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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Confessions Of A Bookseller
Shaun Bythell
Profile Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781785418211, $31.50, PB, Large Print, 456pp
https://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Bookseller-Shaun-Bythell/dp/1785418211
Synopsis: Shaun Bythell is the owner of Scotland's largest second-hand bookshop -- located in the rural community of
Wigtown. But if you think his days are taken up with sorting through rare and valuable first editions, snoozing by the
fire with the latest literary gem, or chatting with interesting, well-informed readers -- think again. Bookselling, Shaun
reveals, is far from the idyll you might imagine.
Beset by bizarre requests from customers who appear not to know what a book shop is, locked in an endless struggle
with Amazon, the frustrations of computerized online order receiving and fulfilling, the diverse experiences of going
out to people's homes for on-site book buys, participation in several annual village events, and exasperated by his
bin-diving, poultice-making dramatically opinionated employees, Shaun faithfully records his daily trials and
tribulations for a complete year with a sharp eye and an even sharper wit. "Confessions of a Bookseller" is the
colorfully inside story of a life lived in books ranging from the pleasures of the unexpected find, to the friendships
forged over shared tastes, to the sadness of finishing a really good book -- and a few really good friendships.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and fully engaging read from cover to cover, "Confessions of a Bookseller" is a
unique and utterly compelling read. Of special note is that in addition to the daily tallies of Online Orders/Orders
Fulfilled, and the daily Total Sales/Total Customers, each individual month is prefaced with an extended bookshop
oriented quote from Augutst Muir, 'The Intimate Thoughts of John Baxter, Bookseller (Metheun & Co., London 1942)
and an extended commentary by Shuan Bythell on the vagaries, trials and tribulations of owning and operating a
bookstore.
Offering a wealth of invaluable insights for authors and publishers into the bookstore business today as it is today, and
an absolute 'must read' for all dedicated bibliophiles and anyone who has ever aspired to one day having a used
bookstore of their own, this large print edition of "Confessions of a Bookseller" is an essential addition to any and all
community library collections.
Appropriate: A Provocation
Paisley Rekdal
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com
9781324003588, $15.95, PB, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Appropriate-Provocation-Paisley-Rekdal/dp/1324003588
Synopsis: How do we properly define cultural appropriation, and is it always wrong? If we can write in the voice of
another, should we? And if so, what questions do we need to consider first?
In the pages of "Appropriate: A Provocation", creative writing professor Paisley Rekdal addresses a young writer to
delineate how the idea of cultural appropriation has evolved (and perhaps calcified) in our political climate. What
follows is a penetrating exploration of fluctuating literary power and authorial privilege, about whiteness and what we
really mean by the term empathy, that examines writers from William Styron to Peter Ho Davies to Jeanine Cummins.
Lucid, reflective, and astute, "Appropriate: A Provocation" presents a generous new framework for one of the most
controversial subjects in contemporary literature.
Critique: An inherently thoughtful and thought-provoking read from cover to cover, "Appropriate: A Provocation" is
especially recommended reading for anyone aspiring to be a writer of serious literature. A timely and deftly nuanced
work that dissects the controversial debate around cultural appropriation and the literary imagination, "Appropriate: A
Provocation" is especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and
university library Literary Genre History & Criticism and Fiction Writing Reference collections. It should be noted that
"Appropriate: A Provocation" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Paisley Rekdal is the author of ten books of poetry and nonfiction. A former recipient of Guggenheim
and NEA fellowships, she is Distinguished Professor of English at the University of Utah and is the state of Utah's poet
laureate.
Wild Rituals
Caitlin O'Connell
Chronicle Prism
c/o Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
www.chroniclebooks.com
9781452184852, $26.95, HC, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Rituals-Connection-Community-Ourselves/dp/1452184852
Synopsis: With "Wild Rituals: 10 Lessons Animals Can Teach Us About Connection, Community, and Ourselves",
behavioral ecologist and renowned elephant scientist Caitlin O'Connell dives into the rituals of elephants, apes, zebras,
rhinos, lions, whales, flamingos, and many more. This fascinating read helps us better understand how we are similar to
wild animals, and encourages us to find healing, self-awareness, community, and self-reinvention.
"Wild Rituals" is comprised of inherently fascinating stories on 10 different animal rituals, features original full-color
photos, from the Caribbean to the African savannah, and demonstrates the profound way we are similar to the wild
creatures who captivate us.
"Wild Rituals" also journeys into the desert, tundra, and rainforest to reveal the importance of rituals and how they can
help us find a simpler, more meaningful way of living. In a culture of technology where we find ourselves living at a
greater distance from nature and each other, "Wild Rituals" is remarkable study that taps into the unspoken languages of
creatures around the world.
Critique: Impressively informed and informative, "Wild Rituals: 10 Lessons Animals Can Teach Us About Connection,
Community, and Ourselves" is an extraordinary and exceptionally well written study that is especially and unreservedly
recommended for community, college, and university library Wildlife & Animal Behavior and Communication
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for personal reading lists of students,
academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Wild Rituals" is also readily available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: A member of the faculty at Harvard Medical School, Caitlin O'Connell is also an associate of the
Harvard University Center for the Environment. She is the author of The Elephant's Secret Sense, and her book
Elephant Don is the subject of the award-winning Smithsonian documentary, Elephant King. O'Connell is also the
cofounder and CEO of the nonprofit organization, Utopia Scientific.
Life 2.0: A Journey from Near Death to New Life
Kevin Kirksey
Morgan James Publishing
11815 Fountain Way, Suite 300, Newport News, VA 23606-4448
www.morganjamespublishing.com
9781631950469, $16.99, PB, 238pp
https://www.amazon.com/Life-2-0-Journey-Near-Death/dp/1631950460
Synopsis: One day, while leaving a routine doctor's appointment, Kevin asks his doctor a simple question, one that
would later prove to be the save, extend, and profoundly change his life -- a question he believes is divinely inspired.
"Life 2.0: A Journey from Near Death to New Life" follows Kevin's journey through open-heart surgery and recovery.
But, more than that, this is the story of the impact the little things can have when people open their hearts.
As Kevin journeys through recovery and rehabilitation, he starts to notice the selfless little things others do -- and
develops a new perspective on life. Coupled with encounters with Angels, Kevin's new life is molded into a life of
profound physical, emotional, and spiritual change, and he decided to call it Life 2.0. An inspiration for healthcare
providers, patients, and their families, Life 2.0 demonstrates how the little things can profoundly impact the lives of
others and how anyone, if they so choose, can live their own Life 2.0!
Critique: An inherently fascinating and ultimately inspiring read from first page to last, "Life 2.0: A Journey from Near
Death to New Life" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Contemporary
Health/Medicine collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Life 2.0: A Journey from Near Death to
New Life" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.49).
Editorial Note: Currently residing in Dallas, Texas, Kevin Kirksey works with healthcare organizations and the
American Heart Association to raise awareness of cardiac disease so that lives can be saved, restored, extended, and
enhanced.
John Guillermin: The Man, The Myth, The Movies
Mary Gullermin, Editor
Precocity Press
www.precocitypress.com
9781735292151, $21.95 Paper; $7.95 Kindle; $39.95 Hardcover
https://www.amazon.com/John-Guillermin-Man-Myth-Movies/dp/173529215X
Film director John Guillermin has made his mark in the industry with many classic productions, but it's surprising to
note that until the publication of John Guillermin: The Man, The Myth, The Movies, there has been no book-length
discussion of his extensive movie-making influences.
Author Mary Gullermin was married to him for the last sixteen years of his life, and so is in a unique position to
chronicle many of these achievements from first-hand knowledge, as well as editing other accounts of his life and
times. John Guillermin: The Man, The Myth, The Movies thus assumes a unique role not just as the sole book about
him, but as a wide-ranging survey whose facts are reviewed by a wife in the position to assemble writings from a
diverse range of contributors who knew John Guillermin in different ways.
In the chronicles of film history, Guillermin has not been given due credit. This is corrected here, as contributor after
contributor notes Guillermin's many achievements and impact on cinematic artistry and productions beyond his own
personal touch. From insights on his personality profile and psychology that stem from Mary Guillermin's own
profession to creative, artistic commentary by his peers, John Guillermin: The Man, The Myth, The Movies offers film
studies audiences and biography readers a powerful synthesis of the filmmaker's approaches and his times.
Discussions often blend film reviews with inspections of critical commentary on their impact, as in Melanie Williams's
in-depth survey of one of Guillermin's most memorable works, Rapture. Each contributor adds expertise and a piece of
the puzzle on Guillermin's works, psyche, and critical acclaim. The result is a fine, scholarly, specific analysis that
requires only a prior familiarity with Guillermin's films to prove enlightening and revealing.
Hopefully, John Guillermin: The Man, The Myth, The Movies will prompt many a film student to review and reassess
the man and his contributions, without which the film industry would not be what it is today. At the least, this volume
fills a major gap in film history literature and should be included in serious film biography or history holdings as a
foundation work.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Sentence.
Geraldine Woods
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com
9780393714814, $29.95, PB, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sentence-Period-Building-Readers-Writers/dp/0393714810
Synopsis: Every English teacher has experienced it: students staring at an empty page, seemingly paralyzed by a writing
assignment. The same is true of almost every novel and professional writer when faced with a blank computer screen
awaiting whatever their writing project was to be. It's a phenomena popularly referred to as 'Writer's Block'.
When this happens, it may be time to back off from the Big Idea approach to the art of reading and writing, and zero in
on a single sentence.
In "Sentence.: A Period-to-Period Guide to Building Better Readers and Writers", Geraldine Woods, a master teacher,
offers a complete guide to a sentence-level approach to overcoming Writer's Block. Helping students (and authors)
recognize the techniques that make sentences great is the first step, and there are plenty of examples here from YA
novels, TV shows, and song lyrics as well as the novels, poetry, and nonfiction pieces that form the canon of middle
and high school reading lists.
Lesson plans include activities to introduce the featured element of style; questions to guide students in their analysis;
and writing prompts and activities to spark students' interest and creativity.
With this Little-to-Big strategy, students (and authors) can move quickly from analysis of the words between two
periods to the universe of ideas of which that sentence is a part.
Critique: A complete course of detailed instruction in a single volume, "Sentence.: A Period-to-Period Guide to
Building Better Readers and Writers" is an extraordinary, effective, DIY approach to overcoming writer's block and
getting started with any form of literary project. While very highly recommended for community, college, and
university library Writing/Publishing collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia,
and most especially, aspiring writers, authors, and novelists, that "Sentence.: A Period-to-Period Guide to Building
Better Readers and Writers" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.16).
Editorial Note: Geraldine Woods has taught English at every level from fifth grade through Advanced Placement, most
recently at the Horace Mann School. She is the author of numerous nonfiction books for adults and children, including
"25 Great Sentences and How They Got That Way" (W.W. Norton, 9781324004851, $25.95 HC, $13.64 Kindle).
Self-Publish & Succeed
Julie Broad
Stick Horse Publishing
9781736031506, $15.99, PB, 238pp
https://www.amazon.com/Self-Publish-Succeed-Boring-Writing-Non-Fiction/dp/1736031503
Synopsis: In these days of POD publishing, anyone can write a book. But for those who want to write a book that
people will want or even need to read, it's not as simple as sitting down to write and then turning your manuscript over
to someone else to turn into a book for a fee and then thinking that the hard part of being a commercially successful
author is pretty much done. In fact, that's one of the biggest mistakes unsuccessful authors make.
Writing a book can be one of the smartest moves for any business success. But you need more than writing skills to
create an impressive book that readers will love. You also need a plan to market, sell, and leverage your book into a
new level of leadership within your industry to reach your professional goals.
In the pages of "Self-Publish & Succeed: The No Boring Books Way to Writing a Non-Fiction Book that Sells",
self-published author and entrepreneur Julie Broad shows you that writing a successful nonfiction book starts long
before you write your first chapter. To write a book that boosts your brand, generates a profit, and makes you an
influencer in your industry, you need to give this DIY instruction guide and manual a close and careful reading.
"Self-Publish & Succeed" deftly explains: The reason why you're not finishing your book and how to overcome it; Why
most books are boring, and how to keep yours from being one of them; Which editors you need to perfect your story
and where to find them; The one simple page that could generate thousands of sales; Seven places to sell your book --
and only one of them is Amazon.
For writing a money-making non-fiction book that delivers meaningful impact, "Self-Publish & Succeed" is your ideal
step-by-step guide to writing, publishing, and marketing a book that will get attention, dramatically propel your career
as a writer, and change people's lives -- including your own.
Critique: An impressively detailed compendium of practical advice, invaluable insights into the writing, publishing, and
marketing of books, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Self-Publish & Succeed: The No
Boring Books Way to Writing a Non-Fiction Book that Sells" is a complete course of DIY instructions for aspiring
non-fiction authors wanting to be commercially successful in their efforts. Of special note is the chapter on 'Amazon
Isn't Going to Sell Your Book for You'.
Also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and especially recommended for personal, professional,
community, college, and university library Writing/Publishing instructional guide and manual collections, "Self-Publish
& Succeed: The No Boring Books Way to Writing a Non-Fiction Book that Sells" is essential reading and unreservedly
recommended reading for any and all non-fiction authors be they novice or experienced.
Editorial Note: Julie Broad, founder of self-publishing services firm Book Launchers and Amazon Overall #1 Best
Selling Author, knows what it takes to be a successful self-published author. Her previous titles include More than
Cashflow and The New Brand You. Through Book Launchers and her popular YouTube channel, BookLaunchers.TV,
she helps subject matter experts write, publish, and promote nonfiction books.
Studying with Miss Bishop
Dana Gioia
Paul Dry Books
1700 Sansom Street, Suite 700, Philadelphia, PA 19103-5214
www.pauldrybooks.com
9781589881518, $16.95, PB, 184pp
https://www.amazon.com/Studying-Miss-Bishop-Memoirs-Writers/dp/1589881516
Synopsis: In "Studying with Miss Bishop: Memoirs from a Young Writer's Life", poet and literary critic Dana Gioia
discusses six people who helped him become a writer and better understand what it meant to dedicate one's life to
writing. Four were famous authors -- Elizabeth Bishop, John Cheever, James Dickey, and Robert Fitzgerald. While two
were unknown -- Gioia's Merchant Marine uncle and Ronald Perry, a forgotten poet. Each of the six essays provides a
vivid portrait; taken together they tell the story of Gioia's own journey from working-class LA to international literary
success.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and memorably thought-provoking study from beginning to end, "Studying with
Miss Bishop: Memoirs from a Young Writer's Life" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to the
personal reading lists of all aspiring and practicing writers. While unreservedly commended for community, college,
and university library Literary Biography collections. It should be noted that "Studying with Miss Bishop: Memoirs
from a Young Writer's Life" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Dana Gioia is a poet and critic. He has published five full-length collections of verse, most recently 99
Poems: New & Selected, which won the Poets' Prize as the best new book of the year. His third collection,
Interrogations at Noon, was awarded the American Book Award. An influential critic, Gioia's controversial volume,
Can Poetry Matter? was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Gioia has also edited or co-edited two
dozen best-selling literary anthologies, including An Introduction to Poetry (with X. J. Kennedy) and Best American
Poetry 2018. His essays and reviews have appeared in The New Yorker, Atlantic, Washington Post, New York Times,
Hudson Review, and other journals. Gioia has served as the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts and as
California State Poet Laureate. He is currently the Judge Widney Professor of Poetry and Public Culture at the
University of Southern California.
The Social Issues Shelf
Broke in America
Joanne Samuel Goldblum, author
Colleen Shaddox, author
BenBella Books
www.benbellabooks.com
9781950665464, $26.95, HC, 310pp
https://www.amazon.com/Broke-America-Seeing-Understanding-Poverty/dp/1950665461
Synopsis: Nearly 40 million people in the United States live below the poverty line -- that's about $26,200 for a family
of four. Low-income families and individuals are everywhere, from cities to rural communities. While poverty is
commonly seen as a personal failure, or a deficiency of character or knowledge -- it's actually more often the result of
bad social and economic policy.
Public policy has purposefully erected barriers that deny access to basic needs, creating a society where people can
easily become trapped -- not because we lack the resources to lift them out, but because we are actively choosing not to.
Poverty is close to inevitable for low-wage workers and their children, and a large percentage of these people, despite
qualifying for it, do not receive government aid.
"Broke in America: Seeing, Understanding, and Ending US Poverty" by the team of Joanne Samuel Goldblum and
Colleen Shaddox, offers an eye-opening and galvanizing look at life in poverty in this country: how circumstances and
public policy conspire to keep people poor, and the concrete steps we can take to end poverty for good.
In clear, accessible prose, Goldblum and Shaddox detail the ways the current system is broken and how it's failing so
many of us. They also highlight outdated and ineffective policies that are causing or contributing to this unnecessary
problem.
Every chapter features action items readers can use to combat poverty -- both nationwide and in our local communities,
including the most effective public policies you can support and how to work hand-in-hand with representatives to
affect change.
So far, our attempted solutions have fallen short because they try to "fix" poor people rather than address the underlying
problems. Fortunately, it's much easier to fix policy than people. Essential and timely given these pandemic driven
economic hardtimes, "Broke in America" offers a crucial road map for securing a brighter post-pandemic future.
Critique: Written for the benefit of economic and governmental policy makers, "Broke in America: Seeing,
Understanding, and Ending US Poverty" is thoroughly accessible to the non- specialist general readers with an interest
in the subject of poverty in the United States and what can be done about it -- especially in the light of the new
incoming Biden administration and its approach to improving economic conditions for the working poor and the middle
class. While unreservedly recommended as an essential addition to community, college, and university library Social
Issues in general, and Contemporary Economic Studies supplemental curriculum lists in particular. It should be noted
for students, academia, governmental policy makers, and political activists that "Broke in America: Seeing,
Understanding, and Ending US Poverty" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note #1: Joanne Samuel Goldblum is CEO and founder of the National Diaper Bank Network, encompassing
more than 200 member organizations that provide diapers and other basic needs to families across America. In 2018,
she founded the Alliance for Period Supplies, which provides free hygiene products to the one in four people for whom
menstruation means difficulty attending school and work. Joanne has spent her career working with and advocating for
families in poverty. She has written op-eds for Washington Post, US News & World Report, and HuffPost. In 2007, she
was chosen as one of 10 Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leaders on the basis of her work to found the New
Haven Diaper Bank.
Editorial Note #2: Colleen Shaddox is a print and radio journalist and activist. Her publication credits include New
York Times, Washington Post, National Public Radio, America, and many more. She left daily newspapers when an
editor reprimanded her for "writing too many stories about poor people" and went to work in a soup kitchen. She has
had one foot in journalism and one in non-profits ever since. In states throughout the country, Colleen has worked on
winning campaigns to get kids out of adult prisons, to end juvenile life without parole, and to limit shackling in juvenile
courts.
The Biography Shelf
The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge, author
Amity Shlaes, editor
Matthew Denhart, editor
ISI Books
3901 Centerville Road, Wilmington, DE 19807-1938
www.isibooks.org
9781610171632, $22.00, PB, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Autobiography-Calvin-Coolidge-Authorized-Annotated/dp/1610171632
Synopsis: Today Americans of all backgrounds are on the hunt for a different political model. In fact, such a model
awaits them, if only they turn their eyes to their own past towards the example of America's thirtieth president -- Calvin
Coolidge.
Coolidge's masterful autobiography offers urgent lessons for our age of exploding debt, increasingly centralized power,
and fierce partisan division. "The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge" is an expanded and annotated volume, edited by
Coolidge biographer Amity Shlaes and authorized by the Coolidge family, the is the definitive edition of the text that
presidential historian Craig Fehrman calls "the forgotten classic of presidential writing."
To read this volume is to understand the tragic extent to which historians underrate President Coolidge. The Coolidge
who emerges in these pages is a model of character, principle, and humility -- rare qualities in Washington, both then
and now. A man of great faith, Coolidge told Americans: "Men do not make laws. They do but discover them."
Although he emphasized economics, Coolidge insisted on the importance of "things of the spirit." At the height of his
popularity, he chose not to run again when his reelection was all but assured. In this autobiography, Coolidge explains
his mindset: "It is a great advantage to a President, and a major source of safety to the country, for him to know that he
is not a great man."
Critique: An inherently absorbing read that showcases on of the 20th Century's most underestimated American
presidents, this edition of "The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge" from ISI Books will prove to be an enduringly
welcome and appreciated addition to community, college, and university library 20th Century Biography and Political
Science collections in general, and President Calvin Coolidge" supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should
be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$11.59).
Editorial Note: Amity Shlaes is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Coolidge, The Forgotten Man, The
Greedy Hand, and, most recently, Great Society. She chairs the board of the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation.
Matthew Denhart serves as president of the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation.
Destined to Die Young
Sally A. Hoedel
Elvis Author
9781733652612, $22.00, PB, 335pp
https://www.amazon.com/Elvis-Destined-Young-Sally-Hoedel/dp/1733652612
Synopsis: Elvis Aaron Presley, also known simply as Elvis, was an American singer, musician and actor. He is regarded
as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century and is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll"
or simply "the King". His energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style, combined with
a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines during a transformative era in race relations, led him to both
great success and initial controversy. (Wikipedia)
"Destined to Die Young" is the definitive examination of why the world lost Elvis Presley on August 16, 1977, when he
was only forty-two years old. Author Sally Hoedel has painstakingly researched the subject and offers factual and
scientific data (plus never-before-published information she gained by interviewing people who personally knew Elvis)
to support her claim that Elvis Presley was never going to live a long life.
In this well-documented analytical biography, Hoedel explores how prescription medication was only one aspect of his
compromised health and did not ultimately cause his demise. She examines Elvis Presley (as a son, husband, a father,
and a devoted friend) while ploughing through the negative hype and legendary myths surrounding the man.
Elvis' downward spiral of health struggles is presented and, for the first time ever, it is revealed that he suffered from
disease in nine of eleven bodily systems, five of which were present from birth. "Elvis: Destined to Die Young"
effectively dispels the long-held theory that it was the abuse of prescription drugs that killed Elvis.
"Destined to Die Young" is for anyone who is curious to know the true story of one of the world's most famous cultural
icons. For longtime Elvis Presley fans, it provides answers to lingering questions surrounding his death. You may be
surprised to learn that, based on Elvis Presley's family history and the genes he was dealt, nothing could have saved the
King of Rock 'n' Roll.
Critique: An inherently fascinating, iconoclastic, and unique approach to the life and death of Elvis Presley (January 8,
1935 - August 16, 1977), "Destined to Die Young" is especially and unreservedly recommended for the personal
reading lists of the legions of Elvis Presley fans, as well as all community, college, and university library 20th Century
American Biography collections.
How to Lose Everything: A Memoir
Christa Couture
Douglas & McIntyre
c/o Harbour Publishing
www.douglas-mcintyre.com
9781771622622, $22.95, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/How-Lose-Everything-Christa-Couture/dp/1771622628
Synopsis: Christa Couture has come to know every corner of grief -- its shifting blurry edges, its traps, its pulse of love
at the center and the bittersweet truth that sorrow is a powerful and wise emotion.
From the amputation of her leg as a cure for bone cancer at a young age to her first child's single day of life, the heart
transplant and subsequent death of her second child, the divorce born of grief and then the thyroidectomy that
threatened her career as a professional musician, "How to Lose Everything" is a deeply personal life story that delves
into the heart of loss. Couture bears witness to the shift in perspective that comes with loss, and how it can deepen
compassion for others, expand understanding, inspire a letting go of little things and plant a deeper feeling for what
matters. At the same time, Couture's writing evokes the joy and lightness that both precede and eventually follow grief,
as well as the hope and resilience that grow from connections with others.
"How To Lose Everything" insightfully explores the emotional and psychological experiences of motherhood,
partnership and change. Deftly connecting the dots of sorrow, reprieve and hard-won hope, "How to Lose Everything"
contains the advice Couture is often asked for, as well as the words she wishes she could have heard many years ago. It
is also an offering of kinship and understanding for anyone experiencing a loss.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "How To Lose Everything" is an inherently absorbing
read and one that author Christa Couture is to be commended for with respect to its unrelenting honesty, candor,
openness and emotive descriptiveness. One of those life stories that will linger in the mind and memory long after the
book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf, "How To Lose Everything" is especially and unreservedly
recommended for community library Contemporary American Biography collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "How To Lose Everything" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Tiff: A Life of Timothy Findley
Sherrill Grace
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
www.wlupress.wlu.ca
9781771124539, $34.99, HC, 540pp
https://www.amazon.com/TIFF-Timothy-Findley-Sherill-Grace/dp/1771124539
Synopsis: Timothy Findley (October 30, 1930 - June 20, 2002) was one of Canada's foremost writers -- an
award-winning novelist, playwright, and short-story writer who began his career as an actor in London, England.
Findley was instrumental in the development of Canadian literature and publishing in the 1970s and 80s.
During those years, he became a vocal advocate for human rights and the anti-war movement. His writing and
interviews reveal a man concerned with the state of the world, a man who believed in the importance of not giving in to
despair, despite his constant struggle with depression. Findley believed in the power of imagination and creativity to
save us.
"Tiff: A Life of Timothy Findley" is the first full biography of this eminent Canadian writer with Sherrill Grace
providing insight into Findley's life and struggles through an exploration of his private journals and his relationships
with family, his beloved partner, Bill Whitehead, and his close friends, including Alec Guinness, William Hutt, and
Margaret Laurence. Based on many interviews and exhaustive archival research, this biography explores Findley's life
and work, the issues that consumed him, and his often profound depression over the evils of the twentieth-century.
Shining through his darkness are Findley's generous humour, his unforgettable characters, and his hope for the future.
These qualities inform canonic works like The Wars (1977), Famous Last Words (1981), Not Wanted on the Voyage
(1984), and The Piano Man's Daughter (1995).
Critique: A seminal work of superbly crafted scholarship that is based upon extensive and informative research, "Tiff:
A Life of Timothy Findley" is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of illustrations, two appendices (Back to Stone
Orchard; Family Tree), twenty-six pages of Notes, a forty-four page Bibliography, and a twenty-one page Index. While
an especially recommended addition to community, college, and university library Canadian Biography collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Tiff: A Life of Timothy Findley" is also readily available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Incidents in the Life of Cecilia Lawton
Karen Stokes, editor
Mercer University Press
1501 Mercer University Drive, Macon, GA 31207-0001
www.mupress.org
9780881467659, $25.00, HC, 140pp
https://www.amazon.com/Incidents-Life-Cecilia-Lawton-Reconstruction/dp/0881467650
Synopsis: Cecilia Lawton's life was changed forever when the bloodiest war in American history began in 1861. The
daughter of a wealthy Georgia plantation owner, she was married at the age of sixteen and went to live at her husband's
plantation in South Carolina, but a few months later, she found herself fleeing from the army of General William T.
Sherman. She observed the aftermath of this brutal campaign, writing of what she saw in vivid, horrific detail.
Following the war, Cecilia and her husband struggled to survive on his ruined plantation, but after enduring many
hardships and dangers, they moved away and began a new life on a sea island near Charleston. Raised in luxury and
privilege, Cecilia had few of the skills expected of a farmer's wife, but despite her youth and inexperience she
persevered and found success as a businesswoman in Charleston.
Told in her own words, "Incidents in the Life of Cecilia Lawton: A Memoir of Plantation Life, War, and Reconstruction
in Georgia and South Carolina" is the true story of Cecilia Lawton, a young woman who faced incredible challenges
with determination and courage.
Critique: Expertly edited by Karent Stokes (an archivist at the South Carolina Historical Society, Charleston) and
featuring an informative Preface by James Everett Kibler, Jr., "Incidents in the Life of Cecilia Lawton: A Memoir of
Plantation Life, War, and Reconstruction in Georgia and South Carolina" is enhanced for academia with the inclusion
of two Appendices, a six page Bibliography, and a five page Index. An extraordinary and inherently absorbing read
from cover to cover, "Incidents in the Life of Cecilia Lawton: A Memoir of Plantation Life, War, and Reconstruction in
Georgia and South Carolina" is a unique and prized addition to personal reading lists, as well as community, college,
and university library 19th Century American Biography collections and American Civil War/Antebellum South
supplemental curriculum lists.
Growing Up Bank Street
Donna Florio
New York University Press
838 Broadway, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10003
www.nyupress.org
9781479803200, $24.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Bank-Street-Greenwich-Washington/dp/1479803200
Synopsis: Bank Street is a primarily residential street in the West Village part of Greenwich Village in the borough of
Manhattan in New York City. It runs for a total length of about 710 feet (220 m) from West Street, crossing
Washington Street and Greenwich Street, to Hudson Street and Bleecker Street where it is interrupted by the Bleecker
Playground, north of which is Abingdon Square; it then continues to Greenwich Avenue, crossing West 4th Street and
Waverly Place. Vehicular traffic runs west-east along this one-way street. As with several other east-west streets in the
Far West Village, the three blocks west of Hudson Street are paved with setts, a broadly rectangular quarried stone used
in paving roads and walkways. Bank Street is named for the Bank of New York, which bought eight lots on the street in
1798 and established a branch there. A clerk in the bank's main office on Wall Street had contracted yellow fever,
leading the bank to buy land in Greenwich Village in order to have a branch office away from Wall Street where it
could conduct business in the event of future emergencies. (Wikipedia)
Donna Florio is a lifelong resident of Bank Street in Greenwich Village. Nurtured by colorful, eccentric neighbors who
taught her to "never wonder about life from the outside. Jump in!" Donna has, over the years, worked as an opera
singer, a TV producer, a Wall Street executive, and an educator, and has backpacked around the world.
"Growing Up Bank Street: A Greenwich Village Memoir" is Donna's evocative, tender account of life in Greenwich
Village, on a unique street that offered warmth, support, and inspiration to an adventurous and openhearted young girl.
In the middle of the last century, Bank Street became home to a cast of extraordinary characters whose stories
intertwine in this spirited narrative.
Growing up, Donna Florio had flamboyant, opera performer parents and even more free-spirited neighbors. As a child,
she lived among beatniks, artists, rock musicians, social visionaries, movie stars, and gritty blue-collar workers, who
imparted to her their irrepressibly eccentric life rules. The real-life Auntie Mame taught her that she is a divine flame
from the universe. John Lennon, who lived down the street, was gracious when she dumped water on his head. Sex
Pistols star Sid Vicious lived in the apartment next door, and his heroin overdose death came as a wake-up call during
her wild twenties.
An elderly Broadway dancer led by brave example as Donna helped him comfort dying Villagers in the terrifying early
days of AIDS, and a reclusive writer gave her a path back from the brink when, as a witness to the attacks of 9/11, her
world collapsed. These vibrant vignettes weave together a colorful coming of age tale against the backdrop of a historic,
iconoclastic street whose residents have been at the heart of the American story.
As Greenwich Village gentrifies and the hallmarks of its colorful past disappear, "Growing Up Bank Street" will
provide the reader a captivating 'insider' glimpse of the thriving culture that once filled its storied streets.
Critique: An inherently fascinating read from cover to cover, "Growing Up Bank Street: A Greenwich Village Memoir"
is an extraordinary collection of reminisces and memories. A combination autobiography and local history, "Growing
Up Bank Street: A Greenwich Village Memoir" is a unique and very special recommended addition to community,
college, and university library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Growing Up Bank Street: A
Greenwich Village Memoir" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.72).
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Crystals and Numerology
Editha Wuest & Sabine Schieferle
Earthdancer Books
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781644112731, $16.99, PB, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Crystals-Numerology-Numbers-Support-Healing/dp/1644112736
Synopsis: A crystal is a solid material whose constituents (such as atoms, molecules, or ions) are arranged in a highly
ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions. In addition, macroscopic single
crystals are usually identifiable by their geometrical shape, consisting of flat faces with specific, characteristic
orientations.
Numerology is any belief in the divine or mystical relationship between a number and one or more coinciding events. It
is also the study of the numerical value of the letters in words, names, and ideas. It is often associated with the
paranormal, alongside astrology and similar divinatory arts.
Crystal Numerology offers a surprisingly accurate tool to gain insight into your character, talents, and abilities by
analyzing the numbers in your birthdate, the numeric values of the letters in your name, and the numbers that
serendipitously appear in your life again and again. While our personal numbers are the mirror that reflects our inner
world, crystals are our helpers in the outer world to harmonize the energies we were born with. They are gifts from the
earth that we are offered to unfold our divine potential. Through their beauty and wisdom, they can help us be more in
tune with our destiny.
"Crystals and Numerology: Decode Your Numbers and Support Your Life Path with Healing Stones" by the team of
Editha Wuest and Sabine Schieferle is a full-color guide that explains how to calculate your personal numbers and work
with the healing energies of gemstones to unfold the full potential your numbers reveal. Each of the numbers 0 to 9 is
explained on the numerological level, including their qualities, energies, and how they act on human
consciousness.
"Crystals and Numerology" then describe which crystals resonate most with each number's energy and which offer
complementary energies, providing detailed descriptions of the gemstones' spiritual, mental, and physical qualities
alongside beautiful photographs. "Crystals and Numerology" also offer affirmations, meditations, and crystal healing
techniques to connect with the energies of the gemstones.
Critique: Very highly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library metaphysical
studies collections, "Crystals and Numerology: Decode Your Numbers and Support Your Life Path with Healing
Stones" is an ideal and definitive introduction to the subject of crystal numerology. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of numerology students and practitioners that "Crystals and Numerology: Decode Your Numbers and
Support Your Life Path with Healing Stones" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Currently residing near Munich, Germany, Editha Wuest has been working with crystals, numerology,
and alternative healing methods for many years. Since 1995 she has maintained her own counseling and coaching
practice and leads seminars and courses. Also living near Munich, Germany, Sabine Schieferle is a numerologist with
many years of experience.
By working with the gemstones that resonate with your numerology, you can enhance the strengths of your personal
numbers. If a certain number's weaknesses are manifesting in your life, you can discover crystals that will help to
integrate and balance the number's hindering effects. Together, numbers and stones offer a wonderful possibility to find
your own way, recognize your true self, heal, and harmonize with the world around you. Let the numbers guide you and
the crystals empower you!
In Focus Shamanism: Your Personal Guide
Tracie Long
Wellflett
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9781577152231, $19.99, HC, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Focus-Shamanism-Your-Personal-Guide/dp/1577152239
Synopsis: Shamanism is an ancient healing tradition that serves to connect nature with all living creatures. Based on the
ancient traditions and wisdom from around the world, including North and South America, Asia, and Europe, "In Focus
Shamanism: Your Personal Guide" by Traci Long will teach you how to create a spiritual practice to bring change,
healing, and transformation to your life using updated and modernized shamanic traditions that include: Making a
journey to another realm and vision quests; Drum, dance, and dream trances; Divination for individuals and
community; Working with medicine wheels and spirit animals; Aligning yourself with nature.
An accessible and beautifully designed guide to shamanism, "In Focus Shamanism: Your Personal Guide" includes an
18 x 24 inch frameable wall chart poster of powerful spirit animals and their unique characteristics.
Critique: Nicely illustrated throughout, "In Focus Shamanism: Your Personal Guide" is an inherently fascinating and
impressively informative read from cover to cover. While especially appropriate and unreservedly recommended for
personal, professional, community, and academic library Metaphysical Studies & Shamanism collections, it should be
noted for students and practitioners that "In Focus Shamanism: Your Personal Guide" is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: The In Focus series applies a modern approach to teaching the classic body, mind, and spirit subjects.
Authored by experts in their respective fields, these beginner's guides feature smartly designed visual material that
clearly illustrates key topics within each subject. As a bonus, each book includes reference cards or a poster, held in an
envelope inside the back cover, that give you a quick, go-to guide containing the most important information on the
subject.
Astrology for Mystics
Tayannah Lee McQuillar
Destiny Books
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781644110515, $16.99, PB, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Astrology-Mystics-Exploring-Occult-Depths/dp/1644110512
Synopsis: A person's astrological birth chart, or natal chart, shows the positions of the planets, sun, and moon at the
time of their birth. Shaped like a circle or wheel, it is divided into 12 sections, or "houses," each connected with a
different area of life or self. The positions of the planets within the houses offer deep and often complex insight into
your unique gifts and your life's path.
In "Astrology for Mystics: Exploring the Occult Depths of the Water Houses in Your Natal Chart", astrologer Tayannah
Lee McQuillar explores the 4th, 8th, and 12th houses -- those connected with the element of water and all things occult,
mystical, and spiritual. The fourth house, ruled by water sign Cancer, is traditionally the house of family, home,
ancestors, and suffering. The eighth house, ruled by water sign Scorpio, is the house of sex, death, secret powers, and
transformation. The twelfth house, ruled by Pisces, is the house of karma, loss, unspoken expectations, fantasy, and
confinement.
As McQuillar explains, these are the houses that reveal the deepest and darkest areas of the individual psyche, which
many people are reluctant to explore, yet this triad is the key to profound spiritual insights as well as the discovery of
hidden knowledge and abilities.
McQuillar also guides her readers through interpreting the signs and planets that inhabit the water houses in their
particular natal chart and shows how they reveal specific innate talents. She also describes how to develop the hidden
powers revealed by your chart and offers practical advice for incorporating this knowledge into your daily life for
spiritual growth and self-improvement. Sharing interpretation examples from her practice, she deftly explores how to
embrace the challenge of the occult water houses so her readers can claim the many treasures that can only be found on
the ocean floor of their own psyche.
Critique: An absolutely fascinating and impressively informative read from cover to cover, "Astrology for Mystics:
Exploring the Occult Depths of the Water Houses in Your Natal Chart" is an extraordinary and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library Metaphysical Studies
collections in general, and Astrology supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Astrology for Mystics: Exploring the Occult Depths of the Water Houses in Your Natal Chart" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Tayannah Lee McQuillar is a tarot reader and researcher of religion, esoterica, and mysticism. She is
also the author of several books and divination decks, including The Hoodoo Tarot and The Sibyls Oraculum.
Path of the Witch
Lidia Pradas
Fair Winds Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9781589239838, $24.99, PB, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Path-Witch-Rituals-Practices-Discovering/dp/1589239830
Synopsis: Witchcraft is the practice of magical skills, spells, and abilities. Witchcraft is a broad term that varies
culturally and societally, and thus can be difficult to define with precision. Witchcraft is not one defined path -- rather,
it is a diversity of practices you can curate and align with based on your lifestyle and unique gifts. "The Path of the
Witch: Rituals & Practices for Discovering Which Witch You Are" by Lidia Pradas will help the reader to discover
which witch they are.
If they have an affinity for working with plants and herbs for magic and medicine they may be a Green Witch.
If the kitchen and home space sacred to them and they are you able to tap into the sensory and healing properties of
food for spellwork, if cooking an intentional act, then they may be a Kitchen Witch.
