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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Sexual Harassment Online: Shaming and Silencing Women in the Digital Age
Tania G. Levey
Lynne Rienner Publishers
1800 30th Street, Suite 314, Boulder, CO 80301
www.rienner.com
9781626376953 $67.00 amazon.com
Sexual Harassment Online: Shaming and Silencing Women in the Digital Age is a scholarly
examination of how women are relentlessly demeaned and attacked on social media. Chapters
particularly focus on how specific words are used to target and silence women: "Slut: Shaming
Sexual Activity", "Whore: Judging 'Bad' Girls", "Dyke: Enforcing Heterofeminine Standards",
and more. Appendices and an index round out this studious examination of misogyny in social
media, as well as how women themselves have used social media speak out against misogyny.
Sexual Harassment Online: Shaming and Silencing Women in the Digital Age is an absolutely
invaluable contribution to public and college library gender studies and social issues collections,
highly recommended.
Homeland Security and Emergency Management
Ernest Abbott & Otto J. Hetzel, editors
American Bar Association
321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60610
https://www.americanbar.org
9781641050180, $109.95, PB, 569pp, www.amazon.com
Knowledgeably compiled and deftly co-edited by Ernest Abbot (who is Of Counsel to Baker,
Donelson, Caldwell & Berkowitz, leading it's Disaster Recovery Group) and Otto J. Hetzel (who
is a practicing attorney in Washington, DC, specializing in administrative issues of federal
agencies), this newly updated and expanded third edition of "Homeland Security and Emergency
Management: A Legal Guide for State and Local Governments" provides practical insight and
guidance to help legal counsel for state, tribal, and local governments, as well as businesses and
citizens to protect lives, property, public safety, and the public welfare. "Homeland Security and
Emergency Management" is accessibly organized and presented in four major sections: The
Legal Structures of Emergency Management; Building Physical and Financial Resilience -
Hazard Mitigation; Special Topics in Emergency Management and Homeland Security; Legal
Issues in Response and Recovery from Major Disaster Events. Comprehensive and up-to-date,
"Homeland Security and Emergency Management" is unreservedly recommended for
professional, law firm, community, and academic library Judicial Studies reference collections
and supplemental studies reading lists.
A North Country Almanac
Thomas C. Bailey
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25, East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
http://msupress.org
9781611862867, $24.95, HC, 126pp, www.amazon.com
Thomas C. Bailey has been Executive Director of the Little Traverse Conservancy for more than
thirty years, having previously worked for the U.S. National Park Service and the Michigan
Department of Natural Resources. He was appointed to the Board of Trustees of Lake Superior
State University in 2016 and to the Governor's Blue Ribbon Panel on Michigan State Parks and
Outdoor Recreation in 2011. He is a cofounder of the Heart of the Lakes Center for Land
Conservation Policy and the Top of Michigan Trails Council. In the pages of A North Country
Almanac: Reflections of an Old-School Conservationist in a Modern World" offers enlightened,
informative, and contemplative commentaries on wilderness, the conservation ethic, and the joys
of loving the outdoors. Although a lifelong conservationist, Thomas C. Bailey has never
unquestioningly accepted environmental dogma. His essays comprising "A North Country
Almanac" often challenge familiar assumptions about stewardship of natural resources. Bailey
offers a rich and enriching variety of perspectives on an interesting array of topics, returning
always to his fundamental belief that conservation pioneers such as John Muir, Theodore
Roosevelt, and Aldo Leopold had it right when they affirmed Walt Whitman's observation that
"the secret of making the best person . . . is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the
earth." A rewarding and contemplative read from cover to cover, "A North Country Almanac" is
an especially recommended addition to personal reading lists, and will prove to be an immediate
and enduringly popular addition to both community and academic library Environmental
Conservation collections and supplemental studies lists.
Raising a Forest
Thibaud Herem
Cicada Books
www.cicadabooks.co.uk
9781908714527, $14.95, PB, 48pp, www.amazon.com
Thibaud Herem is a French illustrator uprooted and transplanted to East London where he is
nurturing a homegrown arboretum in his flat in Clapton. With over 30 species of tree ranging
from oak to Japanese maple to giant redwood, this is a beautifully and profusely illustrated
documentation of his obsession as well as a visual exploration of the beautiful shapes and forms
found in nature. Within a personal narrative, "Raising a Forest" includes fascinating information
about the trees, the process of planting and cultivating them, and musings on society's
relationship to the architecture of trees. An informative and visual pleasure to simply browse
through, "Raising a Forest" will have a very special and particular appeal for readers with an
interest in horticulture and gardening.
The Great Horizon
Jo Woolf
Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, 124 Byers Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
9781910985885, $42.00, HC, 400pp, www.amazon.com
In 2014 Jo Woolf began digging through the archives of the Royal Scottish Geographical
Society, in a mission to bring to light some half-forgotten figures in the field of exploration. Now
as a result of her research she has compiled fifty stories of adventure and exploration over more
than two hundred years of human history in the pages of "The Great Horizon". Published in
association with the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, and with full access to their extensive
records, "The Great Horizon" includes unique images and insights from the RSGS archives,
along with never-before seen material. An inherently fascinating and impressively informative
read from first page to last, "The Great Horizon" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly
popular addition to both community and academic library collections. For personal reading lists it
should be noted that "The Great Horizon" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
The Story of Act 31
J. P. Leary
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
816 State Street, Madison, WI 53575
www.wisconsinhistory.org
9780870208324, $28.95, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Since its passage in 1989, a state law known as Act 31 requires that all students in Wisconsin
learn about the history, culture, and tribal sovereignty of Wisconsin's federally recognized tribes.
"The Story of Act 31: How Native History Came to Wisconsin Classrooms" by J. P. Leary (who
is an Associate Professor of Humanities, First Nations Studies, and History at the University of
Wisconsin - Green Bay) tells the story of the law's inception by tracing its origins to a court
decision in 1983 that affirmed American Indian hunting and fishing treaty rights in Wisconsin,
and to the violent public outcry that followed the court's decision. Professor Leary paints a
picture of controversy stemming from past policy decisions that denied generations of Wisconsin
students the opportunity to learn about tribal history. Impressively informative and exceptionally
well researched, written, organized and presented, "The Story of Act 31" is a unique, original,
and unreservedly recommended addition to all Wisconsin community and academic library
Wisconsin History and Wisconsin Native American Studies collections. It should be noted for
students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The
Story of Act 31" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.99).
Hazardous Waste Management: An Introduction
Cliff Vanguilder
Mercury Learning
9781683922292 $64.95 www.merclearning.com
Hazardous Waste Management: An Introduction presumes no prior knowledge as it provides an
in-depth textbook recommended for a first course in hazardous waste management for civil and
environmental engineers and those managing companies in waste management. This latest
edition includes all the latest regulations, recovery tools, protocols for compliance, and case
studies from the field supporting each of these areas. Everything from basic recordkeeping to
manifests and reports are surveyed in a top recommendation that should be basic to any
introduction to the topic.
At the Altars of Money
Graydon Dee Hubbard
Fithian Press
c/o Daniel & Daniel Publishers
9781564746016 $25.95 www.danielpublishing.com
At the Altars of Money is a business novel based on the 2008 financial crisis and is based on real
people and experiences, blending history and financial savvy as it provides a drama that reads
like a cross between fiction and nonfiction. Perhaps this is because Hubbard was a CPA for over
thirty years; so his financial savvy comes from a professional foundation. The tale of a SEC
attorney who has a nose for truth against all odds and the interests of her superiors, who uncovers
more than she initially bargained for, makes for a riveting and complex tale of insider money
deals and high stakes for would-be heroes and exploiters alike. The result is a fast-paced romp
through the legal and financial world that introduces a host of characters in a story that's hard to
put down and satisfyingly complex throughout.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
The Copyright Guide
Lee Wilson
Allworth Press
www.allworth.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781621536208, $24.99, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Copyright is a legal right that grants the creator of an original work exclusive rights for its use
and distribution. In a newly updated and expanded fourth edition, "The Copyright Guide: How
You Can Protect and Profit from Copyright" by Lee Wilson (a Nashville writer and lawyer with
extensive experience in the area of copyright) is a definitive resource that explains everything
necessary for make copyright work for authors and/or publishers, including how to license your
copyrights, how to acquire the right to use the works of others, what copyright infringement is,
how to protect your works from infringement, and how to avoid infringing on the works of
others. With informative tips and easy-to-use forms, "The Copyright Guide" will save you legal
fees, make sure you avoid infringing on the works of others, and help you protect and profit from
what you create. Comprehensively informative, exceptionally 'user friendly' in organization and
presentation, this new edition of "The Copyright Guide" should be a part of every writer's and/or
publisher's instructional reference collections, as well as a core addition to both community and
academic library Writing/Publishing collections.
Metadata Essentials
Jake Handy, author
Margaret Harrison, author
Jess Johns, editor
Graphic Arts Books
1700 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.graphicartsbooks.com
9781513260907, $17.99, HC, 132pp, www.amazon.com
Based on direct feedback from retailers and librarians, "Metadata Essentials: Proven Techniques
for Book Marketing and Discovery" unlocks insights into the value and real-life uses of the
metadata publishers (including self-publishing authors) spend so many precious hours editing
and curating. Because it is marketing information that seriously matters when trying to bring a
book to the attention of librarians and an intended readership. The thoroughly 'real world
practical' instructional information comprising "Metadata Essentials will: Enhance the metadata
that yields proven results; Boost title discovery; Increase online conversion rates; Save time and
money. In four succinct and definitive chapters readers will learn: How Books are Discovered;
Take Acton! Metadata Essentials: Your Step by Step Guide; Major Bookseller Profiles; Metadata
& Libraries. Enhanced with the inclusion of a three page Glossary, and a seven page Index,
"Metadata Essentials" is itself an essential, unique, and thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional
reference and guide that should be an integral part of every author and every publisher's
professional book marketing plan instructional reference collection. While unreservedly
recommended for both community and academic library Writing/Publishing collections, it should
be noted for personal reading lists that "Metadata Essentials" is also available in a paperback
edition (9781513260891, $9.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy
Aaron Fenster & James C. Lacefield, editors
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781439866283, $210.00, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Due to improvements in image quality and the reduced cost of advanced features, ultrasound
imaging is playing a greater role in the diagnosis and image-guided intervention of a wide range
of diseases. Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Aaron Fenster (who is a founding director
of the Imaging Research Laboratories at the Robarts Research Institute, as well as a professor in
the Department of Medical Biophysics and Department of Medical Imaging) and James C.
Lacefield, (an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
and Department of Medical Biophysics, a faculty member of the Graduate Program in
Biomedical Engineering, and an Associate Scientist of the Imaging Research Laboratories at
Robarts Research Institute), "Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy" highlights the latest advances in
using ultrasound imaging in image-guided interventions and ultrasound-based therapy, presenting
current and emerging techniques, identifying trends in the use of ultrasound imaging, and
addressing technical and computational problems that need to be solved. "James C. Lacefield,
PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and
Department of Medical Biophysics, a faculty member of the Graduate Program in Biomedical
Engineering, and a mentor in the CIHR Strategic Training Program in Cancer Research and
Technology Transfer at the University of Western Ontario. He is also an associate scientist of the
Imaging Research Laboratories at Robarts Research Institute." is deftly organized into three
sections: The first section covers advances in technology, including transducers (2-D, 3-D, and
4-D), beamformers, 3-D imaging systems, and blood velocity estimation systems: The second
section focuses on diagnostic applications, such as elastography, quantitative techniques for
therapy monitoring and diagnostic imaging, and ultrasound tomography; The final section
explains the use of ultrasound in image-guided interventions for image-guided biopsy and brain
imaging. Comprised of ten impressively informative articles by notable and erudite contributors,
"Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy" is unreservedly recommended for professional, college, and
university library Biomedical Imaging collections and supplemental studies reading lists as the
newest addition to the outstanding CRC Press 'Imaging in Medical Diagnosis and Therapy' series.
It should be noted for the personal reading lists of medical students and academia that
"Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy" is also available in a paperback edition (9781138894358,
$79.94) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $75.94).
Health Care Under the Knife
Howard Waitzkin
Monthly Review Press
134 W. 29th Street, Suite 706, New York, NY 10001
www.monthlyreview.org
9781583676752, $95.00, HC, 344pp, www.amazon.com
America has some of the finest health care available -- but only if you have the financial
resources to afford it. "Health Care Under the Knife: Moving Beyond Capitalism for Our Health"
by Howard Waitzkin (Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University of New Mexico
and Adjunct Professor of Internal Medicine, University of Illinois) is comprised of individual
essays addressing the "medical industrial complex"; the impact of privatization and cutbacks
under neoliberalism; the nature of health-care work; and the intersections between health care
and imperialism both historically and at present. Readers will discover just how the health of our
bodies in "developed" countries is tied to the health of the bodies of the labor force in the Global
South, and how the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are linked strangely and
inextricably to our physical well-being. But this analysis would not be complete without final
section of "Health Care Under the Knife" which delivers invaluable guidance for how to change
this system. Recounting case studies and successful efforts for creating a more humane
community, "Health Care Under the Knife" ultimately gives us hope that our health-care system
can be rescued and made an integral part of a new and radically different society. A welcome and
invaluable contribution to our national dialogue about fixing a broken health care system both
locally and nationally, "Health Care Under the Knife" is an extraordinarily informed and
informative study that is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library
Health & Medicine collections and Health Care Policy supplemental studies lists. It should be
noted for the personal reading lists of students, social activists, governmental health care policy
makers, academia, and the non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"Health Care Under the Knife" is also available in a paperback edition (9781583676745,
$27.00).
A Journey Into Yin Yoga
Travis Eliot
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
www.HumanKinetics.com
9781492557227, $24.95, PB, 296pp, www.amazon.com
Join world-renowned yoga instructor Travis Eliot in the pages of "A Journey Into Yin Yoga" as
he guides you through this contemporary and effective approach for strengthening your mind,
body, and spirit. You will learn about the origins and practice of yin yoga, a passive approach in
which poses are held for a few minutes to target the connective tissues of the hips, pelvis, and
lower spine. You will slowly and mindfully transition between poses as you gently allow those
tissues to stretch, facilitating better circulation and joint health and improving flexibility.
Throughout, you will learn the benefits, contraindications, alignment points, and modifications
so you can adjust the poses to your needs and body type. "A Journey Into Yin Yoga" also
explains eight breathing techniques and eight meditation practices for improved focus, reduced
stress, and enhanced clarity. Ten ready-to-use sequences allow you to target specific goals,
including better sleep, spine flexibility, and healthy hips, knees, and shoulders. "A Journey Into
Yin Yoga" presents over 50 yin yoga poses with stunning photos and detailed instruction, along
with inspiring quotes, stories, and interviews from celebrities, doctors, and athletes. You will be
inspired to discover your unique path to improved mental and physical strength and balance.
Profusely illustrated throughout, impressively 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "A
Journey Into Yin Yoga" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.73).
Living Pain Free
Amanda Oswald
North Atlantic Books
2526 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704-2607
www.northatlanticbooks.com
9781623172077, $19.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
A member of the International Fascia Research Society, Amanda Oswald is a leading UK
myofascial release specialist with a background that includes advanced bodywork and cognitive
hypnotherapy, and an advocate of a mind-body approach to healing chronic pain. In "Living Pain
Free: Healing Chronic Pain with Myofascial Release-Supplement Standard Medical Approaches
with Simple, Effective Exercises You Can Do Yourself" Oswald draws upon her years of
experience and expertise to create an indispensable self-help guide that will prove invaluable for
anyone suffering from chronic pain and struggling to understand why standard medical
approaches have failed them. Taking a mind-body approach, "Living Pain Free" clearly and
simply explains how chronic pain develops, and why an understanding of fascia (the main
connective tissue in the body) is the key to restoring pain-free movement and health. "Living
Pain Free" informs readers about the role of fascia in chronic pain and empowers them to help
themselves through simple and effective self-care techniques, stretches, and exercises. A
'must-read' for anyone experiencing chronic pain from conditions including migraines and
headaches, repetitive strain injury (RSI), jaw (TMJ) pain, frozen shoulder, neck and back pain,
chronic pelvic pain, scar tissue, and systemic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic
fatigue, and myofascial pain syndrome, "Living Pain Free" will also benefit anyone interested in
understanding chronic pain from a myofascial perspective. While unreservedly recommended for
both community and academic library Health/Medicine collections and supplemental studies
lists, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of medical students, doctors, and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Living Pain Free" is also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
The Pain Companion
Sarah Anne Shockley
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608685707, $15.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Where do you turn when medication and medical treatments do not relieve persistent, debilitating
pain? What can you do when pain interferes with work, family, and social life and you no longer
feel like the person you used to be? Relying on firsthand experience with severe nerve pain,
author Sarah Anne Shockley accompanies you on your journey through pain and offers
compassionate, practical advice to ease difficult emotions and address lifestyle challenges in the
pages of "The Pain Companion: Everyday Wisdom for Living With and Moving Beyond Chronic
Pain". Her approach helps reduce the toll that living in pain takes on relationships, self-image,
and well-being while cultivating greater ease and resilience on a daily basis. Dozens of
accessible, uplifting practices guide you every step of the way from a life overcome by pain to a
life of greater comfort and peace. "The Pain Companion" also offers profound insights for
medical practitioners and invaluable guidance for anyone who loves or cares for others in pain.
While very highly recommended for both community and academic library Health/Medicine
collections in general, and Pain Management supplemental studies lists in particular, it should be
noted for the personal reading lists of medical students, medical professionals, academia, and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject, "The Pain Companion" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.76).
Prelude to Hospice
Emily K. Abel
Rutgers University Press
106 Somerset St., 3rd Floor, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
http://rutgerspress.rutgers.edu
9780813593913, $24.95, HC, 156pp, www.amazon.com
Hospice care is a type of care and philosophy of care that focuses on the palliation of a
chronically ill, terminally ill or seriously ill patient's pain and symptoms, and attending to their
emotional and spiritual needs. Hospices have played a critical role in transforming ideas about
death and dying beginning in Europe in the 11th Century BCE. Viewing death as a natural event,
hospices seek to enable people approaching mortality to live as fully and painlessly as possible.
In "Prelude to Hospice", Emily K. Abels (who is Professor Emerita at the University of
California, Los Angeles's Fielding School of Public Health) provides insight into several
important issues surrounding the growth of hospice care by using a unique set of records,
"Prelude to Hospice" which expands our understanding of the history of U.S. hospices. These
records were originally compiled by Florence Wald (April 19, 1917 - November 8, 2008) who
was the founder of the first U.S. hospice. Her records provide a detailed account of her
experiences studying and caring for dying people and their families in the late 1960s and early
1970s. Although Wald never published a report of her findings, she often presented her material
informally. Like many others seeking to found new institutions, she believed she could garner
support only by demonstrating that her facility would be superior in every respect to what
currently existed. As a result, she generated inflated expectations about what a hospice could
accomplish. Wald's records enable us to glimpse the complexities of the work of tending to dying
people. Unreservedly recommended, "Prelude to Hospice" is a unique and extraordinary
contribution to college and community library History of Medicine and Nursing, as well as
Health Policy and Public Health collections in general, and Hospice supplemental reading lists in
particular.
The Mamma Mia! Diet
Paola Lovisetti Scamihorn & Paola Palestini
Hatherleigh Press
c/o The Hatherleigh Foundation
62545 State Highway 10, Hobart, NY 13788
www.hatherleighpress.com
9781578267323, $15.99, PB, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Collaboratively written by Paola Lovisetti Scamihorn (an Italian pharmacist, researcher and food
writer with particular attention to healthy eating) and Paola Palestini (a biochemistry professor at
the Medical School of the University Milano-Bicocca, Italy), "The Mamma Mia! Diet: The
Secret Italian Way to Good Health - Eat Pasta, Enjoy Wine, & Lose Weight" is more than just a
meal plan -- it's a complete lifestyle guide. Based on an improved version of the classic
Mediterranean diet, "The Mamma Mia! Diet" provides readers with modernized versions of
healthy Italian dishes to help them lose weight while still feeling full and satisfied, as well as
enjoying: Better health and improved longevity; Higher energy levels and improved fitness; More
variety than any other diet; Fundamental nutrition grounded in tradition and science; Incredible
dishes packed with nutrition and authentic Italian flavor; A diet that nourishes both the individual
and the family -- all in one. While very highly recommended for both community and academic
library Health & Medicine dieting instructional reference collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "The Mamma Mia! Diet" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $1.99).
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
All the Ever Afters
Danielle Teller
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9780062798206, $26.99, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Anielle Teller's "All the Ever Afters: The Untold Story of Cinderella's Stepmother" a luminous
and imaginative reimagining of a classic tale, told from the perspective of Agnes, Cinderella's
"evil" stepmother. As rumors about the cruel upbringing of beautiful newlywed Princess
Cinderella roil the kingdom, her stepmother, Agnes, who knows all too well about hardship,
privately records the true story. A peasant born into serfdom, Agnes is separated from her family
and forced into servitude as a laundress's apprentice when she is only ten years old. Using her
wits and ingenuity, she escapes her tyrannical matron and makes her way toward a hopeful
future. When teenaged Agnes is seduced by an older man and becomes pregnant, she is
transformed by love for her child. Once again left penniless, Agnes has no choice but to return to
servitude at the manor she thought she had left behind. Her new position is nursemaid to Ella, an
otherworldly infant. She struggles to love the child who in time becomes her stepdaughter and,
eventually, the celebrated princess who embodies everyone's unattainable fantasies. The story of
their relationship reveals that nothing is what it seems, that beauty is not always desirable, and
that love can take on many guises. Lyrically told, emotionally evocative, and brilliantly
perceptive, "All the Ever Afters" deftly explores the hidden complexities that lie beneath classic
tales of good and evil, all the while showing us that how we confront adversity reveals a more
profound, and ultimately more important, truth than the ideal of "happily ever after". Original,
entertaining, deftly crafted from first page to last, "All the Ever Afters" is certain to be an
immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library collections. It should be noted
for personal reading lists that "All the Ever Afters" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $12.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio,
9781538549230, $39.99, CD).
The Seas of Distant Stars
Francesca G. Varela
Owl House Books
c/o Homebound Publications
Postal Box 1442, Pawcatuck, CT 06379-1968
https://owlhousebooks.com
9781947003927, $17.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Agapanthus was kidnapped when she was only two years old, but she doesn't remember it. In
fact, she doesn't remember her home planet at all. All she knows is Deeyae, the land of two suns;
the land of great, red waters. Her foster-family cares for her, and at first that's enough. But, as she
grows older, Agapanthus is bothered by the differences between them. As an Exchanger, she's
frail and tall, not short and strong. And, even though she was raised Deeyan, she certainly isn't
treated like one. One day, an Exchanger boy completes the Deeyan rite-of-passage, and
Agapanthus is inspired to try the same. But, when she teams up with him, her quest to become
Deeyan transforms into her quest to find the truth -- of who she is, and of which star she belongs
to. A deftly written and thoroughly entertaining novel that showcases author Francesca G.
Varela's genuine flare for originality and narrative driven storytelling, "The Seas of Distant Stars"
will have a very special appear for dedicated science fiction fans and will prove to be an
immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Science Fiction
collections.
The 49th Mystic
Ted Dekker
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerbooks.com
9780800729783, $24.99, HC, 432pp, www.amazon.com
Some say the great mystery of how one can live in two worlds at once died with Thomas Hunter
many years ago. Still others that the gateway to that greater reality was and is only the stuff of
dreams. They are wrong. In the small town of Eden, Utah, a blind girl named Rachelle Matthews
is about to find out just how wrong. When a procedure meant to restore Rachelle's sight goes
awry, she begins to dream of another world so real that she wonders if Earth might only be a
dream experienced when she falls asleep in that reality. Who is a simple blind girl to have such
strange and fantastic dreams? She's the prophesied one who must find and recover five ancient
seals (in both worlds) before powerful enemies destroy her. If Rachelle succeeds in her quest,
peace will reign. If she fails, both worlds will forever be locked in darkness. So begins a
two-volume saga by Ted Deker of high stakes and a mind-bending quest to find an ancient path
that will save humanity. The clock is ticking; the end rushes forward! "The 49th Mystic" is an
extraordinary and riveting read from first page to last and unreservedly recommended for
community library Fantasy Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"The 49th Mystic" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.50) and as a complete
and unabridged audio book (Recorded Books, 9781501994418, $44.99, CD).
The Black Wolves of Boston
Wen Spencer
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
www.baen.com
9781481482462, $25.00, HC, 480pp, www.amazon.com
Silas Decker had his world destroyed when he was attacked by vampires outside of New
Amsterdam. He has rebuilt his life a dozen times in the last three hundred years -- each time less
and less successfully. Now he lives alone, buried under a hoarding habit, struggling to find some
reason to wake up with the setting of the sun. Eloise is a Virtue, pledged to hunting evil. What
she doesn't know is how to live alone in a city full of strangers who know nothing about
monsters. Seth is the sixteen-year old Prince of Boston, ward of the Wolf King. Now he is left in
a city that desperately needs his protection with enemies gathering all around. Joshua believes he
is a normal, college-bound high school senior. His life is shattered when he wakes up in a field,
covered with blood, and the prom committee scattered in pieces about him like broken dolls.
These four must now come together to unravel a plot by Wickers, witches who gain power from
human sacrifices and have the power to turn any human into their puppet. Four people who lost
everything struggle to save Boston by saving each other. Another gem of a fantasy adventure
novel by a master of the genre, "The Black Wolves of Boston by Wen Spencer is unreservedly
recommended for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted
for the personal reading lists of dedicated fantasy fans that "The Black Wolves of Boston" is also
available in a paperback edition (9781481483209, $7.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$7.99).
Dunwich
Peter Levenda
Ibis Press
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
www.redwheelweiser.com
9780892541805, $27.95, HC, 400pp, www.amazon.com
Beginning with the harrowing experience of an alien abductee in a small New England town and
continuing through a series of encounters with a renowned mathematician, mercenary geneticists,
an international ring of pornographers, the human trafficking cult of the Islamic State, and
practitioners of an arcane form of sexual occultism, Dunwich follows the adventures of religion
professor Gregory Angell as he attempts to discover a shocking secret encoded within an ancient
book of magic that, once deciphered, will cause the eruption of a force so prehistoric that its
earthly temples once submerged beneath the seas will rise to the surface again! The sequel to
author Peter Levenda's "The Lovecraft Code", this Ibis Press edition of "Dunwich" is based on
the themes in H. P. Lovecraft's "The Dunwich Horror" and an unreservedly recommended
addition to community library Fantasy Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of Lovecraft-style horror fantasy fiction fans that "Dunwich" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $26.55).
Though Hell Should Bar the Way
David Duke
Baen Books
9781481483131 $25.00 www.baen.com
Though Hell Should Bar the Way provides the new novel in Drake's RCN saga and tells of a rich
kid who has lost everything, including his career when his father is revealed to be a criminal.
Ron's assignment to accompany Captain Daniel Leary and Lady Adele Mundy when they go off
to start a war will change his life and give him a new opportunity to become something if he has
the muster to face an interstellar voyage and the monsters which will affect the world in this
gripping sci-fi military adventure.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
The Bengal Identity
Eileen Watkins
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street, Floor 21, New York, NY 10018-2522
www.kensingtonbooks.com
9781496710581, $15.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
With no ID for his pet, an agitated young man shows up at Cassie's Comfy Cats claiming his
house has burned down and he needs to board his big, brown cat, Ayesha. But after a bath
washes dye out of the cat's coat and reveals beautiful spots, Cassie suspects the exotic-looking
feline may in fact be a valuable Bengal show cat, possibly stolen. At the same time, there are
rumored sightings of a "wild cat" in the hills of Chadwick, New Jersey. Could there be a
connection? When Ayesha's alleged owner turns up dead, it looks like whoever wants the
beautiful Bengal is not pussyfooting around. Working with the police, Cassie and her staff need
to be careful not to reveal the purloined purebred's whereabouts while they discreetly make
inquiries to cat breeders to find her real owners. But after a break-in attempt rattles Cassie's cage,
it's clear someone let the cat out of the bag. And when a second body is found, it's up to Cassie to
spot the killer, who may be grooming her to be the next victim. Another carefully crafted mystery
from the author of "The Persian Always Meows Twice" (9781496710567, $15.00 PB, $3.49,
304pp), novelist Eileen Watkins once again demonstrates her complete mastery of the mystery
genre along with her flair for unique and narrative driven storytelling. Certain to be an immediate
and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be
noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "The Bengal Identity" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Beside the Syrian Sea
James Wolff
Bitter Lemon Press
www.bitterlemonpress.com
9781912242139, $24.00, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Jonas works for the UK secret service as an intelligence analyst. When his father is kidnapped
and held for ransom by ISIS gunmen in Syria, he takes matters into his own hands and begins to
steal the only currency he has access to: secret government intelligence. He heads to Beirut with
a haul of the most sensitive documents imaginable and recruits an unlikely ally - an alcoholic
Swiss priest named Father Tobias. Despite barely surviving his previous contact with ISIS,
Tobias agrees to travel into the heart of the Islamic State and inform the kidnappers that Jonas is
willing to negotiate for his father's life. When the British and American governments realize they
may be dealing with betrayal on a scale far greater than that of Edward Snowden, they try
everything in their power to stop Jonas, and he finds himself tested to the limit as he fights to
keep the negotiations alive and play his enemies off against each other. As he races towards a
thrilling confrontation in the Syrian desert, Jonas will have to decide how far he is willing to go
to see his father again. James Wolff's deftly crafted and inherently fascinating novel, "Beside the
Syrian Sea" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Beside the Syrian Sea" is also
available in a paperback edition (9781908524980, $14.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$8.38).
District VIII
Adam Lebor
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
www.pegasusbooks.com
9781681777344, $25.99, HC, 400pp, www.amazon.com
Life's tough for a Gypsy detective in Budapest. The cops don't trust you because you're a Gypsy.
Your fellow Gypsies, even your own family, shun you because you're a cop. The dead, however,
don't care. So when Balthazar Kovacs, a detective in the city's murder squad, gets a mysterious
text message on his phone, he gulps down his coffee and goes to work. The message has two
parts: a photograph and an address. The photograph shows a man, in his early thirties, lying on
his back with his eyes open, half-covered by a blue plastic sheet. The address is 26 Republic
Square, the former Communist Party headquarters, and once the most feared building in the
country. But when Kovacs arrives at Republic Square, the body is gone. Inspired by true events,
Adam Lebor's novel, "District VIII" takes the reader to a hidden city within Budapest and an
underworld that visitors never get to see: the gritty back alleys of District VIII; the endemic
corruption that reaches deep into government as officials plunder state coffers at will; a rule of
law bent to serve the interests of the rich and powerful; the rising power of international
organized crime gangs who use the Hungarian capital as a springboard for their European
operations. A deftly crafted and simply riveting novel by a master of narrative driven storytelling,
Adam Lebor's "District VII" is very highly recommended, especially for community library
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "District VII" is also available in a
paperback edition (Head of Zeus, 9781786692719, $9.99), and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$12.99)
Cut You Down
Sam Wiebe
Quercus
1290 Sixth Ave., NY, NY 10104, www.quercus.com
9781681440231, $26.99, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
No one knows what happened to Tabitha Sorenson, a brilliant but troubled college student who
vanished in the aftermath of a scandal involving millions of dollars in school funds Hired to find
the missing girl by her professor (and admirer) Dana Essex, private investigator Dave Wakeland
is tossed into a world of suburban gangsters, corrupt authorities, and a contract killer with an
unhealthy fondness for blades -- all of them ready to guard their secrets at any cost. Aided by
Sonia Drego, a police officer and former lover with dangerous secrets of her own, Wakeland's
world is upended when the investigation takes a deadly turn. Suspecting he may have been
played for a rube by the woman who hired him, the young PI crosses borders (and lines) in his
hunt for a sadistic killer, a journey of discovery that takes him from the back alleys of a rapidly
modernizing Vancouver to the wilds of Washington State to a disorienting suburban sprawl,
where nothing is as it seems. Another deftly crafted gem by a master of the genre, Sam Wiebe's
"Cut You Down" is a riveting read from cover to cover and will prove to be an enduringly
popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Cut You Down" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781538480748,
$29.95, MP3 CD).
