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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Becoming a U.S. Citizen, eighth edition
Ilona M. Bray, J.D.
Nolo Press
950 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.nolo.com
9781413323047 $29.99 pbk / $16.99 Kindle amazon.com
Now in an updated eighth edition covering the latest "Form N-400", Becoming a U.S. Citizen: A
Guide to the Law, Exam & Interview is a practical, reader-friendly guide to making the transition
from green card holder to naturalized U.S. citizen, thereby earning benefits including the right to
vote, the opportunity to apply for certain federal jobs, faster immigration for family members,
protection against deportation, and more. Chapters discuss how to discern whether one is eligible
for citizenship, the risks and rewards of applying, how to fill out application forms, preparing for
the citizenship exam as well as interviews, and much more. It should be noted that the publisher's
website nolo.com includes a wealth of resources for prospective American citizens, such as legal
updates to Becoming a U.S. Citizen and in-depth profiles of immigration lawyers in one's area.
While Becoming a U.S. Citizen cannot substitute for the counsel of a trained attorney, it is a
"must-read" and worthy of the highest recommendation, even (especially!) if one retains the
services of a lawyer.
The Illustrated Walden
Henry David Thoreau
Tarcher Perigee
c/o Penguin Group, USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014-3657
9780143129264 $22.00 www.tarcherperigee.com
The Illustrated Walden: Thoreau Bicentennial Edition is a classic text by philosopher, naturalist,
and transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862). The original Walden was published in
1854 and detailed two years spent living in a cabin Thoreau built near Walden pond. An
illustrated version was issued in 1897 as a two-volume "Holiday Edition". Now, to celebrate the
bicentennial of Thoreau's birth, this beautiful version is being reissued with the complete text and
all original black-and-white illustrations intact. A convenient index rounds out this timeless
American classic. The Illustrated Walden is a treasure from cover to cover, and a choice pick for
gift-giving and personal collections as well as public and college library shelves.
The Development of Managerial Culture
Arthur J. Wolak
Palgrave Macmillan
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10001
www.palgrave-usa.com
9781137475619, $120.00, HC, 321pp, www.amazon.com
"The Development of Managerial Culture" by Dr Arthur J. Wolak (President of CMI Chat Media
Inc.) deftly examines the differences in underlying values and cultural distinctions in managerial
cultures in Australia and Canada. "The Development of Managerial Culture" offers commentary
on differences in attitudes to managerial culture and industrial relations through a comparison of
national character development to provide context and insight for readers. Dr. Wolak
persuasively argues that Canada, lacking the 'Irish factor' in its cultural and socio-political
development derived much of its business culture from British colonial traditions. Enhanced with
the inclusion of figures, tables, a seventeen page bibliography, and a twelve page index, "The
Development of Managerial Culture" is a work of impressive scholarship. Exceptionally well
written, organized and presented, "The Development of Managerial Culture" is unreservedly
recommended for community and academic library International Business reference collections
and supplemental studies reading lists. For students and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject, it should be noted that "The Development of Managerial Culture" is also
now available in a paperback edition (9781349501878, $115.00) and in a Kindle format
($89.00).
Rittenhouse Writers: Reflections on a Fiction Workshop
James Rahan
Paul Dry Books
1700 Sansom Street, Suite 700, Philadelphia, PA 19103-5214
www.pauldrybooks.com
9781589881129, $20.00, PB, 275pp, www.amazon.com
James Rahn has led the Rittenhouse Writers' Group since he founded it in 1988, making it one of
America's longest-running independent fiction workshops. Hundreds of writers and would-be
writers have sought out the group for its remarkable level of instruction and collaboration.
"Rittenhouse Writers: Reflections on a Fiction Workshop" is Rahn's personal memoir of the
workshop and how his own evolution as both a teacher and a writer (as well as a son, husband,
and father) has been intertwined with the establishment and growth of the RWG. In addition,
Rahn includes ten short stories written by current and former members of the workshop. These
short stories include "On Fire" by Gwen Florio; "Mother - 6/7 Months" by Romnesh Lamba;
"Moon Penitent" by Diane McKinney-Whetstone; "The Last Confession" by Tom Teti; "Ivory Is
Wrong About Me" by Caren Litvin; "The Conference Rat" by Samantha Gillison; "Dropping a
Line into the Murky Chop" by Saral Waldorf; "What She Missed" by Lisa Paparone; "Kingdom
of the Sun" by Alice Schell; and "The Letters of Hon. Crawford G. Bolton III" by Daniel R.
Biddle. An impressively written, informative and insightful read, "Rittenhouse Writers:
Reflections on a Fiction Workshop" is very highly recommended for community and academic
library Literary Studies collections, and have a great deal of special interest for all aspiring
authors and writer workshop providers. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Rittenhouse Writers: Reflections on a Fiction Workshop" is also available in a Kindle format
($9.99).
Bibliophilia
N. John Hall
David R. Godine, Publisher
Fifteen Court Square, Suite 320, Boston, MA 02108-2536
www.godine.com
9781567925616, $18.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Flush with $400,000 from the sale of his great-great-grandfather's correspondence with Victorian
authors, Larry Dickerson, our unassuming retired blank clerk, amateur editor, and literary
neophyte, needs a creative outlet for his newly acquired wealth and fast escalating obsession with
all things bookish. Larry's journey begins with collecting rare editions of Victorian novelists but
soon spirals rapidly into the abyss of New Yorker authors, his determination to acquire growing
with each new purchase. James Thurber, E.B. White, Vladimir Nabokov, J.D. Salinger, and
Dorothy Parker all find their way onto Larry's shortlist, standing along previously acquired greats
Trollope, Dickens, Thackeray, and Hardy. Being sensible, he approaches the biggest names in the
rare book field with childish glee, and with refreshing brashness, finds himself handling copies of
authors' most coveted titles, touring the New Yorker offices, and then involved in one of the
biggest scandals book collecting has ever seen. Will the thrill of the chase overwhelm Larry's
ability to see reason? Will his appetite outpace his resources? Join him on this journey as he
discovers just how far he's willing to take his obsession. "Bibliophilia" by John Hall (a
Distinguished Professor Emeritus of English at the Bronx Community College and the Graduate
Center, City University of New York, who is also the recipient of numerous awards including
twice having been a Guggenheim Fellow) is a 'must' for every bibliophile and literary fiction
enthusiast! A truly compelling read from beginning to end, "Bibliophilia" is an extraordinary
novel and enthusiastically recommended for personal reading lists, as well as both community
and academic library Literary Fiction collections.
