coaching guide that tells how sensitive people can be supportive without finding
their emotional resources drained by the effort. The result is filled with insights, exercises, and
the kind of approach that encourages caregiving and self-preservation alike.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, revised edition
Michelle G. Craske
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242
www.apa.org/books
9781433827488, $24.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Now in a significantly updated and revised edition of "Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy", Michelle
G. Craske (Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology and Department of Psychiatry
and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles and director of the UCLA
Anxiety Disorders Behavioral Research program) provides vital and current coverage of the
literature that explores the theory, history, therapy process, primary change mechanisms, and
empirical basis of the approach, as well as likely future developments. An essential primer to
cognitive behavioral therapy, amply illustrated with case examples featuring diverse clients,
"Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy" is ideal for graduate students in the field of psychology studying
theories of therapy and counseling, as well as for seasoned counseling practitioners interested in
better understanding this approach. Especially well organized and presented,
"Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy" should be considered a critically important and core addition to
college and university library Contemporary Psychology collections. It should be noted for the
personal reading lists of student and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject
that "Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy" is also available in a Kindle format ($15.25).
The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
The Writing Dead
Thomas Fahy
University Press of Mississippi
3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS 39211
9781496813251 $30.00 www.upress.state.ms.us
The Writing Dead: Talking Terror with TV's Top Horror Writers goes behind the scenes of
modern top horror shows and converses with writers who worked with actors, filmmakers and
others about how these works were produced. Some thirteen interviews with top writers and
producers discuss the making of such works as Hannibal, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Dead
Zone and more, offering a powerful set of insights that should be in every film collection.
The Architecture Shelf
A Sustainable Bodega and Hotel
John Spence, et al.
Yale School of Architecture
c/o Actar D / Actar Publishers
355 Lexington Avenue, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10017
http://actar.com
9781945150067, $35.00, PB, 172pp, www.amazon.com
"A Sustainable Bodega and Hotel in Rioja" presents the studio of the Yale Edward P. Bass
Distinguished Visiting Architecture Fellowship taught by John Spence, entrepreneur and
chairman of Karma Resorts worldwide; with architect Andy Bow, a senior partner at Foster &
Partners in London; environmental engineer Patrick Bellew, principal of Atelier Ten; and
Timothy Newton of the Yale faculty. The studio proposed designs for a world-class winery and
hotel complex in Rioja, Spain where wineries are both vernacular and exuberant in design. The
students were challenged to address social, economic, and environmental sustainability in a
holistic and integrated way. The project resulted in a range of strategies to sustainably harvest,
engage local workforce, integrate landscape, and source materials responsibly. The project
features attractions and symbiotic food production to facilitate tourist visits. Edited by Henry
Chan and Nina Rappaport "A Sustainable Bodega and Hotel" is an impressively informative,
insightful, and thoughtful study that is unreservedly recommended for professional and academic
library Contemporary Architecture collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
The Sagrada Familia
Gijs van Hensbergen
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781632867810, $27.00, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
The scaffolding-cloaked spires of Antoni Gaudi's masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia, dominate the
Barcelona skyline and draw in millions of visitors every year. More than a century after the first
stone was laid in 1882, the Sagrada Familia remains unfinished, a testament to Gaudi's quixotic
ambition, his religious devotion, and the sensuous eccentricity of his design. It has defied the
critics, the penny-pinching accountants, the conservative town-planners, and the devotees of
sterile modernism. It has enchanted and frustrated the citizens of Barcelona. And it has passed
through the landmark changes of twentieth-century Spain, surviving two World Wars, the
ravages of the Spanish Civil War, and the "Hunger Years" of Franco's rule. "The Sagrada
Familia" by art historian Gijs van Hensbergen deftly explores the evolution of this remarkable
building, working through the decades right up to the present day before looking beyond to the
final stretch of its construction. Rich in detail and vast in scope, "The Sagrada Familia" is a
unique and revelatory chronicle of an iconic structure, its place in history, and the wild genius
that created it. While very highly recommended, especially for community and academic library
Architectural Studies collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of architecture
students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Sagrada
Familia" is also available in a digital book format ($16.82).
The Civil War Shelf
"The Bloody Fifth"
John F. Schmutz
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611213348 $32.95 amazon.com
"The Bloody Fifth" - The 5th Texas Infantry Regiment Hood's Texas Brigade, Army of Northern
Virginia Vol. 2: Gettysbug to Appomattox is the second installment of an in-depth history of the
5th Texas Infantry during the Civil War. Covering the regiment's march into Pennsylvania, the
momentous battle of Gettysburg, the violent battle of Chickamauga, and the long marches and
difficult campaigns that ultimately concluded with the General Lee's surrender at Appomattox,
"The Bloody Fifth" is a scholarly work enhanced with maps and exhaustive notes, yet thoroughly
accessible to readers of all backgrounds. "The Bloody Fifth" Vol. 2 is highly recommended
especially for public and college library Civil War history shelves, as is "The Bloody Fifth" Vol.