If able to easily connect with the spirit world or the liminal realms, then they may be a Hedge Witch. But if they can do
many practices with ease they may be an Eclectic Witch.
"The Path of the Witch" describes the many different types of witches, their gifts and abilities, and their practices. Each
path shows readers activities and rituals that they can use to discover and explore that type of witchcraft and discern
which one is the fit for them.
Critique: A unique and inherently fascinating contribution to the growing library of metaphysical studies and witchcraft
lore, "The Path of the Witch: Rituals & Practices for Discovering Which Witch You Are" is an extraordinary and
unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library Metaphysical
Studies collections in general, and Contemporary Witchcraft supplemental curriculum reading lists in particular.
Editorial Note: Lidia Pradas is the wiccan witch behind the Instagram sensation Wiccan Tips and the author of The
Complete Grimoire. She comes from a family of witches and teaches and writes about witchcraft and paganism to
beginner witches.
Write Your Own Horoscope
Jane Struthers
White Lion Publishing
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9780711254510, $19.99, HC, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Write-Your-Own-Horoscope-Destiny/dp/0711254516
Synopsis: Your horoscope is both an astrological blueprint and a guide to your future. You can use it to uncover
fascinating insights into your soul, love life, relationships, finances and career, as well as your potential. "Write Your
Own Horoscope: Follow the Stars, Design Your Destiny " by veteran astrologer Jane Struthers is a beginner-to-pro
astrology book that gives astrology students and practitioners the tools and information required to figure out the whys,
hows and whens, and to make the most of all the opportunities these present.
In the pages of "Write Your Own Horoscope: Follow the Stars, Design Your Destiny", professional consultant
astrologer Jane Struthers teaches not only how to interpret a birth chart, a snapshot of the heavens at the moment of
being born, but also teaches how to look into a personal future based on the planets making contact (called 'transits')
with these natal positions. Readers will start by learning the nuts and bolts of astrology, then go on to take a closer look
at how astrology influences each area of their lives. Finally, there is a detailed guide to transits to map personal
futures.
"Write Your Own Horoscope: Follow the Stars, Design Your Destiny" is not a mere fortune telling guide. Rather, it is
about decoding the skies and signs to gain a true understanding of all areas of our life and determine our own fate.
Critique: Enhanced with the inclusion of extra tips and hints throughout the beautifully illustrated pages, "Write Your
Own Horoscope: Follow the Stars, Design Your Destiny" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition
to personal, professional, and community library Metaphysical Studies collections in general, and Astrology/Horoscope
supplemental studies lists in particular. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Write Your Own Horoscope:
Follow the Stars, Design Your Destiny" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Currently residing in Somerset, UK, Jane Struthers is a consultant astrologer and an astrology lecturer
who writes a weekly astrology column for Bella magazine. She is the author of over thirty nonfiction books, including
"The Psychic's Bible" and "Red Sky at Night".
The General Fiction Shelf
Heading Over the Hill
Judy Leigh
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781838895723 $16.99, PB, Large Print, 340pp
https://www.amazon.com/Heading-Over-Hill-Judy-Leigh/dp/1838895728
Synopsis: Billy and Dawnie may be in their seventies, but that won't stop them taking chances or starting again. Their
grown-up children have families and lives of their own, so now it's Billy and Dawnie's turn, and a life near the sea in
Devon beckons.
But the residents of Margot Street (or Maggot Street as Dawnie insists on calling it), don't quite know what to make of
their new neighbors. Billy's loud, shiny and huge Harley Davidson looks out of place next to the safe and sensible
Honda Jazz next door, and Dawnie's never-ending range of outrageous wigs and colorful clothes, means she's
impossible to miss.
As new friendships are formed and new adventures are shared, Billy and Dawnie start winning their neighbors'
affection. And when life teaches them all a terrible lesson, the folks of Margot Street are determined to live every day as
if it's their last.
Critique: With this large print edition of "Heading Over The Hill" that is especially and unreservedly recommended for
personal reading lists and community library collections, novelist and storyteller Judy Leigh ably presents a
'soul-warming, rib-tickling, timeless tale of true love, true friendship and happy-ever-afters' that is a delightfully
entertaining read from cover to cover.
The Decision
Juan Gomez, Jr.
Atlantic Publishing Group
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471-0640
www.atlantic-pub.com
9781620238042, $19.95, PB, 344pp
https://www.amazon.com/Decision-Juan-Gomez/dp/1620238047
Synopsis: Sometimes we have to make sacrifices for those we love most in this world. Michael knows this more than
most. Raising a family as a single parent is hard enough without having to take care of three children with cancer.
Exhausted by doctors and medications and hospitals, Michael's strength for his children is waning. Michael puts his
trust in God and prays that He will take the cancer away completely. When God gives him an answer to his prayers, he
discovers he now has a much harder decision to make.
Critique: An impressively crafted and inherently compelling novel by an author with a very special flair for the kind of
narrative driven storytelling that deftly blends religious spirituality with medical oncology that is both thought-
provoking and ultimately inspiring, "The Decision" by Juan Gomez, Jr. is certain to be an enduringly appreciated and
valued addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading
lists that "The Decision" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.95).
The Bad Muslim Discount
Syed M. Masood
Doubleday & Company
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
www.randomhouse.com
9780385545259, $16.95, HC, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Bad-Muslim-Discount-Novel/dp/0385545258
Synopsis: In 1995, Anvar Faris is a restless, rebellious, and sharp-tongued boy doing his best to grow up in Karachi,
Pakistan. As fundamentalism takes root within the social order and the zealots next door attempt to make Islam great
again, his family decides, not quite unanimously, to start life over in California. Ironically, Anvar's deeply devout
mother and his model-Muslim brother adjust easily to life in America, while his fun-loving father can't find anyone he
relates to. For his part, Anvar fully commits to being a bad Muslim.
At the same time, thousands of miles away, Safwa, a young girl living in war-torn Baghdad with her grief-stricken,
conservative father will find a very different and far more dangerous path to America. When Anvar and Safwa's worlds
collide as two remarkable, strong-willed adults, their contradictory, intertwined fates will rock their community, and
families, to their core.
Critique: His debut as a novelist, "The Bad Muslim Discount" showcases Syed M. Masood genuine flair for originality,
as well as his impressive literary knack for humor blended with inherently engaging questions of identity, faith, and a
secular American culture from the perspective of Muslim Americans. While especially and unreservedly recommended
for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The
Bad Muslim Discount" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Sons of War 3: Sinners
Nicholas Sansbury Smith
Blackstone Publishing
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9781538557075, $26.99, HC, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sons-War-Nicholas-Sansbury-Smith/dp/153855707X
Synopsis: Sometimes in order to fight evil, you must embrace evil. That was the motto of Marine Sergeant Ronaldo
Salvatore -- and it now lives on in his son, Dominic and his undercover team known as the Saints. With the support of
LAPD Captain Zed Marks, the Saints embark on a mission to destroy the criminal organizations that have a
stranglehold on Los Angeles.
Through brains, cunning, and sheer ruthlessness, the most powerful leader, Don Antonio Moretti, has risen from
underdog to contender for the throne. He believes that only the Vega family of narcos stands in his way, but he has
underestimated another underdog. As the Morettis and Vegas slug it out, the Saints go outside the law to deliver the
City of Angels from evil. In this three-way death match, the streets will run with blood before a victor ever
emerges.
Critique: With its bold, riveting, and non-stop action from cover to cover, "Sons of War 3: Sinners" by author Nicholas
Sansbury Smith is an original and extraordinarily entertaining novel that will be a prized addition to community library
Dystopian Fiction, Military Thriller Fiction, and Crime Action/Adventure Fiction collections. It should be noted for the
personal reading lists of dedicated action/adventure fans that "Sons of War 3: Sinners" is also readily available in a
paperback edition (9781665019934, $9.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
The Northern Reach
W. S. Winslow
Flatiron Books
120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271
https://www.flatironbooks.com
9781250776488, $26.99, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Northern-Reach-W-S-Winslow/dp/1250776481
Synopsis: Frozen in grief after the loss of her son at sea, Edith Baines stares across the water at a schooner, under full
sail yet motionless in the winter wind and surging tide of the Northern Reach. Edith seems to be hallucinating. Or is
she? Edith's boat-watch opens The Northern Reach, set in the coastal town of Wellbridge, Maine, where townspeople
squeeze a living from the perilous bay or scrape by on the largesse of the summer folk and whatever they can cobble
together, salvage, or grab.
At the center of town life is the Baines family, land-rich, cash-poor descendants of town founders, along with the
ne'er-do-well Moody clan, the Martins of Skunk Pond, and the dirt farming, bootlegging Edgecombs. Over the course
of the twentieth century, the families intersect, interact, and intermarry, grappling with secrets and prejudices that span
generations, opening new wounds and reckoning with old ghosts.
Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "The Northern Reach" is author W. S. Winslow's debut as a
novelist, her genuine flair for the kind of narrative storytelling style that fully entertains and engages the reader's
attention bodes well for establishing her as a literary figure to watch for. Exceptionally well crafted against an
inherently fascinating and varied social/culture background, "The Northern Reach" is an especially and unreservedly
recommended addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "The Northern Reach" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
'Til I Want No More
Robin W. Pearson
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781496450579, $25.99, HC, 464pp
https://www.amazon.com/Til-I-Want-No-More/dp/1496450574
Synopsis: If Maxine could put her finger on the moment when her life went into a tailspin, she would point back twenty
years to the day her daddy died. She tells herself he's the only person who ever really knew and loved her, and if he
hadn't left her behind, her future would've taken a different path. No absentee mother, no stepfather, no rebellious
ripping and running during her teenage years. And no JD, who gave her wandering young heart a home, at least for a
time.
But that's over and done with. All grown-up now, Maxine has pledged her heart and ring finger to Theodore Charles,
the man she'll promise to love, honor, and obey in front of God and everybody. At least that's what she's telling anybody
who will listen. The only folks buying it are the dog and the readers of her column, however. Her best friend and family
aren't having it -- not even Celeste, the double bass - playing thirteen-year-old girl that the community of Mount Laurel,
North Carolina, believes is Maxine's adopted sister.
And apparently, neither is the newly returned JD, who seems intent on toppling Maxine's reconstructed life. As her
wedding day marches ever closer, Maxine confronts what it means to be really known and loved by examining what's
buried in her own heart and exposing truth that has never seen the light of day.
Critique: When the man she loved years ago returns to town, one young woman's complicated past rises again,
threatening to expose her well-kept secrets in 'Till I Want No More, a Christian novel by Robin W. Pearson. A poignant
story of romance, a search for truth, and a journey to redemption, 'Till I Want No More will prove to be a welcome
addition to community library General Fiction and African-American Fiction collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that 'Till I Want No More is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781496441577,
$15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.69).
Magpie Lane
Lucy Atkins
Quercus
c/o Hachette Book Group
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9781786485571, $26.99, HC, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Untitled-Lucy-Atkins-IV/dp/1786485575
Synopsis: Roaming through Oxford's secret passages and hidden graveyards, Magpie Lane explores the true meaning of
family -- and what it is to be denied one.
When the eight-year old daughter of an Oxford College Master vanishes in the middle of the night, police turn to the
Scottish nanny, Dee, for answers.
As Dee looks back over her time in the Master's Lodging (an eerie and ancient house) a picture of a high achieving but
dysfunctional family emerges: Nick, the fiercely intelligent and powerful father; his beautiful Danish wife Mariah,
pregnant with their child; and the lost little girl, Felicity, almost mute, seeing ghosts, grieving her dead mother.
But is Dee telling the whole story? Is her growing friendship with the eccentric house historian, Linklater, any cause for
concern? And most of all, why was Felicity silent?
Critique: A beautifully crafted suspense thriller of a read from cover to cover, "Magpie Lane" deftly showcases author
Lucy Atkins genuine and impressive flair for originality and the kind of narrative driven storytelling that hold's her
reader's rapt and sustained attention from first page to last -- and will send them seeking out her three previous novels
(The Missing One; The Other Child; The Night Visitor). While especially and unreservedly recommended for
community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Magpie Lane" is also readily available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
The Ghost Moths
Harry Farthing
Blackstone Publishing
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781538469231, $27.99, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Moths-Novel-Harry-Farthing/dp/1538469235
Synopsis: While searching a windswept mountainside for the fabled ghost moth fungus, a young Tibetan boy unearths a
mysterious relic. Moments later the People's Liberation Army of China marches into his isolated village in the valley
below and begins to dismantle an ancient way of life. As the brutal oppression grows, the boy's precious find becomes
first a symbol of hope for the villagers then a tool of survival for a people and a religion. It must be preserved at all
costs.
Sixty years later, mountain guide Neil Quinn is wrapping up his last climb of the season on the highest mountain in
Tibet when a transport shortage leaves him stuck in an empty base camp. An earthquake sets off a chain of mysterious
events that directly connect the English climber to the ongoing tragedies of a troubled land where the Chinese
authorities strive still for complete control.
Unsure of precisely what he witnessed yet determined to protect its truth, Quinn returns to Kathmandu and enlists the
help of a famous historian of the Himalayas, an erstwhile American journalist, and a cast of locals as enigmatic as that
ancient city -- each with their own reasons for joining his quest. Manipulation and murder dog their every step as they
strive to piece together a complex puzzle from Tibet's tortured past while navigating the treacherous present.
Critique: A thoroughly absorbing and impressively original novel by an author with an exceptionally effective flair for
the kind of narrative storytelling style that is perfectly suited to an historical and political suspense thriller of a read,
"The Ghost Moths" by Harry Farthing will prove to be an immediately welcome and enduringly popular addition to
community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that 'The
Ghost Moths" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.69).
The Kaiser's Web
Steve Berry
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250140340, $28.99, HC, 432pp
https://www.amazon.com/Kaisers-Web-Cotton-Malone-16/dp/125014034X
Synopsis: Two candidates are vying to become Chancellor of Germany. One is a patriot having served for the past
sixteen years, the other a usurper, stoking the flames of nationalistic hate. Both harbor secrets, but only one knows the
truth about the other. They are on a collision course, all turning on the events of one fateful day (April 30, 1945) and
what happened deep beneath Berlin in the Furherbunker.
Did Adolph Hitler and Eva Braun die there? Did Martin Bormann, Hitler's close confidant, manage to escape? And,
even more important, where did billions in Nazi wealth disappear to in the waning days of World War II? The answers
to these questions will determine who becomes the next Chancellor of Germany.
From the mysterious Chilean lake district, to the dangerous mesas of South Africa, and finally into the secret vaults of
Switzerland, former-Justice Department agent Cotton Malone discovers the truth about the fates of Hitler, Braun, and
Bormann. Revelations that could not only transform Europe, but finally expose a mystery known as the Kaiser's
web.
Critique: An inherently riveting novel by a master of the unexpected plot twist and turn, "The Kaiser's Web" showcases
Steve Berry's impressive flair for originality and narrative storytelling techniques. While resolutely recommended for all
community library Political/Historical suspense thriller collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"The Kaiser's Web" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781250140371, $9.99), in a digital book format
(Kindle, $14.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (9781250788313, $39.99, CD)
The Day of Ezekiel's Hope
Donna VanLiere
Harvest House Publishers
PO Box 41210, Eugene, OR 97404-0322
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
9780736978811, $15.99, PB, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Day-Ezekiels-Hope-Donna-VanLiere/dp/073697881X
Synopsis: Emma Grady has seen civilization collapse and New York gutted by nuclear attack. Amidst this international
crisis, she and her growing family of outcasts must unravel the meaning of these strange and horrifying events, even as
they struggle to survive.
On the other side of the world, Zerah Adler finds Israel surrounded by invaders intent on total annihilation. In
Jerusalem, two men have the power to stop the rain and call down plagues of every kind. Are they sorcerers, or do they
have the power of God? And a magnetic new leader has emerged, promising to provide peace and even salvation to the
globe.
In the gripping follow-up to her novel "The Time of Jacob's Trouble", in "The Days of Ezekiel's Hope" author Donna
VanLiere explores the end times through the journeys of Emma, Zerah, and others who face unprecedented danger. The
final chapters reveal what God's Word says about our world's future -- and that things aren't spiraling downward but are
actually looking up!
Critique: An impressively well crafted apocalyptic novel that deftly draws upon biblical prophecy and extrapolated
current events, "The Day of Ezekiel's Hope" is an inherently absorbing, entertaining, and ultimately thought-provoking
read. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "The Day of Ezekiel's Hope" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$11.99).
Flowers of Darkness
Tatiana De Rosnay
St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781250272553, $27.99, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Flowers-Darkness-Novel-Tatiana-Rosnay/dp/1250272556
Synopsis: Author Clarissa Katsef is struggling to write her next book. She's just snagged a brand new artist residency in
an ultra-modern apartment, with a view of all of Paris, a dream for any novelist in search of tranquility. But since
moving in, she has had the feeling of being watched. Is there reason to be paranoid? Or is her distraction and discomfort
the result of her husband's recent shocking betrayal? Or is that her beloved Paris lies altered outside her windows? A
city that will never be quite the same, a city with a scar at its center?
Stuck inside, in the midst of a sweltering heat wave, Clarissa enlists her beloved granddaughter in her investigation of
the mysterious, high tech building even as she finds herself drawn back into the orbit of her first husband who is still
the one who knows her most intimately, who shares the past grief that she has never quite let go.
Critique: Deftly blending dystopian elements of suspense, compelling secrets, and the city of Paris, "Flowers of
Darkness" is an elegant and inherently absorbing novel by Tatiana De Rosnay. While especially and unreservedly
recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading
lists that "Flowers of Darkness" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, 14.99), and as a complete and
unabridged audio book (Macmillan Audio, 9781250789723, $34.99, CD).
Do No Harm
Christina McDonald
Gallery Books
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
9781982142612, $17.99, PB, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Do-No-Harm-Christina-McDonald/dp/1982142618
Synopsis: Emma loves her life. She's the mother of a precocious kindergartner, married to her soulmate (a loyal and
loving police detective) and has a rewarding career as a doctor at the local hospital. But everything comes crashing
down when her son, Josh, is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.
Determined to save him, Emma makes the risky decision to sell opioids to fund the life-saving treatment he needs. But
when somebody ends up dead, a lethal game of cat and mouse ensues, her own husband leading the chase. With her
son's life hanging in the balance, Emma is dragged into the dark world of drugs, lies, and murder. Will the truth catch
up to her before she can save Josh?
Critique: A deftly woven blend of suspense, family life, amateur sleuthing, and an opioid epidemic "Do No Harm" is an
inherently fascinating and engaging novel by Christina McDonald examines whether the ends ever justify the means --
even for a desperate mother. The result is a highly recommended addition to any and all community library
Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Do No Harm" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone
Audio, 9781797117768, $39.99, CD). Librarians should note that "Do No Harm" is available for their collections in a
Large Print Library Binding edition (Thorndyke Large Print, 9781432886776, $30.99)
13 Days to Die
Matt Miksa
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781643856551, $27.99, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/13-Days-Die-Matt-Miksa/dp/1643856553
Synopsis: In a far-flung Tibetan village, prayer flags flap against whitewashed houses and a majestic monastery
stretches to heaven. It's Shangri-La (the earthly paradise) until a stranger staggers out of the forest and collapses into a
bloody, lifeless mass. He's the first victim of a crippling epidemic, but he's no ordinary man.
Olen Grave, an American intelligence officer, heads directly into the hot zone to investigate. Posing as a journalist, he
joins the Chinese research team, led by a headstrong female virus hunter, Dr. Zhou Weilin. Together, the unlikely allies
discover that Patient Zero was a spy who deliberately infected himself. But why? Who did he work for?
As Olen and Dr. Zhou rush to uncover the shocking truth behind the epidemic, they unravel a twisted conspiracy that
reaches from Beijing's great halls to Washington's corridors of power. With the superpowers now at the brink of war,
the fate of the world will rest on the duo's shoulders.
Critique: An inherently absorbing novel with a storyline made all the more believable and contemporary given the
controversy around the origins of the current COVID-19 pandemic, "13 Days To Die" is a simply riveting read from
cover to cover. While highly recommended as an addition to community library Medical and Political suspense thriller
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "13 Days To Die" is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 1662073135, $29.99,
CD).
Changing the Rules
Catherine Bybee
Montlake
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781542009911, $12.95, PB, 335pp
https://www.amazon.com/Changing-Rules-Richter-Catherine-Bybee/dp/154200991X
Synopsis: As an employee of MacBain Security and Solutions, Claire Kelly can certainly hold her own. Armed with an
impressive set of covert skills, she's more than prepared to tackle any job that comes her way... except one involving
Cooper Lockman. Cooper and Claire used to work together before his feelings for her sent him packing to Europe for
six long years. But now he's back and determined to ignore the still smoldering heat that lingers between them.
Their current mission: go undercover together at a California high school to root out the mastermind behind a
prostitution ring targeting young girls. The closer they get to the truth and the closer they get to each other, however, the
deadlier their task becomes. As Claire and Cooper risk their lives to bring down their target, will their hearts be the final
casualties?
Critique: With an impressive blending of romance with action/adventure, "Changing the Rules" by Catherine Bybee is
an inherently absorbing and compulsive page turner of a read from cover to cover. A fully entertaining novel by an
author with a genuine flair for narrative driven storytelling, "Changing the Rules" is the first volume in Catherine
Bybee's new 'Richter' series and will leave her fully satisfied readers looking early toward the next volume of romance
and adventure! While highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading
lists that "Changing the Rules" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99) and as a complete and
unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781713559689, $14.99, MP3-CD).
The Rose Code
Kate Quinn
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9780063059412, $27.99, HC, 656pp
https://www.amazon.com/Rose-Code-Novel-Kate-Quinn/dp/006305941X
Synopsis: In 1940, and as England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious
country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes.
Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything (beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece
sending her roses) but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, and puts her fluent German to use as a
translator of decoded enemy secrets. Imperious self-made Mab, product of east-end London poverty, works the
legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and looks for a socially advantageous husband. Both
Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in local village spinster Beth, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility
with puzzles, and soon Beth spreads her wings as one of the Park's few female cryptanalysts.
But war, loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart.
In 1947, as the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip whips post-war Britain into a fever, the three code
breaking friends-turned-enemies are reunited by a mysterious encrypted letter -- the key to which lies buried in the
long-ago betrayal that destroyed their friendship and left one of them confined to an asylum.
A mysterious traitor has emerged from the shadows of their Bletchley Park past, and now Osla, Mab, and Beth must
resurrect their old alliance and crack one last code together. But each petal they remove from the rose code brings
danger (and their true enemy) ever closer.
Critique: A deftly crafted and inherently riveting read by an author with an impressive style of narrative driven
storytelling, "The Rose Code" by novelist Kate Quinn is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to
community library General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Rose Code" is
also readily available in a paperback edition (9780062943477, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$11.99).
The Historical Fiction Shelf
Shadow of the Hawk
David Gilman
Head of Zeus
https://headofzeus.com/home
9781788544986, $27.95, HC, 464pp
https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Hawk-7-Master-War/dp/1788544986
Synopsis: Defeated on the field of Poitiers, Jean Le Bon, King of France, honored his treaty with England until his
death. His son and heir, Charles V, has no intention of doing the same. War is coming and the predators are
circling.
Sir Thomas Blackstone, Edward III's Master of War, has been tasked with securing Brittany for England. In the throes
of battle, he rescues a young boy, sole witness to the final living breaths of the Queen of Castile. The secret the boy
carries is a spark deadly enough to ignite conflict on a new front - a front the English cannot afford to fight on.
So Blackstone is ordered south to Castile, across the mountains to shepherd Don Pedro, King of Castile, to safety.
Accompanied only by a small detachment of his men and a band of Moorish cavalrymen loyal to the king, every step
takes Blackstone further into uncertain territory, deeper into an unyielding snare.
Critique: A deftly crafted, inherently absorbing, compulsive page turner, and simply riveting read from cover to cover,
"Shadow of the Hawk" by author David Gilman is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to any and
all community library Historical Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Shadow of the
Hawk" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781788544993, $25.76) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$10.39).
Miriam's Song
Jill Eileen Smith
www.jilleileensmith.com
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.revellbooks.com
9780800739706, $29.99, HC, 418pp
https://www.amazon.com/Miriams-Song-Jill-Eileen-Smith/dp/0800739701
Synopsis: In her eventful lifetime and as a woman in ancient Israel, Miriam was many things to many people: protective
older sister, song leader, prophetess, leper. But between the highs and the lows, she was a girl who dreamed of freedom,
a woman who longed for love, a leader who made mistakes, and a friend who valued connection.
Critique: An novel based on detailed and meticulous research combined with keen eye for historical detail, in the pages
of "Miriam's Song", author Jill Eileen Smith offers an epic, thoroughly impressive biblical novel. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Biblical
Fiction and Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Miriam's Song" is also
readily available in a paperback edition (9780800734725, $15.99), and in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editor's Note: Editor's Note: Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling and award-winning author of the biblical fiction series The Wives of King David, Wives of the Patriarchs, and Daughters of the Promised Land, as well as The Heart of a King and Star of Persia: Esther's Story. She is also the author of the nonfiction books When Life Doesn't Match Your Dreams and She Walked Before Us. Her research into the lives of biblical women has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times.
The Literary Fiction Shelf
A Common Person and Other Stories
R. M. Kinder
University of Notre Dame Press
310 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556
www.undpress.nd.edu
9780268200053, $100.00, HC, 216pp
https://www.amazon.com/Common-Stories-Richard-Sullivan-Fiction/dp/026820005X
Synopsis: The seventeen stories comprising "A Common Person and Other Stories", R. M. Kinder's third short-story
collection and the winner of the Richard Sullivan Prize in Short Fiction and collectively expose the disruption in our
modern life and the ever-present threat of violence, and (most importantly), they capture the real heroism of everyday
people.
The characters in these stories, most set deep in the middle of America, seem to invite trouble through their concern for
others: a neighbor's mistreated dog, a boy standing up to a bully, a woman who faces cancer and the loss of love.
Kinder's characters struggle with conflicts common to us all -- to treat humans and animals with compassion, to open
minds and hearts to diversity, all while balancing the welfare of the individual and the larger community.
The characters aren't always loveable, but they each have their individual moments of grace -- they accept responsibility
and take stands. These stories, by turns humorous, unsettling, and utterly believable, expose the dangers of ordinary life
as their characters perform acts of defiance, determination, and connection. The memorably crafted characters in the
pages of "A Common Person and Other Stories" are, like us, doing the best they can, and that is often remarkable and
admirable. Considered closely, Kinder shows us, no person is common.
Critique: An inherently absorbing, impressively original, and memorably written compendium of short stories by an
exceptionally talented author, "A Common Person and Other Stories" is an especially and unreservedly recommended
addition to community, college, and university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "A Common Person and Other Stories" is also readily available in a paperback edition
(9780268200060, $23.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.49).
Editorial Note: R. M. Kinder's earlier work includes two novels, The Universe Playing Strings (University of New
Mexico 2016) and An Absolute Gentleman (Counterpoint Press 2007); and two collections of short fiction, A Near-
Perfect Gift (Literary Fiction Prize, University of Michigan, 2005) and Sweet Angel Band (Willa Cather Prize, Helicon
Editions 1991). She is also the co-author of a dual-media biography, Old-Time Fiddling: Hal Sappington, Missouri
Fiddler (Johnson Country Missouri Historical Society, 2012). Kinder's prose and poems have appeared in numerous
publications and maintains an informative website at: www.rmkinder.net
Black Bear Creek
Joshua Cross
Southeast Missouri State University Press
One University Plaza, MS 2650, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
http://www.semopress.com
9781733015318, $17.99, PB, 132pp
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Bear-Creek-Joshua-Cross/dp/1733015310
Synopsis: The fictional town of Black Bear Creek lies tucked in a remote hollow of the Coal River Valley in West
Virginia, a region reliant on and devastated by the mining industry. The people in the ten short stories by
author/storyteller Joshua Cross comprising "Black Bear Creek" struggle to survive against rampant poverty while their
drinking water is poisoned and the mountains around them are stripped away. But amongst this bleak backdrop, they
find ways to love and hope and fight. Cross's raw, spare prose reflects the barren landscape his characters inhabit as
they put their bodies and lives at risk just to feed their families.
Critique: With each individual short story being an inherently absorbing read, "Black Bear Creek" is one of those
collections that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the
shelf. A truly impressive anthology, "Black Bear Creek" is especially and unreservedly recommended addition to
personal reading lists, as well as community, college, and university library Contemporary American Literary
collections.
Editorial Note: Joshua Cross grew up in Beckley, West Virginia, but now lives in Conway, South Carolina, where he
teaches at Coastal Carolina University. His stories have appeared in Fail Better, Beloit Fiction Journal, and Evening
Street Review.
Renato!
Eugene Mirabelli
McPherson & Company
PO Box 1126, Kingston, NY 12402
www.mcphersonco.com
9781620540428, $20.00, PB, 592pp
https://www.amazon.com/Renato-Eugene-Mirabelli/dp/1620540428
Synopsis: "Renato!" by Eugene Mirabelli is the sweeping and fictional autobiography of Renato Stillamare, a talented
yet struggling artist in Boston. Renato is, in addition, an uncommonly gifted story-teller as he first sets out relating the
outlandish family legends that lead to his eventual discovery and adoption as a foundling. Renato's early life follows,
including the misadventures that lead to his marriage to Alba Quick.
But the heart of "Renato!" novel is the eventful summer of 2000, Renato's seventieth year. Having retired from
teaching, he retreats to his Boston studio where he is possessied by an unquenchable ambition: to have his paintings
exhibited by a Newbury Street gallery despite his work being out of favor for 25 years. He is furiously painting painting
painting when his world is suddenly turned upside down by the appearance on his doorstep of a young homeless woman
and her child. A witty screwball comedy ensues that Billy Wilder would have been proud to film.
"Renato!" is a literary marriage of story-telling forms that touch upon matters of love, sex, food, philosophy, religion,
and the intricacies of family attachments. The larger canvas stretches from 1860 to the present, and from Sicily to
Massachusetts, and showcases the character of Renato as creative, noble, jealous, generous, foolish, warm, impulsive,
selfish, and funny.
Critique: An inherently absorbing and deftly crafted novel by an author with a genuine flair for originality and the kind
of narrative driven storytelling that is fundamental to a literary masterpiece, "Renato!" is especially and unreservedly
recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community, college, and university library Contemporary Literary
Fiction collections.
Where Madness Lies
Sylvia True
https://www.sylviatrue.com
Top Hat Books
c/o John Hunt Publishing, Ltd.
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
9781789044607, $18.95, PB, 344pp
https://www.amazon.com/Where-Madness-Lies-Sylvia-True/dp/178904460X
Synopsis: Set in Hitler's Germany of 1934, "Where Madness Lies" by Sylvia True is the story of Rigmor, a young
Jewish woman is a patient at Sonnenstein which is a premier psychiatric institution known for their curative treatments.
But with the tide of eugenics and the Nazis' rise to power, Rigmor is swept up in a campaign to rid Germany of the
mentally ill.
Then in 1984 USA, "Where Madness Lies" continues with the story of Sabine, who in battling crippling panic and
depression commits herself to McLean Hospital, but in doing so she has unwittingly agreed to give up her baby.
Linking these two generations of women is Inga, who did everything in her power to help her sister, Rigmor. Now with
her granddaughter, Sabine, Inga is given a second chance to free someone she loves from oppressive forces, both within
and without.
"Where Madness Lies" is a novel about hope and redemption, about what we pass on, both genetically and culturally. It
is about the high price of repression, and how one woman, who lost nearly everything, must be willing to reveal the
failures of the past in order to save future generations.
With chilling echoes of our time, "Where Madness Lies" is based on a true story of author Sylvia True's own
family.
Critique: An inherently harrowing and yet fascinating read from cover to cover, "Where Madness Lies" is an
extraordinary and compelling approach to how mental illness, authoritarian institutional governance, and the human
spirit intersect on a personal and a generational level. While especially recommended for community and academic
library Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Where Madness Lies" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.19).
When Twilight Breaks
Sarah Sundin
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.revellbooks.com
9780800739713, $29.99, HC, 386pp
https://www.amazon.com/When-Twilight-Breaks-Sarah-Sundin/dp/080073971X
Synopsis: In 1938 city of Munich, Germany, Evelyn Brand is an American foreign correspondent as determined to
prove her worth in a male-dominated profession as she is to expose the growing tyranny of the Nazi government. To do
so, she must walk a thin line. If she offends Nazi officials, she could be expelled from the country -- or worse. If she
fails to truthfully report on major stories, she'll never be able to give a voice to the oppressed -- and wake up the folks
back home.
In another part of the city, American graduate student Peter Lang is working on his PhD in German. Disillusioned with
the chaos in the world due to the Great Depression, he is impressed with the prosperity and order of German society.
But when the brutality of the regime hits close, he discovers a far better way to use his contacts within the Nazi party --
to feed information to the shrewd reporter he can't get off his mind.
Critique: An original and stand alone novel, "When Twilight Breaks" by accomplished novelist Sarah Sundin deftly
blends 'pulse-pounding suspense and heart-stopping romance' is a simply riveting read from first page to last. While
certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Romance Fiction collections, it should be noted for
the personal reading lists of the growing legions of Sarah Sundin fans that "When Twilight Breaks" is also readily
available in a paperback edition (9780800736361, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The High-Rise Dive
Julia von Lucadou, author
Sharmila Cohen, translator
World Editions
www.worldeditions.org
9781642860764, $16.99, PB, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/High-Rise-Diver-Julia-von-Lucadou/dp/164286076X
Synopsis: Riva is a "high-rise diver", a top athlete with millions of fans, and a perfectly functioning human on all levels.
Suddenly she rebels, breaking her contract and refusing to train. Cameras are everywhere in her world, but she doesn't
know her every move is being watched by Hitomi, the psychologist tasked with reining Riva back in. Unquestionably
loyal to the system, Hitomi's own life is at stake: should she fail to deliver, she will be banned to the "peripheries" the
filthy outskirts of society.
Critique: Deftly crafted by novelist Julia von Lucadou and expertly translated into English for an American readership
by Sharmila Cohen, "The High-Rise Dive" is a chilling dystopia constructs a world uncomfortably close to our own, in
which performance is everything. An inherently riveting read and especially recommended for community, college, and
university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The High-
Rise Dive" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
From This Moment
Kim Vogel Sawyer
WaterBrook Press
c/o WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
10807 New Allegiance Drive Suite 500, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com
9780525653684, $15.99, PB, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/This-Moment-Kim-Vogel-Sawyer/dp/0525653686
Synopsis: Growing up in the foster care system, Jase Edgar always dreamed of one day starting his own family. But his
fiancee's untimely death shattered his plans. Moving to Kansas and serving as a youth minister should be a fresh start,
but he can't seem to set aside his doubts about God's goodness long enough to embrace his new life.
Newly-appointed church custodian, Lori Fowler is battling her own challenges. Her strained relationship with her father
and her struggles with overeating convince her she's not worthy enough for love. When an Amish weaver enlists their
help locating the owner of a ring found among the donated clothing she uses as fabric, Jase and Lori find themselves
drawn to each other. But will they be able to release the past and move forward from this moment into a joyful
future?
Critique: A charmingly crafted romance novel by an author whose genuine mastery of the genre and an impressive flair
for originality, "From This Moment" is a wonderfully entertaining read by Kim Vogel Sawyer and will prove to be a
welcome and enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections. It should
be noted for personal reading lists that "From This Moment" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$11.99).
Roots of Wood and Stone
Amanda Wen
Kregel Publications
2450 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.kregel.com
9780825446689, $15.99, PB, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Roots-Stone-Sedgwick-County-Chronicles/dp/0825446686
Synopsis: Abandoned at birth, her family roots a mystery, historical museum curator Sloane Kelley has dedicated her
life to making sure others know theirs. When a donor drops off a dusty old satchel, she doesn't expect much from the
common artifact -- until she finds real treasure inside in the form of a nineteenth-century diary. Now she's on the hunt to
find out more.
Garrett Anderson just wanted to clean out his grandmother's historic but tumbledown farmhouse before selling it to
fund her medical care. With her advancing Alzheimer's, he can't afford to be sentimental about the family home. But his
carefully ordered plan runs up against two formidable obstacles: Sloane, who's fallen in love with both the diaries and
the house, and his own heart, which is irresistibly drawn to Sloane.
A century and a half earlier, motherless Annabelle Collins embarks with her aunt and uncle on the adventure of a
lifetime: settling the prairies of Sedgwick County, Kansas. The diaries she left behind paint a portrait of life, loss, and
love -- as well as a God who faithfully carries her through it all. Paging through the diaries together takes Sloane and
Garrett on a journey they never could have planned, which will change them in ways they never imagined.
Critique: "Roots of Wood and Stone" by Amanda Wen is a deftly crafted and inherently engaging 'split-time' romance
novel will resonate with readers with its underlying message concerning the beauty of God's plan for our lives -- and
how our actions ripple for generations. A beautifully entertaining read from cover to cover, "Roots of Wood and Stone"
is a remarkable and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Romance Fiction collections. It should
be noted for personal reading lists that "Roots of Wood and Stone" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
Hit Me With Your Best Scot
Suzanne Enoch
St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
www.tantor.com
9781250296429, $7.99, PB, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Your-Best-Scot-Wicked-Highlanders/dp/1250296420
Synopsis: Coll MacTaggert, Viscount Glendarril, is a big, brawny Highlander who doesn't like being told what to do --
not even by his exasperated English mother who is determined to see her eldest son wedded and bedded. However,
when he comes to the rescue of an irresistibly beautiful woman, Coll discovers that he may have found his perfect
match!
The challenge isn't that Persephone Jones is famous, wealthy, independent, and smarter than anyone he knows.The
problem is that she isn't interested in marrying any man (especially not a hot-headed Scot) even if he is the only man
who seems to understand who she really is even when she's not sure herself. When Coll learns that Persephone is
actually a lady-in-hiding and someone is willing to kill her for what she stands to inherit. Well, Coll has never been one
to turn down a fight. When hearts are involved, nothing comes between a Highlander and his lady.
Critique: A carefully crafted regency romance, "Hit Me With Your Best Scot" by Suzanne Enoch is an inherently
absorbing read that will have a very special appeal to fans of Victorian Era and Scottish Historically themed stories.
While very highly recommended, especially for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading
lists that "Hit Me With Your Best Scot" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99) and as a
complete and unabridged audio book (Tantor Audio, 9781705275207, $39.99, CD).
Dreams Rekindled
Amanda Cabot
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.revellbooks.com
9780800739591, $29.99, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Dreams-Rekindled-Amanda-Cabot/dp/0800739590
Synopsis: Though she hopes for a quiet, uncomplicated life for herself, Dorothy Clark wants nothing more than to stir
others up. Specifically, she dreams of writing something that will challenge people as much as Harriet Beecher Stowe's
novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" seems to have. But in 1850s Mesquite Springs, there are few opportunities for writers --
until newspaperman Brandon Holloway arrives.