Hot Sauce Nation
Denver Nicks
Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781613731840, $17.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
"Hot Sauce Nation: America's Burning Obsession" by Denver Nicks is an inherently fascinating
journey of discovery, delving into the history, culture, immigration patterns, and the science of
spice and culinarily induced pain. Through the stories of hot sauce makers and lovers, "Hat Sauce
Nation" deftly explores the unique hold the dark prince of condiments has over the American
heart. Informed and informative, "Hot Sauce Nation" is an inherently fascinating read from
beginning to end. While very highly recommended for community library collections, it should
be noted for personal reading lists that "Hot Sauce Nation" is also available in a Kindle format
($9.99).
The Future of Family Farms
Teresa Opheim, Editor
University of Iowa Press
119 West Park Road, Iowa City, IA 52242-1000
9781609384531, $24.95, www.uiowapress.org
The Future of Family Farms: Practical Farmers' Legacy Letter Project outlines a trend towards
the transfer of farmland in the U.S. due to the aging farmer (the average age is fifty-eight, with
forty percent of leasing farmers over sixty-five years old). The Farm Legacy Letter project was
developed by a nonprofit group to encourage farmers to think about the future of their land. This
collection gathers the letters and stories of these farmers under one cover, outlining the major
challenges to small-time agriculture in America in general and the Midwest in particular, and
considering how what kinds of farmers will make their living from the land, in the future. Any
collection strong in agriculture needs this hard-hitting consideration of the forces influencing the
American farm's future.
The Cookbook Shelf
The Chew Approved
Ashley Archer
Kingswell
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017-0010
www.hbgusa.com
www.thechew.com
9781484776391, $16.99, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Chew Tank is a popular segment on The Chew, ABC's hit show hosted by Mario Batali, Carla
Hall, Clinton Kelly, Daphne Oz, and Michael Symon. In Chew Tank, viewers submit their own
recipes and compete for a chance to cook with one of the hosts. Compiled and edited by Ashely
Archer, "The Chew Approved" is a compendium of the best of these recipes in this fifth
companion cookbook to be derived from daytime television show. Just as they do everyday on
the hit ABC daytime show, Mario Batali, Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly, Daphne Oz, and Michael
Symon will provide 'kitchen cook friendly' tips and tricks that make cooking for family and
friends fun and manageable. The palate pleasing, appetite satisfying featured dishes range from
Feat, Spinach, Sweet Potato Frittata; Roasted Honey, Ginger BBQ Wings; Fresh-from-the-Farm
Coconut Carrot Stew; and Balsamic Marinated Steak House Salad; to Sausage and Beef
Casserole; Ratatouille Tart; Strawberry Red Velvet Love Cakes; and Classic Whoopie Pies. A
pleasure to browse and inspiring to plan family menus with, "The Chew Approved" is very
highly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should
be noted that "The Chew Approved" is also available in a Kindle format ($10.99).
Persepolis: Vegetarian Recipes from Persia and Beyond
Sally Butcher
Interlink Publishing
46 Crosby Street, Northampton, MA 01060-1804
www.interlinkbooks.com
9781566560184, $35.00, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Vegetarian cuisine continues to gain popularity as a culinary life-style. In "Persepolis: Vegetarian
Recipes from Persia and Beyond", Sally Butcher (who is the owner of Persepolis, a Persian food
store and cafe in London, England) draws upon her years of experience and expertise to create a
beautifully illustrated compendium of recipes that will please any palate, satisfy any appetite, and
present dishes appropriate for any and all vegetarian dining opportunities from basic family
meals to elegant celebration dining. Each recipes is enhanced with the inclusion of a succinct
introductory commentary followed by serving numbers, a list of ingredients, and thoroughly
'kitchen cook friendly' step-by-step instructions. With superbly presented recipes for dishes
ranging from Fried Bread with Hulbeh and Eggs; Potato Kufteh; Mush Pea, Yogurt, and Harrissa
Soup; Eggplant with Lintels; and Grilled Minty peaches with Chard and Spiced Cashews; to
French Fry Stew; Zucchini and Ginger Jam; Turkish Milk and Almond Pudding; and Chili-Fried
Peaches with Barberries, "Persepolis: Vegetarian Recipes from Persia and Beyond" is
enthusiastically recommended for personal, professional, family, and community library
Vegetarian Cookbook collections.
What Good Cooks Know
America's Test Kitchen
17 Station Street, Brookline, MA 02445
www.americastestkitchen.com
9781940352664, $29.95, HC, 448pp, www.amazon.com
Compiled by the editorial staff of America's Test Kitchen, "What Good Cooks Know: 20 Years
of Test Kitchen Expertise in One Essential Handbook" is a deftly written, profusely illustrated,
exceptionally organized, impressively comprehensive, and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly'
instruction manual comprised of kitchen techniques, tips, tricks, recipes, and reviews for the
home cook. Of immense and valuable use for beginners and experienced kitchen cooks alike,
"What Good Cooks Know" showcases dozens of equipment recommendations, hundreds of
ingredient entries, mini lessons on basic cooking skills and useful kitchen science, plus illustrated
step-by-step instructions for 50 of essential recipes. Of special note is the section on 'Outfitting
Your Kitchen'. While very highly recommended for school homemaker curriculums and
community library collections, it should be noted for personal and family instructional reference
lists that "What Good Cooks Know" is also available in a Kindle format ($28.99).
