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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Cybersecurity
Joaquin Jay Gonzalez III & Roger L. Kemp, editors
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476674407, $39.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Billions of people are connected through billions of devices across the globe. In the age of this
massive internet, professional and personal information is being transmitted and received
constantly, and while this access is convenient, it comes at a risk. Collaboratively compiled and
co-edited by the team of Joaquin Jay Gonzalez III (Professor of Public and Business
Administration at Golden Gate University and an Adjunct Professor at the University of San
Francisco and San Francisco State.) and Roger L. Kemp (who has been a city manager on both
the East and West coasts for more than 25 years and holds International City/County
Management Association credentials), "Cybersecurity: Current Writings on Threats and
Protection" is an invaluable handbook of cybersecurity best practices is for public officials and
citizens, employers and employees, corporations and consumers. Comprised of 56 succinct
essays addressing the development of state-of-the-art software systems and hardware for public
and private organizations, "Cybersecurity" should be considered essential reading for anyone
charge with the responsibility of securing personal, professional, corporate, and governmental
information in this age of the internet. While especially and unreservedly recommended for
community, academic, corporate, and governmental agency cybersecurity collections, it should
be noted for personal reading lists that "Cybersecurity" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
A History Of Trees
Simon Wills
White Owl Books
http://www.whiteowlbooks.co.uk
c/o Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
9781526701596, $49.95, HC, 203pp, www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
"A History of Trees" by dedicated wildlife and nature photographer Simon Wills is a unique and
beautifully illustrated volume that reveals such fascinating topics as how trees got their names,
what our ancestors thought about trees, and how trees were used in the past. A fascinating
compilation of interesting stories that are not widely known, readers will learn that the nut from
which tree was predicted to pay off the UK's national debt, and why Europe's most popular pear
called the 'conference'. Simon Wills tells the history of twenty-eight common trees in an
engaging and entertaining way, and every chapter is illustrated with his photographs. A simply
fascinating and impressively informative read from cover to cover, "A History Of Trees" will
prove to be an enduringly valued addition to community, college, and university collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "A History Of Trees" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, 15.00 British Pounds) from White Owl Books or Pen & Sword Books.
The Salmon Way
Amy Gulick
Braided River
c/o Mountaineers Books
1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134-1161
www.mountaineersbooks.org
9781680512380 $29.95 amazon.com
Featuring striking, full-color photography throughout, The Salmon Way: An Alaska State of
Mind is a coffee table book about the environmental history of wild salmon in the state of
Alaska, and the connections between salmon and the land, the people (especially native
populations), and other wildlife. Native Alaskans have depended upon the salmon to survive
throughout history; yet today, wild salmon are imperiled in the region. Threats include large-
scale development, overfishing, environmental degradation and more. The Salmon Way explores
the salmon's integral role to both survival and culture, as well as the search to establish a
sustainable, long-term relationship with salmon. The Salmon Way is both a work of natural
history and a modern-day environmental parable, highly recommended especially for personal
and public library collections.
House of Secrets
Allison Levy
Tauris Parke
c/o I.B. Tauris
c/o Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781788313605, $25.00, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com
"House of Secrets: The Many Lives of a Florentine Palazzo" tells the remarkable story of Palazzo
Rucellai from behind its celebrated facade. The house, beginning with its piecemeal assemblage
by one of the richest men in Florence in the fifteenth century, has witnessed endless drama, from
the butchering of its interior to a courtyard suicide to champagne-fueled orgies on the eve of
World War I to a recent murder on its third floor. When Allison Levy, an art historian,
serendipitously discovered a room for let in the house, she lands in the vortex of history and is
tested at every turn -- inside the house and out. Her residency in Palazzo Rucellai is informed as
much by the sense of desire giving way to disappointment as by a sense of denial that soon
enough must succumb to truth. "House of Secrets" is about the sharing of space, the tracing of
footsteps, the overlapping of lives. It is about the willingness to lose oneself behind the facade, to
live between past and present, to slip between the cracks of history and the crevices of our own
imagination. A unique and riveting read from cover to cover, "House of Secrets" is a deftly
written extraordinary story that will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to
community library collections. This is the kind of extended yet personally resonating history that
will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book itself has been finished and
set back upon the shelf.
Lasers, Death Rays, and the Long, Strange Quest for the Ultimate Weapon
Jeff Hecht
Prometheus Books
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633884601, $25.00
Lasers, Death Rays, and the Long, Strange Quest for the Ultimate Weapon provides an intriguing
history of the laser and comes from a veteran science writer who chronicles its use and
development in military circles as the ultimate weapon. From the initial 1950s visions of lasers of
death to modern times, discussions survey civilian and military laser usage and tools and
chronicle the odd developers, inventions, and concepts of laser technology that leads to its
modern use and applications. Lay audiences without a scientific background will appreciate this
lively slice of science which incorporates drama and excitement into its mix.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Writing Children's Books
Anthony D. Fredericks
Blue River Press
http://brpressbooks.com
9781681570815, $14.99, PB, 306pp, www.amazon.com
It is all too common for authors wanting to write a book for children to get stuck on the
fundamental (and universal) question of all writers -- Where do I start? That's simply because
they're unsure about the nature of the children's book market and the skills necessary for literary
success. "Writing Children's Books: Everything You Need to Know from Story Creation to
Getting Published" by Anthony D. Fredericks answers the plight of these writers by providing
proven strategies and insider information. A fully comprehensive, step-by-step, how-to guide
"Writing Children's Books" shows, in eye-opening detail, exactly how children's authors, both
beginning and novice, can have a productive and successful writing career. As the only writer's
instruction manual to deal exclusively with all the concerns, issues, and questions of prospective
children's authors, Writing Children's Books" features simplicity, step-by-step directions; and
offers strategies and data that guarantee literary success. "Writing Children's Books" includes a
plethora of techniques, strategies, and information to guide any potential children's author from
blank sheet of paper (or computer screen) to viable, publishable manuscript. Thoroughly 'user
friendly' in organization and presentation, "Writing Children's Books" is a complete course of
instruction and will prove to be an enduringly valued reference and resource in the field of
writing books for preschoolers, K-12, and the Young Adult market in fiction and non-fiction
alike. While very highly recommended for community library Writing/Publishing instructional
reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Writing Children's
Books" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Artists Write to Work
Kate Kramer
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764356490, $16.99, HC, 128pp, www.amazon.com
Artists need to write, every day, to support their studio practice and careers. While working
artists already know this, newly minted art graduates and emerging artists usually have to learn
this the hard way -- most often when a gallery owner asks for basic documents like an artist
resume, biography, and statement to support an upcoming exhibition! Conversational and
instructive, "Artists Write to Work: A Practical Guide to Writing about Your Art" by Kate
Kramer (who is a lecturer in critical writing at the University of Pennsylvania and has worked as
a curator, gallery director, art historian, public art administrator, and writer) is practical primer
specifically designed to help artists learn the best writing and research strategies for the
documents they must craft including: letters, biographies, statements, proposals, applications,
wall text, and more. Kramer aligns writing strategies with art school curriculum (foundations,
topics, capstones, professional development). "Artists Write to Work" is the instructional guide
and manual that every artist will turn to again and again. In addition to models, templates,
worksheets, and sample analyses of calls for entry, "Artists Write to Work" references readily
available and public resources throughout. Ultimately, this primer brings writing process into
practice so the art work can continue to thrive. Simply stated, "Artists Write to Work" is
unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, art school, and
university library Writing/Publishing collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
The Comic Hero's Journey
Steve Kaplan
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9781615932870, $26.95, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
A traditional hero or heroine going on a journey is the traditional stuff of the movies. But for the
comic hero, it's often quite, quite different. The hero deliberately chooses to go on the adventure;
the comic hero often has no choice. The hero has a wise old man; the comic hero often meets an
idiot who inadvertently says something that can teach him a thing or two. In "The Comic Hero's
Journey: Serious Story Structure for Fabulously Funny Films", Steve Kaplan (who for years, has
been the film and television industry's most respected and sought-after expert on comedy) will
shows the aspiring script writer the diverse paths that comedy takes in "The Comic Hero's
Journey". Exceptionally accessible in organization and presentation, "The Comic Hero's Journey"
is a complete course of specialized script writing instruction and highly recommended for
personal, professional, community, college, and university library instructional reference and
resource collections.
The Education Shelf
Simple Signing with Young Children, revised edition
Carol Garboden Murray
Gryphon House, Inc.
PO Box 10, 6848 Leon's Way, Lewisville, NC 27023
www.gryphonhouse.com
9780876598092, $29.95, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Carol Garboden Murray holds a master's degree in special education and early childhood
development. She has worked with young children and families for many years as a teacher and
program director. She is the founder of the Early Childhood Institute of the Hudson River Valley
and is the educational director of the Abigail Lundquist Botstein Nursery School at Bard College
in Annandale on Hudson, New York. Now in a newly revised edition of "Simple Signing with
Young Children: A Guide for Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Teachers" she draws upon her years
of experience and expertise to create an instructive compendium and resource for teachers and
parents working with very young children whose vocabularies have not yet caught up with their
thoughts and emotions, preschool aged children who are often struggling to communicate. Sign
language can help them express themselves effectively to adults and peers without the emotional
outbursts caused by frustration! Unique, effective, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization
and presentation, "Simple Signing with Young Children" is confidently and unreservedly
recommended for daycare center, school district, college, and university Childhood Education
collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
The Joy Of Movement
Mary Lynn Hafner, PT, DPT
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
www.redleafpress.org
9781605546421, $22.95, PB, 133pp, www.amazon.com
Mary Lynn Hafner, PT, DPT, is a licensed physical therapist, a movement systems, and mobility
expert. She is the owner of My Neighborhood Physical Therapist, PLLC, a per diem physical
therapist and a movement teacher at the Sammamish Community YMCA in Washington. In "The
Joy Of Movement" she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to showcase a
compendium of lessons plans and large-motor activities designed specifically for preschool
children. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "The Joy Of Movement" is an ideal and
very highly recommended curriculum resource for daycare center, preschool, and kindergarten
teachers and support staff. It should be noted that "The Joy of Movement" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $13.77).
Classroom Cultures
Michelle G. Knight-Manuel & Joanne E. Marciano
Teachers College Press
1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
www.tcpress.com
9780807759561, $34.95, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com
The collaborative work of Michelle G. Knight-Manuel (Associate Dean and Professor of
Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, and a former middle school teacher and
high school college advisor) and Joanne E. Marciano (Assistant Professor in the Department of
Teacher Education in the College of Education at Michigan State University), "Classroom
Cultures: Equitable Schooling for Racially Diverse Youth" is a practical resource that will assist
secondary educators in creating equitable schooling environments for racially diverse youth.
"Classroom Cultures" makes visible the successes, challenges, and actual classroom practices of
educators implementing culturally relevant pedagogies; draws clear connections between
considerations of equity, race, and culturally relevant pedagogies and classrooms, school culture,
and college access; provides critical inquiry-based practices for the ongoing professional
development of educators working with diverse student populations across urban, suburban, and
rural communities. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Classroom Cultures" is an
especially and unreservedly recommended addition to school district, college, and university
library Teacher Education collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for the
personal reading lists of education students, classroom teachers, school administrators, and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Classroom Cultures" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $31.30).
All Learning Is Social and Emotional
Nancy Frey, Douglas Fisher, and Dominique Smith
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416627074, $28.95, PB, 197pp, www.amazon.com
Classroom teachers are charged with several responsibilities including: Building students' sense
of identity and confidence in their ability to learn, overcome challenge, and influence the world
around them; Helping students identify, describe, and regulate their emotional responses;
Promoting the cognitive regulation skills critical to decision making and problem solving:
Fostering students' social skills, including teamwork and sharing, and their ability to establish
and repair relationships: Equipping students to becoming informed and involved citizens. Along
with a toolbox of strategies for addressing 33 essential competencies, "All Learning Is Social and
Emotional: Helping Students Develop Essential Skills for the Classroom and Beyond" offers
real-life examples highlighting the many opportunities for social and emotional learning within
the K-12 academic curriculum. Children's social and emotional development is too important to
be an add-on or an afterthought, too important to be left to chance. Using an integrated SEL
approach to help students build essential skills that will serve them in the classroom and
throughout their lives, "All Learning Is Social and Emotional" is unreservedly recommended for
school district, college, and university library Teacher Education instructional reference and
resource collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "All Learning Is Social and
Emotional" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.65).
Off to a Good Start
Emily A. Jones & Kathleen M. Feeley
Woodbine House
6510 Bells Mill Road, Bethesda, MD 20817
www.woodbinehouse.com
9781606132616, $24.95, PB, 186pp, www.amazon.com
"Off to a Good Start: A Behaviorally Based Model for Teaching Children with Down Syndrome"
is the first volume of a two volume set "Foundations for Learning" and is comprised of the
compelling research about the benefits of using ABA methods with children with Down
syndrome, describes ABA principles and procedures, and provides the ABA-based curriculum
that has been successfully employed for almost 20 years to successfully teach infants through
kindergartners with Down syndrome. "Off to a Good Start" covers: An overview of ABA and
how to apply its principles and strategies to teach skills; Background information on the
characteristic learning profile of children with Down syndrome and how strengths (such as visual
learning abilities and the desire to interact with others) can be used to overcome weaknesses; The
importance of inclusion and high expectations; How to choose target skills to teach and set up
learning opportunities; Using prompts and reinforcement to shape desired behavior and skills:
The importance of generalizing skills learned in one setting to another; How to minimize
behavior which interferes with learning; Tracking and evaluating progress; How to build a team
of caregivers and professionals to teach using ABA. Exceptionally well written, organized and
presented, "Off to a Good Start" is very highly recommended as a core component of
professional, school district, college, and university library Special Education collections in
general, and Down Syndrome supplemental studies lists in particular.
The Best Value Colleges, 2019 Edition
Robert Franek
The Princeton Review
c/o Random House Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
www.PrincetonReview.com
9780525567868, $22.99, PB, 480pp, www.amazon.com
The experts at The Princeton Review have been helping students, parents, and educators achieve
the best results at every stage of the education process since 1981. The new 2019 edition of their
annual "The Best Value Colleges" showcases two hundred colleges and universities that provide
students and their families with the best financial and career returns on their tuition investment.
These are the schools that offer generous financial aid, excellent academics, and valuable
career-building experiences for a successful post-college outcome! Each school was selected on
the basis of 40+ data points, including academics, cost of attendance, financial aid, and post-grad
salary figures. Here are definitively profiled 200 schools that offer fantastic value, with insight
into their career services offerings. Of special note are the top 25 schools with the Best Alumni
Network, Best Career Placement, Top Financial Aid, and more; The highest-paying majors and
great schools that offer them; Starting and mid-career salary information for graduates of each
school; Percentages of alumni who report having meaningful jobs and who majored in
science/technology/engineering/math (STEM) fields. "The Best Value Colleges, 2019 Edition" is
unreservedly recommended for families of graduating high school students, high school
counselors, and community library Contemporary Education collections.
50 Shades of Teaching
Todd Cole
Dorrance Publishing Company
585 Alpha Drive, Suite 103, Pittsburgh, PA 15238
www.dorrancepublishing.com
9781480989436, $9.00, PB, 30pp, www.amazon.com
Todd Cole is an elementary school teacher recently retired from Laurel Elementary School in
New Castle, Pennsylvania, where he taught first grade for 25 years and fourth grade for 9 years.
In the pages of "50 Shades of Teaching" he draws upon his years of experience and expertise to
provide 50 bits of wisdom that are serious, funny, practical, and thoughtful. Above all, they're
presented for the purpose of supporting one of the most noble (and undervalued) of professions --
the teaching children. "50 Shades of Teaching" is especially and unreservedly recommended for
school district, college, and university library Teacher Education collections and supplemental
studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of student teachers, K-12 classroom
teachers, school administrators, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject
that "50 Shades of Teaching" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.00).
The Cookbook Shelf
Simply Healthy
Edwin Cabrera, Sherri Flynt, and Erica Hechler
Advent Health Press
www.adventhealth.com
9780990419136, $24.99, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Diet is fundamental to controlling diabetes. But can diabetes recipes be both healthy and
delicious? Simple to make but tasty too? Fortunately with "Simply Healthy: The Art of Eating
Well, Diabetes Edition" the answer is a resounding Yes! The team of Chef Edwin Cabrera,
Sherri Flynt and Erica Hechler shows how, with 72 recipes, diabetics and their families can relish
fabulous flavors combined with wonderful convenience in their meals. "Simply Healthy"
includes: Gorgeous and inspiring full-color photos of each dish; Quick and easy options for
breakfast, dinner, sides, salads, appetizers, and spreads; Must-try recipes reviewed by a registered
dietitian/certified diabetes educator; Complete nutritional analysis and serving sizes for every
recipe; Convenient recipe categories, including gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, low sugar, low
sodium, and more; Informative segments that break down into understandable language what you
need to know about living with diabetes. From Middle Eastern Falafel Patties, to Tuscan Bean
Stew, to Crispy Pumpkin Seed Chicken, to Bright Edamame Bean Hummus, "Simply Healthy"
will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to family and community library cookbook
collections for diabetics and non-diabetics alike!