1 (9781611212044, $32.95).
All the Fighting They Want
Stephen Davis
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611213195, $14.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
During the American Civial War, John Bell Hood brought a hang-dog look and a hard-fighting
spirit to the Army of Tennessee. Once one of the ablest division commanders in the Army of
Northern Virginia, he found himself, by the spring of 1864, in the war's Western Theater.
Recently recovered from grievous wounds sustained at Chickamauga, he was thrust into
command of the Confederacy's ill-starred army even as Federals pounded on the door of the Deep
South's greatest untouched city, Atlanta. His predecessor, Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, had failed to
stop the advance of armies under Federal commander William T. Sherman, who had pushed and
maneuvered his way from Chattanooga, Tennessee, right to Atlanta's very doorstep. Johnston had
been able to do little to stop him. The crisis could not have been more acute. Hood, an aggressive
risk-taker, threw his men into the fray with unprecedented vigor. Sherman welcomed it. "We'll
give them all the fighting they want", Sherman said. He proved a man of his word. In "All the
Fighting They Want: The Atlanta Campaign from Peachtree Creek to the City's Surrender, July
18-September 2, 1864 ", military historian Steve Davis, (who is perhaps the world's foremost
authority on the Atlanta campaign) vividly presents the last great struggle for the city. Davis'
Southern sensibility and his knowledge of the battle, accumulated over a lifetime of living on the
ground, make this "All the Fighting They Want" indispensable addition to the acclaimed Savis
Beatie 'Emerging Civil War Series'. Impressively informative and exceptionally well written,
organized and presented, "All the Fighting They Want" is very highly recommended for both
community and academic library American Civil War History collections and supplemental
studies reading lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and Civil War
buffs that "All the Fighting They Want" is also avail in a digital book format ($7.53).
Jefferson Davis's Final Campaign
Philip D. Dillard
Mercer University Press
1501 Mercer University Drive, Macon, GA 31207-0001
www.mupress.org
9780881466058 $35.00 amazon.com
Jefferson Davis's Final Campaign: Confederate Nationalism and the Fight to Arm Slaves is a
scholarly examination of a seemingly paradoxical aspect of the American Civil War. In the fall of
1864, when repeated Union victories made the fall of the Confederacy appear imminent,
Confederate President Jefferson Davis confronted a radical idea - arming slaves to fight for the
Confederacy, in a last-ditch, desperate attempt to preserve independence, possibly even at the
cost of the slavery institution itself. Discussions about arming slaves to fight in the war opened
long-hidden rifts between planters, yeoman, and poor whites. Jefferson Davis's Final Campaign
examines the perspectives of ordinary Southerners as well as those who held high governmental
and military positions. A bibliography and an index enhance this excellent contribution to public
and college library Civil War collections. Highly recommended.
The Jobs/Careers Shelf
The Ex-Offender's Job Interview Guide
Ronald L. Kannich
Impact Publications
9104 Manassas Drive, Suite N, Manassas Park, VA 20111
www.impactpublications.com
9781570232824, $9.95, 128pp, www.amazon.com
Now in a fully updated second addition, "The Ex-Offender's Job Interview Guide: Turn Your
Red Flags Into Green Lights" addresses the many employability issues facing ex-offenders. A
practical and 'real world' guide, "The Ex-Offender's Job Interview Guide" shows ex-offenders
how to deal with today's job market challenges by having as its principle focus being the critical
job interview. "The Ex-Offender's Job Interview Guide" emphasizes the importance of turning
obvious red flags into green lights by developing effective communication skills. Thirteen
chapters focus on potential job knockouts, telling the truth, 40 interview mistakes, questions and
answers, nonverbal interview behaviors, preparation, red flag questions, closing, follow-up, job
offers, and salaries. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "The
Ex-Offender's Job Interview Guide" is unreservedly recommended for community library
collections in general, and the personal reading lists of all employment seeking ex-offenders in
particular.