Cookies, Cakes & Pies
Taste of Home Books
c/o RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC
1610 N. 2nd St., Suite 102, Milwaukee, WI 53212
tasteofhome.com
9781617655319 $17.99 pbk / $12.99 Kindle amazon.com
Illustrated with sumptuous, full-color photography on every page, Cookies, Cakes & Pies: Sweet
Surprises for Today's Family Baker lives up to its title with 370 delicious dessert recipes. From
"Coffeehouse Caramel-Dark Chocolate-Latte Cookie" to "Spiced Pear Upside-Down Cake",
"Citrus Cream Tartlets" and much more, Cookies, Cakes & Pies is a treasure trove of
unforgettable delights sure to be the hit of any party, holiday celebration, or family meal! Highly
recommended.
The Monet Cookbook
Florence Gentner & Francis Hammond
Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, New York, NY 10003
www.prestel.com
9783791382883, $35.00, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Florence Gentner was formerly special assistant to the Carnavalet Museum and the Maison de
Victor Hugo. She regularly writes articles devoted to the homes of writers and gives lectures on
art history. In the profusely and beautifully illustrated pages of "The Monet Cookbook", Florence
showcases 60 of Claude Monet's original recipes alongside glorious reproductions of his
paintings, scenes from his life in Giverny, and stunning photographs of the dishes. While Claude
Monet is best known as an artist, he was also a gourmand whose culinary journals are filled with
detailed recipes and notes about what he ate and with whom he shared his meals. Brimming with
the colors and flavors of Giverny, France, each chapter comprising "The Monet Cookbook"
features recipes that were served in Monet's famed yellow dining room, eaten al fresco in the
gardens at Giverny, or at several of the fine restaurants along the Seine in Normandy. The recipes
were selected for their rustic appeal and use of only the freshest ingredients, range from simple
galettes and hearty casseroles to fine souffles, seafood dishes, and delicious tarts, cakes, and
other pastries. With dishes that range from Grilled Chicken; Nantes Cakes; Potato Pie; and Veal
Meatballs; to Baked Eggs with Tomato Sauce; Partridges with Cabbage; Preserved Cherries; and
Cepes a la Bordelaise, "The Monet Cookbook" offers a thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly'
resource ideal for planning truly memorable meals.
The Gaza Kitchen
Laila El-Haddad & Maggie Schmitt
Just World Books
PO Box 5484, Charlottesville, VA 22905
www.justworldbooks.com
9781682570081, $29.99, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents from Gaza, Laila El-Haddad currently lives in Maryl and is
an award-winning writer, public speaker, and social activist. She is also the co-editor of Gaza
Unsilenced and the author of "Gaza Mom: Palestine, Politics, Parenting, and Everything In
Between" (9781935982173, $27.99 PB, $9.99 Kindle). . Maggie Schmitt is a writer, researcher,
translator, educator, and social activist working in various media and exploring the daily
practices of ordinary people as a way of understanding political and social realities in the
Mediterranean region. Together they have collaborated in producing a truly exceptional culinary
compendium showcasing authentic Palestinian cuisine in the pages of "The Gaza Kitchen" and
offering thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes for sups, dips, spreads, breads, biscuits, savory
pies, eggs and hot mezze, one-bowl means, vegetable stews, rice dishes and stuffed vegetables,
seafood, sweets, beverages, pickles, preserves, and special dishes for special occasions.
Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "The Gaza Kitchen" also includes an
informative introduction and an invaluable list of resources. Offering a treasury of palate
pleasing, appetite satisfying dishes for all dining occasions, "The Gaza Kitchen" is unreservedly
recommended for personal, professional, family, and community library Ethnic Cookbook
collections.
The Saffron Tales
Yasmin Khan
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781632867100, $35.00, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Yasmin Khan is a writer and cook from London who loves to share people's stories through food.
An avid traveler whose passport is never too far from her pocket, she runs cooking classes,
pop-up supper clubs and writing retreats around the world. In the beautifully illustrated pages of
"The Saffron Tales: Recipes from the Persian Kitchen" she has compiled a truly impressive
culinary compendium showcasing and celebrating the cuisine of Iran. Replete with cooking tips,
lists of ingredients, and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' step-by-step instructions the dishes
range from Persian Ajil Granola; Mixed Herb Kuku; Salad Shirazi; and Spicy Lentil and
Tamarind Soup; to Mixed Herb Rice with Baked Salmon; Slow-Cooked Lamb Shoulder with
Dried Lime and Split Peas; Orange Blossom and Date Pudding; and Choux Buns with Rose
Water and Pistachio Cream. Of special note is what Yasmin Khan advices with respect to
'Planning a Meal'. Enjoyable to simply browse through and inspiring to plan menus with, "The
Saffron Tales" is strongly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to
personal, professional, family, and community library cookbook collections.
Chickpeas
Einat Mazor
Imagine Publishing
c/o Charlesbridge Publishing
85 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472
www.charlesbridge.com
9781623540746, $18.95, HC, 128pp, www.amazon.com
The chickpea is a legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. Its seeds are high in
protein and is one of the earliest cultivated legumes whose 7,500-year-old remains have been
found in the Middle East. Einat Mazor is a certified chef who studied at the Natural Gourmet
Institute in New York City and currently works as a culinary consultant for restaurants and food
companies. In "Chickpeas: Sweet and Savory Recipes from Hummus to Dessert" Chef Mazor has
compiled a beautifully illustrated compendium of chickpea oriented recipes for dishes that are as
palate pleasing as they are nutritious and appetite satisfying. The thoroughly 'kitchen cook
friendly' recipes range from Hummus Guacamole; Phyllo Triangles Filled with Chickpeas &
Cheese; Spicy Carrot & Chickpea Soup; Veggie Burger; and Grilled Polenta with Mushroom
Ragout; to Baked Cauliflower Patties; Fish Burgers; Mediterranean Beef Stew; Rosemary &
Pumpkin Seed Bread; and Pine Nut Cracker. While "Chickpeas: Sweet and Savory Recipes from
Hummus to Dessert" is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to family and community
library cookbook collections, it should be noted that it is also available in a Kindle format
($10.99).