The New 500 Low-Carb Recipes
Dana Carpender
Fair Winds Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartous.com
9781592338634, $22.99, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Low-carb cooking has evolved. Just a decade ago, low-carb menus relied on ingredients like
artificial sweeteners, unhealthy vegetable oils, protein additives, and processed foods from
grocery store shelves, like low-carb branded snack bars and packaged meals. Today's low-carb
cooking is influenced by larger food movements, such as clean eating; farm-to-table ingredients;
higher fat ratios, thanks to the popularity of ketogenic diets; and less stigmatization of foods that
have substantial inclusion in a low-carb diet, namely animal foods and saturated fat due to the
growth of the Paleo and traditional foods movements. "The New 500 Low-Carb Recipes"
provides the family chef with fully updated recipes for making low-carb dishes better both
nutritionally and taste-wise. With recipes ranging from breakfast fare and lunches, to family
dinners and celebratory dining occasions, "The New 500 Low-Carb Recipes" is a culinary
treasure for anyone seeking to enjoy the benefits of a low-carb diet for themselves and others.
While very highly recommended for family and community library cookbook collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "The New 500 Low-Carb Recipes" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.49).
Field to Fork
The Old Farmer's Almanac
Sellers Publishing
161 John Roberts Road, South Portland, ME 04106
https://www.rsvp.com
9781416246640, $19.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Beautifully illustrated with full page color photography of the finished dishes, "Field to Fork" is
an impressive collection of classic recipes drawn from the pages of The Old Farmer's Almanac.
This compilation of more than 120 seasonal recipes is enhanced for the benefit of the home cook
with Old Farmer's Almanac tips, facts and folklore. With palate pleasing, appetite satisfying
recipes ranging from Herby Bulgur Salad; Sweet Refrigerator Pickles; Green Tomato Salsa;
Pumpkin Biscuits; and Not-Too-Spicy Veggie and Lentil Chili; to Roasted Chicken with Root
Vegetables; Carmel Apple Crumb Pie; Orange Pork Chops; Sweet Potato and Sausage Casserole;
and Cranberry Beet Cake with Orange Walnut Glaze, "Field to Fork" will prove to be an
enduringly favorite for any personal, family, or community library cookbook collection!
One Yummy Mummy: Family Food Made Easy
Jolene Cox
Orpen Press
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, 124 Byers Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
9781786050625, $22.00, PB, 244pp, www.amazon.com
We all want to serve healthy home-cooked meals to our families, but finding the time, inspiration
and energy to do this can be difficult. In her debut cookbook, "One Yummy Mummy: Family
Food Made Easy", Jolene Cox inspires family chefs by sharing 105 easy-to-make recipes that
include such favorites such as chicken curry in a hurry, healthy pot noodles and herby beef and
onion pie. "One Yummy Mummy: Family Food Made Easy" is a unique and thoroughly 'user
friendly' cookbook in that all food images were taken by Jolene in her own kitchen, with no fancy
lighting or trickery. The food really speaks for itself, while Jolene's bubbling vitality and
down-to-earth personality jumps off every culinary page. A delight to browse through and
inspiring to plan menus with, "One Yummy Mummy: Family Food Made Easy" is a very highly
recommended addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.
The Crock-Pot Ladies Big Book of Slow Cooker Dinners
Heidi Kennedy, Katie Handing, Sarah Ince
Harvard Common Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781558329249, $24.99, PB, 328pp, www.amazon.com
Showcasing more than 300 quick and easy recipes for truly memorable dishes that are presented
in an exceptionally 'kitchen cook friendly' for the time-stressed family chef format, "The
Crock-Pot Ladies Big Book of Slow Cooker Dinners" is an impressive compendium of do-it-
yourself recipes that range from Cheese-Stuffed Beefy Manicotti; Salisbury Steak Meatballs;
Drunken Peach Whiskey Pork Chops; and Curried Lamb Shanks; to Orange Marmalade-Glazed
Carrots; Warm Corn Casserole; Super Easy Baked Potatoes; and Holiday Pecan Spiced Potatoes.
There is a whole section devoted to crock pot slow cooker recipes for desserts featuring Baked
Oatmeal with Spicy Pears; Dried Cranberry and Maple Bread Pudding; Silky Chocolate Fondue;
Slow Cooker Chocolate Chip Pan Cookies, and more! Of special note is the chapter devoted to
'Staples: Homemade Stocks, Sauces, and Seasoning Mixes. Impressively well organized and
presented, "The Crock-Pot Ladies Big Book of Slow Cooker Dinners" is especially and
wholeheartedly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.
It should be noted that "The Crock-Pot Ladies Big Book of Slow Cooker Dinners" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.49).
Ethiopia
Yohanis Gebreyesus
Interlink Publishing Group
46 Crosby Street, Northampton, MA 01060-1804
www.interlinkbooks.com
9781623719630, $35.00, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Ethiopian cuisine has been influenced by a cultural history enriched with a religious mix of
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as well as some of the most fertile land on the continent. The delicious dishes showcases in "Ethiopia: Recipes and Traditions from the Horn of Africa"
include Doro Wat (chicken stewed with berbere spice, Siga Tibs), flashfried beef, and Asa
Shorba (a hearty spiced fish soup), plus vegetarian dishes such as Gomen (collard greens with
ginger and garlic), Azifa (green lentil salad), and Dinich Alicha (potatoes and carrots in an onion
turmeric sauce). Along with beautifully executed photography of the stunning landscapes and
vibrant artisans of Ethiopia combined with insightful cultural and historical details "Ethiopia:
Recipes and Traditions from the Horn of Africa" demonstrates why Ethiopian food should be
considered one of the world's most singular and enchanting ethnic cuisines. While very highly
recommended for community library Ethnic Cookbook collections, it should be noted for
personal cookbook collections that "Ethiopia: Recipes and Traditions from the Horn of Africa" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Models Do Eat
Jill de Jong
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, Ste 400, Dallas, TX 75204
www.benbellabooks.com
9781946885517, $19.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Jill de Jong was born in Holland, and her successful modeling career brought her to the US. She
eventually made the career shift from full-time modeling to health coach, personal trainer, and
chef. Jill draws upon her years of experience and expertise in "Models Do Eat" to showcase more
than 100 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes specifically designed to create beautiful and healthy
results for themselves and their loved ones. A team of inspiring women collaborated with Jill in
this project. These are models love to eat and they eat a lot. With approaches from paleo and
gluten-free eating to vegetarianism and veganism, and everything in-between, "Models Do Eat"
is proof that there's not just one "correct" way to eat well and feel beautiful. With recipes for
palate pleasing, appetite satisfying dishes ranging from Mediterranean Breakfast Cups;
Gluten-Free Endless Energy Matcha Muffins; Wholesome Mushroom Tacos; and Coconut Basil
Sweet Potato Fries; Bison Stew and Bone Broth; Charred Cauliflower with Peppers & Egg; Raw
Vegan Cheesecake Bars; and more, "Models Do Eat" will prove to be an extraordinarily popular
addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "Models Do Eat" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
Leon Fast Vegan
Rebecca Seal, Chantal Symons & John Vincent
Octopus Publishing
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781840917932, $29.99
Leon Fast Vegan provides over a hundred recipes divided into three sections for different vegan
meals from breakfast to dinner, and includes a separate section of side dishes, sauces and
dressings, and another of sweet vegan desserts. Leon is a healthy fast food chain that incorporates
world influences with fare that is easy to produce. These vegan dishes include outlines of
preparation and cooking times, ingredients lists, and easy step-by-step assembly details for such
fare as Miso-Sesame Slaw, vegan cream cheese Stuffed Figs, Chocolate Caramel Tart, and more.
Vegan cooks looking for innovative fare will find this cookbook excels in exciting dishes not to
be found in competing vegan cookbooks.
The Science Shelf
Interplanetary Robots
Rod Pyle
Prometheus Books
www.prometheusbooks.com
971633885028, $18.00
Interplanetary Robots: True Stories of Space Exploration considers the experiments and potential
of robotic exploration of our solar system, and covers not just scientific challenges but political
interactions with scientific endeavors. This dual approach to the past, present and future of
robotic spaceflight combines an exciting narrative style with a consideration of the positive ways
that machines can replace the human explorer, offering a planet-by-planet survey of the history of
unmanned space projects. Anyone interested in space travel at any level of expertise, from lay
readers to non-NASA scientists and NASA participants, will find these articles lively
considerations of pros, cons, and potentials.
The Business Shelf
Startup Money Made Easy
Maria Aspan
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
www.amacombooks.org
9781400212248, $19.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
In "Startup Money Made Easy", Maria Aspan (an award-winning business journalist and an
editor-at-large at Inc. magazine where she oversees money coverage and writes about startups,
technology, finance, and gender) gathers the best advice from the magazine's pages, spotlighting
celebrated entrepreneurs and inspiring stories. Here are stories of FUBU founder Daymond John,
who mortgaged his family home for start-up capital and built a $6 billion empire; Makeup artist
Bobbi Brown, who turned a modest lipstick line into a profitable 30-store enterprise; Alexa von
Tobel, who dropped out of Harvard Business School to launch the equity-magnate
LearnVest.com; Mark Cuban, Sallie Krawcheck, Max Levchin, and other founders who
overcame financial obstacles on their way to the top. Interwoven with the stories are on-target
tips that explain how to: Raise your first $10,000 in capital; Power through the lean years; Get
friends and family to back you up; Round up outside investors; Go public or sell, while still
staying in charge; Reward people with great salaries and benefits; Eliminate tax season surprises:
Grow without growing pains -- and so more! Exceptionally well written, organized and
presented, "Startup Money Made Easy" is comprehensive, inspiring, and real world practical
instructional guide and reference that is unreservedly recommended for community and academic
library Business Management collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of
business students, entrepreneurs, corporate managers, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "Startup Money Made Easy" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio,
9781978671461, $24.99, CD).
Crowdfunding Scenarios Explained
Delmar C. Gillette
Morgan James Publishing
11815 Fountain Way, Suite 300, Newport News, VA 23606-4448
www.morganjamespublishing.com
9781683508595, $9.95, PB, 102pp, www.amazon.com
"Crowdfunding Scenarios Explained: If, How, and When to Tax Money from Crowdfunding"
tackles head on the current version of using a "crowd" to raise funds for a charitable project, a
business concept, or an idea for a toy or tool or other device. Most taxpayers are not
knowledgeable about if or when the proceeds (income) they receive from crowdfunding efforts
are taxable. "Crowdfunding Scenarios Explained" is specifically designed to explain to non-
specialist general readers how and why they could be taxable, along with presenting several
true-to-life illustrations and related concepts. Exceptionally well organized and presented,
"Crowdfunding Scenarios Explained" is a comprehensive, slender, pocket-sized little instruction
manual and reference that is unreservedly recommended for community, corporate, and academic
library Business Management collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of
entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "Crowdfunding Scenarios Explained" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.45).
Breaking Bad Habits
Freek Vermeulen
Harvard Business Review Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
http://hbr.org/books
9781633696822 $18.00 pbk / $9.97 Kindle amazon.com
Breaking Bad Habits is a guide to the downsides of entrenched "best practices" in business. "Best
practices" can become outdated, expensive, or a hindrance to innovation, and managers may be
reluctant to change them because they worked in the past. Breaking Bad Habits offers a roadmap
to identifying popular yet ultimately detrimental ideas, processes, and strategies, and
transforming them for the better, along with a wealth of real-world examples. Breaking Bad
Habits is a "must-read", especially for business and managerial professionals seeking to break out
of a rut! Also highly recommended is "Harvard Business Review Leader's Handbook" by Ron
Ashkenas and Brook Manville (9781633693746, $29.99 pbk / $17.49 Kindle).
Good Charts Workbook
Scott Berinato
Harvard Business Review Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
http://hbr.org/books
9781633696174, $35.00, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Being able to create effective graphs and charts as a means of messaging is essential for success
in any business or corporation. Offering a wealth of practical tips, effective tools, and instructive
exercises, the "Good Charts Workbook" by Harvard Business Review Senior Editor and dataviz
expert Scott Berinato is the ideal hands-on instructional guide and reference. The "Good Charts
Workbook" takes a step-by-step approach through the key challenges in creating good charts
(controlling color, crafting for clarity, choosing chart types, practicing persuasion, capturing
concepts) with warm-up exercises and mini-challenges for each. The "Good Charts Workbook"
includes helpful prompts and reminders throughout, as well as white space for users to practice
the Good Charts talk-sketch-prototype process. A 'must-have manual' for better understanding
the dataviz around you and for creating better charts to make your case more effectively, the
"Good Charts Workbook" is especially and unreservedly recommended for professional,
corporate, community, college, and university library Business Management collections and
supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of MBA students,
entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that the "Good Charts Workbook" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$19.99).
The Fiction Shelf
On A Particular Service
David Donachie
Charwood Large Pring
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444839258, $35.00, HC, Large Print, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Set in 1796, "On A Particular Service" is the story of Lieutenant John Pearce, an American who
is going home aboard a hospital ship crammed with human cargo. But added to the difficulties of
insufficient ballast to match the heavy swells of the Mediterranean in midwinter, Pearce must
also avoid capture by an Algerine warship. His problems soon mount when in attempting to steer
his disparate band of friends, the Pelicans, clear of being pressed into service aboard a British
frigate, the group risk being hanged for desertion once home. By cunning and bluff, Pearce seeks
to protect his friends, but his troubled love life with Emily suffers. In a whirlwind of action, there
are forged wills, devious trades, contrived murders and dangerous spy missions, with so much
deceit that Pearce does not know who to trust. All he can hope to do is survive. A deftly crafted
novel of adventure with a great many unexpected plot twists and turns, this large print edition of
"On A Particular Service" is an impressively entertaining read from cover to cover and
unreservedly recommended, especially for community library Historical Action/Adventure
collections.
The Captain's Girl
Nicola Pryce
Magna Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9780750546775, $35.50, HC, Large Print, 444pp, www.amazon.com
In 1793, as the French Revolution threatens the stability of England, so too is discontent brewing
in the heart of Celia Cavendish. Promised to the brutal Viscount Vallenforth, she must find a way
to break free. Inspired by her cousin Arbella, who followed her heart and eloped with the man
she loved, she vows to escape her impending marriage. Celia enlists the help of her neighbors,
Sir James and Lady Polcarrow, to make a new life for herself. But can the Polcarrows' mysterious
friend Arnaud, captain of the cutter L'Aigrette, protect Celia from a man who will let nothing
stand in his way? And will Arnaud himself be friend or foe? An inherently absorbing and
unfailingly entertaining historical romance novel, this large print edition of "The Captain's Girl"
by Nicola Pryce is certain to be an immediate and popular addition to personal reading lists and
community library Historical Romance collections.
The Birth of China
E. Ted Gladue
Commonwealth Books
P.O. Box 770354, Coral Springs, FL 33077
9781892986115, $17.99, PB, 225pp, www.amazon.com
Sean Semineaux, on a merchant ship, coming out of New Zealand in 1986, has to fight for his
survival as the ship sinks in the middle of the Pacific in the midst of strange circumstances.
Semineaux survives and washes up on the China coast. The only problem, the year is 261 BC,
and, at first he thinks he has gone mad, but he becomes a witness to the first unification of China
in 221 BC. "The Birth of China" is an exceptionally well written and compelling novel that
showcases author E. Ted Gladue's genuine flair for combining originality within an accurately
detailed historical framework. An inherently fascinating and thoroughly entertaining read from
cover to cover, "The Birth of China" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to
community library Historical Fiction collections and personal reading lists.
Lights on the Mountain
Cheryl Anne Tuggle
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
www.paracletepress.com
9781640601666, $17.99, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Barely old enough to vote when he loses his parents in an accident and inherits the family farm,
Jess Hazel struggles to find meaning in the life he has always loved. Unable to shake the memory
of a strange light he has seen hovering on the mountain peak above his valley home, he embarks
on a pilgrimage, a halting inner odyssey riddled with fits and false starts. The beauty of this finely
crafted story lies in the unlikely people Jess encounters along the way, transmitters of a grace
which at first hounds, then quietly eludes. Through events both tragic and joyous, Jess is led on a
journey of self-discovery through ancestral sin, unexpected love, loss, holiness, compassion,
forgiveness and redemption. Like the creek which cuts through the Allegheny foothills of its
Western Pennsylvania setting, hope runs through every chapter of author Cheryl Anne Tuggle's
novel, "Lights on the Mountain". A fully engaging and ultimately inspiring novel by an author
with a genuine flair for originality and narrative storytelling, "Lights on the Mountain" will prove
to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Lights on the Mountain" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
How the Light Gets In
Jolina Petersheim
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781496434173, $25.99, HC, 400pp, www.amazon.com
When Ruth Neufeld's husband and father-in-law are killed working for a relief organization
overseas, she travels to Wisconsin with her young daughters and mother-in-law Mabel to bury
her husband. She hopes the Mennonite community will be a quiet place to grieve and piece
together next steps. Ruth and her family are welcomed by Elam, her husband's cousin, who
invites them to stay at his cranberry farm through the harvest. Sifting through fields of berries
and memories of a marriage that was broken long before her husband died, Ruth finds solace in
the beauty of the land and healing through hard work and budding friendship. She also
encounters the possibility of new love with Elam, whose gentle encouragement awakens hopes
and dreams she thought she'd lost forever. But an unexpected twist threatens to unseat the happy
ending Ruth is about to write for herself. On the precipice of a fresh start and a new marriage,
Ruth must make an impossible decision: which path to choose if her husband isn't dead after all.