Brandon Holloway has seen the disastrous effects of challenging others and has no intention of repeating that mistake.
Instead of following his dreams, he's committed to making a new (and completely uncontroversial) start in the Hill
Country.
As Dorothy's involvement in the fledgling newspaper grows from convenient to essential, the same change seems to be
happening in Brandon's heart. But before romance can bloom, Dorothy and Brandon must work together to discover
who's determined to divide the town and destroy Brandon's livelihood.
Critique: With her underlying message about the 'healing power of truth', Amanda Cabot's new novel, "Dreams
Rekindled" is book two in her outstanding 'Mesquite Spring' series and a wonderfully entertaining and inherently
absorbing read from cover to cover. While highly recommended for community library Romance Fiction collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Dreams Rekindled" is also readily available in a paperback edition
(9780800735364, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
A Dance In Donegal
Jennifer Deibel
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.revellbooks.com
9780800739638, $29.99, HC, 354pp
https://www.amazon.com/Dance-Donegal-Jennifer-Deibel/dp/0800739639
Synopsis: All of her life, Irish-American Moira Doherty has relished her mother's descriptions of Ireland. When her
mother dies unexpectedly in the summer of 1920, Moira decides to fulfill her mother's wish that she become the teacher
in Ballymann, her home village in Donegal, Ireland.
After an arduous voyage, Moira arrives to a new home and a new job in an ancient country. Though a few locals offer a
warm welcome, others are distanced by superstition and suspicion. Rumors about Moira's mother are unspoken in her
presence but threaten to derail everything she's journeyed to Ballymann to do. Moira must rely on the kindness of a
handful of friends (and the strength of Sean, an unsettlingly handsome thatcher who keeps popping up unannounced) as
she seeks to navigate a life she'd never dreamed of -- but perhaps was meant to live.
Critique: With an impressive flair for originality, a meticulous attention to background detail, and a thoroughly 'reader
engaging' narrative storytelling style, "A Dance In Donegal" by author Jennifer Deibel is a truly absorbing and
delightfully entertaining read from cover to cover. While especially recommended for community library Romance
Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Dance In Donegal" is also readily available in a
paperback edition (9780800738419, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Strong, Silent Cowboy
Lora Leigh & Veronica Chadwick
St. Martin's Paperbacks
c/o St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250220097, $7.99, PB, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Silent-Cowboy-Moving-Violations/dp/1250220092
Synopsis: Sallie Hamblen had three incredibly hot, sexy nights with Jacob Donovan, an undercover CIA agent, before
he disappeared, leaving her broken hearted and forever yearning for the man she lost. Years later, Jacob doesn't know
that the beauty he's about to seduce in a small town bar is the woman he held in his arms all those years ago -- and that
she's on the run from her past.
Former CIA agent turned cowboy, Jacob Donovan wants nothing more than a simple life. Just the ranch and
occasionally someone warm and sweet in his bed. Until Sallie comes back into his life and all of a sudden he wants to
be in her bed every night -- all night. When he discovers that her life is in danger, he swears he'll protect her. Even
when secrets are revealed that threaten everything between them, he will lay everything on the line to keep her in his
arms.
Critique: A deftly crafted collaboration of authors Lora Leigh and Veronica Chadwick, "Strong, Silent Cowboy" is a
simply riveting novel of romance, suspense, mystery and betrayal. While very highly recommended for community
library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Strong, Silent
Cowboy" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
The Western Fiction Shelf
Legacy of a Gunfighter
Terry James
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444845952, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 264pp
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9781444845952
Synopsis: Following his release from prison for the accidental killing of a woman bystander to a straight out gunfight,
all gunfighter Luke Nicholls wants now is revenge against his opponent, William Grant, the man who almost killed him
in that fight. Unfortunately, when the two meet, things don't go as planned. Struck down by a mysterious malady,
Luke's confidence is shaken. More complications arise when a determined woman out to avenge the murder of her
husband tries to enlist his help. Luke refuses, determined not to lose sight of his own ambition -- but Grant has other
ideas. Dragged into a strangely orchestrated fight for survival, the odds are suddenly stacked even higher against
Luke.
Critique: Another carefully crafted action/adventure western novel by a past master of the genre, "Legacy of a
Gunfighter" by Terry James is a simply riveting read from first page to last and this large print paperback edition from
the Linford Western Library series is unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of all dedicated western
fans and certain to be a welcome and popular addition to community library Western Fiction collections.
The Man Who Shot Jesse Sawyer
Scott Connor
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444846645, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 216pp
https://www.ulverscroft.com/title.php?sqlCmd=isbn%3D9781444846645
Synopsis: When Sheriff Cornelius Doyle is shot dead, his estranged and bastard son Kane sets out to find the culprit
despite his being hated by his half brother who becomes the new sheriff and is also seeking their father's killer. Kane
hopes to reconcile with a family that didn't want to know him, but soon discovers that his father's apparently honorable
life was a lie. The town had rejoiced, and Cornelius become a legend, when he killed the notorious outlaw Jesse Sawyer
-- however, Kane discovers that Jesse is actually still alive and himself is seeking to kill to other known outlaws, one of
which was Cornelius Doyles killer. Will Jesse lead Kane to his father's murderer -- or into mortal peril?
Critique: As a western author, Scott Connor is a master of the unexpected plot twist, making his latest novel, "The Man
Who Shot Jesse Sawyer" come alive with a riveting originality that combines a mystery with the irresistible smell of
gunsmoke and a simply fascinating finale. Simply stated, as a large print edition of "The Man Who Shot Jesse Sawyer"
from the Linford Western Library series is a strongly recommended addition to the personal reading lists of all
dedicated western fans, as well as an enduringly popular addition to community library Western Fiction
collections.
The Hunted Four
Alex Frew
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444845914, $22.50, PB, Large Print, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hunted-Four-Alex-Frew/dp/1444845918
Synopsis: When Sheriff Walter 'Wattie' Watters finds out that the hiding place of gold from a major robbery has been
discovered, he's instantly on the trail with three dubious companions. As the sheriff of a small town, he knows he must
uphold the law. But $2 million in solid gold is a tempting sum. As he rides through the area known as the Wilderness,
he doesn't know whether he can trust his companions - a drunk, a gambler, and an outlaw who once upon a time was
also his friend. And then there is being tracked by a ruthless ex-convict and his two gunmen seeking to beat him to the
gold.
Critique: Original and nicely crafted with unexpected plot twists, "The Hunted Four" is a deftly written and large print
edition of a western novel by Alex Frew and specifically recommended for community library Western Fiction
collections, as well as the personal reading lists of all dedicated western adventure fans.
Iron Eyes the Spectre
Rory Black
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444845860, $22.50, PB, Large Print, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Eyes-Spectre-Rory-Black/dp/1444845861
Synopsis: Having delivered the body of wanted outlaw Mason Holt to the sheriff at Diablo Creek, the infamous bounty
hunter leaves in the company of Squirrel Sally's stagecoach. But on their way Iron Eyes collapses, badly wounded, and
his would-be sweetheart Squirrel Sally desperately tries to find a doctor. However, Sally is unaware she is heading into
a perilous uncharted desert where a mysterious tribe of Indians lives. Then when Holt's three older brothers discover
their sibling is dead, they vow revenge and set out after the man who killed him. Soon both outlaws and Indians realize
how dangerous Iron Eyes is.
Critique: An other riveting western action/adventure from the creator of the Old West's most lethal bounty hunter, "Iron
Eyes: The Spectre" by Rory Black is a riveting read from cover to cover and this large print paperback edition from the
Linford Western Library series is highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Western
Fiction collections.
The Gospel According to Billy the Kid
Dennis McCarthy
University of New Mexico Press
1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131-0001
www.unmpress.com
9780826362353, $19.95, PB, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Gospel-According-Billy-Kid-Novel/dp/0826362354
Synopsis: Like many a good story of the old West, "The Gospel According to Billy the Kid" by Dennis McCarthy
begins in a saloon. In 1914 in El Paso, Texas, when two strangers strike up a conversation at the bar -- Bill Roberts, a
real-life figure who died in Hico, Texas, in 1950, and a former US Army scout whose brother knew Roberts by another
name: Billy the Kid.
So begins an original novel of the old New Mexico territory, complete with corrupt lawmen, honest ranchers, murder,
betrayal, and the explosive events of the Lincoln County War that sent young Billy off seeking justice -- and headed
toward a bloody rendezvous with a sheriff hired to track him down.
But in that old saloon Roberts has us imagine another story, told thirty-three years later over shots of whiskey, about a
young outlaw given a second chance to find himself, to find peace, and to finally grow up and out from under the
shadow of his own infamy.
Critique: An inherently fascinating, absorbing, deftly crafted, original, and impressively entertaining novel of the Old
West, "The Gospel According to Billy the Kid" is an extraordinary read and unreservedly recommended for both the
personal reading lists of all dedicated western action/adventure fans, and the Western Fiction collections of any and all
community libraries. It should be noted that "The Gospel According to Billy the Kid" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Outlaw Legend Begins
Saran Essex
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444846652, $22.50, PB, Large Print, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Outlaw-Legend-Begins-Saran-Essex/dp/1444846655
Synopsis: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid have given up robbing banks and trains in favor of settling down as
ranch owners and waiting to hear from the Governor of Wyoming about a possible pardon. Then they have an
unfortunate encounter with Luther Greeley, an outlaw from a rival gang, during which Sundance is badly wounded. As
a worried Butch watches over his injured partner, he thinks back to their first meeting when they were young, and how
their partnership began.
Critique: A deftly crafted and inherently absorbing account by western novelist Saran Essex of how one of the most
famous of outlaw duos in the old west first came together, this large print edition of "The Outlaw Legend Begins" from
the Linford Western Library is a 'must read' for all Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid fans and will prove to be an
enduringly popular addition to all community library Western Fiction collections.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
The Unseen Hand
Edward Marston
Isis Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781785418976, $38.00, PB, Large Print, 372pp
https://www.amazon.com/Unseen-Hand-Edward-Marston/dp/1785418971
Synopsis: It's the year 1917 and the Lotus Hotel offers sanctuary for its exclusively female clientele, attracting the
cream of London's society. But a dead body found in one of its rooms is hardly good for business, and when it is
discovered that the woman was neither a guest nor a member of staff, the Lotus's reputation as a safe haven is cast in
doubt. That's when Inspector Marmion and Sergeant Keedy are dispatched to look into the events at the hotel and soon
suspect foul play. Tangling with a forgetful widower, a wily competitor and the haughty hotel owner, the pair will have
to delve into the past to solve this crime in the present.
Critique: An eloquently crafted and simply terrific 'whodunnit' mystery by accomplished novelist Edward Marston, this
large print edition of "The Unseen Hand" will be a welcome and popular addition to the personal reading lists of all
dedicated mystery fans, as well as community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
The House of the Hanged Woman
Kate Willis
Charnwood Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444846881, $38.50, PB, Large Print, 420pp
https://www.amazon.com/House-Hanged-Woman-Kate-Ellis/dp/1444846884
Synopsis: When in 1921 an MP goes missing in a Derbyshire village, Scotland Yard detective Albert Lincoln is sent to
investigate. A grim discovery has been made in a cave next to an ancient stone circle: the naked body of a middle-aged
man mutilated beyond recognition. The local police assume it is the missing politician but when Albert arrives in
Wenfield he begins to have doubts. Two years earlier he conducted another traumatic murder investigation in the same
village and he finds reminders of a particularly personal tragedy as he tries to help a vicar's widow who claims her
husband was murdered. Then there is another murder in Wenfield. Could there be a link between all of Albert's
cases?
Critique: An inherently absorbing and classic English mystery, "The House of the Hanged Woman" by Kate Willis
(winner of the CWA Dagger literary award) is an insistently compelling and impressively entertaining read from cover
to cover. The stuff of which Masterpiece Theatre epics are done, this large print paperback edition of "The House of the
Hanged Woman" is especially and unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs
and community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
The Robin's Greeting
Wanda E. Brunstetter
Barbour Publishing
P.O. Box 719, 1810 Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville, OH 44683
www.barbourbooks.com
9781643524795, $15.99, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Robins-Greeting-Amish-Greenhouse-Mystery/dp/1643524798
Synopsis: For the past two years Belinda King, along with her two grown daughters and teenage son, has been
struggling to keep the family greenhouse running. Despite disconcerting events that have threatened to put them out of
business, they have survived two growing seasons. And now Belinda can focus on the two suitors vying for her
attention. Herschel Fisher, a new acquaintance, makes her feel relaxed, and Monroe Esh, an admirer from her past,
reminds her of her youth.
But just when Belinda thinks she can choose between her suitors, life throws more trials her way. Her son, Henry,
becomes bitter about the idea of her dating anyone, and attacks on the greenhouse start again. When can Belinda hope
to experience the peace and love her weary heart longs for?
Critique: An inherently absorbing combination of mystery, suspense and romance deftly set in an Amish community,
"The Robin's Greeting" by Wanda E. Brunstetter is the third and latest title in the simply outstanding 'Amish
Greenhouse Mystery' series from Barbour Publishing. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community
library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Robin's Greeting" is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $13.67).
Remember My Face
John Lantigua
Arte Publico Press
4902 Gulf Freeway, Bldg 19, Rm 100, Houston, TX 77204-2004
www.artepublicopress.com
9781558859074, $18.95, PB, 250pp
https://www.amazon.com/Remember-My-Face-Willie-Mystery/dp/1558859071
Synopsis: Willie Cuesta, who is a former Miami Police Department detective turned private investigator, is relaxing at a
beachfront hotel when he receives a call from an immigration attorney about a case. He's reluctant to leave the view-of
the sea and several bathing beauties -- but Willie can't afford to turn down work. He agrees to travel to central Florida
to search for Ernesto Perez, an undocumented farm worker who has disappeared. His family is worried sick because,
though he had been calling and sending money home regularly to Mexico for years, he hasn't been heard from in three
months.
In Cane County, Willie discovers a healthy agricultural industry, a large migrant population picking the crops and a
heavily armed, anti-government militia. Willie quickly discovers Perez isn't the only undocumented worker to go
missing; several have disappeared, though their illegal status means no one has bothered to investigate.
As he digs into the case, several suspicious characters surface: Narciso Cruz, who is responsible for smuggling in the
undocumented workers willing to do the backbreaking labor for minimal pay; Quincy Vetter, a local landowner who
has imposed his anti-government sentiment county wide; and Dusty Powell, a drug dealer who has contributed to
several heroin overdoses in the area. And there's the very beautiful daughter of a farm owner who wants salsa lessons --
is someone setting him up?
When people he talked to start turning up dead, Willie knows he's onto something big and dangerous. But is it related to
the local drug business? Or the anti-government lunatics? When his investigation leads to a piece of property near the
Everglades, Willie Cuesta finds himself playing cat-and-mouse with several armed men intent on putting an end to the
case and him!
Critique: Another simply riveting Willie Cuesta mystery from imaginative and talented novelist John Lantigua,
"Remember My Face" is certain to be an immediately welcome and enduringly popular addition to community library
Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery
buffs that "Remember My Face" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Active Defense
Lynette Eason
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.revellbooks.com
9780800739645, $29.99, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Active-Defense-Danger-Never-Sleeps/dp/0800739647
Synopsis: As a former field surgeon in Afghanistan, Heather Fontaine is used to life-or-death situations. She just didn't
expect them to follow her home. When she returns from a party to find that someone has broken into her house and
threatened her friends that she assumes it is the stalker who has been following her and creeping her out. She hopes to
find safety and peace of mind by leaving the city and hiding out in a small town. But trouble has followed her even
there.
Luckily, a stalker isn't the only one watching Heather. Travis Walker has been secretly watching out for her for weeks.
As owner of his own security agency, it's what he does. Together, Travis and Heather must figure out who (and why)
someone wants her dead before it's too late!
Critique: An inherently riveting read with a satisfying number of unexpected plot twists and turns, "Active Defense" by
Lynette Eason is an inherently absorbing novel that will be a welcome 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
"Active Defense" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780800729363, $15.99) and in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.79).
The Strange Case of Eliza Doolittle
Timothy Miller
Seventh Street Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
https://www.simonandschuster.com
9781645060215, $15.95, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Strange-Case-Eliza-Doolittle/dp/1645060217
Synopsis: Sherlock Holmes has retired to the Sussex countryside -- that is, until a most formidable puzzle is dropped
upon his doorstep by a certain Colonel Pickering.
One Miss Eliza Doolittle, once nothing more than a cockney guttersnipe, has been transformed into a proper lady of
London (perhaps even a duchess?) as if overnight. When Col. Pickering recovered from a bout of malaria, he was
astounded at the woman before him. Is it possible this transformation is due to nothing more than elocution lessons and
some splendid new hats? Or has Professor Henry Higgins surreptitiously traded one girl for another? And for God's
sake, why?
As the case unfolds, Holmes and Watson find themselves in ever stranger territory. Who are the four identical
"Freddies" pursuing Miss Doolittle? What part do the respected Dr. Jekyll and his malevolent associate, Mr. Hyde, long
thought dead, have to play in this caper? And who the devil is the devilish Baron von Stettin?
"The Strange Case of Eliza Doolittle" by Timothy Miller is an enthralling escapade starring some of Victorian
literature's most beloved characters as part of a historical mystery that will leave its readers fully delighted, quite
perplexed, and positively bewildered!
Critique: A wonderfully entertaining and welcome addition to the ever growing body of Sherlockian literature, "The
Strange Case of Eliza Doolittle" will prove to be an immediately and enduringly popular addition to community library
Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of the legions of dedicated Sherlock
Holmes fans that "The Strange Case of Eliza Doolittle" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Padoskoks
Joseph Bruchac
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
www.oupress.com
9780806168425, $21.95, PB, 202pp
https://www.amazon.com/Padoskoks-American-Literature-Critical-Studies/dp/0806168420
Synopsis: With a bang (or rather, a barrage) Jacob Neptune finds his remote cabin in the Adirondacks besieged by a
gun-toting gang of murderous bikers. With the help of his supersized sidekick Dennis, the hard-headed, wise-cracking
Abenaki private detective traces the source of his troubles to a former adversary who is now running an Indian
casino.
In short order, the friends are drawn into a dangerous mystery that will call upon all of Jake's skills as a martial arts
expert, former special forces soldier, and (in the Abenaki tradition) a metoulin -- one who can see beneath the surface of
things through dreams and visions. Their investigation takes them to the Pacific Northwest, dead center in a vicious
game involving tribal intrigue, a crooked casino, Chinese billions, a captive killer whale, and a series of murders and
disappearances that may be linked to the monster known by Jake's people as Padoskoks, the giant underwater
serpent.
Critique: Like the first of the Jacob Neptune mysteries by Joseph Bruchac, (Chenoo, 9780806152073, $16.95 PB,
$16.10 Kindle, 224pp), "Padoskoks" begins with furious action that just keeps on gathering momentum to an
action-packed and startlingly unexpected conclusion -- all while giving his readers insights into the ancient Abenaki
wisdom and Native American customs. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library
Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs and anyone
with an interest in Native American literature, that "Padoskoks" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $16.19).
Editorial Note: Joseph Bruchac, an Abenaki writer, poet, and storyteller, has written more than 170 books during his
distinguished career. His books, "Keepers of the Earth: Native American Stories" and "Environmental Activities for
Children" are used in classrooms across the country.
Murder on the Metro
Margaret Truman & Jon Land
Jon Land
Forge
c/o Tor/Forge Books
www.tor-forge.com
www.dreamscapeab.com/audiobooks
9781250238870, $27.99, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Margaret-Trumans-Murder-Metro-Capital/dp/1250238870
Synopsis: Israel: A drone-based terrorist attack kills dozens on a sun-splashed beach in Caesarea.
Washington: America awakens to the shattering news that Vice President Stephanie Davenport has died of an apparent
heart attack.
That same morning, a chance encounter on the Washington Metro results in international private investigator Robert
Brixton thwarting an attempted terrorist bombing. Brixton has no reason to suspect that the three incidents have
anything in common, until he's contacted by Kendra Rendine, the Secret Service agent who headed up the vice
president's security detail. Rendine is convinced the vice president was murdered and needs Brixton's investigative
expertise to find out why.
In Israel, meanwhile, legendary anti-terrorist fighter Lia Ganz launches her own crusade against the perpetrators of that
attack which nearly claimed the lives of her and granddaughter. Ganz's trail will ultimately take her to Washington
where she joins forces with Brixton to uncover an impossible link between the deadly attack on Caesarea and the
attempted Metro bombing, as well as the death of the vice president.
The connection lies in the highest corridors of power in Washington where a deadly plot with unimaginable
consequences has been hatched. With the clock ticking toward doomsday, Brixton and Ganz race against time to save
millions of American lives who will otherwise become collateral damage to a conspiracy destined to change the United
States forever.
Critique: A riveting suspense thriller of a novel originally laid out by the late Margaret Truman (February 17, 1924 -
January 29, 2008) and posthumously completed by Jon Land (an American author of thriller novels who is also an
emeritus board member and currently siting on the marketing committee for the International Thriller Writers) is a
simply riveting read from cover to cover. While unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense
collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that "Murder on the Metro" is
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book
(Dreamscape Media, 9781662071003, $22.99, CD).
The Beirut Protocol
Joel C. Rosenberg
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781496437891, $27.99, HC, 464pp
https://www.amazon.com/Beirut-Protocol-Joel-C-Rosenberg/dp/1496437896
Synopsis: A game-changing peace treaty between Israel and the Saudis is nearly done and the American secretary of
state is headed to the region to seal the deal. Special Agent Marcus Ryker is leading an advance trip along the
Israeli-Lebanon border, ahead of the secretary's arrival.
But when Ryker and his team are ambushed by Hezbollah forces, a nightmare scenario begins to unfold. The last thing
the White House can afford is a new war in the Mideast that could derail the treaty and set the region ablaze. U.S. and
Israeli forces are mobilizing to find the hostages and get them home, but Ryker knows the clock is ticking. When
Hezbollah realizes who they've captured, no amount of ransom will save them -- they'll be transferred to Beirut and then
to Tehran to be executed on live television.
Captured, brutalized, and dragged deep behind enemy lines, Marcus Ryker finds himself in the most dangerous
situation he has ever faced. Should he wait to be rescued? Or try to escape? How? And what if his colleagues are too
wounded to run?
Critique: A deftly crafted and wild ride suspense thriller of novel, "The Beirut Protocol" by Joel C. Rosenberg is the
stuff of which block-buster movies are made. With more unexpected plot twists and turns than a Disneyland roller
coaster and certain to be an immediately popular addition to community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Beirut Protocol" is also readily available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $9.80) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781978623514, $29.99,
MP3-CD).
Fatal Intent
Tammy Euliano
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608094165, $26.95, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Fatal-Intent-Tammy-Euliano-MD/dp/1608094162
Synopsis: When her elderly patients start dying at home days after minor surgery, anesthesiologist Dr. Kate Downey
wants to know why. The surgeon, not so much. "Old people die, that's what they do," is his response. When Kate
presses, surgeon Charles Ricken places the blame squarely on her shoulders. Kate is currently on probation, and the
chief of staff sides with the surgeon, leaving Kate to prove her innocence and save her own career. With her husband in
a prolonged coma, it's all she has left.
Aided by her eccentric Great Aunt Irm, a precocious medical student, and the lawyer son of a victim, Kate launches her
own unorthodox investigation of these unexpected deaths. As she comes closer to exposing the culprit's identity, she
faces professional intimidation, threats to her life, a home invasion, and, tragically, the suspicious death of someone
close to her. The stakes escalate to the breaking point when Kate, under violent duress, is forced to choose which of her
loved ones to save -- and which must be sacrificed.
Critique: An inherently compelling page turner of a read from cover to cover, "Fatal Intent" showcases author Tammy
Euliano's impressive talents as a narrative driven storyteller with a deftly ability for creating memorable characters and
unexpected plot twists. While highly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it
should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated Medical Thriller and Women Sleuth fans that "Fatal Intent"
is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.49).
A Deadly Chapter
Essie Lang
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
www.dreamscapeab.com/audiobooks
9781643855769, $26.99, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Chapter-Castle-Bookshop-Mystery-ebook/dp/B08B5DG2MK
Synopsis: Wake up on a houseboat, moored in scenic Alexandria Bay, New York. Ride the gentle waves to work at
quaint Bayside Books, where you spend your days supplying literature and conversation to the charming locals and
seasonal tourists. Sounds pleasant, doesn't it? Except bookseller Shelby Cox has already sleuthed two murders from
Bayside Books's home base on Blye Island, one of New York State's famed Thousand Islands. And this time, mayhem
knocks right on Shelby's waterside door when she finds a body lodged between the side of her houseboat and the dock,
his skull shattered.
The victim is no local, but Shelby can't shake the feeling she's seen him before. Twice, in fact -- that's how many times
he's dropped into Bayside Books asking about an enigmatic woman who lived on Blye Island many years before. The
last time? The day before he was found. But the poor man obviously was killed elsewhere, so who brought him down to
the bay, and why?
When the victim's daughter hits town demanding answers, Shelby takes the case, despite Police Chief Tekla Stone's
usual reservations. But she uncovers more suspects than there are pages in War and Peace, and Shelby can expect no
peace (except the peace of the grave) unless she can turn the page on this grisly mystery.
Critique: Another simply terrific 'whodunnit' mystery novel in author Essie Lang's 'A Castle Bookshop Mystery' series
from Crooked Lane Books, "A Deadly Chapter" is one of those wonderfully entertaining reads that you just can't put
down until that last absorbing page is done. While simply a 'must' for all community library Contemporary
Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of all truly dedicated mystery buffs that
"A Deadly Chapter" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a complete and unabridged
audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781662067969, $19.99, CD).
Someone to Watch Over Me
Dan Bronson
BearManor Media
www.bearmanormedia.com
9781629336510, $29.00, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Someone-Watch-Over-Me-hardback/dp/1629336513
Synopsis: Hollywood, 1947. Jack Shannon, a former actor whose promising career was interrupted by the war and
ended by a facial scar sustained in combat, is now a studio publicist. He jokes that the only thing he knows about
publicity is how to suppress it, but that, in fact, is his real job. He's a fixer who babysits the studio's stars and covers up
their bad behavior.
Everything changes for Jack when Savannah Stevens enters his life. A sex pot star in the mold of Jean Harlow and the
studio's biggest box-office draw, she's a deeply troubled young woman given to emotional breakdowns, unexplained
absences from the set, and time-devouring delays occasioned by her paralyzing insecurities and her insistence on dozens
of takes.
Jack's job is to stay with her 24/7, deliver her to the set on time each day, and make sure she completes her current
picture, a picture on which the future of the studio depends. All goes well until Savannah disappears, and Jack is
assigned the task of finding her -- without revealing to anyone, including the police, that she is missing.
Critique: An impressively original, solidly written, hard boiled Hollywood noir style novel, "Someone To Watch Over
Me" by Dan Bronson is a simply riveting and inherently absorbing read from cover to cover. With many an unexpected
plot twist and turn, "Someone To Watch Over Me" will be a welcome and enduringly popular addition to community
library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that
"Someone To Watch Over Me" is also readily available in a paperback edition, (9781629336503, $19.00).
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Wings of Fire: The Dangerous Gift
Tui T. Sutherland
Scholastic Press
https://www.scholastic.com
9781338214543 $16.99
https://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Gift-Wings-Fire-Book/dp/1338214543
Synopsis: Snowfall didn't expect to be queen of the IceWings at such a young age, but now that she is, she's going to be
the best queen ever. All she has to do is keep her tribe within IceWing territory, where it's safe -- while keeping every
other tribe out, where they belong.
It's a perfect and simple plan, backed up by all the IceWing magic Snowfall can find. That is, until a storm of
unidentified dragons arrives on her shore, looking for asylum.
The foreigners are completely strange and, Snowfall is certain, utterly untrustworthy. But as she escorts the miserable
new tribes out of her kingdom, Snowfall is forced to reconsider her plan. Maybe she can only keep her tribe safe . . . if
she's willing to risk everything.
Critique: Part of the all-ages "Wings of Fire" fantasy series set in a world dominated by dragons, The Dangerous Gift is
the story of young Snowfall, who unexpectedly becomes queen of the IceWings at a young age. She yearns to be a great
queen by isolating her flight within their own territory and keeping all other dragon tribes out, but when desperate
refugees arrive seeking asylum, she is put in a quadary. If the IceWings remain isolated, then who can help them when
the threat that the refugees are fleeing comes to their lands? Written with the flair for unpredictable situations and
unique dragon-personalities that are the hallmark of the Wings of Fire series, The Dangerous Gift is highly
recommended for both personal and public library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that The
Dangerous Gift is also available in a Kindle edition ($10.99).
Wings of Fire: The Dark Secret
Tui T. Sutherland
Scholastic Press
https://www.scholastic.com
9780545349215 $16.99
https://www.amazon.com/Wings-Fire-Book-Four-Secret/dp/0545349214
Synopsis: The New York Times bestselling WINGS OF FIRE saga soars to the mysterious land of the NightWings,
where Starflight must face a terrible choice---his home, or his friends?
In the shadows, trouble is brewing. . .The mysterious NightWings keep everything hidden, from their home and their
queen to their allegiance in the war. Now they've kidnapped their own dragonet of destiny, and Starflight is finally
meeting the rest of his tribe -- whether he wants to or not. The NightWings have also kidnapped several innocent
RainWings, now trapped in the dark, barren, miserable place that is the NightWing kingdom. Starflight wants to help
the RainWings, but he's busy saving his own scales and trying to find a way back to his friends. The fate of two
kingdoms rests in his talons, and with no one to save him, Starflight will have to find a way to be brave... before it's too
late.
Critique: The fourth novel in the "Wings of Fire" all-ages fantasy saga set in a world ruled by dragons, The Dark Secret
focuses on Starflight, one of the five dragonets of destiny prophesied to end a horrendously destructive war between
antangonistic alliances of dragonflights. Starflight belongs to the reclusive NightWings, and his sudden (not to mention
forcible) homecoming is far from pleasant. The NightWing kingdom is a barren, heartless place, and the NightWings
have kidnapped and imprisoned several innocent RainWings. Although Starflight wants to help the RainWings, his own
life is also in danger, and his greatest obstacle just might be his own fears! A captivating, unpredictable, and
character-driven saga (where all the major charcters are dragons!), Wings of Fire: The Dark Secret is highly
recommended for school and public library collections, fantasy connoisseurs, and especially for dragon fans. It should
be noted for personal reading lists that The Dark Secret is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99) and in full-color
graphic novel format (9781338344219, $12.99).
Vengewar
Kevin J. Anderson
Tor Books
c/o Tor/Forge Books
120 Broadway, 22nd Floor, New York, NY 10271
www.tor-forge.com
9781250302137, $29.99, HC, 480pp
https://www.amazon.com/Vengewar-Wake-Dragon-Kevin-Anderson/dp/1250302137
Synopsis: Two continents are at war. The Three Kingdoms and Ishara have been in conflict for a thousand years. But
when an outside threat arises (the reawakening of a powerful ancient race that wants to remake the world) the two
warring nations must somehow set aside generations of hatred to form an alliance against a far more deadly enemy in
Kevin J. Anderson's action/adventure fantasy series 'Wake of the Dragon'.
Book One of the series, "Spine of the Dragon", saw the awakening of the great dragon, and the setting of the kingdoms
at each other's throats.
Now in Book Two, "Vengewar", the Three Kingdoms are shattering under pressure from an inexperienced new King
who is being led by an ambitious regent to ignore the threat of the Wreths, in favor of a Vengewar with Ishara. His
brother and uncle can see only the danger of the Older Race.
In Ishara, the queen lies in a coma, while an ambitious priest seizes power. But he has neither the training nor the talent
to rule a nation -- or even a city. Ishara is in deadly peril, and the Wreths have not even appeared on their
continent.
Critique: Kevin J. Anderson is a past master of both the science fiction and fantasy genres and once again demonstrates
his genuine flair for originality and the kind of narrative storytelling style that provides his legions of fans with an
inherently riveting read from cover to cover. While certain to be an immediately welcome addition to community
library collections, it should be noted for all dedicated fantasy fans that "Vengewar" is also readily available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Auger's Touchstone
Robert Balmanno
Regent Press
2747 Regent St., Berkeley, CA 94705
www.regentpress.net
9781587905360, $15.95, PB, 370pp
https://www.amazon.com/Augers-Touchstone-Wrong-Contemporary-History/dp/1587905361
Synopsis: After a millennium of cultural eclipse, the Earth's human inhabitants have resurrected civilization and
rekindled high tech. But immense challenges loom. The Outer World remains caught up in barbarism. A tech-enriched
plutocracy runs the Inner World. Prosperity is commonplace, but so is poverty and inequality. Schisms roil the Gaia
faith as ancient artifacts come to light. And scientists struggle to convince the public that an errant asteroid could bring
earthly extinction, and thus for humanity the end of the line, if not repelled.
Set in Silicon Valley 27 centuries into the future, "Auger's Touchstone" by Robert Balmanno is a tale of historians,
astronomers, techno-elites, agrarians, believers, dissidents, nihilists, a bruja, and a brilliant young couple living by their
wits and trying to make sense of it all. It's a world much different from ours, but also surprisingly familiar. Ideas and
adventures abound.
"Auger's Touchstone" completes a four-part dystopian, science fiction, apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic series 'The
Blessings of Gaia'.
Critique: An inherently fascinating read from cover to cover, "Auger's Touchstone" is an especially recommended
addition to the personal reading lists of all dedicated science fiction fans, as well as community library Science Fiction
& Fantasy collections.
Editorial Note: "September Snow" is the first novel in author Robert Balmanno's 'The Blessings of Gaia' series takes
place 40 to 80 years in the future. "Runes of Iona" is the second 60 to 110 years in the future. "Embers of the Earth" is
the third 600 years in the future. The final book, "Auger's Touchstone", 2700 years in the future.
The first two novels deal with the profound effects of climate change, accompanied with the development of a "second
half of the 21st century" for of neo-totalitarianism. Book Three deals with a primitive form of theocracy, after the
collapse of civilization.
Each of these books being dystopian are all dark in nature, but they end with a ray of hope. Auger's Touchstone
(showing a high tech Silicon Valley of the far distant future) is also dark, but optimistic.
Each of the books are "stand alones," as is Auger's Touchstone, the final book in the tetralogy. "Auger's Touchstone"
can be read as the "first" in the series, indeed it is the perfect setup for reading the technically first book "September
Snow".
Trader's Leap
Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
www.baen.com
9781982125011, $25.00, HC, 416pp
https://www.amazon.com/Traders-Leap-23-Liaden-Universe%C2%AE/dp/1982125012
Synopsis: There are times when the only bridge between past and future is a leap of faith. Pursued by enemies, exiled
Liaden clan Korval is settling into a new base on backworld Surebleak. Moving is expensive, as is war, and Korval is
strapped for cash. Delm Korval has therefore instructed Master Trader Shan yos'Galan to design and implement new
trade routes, quickly.
But this is no easy task. Dutiful Passage is targeted by Korval's enemies, denied docking at respectable ports, and
cheated at those less respectable. Struggling to recuperate from an attack on his life, while managing daughter Padi's
emerging psychic talents, Shan is running out of options -- and time.
His quest to establish the all-important trade route puts him at odds with his life mate, while doubting crew desert the
ship. Facing the prospect of failure, Shan accepts the assistance of chancy allies and turns the Passage toward a port
only just emerging from Rostov's Dust and awash with strange energies. Without trade, Clan Korval will starve. Will a
trader's leap of faith save everything -- or doom all?
Critique: A new entry for the 'New Liaden Universe' series by collaborative authors Sharon Lee and Steve Miller,
"Trader's Leap" is an inherently riveting, impressively original, compulsive page turner of a science fiction novel that
will prove to be an immediate and enduringly welcome addition to personal reading lists and community library
Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted for all dedicated science fiction fans that "Trader's Leap" is
also readily available in a paperback edition (9781982125677, $8.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Baen Books
P.O. Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 20471
www.baen.com
https://www.amazon.com/Agent-Imperium-Marc-Miller-ebook/dp/B08MLNK1NK
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Jerry-Pournelle-John-Carr/dp/1982125004
Marc Miller's Agent of the Imperium (9781982125073, $16.00 PB, $8.99 Kindle, 368pp) appears in a newly expanded
edition to provide prior fans and newcomers with a novel of the Traveller Universe. Here, Decider Jonathan Bland, who
has killed more people than he can count, lives on when the Imperium reactivities his personality to deal with the latest
threat, until he finally decides to defy his role in their rule. As his adventures involve confrontation and conflict, fans of
the Traveller role-playing game, in particular, will find this story especially engrossing for its deep revision and
expansion.
Old fans of sci-fi greats will appreciate editor John F. Carr's The Best of Jerry Pournelle (9781982125004, $8.99 PB,
$6.99 Kindle, 768pp), which gathers the old-time master's sci-fi shorts under one cover. Newcomers will find his works
lively, driven by technological and social inspection, and especially powerful with new introductions by longtime
Pournelle assistant Carr providing additional background information and reading notes. By including Pournelle's
essays as well as his short fiction, this collection becomes a masterpiece of sci-fi history inspection as well as a worthy
volume in its own right.
The Jobs/Careers Shelf
Workplace Secrets Revealed
Alan L. Oppenheimer, CPA
https://alanloppenheimer.com
Dock Holiday Press
9781735086019, $16.95 PB, $5.99 Kindle, 146pp
https://www.amazon.com/Workplace-Secrets-Revealed-Passing-Generation/dp/1735086010
Workplace Secrets Revealed (Passing the Baton to the Next Generation) provides students entering the workplace for
the first time with a powerful blueprint for success. It focuses on information about jobs and work which can lead
workers to avoid common pitfalls in their efforts to succeed in the workplace.
While one might think this guide would be best presented in college to students who are on the cusp of graduation, high
school students should also read Workplace Secrets Revealed before they enter their first paying job. Workplace Secrets
Revealed covers such basics as whether or not a college education can make a difference, and how to assess the value
of or need for a mentor.
The book opens with a review of the different environments between baby boomers and generations to follow,
exploring how these revised milieus led to different workplace experiences, expectations, and challenges. Students are
advised to carefully consider college benefits versus debt and time spent.
The college chapter discusses the tradeoffs of college and possibility of underemployment despite the four-year
investment of a degree, giving students resources to consider not only how they will enter the work world, but with
what skills and debt levels.
Young adults are encouraged to develop a practical direction that takes into account all these facets and more, including
adding certifications, degrees, and expanded learning into their efforts to boost their achievements without associated
high debt. Students are encouraged to think outside the box of just gaining employment to look at the long-term process
of growth on many levels.