Rock Recipes Christmas
Barry C. Parsons
Breakwater Books
P.O.Box 2188, St. John's, NL A1C 6E6
www.breakwaterbooks.com
9781550816556, $22.95, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com
"Rock Recipes Christmas" by lifelong food obsessive, recipe blogger, and food photographer
Barry Parsons showcases old-fashioned family cooking at its very best. Every recipe is
accompanied by a full-page color photograph to help with the perfect presentation. The
thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' holiday season recipes range from Chocolate Orange Cookies;
Christmas Chelsea Buns; Spiced Clementine & Orange Marmalade; Cranberry hazelnut Turkey
Wellington; and Maple Roasted Vegetables; to Caramelized Onion Gravy; Turkey Parmesan
Baked Rotini; Maple and Brown Sugar Glazed Ham; Bacon Cheddar Cornbread Muffins; and
Smoky Sweet Spiced Almonds. A delight to browse through and ideal for planning memorable
menus with, "Rock Recipes Christmas" is very highly recommended for personal, family, and
community library cookbook collections.
The Official Chase 'N Yur Face Cookbook
Chase Bailey
Greenleaf Book Group Press
PO Box 91869, Austin, TX 78709
www.greenleafbookgroup.com
9780692755853, $24.95, PB, 188pp, www.amazon.com
Inspired by his journey with autism and overcoming food aversions, Chase Bailey's "The Official
Chase 'N Yur Face Cookbook" entices people of all ages to experience familiar dishes done in
different ways; and to discover new things about food while celebrating life and ourselves.
Combining delightful recipes, uplifting anecdotes, fun facts, delectable photographs, and
humorous animations, Chase teaches home-cooks how to prepare a wonderful array of dishes
under fun chapter titles: Get Up & Go; Feed the Beast; Pick-Me-Ups; Let's Feast; Life Is Sweet;
and Cool Breezes & a Santa Ana Wind. Chase's cookbook includes omnivore, vegetarian, vegan,
and gluten-free recipes ranging from Barnyard Breakfast Muffins; Grilled Chicken Panini;
Heirloom Tomato Basil Salad with Parmesan Crisps; and Spicy Double-Dipped Onion Straws; to
Grilled Portobello Rice Bowl; Sloppy Chase with Lamb; Brownie S'Mores Sandwiches; Peanut
Butter Cup Pound Cake; and Pizzeria Drink. There is even a bonus recipe for making doggie
treats! Of special note is the nine page 'Fun Facts References' section. Profusely and colorfully
illustrated throughout, "The Official Chase 'N Yur Face Cookbook" will prove to be a highly
prized addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.
1,001 Best Hot and Spicy Recipes, second edition
Dave DeWitt
Surrey Books
c/o Agate Publishing
1328 Greenleaf Street, Evanston, IL 60202
www.agatepublishing.com
9781572842007, $22.99, PB, 840pp, www.amazon.com
Dave DeWitt has written or coauthored more than 30 books on hot peppers and spicy foods and
edited two different magazines devoted to those subjects. He is an adjunct associate professor at
New Mexico State University, where he is also a board member of the Chile Pepper Institute. His
media company, Sunbelt Shows, Inc., has produced the annual National Fiery Foods and
Barbecue Show since 1988. Compiled DeWitt, this newly updated second edition of "1,001 Best
Hot and Spicy Recipes: Delicious, Easy-to-Make Recipes from Around the Globe" is the latest
addition to Agate Surrey's beloved 1,001 series of cookbooks and is its hottest ever. Featured are
thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' hot and spices recipes for dishes ranging from Pickapeppa Hot
Sauce; Sweet Potato Chips Dusted with Chimayo Red Chile; Lime Oysters with Garlic; and
Acorn Squash and Corn Stew with Chipotle; to Brazilian Churrasco with Molho Campanha;
Fried Chicken with Green Chile; Red Hot Lover's Vegetarian Lo Mein; and Homestyle Fries with
Red Chile Salt and Cilantro Catsup. Showcasing a vast array of hot and spicy favorites that
include a huge variety of soups, stews, chilis, and gumbos; a broad selection of barbecue dishes
for the grill; and a lengthy list of meatless entrees and vegetable options, hundreds of spicy main
dishes from around the globe, and an impressive array of zesty beverages, desserts, and
breakfasts, "1,001 Best Hot and Spicy Recipes" continues to be the most comprehensive and
exhaustive culinary resource for planning memorable meals of hot and spicy dishes. While very
highly recommended for personal, family, professional, and community library cookbook
collections, it should be noted that "1,001 Best Hot and Spicy Recipes" is also available in a
Kindle format ($9.99).
The Pueblo Food Experience Cookbook
Edited by Roxanne Swentzell and Patricia M. Perea
Museum of New Mexico Press
PO Box 2087, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2087
www.mnmpress.org
9780890136195 $24.95 amazon.com
The Pueblo Food Experience Cookbook: Whole Food of Our Ancestors is a treasure trove of
recipes by, for, and about the indigenous tribes of the Southwestern United States, particularly
the Pueblo peoples of New Mexico. All recipes promote the original culinary lifestyle of these
peoples, basing recipes on foods eaten before contact with Europe, including chemical-free meat,
fowl, fish, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. Recipes include Corn Squash
Pudding, Turkey Tomatillo Tamales, Prickly Pear Fruit Juice, Jackrabbit Stew, and more. A
sizeable portion of The Pueblo Food Experience Cookbook is also dedicated to the culinary
history and modern-day experience of the Pueblo people, as well as a few vignettes about Pueblo
life in the context of hunting, growing, or preparing food. Highly recommended.