One of those novels that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been
finished and set back upon the shelf, Jolina Petersheim's "How the Light Gets In" is unreservedly
recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "How the Light Gets In" is also available in a paperback
edition (9781496402233, $15.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99), and as a complete
and unabridged audio book (Oasis Audio, 9781640911604, $33.99, CD).
The Western Fiction Shelf
The Last Warrior
W. Michael Farmer
Five Star Publishing
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432849955, $25.95, HC, 386pp, www.amazon.com
The third title in W. Michael Farmer's simply outstanding 'Mescalero Apache' series, "The Last
Warrior, The Life and Times of Yellow Boy" continues the powerful story of the Mescalero
Apaches and their fight for tribal survival against determined ignorance from autocratic
government overseers, countering attacks from those misusing their supernatural powers, and
choosing sides in White Eye conflicts. Yellow Boy, the last warrior, stands in the turmoil helping
to save his tribal culture, destroying a witch seeking blood vengeance, and bringing justice to an
American crime. A work of fiction that pays impressive attention to historical detail, "The Last
Warrior" is a riveting read from cover to cover and very highly recommended as an addition to
community library Western Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists of
dedicated western fans that "The Last Warrior" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$7.99).
Lone Star Silver
Jackson Cole
Sagebrush Large Print Westerns
Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781785415630, $35.50, PB, Large Print
A wave of lawlessness hits the silver-rich Tamarra Hills of Texas, including the deaths of two
Texas Rangers. Now Texas Ranger "Lone Wolf" Jim Hatfield must face down deadly foes in
order to restore peace, but whom can he trust? The largest rancher in the valley with political
ambitions, or the misshapen dwarf with the face and voice of an Adonis? Then there is the one
hundred strong army of outlaws fully equipped with the latest long range rifles under the
leadership of the Mexican bandit Cartina. Author Jackson Cole has penned a truly riveting
western novel that, in this large print edition, is especially commended for both the personal
reading lists of all dedicated western fans and community library Western Action/Adventure
collections.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Chocolate Cream Pie Murder
Joanne Fluke
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street, Floor 21, New York, NY 10018-2522
www.kensingtonbooks.com
9781496718860, $27.00, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com
When The Cookie Jar becomes the setting of a star-studded TV special about movies filmed in
Minnesota, Hannah hopes to shine the spotlight on her bakery -- and not the unsavory scandal
swirling around her personal life. But that's practically impossible with a disturbing visit from the
shifty character she once believed was her one and only love, a group of bodyguards following
her every move, and a murder victim in her bedroom. Now, swapping the crime scene in her
condo for her mother Delores's penthouse, Hannah and an old flame team up to solve a case that's
messier than an upended chocolate cream pie. As suspects emerge and secrets hit close to home,
Hannah must serve a hefty helping of justice to an unnamed killer prowling around Lake Eden
before someone takes a slice out of her! Another deftly scripted and inherently compelling read
from first page to last, "Chocolate Cream Pie Murder" showcases author Joanne Fluke's knack
for narrative storytelling and impressive gift for presenting her readers with more plot twists and
turns than a Coney Island roller coaster. While very highly recommended as an addition to
community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists
of all dedicated mystery buffs that the "Chocolate Cream Pie Murder" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
A Room Full of Night
T. R. Kenneth
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608093229, $26.95, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Stag Maguire is a burnt-out journalist hardly able to prop himself up in the wake of tragedy but
who nevertheless agrees to help a friend move. They find an urgent message (HELP ME) written
on a piece of silk tacked behind a long-forgotten portrait. The message from an address in Berlin
is urgent; though it had to have been written pre-World War II. Curious, Stag and his friend,
begin to research the address and whomever might have written the message. They trace the
address to an apartment, a sealed time capsule that has not been lived in since 1942. And from
one phone call to that apartment, the men unleash a nefarious plot and brutal security forces long
thought vanquished. Events begin to cascade without mercy, and Stag (a broken man from the
Midwest) finds himself pitted against a vestige of the Third Reich with powerful forces ensuring
the propagation of Heydrich's infamous SD (Nazi's intelligence agency) in today's world. Will
ordinary-man Stag Maguire prevail in his lone stand against evil? "A Room Full of Night" is a
simply riveting read from cover to cover and features more unexpected plot twists and turns than
a Coney Island roller coaster! While especially and unreservedly recommended for community
library Suspense/Thriller collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Room
Full of Night" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Malta Exchange
Steve Berry
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250140265, $28.99, HC, 416pp, www.amazon.com
The pope is dead. A conclave to select his replacement is about to begin. Cardinals are beginning
to arrive at the Vatican, but one has fled Rome for Malta in search of a document that dates back
to the 4th century and Constantine the Great. Former Justice Department operative, Cotton
Malone, is at Lake Como, Italy, on the trail of legendary letters between Winston Churchill and
Benito Mussolini that disappeared in 1945 and could re-write history. But someone else seems to
be after the same letters and, when Malone obtains then loses them, he's plunged into a hunt that
draws the attention of the legendary Knights of Malta. The knights have existed for over nine
hundred years, the only warrior-monks to survive into modern times. Now they are a global
humanitarian organization, but within their ranks lurks trouble (the Secreti) an ancient sect intent
on affecting the coming papal conclave. With the help of Magellan Billet agent Luke Daniels,
Malone races the rogue cardinal, the knights, the Secreti, and the clock to find what has been lost
for centuries. The final confrontation culminates behind the walls of the Vatican where the
election of the next pope hangs in the balance. A riveting great read from cover to cover, "The
Malta Exchange" clearly showcases author Steve Berry's narrative driven storytelling skills. This
is the stuff of which block buster movies are made! While unreservedly recommended, especially
for community library Suspense/Thriller collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that "The Malta Exchange" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a
complete an unabridged audio book (Macmillan Audio, 9781250316530, $39.99, CD).
Open Carry
Marc Cameron
Kensington
c/o Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street, Floor 21, New York, NY 10018-2522
www.kensingtonbooks.com
9781496721723, $26.00, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com
U.S. Marshal Arliss Cutter is a born tracker. Raised in the Florida swamp lands, he honed his
skills in the military, fought in the Middle East, and worked three field positions for Marshal
Services. When it comes to tracking someone down (or taking someone out) Cutter's the best.
But his newest assignment is taking him out of his comfort zone to southeast Alaska. Cold, dark,
uninhabited forests often shrouded in fog. And it's the kind of case (the shocking murder of a
Tlingit Indian girl) that makes his blood run cold. But the murder is just the beginning. Now,
three people have disappeared on Prince of Wales Island. Two are crew members of the reality
TV show, Fishwives. Cutter's job is to find the bodies, examine the crew's footage for clues, and
track down the men who killed them. But it won't be easy, because the whole town is hiding
secrets, every trail is a dead end -- and the hunter has become the hunted! Another absorbing,
action packed, compulsive page turner of a mystery suspense from the pen of Marc Cameron,
"Open Carry" is a riveting great read from cover to cover. While very highly recommended,
especially for community library Mystery/Suspense/Thriller collections, it should be noted for the
personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Open Carry" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Code of Valor
Lynette Eason
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.revellbooks.com
9780800735586, $29.99, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
What Detective Brady St. John really needs is a relaxing vacation. Unfortunately, just as the sun
is setting on his second day at a friend's cabin on Lake Henley, he hears a scream and races to
rescue a woman from her would-be killer. When the killer escapes only to return to finish the job,
Brady vows to utilize all of his many resources to keep her safe--and catch those who would see
her dead. Financial crimes investigator Emily Chastain doesn't trust many people. And even
though she let the detective who saved her life in on a few pertinent facts about why she was
being attacked, there are some things you just don't share with a stranger. Little does she suspect
that the secret she is keeping just might get them both killed. Another riveting read by an author
with a genuine flair for investing his readers in a page-turning thriller, Lynette Eason's "Code of
Valor" is 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 all dedicated
mystery buffs that "Code of Valor" is also available in a paperback edition (9780800727048,
$15.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book
(Tantor Audio, 9781515934547, $29.99, CD).
The Chef's Secret
Crystal King
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
9781501196430, $28.00, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com
When Bartolomeo Scappi dies in 1577, he leaves his vast estate comprised of properties, money,
and his position to his nephew and apprentice Giovanni. He also gives Giovanni the keys to two
strongboxes and strict instructions to burn their contents. Despite Scappi's dire warning that the
information concealed in those boxes could put Giovanni's life and others at risk, Giovanni is
compelled to learn his uncle's secrets. He undertakes the arduous task of decoding Scappi's
journals and uncovers a history of deception, betrayal, and murder - all to protect an illicit love
affair. As Giovanni pieces together the details of Scappi's past, he must contend with two rivals
who have joined forces -- his brother Cesare and Scappi's former protege, Domenico Romoli,
who will do anything to get his hands on the late chef's recipes. An erudite, engaging,
entertaining, and compulsive page turner of a read, "The Chef's Secret" by Crystal King is certain
to be an enduringly popular addition to personal reading lists and community library Historical
Fiction collections. It should be noted that "The Chef's Secret" is also available in a paperback
edition (9781501196423, $16.99), a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99), and as a complete and
unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781508282303, $39.99, CD).
The Enemy of My Enemy
W.E.B. Griffin
G. P. Putnam's Sons
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780735213067, $29.00, HC, 400pp, www.amazon.com
A month ago, James Cronley managed to capture two notorious Nazi war criminals, but not
without leaving some dead bodies and outraged Austrian police in his wake. He's been lying low
ever since, but that little vacation is about to end. Somebody (Odessa, the NKGB, the Hungarian
Secret Police?) has broken the criminals out of jail, and he must track them down again. But
there's more to it than that. Evidence has surfaced that in the war's last gasps, Heinrich Himmler
had stashed away a fortune to build a secret religion, dedicated both to Himmler and to creating
the Fourth Reich. That money is still out there in the hands of Odessa, and that infamous
organization seems to have acquired a surprising (and troubling) ally. Cronley is fast finding out
that the phrase "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" can mean a lot of different things, and that
it is not always clear which people he can trust and which are out to kill him. Another deftly
scripted and compulsive page turner of an action/adventure novel from the pen of W.E.B.
Griffin, "The Enemy of My Enemy" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to
community library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of the legions of
W.E.B. Griffin fans that "The Enemy of My Enemy" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $14.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99). Librarians should note that there
is a large print edition of "The Enemy of My Enemy" (Random House Large Print,
9781984827586, $31.99, PB, 464pp) as well.
Hunt Them Down
Simon Gervais
https://simongervaisbooks.com
Thomas & Mercer
9781503903210, $24.95, HC, 325pp, www.amazon.com
Former Army Ranger Pierce Hunt is no stranger to violence. Fresh off a six-month suspension,
he's itching to hit a notorious Mexican drug cartel where it hurts, even if that means protecting
crime boss Vicente Garcia, a witness in the case against sadistic cartel leader Valentina Mieles.
But things spiral out of control when the cartel murders Garcia and kidnaps his granddaughter
and an innocent bystander, Hunt's own teenage daughter. Mieles wants the new head of the
Garcia family on a plate -- literally. Hunt has seventy-two hours to deliver, or Mieles will execute
the girls live on social media. With the clock ticking, Hunt goes off the grid and teams up with
Garcia's daughter, a former lover and current enemy. To save the girls, Hunt will have to become
a man he swore he'd never be again: an avenging killer without limits or mercy. Another simply
riveting read from author Simon Gervais, "Hunt Them Down" showcases his mastery of narrative
driven storytelling and his flair for embedding his novels with more twists and turns than a
Coney Island roller coaster. While very highly recommended, especially for community library
Suspense/Thriller action adventure collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Hunt Them Down" is also available in a paperback edition (9781503904507, $15.95), a digital
book format (Kindle, $4.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio,
9781978636583, $24.99, MP3 CD).
Widows' Revenge
Lynda La Plante
Zaffre
9781499862041, $27.99, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Against all the odds, Dolly Rawlins and her gangland widows managed the impossible: a heist
their husbands had failed to pull off - at the cost of their lives. But though they may be in the
money, they're far from easy street. Shocked by her husband's betrayal, Dolly discovers Harry
Rawlins isn't dead. He knows where the four women are and he wants them to pay. And he
doesn't just mean getting his hands on the money. The women can't keep running. They have to
get Harry out of their lives for good. But can they outwit a criminal mastermind who won't
hesitate to kill? Especially when one of them has a plan of her own -- to kill or be killed. Another
original and inherently riveting read from by novelist Lynda La Plante, "Widows' Revenge" is the
sequel to her groundbreaking thriller, "Widows" (now a major motion picture) and will prove to
be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "Widows' Revenge" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781785768293, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Batter Off Dead
Maymee Bell
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683318781, $26.99, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Sophia Cummings may be unlucky in love, but she knows that the way to a man's heart is
through his sweet tooth. This evening, she plans to use that knowledge (and her skills as a New
York City-trained pastry chef) to open the hearts and wallets of Rumford, Kentucky's richest
men. Sophia, proprietress of For Goodness Cakes, has been commissioned to cater the Heart of
the Town Library charity fundraiser at Grape Valley Winery. She's spent all her dough to make
this a successful event, raise her profile, and win more plum catering jobs. At first, the going is as
smooth as an elegant chocolate ganache. After nibbling Sophia's tasty treats, Ray Peel, the
winery's landlord, announces he will pay off Rumford's library loan. But the evening soon turns
decidedly frosty when Ray is murdered before he can make good on his promise, and before he
can pay Sophia for her catering services. For Goodness Cakes will collapse if Sophia can't collect
what she's owed. So Sophia once again puts on her sleuthing apron to figure out who iced Ray.
The latest installment of author Maymee Bell's 'A Southern Cake Baker Mystery' series, "Batter
Off Dead" is a mystery buff's delight that also includes authentic Souther recipes! While very
highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense
collections, it should be noted that "Batter Off Dead" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
Hooks Can Be Deceiving
Betty Hechtman
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683318842, $26.99, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Molly Pink's excitement level is off the hook: The Craftee Channel's new cable talk show
"Creating with Crochet" has scheduled an upcoming taping at the bookstore. While she's there,
TV host Rory Graham is to work with the Tarzana Hookers on a Make and Take bracelet project
to draw bookstore customers to the yarn section. It's a win-win...or so it "seams". The situation
gets a bit knotted when channel producer Michael Kostner confides to Molly his concern that
Rory may have oversold her ability as a crocheter. When the producer's worst fears are realized,
it's up to Molly to make sure Rory comes through. Guiding Rory through
crocheting-for-beginners will have to wait, though, as Molly suddenly has to untangle the
mysterious death of a new Tarzana Hookers member. Marianne Freeman and her live-in
companion, Connie Richards, haven't exactly been gabby since they joined the Hookers, but
Connie's voice is silenced permanently when she is electrocuted while walking on a wet lawn
electrified by an old radio plugged into a faulty extension cord. The fingers point at Marianne,
but Molly is fast on the case to protect one of her own. Was Marianne the killer...or the intended
target? Why does her younger brother want to keep her from talking to the cops? And why is this
whole case starting to remind Molly Pink of an old TV movie? Of special note is the inclusion of
recipes and crochet patterns deftly incorporated into author Betty Hechtman's superbly crafted
mystery novel "Hooks Can Be Deceiving". Certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular
addition to community library Contemporary Mystery collections, it should be noted for
dedicated mystery buffs that "Hooks Can Be Deceiving" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $7.80).
The Second Goodbye
Patricia Smiley
Midnight Ink
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125-2989
www.midnightinkbooks.com
9780738752365, $15.99, PB, 312pp, www.amazon.com
Assume nothing is the touchstone for every homicide investigation Detective Davie Richards
undertakes. She approaches her latest case the same way, determined to learn as much about the
victim as she does about the killer. But there's nothing about thirty-four-year-old Sara Montaine
or her death that makes sense. Was Sara a saint caring for her dying husband or a gold-digger
with a sketchy background? Did she commit suicide or was she murdered? Before her marriage,
Sara lived comfortably without any obvious source of income, unusual for an orphan raised in
foster care. As Davie digs deeper, she unearths Sara's troubled past and a viper's nest of villains
who are willing to kill to keep their secrets hidden. Another gem of a mystery novel by author
Patricia Smiley, "The Second Goodbye" is an inherently compelling read from first page to last
and one 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 all dedicated
mystery buffs that "The Second Goodbye" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.59).
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Shadow Pact
Tally Adams
www.TallyAdams.com
Brown Books Publishing Group
www.BrownBooks.com
9781612542850 $7.99 amazon.com
Shadow Pact is a dark fantasy about Emily's quest to find her missing sister Amber, which
embroils her in an ongoing supernatural conflict between vampires and werewolves. The
handsome vampire-werewolf hybrid William rescues Emily from a dire situation, but far greater
dangers await - a sinister vampire queen, a blood-crazed Coven, a werewolf king greedy for
power, and more. Exciting to the very end, Shadow Pact is a "must-read" for connoisseurs of the
genre, highly recommended.