A Dying Note
Ann Parker
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave., #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
www.poisonedpenpress.com
9781464209796, $26.95, HC, 366pp, www.amazon.com
It's autumn of 1881, and Inez Stannert, still the co-owner of Leadville, Colorado's Silver Queen
saloon, is settled in San Francisco with her young ward, Antonia Gizzi. Inez has turned her
business talents to managing a music store, hoping to eventually become an equal partner in the
enterprise with the store's owner, a celebrated local violinist. But when the badly beaten body of
a young musician washes up on the filthy banks of San Francisco's Mission Creek canal, Inez and
Antonia become entangled in the mystery of his death when the musician turns out to have ties to
Leadville, ties that threaten to expose Inez's notorious past. And they aren't the only ones
searching for answers. Wolter Roeland de Bruijn, "finder of the lost", has also been tasked with
ferreting out the perpetrators and dispensing justice in its most final form. Leadville's leading
madam Frisco Flo, an unwilling visitor to the city with a Leadville millionaire, is on the hook as
well, having injudiciously financed the young musician's journey to San Francisco in the first
place. Time grows short as Inez and the others uncover long-hidden secrets and unsettled scores.
With lives and reputations on the line, the tempo rises until the investigation's final, dying note.
Ann Parker's "A Dying Note" is another perfectly crafted gem of a mystery from a master of the
genre. While an especially recommended addition to the personal reading lists of dedicated
mystery buffs, and certain to be an enduringly popular inclusion for community library
Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted that "A Dying Note" is also available in a
paperback edition (9781464209819, $15.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Death and a Pot of Chowder
Cornelia Kidd
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683315834, $26.99, HC, 330pp, www.amazon.com
Anna Winslow, her husband Burt and their teenage son have deep roots on Quarry Island. Burt
and his brother, Carl, are lobstermen, just like their father and grandfather before them. And
while some things on the island never seem to change, Anna's life is about to take some
drastically unexpected turns. First, Anna discovers that she has a younger sister, Izzie Jordan.
Then, on the day she drives to Portland to meet Izzie for the first time, Carl's lobster boat is
found abandoned and adrift. Later that evening, his corpse is discovered -- but he didn't drown.
Whether it was an accident or murder, Carl's sudden death has plunged Anna's existence into
deadly waters. Despite barely knowing one another and coming from very different backgrounds,
Anna and Izzie unite to find the killer. With their family in crisis, the sisters strive to uncover the
secrets hidden in Quarry Island -- and perhaps the ones buried within their own hearts as well. A
simply riveting mystery from beginning to end by a master of the genre, one special feature is the
inclusion of recipes! While very highly 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 "Death and a Pot of Chowder" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Six Dogs 'til Sunday
Lia Farrell
Camel Press
PO Box 70515, Seattle, WA 98127
www.camelpress.com
9781603812504, $15.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
It's January in Rosedale, Tennessee, and Mae December is preparing for her March wedding to
Sheriff Ben Bradley. Mae, who boards dogs for a living, is also busy tending to her pregnant dog
and scouting locations for the movie featuring the music of her former fiance Noah West, who
died in a car accident four years earlier. Fortunately the picturesque old house at the end of Little
Chapel Road is for rent. Just as filming is about to begin, a man is shot on the set, but manages to
drive himself to the hospital, where he dies before he can ID his killer. He was a member of the
film crew, but also a local, and circumstances point to his being a confidential informant for
Ben's predecessor, Sheriff Trey Cantrell, also the owner of the house turned movie set. At the
time of the shooting, the victim had been stealing a large sum of money from a safe on the
premises. Whose money is it, and where does it come from? The Rosedale Sheriff's Office not
only has another murder case on its hands, but one that will dredge up a past long buried. How
far will the guilty parties go to protect their secrets? The sixth and final book in the Mae
December Mystery series by Lia Farrell (the pen name of the mother and daughter writing team
of Lyn Farquhar and Lisa Fitzsimmons), "Six Dogs 'til Sunday" is another deftly crafted mystery
that will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library
Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated
mystery buffs that "Six Dogs 'til Sunday" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$4.95).
Murders at Bishop
J. Lea Koretsky
Regent Press
2747 Regent St., Berkeley, CA 94705
www.regentpress.net
9781587904318, $19.95, PB, 316pp, www.amazon.com
"Murders at Bishop" is an anthology containing three novellas by J. Lea Koretsky about post
office crimes. The first novella Murders at Bishop describes numerous truck rollovers on
Interstate 50 and a series of heists of stamp coin on Highway 395. The second novella, The Dead,
is about the murders of the Packard vehicle test group who evaluate structural efficacy of early
cars. The third novella is Undifferentiated and portrays murders of post office appraisers on a
train traveling through Vermillion, Ohio. A retired psychotherapist who divides her time between
travel and writing, "Murders at Bishop" is author J. Lea Koretsky's fifteenth published book and
continues to demonstrate her total mastery of the Mystery/Suspense genre. "Murders at Bishop"
is unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs and will
prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections.
The Consultant
Tj O'Connor
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608092833, $16.00, PB, 432pp, www.amazon.com
When a rogue CIA consultant goes AWOL from his Middle Eastern post in response to his
brother's plea for help, Jonathan Hunter arrives just in time to witness his brother's murder.
Pursuing his brother's killer, Hunter stumbles into a nest of horrifying terrorist activity by Middle
Eastern refugees, which sparks a backlash across America. In the shadows, Hunter's mentor, the
omnipotent Oscar LaRue, is playing a dangerous game with Russian Intelligence. Neither Hunter
nor LaRue realizes that a new threat Iranian threat has entered the game. Stakes rise as two
shadowy players are one step ahead of Hunter and LaRue. One is Khalifah, a terrorist
mastermind, and and the other is Caine, a nomadic assassin who dances with the highest bidder.
As attacks escalate and the country drifts toward another Middle East conflict, innocent refugees
become trapped between the terrorists and the terrorized. Prejudice, hate, and fear vent
everywhere. Is this who we've become? Before the country explodes, Hunter must find Khalifah,
learn the next terror target, and pray he's in time to stop further annihilation. Tj O'Connor's "The
Consultant" is a simply riveting thriller of a novel by an author who is an international anti-
terrorism expert. While a very highly and unreservedly recommended addition to community
library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Consultant" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
No Harp for My Angel / Booty for a Babe / Eve, It's Extortion
Carter Brown
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520441, $19.95, PB, 298pp, www.amazon.com
Carter Brown was the literary pseudonym of Alan Geoffrey Yates (1 August 1923 - 5 May 1985),
an English-born Australian writer of detective fiction. Now Stark House Press has brought back
into print for the edification of a new general of dedicated mystery buffs three of his very best
short stories under one cover and features police detective Lt. Al Wheeler. In "It's Extortion. No
Harp for My Angel" Lt. Al Wheeler is tangling with a redhead with green eyes who is Nobody's
girl but my own! Her club-owning gangster boyfriend, who is involved in some very shady
business -- and his gorilla henchman, who is seven feet of muscle and bone, just waiting for the
chance to crush him to a pulp when Al becomes the decoy sent in to bring their racket down. In
"Booty for a Babe", Lt Al Wheeler tries to solve a murder at a science fiction convention he
discovers a professor who wants to stop time by tricking the elusive Delfs (and meets an
intellectual gangster who wants to get his hands on the professor's latest invention) is frustrated
by the generously proportioned convention organizer, who somehow manages to keep one step
ahead of Al's wolfish designs. Then in "Eve, It's Extortion" finds Lt. Al Wheeler trying to solve a
hit-and-run murder involving the victim's wife, who is all too glad to have lost her lush of a
husband (the beautiful skip-tracer who tracked down the victim right before he met his untimely
end) and her dubious boyfriend who may not be as innocent as he professes, but is certainly up to
no good. "No Harp for My Angel / Booty for a Babe / Eve, It's Extortion" is unreservedly
recommended for the personal reading of dedicated mystery fans, as well as community library
Mystery/Suspense collections.
Portrait in Smoke/The Longest Second
Bill S. Ballinger
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520489, $19.95, PB, 270pp, www.amazon.com
Bill S. Ballinger (13 March 1912 - 23 March 1980) was an American author and screenwriter. He
was also an Associate Professor of Writing at the California State University at Northridge, Los
Angeles, California. During his lifetime he wrote more than 150 teleplays, 81 radio scripts, and
some 30 books. Two of his mysteries have now been brought back into print under one cover as
part of the Stark House Press 'Mystery Classics' series. Danny April is obsessed in "Portrait in
Smoke". He buys out a little collection agency in Chicago, and that is how he first meets Krassy.
He'd never seen anyone so beautiful. She was Krassy Almauniski then, when he first runs across
her picture in his files. She's gone through several identities since then. As Danny tries to track
her down, each new name presents him with a portrait of a woman on the move. Krassy is
climbing up the social ladder, one sucker at a time. There's the photographer who signs off on a
charge account for her, later arrested for larceny. And the ad executive who gets off lightly for
what she persuaded him to do. He gets to walk away with his pride. But not all the men who
Krassy meet are so lucky. But Danny knows he will be different. So he keeps looking -- until at
last he finds her. "The Longest Second" is a vividly written and simply riveting story of a man
who when he awakens and attempts to turn his head suddenly realizes that his throat had been cut
and is afflicted with amnesia. When his fingerprints are checked, he finds out that his name is
Victor Pacific. He has no memories of who he is, what he is, or why someone tried to kill him.
He remembers the name Horstman. But he has no idea of how to find him. All he can do is to
begin a search for the clues to his former life. Then he meets Bianca but will she be able to help
him before they strike again? Two terrifically entertaining reads showcases the lat's Bill
Ballinger's talents as a writer, "Portrait in Smoke/The Longest Second" are truly 'Time Lost
Classics' that will prove to be immediate and enduringly popular additions to both the personal
reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs and community library Mystery/Suspense
collections.
Wayward Girl/The Widow
Orrie Hitt
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520625, $19.95, PB, 242pp, www.amazon.com
Orrie Hitt (October 27, 1916 - December 8, 1975) wrote approximately 150 books over a period
of about 14 years -- all while sitting at his kitchen table. Long out of print, Stark House Press has
brought back two of his stories under one cover as part of the 'Noir Classics' series. "Wayward
Girl" is the story of Sandy Greening who loses her virginity at fourteen to a drunken neighbor.
Her mother doesn't care. She's drunk herself oblivious all the time on cheap wine. So Sandy starts
running with a gang, The Blue Devils, and that is where she first turns on to marijuana, and not
long after, heroin. That's also when she starts to sell herself to anyone with the bucks to pay for
her highs. But the night Tommy asks her to hold his knife before they rumble with The Black
Cats is the night that changes Sandy's life forever. A kid gets killed, and the cops put the finger
on Sandy for information. And when she won't give it up the easy way, they set her up and go
after it the hard way, all the way to reform school. And that's where Sandy starts to learn the real
lessons of life. "The Widow" is about Jerry Rebner, a man who starts working for Mrs. Sprague
as her cook at the Dells, and he figures he knows what he wants -- Linda. She's a girl who has
everything Jerry likes in a woman, and more. But Linda is married to Frank, Mrs. Sprague's
shiftless hot rodding son, who widows her when he plows into a tree one drunken evening. Then
Jerry meets sweet, virginal Norma, who used to pose as a nude model! Torn between the two
women, and by the memory of his first wife, Jerry begins to drink. Then Linda comes to him with
a plan Mrs. Sprague's property is worth $50,000 to a development company, but she won't sell.
Linda is all she has left, her sole heir. And those steps leading down to a hazardous path of
destruction. Time lost classics that showcase the late Orrie Hitt's undeniable talent as a writer,
"Wayward Girl/The Widow" is very highly recommended for both personal reading lists and
community library collections.
Hostage for a Hood/The Merriweather File
Lionel White
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520373, $19.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
The late Lionel White (9 July 1905 - 26 December 1985) was an American journalist and crime
novelist, several of whose dark noir mystery stories were made into successful Hollywood
movies. Now two of his best are brought back into print by Stark House Press for the benefit of a
new generation of mystery buffs. "Hostage for a Hood" is the story of a hood named Cribbins
who has a heist planned down to the last detail. He and Santino are driving one of the cars, on
their way to hold up an armored car to remove its quarter of a million dollars. The only thing
Cribbins doesn't plan on is being run into by Joyce Sherwood's Chevy. All they can do after that
is quickly take over Joyce's car, including Joyce and her dog, and finish the job. When her
husband Brad comes home and finds no Joyce and no dog, he knows something is wrong. He
calls the police, but they only put him off, assuming that a missing wife could have run off with
somebody. Brad knows different. But can he find her before the cops put so much effort into
solving the armored car hold that they lose sight of the missing wife who is now part of the same
crime before Cribbins decides he doesn't need a hostage anymore -- before Santino finally flips
out and starts to use his knife? In "The Merriweather File" Ann Merriweather thinks someone is
trying to kill her. She shares her fears with an old friend of the family, her lawyer friend Howard
Yates, but though he believes her, there is nothing he can do. Then Ann's husband, Charles, is
found by the cops with a flat tire by the side of the road and a murdered body in his trunk. The
man had been shot. Charles is held for questioning, then arrested, and Howard agrees to take the
case. But nothing is as it seems. The police quickly determine that the murder occurred at the
Merriweather's house. But Charles has an alibi. He was gone from the house all night. And Ann
was asleep under the heavy influence of some sleeping pills. But someone killed the man in the
trunk, and the more Howard discovers about the case, the less inclined he is to assume the
innocence of his client Two terrifically entertaining crime stories by a master of the genre, Lionel
White's "Hostage for a Hood/The Merriweather File" is an especially recommended addition to
personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Trusted Like the Fox
Wesley Burrowes
Somerville Press
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, 124 Byers Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
9780995523975, $26.00, PB, 232pp, www.amazon.com
"Trusted Like the Fox" by Wesley Burrowes is the suspenseful tale of Bill Burgess, a Dublin
television journalist who, in the midst of the political violence raging throughout Northern
Ireland, decides to take a trip back to his hometown in County Antrim. The town outwardly
remains much as he remembers it, but there are some unsettling surprises in store from his once
childhood companions. He is baffled by their attitude towards him, but then the grim truth begins
to reveal itself. A deftly crafted novel that, while a work of political fiction, reveals genuine
insight into the yesteryear of Ulster Loyalism and the attitudes that drove the extremism of the
time. A simply riveting read by a master of narrative driven storytelling, Wesley Burrowes'
"Trusted Like the Fox" is an especially recommended addition to personal reading lists and
community library general fiction collections.
Baby Blue
Pol Koutsakis, author
Anne-Marie Stanton-Ife, translator
Bitter Lemon Press
www.bitterlemonpress.com
9781908524911, $14.95, PB, 284pp, www.amazon.com
"Baby Blue" is a novel by Pol Koutsakis is the story the blue-eyed orphan Emma, a beautiful
teenage girl with a talent for card tricks of exceptional sophistication - all the more impressive
for her tender years and the blindness that has afflicted her since the age of eight. Emma and her
adoptive father, a former investigative journalist, roam the streets of Athens together, earning
enough to keep body and soul together by performing Chaplinesque sketches. When the
ex-journalist is brutally murdered, Angelino, a well-connected Athenian underworld figure, takes
the girl under his wing and retains the services of Stratos to find her father's killers. Meanwhile,
Costas Dragas, a top homicide cop and Gazis's best friend, has taken on the investigation of a
spate of murders of pedophiles, and as usual, has gone to war with the media. It slowly emerges
that their cases intersect and that corporate interests, more powerful than they could ever have
imagined, lie behind the murders they both need to solve. Through a combination of experience
and the ability to read the ailing city, its residents and its streets with consummate skill, the case
is solved, but not without some subliminal tutoring from a great classic of the cinema. Deftly
translated into English by AnneMarie Stanton-Ife, "Baby Blue" is an exceptionally well written
and thoroughly engaging novel from beginning to end. While very highly recommended for
community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Baby Blue" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.95).
Shot in the Dark
Cleo Coyle
Berkley Prime Crime
9780451488848 $27.00 www.penguin.com
Shot in the Dark is a new Coffeehouse Mystery that involves coffee shop manager Clare in a new
problem that's brewing at the shop due to a new dating app. Clare's patrons are interested in more
than coffee, because romance is in the air and her Village Blend has been named the hot spot to
meet a date in New York City. When murder involves a customer, Clare is convinced of her
innocence but must view the rest of her patrons as possible suspects in the process of clearing the
woman's name. A lively survey follows, well steeped in coffee lore and New York City
culture.
The Gaming Shelf
Hand of the Week
Joel Martineau
Master Point Press
www.masterpointpress.com
9781771400428, $19.95, PB, 221pp, www.amazon.com
Joel Martineau was a finalist in the 2017 Canadian National Teams Championships. Since
retiring from teaching literature at the University of British Columbia, he has spent a lot of his
time teaching bridge. "Hand of the Week" is his first book. One of the best ways to improve a
player's bridge performance is to watch an expert play, and to try to understand the reasoning
behind their bids and plays. In "Hand of the Week", readers follow the bidding and play (or
defense) of fifty-two hands one a week for a year and listen to the Martineau's thinking as each
hand develops. Understanding why the experts do what they do is the first step towards
recreational players being able to do it themselves -- at least some of the time! Thoroughly 'user
friendly' in organization and presentation, "Hand of the Week" is an especially and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal and community library Bridge instructional reference
collections.
The Christian Studies Shelf
The Popular Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy
Tim LaHaye & Ed Hindson, editors
Harvest House Publishers
2975 Chad Drive, Eugene, Oregon 97408
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
9780736913522, $26.99, HC, 432pp, www.amazon.com
More than one fourth of the Bible was prophetic in nature at the time it was written. And Christ's
second coming is mentioned more than 300 times in Scripture. Clearly, God wants us to
understand the last days and what better way to do so than with "The Popular Encyclopedia of
Bible Prophecy", a trustworthy and easy-to-use encyclopedic guide to Bible prophecy, which
provides...a comprehensive overview of prophecy related terms helpful illustrations that provide
graphic pictures and timetables of the end times informative surveys of all the major prophetic
viewpoints concise explanations that answer tough questions about Bible prophecy. No personal,
seminary, church, or academic library Christian Studies library collection is complete without
this impressively informative and thoroughly 'user friendly' resource with over 400 pages filled
with thousands of facts about Christ's return within the context of the end times. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "The Popular Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy" by the
editorial team of renowned prophecy scholar, minister, and educator Tim LaHaye and Ed
Hindson (who is Dean of the School of Divinity and Distinguished Professor of Religion at
Liberty University in Virginia) is also available in a paperback edition (9780736973854, $19.99)
and in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.26).
The Essential Jonathan Edwards
Owen Strachan & Doughtas A. Sweeney
Moody Publishers
820 N. LaSalle Blvd., Chicago, IL 60610
www.moodypublishers.com
9780802418210, $22.99, PB, 448pp, www.amazon.com
Jonathan Edwards (October 5, 1703 - March 22, 1758) was an American revivalist preacher,
philosopher, and Congregationalist Protestant theologian. Some 250 years later, Jonathan
Edwards, America's consummate pastor-theologian, continues to capture the attention of
Christians around the world. Yet Edwards left us over 1,200 sermons and thousands of pages of
other publications, not to mention the literal thousands of books that have been written about
Edwards since he died. Where does one even begin? That's why Owen Strachan (Associate
Professor of Christian Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) and Douglas A.
Sweeney (Professor of Church History and the History of Christian Thought and Director of the
Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School)
have collaborated in "The Essential Jonathan Edwards: An Introduction to the Life and Teaching
of America's Greatest Theologian" to provide a perfect introduction to Edwards's life and
thought. "The Essential Jonathan Edwards" deftly explores Edwards day-to-day life, and his
views on beauty, true Christianity, heaven and hell, and the good life. "The Essential Jonathan
Edwards" strikes the perfect balance between necessary background information and giving
Edwards's own works room to speak. While very highly recommended for personal, seminary,
church, and academic library Christian Studies collections in general, and Jonathan Edwards
supplemental studies lists in particular, it should be noted that "The Essential Jonathan Edwards"
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Catholic and Christian
Alan Schreck
Servant
c/o Franciscan Media
9780867165999, $16.99, PB, 242pp, www.amazon.com
"Catholic and Christian: An Explanation of Commonly Misunderstood Catholic Beliefs" was
written by Alan Schreck (Professor of Theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville in
Ohio) specifically for members of the Roman Catholic community needing to explain some
aspect of Catholic belief. "Catholic and Christian" addresses such issues as: Do you really think
the pope is infallible? Why do Catholics pray to Mary? Where do sacraments come from? What
do you think of the Bible? Are you saved? "Catholic and Christian" will also prove to be relevant
and useful for Catholics who are asking themselves such questions as: Where do Catholic beliefs
come from? Why do we pray for the dead? How does the rosary fit into a biblical faith? A
thoroughly readable and concise summary of commonly misunderstood Catholic beliefs,
"Catholic and Christian" deftly addresses the teachings and practices that don't get much
attention in Sunday homilies and in religious education, but which puzzle Catholics and
non-Catholics alike. Simply stated, "Catholic and Christian" is unreservedly recommended for all
Catholics who want to know more about their faith and be able to explain their faith to
non-Catholics.
Human Sexuality in Biblical Perspective
Carrie A. Mast & Gerald J. Mast
Cascadia Publishing House
www.cascadiapublishinghouse.com
9781680270068, $12.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
Collaborative compiled and co-edited by members of First Mennonite Church in Bluffton, Carrie
A. Mast (who assists with the administration of graduate programs in business at Bluffton
University and serves on the board of directors of Central District Conference) and Gerald J.
Mast (who teaches communication at Bluffton University and is the author of numerous books
and articles including Go to Church, Change the World: Christian Community as Calling)
"Human Sexuality in Biblical Perspective" is a study guide that is based on a document prepared
by the Human Sexuality Task Group of Central District Conference of Mennonite Church USA.
An informative, thoughtful, and thought-provoking read from cover to cover, "Human Sexuality
in Biblical Perspective" is extraordinarily well written, organized and presented. While very
highly recommended for church and seminary Christian Studies collections, it should be noted
for personal reading lists that "Human Sexuality in Biblical Perspective" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).
The Joy Stealers
Rob Renfroe
Abingdon Press
2222 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., PO Box 280988, Nashville, TN 37228-0988
9781501857997, $14.99, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Marriage problems, painful relationships, disobedient children, health concerns, financial
struggles, or just the daily stresses and strains of life can steal away our joy of living. However,
regardless of our circumstances, in Christ we have everything we need for joy including the
forgiveness of our sins, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, a purpose worth living for, and the
assurance of eternity with God. But whether we actually live with joy or allow something to take
it from us is a choice each of us makes every day. Living with joy is a decision we make again
and again as we're continually faced with joy stealers such as worry, bitterness, guilt, negativity,
and busyness. In "The Joy Stealers: Overcoming Obstacles to Hope and Happiness", Rob
Renfroe (Pastor of Discipleship at The Woodlands UMC in Houston, Texas) addresses these
common joy stealers and suggests how we can overcome them by making five simple yet
transformational decisions that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, will enable us to have
overflowing joy and be a continual blessing to others. A final chapter on living with joy provides
encouragement and help for living in the fullness of God's joy each and every day. Very highly
recommended to the attention of all members of the Christian community regardless of
denominational affiliation, "The Joy Stealers" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.00). It should be noted that additional components for a six-week study include a
comprehensive Leader Guide which includes a link to downloadable video clips that can be used
as lead-ins to group discussion.
The Way Back
Phil Cooke & Jonathan Bock
Worthy Publishing
One Franklin Park, 6100 Tower Circle, Suite 210, Franklin, TN 37067
www.worthypublishing.com
9781617958618, $16.99, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com
On a dusty Judean hilltop, Jesus once kickstarted his church with a ragtag group of fishermen
who called themselves "The Way." Truth be told, the builders of Christianity were a bunch of
nobodies. They were powerless and flawed and sometimes petty. But they were committed. They
were all-in. Within a remarkably short time, The Way became the world's most influential
religious faith -- a force in culture, politics, literature, science, philanthropy, and the arts. Against
impossible odds, that group of nobodies astonished the world. Two thousand years later (and by
any measure) Christianity is retreating on all fronts. The Way has lost its way. In "The Way
Back: How Christians Blew Our Credibility and How We Get It Back", media and marketing
experts Phil Cooke and Jonathan Bock take a hard look at Christians today and reveal that we, as
a salesforce, have lost our faith in our product. Where's the passion, the excitement, and the
commitment that two thousand years ago made such improbable and staggering growth possible?
"The Way Back" will inspire and equip you to learn from that wonderful group of nobodies, so
that you too can astonish the world once more. In a time where Christian leadership (especially
Evangelical Christian leaders) have bankrupted their moral authority with their near universal
endorsement of Donald J. Trump (who is a self-proclaimed a sexual predator, a serial adulterer, a
corrupt businessman, and compulsive liar) as president of the United States, "The Way Back"
should be considered a 'must read' for all members of the Christian community who are alarmed
at how so many of today's Christians have compromised traditional Christian values and
standards in exchange for political ambitions and goals.
Introducing Jesus
Mark I. Strauss
Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530
www.zondervan.com
9780310528586, $16.99, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
To Christians worldwide, Jesus of Nazareth is the centerpiece of history, the object of faith, hope,
and worship. Even those who do not follow him admit the vast influence of his life. For anyone
interested in knowing more about Jesus, study of the four biblical Gospels is essential. An
abridged edition of the Christian studies textbook Four Portraits, "One Jesus" by Mark Strauss
(Professor of New Testament at Bethel Seminary in San Diego) is a simple, easy-to-understand
guide introduces the four biblical Gospels and their subject, the life and person of Jesus. Like
different artists rendering the same subject using different styles and points of view, the Gospels
paint four distinctive portraits of the same remarkable Jesus. With clarity and insight, Professor
Strauss addresses questions that surround the study of Jesus and the Gospels. What are the
Gospels - are they history, theology, biography? Where did they come from? What do we know
about their context? What does each Gospel uniquely teach us about Jesus? Finally, he pulls it all
together illuminating what the Gospels together teach about Jesus' ministry, message, death, and
resurrection, and how do we know we can trust their witness. Including questions at the end of
each chapter for group discussion or personal reflection, "Introducing Jesus" makes the words,
history, and context of the Gospels come alive for readers and is ideal for individual and study
groups alike. It should be noted that "Introducing Jesus" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
Interrupting Silence
Walter Brueggemann
Westminster John Knox Press
100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202-1396
www.wjkbooks.com
9780664263591, $14.00, PB, 108pp, www.amazon.com
Silence is a complex matter. It can refer to awe before unutterable holiness, but it can also refer
to the coercion where some voices are silenced in the interest of control by the dominant voices.
It is the latter silence that Walter Brueggemann (who is an ordained minister in the United
Church of Christ and the William Marcellus McPheeters Professor Emeritus of Old Testament at
Columbia Theological Seminary) explores in the pages of "Interrupting Silence: God's Command
to Speak Out" and urges all Christian to speak up in situations of injustice. "Interrupting Silence"
illustrates that the Bible is filled with stories where marginalized people break repressive silence
and speak against it. Examining how maintaining silence allows the powerful to keep control,
Professor Brueggemann motivates readers to consider situations in their lives where they need to
either interrupt silence or be part of the problem, convincing us that God is active and wanting us
to act for justice. Inspired and inspiring, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Interrupting Silence" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49).
Love Must Have a Body
T. L. Harper
Westbow Press
c/o Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.westbowpress.com
9781512797831, $28.95, HC, 110pp, www.amazon.com
Written by T. L. Harper, "Love Must Have a Body" is intended primarily for all members of the
Christian community regardless of denominational affiliation. Constructed for repeated reading
again and again, each time it is read and meditate on "Love Must Have a Body" reveals its
revelations that will pull the reader into new statures of faith. Readers will discover new
thresholds of awareness and assurance of God's Love, what Love is, and how that same Love is
reflected in daily life. Inspired and inspiring, thoughtful and thought-provoking, meditative and
insightful, "Love Must Have a Body" is very highly recommended. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Love Must Have a Body" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781512797824, $11.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
The Prayer List
Jane Knuth
Loyola Press
3441 North Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60657
www.loyolapress.com
9780829446654, $14.95, PB, 184pp, www.amazon.com
Jane Knuth (who is a longtime volunteer in the society of St. Vincent de Paul in Kalamazoo,
Michigan) has written "The Prayer List: .and Other True Stories of How Families Pray" was
written specifically for those who find themselves struggling to find the right way to integrate
prayer into their daily family life. Who are you worried their children won't practice the same
faith that has sustained their parents in times of difficulty? When Jane Knuth inherited the family
"prayer list" from her aunt, she decided to continue the tradition of praying regularly with the list
of needs and thanks for relatives and friends. But prayer fits itself to every person's (and every
family's) situation and culture. As Jane learned how to pray in her family and explored the prayer
experiences of other families, she discovered a simple truth: the best way to pray with your
family is the way that works best for a family. "The Prayer List" also shares the true stories of
how families from many faith traditions (be they Christian, non-Christian, or having no defined
faith) pray together in meaningful ways. With prompts to inspire a family's prayer after each
chapter, these stories prove that family prayer can be a path to the intimacy and closeness we
long for. It's like making God a member of the family. While very highly recommended for all
members of the Christian community regardless of denominational affiliation, it should be noted
that "The Prayer List" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Every Christian's Call
Kevin Almond
Westbow Press
c/o Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.westbowpress.com
9781512798173, $35.95, HC, 274pp, www.amazon.com
With the increasing turmoil in the world today it's no wonder so many in the diverse Christian
community are talking about unity. In "Every Christian's Call: Discover the Key to Fulfilling
Your Destiny", by evangelist Christian Kevin Almond brings together the two hottest topics in
Christianity today; Unity and Purpose. Not only is unity a crucial issue for the Church today but
it also directly ties into God's unique purpose for each individual Christian. "Every Christian's
Call" directly and scripturally addresses questions like: What are the biblical principles that
reveal the path to fulfilling my destiny?; What is the primary Key to the Church becoming one as
Jesus prayed?; How does this Key determine the success of every relationship I'll ever be
involved in?; How does answering Christ's Call to Unity ensure that I will fulfill my God-given
purpose and destiny? "Every Christian's Call" reveals from a biblical perspective how the
principles of unity are identical to God's plan for our lives. Inspired and inspiring, "Every
Christian's Call" is an exceptional and highly recommended read for all members of the Christian
community regardless of denominational affiliations. It should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Every Christian's Call" is also available in a paperback edition (978-1512798166, $19.60)
and in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Winning the Worry Battle
Barb Roose
Abingdon Press
2222 Rosa L. Parks Blvd.
PO Box 280988, Nashville, TN 37228-0988
www.abingdonpress.com
9781501857843, $16.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Many Christians do not have a full understanding of what it means to fight the good fight of
faith. They try to live by faith but in the face of everyday trials and failures, they find themselves
disillusioned and discouraged, wondering if they have done something wrong or if living by faith
only works for others. The problem for most is simply a lack of understanding regarding what
faith is and how it works. "Winning the Worry Battle: Life Lessons from the Book of Joshua" by
Barb Roose is inspired by the Book of Joshua, reviews three tools a person can develop to Fight
In Faith: 1) embracing God's promises, 2) courage and commitment under pressure and 3)
practicing radical obedience while waiting for God to deliver your victory. Just as God gave His
people victory over their enemies when they fought in faith, He promises to do the same for us.