Build Your Own Smoothie
Michelle Keogh
Sellers Publishing
161 John Roberts Road, South Portland, ME 04106
sellerspublishing.com
9781416245766 $16.95 amazon.com
Spiral Bound for ease of use, Build Your Own Smoothie is a hands-on cookbook with a unique
design. Every page of Build Your Own Smoothie is divided into three horizontal sections that
can be freely turned, or mixed and matched with one another: a choice for the smoothie's liquid
composition (such as milk and frozen yogurt, or cashew milk and ice cream), a choice for the
smoothie's base (such as banana and berry, or apricot with almond butter and honey), and a
choice for the smoothie's flavorful boost (such as mango and lime zest, or whipped cream and
chocolate). Turning the pages to any three liquid-base-boost combinations yields simple
ingredient lists and preparation instructions on the left, and a full-color photograph of the
ingredients stacked in a smoothie cup on the right. An index rounds out this intuitive,
user-friendly guide to making unique, healthy, and delicious smoothies!
Bringing Home the Seitan
Kris Holechek Peters
Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440, Berkeley CA 94703-3440
www.ulyssespress.com
9781612436081 $14.95 amazon.com
Seitan is wheat gluten, also known as "wheat-meat", "gluten meat", or "gluten", the main protein
of wheat. Properly prepared seitan makes an excellent meat substitute, and an alternative to
soybean-based foods. Although a few people are gluten intolerant, the vast majority of people
can enjoy seitan as the protein-packed, plant-based foundation of a meal. Bringing Home the
Seitan is a vegetarian cookbook especially for those who wish to create and taste seitan dishes for
themselves and others. Vegetarian recipes include "Nutty Rice Burgers", "Buffalo Wingz with
Perfect Ranch Dipping Sauce", "Italian Wedding Soup", "Avocado Not-Chicken Salad
Sandwiches", "Not Beef with Broccoli", and more. A recipe index rounds out this easy-to-use,
hands-on cookbook for creative vegetarians everywhere.
There's Always Room for Chocolate
Naomi Josepher, Jon Payson, and Georgia Freedman
Rizzoli
300 Park Avenue South, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10010
9780847848638, $32.50, www.rizzoliusa.com
There's Always Room for Chocolate: Recipes from Brooklyn's The Chocolate Room is
recommended reading for any cook who has already made numerous chocolate dishes from other
books but who seeks innovative, fresh new ideas. The Chocolate Room creates dishes that
incorporate high-quality ingredients with recipes both traditional and new. Here one will find
chocolate Canoes with Vanilla Cream Filling (a take-off on the Twinkie), an unusual Chocolate
Almond Flan, and a wide variety of puddings, cakes, and baked goods. Yes, there are Chocolate
Chip Cookies and Brownies, but there are also many new surprises, making for an inviting
cookbook packed with refreshing new ideas.
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
Dan Doherty's Toast Hash Roast Mash: Real Food for Every Time of Day (9781784721374,
$29.99) comes from a chef who focuses on comfort food recipe inspirations that have their roots
in breakfast and brunch dishes, but represent adaptations on a theme which may be served all
day. A wide variety of dishes are represented, from a Smoked Haddock, Crispy Onions and Curry
Sauce hash topped with poached eggs to an unusual consistency and flavor combination for
Rhubarb and Custard, or a sandwich variation on a burger, The Paddy Melt, made with Swiss
cheese, onion jam, pickles and minced beef. From classic Chicken and Waffles to Toffee Apple,
Mascarpone, Granola Crumble, the blends of sweet, savory, and familiar fare with original
innovations makes this a powerfully appealing collection. Kevin Dundon and Neil Cubley's The
Raglan Road Cookbook: Inside America's Favorite Irish Pub (9781784722364, $34.99) comes
from an Irish chef and a writer who focus on the traditional Irish pub and Dundon's Raglan Road
restaurant in Florida. Its unique pairing of Irish history and culture on both sides of the pond and
its recipes gleaned from the signature dishes of Raglan Road makes for an appealing, oversized
presentation packed with full-page color photos to accompany such fare as Beef & Irish Stout
Stew, Homemade Chicken Kiev, Lemon Zest Crusted Cod, Cherry Vine Tomatoes & Broad
Beans, and a fruit-cased Rhubarb Pannacotta. Nourish: Vibrant Salads to Relish and Refresh by
Amber Locke (9781784722326, $16.99) packs over a hundred salad recipes under one cover; and
if you're wondering how that many variations could be made on a single dish, read further. These
salads are designed to be eye-popping as well as delicious, pairing as many compatible colors as
possible into one fish, and in many cases, adding international flavors. Thus, one will find a
beautiful Massaged Kale Salad with Oranges & Cranberries, a Simple Carrot Salad consisting of
spiral slices of red cabbage, herbs, and peeled heirloom carrots, and an eye-opening Cauliflower
Salad made of cauliflower, okra, and edible flowers. "Vibrant" is the key here, and it's
represented in a combination of different slicing techniques and an attention to colorful detail to
make presentation of prime interest in the salad attraction process. It's always a special pleasure
to see a new Diana Henry book, and Simple: Effortless Food, Big Flavors (9781784722043,
$32.99) is no exception. Her books excel in taste combinations you won't find in every
cookbook, her ingredients are easy to find in ordinary supermarkets, and her approaches to
cooking lend an international flavor, yet present no complicated methods, making her books very
accessible to newcomers with little prior background in cooking. Here simple classics, such as
Chicken Piccata, appear alongside more inviting and unique dishes such as Artichokes, Carrots
and Preserved Lemons with Ginger & Honey or Baked Sausages with Apples, Raisins & Hard
Cider. The result is a mouth-watering gathering that represents classic Diana Henry attention to
foolproof dishes done with flair.
Kyle Books
www.kylebooks.com
c/o National Book Network
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
Annie Rigg edits The Meat Free Monday Cookbook (9781909487499, $22.95), which doesn't
come from a restaurateur, but originated as a UK campaign to encourage people to eat less meat.