Samuel Johnson's Eternal Return
Martin Riker
Coffee House Press
79 Thirteenth Avenue NE, Suite 110, Minneapolis, MN 55413
http://coffeehousepress.org
9781566895286, $16.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
When Samuel Johnson dies, he finds himself in the body of the man who killed him, unable to
depart this world but determined, at least, to return to the son he left behind. Moving from body
to body as each one expires, Samuel's soul journeys on a comic quest through an American
half-century, inhabiting lives as stymied, in their ways, as his own. A ghost story of the most
unexpected sort, Martin Riker's extraordinary debut is about the ways experience is mediated, the
unstoppable drive for human connection, and the struggle to be more fully alive in the world. The
debut novel of author Martin Riker, "Samuel Johnson's Eternal Return" is an extraordinarily
engaging and impressively crafted read from first page to last. Showcasing Riker's genuine flair
for originality and narrative driven storytelling skills, "Samuel Johnson's Eternal Return" is
unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Literary
Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Samuel Johnson's Eternal
Return" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.19).
L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future: Volume 35
David Farland, editor
Galaxy Press
7051 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 200, Hollywood, CA 90028
www.galaxypress.com
www.writersofthefuture.com
9781619866041, $15.95, PB, 450pp, www.amazon.com
An internationally acclaimed anthology of award-winning science fiction and fantasy short
stories and featuring 24 award-winning Sci-Fi and Fantasy authors and illustrators, this 35
volume of "L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future" showcases the annual Galaxy Press
competition featuring expertly crafted stories and art that span the gamut from hard core sci-fi to
epic fantasy. One of science fiction and fantasy's most celebrated annual publications, "L. Ron
Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future: Volume 35" should be considered a 'must have' addition
to both community and academic library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be
noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated SciFi and Fantasy fans that "L. Ron Hubbard
Presents Writers of the Future" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Star Trek Discovery: The Way to the Stars
Una McCormack
Gallery Books
c/o Simon and Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com
9781982104757, $16.00
Star Trek Discovery: The Way to the Stars will reach Star Trek fans with a novel based on the
Discovery series and provides an original tie-in novel. Sylvia Tilly was a novice Starfleet cadet,
but played an important role in the ship finding a way home from the Mirror Universe. This story
expands the upon the life and influences on the sixteen-year-old, offering a vivid story that
flushes out the TV character, yet stands on its own nicely for those new to either Tilly or the
Discovery series. The result is a compelling story that Trek fans and sci-fi buffs alike will
relish.
Baen Books
www.baen.com
All the Plagues of Hell by Eric Flint and Dave Freer (9781481483612, $25.00) provides a new
novel in the Heirs of Alexandria series, and provides an alternate Renaissance-era Milan where
magic, gods, and aristocracies rule. In this world some dangerous magic and plots to marry and
murder underlie a host of political troubles and turmoil. Power struggles, sorcery, threats to
destroy rulers and lands, and soldiers facing calls to duty beyond battle make for a fast-paced
alternate world that is thoroughly engrossing, exciting, and tests the historical acuity of readers
who will find plenty of old and new history to enjoy. James L. Cambias's Arkad's World
(9781491483704, $24.00) tells of young Arkad, the only human in an alien city across the Galaxy
who finds his world and future changed by three humans who arrive on the planet in search of a
treasure. Arkad decides to join their quest, but it's an endeavor plagued by attacks, danger,
strange creatures and the group's own traitors. A fast-paced adventure evolves which is moving
and hard to put down.
The Christian Studies Shelf
The Glory of Grace
Lewis Allen & Time Chester
Banner of Truth
PO Box 621, Carlisle, PA 17013
www.banneroftruth.org
9781848718340, $14.00, PB, 184pp, www.amazon.com
"The Glory of Grace: An Introduction to the Puritans in Their Own Words " address the
questions of: Who were the Puritans? What did they seek to achieve? What were their successes
and failures? Are they of any importance to Christians today? The story of the Puritans is what all
Christians need to know in order to discover the important story of how these men and women
sought to follow Jesus Christ. Their convictions resulted in a brave and joyful faith, and the
writing they have left us on the Christian life continues to be a rich resource for our own
discipleship. Meeting the Puritans by listening to them has enriched both of us more than we can
express. And so, "The Glory of Grace" is an introduction to a people who had a deep love for
Jesus Christ and a great vision for the Christian life. Each chapter contains a concise introduction
followed by carefully selected excerpts from key Puritan works, together with suggestions for
further reading, making it an ideal addition to personal, church, seminary, community, college,
and university library Christian Studies collections in general, and Puritan History supplemental
studies reading lists in particular.
Salt Lake School of the Prophets, 1867-1883
Devery S. Anderson, editor
Signature Books
www.signaturebooks.com
9781560852346, $47.95, HC, 700pp, www.amazon.com
Ministerial training was an early goal of Mormonism. The priesthood-led institution called the
School of the Prophets was established in Kirtland, Ohio in 1833 by Joseph Smith and was
basically a divinity school for prospective missionaries. However, instead of prophecy and
revelation, the topics of study included penmanship, English grammar, arithmetic, philosophy,
literature, government, geography, and history. For seven weeks there was even a course in
Hebrew, but it was discontinued. Still, it was in this setting that Joseph Smith received his
revelation on diet and health and some of the spiritual manifestations associated with the
Kirtland temple dedication. Brigham Young re-established the school in the Salt Lake Valley in
1867; his successor, John Taylor, resuscitated it for a while in 1883. Young's emphasis was
theology, first as an appendage to Deseret University, and then as a separate institution.
Compiled and edited by Devery S. Anderson (who is also the editor of a three-volume
documentary history of LDS temple worship), presented in "Salt Lake School of the Prophets,
1867-1883" for the first time are all available minutes for the Utah period. A seminal
contribution to the growing library of Mormon historical and theological literature, "Salt Lake
School of the Prophets, 1867-1883" is unreservedly recommended for community, college, and
university library Mormonism collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for
students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Salt
Lake School of the Prophets, 1867-1883" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Inside an Amish Home
Herald Press Editors
Herald Press
P.O. Box 866, Harrisonburg, VA 22803
www.heraldpress.com
9781513804255, $10.99, HC, 96pp, www.amazon.com
It's rare for outsiders to see inside the homes of Old Order Amish people, who live their Christian
faith in community, simplicity, and humility. Impressively produced by the editorial staff of the
Herald Press, "Inside an Amish Home: A Rare And Intimate Portrait" presents an Amish family
home in the Midwest gives outsiders an authentic and profusely illustrated glimpse into the
intimate spaces where their family life unfolds. Patterns of work, play, fellowship, and worship
become visible, and the warmth and light of the rooms bear witness to their love for God and for
each other. A unique and original volume, "Inside an Amish Home" is very highly recommended
for personal and community library collections.
The Testament of the Lord
Alistair Stewart, translator
St. Vladimir's Seminary Press
575 Scarsdale, Road, Crestwood, NY 10707-1699
www.svspress.com
9780881416114, $25.00, PB, 170pp, www.amazon.com
The 58th volume in the 'Popular Patristics Series' from St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, "The
Testament of the Lord: Worship & Discipline in the Early Church", this is one of several ancient
Church Order texts. Written in the first four centuries of the Church, these are materials that
directed Christian conduct and morality, ecclesiastical organization and discipline, and the
Church's worship and liturgical life. Beginning with an apocalyptic section in which the risen
Lord himself addresses the reader, "The Testament of the Lord" then describes the building of a
church, the mode of appointment for clergy and monastics, and the conduct of daily prayers and
of other liturgical services. The text is newly translated from the extant Syriac (with an eye to
Ethiopic manuscripts) into English by Alistair Stewart, and the introduction makes the case for a
fourth century Cappadocian redactor who gave the work its present shape, though much of its
material goes back at least to the third century. An impressive work of theological scholarship,
"The Testament of the Lord" is very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as
seminary, college, and university library Christian Theology & History collections and
supplemental studies curriculums.
A Parish Guide for Bereavement Ministry & Funeral Planning
Jill Maria Murdy
Twenty-Third Publications
1 Montauk Avenue, #200, New London, CT 06320
www.23rdpublications.com
9781627853927, $16.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
The death of a loved one is a shock and planning a funeral can feel like a burden in a time of
stress and grief. Created for pastoral ministers, deacons, pastors and parish leaders by Jill Maria
Murdy (who is currently in her 17th year as Director of Liturgy and Music at St. Frances Cabrini
Parish, West Bend, Wisconsin), "A Parish Guide for Bereavement Ministry & Funeral Planning"
is a helpful resource to pastorally accompany Catholic funeral planning -- either in advance of or
after the death of a loved one. It is also a comforting planning tool for Catholics to have at home
when facing aging or illness. An essential resource in for use in the chapel or to be handed out to
families after an anointing, "A Parish Guide for Bereavement Ministry & Funeral Planning" will
prove to be an enduring and invaluable instructional reference and resource.
The Judaic Studies Shelf
The Intellect and the Exodus
Jeremy Kagan
The Toby Press
c/o Koren Publishers Jerusalem Ltd.
PO Box 8531, New Milford, CT 06776-8531
www.tobypress.com
9781592645138, $29.95, HC, 316pp, www.amazon.com
Developing the Judaic concept of emuna, or faith in God, is extraordinarily challenging in our
day. Emuna may have sat comfortably with us as we dwelt among the worshiping cultures of the
ancient Near East. But several thousand years of exposure to rationally based Western cultures
has transformed our consciousness, personalities, and outlook to the point that God often seems
like an idea pasted incongruously onto our vision of reality. How can we achieve an emuna that
is integrated, consistent with our rational context, yet still retains its Near Eastern soul? In
'Intellect and the Exodus', Rabbi Jeremy Kagan traces the history of our experience of emuna,
building on the perspective it provides to gain powerful insights into the nature of emuna in the
modern world. He then shows how the story of the Exodus is structured to foster a perception of
reality in us, out of which an awareness of God emerges naturally. That perceptual component,
however, must be complimented with an inner sense of God that has a genuine basis. That basis
is to be sought in the depths of the self. Exceptionally well written, organized, presented,
thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The Intellect and the Exodus" is an extraordinary, engaging,
and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, rabbinic, college, and university library
Judaic Theology collections and supplemental studies lists.
The Sports Shelf
Rock Climbing Anchors, second edition
Topher Donahue & Craig Luebben
Mountaineers Books
1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134-1161
www.mountaineersbooks.org
9781680511406, $24.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Now in a fully updated and expanded second edition, "Rock Climbing Anchors: A
Comprehensive Guide" by Topher Donahue (who at the age of 14 was one of the youngest
American climbing guides in the history of the sport) and Craig Luebben (an AMGA certified
guide and instructor) offers a complete and profusely illustrated course of instruction that will
prove to be of life-saving value for all rock climbing enthusiasts from the absolute novice to the
seasoned professional. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, this new edition of
"Rock Climbing Anchors" is thoroughly 'user friendly' throughout and unreservedly
recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library rock
climbing instructional reference collections.
It's Hard. But It's Fair
Charles M. Choice
Dorrance Publishing Company
585 Alpha Drive, Suite 103, Pittsburgh, PA 15238
www.dorrancepublishing.com
9781480954649, $30.00, PB, 150pp, www.amazon.com
In the pages of "It's Hard. But It's Fair", Charles M. Choice shares his experiences of the Major
League as the father of player Michael Choice. Michael is a hardworking, dedicated, and talented
baseball player who has had his dad and other family members supporting him along the way.
Through Charles' eyes, we see what it took for Michael to get to the show. Michael and Charles'
story will prove that dreams do come true. An inherently fascinating and informative read for
anyone with an interest in professional baseball, "It's Hard. But It's Fair" is a unique and highly
recommended addition to personal reading lists and community library Sports/Athletics
collections.
The Computer Shelf
Cloud Computing Basics
T.B. Rehman
Mercury Learning
www.merclearning.com
9781683923503, $49.95
Cloud Computing Basics is designed as a basic primer to accompany a course in cloud
computing, or as a desk reference for industry professionals new to cloud services, and offers a
review of the latest developments in cloud computing systems. From details on management
concepts, assets management, disaster recovery and more to case studies illustrating different
cloud applications, this basic survey is a winning discussion recommended for any
newcomer.
The Technology Shelf
Fundamentals of Polymer Engineering, third edition
Anil Kumar & Rakesh K. Gupta
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781498759502, $139.95, HC, 616pp, www.amazon.com
Now in a fully updated and expanded third edition, "Fundamentals of Polymer Engineering" by
Anil Kumar (who has been Professor of Chemical Engineering at IIT Kanpur since 1980 and
serves as a consultant for RS Enterprises, Kanpur, India) and Rakesh K. Gupta (who is the
George B. & Carolyn A. Berry Professor and Department Chair of Chemical Engineering at West
Virginia University, where he has been teaching since 1981) explores the chemistry of synthesis,
mechanisms of polymerization, reaction engineering of step-growth and chain-growth
polymerization, polymer characterization, thermodynamics and structural, mechanical, thermal
and transport behavior of polymers as melts, solutions and solids. "Fundamentals of Polymer
Engineering" also covers essential concepts and breakthroughs in reactor design and polymer
production and processing. It contains modern theories and real-world examples for a clear
understanding of polymer function and development. Additionally, "Fundamentals of Polymer
Engineering" addresses new materials, applications, processing techniques, and interpretations of
data in the field of polymer science. It discusses the conversion of biomass and coal to plastics
and fuels, the use of porous polymers and membranes for water purification, and the use of
polymeric membranes in fuel cells. Recent developments are brought to light in detail, and there
are new sections on the improvement of barrier properties of polymers, constitutive equations for
polymer melts, additive manufacturing and polymer recycling. An ideal textbook that specifically
commended for senior undergraduate students and first year graduate students in polymer
engineering and science courses, as well as professional engineers, scientists, and chemists,
"Fundamentals of Polymer Engineering" provides examples and problems that are included at the
end of each chapter for concept reinforcement. While unreservedly recommended for corporate,
college and university library Polymer Technology collections and supplemental studies lists, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Fundamentals of Polymer Engineering" is also
available in a digital book format (eTextbook, $46.36).
Learn Robotics with Raspberry Pi
Matt Timmons-Brown
No Starch Press
245 - 8th Street, San Francisco, CO 94103-3910
www.nostarch.com
9781593279202, $24.95, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Matt Timmons-Brown is the creator of the world's most-popular Raspberry Pi YouTube channel:
The Raspberry Pi Guy. In "Learn Robotics with Raspberry Pi" Matt daws upon his years of
experience and expertise to take even the most inexperienced robot makers to becoming a
successful and accomplished robot builder. Aspiring robot makers will start off building a
two-wheeled robot powered by a Raspberry Pi minicomputer and then program it using Python,
the world's most popular programming language. Gradually showing how to improve a robot by
adding increasingly advanced functionality until it can follow lines, avoid obstacles, and even
recognize objects of a certain size and color using computer vision. "Learn Robotics with
Raspberry Pi" shows how to: Control a robot remotely using only a Wii remote; Teach a robot to
use sensors to avoid obstacles; Program a robot to follow a line autonomously; Customize a
robot with LEDs and speakers to make it light up and play sounds; See what a robot sees with a
Pi Camera. Also covered are such fundamental electronics skills as: How to wire up parts; Use
resistors and regulators; Determine how much power the robot needs. By the end, aspiring robot
makers will have learned the basics of coding in Python and know enough about working with
hardware like LEDs, motors, and sensors to expand their creations beyond simple robots.
Exceptionally and accessibly well organized, illustrated, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in
presentation, "Learn Robotics with Raspberry Pi" is unreservedly recommended for school and
community library Contemporary Technology & Robotics instructional reference collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Learn Robotics with Raspberry Pi" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Artech House
www.artechhouse.com
Practicing engineers and students new to linear systems will welcome this real-world discussion
which pairs a refresher course with a series of basics facts. Yefim Poberezhskiy and Gennady
Pobserezhskiy's Signal Digitalization and Reconstruction in Digital Radios (9781630813802,
$159.00) provides a detailed resource on analog signals in digital radios, and teach readers how
to analyze and understand signal processing procedures and reconstruction methods. Various
methods of conducting this analysis based on improving the characteristics of D&R circuitry
make for an involving study that moves between theory and real-world applications, providing a
survey of new signal transmission and reception methods revised by modern digitization
approaches. Herbert Falk's IEC 61850 Demystified (9781630813291, $159.00) focuses on
implementation processes in the IEC, from the early work conducted by General Motors to
modern applications and communication strategies. Basic research and theory blend principles
and reviews with discussions of distributed energy resources and technical systems, providing
technology collections and professionals in the field with a discussion including mathematical
analyses, client and server relationships, and various operations. Sorin Fericean's Inductive
Sensors for Industrial Applications (9781630812553, $189.00) provides a weighty, in-depth
survey of all inductive sensor classes for industrial applications ranging from automotive use to
white goods, and provides professionals and students with an exploration that uses three
contemporary analysis models to provide overviews. Numerical examples help link theories
while examples of modern commercial parts are included. Surveys of implementations to
different kinds of LC oscillators and digital inductive sensors contribute to a survey packed with
detail and examples. All are solid contributions highly recommended for any college-level
reference holding.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
The 6 Keys
Jillian Michaels
Little, Brown & Company
c/o Hachette Book Group
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9780316448642, $28.00, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com
With "The 6 Keys: Unlock Your Genetic Potential for Ageless Strength, Health, and Beauty",
Jillian Michaels shows how to conquer the mayhem, myths, and misunderstandings associated
with aging. Scientists and doctors have identified six major age inciters: Metabolism; Damaged
Macromolecules; Epigenetics; Inflammation; Stress Adaptation; Telomeres. "The 6 Keys"
presents an ageless health, fitness, and beauty plan that addresses all six of them -- and gets them
working for you instead of against you. Empowering and rigorously researched, "The 6 Keys"
outlines powerful lifestyle interventions, dietary guidelines, exercise plans, and vanguard
strategies for cultivating mindfulness that restore and protect human performance, keeping fit,
healthy, and beautiful for life. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The 6 Keys"
is impressively 'user friendly' and real world practical, making it an ideal and unreservedly
recommended addition to community library Health & Medicine collections. It should be noted
for personal reading lists that "The 6 Keys" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$14.99).