Workplace Secrets Revealed lays out essential tools for thriving within the corporate workplace. This topic is rarely
discussed in college and yet, is critical for employees who are working towards achieving their career goals. From
resolving difficult workplace situations to ways you can improve yourself and marketability, this book is a quick read
and ideal for young adults.
From navigating corporate America and office politics to dealing with coworkers professionally and personally or
facing a career derailment such as COVID, Workplace Secrets Revealed ideally should be given to given to both
college and high school students long before graduation, ideally to be discussed with guidance counselors, parents, or
any adult mentors. Its lessons provide a foundation for success in assessing real-world problems and solutions with an
eye to helping the young worker craft a bigger picture of their goals and how to achieve them.
Careering: The Pocket Guide to Exploring Your Future Career
Tamara S. Raymond
Morgan James Publishing
11815 Fountain Way, Suite 300, Newport News, VA 23606-4448
www.morganjamespublishing.com
168350402X, $9.95, PB, 96pp
https://www.amazon.com/Careering-Pocket-Exploring-Future-Career/dp/168350402X
Synopsis: Tamara Raymond wrote "Careering: The Pocket Guide to Exploring Your Future Career " to help young
adults avoid the traps she fell into as a result of struggling to figure out her career path after college. Today, this
successful leadership development coach shares her hard-learned lessons to help you quickly identify your passions and
strengths so you can find your way in the world of work -- and avoid spending years of your life in a job that is wrong
for you.
A concise and easy-to-read pocket guide, "Careering" helps you to: Evaluate your interests, skills, and passions; Identify
jobs, internships, and volunteer positions that align with your personal gifts; Identify multiple career exploration
avenues, from camps to summer jobs; Put together a resume and references, even if you've never had a "real" job; Learn
how to network, apply for jobs, and develop interviewing skills; Learn how to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities;
Learn how not to use social media if you want to land a job -- and to do so much more!
Young adulthood is the best time to explore, experience, and eliminate possible career paths. "Careering" will help you
do all three -- and get you on the path that is right for you!
Critique: Expertly written, deftly organized, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in presentation, "Careering: The Pocket
Guide to Exploring Your Future Career" is as informed and informative as it is motivationally inspired and inspiring.
Especially recommended for college students with planning their future job and career aspirations, "Careering" would
also prove beneficial for anyone having to re-join the work force after a sustained absence in these pandemic driven
times. An ideal DIY employment planing instructional guide and manual, "Careering" is especially and unreservedly
recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Jobs/Careers collections. It should
be noted for students and job seekers that "Careering" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$8.49).
Editorial Note: Tamara S. Raymond is the founder of Innovative Management Consulting (IMC), a premier consulting
firm that helps individuals be extraordinary in their careers. She also helps organizations nurture leaders. She holds a
bachelor's degree in psychology from Lawrence University. She also holds a master's degree in organizational sciences
with a concentration in management and a graduate level certificate in leadership coaching from George Washington
University. She is also certified in The Birkman Method -- one of the most influential personality assessments for
people across the globe.
Fast-Starting a Career of Consequence
Fred Sievert
Morgan James Publishing
11815 Fountain Way, Suite 300, Newport News, VA 23606-4448
https://www.morgan-james-publishing.com
9781631953583, $16.99, PB, 236pp
https://www.amazon.com/Fast-Starting-Career-Consequence-Christ-Centered-Re-entering/dp/1631953583
Synopsis: Many young, ambitious Christians are struggling to get noticed as new hires in the workplace today -- not
only young people, but those re-entering the workforce following military service, child-rearing, or after being
furloughed due to Covid-19. These workers may find it challenging to stand out from the crowd while also maintaining
their Christian values and ethics.
"Fast-Starting a Career of Consequence: Practical Christ-Centered Advice for Entering or Re-entering the Workforce"
by Fred Sievert is the ideal guide for those looking to create a strong, faith-based foundation to further boost their
careers.
Fred Sievert knows from personal experience because his relationship with Jesus Christ and trust in God were the
biggest factors in advancing his career toward eventually becoming the president of a Fortune 100 company. Within
"Fast-Starting a Career of Consequence", is the advice Fred gave his own daughter as she entered the workforce for the
first time. It provides those seeking a career with ten practical and effective tips they can implement to rapidly gain
visibility and early success.
Fred encourages readers to identify and use their spiritual gifts and apply other key biblical principles as they embark on
a new career. Those seeking a career are encouraged throughout Fast Starting a Career of Consequence with relevant
scriptural references.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Fast-Starting a Career of Consequence: Practical
Christ-Centered Advice for Entering or Re-entering the Workforce" is as 'real world practical' as is inspired and
motivating. Timely considering the currently pandemic caused economic recession marked by massive job losses not
seen since the Great Depression, and timeless considering the need for all practicing Christians being honorably
employed in order to support themselves, their families, and their church within the context of a Christian community,
"Fast-Starting a Career of Consequence: Practical Christ-Centered Advice for Entering or Re-entering the Workforce"
is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, church, community, college, and
university library Jobs/Careers collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Fast-Starting a Career of
Consequence" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.49).
Editorial Note: Fred Sievert is actively engaged in writing, teaching, mentoring young executives, serves on the boards
of five nonprofit organizations and two for-profit corporations, and follows his calling into the ministry created by his
first book, "God Revealed". His second book "Grace Revealed", recounts stories of people in severe crises who found
relief and recovery through their faith and personal relationships with Christ. A frequent speaker, Fred addresses
audiences ranging in size from small book clubs and Bible-study classes to large national conventions. He has
completed more than 50 television and radio interviews, which include appearances on Fox & Friends, the Fox
Business Channel, and the Daystar Christian network.
The Christian Studies Shelf
Walking with Francis of Assisi
Bruce G. Epperly
Franciscan Media
https://info.franciscanmedia.org
9781632533319, $16.99, PB, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Walking-Francis-Assisi-Privilege-Activism/dp/1632533316
Synopsis: From a pilgrimage through the streets of Assisi to contemplative walks on the beaches near his home, Pastor
Bruce Epperly has pondered the questions of privilege, prayer, and social justice while walking with the teachings of
Francis of Assisi. From his roots in reformation traditions, he has a deep understanding of the call Francis received to
rebuild the church and the need for constant reformation not only in our personal lives but also in our society and in our
religious institutions. He knows that change comes from within, from listening to the spirit of God as we engage in
contemplative listening. And all this has been distilled into the pages of "Walking with Francis of Assisi: From
Privilege to Activism ".
Critique: An inherently absorbing read that is as thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring,
"Walking with Francis of Assisi: From Privilege to Activism" is especially and unreservedly recommended for church,
seminary, community, college, and university library Christian Studies collections in general, and Francis of Assisi
supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminary students,
clergy, and all members of the Christian community at large that "Walking with Francis of Assisi: From Privilege to
Activism" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Rev. Dr. Bruce G. Epperly has served as a congregational pastor, university chaplain, professor, and
seminary administrator for over forty years. He is currently Senior Pastor of South Congregational Church, United
Church of Christ, Centerville, Massachusetts. He is the author of more than fifty books on practical theology, ministry,
and spirituality, healing and wholeness, and process theology, including The Mystic in You: Discovering a God-filled
World, the award-winning Tending to the Holy: The Practice of the Presence of God in Ministry, and Mystics in
Action: Twelve Saints for Today.
Science and the Christian Faith
Christopher C. Knight
SVS Press
575 Scarsdale Road, Yonkers, NY 10707
www.svspress.com
9780881416718, $22.00, PB, 232pp
https://www.amazon.com/Science-Christian-Faith-Guide-Perplexed/dp/0881416711
Synopsis: How do we understand and articulate our Christian faith in the age of science? Are the two in conflict? Fr.
Christopher Knight (a theologian who also holds a doctorate in astrophysics) is well-equipped to guide us through these
questions. In the pages of "Science and the Christian Faith: A Guide for the Perplexed " he argues that not only is there
no conflict between faith and science, but our contemporary scientific world view can be deepened and refined by
engagement with the riches of the ancient Orthodox tradition.
Critique: The newest title in the outstanding SVS Press 'Foundations' series, "Science and the Christian Faith: A Guide
for the Perplexed" is ideal for seminary students, clergy, and the non-specialist general reader struggling with apparent
contradictions between an Orthodox Christian theology and the continuing advances of science. While thoughtful,
thought-provoking, and very highly recommended for seminary, church, community, and academic library Christian
Orthodox collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Science and the Christian Faith: A Guide for the
Perplexed" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Editorial Note: Christopher C. Knight holds a Ph.D. in astrophysics and serves as a priest of the Orthodox Church. He is
a Senior Research Associate of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies in Cambridge, England.
Come into the Silence
Thomas Merton
Ave Maria Press
PO Box 428, Notre Dame, IN 46556
www.avemariapress.com
9781646800414, $10.95, PB, 96pp
https://www.amazon.com/Come-Silence-Great-Spiritual-Teacher/dp/1646800419
Synopsis: "Come into the Silence" is an easy-to-use devotional for all those seeking peace, stillness, and solitude in a
busy and noisy world. Part of the bestselling 30 Days with a Great Spiritual Teacher series from Ave Maria Press,
"Come into the Silence" invites you into the contemplative life through the words of Thomas Merton (1915 - 1968) --
who was one of the most popular spiritual masters of the twentieth century.
In his journals, letters, and spiritual writings such as New Seeds of Contemplation, Merton explored the tension
between the human longing for both connection and solitude. Merton, a Trappist monk at the Abbey of Gethsemani,
offered a model of contemplative life that allowed him to be deeply engaged with pressing issues of the time, including
the nonviolent civil rights movement.
Requiring only a few minutes each day, "Come into the Silence" helps you realize how God sees you and to embrace
his divine vision of you and each person you encounter. This devotional also allows you to reflect deeply on the
fundamental longings for meaning, belonging, and intimacy as well as the call to service and social justice in your
life.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, thoughtfully contemplative and insightfully thought-provoking, "Come into the
Silence" is unreservedly recommended reading -- especially for members of the Roman Catholic faith. It should be
noted for the personal reading lists of seminary students, clergy, and congregational members that "Come into the
Silence" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49).
Editorial Note: Each book in the 30 Days with a Great Spiritual Teacher series provides a month of daily readings from
one of Christianity's most beloved spiritual guides. For each day there is a brief and accessible morning meditation
drawn from the mystic's writings, a simple mantra for use throughout the day, and a night prayer to focus one's thoughts
as the day ends. These easy-to-use books are the perfect prayer companion for busy people who want to root their
spiritual practice in the solid ground of these great spiritual teachers.
Conspicuous in His Absence
Chloe T. Sun
http://www.chloesunphd.com
IVP Academic
c/o InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830854882, $34.00, PB, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Conspicuous-His-Absence-Studies-Esther/dp/0830854886
Synopsis: In the biblical canon there are two books which lack any explicit reference to the name of God: Song of
Songs and Esther. God's peculiar absence in these texts is unsettling, both for theological discourse and for believers
considering implications for their own lived experience.
In "Conspicuous in His Absence: Studies in the Song of Songs and Esther", Professor Chloe T. Sun takes on the
challenges of God's absence by exploring the often overlooked theological connections between these two Old
Testament books. Professor Sun examines and reflects on the Song of Songs and Esther using theological
interpretation. She addresses three main questions: What is the nature of God as revealed in texts that don't use his
name? How do we think of God when he is perceived to be absent? What should we do when God is silent or
hidden?
The experience of God's absence or silence is an important part of the human condition. By exploring the distinct
themes and perspectives of Song of Songs and Esther, as well as how they've been received in Jewish and Christian
history, Professor Sun demonstrates how both books serve as counter texts to the depiction of God and his work in the
rest of the Hebrew Scriptures. Thus both contribute to a fuller picture of who God is and what it means to know
him.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented for the benefit of seminary students, clergy, and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject, "Conspicuous in His Absence: Studies in the Song of Songs
and Esther" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, clerical, community, and church
Biblical Studies collections and study lists. It should be noted for the benefit of all members of the Christian community
that "Conspicuous in His Absence: Studies in the Song of Songs and Esther" is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $25.49).
Editorial Note: Chloe Sun is a professor of Old Testament (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) at Logos Evangelical
Seminary, California. She writes and publishes in both English and Chinese. Her hobbies include reading, traveling,
swimming, jogging and watching Netflix. She maintains an informative website at http://www.chloesunphd.com
After Doubt
A. J. Swoboda
Brazos Press
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.brazospress.com
9781587435362, $29.99, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/After-Doubt-Question-Without-Losing/dp/1587435365
Synopsis: Is there a way to walk faithfully through doubt and come out the other side with a deeper love for Jesus, the
church, and its tradition? Can we question our faith without losing it?
Author, pastor, and professor A. J. Swoboda has witnessed many young people wrestle with their core Christian beliefs.
Too often, what begins as a set of critical and important questions turns to resentment and faith abandonment.
Unfortunately, the church has largely ignored its task of serving people along their journey of questioning. The local
church must walk alongside those who are deconstructing their faith and show them how to reconstruct it.
Drawing on his own experience of deconstruction, with the publication of "After Doubt: How to Question Your Faith
Without Losing It ", Swoboda offers tools to help emerging adults navigate their faith in a hostile landscape. Doubt is a
part of our natural spiritual journey, says Swoboda, and deconstruction is a legitimate space to encounter the living
God.
"After Doubt" offers a hopeful, practical vision of spiritual formation for those in the process of faith deconstruction
and those who serve them.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "After Doubt: How to Question Your Faith Without Losing It" will prove exceptional
and invaluable reading for any Christian (regardless of their denominational affiliation) who finds themselves
struggling with maintaining their faith when confronted with doubts and seemingly overwhelming and problems. While
highly recommended additions to church, seminary, and community library Christian Spiritual Growth and Religious
Faith collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "After Doubt: How to Question Your Faith Without
Losing It" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781587434518, $18.99) and in a digital book format
(Kindle, $13.69).
Editorial Note: A. J. Swoboda is an assistant professor of Bible, theology, and world Christianity at the Bushnell
University in Eugene, Oregon, and leads a Doctor of Ministry cohort on the Holy Spirit and leadership at Fuller
Theological Seminary. He is also the author or editor of numerous books, including Subversive Sabbath, winner of a
Christianity Today Book Award (Spiritual Formation) and an Award of Merit for CT's Beautiful Orthodoxy Book of the
Year. He speaks regularly at conferences, churches, camps, and retreats. Swoboda served for ten years as the lead pastor
at Theophilus Church in urban Portland, is the founder and former director of Blessed Earth Northwest, and served as
executive director of the Seminary Stewardship Alliance.
Sacred Time: Embracing an Intentional Way of Life
Christine Valters Paintner
Ave Maria Press
PO Box 428, Notre Dame, IN 46556
www.avemariapress.com
9781932057225, $16.95, PB, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Time-Embracing-Intentional-Life/dp/1932057226
Synopsis: We live in a secular world where there never seems to be enough time for all we want and need to do. In
"Sacred Time: Embracing an Intentional Way of Life", Christine Valters Paintner guides us as we move beyond our
own lives and embrace a world that urges us toward rest, reflection, and growth.
In "Sacred Time", Paintner, who is the abbess of the online Abbey of the Arts, shows us how by becoming in tune with
the rhythms of the natural world, we can live more intentionally and experience a conversion toward a more expansive
way of being. Paintner introduces us to the eight cycles of sacred time that exist in our everyday lives.
These cycles that can ground us through our busy lives are: breath, rhythms of the day, weekly rhythms and Sabbath
rest, waxing and waning lunar cycles, seasons of the year, seasons of a lifetime, ancestral time, and cosmic time.
Each of these cycles encourages us to mindfully consider the time that passes as quickly as each breath and as slowly as
the passing of generations. Within each individual cycle, we find wisdom from sacred tradition and the saints, including
St. Benedict, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and St. Hildegard of Bingen; room for growth; and the presence of the Divine.
Along the way, we are also given scriptural guidance, and we are invited to spiritual practices and creative explorations
that will help deepen our understanding of each cycle, allow that understanding to take root in our lives, and expand our
lives beyond the pressures of each day.
Critique: Impressively thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Sacred Time: Embracing an Intentional Way of Life" is an
exceptionally contemplative, inspired and inspiring read and one that is especially recommended for clergy, seminary
students, and lay members of the Christian community. While highly recommended for church, seminary, community,
college, and university library Christian Living and Religion/Spirituality collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Sacred Time" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Christine Valters Paintner is the online abbess for Abbey of the Arts, a virtual monastery offering
classes and resources on contemplative practice and creative expression. She earned a doctorate in Christian spirituality
from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, and achieved professional status as a registered
expressive arts consultant and educator from the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association. She is also trained
as a spiritual director and supervisor. Paintner is also the author of fifteen books on monasticism and creativity,
including Earth, Our Original Monastery; The Soul's Slow Ripening; Water, Wind, Earth, and Fire; The Artist's Rule;
The Soul of a Pilgrim; Illuminating the Way; The Wisdom of the Body; and two collections of poetry. She is a
Benedictine oblate living in Galway, Ireland, with her husband, John, and together they lead writing retreats and
pilgrimages in Ireland, Scotland, Austria, and Germany, as well as online retreats at their website
AbbeyoftheArts.com.
Gospel-Driven Ministry
Jared C. Wilson
Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530
www.zondervan.com
9780310111566, $22.99, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Gospel-Driven-Ministry-Introduction-Calling-Pastor/dp/0310111560
Synopsis: From the beginning of his ministry, Jesus called and equipped individuals who would serve his community of
followers. These "shepherds" are called to preach, pray, and care for the needs of God's people. But what does it mean
to be a pastor? And what is the nature of this ministry, according to the Bible?
In his book, "Gospel-Driven Ministry: An Introduction to the Calling and Work of a Pastor", Professor Jared Wilson
begins by looking at the qualifications for the pastorate, addressing the notion of a call to ministry and how an
individual (and a church community) can best identify the marks of maturity and affirm a call.
In each chapter, Professor Wilson looks at one of the core practices of pastoral ministry, including: Preaching Sermons;
Developing a Vibrant Prayer Life; Caring and Counseling; Pastoring Married and Single; Gospel-Centered Leadership;
Fighting Sin and Spiritual Warfare; Resolving Conflict; Passing on the Ministry to Others.
In addition, Professor Wilson provides practical resources including theological insights on baptism and the Lord's
Supper, guidance for wedding and funeral sermons, outlines for leading elder and deacon meetings, tips for
interviewing new pastors, questions to ask at ordination, and advice on knowing when and how to leave a pastor role.
"Gospel Driven Ministry" is a comprehensive, practical guide to pastoral ministry that prepares new pastors and equips
those currently serving for long-term, healthy ministry.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, impressively organized, and effectively presented, "Gospel-Driven Ministry: An
Introduction to the Calling and Work of a Pastor" is an ideal and comprehensive instructional guide that should be a
'must read' selection for seminary students and has a great deal of inspirational value for anyone new to a pulpit, as well
as even the more experienced clergyman. While unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, seminary,
church, and academic library Christian Leadership and Pastoral Resources collections, it should be noted for the
personal reading list of anyone with an interest in Christian Evangelism that "Gospel-Driven Ministry" is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Jared C. Wilson is the Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry at Spurgeon College, the author in
residence of Midwestern Seminary, the general editor of For the Church, and the Director of the Pastoral Training
Center at Liberty Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri. His books include Your Jesus Is Too Safe, Gospel
Wakefulness, The Imperfect Disciple, and Supernatural Power for Everyday People.
How to Eat Your Bible
Nate Pickowicz
Moody Publishers
820 N. LaSalle Blvd., Chicago, IL 60610
www.moodypublishers.com
9780802420398, $13.99, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/How-Eat-Your-Bible-Approach/dp/0802420397
Synopsis: If you're feeling distant from God, could it be because you're ignoring His Word as recorded in the Bible? But
maybe you don't know where to start. Maybe the long books and strange names comprising the various parts of the
Bible feel overwhelming. Maybe you just don't like reading.
Whatever the case, "How to Eat Your Bible: A Simple Approach to Learning and Loving the Word of God" by Pastor
Nate Pickowicz will help you cultivate an appetite for life-long study of God's Word. Here provided is 'real world'
practical guidance for overcoming the hurdles that have kept you from making Bible study a regular part of your life.
You'll also become encouraged to pursue God's Word by learning how other Christians throughout time maintained this
crucial practice.
Pastor Pickowicz also includes a unique Seven Year Bible Plan so that you can apply what you've learned and continue
drawing near to God as you consume His Word.
Critique: Thoroughly and impressively 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "How to Eat Your Bible: A
Simple Approach to Learning and Loving the Word of God" is a unique instructional guide and resource for launching a
DIY approach to regular bible study. While especially recommended for anyone feeling insecure when approaching
bible studies whether singularly or in a group, "How to Eat Your Bible: A Simple Approach to Learning and Loving the
Word of God" is also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Nate Pickowicz (B.A., Muhlenberg College, M.A., Trinity Theological Seminary) is the pastor of
Harvest Bible Church in Gilmanton Iron Works, New Hampshire. He is the author and editor of several books
including 'Reviving New England,' 'Why We're Protestant,' and 'The American Puritans.' Additionally, he has written
for Table Talk and Credo, and is one of the founding members of Reformanda, a ministry with the aim of promoting
sound doctrine.
Radiant Church
Tara Beth Leach
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830847624, $16.99, PB, 216pp
https://www.amazon.com/Radiant-Church-Restoring-Credibility-Witness/dp/0830847626
Synopsis: Many Christians are alarmed by the decline in church attendance and seek a reason why. Too often, we point
the finger away from the church, make culture the enemy, and build walls between us and others. But our antagonism
and enemy-making are toxins that further eat away at our witness.
Is there a better way? Tara Beth Leach could easily be one of those millennials giving up on the church. Instead, she is a
pastor who loves the church and is paradoxically hopeful for its future. In an era where the church has lost much of its
credibility, Leach casts a radiant vision for Christians to rediscover a robust, attractive witness.
We need to name the toxic soil we've grown in, repent for past wrongs, and lean into a better way to become the church
that Jesus proclaimed we would be. Leach casts down idolatrous false images of God to recover a winsome picture of a
kingdom of abundance and goodness. We can be sustained by practices that will tune our hearts to God's and form us
into the radiant communities God intends for us and those around us.
Critique: Whether its pedophile priests in the Roman Catholic Church, adulterous pastors in the Protestant Church, or
Fundamentalist Christians supporting an immoral, unethical, and criminal man for the American Presidency in
exchange for conservative judge appointments and the backing of their side of social issues ranging from abortion to
homosexual suppression, the traditional church has been experience a loss of perceived integrity, sanctity, and appeal to
current and new generations of potential members. That's why such clarion calls such as Tara Beth Leach's "Radiant
Church: Restoring the Credibility of Our Witness" to a renewed spirituality based on traditional Christian values as
outlined in the New Testament is such a vital and necessary counter argument to the cynicism of so many congregants
today. While highly recommended for church, seminary, and community library Ecclesiology Christian Theology,
Christian Church Growth, and Christian Church Leadership collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Radiant Church" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.14).
Editorial Note: Tara Beth Leach is a pastor at Christ Church of Oak Brook in the western suburbs of Chicago. She
previously served as senior pastor of First Church of the Nazarene of Pasadena ("PazNaz") in Southern California and
has pastored in Illinois and New York. She is a graduate of Olivet Nazarene University and Northern Theological
Seminary. She is a regular writer for Missio Alliance and writes and speaks widely about women in ministry and church
leadership. She is also the author of "Emboldened" and "Forty Days on Being a Six".
The Judaic Studies Shelf
Mishkan HaSeder: A Passover Haggadah
Rabbi Hara E. Person, author
Jessica Greenbaum, author
Tobi Kahan, artwork
CCAR Press
355 Lexington Avenue, 8th floor, New York, NY 10017
www.ccarpress.org
9780881233810, $21.95, PB, 226pp
https://www.ccarpress.org/shopping_product_detail.asp?pid=50544
Synopsis: Combining age-old texts, fresh insights, inspiring poetry, new translations, and breathtaking art, "Mishkan
HaSeder: A Passover Haggadah" sets a new standard. Using the beloved format of Mishkan T'filah and Mishkan
HaNefesh, this Haggadah offers beautiful new translations by Rabbis Janet and Sheldon Marder in conversation with an
extraordinary collection of poetry from a diverse array of poets.
The running commentary by Rabbis Oren Hayon, Seth Limmer, and Amy Scheinerman draws out the historic
background of the seder rituals, builds on the social justice issues of our day, and offers contemporary connections to
Passover. The text is complemented by full-color works from acclaimed artist Tobi Kahn that will enhance any seder
experience.
"Mishkan HaSeder" also features poetry by Yehuda Amichai, Ellen Bass, Lucille Clifton, Edward Hirsch, Ross Gay,
Emma Lazarus, Denise Levertov, Ada Limon, Grace Paley, Dan Pagis, Adrienne Rich, and many more. Equally suited
to home and community celebrations, this is a Haggadah for today and tomorrow. "Mishkan HaSeder" has the depth to
stimulate experienced seder leaders while its accessible explanations will make those joining our tables for the first
time feel welcome.
Critique: This bilingual (English/Hebrew) edition of "Mishkan HaSeder: A Passover Haggadah" will prove to be a
prized and enduringly appreciated addition to personal, family, synagogue, college, and university library Contemporary
Judaic Studies collections. It should be noted for personal use that "Mishkan HaSeder: A Passover Haggadah" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Buddhist Studies Shelf
The Woman Who Raised the Buddha
Wendy Garling
Shambhala Publications, Inc.
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-4544
www.shambhala.com
9781611806694, $18.95, PB, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Woman-Raised-Buddha-Extraordinary-Mahaprajapati/dp/1611806690
Synopsis: Mahaprajapati was the only mother the Buddha ever knew. His birth mother, Maya, died shortly after
childbirth, and her sister Mahaprajapati took the infant to her breast, nurturing and raising him into adulthood. While
there is a lot of ambiguity overall in the Buddha's biography, this detail remains consistent across all Buddhist traditions
and literature.
"The Woman Who Raised the Buddha: The Extraordinary Life of Mahaprajapati" by Wendy Garling is first full
biography of Mahaprajapati and lays out her life story, with particular attention to her early years as sister, queen,
matriarch, and mother, as well as her later years as a nun.
Drawing from story fragments and canonical records, author and biographer Wendy Garling reveals just how
exceptional Mahaprajapati's role was as leader of the first generation of Buddhist women, helping the Buddha establish
an equal community of lay and monastic women and men. Mother to the Buddha, mother to early Buddhist women,
mother to the Buddhist faith, Mahaprajapati's journey is finally presented as one interwoven with the founding of
Buddhism.
Critique: A work of exceptional scholarship that has created an impressively informative biography that reads with all
the compelling interest of a well honed novel, "The Woman Who Raised the Buddha: The Extraordinary Life of
Mahaprajapati" must be considered as a 'must read' volume for all Buddhists. Having an immense value for both
academia and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the subject, "The Woman Who Raised the Buddha" is
especially and unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library Buddhist Studies collections.
It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Woman Who Raised the Buddha" is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: A Tibetan Buddhist practitioner, Wendy has studied with teachers of different schools and lineages,
foremost her refuge lama His Holiness the 16th Karmapa (who gave her the name Karma Dhonden Lhamo), her kind
root lama, the late Sera Je Geshe Acharya Thubten Loden, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama whom she first met in
1979. From 1991-92 she coordinated the Georgia chapter of the International Year of Tibet, helping to bring many
Tibetan cultural and religious events to Atlanta and Emory University. Pilgrimage has played an important role in
Wendy's life: in 2007 she journeyed to the sites of women saints in Tibet, and in 2012 and 2018 to sacred sites of the
Buddha in India. Her dream is to bring back the stories of Buddhism's first women, reawaken their voices, and ensure
that they are not just remembered, but valorized as integral to the roots of Buddhism.
The Religion/Spirituality Shelf
All about the Amish: Answers to Common Questions
Karen M. Johnson-Weiner
Herald Press
P.O. Box 866, Harrisonburg, VA 22803
www.heraldpress.com
9781513806297, $14.99, HC, 128pp
https://www.amazon.com/All-about-Amish-Answers-Questions/dp/1513806297
Synopsis: Do the Amish pay taxes? Are they Christians? Why do they use horses and buggies but agree to ride in other
people's cars? And how can they even survive in the contemporary world?
In the pages of "All about the Amish: Answers to Common Questions", Amish expert Karen Johnson-Weiner answers
these and other top questions people have about the Old Order Amish. After more than thirty years of being friends with
the Amish and studying their faith and culture, Karen offers authoritative answers to the most common questions about
their unique lifestyle, beliefs, churches, schools, and more!
Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "All about the Amish: Answers to Common Questions" is an
invaluable and thoroughly 'user friendly' informational resource that is unreservedly recommended for anyone with
questions about Amish culture and beliefs. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "All about the Amish:
Answers to Common Questions" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.49).
The Gardening Shelf
Plant: House Plants - Choosing, Styling, Caring
Gynelle Leon
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784727062, $19.99, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Plant-plants-choosing-styling-caring/dp/1784727067
Synopsis: House plants can dramatically alter the decor and ambiance of a home. A flash of color, a calming influence,
expertly selected house plants are adaptable, affordable and (if you know how) easy to care for.
In "Plant: House Plants - Choosing, Styling, Caring", horticultural expert Gynelle Leon, gives you all the knowledge
you need to help your plants thrive including: A plant gallery showcasing some of the very best house plants; A chapter
of styling ideas to inspire you to show your plants and their best; A care guide with all you need to know to help your
plants thrive.
Critique: With an informed and informative commentary and guide that is nicely illustrated with full color photography,
"Plant: House Plants - Choosing, Styling, Caring" is an ideal DIY introduction to the use and utility of houseplants and
will be a welcome and enduringly appreciated addition to personal, professional, and community library Contemporary
Gardening and Home Interior Decorating collections and instructional reading lists. It should be noted that "Plant:
House Plants - Choosing, Styling, Caring" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note: Gynelle Leon is an internationally recognized house plant expert and founder of PRICK - - one of the
world's first shops dedicated to cacti and succulents. An award-winning plant photographer, Gynelle has worked with
the Royal Horticultural Society and been featured in the Financial Times, Huffington Post, Monocle and i-D, among
others.
The First-time Gardener
Jessica Sowards
Cool Springs Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9780760368725, $26.99, PB, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/First-time-Gardener-Vegetables-encouragement-First-Time/dp/0760368724
Synopsis: Homesteader Jessica Sowards, the warm and energetic host of YouTube's Roots and Refuge Farm, is the
perfect teacher for new gardeners, and in the pages of "The First-time Gardener: Growing Vegetables" offers not just
experienced know-how but motivating inspiration and time-management tips for gardening success.
"The First-time Gardener: Growing Vegetables" covers such basic gardening questions as: Where do I put my new
garden?; How do I prepare the soil?; What vegetables should I plant?; Is it better to start new plants from seed or should
I buy transplants?; What about watering, feeding, and taking care of my garden?; What do I do if bugs show up?
"The First-time Gardener: Growing Vegetables" also shows: How to design an eco-friendly layout; How to grow with
the seasons; How to maximize your harvest, even if you only grow in a small space
A single growing season is all it takes to fall in love with growing your own healthy, organic, nutrient-dense food. With
"The First-time Gardener: Growing Vegetables" as their instructional guide, even the most novice of beginning
gardeners will soon discover all the satisfactions, challenges, and great joys of growing your own food garden.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout in full color photography, "The First-time Gardener: Growing
Vegetables" is the ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, school, and community library Gardening
& Horticulture instructional reference collections.
Editorial Note: "The First-time Gardener: Growing Vegetables" is part of The First-Time Gardener's Guides series from
Cool Springs Press, which also includes The First-Time Gardener: Growing Plants and Flowers. Each book in The
First-Time Gardener's Guides series is aimed at beginner gardeners and offers clear, fact-based information that's
presented in a friendly and accessible way, including step-by-step instructions and full-color illustrations
throughout.
Eat What You Grow
Alys Fowler
Kyle Books
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
http://www.kylebooks.com
9780857838988, $26.99, HC, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Eat-What-You-Sow-undemanding/dp/0857838989
Synopsis: Imagine an urban homeowner's garden that is as beautiful as it is productive, that gives you fresh,
wholesome, chemical-free food with flavors that go beyond anything shops can offer.
In the pages of "Eat What You Grow: How to have an undemanding edible garden that is both beautiful and
productive", professional gardener and horticulturalist Alys Fowler shows you how to create a rich, biodiverse garden
that feeds not only you, but supports a wide range of pollinators, bees and butterflies, as well as other wildlife. Ranging
from perennial vegetables that come back year after year, to easy-to-grow delights, she has selected plants that hold
their own in both the garden and on the plate. And tells you how to raise these plants, guiding you through the process
of feeding your soil, saving seed and taking cuttings to increase your supplies.
"Eat What You Grow" also covers every size garden with tips on what can grow in containers (for smaller gardens) as
well as harvesting throughout the year -- as well as teaching you simple and effective design tools that will ensure your
garden looks striking and wild, brings joy to your world and feeds you day after day.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated throughout, "Eat What You Grow: How to have an undemanding edible garden that is
both beautiful and productive" begins with an informative introduction and then is accessibly organized into The
Basics, The Fillers, The Toppings, and then the Additional Spaces (The Edible Water Garden; The Window Box; The
Shaded Garden). Whether a novice beginner or a seasoned semi-professional, "Eat What You Grow" will prove to be a
welcome, practical, inspirational, and appreciated addition to personal, professional, and community library
Contemporary Gardening instructional guide and manual collections. It should be noted for personal reading and
reference lists that "Eat What You Grow" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: President of the Herb Society, Alys Fowler is a gardener, writer and presenter. She writes a weekly
column on gardening for the Guardian Weekend magazine. She has contributed to Gardens Illustrated, The Observer
Food Monthly, The National Geographic and Country Living. Alys trained at Royal Horticultural Society, Wisley, The
New York Botanical Gardens and The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. She has written seven books including The Thrifty
Gardener, The Edible Garden, The Thrifty Forager, Abundance, Hidden Nature and A Modern Herbal. She has
presented on BBC's Gardeners' World, The Great British Garden Revival, Our Food, and her own six-part series The
Edible Garden. She has keen interest in agriculture and food politics and is setting up an urban farm in Birmingham,
UK. She recently helped design the Greenwich Peninsula Gardens.
The Flower Yard
Arthur Parkinson
Kyle Books
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
http://www.kylebooks.com
9780857839176, $26.99, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Flower-Yard-growing-flamboyant-containers/dp/0857839179
Synopsis: Arthur Parkinson was trained at Kew Gardens and after graduating went to work for Sarah Raven at her farm
in East Sussex to pursue his passion for growing cut flowers. He later became gardener for the potter, Emma
Bridgewater, at her factory in Stoke-on-Trent. The garden he designed there, featuring his beloved chickens, received
great acclaim and became the focus for his first book, "The Pottery Gardener".
In spring 2018, Arthur was named as one of the UK's young gardening stars by Architectural Digest. Arthur writes for
the Telegraph, taking his own photographs of flowers and poultry, and has appeared on BBC 2's Gardeners' World. He
lives in Nottinghamshire but he still travels regularly to Sussex where he assists Sarah Raven with her floristry. He can
be followed at @arthurparkinson_
Arthur Parkinson's own town garden is like a path of pots, a tiny, exposed stage on bricks. Despite its small size, a
flower-filled jungle in Venetian tones is grown here each year, in defiance of urbanisation. The plants act like drapes,
closing gently as their growth engulfs the front door, from either side of the path, to the buzz of precious bees.
This is gardening done entirely in pots, yet on a grand scale that will inspire anyone who wants their doorstep or patio
to be a glamorous and lively canvas that nurtures them visually and mentally. From jewel scatterings of crocus, flocks
of parrot tulips and scented sweet peas to galaxies of single dahlias, towering giraffes of amaryllises grown inside for
winter and endless vases of cut blooms through the seasons.
In the pages of "The Flower Yard: Growing Flamboyant Flowers in Containers", Arthur shares his life, knowledge, flair
and influences for planting creatively, all of which combine to create a space that's rich in ever-changing color and
life.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "The Flower Yard: Growing Flamboyant Flowers in
Containers" is a delightfully inspiring read from cover to cover and will prove to be an immediately welcome and
enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, and community library Contemporary Gardening collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that 'The Flower Yard: Growing Flamboyant Flowers in Containers" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
The Needlecraft Shelf
Amigurumi Crochet: Farm and Forest Animals
Kristen Rask
Becker &Mayer! Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9780760368541, $19.99, PB, 128pp
https://www.amazon.com/Amigurumi-Crochet-Farm-Forest-Animals/dp/0760368546
Synopsis: The twenty-six patterns comprising "Amigurumi Crochet: Farm and Forest Animals" come from talented
artists around the world, with tips and tricks for learning amigurumi, the Japanese art of crocheting adorable animal
companions that include a Cow, Pig, Chick, Giraffe, Bird, Koala, Bear Pod, Dog, Alpaca, Peter Pilot Duck, Owl,
Bunny, Beaver, Bear, Fish, Hedgehog, Cats, Fox, Raccoon, Fawn, Squirrel, Kitten, Mouse, Skunk, and Tortoise..
Amigurumi Crochet also features a glossary of crochet terms for beginners, easy instructions to follow, and helpful
photos to make sure the crochet enthusiasts is on track with each of these projects. It is particularly ideal for the novice
who with this DIY instructional compendium will make them a crochet expert in no time!
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated with thoroughly 'user friendly' step-by-step instructions for each
individual crochet project, "Amigurumi Crochet: Farm and Forest Animals" will prove to be a welcome addition to
personal, professional, and community library Needlecraft collections. It should be noted that "Amigurumi Crochet:
Farm and Forest Animals" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Kristen Rask is the President of Seattle's largest indie craft show, Urban Craft Uprising in Washington
State. She is also the author of 8 craft titles including Yummy Crochet, Creature Crochet, and others.
How to Embroider Almost Every Animal
Mieko Saski
Quarry Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9781631599903, $19.99, PB, 120pp
https://www.amazon.com/How-Embroider-Almost-Every-Animal/dp/1631599909
Synopsis: "How to Embroider Almost Every Animal" by embroidery expert Mieko Saski is an inspiring, fun, and
sophisticated compilation of 400+ stitch motifs that offer a fresh take on animal-themed embroidery.
Aspiring emroidery enthusiasts will: Get a detailed checklist of everything you'll need to embark on your animal
stitching adventure, plus step-by-step tutorials for essential stitches and other techniques; Explore 400+ adorable stitch
motifs that celebrate animals of every description and from every habitat; In addition to hundreds of fresh motifs for an
amazing assortment of animals are animals in scenes (pasture, forest, barnyard, jungle, and more) plus a field guide of
motifs for mythical, extinct, and unusual animals as well as animal-themed symbols and icons; Re-create the motifs
exactly as shown using the accompanying templates and stitch guides, or give them your own creative spin by changing
details and colors to suit your own style and imagination.