The idea was to make it an easy choice - and the campaign launched in the U.S. in 2003 as a
movement that's now in over forty countries. This vegetarian cookbook supports that movement,
offering menus for each of the 52 months of the year with two main dishes for each day and
supporting ideas for other meals of the deal. Packed with full-page color photos and recipes that
include many international influences, vegetarians and meat-eaters alike will find much to like
here, from Risotto with Artichokes and Split Pea Dahl and Cauliflower Curry to Parsnip Gratin
and Eggplant and Dried Apricot Pastilla. Even cooks with plenty of cookbooks on Thai cooking
or curries will find much to like, and many new ideas, in 50 Great Curries of Thailand by
Vatcharin Bhumichitr (9781909487451, $14.95). While the title may sound as though its dishes
will be time-consuming, one of the pleasures of this book is its simple, easy instructions on how
to assemble a variety of curry pastes that then can be quickly added to any other dish in the book.
Access to an Asian or Thai market for such specialty ingredients as Kaffir lime leaves, pickled
bamboo shoots, or fresh lemongrass will make this cookbook a snap to use. Readers who go to
the effort of making these pastes (all the recipes are outlined in an introductory section) will find
the rest of the book's recipes require very minimal preparation, lending to its use by busy cooks
who want Thai curries that are quick to put together.
The Travel Shelf
Food Trails
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
www.lonelyplanet.com
9781786571304, $24.99, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Beautifully illustrated throughout, "Food Trails" is an impressive compendium of information
that will prove to be especially appreciated by anyone who combines travel with the opportunity
of sampling the local delicacies of the places they visit. "Food Trails" is the perfect compendium
and resource for planning of perfect weekends around the world for dedicated food lovers.
Featured trails include the an homage to Buenos Aires steak, cozy wintertime French Canadian
cuisine, Puglia's distinctive dishes, and Parisian patisserie, and so much more! Each individual
trail is an itinerary, detailing when and where to indulge in the local specialties. There are 52
trails in all, each with gorgeous photography, a bespoke map, expert writing and practical details
of how to get there and where to stay. Unique, informative, perfect for inspiring and planning
itineraries, "Food Trails" is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library
Travel Guide reference collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists and travel
reference collections that "Food Trails" is also available in a Kindle format ($24.99).
The Enchantment of New York
William Post & Ton Wienbelt, authors
Jasmine van den Hoek, translator
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781510708112, $16.99, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
Residing in Houtrustweg, the Netherlands, media commentator Willem Post is connected to the
Institute of Clingeldael in The Hague as an expert on America. Ton Wienbelt is a graphic
designer and photographer with years of experience in city portraits and considers New York one
of the most photogenic cities in the world and has visited many times and also resides in
Houtrustweg, the Netherlands. Together they collaborate to produce "The Enchantment of New
York: 75 of Manhattan's Most Magical and Unique Attractions", a profusely illustrated guide to
'the magic and mystery' that is New York, the iconic American 'melting pot' metropolis. Specific
destinations ranges from the FDNY Memorial Wall, to Night Court, to Chinatown Ice Cream
Factory, to the Garden of St. Luke in the Fields, to El Museo del Barrior, to The Back Room Bar,
and so many, many more. Each destination includes transit information and a QR code which
readers can scan with their smartphones to learn more about the various spots. Unique,
informative, exceptionally well organized and presented, "The Enchantment of New York" fully
lives up to its title and is very highly recommended for anyone contemplating a visit to the Big
Apple! For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Enchantment of New York" is also
available in a Kindle format ($9.99).
The Fiction Shelf
Haylow
Gray Stewart
Livingston Press
University of West Alabama, Station 22, Livingston, AL 35470
www.livingstonpress.uwa.edu
9781604891737, $30.00, HC, 282pp, www.amazon.com
Travis Hemperly is a white southerner who has never been the minority in any room he has ever
entered. He has also just joined the history faculty at a historically black college in Atlanta. Off
campus, he rekindles a relationship with an old flame, and life looks bright -- until he begins to
suspect that a family member witnessed a lynching as a child. Complicating matters, his father is
now a talk show host for WCTR -- a Confederate Talk Radio whose listeners debate whether
slavery was wrong. In order to remain in his new position, Travis will have to come to terms with
some history outside of his area of specialization -- that of his family and that of the South. A
deftly written and emotionally complex novel, "Haylow" is a consistently compelling read from
beginning to end and unreservedly recommended for community and academic library Literary
Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Haylow" is also available in
a paperback edition (9781604891744, $17.95).
The Annual Big Arsenic Fishing Contest!
John Nichols
University of New Mexico Press
MSC05 3185
1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131-0001
www.unmpress.com
9780826357205, $24.95, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
On the surface "The Annual Big Arsenic Fishing Contest!" by John Nichols is a deftly crafted
novel that spins a fisherman's tall tale about a ribald angling contest between three middle-aged
friends who love (and perhaps hate) each other: a preppy trilingual Machiavelli, an intellectual
ghetto pool shark, and a brawny Texan who defies his own macho stereotype. All professional
writers, the men have met every autumn for eighteen years at the Big Arsenic Springs on the Rio
Grande to fly-cast for trout and argue about life, literature, marriage, and eco-Armageddon. Their
escapades reveal a spirited paean to a beautiful river gorge, and also a poignant cautionary fable
about male friendship and cutthroat competition. As aging cripples them all, tragedy mars the
tournament. "The Annual Big Arsenic Fishing Contest!" is an insightful and bittersweet love
story by a masterful storyteller who is able to consistently engage his readers with three
unforgettable characters against a New Mexico background. While unreservedly recommended
for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that "The Annual Big Arsenic Fishing Contest!" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).
Trail To Elsewhere
Walter L Bryant
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444828238, $20.99, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com
Seven-year-old Brad and his younger sister Julie are orphaned. They are separated and adopted
by different families miles apart in the west. As they grow up, each must face their own
challenges: Brad's new brother Saul is hostile and brutal, while Julie, treated as a drudge, sees her
only means of escape in marrying a man she does not love. Then Saul falls into criminality with
the Coyote Gang. An altercation between the brothers lands Brad in jail - and Saul's path is about
to cross with Julie's. Author Walter L. Bryant is master of the western genre and his newest
action/adventure novel, "Trail To Elsewhere" is a gun-blazing, cliff-hanging, unexpected plot
twisting, consistently riveting read from first page to last. This Linford Western Library large
print edition is enthusiastically and unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of
western novel buffs and would prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library
Western Fiction collections.