Shrink Diet
Philippe Tahon
Octopus Publishing
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781912023868, $12.99
Shrink Diet: Retrain Your Brain & Lose Weight for Good comes from a psychologist who has
originated an easy program to help lost weight and boost mental acuity: one which involves
neither calorie counting nor exercise. The goal is lasting weight loss through life-changing habits,
and as chapters cover gaining control over life, readers receive an affirming, positive perspective
that goes above and beyond most "diet books" to address mental as well as physical changes.
Audiences willing to address mental and physical health through adjustments to their
perspectives will find Shrink Diet easy to follow and inspirational.
The Self-Help Shelf
Feed Your Soul
Carly Pollack
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608685783, $16.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Countless diets, cleanses, and thirty-day challenges are geared to help people lose weight, heal
their digestion, and have more energy. Yet these temporary protocols fall short when it comes to
true transformation. Nutritionist Carly Pollack lived a vicious cycle of weight ups and downs
until trial and error, and over a decade of formal study in health and healing, led her to the
insights she has since shared with thousands. In the pages of "Feed Your Soul: Nutritional
Wisdom to Lose Weight Permanently and Live Fulfilled", Carly presents her unique
understanding of body science, brain wiring, and spiritual principles to facilitate real, lasting
change. Carly helps you reframe your thinking to, for example, see comfort foods as the numbing
toxins they truly are and focus on long-term goals rather than immediate gratification. This
no-nonsense guide will show you how feeding your soul can change your life, your health, and
your body. Exceptionally well written, organized, presented, and 'real world' practical, if you only
have time for one self-help title this year, make it Carly Pollack's "Feed Your Soul". While very
highly recommended, especially for community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections,
it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Feed Your Soul" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Growing Forward When You Can't Go Back
Laurie Pawlik
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton Road, Ada, MI 49301
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764232176, $12.99, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
After life is shattered by loss or a traumatic experience (whether big or small) it can seem
impossible to heal or even move on. Deep down you believe God intends good for you, but you
just don't have the energy or strength to figure out how to move forward. Author Laurie Pawlik (a
writer with 25 years of teaching, social work, and Bible study experience) has been there, and In
"Growing Forward When You Can't Go Back" she shares how she was able to flourish despite
multiple losses. Through practical tips and thought-provoking questions, Laurie helps her readers
to take small yet powerful steps toward healing and letting go. She also offers insights and
encouragement from the lives of strong women in the Bible. Readers will glimpse the painful
losses these women experienced and learn how they flourished despite seasons of hardship and
grief; discover how God shows His presence and power in the valleys, deserts, and storms; and
you'll feel a fresh sense of hope that, with God, we can redefine ourselves, remake our lives, and
grow forward into a beautiful new season. While very highly recommended for personal and
community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Growing Forward When You Can't Go Back" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $8.99).
The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf
The Story of Lee, volume 3
Sean Michael Wilson and Piarelle
NBM Publishing
160 Broadway, Ste. 700, East Wing, New York, NY 10038
www.nbmpub.com
c/o Independent Publishers Group (dist.)
www.ipgbook.com
9781681121956 $11.99 amazon.com
The final black-and-white graphic novel in a complex trilogy set in modern times, The Story of
Lee, volume 3 is about two college students: Lee, a young woman from Hong Kong studying in
Britain, and Matt, a British native. The two have fallen in deeply love, but they each have
different visions for the future. Matt dreams of joining a band and hitting the road, while Lee is
focused on obtaining her degree. Is the rift between Lee and Matt irreparable? Another Chinese
student takes a romantic interest in Lee, and trouble brews back in Hong Kong when Lee's father
becomes unable to work - will Lee have to leave her independent life in the UK to return home
and help her mother? An emotionally moving tale with three-dimensional characters, The Story
of Lee is highly recommended.
Marvel Powers of a Girl
Lorraine Cink, author
Alice X. Zhang, illustrator
Marvel Press
c/o Disney Hyperion
www.disneyhyperionbooks.com
9781368025263, $16.99, HC, 144pp, www.amazon.com
The late Stan Lee's Marvel Universe is a place where the personalities, powers, and straight-up
legends of countless heroic women have captured readers enthusiasm and allegiance for
generations. "Marvel Powers of a Girl" Lorraine Cink is a unique and perfect start (or addition) to
any Marvel fan's collection! Using her in-depth knowledge and passion for Super Heroes, Cink
explores the lives of the exceptional and diverse women of the Marvel Universe. Filled with
inspirational lessons and clever observations, each section digs into what these relatable women
can teach us all about growth, bravery, and the true meaning of strength. Paired with over one
hundred original, vibrant, and emotive illustrations from the talented Alice X. Zhang, "Marvel
Powers of a Girl" deftly balances the responsibility and the fun the comes with being a hero.
Impressively organized and presented, "Marvel Powers of a Girl" will prove to be an especially
popular addition to community library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading
lists of dedicated Marvel fans that "Marvel Powers of a Girl" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $10.99).
The Valley of Fear
Rodolphe, author
Leo, illustrator
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849183949, $11.95, PB, 48pp, www.amazon.com
Trent's superior tasks him with helping a lady who came to the police to report the disappearance
of her husband. The Canadian mounted police sergeant is stunned to discover that the woman he
has been assigned to assist is Agnes -- the woman he is still in love with. Her husband is the
manager of a railway construction site far to the northwest, and he hasn't been heard from in
weeks. Worse, his last letters spoke of a mysterious danger threatening the camp. The pair go to
investigate. The fourth volume in the Trent graphic novel series by author Rodolphe and
illustrator Leo is a compelling read from cover to cover and while very highly recommended,
especially for community library graphic novel collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "The Valley of Fear" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$5.99).
Bear's Tooth: Werner
Yann, author
Alain Henriet, illustrator
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849183512, $11.95, 48pp, www.amazon.com
It is April 1945 and the Third Reich is collapsing. In Berlin, surrounded by Soviet troops, a small
aircraft lands under enemy fire. Daring pilot Hanna Reitsch escorts an important officer to
Hitler's bunker -- and is granted an audience with the Fuhrer, from which she emerges visibly
upset. Meanwhile, in a German hospital in the countryside, Max comes to after a long coma. His
task remains the same: to kill Hanna. But what new mission has she been given? The third and
final book of the 'Bear's Tooth' trilogy, "Werner" is a simply riveting graphic novel from first
page to last. Superbly illustrated by Alain Henriet whose artwork brings Yann's original story
fully to life, "Bear's Tooth: Werner" will prove to be an extraordinary and enduringly popular
addition to community library graphic novel collections. It should be noted for personal reading
lists that "Bear Tooth: Werner" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Kriss of Valnor
Jean Van Hamme, author
Grzegorz Rosinski, illustrator
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849184229, $11.95, PB, 48pp, www.amazon.com
Continuing one of the best graphic novel ancient action/adventure series, "Kriss of Valnor"
continues the story of Thorgal with his wife Aaricia and her children being sold as slaves to an
Imperial prince who believes that the northern warrior has died. But Thorgal's family refuse to
believe that he is dead, and keep trying to escape, eventually wearing off their new owner's
patience. Condemned to a year of hard labour in the silver mines, Aaricia and the children meet
someone unexpected there: Kriss of Valnor, a wielding the whip of a forewoman who is yet a
prisoner like them. Despite their mutual hatred, the two women will have to work together to
escape. A deftly crafted chapter of story that is superbly crafted by Grzergorz Rosinski fully
supported by the artwork of Jean Van Hamme, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Kriss of Valnor" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
The Audiobook Shelf
Bending Toward Justice
Doug Jones with Greg Truman, authors
Read by Doug Jones
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781250316479 $44.99 amazon.com
Alabama senator Doug Jones, presents Bending Toward Justice: The Birmingham Church
Bombing that Changed the Course of Civil Rights, now available in an unabridged audiobook
rendition. The title refers to a famous quote by Martin Luther King Jr.: "The arc of the moral
universe is long, but it bends toward justice." Here is the true story behind the racially motivated
bombing of a black church, a crime that killed four girls. The FBI closed the case in the 1960s
without indictments, due to reluctant witnesses, a lack of physical evidence, and extensive racial
prejudice. Years later, Alabama Attorney general William Baxley reopened the case, and
convicted one of the bombers in 1977. Another bomber passed away in 1994, and author Doug
Jones (then a U.S. Attorney) tried and convicted the final two in 2001 and 2002. A dramatic saga
about the long-running struggle to bring judgement to murderers, Bending Toward Justice is
utterly compelling. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library audiobook
collections. 12 CDs, 15 hours.
The Book of No, updated
Susan Newman, PhD with Cristina Schreil, authors
Read by Virginia Wolf
HighBridge Audio Books
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
https://highbridgeaudio.com
9781684419517 $29.99 amazon.com
Now in an updated edition adapted to unabridged audiobook format, The Book of No: 365 Ways
to Say It and Mean It - and Stop People-Pleasing Forever is a guide by social psychologist Dr.
Susan Newman to taking control of one's life. How can one say "no" to endless demands at work,
from friends or family, or even from pushy salespeople, without feeling guilty or harming
relationships? Here are strategies for recognizing manipulation, avoiding overwork, and
improving quality of life. Establishing strong boundaries can strengthen friendships, and ensure
that one has the energy to be there for family or children when most needed. The Book of No is
highly recommended for both personal and public library audiobook collections. 6 CDs, 7
hours.
The Environment: A History of the Idea
Paul Warde, Libby Robin, and Sverker Sorlin, authors
Read by Henrietta Meire
HighBridge Audio Books
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
https://highbridgeaudio.com
9781684419159 $29.99 amazon.com
The Environment: A History of the Idea is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a studious,
intellectual history about the emergence of the concept of "the environment" in modern scientific,
economic, and political discourse. Chapters recount the how the phrase "the environment" gained
such importance in the period following World War II, a time when mankind's capability for
untold devastation became all too clear, as did the need for global order and conservation. Thus
did the terminology to express, and even dispute the environmental crisis evolve. The
Environment: A History of the Idea is a seminal and invaluable addition to public and college
library audiobook collections, highly recommended. 6 CDs, 7 1/2 hours.
Domina
Guy De La Bedoyre, author
Julian Elfer, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
https://tantor.com/new-releases.html
9781515940555, $29.99, CD, www.amazon.com
Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero -- these are the names history usually
associates with the rise of the early Roman Empire. Yet, not a single one of these emperors was
the blood son of his predecessor and depended on female lineages in their attempts to create
dynasties. In "Domina: The Women Who Made Imperial Rome" we are treated to a truly
fascinating, detailed, captivating history by Guy De La Bedoyre a prominent scholar whose
studies have specialized in the history of the Roman Empire. Drawing up the records of the era,
"Domina" documents the Julio-Claudian women whose bloodline, ambition, and ruthlessness
made it possible for the emperors' line to continue. "Domina" asserts that the women behind the
scenes-including Livia, Octavia, and the elder and younger Agrippina-were the true backbone of
the dynasty. Gy De la Bedoyere draws on the accounts of ancient Roman historians to revisit a
familiar time from a completely fresh vantage point. Expertly narrated by Julian Elfer, this
complete and unabridged audio book edition of "Domina" is an inherently fascinating and
impressively presented study of dynastic power and gender interplay in ancient Rome. (12.5
Hours, 11 CDs).
I.M.: A Memoir
Written and read by Isaac Mizrahi
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781427274649 $39.99 amazon.com
Written and read by acclaimed fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi, I.M.: A Memoir describes the life
of a creative genius in his own words. The gay son of a Syrian Jewish Orthodox family, Mizrahi's
exceptional talent for creating eye-catching clothing designs manifested at a young age, and led
him to high fashion and celebrity circles - his path crossed those of Audrey Hepburn, Meryl
Streep, Oprah Winfrey, and many more. Here are Mizrahi's true-life tales of cabaret
performances; his lifelong struggle to maintain a healthy weight; his efforts to cope with
insomnia and depression; the difficulties of being an openly gay man during decades when
homophobia was widely rampant; reflections on the AIDS epidemic that exacted a devastating
toll upon the gay community; glimpses into the lives of the rich and famous; and universal,
emotional truths. I.M.: A Memoir is an unforgettable whirlwind of a life story, highly
recommended. It should be noted that I.M.: A Memoir is also available in a hardcover edition
from Flatiron Books (9781250074089, $28.99) and a Kindle edition ($14.99).
The Strange Birth, Short Life, and Sudden Death of Justice Girl
Julian David Stone, author
Read by Stefan Rudnicki
www.JulianDavidStone.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781504768023 $39.95 amazon.com
Award-winning director and writer Julian David Stone presents The Strange Birth, Short Life,
and Sudden Death of Justice Girl, now in an unabridged audiobook rendition masterfully
performed by Grammy and Audie Award winner Stefan Rudnicki. The novel is set in 1955 New
York City, following scriptwriter Johnny Dirby, who walks away from his steady job to protest
rampant McCarthyism. Dirby's last-second tweaks to a Superman-inspired parody kick off the
shockingly popular success of the heroine "Justice Girl", and thrust him into the unexpected
spotlight. An actress out to blacklist Dirby, a network president desperate to get complete control
of the "Justice Girl" show, a rapturous legion of Justice Girl fans and more populate this tongue-
in-cheek, twentieth-century parable. Highly recommended! 12 CDs, 14 1/2 hours.
Team of Vipers
Cliff Sims
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781250238184, $39.99, CD, www.amazon.com
For the Trump administration's first 500 days, Cliff Sims stood with at the side of President
Donald J. Trump in the eye of the political storm raging inside and around the presidency. Now
having left that administration he has written and narrated a complete and unabridged audio book
for his insider's 'tell all' memoir "Team of Vipers". Sims tells the story that no one else has
written -- simply because no one else could. His is personal and candid story of what it was really
like in the West Wing as a member of the President's team. "Team of Vipers" is a revelatory story
of power and palace intrigue, backstabbing and bold victories, as well as painful moral
compromises -- occasionally with himself. Very highly recommended for anyone with an interest
in the Trump administration and current politics on the national level, "Team of Vipers" will
prove to be an extraordinarily timely and popular addition to both community and academic
library audio book and Political Science collections.
Where'd You Go, Bernadette
Maria Semple, author
Read by Kathleen Wilhoite
Hachette Audio
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
www.HachetteAudio.com
9781549113512 $20.00 amazon.com
Where'd You Go, Bernadette is the unabridged audiobook rendition of unique novel (which has
been adapted into a major motion picture starring Cate Blanchett) about a nuclear family with
complicated connections and hidden secrets. When fifteen-year-old Bee earns a family trip to
Antarctica as a reward for her stellar grades, her agoraphobic mother Bernadette tries to prepare
for travel. But after years of attempting to adapt to life in Seattle, Bernadette is on the brink of
total collapse. Disasters pile up, Bernadette disappears, and Bee and her father are left in the
lurch. Bee tries to piece together what happened and why through emails, invoices, school
memos, and more. Poignant, profound, and superbly performed by Kathleen Wilhoite, Where'd
You Go Bernadette is highly recommended for both personal and public library audiobook
collections. 9 CDs, 9.5 hours.
All In
Shelley Shepard Gray, author
Read by Tavia Gilbert
Blackstone Audiobooks
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781538427668 $32.95 amazon.com
Masterfully performed by award-winning narrator Tavia Gilbert, All In is the unabridged
audiobook rendition of an original romance novel between Meredith Hunt, the independent-
minded owner of a successful Pilates studio, and Ace Vance, a single father who fixes classic
cars for a living. Their first meeting is a chance encounter, in which Ace rescues Meredith from a
mugger. A spark of attraction with the potential to blossom into something far greater starts to
form, but both Meredith and Ace have their own emotional obstacles to overcome. Thoughtful
and heartwarming, All In is a choice delight for connoisseurs of the genre, highly recommended
for romance audiobook connoisseurs and public library collections. 7 CDs, 8 hours.