"How to Embroider Almost Every Animal will help even the most novice of embroidery fans to successfully take their
first steps to creating beautiful stitched animals with needle and thread!
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout and thoroughly 'user friendly' in instruction, organization and presentation,
"How to Embroider Almost Every Animal" will be a 5 star addition to personal, professional, and community library
Needlecraft instructional reference collections.
The Theatre/Cinema Shelf
What the Constitution Means to Me
Heidi Schreck
Theatre Communications Group
520 Eighth Avenue, 24th floor, New York, NY 10018-4156
http://www.tcg.org/publications
9781559369640, $14.95, PB, 96pp
https://www.amazon.com/What-Constitution-Means-Me-TCG/dp/1559369647
Synopsis: When she was fifteen years old, Heidi Schreck started traveling the country, taking part in constitutional
debates to earn money for her college tuition. Decades later, in What the Constitution Means to Me, she traces the
effect that the Constitution has had on four generations of women in her family, deftly examining how the United
States' founding principles are inextricably linked with our personal lives. "What the Constitution Means to Me" is a
play that arose from her experiences and insights into the basic document upon which American Democracy is
founded.
Critique: Nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play, and a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, "What the
Constitution Means to Me" is highly recommended (especially in the aftermath of the Trump administration) for
personal, professional, community, college, and university library American Dramas & Plays collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "What the Constitution Means to Me" is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $9.87).
Editorial Note: Heidi Schreck is a writer and performer. Her other plays include Grand Concourse and Creature. Heidi's
television writing credits include Billions, Nurse Jackie, and I Love Dick.
Fay Wray and Robert Riskin: A Hollywood Memoir
Victoria Riskin
The University Press of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40508-4008
www.kentuckypress.com
9780813180670, $21.95, PB, 416pp
https://www.amazon.com/Fay-Wray-Robert-Riskin-Hollywood/dp/0813180678
Synopsis: Fay Wray (September 15, 1907 - August 8, 2004) achieved cinematic immortality for her role in King Kong
(1933). During a long and sterling career, she starred in more than 120 films opposite Hollywood's most famous leading
men (Spencer Tracy, Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, William Powell, and Ronald Colman), and worked with master
directors including Erich von Stroheim, William Wyler, William "Wild Bill" Wellman, Josef von Sternberg, Dorothy
Arzner, Frank Capra, Michael Curtiz, Raoul Walsh, and Vincente Minnelli.
Robert Riskin (March 30, 1897 - September 20, 1955) is considered to be one of the greatest screenwriters of all time.
He was an Academy Award-winning writer and producer whose ten-year-long collaboration with Frank Capra yielded
films such as American Madness (1932), It Happened One Night (1934), Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), Lost
Horizon (1937), You Can't Take It with You (1938) and Meet John Doe (1941). He was hailed by many including F.
Scott Fitzgerald as being "among the best screenwriters in the business."
"Fay Wray and Robert Riskin: A Hollywood Memoir" is moving and masterful work in which VictoriaRiskin (the
daughter of Fay Wray and Robert Riskin) interweaves the story of her movie making celebrity parents lives and
connects them to one of the most interesting periods in Hollywood history. At the heart of Fay Wray and Robert Riskin
is a great love story, backed by a cast of characters that includes the greatest stars, filmmakers, screenwriters, and
moguls of the era. Readers should not miss this touching and highly acclaimed combined memoir and biography.
Critique: "Fay Wray and Robert Riskin: A Hollywood Memoir" is an inherently fascinating love story, an compelling
memoir, and an informative dual biography of two of Hollywood's most famous figures, exploring in detail the simply
fascinating lives of Fay Wray and Robert Riskin -- two exceptionally talented people at the very heart and center of
Hollywood's Golden Age. Also available in a hardcover edition (Pantheon, 9781524747282, $30.00, 416pp) and in a
digital book format (Kindle, $14.99), "Fay Wray and Robert Riskin: A Hollywood Memoir" is especially recommended
for personal reading lists for Hollywood history buffs, as well as community, college, and university library American
Biography and Hollywood Film History collections.
Josephine Baker's Cinematic Prism
Terri Simone Francis
Indiana University Press
https://iupress.org
9780253356536, $70.00, HC, 216pp
https://www.amazon.com/Audacious-Josephine-Baker-Blackness-Pleasure/dp/0253356539
Synopsis: Josephine Baker (3 June 1906 - 12 April 1975) was an American-born French entertainer, French Resistance
agent, and civil rights activist. Her career was centered primarily in Europe, mostly in her adopted France. She was the
first Black woman to star in a major motion picture, the 1927 silent film Siren of the Tropics, directed by Mario Nalpas
and Henri Etievant. Josephine Baker was both liberated and delightfully undignified, playfully vacillating between
allure and colonialist stereotyping.
Nicknamed the "Black Venus," "Black Pearl," and "Creole Goddess," Baker blended the sensual and the comedic when
taking 1920s Europe by storm. While back home in the United States, Baker's film career brought hope to the Black
press that a new cinema centered on Black glamour would come to fruition.
In a history of her life and career, "Josephine Baker's Cinematic Prism", by Terri Simone Francis (Associate Professor
and Director of the Black Film Center/Archive at Indiana University) examines how Baker fashioned her celebrity
through cinematic reflexivity, an authorial strategy in which she placed herself, her persona, and her character into
visual dialogue. Francis contends that though Baker was an African American actress who lived and worked in France
exclusively with a white film company, white co-stars, white writers, and white directors, she holds monumental
significance for African American cinema as the first truly global Black woman film star.
Francis also examines the double-talk between Baker and her characters in Le Pompier de Folies Bergere, La Sirene des
Tropiques, Zou Zou, Princesse Tam Tam, and The French Way, whose narratives seem to undermine the very stardom
they offered. In doing so, Francis artfully illuminates the most resonant links between emergent African American
cinephilia, the diverse opinions of Baker in the popular press, and African Americans' broader aspirations for progress
toward racial equality.
Examining an unexplored aspect of Baker's career, "Josephine Baker's Cinematic Prism" informatively and effectively
deepens the ongoing conversation about race, gender, and performance in the African diaspora.
Critique: An insightfully informative work of meticulous research and painstaking scholarship, "Josephine Baker's
Cinematic Prism" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university
library Cinematic History, African-American Studies, and American Biography collections in general, and Josephine
Baker supplemental curriculum studies lists in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students,
academia, dedicated Josephine Baker fans, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"Josephine Baker's Cinematic Prism" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780253223388, $24.00) and in a
digital book format (Kindle, $22.80).
Mine's Bigger Than Yours
Christopher Ombardo & Jeff Kirschner
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764360251, $29.99, PB, 240pp
Synopsis: A celebration of the wildest and weirdest that action cinema has to offer, the hosts of the Really Awful
Movies podcast, Christopher Ombardo and Jeff Kirschner take the reader on a fun-filled pilgrimage through the nuttiest
movies in the genre with their publication of "Mine's Bigger Than Yours: The 100 Wackiest Action Movies".
Traversing both decades and continents, these 100 titles reach beyond the typical patron saints of action, giving unsung
genre heroes like Vic Diaz, Reb Brown, and Godfrey Ho their due. Our intrepid hosts have highlighted action gems
with all of the necessary components for greatness: Heroes! Villains! Henchmen!
But something's typically missing. Usually, it's a budget. Often, it's talent. But that doesn't mean these films aren't as
entertaining as any mainstream fare. Divided into nine chapters by subgenre, featuring stills and posters, and with a
foreword by genre icon Brian Trenchard-Smith, "Mine's Bigger Than Yours: The 100 Wackiest Action Movies" is a
romp through the world of fisticuffs, jailbreaks, pit fighting, mercenaries, and really big explosions -- all the stuff that
makes action movies great.
Critique: A unique compendium of erudite observations, critiques and commentaries, "Mine's Bigger Than Yours: The
100 Wackiest Action Movies" is a 'must read' for the legions of movie fans with an affinity for the Action/Adventure
genre. Simply stated, "Mine's Bigger Than Yours: The 100 Wackiest Action Movies" is an original and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library Film History collections
and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Christopher Lombardo and Jeff Kirschner are genre movie fanatics and co-hosts of the Really Awful
Movies podcast. They are also the co-authors of "Death by Umbrella!: The 100 Weirdest Horror Movie Weapons".
The Graphic Novel Shelf
The True Story of the SAS: The Regiment
Vincent Brugeas, author
Thomas Legrain, illustrator
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
9781849184953, $13.95, PB, 56pp
https://www.amazon.com/True-Story-SAS-Regiment/dp/184918495X
Synopsis: After the disaster that was their first mission, the SAS refused to give up, and their second wave of raids
proved a powerful validation of the concept behind their unit. Unfortunately, they still have many enemies at
headquarters, and now they must capitalise on their success. While they lack neither daring nor imagination, they will
have to contend with an enemy who knows how to adapt, and learn to live with the terrible human cost of the war.
Critique: A riveting graphic novel from first page to last, "The True Story of the SAS: The Regiment" by the team of
author/storyteller Vincent Bruegas and artist/illustrator Thoms Legrain is certain to be a popular addition to highschool
and community library graphic novel collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists for ages 15 to 50 that
"The True Story of the SAS: The Regiment" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle/comiXology,
$5.99).
Someday Comes Paradise
Gary Dean Simpson, author
Dare To Be Free Press
https://daretobefreepress.com
978734394009, $24.95, PB, 154pp
https://pathway-book-service-cart.mypinnaclecart.com/pathway-catalog/someday-comes-paradise-ppb/
Synopsis: Sam Starr is a teenager on the run with his con-woman momma, Natalie. He has maybe done bad; she has
definitely done worse. They arrive on a barrier island, cast away from the world where they search for safety. But here,
crime and corruption are thicker than the Costa Rican coffee and the sand flies.
A local hero, Bannion, offers his protection and a home to mother and son; yet, all is not what it seems. The Vagabond
fry-cook Gash tries to guide the boy like a prophet in the dunes. The saving grace for young Sam comes in the elegance
of a Vietnamese girl, Tu Ly -- in whom he glimpses tenderness and salvation. Together, they must come of age amidst
the drugs and deception.
They elude the Navy bombs and free dive for starfish. They cling together in despair in a hideaway as they fall in love.
But most of all, they want to find a little bit of paradise -- in this world or beyond.
Critique: Based on an American Film Institute award-winning screenplay, "Someday Comes Paradise" is a graphic
novel by author/storyteller Gary Dean Simpson and artist/illustrator Enid Balam that delivers a dark, Southern
coming-of-age story, exposing the souls of a mother and son on the run in a perverse and violent world with the hope
for a better life. A compelling coming-of-age story, "Someday Comes Paradise" is especially recommended for personal
and community library Graphic Novel collections.
The Audiobook Shelf
Faithless in Death
J. D. Robb, author
Susan Ericksen, narrator
Macmillan Audio
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781250787859, $39.99, CD, 13 Hours 42 minutes
https://www.amazon.com/Faithless-Death-Eve-Dallas-Novel/dp/B0889FH56N
Synopsis: The scene in the West Village studio appears to be classic crime-of-passion: two wineglasses by the bed,
music playing, and a young sculptor named Ariel Byrd with the back of her head bashed in. But when Dallas tracks
down the wealthy Upper East Side woman who called 911, the details don't add up.
Gwen Huffman is wealthy, elegant, comforted by her handsome fiance as she sheds tears over the trauma of finding the
body - but why did it take an hour to report it? And why is she lying about little things?
As Eve and her team look into Gwen, her past, and the people around her, they find that the lies are about more than
murder. As with sculpture, they need to chip away at the layers of deception to find the shape within - and soon they're
getting the FBI involved in a case that involves a sinister, fanatical group and a stunning criminal conspiracy.
Critique: With the effective and dramatic narrative storytelling talents of Susan Ericksen bringing author J. D. Robb's
riveting suspense thriller of a mystery to life in a true 'theatre of the mind' listening experience, this complete and
unabridged audio book edition of "Faithless In Death" is a 'must' for all dedicated Mystery/Suspense fans and will prove
to be an enduringly popular addition to community library audio book collections.
A Stranger in Town
Kelley Armstrong, author
Therese Plummer, narrator
Macmillan Audio
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781250788184, $39.99, CD, 10 Hours 46 minutes
https://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Town-Rockton-Novel/dp/B088MH59G3
Synopsis: Detective Casey Duncan has noticed fewer and fewer residents coming in to the hidden town of Rockton, and
no extensions being granted. Her boyfriend, Sheriff Eric Dalton, presumes it's the natural flux of things, but Casey's not
so sure. It seems like something bigger is happening in the small town they call home.
When an injured hiker stumbles from the woods, someone who seems to have come to the Yukon for a wilderness
vacation but instead is now fighting for her life, it's all hands on deck. What or who attacked this woman, and
why?
With the woman unconscious, and no leads, Casey and Eric don't know where the threat is coming from. Plus, the
residents of their deeply secretive town are uneasy with this stranger in their midst. Everyone in Rockton wants this
mystery solved - and fast.
Critique: Another deftly crafted suspense thriller of a mystery novel by Kelley Armstrong, this complete and
unabridged audio book edition of "A Stranger In Town" is superbly narrated by Therese Plummer and certain to be an
immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal and community library Mystery/Suspense audio book
collections.
The Library CD Shelf
Cool Water
Greg Murphy with Jeff "Tain" Watts and Eric Wheeler, plus special guests
Whaling City Sound
www.whalingcitysound.com
$14.99 CD
http://www.whalingcitysound.com/wcs125.htm
Cool Water is a jazz album partly inspired by music artist Greg Murphy's trip to Africa; the title refers to the Nairobi
River which flows through the capital of Kenya. Another prominent influence on the ambitious collection is the joy of
exploration and discovery with friends. The music is a celebration of camaraderie, resonating with optimism and
wonder. Highly recommended! The tracks are "Chim Chim Cher-ee", "Green Earrings", "My Life", "Theme For
Ronnie", "Friendship", "Free Fur Nina", "Enkare Nairobi", "Body And Soul", "Coolin' Me Out", "Lost", "Cuttin' Trane's
Corners", and "You Decide".
Wabi Sabi
The Tiptons Sax Quartet & Drums
www.thetiptonssaxquartet.com
$TBA CD / $7.00 digital
https://tiptonssaxquartet.bandcamp.com/album/wabi-sabi
The Tiptons Sax Quartet & Drums (an all-female saxophone quartet with percussion accompaniment) present Wabi
Sabi, an album of eleven original songs performed with saxophones, vocals, and drums. Inspired by the Japanese
philosophy "Wabi Sabi", which emphasizes the value of finding beauty and pleasure in imperfection, Wabi Sabi is an
extraordinary, transcendent listening experience that encourages the listener to appreciate quality saxophone
performance in a new context. Highly recommended! The tracks are "December's Dance", "El Gran Orinador", "Wabi
Sabi", "A Sparkley Con", "Root Dance", "Torquing of the Spheres", "Jouissance", "Memory Bait", "Moadl Joadl", "3x
Heather's 17", and "Working Song".
Simple Syrup
Sunny War
Henhouse Studios
$18.00 CD / $10.00 digital
https://sunnywar.bandcamp.com/album/simple-syrup
Simple Syrup is an exuberant album, created with the vibrant feel of a live performance in mind. Sunny's original songs
showcase her beautiful vocals and masterful acoustic guitar, supported by bassist Ayron Davis, drummer Paul Allen,
and others. The songs touch upon issues ranging from expectations of black women in the world of art, to love and
relationships, to the misfortune of real-life veterans of the Iraq Wars who could not get the care they needed, and much
more. Simple Syrup is a powerful and unforgettable audio experience, highly recommended. The tracks are "Lucid
Lucy", "Mama's Milk", "Like Nina", "Kiss A Loser", "A Love So True", "Losing Hand", "Love Is A Pest", "It's Name Is
Fear", "Deployed and Destroyed", "Eyes", and "Big Baby".
The Library DVD Shelf
Shusenjo: Comfort Women and Japan's War on History
Miki Dezaki
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
www.firstrunfeatures.com
DVD, $24.95, 120 minutes, color (2019)
http://firstrunfeatures.com/shusenjohv.html
Synopsis: One of the most heated issues in Japan and Asia today is over something that occurred 80 years ago: the
Japanese Imperial Army's sexual enslavement of tens of thousands of Korean women and other captive females in their
military brothels during World War II. Many nationalist Japanese conservatives, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
(with the surprising support of Western media influencers), believe the women were willing prostitutes, not 'sex slaves',
and that the estimated number is far smaller than are claimed. But contemporary historians, activists and (most
significantly) the surviving victims and their families, believe otherwise. The denial of their suffering so long ago has
created an entirely new trauma for these victims of Japanese military imperialism.
In his documentary "Shusenjo: Comfort Women and Japan's War on History", film director Miki Dezaki (who is a
second-generation Japanese American who learned about comfort women from his Japanese immigrant parents),
questions why accounts in the Western media have often sided with the Nationalists. With a keen eye for detail and
precision, he interviews historians, advocates and lawyers who discuss the evidence: historical documents related to the
Japanese military's direct role in managing the brothels, and harrowing testimonies by former comfort women.
"Shusenjo: Comfort Women and Japan's War on History" is a deep dive into this painful subject and brings to light the
hidden intentions of both the supporters and detractors of these enslaved 'comfort women'.
Critique: Impressively informed and informative, inherently fascinating and emotionally moving, "Shusenjo: Comfort
Women and Japan's War on History" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community, college, and
university library DVD collections.
Myth of a Colorblind France
Alan Govenar
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
www.firstrunfeatures.com
DVD, $24.95, 86 Minutes, Color, English
http://firstrunfeatures.com/colorblindfrancedvd.html
Synopsis: For more than a century, Black artists such as Josephine Baker, James Baldwin and Richard Wright traveled
to Paris to liberate themselves from the racism of the United States. What made these artistic innovators choose France?
And to what extent is France truly color blind? "Myth of a Colorblind France", a documentary by Alan Govenar,
investigates these questions and examines racism that has plagued not only African Americans fleeing the United
States, but Africans and people of color in France today.
The documentary DVD explores the lives and careers of renowned African Americans who emigrated to Paris,
including Josephine Baker, James Baldwin, Richard Wright, Augusta Savage, Beauford Delaney, and Barbara
Chase-Riboud, and includes rare footage of Henry Ossawa Tanner in Paris. The film also features interviews with
renowned author Michel Fabre, jazz aficionado Francis Hofstein, poet James Emanuel, historian Tyler Stovall,
filmmaker Thomas Allen Harris, graffiti artist Quik, hip hop producer Ben the Glorious Bastard, African drummer
Karim Toure, and many more.
Critique: An exceptionally well organized and presented documentary, "Myth of a Colorblind France" is an
extraordinarily informative history and one that is especially and unreservedly recommended for high school,
community, college, and university DVD collections and African- American History supplemental curriculums.
You Go To My Head
a film by Dimitri de Clercq
First Run Features
$24.95 http://firstrunfeatures.com
http://firstrunfeatures.com/yougotomyheaddvd.html
You Go To My Head is an award-winning romantic thriller. When a young woman survives a mysterious car accident
in a lonely stretch of the Sahara, an introverted architect named Jake discovers her while insensate and drives her to the
closest doctor. She awakens with trauma-induced amnesia. Enraptured by her beauty, Jake falsely claims to be her
husband and takes her to his home in the remote reaches of the desert. Jake crafts an imaginary life for the two of them
to share, yet fears that her gradually returning memories will deprive him of his newfound happiness. An intense saga
of complex characters, You Go To My Head is gripping to the end, and highly recommended for connoisseurs of the
genre. 116 min., English language with optional English SDH, Spanish & French subtitles.
The Business Shelf
Working Backwards
Colin Bryar & Bill Carr
St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781250267597, $29.99, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Working-Backwards-Insights-Stories-Secrets/dp/1250267595
Synopsis: Colin Bryar started at Amazon in 1998; Bill Carr joined in 1999. In "Working Backwards: Insights, Stories,
and Secrets from Inside Amazon", these two long-serving Amazon executives reveal and codify the principles and
practices that drive the success of one of the most extraordinary companies the world has ever known. With
twenty-seven years of Amazon experience between them, much of it in the early aughts -- a period of unmatched
innovation that brought products and services including Kindle, Amazon Prime, Amazon Studios, and Amazon Web
Services to life, both Bryar and Carr collaborate to offer the reader unprecedented access to the Amazon way as it was
refined, articulated, and proven to be repeatable, scalable, and adaptable.
With keen analysis and practical steps for applying it at your own company (no matter the size) "Working Backwards"
clearly illuminate how Amazon's fourteen leadership principles inform decision-making at all levels and reveal how the
company's culture has been defined by four characteristics: customer obsession, long-term thinking, eagerness to invent,
and operational excellence. Bryar and Carr go on to explain the set of ground-level practices that ensure these are
translated into action and flow through all aspects of the business.
Both a practical guidebook and a corporate narrative, "Working Backwards" is packed from cover to cover with the
authors' in-the-room recollections of what "Being Amazonian" is like and how it has affected their personal and
professional lives. They demonstrate that success on Amazon's scale is not achieved by the genius of any single leader,
but rather through commitment to and execution of a set of well-defined, rigorously-executed principles and practices --
shared here with the public for the very first time.
Critique: An absolute 'must read' for anyone doing (or contemplating doing) business with Amazon.com, "Working
Backwards: Insights, Stories, and Secrets from Inside Amazon" should be a part of every community, corporate,
college, and university library E-Commerce collection and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for
entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Working
Backwards" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio
book (Macmillan Audio, 9781250788054, $39.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Colin Bryar joined Amazon in 1998 -- four years after its founding -- and spent the next 12 years as part
of Amazon's senior leadership team as Amazon grew from a domestic (US-only) seller of books to a global,
multi-dimensional powerhouse and innovator. Colin served as a Vice President at Amazon, and for two of his years he
was "Chief of Staff" to Jeff Bezos, AKA "Jeff's shadow", during which he spent each day attending meetings, traveling
with, and discussing business and life with Jeff. After Amazon, he and his family relocated to Singapore for two years
where Colin served as Chief Operating Officer of e-commerce company RedMart, which was subsequently sold to
Alibaba. Colin is co-founder of Working Backwards LLC where he coaches executives at both large and early-stage
companies on how to implement the management practices developed at Amazon.
Bill Carr joined Amazon in 1999 and spent more than 15 years with the company. As Vice President of Digital Media,
Bill launched and managed the company's global digital music and video businesses, including Amazon Music, Prime
Video, and Amazon Studios. After Amazon, Bill was an Executive In Residence with Maveron, LLC, an early-stage,
consumer-only venture capital firm. Bill later served as the Chief Operating Officer of OfferUp, the largest mobile
marketplace for local buyers and sellers in the U.S. Today Bill is co-founder of Working Backwards LLC where he
coaches executives at both large and early-stage companies on how to implement the management practices developed
at Amazon.
World Encyclopedia of Entrepreneurship
Leo-Paul Dana, editor
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060-3815
www.e-elgar.com
9781839104138, $335.00, HC, 704pp
https://www.amazon.com/World-Encyclopedia-Entrepreneurship-L%C3%A9o-Paul-Dana/dp/1839104139
Synopsis: Bringing together preeminent international scholars in the field, this fully updated and expanded second
edition of the "World Encyclopedia of Entrepreneurship" is comprehensive informational resource that offers detailed
analyses of critical concepts in entrepreneurship by the leading thinkers in the field.
This illuminating resource contains 76 entries addressing the intricacies of global entrepreneurship in the 21st century.
Covering topics including blockchain technology, digital entrepreneurship, ethical concerns for entrepreneurs, mental
health in entrepreneurship, rural entrepreneurship and sustainable entrepreneurship, this authoritative reference work
sheds light on the multilayered entrepreneurial world, providing crucial insights into navigating the nuances of the New
Economy.
Providing readers with a unique guide for the contemporary business age, the "World Encyclopedia of
Entrepreneurship" is an indispensable point of reference for scholars and researchers exploring new research
opportunities as well as students in need of a thorough overview of the key concepts in the field.
"World Encyclopedia of Entrepreneurship" will also substantially benefit practitioners searching for advanced
understanding of complex entrepreneurship topic.
Critique: Knowledgeably compiled and edited by Professor Leo-Paul Dana (Dalhousie University, Canada and
Montpellier Business School, France), the "World Encyclopedia of Entrepreneurship" is comprised of seventy-six
informative entries on the subject of entrepreneurship and illustrative examples of successful entrepreneurs. This newly
published second edition of "World Encyclopedia of Entrepreneurship" is especially and unreservedly recommended for
professional, community, corporate, college, and university library Contemporary Business reference collections in
general, and Entrepreneurship supplemental curriculum studies reading lists in particular.
Digital Business Transformation
Nigel Vaz
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
9781119758679, $29.00, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Business-Transformation-Established-Competitive/dp/111975867X
Synopsis: "Digital Business Transformation: How Established Companies Sustain Competitive Advantage" by Nigel
Vaz, (the acclaimed CEO of Publicis Sapient, a global digital business transformation company) offers readers a
framework for digital business transformation while providing practical advice and approachable strategies to help
businesses realize their digital potential.
"Digital Business Transformation" provides readers with examples of the challenges faced by global organizations and
the strategies they used to overcome them. It also includes discussions of: How to decide whether to defend,
differentiate, or disrupt your organization to meet digital challenges; How to deconstruct decision-making throughout
all levels of your organization; How to combine strategy, product, experience, engineering, and data to produce digital
results.
Ideal for anyone in a leadership position in a modern organization, but particularly those who find themselves
responsible for transformation-related decisions, "Digital Business Transformation" delivers a message that begs to be
heard by everyone who hopes to help their organization meet the challenges of a changing world.
Critique: Expertly written and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Digital Business
Transformation: How Established Companies Sustain Competitive Advantage" will prove to be invaluable for
entrepreneurs, business managers, and corporate executives with respect to information management and competitive
strategies in local, national, and international marketplaces. While highly recommended as an addition to community,
corporate, college, and university library Contemporary Business Management collections and supplemental MBA
curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for MBA students, academia, corporate executives, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "Digital Business Transformation: How Established Companies
Sustain Competitive Advantage" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.00).
Editorial Note: Nigel Vaz is the CEO of Publicis Sapient, the digital business transformation company, focused on
helping companies survive and thrive in a world that is increasingly digital. With expertise spanning strategy, product,
experience, engineering and data, Publicis Sapient helps businesses sustain relevance by adapting to change and
capturing value through digital.
In more than 20 years with the company, Nigel has acted as a strategic advisor on complex transformation initiatives
with clients across geographies and a range of industries including financial services, automotive, retail, consumer
products, and telecommunications, media & technology (TMT).
Named by Consulting Magazine as a Top 25 Global Leader, Vaz advises some of the world's largest businesses on their
transformation initiatives. Publicis Sapient clients include Carrefour, Goldman Sachs, Marriott, McDonald's,
Nationwide, Nissan and Unilever. Prior to Sapient, he was a successful entrepreneur - co-founding a public company
with interests in internet consulting and connectivity solutions.
In addition, Nigel is President of the IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising), a board director of The Marketing
Society and an inductee of the BIMA Digital Hall of Fame. He is also a regular commentator in broadcast and print
media including the BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, CNN, the Financial Times and Wall Street Journal, and author of
numerous articles on business transformation, technology, brand experience and culture, including 'Digital Business
Transformation - How Established Companies Sustain Competitive Advantage from Now to Next', which was based on
years of partnering with clients to harness the power of digital.
Do Good At Work
Bea Boccalandro
www.BeaBoccalandro.com
Morgan James Publishing
11815 Fountain Way, Suite 300, Newport News, VA 23606-4448
www.morganjamespublishing.com
9781642797527, $16.95, PB, 220pp
https://www.amazon.com/Do-Good-AT-Work-Wellbeing/dp/1642797529
Synopsis: In today's work world, most jobs lack a compelling purpose. Research finds that this workplace deficiency
makes people sluggish, disengaged, careless, disloyal, unhappy and unhealthy.
Fortunately, there is a way to be free from the modern trap of meaningless labor without switching careers or quitting
jobs. The scientifically-validated practice of job purposing, which consists of surprisingly modest acts that anybody can
do, elevates ordinary work to a fulfilling venture.
"Do Good At Work: How Simple Acts of Social Purpose Drive Success and Wellbeing" by Bea Boccalandro is a
practical and effective do-it-yourself guide to igniting meaning in any job and, consequently, becoming more
successful, fulfilled, and happy. Unlike existing books which focus on helping executives with the corporate purpose
statement that adorns the lobby, speaker and consultant Boccalandro equips the individual worker to do work that
matters regardless of their position.
Serving as president of VeraWorks, a global consulting firm specializing in workplace purpose for over 20 years, Bea
has helped companies such as Aetna, Disney, FedEx, IBM, PwC, Toyota, and others obtain job purpose. She explains
why most workers face a painful purpose void when they walk into work and guides readers through specific steps to
fill that void, even including a list of 50 simple job purposing tactics to get readers started. "Do Good At Work" makes
it possible for anybody to go home proud of their workday -- every day.
Critique: Unique, original, practical, inspiring, "Do Good At Work: How Simple Acts of Social Purpose Drive Success
and Wellbeing" is unreservedly recommended as a life changing, life enhancing read for anyone having difficulty with
their present employment. While highly recommended for community, college, and university library Jobs/Careers and
Business Motivational & Leadership collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Do Good At Work:
How Simple Acts of Social Purpose Drive Success and Wellbeing" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Bea Boccalandro advises business leaders on igniting social purpose in the workplace and helps workers
end their workday knowing they made a difference. She has twenty years of experience helping to make customer
interactions more human, products more inclusive, meetings more meaningful, operations more environmentally
sustainable, marketing more charitable and otherwise tilting everyday work toward a meaningful contribution. Bea's
clients include Aetna, Allstate, Bank of America, Caesars Entertainment, Disney, Eventbrite, FedEx, HP, John
Hancock, IBM, Levi's, PwC and Toyota. Bea is founder and president of VeraWorks, a global firm that helps
businesses implement and measure the impact of pursuing social purpose. She is also a frequent keynote speaker and
teaches at Georgetown University and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She also maintains an information website
at: www.BeaBoccalandro.com
Culture Renovation
Kevin Oakes
McGraw Hill
c/o McGraw Hill Professional
1221 Avenue of the Americas, 45th Floor, New York, NY 10020
www.mhprofessional.com
9781260464368, $30.00, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Culture-Renovation-Leadership-Actions-Unshakeable/dp/1260464369
Synopsis: Most business leaders understand the power of a dynamic, positive culture -- but almost every effort to
change a corporate culture fails. Why? The approach is often all wrong. Rather than attempt to "transform" a new
culture from the ground up, leaders need to instead spearhead a culture renovation. It's all about keeping what works,
changing what needs to be changed, and ensuring proper care and maintenance -- much like refurbishing and living in a
beautiful historic home and improving its overall value.
In the pages of "Culture Renovation: 18 Leadership Actions to Build an Unshakeable Company", by Kevin Oakes,
corporate leaders are provided with tangible, tactical insights drawn from a robust data set and informed by CEOs and
HR leaders at many of the world's top companies. Within this single volume is everything needed to rebuild any
corporate culture with care and expertise, including: Three phases and detailed action steps for architecting the change
you want to see; Practical insights and examples from T-Mobile, Microsoft, 3M, and other top companies; The traits of
a healthy corporate culture; Proven talent practices to maintain your new culture for long-term success.
Oakes identifies 18 proven leadership actions for turning any culture into an agile, resilient, and innovative
high-performance organization. Corporate executives will learn how to best understand the culture in place today and
set a new cultural path for decades to come; develop a co-creation mindset; identify influencers and blockers; ferret out
skeptics and non-believers; measure, monitor, and report progress; and implement "next practices" in talent strategies to
sustain the renovation.
"Culture Renovation" includes everything needed to plan, build, and maintain a corporate culture that drives profits,
growth, and business sustainability now and well into the future.
Critique: Expertly written, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Culture Renovation: 18
Leadership Actions to Build an Unshakeable Company" is an especially recommended combination of instruction
manual and DIY guide to improving and adapting a company's corporate culture in this time of pandemic driven
economic stress and the current mass movement toward's racial, economic, and social equity in the workplace. While
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.99) for personal reading lists, "Culture Renovation" is highly
recommended for company, community, college, and university library Contemporary Business Management
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Kevin Oakes is the CEO and co-founder of i4cp, the leading authority on next practices in human
capital. i4cp produces more research than any other human capital research firm in the world, and many of the world's
most prominent organizations and HR leaders turn to i4cp to better capitalize on emerging workforce trends. Kevin
provides strategic direction and vision, and is responsible for the overall operations of the organization. Kevin is a
frequent author and international keynote speaker on next practices in human capital, and works with business and HR
executives on people practices that drive high performance.
Hire Purpose: How Smart Companies Can Close the Skills Gap
Deanna Mulligan & Greg Shaw
Columbia Business School Publishing
c/o Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023-7015
http://cup.columbia.edu
9780231179485, $24.95, HC, 280pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hire-Purpose-Smart-Companies-Skills/dp/0231179480
Synopsis: The future of work is already here, and what this future looks like must be a pressing concern for the current
generation of leaders in both the private and public sectors. In the next ten to fifteen years, rapid change in a
post-pandemic world and emerging technologies will revolutionize nearly every job, eliminate some, and create new
forms of work that we have yet to imagine. How can we survive and thrive in the face of such drastic change?
In the pages of "Hire Purpose: How Smart Companies Can Close the Skills Gap ", Deanna Mulligan offers a practical,
broad-minded look at the effects of workplace evolution and automation and why the private sector needs to lead the
charge in shaping a values-based response. With a focus on the power of education, Mulligan proposes that the
solutions to workforce upheaval lie in reskilling and retraining for individuals and companies adapting to rapid
change.
By creating lifelong learning opportunities that break down boundaries between the classroom and the workplace,
businesses can foster personal and career well-being and growth for their employees. Drawing on her own experiences,
historical examples, and reports from the frontiers where these issues are unfolding, Mulligan details how business
leaders can prepare for and respond to technological disruption. Providing a framework for concrete and meaningful
action, Hire Purpose is an essential read about the transformations that will shape the next decade and beyond.
Critique: A seminal and detailed study that is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in commentary, organization and presentation,
"Hire Purpose: How Smart Companies Can Close the Skills Gap" will prove to be an invaluable instructional guide and
manual for corporate executives, business managers, governmental policy makers. While especially and unreservedly
recommended for community, corporate, college, and university library Business Management collections in general,
and Office Automation Business and Labor & Industrial Economic Relations supplemental curriculum studies lists in
particular. It should be noted for the personal reading list of business management professionals and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "Hire Purpose: How Smart Companies Can Close the Skills Gap" is
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.39).
Editorial Note: Deanna M. Mulligan is the retired CEO and Board Chair of Guardian Life Insurance and CEO of Purposeful. Fortune named her one of the "50 Most Powerful Women in Business" and Crain’s New York Business recognized her as one of "The 50 Most Powerful Women in New York," five times each. She is currently the only female CEO of a Fortune 500 Company in New York City. Ms. Mulligan graduated from the University of Nebraska with High Distinction and holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She has appeared on CNN, Bloomberg TV and Yahoo! Finance, and has participated in Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit, Forbes Women's Summit, the Peterson Fiscal Summit, the ACCT Leadership Congress, and CECP's CEO Investor Forum 8.0, among other speaking opportunities.
Quantum Marketing
Raja Rajamannar
HarperCollins Leadership
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781400223954, $27.99, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Marketing-Mastering-Tomorrows-Consumers/dp/1400223954
Synopsis: As technology has continually evolved in the last several decades, marketing has had to change with it,
evolving through four significant stages that build on the strategies and tools of the previous era. What happens next in
the fifth stage, or Fifth Paradigm, will not be an evolution, but a revolution. Almost everything about how marketing is
done today, including the very notion of a brand itself, will require a complete re-imagination.
As Chief Marketing Officer of Mastercard (one of the world's most recognizable and decorated brands) Raja
Rajamannar shares the forward-thinking ways all businesses must rethink their entire marketing landscape to remain
relevant and be successful with the publication of "Quantum Marketing: Mastering the New Marketing Mindset for
Tomorrow's Consumers".
Corporate executives and marketing directors will: Understand the evolution of marketing and how to be at the
forefront of future change; Get clarity on the right marketing strategies and tactics to pursue amidst an ever-evolving
industry; Achieve breakthroughs in innovative thinking in order to compete in modern business; Gain perspective from
top marketers across industries.
"Quantum Marketing" is for all business people who seek to understand how rapidly marketing is evolving, what some
of the smartest people in the discipline are doing to get ready for this dramatic shift, and what the new world will look
like for companies, consumers, and society at large as the race to develop revolutionary marketing strategies reaches a
whole new level.
Critique: Impressively informative, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Quantum Marketing:
Mastering the New Marketing Mindset for Tomorrow's Consumers" is essential reading for entrepreneurs, corporate
marketing staff members, MBA students and faculty, governmental economic policy makers, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject. While an essential and core addition to corporate, community, college, and
university library Business Management & Marketing collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Quantum Marketing: Mastering the New Marketing Mindset for Tomorrow's Consumers" is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 978171357116,
$27.99, MP3-CD).
Sales Management That Works
Frank V. Cepedes
www.frankcespedes.com
Harvard Business Review Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
http://hbr.org/books
9781633698765, $32.00, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sales-Management-That-Works-Changing/dp/1633698769
Synopsis: Today's businesses and corporations must deal with the rise of e-commerce, big data and AI based marketing.
Given these trends (and many others), there's no doubt that sales is changing. But much of the current conventional
wisdom is misleading and not supported by empirical data. If business and marketing managers fail to separate fact
from hype, they will make decisions based on faulty assumptions and, in a competitive market, eventually fall behind
those with a keener grasp of the current selling environment.
"Sales Management That Works: How to Sell in a World that Never Stops Changing" by sales expert and Harvard
Business School professor Frank Cespedes is the epitome no-nonsense book that provides sales managers and
executives with the tools they need to separate the signal from the noise. These include how to: Hiring and deploying
the right talent; Paying and incentivizing a sales force; Improve ROI from training programs; Creating a comprehensive
sales model; Setting and testing the right prices; Building and managing a multichannel approach.