Bill Doolin: American Outlaw
Bill Brooks
Five Star Books
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432832261, $25.99, HC, 244pp, www.amazon.com
Bill Doolin is the leader of the last of the great outlaw bands called the Olklahombres. Doolin has
outfoxed the law while trying to walk the line between being a good man and bad. He was a
family man and a bank and train and stagecoach robber. By the end of his reign, almost every one
of his gang had been gunned down, and now the law was out to finish him as well. But it would
not be easy, not even for the likes of the famed U.S. Marshals led by Heck Thomas. Another
riveting tale from an acknowledged master of the western genre, "Bill Doolin: American Outlaw"
by Bill Brooks is a fictional account based on factual evidence about the last of the badmen and
unreservedly recommended for community library Western Fiction collections and the personal
reading lists of western action/adventure fans.
Where We Go When All We Were Is Gone
Sequoia Nagamatsu
Black Lawrence Press
http://www.blacklawrence.com
9781625579447, $16.95, PB, 175pp, www.amazon.com
"Where We Go When All We Were Is Gone" is a truly exceptional collection of twelve fabulist
and genre-bending stories by Sequoia Nagamatus and inspired by Japanese folklore, historical
events, and pop culture. In "Rokurokubi", a man who has the demonic ability to stretch his neck
to incredible lengths tries to save a marriage built on secrets. The recently dead find their footing
in "The Inn of the Dead's Orientation for Being a Japanese Ghost". In "Girl Zero", a couple
navigates the complexities of reviving their deceased daughter via the help of a shapeshifter.
And, in the title story, a woman instigates a months-long dancing frenzy in a Tokyo where people
don't die but are simply reborn without their memories. Every story in the collection turns to the
fantastic, the mysticism of the past, and the absurdities of the future to illuminate the spaces we
occupy when we are at our most vulnerable. Original and consistently compelling, "Where We
Go When All We Were Is Gone" is a unique and impressively entertaining anthology that is very
highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well community and academic library Literary
Fiction collections.
Cobalt Blue
Sachin Kundalkar
The New Press
126 Wall Street, Floor 31, New York, NY 10005-4007
www.thenewpress.com
9781620971758, $25.95, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Brother and sister Tanay and Anuja both fall in love with the same man, an artist lodging in their
family home in Pune, in western India. He seems like the perfect tenant, ready with the rent and
happy to listen to their mother's musings on the imminent collapse of Indian culture. But he's also
a man of mystery. He has no last name. He has no family, no friends, no history, and no plans for
the future. When he runs away with Anuja, he overturns the family's lives. Ably translated into
English for an American readership by from Marathi by acclaimed novelist and critic Jerry Pinto,
"Sachin Kundalkar's "Cobalt Blue" is an elegantly wrought and exquisitely spare exploration of
the disruption of a traditional family by a free-spirited stranger, and in the process examines a
generation in transition. Intimate, moving, sensual, and wry in its portrait of young love, "Cobalt
Blue" is a frank and lyrical exploration of gay life in India, of a people living in emotional
isolation, attempting to find long-term intimacy in relationships that until recently were barely
conceivable to them. Very highly recommended, especially for community library General
Fiction collections, "Cobalt Blue" by Sachin Kundalkar is a deftly crafted novel about a rapturous
love and a fierce heartbreak told with tenderness and unsparing clarity.
Tokio Whip
Arturo Silva
Stone Bridge Press
1393 Solano Avenue, Suite C, Albany CA 94706
www.stonebridge.com
9781611720334, $29.95, PB, 370pp, www.amazon.com
Roberta, Lang and their friends experience the great Japanese city of Tokyo in all its
manifestations to their inquiring, observing, and wandering minds as they banter over the details
of a party, a film, Songs Common to Dreams, Tokyo's history, the Names of Love. "Tokio Whip"
is a distinctly stylistic Yamanote station-by-station tour-de-force discovering the City of
Language, the City as Language, and the city that was resurrected from the ash and rubble of
World War II. A consistently compelling and deftly crafted novel by an exceptionally gifted
novelist, Arturo Silva's "Tokio Whip" is strongly recommended for both community and
academic library Literary Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that
"Tokio Whip" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).
Wisdom's Way: Tales, Treasures, Truths
Steven A. Barben
Llumina Press
www.llumina.com
9781605944296, $13.95, PB, 250pp, www.amazon.com
"Wisdom's Way: Tales, Treasures, Truths" by Steven A. Barben is a collection of over 50
original tales, parables, fables and other stories. "Wisdom's Way" is a compendium of original
stories that presents multiple viewpoints, attitudes and perspectives foundational for
understanding ourselves, other people, and our societies, which should lead to meaningful
self-evaluation, self-improvement and ultimately better, wiser decision making. The reader will
want to sit down, relax and enjoy a simple story and then ponder and consider what they've just
read. There are no given answers or interpretations allowing the reader make their own
judgments, come to their own conclusions and take with them whatever treasures and truths they
may happen to find. From beginning to end, "Wisdom's Way" is as thoughtful and
thought-provoking as it is compelling and entertaining. While very highly recommended for
community, college, and university library collections, it should be noted for personal reading
lists that "Wisdom's Way" is also available in a Kindle format ($2.99).