True Yoga
Jennie Lee, author and performer
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781721307005 $19.99 amazon.com
True Yoga: Practicing with the Yoga Sutras for Happiness & Spiritual Fulfillment is an
unabridged MP3 audiobook (plays on MP3-CD enabled players or transfers to portable devices)
by yoga therapist Jennie Lee. Here are practical methods that anyone can learn to maintain
positive thoughts, keep stress under control, improve communication, and more. Lee breaks
down the Eight Limbs of Yoga, as outlined in the Yoga Sutras, into thoroughly accessible plain
terms. Yoga is an excellent practice to foster harmony in body, mind, and spirit; True Yoga is a
superb guide to harnessing timeless wisdom, in order to transform one's life for the better. Highly
recommended. 1 disc, 5 hours 58 min.
Hachette Audio
www.hachetteaudio.com
Two excellent new audiobooks narrated by their authors are recommended for listeners seeking
inspirational pieces. Sarah Knight's Calm the F*ck Down (9781549119255, $30.00) is about how
to keep one's calm in the midst of chaos, and will attract any listener seeking to take control of
life and personal anxiety patterns towards living it. From discussions of different stages of
freaking out and how to handle each to cultivating productive worrying that imparts growth and
lessons, this audio provides many keys to overcoming debilitating anxiety. Joel Osteen's All
Things Are Working For Your Good (9781478999737, $23.00) discusses setbacks and how to
handle them as growth opportunities, and provides 365 days of admonitions on how to make
sense of life. A better appreciation of God accompanies insights on control and overcoming life
challenges in an inspirational, spiritual listen.
The Library CD Shelf
Starlight Dreams
Karen Biehl
Maestra Music
maestramusica.com
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
Starlight Dreams: Etudes for Piano is a heart-touching, instrumental album of new age solo piano
compositions crafted to promote relaxation. The sparkling soundscape calls to the listener,
encouraging them to search out and journey toward their goals. A treasure for personal and
public library collections, Starlight Dreams is highly recommended. The tracks are
"Awakenings", "Invocation", "Union", "Meditation on a Moonlit Lake", "Chanson Des Vents",
"On Angel Wings", "The Journey", "Raindrops", "Starlight Waltz", "Promenade", "Aurumn
Amble", "The Beginning", and "Meditation on a Moonlit Lake (Full Version)".
Reflection
Shoshana Michel
www.ShoshanaMusic.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
Reflection is the fourth solo piano CD by Shoshan Michel, and embodies her own journey to
know herself as a composer and confront life's challenges head-on. The music carres the
inevitable force of an ocean current, and reflects the full gamut of life's emotions. Reflection is a
choice pick for connoisseurs, highly recommended for both personal and public library
collections, and also makes an excellent gift. The tracks are "A New Day Today", "Shooting
Stars", "Finding Bliss", "Soothing the Tempest Within", "Bittersweet", "Island in the Mist", "The
Moon's Lament", "In a Time Lapse", "Forever and a Day", "Labyrinth", and "Through the Eyes of
a Child". 47 min., 6 sec.
Cappadocia
Jeff Johnson and Phil Keaggy
Ark Records, Inc.
arkmusic.com
$14.99 CD / $7.92 MP3 amazon.com
Cappadocia is an instrumental music CD, inspired by an area in central Turkey where colorful
soil has eroded into graceful, steep cliffs and rock spires known as "fairy chimneys". This land
was once a refuge for Christians seeking to practice their faith in peace, especially during the first
few centuries after their religion came into being. The album Cappadocia seeks to capture its
namesake's timeless beauty and spirituality, combining new age music with inflections from
world music. Acoustic and electric guitar master Phil Keaggy and keyboardist Jeff Johnson have
woven a soundscape enriched with contributions from a vast medley of additional influences,
from flute to Spanish-style acoustics, a Turkish chumbus, fretless bass, ukulele and much more.
Cappadocia is a unique, reflective treasure, highly recommended to connoisseurs of visionary
soundscapes. The tracks are "Cappadocia", "Quo Vadis (Where Are You Going)?", "Valley of
Swords and Roses", "Parousia (A Presence)", "That Which Is Hidden", "Chapel of Stone", "Dove
Visions", and "Trinity". 52 min., 21 sec.
Man Made Fire
Petite Celine
Privately Published
$TBA www.petiteceline.com
Franco-American indie singer Petite Celine presents Man Made Fire, her new indie pop album
that freely incorporates global elements, even phrases from other languages (Spanish,
Portuguese, French, or German) in brief passages. Passionate, vivacious, and brimming with
energy, Man Made Fire sets the imagination alight! Highly recommended, especially for
connoisseurs of the genre. The tracks are "We Were All Good Kids", "Explorame", "Que
Sommes Nous", "No No More", "Man Made Fire", "Cartographers", "Wine and Cheese",
"Jezebel", "The Great Unknown", and "Tigre Fondant".
The Library DVD Shelf
New Mexico Ancestral Pueblo People & Fort Union
Bennet Watt HD Productions, Inc.
www.Bennett-Watt.com
9781604902167 $24.95
Part of the Discoveries... America National Parks series of high-definition video essay
documentaries about the stunning, scenic, and historic American locations that the National Park
Service exists to protect, New Mexico Ancestral Pueblo People & Fort Union is a DVD
showcasing ancient ruins and communities once inhabited by Ancestral Pueblo People in New
Mexico, among a wealth of other notable locations: Aztec Ruins National Monument, Bandelier
National Monument, the Fort Union National Monument (originally established on the Santa Fe
Trail as a garrison and supply depot), and much more. The wondrous scenery of New Mexico
captivates the imagination, in this beautiful and educational treasure, highly recommended
especially for public library collections and armchair travelers. 57 min.
Tracking Edith
A film by Peter Stephan Jungk
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
$24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com
Tracking Edith is a documentary about the double life of filmmaker Peter Jungk's great-aunt,
Edith Tudor-Hart. Edith was a skilled photographer - and also a KGB spy, who made history by
brokering the introduction between Kim Philby and Soviet agent Arnold Deutsch, enabling the
espionage of Britain's most notorious double agent and the core of the Cambridge Five spy ring.
Assembled twenty years after Edith's passing with aid from military historians, photo archivists,
ex-KGB agents, and members of Edith's family, Tracking Edith is a true-life spy story that
transfixes the viewer to the very end. Highly recommended! 92 min.
Hot to Trot
A film by Gail Freedman
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
$24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com
Hot to Trot is an award-winning documentary on DVD about the world of same-sex competitive
ballroom dance. Mainstream competitive ballroom dance is known for its rigid gender roles: all
couples must have one man and one woman, and only the man is allowed to lead. Independent,
same-sex dance competitions arose to defy these rules. Hot to Trot follows four charismatic men
and women on and off the dance floor, as they prepare themselves for the quadrennial Gay
Games. The power of dance as a road to overcome personal difficulties, ranging from drug
addiction to estrangement from one's family, is also explored in this breathtaking revelation that
the beauty, joy, and proud self-expression of dance need not be limited to heterosexual pairing or
traditional gender roles. 88 min.
Beginner Tai Chi for Health
Helen Liang
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
www.ymaa.com
9781594396694 $29.95 amazon.com
Beginner Tai Chi for Health is a fitness DVD guide created especially for beginners, offering a
mirror-view workout that is easy to follow. Tai Chi is an ancient practice excellent for improving
strength, flexibility, balance, posture, and grace. Tai Chi master Helen Liang leads the viewer
through a qigong warm-up, a Tai Chi class, and a cool down meditation. A separate chapter
offers step-by-step instructions of the 16-movement Tai Chi form, shown from multiple angles.
No exercise equipment is required. Beginner Tai Chi for Health is a superb resource, and its
energizing core routine can be performed in as little as fifteen minutes - perfect for people who
are short on time. Highly recommended! 92 min.
Ackley Bridge, series 2
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$59.99 www.acornonline.com
Set in a fictional twenty-first century town, Ackley Bridge is an award-winning, school-based
British drama; now series 2 is available on DVD. Series 2 continues the complicated saga of a
high school striving to integrate its community of white and Pakistani residents. Here are tales of
an intelligent young student who conceals her sexual identity beneath a false engagement; a girl
struggling to maintain stability in spite of her drug-addicted mother; and a strict headmistress
whose academic regime frustrates both staff and students. A dramatic, character-driven
exploration of the strengths and weaknesses of human nature, Ackley Bridge is highly
recommended. Bonus materials include a recap of series 1 and behind-the-scenes featurettes. 12
episodes on 3 DVDs, 576 mi. plus bonus, SDH subtitles.
The Simple Heist, series 1
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
www.acornonline.com
$39.99 amazon.com
The Simple Heist, series 1 begins an unorthodox crime drama on DVD, filmed in Swedish with
English subtitles. Two women in their sixties, struggling and on the brink of poverty, decide to
engage in a crime spree to secure money and take control of their lives. But their scheme quicky
goes awry, and both women become enmeshed in blackmail, car chases, and the threat of a
deadly biker gang. Elements of dry, tongue-in-cheek satire permeate this dark, riveting thrill ride!
6 episodes on 2 DVDs, 276 min., widescreen.
The Railroading Shelf
Gloucester Locomotive Sheds
Steve Bartlett
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781473875593, $49.95, HC, 232pp, www.amazon.com
Gloucester, England was a busy and fascinating rail center where ex-GWR and ex-LMS
(Midland Railway) routes met, each with main line passenger and freight services, local
passenger trains and extensive freight trips providing an endless panorama of railway activity. In
the pages of "Gloucester Locomotive Sheds: Horton Road & Barnwood" by Steve Bartlett (who
is a fourth generation railwayman), the principal ex-GWR Gloucester Horton Road and ex-LMS
(Midland Railway) Gloucester Barnwood motive power depots are covered in depth with their
locomotive allocations, operational duties and changing responsibilities over the years fully
described. Not forgotten are both depots' sub-sheds at Brimscombe, Cheltenham Malvern Road,
Lydney, Ross-on-Wye, Dursley and Tewkesbury along with the duties and local routes that they
covered. An in-depth study that is visually supported with more than 200 black and white period
photographs, many of which are previously unpublished, each of the motive power depots
covered are supported by detailed plans of the shed layouts. A comprehensively detailed
historical study, "Gloucester Locomotive Sheds: Horton Road & Barnwood" is an impressively
informed and informative volume that is wholeheartedly recommended for both community and
academic library British Railroading History collections and supplemental studies lists. It should
be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated railroading enthusiasts that "Gloucester
Locomotive Sheds: Horton Road & Barnwood" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$23.97).
Great Western Railway Gallery
Laurence Waters
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526707031, $60.00, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
For decades, the great Western or 'Gods' Wonderful Railway' was arguably the most famous
railway in England. Much of that original railway that survives today was the work of one of the
greatest engineers of his time, Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The company was also served by
locomotive engineers such as Gooch, Armstrong, Churchward, Collett and Hawksworth, who
produced a series of locomotives that were well designed, elegant and powerful. Using
previously unpublished material from the extensive 'Great Western Trust' collection at Didcot
Railway Centre, "Great Western Railway Gallery: A Pictorial Journey Through Time" by retired
professional photographer and photography teacher Laurence Waters wonderfully and
informatively illustrates in both black and white and color many facets that made the Great
Western 'Great'. An exceptional photographic study, the "Great Western Railway Gallery" will be
an enduringly valued and appreciated addition to personal, community, and academic library
Railroading History collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for
personal reading lists of dedicated railway buffs that "Great Western Railway Gallery" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $28.80).
The Political Science Shelf
From Crisis to Communisation
Gilles Dauve
PM Press
PO Box 23912, Oakland, CA 94623
www.pmpress.org
9781629630991, $16.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Rising out of the radical Marxist French millieu and events of 1968 to criticize global capitalism
and encourage revolution in theory and practice, "From Crisis to Communisation" by Gilles
Dauve places libertarian communist theory in historical and contemporary context.
Communisation means something quite straightforward: a revolution that starts to change social
relations immediately. The concept was born out of a specific period, and this book investigates
how people personally and collectively experienced the crises of the 1960s and 1970s. The
notion is now developing in the maelstrom of a new crisis, among other reasons because of its
ecological dimension, that has the scope and magnitude of a crisis of civilization. "From Crisis to
Communisation" does not glorify existing struggles as if their present accumulation was enough
to result in revolution. Radical theory is only meaningful if it addresses the question of how can
proletarian resistance to exploitation and dispossession achieve more than aggravate the crisis?
How can it reshape the world? An erudite, thoughtful, and thought-provoking study, "From
Crisis to Communisation" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to both
community and academic library Contemporary Political Science 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 "From Crisis to Communisation" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
The Needlecraft Shelf
sew + quilt
Susan Beal
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781631869365, $24.95, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com
In the pages of "sew + quilt: techniques + projects for hand-stitching + patchwork", experienced
needlecrafter Susan Beal provides clear, step-by-step instructions for 4 fundamental
hand-stitching techniques and 4 foundational quilt blocks as the foundation for learning how to
use hand-stitching as an embellishment to add texture and color to quilt projects. Each
fundamental technique includes a small project as a learning tool, followed by 12 more-generous
yet accessible patchwork projects that build on the basics. A mix of traditional and modern
patterns for both smaller, faster quilts and larger quilts. Step-by-step instruction, with lots of
illustrations and photos, plus tips and advice on everything a quilter needs to experience the joy
of making something beautiful and personal. Beautifully and usefully illustrated throughout,
"sew + quilt" is an ideal instructional guide and reference for beginning quilting students, and
unreservedly recommended for community library Needlecraft & Quilting collections.
Colorful Batik Panel Quilts
Judith Vincentz Gula
Landauer Publishing
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781947163058, $14.99, PB, 64pp, www.amazon.com
Batik is a technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to whole cloth, or cloth made using this
technique which originated from Indonesia. Batik is made either by drawing dots and lines of the
resist with a spouted tool called a canting, or by printing the resist with a copper stamp called a
cap. The applied wax resists dyes and therefore allows the artisan to color selectively by soaking
the cloth in one color, removing the wax with boiling water, and repeating if multiple colors are
desired. In the profusely illustrated pages of "Colorful Batik Panel Quilts" fabric artist Judy Gula
shows how to use hand-made batik panels in traditional quilt settings, or turn them into works of
art with the addition of embellishment. The creative journey begins with an introduction to Judy's
design process, and then moves on to 3 easy step-by-step projects and a gallery tour of 24
stunning art quilts. With "Colorful Batik Panel Quilts" even the most novice of quilting
enthusiasts will learn how to make one-of-a-kind art quilts and home decor with instructions for
embellishing with borders, beading, free-motion quilting, and more -- plus a step-by-step guide to
15 hand stitches! Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Colorful Batik
Panel Quilts" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, and community library
Needlecraft instructional reference collections.
Martingale & Company
www.shopmartingale.com
Three new needlework books are excellent picks highly recommended for collections and
individuals looking for new project ideas. Carrie Nelson's Pin Pals: 40 Patchwork Pinnies,
Poppets, and Pincushions with Pizzazz (9781604689594, $22.99) pairs quilting with notions,
outlining pincushions that are quick to make. Materials lists, assembly instructions, and full-page
color photos of completed "pinnies" accompany a fine display of different quilting styles that will
delight not just quilters but needleworkers who are recipients of these useful gifts. Teresa Mairal
Barreu's Turnabout Patchwork: Simple Quilts with a Twist (9781604689848, $22.99) offers an
easy concept of quilting based on a simple block. The 'turnabout technique' is used to slice and
turn these slices into a unique production, with each chapter focusing on a single block and how
it can be sewed, sliced, turned, and resewed. 24 quilt patterns for laps, runners, and more offer
plenty of construction option. Betsy Chutchian's Hope's Journey: Classic Blocks, Reproduction
Quilts, and Stories of Bygone Days (9781604689617, $27.99) displays antique-inspired blocks
and quilts and shares patterns that translate to a variety of sizes. Nearly thirty traditional blocks
patterns and 11 small quilt ideas are accompanied by small color photos throughout which clarify
assembly and cutting directions for all quilters.
The Woodworking Shelf
Wooden Toy Spacecraft
Gonzalo Ferreyra
Spring House Press
www.springhousepress.com
9781940611839, $24.95, PB, 168pp, www.amazon.com
Making toys out of wood is an ancient and honored activity in every culture around the world. In
the 20th Century, wooden toy designs have changed very little since long before we first landed
on the moon: plenty of cars, p-prop planes, trucks, and trains -- and, yes, that occasional Buck
Rodgers-era rocket. But few projects that hinted at the world of the future. Now in the pages of
"Wooden Toy Spacecraft" by woodworking expert Gonzalo Ferreyra, the iconic wooden toy
blasts off into the 21st century with a do-it-yourself compendium of 12 state-of-the-art spacecraft
that can be built in a weekend. Going well beyond tired old rocket ships, "Wooden Toy
Spacecraft" offers up an intergalactic fleet of original designs that can fly proudly alongside the
classics kids (and adults!) know from film, television, and our real-world history of space
exploration. Dozens of detailed photographs and clear, concise instructions make even the most
challenging techniques easy to conquer. With a few pieces of lumber, some cut-offs from a scrap
box, and a healthy dose of future-vision, space geeks of all ages can craft a beautiful,
awe-inspiring vehicle to proudly display or to gift to that special kid for hours of imaginative
play. Unique, original, fun, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation,
"Wooden Toy Spacecraft" is unreservedly recommended to all dedicated woodworkers and
toymakers!