Deftly comprised of a combination of fascinating examples, insightful research, and helpful diagnostics, "Sales
Management That Works" will materially and successfully help sales managers build a great sales team, create an
optimal strategy, and steer clear of hype and fads. Salespeople will be better equipped to respond to changes, executives
will be able to track and accelerate ROI, and readers will understand why improving selling is a social as well as an
economic responsibility of business.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Sales Management That Works" is the epitome no-nonsense book, and should be considered a 'must read' for all business and sales managers in today's ever evolving local,
regional, national, and international market place. While unreservedly recommended for corporate, community, college,
and university library Business & Sales Management collections, it should be noted for MBA studies, academia,
corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Sales
Management That Works" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.99).
Editorial Note: Frank V. Cespedes is the MBA Class of 1973 Senior Lecturer of Business Administration at Harvard
Business School. He has run a business, served on the boards of corporations as well as startups, and consulted to
companies around the world. He is the author of six books, including Aligning Strategy and Sales, which was cited as
"the best sales book of the year" by strategy+business. He has also published numerous articles in Harvard Business
Review, the Wall Street Journal, MIT Sloan Management Review, California Management Review, and other
prominent publications. He maintains and informative website at: www.frankcespedes.com
The CEO Test
Adam Bryant & Kevin Sharer
www.adambryantbooks.com
Harvard Business Review Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
http://hbr.org/books
9781633699519, $30.00, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/CEO-Test-Master-Challenges-Leaders/dp/163369951X
Synopsis: Despite all the effort through the years to understand what it takes to be an effective leader, the challenges of
leadership remain enormously difficult and elusive; even today, most CEOs don't last five years in the job. The
demands to deliver at a consistently high level can be unforgiving.
"The CEO Test: Master the Challenges That Make or Break All Leaders" is the authoritative, no-nonsense insider's
guide to navigating leadership's toughest challenges, brought to you by the team of Adam Bryant and Kevin Sharer, two
authors uniquely qualified to tell the stories. Adam Bryant has conducted in-depth interviews with more than 600
CEOs. Kevin Sharer spent more than two decades as president and then CEO of Amgen, where he led its expansion
from $1 billion in annual revenues to nearly $16 billion. He has served on many boards and is a sought-after mentor for
CEOs of global companies.
Leadership is getting harder as the speed of disruption across all industries accelerates. "The CEO Test" will better
prepare you to succeed, whether you're a CEO or just setting out to become one.
Critique: A veritable compendium of informatively practical insights, stress dealing tactics, and effective corporate
leadership strategies, "The CEO Test: Master the Challenges That Make or Break All Leaders" is exceptionally well
written and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation. Essential reading for anyone in a leadership
capacity, "The CEO Test" is a particularly and unreservedly recommended addition to corporate, community, college,
and university library Business Management collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The CEO
Test" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.49).
Editorial Note #1: Adam Bryant is managing director of Merryck & Co., a leadership development and mentoring firm,
where he's worked with hundreds of CEOs. Prior to this he was a journalist for 30 years, including at the New York
Times where he created and authored the massively successful "Corner Office" column in which he interviewed CEOs
about their jobs. He's the author of Quick and Nimble and The Corner Office, a bestseller. He is also a teacher, speaker,
and frequent contributor on CNBC. He can be found at: www.adambryantbooks.com, @adambryant, and Linkedin:
AdamBryantLeadership.
Editorial Note #2: Kevin Sharer is the former CEO of Amgen, the largest biotech company in the world. He spent 20
years in the role, growing the company from $1 billion to nearly $16 billion. He is a former chief engineering officer in
the Navy and Lieutenant Commander on fast-attack submarines. He has helped with more than 20 major CEO
transitions for various companies. He teaches at Harvard Business School, where he is the cocreator of a successful
course on the life and role of the CEO. He can be found at: hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=681583
The Live Enterprise
Jeff Kavanaugh & Rafee Tarafdar
McGraw Hill
c/o McGraw Hill Professional
1221 Avenue of the Americas, 45th Floor, New York, NY 10020
www.mhprofessional.com
9781264264339, $28.00, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Live-Enterprise-Continuously-Evolving-Organization/dp/126426433X
Synopsis: For decades, leaders of large, complex organizations have been rightfully encouraged to run their
organizations like lean, agile startups. More often than not, they place their bets on trends like digital transformation or
design thinking. Well-intended, yet in isolation they are all too often simply not enough. There's another, better way to
drive durable, effective change in your organization, and it's been proven effective by global IT and business consulting
leader Infosys. The Live Enterprise operating model provides a clear path to transform large complex businesses into
agile, digital ecosystems that evolve with changing market needs and scale to any size.
With "The Live Enterprise: Create a Continuously Evolving and Learning Organization" by the team of Jeff Kavanaugh
and Rafee Tarafdar, you will learn how to apply the benefits of the startup operating model -- but go much further.
This groundbreaking guide addresses issues critical to transform large organizations, such as: Create an organizational
structure that drives collaboration, innovation, strategic alignment, and new culture across distributed interconnected
teams; Respond quickly yet thoughtfully (and scientifically) to opportunities to create valuable new employee and
customer experiences: Re-engineer your value chain to see what's missing, what can be improved, and what can be
eliminated to generate exponential value; Automate systems so routine decisions can be acted upon with maximum
human intuition and minimum human intervention.
Groundbreaking in theory and long-term strategy, "The Live Enterprise" is game-changing guide includes practical
steps you can take now (for immediate, concrete results) while laying the groundwork to operate with agility in the
future. The application of Live Enterprise enabled Infosys to make the kinds of changes during the COVID crisis to not
only survive but drive outstanding financial results. Now, you can use this innovative approach to position your
company for the highly unpredictable future ahead.
Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "The Live Enterprise: Create a Continuously Evolving and
Learning Organization" is a ground-breaking and seminal guide offering a new and productive model for corporate
development and expansion. While especially recommended for corporate, community, and academic library
Information Management and Strategic Business Planning collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists
of MBA students, academia, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in
the subject that "The Live Enterprise: Create a Continuously Evolving and Learning Organization" is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.12).
Editorial Note #1: Jeff Kavanaugh is the global head of the Infosys Knowledge Institute, the research and thought
leadership arm of Infosys, a leading digital services and consulting firm. Over the last 25 years, he has advised many of
the world's leading manufacturers and high-tech companies. Jeff is also an adjunct professor at the University of Texas
at Dallas. He serves on the board of the Institute of Business Analytics at Indiana University and the Marketing
Analytics Board at the University of Texas at Dallas.
Editorial Note #2: Rafee Tarafdar is Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of the Strategic Technology
Group at Infosys.
A Global Playbook for the Next Pandemic
Anne Kabagambe
Changemakers Books
c/o John Hunt Publishing, Ltd.
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
9781789047592, $10.95, PB, 96pp
https://www.amazon.com/Global-Playbook-Pandemic-Resetting-Future/dp/1789047595
Synopsis: At the heart of "A Global Playbook for the Next Pandemic" is a bold new proposal to create a global
pandemic playbook that can be quickly deployed when the next pandemic strikes. Countries and their experts must
collaborate to create early warning systems, preparedness, prevention, responses and containment. But who should pay
the cost?
In her extended economic corporate response treatise, "A Global Playbook for the Next Pandemic" author Anne
Kabagambe, (who is a former Executive Board director for the World Bank Group), explores the options, and argues
that to fail to learn from COVID-19 and neglect to create a global playbook now would cost far more when the next
pandemic strikes.
Critique: One of the truly catastrophic and ill-timed actions of the Trump administration was to dismantle the pandemic
preparedness office that had been established by the Obama administration. That office has now been reestablished by
the Biden administration. That is one of the practical examples of pandemic driven 'Lessons Learned'. Exceptionally
timely, "A Global Playbook for the Next Pandemic" should be mandated reading by all corporate and governmental
policy makers with respect to dealing with the economic impact of what can be considered inevitable future pandemics.
While highly recommended for community, college, and university library Business Structural Adjustment,
Organizational Change, and Business Decision Making collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A
Global Playbook for the Next Pandemic" (a quick and easy read) is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$5.99).
Editorial Note: Anne Kabagambe served as an Executive Director at the World Bank Group from 2016 to 2020. She
was responsible for a constituency of 22 African nations as well as fiduciary responsibilities as a member of the Budget
Committee, the Committee on Development Effectiveness, the Pension Benefits Committee, and co-chaired the Board's
Gender Working Group.
The Poetry Shelf
As If By Magic: Selected Poems
Paula Meehan
Wake Forest University Press
PO Box 7333, Winston-Salem, NC 27109
www.wfu.edu/wfupress
9781930630987, $19.95, PB, 296pp
https://www.amazon.com/As-If-Magic-Selected-Poems/dp/1930630980
Synopsis: Paula Meehan was born in Dublin where she still lives. She studied at Trinity College, Dublin, and at Eastern
Washington University in the U.S. She has published seven collections of poetry which have received both popular and
critical acclaim. She has moderated poetry workshops in the community, in the prisons, and in recovery programs, and
has worked extensively with emerging poets inside and outside the universities.
"As If By Magic" is comprised of a new selection of her poems, each of which resonates with her accustomed integrity
and sympathy. As a poet, Meehan moves from the feminist to the ecological, from the grittier urban spaces of the north
side of center-city Dublin, to the suburban spaces outside, all while never leaving the former behind while weaving the
gathering themes in a compassionate web.
Meehan writes evocatively about gender and class, never losing sight of the lyric purpose of her poems. She blends the
comic and tragic as many Irish writers before her have done. In Meehan's poetry, particularly her most recent volumes,
nature has historical and personal significance, but it also functions on its own terms. Meehan endeavors to examine the
places, public and private, where nature and culture meet. At this intersection she begins to make sense of the suffering
of innocents and the powerless, to chart avenues toward liberation, and to salve their psychological and physical
wounds by finding poetry in the disappearance and reappearance of the natural world.
Critique: So many of her poems are eloquent and timeless observations on the human condition. A volume to be
browsed through again and again, "As If By Magic: Selected Poems" wonderfully showcases Paula Meehan's literary
wordsmith talents and is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, college, and university library
Contemporary Poetry collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "As If By Magic: Selected Poems" is
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.95).
Once Upon A Twin: Poems
Raymond Luczak
Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002-3695
http://gupress.gallaudet.edu
9781944838768, $15.95, PB, 96pp
https://www.amazon.com/once-upon-twin-Raymond-Luczak/dp/1944838767
Synopsis: When Raymond Luczak was growing up deaf in a hearing Catholic family of nine children, his mother shared
conflicting stories about having had a miscarriage after (or possibly around) the time he was conceived. As an elegy to
his lost twin, "Once Upon A Twin" is comprised of poems that collective asks: If he had a twin, just how different
would his life have been?
Critique: A compendium of deftly crafted verse that is contemplative, eloquent, and thought-provoking, "Once Upon A
Twin: Poems" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library
Contemporary American Poetry collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Once Upon A Twin:
Poems) is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.15).
Editorial Note: A playwright and filmmaker, Raymond Luczak is the author and editor of over 20 books. Raised in the
community of Ironwood, a small mining town in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, he was number seven in a family of nine
children. He lost much of his hearing due to double pneumonia at the age of seven months. After high school
graduation, Luczak went on to Gallaudet University, in Washington, DC, where he earned a B.A. in English. He learned
American Sign Language (ASL) and became involved with the Deaf community. He maintains an informative web site
at www.raymondluczak.com and those interested can check out his clips at YouTube.com/deafwoof and his personal
news at Facebook.com/raymondsbooks.
The Woodworking Shelf
3D Printers for Woodworkers
Henry Doolittle
Linden Publishing
2006 S. Mary St., Fresno, CA 93721
www.woodworkerslibrary.com
9781933502038, $17.95 PB, $8.49 Kindle, 122pp
https://www.amazon.com/3D-Printers-Woodworkers-Short-Introduction/dp/1933502037
3D Printers for Woodworkers: A Short Introduction is a very specific treatise that links 3D printer opportunities to
woodworking projects, and offers specific advice on making tools and parts using the printer to save money. While
traditional woodworkers might think this new technology beyond their hands-on wood focus, this book proves that
using a 3D printer to fabricate tools and parts is not only money-saving, but relatively easy. A basic survey of the
history of 3D printing leads to detailed comparisons of current printer models and their pros and cons, and schematics
for common woodworking tools and hardware from hinges to slides. Woodworkers interested in applied technology
will find this an intriguing, specific, essential guide to dipping into the 3D environment for the first time.
Weekend Woodturning Projects
Mark Baker
The GMC Group
www.gmcbooks.com
9781861089229, $38.36, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Weekend-Woodturning-Projects-Baker-2014-10-07/dp/B017MYB6HC
Synopsis: Now with the publication of "Weekend Woodturning Projects" by woodworking expert Mark Baker, even the
most novice of DIY wood workers can advance their wood turning skills and confidence with a variety of inherently
interesting projects that take between a couple of hours and a couple of days to complete.
All of the 25 projects comprising "Weekend Woodturning Projects" can be undertaken using a limited amount of tools
and equipment. Making use of the six basic tools (spindle roughing gouge, spindle gouge, parting tool, bowl gouge,
skew chisel and scrapers) this profusely illustrated 'how to' manual will introduce a couple of carving tools and a boring
tool and explain why and how to use them.
Each individual project will have a list of tools and materials required, drawings with dimensions and a panel on the
wood used. Sections on safety and seasoning wood are also included.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' with profusely illustrated step-by-step instructions for each individually showcased
DIY woodworking project, "Weekend Woodturning Projects" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition
to personal, professional, school woodshop, and community library Woodworking collections.
Editorial Note: Mark Baker is Group Editor of GMC Publications' portfolio of woodworking magazines. He has written
several books on woodworking and tours and demonstrates around the world. His books include Woodturning Projects,
Wood for Woodturners and Weekend Woodturning Projects, all published by GMC Publications.
The Economic Studies Shelf
Freedom From the Market
Mike Konczal
The New Press
120 Wall Street, Floor 31, New York, NY 10005
www.thenewpress.com
9781620975374, $25.99, HC, 256pp
Synopsis: Health insurance, student loan debt, retirement security, child care, work-life balance, access to home
ownership -- these are the issues driving America's current political debates. And they are all linked, as "Freedom From
the Market: America's Fight to Liberate Itself from the Grip of the Invisible Hand" reveals by a single question --
Should we allow the free market to determine our lives?
Noted economic commentator Mike Konczal answers this question with a resounding NO. "Freedom from the Market"
blends passionate political argument and a bold new take on American history to reveal that, from the earliest days of
the republic, Americans have defined freedom as what we keep free from the control of the market. With chapters on
the history of the Homestead Act and land ownership, the eight-hour work day and free time, social insurance and
Social Security, World War II day cares, Medicare and desegregation, free public colleges, intellectual property, and the
public corporation, Konczal shows how citizens have fought to ensure that everyone has access to the conditions that
make us free.
At a time when millions of Americans (and more and more politicians) are questioning the unregulated free market,
"Freedom from the Market" offers a new narrative, and new intellectual ammunition, for the fight that lies ahead.
Critique: Made even more relevant and timely with the recent example of the collapse of the Texas statewide power
grid because for decades it was left with minimal regulation as a creature of unrestrained 'free market' forces failing to
weatherize the system as recommended by earlier studies and therefore unable to survive a Polar Vortex created winter
freeze, "Freedom From the Market: America's Fight to Liberate Itself from the Grip of the Invisible Hand" is a critically
important and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library Contemporary
Economics collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, political
activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Freedom From the Market: America's
Fight to Liberate Itself from the Grip of the Invisible Hand" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$15.33).
Editorial Note: Mike Konczal is a director at the Roosevelt Institute, where he focuses on economics, inequality, and
the role of public power in a democracy. He is a co-author, with Joseph Stiglitz, of "Rewriting the Rules of the
American Economy". His writing has been featured in the Washington Post, Vox, Dissent, and The Nation. He is also a
much sought after commentator on the U.S. economy and has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, All Things Considered,
Planet Money, and Lovett or Leave It.
Value and Crisis, second edition
Makoto Itoh
Monthly Review Press
134 W. 29th Street, Suite 706, New York, NY 10001
www.monthlyreview.org
9781583678992, $89.00, HC, 296pp
https://www.amazon.com/Value-Crisis-Essays-Marxian-Economics/dp/1583678999
Synopsis: Marxist economic thought has had a long and distinguished history in Japan, dating back to the First World
War. When interest in Marxist theory was virtually nonexistent in the United States, rival schools of thought in Japan
emerged, and brilliant debates took place on Marx's Capital and on capitalism as it was developing in Japan.
Forty years ago, Professor Makoto Itoh's "Value and Crisis" began to chronicle these Japanese contributions to Marxist
theory, discussing in particular views on Marx's theories of value and crisis, and problems of Marx's theory of market
value. Now, in a second edition of his book, Itoh deepens his study Marx's theories of value and crisis, as an essential
reference point from which to analyze the multiple crises that have arisen during the past four decades of
neoliberalism.
One contribution of the original "Value and Crisis" was to bridge Japan and the world in the field of Marxian political
economy. Itoh's second edition demonstrates an even wider-ranging familiarity with major schools of Marxist thought,
summarizing and assessing viewpoints of such theorists as Hilferding, Bauer, Kautsky, Bukharin, Luxemburg,
Grossman, Sweezy, the Japanese Marxist Kozo Uno, together with the relevant parts of Capital and a section on the
1930's Great Depression. Given today's current emergencies of world capitalism and socialism, says Itoh, we need to
work together to resolve new global problems, articulating new issues of Marx's theories of value and crisis.
The promise of Marx's theories has not waned. If anything (given the failure of Soviet-style socialism and the
catastrophe of neoliberalism) it grows daily.
Critique: This newly updated and expanded second edition of economist and academician Makoto Itoh's ground
breaking volume, "Value and Crisis: Essays on Marxian Economics in Japan" is a critically important and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library Marxian Economics
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, economists, and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Value and Crisis: Essays on Marxian Economics in Japan"
is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781583678985, $29.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$15.49).
Editorial Note: Makoto Itoh Makoto Itoh is Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo and a member of the Japan
Academy. He taught at the New School, New York University, Harvard University, Cambridge University, the
University of London, York University in Canada and University of Sydney. His books include The Basic Theory of
Capitalism, The World Economic Crisis and Japanese Economy, Political Economy for Socialism, Political Economy
of Money and Finance, and The Japanese Economy Reconsidered.
Between Capitalism and Community
Michael A. Lebowitz
Monthly Review Press
134 W. 29th Street, Suite 706, New York, NY 10001
www.monthlyreview.org
9781583678879, $89.00, HC, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Between-Capitalism-Community-Michael-Lebowitz/dp/1583678875
Synopsis: In the pages of "Between Capitalism and Community", academician and economist Michael Lebowitz
deepens the arguments he made in his award-winning publication, "Beyond Capital: Marx's Political Economy of the
Working Class" (Pan Macmillan, 9780333520505, $169.00 HC, 9780333964309, $109.00 PB).
Karl Marx, in Capital, focused on capital and the capitalist class that is its embodiment. It is the endless accumulation
of capital, its causes and consequences that are central to Marx's analysis. In taking this approach, Marx tended to
obscure not only the centrality of capital's "immanent drive" and "constant tendency" to divide the working class but
also the political economy of the working class ("social production controlled by social foresight").
In "Between Capitalism and Community", Professor Lebowitz demonstrates that capitalism contains within itself
elements of a different society, one of community. Whereas Marx's intellectual construct of capitalism treats it as an
organic system that reproduces its premises of capital and wage-labor (including a working class that looks upon the
requirements of capital "as self-evident natural laws"), Professor Lebowitz argues that the struggle of workers in
common and activities based upon solidarity point in the direction of the organic system of community, an alternative
system that produces its own premises, communality, and recognition of the needs of others.
If we are to escape the ultimate barbarism portended by the existing crisis of the earth system, the subordination of the
system of capitalism by that of community is essential. Since the interregnum in which capitalism and community
coexist is marked by the interpenetration and mutual deformation of both sides within this whole, however, the path to
community cannot emerge spontaneously but requires a revolutionary party that stresses the development of the
capacities of people through their protagonism.
Critique: An erudite, thoughtful and thought-provoking study of meticulous scholarship, "Beyond Capital: Marx's
Political Economy of the Working Class" must be considered as a core and essential addition to community, college,
and university library Contemporary Economics Theory collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should
be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Between
Capitalism and Community" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781583678862, $24.00).
Editorial Note: Michael Lebowitz is professor emeritus of economics at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver,
Canada, and the author of several books including The Socialist Imperative, The Contradictions of "Real Socialism,"
and The Socialist Alternative. He was also the Director of Program in Transformative Practice and Human
Development, Centro Internacional Miranda, in Caracas, Venezuela, from 2006-11.
The Travel Shelf
Where Should We Camp Next?
Stephanie Puglisi & Jeremy Puglisi
Sourcebooks Inc.
1935 Brookdale Road, #139, Naperville, IL 60563
www.sourcebooks.com
9781728221694, $18.99, PB, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Where-Should-Camp-Next-Accommodations/dp/1728221692
Synopsis: With pandemic compelled travel restrictions to visiting other countries, American based outdoor adventure,
glamping ("glamorous camping" in relative luxury), and camping vacations have never been more popular -- and
everyone is looking to discover the best destinations with beautiful scenery and desirable amenities.
A 50-State guide to a wealth of amazing campgrounds and other unique outdoor accommodations, "Where Should We
Camp Next?" by family camping and RV experts Stephanie and Jeremy Puglisi make it easy for even the most novice
of travelers to plan the perfect trip. Whether you're a fan of rustic national parks or luxury glamping resorts, the
in-depth profiles of more than 300 amazing outdoor accommodation destinations will help you find the best places to
park your RV, pitch your tent, or kick back in your yurt, treehouse, or cabin.
"Where Should We Camp Next?" is the adventurer's ultimate guide to vacations across the USA and highlights regional
cuisine, must-see attractions, and unforgettable activities. Whether you're planning a family camping trip or a romantic
couple's getaway, "Where Should We Camp Next?" is a travel guide gateway to making memories that will last a life
time.
Critique: Expertly written, organized and organized by states grouped into regions, "Where Should We Camp Next?" is
an ideal and thoroughly 'user friendly' travel guide for itinerary planning. Simply stated, this is one DIY travel guide
that should be a part of any and all personal and community library collections.
Secret Twin Cities
Julie Jo Severson
Reedy Press
PO Box 5131, St. Louis, MO 63139
www.reedypress.com
9781681062600, $20.95, PB, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Twin-Cities-Wonderful-Obscure/dp/1681062607
Synopsis: The Twin Cities metropolitan area invites visitors and locals to revel in nature, art, science, history,
innovation, and with "Secret Twin Cities: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure" as your guide -- quite a bit
of the unexpected. With this DIY trip and event planning guide you will be able to play a musical sidewalk railing,
stand exactly halfway between the Equator and the North Pole, and explore the spot many Dakota people consider to be
the center of the earth.
Deftly woven into delightful narratives by local writer Julie Jo Severson, "Secret Twin Cities" is a veritable treasure
chest of offbeat, extraordinary gems and legacies. Whether you're a local or here for a visit, you'll broaden your Twin
Cities itineraries, bucket lists, and trivia vaults.
Critique: Nicely illustrated throughout, "Secret Twin Cities: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure" is an ideal
planning guide -- be it for a day trip adventure, a weekend visit, or an extended vacation. While very highly
recommended for community library American Travel Guide collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Secret Twin Cities" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Oldest Chicago
David Anthony Witter
Reedy Press
PO Box 5131, St. Louis, MO 63139
www.reedypress.com
9781681062563, $20.95, PB, 184pp
https://www.amazon.com/Oldest-Chicago-David-Anthony-Witter/dp/1681062569
Synopsis: Chicago has thrived for almost two hundred years, growing from a backwoods swamp, to a rail and
manufacturing hub, to a light of the new Millennium. While many great structures have been lost or demolished, much
of this history still lives on. Within the pages of Oldest Chicago, get to know the history of the Windy City's most
iconic buildings and the stories that bring their walls to life.
Included are some of the businesses and buildings from the city's inception through the turn of the twentieth century
that are examples of Chicago's living history like The First United Methodist Church (1831); The Old Water Tower
(1859); and Wrigley Field (1916). Amazingly, many others are still run by the same family members whose dedication
has made them not only enduring businesses but living landmarks. These include The Jaeger Funeral Home (1858);
Anderson's Books (1875); and The Italian Village Restaurant (1927) among many others.
Local historian David Anthony Witter brings his love of the city to newly updated and expanded second edition of
"Oldest Chicago" -- an informative guidebook of the city's buildings, neighborhoods, restaurants, businesses and bars.
Of special note are the personal stories of the faces behind the places that continue to give the City of Big Shoulders its
historical, ethnic, and entrepreneurial identity.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, this new second edition of "Oldest Chicago" is a
'must' for anyone wanting to visit what this iconic American city has to offer -- whether you are a newly arrived traveler
or a life-long resident. While highly recommended for community library American Travel Guide collections, it should
be noted for personal reading lists that "Oldest Chicago" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Editorial Note: An author, journalist, teacher, lecturer, and historian, David Anthony Witter has been documenting
Chicago's history and neighborhoods for over thirty years. His books include Oldest Chicago; Chicago Magic, A
History of Stagecraft and Spectacle; and Be-Bop, Swing and Bella Musica. His historical articles and photographs have
appeared in The Chicago Reader, New City, The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, Living Blues, The Copley
News Syndicate, and many other publications. Witter has also added to his feel and appreciation for Chicago's history
and culture through playing blues at local venues.
The Political Science Shelf
The Hidden History of American Oligarchy
Thom Hartmann
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
1333 Broadway, Suite 1000, Oakland CA, 94612
www.bkconnection.com
9781523091584, $16.00, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-History-American-Oligarchy-Reclaiming/dp/1523091584
Synopsis: Billionaire oligarchs actively seek to own our republic, and they're nearly there thanks to legislation and
Supreme Court decisions that they have essentially bought. They put Trump and his political allies into office and
support a vast network of think tanks, publications, and social media that every day push our nation closer and closer to
a police state tyranny.
The United States was born in a struggle against the oligarchs of the British aristocracy, and ever since then the history
of America has been one of dynamic tension between democracy and oligarchy. And much like the shock of the 1929
crash woke America up to glaring inequality and the ongoing theft of democracy by that generation's oligarchs, the
coronavirus pandemic of 2020 has laid bare how extensively oligarchs have looted our nation's economic system, gutted
governmental institutions, and stolen the wealth of the former middle class.
In the pages of "The Hidden History of American Oligarchy: Reclaiming Our Democracy from the Ruling Class",
Thom Hartmann traces the history of this struggle against oligarchy from America's founding to the United States' war
with the feudal Confederacy to President Franklin Roosevelt's struggle against "economic royalists," who wanted to
block the New Deal. In each of those cases, the oligarchs lost the battle. But with increasing right-wing control of the
media, unlimited campaign contributions, and a conservative takeover of the judicial system, we are re at a crisis
point.
Now is the time for action, before we flip into tyranny. We've beaten the oligarchs before, and we can do it again.
Hartmann lays out practical measures we can take to break up media monopolies, limit the influence of money in
politics, reclaim the wealth stolen over decades by the oligarchy, and build a movement that will return control of
America to We the People.
Critique: An informed and informative appeal to restorative political action if we are to save and salvage our democracy
from the financial corruption and control that has been so starkly revealed by the Trump Administration and the current
pandemic, "The Hidden History of American Oligarchy: Reclaiming Our Democracy from the Ruling Class" deserves
as wide a readership as can be made available. While especially and unreservedly recommended for all community,
college, and university library Contemporary Political Science & Social Issues collections, it should be noted for the
personal reading lists of students, academia, governmental office holders, political activists, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that "The Hidden History of American Oligarchy: Reclaiming Our Democracy
from the Ruling Class" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Thom Hartmann is a four-time winner of the Project Censored Award, a New York Times bestselling
author of thirty-two books, and America's #1 progressive talk radio show host. His show is syndicated on local
for-profit and nonprofit stations and broadcasts nationwide and worldwide. It is also simulcast on television into nearly
60 million US and Canadian homes.
These Liberties We Hold Sacred
Carl Anderson
Square One Publishers
115 Herricks Road, Garden City Park, NY 11040
www.squareonepublishers.com
9780757005046, $24.95, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/These-Liberties-We-Hold-Sacred/dp/0757005047
Synopsis: Early in this nation's history, America was populated by many different faith-based communities, each in
search of a place to practice its religion. Initially, there was conflict, but by the time our Founding Fathers were ready to
establish an independent nation, the idea of religious tolerance had become deeply ingrained in this brave new country's
political design. So much so that when the United States Constitution was ratified, it contained a document known as
The Bill of Rights -- ten amendments detailing the rights of this country's citizens. And the very First Amendment
states,"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
Here lies the foundation of the principle for the separation of state and religion.
Over the past few decades, however, the power of the state has usurped a growing number of rights clearly ascribed to
those who wish to practice their faith. This has certainly not gone unnoticed by many religious organizations. As the
supreme knight of the Knights of Columbus, Carl Anderson has taken an active role in highlighting (and protecting
against) this ever-growing governmental infringement over fundamental religious freedom.
Here in his latest book, "These Liberties We Hold Sacred" Anderson has gathered together many of his most
thought-provoking speeches, articles, and essays that lay bare the facts of this unjustified restriction of religious beliefs.
The power of his words makes it clear that if nothing is done now, there will continue to be more erosion of these
special freedoms set forth by our Founding Fathers.
Critique: Eloquent, informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "These Liberties We Hold Sacred" is a welcome
contribution to our current national dialogue over the relationship of church and state in America. While an especially
and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library Contemporary Political Science
collections and supplemental curriculum reading lists, it should be noted for students, academia, political activists, and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "These Liberties We Hold Sacred" is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note: In addition to being the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, Carl Anderson is also the
Vice-President of the American Section of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family,
where he is a Professor of Family Law. He is the author of "A Civilization of Love: What Every Catholic Can Do to
Transform the World", as well as numerous other published works.
Getting to the Heart of the Matter
Carl Levin
Wayne State University Press
4809 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201-1309
http://wsupress.wayne.edu
9780814348390, $29.99, HC, 392pp
https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Heart-Matter-Years-Senate/dp/0814348394
Synopsis: Representing Michigan for thirty-six years in the U.S. Senate, Carl Levin was the longest-serving senator in
Michigan history and known for his dogged pursuit of the truth, his commitment to holding government accountable,
and his basic decency. "Getting to the Heart of the Matter: My 36 Years in the Senate" is his personal story and ranges
from his early days in Detroit as the son of a respected lawyer, to the capstone of his career as chair of both the Senate
Armed Services Committee and the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
Levin's political career placed him at the center of some of our nation's most critical points in modern times: from the
aftermath of the 1967 Detroit riots, to the Clinton impeachment, through 9/11 and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and
the 2008 financial crisis. He met with numerous world leaders, including Egypt's Anwar Sadat and China's Jiang
Zemin. Getting to the Heart of the Matter recounts Levin's experiences, thoughts, and actions during these historic
moments.
"Getting to the Heart of the Matter: My 36 Years in the Senate" takes the reader through Levin's early life in Detroit of
the 1940s, 50s, and 60s where he met his wife, started a family, practiced law and served as the first General Counsel
for the newly created Michigan Civil Rights Commission and the chief appellate defender for Detroit's Legal Aid
Office. Elected to the Detroit City Council in 1969, where Levin served for eight years including four as Council
president, the book describes how his fight against the Department of Housing and Urban Development's devastating
housing practices in the neighborhoods of Detroit led him to run for the U.S. Senate with a pledge to make government
work more effectively.
Winning election six times, Levin had an illustrious career in the Senate where he challenged leaders in government
and the private sector for the greater good of the nation. Levin describes how, as a Democrat, throughout his time in the
Senate, he worked with Republican senators who often held different policy positions in order to find common ground
to achieve national goals, and how he and his Senate staff searched for creative solutions to trade issues, support for the
auto industry and manufacturing sector, U.S. military action in Iraq and Afghanistan, and efforts to protect the Great
Lakes and the environment, among many other issues.
Levin's hope in writing this memoir is that by sharing his deeply held beliefs about the responsibility of elected
officials, the book will serve as a resource for people beginning a career in, or contemplating running for, public office.
Readers with an interest in politics, history, facts, and perseverance will find kinship in the pages of "Getting to the
Heart of the Matter: My 36 Years in the Senate".
Critique: An inherently fascinating political memoir, "Getting to the Heart of the Matter: My 36 Years in the Senate" is
an extraordinary account of public service through interesting and often troubled times. Of special note is the chapter
'Ethics and Impeachment' given the current state of national affairs. Exceptionally well written, organized and
presented, "Getting to the Heart of the Matter: My 36 Years in the Senate" is very highly recommended for community,
college, and university library Contemporary Political Science and American Biography collections. It should be noted
for personal reading lists that "Getting to the Heart of the Matter: My 36 Years in the Senate" is also readily available in
a digital book format (Kindle, $22.49).
Consequences of Capitalism
Noam Chomsky, author
Marv Waterstone, author
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
www.haymarketbooks.org
9781642594010, $65.00, HC, 400pp
https://www.amazon.com/Consequences-Capitalism-Manufacturing-Discontent-Resistance/dp/1642592633
Synopsis: How does politics shape our world, our lives and our perceptions? How much of 'common sense' is actually
driven by the ruling classes' needs and interests? And how are we to challenge the capitalist structures that now threaten
all life on the planet? "Consequences of Capitalism: Manufacturing Discontent and Resistance" by academicians and
political activists Noam Chomsky and Marv Waterstone exposes the deep, often unseen connections between neoliberal
'common sense' and structural power. In making these linkages, we see how the current hegemony keeps social justice
movements divided and marginalized. And, most importantly, we see how we can fight to overcome these
divisions.
Critique: As informed and informative as it is exceptionally well organized and presented, "Consequences of
Capitalism: Manufacturing Discontent and Resistance" is an impressively timely and invaluable contribution to our on-
going national discussion of the kinds of economic and equity issues that the current pandemic has both revealed and
showcased. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library
Contemporary Social Issues collections in general, and Labor & Industrial Economic Relations supplemental
curriculum studies lists in particular, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, political
activists, governmental policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"Consequences of Capitalism: Manufacturing Discontent and Resistance" is also readily available in a paperback
edition (9781642592634, $19.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note #1: Noam Chomsky is Institute Professor (emeritus) in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Laureate Professor of Linguistics and Agnese Nelms Haury Chair in the
Program in Environment and Social Justice at the University of Arizona. He is the author of Hegemony or Survival,
Failed States, Who Rules the World?, Requiem for the American Dream, and What Kind of Creatures Are We?
Editorial Note #2: Marv Waterstone is Professor Emeritus in the School of Geography and Development at the
University of Arizona, where he has been a faculty member for over 30 years. He is also the former director of the
University of Arizona Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Comparative Cultural and Literary Studies. His research
and teaching focus on the Gramscian notions of hegemony and common sense, and their connections to social justice
and progressive social change. His most recent books are Wageless Life: A Manifesto for a Future beyond Capitalism
(University of Minnesota Press; co-authored with Ian Shaw) and Geographic Thought: A Praxis Perspective
(Routledge; co-edited with George Henderson).
The Cookbook Shelf
Cook Together, Eat Together
The University Press of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40508-4008
www.kentuckypress.com
9780813180359, $17.95, HC, 80pp
https://www.amazon.com/Together-University-Kentucky-Cooperative-Extension/dp/081318035X
Synopsis: In our pre-pandemic world, many people found themselves waiting in line at fast food restaurants more often
than gathering around the dinner table with loved ones. Cooking and eating together can help families grow closer, but
it can be challenging for parents to put a meal on the table when time is limited and money is tight.
"Cook Together, Eat Together" specifically is designed by the University of Kentucky, Cooperative Extension Service,
Family and Consumer Sciences Extension to help families enjoy more home-cooked, healthy meals. Featuring easy
recipes for breakfast dishes, soups, vegetables, salads, and one-pot meals, this beautifully illustrated cookbook lays out
a strategy to enable families to spend more quality time together while also preparing foods that are affordable and
delicious.
Additionally, "Cook Together, Eat Together" provide a DIY toolkit for lifestyle changes, including budgeting tips,
nutrition guides, breakdowns explaining how to evaluate food labels, and even a quick guide to shopping smart at the
farmers' market. Each individual recipe comes with useful information ranging from preparation tricks that help reduce
mess, to ideas for how to use leftovers, to all the way to icebreakers for starting fun conversations around the table.
The no-nonsense, nutritious recipes in this cookbook are designed to get the whole family in the kitchen, enjoying
comforting foods, and making memories. "Cook Together, Eat Together" serves up tasty, budget-friendly dishes that
home cooks and their kids can prepare with less stress.
Critique: Replete with full color photographic examples of mouth-watering finished dishes, "Cook Together, Eat
Together" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation -- making is a memorably ideal and
unreservedly recommended addition to personal, family and community library cookbook collections. It should be
noted that "Cook Together, Eat Together" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.49).
Editorial Note: University of Kentucky, Cooperative Extension Service, Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS)
Extension represents a group of educators sharing the university's research knowledge with individuals, families, and
communities to improve quality of life. FCS concentrates on the community as the classroom, delivering programs
focusing on nutrition, health, resource management, family development, and civic engagement.
Broke Vegan
Saskia Sidey
Hamlyn
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9780600636984, $14.99, HC, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Broke-Vegan-plant-based-recipes-earth/dp/0600636984
Synopsis: We all want to help do our bit to save the planet by moving towards a plant-based diet, but eating vegan can
be expensive. But with over 100 plant-based recipes using supermarket staples along with hints and tips for making
your food dollar go further, "Broke Vegan: Over 100 plant-based recipes that don't cost the earth" by Saskia Sidey will
have you cooking meals time after time that save money and save the planet. From easy weeknight meals ready in 20
minutes to feeding a crowd on a budget or saving time and money by batch cooking, "Broke Vegan" is your primary 'go
to' meal planner cookbook. Whether you're making the move from veggie to vegan or just trying to make your money
go further, "Broke Vegan" will bring variety and flavor to your meals without having to spend a fortune.
Critique: Particularly timely given the restrictions of the current pandemic, as well as its economic impact, "Broke
Vegan: Over 100 plant-based recipes that don't cost the earth" will prove to be an exceptionally welcome and
enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, and community library Vegetarian/Vegan cookbook collections.
It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Broke Vegan" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: Saskia Sidey was the former brand & marketing manager and copywriter at LEON. She also worked
in-house for cookbook publishers Octopus before leaving to train as a chef at Leiths School of Food and Wine. With a
flare for flavor, eye for detail and practical nature, Saskia has developed a personal style with food that truly stands out.