Following the footprints of bold, courageous faith that God gave His people, we will be equipped
with tools to bravely fight in faith and overcome both our daily struggles and the bigger battles
we all face. Through examples of how God gave the Israelites victory over their enemies and
generously blessed them, too, we'll be victorious in our fight of faith so that we not only radically
transform our own lives but unequivocally impact society. Inspired and inspiring, "Winning the
Worry Battle" is highly recommended reading for all members of the Christian community. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Winning the Worry Battle" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Just Business
Alec Hill
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830851980, $26.00, PB, 300pp, www.amazon.com
When the daily business news breaks away from stories of profit and loss, it often shines a
spotlight on ethical failures. But Christians aim to be ethical in all the areas of daily life and
work-not just when the spotlight is on them. For those facing the many questions and quandaries
of doing business with ethical integrity, Alec Hill offers a place to begin with this newly revised
third edition of "Just Business: Christian Ethics for the Marketplace". Hill carefully explores the
foundational Christian concepts of holiness, justice, and love. These keys to God's character, he
argues, are also the keys to Christian business ethics. Hill then shows how some common
responses to business ethics fall short of a fully Christian mindset. Using penetrating case studies
on such pressing topics as employer-employee relations, discrimination and affirmative action,
and environmental damage, he clothes principles in concrete business situations. Updated
throughout, and with a new chapter on international business, this new edition of D"Just
Business" is deftly written introduction to business ethics for students, and a timely refresher for
Christian men and women already in the marketplace. Inspired and inspiring, "Just Business" is
especially recommended reading by all members of the Christian community regardless of
denominational affiliations.
Parents Rising
Arlene Pellicane
Moody Publishers
820 N. LaSalle Blvd., Chicago, IL 60610
www.moodypublishers.com
9780802416605, $14.99, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
"Parents Rising: 8 Strategies for Raising Kids Who Love God, Respect Authority, and Value
What's Right" was written by Arlene Pellicane specifically for those parents who you feel like
they are fighting a losing battle in raising their children against the pernicious influence of the
broader secular culture. "Parents Rising" will show parents eight cultural trends that they are up
against today and what they can do to help their children resist them. "Parents Rising" is about
growth and not about guilt. It's not a pep talk, or a "try harder" speech. "Parents Rising" offers
'real world' help for the 'real world' problems that every parent faces. "Parents Rising" offers a
way to successfully focus their efforts so that they'll be more effective and they'll be less
exhausted! While very highly recommended, especially for community library Parenting
instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Parents
Rising" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and
unabridged audio book (Christian Audio, 9781545907719, $19.98, CD).
The Judaic Studies Shelf
Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik on Pesach, Sefirat ha-Omer and Shavu'ot
David Shapiro
Urim Publications
c/o KTAV Publishing House
527 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York 11225
www.UrimPublications.com
9789657108642, $26.95, HC, 287pp, www.amazon.com
Joseph Ber Soloveitchik (February 27, 1903 - April 9, 1993) was a major American Orthodox
rabbi, Talmudist, and modern Jewish philosopher. He was a scion of the Lithuanian Jewish
Soloveitchik rabbinic dynasty. As a Rosh Yeshiva of Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological
Seminary at Yeshiva University in New York City, The Rov (variantly spelled The Rav), as he
came to be known, ordained close to 2,000 rabbis over the course of almost half a century. Rabbi
Soloveitchik served as an advisor, guide, mentor, and role-model for tens of thousands of Jews,
both as a Talmudic scholar and as a religious leader. He is regarded as a seminal figure by
Modern Orthodox Judaism. With a number of Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik's in-depth studies
dealing with Passover, the Counting of the Omer, and Shavuot, "Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik on
Pesach, Sefirat ha-Omer and Shavu'ot" is collection is a valuable introduction to the thought of
one of the 20th century's leading Orthodox Judaic philosophers compiled for contemporary
readers by Rabbi David Shapiro -- who was the Principal of Maimonides School in Brookline,
Massachusetts and a student of Rabbi Soloveitchik for many years. A valued and unreservedly
contribution to personal, synagogue, community, and academic library Judaic Studies collections,
"Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik on Pesach, Sefirat ha-Omer and Shavu'ot" is especially and
unreservedly recommended.
Values and Ethics: Torah Topics for Today
Fred Claar & Joyce Claar
Behrman House Inc.
241 Millburn Avenue, Millburn, NJ 07041
www.behrmanhouse.com
9780874419764, $18.95, PB, 184pp, www.amazon.com
Whether seeking to create meaningful conversations about Jewish values and ethics at home or in
a class or group setting, or beginning a new practice of personal growth and deepen your
connection to Jewish wisdom and tradition, "Values and Ethics: Torah Topics for Today" will
guide you through a full year of weekly Torah portions, exploring timeless values lessons that
speak to us today. Each of the 54 sections (one for each Torah portion) includes a compelling
overview of the values called out in the portion, thoughtful discussion questions, and a wide
variety of activity ideas. Special features include: 153 discussion pages (2-3 for each of the 54
Torah portions; creative, varied activities to appeal to a wide range of readers, from preteens to
adults; engaging content and format, suitable for individuals, pairs, and classes, at home and in
school, adult education or tutoring settings; subject index to browse by topic, including anger,
compassion, courage, gratitude, justice, leadership, and responsibility. Collaborative created and
co-edited by the team of Fred Claar (who is a member of a Commission on Jewish Identity and
Renewal task force of UJA) and Joyce Claar (a member of the Executive Committee and Board
of Directors of the Westchester Jewish Council), "Values and Ethics: Torah Topics for Today" is
an ideal instructional reference and study guide that is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization
and presentation.
The Buddhist Studies Shelf
Responsible Living
Ron Epstein
Buddhist Text Translation Society
4951 Bodhi Way, Ukiah, CA 95482
www.buddhisttexts.org
9781601030993, $12.00, PB, 196pp, www.amazon.com
Dr. Ron Epstein is a retired lecturer in the philosophy department at San Francisco State
University and a founding member of Dharma Realm Buddhist University. In "Responsible
Living: Explorations in Applied Buddhist Ethics Animals, Environment, GMOs, Digital Media"
he examines such questions as: Does genetic engineering have the potential to be as dangerous a
nuclear holocaust? Will playing games online lead to brain shrinkage? These and other
environmental and moral dilemmas of the modern world are discussed in "Responsible Living"
which is comprised of a collection of essays using Buddhist texts and academic resources to
analyze problems in today's world. The topics covered include pollution, animal cruelty,
genetically modified foods, and our addictions to digital and social media. "Responsible Living"
describes how outer environmental and social problems mirror humanity's inner struggle with
selfishness, greed, and desire. By connecting Buddhist concepts such as compassion, causation,
and moral precepts to these issues, this informative and thought-provoking collection of essays
provides guidance to for ethical conduct in today's world. "Responsible Living" is unreservedly
recommended for personal, community, and academic library Buddhist Studies collections and
reading lists.
The Art Shelf
Jeffrey Gibson: Like A Hammer
John P. Lukavic, et al.
Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, New York, NY 10003
www.prestel.com
9783791357331, $39.95, HC, 144pp, www.amazon.com
A citizen of the Mississippi Choctaw Nation and part Cherokee, Jeffrey Gibson (born March 31,
1972) spent time in Germany, England, and Korea in his youth. This mix of cultures informs
much of his art work, which combines elements from historical and contemporary Native arts
and traditions, such as powwow regalia and the use of animal skins, with those from the artistic
traditions of Modernism, Geometric Abstraction, and Minimalism. As a gay Native artist, Gibson
explores in his work issues of oppression and civil rights in America, as well as universal ideas
of love, community, strength, vulnerability, and survival. "Jeffrey Gibson: Like A Hammer" is a
magnificent volume focuses on and showcasing nearly 60 of his works completed in the last
decade, including culturally adorned punching bags, three-dimensional figurative works,
text-based wall hangings, painted works on rawhide and canvas, and light and video works.
Informative and featuring flawlessly reproduced artwork, "Jeffrey Gibson: Like A Hammer" is an
extraordinary and very highly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and
academic library Contemporary American Art & Art History collections.
Otobong Nkanga
Omar Kholeif, author
Teju Cole, contributor
Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, New York, NY 10003
www.prestel.com
9783791358000, $24.95, HC, 112pp, www.amazon.com
Otobong Nkanga (born 1974) is a Nigerian-born visual artist and performance artist, based in
Antwerp. In 2015 she won the Yanghyun Prize. Published in association with the Museum of
Contemporary Art Chicago, this Prestel Publishing edition of "Otobong Nkanga: To Dig a Hole
that Collapses Again" by Omar Kholeif (Manilow Senior Curator and Director of Global
Initiatives at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago) imaginatively captures the fraught
relationships between people and their environments. "Otobong Nkanga" superbly illuminates
the social, political, and economic histories (and legacies) of colonialism. A profusely and
beautifully illustrated volume, "Otobong Nkanga" focuses on the artist's drawings and is
published in conjunction with Nkanga's first US survey, showcasing the artist's compelling and
thought-provoking oeuvre. An accompanying essay by curator Kholeif reveals the rich
background of Nkanga's varied subjects, including the historic realities of Nigeria, memories of
her childhood, and the creation of covert global economies that emerge from the trade of natural
resources. In a narrative piece contributed by author, photographer, and critic Teju Cole offers a
poignant counterpart to Nkanga's work as he reflects on his experiences growing up in Nigeria.
Of special note is that interspersed throughout the monograph are newly written poems by the
artist. An inherently fascinating study, "Otobong Nkanga" is unreservedly recommended for
personal, professional, community, and academic library Contemporary Art collections in
general, and Otobong Nkanga supplemental studies reading lists in particular.
The Chiaroscuro Woodcut in Renaissance Italy
Naoko Takahatake, editor
Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, New York, NY 10003
www.prestel.com
9783791357393, $60.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Chiaroscuro (Italian for light-dark) is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually
bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art
historians for the use of contrasts of light to achieve a sense of volume in modeling
three-dimensional objects and figures. Chiaroscuro woodcuts are among the most immediately
appealing of all historic prints, displaying exquisite invention, refined draftsmanship, technical
virtuosity, and sumptuous color. Printing two or more woodblocks inked in different tones to
create an image, the chiaroscuro woodcut was the earliest, most successful foray into color
printing in Europe. Following its invention in Germany, the technique was first adopted around
1516 in Italy where it flourished through the sixteenth century. This novel art form engaged the
interests of the most celebrated artists of the Renaissance, including Titian, Raphael,
Parmigianino, and Beccafumi, and underwent sophisticated developments in the hands of such
master printmakers as Ugo da Carpi, Antonio da Trento, Niccolo Vicentino, and Andrea
Andreani. Featuring more than 100 prints and related drawings, "The Chiaroscuro Woodcut in
Renaissance Italy" compiled and edited by Naoko Takahatake (Associate Curator at the Los
Angeles County Museum of Art.) incorporates pioneering art historical research and scientific
analysis to present a comprehensive study of the subject. Essays from learned contributors trace
its creative origins and evolution, describing both materials and means of production. Brimming
with full-color illustrations of rare and beautiful works, "The Chiaroscuro Woodcut in
Renaissance Italy" offers a fresh and informative interpretations of these remarkable prints,
which exemplify the rich imagery of the Italian Renaissance -- making it a critically important
and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university
library Art History collections in general, and Chiaroscurio Woodcut supplemental studies lists in
particular.
Your Art Will Save Your Life
Beth Pickens
The Feminist Press
365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016
www.feministpress.org
9781936932290, $14.95, PB, 136pp, www.amazon.com
Beth Pickens is a Los Angeles-based consultant for artists and arts organizations. She provides
career consultation, grant writing, fundraising, and financial, project, and strategic planning
services for clients across the US. Her career had its origins when, as a teenager visiting the Andy
Warhol Museum, she realized the importance of making art. Then as an adult, she has dedicated
her life to empowering working artists. Intimate yet practical, "Your Art Will Save Your Life"
was specifically written to help and enable artists build a sustainable practice while navigating
the world of MFAs, residencies, and institutional funding. A deftly written, expertly organized,
accessibly presented, 'real world practical', "Your Art Will Save Your Life" is an impressive
instructional reference and guide that should be considered an essential 'must read' for anyone
involved in the arts who seeks to make a financially sustained career out of their work. It should
be noted for personal reading lists that "Your Art Will Save Your Life" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $8.98).
Georgia O'Keeffe: Visions of Hawai'i
Theresa Papanikolas & Joanna L. Groarke
Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, New York, NY 10003
www.prestel.com
9783791357270, $34.95, HC, 144pp, www.amazon.com
In 1939, the late Georgia O'Keeffe (November 15, 1887 - March 6, 1986) was among the most
famous artists in the United States when she accepted a commission from the Hawaiian
Pineapple Company to produce two paintings for advertising campaigns. Her nine-week trip to
Hawai'i resulted in more than 20 paintings, which reveal that O'Keeffe (who is most commonly
associated with the stark deserts of New Mexico) was profoundly inspired by what she saw and
experienced on the lush, tropical Hawaiian Islands. The exhibition Georgia O'Keeffe: Visions of
Hawai'i, and this accompanying volume edited by the team of Theresa Papanikolas (Deputy
Director of Art and Programs and Curator of European and American Art at the Honolulu
Museum of Art) and Joanna L. Groarke (Director of Public Engagement and Library Exhibitions
Curator at The New York Botanical Garden), explores this little-known chapter in the artist's
career. Glowing with color, these paintings demonstrate O'Keeffe's unique ability to make any
place her own. "Georgia O'Keeffe: Visions of Hawai'i" is a truly landmark volume offering a
unique perspective by foregrounding the ecological complexity that is hidden behind O'Keeffe's
depictions of Hawai'i-one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth. Published in
association with The New York Botanical Garden. With informed and informative contributions
by Brian M. Boom, DeSoto Brown, Otto Degener and Isa Degener, Samuel M. 'Ohukani'ohi'a
Gon III, and Alicia Inez Guzm n, "Georgia O'Keeffe: Visions of Hawai'i" is especially and
unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library American Art History
collections in general, and Georgia O'Keeffe supplemental studies reading lists in particular.
3D Character Development Workshop
Erik Van Horn
Mercury Learning
9781683921707 $54.95 www.merclearning.com
3D Character Development Workshop: Rigging Fundamentals for Artists and Animators covers
the basics of the tools, methods and ideas of character rigging and provides animators with an
in-depth survey of best practices to help speed up the process of creating characters. The book
includes a Maya file disc of movies and sources of images from the book, while the book packs
in color images, screenshots, downloadable examples, and color images supporting concepts of
setups, texturing, and different rigging processes. No animation collection should be without this
clear survey of the process, which offers a workbook perfect for classroom study or
self-instruction alike.
The Cookbook Shelf
The Bourbon Country Cookbook
David Danielson & Tim Laird
Surrey Books
c/o Agate Publishing
1328 Greenleaf Street, Evanston, IL 60202
www.agatepublishing.com
9781572842489, $29.95, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Bourbon whiskey is a type of American whiskey in the form of a barrel-aged distilled spirit made
primarily from corn. Bourbon has come a long way since it was first distilled in the late 1700s,.
It's use in southern cuisine has similarly. "The Bourbon Country Cookbook: New Southern
Entertaining: 95 Recipes and More from a Modern Kentucky Kitchen" by the team of Tim Laird
(who is an authority on wines and spirits with more than thirty years of experience in the
hospitality industry) and David Danielson (who is the executive chef at Churchill Downs, the
home of the Kentucky Derby) showcases great southern food and drink with the illustrated
presentation of 90 accessible recipes designed to help kitchen cooks achieve the ease and
elegance of Bourbon Country when entertaining in their own home. Arranged by the kind of
traditional fare found on a Kentucky table (pickles, vegetables, ancient grains, bounties from the
barnyard, bourbon cocktails, and more) these extraordinary recipes pay homage to the rituals and
victuals of southern yesteryear while embracing the new southern palate and the flavors of
modern Kentucky bourbon. Featuring recipes ranging from Beet and Strawberry Salad with
Arugula and Poppy Seed Dressing; Deviled Eggs with Country Ham; and Rosemary Sour Cream
Biscuits; to Poached Salmon with Cucumber Scales; Bourbon Mustard Glazed Beef Short Ribs;
and Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie, "The Bourbon Country Cookbook" is an extraordinary and
highly recommended addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.
It should be noted that "The Bourbon Country Cookbook" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $26.02).
The Latin Table
Isabel Cruz
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781510728660, $22.99, HC, 176pp, www.amazon.com
For more than two decades, customers have lined up outside the doors of west coast chef Isabel
Cruz's three popular restaurants. Cruz, who is known for her innovative and healthy twist on
traditional Latin fare, balances her ingredients to cook the delicious food that she, her family, and
her restaurant patrons love. Now drawing upon her impressive culinary skills, "The Latin Table:
Easy, Flavorful Recipes from Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Beyond" is full of her simple,
easy-to-make, signature recipes with the Latin flavors that anyone can produce in their own
kitchen. With recipes ranging from Corn and Avocado Chopped Salad; Crispy Tofu Tacos with
Ginger Sambal, Avocado, and Pickled Onions; Chicken Lettuce Wraps; and Hibiscus Syrup; to
Mango Iced Tea; Three Piggies Tacos; and Char-Grilled Rack of Lamb with Cinnamon and
Cumin, "The Latin Table showcases recipes that creatively blend Latin and Asian cuisine for
flavorful and health-conscious meals. Ideal for planning menus for truly memorable dining
occasions, "The Latin Table" is profusely illustrated with the full color photography of Jaime
Fritsch and will prove to be an especially welcome and enduringly popular addition to personal,
family, professional, and community library cook book collections. It should be noted that "The
Latin Table" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.76).
The China Study Cookbook, revised edition
LeAnne Campbell
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, Suite 400, Dallas, TX 75204
www.benbellabooks.com
9781944648954, $24.95, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Now in a newly revised and expanded edition, all of LeAnne's recipes comprising "The China
Study Cookbook" follow three important principles: optimal nutrition is based on eating foods,
not taking supplements; the closer foods are to their native states, the greater their long-term
health benefits; and choosing locally grown organic produce whenever possible maximizes
nutritional value. Filled from cover to cover with helpful tips on substitutions and keeping foods
nutrient-rich, "The China Study Cookbook" shows how to transform the health of the entire
family, while contributing to the health of the community and the world -- all while enjoying
incredible, delicious meals with dishes that range from Breakfast Home-Fry Hash; to No-Bake
Peanut Butter Bars; and Green Banana Cassava Soup; to Fabulous Sweet Potato Enchiladas;
Chipotle Quinoa Salad; and Spinach Mushroom Eggplant Rolls. Especially recommended for
personal, family, and community library cookbook collections, it should be noted that "The
China Study Cookbook" is a beautifully and profusely illustrated culinary volume which is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.49).
Our Newlywed Kitchen
Laura Schupp
Focus on the Family
c/o Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781589979451, $34.99, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
With space for insert recipes, prayers, Scripture, and memories, "Our Newlywed Kitchen: The
Art of Cooking, Gathering, and Creating Traditions" by Laura Schupp (who has collected
inspirations and helped a myriad of brides establish an inviting space of their own) offers
Christians a unique wedding, memorable, useful gift for brides. "Our Newlywed Kitchen" also
includes practical how-to information for wedding registry, kitchen organization, meal
preparations, party planning, grocery shopping, and more. Beautifully and profusely illustrated
throughout, "Our Newlywed Kitchen" is gift will be immediately treasured by a new bride to
begin a cookbook collection of there own!
Baking with Candy
Jenny Warsen
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781510730182, $14.99, HC, 112pp, www.amazon.com
There is so much more to baking with candy than using chocolate chips to make your cookies!
Add little candy in the batter or dough and who resist such delicacies as chocolate balls with
nutella, mousse cheesecake, candy panna cotta, a marshmallow tart, or candy ice cream with tutti
frutti taste? For those wanting to treat their family and friends to something extra delicious for
afternoon tea that both the adults and children will love, "Baking with Candy" is filled with
beautiful full-color photographs throughout showcasing forty-five quick and easy-to-make
recipes ranging from Chewy Chocolate Bar Cookies with Candy; Chocolate Macarrons with
Caramel and Peanuts; Gooey Cake with Salmiak Licorice and Raspberries; and Brownies with
Caramel Sauce and Caramelized Popcorn; to Frozen Nutella Cake with double Chocolate
Nougat; Mousse Cheesecake with Milk Chocolate and Cloetta Center Pralines; Panna Cotta with
Kinder Egg Chocolate; and Caramel Fudge, "Baking with Candy" is a mouthwatering delight to
browse through and ideal for planning very special and memorable treats with. While very highly
recommended for personal, family, and community library cook book collections, it should be
noted that "Baking with Candy" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.49).
Rosa's Thai Cafe: The Vegetarian Cookbook
Saiphin Moore
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784724238, $24.99, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Rosa's Thai Cafe was founded by Anglo-Thai husband and wife team Alex and Saiphin Moore,
Rosa's is a Thai cafe group that has grown from a street-food stall in Brick Lane in 2008 to 10
London restaurants today. Saiphin grew up on a mountain farm in Khao Kho, Northern Thailand,
where she learned to cook with ingredients brought straight from field to wok. Finding strictly
vegetarian food in Thailand can be tricky, where fish sauce is the king of the kitchen. In "Rosa's
Thai Cafe: The Vegetarian Cookbook" Saiphin draws upon her years of experience and expertise
to provide modern kitchen cooks with a culinary wealth of exciting new recipes for dedicated
vegetarians -- and which will have immense appeal to non-vegetarians as well! Featuring
authentic dishes ranging from Yum Tua Fuk Yao (Spicy Long Bean Salad); Pad Cha Pak (Spicy
Mixed Vegetables in Tahi Herbs); Kana Pad TaoJiew (Chinese Broccoli with Yellow Soybean
Paste); and Panang Had (Mushroom Panang Curry); to Pad Thai Sen Ba Mhee (Pad Thai Egg
Noodles); Tachu Ob Woon Sen (Baked Tofu with Glass Noodles); Khao Pad Jay (Mixed
Vegetable Fried Rice); and Frik Gaeng Kua Kling (Kua Kling Curry Paste), "Rosa's Thai Cafe:
The Vegetarian Cookbook" is a beautifully illustrated and highly recommended addition to
personal, professional, family, and community library vegetarian cookbook collections. It should
be noted that "Rosa's Thai Cafe: The Vegetarian Cookbook" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $10.99).
The Korean Table
Taekyung Chung & Debra Samuels
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9780804850575, $27.99, HC, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Showcasing the depth and variety of authentic Korean cuisine, "The Korean Table: From
Barbecue to Bibimbap 100 Easy-To-Prepare Recipes" shows American cooks how to replicate
the exciting and authentic flavors of Korean cuisine at home using fresh ingredients available
from their neighborhood grocery store or farmer's market. In this Korean cooking book, the
Korean and American author team of Taekynung Chung and Debra Samuels deftly guide home
cooks through the process of making Korean meals without fuss and multiple trips to specialty
markets, or worse, expensive online shopping. Along with showing cooks how to create a
complete Korean meal from start to finish, the thoroughly kitchen cook friendly and beautifully
illustrated recipes comprising "The Korean Table range from Scallion Pancakes; Korean
Dumplings; Tofu and Clam Hot Pot; and Simmered Beef Short Ribs; to Barbecued Pork Ribs;
Fresh Tuna Sashimi and Rice Salad; Seasoned Sliced Beef; and Sesame-Soy Pudding. "The
Korean Table" will also show cooks how to add the flavors of Korea to their homestyle cuisine in
numerous quick and easy ways, including condiments, side dishes, salad dressings, sauces and
more. Ideal for beginning family cooks, "The Korean Table" is unreservedly recommended for
personal, family, and community library Ethnic Cookbook collections. It should be noted that
"The Korean Table" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Fiction Shelf
Fox
Dubravka Ugresic, author
Ellen Elias-Bursac, translator
David Williams, translator
Open Letter Books
c/o University of Rochester
Lattimore Hall 411, Box 270082, Rochester, NY 14627
www.openletterbooks.org
9781940953762, $16.95, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com
"Fox" by the Neustadt International Prize for Literature winner Dubravka Ugresic and translated
into English for an American readers ship by the team of Ellen Elias-Bursac and David Williams
is the story of literary footnotes and "minor" characters in the form of unnoticed people propelled
into timelessness through the biographies and novels of others. With Ugresic's characteristic wit,
"Fox" takes his readers from Russia to Japan, through Balkan minefields and on American road
trips, and (from the 1920s to the present), explores the power of storytelling and literary
invention, betrayal, and the randomness of human lives. An inherently fascinating, thoughtful
and thought-provoking read, "Fox" is unreservedly recommended for both community and
academic library's Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Fox" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.98).
We Met in Paris
Joan E. Howard
University of Missouri Press
113 Heinkel Bldg., 201 S. 7th Street, Columbia, MO 65211
www.umsystem.edu/upress
9780826221551, $45.00, HC, 468pp, www.amazon.com
Grace Frick introduced English-language readers all over the world to the distinguished French
author Marguerite Yourcenar with her award-winning translation of Yourcenar's novel "Memoirs
of Hadrian" in 1954. European biographies of Yourcenar have often disparaged Frick and her
relationship with Yourcenar, however. "We Met in Paris: Grace Frick and Her Life with
Marguerite Yourcenar" by Joan E. Howard (who is the director of Petite Plaisance, the former
home of Marguerite Yourcenar and Grace Frick) shows Frick as a person of substance in her own
right, and paints a portrait of both women that is at once intimate and scrupulously documented.
It contains a great deal of new information that will disrupt long-held beliefs about Yourcenar
and may even shock some of her scholars and fans. An inherently impressive work of original
and seminal scholarship, "We Met in Paris" is an especially and unreservedly recommended
addition to both community and academic library Literary Biography collections. It should be
noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with
an interest in the subject that "We Met in Paris" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$42.75).
Woodswork
Miles Wilson
University of New Mexico Press
MSC05 3185, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131-0001
www.unmpress.com
9780826359506, $24.95, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com
Miles Wilson is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Texas State University, where he founded
the MFA program. Drawn from four decades, "Woodswork: New and Selected Stories of the
American West" is a simply outstanding anthology of twenty-two original stories by Professor
Wilson which are grounded in the geographical, cultural, and psychological American West.
Ranging from realism to fables, from childhood to senescence, from a faltering rancher to the
rich and rocky road of fatherhood, "Woodswork" is filled with indelible characters keenly
rendered. While especially and unreservedly recommended for both community and academic
library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Woodswork" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Killing Days
Neil Hunter
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444834857, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Corruption is running rampant between members of government and powerful businessmen:
bribery, conspiracy, and illegal dealings. Henry Quinlan, sent by Senator Howard Beauchamp to
investigate, patiently compiled a dossier of evidence against the culprits. When he dispatched his
documentation to the senator by train, protected by two Pinkerton detectives, it was stolen en
route - and Quinlan disappeared. Now Jason Brand has been called in to track down both the
dossier and its author. But someone's determined to stop him. Another deftly crafted and riveting
action/adventure by an author who is a master of the genre, "The Killing Days" by Neil Hunter is
the newest novel featuring the life and adventures of Jason Brand. A simply compelling read
from first page to last, "The Killing Days" is unreservedly recommended for the personal reading
lists of dedicated western novel fans and will prove to be, in this large print format from the
Linford Western Library, an enduringly popular addition to community library collections.
Line of Glory
Thomas D. Clagett
Five Star Books
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432837273, $25.95, HC, 260pp, www.amazon.com
The final 13 hours at the Alamo began around 5 o'clock on the afternoon of March 5, 1836.
Colonel William Barrett Travis drew a line in the dirt and asked all those who would stay and
fight to cross it. Destinies played out that night for four people. Susannah Dickinson, a woman of
surprising gumption. Young James Taylor who came to the Alamo to free Texas from the
tyrannical rule of General Santa Anna. "Moses" Rose who refused to cross Travis's line because
he "wasn't prepared to die". Colonel Juan Morales who was ordered to assault Crockett and his
men at the south palisade, but believed attacking the fort was foolhardy. But his real disgust was
for Santa Anna, a man who allowed whims to dictate his decisions. A thoroughly entertaining
history novel by an author with a genuine knack for narrative storytelling, "Line of Glory" by
Thomas D. Clagett is an especially recommended addition to community library collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Line of Glory" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $7.99).
No One Ever Asked
Katie Ganshert
WaterBrook Press
c/o Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group
10807 New Allegiance Drive Suite 500, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com
9781683248156, $36.95, HC, 500pp, www.amazon.com
A compelling novel by Katie Ganshert, "No One Ever Asked" tells that story of what happens
when an impoverished school district loses its accreditation and the affluent community of
Crystal Ridge has no choice but to open their school doors resulting in the lives of three very
different women converging in unexpected, unintentional, unanticipated ways. Camille Gray is
the PTA member and mother of three who organized the annual 5k run. Jen Covington is a new
adoptive mother battling her disilluionment with motherhood and the challenges that come with
being a white mother raising a black daughter. Anaya Jones is the first female college graduate in
her family and new teacher at Crystal Ridge's top elementary school, unprepared for the powder-
keg situation she's stepped into. An absorbing and memorable read from first page to last, "No
One Ever Asked" is strongly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "No One Ever Asked" is also
available in a paperback edition (9781601429049, $14.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Traitor
David Hingley
Allison & Busby
c/o Casemate
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9780749021146, $25.00, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com
In February of 1665 and with winter passing, Mercia Blakewood is at last headed back to
England from America, hoping to leave behind the shadow that death and heartache have cast.