Slingshots & Key Hooks
Geoffrey Fisher
Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781497100046, $19.99, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
With information on how to forage responsibly and suggestions on sources for the best wood to
use, Geoffrey Fisher shows how the natural bounty of woodland can be used to stunning effect in
the creation of fifteen everyday objects made from foraged and gathered wood. Whether building
a bee hotel or an insect house to help your garden's ecosystem thrive, crafting a slingshot,
whistle, jump rope or cup and ball game to give away, or making a key hook or table brush to
organize your home, the result of each will be entirely unique while also effortlessly stylish. In
the profusely illustrated pages of "Slingshots & Key Hooks" are to be found all the basic
woodworking techniques and tools for each individual project -- plus Geoffrey also shows how
best to prepare materials, including checking for disease, drying and stripping bark. Of special
note is the provision of a detailed guide for establishing an essential tool kit. Thoroughly 'user
friendly' in organization and presentation, "Slingshots & Key Hooks" is unreservedly
recommended for personal, school woodshop, and community library woodworking instructional
reference collections.
The Fishing Shelf
The Hunt for Giant Trout
Landon Mayer
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811737197, $29.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
The waters in the United States that grow extremely large trout have for many years been closely
guarded, and the techniques for catching these large fish were only known by a select group of
die hard anglers. Compiled by Landon Mayer, "The Hunt for Giant Trout: 25 Best Places in the
United States to Catch a Trophy" is listing of top destinations in the US for trophy trout and
features interviews with expert guides and fly designers, stunning images, and essential where-to
and timing information to increase your chances of success. In the pages of "The Hunt for Giant
Trout", Landon Mayer and several others (expert anglers all) deftly describe in detail how to hunt
giants from Alaska to Maine, revealing what makes each fish and fishery unique; including over
30 distinct patterns and recipes for tying them. With essential advice and tips from top anglers
such as Dave Whitlock, Pat Dorsey, Blane Chocklette, Tommy Lynch, Nanci Morris Lyon, Arlo
Townsend, Chad Johnson, and many more, "The Hunt for Giant Trout" is an extraordinary,
profusely illustrated, and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, and
community library instructional reference collections for the sport of freshwater fishing.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
The Secrets of the Universe in 100 Symbols
Sarah Bartlett
Chartwell Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9780785836964, $14.99, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Symbols carry weight and significance. Over time they grow as different cultures attribute new
meanings to old signs. For example, the swastika, widely known now to be the key symbol for
Hitler's Nazi party, used to be a Buddhist symbol for success. From the Aztec Calendar Stone and
the Spear of Destiny, to magic circles and Navaho sand paintings, each relic, symbol, and
depiction is presented and analyzed in detail to reveal the beliefs and practices of past
civilizations from all around the globe. Philosophers, astrologers, prophets, poets, and artists
from every age and culture have whispered secrets to pharaohs, statesmen, kings, and queens. In
Renaissance Europe, two powerful women (Catherine of Medici and, later, Elizabeth I of
England) patronized the most important magi of the time. John Dee's obsidian mirror revealed
the future of the nation to Elizabeth, while Nostradamus divulged spiritually inspired prophecies
to Catherine at the Musee du Louvre in Paris. Organized into three chapters (The Art of
Divination; Enchantments, Symbols, and Talismans; and In Search of Secret Knowledge) Sarah
Bartlett's "The Secrets of the Universe in 100 Symbols" provides an engaging and informative
text that brings to light for a new generation of readers the secrets and intrigues that surround
each mysterious object and the obscure arts of the people who used them, while highlighting how
to decode their signs and symbols. Certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to
community and academic library Metaphysical Studies collections, as well as the personal
reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.
Water Witchcraft
Annwyn Avalon
Weiser Books
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
www.redwheelweiser.com
9781578636464, $16.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Annwyn Avalon is a witch, priestess, and the founder of Triskele Rose, an Avalonian witchcraft
tradition. She has devoted her life to the study of art, witchcraft, and magic. In "Water
Witchcraft: Magic and Lore from the Celtic Tradition" she draws upon her years of experience
and expertise to take her readers into the world of water magic. The water magic and lore in this
informative and instructional volume focuses on the Celtic tradition, but draws on other water
magic traditions as well, and features rainwater, as well as lakes, rivers, oceans, canals, swamps,
and other watery locations, together with the folk and magical customs that have been and are
still practiced at these places. "Water Witchcraft" also teaches the reader how to set up a water
altar at home, how to connect with water spirits, and how to gather or create water witch tools.
Readers are encouraged to visit local water sites but will also find an abundance of material to
perform at home. Included are practical examples, visualizations, and exercises so any reader can
start to take up spell work and establish their spiritual connection to water. Exceptionally 'user
friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation, "Water Witchcraft" is unreservedly
recommended for community and academic library Metaphysical Studies collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "Water Witchcraft" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
The LGBT Studies Shelf
Her Widow
Joan Alden
Dog Ear Publishing
4011 Vincennes Road, New Augusta, IN 46268-3005
www.dogearpublishing.net
9781457562983, $18.00, PB, 202pp, www.amazon.com
In "Her Widow", Joan Alden provides a candid account of a shared life between an professional
photographer and art director for Harper Collins and her novelist and painter partner during a
single and especially eventful year. Exceptionally well written and a thoroughly engaging read
from cover to cover, "Her Widow" is a truly compelling and memorable story of love and loss,
romance and marriage, and the ultimate resilience of the human spirit. While very highly
recommended, especially for community and academic library Contemporary American
Biography and LGBT collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Her Widow"
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Gardening Shelf
In Bloom
Clare Nolan
CompanionHouse Books
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781620083284, $26.99, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Now anyone can enhance the appearance of their home with flowers after reading "In Bloom:
Growing, Harvesting, and Arranging Homegrown Flowers All Year Round", a beautifully
designed instructional reference and guide that is fairly brimming with inspirational photographs.
This is where Clare Nolan reveals her secrets for growing a bountiful harvest as well as styling
spectacular displays that will fill your home with color and the gorgeous scent of the garden
year-round. Clare takes the mystique out of the growing process ranging from choosing the plants
to suit both your garden and home and laying out your cutting patch, to planning ahead so you get
your perfect palette of color, texture and shape to play with at the right time. An entire chapter on
arranging will inspire you to create spectacular arrangements for your home without the need for
complicated floristry techniques. Being able to step out of the back door and pick a single stem
for beside the bed, pull together a posy for a friend or create a colorful centerpiece is an exciting
and rewarding addition to the whole "grow your own" experience. With "In Boom" is it possible
to grow your own flower shop at the bottom of your garden! Beautifully and profusely illustrated
in full color throughout, "In Bloom" is unreservedly recommended for personal and community
library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "In Bloom" is also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $25.64).
The Humor Shelf
The Ultimate Droodles Compendium
Roger Price, artist
Arranged and annotated by Fritz Holznagel
Tallfellow Press
www.Tallfellow.com
9781931290692 $16.95 amazon.com
The Ultimate Droodles Compendium collects the simple yet hilarious drawings of Roger Price,
known simply as droodles. For example, the droodle of "Pig Emerging from a Fog Bank" shows
only a pig snout in grey. Fritz Holznagel provides illuminating annotations, as well as a
supplementary section with a brief biography of Roger Price and his droodles. A unique treasure
for connoisseurs of minimalist wit, The Ultimate Droodles Compendium is highly
recommended.
The Psychology Shelf
The Psychology of Zelda
Edited by Anthony M. Bean, PhD
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, Ste 400, Dallas, TX 75204
www.benbellabooks.com
9781946885340 $16.95 pbk / $9.95 Kindle amazon.com
The Psychology of Zelda: Linking Our World to the Legend of Zelda Series is an anthology of
essays by learned doctors, psychologists, and clinicians contemplating the ramifications of the
popular and iconic "Legend of Zelda" video game series. Individual writings include "It's
Dangerous to Go Alone: The Hero's Journey in the Legend of Zelda", "The Song of the Ritos:
The Psychology of the Music within the Legend of Zelda Series", "The Legend Herself: From
Damsel in Distress to Princess of Power", and much more. Psychologists and lay readers alike
will enjoy this new medley of learned perspective on a popular video game and its reflections on
the human condition. Highly recommended.
The Social Issues Shelf
Some Of My Friends Are...
Deborah L. Plummer, PhD
Beacon Press
24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210
www.beacon.org
9780807023891 $25.95 hc / $15.99 Kindle amazon.com
Author Deborah L. Plummer, PhD applies her life experience as a practicing psychologist and as
a chief diversity officer to Some Of My Friends Are... The Daunting Challenges and Untapped
Benefits of Cross-Racial Friendships, a careful examination of friendships between people of
different races. Such relationships are vital to promoting social progress, yet modern polls show
that the majority of American social networks consist primarily of people with the same racial or
ethnic background. How can America as a nation better embody the principle of "E Pluribus
Unum?" Some Of My Friends Are... scrutinizes how factors including leisure, politics, humor,
social support, faith, social media, and education affect cross-racial friendships. Individual
chapters include "Two-Button Choice: Acquaintance or Lover", "Same Treatment Does Not
Mean Equal Treatment", "Difficult Laughs Made Easier", and more. Peppered with insightful
true-life anecdotes, Some Of My Friends Are... is a thought-provoking, insightful, and highly
recommended for personal and public library social issues collections.
No Vacancy: Homeless Women in Paradise
Michael E. Reid
2 Leaf Press
www.2leafpress.org
9781940939711 $17.09 amazon.com
No Vacancy: Homeless Women in Paradise is a serious-minded examination of homeless women
who live amid one of the most affluent sea-side communities in California. The scarcity of
affordable housing pushes far too many local woman into desperate situations. These women are
often California natives; many of them are aging, and a common thread is that sudden job loss or
other financial hardship disrupted their lives. No Vacancy: Homeless Women in Paradise paints a
disturbing picture, even as it tells of the grassroots struggle to aid women in need. A clarion call
to beware the deadly societal toll of unaffordable housing, No Vacancy is highly recommended,
especially for public library social issues shelves.
The Biography Shelf
Margaret Tudor: The Life of Henry VIII's Sister
Melanie Clegg
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781473893153, $34.95, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
When the thirteen year old Margaret Tudor, eldest daughter of Henry VII and his wife Elizabeth
of York, married King James IV of Scotland in a magnificent proxy ceremony held at Richmond
Palace in January 1503, no one could have guessed that this pretty, redheaded princess would go
on to have a marital career as dramatic and chequered as that of her younger brother Henry VIII.
Left widowed at the age of just twenty three after her husband was killed by her brother's army at
the battle of Flodden, Margaret was made Regent for her young son and was temporarily the
most powerful woman in Scotland -- until she fell in love with the wrong man, lost everything
and was forced to flee the country. In a life that foreshadowed that of her tragic, fascinating
granddaughter Mary Queen of Scots, Margaret hurtled from one disaster to the next and ended
her life abandoned by virtually everyone: a victim both of her own poor life choices and of the
simmering hostility between her son, James V and her brother, Henry VIII. This superbly crafted,
meticulously researched, and inherently fascinating biography of Margaret Tudor by author and
historian Melanie Clegg is especially and unreservedly recommended for community and
academic library biography collections. Enhanced with the inclusion of a two page Bibliography
and a seven page index, it should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that "Margaret Tudor: The Life of Henry VIII's Sister" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.77).
A Dinner of Herbs
John Verney
Paul Dry Books
1700 Sansom Street, Suite 700, Philadelphia, PA 19103-5214
www.pauldrybooks.com
9781589881327, $17.95, PB, 250pp, www.amazon.com
In 1943, after parachuting into Sardinia to raid a German airfield, John Verney and several of his
comrades from the British irregular forces were captured and sent to a POW camp in Italy's
Abruzzo region. As the Allies attempted to retake the country, Verney and two others made their
escape. For months, they survived on the generosity and bravery of the local Italians who fed
them and kept them hidden in haylofts and mountain caves -- despite the scarcity of resources
and the dangers they themselves faced by harboring English soldiers. Twenty years after the war,
Verney revisited the scenes of his imprisonment and escape, and the result is "A Dinner of
Herbs" which is both an enchanting evocation of Southern Italy and an exhilarating story of
wartime daring. Verney deftly recounts the ironic upsides of being a prisoner of war ("for the first
time in four long years, I was free to do entirely what I wanted, which was to read as much as
possible and try to learn to draw and write") as well as the anxiety aroused by the possibility of
attempting an escape. He describes the extremes of boredom, hunger, discomfort, and mutual
irritation that he and his companions faced after their escape, and the immense capacity for
tolerance and goodness that they discovered in each other -- and especially in the desperately
poor Italian families who helped them. An inherently fascinating, extraordinarily candid, and
impressively written account, "A Dinner of Herbs" is especially recommended for community
and academic library American Biography collections, as well as the personal reading lists of
anyone with an interest in another personal account of life behind the lines in the European
Theatre of World War II.
The Dance Shelf
Appreciating Dance, fifth edition
Harriet Lihs
Princeton Book Company
614 Route 130, Highstown, NJ 08520
www.dancehorizons.com
9780871273956, $39.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Now in a fully updated and significantly revised fifth edition with new information, including
suggestions for YouTube viewing at the end of each chapter, "Appreciating Dance: A Guide to
the World's Liveliest Art" by Harriet Lihs (who was an Associate Professor of Dance at Lamar
University, Beaumont, Texas) and the editorial staff of Dance Horizons is a thorough and
accurate history of various forms of dance, analyzing everything from social dance, and ballet to
modern dance, tap, jazz, theatrical dance and contemporary dance. In it readers will find: a brief
biography of notable dancers and choreographers; information needed to expand the enjoyment
of performance; the intersection of dance and religion; the history of dance through the beginning
of the 21st century; and budding dance trends. Impressively informed and informative, illustrated
with black/white photography, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation,
"Appreciating Dance" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to the personal
reading lists of all dance enthusiasts, as well as community and academic library Dance History
collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Return of the Wolf: Conflict and Coexistence
Paula Wild
Douglas & McIntyre
c/o Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219, Madeira Park, BC, Canada, V0N 2H0
www.douglas-mcintyre.com
9781771622066, $32.95, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Wolves were once common throughout North America and Eurasia. But by the early twentieth
century, bounties and organized hunts had drastically reduced their numbers. Today, the wolf is
returning to its ancestral territories, and the "coywolf" (a smaller, bolder wolf-coyote hybrid) is
becoming more common. In "Return of the Wolf: Conflict and Coexistence", author Paula Wild
gathers first-hand accounts of encounters with wolves and consults with wildlife experts for
suggestions on how minimize conflict, respond to aggressive wolves and coexist with the apex
predator. Impressively informative, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Return
of the Wolf: Conflict and Coexistence" is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a four
page Appendix (Wolf Safety Checklist), a six page listing of Selected Sources, and a seven page
Index, making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional,
community, college, and university library Contemporary Wildlife collections in general, and
Wolf Ecology supplemental studies reading lists in particular.
The Military Shelf
Command: The Twenty-First-Century General
Anthony King
Cambridge University Press
One Liberty Plaza, Fl. 20, New York, NY 10006
www.cambridge.org
9781108476409, $79.99, HC, 504pp, www.amazon.com
In the wake of the troubled campaigns in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, military decision-making
appears to be in crisis and generals have been subjected to intense and sustained public criticism.
Taking these interventions as a starting point, in the pages of "Command: The
Twenty-First-Century General", Anthony King (Chair of War Studies in the Politics and
International Studies Department at Warwick University) deftly examines the transformation of
military command in the twenty-first century. Focusing on the army division, Professor King
argues that a phenomenon of collective command is developing. In the twentieth century,
generals typically directed and led operations personally, monopolising decision-making. They
commanded individualistically, even heroically. As operations have expanded in range and
scope, decision-making has multiplied and diversified. As a result command is becoming
increasingly professionalized and collaborative. Through interviews with many leading generals
and vivid ethnographic analysis of divisional headquarters, Professor King provides a unique
insight into the transformation of command in western armies. An exceptionally well organized
and presented work of scholarship and analysis, "Command: The Twenty-First-Century General"
is an impressively thoughtful and thought-provoking read and will prove to be an enduringly
valued contribution to community, governmental, college, and university library Contemporary
Military Science collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of students, academia, military policy makers, and non-specialist general readers
with an interest in the subject that "Command: The Twenty-First-Century General" is also
available in a paperback edition (9781108700276, $25.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$21.00).
Leathernecks
Merrill L. Bartlett & Jack Sweetman
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402
www.nip.org
9781591145967, $55.00, PB, 504pp, www.amazon.com
"Leathernecks: An Illustrated History of the United States Marine Corps" combines a lively,
well-researched narrative with a generous selection of illustrations, many in color, and numerous
maps to provide a topically and chronologically balanced history of the U.S. Marine Corps from
its inception to the present day. The combination of a wealth of art, a substantial text, and a
balanced perspective make the work unique in the literature of the Corps. Many of its
illustrations have never before been published or have appeared only in black and white. The
history of the American Marine Corps is one of the greatest military success stories of all
time."Leathernecks" details how and why a force that throughout the first century of its existence
seldom exceeded the strength of an infantry regiment eventually attained a strength greater than
that of many armies and developed what is arguably the world's most potent military mystique.