She maintains an informative website at https://www.instagram.com/saskia.sidey
Pancakes Make People Happy
Sharon Collins, Charlotte Collins, Courtney Wade
Hatherleigh Press
c/o The Hatherleigh Foundation
62545 State Highway 10, Hobart, NY 13788
www.hatherleighpress.com
9781578268757, $20.00, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Pancakes-Make-People-Happy-Recipes/dp/1578268753
Synopsis: Not just for breakfast anymore, the pancake is the classic comfort food! Just imagining a short-stack of
flapjacks drizzled with maple syrup will bring a smile to anybody's face. But with "Pancakes Make People Happy" they
can be so much more ranging from savory, satisfying brunchtime fare to light, sweet desserts, pancakes are the perfect
food to nourish body and soul.
"Pancakes Make People Happy" features over 75 unique pancake recipes that are as easy to prepare as they are to love,
including: Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pancakes; Jalape o Corn Fritter Pancakes; Crispy Risotto Pancake; Monte Cristo
Pancakes; Citrus Mimosa Pancakes; Pancake Muffins; Eggnog Pancakes; Indian Chai Spice Pancakes; Christmas Tree
Stack; Black Forest Pancakes -- and more!
Critique: Each one of the 75 thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes will produce farm-fresh and wholesome fare for
any and all dining occasions. Beautifully illustrated throughout with full color photography, "Pancakes Make People
Happy" will be a prized addition to personal, professional, family, and community library cookbook collections. It
should be noted that "Pancakes Make People Happy" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$12.99).
The Automotive Shelf
Ford Inline Six: How to Rebuild & Modify
Matt Cox & Barton Maurer
CarTech Inc.
838 Lake Street South, Forest Lake, MN 55025
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613255179, $36.95, PB, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Ford-Inline-Six-Rebuild-Modify/dp/1613255179
Synopsis: Covering Ford's small 6-cylinder engine made famous in Falcons, Comets, Mustangs, and many other models
from the 1960s and 1970s, "Ford Inline Six: How to Rebuild & Modify" by car experts Matt Cox and Barton Maurer
has everything anyone needs to know from step-by-step rebuilding instructions to performance parts.
Especially useful for anyone working on their first engine build, every aspect of a complete rebuild is laid out in "Ford
Inline Six: How to Rebuild & Modify". Starting with engine removal, this instructional guide presents all the different
steps, including examination, machine work, reassembly, and reinstallation. Also covered in step-by-step detail is the
setting ring gap, checking valve-to-piston clearance, and even degreasing the camshaft for spot-on valve timing.
Whether it's replacing the undersized and outdated 1-barrel carburetor or the original Load-O-Matic distributor, "Ford
Inline Six: How to Rebuild & Modify" shows how to get the most from the engine that came as original equipment in
literally millions of Ford vehicles. With the information in presented in "Ford Inline Six: How to Rebuild & Modify",
DIY mechanics will learn how to add a 2-barrel carburetor, electronic ignition, and even a header so they can have the
smooth rumble of dual exhaust.
Critique; Essential for anyone wanting to rebuild and modify a Ford inline six with help from the leading performance
builders of these engines, Vintage Inlines, "Ford Inline Six: How to Rebuild & Modify" is a profusely illustrated and
thoroughly 'user friendly' DIY manual and is highly recommended for personal, professional, and community library
Automotive Studies collections.
The Education Shelf
Designing the Online Learning Experience
Simone C. O. Conceicao, author
Les L. Howles, author
Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9781620368343, $125.00, HC, 206pp
https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Online-Learning-Experience-Evidence-Based/dp/16203683 4X
Synopsis: "Designing the Online Learning Experience: Evidence-Based Principles and Strategies" provides instructors
with a holistic way of thinking about learners, learning, and online course design. The distinctive strategies derived
from an integrated framework for designing the online learning experience help create an experience that is more
personalized, engaging, and meaningful for online learners.
The focus of "Designing the Online Learning Experience" is on the learners and the design of their online learning
experiences. The authors, Professor Simone Conceicao and Professor Les Howles, refer to learning design instead of
instructional design, which thereby focuses on instruction and places the instructor at the center stage of the process.
Therefore, the focus is on approaching a learner's online course experience as a journey consisting of a combination of
learning interactions with content, instructor, and other learners.
In most online courses, instructors and learners are separated in time and space and depend on technology to facilitate
interactions that often lack a strong personal dimension. As online learning continues to proliferate and mature, the
emphasis on simply making content available to students online is no longer acceptable. Creating online courses now
requires a new way of thinking that incorporates new design ideas and approaches from a variety of fields; it also
requires a new set of learning design skills for instructors and course designers.
Organized into eight chapters, "Designing the Online Learning Experience" focuses on enhancing online learning
experiences for each of the major aspects of an online course, providing evidence-based principles and strategies to
promote learner engagement and deep learning. The concluding chapter provides an example illustrating a real-world
application of the principles and strategies covered in the book, using Design Thinking to create learning
experiences.
"Designing the Online Learning Experience" provides strategies for approaching the learning experience from an
integrative perspective for both experienced online instructors and those new to online course design. These strategies
are based on evidence-based learning design principles and encourage the reader to adopt an empathic mindset focused
on the experience of the learner.
Critique: Exceptionally informative, impressively organized and presented, "Designing the Online Learning
Experience: Evidence-Based Principles and Strategies" is especially timely given the current pandemic mandated
replacement of traditional schooling with 'distance learning' from preschool to graduate school. Also available in a
paperback edition (9781620368350, $35.00), and in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.50), "Designing the Online
Learning Experience: Evidence-Based Principles and Strategies" must be considered as an essential and core addition to
school district, college, and university library Contemporary Teacher Education collections in general, and On-Line
Learning supplemental curriculum studies lists in particular.
Editorial Note #1: Simone C. O. Conceicao is a professor and chair in the Department of Administrative Leadership at
the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She received her doctorate in adult and distance education from the University
of Wisconsin-Madison and her master's in adult and continuing education leadership from the University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She has authored five books on the topics of online education, adult learning, online student
motivation and support, and faculty workload when teaching online.
Editorial Note #2: Les L. Howles has over 30 years professional experience in distance education, eLearning, media
production, and instructional design. He has held multiple positions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison including
director of Distance Education Professional Development, team leader for the Learning Solutions group and senior
eLearning consultant. Throughout his career, Howles has developed and taught online courses, designed educational
software, and led groups of professionals in creating innovative learning solutions for education and training. He has
worked in multiple industries including higher education, corporate training, government, health care, K - 12 and is an
independent learning design strategist for Howles Associates. He serves on the editorial board of eLearn Magazine and
has authored and coauthored numerous articles for professional publications. Howles has been a frequent presenter at
regional, national, and international conferences and directed the Annual Distance Teaching & Learning Conference in
Madison, Wisconsin.
Giving Students a Say
Myron Dueck
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416629801, $30.95, PB, 189pp
https://www.amazon.com/Giving-Students-Say-Assessment-Practices/dp/1416629807
Synopsis: In the pages of "Giving Students a Say: Smarter Assessment Practices to Empower and Engage", educator
and author Myron Dueck draws from his firsthand experience and his work with districts around the world to provide a
simple but profound answer: put student voice and choice at the center of the process.
In this engaging and well-researched instructional guide and manual, Dueck reveals troubling issues related to
traditional approaches and offers numerous examples of educators at all levels who are transforming assessment by
using tools and methods that engage and empower students. He also shares surprising revelations about the nature of
memory and learning that speak to the need for rethinking how we measure student understanding and
achievement.
Readers will find sound advice and detailed guidance on how to: Share and cocreate precise learning targets; Develop
student-friendly rubrics linked to standards; Involve students in ongoing assessment procedures; Replace flawed
grading systems with ones that better reflect what students know and can do; Design structures for students'
self-reporting on their progress in learning.
Inspired by the origins of the word assessment (derived from the Latin for "to sit beside") Dueck urges educators to
discard old habits and instead work with students as partners in assessment. For those who do, the effort is rewarding
and the benefits are significant.
Critique: Expertly written, exceptionally well organized, impressively 'user friendly' in presentation, "Giving Students a
Say: Smarter Assessment Practices to Empower and Engage" is an invaluable and timely contribution to contemporary
educational theory and classroom practices. While unreservedly recommended for school district, college, and
university library Contemporary Teacher Education collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be
noted for education students, academia, classroom teachers, school district administrators, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that "Giving Students a Say: Smarter Assessment Practices to Empower and
Engage" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.49).
Editorial Note: Myron Dueck has worked as a teacher and an administrator for 23 years in Canada and New Zealand,
with students in grades 4 - 12. In 2006, Myron began developing grading, assessment, and reporting systems with his
classes that offer students an increased opportunity to show what they understand, adapt to the feedback they receive,
and play a significant role in reporting their learning. Myron has been a part of administrative teams, district groups,
school committees, and governmental bodies that have further broadened his access to innovative ideas. In recent years,
Myron has served in an administrative role supporting assessment and innovation in his local school district,
Okanagan-Skaha 67. Myron has shared his stories, tools, and first-hand experiences with public, charter, and
international school educators throughout the world. Myron is also the author of "Grading Smarter, Not Harder" which
is also published by ASCD.
Mental Health, Substance Use, and Wellbeing in Higher Education
Consensus Study Report
National Academies Press
500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
www.nap.edu
9780309124126, $60.00, PB, 212pp
https://www.nap.edu/catalog/26015/mental-health-substance-use-and-wellbeing-in-higher-educat ion-supporting
Synopsis: Student wellbeing is foundational to academic success. One recent survey of post- secondary educators found
that nearly 80 percent believed emotional wellbeing is a "very" or "extremely" important factor in student success.
Studies have found the dropout rates for students with a diagnosed mental health problem range from 43 percent to as
high as 86 percent.
While dealing with stress is a normal part of life, for some students, stress can adversely affect their physical,
emotional, and psychological health, particularly given that adolescence and early adulthood are when most mental
illnesses are first manifested. In addition to students who may develop mental health challenges during their time in
post-secondary education, many students arrive on campus with a mental health problem or having experienced
significant trauma in their lives, which can also negatively affect physical, emotional, and psychological wellbeing.
The nation's institutions of higher education are seeing increasing levels of mental illness, substance use and other
forms of emotional distress among their students. Some of the problematic trends have been ongoing for decades. Some
have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic consequences. Some are the result of
long-festering systemic racism in almost every sphere of American life that are becoming more widely acknowledged
throughout society and must, at last, be addressed.
"Mental Health, Substance Use, and Wellbeing in Higher Education: Supporting the Whole Student" lays out a variety
of possible strategies and approaches to meet increasing demand for mental health and substance use services, based on
the available evidence on the nature of the issues and what works in various situations. The recommendations of this
report will support the delivery of mental health and wellness services by the nation's institutions of higher
education.
Critique: Especially and unreservedly recommended for both college and university library Contemporary Higher
Education and Mental Health & Behavior collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for
the personal reading lists of classroom educators, education administrators, student teachers, academic faculty and
school board members, and non- specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Mental Health, Substance
Use, and Wellbeing in Higher Education: Supporting the Whole Student" is also available in a digital book format
(eBook, 9780309128476, $48.99).
Love Teaching, Keep Teaching
Peter Radford
Crown House Publishing
81 Brook Hills Circle, White Plains, NY 10605
www.crownhousepublishing.com
9781785835032, $22.95, PB, 283pp
https://www.amazon.com/Love-Teaching-Keep-essential-well-being/dp/1785835033
Synopsis: "Love Teaching, Keep Teaching: The essential guide to improving wellbeing at all levels in schools" by Peter
Radford is a practical guide for classroom teachers to stay well in a high-pressure profession made all the more stressful
by the current pandemic. In the midst of a recruitment crisis and a massive exodus of teachers from our schools, now is
the time for some joined-up thinking about teacher wellbeing and mental health.
Offering insightful advice and practical strategies, Peter invites you to think differently about the way education is done
and how you can keep doing the job you love without sacrificing your health and wellbeing. "Love Teaching, Keep
Teaching" paints a picture of a truly healthy school as being one in which the value of each staff member and student is
fundamental to everything we do. It also shares a fresh perspective on school leadership, encouraging leaders to rethink
common practices and to explore the rewards and benefits of employing a people-focused approach.
Split into three parts, "Love Teaching, Keep teacher" covers the following key aspects of improving wellbeing in
schools including: Teachers and leaders improving their own wellbeing; The role of teachers and leaders in improving
wellbeing across schools; The challenge to change the culture of our schools and education system.
Peter challenges the current way of measuring student progress and appraising teachers, and sends a wake-up call to
encourage professionals and policymakers to do education differently in order to prevent the current exodus of teachers
from the profession. Furthermore, Peter also draws upon his own experiences as a teacher struggling under the heavy
workload that ultimately played a part in his subsequent breakdown and draws key lessons from his reflections to help
other educators avoid the same fate.
Critique: Written specifically for classroom teachers and school leaders/administrators in both primary and secondary
school settings, "Love Teaching, Keep Teaching" is as thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is insightful and
inspiring. While especially and unreservedly recommended for school district, college, and university library Teacher
Education collections, it should be noted for personal and professional reading lists that "Love Teaching, Keep
Teaching" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Peter Radford is a teacher, trainer, public speaker and coach with a wealth of experience in leadership,
management and personal development. He began his career in youth work before entering teaching and working in
middle and senior leadership. Peter has also played a lead role in helping two large secondary schools achieve
UNICEF's Rights Respecting Schools Award.
Behavior Management: Systems, Classrooms, and Individuals
Jennifer D. Walker & Colleen Barry
Plural Publishing
www.pluralpublishing.com
9781635502244, $89.95, PB, 381pp
https://www.amazon.com/Behavior-Management-Systems-Classrooms-Individuals/dp/16355022 41
Synopsis: Children and teens are simultaneously complex and predictable. Behavior theory and research can provide
ways of predicting behaviors and designing classroom structures that benefit all students. "Behavior Management:
Systems, Classrooms, and Individuals" by the team of Jennifer D. Walker and Colleen Barry is a highly readable,
student-friendly textbook that meets the needs of both undergraduate and graduate teaching programs. By covering
theory, systems, classrooms, and individuals, the authors have created a pragmatic resource that can be used by a range
of individuals seeking reliable, evidence-based techniques integrating behavior management into effective classrooms,
including both upcoming and established educators.
The text of "Behavior Management" uses a funnel approach to guide readers from the "big picture" down to the
individual student. Part I begins by introducing the foundations of classroom management with a discussion of
prominent theorists, legislation, common disabilities, and the basics of behavior. Part II provides discussion on
classroom management communities, including systems of support and structure in schools and classrooms. Part III
focuses on the individual to give both current and future teachers tools for building and nurturing relationships with
students and understanding and responding to student behavior. The final chapter offers tools for self-reflection and
managing stress and burnout.
Key features of "Behavior Management" include: Real-world cases and classroom examples to integrate content with
practice; Chapters begin with learning objectives and key terms and end with summaries for comprehension; Bolded
terms along with a comprehensive glossary to improve retention of material; "Make a Connection" boxes to synthesize
content across chapters; Content connections to high-leverage practices in call-out boxes; Examples, figures, and
templates to clarify and expand on key concepts; Access to a PluralPlus companion website with case studies and
instructor resources, including PowerPoint slides, test banks, and sample activities.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, this newly updated and expanded fourth edition of
"Behavior Management: Systems, Classrooms, and Individuals" is especially and unreservedly recommended for
classroom teacher, school administrators, and education advocates personal reading lists, as well as a core addition to
school district, college, and university library Teacher Education collections.
Editorial Note #1: Jennifer Walker, PhD is an Associate Professor at the University of Mary Washington where she
teaches both undergraduate and graduate students. She has over 25 years of experience in special education, including
serving as a special educator, behavior specialist, and teacher educator.
Editorial Note #2: Colleen Barry, PhD, BCBA-D is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and earned her PhD in
Teaching and Teacher Education from George Mason University. Her experience spans nearly two decades and
includes teaching preschool and elementary special education, providing behavioral support to general and special
teachers, and preparing undergraduate educators.
Our Children Are Your Students
Tara Goldstein
Myers Education Press
c/o Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9781975504021, $89.95, HC, 200pp
https://www.amazon.com/Our-Children-Your-Students-Singularities/dp/197550402X
Synopsis: Many schools have failed to create a nurturing educational environment for LGBTQ students. "Our Children
Are Your Students: LGBTQ Families Speak Out" by Tara Goldstein features a discussion about the various tactics that
LGBTQ families use to work with schools that do not anticipate the arrival of their families and children.
"Our Children Are Your Students" also features a verbatim theatre script called Out at School, which is based on
interviews conducted with 37 LGBTQ families about their experiences in school. The families live in four different
cities in the province of Ontario as well as in the suburbs and rural communities surrounding them. Written by Tara
Goldstein, Jenny Salisbury, and Pam Baer, the play contains 22 scenes of verbatim monologues and dialogues. A set of
images created by visual artist benjamin lee hicks accompanies each scene. The play also contains three original songs
composed by musician Kate Reid, who draws on a number of the themes embedded in the scenes.
Links to performances of the songs and to the artwork can be seen on the LGBTQ Families Speak Out project website:
www.lgbtqfamiliesspeakout.ca
Critique: Critically important and essential reading for teachers and pre-service teachers who are interested in creating
inclusive classroom environments for all students, including those who are members of LGBTQ families, "Our
Children Are Your Students: LGBTQ Families Speak Out" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to
school district, college, and university library Contemporary Education collections in general, and LGBTQ
supplemental curriculum studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of student
teachers, classroom teachers, academia, education administrators, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in
the subject that "Our Children Are Your Students: LGBTQ Families Speak Out" is also readily available in a paperback
edition (9781975504038, $35.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.06).
Editorial Note: Tara Goldstein is a Professor in the Department of Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning at the Ontario
Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE/UT). Her current teaching and research program
focuses on gender, sexuality and schooling, and verbatim theatre research. Her latest book is Teaching Gender and
Sexuality at School: Letters to Teachers (2019). Tara is also the Founding and Artistic Director of Gailey Road
Productions, a theatre company that produces her performed ethnographies and research-informed theatre.
Unpacking the Pyramid Model
Mary Louise Hemmeter, et al.
Brookes Publishing Company
PO Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
www.brookespublishing.com
9781681253909, $49.95, PB, 174pp
https://www.amazon.com/Unpacking-Pyramid-Model-Practical-Preschool/dp/1681253909
Synopsis: For more than a decade, the widely used Pyramid Model for Promoting Social Emotional Competence in
Infants and Young Children has been helping early educators use research based practices to boost social emotional
development. Now there is a practical guide that makes it easier than ever to implement this highly effective framework
in preschool classrooms.
Created by the Pyramid Model developers and experts with extensive training experience, "Unpacking the Pyramid
Model: A Practical Guide for Preschool Teachers" is the first instruction guide and manual to provide a comprehensive,
step by step overview of the Pyramid Model for children ages 2 - 5. Early childhood educators will get a complete
overview of the framework, plus in depth guidance, evidence based strategies, and helpful checklists for implementing
all tiers of the Pyramid Model: universal, targeted, and individualized.
Ideal for use in teacher trainings, preservice methods courses, and individual professional development, Unpacking the
Pyramid Model will give current and future educators the foundational skills they need to promote positive behavior
and build all young children's social emotional competence.
Classroom educators will learn how to use the Pyramid Model to: Construct a positive classroom environment that
supports access and engagement for all students; Develop predictable schedules and routines that maximize
participation and learning; Clearly define and teach behavior expectations and rules; Deliver intentional, explicit
instruction in social emotional competence; Support smooth and streamlined transitions that prevent challenging
behavior; Create a culture of friendship and actively teach children friendship skills; Teach children about emotions and
help them develop a feeling vocabulary; Give children the skills they need to solve interpersonal problems
appropriately; Provide individualized support for children with persistent challenging behavior.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Unpacking the Pyramid Model: A Practical
Guide for Preschool Teachers" is especially and unreservedly recommended for school district, college, and university
library Preschool Education collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of daycare center staff, preschool teachers, school administrators, teacher education students, academia,
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Unpacking the Pyramid Model" is also readily
available in a digital book format (eTextbook, $35.99).
15-Minute STEM Book 2
Emily Hunt
Crown House Publishing
81 Brook Hills Circle, White Plains, NY 10605
www.crownhousepublishing.com
9781785835070, $22.95, PB, 65pp
https://www.amazon.com/15-Minute-STEM-Book-engineering-5-11-year-olds/dp/1785835076
Synopsis: Full of engaging and practical ideas, this innovative resource builds on the success of Emily Hunt's
previously published "15-Minute STEM" (9781785833359, $27.95 PB, $17.99 Kindle) and reassures teachers and
parents that they don't need to be experts to deliver high-quality STEM education.
Each of the 40 activities comprising "15-Minute STEM Book 2: More quick, creative science, technology, engineering
and mathematics activities for 5-11-year-olds" includes step-by-step instructions for DIY student projects ranging from
bottle rockets, to Bug Counting, to Earthquake Proofing Buildings, with each one taking just 15 minutes to complete
and can be resourced from everyday materials found in the classroom or at home.
This means that, with minimal preparation, teachers and parents can slot these cross-curricular activities into an
otherwise busy day - simultaneously broadening children's learning and piquing their curiosity about the world around
them.
Accompanying instructions are phrased in a way that encourages the children to lead the learning and exploration, and
opportunities for further investigation are provided in order to broaden the learning focus. Hand-drawn illustrations and
full colour photographs are also included alongside each activity to give an idea of what the end results might look
like.
The activities make connections to real-world scenarios and have been linked to conceptually similar STEM-related
careers -- all of which are individually profiled in a glossary at the back of the book. The practical, problem-solving
element of each activity offers a great way for children to develop important soft skills such as creativity, critical
thinking and spatial awareness.
Critique: Unreservedly recommended as a DIY instructional guide and textbook for classroom curriculums, "15-Minute
STEM Book 2: More quick, creative science, technology, engineering and mathematics activities for 5-11-year-olds" is
a 'must' for school district Science, Math, and Technology Teaching Materials collections.
Editorial Note: Emily Hunt is an experienced primary school teacher with a passion for promoting STEM education.
She regularly writes articles and speaks about STEM, and shares activities and blogs on her website howtostem. Emily
holds a Masters of Education from the University of Cambridge and has also worked within the US education system to
deliver science outreach.
The Art Shelf
Art: The Whole Story
Stephen Farthing
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500294468, $24.95, PB, 576pp
https://www.amazon.com/Richard-foreword-Stephen-Farthing-editor/dp/0500294461
Synopsis: Under the informed and capable editorship of Stephen Farther (who is the Rootstein Hopkins research
professor in drawing at the University of the Arts, London), and with entries written by an international team of artists,
art historians, and curators, "Art: The Whole Story" is an inherently absorbing and beautiful book that gives its readers
unparalleled insights into the world's most iconic artworks.
"Art: The Whole Story" deftly traces the development of art period by period, with the informative and highly
illustrated text covering every genre, from painting and sculpture to conceptual art and performance art. Cultural time
lines are included as well, in order to help readers with each movement's historical context.
Masterpieces that epitomize each period or movement are highlighted and analyzed in detail. Everything from use of
color and visual metaphors to technical innovations are explained, giving readers the tools to interpret the meanings of
world-famous masterpieces. Highlights include Mughal miniatures; Japanese prints from the nineteenth century; the
color theories behind Seurat's remarkable La Grande Jatte; and why Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon was so
shocking in its day.
Critique: Superbly enhanced for the reader with more than 1100 full color illustrations, "Art: The Whole Story" is a
complete course of study with respect to the history of art down through time. A meticulously presented work of
detailed and knowledgeably scholarship, "Art: The Whole Story" includes a one page Glossary, a one page listing of the
Contributors and their credentials, a two page listing of Quotation Sources, and a six page Index. Impressively
informative, exceptionally well organized, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in presentation, "Art: The Whole Story" is a
'must' for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Art History collections and supplemental
curriculum studies lists.
My Life as a Potter: Stories and Techniques
Mary Fox
Harbour Publishing
www.harbourpublishing.com
9781550179385, $44.95, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/My-Life-Potter-Stories-Techniques/dp/1550179381
Synopsis: A gorgeous full-colour coffee table book celebrating the art of one of BC's finest potters, "My Life as a
Potter: Stories and Techniques" recounts Mary Fox's long journey to the peak of her craft. Part memoir, part
coming-of-age story, and part handbook for ceramicists, Fox's narrative expresses the passion she feels for her work and
the joy she has found in living the life of a studio potter.
A potter since the early 1970s, Fox is recognized for creating exquisite forms and distinctive textured glazes. She has
shown her works internationally and at galleries across Canada. In this book she shares her plans to leave behind a
legacy of support and mentorship for young artists, in the form of an artist-in-residence program steered by the Mary
Fox Legacy Project Society. Royalties from the sale of "My Life as a Potter: Stories and Techniques" will benefit the
project.
Readers with an interest in the technical aspect of Fox's work will especially appreciate the richly illustrated chapters on
technique and artistic process. "My Life as a Potter: Stories and Techniques" is for anyone who has ever been curious
about the life of a professional potter, anyone hoping to become a potter themselves and anyone who believes that art
has the power to guide us through life's myriad challenges and hardships.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "My Life as a Potter: Stories and Techniques" by Mary Fox
offers fascinating insights into the life, work and career of one of Canada's premier artists in the medium of pottery
making. Impressively informative, exceptionally 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "My Life as a Potter:
Stories and Techniques" is especially recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university
library Contemporary Canadian Art collections in general, and Mary Fox supplemental curriculum studies reading lists
in particular.
The Military Shelf
The First Code Talkers
William C. Meadows
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
www.oupress.com
9780806168418, $36.95, HC, 378pp
https://www.amazon.com/First-Code-Talkers-American-Communicators/dp/0806168412
Synopsis: The Navajo code talkers in World War II are quite well known in the military annals. But little else about the
military service of Native Americans, who have served in our armed forces since the American Revolution, and still
serve in larger numbers than any other ethnic group. But, as we learn in this splendid work of historical restitution, code
talking originated in World War I among Native soldiers whose extraordinary service resulted, at long last, in U.S.
citizenship for all Native Americans.
The first full account of these forgotten soldiers in our nation's military history, "The First Code Talkers: Native
American Communicators in World War I" by Professor William C. Meadows covers all known Native American code
talkers of World War I, including members of the Choctaw, Oklahoma Cherokee, Comanche, Osage, and Sioux
nations, as well as the Eastern Band of Cherokee and Ho-Chunk, whose veterans have yet to receive congressional
recognition.
Professor Meadows is the foremost expert on the subject, describing how Native languages, which were essentially
unknown outside tribal contexts and thus could be as effective as formal encrypted codes, came to be used for wartime
communication. While more than thirty tribal groups were eventually involved in World Wars I and II, this volume
focuses on Native Americans in the American Expeditionary Forces during the First World War.
Drawing on nearly thirty years of research utilizing U.S. military and Native American archives, surviving accounts
from code talkers and their commanding officers, family records, newspaper accounts, and fieldwork in descendant
communities -- "The First Code Talkers" explores the origins, use, and legacy of the code talkers. In the process,
Professor Meadows highlights such noted decorated veterans as Otis Leader, Joseph Oklahombi, and Calvin Atchavit
and scrutinizes numerous misconceptions and popular myths about code talking and the secrecy surrounding the
practice.
With appendixes that include a timeline of pertinent events, biographies of known code talkers, and related World War
I data, "The First Code Talkers" is the first comprehensive work ever published on Native American code talkers in the
Great War and their critical place in American military history.
Critique: A seminal work of meticulously detailed and exhaustive scholarship, "The First Code Talkers: Native
American Communicators in World War I" is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of Tables, four Appendices,
thirty-two pages of Notes, a thirty-eight page listing of Sources Cited, and a seven page Index. While emphatically
recommended for community, college, and university library American Military History in general, and World War I
supplemental curriculum lists in particular, "The First Code Talkers: Native American Communicators in World War I"
is also readily available for the personal reading lists of students, academia, military history buffs, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.95).
Editorial Note: William C. Meadows is a Professor of Anthropology and Native American Studies at Missouri State
University, Springfield. A scholar of Plains Indian cultures, he is also the author of Kiowa, Apache, and Comanche
Military Societies: Enduring Veterans, 1800 to the Present (University of Texas Press, 2003) and The Comanche Code
Talkers of World War II and Kiowa Ethnogeography (University of Texas Press, 2003).
The Luftwaffe's Secret WWII Missions
Dmitry Degtev & Dmitry Zubov
Air World
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526775474, $42.95, HC, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Luftwaffes-Secret-WWII-Missions/dp/1526775476
Synopsis: On the night of 14/15 August 1944, the roar of an unknown aircraft was heard over the dense forests to the
southeast of Moscow. Flying past the Soviet capital, the aircraft turned towards a 'secret' landing site at Yegoryevsk on
the outskirts of the city. But lying in wait were troops of Stalin's elite secret service -- SMERSH.
The troops turned on the landing lights and the aircraft, a German machine of some description, swept down to land. As
the aircraft touched down, some of the SMERSH troops lost their nerve and opened fire prematurely. The German pilot
responded quickly and managed to pull his aircraft up in time to brush over the top of the trees at the end of the clearing
and disappear back into the dark Soviet sky.
This was just one of many vivid episodes in the operational service of the Luftwaffe's special and secret units which
engaged in the delivery of agents and saboteurs in the rear of the enemy throughout the Second World War -- and not
just on the Eastern Front but across Asia and Europe. The activities of the pilots and crews of these squadrons, even in
the Luftwaffe itself, were closed and secret. Information on the operations and missions of these units was known only
a limited number of people. It was common practice for the crew of one aircraft in these units to know nothing about
the assignments of their fellow airmen.
The area of activity of such units and aircraft covered the whole of Europe, North Africa, the Arctic circle, the Urals,
the Caucasus, and Central Asia including Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The Luftwaffe not only flew to these remote
regions, but also created secret bases for their aircraft.
Drawn from German and Russian sources, much of the latter only recently declassified, the "The Luftwaffe's Secret
WWII Missions" by military historians Dmitry Degtev and Dmitry Zubov expose for the very first time the Luftwaffe's
secret operations and reveal the fate of many of the pilots, agents and saboteurs.
Critique: Offering an impressive wealth of documented detail, "The Luftwaffe's Secret WWII Missions" is a truly
extraordinary and unique contribution to the growing library of World War II histories and is certain to be an enduringly
welcome and appreciated addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library collections. It
should be noted for students, academia, and military history buffs that "The Luftwaffe's Secret WWII Missions" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
Editorial Note #1: The author of twenty-nine books, Dmitry Degtev is one of the leading Russian researchers of the
history of the Second World War, having studied the air battles of the Second World War and the history of the
Luftwaffe for more than twenty years. He currently lectures at Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University.
Editorial Note #2: Dmitry Zubov is the author of twenty-two books on military history and is an Associate Professor of
Psychology at the Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University
The Fighting 30th Division
Martin King, et al.
Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781612003016, $32.95, HC, 360pp
https://www.amazon.com/Fighting-30th-Division-Called-Roosevelts/dp/161200301X
Synopsis: In World War I the 30th Infantry Division earned more Medals of Honor than any other American division.
In World War II it spent more consecutive days in combat than almost any other outfit. Recruited mainly from the
Carolinas and Georgia and Tennessee, they were one of the hardest-fighting units the U.S. ever fielded in Europe. What
was it about these men that made them so indomitable? They were tough and resilient for a start, but this division had
something else. They possessed intrinsic zeal to engage the enemy that often left their adversaries in awe. Their U.S.
Army nickname was the "Old Hickory" Division. But after encountering them on the battlefield, the Germans
themselves came to call them "Roosevelt's SS."
"The Fighting 30th Division: They Called Them Roosevelt's SS " is a combat chronicle of this illustrious division that
takes the reader right to the heart of the fighting through the eyes of those who were actually there. It goes from the
hedgerows of Normandy to the 30th's gallant stand against panzers at Mortain, to the brutal slugs around Aachen and
the Westwall, and then to the Battle of the Bulge. Each chapter is meticulously researched and assembled with accurate
timelines and after-action reports. The last remaining veterans of the 30th Division and attached units who saw the
action firsthand relate their remarkable experiences here for the first, and probably the last time. This is precisely what
military historians mean when they write about "fighting spirit."
There have been only a few books written about the 30th Division and none contained direct interviews with the
veterans. This work follows their story from Normandy to the final victory in Germany, packed with previously untold
accounts from the survivors. These are the men whose incredible stories epitomize what it was to be a GI in one of the
toughest divisions in WWII.
Critique: An absolutely essential and core addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library
World War II military history collections, "The Fighting 30th Division: They Called Them Roosevelt's SS" is an
inherently absorbing read from cover to cover. It should be noted for students, academia, and military buffs alike that
"The Fighting 30th Division: They Called Them Roosevelt's SS" is also readily available in a paperback edition
(9781612009780, $24.95) and in digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Twenty-Two On Peleliu
George Peto & Peter Margaritis
Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781612005270, $32.95, HC, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Twenty-Two-Peleliu-Pacific-Campaigns-Memoirs/dp/1612005276
Synopsis: On September 15, 1944, the U.S. First Marine Division landed on a small island in the Central Pacific called
Peleliu as a prelude to the liberation of the Philippines. Among the first wave of Marines that hit the beach that day was
22-year-old George Peto.
Growing up on a farm in Ohio, George always preferred being outdoors and exploring. This made school a challenge,
but his hunting, fishing and trapping skills helped put food on his family's table. As a poor teenager living in a rough
area, he got into regular brawls, and he found holding down a job hard because of his wanderlust. After working out
West with the CCC, he decided that joining the Marines offered him the opportunity for adventure plus three square
meals a day; so he and his brother joined the Corps in 1941, just a few months before Pearl Harbor.
Following boot camp and training, he was initially assigned to various guard units, until he was shipped out to the
Pacific and assigned to the 1st Marines. His first combat experience was the landing at Finschhaven, followed by Cape
Gloucester. Then as a Forward Observer, he went ashore in one of the lead amtracs at Peleliu and saw fierce fighting for
a week before the regiment was relieved due to massive casualties. Six months later, his division became the immediate
reserve for the initial landing on Okinawa. They encountered no resistance when they came ashore on D+1, but would
go on to fight on Okinawa for over six months.
Written with the assistance of Peter Margaritis, "Twenty-Two on Peleliu: Four Pacific Campaigns with the Corps: The
Memoirs of an Old Breed Marine" is the wild and remarkable story of George Peto, an "Old Breed" Marine, from his
youth in the Great Depression, his training and combat in the Pacific, to his life after the war, as told in his own
words.
Critique: An inherently riveting military memoir that reads with all the drama of a well honed novel, "Twenty-Two on
Peleliu: Four Pacific Campaigns with the Corps: The Memoirs of an Old Breed Marine" is an extraordinary and
unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library World War II histories and
biographies collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated military buffs that "Twenty-Two
on Peleliu: Four Pacific Campaigns with the Corps: The Memoirs of an Old Breed Marine" is also readily available in a
paperback edition (9781612009797, $24.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Gunship Ace
Al. J. Venter
Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781612000701, $32.95, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Gunship-Ace-Neall-Helicopter-Mercenary/dp/1612000703
Synopsis: A former South African Air Force pilot who saw action throughout the region from the 1970s on, Neall Ellis
is the best-known and still surviving mercenary combat aviator. Apart from flying Alouette helicopter gunships in
Angola, he has fought in the Balkan War (for Islamic forces), tried to resuscitate Mobutu's ailing air force during his
final days ruling the Congo, flew Mi-8s for Executive Outcomes, and thereafter an Mi-8 fondly dubbed 'Bokkie' for
Colonel Tim Spicer in Sierra Leone. Finally, with a pair of aging Mi-24 Hinds, Ellis ran the Air Wing out of Aberdeen
Barracks in the war against Sankoh's vicious RUF rebels.
For the past two years, as a "civilian contractor", Ellis has been flying helicopter support missions in Afghanistan,
where, he reckons, he has had more close shaves than in his entire previous four-decades put together.
Twice, single-handedly (and without a copilot), he turned the enemy back from the gates of Freetown, effectively
preventing the rebels from overrunning Sierra Leone's capital -- once in the middle of the night without the benefit of
night vision goggles. Nellis (as his friends call him) was also the first mercenary to work hand-in-glove with British
ground and air assets in a modern guerrilla war. In Sierra Leone, Ellis's Mi-24 ("it leaked when it rained") played a
seminal role in rescuing the 11 British soldiers who had been taken hostage by the so-called West Side Boys. He also
used his helicopter numerous times to fly SAS personnel on low-level reconnaissance missions into the interior of the
diamond-rich country, for the simple reason that no other pilot knew the country (and the enemy) better than he
did.
"Gunship Ace" author Al Venter accompanied Nellis on some of these missions. He recounts that "Occasionally we
returned to base with holes in our fuselage though once it was self-inflicted: in his enthusiasm during an attack on one
of the towns in the interior, a side-gunner onboard swung his heavy machine-gun a bit too wide and hit one of our drop
tanks. Had it been full at the time, things might have been different." The upshot was that over the course of a year of
military operations, the two former Soviet helicopters operated for the Sierra Leone Air Wing by Nellis and his boys
were patched more often than any other comparable pair of gun ships in Asia, Africa or Latin America. Nellis himself
earned a price on his head: some reports spoke of a $1 million reward dead or alive while others doubled it.
"Gunship Ace: The Wars of Neall Ellis, Helicopter Pilot and Mercenary" describes the full career of this storied aerial
warrior, from the bush and jungles of Africa to the forests of the Balkans and the merciless mountains of today's
Afghanistan. Along the way the reader encounters a multiethnic array of enemies ranging from ideological to
cold-blooded to pure evil, as well as well as examples of incredible heroism for hire.
Critique: Reading as dramatically as a finely scripted novel, "Gunship Ace: The Wars of Neall Ellis, Helicopter Pilot
and Mercenary" is an impressively blending of biography and military history -- making it certain to be an enduringly
valued and unique addition to community, community and university library Military Aviation History collections. It
should be noted for the personal reading lists of military history buffs and academia that "Gunship Ace" is also readily
available in a paperback edition (9781612009438, $24.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note: Al J. Venter is a specialist military writer and has had 50 books published. He started his career with
Geneva's Interavia Group, then owners of International Defence Review, to cover military developments in the Middle
East and Africa. Venter has been writing on these and related issues such as guerrilla warfare, insurgency, the Middle
East and conflict in general for half a century. He was involved with the Jane's Information Group for more than 30
years.
The American History Shelf
Fort Worth Stories
Richard F. Selcer
University of North Texas Press
1155 Union Circle #311336, Denton, TX 76203-5017
www.untpress.unt.edu
9781574418309, $24.95, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Fort-Worth-Stories-Texas-Local/dp/1574418300
Synopsis: The fourth volume in the University of North Texas Press 'Texas Local' series, "Fort Worth Stories" by
Richard F. Selcer is a collection of thirty-two succinct chapters drawn from the city's history.