She expects a welcome from the King considering her earlier, mostly successful, mission at his
behalf, but the reception is not exactly warm. Mercia faces more manipulation and must accept a
clandestine and uncomfortable role at the heart of the royal court posing as a mistress to find a
spy and traitor. A superbly crafted, unfailingly entertaining, and thoroughly riveting read from
beginning to end, David Hingley's "Traitor" is another skillfully written historical novel by a
master of the genre. While unreservedly recommended, especially for community library
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Traitor" is also available in a
paperback edition (9780749021245, $12.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
No Place For A Woman
Val Wood
Magna Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9780750545143, $35.50, HC, Large Print, 450pp, www.amazon.com
When Lucy's parents are killed in a train crash, her kindly uncle steps in to look after the little
girl - to the initial apprehension of his wife and her son. However, Lucy's sweet, spirited charm
slowly wins over her new family, and as she overcomes the trauma of her childhood, she grows
up inspired to become a doctor, just like her father. But studying medicine in London means she
has to battle to be accepted in a man's world. With the coming of the First World War, an even
greater challenge approaches. Will Lucy be able to follow her dreams (and find love) in a world
shattered by war? Showcasing author Val Wood's genuine flair for reader engaged, expertly
entertaining, narrative storytelling as a skilled novelist, "No Place For A Woman" is unreservedly
recommended for personal reading lists and community library General Fiction and Large Print
Fiction collections.
Alternative Remedies for Loss
Joanna Cantor
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781635571714, $26.00, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
When 22-year-old Olivia learned that her mother had only months to live, she pulled up roots,
leaving Vassar and her career plans far behind to be with her mother for her last days. And yet,
just four months after her mother's death, everyone in Olivia's family already seems ready to
move on. Her brothers are settled comfortably in careers and families of their own; her father has
already started to date again, inviting a woman named June on a family trip. Still reeling from the
loss, Olivia looks for a new start of her own, throwing herself headlong into Manhattan's
fast-moving media world, where she is alternately demeaned by bosses and pursued by men. But
as Olivia tries to piece together an adulthood without her mother to guide her, she makes a
shocking discovery in the form of a secret romantic correspondence her mother had with a man
who only signed each letter "F." As she tries to untangle the mystery of F, Olivia will journey
halfway across the world, to an ashram in rural India, on a quest that will reconfigure everything
Olivia thought she knew about her family and her own place in an increasingly complex world. A
deftly crafted and inherently compelling novel by a master of narrative storytelling, "Alternative
Remedies for Loss" by Joanna Cantor is an especially recommended addition for community
library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Alternative Remedies for Loss" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$17.99).
Seasons: Once upon My Innocence
Lea Ann Vandygriff
Westbow Press
c/o Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.westbowpress.com
9781973602422, $35.95, HC, 274pp, www.amazon.com
"Seasons: Once upon My Innocence" by Lea Ann Vandygriff explores the loss of innocence
when a powerful and unprecedented storm devastates the little southern town of Rhinehart.
"Seasons" is about what happens when a teenage girl named Aubree has difficult choices to make
-- choices that will affect everyone around her. When she (and we) have to ask why does God
allows terrible things to happen to good people? How she (and we) feel about God when his
answer to a question is no? How teens like Aubree must deal with the problems of addiction,
violence and death. An exceptional, thoughtful and thought-provoking read, "Seasons" is an
especially recommended addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Seasons" is also available in a
paperback edition (9781973602415, $19.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Beneath a Prairie Moon
Kim Vogel Sawyer
WaterBrook Press
c/o Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group
10807 New Allegiance Drive Suite 500, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com
9780735290051, $14.99, PB, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Abigail Brantley grew up in affluence and knows exactly how to behave in high society. But
when she is cast from the social registers due to her father's illegal dealings, she finds herself
forced into a role she never imagined: tutoring rough Kansas ranchers in the subjects of manners
and morals so they can "marry up" with their mail-order brides. Mack Cleveland, whose father
was swindled by a mail-order bride, wants no part of the scheme to bring Eastern women to
Spiveyville, Kansas, and he's put off by the snooty airs and fastidious behavior of the "little city
gal" in their midst. But as time goes by, his heart goes out to the teacher who tries so diligently to
smooth the rough edges from the down-to-earth men. How can he teach her that perfection won't
bring happiness? Another carefully crafted and thoroughly entertaining read by a master of the
genre, "Beneath a Prairie Moon" by Kim Voegl Sawyer will prove to be an especially popular
addition to community library Romance Fiction collections. For the personal reading lists of
dedicated romance fiction fans it should be noted that "Beneath a Prairie Moon" is also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99). Librarians should be aware that there is a large print
edition of "Beneath a Prairie Moon" available as well (Thorndike Press Large Print,
9781432848378, $33.99, 583pp).
Cowboy's Redemption
B. J. Daniels
Harlequin Intrigue
c/o Harlequin Books
225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada, M3B 3K9
9781335526342, $6.75, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Eighteen months ago, Colt McCloud experienced an unforgettable night of passion. Now his
onetime lover is at his door, pleading for help to save the daughter they conceived. Lola Dayton
knows Colt is her only hope to infiltrate the kidnapper's compound and save their baby. His
military (and fatherly) instincts kick in. And Colt secretly vows that if they survive, he'll make
this threesome a forever family. Latest addition to author B. J. Daniels' simply outstanding
Montana- Cahills mini-series, "Cowboy's Redemption" is another superbly crafted and unfailing
entertaining read showcasing a genuine mastery of the genre and making it unreservedly
recommended for community library collections. In addition to this mass market paperback
edition, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Cowboy's Redemption" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.49).
Once More Into the Fire
Peter Brandvold
Five Star Books
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432842963, $25.95, HC, 353pp, www.amazon.com
Sheriff Ben Stillman finds himself in the unenviable position of having to arrest a young man for
murder on suspicious evidence. But the cards are stacked against the young firebrand who calls
himself Johnny Nevada. One, Johnny has gotten Judge Hoagland's daughter pregnant, shaming
and enraging Hoagland himself. Two, Johnny warned Dave Bliss he was going to kill him
because Bliss ordered Johnny to stay away from Bliss's daughter, Sarah, whom the young
Casanova was also sparking. Johnny made the warning public and two weeks later Bliss was
dead. Now Ben finds himself on the trail of two young thieving killers with a hard winter storm
bearing down. A riveting read by a master of the genre, Peter Brandvold's "Once More Into the
Fire" is a deftly crafted and unfailingly entertaining novel that will prove itself to be an
immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Western Fiction collections. It
should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated western novel buffs that "Once More
Into the Fire" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Feast of Sorrow
Crystal King
Touchstone Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
9781501145148, $15.95, PB, 432pp, www.amazon.com
In the twenty-sixth year of Augustus Caesar's reign, Marcus Gavius Apicius has a singular
ambition: to serve as culinary adviser to Caesar. To cement his legacy as Rome's leading epicure,
the wealthy Apicius acquires a young chef, Thrasius, for the exorbitant price of twenty thousand
denarii. Apicius believes that the talented Thrasius is the key to his culinary success, and with the
slave's help he soon becomes known for his lavish parties and sumptuous meals. For his part,
Thrasius finds a family among Apicius's household, which includes his daughter, Apicata; his
wife, Aelia; and her handmaiden Passia, with whom Thrasius falls passionately in love. But as
Apicius draws closer to his ultimate goal, his dangerous single-mindedness threatens his young
family and places his entire household at the mercy of the most powerful forces in Rome. "Feast
of Sorrow" is a deftly crafted novel of love and betrayal, politics and intrigue, and sumptuous
feasts that showcases author Crystal King's genuine flair for originality and narrative storytelling
as he brings ancient Rome to life in the mind's eye of her readers. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Feast of Sorrow" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99) and
as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781504797511, $34.95, CD).
Digging In
Loretta Nyhan
Lake Union Publishing
9781503951709, $24.95, HC, 241pp, www.amazon.com
Paige Moresco found her true love in eighth grade only to lose him two years ago. Since his
death, she's been sleepwalking through life, barely holding on for the sake of her teenage son.
Her house is a wreck, the grass is overrun with weeds, and she's at risk of losing her job. As
Paige stares at her neglected lawn, she knows she's hit rock bottom. So she does something
entirely unexpected: she begins to dig. As the hole gets bigger, Paige decides to turn her entire
yard into a vegetable garden. The neighbors in her tidy gated community are more than a little
alarmed. Paige knows nothing about gardening, and she's boldly flouting
neighborhood-association bylaws. But with the help of new friends, a charming local cop, and
the transformative power of the soil, Paige starts to see potential in the chaos of her life.
Something big is beginning to take root -- both in her garden and in herself. A compelling blend
of grief, humor and change, "Digging In" by Loretta Nyhan is an impressively original and
entertaining read from cover to cover. While unreservedly recommended for community library
Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Digging In" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99) and as a complete and
unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781543641936, $14.99, MP3 CD).
The Hunger
Alma Katsu
G. P. Putnam's Sons
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780735212510, $27.00, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Depleted rations, bitter quarrels, and the mysterious death of a little boy have driven the isolated
members of the doomed Donnery Party to the brink of madness. Though they dream of what
awaits them in the West, long-buried secrets begin to emerge, and dissent among them escalates
to the point of murder and chaos. They cannot seem to escape tragedy -- or the feelings that
someone (or something) is stalking them. Whether it's a curse from the beautiful Tamsen Donner
(who some think might be a witch), their ill-advised choice of route through uncharted terrain, or
just plain bad luck, the ninety men, women, and children of the Donner Party are heading into
one of one of the deadliest and most disastrous Western adventures in American history. As
members of the group begin to disappear, the survivors start to wonder if there really is
something disturbing, and hungry, waiting for them in the mountains -- and whether the evil that
has unfolded around them may have in fact been growing within them all along. As a novelist,
Alma Katsu is able to effortlessly combine the supernatural and the historical in "The Hunger",
making it an impressively crafted and inherently riveting read from beginning to end. While very
highly recommended, especially for community library collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "The Hunger" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$13.99).
Dreams Of Falling
Karen White
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780451488411, $26.00, HC, 416pp, www.amazon.com
Nine years ago, a humiliated Larkin Lanier fled Georgetown, South Carolina, knowing she could
never go back. But when she finds out that her mother has disappeared, she realizes she has no
choice but to return to the place she both loves and dreads -- and to the family and friends who
never stopped wishing for her to come home. Ivy, Larkin's mother, is discovered badly injured
and unconscious in the burned-out wreckage of her ancestral plantation home. No one knows
why Ivy was there, but as Larkin digs for answers, she uncovers secrets kept for nearly fifty years
(whispers of love, sacrifice, and betrayal) that lead back to three girls on the brink of womanhood
who found their friendship tested in the most heartbreaking ways. Another perfectly crafted gem
of a novel by an author with a genuine flair for originality and narrative storytelling, Karen
White's "Dreams Of Falling" is an extraordinarily entertaining and highly recommended addition
to community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Dreams Of Falling" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99)
and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Penguin Audio, (9780735289345, $45.00,
CD).
Kiss of the Spindle
Nancy Campbell Allen
Shadow Mountain Publishing
P.O. Box 30178, Salt Lake City, Utah 84130-0178
www.shadowmountain.com
9781629724140, $15.99, PB, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Doctor Isla Cooper is cursed. Literally. Each night, at the stroke of midnight she falls into a
death-like sleep from which she cannot be awakened for six hours. To make it worse, the curse
has an expiration date -- after a year, it becomes permanent. And the year is almost up. In a
desperate attempt to find Malette (the witch who cursed her) Isla blackmails her way onto Daniel
Pickett's private airship bound for the Caribbean, only to discover she's traveling with three
illegal shapeshifters and the despicable Nigel Crowe, a government official determined to hunt
down and exterminate every shapeshifter in England. Isla and Daniel must work together to keep
the identities of the shapeshifters hidden while coming to terms with their own hidden secrets,
and their blossoming attraction to each other. Filled from cover to cover with suspense, intrigue,
and plenty of romance, "Kiss of the Spindle" is steampunk Sleeping Beauty story. It is a race
against the clock as Isla and Daniel try to hunt down the elusive Malette before Isla's death-like
sleep becomes permanent. Another deftly crafted and simply riveting read from first page to last
by a master of the romance fantasy genre, by Nancy Campbell Allen's "Kiss of the Spindle" is an
especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community library collections. It should be
noted for the legions of Nancy Campbell Allen fans that "Kiss of the Spindle" is also available in
a digital book format (Kindle, $13.32) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone
Audio, 9781538545157, $29.95, MP3 CD).
The City Where We Once Lived
Eric Barnes
Arcade Publishing
www.arcadepub.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781628728835, $24.99, HC, 244pp, www.amazon.com
In a near future where climate change has severely affected weather and agriculture, the North
End of an unnamed city has long been abandoned in favor of the neighboring South End. Aside
from the scavengers steadily stripping the empty city to its bones, only a few thousand people
remain, content to live quietly among the crumbling metropolis. Many, like the narrator, are there
to try to escape the demons of their past. He spends his time observing and recording the decay
around him, attempting to bury memories of what he has lost. But it eventually becomes clear
that things are unraveling elsewhere as well, as strangers, violent and desperate alike, begin to
appear in the North End, spreading word of social and political deterioration in the South End
and beyond. Faced with a growing disruption to his isolated life, the narrator discovers within
himself a surprising need to resist losing the home he has created in this empty place. He and the
rest of the citizens of the North End must choose whether to face outsiders as invaders or
welcome them as neighbors. An all too realistic novel that could easily be ripped from future
newspaper headlines, "The City Where We Once Lived" is a compelling read from first page to
last and reveals author Eric Barnes to have a genuine flair for narrative driven storytelling. While
very highly recommended, especially for community library collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "The City Where We Once Lived" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $14.74) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio,
9781543680218, $24.99, MP3 CD).
Pelican Point
Irene Hannon
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerbooks.com
9780800734909, $29.99, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com
Dr. Ben Garrison's hopes of just getting rid of an inherited historic lighthouse are complicated
when he meets Marci Weber, who would like to save the crumbling landmark. "Pelican Point" is
another deftly crafted gem of a novel by Irene Hannon who is a master of the romance genre.
While certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library
Contemporary Romance Fiction collections, it should be noted for the legions of Irene Hannon
fans that "Pelican Point" is also available in a paperback edition ( 9780800728809, $15.99) and
in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.53).
Somebody's Daughter
Rochelle B. Weinstein
Lake Union Publishing
9781503949256, $14.95, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Emma and Bobby Ross enjoy a charmed life on the shores of Miami Beach. They are a model
family with a successful business, an uncomplicated marriage, and two blessedly typical twin
daughters, Zoe and Lily. They are established members of a tight-knit community. Then, on the
night of the girls' fifteenth birthday party, they learn of Zoe's heartbreaking mistake - a private
and humiliating indiscretion that goes viral and thrusts her and her family into the center of a
shocking public scandal. As the family's core is shattered by disgrace, judgment, and retribution,
the fallout takes its toll. But for Emma, the shame runs deeper. Her daughter's reckless behavior
has stirred memories of her own secrets that could break a marriage and family forever. A deftly
crafted and thoroughly engaging read from cover to cover, "Somebody's Daughter" showcases
author Rochelle B. Weinstein's genuine flair as a novelist for narrative storytelling, making it an
ideal and highly recommended addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Somebody's Daughter" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99) as well as a complete and unabridged audio
book (Brilliance Audio, 9781543674460, $14.99, MP3 CD).
Every Mask I Tried on: Stories
Alina Stefanescu
Brighthorse Books
http://brighthorsebooks.com
9781944467081, $16.95, PB, 254pp, www.amazon.com
Alina Stefanescu is an award-winning author who has collected her best short stories into a single
anthology, "Every Mask I Tried On: Stories". These are deftly crafted stories that showcase her
genuine flair for originality and succinct narrative storytelling. An absorbing and memorable read
from cover to cover, "Every Mask I Tried on: Stories" is an especially and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal reading lists, as well as both community and academic library
Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.
May in America
Annie Wang
China Books & Periodicals, Inc.
360 Swift Avenue, Suite 48, South San Francisco, CA 94080
www.chinabooks.com
9780835103091, $18.95, PB, 306pp, www.amazon.com
May, one of the new generations of Chinese super-rich kids, has outgrown Beijing and has come
to California for an exciting life. There she meets two American men: a Jewish-American
Harvard-educated professor named Leaf; and Mentor, who is a Silicon Valley self-made
billionaire. As her relationships with Leaf and Mentor progress, May's past traumas in patriarchal
China are revealed, while her cultural naivete leads to divergent interpretations of trust, personal
boundaries, respect, fetishism, and sexual deviancy. May's life descends into a mad triangle of
deception. Desperate, hurting, disconnected and suffering from the feeling of being emotionally
dead and alone, May must find the strength to survive. "May in America" reveals the universally
evocative themes of love and lust, darkness and light, innocence and cynicism, individuality and
co-dependence, and, ultimately, loss and redemption. A deftly crafted and inherently riveting
read from cover to cover, "May in America" is the newest novel from acclaimed
Chinese-American author, Annie Wang and is an especially and unreservedly recommended
addition to personal reading lists, as well as both community and academic library Contemporary
Literary Fiction collections.
The Mercy Seat
Elizabeth H. Winthrop
Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
154 West 14th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10011
www.groveatlantic.com
9780802128188, $26.00, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
On the eve of his execution, eighteen year old Willie Jones sits in his cell in New Iberia awaiting
his end. Across the state, a truck driven by a convict and his keeper carries the executioner's chair
closer. On a nearby highway, Willie's father Frank lugs a gravestone on the back of his fading,
old mule. In his office the DA who prosecuted Willie reckons with his sentencing, while at their
gas station at the crossroads outside of town, married couple Ora and Dale grapple with their
grief and their secrets. As various members of the township consider and reflect on what Willie's
execution means, an intricately layered and complex portrait of a Jim Crow era Southern
community emerges in the pages of "The Mercy Seat" by novelist Elizabeth H. Wintrhop.
Moving from voice to voice, Winthrop elegantly brings to stark light the story of a town, its
people, and its injustices. A brutally incisive and tender novel by an author with an impressive
flair for originality and narrative storytelling, "The Mercy Seat" is an exceptional and highly
recommended addition for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Mercy Seat" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $9.10).
The Way of Beauty
Camille Di Maio
Lake Union Publishing
9781503950122, $14.95, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Vera Keller is the daughter of German immigrants in turn-of-the-century New York City who finds her life upended when the man she loves becomes engaged to another woman. But Angelo Bellavia has also inadvertently opened up Vera's life to unexpected possibilities. Angelo's new wife, Pearl, the wealthy daughter of a clothing manufacturer, has defied her family's expectations by devoting herself to the suffrage movement. In Pearl, Vera finds an unexpected dear friend -- and a stirring new cause of her own. But when Pearl's selfless work pulls her farther from Angelo and their son, the life Vera craved is suddenly within her reach -- if her conscience will allow her to take it. Her choice will define not only her future but also that of her daughter, Alice. Vera and Alice (a generation and a world apart) are bound by the same passionate drive to fulfill their dreams. As first mother and then daughter come of age in a city that is changing as rapidly as its skyline, they'll each discover that love is the only constant. "The Way of Beauty" is a another deftly crafted and reader engaging novel by Camille Di Maio and continues to showcase her genuine flair for originality and narrative storytelling. Fully entertaining from first page to last, "The Way of Beauty" will easily prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Way of Beauty" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brillance Audio, 9781543661729, $14.99, MP3 CD).
Sophia of Silicon Valley
Anna Yen
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9780062673015, $26.99, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com
During the heady years of the tech boom, incorrigibly frank Sophia Young lucks into a job that
puts her directly in the path of Scott Kraft, the eccentric CEO of Treehouse, a studio whose
animated films are transforming movies forever. Overnight, Sophia becomes an unlikely nerd
whisperer. Whether her success is due to dumb luck, savage assertiveness, insightful finesse
(learned by dealing with her irrational Chinese immigrant mother), or a combination of all three,
in her rarified position she finds she can truly shine. As Scott Kraft's right-hand woman,
whip-smart Sophia is in the eye of the storm, sometimes floundering, sometimes nearly losing
relationships and her health, but ultimately learning what it means to take charge of her own
future the way the men around her do. But when engineer/inventor Andre Stark hires her to run
his company's investor relations, Sophia discovers that the big paycheck and high-status career
she's created for herself may not be worth living in the toxic environment of a boys-club gone
bad. Anna Yen has worked at a wide range of tech companies which has enabled her to create a
'real world' feel to her novel of a young woman trying to succeed in a male-dominated Silicon
Valley environment. A simply riveting read by a skilled storyteller, "Sophia of Silicon Valley" is
an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Contemporary
General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Sophia of Silicon
Valley" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99) and as a complete and
unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781538500774, $39.99, CD).
The Business Shelf
Digital Marketing for Business Growth
Julian Clay
Thorogood
c/o Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9781854188854, $24.95, PB, 220pp, www.amazon.com
Digital marketing is the marketing of products or services using digital technologies, mainly on
the Internet, but also including mobile phones, display advertising, and any other digital medium.
Digital marketing and social media has had a significant impact on the way companies engage
with potential customers when selling their products and services. Companies are now able to
connect with their target audience in a way that makes people feel engaged in order to help them
make purchasing decisions. "Digital Marketing for Business Growth" by Julian Clay (who was a
top sales performer in Kodak's Office Imaging division and progressed to become part of its
senior management team) covers topics that need to be addressed so that plans to achieve sales
growth can be implemented successfully. These include: Creating a digital marketing strategy;
Using a website effectively to add value; Social media platforms for digital marketing
communication; Getting the best out of data analytics; Selling internationally; The future of
digital marketing and how it might affect a business. "Digital Marketing for Business Growth" is
an invaluable compendium of best practice ideas that can be implemented to improve
commercial engagement with a target audience in order to achieve a higher return from any
marketing campaign. Exceptionally well written, organized, and presented, "Digital Marketing
for Business Growth" is an ideal introduction to digital marketing and very highly recommended
for corporate, community, and academic library Business Management collections in general, and
Digital Marketing supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for business
students, corporate executives, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject
that "Digital Marketing for Business Growth" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$8.43).
The Magic of Tiny Business
Sharon Rowe
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
1333 Broadway, Suite 1000, Oakland CA, 94612
www.bkconnection.com
9781523094783, $16.95, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Sharon Rowe is the founder and CEO of Eco-Bags Products, which grew to become a $2.2
million business. Featured in Time magazine and in the indie film Bag It, Rowe has been the
recipient of several awards, including the Business Council of Westchester's Entrepreneur of the
Year, Enterprising Woman of the Year, and the Women's Enterprise Development Center's Lilian
Vernon Award. In the pages of "The Magic of Tiny Business: You Don't Have to Go Big to
Make a Great Living", she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to provide an
instructional guide specifically for those aspiring entrepreneurs who feel trapped by working for
others, who fantasize about starting their own business, yet intimidated by the fear of falling into
debt, working eighty hours a week, and coping with the pressure to grow. But there is an
alternative -- creating not just a small business, but a tiny one! Like a tiny house, a tiny business
is built on maintaining a laser focus on what is essential by living an intentional life. Using the
success story of Eco-Bags Products, Rowe distills the step-by-step process of building a
profitable, right-scaled, sustainable venture that doesn't compromise your values. She shows how
to test a business concept, manage money and priorities, and more -- all while staying true to the
"tiny" ethos. Inspired and inspiring, "The Magic of Tiny Business" is a unique and invaluable
contribution to personal, community, and academic library Business Management collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Magic of Tiny Business" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (DreamScape
Audio, 9781520099316, $19.99, CD).
Fired Up! Selling (TM)
Ray Bard
Bard Press
http://www.bardpress.com
National Book Network (distributor)
www.nbnbooks.com
9781885167835, $19.99, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Very highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Business
Management instructional reference collections, "Fired UP! Selling (TM): Great Quotes To
Inspire, Energize, Succeed" by Ray Bard is a compendium of great quotes intended to motivate
anyone who wants to live a fired-up life -- whether they're in sales, an entrepreneur, or simply
someone who desires to live life to it fullest. More than1,000 quote judges around the world
participated in a unique crowd-sourcing model to select the best 324 quotes for the book. "Fired
Up! Selling TM" is organized into six major sections: Think Big, Get Going, Keep Going, Make
the Sale, Succeed, and A Stronger, Better You. Additionally, there is a cross-referenced subject
index and an author index making it easy to find a specific quote or search for a favorite author.
A classy gift with a faux leather cover, featuring 60 brilliant color images, as well as 3 silk ribbon
markers, "Fired Up! Selling (TM)" can be utilized to inspire employees, show gratitude to
customers, and encourage friends -- and fire up the reader to achieve any desired goal!
Be the Boss Everyone Wants to Work For
William Gentry
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
1333 Broadway, Suite 1000, Oakland CA, 94612
www.bkconnection.com
9781626566255, $19.95, PB, 216pp, www.amazon.com
Becoming a boss requires a much different 'script' for how we interact with the workforce
comprising a business. We all have mental scripts that tell us how the world works. Your old
script was all about "me": standing out as an individual. But as a new leader, you need to flip
your script from "me" to "we" and help the group you lead succeed. In this book, In "Be the Boss
Everyone Wants to Work For: A Guide for New Leaders", William Gentry (a senior research
scientists and a director of the Center for Creative Leadership) supports and coaches you to flip
your script in six key areas. He offers actionable, practical, evidence-based advice and examples
drawn from his research, his work with leaders, and his own failures and triumphs of becoming a
new leader. Get started flipping your script and become the kind of boss everyone wants to work
for by a careful reading of "Be the Boss Everyone Wants to Work For". Thoroughly 'reader
friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation is unreservedly recommended for
corporate, community, and academic library Business Management collections and MBA
supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Be the Boss
Everyone Wants to Work For" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a
complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781520046181, $9.99, CD).
Focus Point
Donald G. McMullen
Orange Frazer Press
PO Box 214, Wilmington, OH 45177
www.orangefrazer.com
9781939710741, $25.00, HC, 228pp, www.amazon.com
"Focus Point: Blueprint to Develop a World-Class Company" by Donald G. McMullen is based
upon his acquisition and work with the start-up and early growth of MarketVision Research. The
company that today is a global top fifty market research organization. "Focus Point" takes the
reader through what McMullen learned in retailing, brand management, advertising and market
research that helped in the development of a marketing research company. Success would require
achieving its objectives involving technology, innovation, development of people, continuous
improvement and the ability to ascertain new insights for sophisticated client organizations. In its
second generation of management the company moved into new categories, became a leader in
pharmaceutical market research and expanded internationally. In 2015, CASRO, the industry
trade association, named MarketVision Research Organization of the Year. An instructive,
thought- provoking, impressively informative read from beginning to end, "Focus Point" will
prove to be an invaluable addition to personal, professional, corporate, community, and academic
library Contemporary Business Management collections and supplemental studies lists.
The Self-Help Shelf
Willpower Doesn't Work
Benjamin Hardy
Hachette Books
c/o Hachette Book Group
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9780316441322, $26.00, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
The world around us is fast-paced, confusing, and full of distractions. It's easy to lose focus on
what you want to achieve, and your willpower won't last long if your environment is in conflict
with your goals -- eventually, the environment will win out. "Willpower Doesn't Work: Discover
the Hidden Keys to Success" by Benjamin Hardy is the needed guided for today's
over-stimulating and addicting environment. "Willpower Doesn't Work" shows: How to make
the biggest decisions of your life--and why those decisions must be made in specific settings;
How to create a daily "sacred" environment to live your life with intention, and not get sucked
into the cultural addictions; How to invest big in yourself to upgrade your environment and
mindset; How to put "forcing functions" in your life--so your default behaviors are precisely what
you want them to be; How to quickly put yourself in proximity to the most successful people in
the world--and how to adapt their knowledge and skills to yourself even quicker; How to create
an environment where endless creativity and boundless productivity is the norm. Thoroughly
'reader friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation, "Willpower Doesn't Work"
is an ideal and 'real world practical' self help guide for the non-specialist general readers seeking
to cope with the extraordinary stresses of contemporary personal and professional life today.
While very highly recommended, especially for community and academic library Self-Help/Self-
Improvement collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Willpower Doesn't
Work" is also available in a paperback edition (Little Brown, 9780349417936, $15.99), and in a
digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Awaken the Power Within
Albert Amao Soria
Tarcher/Perigee
c/o Penguin Group, USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014-3657
www.tarcherbooks.com
9780143132592, $16.00, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
In "Awaken the Power Within: In Defense of Self-Help", sociologist Albert Amao analyzes the
accuracy of self-help and positive-thinking claims in this groundbreaking exploration of what
works, what doesn't, and why, substantially based upon his own life experience. Born in a poor
Latin-American country into a very impoverished family with both parents practically illiterate,
he was the oldest of five children and began working at six years of age, shining shoes and
selling newspapers to help his family. Unable to finish high school, he nevertheless was able to
acquire a diploma by going to night school, which then allowed him to be admitted at the San
Marcos University in Lima to obtain a Ph.D. in sociology. All these things were possible in his
view because when he was teenager he had access to New Thought" or positive-thinking
philosophy. Contrary to the critics who blithely dismiss self-help methods, or the New Age gurus
who sell it them as miracles, in the pages of "Awaken the Power Within, Amao writes with
sobriety, scholarship, and draws on his personal experience to deftly explore the conditions under
which self-help is authentic -- and successful. Accessibly written and thoroughly 'reader friendly'
in organization and presentation, "Awaken the Power Within" is an inspired and inspiring read
from beginning to end. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic
library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Awaken the Power Within" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) and as a
complete and unabridged audio book (Tantor Audio, 9781977356659, $24.99, CD).
The Photography Shelf
Montana Moments
Chuck Haney
Farcountry Press
PO Box 5630, Helena, MT 59604
www.farcountrypress.com
9781560377030, $32.95, HC, 120pp, www.amazon.com
In the pages of "Montana Moments", photographer Chuck Haney presents his view of Montana
in a beautiful, large-format collection from Farcountry Press. "Montana Moments" is Haney's
fourth photography book featuring his home state of Montana and offers beautifully crafted, full
color photography of flowing rivers, tranquil lakes, rugged mountain peaks, and rolling prairie.
From key natural landmarks to idyllic western towns, "Montana Moments" is a visual memorial
in service of presenting Big Sky Country. Each of the 148 full-color Montana photographs is
accompanied by educational and informative captions, making it an unreservedly recommended
addition to personal and community library American Photography collections in general, and
Montana landscape photography in particular.
Trains
Jennifer B. Bodine
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764354939, $29.99, HC, 128pp, www.amazon.com
The late A. Aubrey Bodine (1906 - 1970) was a newspaper photographer, pictorialist, modernist,
and documentarian, as well as the Baltimore Sun feature photographer from 1924-1970. "Trains:
Photography of A. Aubrey Bodine" is his archive of train photographs chronicling
mid-twentieth-century rail transportation and the people working on the railroad. Bodine's images
of steam and diesel locomotives document an era passed. Herein contains award-winning
pictures, currently popular pictures, historically interesting pictures, and pictures unseen until this
specialized volume of his work. These images demonstrate Bodine's pictorialist and modernist
photographic eye for trains and railroads in motion and at rest. "Trains" is the fourth Bodine
picture book assembled by his daughter, Jennifer B. Bodine and is unreservedly recommended to
train enthusiasts, photography fans, as well as community and academic library 20th Century
American Photography collections.