Because the history of any institution is the product of the actions of the individuals who
comprise it, we have included cameos of some of the individuals who made exceptional
contributions to the Corps' rich heritage. Exceptionally well researched, written, organized and
presented, "Leathernecks" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to
personal, community, college, and university library American Military History collections and
supplemental studies reading lists.
The Judicial Studies Shelf
Zero Tolerance
Wendy S. Lazar, editor
American Bar Association
321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60610
https://www.americanbar.org
9781641050722, $49.95, PB, 92pp, www.amazon.com
Compiled and edited by Wendy S. Lazar (who is a partner at Outten & Golden LLP in New York
where she practices in many areas of employment law with a focus on executive agreements,
including retention, expatriate, non-competition, talent, severance, and compensation
arrangements), "Zero Tolerance: Best Practices for Combating Sex-Based Harassment in the
Legal Profession" is a comprehensive update to the ABA Commission on Women in the
Profession's previous sexual harassment material. The primary goal of this manual is to provide
all too necessary tools to legal organizations and victims of harassment and bullying. It strives to
enhance our common understanding of workplace abuse and expand it to include non-sexual
abusive behavior, while introducing protections for individuals with a range of sexual
orientations, genders, and racial and ethnic identities. Exceptionally well organized and
presented, "Zero Tolerance" is a timely and unreservedly recommended addition to professional,
law firm, college, and university library Judicial Studies collections and supplemental studies
lists.
The Baron and the Marquis
John D. Bessler
Carolina Academic Press
700 Kent Street, Durham, NC 27701
www.cap-press.com
9781531013059, $65.00, PB, 540pp, www.amazon.com
"The Baron and the Marquis: Liberty, Tyranny, and the Enlightenment Maxim That Can Remake
American Criminal Justice" by John D. Bessler (Associate Professor of Law, University of
Baltimore School of Law, and Adjunct professor, Georgetown University Law Center) explores
the history of the maxim that articulates what is now known as the parsimony principle. That
maxim shaped the American and French Revolutions, and it set the dividing line between tyranny
and liberty. Jefferson believed only absolute necessity justified punishment, and the French
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789) similarly allowed only strictly and
obviously necessary punishments. In "The Baron and the Marquis", Professor Bessler shows the
maxim's modern-day implications for capital punishment, prolonged solitary confinement, and
mass incarceration, arguing that unnecessary punishments are excessive and cruel and unusual.
An extraordinary work of seminal scholarship, "The Baron and the Marquis" is an especially and
unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library collections. It should
be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers
that "The Baron and the Marquis" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $52.00).
The International Studies Shelf
Afghanistan At Peace
Sandra Miller Ross & Edward S. Ross
Rare Bird Books
453 S. Spring Street, Suite 302, Los Angels, CA 90013
9781644280164, $50.00, HC, 192pp, www.rarebirdbooks.com
In 1970, the prominent entomologist Ed Ross and his wife Sandy were on a legitimate scientific
expedition abroad that focused on achieving a significant scientific result, i.e., to find and
identify a special insect, an embiid. Over a period of years, in the course of Ed's research, the
couple had already visited very remote and exotic locales all over the world, including places
many people have never heard of. They had seen people living nearly stone-age lives, witnessed
primitive rites, thrice camped their way across Africa, and Ed never set foot in a hotel during his
yearlong entomological survey of India. But none of this could have prepared them for
Afghanistan. As world-traveled as they were, they found themselves completely surprised and
enthralled by this unique, ancient, and enduring culture. "Afghanistan At Peace" is a
photographic tour-de-force account of what they saw and the people they met. A simply
fascinating browse from first page to last, "Afghanistan At Peace" is an especially and
unreservedly recommended addition to community and academic library collections, and a 'must
read' for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in Afghanistan History &
Culture.
The American History Shelf
A History of Private Policing in the United States
Wilbur R. Miller
Bloomsbury Academic
c/o Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781472533364, $114.00, HC, 248pp, www.amazon.com
Private law enforcement and order maintenance have usually been seen as working against or
outside of state authority. "A History of Private Policing in the United States" by Wilbur R.
Miller (Professor of History at Stony Brook University) surveys private policing since the 1850s
to the present, arguing that private agencies have often served as a major component of authority
in America as an auxiliary of the state. Professor Miller defines private policing broadly to
include self-defense, stand your ground laws, and vigilantism, as well as private detectives,
security guards and patrols from gated community security to the Guardian Angels. He also
covers the role of detective agencies in controlling labor organizing through spies, guards and
strikebreakers. "A History of Private Policing in the United States" is essentially an overview
integrating various components of private policing to place its history in the context of the
development of the American state. A work of seminal and erudite scholarship, "A History of
Private Policing in the United States" is an extraordinary study that is enhanced for academia
with the inclusion of thirty-four pages of Notes, a six page Selected Bibliography, and a fifteen
page Index. While especially and unreservedly recommended for college and university library
American Law Enforcement History collections and supplemental studies reading lists, it should
be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject
that "A History of Private Policing in the United States" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $82.08).
New Mexico Historical Chronology: From the Beginning
Don Bullis
Rio Grande Books
925 Salamanca NW, Los Ranchos, NM 87107
www.riograndebooks.com
9781943681419, $68.95, HC, 1028pp, www.amazon.com
"New Mexico Historical Chronology: From the Beginning" is the ideal starting place for anyone
seeking to learn about the New Mexico of yesteryear. The succinctly concise entries provide
solid information drawn several sources for his entries that are perfect jumping-off spots for
further research. A comprehensive encyclopedia of New Mexico history that is deftly laid out
chronologically will prove to be an enduringly valued and comprehensive volume that is more
than just an assemblage of cited facts and biographical summaries, it is an inherently interesting
read for history buffs with an interest in New Mexican history. While unreservedly
recommended, especially for community, college, and university library American History
collections in general, and New Mexico History studies curriculums in particular, it should be
noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with
an interest in the subject that "New Mexico Historical Chronology: From the Beginning" is also
available in a paperback edition (9781943681211, $58.95).
It Happened in Rocky Mountain National Park, second edition
Phyllis J. Perry
Globe Pequot Press
www.globepequot.com
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
www.rowman.com
9781493037209, $16.95
It Happened in Rocky Mountain National Park: Stories of Events and People that Shaped a
National Park appears in its second updated edition to examine the people and episodes of
Colorado's largest park, and brings to life the eccentric and talented individuals who entered the
park and made regional history. Wildfires, bear attacks, and amazing situations all come to life in
a history that reads with the drama of fiction, but the excitement and truth of facts assembled in a
vivid story.
The World History Shelf
A Narrow Sea
Jonathan Bardon
Gill Books
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, 124 Byers Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
9780717180592, $41.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
"A Narrow Sea: The Irish-Scottish Connection in 120 Episodes" by the eminent Irish historian
Jonathan Bardon (a former lecturer in history at queen university Belfast), is the first history of
the special relationship between Ireland and Scotland and is based on his BBC Ulster Radio
series. "A Narrow Sea" deftly traces the epic sweep of Ireland's relationship with Scotland,
exploring the myriad connections, correlations, personalities and antagonisms that have, over the
centuries, defined the relationship between these two spirited neighbors. In 120 brief, episodic
chapters, "A Narrow Sea" offers a stirring and panoramic view of a connection that has shaped
the course of history. Roving freely across the centuries, from the first migrations of the regions'
paleolithic tribes and their encounters with Greek and Roman explorers, to the grand colonial
projects of the Vikings, Normans and Stuarts, "A Narrow Sea" is the story of how a shared
culture laid the basis for two very different nations. A fascinating, informative, and exceptional
history, "A Narrow Sea" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library
history collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Narrow Sea" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Jews in Medicine
Ronald L. Eisenberg, MD, JD, DSIS
Urim Publications
c/o KTAV Publishing House
527 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York 11225
www.UrimPublications.com
9789655243000, $34.95, HC, 464pp, www.amazon.com
Requiring no specialized medical or Jewish knowledge to appreciate this book, "Jews in
Medicine: Contributions to Health and Healing Through the Ages" by Dr. Ronald L. Eisenberg
(Professor of Radiology at Harvard Medical School and a radiologist at the Beth Israel
Deaconess Medical Center) documents the fascinating history of medical contributions made by
Jewish physicians throughout the ages. Profiles of more than 450 individual Jewish physicians
are divided by region and area of specialization, all within a historical context ranging from
Talmudic times to the modern era, and from Islamic and Christian lands to the spread of Jewish
communities in Europe after the Spanish Inquisition. The large section devoted to the modern era
focuses on European and American physicians, including the substantial number of Jewish Nobel
Prize winners in the field. "Jews in Medicine" concludes with a description of physicians who
were leaders in the Zionist movement and those who contributed to the development of medicine
in the State of Israel. A unique and impressively informative contribution to Jewish History in
general, and the History of Medicine in particular, "Jews in Medicine" is unreservedly
recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library collections
and supplemental studies reading lists.
The Civil War Shelf
A Burned Land
Robert R. Laven
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476675589, $35.00, PB, 194pp, www.amazon.com
Often neglected by contemporary historians, the actions in Missouri and Kansas had an important
influence on the course of the Civil War, with profound effects for the communities and people
in the region. In "A Burned Land: The Trans-Mississippi in the Civil War", Robert R. Laven (a
military veteran and retired Department of Defense Intelligence analyst) focuses on the
experiences of the soldiers, officers and civilians on both sides. Outside of Virginia and
Tennessee, Missouri was perhaps the most hotly contested territory during the war. "A Burned
Land" brings to life the events in the region that contributed to the internecine strife in the
Western Theater. The fighting in Missouri culminated with an expedition that re-wrote the books
on tactics and the use of mounted infantry. An impressively informative and exceptionally well
written contribution to the growing library of American Civil War histories, "A Burned Land"
with its meticulous attention to historical detail will prove to be a welcome and valued addition
to community and academic library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading list of
students, academia, and Civil War buffs that "A Burned Land" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $18.99).
The Photography Shelf
Athens Twice Seen
Richard W. Moore
Peter E. Randall Publisher
www.perpublisher.com
9781942155195, $28.00, PB, 80pp, www.amazon.com
Early in the 2000s, photographer Richard Moore began making "twice-seen" images, with
vintage and contemporary photographs, merging surrealism and history. "Athens Twice Seen"
features combined photographs of historic monuments and areas of Athens, and was sponsored
by The Hellenic American College and the NH Institute of Art. An inherently fascinating volume
of period and contemporary photographic images that is very highly recommended for personal,
professional, community, and academic library Photography collections, "Athens Twice Seen"
could well serve as an original and unreservedly recommended template for similar photographic
exercises featuring other landmark areas of cultural and civic history.
The Library Science Shelf
Digital Archives
Milena Dobreva, editor
Facet Publishing
www.facetpublishing.co.uk
9781783301140, $129.95, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Compiled and edited by Milena Dobreva (Associate Professor in Library and Information Studies
at UCL Qatar), "Digital Archives: Management, Access And Use" is a seminal collection of nine
articles by erudite contributors that offers a wide-ranging overview of how rapid technological
changes and the push for providing wide access to digitized cultural heritage holdings are
changing the landscape of archives. "Digital Archives" which will help the aspiring and seasoned
librarians alike to understand the drivers for change in archives and their implications.
Reassessment of the role of archives in the digital environment will serve to develop critical
approaches to current trends in the broader heritage sector, including cultural industries
experimenting with sustainable business models for cultural production, digitization of analogue
cultural heritage, and the related IPR issues surrounding the re-use of digital objects and data for
research, education, advocacy and art. The contributors also present state-of-the-art solutions in
building digital archives on networked infrastructure, trusted digital repositories to ensure
long-term access, and tools to serve emerging needs in digital humanities. "Digital Archives" is
especially relevant reading for digital archivists and practitioners involved in the design and
support of digital archives; professionals and researchers involved in projects working with
digital archival materials; students in library, information and archive studies. While "Digital
Archives" is especially and unreservedly recommended for public, private, academic, and
governmental library collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of student
librarians, library staff members, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject
that "Digital Archives" is also available in a paperback edition (9781856049344, $79.28).
The Parenting Shelf
Adopting Hope
Lorri Antosz Benson
Familius
1254 Commerce Way, Sanger, CA 93657
www.familius.com
9781641700368, $16.99, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
All My Children actress Jill Larson moved mountains as a single mother to adopt her daughter
from China. George Fadok, a former Navy commander, grappled with "changing the rules"
eighteen years after placing his daughter in a closed adoption. Angela Paxton, wife of the Texas
attorney general and an adoptee, never thought she would ever meet her birthmom, but when she
did, it changed her life. With insights from all three adoption triad viewpoints, "Adopting Hope"
shares a wealth of lessons learned and tips for every person contemplating an adoption journey
including: How to have the courage to adopt; How to decide on an open vs. a closed adoption;
How to handle a foreign adoption; How to survive the agonizing wait to become parents; How to
tell your adopted child "the story"; How to make your adopted child feel loved; How to negotiate
a relationship with your child's birth parents; How to help your child work through feelings of
loneliness or rejection; How to dispel negative attitudes you will encounter about adoption; And
so much more, including suggestions from birthparents and adoptees! An informative and
inherently inspiring read from cover to cover, "Adopting Hope" should be considered critically
important (and inspiring) reading for anyone contemplating or in the process of adopting a child,
either here at home or abroad. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Adopting Hope"
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Art Shelf
Creating Beauty
Rosalie Berberian
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road,. Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764357466, $59.99, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Rosalie Berberian, recognized as an authority on the silver, jewelry, and art enamels of the
American Arts & Crafts Movement, was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by the
National Conference of Arts & Crafts in 2008 for her pioneering work. In "Creating Beauty:
Jewelry and Enamels of the American Arts & Crafts Movement" she draws upon her years of
experience and expertise to showcase more than 530 beautifully photographed examples of
jewelry and art-enamel work and presents the first comprehensive study of the work and aesthetic
vision of the American Arts & Crafts Movement. The lives and art of the era's top craftsmen (84
jewelers, enamelists, and metalsmiths) are explained with careful consideration to the contexts
and influences that shaped them. The belief that beauty should be part of everyday life was
paramount in the design reform movements of the early 20th century. Dozens of creators are
featured here, including Josephine Hartwell Shaw, Frank Gardner Hale, Robert Riddle Jarvie, the
Kalo Shop, Louis Comfort Tiffany, and the Roycroft. Although jewelry and enamel work pieces
received appreciative critical acclaim in that period, during today's revival of interest in the US
Arts & Crafts movement, they have attracted scant attention from art historians. This simply
outstanding collection is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, academic, and
community library collections. It will prove to be an enduringly valuable resource for collectors,
historians, academicians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.
The Wisconsin Shelf
The Making of Pioneer Wisconsin
Michael E. Stevens
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
816 State Street, Madison, WI 53575
www.wisconsinhistory.org
9780870208898 $18.95 amazon.com
Enhanced with an index for ease of reference, The Making of Pioneer Wisconsin: Voices of
Early Settlers collects a wealth of primary testimonies from settlers who established homes in
Wisconsin between the mid-1830s and 1850. A black man speaks open about his love of "sweet
freedom"; a young wife confronts life far away from her friends and family; a teenager ruminates
about heading westward. Here are letters, diaries, and newspaper articles, together offering a rich
picture of trials, hardship, and hope. Scholarly text provides nuanced context to this welcome
contribution to public library Wisconsin History collections. Highly recommended.
Wisconsin Post Office Mural Guidebook
David W. Gates Jr.
Post Office Fans
PO Box 11, Crystal Lake, IL 60039
www.postofficefans.com
9781970088090, $9.95, PB, 52pp, www.amazon.com
David W. Gates Jr. is a post office enthusiast who has traveled thousands of miles nationwide in search of historic post office buildings and art. He regularly blogs about his work at: www.PostOfficeFans.com. Some of Wisconsin's 35 New Deal era post office buildings house historic artwork created during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Not all the murals remain in their original location. In some cases, the fate of the art, and buildings remains unknown. The "Wisconsin Post Office Mural Guidebook" identifies which towns have murals and which ones have been moved. "The Wisconsin Post Office Mural Guidebook" also covers: What buildings and towns have murals viewable by the public; What buildings have been sold and if the artwork moved; What buildings are privately owned, removing access to the public; What murals have been destroyed. This is the perfect book for the post office enthusiasts and history buffs; for up-to-date photos and additional stories, you can go to www.postofficefans.com. While a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to all Wisconsin community, college, and university library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that the "Wisconsin Post Office Mural Guidebook" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
The Holocaust Studies Shelf
Death March Escape
Jack J. Hersch
Frontline Books
www.frontline-books.com
c/o Pen & Sword Books
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526740229 $34.95 hc / $11.49 Kindle amazon.com
Written by the son of the titular Holocaust survivor, Death March Escape: The Remarkable Story
of a Man Who Twice Escaped the Nazi Holocaust tells the true story of Dave Hersch, who twice
escaped the lethal death marches that the Nazis forced on concentration camp prisoners at the end
of World War II. Blending elements of memoir, history, and biography, Death March Escape
portrays the horrifying reality of the Mauthausen and Gusen concentration camps, and describe
incredible bids for freedom against all odds. Forty black-and-white photographs and four maps
round out this welcome contribution to public library Holocaust Studies collections.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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