Readers will learn that the same day Fort Worth was mourning the death of beloved African American "Gooseneck
Bill" McDonald, Dallas was experiencing a series of bombings in black neighborhoods. That Fort Worth almost got the
largest statue to Robert E. Lee ever put up anywhere, sculpted by the same massive talent that created Mount
Rushmore. That Fort Worth was once the candy-making capital of the Southwest and gave Hershey, Pennsylvania, a
good run for its money as the sweet spot of the nation -- and so much more!
A remarkable number of national figures have made a splash in Fort Worth, including Theodore Roosevelt while he
was President; Vernon Castle, the Dance King; Dr. H.H. Holmes, America's first serial killer; Harry Houdini, the
escape artist; and Texas Guinan, star of the vaudeville stage and the big screen. Fort Worth Stories is illustrated with 50
photographs and drawings, many of them never before published. This collection of stories will appeal to all who
appreciate the Cowtown city.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Forth Worth Stories" is an inherently fascinating read
from cover to cover. Simply stated, "Fort Worth Stories" is as impressively informative as it is entertaining -- making it
highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community, college, and university library American History
collections.
Editorial Note: Richard F. Selcer is a native Fort Worther who holds a Ph.D. from TCU and has authored more than a
dozen books. His titles for UNT Press include Volumes 1 and 2 of Written in Blood: The History of Fort Worth's Fallen
Lawmen; Fort Worth Characters; and A History of Fort Worth in Black & White: 165 Years of African-American
Life.
On the Plains in '65
George H. Holliday, author
Glenn V. Longacre, editor
Ohio University Press
215 Columbus Road, Suite 101, Athens, OH 45701
www.ohioswallow.com
9780821424285, $49.95, HC, 258pp
https://www.amazon.com/Plains-65-Virginia-Volunteer-Cavalry/dp/0821424289
Synopsis: Deftly edited by Glenn V. Longacre, "On the Plains in '65: The 6th West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry in the
West" is an annotated edition of George H. Holliday's recollections (known primarily among historians of the American
West) re-contextualizes his memoir to include his boyhood in southern Ohio and the largely untold story of the
hundreds of Buckeyes who crossed the Ohio River to serve their country in Virginia (later West Virginia) regiments,
ultimately traveling across Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming to safeguard mail and stage routes along the
celebrated Oregon Trail during a pivotal time in American history.
Glenn Longacre's extensive research in federal, state, and local archives, manuscript collections, and period newspapers
complements his correspondence with the living descendants of Holliday and other soldiers. His research integrates this
story deservedly as part of Appalachian history before, during, and after the Civil War. From this perspective it
addresses an entirely new audience of Appalachian studies scholars, Civil War and frontier history enthusiasts, students,
and general readers.
Critique: An invaluable contribution to 19th Century American History, this new edition of "On the Plains in '65: The
6th West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry in the West" from the Ohio University Press is an unreservedly recommended
addition to community, college, and university library American Civil War Biography and Native American History
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students,
academia, Civil War history buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "On the Plains
in '65: The 6th West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry in the West" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$47.45).
Editorial Note #1: George H. Holliday was born in the southern Ohio village of Pomeroy in 1847. At age fifteen he
enlisted in a West Virginia Cavalry regiment. In June 1865 Holliday and his comrades in the Sixth West Virginia
Veteran Volunteer Cavalry were transferred west to guard stations along the Oregon Trail. After his return to Ohio in
1866, Holliday married, began a family, and settled in Ironton, where he engaged in the stove manufacturing industry.
Later, Holliday moved to Knoxville, Tennessee. He died in 1919.
Editorial Note #2: Glenn V. Longacre is an archivist with the National Archives at Chicago. He is the co-editor of "To
Battle for God and the Right: The Civil War Letterbooks of Emerson Opdycke".
Labor in Akron, 1825-1945
John A. Tully
The University of Akron Press
30 Amberwood Parkway, Ashland, OH 44805
http://www.uakron.edu/uapress
9781629222004, $24.95, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Labor-Akron-1825-1945-History-Culture/dp/1629222003
Synopsis: Akron, Ohio, is of special interest in the story of U.S. labor as it has a history of intense struggle, both
between Capital and Labor and between conflicting forms of labor organization.
A part of the University of Akron Press 'Ohio History & Culture' series, "Labor in Akron, 1825-1945" powerfully
describes this conflict in Akron, including the massive rubber worker's strike of 1913. Author and historian Dr. John A.
Tully fully illustrates these struggles with the individual stories of rank-and-file workers and radical activists. In the
mid-1930s, after a battle both against employers, determined to keep the open shop, and the conservative AFL leaders,
Akron became a bastion of the Congress of Industrial Organizations and, briefly, of the Farmer-Labor Party. The
leaders of this "home-grown" social union movement understood that workers were a class whose interests went further
than just a bargaining relationship with employers.
By the end of the decade, however, the "business industrial unionism" model had blocked the great upsurge of social
unionism and the impetus for independent labor politics was channeled back behind the Democratic Party. "Labor in
Akron, 1825-1945" explains why and how socially progressive unionism was defeated. It argues that rebuilding the
working-class movement along the lines supported by Tate and others in Akron in the 1930s is the great, unfinished
business of labor in the United States.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Labor in Akron, 1825-1945" is an impressively
informed and informative work of meticulous historical research and scholarship -- making it especially and
unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library American Labor History collections and
supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the benefit of students, academia, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "Labor in Akron, 1825-1945" is also readily available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $24.99).
Editorial Note: Dr. John A. Tully is an Honorary Professor/Educator in the College of Arts & Education at Victoria
University in Melbourne, Australia. Dr Tully has also written: The Devil's Milk: A Social History of Rubber;
Silvertown: The Lost Story of a Strike That Shook London and Helped Launch the Modern Labour Movement; and
Crooked Deals and Broken Treaties: How American Indians Were Displaced By White Settlers in the Cuyahoga
Valley.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Invasive Birds: Global Trends and Impacts
Colleen T. Downs & Lorinda A. Hart, editors
CABI
www.cabi.org
9781789242065, $190.00, HC, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Invasive-Birds-Global-Trends-Impacts/dp/1789242061
Synopsis: Examining globally invasive alien birds, the first part of "Invasive Birds: Global Trends and Impacts"
provides an account of 32 global avian invasive species (as listed by the Invasive Species Specialist Group, ISSG). It
acts as a one stop reference volume; it assesses current invasive status for each bird species, including details of
physical description, diet, introduction and invasion pathways, breeding behavior, and natural habitat.
It also looks at the environmental impact of each species, as well as current and future control methods. Full color
photographs assist with species identification and global distribution maps give a visual representation of the current
known distributions of these species.
The second part of "Invasive Birds: Global Trends and Impacts" discusses the biogeographical aspects of avian
invasions, highlighting current and emerging invasive species across different regions of the world.
The third section of "Invasive Birds: Global Trends and Impacts" considers the impact of invasive species on native
communities, problems associated with invasive bird management and the use of citizen science in the study of
invasive birds.
Critique: Enhanced with a full listing of the contributors and their credentials, "Invasive Birds: Global Trends and
Impacts", collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Colleen T. Downs and Lorinda A. Hart, also features illustrations,
an informative introduction, and a nine page index. An ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to professional,
governmental, college, and university library Ecology and Zoology collections in general, and Ornithology
supplemental curriculum studies lists in particular, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students,
ornithologists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Invasive Birds: Global Trends and
Impacts" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $180.50).
Editorial Note: Prof. Colleen T. Downs is a South African Research Chair and has been based at the University of
KwaZulu-Natal since 1994. Dr. Lorinda A. Hart is a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Her research interests are broad, covering ecophysiology, and urban and invasive ecology.
When It's Time to Say Goodbye
Angela Garner
Findhorn Press
www.findhornpress.com
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781644111215, $16.99, PB, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/When-Its-Time-Say-Goodbye/dp/1644111217
Synopsis: Our pets are emotionally invested members of our families. The death or separation from a beloved animal
friend (whether anticipated or unexpected) can unleash a roller coaster of feelings. "When It's Time to Say Goodbye:
Preparing for the Transition of Your Beloved Pet" by Angela Garner is truly compassionate guide that is based on her
20 years of experience helping individuals and teaching veterinary professionals. Garner offers practical support and
guidance to help you prepare for your pet's death ahead of time, do your best by your animal friend when the time
comes, and work through your grieving process afterward.
"When It's Time to Say Goodbye" explores how best to prepare for the death of your beloved pet, including recognizing
changes in your pet's well-being, palliative care at home, taking care of your pet's remains, ceremonies, and more.
"When It's Time to Say Goodbye" candidly discusses natural death and euthanasia and offers exercises and activities to
help you work through difficult issues, such as what to discuss with the vet and how to stay focused on your pet's
welfare when euthanasia is anticipated. Sharing Garner's own experiences and those of others, she explores practices to
help you cope with fears and overwhelming emotions, retain a center of inner calm when making crucial decisions, and
find the courage to say goodbye when it is time.
"When It's Time to Say Goodbye" also addresses the different emotional components of the bereavement process (fears
beforehand and guilt and anger afterward) and includes a compassionate discussion about children and pet loss as well
as how to support a grieving companion animal in the family. Offering step-by-step support throughout, "When It's
Time to Say Goodbye" is welcome guide that will bring hope and reassurance that, while grief may feel
insurmountable, you will come out the other side to once again re-engage with life.
Critique: An absolutely essential read for anyone with an animal companion, "When It's Time to Say Goodbye:
Preparing for the Transition of Your Beloved Pet" is especially and unreservedly recommended for all community
library Pets/Wildlife collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "When It's Time to Say Goodbye:
Preparing for the Transition of Your Beloved Pet" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$11.99).
Editorial Note: Currently residing in Devon, UK, Angela Garner is an animal bereavement specialist and former nurse
who founded a national support service in the UK to help people through the grieving process, developing a wide range
of pet bereavement support resources. She was awarded a fellowship by the Society of Bereavement Practitioners for
her work.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Be Heart Smart
Waqar Khan, MD, MPH
Heart Health Books / Hatherleigh Press
c/o The Hatherleigh Foundation
62545 State Highway 10, Hobart, NY 13788
www.hatherleighpress.com
9781732268609, $15.00, PB, 206pp
https://www.amazon.com/Be-Heart-Smart-Understand-Coronary/dp/1732268606
Synopsis: Coronary heart disease (CHD) takes the lives of 2,000 Americans every day. If you or a loved one have been
diagnosed with CHD or suffered a heart attack, there a still ways to live a long, heart-healthy life.
"Be Heart Smart: Understand, Treat, and Prevent Coronary Heart Disease" shows you how. In this definitive guide to
CHD, cardiologist Waqar Khan, MD, MPH, answers basic questions and gives you easy-to-follow advice for
preventing heart attacks and keeping your heart in tip-top shape. It's like having your own personal cardiologist on
call.
Using real-life patient stories and the latest evidence-based science, Dr. Khan: Explains what CHD is and how it affects
the body; Explores the root causes and risk factors for CHD; Describes the different types of heart attacks and their
warning signs; Walks you through the tests used to diagnose coronary problems; Discusses the medications prescribed
to combat CHD, including their side effects; Reveals the latest surgical advancements in surgical and non-surgical
interventions to open clogged arteries and prevent heart attacks; Offers simple approaches to eating better, exercising,
quitting smoking, and losing weight.
Dr. Khan even includes a glossary of commonly used medical terms. Plus, he shares online resources that can help you
with everything from assessing your risk level and setting health goals to cooking heart-supportive meals. Written in
easy-to-understand language, "Be Heart Smart" will help you (and your loved ones) gain a better understanding of CHD
and give you the knowledge you need to take charge of your heart health.
Critique: Simply stated, if you have coronary heart disease, "Be Heart Smart: Understand, Treat, and Prevent Coronary
Heart Disease" could save your life. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented for the benefit of the
non-specialist general reader, "Be Heart Smart" should be a part of every community, college, and university library
Health/Medicine collection in general, and Coronary Heart Disease supplemental studies lists in particular. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "Be Heart Smart" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$3.99).
Editorial Note: Waqar Khan, MD, MPH, is a board-certified interventional cardiologist who has helped thousands of
patients overcome CHD and improve their heart health during his 20-plus years in private practice. A fellow of the
American College of Cardiology, he is in private practice in suburban Houston, Texas, and is an affiliate faculty
member in cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine.
The Vital Nerves: A Practical Guide for Physical Therapists
John Gibbons
North Atlantic Books
2526 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704-2607
www.northatlanticbooks.com
9781623175603, $24.95, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Vital-Nerves-Practical-Physical-Therapists/dp/1623175607
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Vital Nerves: A Practical Guide for Physical Therapists ", osteopath, lecturer,
and author John Gibbons offers an accessible introduction to the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Alongside real case
studies and guidelines for hands-on work with clients and patients, "The Vital Nerves" demystifies and makes
accessible everything from how to diagnose nerve conditions to understanding how our cells communicate.
Gibbons provides critical insights into the structure and functions of the PNS; the body's response to stimuli and how it
knows what to do; the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems; understanding the stress response; and how
reflex testing can aid in diagnosing conditions like Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, and paresthesias.
"The Vital Nerves" addresses practical, common considerations like how to: Assess the nervous system using a patella
(reflex) hammer, myotome (muscle) testing, and dermatome (sensory) testing; Determine whether pain in the posterior
part of the thigh is caused by the sciatic nerve, piriformis, or simply a hamstring strain; Decide at what level a disc may
have herniated; Differentiate between upper and lower motor neurone disorders; Know what to do with the findings of
your neurological assessment and the circumstances under which to refer patients for more specialist care.
"The Vital Nerves" is a comprehensive roadmap to the functional anatomy of the nervous system. Enriched with
anatomical drawings and detailed explanations, it explains neurological testing, common neuropathies, and differential
diagnoses, and is an indispensable resource for physical therapists and bodyworkers.
Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "The Vital Nerves: A Practical Guide for Physical Therapists" is
effectively illustrated throughout and highly recommended for professional, clinic, hospital, college, and university
library Ayruveda Medicine collections in general, and Stretching Exercise & Fitness supplemental studies reading lists
in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of medical students, academia, health service providers,
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Vital Nerves" is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Synopsis: Currently residing in Oxford, England, John Gibbons is a registered osteopath with the General Osteopathic
Council in the UK. He works with elite-level athletes in a range of sporting disciplines and serves as osteopath to the
Oxford University Boat Club rowing team. An international lecturer in the fields of sports medicine and physical
therapy, he offers advanced training in his Bodymaster Method, a unique fusion of therapy techniques that approaches
the body as a complex integrated unit.
The Environmental Studies Shelf
Zero Waste Living, The 80/20 Way
Stephanie J. Miller
Changemakers Books
c/o John Hunt Publishing, Ltd.
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
9781789047394, $10.95, PB, 112pp
https://www.amazon.com/Zero-Waste-Living-Way-Footprint/dp/1789047390
Synopsis: Many of us feel powerless to solve the looming climate and waste crises. We have too much on our plates,
and may think these problems are better solved by governments and businesses. "Zero Waste Living, The 80/20 Way:
The Busy Person's Guide To A Lighter Footprint" unlocks the potential in each "too busy" individual to be a crucial part
of the solution.
Author and environmentalist Stephanie Miller has combined her career focused on climate change with her own
research and personal experience to show in "Zero Waste Living" how just a few, relatively easy lifestyle changes can
create significant positive impact. Using the simplicity of the 80/20 rule, she shows us those things (the 20%) that we
can do to make the biggest (80%) difference in reversing the climate and waste crises.
Critique: A quick and easy read that will have an immense and lasting impact on how ordinary people can make an
extraordinary difference when it comes to helping resolve the Climate Crisis and Waste Management problems, "Zero
Waste Living, The 80/20 Way: The Busy Person's Guide To A Lighter Footprint" is especially and unreservedly
recommended for community, college, and university library Environmental Studies collections. It should be noted for
the personal reading lists of students, academia, environmental activists, governmental policy makers, and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Zero Waste Living, The 80/20 Way: The Busy
Person's Guide To A Lighter Footprint" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: Stephanie Miller founded Zero Waste in DC to focus on the application of zero waste strategies that
have a real and sustainable impact. With a goal of reaching as wide an audience as possible, she provides advisory
services to individual households as well as community and corporate presentations. Within her 25-year career at the
International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, she served as Director of IFC's
Climate Business Department where she led global teams to find innovative solutions to climate change.
The Psychology Shelf
How My Brain Works
Barbara Koltuska-Haskin
Golden Word Books
https://goldenwordbooks.weebly.com
9781948749619, $11.95 PB, $9.99 Kindle, 152pp
https://www.amazon.com/How-My-Brain-Works-Understanding/dp/1948749610
While How My Brain Works: A Guide to Understanding It Better and Keeping It Healthy may sound like a primer for
elementary-grade or teen readers (and may indeed reach into young adult audiences), it's a solid adult discussion with a
more inviting title than most health discussions about brain physiology, and is especially recommended for general
interest audiences interested in brain trauma, recovery, and neurological conditions affecting the brain's function.
The discussion begins with a history of neuropsychology and its evolution as a health discipline. Chapters define the
term and review the kinds of tests, approaches to health and healing, and clinical evaluation processes that families and
individuals need to understand as they move through the health care system to resolve a brain condition.
How My Brain Works doesn't just cover disease and injury, but any physical or mental condition affecting how the
brain functions, from menopause to the effects of exercise and sleep on the brain's optimum performance. At each
stage, discussions assume no prior knowledge of either physiology or psychology, but offer clear information in terms
any lay reader can readily understand.
This differentiates How My Brain Works from the many healthcare-oriented discussions already on the market, and
makes its very simple title more comprehensible as it builds appeal based on language anyone can easily
understand.
Dr. Koltuska-Haskin is a practicing neuropsychologist who draws on case history examples to further create the
informative, lively tone that sets her book apart from others. The blend of facts, individual experience, and physician
insight creates a book much more accessible and wide-ranging than most on the subject.
How My Brain Works is very highly recommended for both health and general-interest collections and readers alike,
from healthcare professionals to families, caregivers, and anyone concerned about the brain's functions and
possibilities.
The Empire of Depression: A New History
Jonathan Sadowsky
Polity
www.politybooks.com
c/o Blackwell Publishing
9781509531646, $35.00, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Empire-Depression-New-History/dp/1509531645
Synopsis: Depression has colonized the world. Today, more than 300 million of us have been diagnosed as depressed.
But 150 years ago, "depression" referred to a mood, not a sickness.
Does that mean people weren't sick before, only sad? Of course not. Mental illness is a complex thing, part biological,
part social, its definition dependent on time and place. But in the mid-twentieth century, even as European empires
were crumbling, new Western clinical models and treatments for mental health spread across the world. In so doing,
"depression" began to displace older ideas like "melancholia," the Japanese "utsusho," or the Punjabi "sinking heart"
syndrome.
In "The Empire of Depression: A New History" historian Jonathan Sadowsky tells this global story, chronicling the
path-breaking work of psychiatrists and pharmacists, and the intimate sufferings of patients. Revealing the continuity of
human distress across time and place, he shows us how different cultures have experienced intense mental anguish, and
how they have tried to alleviate it.
Sadowsky reaches an unflinching conclusion: the devastating effects of depression are real. A number of treatments do
reduce suffering, but a permanent cure remains elusive. Throughout the history of depression, there have been
overzealous promoters of particular approaches, but history shows us that there is no single way to get better that works
for everyone. Like successful psychotherapy, history can liberate us from the negative patterns of the past.
Critique: An inherently absorbing, thoughtful and thought-provoking read from cover to cover, "The Empire of
Depression: A New History" is an extraordinary study that is impressively well written, organized and presented --
making it an exceptional history that will have immense interest for both a mental health worker and the non-specialist
general reader with an interest in the subject. While very highly recommended, especially for community, college, and
university library Popular Psychology collections in general, and Anxiety/Depression Disorders supplemental
curriculum studies lists in particular, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Empire of Depression: A
New History" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $28.00).
Editorial Note: Jonathan Sadowsky is the Theodore J. Castele Professor of the History of Medicine at Case Western
Reserve University, where he is also Associate Director of the program in Medicine, Society, and Culture in the
Department of Bioethics. A student of psychiatric epidemiology, Professor Sadowsky's writing investigates madness
and its compelling relationship with culture and society. A renowned historian of medicine, he is also the author of
"Imperial Bedlam: Institutions of Madness and Colonialism in Southwest Nigeria", as well as "Electroconvulsive
Therapy in America: The Anatomy of a Political Controversy".
The Autism Shelf
Choice and Structure for Children with Autism
Colette McNeil
MSI Press
1760-F Airline Hwy, #203, Hollister, CA 950243
http://msipress.com
9781950328376, $12.95, PB, 87pp
https://www.amazon.com/Choice-Structure-Children-Autism-Quarantine/dp/1950328376
Synopsis: "Choice and Structure for Children with Autism: Getting through the Long Days of Quarantine" by Colette
McNeil was written specifically for parents caring for an autistic child during this time of pandemic necessitated
quarantine.
A compendium of practical commentary and suggestions, "Choice and Structure for Children with Autism: Getting
through the Long Days of Quarantine" is essential and helpful reading for anyone parent who is confronted by such
questions as: Are you productively juggling or really struggling? Is your daughter playing throughout your home or
staying alone? During interactions, is your son engaged or enraged? Are your toys being enjoyed or does your child get
annoyed? After most days do you feel celebrated or devastated?
"Choice and Structure for Children with Autism: Getting through the Long Days of Quarantine" offers realistic and
effective ideas of support in improving focus, engagement, and cooperation. Some strategies shared include ways to
offer thoughtfully chosen choice and structure when engaging with autistic children.
Critique: An absolute 'must' as a coping resource for the parent of an autistic children in this pandemic restricted home
environment, "Choice and Structure for Children with Autism: Getting through the Long Days of Quarantine" is
especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, family, professional, and community library Disability
Parenting collections in general, and Autistic Parenting reading lists in particular.
Editorial Note: Colette McNeil has over 30 years of experience working with children with autism in a wide range of
educational, recreational, and care giving settings. Ms. McNeil holds a master of arts degree in Psychology and follows
positive psychology inspirations. Ms. McNeil aspires to development confidence in children with autism through
expanding the perspectives of their parents, families, teachers and caregivers.
The Philosophy Shelf
Motivation and the Primacy of Perception
Peter Antich
Ohio University Press
215 Columbus Road, Suite 101, Athens, OH 45701
www.ohioswallow.com
9780821424322, $95.00, HC, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Motivation-Primacy-Perception-Merleau-Pontys-Phenomenology/dp/0821424327
Synopsis: Maurice Jean Jacques Merleau-Ponty (14 March 1908 - 3 May 1961) was a French phenomenological
philosopher, strongly influenced by Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger. The constitution of meaning in human
experience was his main interest and he wrote on perception, art, politics, religion, psychology, psychoanalysis,
language, nature, and history. He was the lead editor of Les Temps modernes, the leftist magazine he established with
Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir in 1945. (Wikipedia)
Arguing that knowledge is ultimately founded in perceptual experience, Professor Peter Antich interprets and defends
Merleau-Ponty's thinking on motivation as the key to establishing a new form of epistemic grounding. Upending the
classical dichotomy between reason and natural causality, justification and explanation, Professor Antich shows how
this epistemic ground enables Merleau-Ponty to offer a radically new account of knowledge and its relation to
perception. In so doing, Antich demonstrates how and why Merleau-Ponty remains a vital resource for today's
epistemologists.
Critique: An erudite and seminal contribution to phenomenology studies, "Motivation and the Primacy of Perception:
Merleau-Ponty's Phenomenology of Knowledge" by Professor Peter Antich must be considered as a core and
unreservedly recommended addition to college and university library Contemporary Philosophy collections and
Epistemic supplemental studies. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Motivation and the Primacy of Perception" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $90.25).
Editorial Note: Peter Antich is visiting Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.
His publications include "Merleau-Ponty on Hallucination and Perceptual Faith," in Etudes Phenomenologiques -
Phenomenological Studies, "Perceptual Experience in Kant and Merleau-Ponty," in the Journal of the British Society
for Phenomenology, and "Merleau-Ponty's Theory of Concept Formation," in the History of Philosophy Quarterly.
The Mathematics Shelf
Proofs 101: An Introduction to Formal Mathematics
Joseph Kirtland
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9780367536930, 150.00, HC, 196pp
https://www.amazon.com/Proofs-101-Introduction-Formal-Mathematics/dp/0367536935
Synopsis: "Proofs 101: An Introduction to Formal Mathematics" by Professor Joseph Kirtland serves as an excellent
introduction to proofs for mathematics majors who have completed the calculus sequence (at least Calculus I and II)
and a first course in linear algebra.
The book prepares students for the proofs they will need to analyze and write the axiomatic nature of mathematics and
the rigors of upper-level mathematics courses. Basic number theory, relations, functions, cardinality, and set theory will
provide the material for the proofs and lay the foundation for a deeper understanding of mathematics, which students
will need to carry with them throughout their future studies.
"Proofs 101" is deliberately designed to be teachable across a single semester, is immanently suitable as an
undergraduate textbook for Introduction to Proofs or Transition to Advanced Mathematics courses, and offfers a
balanced variety of easy, moderate, and difficult exercises.
Critique: An ideal curriculum textbook, "Proofs 101: An Introduction to Formal Mathematics" is exceptionally well
organized and presented. A core and essential addition to college and university library Mathematics collections, it
should be noted for students and academia that "Proofs 101" is also readily available in a paperback edition
(9780367536817, $59.95) and in a digital book format (eTextbook, $56.95).
Editorial Note: Joseph Kirtland received his PhD in mathematics from the University of New Hampshire. He joined the
faculty of Marist College in 1992. A highly respected teacher, he has been selected ten times by the students for the
Faculty Recognition Award in the School of Computer Science and Mathematics. In 2000, he was presented with the
Marist College Board of Trustee's Distinguished Teaching Award, and in 2002, he received the Award for
Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics given by the Metropolitan New York section of the
Mathematical Association of America. In addition, his first book Identification Numbers and Check Digit Schemes won
the Mathematical Association of America's Beckenbach Book Prize in 2002.
Mathematics of Casino Carnival Games
Mark Bollman
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9780367348656, $64.95, HC, 318pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mathematics-Casino-Carnival-Games-Bollman/dp/0367348659
Synopsis: Table games other than baccarat, blackjack, craps, and roulette are called carnival games, as a nod to their
origin in actual traveling or seasonal carnivals. There are thousands of books relating to poker, blackjack, roulette and
baccarat, including strategy guides, statistical analysis, psychological studies, and much more. However, there are no
books on Pell, Rouleno, Street Dice, and many other games that have had a short life in casinos!
While this is understandable (most casino gamblers have not heard of these games, and no one is currently playing
them) their absence from published works means that some interesting mathematics and gaming history are at risk of
being lost forever. But in "Mathematics of Casino Carnival Games", mathematician Mark Bollman is a focused look at
these games and the mathematics at their foundation.
"Mathematics of Casino Carnival Games" includes exercises with the solutions included for readers who wish to
practice the ideas presented. Suitable for a general audience with an interest in the mathematics of gambling and games,
"Mathematics of Casino Carnival Games" goes beyond providing practical 'tips' for gamblers, and explores the
mathematical principles that underpin gambling games.
Critique: An inherently fascinating, impressively informative, and ground-breaking unique and seminal study,
"Mathematics of Casino Carnival Games" must be considered an unreservedly recommended and core addition to
personal, professional, college, and university library Advanced Mathematics and Games Theory collections and
supplemental curriculum lists. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "Mathematics of Casino Carnival Games" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$51.96).
Editorial Note: Mark Bollman is Professor of Mathematics and chair of the Department of Mathematics & Computer
Science at Albion College in Albion, Michigan, and has taught 113 different courses in his career. Among these courses
is "Mathematics of the Gaming Industry," where mathematics majors carefully study the math behind games of chance
and travel to Las Vegas, Nevada, in order to compare theory and practice. He has also taken those ideas into Albion's
Honors Program in "Great Issues in Humanities: Perspectives on Gambling," which considers gambling from literary,
philosophical, and historical points of view as well as mathematically. Mark has also authored Basic Gambling
Mathematics: The Numbers Behind The Neon and Mathematics of Keno and Lotteries.
Mathematical Puzzles
Peter Winkler
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9780367206932, $74.95, HC, 520pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mathematical-Puzzles-Peter-Winkler/dp/0367206935
Synopsis: Research in mathematics is so much more than just solving puzzles -- but most people will agree that solving
puzzles is not just fun: it helps focus the mind and increases one's armory of techniques for doing mathematics.
"Mathematical Puzzles" by mathematician Peter Winkler makes this connection explicit by isolating important
mathematical methods, then using them to solve puzzles and prove a theorem.
"Mathematical Puzzles" features: A collection of the world's best mathematical puzzles with each chapter features a
technique for solving mathematical puzzles, examples, and finally a genuine theorem of mathematics that features that
technique in its proof. The underlying message of Peter Winkler is that Math based puzzles are not just exercises or
contest problems, not when they are entertaining, mystifying, paradoxical, and satisfying in their solutions.
Critique: An absolute 'must' for personal, professional, college, and university library Advanced Mathematics
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, "Mathematical Puzzles" is an extraordinarily elegant
compendium of mathematically based puzzles and an unreservedly recommended acquisition selection. It should be
noted that "Mathematical Puzzles" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780367206925, $29.95) and in a
digital book format (eTextbook, $22.49)
Editorial Note: Peter Winkler is the William Morrill Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Dartmouth
College, and for 2019 - 2020, the Distinguished Visiting Professor for the Public Dissemination of Mathematics at the
National Museum of Mathematics. He is the author of 160 research papers, a dozen patents, two previous puzzle books,
a book on cryptographic techniques in the game of bridge, and a portfolio of compositions for ragtime piano.
The Parenting Shelf
Raising Confident Black Kids
M. J. Fievre
www.mjfievre.com
Mango Publishing
https://mangopublishinggroup.com
9781642505580, $18.95, PB, 254pp
https://www.amazon.com/Raising-Confident-Black-Kids-Comprehensive/dp/1642505587
Synopsis: It's hard for a black parent to balance protecting their child's innocence with preparing them for the realities
of Black life in America today. When (and how) can they approach racism with their children? How do parents protect
their physical and mental health while also preparing them for a country full of systemic racism?
"Raising Confident Black Kids: A Comprehensive Guide for Empowering Parents and Teachers of Black Children" is a
parenting book specifically created for the parents of Black kids. This is a DIY guide to help teach black kids how to
thrive -- even when it feels like the world is against them. From racial profiling and police encounters to the
whitewashed lessons of history taught in schools, raising Black kids is no easy feat.
But in the pages of "Raising Confident Black Kids", teacher M.J. Fievre passes on the tips and guidance that have
helped her educate her Black students, including: How to encourage creativity and build self-confidence in your kids;
Ways to engage in activism and help build a safer; community with and for your children -- and ways to rest when you
need to; How to explain systemic racism, intersectionality, and micro-aggressions.
Critique: Expertly and effectively written, thoroughly 'parent friendly' in organization and presentation, informed and
informative throughout, "Raising Confident Black Kids: A Comprehensive Guide for Empowering Parents and
Teachers of Black Children" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary
Parenting collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all parents, mentors and teachers of black
children that "Raising Confident Black Kids" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: M. J. Fievre is a long-time educator and frequent keynote speaker (Tufts University, Massachusetts;
Howard University, Washington, D.C.; the University of Miami, Florida; and Michael College, Vermont; and a panelist
at the Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference, AWP), M.J. is available for book club meetings, podcast
presentations, interviews and other author events. She maintains an informative website at: www.mjfievre.com
The Journalism Shelf
Freedom of the Press in Small-Town America: My Opinions
Steve Hochstadt
Atlantic Publishing Group
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471-0640
www.atlantic-pub.com
9781620238202, $21.95, PB, 468pp
https://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Press-Small-Town-America-Publishing/dp/1620238209
Synopsis: In a 9-year career as an op-ed columnist for a small-town newspaper in America's heartland, Steve Hochstadt
wrote about all the key issues of 21st-century American life. From family holidays to police brutality, climate science to
fatherhood, partisan politics to economic inequality, to racism and sexism and truth in politics, he covered it all. He
used weekly opinion columns to trace our country's political history as well as his own journey as a
journalist-historian.
The stories Hochstadt tells are both universal and particular, constructed by observing America and the world from the
vantage point of Jacksonville, Illinois, and his own family history. His essays connect national politics and daily life in
small-town America. As a Holocaust historian, child of a Jewish refugee, and admirer of Jackie Robinson, he has a
unique perspective on political issues in this country. He relies on his historical background, careful logic, clear writing,
and social scientific evidence to back his personal opinions. Hochstadt's optimistic belief in the power of liberal
journalism transforms these essays into a message of hope to all Americans.
Critique: Thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Freedom of the Press in Small-Town America: My Opinions" offers an
extraordinary perspective on small town newspaper journalism which is a communication service that is rapidly
becoming obsolete in our present age of internet based sources for local, state, and national news. While especially and
unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library American Journalism collections and
supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for journalism students, academia, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that "Freedom of the Press in Small-Town America: My Opinions" is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.85).
Editorial Note: Steve Hochstadt grew up on Long Island, earned a BA and PhD at Brown University, and taught history
at Bates College in Maine for 27 years and at Illinois College in Jacksonville 2006-2016. His early research measured
migration in Germany: Mobility and Modernity: Migration in Germany 1820-1989 won the Sharlin Prize of the Social
Science History Association. The Holocaust became his focus: Sources of the Holocaust is a documents collection used
across the country in Holocaust courses. His grandparents escaped from Vienna to Shanghai in 1939, and two books
reveal the refugee experience: Exodus to Shanghai: Stories of Escape from the Third Reich and Shanghai-Geschichten:
Die judische Flucht nach China. He sits on the International Advisory Board of the Shanghai Jewish Refugees
Museum.
The Photography Shelf
Getting Closer
Paul Sorrell
Exisle Publishing
www.exislepublishing.com.au
9781925820638, $27.99, HC, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Closer-Rediscovering-Through-Photography/dp/1925820637
Synopsis: "Getting Closer: Rediscovering Nature Through Bird Photography" by Paul Sorrell is a beautifully illustrated
discussion of photography as a way of achieving greater intimacy with the natural world.
With a focus on birds, "Getting Closer" is directed primarily at photographers (of all levels of skill and experience), but
also at birders, people interested in the outdoors, and those who would simply like to achieve a deeper connection with
the natural world. The introduction makes the case for reconnecting with nature in a way that will draw in a wide range
of readers, not just photographers. We have to reconnect, as most of us have lost the spontaneous bond with nature we
enjoyed as young children and, in the face of impending ecological disaster, reconnecting with nature is our most urgent
task.
In the pages of "Getting Closer", author and photographer Sorrell offers a simple, practical path for readers to begin to
'rewild' themselves. This is the focus of the second part of "Getting Closer" where Sorrell informatively explores ways
of becoming attentive to the natural world around you, wherever you may live. Through self-contained spreads on
topics ranging from 'the four seasons' and 'winds and tides' to 'flight shots' and 'color and texture', he introduces basic,
hands-on techniques that, with practice, will enable readers to both deeply connect with their environment and become
proficient wildlife photographers.
Of special note is the inclusion of 'Top tips' on each spread provide technical information aimed at more serious
photographers.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "Getting Closer: Rediscovering Nature Through Bird
Photography" is a complete course of photographic instruction in a single volume. Expertly written, organized and
presented, "Getting Closer: Rediscovering Nature Through Bird Photography" will prove to be an immediately
welcome addition to professional, community, college, and university library Contemporary Photography and Avian
Photography collections, as well as the personal reading lists of amateur and professional photographers, photography
students, bird watching enthusiasts, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.
Editorial Note: Paul Sorrell took up photography in the early 2000s, giving him a new form of creative engagement
with his longstanding interest in wildlife and the natural world. His images have featured in local, national and
international wildlife photography competitions, and he has published online and print pieces for outlets ranging from
airline magazines to Tourism New Zealand's website and the School Journal. He has worked in the area of books and
publishing since the 1980s, copy-editing, writing for academic and popular journals, and publishing four books about
his home province of Otago with Penguin Random House.
The Computer Shelf
Data Structures and Program Design Using Python
D. Malhotra and N. Malhotra
Mercury Learning
22841 Quicksilver Dr., Dulles, VA 20166
www.merclearning.com
9781683926399, $79.95 PB, $59.95 Kindle, 376pp
https://www.amazon.com/Structures-Program-Design-Using-Python/dp/1683926390
Data Structures and Program Design Using Python: A Self-Teaching Introduction is designed to cover the basics of data
structures for newcomers to Python, and for those who want to use this book for self-teaching. Explanations of
technical Python and programming concepts require only a bare minimum of familiarity with programming terminology
to prove accessible, while each chapter builds on the other to offer a blend of technical discussions and real-world
applications, along with practice exercises to test understanding. Charts, applications, and algorithms illustrate these
steps while sections organized by major program design objectives, from working with linked lists to queues, sorting,
and stacks and trees cover more advanced Python possibilities. This is a solid self-teaching guide that Python
newcomers will find clear and invaluable.
The Technology Shelf
Tensor Analysis for Engineers, second edition
M. Tabatabaian
Mercury Learning
22841 Quicksilver Dr., Dulles, VA 20166
www.merclearning.com
9781683926016, $79.95 PB, $59.95 Kindle, 182pp
https://www.amazon.com/Tensor-Analysis-Engineers-Transformations-Applications/dp/1683926013
The second edition of Tensor Analysis for Engineers blends math and applications of tensor analysis processes for
engineers and applied scientists who would understand how this analytical approach works in problem-solving under
various conditions. Geometry, discussions of mathematical concepts which are supported by examples of problems
solved in the book and exercises reinforcing learning, and discussions of various tensor operations, products, and
applications receive discussions backed by research examples, science, math, and visual charts. The result is a
discussion that should be a stable in engineering collections.
Wired and Wireless Seamless Access Systems for Public Infrastructure
Tetsuya Kawanishi
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
www.us.artechhouse.com
9781630817404, $139.00 HC, $139.00 Kindle, 254pp
https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Seamless-Infrastructure-Applied-Photonics/dp/1630817406
Wired and Wireless Seamless Access Systems for Public Infrastructure reviews a wealth of technical information on
wired and wireless access systems, including microwaves, lightwaves and fibers, and other types of seamless access,
and is highly recommended for engineers and collections involved in communications and information technology
infrastructure building. Chapters review the features of these systems, their pluses and limitations, basic concepts of
technology, and how antenna units are connected through optical fibers for better response and usage. Both basics and
advanced technology are produced, along with the formulas and statistics that support different approaches to
applications and usage in everything from mobile networks to devices. Engineers who want a specific focus on
seamless access systems for infrastructure applications will find this reference key to understanding and employing
concepts in real-world situations.
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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