The Sports Shelf
Golf Anatomy
Craig Davies & Vince DiSaia
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
www.HumanKinetics.com
9781492548423, $24.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Now golfing enthusiasts can see what it takes to improve consistency and performance in their
golf game as they never have before in this newly updated and expanded second edition of "Golf
Anatomy" by the team of Dr. Craig Davies (who is a movement, body mechanics, and strength
and conditioning coach on the PGA Tour) and Dr. Vince DiSaia (who is the founder and clinic
director at Momentum Functional Health). This new edition "Golf Anatomy" provides updated
and improved exercises, more artwork, and a more complete way to build a golf fitness program.
This one-of-a-kind guide, developed over 15 years of working with professional golfers, will
show even the most novice of golfers how to lower their score by increasing strength, power, and
range of motion for longer drives and more accurate shots. Enhanced throughout with the
inclusion of full color illustrations, "Golf Anatomy" is impressively 'reader friendly' in tone,
commentary, organization and presentation, making it an ideal and highly recommended addition
to personal, professional, community, and academic library Golfing instructional reference
collections. It should be noted that "Golf Anatomy" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
Red Sox vs. Braves in Boston
Charlie Bevis
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9780786496648, $29.95, PB, 250pp, www.amazon.com
For 52 years, Boston was a two-team Major League city, home to both the Red Sox and the
Braves. "Red Sox vs. Braves in Boston: The Battle for Fans' Hearts, 1901-1952" by Charlie
Bevis (who is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research, and an Adjunct
Professor of English at Rivier University) focuses on the two teams' period of coexistence and
competition for fans. "Red Sox vs. Braves in Boston" analyzes the Boston fan base through
trends in transportation, communication, geography, population and employment. Tracing the
pendulum of fan preference between the two teams over five distinct time periods, a deeper
understanding emerges of why the Red Sox remained in Boston and the Braves moved to
Milwaukee. McFarland & Company is the premier publisher of baseball history books and this
latest addition to their illustrious catalog is still another exceptionally informative and
unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library History of
Baseball collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of baseball fans that "Red
Sox vs. Braves in Boston" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Needlecraft Shelf
Ultimate Quilt Block Collection
Lynne Goldsworth
CompanionHouse Books
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781620082805, $19.99, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Lynne Goldsworthy is a modern British quilter who designs quilts for fabric manufacturers in the
UK and the US and is a regular contributor to various quilting magazines. In "Ultimate Quilt
Block Collection: The Step-by-Step Guide to More Than 70 Unique Blocks for Creating
Hundreds of Quilt Projects" she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to create a
'must-have' resource for dedicated quilters. Showcasing more than 70 original blocks drawn from
world-renowned designers, and which range from basic units like Flying Geese to more intricate
motifs using foundation paper piecing, there's something here for every level of quilter from
beginning novice to seasoned expert. Quilting enthusiasts can mix and match classic and modern
designs to make hundreds of combinations. "Ultimate Quilt Block Collection" offers clear,
step-by-step instructions for every block, with beautiful photos of every project -- and encourages
experimenting with color combinations, while also providing instructions for sewing all
completed blocks into a finished quilt. Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "Ultimate
Quilt Block Collection" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to personal,
professional, and community library Needlecraft instructional reference collections.
The Handmade Quilt
Carolyn Forster
Landauer Publishing
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing
1970 Broad Street, East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.landauercorp.com
9781935726968, $24.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
With one quilt of 15 blocks, master teacher Carolyn Forster takes the aspiring needlecrafter on a
quilt making journey that begins with the basics and progresses to more intricate techniques with
each new block with "The Handmade Quilt". Starting with simple blocks and methods, novice quilters will progress to more intricate units as their confidence and skill
increase. "The Handmade Quilt" provides both a complete learning experience for new quilters
and a stunning project for experienced stitchers. The finished heirloom-quality quilt is a beautiful
sampler of stash-busting blocks. Profusely illustrated throughout, "The Handmade Quilt" is
replete with detailed how-to instructions and photographs taking ambitious quilters through the
process step-by-step. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "The
Handmade Quilt" is unreservedly recommended for personal and community library quilting
instructional reference collections.
Amigurumi: San-X Crochet Patterns
Eriko Teranishi and San-X
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
www.viz.com
9781421598734 $14.99 amazon.com
Amigurumi: San-X Crochet Patterns is a guide to creating amigurumi - cute, crochet animals
resembling various beloved mascots found everywhere in Japan. Detailed patterns make
Amigurumi an excellent choice for crocheters looking to create small yet memorable handcrafted
gifts. Photographs of the finished amigurumi are in full color, although the patterns and stitch
instructions are in black-and-white. Amigurumi: San-X Crochet Patterns is an excellent
supplement to needlework and crochet project shelves, highly recommended.
The Biography Shelf
An American Anarchist
Paul Avrich
AK Press
370 Ryan Ave #100, Chico, CA 95973
www.akpress.org
9781849352680 $19.00 pbk / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com
An American Anarchist: The Life of Voltairine de Cleyre is an in-depth biography of American
writer, speaker, feminist, and anarchist Voltairine de Cleyre (1866-1912). Part of the free thought
movement, de Cleyre repeatedly spoke of the values of freedom and the ills of unchecked
political power and subjugation of the individual. For example, in a lecture entitled "Sex
Slavery" she fiercely opposed laws of the era that allowed husbands to rape their wives, stating
that the legal refusal to criminalize marital rape made "every married woman what she is, a
bonded slave, who takes her master's name, her master's bread, her master's commands, and
serves her master's passions." An American Anarchist is a welcome contribution to public and
college library biography collections, highly recommended.
Rhapsody in Black
John Kruth
Backbeat Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
33 Plymouth Street, Suite 302, Montclair, NJ 07042-2677
www.halleonard.com
9781476886794, $27.99, HC, 246pp, www.amazon.com
Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 - December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter
and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark
emotional ballads. Orbison's singing has inspired everyone who has heard it, from Springsteen to
k. d. lang, and laid the very foundation for goth. While fascinating from a pop culture standpoint,
it is Orbisons life's journey that makes a great story that has yet to be told to its fullest. In
"Rhapsody in Black: The Life and Music of Roy Orbison" biographer and musician John Kruth
does not shy away from or trivialize the personal pain, alienation, and tragic events that shaped
Orbison's singular personality and music. Roy Orbison wasn't merely a singer but a sonic
alchemist who, in the end, transformed unfathomable human misery into transcendent melody
and platinum records. It is interesting to note that "Rhapsody In Black" contains new interviews
with over 20 people who worked closely with Orbison throughout his life. While very highly
recommended, especially for community and academic library 20th Century American Biography
collections in general, and Roy Orbison supplemental studies lists in particular, "Rhapsody in
Black" is a 'must' for the legions of Roy Orbison fans and is also available for personal reading
lists in a paperback edition (9781540000460, $24.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$15.39).
Frances Langford: Armed Forces Sweetheart
Ben Ohmart
BearManor Media
P. O. Box 1129, Duncan, OK 73534-1129
www.bearmanormedia.com
9781629332147, $35.00, HC, 342pp, www.amazon.com
Julia Frances Langford (April 4, 1913 - July 11, 2005) was an American singer and entertainer
who was popular during the Golden Age of Radio and also made film appearances over two
decades. Her signature song, "In the Mood for Love" carried her from turntables to troops in
World War Two, and then into the stuff of legends. From the radio airwaves on Louella Parson's
Hollywood Hotel, Rudy Vallee's The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour, and Dick Powell's Campana
Serenade (1942-1943), Frances achieved nationwide fame as Don Ameche's insufferable wife,
Blanche, on The Bickersons (1946-1951). Her beauty eclipsed her broadcasts, when the movies
plucked her from speakers to screens. Her film debut in Every Night at Eight(1935) led to
Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935), in which she popularized "Broadway Rhythm" and "You Are
My Lucky Star," Born to Dance (1936), and Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) with James Cagney,
in which she sang the rousing "Over There". For the first time, her personal interviews with
author/publisher Ben Ohmart that comprise a part of "Frances Langford: Armed Forces
Sweetheart" bring the treasured memories from her past to light. Readers can now return with her
to the front lines from 1941 into the 1980s with Bob Hope and Jerry Colonna on U.S.O. tours
through Europe, North Africa, and the South Pacific, entertaining thousands of G.I.s throughout
the world. Illustrated with hundreds of never-before-seen photos from the Frances Langford
Collection in Lakeland, Florida, "Frances Langford: Armed Forces Sweetheart" will prove to be
an immediate and enduringly popular addition to both community and academic library 20th
Century American Biography collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Frances Langford: Armed Forces Sweetheart" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781629332130, $25.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).
The 4 Year Olympian
Jeremiah Brown
https://the4yearolympian.com
The Dundurn Group
3 Church Street, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E 1M2
www.dundurn.com
9781459741317, $22.99, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com
After nearly being incarcerated at age seventeen and becoming a father at nineteen, Jeremiah
Brown manages to grow up into a responsible young adult. But while juggling the demands of a
long-term relationship, fatherhood, mortgage payments, and a nine-to-five banking career, he
feels something is missing. A new goal captures his imagination: What would it take to become
an Olympian? Guided by a polarizing coach, Brown and his teammates plumb the depths of
physical and mental exertion in pursuit of a singular goal. "The 4 Year Olympian: From First
Stroke to Olympic Medallist" is a personal story of courage, perseverance, and overcoming
self-doubt, told from the perspective of an unlikely competitor. Inherently fascinating and
ultimately inspiring, "The 4 Year Olympian" is an extraordinary memoir which is unreservedly
recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Biography collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "The 4 Year Olympian" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $6.60).
Dinosaurs in the Cornfield
William B. Hardison, Jr.
Brandylane Publishers
5 South First Street, Richmond, VA 23219
www.brandylanepublishers.com
9781947860063, $28.95, HC, 246pp, www.amazon.com
For young Billy, summer means saying goodbye to city life and traveling seven hundred miles to
visit his grandparents on their Tennessee farm. It means long, humid days of snapping beans,
milking cows, hunting for fossils in rocky fields, and trips into town for ice-cream sodas and
comic books at the five-and-dime. It means muggy nights spent on the front porch with family,
the boys gathered around the big Philco radio, listening to The Lone Ranger over the low hum of
crickets. But most of all, summer means time spent in the long shadow of Grandpa, a massive
Welchman, keenly observant, frugal of words and actions, but rich in experience and country
wisdom. On this remote patch of farmland, Grandpa's word is law. Now a retired minister and
former Adjunct Professor of Christian Spirituality at Baptist Theological Seminary in Richmond,
in the pages of "Dinosaurs in the Cornfield: Lessons Unearthed on My Grandfather's Farm",
William Hardison looks back on those summer days with nostalgic fondness and his own
hard-earned wisdom. In doing so, he rediscovers deeper lessons hidden within the adventures he
so often took for granted as an energetic child. Exceptionally well written, "Dinosaurs in the
Cornfield" is an absorbingly thoughtful and thought-provoking memoir that is very highly
recommended and will prove to be a valued and appreciated addition to community library
American Biography collections.
James A. Murray: Butte's Radical Irish Millionaire
Bill Farley
Mountain Press Publishing Company
9780878426829 $14.00 www.mountain-press.com
James A. Murray: Butte's Radical Irish Millionaire tells of an Irishman who hit a big strike in a
Montana town, hired others to work his claims, and rose to wealth and power in the Rocky
Mountains in the 1880s. From lowly roots he became a mogul who ruled much of the state's
mining camps, associated with some of the most notorious figures in history, and became a
powerful political figure rising to the top of a radical Irish-American organization. Told by his
second great-grandnephew with an ongoing interest in his ancestor's notorious background,
James A. Murray: Butte's Radical Irish Millionaire presents the lively story of a rogue who
deserves his place in American history chronicles.
The Automotive Shelf
1970 Plymouth Superbird
Geoff Stunkard
CarTech Inc.
838 Lake Street South, Forest Lake, MN 55025
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613253007, $18.95, PB, 96pp, www.amazon.com
Geoff Stunkard is a veteran photo journalist and author as well as a lifelong Mopar aficionado.
"1970 Plymouth Superbird" is the newest addition to the outstanding CarTech 'Muscle Cars in
Detail' series. Today Superbirds are highly collectible and are the star attractions at car shows and
auctions, pulling top dollar and generating real excitement. Profusely illustrated throughout, this
particular volume is impressively informative as Stunkard draws upon his more than twenty years
of experience and expertise with this particular vehicle to go into extraordinary detail on the
history and make-up of the 1970 Plymouth Superbird. As a uniquely descriptive history that is
unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library
Automotive History collections, "1970 Plymouth Superbird " showcases a truly impressive and
now legendary American-made car.
Chrysler A-833 Transmissions
Jamie Passon
CarTech Inc.
838 Lake Street South, Forest Lake, MN 55025
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613253243, $26.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
Making horsepower at Chrysler in the early 1960s was nothing new for the Pentastar brand. The
413 RB engine had been producing more than 350 hp since the late 1950s. Joining the lineup in
1963, the 426 Wedge doubled down on the fact that Chrysler was all-in on going fast. The one
weakness holding them back from total domination on the streets and strips was with their dated
and tired manual shifter, the BorgWarner T-10 transmission. That all changed with the advent of
its replacement, the New Process A-833. Jamie Passon of Passon Performance has used his
decades of knowledge on the A-833 to create the ultimate book on rebuilding a Chrysler 4-speed.
He begins with a historical overview of the long-tenured A-833 and jumps into dissecting what
could be malfunctioning in your transmission. The bulk of the book concentrates on
disassembling, inspecting, repairing, and reassembling the A-833. With 400 photos, the author
shows you exactly how to rebuild your transmission featuring how-to sequences that walk you
through each phase. The newest addition to CarTech's simply outstanding 'Workbench How-To'
series and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Chrysler A-833
Transmissions: How to Rebuild and Modify" is unreservedly recommended for anyone repairing
or upgrading their own Chrysler A-833.
The Martial Arts Shelf
The Kata and Bunkai of Goju-Ryu Karate
Giles Hopkins
Blue Snake Books
c/o North Atlantic Books
2526 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704-2607
www.northatlanticbooks.com
9781623171995, $24.95, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Giles Hopkins has trained in martial arts since 1973, studying a wide range of styles, from Tae
Kwon Do and Shotokan karate to White Crane kung fu and T'ai Chi. He is a sixth-degree black
belt in Okinawa Goju-ryu and holds a teaching certificate in Matayoshi Kobudo from the Zen
Okinawa Kobudo Renmei. He spent seven years living and training with Kimo Wall, president of
Kodokan, in the lineage of Higa Seiko and Matayoshi Shinpo. In the 1980s, he accompanied
Wall sensei to Okinawa and trained in kobudo under Matayoshi, and Goju-ryu under Higa
Seikichi and Gibo Seiki of Shodokan. Challenging timeworn conventions of karate training and
revealing the original intent of classical kata (or forms) through detailed descriptions of
self-defense applications known as bunkai, Hopkins draws upon his years of research, experience
and expertise in "The Kata and Bunkai of Goju-Ryu Karate: The Essence of the Heishu and
Kaishu Kata" to create a crucial addition to any dedicated martial-arts library. Containing more
than 265 photos, "The Kata and Bunkai of Goju-Ryu Karate " is divided into chapters that
illuminate each of the ten classical kata of Goju-ryu. Exceptionally well written, organized and
presented, "The Kata and Bunkai of Goju-Ryu Karate" is an extraordinary and unreservedly
recommended addition to dojo, community, and academic library Martial Arts instructional
reference collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading
lists of martial arts students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"The Kata and Bunkai of Goju-Ryu Karate" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$16.99).
Winning Fights
Phillip Stephens
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
www.ymaa.com
9781594396007, $18.95, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Dr. Phillip M. Stephens is a black belt in Ketsugo Do jujutsu and has won championship titles in
self-defense tournament competition. He is a commissioner appointed to the North Carolina
Boxing Commission, which regulates combat sports, including mixed martial arts and boxing.
He practices emergency medicine as a physician assistant and holds a doctorate in health science.
In the pages of "Winning Fights" he provides twelve proven principles for winning on the street,
winning in the ring, and winning at life. Drawing from his years of experience and expertise with
respect to martial training, Dr. Stephens looked beyond the technical to the conceptual and found
that winning fights requires twelve core principles: preparation, awareness, commitment,
lethality, efficiency, discipline, power, focus, fierceness, surprise, timing, and fortitude. A unique
and impressively informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking read, "Winning Fights" is an
especially and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, dojo, community, and
academic library Martial Arts collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for
martial arts students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject
that "Winning Fights" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Poetry Shelf
The Invisible God
John J. Brugaletta
Resource Publications, Inc.
2205 Benton, Searcy, AR 72143
www.resourcepublications.net
9781498244084, $36.00, HC, 102pp, www.amazon.com
In addition to being thoughtfully entertaining, the poems comprising John J. Brugaletta's "The
Invisible God" pose questions for Christians, be they new converts or seasoned believers. In
many cases they can function as a checklist for the depth of one's faith. These are poems that
provide introspection but are far from self-centered as they offer ways of reflecting on God and
the Christian experience. Brugaletta (who is Professor Emeritus of English at California State
University, Fullerton) taught courses in Shakespeare, Dante, and Homer, while editing and
publishing South Coast Poetry Journal. Highly recommended for both community and academic
library Contemporary Poetry collections, and available for personal reading lists in a paperback
edition (9781532618482, $16.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), "The Invisible
God" is Brugaletta's sixth collection of poems. Consummation: The mind constructs a castle /
Where only huts endure / And thinks the walking cleanly / That never knew a floor. // A
mountain seems a spirit / Until it's underfoot -- / Then any lowland forest / Pontificates on light.
// Not so the final banquet -- / More like the married pair / Who know the courting frenzy / More
than they did before.
The Caregiver: Poems
Caroline Johnson
Holy Cow! Press
PO Box 3170, Mount Royal Station, Duluth, MN 55803
www.holycowpress.org
9780998601038, $16.00, PB, 88pp, www.amazon.com
"The Caregiver" is the debut anthology showcasing Caroline Johnson's poetry. It includes 50
poems that were inspired by the 15 years she devoted to taking care of her aging parents. The
gathering includes free verse, lyrical poems, prose poetry and some formal verse. Many of the
poems won contests and have been previously published in online print journals and anthologies.
The poems touch on the topic of grieving but go beyond and focus on the many difficulties a
caregiver experiences (both emotional and physical) yet also recognize the spiritual gifts that
come with helping a loved one. Very highly recommended for both personal reading lists and
community library Contemporary American Poetry collections, the verses collected in "The
Caregiver: Poems" focus on a significant issue for our times and one that will only become more
important, especially as our babyboomer population continues age. 'A Mother's Love': She is
sleeping and if you listen / you can almost hear her breathe. / The nurse sits her up in bed. / She
winks one ey open and I feed her / a spoonful of stuffing and gravy. / With brown eyes she
smiles, and the / smile lasts me the whole day -- / more than seventy-seven years, / more than one
week in a hospital bed, / more than a generation, / more than the love a mother can show.
Cairn: New & Selected
Peggy Shumaker
Red Hen Press
PO Box 3537, Granada Hills, CA 91394
www.redhen.org
9781597096119, $28.95, HC, 400pp, www.amazon.com
Chosen with care, "Cairn: New & Selected" is an extraordinary volume of verse that impressively
represents some forty years of poems and prose by Peggy Shumaker (who served as Alaska State
Writer Laureate). Her distinctive cadences give voice to landscapes and people of Alaska and
Arizona. "Cairn: New & Selected" represents a major body of work leads the reader deep into
what remains unresolved, savoring mysteries of heart, mind, and soul. Matters of life and death,
these poems embody exuberance and struggle and generosity. "Cairn: New & Selected" is an
especially and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library
American Poetry collections. 'Oatmeal': Dry slide of Bob's Red mill / Extra Thick Rolled Oats /
off the scoop -- // tiny dustcloud / settling like ash / from stirred coals. // Waking together, /
happy, not / our first try.
The Activity Shelf
Quote Acrostic Favorites: Volume 2
Charles Preston
AKA Associates
6007 N. Sheridan Road, Apt 15A, Chicago, IL 60660
www.akabooks.com
9780998832265, $9.95, PB, 70pp, www.amazon.com
A syndicated puzzle master and his work appears in dozens of leading newspapers and
magazines across the country, including the Chicago Tribune, Newsday, and the San Francisco
Chronicle, Charles Preston, (who is the Crossword Puzzle Editor of USA Today and Dow Jones's
National Observer for over a decade) has compiled more than 100 puzzle books. Now he draws
upon his specialized expertise in "Quote Acrostic Favorites: Volume 2" to offer dedicated
acrostic puzzle fans with 50 entertaining puzzles that offer hours and hours of quiet and
contemplative fun. For those who need it, the answers for each individual puzzle are to be found
at the back of the book.
The Graphic Novel Shelf
All Summer Long
Hope Larson
Farrar, Straus & Giroux
175 Varick Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10014
www.fsgbooks.com
c/o First Second
175 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.firstsecondbooks.com
9780374310714 $12.99 pbk / $9.22 Kindle amazon.com
All Summer Long is a black-and-white graphic novel for readers of all ages and backgrounds,
about a thirteen-year-old girl's coming of age. When Bina's best friend Austin leaves for summer,
Bina has to find fun on her own. Bad TV and guitar practice don't do much to stave off boredom;
then Bina begins to form a bond with Austin's older sister Charlie. When Austin returns from
camp, he's acting even weirder than usual. Can Bina and Austin maintain their friendship, or does
growing up mean they will grow distant? A soulful slice-of-life story, All Summer Long is highly
recommended for high school, public library, and personal graphic novel collections.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition, volume 1
Hiromu Arakawa
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
www.viz.com
9781421599779 $19.99 hc amazon.com
The black-and-white manga (Japanese graphic novel) fantasy series Fullmetal Alchemist is being
re-released in a hardcover, deluxe collector's edition with high-quality paper, new cover art, new
color inserts, color versions of select pages previously printed in black-and-white, and behind-
the-scenes character sketches by series creator Hiromu Arakawa. Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal
Edition, volume 1 contains one-and-one-half of the original graphic novels, and will be released
exclusively in print; future volumes with be published quarterly. Volume 1 introduces the reader
to the principal characters, Edward Elric and his brother Alphonse, who suffered extreme losses
from an alchemy experiment gone wrong - Edward lost an arm and leg and replaced them with
artificial limbs, while Alphonse lost his entire body and exists as a soul bound to a suit of armor.
Together they seek to restore their bodies through the power of the legendary Philosopher's
Stone... but neither of them truly knows what the Philosopher's Stone is! Balancing scenes of
action with character-driven storytelling, Fullmetal Alchemist has rightfully earned its immense
popularity and is highly recommended for both personal and public library graphic novel
collections.
Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle 1
Kagiji Kumanomata
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
www.viz.com
9781974700189 $9.99 pbk / $6.99 Kindle amazon.com
Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle 1 is a black-and-white, fantasy-comedy manga (Japanese
graphic novel) that subverts the traditional "kidnapped princess" fairy tale/role-playing game
plot. When the Demon King kidnaps Princess Syalis and imprisons her in his castle, she becomes
terribly bored. She decides to pass the time by sleeping, but orchestrating a good night's rest is no
simple task! From fashioning a pillow from the fur of her Teddy Demon guards, to finding
suitable protection to undergo an electric massage from a ferocious thunder dragon, Syalis
tackles one challenge after another with her own special brand of royal determination! The local
Demon Cleric is kept quite busy resurrecting the occasional demon casualty, and even the
princess herself. Will Syalis throw the Demon Lord's carefully planned game balance into
upheaval? (Maybe.) Will she remember anything about the hero who has pledged to rescue her?
(Probably not.) Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle 1 is laugh-out-loud funny, and highly
recommended for teen and adult readers.
Bald Knobber
Robert Sergel
Secret Acres
http://secretacres.com
9780999193518, $15.95, HC, 80pp, www.amazon.com
Middle-schooler Cole's book report on Bald Knobbers, Reconstruction Era vigilantes, bears an
uncanny resonance with his life. Donning a homemade Bald Knobber mask, Cole seeks to right
wrongs perpetrated by his divorcing parents, mom's new boyfriend, the school bully and his cat,
Daisy. Like the real Bald Knobbers, Cole discovers the consequences of taking the law into your
own hands. An original graphic novel story presented by author Robert Sergel with simple black-
and-white illustrations, "Bald Knobber" is very highly recommended to the attention of dedicated
graphic novel enthusiasts.
Niki de Saint Phalle
Sandrine Martin and Dominique Osuch
NBM Publishing
160 Broadway, Ste. 700, East Wing, New York, NY 10038
www.nbmpub.com
9781681121581 $29.99 hc / $14.99 Kindle amazon.com
Niki de Saint Phalle: The Garden of Secrets is a graphic novel biography of French-American
sculptor, painter, and filmmaker Niki de Saint Phalle (1930-2002), featuring art in black-and-
white highlighted with splashes of color. This text chronicles her complex life - though she was
born to a privileged family, her father abused her and her mother rejected her. Niki's colorful
sculptures of femininity (known as "Nanas"), wild paintings, astounding sculptures and
provocative films and performance art were stand-out to the point of shocking. Her life is a saga
of struggle against physical ill health and psychological demons, yet her accomplishments are
astounding, and listed in a chronology at the end. Niki de Saint Phalle is a worthy addition to
graphic novel biography collections, highly recommended. It should be noted that Niki de Saint
Phalle: The Garden of Secrets is intended for adult readers due to the presence of mature themes
and some nudity.
Animus
Antoine Revoy
First Second
175 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.firstsecondbooks.com
9781626721838 $16.99 pbk. / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com
Animus is a graphic novel with a subtle horror theme, set in modern-day Japan. There is a
peculiar playground where bizarre and sometimes deadly things occur. In the playground, two
children befriend the spirit of a murdered boy, and resolve to help his spirit find freedom... a
potentially dangerous undertaking! Dark and atmospheric, Animus an unforgettable read from
cover to cover, highly recommended.
Demon Slayer 1
Koyoharu Gotouge
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
www.viz.com
9781974700523 $9.99 pbk / $6.99 Kindle amazon.com
Demon Slayer 1 is a black-and-white manga (Japanese graphic novel) set in Taisho-era Japan.
Young Tanjiro Kamado's peaceful life is forever shattered when a monstrous, man-eating demon
slaughters his family. The only survivor is his little sister - who has been transformed into a
demon herself! Tanjiro embarks on a journey to cure his sister and slay the demon, but he is
inexperienced in combat, and the first knowledgeable demon slayer he meets is determined to
destroy his sister! The relentless hardship and violence of Demon Slayer has a unique
counterbalance in the compassion of its protagonist. Demon Slayer is highly recommended for
fans of dark fantasy and shonen (action packed) manga. The suggested age range for readers of
Demon Slayer is teen to adult, due to scenes of violence.
Cossack Circus
Raoul Cauvin, author
Willy Lambil, illustrator
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849183833, $11.95, pb, 48pp, www.amazon.com
Union Army Captain Stark's constant, reckless charging against the Confederate Army has once
again depleted the 22nd Cavalry. Faced with an understandable dearth of volunteers, the Army's
brass drafts (without telling them) some freshly arrived immigrants. And Corporal Blutch and
Sergeant Chesterfield are tasked with instructing them in the art of riding down the enemy. But
there's a problem: the new recruits only speak Russian! And while those Cossacks are already
fantastic riders, they have no desire to die for the glory of the Union! The newest addition to
Belgian author Raoul Cauvin and French artist Willy Lambil outrageously funny The Bluecoat
series, "Cossack Circus" is certain to be a welcome and appreciated addition to personal and
community library Graphic Novel collections and reading lists.
Bear's Tooth: Max
Yann, author
Alain Henriet, illustrator
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849183321, $13.95, PB, 56pp, www.amazon.com
It's 1930 in Silesia. Three children are playing with toy airplanes. The three friends are Max (a
Polish Jew), a German brother and sister, Werner and Hanna. All three children dream of
becoming pilots, but with the rise of Nazi Germany and German influence over the province of
Silesia, Max as a Jewish boy won't have the same opportunities to learn how to fly as his friends
Werner and Hanna. The world is heading down a dark road and in 1944 Max is now an ace in the
US Navy, while Hanna is one of Germany's top test pilots for the new German secret weapons --
a jet fighter plane. Will anything remain of their old friendship, as the sides they each chose are
locked in a struggle to the death? A deftly blend of riveting storytelling and fully engaging
artwork, "Max" ends on a true cliff-hanger surprise ending is the first title in the 'Bear's Tooth'
trilogy-- leaving its readers looking eagerly toward the next to volumes. While very highly
recommended for the personal reading lists of graphic novel enthusiasts, as well as community
library graphic novel collections, it should be noted that "Bear's Tooth: Max" is also available in
a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
The Kid
Rodolphe, author
Leo, artist
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849183741, $11.95, PB, 48pp, www.amazon.com
Brazilian artist Leo is best known for his science-fiction, multi-series saga The Worlds of
Aldebaran. He also created Canadian Mountie Trent as well as Kenya and its second season
Namibia -- all three with author Rodolphe, a teacher, journalist and writer who's penned over 150
graphic novels so far. "The Kid" is part of their simply outstanding series 'Trent' featuring the
adventures of a Canadian Northwest Mounty. After a botched robbery that claimed the life of his
lover, an American outlaw crosses the border into Canada. As he's already left nearly a dozen
dead bodies behind, Sergeant Trent is sent to intercept him. But instead of the expected
bloodthirsty murderer, it's a sensitive young man that the Mountie finds, a free spirit with a deep
love of French poetry. How is Trent going to reconcile doing his duty with his nascent liking for
the kid? In this story we are introduced to one of the most existential outlaws in all of western
novel action adventure tales in an original, almost fable like and original graphic novel. Unique,
unfailingly entertaining, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The Kid" is one of those graphic
novel stories that will linger in the mind and memory long after it has been finished and set back
upon the shelf.
Memories from the Futures
Pierre Christin, author
Jean-Claude Mezieres, illustrator
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849183383, $13.95, PB, 56pp, www.amazon.com
"Memories from the Futures" is the final volume in the simply outstanding science fiction
graphic novel series by the team of author Pieree Christin and artist/illustrator Jean-Claude
Mezieres. Even though Valerian and Laureline's adventures have come to an end, "Memories
from the Futures" features chapters that haven't been told yet, including simple episodes,
post-scriptums to their main stories, moments of their lives seen through the eyes of their friends,
their allies, or even their enemies. Here's a collection of vignettes (including 'origin stories' for
Valerian and Laureline) that will cast a new light - sometimes funny, sometimes touching - on
the saga of our heroes. An absolute 'must read' for the legions of Valerian and Laureline,
"Memories from the Futures" is very highly recommended for the personal reading lists of
dedicated science fiction fans, as well as community library graphic novel collections.