The Parenting Shelf
Joy Fixes for Weary Parents
Erin Leyba
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608684731, $16.95, PB, 368pp, www.amazon.com
Modern parenting presents fresh challenges, including unrelenting time pressures, lack of support
systems, and work demands, that often leave parents drained and worn-out. Erin Leyba, the
mother of three young children, has been counseling parents on these issues for almost twenty
years. In "Joy Fixes for Weary Parents: 101 Quick, Research-Based Ideas for Overcoming Stress
and Building a Life You Love", Erin Leyba (an individual and marriage counselor, specializes in
helping parents of young children) draws her own years of experience and expertise, as well as
the latest research about child development, attachment, successful marriages, and mindfulness
to create effective, doable solutions for balancing, simplifying, and communicating. She presents
powerful tools that parents can use right away to de-stress, stay energized, and create more
warmth and passion with loved ones. Whether new, veteran, overwhelmed, exhausted, or just
interested in doing better than they are, parents will find proven help here. While very highly
recommended for both community and academic library Parenting collections and supplemental
studies lists, it should be noted for parents that "Joy Fixes for Weary Parents" is also available in
a Kindle format ($9.99).
The Library Science Shelf
Winning Elections and Influencing Politicians for Library Funding
Patrick Sweeney & John Chrastka
Neal-Shuman Publishers
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9780838915561, $57.00, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
What every 'Friends of the Library' group has learned whenever they have sought funding for
remodeling or building anew a library for their community is the importance of getting their
community to support the effort, and then absolutely critically importance of getting their
community political leaders to support the effort. 90% of funding for public libraries comes from
the will of local politicians and, in turn, from local voters. So it's urgent that librarians, library
supporters, and anyone interested in running an election or campaign for a library understand the
strategies, resources, and tactics necessary for positive political action. Whether election day is
four months away or four years away, there are immediate steps library leaders and local library
ballot committees should take to help secure a successful ballot initiative later. Written by two
experienced library campaigners, "Winning Elections and Influencing Politicians for Library
Funding " is action-driven manual for anyone running a political campaign for libraries dives into
proven successful campaigning techniques for rural, suburban, and urban settings. "Winning
Elections and Influencing Politicians for Library Funding " offers expert analysis on how
political perceptions are formed, how political power works, and ways libraries can reach
funding or political goals; starting the discussion internally; the right approach to setting up the
committee structure, and identifying the core leadership team for the committee; tips on
networking, cultivating good relationships with the power players in the community, and
building a winning coalition; canvassing and direct voter contact; responding effectively to
opposition, including voters who habitually resist taxes or library funding increases; the
differences between paid media and earned media; and best practices for marketing and message
development, fundraising, volunteer engagement, and other key areas. Informed and informative,
practical, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Winning Elections and
Influencing Politicians for Library Funding" is a 'must' for the reference shelves of every
community and academic library collection in general, and the Library Science supplemental
studies reading lists for aspiring library students and members of Friends of the Library groups in
particular.
Sex, Brains, and Video Games, second edition
Jennifer Burek Pieree
ALA Editions
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9780838915486, $57.00, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
How can school and community librarians break through and truly reach their young adult
patrons? It begins with understanding them. Librarians who work with teens need information
and a big-picture perspective on adolescence that reflects the latest knowledge of cognate fields
and the contemporary realities of young people's lives. Now in a thoroughly revised and updated
second edition, "Sex, Brains, and Video Games, Second Edition: Information and Inspiration for
Youth Services Librarians" by Burek Pierce (Associate Professor in the School of Library &
Information Science at the University of Iowa) provides exactly that, selecting and synthesizing
emerging information from multiple fields of research to effectively support librarians work with
teens. Far-reaching but pragmatic, "Sex, Brains, and Video Games" discusses such important
topics as identity and community, sex and sexualities, what experts can tell us about the
adolescent brain, and how teens use technology to mediate the world; replaces outdated
developmental theories that have been discarded in their home fields but are still sometimes used
in the LIS world; looks at how to blend what research tells us about teens with day-to-day work
in libraries; reflects new norms of professional practice, such as the increased importance of
community engagement and partnerships, offering librarians a path towards cooperation and
collaboration with peers outside the library world; and includes a bibliography of essential
reading for YA librarians. A critically important and very highly recommended addition to school
district, college, and university Library Science collections and supplemental studies lists,
educators and practitioners, as well as students preparing to enter the field, will all benefit from
this compact overview of contemporary research on adolescence.