Robotech Vol. 2: Bye-Bye Mars
Written by Brian Wood & Simon Furman
Art by Marco Turini
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785859144 $16.99 amazon.com
Robotech Vol. 2: Bye-Bye Mars continues the graphic novel re-interpretation of the classic
"Robotech" sci-fi saga, featuring striking, full-color artwork in a more realistic Western style (the
original was an anime series). In volume 2, the crew of the SDF-1 spaceship are lost in space,
and under attack from aliens. A crewmember is lost, hidden secrets begin to emerge... and could
there be traitors on board? A gorgeous cover gallery, including "action figure style covers",
rounds out this "must-read" for fans of military sci-fi in general and the Robotech series in
particular. Highly recommended!
Warhammer 40,000: Fallen
George Mann, author
Tazio Bettin, illustrator
Enrica Eren Angiolini, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785858604, $16.99, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
Inquisitor Sabbathiel thinks she has all the pieces to unveil the heresy of the Dark Angels Space
Marines to the universe - she knows their dark secret, and about the existence of The Fallen.
However the Dark Angels aren't about to let themselves be wiped out without a fight. As the
Forces of Chaos laugh, brother prepares to war against brother. "Fallen" is the stunningly
illustrated third arc from the ongoing Warhammer 40,000 series and a 'must' for all dedicated
fans of graphic novel science fiction.
Cry Fox
Andrew Cartmel, author
Lee Sullivan, illustrator
Ben Aaronovitch, creator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785861727, $16.99, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com
Vengeful Russian mobsters are looking to hire members of London's own more-then-natural
underworld to bring bloody retribution down on the witch Varvara. However, the ex-Soviet
sorcerer is under the protective wing of London's own wizarding cop, Peter Grant (now a proper
detective and everything), and to get the attention of Grant and his colleagues, the daughter of a
prominent Russian oligarch is kidnaped by parties unknown but possibly fox-like. "Cry Fox" is
the fifth volume in the simply outstanding 'Rivers of London' graphic novel series created by Ben
Aaronovitch, written by Andrew Cartmel, and distinctively illustrated by Lee Sullivan.
Combining magic and mystery, "Cry Magic" is unreservedly recommended for community
library graphic novel collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated
'Rivers of London' fans that "Cry Fox" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$11.99).
The Lost Fleet: Corsair
Jack Campbell, author
Andre Siregar & Bambang Irawan, artists
Titan Comics
9781785852992 $16.99 https://titan-comics.com
Based on the popular military science fiction novels by Jack Campbell, The Lost Fleet: Corsair is
a full-color graphic novel set after the close of a century-long war between two space empires,
the Alliance and the Syndics. The story follows Captain Michael Geary, who makes an uneasy
agreement with rebel Syndics led by Destina Aragon in order to save both prisoners and jailors in
an unprecedented intergalatic jailbreak! A fine blend of action and intrigue, The Lost Fleet:
Corsair is a "must-read" for connoisseurs of the genre, highly recommended.
Torchwood: The Culling
John Barrowman, et al.
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785858550, $16.99, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com
The third volume in the simply outstanding science fiction series "Torchwood" (which itself is a
spin-off from the beloved "Dr. Who" series, "The Culling" by the team of authors John and
Carole Barrowman, and featuring the artwork and illustrations of Neil Edwards finds that
Captain Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper, along with the crew of the alien tech-filled ship Ice
Maiden, must stop the alien Navigators' plan to 'compost' the Earth, but first they must deal with
the duplicitious Lady Karina, the roguish Captain John Hart, and a clone like nothing they've
seen before! A thoroughly entertaining read from cover to cover, "The Culling" is a 'must read'
for the legions of Dr. Who and Torchwood fans, and will prove to be an immediate and
enduringly popular addition to community library graphic novel collections. It should be noted
for personal reading lists that "The Culling" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$11.99).
The Audiobook Shelf
Timeless
Louis Cozolino, author
Read by Paul Brion
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
9781977309365 $34.99 www.tantor.com
Timeless: Nature's Formula for Health and Longevity is a unique self-help and health guide, now
available in an unabridged audiobook edition, and written especially for anyone concerned about
the consequences of aging. There are many ways to dampen the mental effects of aging and
nurture brain health into one's golden years. Social relationships and improved personal
flexibility and adaptation are keys to aging gracefully. Timeless contains invaluable wisdom and
practical advice, and is highly recommended for both personal and public library audiobook
collections. 6 CDs, 7 hours.
The Goodbye Girl
Neil Simon
L.A. Theatre Works
681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, CA 90291
www.latw.org
9781682660706, $29.99, CD, www.amazon.com
Directed by Rosalind Ayres and recorded as a live in performance at UCLA's James Bridges
Theater in January 2018, this unique audio adaptation of Neil Simon's screenplay "The Goodbye
Girl" is the story of Paula McFadden, a down-on-her-luck actress who is forced to take in a new
roommate -- the eccentric, noisy, and generally unpleasant Eliot Garfield who also happens to be
an actor. As their careers and finances hit new lows, their reluctant partnership threatens to turn
into something neither one wants. This flawless recorded and superbly performed play is an L.A.
Theatre Works full-cast recording, starring (in alphabetical order): Ellis Greer and Donna and
others; Anna Mathias as multiple characters; Matthew Floyd Miller as Eliot Garfield; Amy Pietz
as Paula McFadden; Raini Rodriguez as Lucy; Andre Sogliuzzo as multiple characters; Inger
Tudor as Mrs. Crosby and others; Matthew Wolf as Mark Bodine and others; and Adam Wylie as
multiple characters. Simply stated, this outstanding production is unreservedly recommended for
personal, community, and academic library Theatrical Studies and audio book collections. (2
CDs, 1 Hour, 38 Minutes).
Hell Divers III: Deliverance
Nicholas Sansbury Smith
Blackstone Audiobooks
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781504782418, $29.95, MP3 CD, www.amazon.com
Left for dead on the nightmarish surface of the planet, Commander Michael Everhart and his
team of Hell Divers barely escape with their lives aboard a new airship called Deliverance. After
learning that Xavier ''X'' Rodriguez may still be alive, they mount a rescue mission for the
long-lost hero. In the skies, the Hive is falling apart, but Captain Jordan is more determined than
ever to keep humanity in their outdated lifeboat. He will do whatever it takes to keep the ship in
the air -- even murder. But when he learns the Hell Divers he exiled have found Deliverance, he
changes course for a new mission -- find the divers, kill them, and make their new ship his own.
In this third installment of author Nicholas Sansbury Smith's 'Hell Divers' series, Michael and his
fellow divers fight across the mutated landscape in search of X. But what they find will change
everything. Dramatically narrated by R. C. Bray, "Deliverance" is a flawless produced, complete
and unabridged, 'theatre of the mind' experience and an especially recommended addition to
personal and community library Science Fiction audio book collections.
The Cruel Prince
Holly Black, author
Caitlin Kelly, narrator
Hachette Audio
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
www.HachetteAudio.com
9781478923732, $25.00, CD, www.amazon.com
Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were
stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing
more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially
Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. To win a place at the Court,
she must defy him -- and face the consequences. In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace
intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens
to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance
to save her sisters, and Faerie itself. A deftly crafted fantasy tale replete with unexpected twists
and turns -- and a thoroughly unanticipated finale -- "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black is
superbly narrated from beginning to end by Caitlin Kelly. Complete and unabridged, "The Cruel
Prince" is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library audio book
collections and is a 'must hear' theatre of the mind experience for dedicated fantasy fans.
Hachette Audio
www.hachetteaudio.com
These four nonfiction audio works are highly recommended picks for libraries seeking revealing
topics and solid narrators, and promise lasting library lending value. Andrew Morton's Wallace in
Love: The Untold Life of the Duchess of Windsor, The Woman Who Changed the Monarchy
(9781478964636, $35.00) is read by Molly Parker Myers and offers a new portrait of Wallis
Simpson, telling of her change from a Baltimore spoiled girl who always pursued stability and
status to her rise in London society. Her attraction to a king led him into disaster and cost her
reputation, as an adult, and this probe reveals the psychological influences on events between
them and throughout her life. Mark Hyman, MD's Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?
(9781478985389, $30.00) is written and read by the author, who addresses the confusion
surrounding healthy foods and appropriate eating habits. Given the back-and-forth of health
reports on such foods as eggs, milk, and meat, it's easy to be confused over the latest research and
its validity. Dr. Hyman examines all food groups and explains which foods are healthy and which
are not. Science blends with positive insight and even recipes to focus on the kinds of foods and
eating habits that lead to optimal health. Lauren Slater's Blue Dreams: The Science and the Story
of the Drugs That Changed Our Minds (9781478900290, $30.00) is read by Betsy
Foldes-Meiman and offers a history of psychotropic drugs that points out that despite their
popularity, there's actually no clear understanding of how or why they work on the brain. Her
history of the discovery and development of these approved narcotics provides a lively scientific
and psychological survey that considers the evolution of psychiatric drugs and their applications
from early times to modern days, and is recommended for anyone who would gain a better
understanding of their fundamental purposes and ongoing issues. The result is a revealing survey
especially recommended for listeners with a prior interest in the topic of drug development and
applications.
The Library CD Shelf
Just Like in the Movies
Southern Halo
Southern Halo Music
$TBA www.southernhalo.net
Just Like in the Movies is the latest music album by the talented trio of sisters Southern Halo; all
three are youthful masters of blended harmony, vibrant country, and soul-stirring blues. A joy to
experience, Just Like in the Movies provides an immersive, rapturous experience, and is also
highly recommended as a memorable gift to connoisseurs. Highly recommended. The tracks are
"Southern Halo", "My Girls & Me", "Notice Me", "I Think Too Much", "Tom Girl", "Anything is
Possible", "Not Today", "Missing Mississippi", "Famous", "Gettin' Back Up", "Hey Boy",
"Coming Home", "It's Always Been You", and "Just Like in the Movies (Revised)".
Time Not Forgotten
Rhonda Mackert
Privately Published
$TBA www.rhondamackert.com
Time Not Forgotten is an original solo piano album by the talented Rhonda Mackert, inspired by
some of her most cherished memories. Serene and rapturous, Time Not Forgotten soothes the
spirit and awakens the imagination with its masterful stylings. Highly recommended, especially
for connoisseurs of the genre. The tracks are "Dancing Through My Memories", "Walking
Among Giants", "Time Not Forgotten", "Molokini", "Monsoon", "White Cliffs", "Spring on
Grayrock Mountain", "Chasing Fireflies", "Healing Places', "Dreaming of Sedona", "Skipping
Stones", and "Free Floating".
Alive Inside The Tank
Mysteries of the Night
Silver Wave Records
$TBA www.tanksounds.org
Alive Inside the Tank is an album created in The Tank Center for Sonic Arts, an extraordinary
sound chamber fashioned from an abandoned empty steel water tank on a hill overlooking the
town of Rangely, Colorado. Alive Inside The Tank is the first full-length album recorded in the
Tank to be released on an established record label (Silver Wave Records). The extraordinary
reverberation enriches the improvisational flute, percussion, vocalizations, and hand drums of
Mysteries of the Night. Wondrous, alluring, and sensational, Alive Inside The Tank is highly
recommended especially for personal and public library music collections. The tracks are "To
The Earth", "The Promise", "Mysteries of the Night", "The Space Between", "Thunder Cloud",
"Under The Sea", "To The Sky", "My Love is Here", "Coconino", "To The Stars (for Tito)",
"Clockwork", "Pulsing Within", "Twin Flames", "To the Creator (for Trane)", and "In the
Morning".
Listen
Nitish Kulkarni
Privately Published
www.nitishkulkarni.com
$9.99 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com
The second album by Nitish Kulkarni (pronounced nuh-teesh kul-car-nee), Listen embodies
world fusion, incorporating traditional ethnic instruments around the globe as well as modern
synthesizers and electric guitar. Musicians and singers from multiple different nations lend their
talents to the original compositions; the result is a vibrant, eclectic creation, enthusiastically
recommended for connoisseurs of the genre and public library music collections. The tracks are
"Call to Action", "Mapmaker", "Listen: Mbira", "When I Go", "All Around You", "Listen: Oud",
"Speak To Me", "Wordless", "Sense of Touch", "Listen: ERHU", "In Another Life", "Listen:
Theorbo", "Remember When", and "The Day Before Tomorrow".
Oliver the Crow
Oliver the Crow
Privately Published
$15.00 CD / $10.00 digital oliverthecrow.com
Oliver the Crow is the self-titled debut album of the brilliant, Nashville-based duo Oliver the
Crow (cellist Kaitlyn Raitz and fiddler Ben Plotnick). Drawing upon their experience as
classically trained performers, their love of folk music, and the inspiration of nature (the album
was created in three days in a remote, solar-powered cabin in Vermont), Oliver the Crow is an
extraordinary, multifaceted soundscape, highly recommended. The tracks are "Sailing with the
Tid", "Bury Me Beneath the Willow", "Ashes of a Day Gone By", "Grace", "As the Crow Flies",
"Sam River", "Glass", "Samson", "45", and "Bear in a Den".
Something Higher
Leftover Salmon
Privately Published
$15.00 www.leftoversalmon.com
Something Higher is a new album by Leftover Salmon, showcasing their unique brand of New
Orleans-meets-Appalachian-bluegrass. Fresh, dynamic, and quintessentially American,
Something Higher is a joy for connoisseurs. The tracks are "Places", "Show Me Something
Higher", "Southern Belle", "Analog", "House of Cards", "Evermore", "Astral Traveler", "Foreign
Fields", "Game of Thorns", "Let in a Little Light", "Winter's Gone", and "Burdened Heart".
Tahdig
Mitra Sumara
Privately Published
$TBA www.mitrasumara.com
Mitra Sumara, the one and only Farsi Funk group to be found in New York City, presents their
debut full-length album Tahdig. Here is vivacious Persian pop and funk music, the type that was
sharply curtailed by the Iranian Revolution. An exuberant, pulse-pounding interpretation of hits
by Iran's most beloved singers including Googoosh, Soli, and Leila Forouhar, Tahdig is a "must"
for international music collections. The tracks are "Bemoon ta Bemoonam", "Helelyos", "Shahre
Paiz", "Miravi", "Mosem-e Gol", "Gol bi Goldoon", "Donya vafa nadare", "Manoto",
"Hamparvaz", and "Kofriam".
The Library DVD Shelf
Backyard Sports
Coach Marty Schupak
Youth Sports Club
9 Florence Court, Valley Cottage, NY 10989
$24.95 www.YouthSportsClub.com
Backyard Sports is an instructional DVD that brings some of the most valuable and popular drills
in baseball, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, and golf into a single collection. From baseball hitting
drills that can be performed in a confined space, to creating a $300 batting net for $25.00, to
creative basketball shooting drills, lacrosse stick control and cradling, to an analysis of the golf
swing, to soccer footwork and more, Backyard Sports is an excellent resource for physical
education instructors and youth sports groups. The brainchild of Marty Schupak, a youth sports
coach of 25 years and a creator of sports instructional videos that are free on Amazon Prime
Video (keyword "Schupak Sports"), Backyard Sports is highly recommended especially for
public and school library DVD collections.
East West 101, series 2
Starring Don Hany
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$39.99 www.acornonline.com
East West 101, series 2 brings the second season of the award-winning, gritty police drama set in
post-9/11 Australia. When a lethal car bomb detonates in Sydney, rumors fly that Islamic
extremists were responsible, but Detective Zane Malik (played by Don Haney) is not so easily
convinced. He joins a joint task force, which puts him on an undercover mission targeting an
alleged arms dealer. The pressure of working undercover isolates him from his family and puts
his life in peril. At the same time, Malik's boss, Inspector Patricia Wright (played by Susie
Porter) must confront a devastating personal crisis with ties to the wounds of her past. Superbly
written and performed, East West 101 is a "must" for connoisseurs of the genre. A 43-minute
behind-the- scenes featurette is included as a bonus. 7 episodes on 2 DVDs, 378 min.,
widescreen, SDH subtitles, not rated.
Menace & Murder: A Lynda La Plante Collection
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$59.99 www.acornonline.com
Menace & Murder: A Lynda La Plante Collection is a DVD collection three acclaimed mystery-
thrillers by Lynda La Plante, artfully adapted into short television series. In "Supply & Demand",
actor Eammon Walker plays the role of an undercover officer who joins an elite squad in pursuit
of narcotics dealers, human traffickers, and other monstrous criminals. In "Killer Net", starring
Tam Williams and Paul Bettany, a psychology student's interest in a computer game about
planning a murder spirals into more than a game when his ex-girlfriend is killed in real life. In
"Mind Games", actress Fiona Shaw plays a former nun who works as a criminal profiler, in her
search to catch a killer who has beaten two women to death in their homes. Menace & Murder is
a choice pick for connoisseurs of crime drama, highly recommended. 10 episodes on 5 DVDs
plus 2 feature-length episodes, 729 min. SDH subtitles.
The Theatre/Cinema Shelf
Apocalypse Then
Mike Bogue
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476668413, $39.95, PB, 316pp, www.amazon.com
The United States is the only country to have dropped a nuclear bomb against two enemy cities in
a time of war. Japan is the only nation to have suffered the devastation of having two of its cities
hit by an atomic bomb. Understandably American movies and Japanese movies portray the
nuclear threat differently on film. American science fiction movies of the 1950s and 1960s
generally proclaim that it is possible to put the nuclear genie back in the bottle. Japanese films of
the same period assert that once freed the nuclear genie can never again be imprisoned.
"Apocalypse Then: American and Japanese Atomic Cinema, 1951-1967" by Mike Bogue (who is
a community college educator and regularly writes for G-FAN and Scary Monsters Magazine)
deftly examines genre films from the two countries released between 1951 and 1967, including
Godzilla (1954), The Mysterians (1957), The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957), On the Beach
(1959), The Last War (1961) and Dr. Strangelove (1964), showing the differing viewpoints on
nuclear war from both sides of the Pacific. Impressively informed and informative, "Apocalypse
Then" is exceptionally well researched, written, organized and presented, as well as enhanced for
academia and non-specialist general readers with the inclusion of six pages of Chapter Notes; a
two page Bibliography; and a ten page Index. While unreservedly recommended for both
community and academic library Cinematic History collections and supplemental studies lists, it
should be noted for the personal reading lists that "Apocalypse Then" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Aviation Shelf
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird
Jim Goodall
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764355042, $45.00, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Over the last thirty-five years Jim Goodall has authored more than two dozen books and articles
on military aircraft, naval ships, and submarines with a focus on Low Observables, or as it is
known today, Stealth. Now with the publication of "Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird: The Illustrated
History of America's Legendary Mach 3 Spy Plane" he turns his attention to the legendary SR-71
Blackbird spy plane that was, and still is, the world's only operational Mach 3 aircraft, and was
designed, built, and tested by Lockheed's famed "Skunk Works". "Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird"
covers all fifty Blackbirds built, ranging from the first flight in 1962, and concluding with the last
one in 1999. As a replacement for the venerable U-2 spyplane, Lockheed went from contract
signing to first flight in only thirty-two months starting in April 1958 -- from the beginning of
design studies to the signing of a contract from the CIA to build the initial batch of A-12s in
February 1960, to first flight in 1962. From the A-1 design through the completion of the very
first Radar Cross Section models of the A-12, to the testing of every major system and
subsystem, "Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird" describes and illustrates the SR-71 as never before,
using images from a variety of sources, as well as the Jim Goodall's own superb, new
photography. Impressively informed and informative, "Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird" is an
essential, core addition to personal, community, and academic library American Aviation History
collections in general, and Lockheed Blackbird supplemental studies reading lists in
particular.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Tarot Art Nouveau
Lo Scarabeo
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738700083, $22.95, Cards, www.amazon.com
The cards comprising Lo Scarabeo's "Tarot Art Nouveau" showcase visual images replete with
movement. The delicate curves, the sweeping lines, the bright yet gentle color of these images all
serve to draw the mind around and into the pictures. Taken together in a reading, these tarot cards
almost effortlessly weave a story for the participants. Taken individually, there is plenty for the
eye to feast on. This deck, a work of art in itself, will also serve as a powerful divinatory tool.
Like most Lo Scarabeo decks the accompanying companion booklet for "Tarot Art Nouveau" is
available in five languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian, and German. Elegant, erudite,
contemplatively beautiful, the "Tart Art Nouveau" would wonderfully grace any personal or
professional tarot card collection and is unreservedly recommended for all metaphysical studies
students and practitioners.
The Twelve Faces of the Goddess
Danielle Blackwood
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738756035, $19.99, PB, 312pp, www.amazon.com
Historically, astrology and magick are woven from the same metaphysical threads. The more you
learn about one, the more you'll intuitively understand about the other. "The Twelve Faces of the
Goddess: Transform Your Life with Astrology, Magick, and the Sacred Feminine" by Danielle
Blackwood (who is the astrology columnist for SageWoman magazine, Banyen Books, and
Sound, has studied and practiced astrology for more than thirty years) is an inspiring, hands-on
guide showing how to connect with the twelve faces of the Goddess through astrology, story,
ritual, and path working. "The Twelve Faces of the Goddess" explores cross-cultural myths
associated with each goddess, delve into astrology from a groundbreaking feminine perspective,
and discover the personality, archetype, and correspondences of each zodiac sign to unlock a
deeper understanding of yourself as the heroine of your story. "The Twelve Faces of the
Goddess" shows how to work with a specific guiding goddesses in creating a birth chart, as well
as learning how astrology is connected to the seasonal turning points on the Wheel of the Year,
and so much more. One of the principle intentions of "The Twelve Faces of the Goddess" is to
function as a reminder that connecting with the sacred feminine is an empowering and radical act
that can guide us on our journey. While very highly recommended for personal and community
library Metaphysical Studies collections and supplemental reading lists, it should be noted that
"The Twelve Faces of the Goddess" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Peace Oracle: Guidance for Challenging Times
Toni Carmine Salerno, author
Leela J. Williams, author
Blue Angel Publishing
c/o Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738759395, $23.95, Cards, www.amazon.com
Even those who are born into peace can succumb to the hurries and pressures of daily life and
find themselves despairing at the loss of harmony, accord, and contentment. However, peace is
an art that can be developed and nurtured just like any other quality or skill. Beautiful,
thoughtful, and lovingly crafted by the team of Toni Carmine Salerno and Leela Williams, this
modern oracle will support you on the journey to compassion and confidence -- and comes with
an informative guide book to utilize the 45 cards that compose "Peace Oracle". The sublime
images and insightful messages offer practical advice, higher guidance, and affirmations to help
you cultivate peace in your heart, your head, and your home so that serenity can blossom into all
areas of your life. Begin to live your peace today with the extraordinary and thoroughly user
friendly "Peace Oracle: Guidance for Challenging Times"!
The Fashion Shelf
Made for Walking
Andy Peake
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764354991, $24.99, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
In the illustrated pages of "Made for Walking: A Modest History of the Fashion Boot" by writer
and museum curator Andy Peake, social history is blended with fashion history in the tantalizing
story of the boot ranging from the Roaring Twenties and Prohibition to online shopping and
fashion blogs. Weaving together such unlikely elements as Glam Rock, the martyrdom of Joan of
Arc, and the Iran-Contra scandal, "Made for Walking" shows how the modern fashion boot plays
with our ideas of gender, straddling the line between practical and stylish, between fashion and
fetish. Peake is the author of the popular Made for Walking blog, and in "Made for Walking"
includes thought-provoking photos and graphs that look deeply into what boots do, and what we
make them do. A 'must read' for all students of fashion history, collectors of vintage clothes, or
the non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject, "Made for Walking is especially
and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Fashion History
collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
The Money/Finance Shelf
Plan Your Estate, 14th edition
Denis Clifford
Nolo Press
950 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.nolo.com
9781413325119, $44.99, PB, 528pp, www.amazon.com
Now in a fully updated 14th edition, attorney Denis Clifford's "Plan Your Estate" is specifically
intended for the non-specialist general reader who thinks that estate planning sounds difficult and
should be left to professionals. But it turns out that most people just need a few basic documents
and by becoming informed on the basic fundamentals of estate planning so accessibly laid out in
the pages of "Plan Your Estate" protect loved ones from legal hassles and financial uncertainty
after one's own (and inevitable) death. "Plan Your Estate" covers: wills and living trusts;
avoiding probate; bypass (AB) trusts; naming guardians for children; leaving property to
children; estate, gift, and inheritance taxes; strategies for business owners; leaving property to
charity; health care directives; and financial powers of attorney. Completely updated to reflect the
latest state and federal laws, including the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, with the information
comprising "Plan Your Estate" applicable and valid in all U.S. states except Louisiana.
Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, commentary, organization, and presentation, as well as
comprehensive in scope, "Plan Your Estate" is a critically important and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal and community library Money/Finance instructional reference
collections. It should be noted that "Plan Your Estate" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $22.17).
The Woodworking Shelf
Outdoor Woodworking Games
Alan Goodsell & Randall Maxey
GMC Publications
c/o The Taunton Press (distributor)
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781784943745, $19.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
With "Outdoor Woodworking Games: 20 Fun Projects to Make" by the team of woodworking
experts Alan Goodsell and Randall Maxey, amateur and recreational woodworkers will have as
much fun making theses do-it-yourself projects as they will playing the games! All of the 20
projects are specifically designed to be made with the beginner woodworker in mind and using
only basic woodworking tools and equipment, so they really are accessible to all. The
comprehensive, step-by-step instructions are based on standard sizes of wood so that pieces
simply need to be cut to length with some basic shaping. All accessories required will be readily
available making each project as straightforward as possible to create. Alongside step-by-step
photos each project will also include drawings where necessary. Each project will also include
instructions on how to play the game along with the all-important rules! Beautifully and
profusely illustrated throughout, "Outdoor Woodworking Games" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in
organization and presentation, making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to
personal and community, highschool wood shop, and community library Woodworking
instructional reference collections. It should be noted that "Outdoor Woodworking Games" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
30-Minute Woodturning
Mark Baker
GMC Publications
c/o The Taunton Press (distributor)
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781784943981, $22.95, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com
For any keen woodworker who wants to do more turning but are short of time, "30-Minute
Woodturning" is the perfect instructional do-it-yourself reference and guide for amateur and
recreational woodworkers and showcases an impressive variety of projects -- each of which can
all be completed in 30 minutes. Even for those working at an intermediate level, "30-Minute
Woodturning" provides the aspiring woodworker with something to aim for without
compromising safety and it will help beginners to build their skills. Each of the 25 projects,
ranging from Candlestick Holder; Doorstop; Decorative Bird Box; and Spatula; to Honey
Dipper; Bud Vase; Square Edge Plate; and Shallow Bowl, also has plans for four variations
included so there are a total of 100 designs anyone can accomplish successfully. Most of the
projects require only basic turning tools and workshop accessories that nearly every turner will
have. A list of tools and materials required is included for each one, along with drawings with
dimensions. Very nicely illustrated from beginning to end, "30-Minute Woodturning: 25 Quick
Projects to Make" is strongly recommended and will prove to be an immediately popular addition
to personal, highschool wood shop, and community library Woodworking instructional reference
collections.
The Education Shelf
The Math Myth: And Other STEM Delusions
Andrew Hacker
The New Press
120 Wall Street, floor 31, New York, NY 10005
www.thenewpress.com
9781620970683, $25.95, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Andrew Hacker's 2012 New York Times op-ed questioning the requirement of advanced
mathematics in our schools instantly became one of the paper's most widely circulated articles.
Why, he wondered, do we inflict a full menu of mathematics (algebra, geometry, trigonometry,
even calculus) on all young Americans, regardless of their interests or aptitudes? "The Math
Myth: And Other STEM Delusions" expands Hacker's scrutiny of many widely held
assumptions, like the notions that mathematics broadens our minds, that mastery of azimuths and
asymptotes will be needed for most jobs, that the entire Common Core syllabus should be
required of every student. He worries that a frenzied emphasis on STEM is diverting attention
from other pursuits and subverting the spirit of the country. In fact, Hacker honors mathematics
as a calling (he has been a professor of mathematics) and extols its glories and its goals. Yet he
shows how mandating it for everyone prevents other talents from being developed and acts as an
irrational barrier to graduation and careers. He proposes alternatives, including teaching facility
with figures, quantitative reasoning, and understanding statistics. Certain to spark a heated and
needed national conversation not just about mathematics but about the kind of people and society
we want to be, "The Math Myth" is especially recommended for both community and academic
library Education & Mathematics collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of
classroom teachers, school board members, education students, academia, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Math Myth" also available in a paperback
edition (9781620973912, $17.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.39), and as a complete
and unabridged audio book (Tantor Audio, 9781515907152, $34.99, CD).
Reading, Writing, and Rigor
Nancy Boyles
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416625551, $32.95, PB, 210pp, www.amazon.com
What does rigor, a word that frequently pops up in conversations about education, really mean?
More specifically, what does it mean for literacy instruction, and how does it relate to
challenging standards-based assessments? "Reading, Writing, and Rigor: Helping Students
Achieve Greater Depth of Knowledge in Literacy" by Nancy Boyles (who is a former classroom
teacher and professor emerita at Southern Connecticut State University, where she was professor
of Reading and Graduate Reading Program Coordinator) is informative and practical guide that
uses the framework from Webb's Depth of Knowledge (DOK) to answer these questions,
offering experience-based advice along with specific examples of K - 8 assessment items.
Professor Boyles defines rigor and shows how it relates to literacy at each DOK level and
explains the kind of thinking students will be expected to demonstrate. She then tackles the
essence of what teachers need to know about how DOK and its associated rigors are measured on
standards-based assessments. Specifically, readers learn how each DOK rigor aligns with:
standards, text complexity, close reading, student interaction, the reading-writing connection, and
formative assessment. Unreservedly recommended for school district, college, and university
library Educational Instruction reference collections and supplemental studies lists, student
teachers, classroom instructors, literacy coaches, and school administrators will find clear
guidance, easy-to-implement strategies, dozens of useful teaching tools and resources, and
encouragement to help students achieve and demonstrate true rigor in the literary skills of reading
and writing.
Assistive Technology in Special Education
Joan L. Green
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
www.prufrock.com
9781618217585, $45.00, PB, 275pp, www.amazon.com
Joan Green is a speech-language pathologist in the Washington, DC, area with many years of
experience helping children and adults who have a wide range of communication, cognitive,
literacy and learning challenges. She is passionate in her efforts to spread the word about how
affordable cutting-edge technology can be used to empower children and adults who have
difficulty with speaking, reading, writing, thinking, and learning at home, school, work, or in the
community. She draws upon her years of experience and expertise in this newly updated and
expanded third edition of "Assistive Technology in Special Education: Resources to Support
Literacy, Communication, and Learning Differences" to present a wealth of practical,
well-organized information to help families, teachers, and therapists find effective solutions for
students with learning, literacy, and cognitive challenges. Featuring new affordable tools to
improve and compensate for challenges related to speaking, understanding, reading, writing, and
thinking and remembering, as well as strategies to help students become more organized and
efficient, "Assistive Technology in Special Education" also highlights iDevices, G Suite (Google
Apps and Extensions), online collaborative sites, and features built into the computers and
mobile devices readers already use. As technology changes and new operating systems make
older programs obsolete, "Assistive Technology in Special Education" will empower classroom
teachers to explore the most current resources as they become available, and will prove to be a
critically important addition to professional, school district, college, and university library
Teacher Education collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
College Admission 101
Robert Franek
The Princeton Review
c/o Random House Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
www.PrincetonReview.com
9781524758530, $12.99, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
As The Princeton Review's chief expert on education, Robert Franek shares his insider expertise
on the college admissions process in the pages of "College Admission 101: Simple Answers to
Tough Questions about College Admissions & Financial Aid". From standardized tests to
financial aid, "College Admission 101" provides straightforward answers to more than sixty
specific and frequently asked questions including: Should I take the ACT or SAT?; When should
I start my college research? How many schools should I apply to?; Will applying Early Decision
or Early Action give me a leg up?; Which extracurricular activities do colleges want to see?;
How does the financial aid process work?; What's more important: GPA or test scores?
Authoritative, comprehensive, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation,
"College Admission 101" is very highly recommended for community library collections. It
should be noted for the personal reading lists of highschool students considering going on to a
college or university that "College Admission 101" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
Teach Writing Well
Ruth Culham
Stenhouse Publishers
480 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101-3451
www.stenhouse.com
9781625311177, $37.33, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
The key to writing well is revision. The real challenge of writing instruction is teaching kids in
grades 2 to 6 how to revise what they write. "Teach Writing Well: How to Assess Writing,
Invigorate Instruction, and Rethink Revision" by successful writer and writing teacher Ruth
Culham shows how to teach writing and revision in a way that's accessible to both teachers and
students: First read the writing, assess it using the traits of writing, then teach the writers and
guide revision decisions using traits as a common language and map. Part 1 walks the classroom
teacher through the traits of writing and their key qualities, showing step by step how to read
students' writing and offer feedback that nudges them forward through the revision process. Part
2 dives into instruction, offering specific guidance for how to use what has been learned from
reading student writing to designing lessons that scaffold students toward making their own craft
decisions and revisions. Of special note is an entire chapter devoted to mentor texts that
classroom teachers can use to model traits and key qualities for their students. Exceptionally
informative and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Teach Writing Well"
is a complete course of instruction under one cover that is unreservedly recommended for school
district, college, and university library Teacher Education collections and supplemental studies
reading lists.
College Beyond the States
Jennifer Viemont
Global Ed Press
www.globaledpress.com
9781732225909 $TBA
College Beyond the States: European Universities That Will Change Your Life Without Breaking
the Bank is a guide to European schools offering English-taught degree programs, with specific
profiles of 13 schools in continental Europe selected based on tuition, quality of education,
employability after earning one's degree, and factors that aid the international student's
experience. It is quite possible to study abroad, save money, avoid the flawed U.S. admissions
process, and be competitive when searching for a job. College Beyond the States is highly
recommended an excellent resource worthy of careful consideration by prospective college
students.
Number Sense Routines
Jessica F. Shumway
Stenhouse Publishers
9781625310880 $33.33 www.stenhouse.com
Number Sense Routines: Building Mathematical Understanding Every Day in Grades 3-5 offers
upper elementary-level teachers a formula for using a child's innate sense of numbers to provide
daily experiences that reinforce this knowledge and build a platform of number sense
relationships. Five, ten, and fifteen minute warmup routines provide a range of exercises for
strengthening this knowledge and are paired with the author's first-person insights on what she
did in her classroom, making this a highly recommended pick for any elementary teacher seeking
to reinforce number routines and information.
Corwin
www.corwin.com
Anthony Kim and Alexis Gonzales-Black's The New School Rules: 6 Vital Practices for
Thriving and Responsive Schools (9781506352763, $29.95) adds organizational design and
modern management techniques from the business world into revised considerations of school
structure and is especially recommended for principals, managers, and administrators who would
create more responsive, modern systems from school structures. Chapters impart six simple rules
that foster responsiveness among educators, pair those with case studies from schools and
classrooms, and include some fifteen experiments that school leaders can use to test
responsiveness in their faculty members. No education collection should be without this tested
set of insights on crafting a modern school environment. The second updated edition of David A.
Sousa and Tom Pilecki's From Stem to Steam: Brain-Compatible Strategies and Lessons That
Integrate the Arts (9781506322452, $32.95) discusses the integration of liberal arts into daily
STEM instruction processes and points out how this results in better student performance in
STEM subjects; but more important, it addresses the actual process of integrating the liberal arts
into an often-rigid STEM-based curriculum. More lessons from actual classrooms are presented
in this update written by an expert in educational neuroscience and a veteran arts educator. From
the latest cognitive studies to how to build a integrated STEM and STEAM lesson plan, this
provides the basic frameworks for success that more theoretical approaches lack. Trish Hatch,
et.al.'s Hatching Results for Elementary School Counseling: Implementing Core Curriculum and
Other Tier One Activities (9781506389646, $34.95) is for elementary school counselors who are
implementing academic and social development programs for students, and who want to better
understand their role in the creation of Tier 1 systems for success. From prevention processes to
core classroom applications, chapters review traditional elementary school counselor guides and
approaches, examine student engagement procedures, and analyze tests, assessments, and other
tools. Beth McCord Kobett, et.al.'s The Mathematics Lesson-Planning Handbook: Your
Blueprint for Building Cohesive Lessons (9781506387819, $33.95) will reach teachers of grades
K-2 with a survey that tackles lesson planning and student needs. Teachers receive a step-by-step
guide to the process of planning such lessons based on the experience and advice of two
instructional experts who cover everything from content and language to choosing the types of
tasks and materials that best support instructional goals. A comb binding makes for easy lay-flat
usage. Frederick L. Dillon, et.al.'s Your Mathematics Standards Companion: What They Mean
and How to Teach Them (9781544317403, $36.95) will reach high school teachers interested in
Common Core math applications, and includes indexes and cross-references to state standards as
it provides a workbook format with lay-flat comb binding for addressing different standards and
their purposes and measurement, including planning pages and workbook exercises and
overviews of vocabulary and content.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Wolf Sanctuary
Chuck Rineer
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764354908, $24.99, HC, 128pp, www.amazon.com
With "Wolf Sanctuary" by Chuck Rineer (who found himself drawn to Wolf Sanctuary of
Speedwell Forge, Pennsylvania where he signed up as a volunteer photographer) readers will
discover the world of the wolves of Speedwell Forge Wolf Sanctuary, a refuge for displaced
wolves located in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania. Through captivating and, at times, startling
images, experience wolves at work and play, and encounter their howls and growls close up.
Since 2007, Chuck Rineer has photographed the packs in their natural habitat, displaying a
connection and respect for their way of life that few of us will experience. See the hidden details
of wolf life, and go behind-the-scenes of this special sanctuary. Readers will learn how the
newest wolves are integrated into the packs, something rarely seen by human eyes, and follow all
the wolves through the different seasons of the year. Full of stunning photographs, stories, and
insights into pack behavior, "Wolf Sanctuary" will have a very special appeal for those who have
been captivated by wolves from afar and long for the chance to see these majestic animals up
close and personal. Certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal and
community library Contemporary Photography and Wildlife collections in general, as well as
Wolf supplemental studies lists in particular, "Wolf Sanctuary" is very highly recommended.
Equitation Science
Paul McGreevy, et al.
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell
9781119241416, $54.99, PB, 416pp, www.amazon.com
Equitation science is the application of scientific methods to assess objectively the welfare of
horses undergoing training. It promotes an evidence-based understanding of horse-rider
interactions. The goal is to apply valid, quantitative scientific methods to identify what training
techniques are ineffective or painful, and to improve the horse-rider relationship by explaining
horse training from a learning theory perspective that removes anthropomorphism and
emotiveness. Now in a fully updated and expanded second edition, "Equitation Science" is the
collaborative project of Paul McGreevy (Professor of Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare
Science at the Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Australia); Janne
Winther Christensen (Associate Professor at the Department of Animal Science, Aarhus
University, Denmark); Uta Konig von Borstel is a Professor of Animal Husbandry and Biology at
the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Giessen, Germany); and Andrew
McLean (who is one of the world's foremost equine behavioral practitioners and founder of the
Australian Equine Behaviour Centre, Australia). This new and nicely illustrated edition continues
to be a complete and comprehensive textbook and reference in the rapidly emerging field of
equitation science. "Equitation Science" incorporates learning theory into ethical equine training
frameworks suitable for riders of any level and for all types of equestrian activity. This newly
revised second edition of "Equitation Science" features a new chapter on research methods, and a
companion website provides the images from the book in PowerPoint. The welfare of the horse
and rider safety are primary considerations throughout, making it an especially recommended
addition to both community and academic library Equine Studies collections. It should be noted
for the personal reading lists of veterinary students, horse owners, horse racing trainers, and non-
specialists general readers with an interest in the subject that "Equitation Science" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $35.19).
The Teaching Dog
Nicole Larocco-Skeehan, CPDT-KA
Dogwise Publishing
403 South Mission Street, Wenatchee WA 98801
www.dogwise.com
9781617812149, $19.95, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com
Nicole Larocco-Skeehan, CPDT-KA, owns and operates Philly Unleashed which provides group
and private dog training in Philadelphia. In "The Teaching Dog" she draws upon her years of
experience and expertise to showcase the concept of using dogs as teaching aides for other dogs.
A 'Teaching Dog' can be used to demonstrate behaviors, work to socialize puppies and even help
out in reactive dog classes. Nicole fully explores all aspects of what trainers need to know about
using teaching dogs to make the job of learning new behaviors and problem solving easier for
both human and canine clients including the roles they can play as well as the types and breeds
that work best for the tasks you want them to do. A unique, extraordinary, fascinating, practical,
informative, and instructive guide and manual, "The Teaching Dog" will prove to be an
enduringly welcome addition to personal, professional, and community library Pets/Wildlife
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Teaching Dog" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.95).
It's About the Dog
Guilie Castillo Oriard
Everytime Press
https://everytimepress.com
9781925536195 $12.00 pbk / $5.99 Kindle amazon.com
It's About the Dog: The A-to-Z Guide for Wannabe Dog Rescuers is a candid introduction to the
harrowing yet rewarding work of rescuing abandoned or stray dogs. It should be noted that "dog
rescuer" specifically refers to a person who physically collects abandoned or stray dogs and
brings them to a veterinarian for medical treatment, hopefully followed by foster care and
adoption. Not all dog rescuers foster or adopt dogs (although many do), and people who foster or
adopt dogs do not necessarily take part in rescuing dogs from the streets. It's About the Dog
particularly focuses on the perils, pitfalls, and rewards of rescuing dogs (while acknowledging
that rescuing dogs would be impossible without the aid of those who foster or adopt dogs). Here
are true stories trying to catch, coax, or (in the most dire circumstances) trap or drug animals that
are often injured, malnourished, diseased, or worse. Author and dog rescuer Guilie Castillo
Oriard also openly condemns the cruelty of dog breeding - any type of breeding - when the
overwhelming surplus of unwanted dogs inevitably leads to animal suffering and an extreme
shortage of homes. "Avoid pet shops that sell puppies... Even if you're just buying fish food, or a
leash for your niece's stuffed poodle, please buy it from a store that doesn't sell puppies (or any
animal, in fact). Commercial breeding is the largest single factor responsible for the dog
overpopulation problem we have today." It's About the Dog is a must-read especially for dog
lovers everywhere, highly recommended.
The Science Shelf
Data Stewardship for Open Science
Barend Mons
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9780815348184, $129.00, HC, 244pp, www.amazon.com
Barend Mons is a molecular biologist by training (PhD, Leiden University, 1986) and spent over
15 years in malaria research. After that he gained two decades of experience in computer-assisted
knowledge discovery, which is still his research focus at the Leiden University Medical Centre.
In "Data Stewardship for Open Science: Implementing FAIR Principles", Professor Mons draws
upon his years of research, experience and expertise to make scientists, funders, and innovators
in all disciplines and stages of their professional activities broadly aware of the need, complexity,
and challenges associated with open science, modern science communication, and data
stewardship. The FAIR principles are used as a guide throughout the text, and "Data Stewardship
for Open Science" should leave experimentalists consciously incompetent about data stewardship
and motivated to respect data stewards as representatives of a new profession, while possibly
motivating others to consider a career in the field. Exceptionally well written, organized and
presented, "Data Stewardship for Open Science" is especially recommended for corporate,
college, and university library Computer Science and Engineering collections. It should be noted
for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers that "Data
Stewardship for Open Science" is also available in a paperback edition (9781498753173,
$59.95).
Introduction to Bioethics, second edition
John A. Bryant & Linda Baggott la Velle
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell
9781118719619, $160.00, HC, 360pp, www.amazon.com
Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, "Introduction to Bioethics" by John A.
Bryant (Professor Emeritus of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences,
University of Exeter, Exeter, UK) and Linda la Velle (Professor of Biology in Education,
Institute of Education, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK, and Visiting Professor of
Education, Bath Spa University, UK) offers complete information about all aspects of bioethics
and its role in our world. It tackles the concerns of bioethicists, dealing with the ethical questions
that arise in the relationships among life sciences, biotechnology, medicine, politics, law, and
philosophy. "Introduction to Bioethics" also introduces the various modes of ethical thinking and
then helps the reader to apply that thinking to issues relating to the environment, to plants and
animals, and to humans. "Introduction to Bioethics, Second Edition" additionally focuses on key
issues directly relevant to those studying courses ranging from medicine through to biology and
agriculture. Ethical analysis is threaded throughout each chapter and supplementary examples are
included to stimulate further thought. Enhanced with numerous mini-case studies to aid
understanding, together with key references and further reading, "Introduction to Bioethics"
covers such topics as: genetic modification; GM crops, human genetics and genomics; cloning
and stem cells; assisted reproduction; end of life issues; human enhancement; transhumanism
and more. Of special note is the inclusion of new chapters on Biofuels and on Synthetic Biology.
An ideal and unreservedly recommended textbook for undergraduate students taking courses in
biomedical sciences, biological sciences, and medicine, "Introduction to Bioethics" will also be
especially useful for non-specialist general readers with an interested in the ethics of biological
and biomedical science, including science journalists and reporters, who want to inform
themselves about current developments. While very highly recommended for both community
and academic library Bioethics collections, "Introduction to Bioethics" is also available in a
paperback edition (9781118719596, $55.00) and in a digital book format (eTextbook,
$35.99).
Polarization in Electromagnetic Systems, second edition
Warren Stutzman
Artech House
9781630811075 $179.00 www.artechhouse.com
The second updated edition of Polarization in Electromagnetic Systems has been completely
revised and expanded to include the latest coverage of applications in wireless communications,
and is recommended as a foundation text for engineers and reference systems catering to them.
The basics of polarization processes are explained from scientific to mathematical perspectives,
and then systems are analyzed in detail, emphasizing antennas for generating polarization. From
wave interaction to different systems, including depolarizing media, this reference provides
everything needed to serve as both a refresher course and a review of the latest findings.
The Agriculture Shelf
Compendium of Lettuce Diseases and Pests
Krishna V. Subbarao, R. Michael Davis, Robert L. Gilbertson, & Richard N. Raid
APS Press
3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121
www.shopapspress.org
9780890545775, $169.00, PB, 165pp, www.amazon.com
The collaborative project of agriculturalists Krishna V. Subbarao, R. Michael Davis, Robert L.
Gilbertson, and Richard N. Raid, and now in a newly updated and expanded second edition,
"Compendium of Lettuce Diseases and Pests" is a concise yet comprehensive instructional
reference and guide that is ideal for large and small commercial growing operations, as well as
the advisors that serve them, including plant pathologists, entomologists, breeders, seed company
personnel, crop production specialists, growers, diagnosticians, agricultural students, regulatory
personnel, crop consultants, educators, researchers, extension personnel, and others involved in
the diagnosis and management of lettuce diseases, pests, and disorders. Profusely illustrated and
effectively organized and presented, "Compendium of Lettuce Diseases and Pests" is a critically
important and essential addition to college and university library Agricultural & Farming
instructional reference collections.
The Literary Studies Shelf
The Handy Literature Answer Book
Daniel S. Burt & Deborah G. Felder
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Rd., #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075
www.visibleinkpress.com
9781578596355, $21.95, PB, 450pp, www.amazon.com
From the epic of Gilgamesh to Aristotle and Cicero, and from Shakespeare and the King James
Bible to Wuthering Heights, War and Peace, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and the
Nobel-winning lyrics of Bob Dylan, the world of literature is an integral part of our lives. Great
literature can shape and form thoughts and opinions as well as influence politics and predict the
future. Reading can truly enrich our lives, but it can sometimes be daunting to get the most out of
a great work of literature. "The Handy Literature Answer Book: Understand and Enjoy
Meanings, Symbolism, and Signs in Great Works" is an engaging, easy-to-read look at literature
basics such as themes, symbols, context, and other literary devices. Different literary forms,
including novels, poems, plays, short stories, memoirs, and literary nonfiction are analyzed.
Hundreds of important stories and great works are used as illustrative examples. "The Handy
Literature Answer Book" covers the five basic questions for any work of literature, including
"What is the significance of a title?" "What is conflict?" "What is character development?"
"What is point of view?" "How does a setting affect a story?" "What are the different schools of
literary criticism?" and many more. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The
Handy Literature Answer Book" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended for personal,
community, highschool, college, and university library collections. It should be noted for the
personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject
that "The Handy Literature Answer Book" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$18.99).
A Beginner's Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy
Jason M. Baxter
Baker Academic
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
9780801098734, $17.99, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Dante's Divine Comedy is widely considered to be one of the most significant works of literature
ever written. It is renowned not only for its ability to make truths known but also for its power to
make them loved. It captures centuries of thought on sin, love, community, moral living, God's
work in history, and God's ineffable beauty. Like a Gothic cathedral, the beauty of this great
poem can be appreciated at first glance, but only with a guide can its complexity and layers of
meaning be fully comprehended. Now in an especially accessible introduction to Dante, which
also serves as a primer to the Divine Comedy, and helps readers better appreciate and understand
Dante's spiritual masterpiece, "A Beginner's Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy" by Jason Baxter
(Associate Professor of Fine Arts and Humanities at Wyoming Catholic College in Lander,
Wyoming and an expert on Dante), covers all the basic themes of the Divine Comedy, such as
sin, redemption, virtue, and vice. "A Beginner's Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy" also contains a
general introduction to Dante and a specific introduction to each canticle (Inferno, Purgatorio,
and Paradiso), making it especially well suited for classroom and homeschool use. Impressively
informative and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation,
it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Beginner's Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy"
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Native American Studies Shelf
Towards a New Ethnohistory
Edited by Keith Thor Carlson, et. al.
University of Manitoba Press
301 St. John's College, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R3T 2M5
www.uofmpress.ca
9780887558177 $31.95 pbk / $25.00 Kindle amazon.com
Edited by Keith Thor Carlson (Professor of History, University of Saskatchewan), John Sutton
Lutz, David M. Schaepe, and Naxaxalhts'i (Albert "Sonny" McHalsie), Towards A New
Ethnohistory: Community-Engaged Scholarship among the People of the River is an anthology
of essays by learned authors about the history, culture, politics, traditions, and more pertaining to
the Sto:lo community of Native Americans, who inhabit the Fraser Valley and lower Fraser
Canyon of British Columbia, Canada. What distinguishes this title is its connection to and
communication with members of this indigenous community; their aid was engaged to identify
research questions, host the researchers themselves, and participate meaningfully in the findings.
Individual writings include "Sto:lo Ancestral Names, Identity, and the Politics of History", "Food
as a Window into Sto:lo Tradition and Sto:lo-Newcomer Relations", "Totem Tigers and Salish
Sluggers: A History of Boxing in Sto:lo Territory, 1912-1985", and much more. Towards a New
Ethnohistory represents not only masterful scholarship, but also the highest respect for the people
being studied, and is highly recommended especially for public, college, and gradual school
Native American Studies shelves.
Plains Indian Buffalo Cultures
Emma I. Hansen
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
www.oupress.com
9780806160115, $50.00, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Native American art is as diverse as the tribal based Native American cultures. Over the course
of his career, artist Paul Dyck (1917 - 2006) assembled more than 2,000 nineteenth-century
artworks created by the buffalo-hunting peoples of the Great Plains. Only with its acquisition by
the Plains Indian Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming has this
legendary collection become available to the general public. Now "Plains Indian Buffalo
Cultures: Art from the Paul Dyck Collection" compiled and edited with commentary by Emma I.
Hansen (Curator Emerita and Senior Scholar of the Plains Indian Museum at the Buffalo Bill
Center of the West) allows readers, for the first time, to experience the artistry and diversity of
the Paul Dyck Collection -- and the Native American cultures it represents in showcasing a wide
array of masterworks created by members of the Crow, Pawnee, Lakota, Arapaho, Cheyenne,
Shoshone, Hidatsa, Mandan, Arikara, Dakota, Kiowa, Comanche, Blackfoot, Otoe, Nez Perce,
and other Native groups. From hide clothing, bear claw necklaces, and shields to buffalo robes,
tipis, and decorative equipment made for prized horses, the artworks in the Paul Dyck Collection
provide a firsthand glimpse into the traditions, adaptations, and innovations of Great Plains
Indian cultures. A simple pleasure to browse through, "Plains Indian Buffalo Cultures" is a work
of extensive and seminal scholarship, resulting in a unique and valued contribution to personal,
community, college, and university library Native American Culture & Art collections and
supplemental studies reading lists. Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, it should be
noted for students, academia, and the non-specialist general readers with an interest in Native
American Studies in general and Native American Art History in particular that "Plains Indian
Buffalo Cultures" is also available in a paperback edition (9780806160122, $34.95).
The American History Shelf
This Used to Be St. Louis
NiNi Harris
Reedy Press
PO Box 5131, St. Louis, MO 63139
https://www.reedypress.com
9781681061139, $20.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
St. Louis's history is sequentially layered. Each individual layer, from the French pioneers
establishing St. Louis as a river trading post, to Swiss immigrants starting dairy farms and
dairies, to immigrants from Europe putting on the uniforms of the American doughboy, has left a
distinctive imprint on the city. Profusely illustrated throughout with period photographs, "This
Used to Be St. Louis" is a fun and informative trip through those layers of history in the form of
true stories like: the glamorous, urban lofts that had been the factory for ball turrets for World
War Two Air Force bombers; the dock of the pasta plant where the Civil War ironclads were
built; the elegant townhouse that once served as a Albanian Orthodox Church. A memorable
tribute by way of an inherently fascinating history, "This Used to Be St. Louis" is an especially
and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library American
History collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "This Used to Be St. Louis"
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Border Bandits Border Raids
W.C. Jameson
Lone Star Books/Globe Pequot
9781493028344 $16.95 www.rowman.com
Border Bandits Border Raids is especially recommended reading for U.S. history readers
interested in border skirmishes between early Texas and Mexico, and compiles a survey of events
of the late 19th and early 20th centuries as conflicts took place before checkpoints and border
control was enacted. Chapters collect some seventeen stories of such encounters and tells of the
Mexican and American individuals who participated in them, making for a lively survey that
lends facts and detail to the story of the U.S. border's ongoing controversies.
The World History Shelf
Gun Control in Nazi Occupied-France
Stephen P. Halbrook
The Independent Institute
100 Swan Way, Oakland, CA 94621-1428
www.independent.org
9781598133073, $28.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
The nation of France was invaded by Nazi Germany in 1940. In every occupied town, Nazi
soldiers put up posters that demanded that civilians surrender their firearms within twenty-four
hours or else be shot. Despite the consequences, many French citizens refused to comply with the
order. In "Gun Control in Nazi-Occupied France: Tyranny and Resistance", academician and
historian Stephen P. Halbrook (who is Senior Fellow at the Independent Institute) tells this story
of Nazi repression and the brave French men and women who refused to surrender to it. Drawing
on records of the German occupation and testimonies from members of the French resistance,
"Gun Control in Nazi-Occupied France" is the first book to focus on the Nazis' efforts to disarm
the French. Impressively informative, exceptionally well written, organized, and presented, as
well as featuring eight pages of rare historical photographs, "Gun Control in Nazi
Occupied-France" is unreservedly recommended for community and academic library World War
II Military History collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "Gun Control in Nazi Occupied-France" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $16.99).
The Civil War Shelf
That Field of Blood
Daniel J. Vermilya
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611213751, $14.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Daniel J. Vermilya is a Civil War historian who works as a park ranger at Gettysburg National
Military Park. He has previously worked as a park ranger at Antietam National Battlefield and
Monocacy National Battlefield and is also a licensed battlefield guide at Antietam. In "That Field
of Blood: The Battle of Antietam, September 17, 1862" September 17, 1862" (one of the most
consequential days in the history of the American Civil War) Daniel reveals that it was a moment
in time when the future of the country could have veered in two starkly different directions.
Confederates under General Robert E. Lee had embarked upon an invasion of Maryland,
threatening to achieve a victory on Union soil that could potentially end the Civil War in
Southern Independence. Lee's opponent, Major General George McClellan, led the Army of the
Potomac to stop Lee's campaign. In Washington D.C., President Lincoln eagerly awaited news
from the field, knowing that the future of freedom for millions was at stake. Lincoln had resolved
that, should Union forces win in Maryland, he would issue his Preliminary Emancipation
Proclamation. All this hung in the balance on September 17: the day of the battle of Antietam.
The fighting near Sharpsburg, Maryland, that day would change the course of American history,
but in the process, it became the costliest day this nation has ever known, with more than 23,000
men falling as casualties. A meticulous and impressively informative read, "That Field of Blood"
is a very highly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library American
Civil War History collections and supplemental studies lists.
The Social Issues Shelf
Homeless Youth and the Search for Stability
Jeff Karabanow, Sean Kidd, Tyler Frederick, and Jean Hughes
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
wlupress.wlu.ca
9781771123334 $29.99 pbk / $20.99 Kindle amazon.com
Experts and professionals in fields of social work, clinical psychology, and nursing present
Homeless Youth and the Search for Stability, an in-depth study of why youth are the fastest-
growing segment of the homeless population, and the challenges they face in the difficult
pathway off the streets. Interviews with struggling youth in Toronto and Halifax over a year-long
period form an invaluable bedrock of this studious yet compassionate study, ultimately created to
aid the search for long-term solutions by better understanding the problems. Homeless Youth and
the Search for Stability is highly recommended especially for public and college libary social
issues collections.
Immigration and the Law
Edited by Sofia Espinoza Alvarez & Martin Guevara Urbina
University of Arizona Press
Main Library Building, 5th Floor, P.O. Box 210055, Tucson, AZ 85721-0055
9780816537624 $45.00 pbk / $45.00 ebook www.uapress.arizona.edu
Available in both paperback and ebook editions, Immigration and the Law: Race, Citizenship,
and Social Control is an anthology of scholarly essays by learned authors discussing migration
into the United States, particularly Latino and Latina migration, in social, political, and economic
contexts. Individual writings include "Divided Lines: The Politics of Immigration Control in the
United States", "Always Running: La Migra, Detentions, Deportations, and Human Rights",
"Covering the Immigrant Story: Immigration Through the Lens of the American Media", and
more. Of particular note is the essay "Five Myths About Immigration", which debunks widely
held false beliefs such as "Most Latino immigrants are in the United States Illegally" (in 2013 the
Pew Research Center determined that more than 30 million of 40 million total Latino immigrants
were authorized). The need for research and statistics-backed evidence to counter widely held
myths, misconceptions, and outright racism is greater than ever, making Immigration and the
Law a "must-have" for public and college library social issues collections. Highly
recommended.
At the Boundaries of Homeownership
Chloe N. Thurston
Cambridge University Press
One Liberty Plaza, Fl. 20, New York, NY 10006
www.cambridge.org
9781108422055, $99.99, HC, 275pp, www.amazon.com
A traditional element of the 'Great American Dream', home ownership is synonymous with
economic security and middle-class status. Owning your own home has played this role in
American life for almost a century, and as a result, home ownership's centrality to Americans'
economic lives has come to seem natural and inevitable. But this state of affairs did not develop
spontaneously or inexorably. On the contrary, home ownership as a desired personal goal was the
product of federal government policies, established during the 1930s and developed over the
course of the twentieth century. In the pages of "At the Boundaries of Homeownership: Credit,
Discrimination, and the American State", Chloe N. Thurston (Assistant Professor of Political
Science, Northwestern University) deftly traces how the government's role in this became
submerged from public view and how several groups who were locked out of home ownership
came to recognize and reveal the role of the government. Through organizing and activism, these
boundary groups transformed laws and private practices governing determinations of
credit-worthiness. "At the Boundaries of Homeownership" also describes the important policy
consequences of their achievements and the implications for how we understand American state
building. Enhanced with listings of figures, tables, and abbreviations, as well as an appendix
(Archival Sources and Congressional Hearings), a twelve page bibliography, and a six page
index, "At the Boundaries of Homeownership" is an extraordinary study of impeccable
scholarship and unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Social
Issues collections in general, and American Home Ownership supplemental studies reading lists
in particular. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "At the Boundaries of Homeownership" is also available in a
paperback edition (9781108434522, $29.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $24.00).
The Psychology Shelf
Cognitive Neuroscience
Marie T. Banich & Rebecca J. Compton
Cambridge University Press
One Liberty Plaza, Fl. 20, New York, NY 10006
www.cambridge.org
9781107158443, $130.00, HC, 786pp, www.amazon.com
Now in a fully updated and expanded fourth edition, "Cognitive Neuroscience" by the team of
Marie T. Banich (University of Colorado - Boulder) and Rebecca J. Compton (Haverford
College, Pennsylvania) is an ideal cognitive neuroscience curriculum textbook that is organized
and presented in three major sections: Fundamentals; Neural Bases of Mental Functions; Brader
Applications. Beginning with an Introduction to the Nervous Systems, "Cognitive Neuroscience"
covers Motor Control; Sensation and Perception; Object Recognition; Spatial Cognition;
Language; Memory and Learning; Attention; Executive Function and Higher Order Thinking;
Emotion; social Cognition; Psychopathology; Brain Development and Plasticity; Generalized
Cognitive Disorders; and Cognitive Neuroscience and Society. Enhanced for academia with the
inclusion of a fourteen page Glossary; ninety pages of References; and a six page Index. While
unreservedly recommended for college and university library Psychology/Psychiatry instructional
reference collections in general, and Cognitive Neuroscience supplemental studies reading lists
in particular, it should be brought to the attention of students, academia, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that this new edition of "Cognitive Neuroscience"
is also available in a digital book format (eTextbook, $28.99).