The Religion/Spirituality Shelf
The World of the New Testament
Joel B. Green & Lee Martin McDonald, editors
Baker Academic
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
9780801039621, $49.99, HC, 640pp, www.amazon.com
Collaborative compiled and co-edited by Joel B. Green (Dean of the School of Theology and
Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena,
California, as well as the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Theological Interpretation) and Lee
Martin McDonald (formerly Professor of New Testament Studies and President of Acadia
Divinity College), "The World of the New Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts"
is a compilation of a series of scholarly articles by experts in their fields addressing the most
important issues related to the study of New Testament writings. These contributions to Jewish,
Hellenistic, and Roman backgrounds are necessary for understanding the New Testament and the
early church. Included are seventy-five photographs, fifteen maps, numerous tables and charts,
illustrations, and bibliographies. Reliable, up-to-date, comprehensive, "The World of the New
Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts" is an impressively informative textbook
and reference volume on the New Testament world that is unreservedly recommended for
community, seminary, college, and university library New Testament Studies collections in
general, and supplemental studies lists in particular. It should be noted for students and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The World of the New
Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts" is also available in a paperback edition
(9780801098611, $49.99) and in a Kindle format ($25.43).
An American Conscience
Jeremy L. Sabella
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
2140 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.eerdmans.com
9780802875273, $19.99, PB, 171pp, www.amazon.com
Reinhold Niebuhr (1892 - 1971) was an inner-city pastor, ethics professor, and author of the
famous Serenity Prayer. Cited as an influence by public figures ranging from Billy Graham to
Barack Obama, "An American Conscience: The Reinhold Niebuhr Story" by Jeremy L. Sabella
(who earned his PhD in theology from Boston College and has taught religion courses at
Fairfield University and Yale Divinity School) is the companion volume to the forthcoming
documentary film by Martin Doblmeier on the life and influence of Reinhold Niebuhr, Sabella
draws on an unprecedented set of exclusive interviews to explore how Niebuhr continues to
compel minds and stir consciences in the twenty-first century. Interviews with leading voices
such as Jimmy Carter, David Brooks, Cornel West, and Stanley Hauerwas as well as with people
who knew Niebuhr personally, including his daughter Elisabeth, provide a rich trove of original
material to help readers understand Niebuhr's enduring impact on American life and thought. An
extraordinary account of the life and work of Reinhold Niebuhr, "An American Conscience" is
unreservedly recommended for personal, community, seminary, and academic library collections.
It should be noted for personal reading lists that "An American Conscience" is also available in a
Kindle format ($13.54).
The International Studies Shelf
After Europe
Ivan Krastev
University of Pennsylvania Press
3905 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4112
www.upenn.edu/pennpress
9780812249439 $19.95 amazon.com
After Europe reflects upon the future of the European Union - or its possible lack of a future.
Beset by an unprecedented number of refugees and migrants, incidents of terrorism, declining
populations, and a disturbing rise in the influence of far-right nationalist parties, the European
Union as we know it is unquestionably in trouble (and let's not forget "Brexit", Britain's
democratic decision to leave the EU). Krastev meticulously analyzes a host of factors behind this
perfect storm, and cautions that even though heavily pro-immigration policies may benefit a
nation as a whole, it can also harm that nation's poor and working-class residents by placing a
downward pressure on wages. "Globalization may have contributed to the rise of numerous
middle classes outside the developed world, but it is eroding the economic and political
foundations of the middle-class societies in post-World War II Europe. In this sense, the new
populism represents not the losers of today but the prospective losers of tomorrow." How can the
EU best respond to the concerns of its people while clamping down on impulses toward
totalitarianism? A thought-provoking treatise, After Europe challenges the reader to set aside
their preconceptions when addressing the conundrum of a sustainable future. Highly
recommended.
The Martial Arts Shelf
Tai Chi In 10 Weeks
Aihan Kuhn
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
www.ymaa.com
9781594395055, $16.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
T ai-chi is an internal Chinese martial art that is practiced for both its defense training and its
health benefits. "Tai Chi In 10 Weeks: A Beginner's Guide" by Aihan Kuhn (who is an
internationally recognized expert instructor of tai chi, qigong, and tui na, as well as a medical
doctor trained in both Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine) features: A ten-week
calendar to guide you through your introduction to tai chi; Over 200 beautiful full-color photos;
Access to the online 10-week companion video course. With "Tai Chi In 10 Weeks" the most
novice of students will: Learn the twenty-four-step Yang-style form; Understand the
fundamentals of tai chi; Discover not just the physical postures of tai chi, but also its
psychological, emotional, and spiritual benefits. Thoroughly and impressively 'user friendly' in
organization and presentation, "Tai Chi In 10 Weeks" is unreservedly recommended for dojo,
community, and academic library Martial Arts collections in general, and Tai Chi supplemental
studies lists in particular. It should be noted for Tai Chi enthusiasts that "Tai Chi In 10 Weeks" is
also available in a digital book format ($7.99).
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