The Handbook of Child Life
Richard H. Thompson, editor
Charles C. Thomas, Publisher
2600 South First Street, Springfield, IL 62704
http://www.ccthomas.com
9780398078324, $59.95, PB, 378pp, www.amazon.com
It has been said that the moral test of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable citizens. Those
who enter the field of child life daily encounter those in our society who are among the most
vulnerable simply because of their age and their ways of interpreting the world, vulnerable
because of their physical circumstances, vulnerable because of the unfamiliar they encounter,
vulnerable at times because of additional barriers such as language, poverty or prejudice. Yet, the
child life specialist understands that each individual, despite the vulnerabilities he or she may
bring to an encounter, also brings strength and resiliency. The task of the child life specialist is to
build upon those strengths and to minimize individual vulnerability and maximize the growth of
the individual. Compiled and edited by Richard H. Thompson (Professor Emeritus, The College
of New Rochelle), "The Handbook of Child Life: A Guide for Pediatric Psychosocial Care" is
comprised of contributions by experts in the field that address the most important aspects of the
practice of child life. "The Handbook of Child Life" is geared toward an audience beyond the
introductory level and includes information on the state of the art in each chapter covered.
Wherever possible, "The Handbook of Child Life" demonstrates application of the contents in
practice through case studies. The goal of this text is to assist in this process, drawing upon the
expertise of leading figures in the field to help provide child life specialists, and other allied
health professionals, with the knowledge and skills they will need to accomplish this important
task. An ideal curriculum textbook and an invaluable instructional reference, "The Handbook of
Child Life" is an especially recommended addition to professional, community, and academic
library Pediatric Psychology collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for
students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The
Handbook of Child Life" is also available in a digital book format (9780398092139,
$59.95).
The Technology Shelf
Vertical GaN and SiC Power Devices
Kazuhiro Mochizuki
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com
9781630814274, $169.00, HC, 308pp, www.amazon.com
Kazuhiro Mochizuki is affiliated with the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and
Technology, Japan. Previously he was involved in the research of GaN and SiC power devices at
the Central Research Laboratory, Hitachi Ltd., Tokyo, Japan. He is a senior member of IEEE and
a member of the Japan Society of Applied Physics. He is also a lecturer at the University of
Electro-Communications, Tokyo, Japan and Hosei University, Tokyo, Japan. With "Vertical GaN
and SiC Power Devices" he offers a unique new resource that provides a comparative
introduction to vertical Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) power devices using
real commercial device data, computer, and physical models. "Vertical GaN and SiC Power
Devices" uses commercial examples from recent years and presents the design features of various
GaN and SiC power components and devices. Vertical verses lateral power semiconductor
devices are explored, including those based on wide bandgap materials. The abstract concepts of
solid state physics as they relate to solid state devices are explained with particular emphasis on
power solid state devices. Impressively well organized and presented, "Vertical GaN and SiC
Power Devices" is an ideal instructional textbook and professional reference that is unreservedly
recommended for corporate, technical college, and university library technology collections and
supplemental studies reading lists.
Technologies for RF Systems
Terry Edwards
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com
9781630814502, $159.00, HC, 330pp, www.amazon.com
"Technologies for RF Systems" by Terry Edwards (who is an executive director at Engalco
Research) is comprehensive resource that provides an complete introduction to the main
concepts, technologies, and components in microwave and RF engineering. "Technologies for
RF Systems" presents details about how to design various amplifiers, circuits, and chips for
communication systems. It offers insight into selecting appropriate ADC and DAC technology.
Several worked examples are found throughout the book. "Technologies for RF Systems" also
provides a summary of 21st century RF systems and electronics and discusses the challenges of
frequency bands and wavelengths, software-defined radio (SDR) and cognitive radio. RF
semiconductors are covered, including bandgap, drift velocity, resistors, diodes, and various
transistors. "Technologies for RF Systems" offers details about passive RF components,
capacitors, inductors, resistors, coaxial, and microstrip lines as well as coplanar waveguide.
Passive RF circuit elements are presented, along with the fundamentals of directional couplers,
including Lange couplers and Wilkinson dividers. Switches, attenuators, and digital circuits are
discussed. It should be noted that "Technologies for RF Systems" is packed with additional
coverage of RF filters, antennas, and small-signal RF amplifiers, and includes chapters on noise
and LNAs, RF power amplifiers and RF-oriented ADCs and DACs. Modulation techniques and
technologies are also presented. An essential, core addition to corporate, technical college, and
university library Technology collections in general, and RF Systems supplemental studies lists
in particular.
Software-Defined Radio for Engineers
Travis F. Collins, et al.
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com
9781630814571, $159.00, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
"Software-Defined Radio for Engineers" by Travis F. Collins (who is a development engineer at
Analog Devices), with significant contributions by analog devices expert Robin Gertz,
applications engineer Di Pu, and wireless communications expert Alexander M. Wyglinski
provides a practical approach to quickly learning the software-defined radio (SDR) concepts
needed for work in the field. Completely up-to-date, :Software-Defined Radio for Engineers"
deftly guides readers on how to quickly prototype wireless designs using SDR for real-world
testing and experimentation. "Software-Defined Radio for Engineers" also explores advanced
wireless communication techniques such as OFDM, LTE, WLA, and hardware targeting. Readers
will gain an understanding of the core concepts behind wireless hardware, such as the radio
frequency front-end, analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters, as well as various
processing technologies. A complete course of instruction under one cover, "Software-Defined
Radio for Engineers" is an ideal textbook and an unreservedly recommended addition to
corporate, technical college, and university library technology collections and supplemental
studies reading lists.
The Music Shelf
Folksongs of Another America
James P. Leary
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor, Madison, WI 53711-2059
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299301545, $24.95, PB, 464pp, www.amazon.com
Challenging and considerably broadening popular and scholarly definitions of American folk
music, "Folksongs of Another America: Field Recordings from the Upper Midwest, 1937 - 1946"
by James P. Leary (who is Professor Emeritus of Folklore and Scandinavian studies, as well as
cofounder of the Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures, at the University of
Wisconsin - Madison) recovers the diverse, multilingual traditions of immigrant, Native
American, rural, and working-class performers in America's Upper Midwest during the 1930s
and 1940s. "Folksongs of Another America" extensively documents 187 tunes and songs in more
than twenty-five languages, with full original lyrics and English translations, and biographical
notes on the performers. It should be noted that the companion musical tracks and documentary
film will be freely available for listening, viewing, or download through a partnership with the
University of Wisconsin Libraries' Digital Collections Center. Enhanced for the reader with the
inclusion of a twelve page listing of Sources, a four page Index of Recitations, Songs, and Tunes,
a sixteen page Index, and a one page author biography of Professor Leary and his credentials,
"Folksongs of Another America" is a unique and seminal body of simply outstanding scholarship
that is unreservedly recommended for community and academic library American Music History
& American Folklore collections, as well as the personal reading lists of students, academia, and
the non-specialist general reader with an interest in subject.
The Dance Shelf
Ballet & Modern Dance: A Concise History, third edition
Jack Anderson
Princeton Book Company
614 Route 130, Highstown, NJ 08520
www.dancehorizons.com
9780871273963, $34.95, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Now in a fully updated and expanded third edition, "Ballet & Modern Dance: A Concise History"
by Jack Anderson (who is the dance critic for The New York Times) meets the needs of both
students and inquisitive dance goers through an historical narrative focused on the development
of Western theatrical dance from the Renaissance to the first decades of the 21st century,
incorporating the most recent scholarship and projecting trends. The text is impressively
illuminated by excerpts from primary sources and embellished by 65 photos. A section of
biographical profiles at the end of the book serves as a supplementary reference source. Intended
to be entertaining as well as enlightening "Ballet & Modern Dance: A Concise History"
successfully expresses the value of dance history as a field of study. "Ballet & Modern Dance: A
Concise History"" is an especially and unreservedly recommended study for both community and
academic library Dance History collections as well as the personal reading lists of dance students,
academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.
The Travel Shelf
200 Waterfalls in Central and Western New York
Rich Freeman & Sue Freeman
Burford Books, Inc.
101 East State Street, #301, Ithaca, NY 14850
www.burfordbooks.com
9781580801874, $19.95, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Rich and Sue Freeman are long-time outdoor enthusiasts and authors of many other guides to
outdoor activities in upstate New York. There are more waterfalls in central and western New
York State than anywhere in the East. Some are well known, like Niagara and Taughannock
Falls, others await discovery around the bend of a trail. With "200 Waterfalls in Central and
Western New York: A Finder's Guide", Rich and Sue Freeman draws upon their years of
experience and expertise so that anyone can enjoy the magic of these waterfalls utilizing this
thoroughly 'user friendly', map-filled guidebook that includes: Over 100 locations where you can
see over 250 waterfalls; When and where to go for best viewing; The time and effort required to
reach each waterfall. Now in a newly revised and updated edition, "200 Waterfalls in Central and
Western New York" has added some waterfalls to take the place of others that are now
inaccessibly located on private property, making it unreservedly recommended for personal and
community library New York Travel Guide instructional reference collections.
The Political Science Shelf
Political Vocabularies
Mary E. Stuckey
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25, East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
http://msupress.org
9781611862652, $44.95, PB, 298pp, www.amazon.com
In "Political Vocabularies: FDR, the Clergy Letters, and the Elements of Political Argument"
Mary E. Stuckey (Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences at Pennsylvania State
University) uses a set of letters sent to Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935 by American clergymen to
make a larger argument about the rhetorical processes of our national politics. At any given
moment, national politics are constituted by competing political imaginaries, through which
citizens understand and participate in politics. Different imaginaries locate political authority in
different places, and so political authority is very much a site of dispute between differing
political vocabularies. Opposing political vocabularies are grounded in opposing
characterizations of the specific political moment, its central issues, and its citizens, for we
cannot imagine a political community without populating it and giving it purpose. These issues
and people are hierarchically ordered, which provides the imaginary with a sense of internal
cohesion and which also is a central point of disputation between competing vocabularies in a
specific epoch. Each vocabulary is grounded in a political tradition, read through our national
myths, which authorize the visions of national identity and purpose and which contain significant
deliberative aspects, for each vision of the nation impels distinct political imperatives. Such
imaginaries are our political priorities in action. Taking one specific moment of political change,
Professor Stuckey illuminates the larger processes of change, competition, and stability in
national politics. A seminal work of original scholarship, "Political Vocabularies" is enhanced
for academia with the inclusion of forty-two pages of Notes, an eighteen page Bibliography, and
an eight page Index, making it an exceptional and very highly recommended addition to college
and university library Political Science collections. It should be noted for students and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Political Vocabularies" is also
available in a digital book format (eTextbook, $35.95).
First Amendment For Beginners
Michael J. Lamonica, author
Jeff Fallow, illustrator
For Beginners LLC
155 Main Street, Suite 211, Danbury, CT 06810
www.forbeginnersbooks.com
9781939994745, $15.95, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
"First Amendment For Beginners" by Michael J. Lamonica" takes the reader on an information-
ladened journey through the ins and outs of an amendment that means so much more than just
freedom of speech. "First Amendment For Beginners" explores some of the biggest cases ever to
come before the Supreme Court and answer questions such as whether it really is okay to shout
"fire" in a crowded theater, wear a T-shirt that reads "F**K THE DRAFT!" (without the
asterisks) into a courthouse, burn the flag, burn your draft card, join the Communist party, sell
nudie magazines, ban Ku Klux Klan marches, and publish confidential government secrets in a
newspaper, to name just a few. The religion clauses are included too, with pertinent questions
such as whether the First Amendment protects your right to use psychoactive drugs in religious
rituals, marry multiple partners, or engage in animal sacrifice. "First Amendment For Beginners"
also wades into the political maelstrom to examine recent controversies such as whether money
really equals speech and if corporations have constitutionally protected rights to speech and
religion. Impressively informative and exceptionally well written, "First Amendment For
Beginners" will prove to be of enduring interest and value for political science students, history
buff, civil libertarian, news enthusiast, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject. While very highly recommended for school and community library Political Science
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "First Amendment For Beginners" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.15).
Secret Empires
Peter Schweitzer
Harper
9780062569363 $28.99 www.harpercollins.com
Secret Empires: How the American Political Class Hides Corruption and Enriches Family and
Friends exposes corruption by top Washington officials, demonstrating that there is a long history
of bipartisan corruption that leaves no presidential administration in recent times innocent of
such charges. Some of the oldest and dearest friends of this nation's leaders have taken positions
that doubled their net worths, placed family on boards of directors and in political positions, and
even made children and stepchildren rich through deals that flowed through political office to
private sector finances. The result is a hard-hitting and serious examination that leaves no
modern administration unexamined as it considers the circumstances and processes of corruption,
and is highly recommended for general-interest and political readers alike.
China Rx
Janardan Prasad Singh
Prometheus Books
9781633883819 $25.00 www.prometheusbooks.com
China Rx: Exposing the Risks of America's Dependence on China for Medicine could have been
featured in our 'Health' section but is reviewed here because of its dual importance to political
and health issues collections alike. Several decades ago, major drugs were manufactured in the
U.S.; but as global trade and business developed, antibiotics, antidepressants, and many other key
drugs began to be made in China and sold in the U.S. This book argues that not only is this a bad
idea for this country; but any scenario in which America becomes dependent on another country
for vital medicines is a bad one. From the issues of contaminated medicine to those of who
controls drugs, China Rx is a deeply disturbing portrait of what could go wrong when the
manufacturing of drugs is done out of the country.
The Architecture Shelf
The Tower of the Winds in Athens
Pamela A. Webb
American Philosophical Society
104 South Fifth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106-3387
www.amphilsoc.org
9780871692702, $65.00, HC, 172pp, www.amazon.com
The Tower of the Winds is a unique structure that has stood in the shadow of the Acropolis in
Athens for more than 2,100 years. This tall octagonal building, one of the best preserved
monuments from the classical period, was built by the architect-astronomer Andronikos of
Kyrrhos as a horologion for keeping time. Almost all its features have been attributed to the
period of construction by the Greeks or renovations made by the Romans. The building,
however, was in use almost continuously for two millennia, which includes Byzantine and
Ottoman phases. In the illustrated pages of "The Tower of the Winds in Athens: Greeks, Romans,
Christians, and Muslims: Two Millennia of Continual Use", classical archaeologist Pamela
Webb deftly examines the Tower throughout its entire functional existence. A series of
appendices helps to put the Tower in broader context for the post-classical periods. Impressively
informed and informative, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Tower of
the Winds in Athens" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal,
professional, community, and academic library Architectural History collections in general, and
Athenian History supplemental studies reading lists in particular.
LA Forum Reader
The Los Angeles Forum for Architecture and Urban Design
Actar D
c/o Actar Publishers
355 Lexington Avenue, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10017
http://actar.com
9781945150999, $34.95, PB, 296pp, www.amazon.com
The "LA Forum Reader" brings together three decades of discursive writings and publications on
architecture, urbanism, and Los Angeles culled from the archives of the Los Angeles Forum for
Architecture and Urban Design. Published under thematic sections: Experiments, Detours,
Hunches, and Santa Anas, with interludes dedicated to Art and Architecture, Downtown, and the
long-running LA Forum Newsletter, the collected essays and interviews track an uneven and
lesser-known history of experimental architecture, postmodern geographies, and alternative
urbanism in L.A. as told by the city's key designers and thinkers. Today, Los Angeles is a major
architectural and urban player, but for decades the city was dismissed suburban and centerless. In
republishing three decades of material on architecture and design in Los Angeles, the "LA Forum
Reader" reclaims and reconsiders the city's architectural and discursive histories. It establishes, or
reestablishes, a textual context for critical experimentation and urban investigation. This
anthology includes essays, interviews, and reproductions of publications that have long been out
of print, including pamphlets by Craig Hodgetts and Margaret Crawford, as well as early writings
by Aaron Betsky and John Chase. A critically important and unique contribution to the subject,
"LA Forum Reader" is an impressively informative and unreservedly recommended contribution
to professional, college, and university library Architectural History collections and supplemental
studies reading lists.
The Parenting Shelf
The Perfect Daycare Provider Tells All
Michelle McLellan
Balboa Press
c/o Hay House, Inc.
PO Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
www.balboapress.com
9781504382793, $11.99, PB, 136pp, www.amazon.com
"The Perfect Daycare Provider Tells All" by twenty-year daycare provider veteran Michelle
McLellan was written specifically for parents who: Have ever wondered if they do enough with
their child; Have long workdays and are so exhausted when they get home that they might not
read their child a story book before bedtime, making them feel bad. "The Perfect Daycare
Provider Tells All" is also meant for parents who might think that: No one can help care for their
child better than themselves; Who are willing to learn about what daycare providers can do for a
child; Have decided to begin a journey that will only lead to greatness for their child and
themselves as parents. Exceptionally well written, impressively informative, "The Perfect
Daycare Provider Tells All" is very highly recommended for daycare center, community, and
academic library parenting instructional reference collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "The Perfect Daycare Provider Tells All" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $3.99).
The LGBT Studies Shelf
Tinderbox
Robert W. Fieseler
Liveright Publishing Corporation
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com
9781631491641 $26.95 /$12.99 Kindle amazon.com
Before the 2016 shooting of the Pule gay nightclub, there was the Up Stairs Lounge fire of 1973.
Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation lives
up to its title as an in-depth analysis of this deadly event, which was almost certainly an arson
attack. No perpetrator was ever convicted, and the most likely suspect (a gay man who had been
ejected from the bar, and who allegedly confessed the crime to an associate) committed suicide in
1974. Although the fire claimed dozens of lives, the nationwide reaction was even more
horrifying. Neither the mayor nor the governor offered any statement of sympathy; news
coverage generally avoided describing the Lounge as a gay hangout, and local coverage
published a full list of those affected by the fire, effectively "outing" them - some survivors lost
their jobs and had to move to other cities, while some victims' families were reluctant to claim
the bodies of loved ones. Yet where government and media stumbled, ad-hoc support networks
sought to help through aid from gay activist groups, religious networks, and relief organizations.
In the 1990's, memories of the fire became a catalyzing force for LGBTQ Americans. Tinderbox
is ultimately a history not only of a tragic disaster, but also of a civil rights history, highly
recommended especially for public and college library collections.
The Military Shelf
Fight Like a Girl
Kate Germano with Kelly Kennedy
Prometheus Books
9781633884137 $18.00 www.prometheusbooks.com
Fight Like a Girl: The Truth Behind How Female Marines Are Trained tells of Kate Germano's
struggle to achieve equality as a female Marine and documents entrenched prejudices and gender
attacks to support the status quo. It charges gender bias in the Corps and routines that challenged
her to continually prove her equality to her fellow male Marines, and it also provides important
details on serving in the Marine Corps and its underlying lessons for all females serving in the
military. This book should be first on the list for any female thinking of enlisting.
Combat at Close Quarters
Edward J. Marolda, editor
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402
www.nip.org
9781682471951, $39.95, HC, 360pp, www.amazon.com
Visually enhanced with more 200 images drawn from Navy archives and private collections, and
featuring the work of five renowned historians, "Combat at Close Quarters: An Illustrated
History of the U.S. Navy in the Vietnam War" (compiled and edited by Edward J. Marolda (who
has served as the Acting Director of Naval History and Senior Historian of the Navy) focuses
upon the U.S. Navy's major combat operations in Southeast Asia, including the Rolling Thunder
and Linebacker strikes against North Vietnam, the river war in South Vietnam's Mekong Delta,
and the intelligence campaign. Also offered is a select list of the most authoritative works on the
subject that nicely complements the concise, readable text. The individual chapters describe not
only the actions of the warships, aircraft, and river vessels involved in one of America's longest
wars but the professional skill, dedication, and courage of the Navy men and women who
journeyed into harm's way in Vietnam. Covering both the air war and river-based combat in
Vietnam, "Combat at Close Quarters" showcases the history of the U.S. Navy's role in the entire
Vietnam conflict with a special focus on the leadership of Vice Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr., the
Navy's role in Linebacker, the bombing and mining campaign that helped compel Hanoi to end
the war and release American POWs, as well as the Navy's intelligence efforts in Southeast Asia,
from the controversial Tonkin Gulf Incident to the end of the conflict. "Combat at Close
Quarters" fully explains both the operations of communications and electronics analysts at the
theater level and the aerial reconnaissance, SEAL, and NILO intelligence-gathers at the tactical
level, whether over North Vietnam and Laos or on the ground in South Vietnam. A critically
important addition to the growing library of Vietnam War literature, "Combat at Close Quarters"
is unreservedly recommended as a core addition to personal, community, and academic library
20th Century Military History collections in general, and Vietnam War supplemental studies
reading lists in particular.
"I'm Not Gonna Die in This Damn Place"
Juan David Coronado
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25, East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
http://msupress.org
9781611862720, $29.95, PB, 214pp, www.amazon.com
By the time of the Vietnam War era, the "Mexican American Generation" had made tremendous
progress both socially and politically. However, the number of Mexican Americans in
comparison to the number of white prisoners of war (POWs) illustrated the significant
discrimination and inequality the Chicano population faced in both military and civilian
landscapes. Chicanos were disproportionately "grunts" (infantry), who were more likely to be
killed when captured, while pilots and officers were more likely to be both white and held as
POWs for negotiating purposes. A fascinating look at the Vietnam War era from a Chicano
perspective, "I'm Not Gonna Die in this Damn Place": Manliness, Identity, and Survival of the
Mexican American Vietnam Prisoners of War by Juan David Coronado (who is a postdoctoral
scholar at the Julian Samora Research Institute at Michigan State University) gives voice to the
Mexican American POWs. The stories of these men and their families provide insights to the
Chicano Vietnam War experience, while also adding tremendously to the American POW story.
Unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library 20th Century American
Military History collections, "I'm Not Gonna Die in This Damn Place" is an important read for
academics and military enthusiasts alike. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "I'm
Not Gonna Die in This Damn Place" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$22.00).
The Environmental Studies Shelf
The Green Burial Guidebook
Elizabeth Fournier
ElizabethFournier.com
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608685233 $15.95 pbk / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com
The Green Burial Guidebook is a guide to understanding how to reduce funeral expenses, and
make burials more environmentally-friendly than the current standard, which often utilizes an
excess of wood, concrete, metals, and carcinogenic embalming fluid. Chapters discuss what
"green burial" is and isn't; the environmental impacts of traditional burial practices; religious and
social attitudes toward death and burial around the world; and a step-by-step guide to planning a
green burial. A wealth of information for those who wish to use the services of a funeral home or
cemetery is present; also discussed are "backyard burials", which are legal in many U.S. states
and provinces of North America. The Green Burial Guidebook is an invaluable resource on a
delicate yet important topic, and highly recommended.
The Autism Shelf
Understanding the Challenge of "No" for Children with Autism
Colette McNeil
MSI Press, LLC
http://msipress.com
9781942891765 $12.95 pbk / $3.99 Kindle amazon.com
Understanding the Challenge of "No" for Children with Autism: Improving Communication,
Increasing Positivity, Enhancing Relationships is a candid parenting and educator's guide by
author Colette McNeil, who has spent 20 years instructing students with autism and related
disorders. Each teaching strategy is framed with a sample life-scenario connected to the use of
the word "no". For example, how should a mother teach her autistic 4-year-old to stop running in
a busy parking lot upon uttering the demand "NO!", especially when her child consistently does
not respond to verbal instructions without accompanying physical contact? How should a grade
school teacher respond when an autistic girl throws tantrums because she is told "No", she can't
have the foods she wants for lunch? Understanding the Challenge of "No" for Children with
Autism is a "must-have" for parents with and educators responsible for autistic children, highly
recommended.
The Journalism Shelf
The AEF in Print
Chris Dubbs and John-Daniel Kelley, editors
University of North Texas Press
1155 Union Circle #311336, Denton, TX 76203-5017
www.untpress.unt.edu
9781574417135 $29.95 hc / $23.96 Kindle amazon.com
During World War I, AEF referred to the "American Expeditionary Forces" - brave Americans
who fought alongside the French Army, British Army, Canadian Army, and Australian Army on
the Western Front against the German Empire. At the time, the U.S. Army sought to provide the
public with news of the war while balancing the need to secrecy in military activities by
including a small selection of credentialed reporters in the army. These credentialed
correspondents wore military uniforms without insignia or rank, were subject to military
regulations, and were the only journalists to permitted to receive AEF briefings, war zone tours,
and the opportunity to witness battles. The AEF in Print: An Anthology of American Journalism
in World War I gathers a wealth of news articles written by these credentialed correspondents
from April 1917 to November 1918. Perusing The AEF in Print allows the reader to experience
this year and a half of war the same way that most of the American public did - by reading
riveting articles published in the leading newspapers of the day. A handful of black-and-white
photographs and an index round out this captivating anthology, highly recommended especially
for public and college library collections.
The Genealogy Shelf
Scottish Trade with Colonial Charleston 1683-1783
David Dobson
Clearfield
9780806358598 $43.50 www.genealogical.com
Scottish Trade with Colonial Charleston 1683-1783 offers genealogists and collections catering
to them a solid reference to Scottish history and encounters in colonial Charleston. It covers
merchants, political associations between Scotland and England, trade jurisdictions by different
nations, emigrant processes and influences, and more, providing a thorough and in-depth
background history. The result is a survey that is recommended reading both for Charleston
history buffs and any interested in the movements and peoples of the region in early
America.
The Wine/Spirits Shelf
The Bourbon Bible
Eric Zandona
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
9781784724573 $19.99 www.octopusbooksusa.com
The Bourbon Bible: The Complete Low-Down on the Spirit of America tests over a hundred
bourbons and comes from the spirits specialist at the American Distilling Institute who provides
assessments of what makes a bourbon exceptional. Flavor profiles, recommendations on the best
ways to drink bourbon, history, and recipes for bourbon-based cocktails accompany small color
photos of each bourbon, which will make them easy to find in a wine shop. Accompany
information on each includes distilleries, price ranges, brand owners, strength, and an overview
that allows novices to virtually sample each possibility without investing a lot of money in
bourbons that aren't a good match for their tastes. The result is highly recommended for any
would-be fan of bourbon and many a prior enthusiast who wants a quick synthesis of the latest
brands and their differences.
The Relationship Shelf
Love Rules
Joanna Coles
Harper
9780062852584 $25.99 www.harpercollins.com
Love Rules: How to Find a Real Relationship in a Digital World is recommended reading for any
interested in online dating, social media and match sites, and new forces purported to help find
real love, and comes from a witness to how the process of identifying and keeping romance has
changed for modern women. These changes result in the need for new guidelines on how to
navigate the process of locating a mate through other than personal encounters. This book offers
a series of guidelines based on her years working for women's magazines and interacting with
coworkers and professionals like, synthesizing fifteen "love hacks" designed to help women
identify the foundation values in a relationship. The result is a solid key to success that's highly
recommended reading for anyone who wants new guidelines for a changing dating
environment.
The Computer Shelf
Network Security and Cryptography
Sarhan M. Musa
Mercury Learning
9781942270836 $54.95 www.merclearning.com
Network Security and Cryptography covers the basic concepts of computer networks as they
relate to cryptography and network security, and is recommended both for computer and network
engineers and those who would survey the latest material relating to soft grids, big data analytics,
blockchain, and computer network ciphers. Chapters include mathematical equations and support
for this overview of cryptography and its applications in real-world network security scenarios,
examining data confidentiality and internet security services alike. The result is strong in
mathematical examples, reinforcement, and charts and graphs and provides professionals with a
solid foundation of knowledge.
The Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Belief
James E. Alcock
Prometheus Books
9781633884038 $28.00 www.prometheusbooks.com
Belief: What it Means to Believe and Why Our Convictions Are So Compelling provides a
powerful focus on the psychology of beliefs and how they are formed and influenced, and is
recommended for psychological and spirituality holdings alike. The author is a social
psychologist who specializes in the psychology of beliefs, and provides a survey of the
psychology and physiology of belief. From experiments in paranormal and religious beliefs to
how these affect behavior, this goes beyond most spiritual-based references to examine
connections between belief and healing, illusory experiences, and how meditation influences
consciousness or perception. While the result is recommended for psychology and health
holdings alike, it's reviewed here because any spirituality collection should consider it accessible
and essential reading.
The Wisconsin Shelf
Rockhounding Wisconsin
Robert Beard
Falcon Press
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.falcon.com
9781493028542, $24.95, PB, 296pp, www.amazon.com
Amateur geology (known as rockhounding in the United States and Canada.) is the recreational
study and hobby of collecting rocks and mineral specimens from their natural environment.
"Rockhounding Wisconsin: A Guide to the State's Best Sites " by Robert Beard (who is himself a
geologist and has collected rocks for over 30 years), will enable even the most novice of rock
hounds to successfully explore the mineral-rich region of Wisconsin and unearth the state of
Wisconsin's very best rockhounding sites, ranging from popular and commercial sites to
numerous lesser-known areas. Featuring an overview of the state's geologic history as well as a
site-by-site guide to the best rockhounding locations, "Rockhounding Wisconsin" is the ideal
resource for rockhounds of all ages and experience levels. Beautifully, profusely illustrated
throughout and featuring National Geographic maps, "Rockhounding Wisconsin" also includes
informative articles on: Rockhounding Basics; Geology of Wisconsin; Natural Resources; Map
Legend; and How to Use This Guide. Impressively informative and thoroughly 'user friendly' in
organization and presentation, "Rockhounding Wisconsin" is unreservedly recommended for
personal, professional, community library, and academic library Geology collections in general,
and Wisconsin geology supplemental studies lists in particular. It should be noted for students
and rockhounding enthusiasts that "Rockhounding Wisconsin" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $19.99).
The Criminology Shelf
Shadow Vigilantes
Paul R. Robinson and Sarah M. Robinson
Prometheus Books
9781633884311 $26.00 www.prometheusbooks.com
Shadow Vigilantes: How Distrust in the Justice System Breeds a New Kind of Lawlessness is
recommended for social issues and legal collections alike, and identifies a pervasive problem in
our current justice system which is eroding community confidence in law enforcement processes.
This is a cycle in which citizens and officers alike are tired of system failures and stalemates, and
so decide to subvert the system to force it to live up to their standards. Unfortunately, this
perception of unreliability results in further erosion of the law enforcement process and legal
strengths. This book considers how the community has stepped in when the justice system is seen
to fail, considering social programs, civil rights movements, neighborhood organizations, and
judicial rules that succeed and fail in the eyes of their creators. From the dangers inherent in the
community's failure to perceive established justice systems as effective to moral vigilantes and
dangerous trends, this is a powerful survey that should be in both legal and social issues
holdings.
The Holocaust Studies Shelf
Dirty Hands and Vicious Deeds
Samuel Totten
University of Toronto Press
10 St. Mary Street, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4Y 2W8
www.utppublishing.com
9781442635265, $99.00, HC, 494pp, www.amazon.com
Compiled and edited by Samuel Totten (Professor Emeritus, University of
Arkansas-Fayetteville), "Dirty Hands and Vicious Deeds: The US Government's Complicity in
Crimes against Humanity and Genocide" is a seminal collection of seven original, impressively
informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking essays by erudite contributors showing how the
US government repeatedly aided certain regimes as they planned and then carried out crimes
against humanity and genocide. What makes the collection unique (and chilling) is the inclusion
of declassified documents generated by the US government at the time including memoranda,
telegrams, letters, talking points, cables, discussion papers, and situation reports. A unique and
extraordinary work of seminal scholarship, "Dirty Hands and Vicious Deeds" should be
considered a critically important and even mandatory addition to both community and academic
library Political Science and American History collections. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of students, academia, social activists, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "Dirty Hands and Vicious Deeds" is also available in a paperback
edition (9781442635258, $44.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $35.95).
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
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