Leaving Lucy Pear
Anna Solomon
Viking Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9781594632655, $26.00, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
One night in 1917 Beatrice Haven sneaks out of her uncle's house on Cape Ann, Massachusetts,
leaves her newborn baby at the foot of a pear tree, and watches as another woman claims the
infant as her own. The unwed daughter of wealthy Jewish industrialists and a gifted pianist
bound for Radcliffe, Bea plans to leave her shameful secret behind and make a fresh start. Ten
years later, Prohibition is in full swing, post-WWI America is in the grips of rampant
xenophobia, and Bea's hopes for her future remain unfulfilled. She returns to her uncle's house,
seeking a refuge from her unhappiness. But she discovers far more when the rum-running
manager of the local quarry inadvertently reunites her with Emma Murphy, the headstrong Irish
Catholic woman who has been raising Bea's abandoned child -- now a bright, bold,
cross-dressing girl named Lucy Pear, with secrets of her own. A consistently compelling,
expertly narrated, skillfully plotted novel, "Leaving Lucy Pear" showcases author Anna
Solomon's impressive storytelling skills and would prove to be an enduringly popular addition to
community library General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Leaving Lucy Pear" is also available in a Kindle format ($12.99).
The Perils Of Command
David Donachie
Allison and Busby
c/o Casemate
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9780749018221, $25.00, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
John Pearce, having negotiated the highly questionable sale of the two French prizes taken in The
Devil to Pay, has left HMS Flirt, as well as the crew and the wounded Henry Digby in Brindisi
and is headed for Naples to see his lover. In an uncomfortable journey he seeks to work out a way
to best both Admiral Sir William Hotham and Captain Ralph Barclay, men who are his sworn
enemies. All his calculations are thrown into turmoil when he discovers that Emily is pregnant
which, while it is a cause for joy, is also a reason to worry; she is still married to Ralph Barclay
and by the laws of the time he can claim the child as his own. In "The Perils Of Command"
author David Donachie has once again written an riveting maritime novel that will
enthusiastically engage the reader from beginning to end. While highly recommended and certain
to be an enduringly popular addition to community library General Fiction collections, it should
be noted for personal reading lists that "The Perils Of Command" is also available in a paperback
edition (9780749018320, $12.95) and in a Kindle format ($6.15).
Leave Me
Gayle Forman
Algonquin Books
PO Box 2225, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2225
www.algonquin.com
9781616206178, $26.95, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Maribeth Klein is a harried working mother who's so busy taking care of her husband and twins,
she doesn't even realize she's had a heart attack. Surprised to discover that her recuperation seems
to be an imposition on those who rely on her, Maribeth does the unthinkable: she packs a bag and
leaves. But, as is often the case, once we get where we're going we see our lives from a different
perspective. Far from the demands of family and career and with the help of liberating new
friendships, Maribeth is able to own up to secrets she has been keeping from herself and those
she loves. With bighearted characters that include husbands, wives, friends, and lovers -- all of
whom stumble and trip, grow and forgive, "Leave Me" is a novel about facing the fears we're all
running from. In "Leave Me", author Gayle Forman has penned another wonderfully engaging,
deftly crafted novel that will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library
General Fiction collections. It should be noted for the legions of Gayle Forman fans that her
latest novel, "Leave Me", is also available in a Kindle format ($11.88).
The Worst Generation: A Myopic Prosperity
Dan P. Greaney
https://danpgreaney.com
Roundfire Books
c/o John Hunt Publishing, Ltd.
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
9781785354663, $19.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
"The Worst Generation" by Dan P. Greaney is a novel about Jenny Alhouse, who deplores her
parents' contributions to the contemporary world, their generational short-sighted and selfish
degradation of economic and environmental well-being. Jenny's recounting of childhood shows
much she herself is thankful for, including a stable and caring home, the times she went kayaking
with her father, the family trips, a quality education, and the benefits of prosperity. But she also
tells the story from her adulthood, and includes the things she could not see as a child such as the
economic and environmental plundering, and the inconsideration imbedded in her upbringing
that leave her world unstable, uncivil, and unsafe. An inherently fascinating and resonating read
from beginning to end, "The Worst Generation" is highly recommended for community library
General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Worst
Generation" is also available in a Kindle format ($6.15).
The Two Of Us
Kathy Page
Biblioasis
1520 Wyandotte Street East, Windsor, ON N9A 3L2, Canada
www.biblioasis.com
9781771960991, $14.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
The sixteen short stories by Kathy Page that comprising "The Two Of Us" focus on pairs: intense
one-on-one relationships and encounters. Page's various characters undergo genetic testing,
garden, overeat, starve themselves, travel, fall pregnant, all while simultaneously driving each
other towards moments where they (sometimes unwillingly) glimpse the meaning and shape of
their lives, and who they might become. Deftly crafted, consistently compelling, unfailingly
entertaining, "The Two Of Use" is very highly recommended for community and academic
library Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Two Of
Us" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).
A Farmhouse In The Rain
Joe Kilgore
http://joekilgore.com
Top Hat Books
c/o John Hunt Publishing, Ltd.
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
9781785354342, $24.95, PB, 408pp, www.amazon.com
"A Farmhouse in the Rain" by Joe Kilgore is a deftly crafted novel of war and peace, crime and
punishment, love and loss, and eventually hope. It's a saga of three American soldiers and the
women they love before, during, and after World War II. During the war, the three are given
shelter by a French woman. The next morning she is found dead and the trio realize they were the
only ones in the house. While the three survive the war, the questions remain: Who will survive
the peace? Who will unite with the love they left behind? And who will be unmasked as the
murderer on that fateful farmhouse night at. "A Farmhouse In The Rain" is a consistently
compelling page-turner of a read and highly recommended for community library General Fiction
collections. "A Farmhouse In The Rain" is also available in a Kindle format ($6.15).
The Orange Grove
Larry Tremblay
Milkweed Editions
1011 Washington Avenue South, #300, Minneapolis, MN 55415-1246
www.milkweed.org
9781571311191, $16.00, PB, 174pp, www.amazon.com
Twin brothers Amed and Aziz live in the peaceful shade of their family's orange grove. But when
a bomb kills the boys' grandparents, the war that plagues their country changes their lives forever.
Blood must repay blood, and, in order to avenge their grandparents' deaths, one brother must
offer the ultimate sacrifice. Years later, the surviving twin - now a student actor in a wintry
Montreal - is given a role which forces him to confront the past. Through a masterfully crafted
work of fiction, author Larry Tremblay, himself an actor and director, poses the difficult
question: can art ever adequately address suffering? Both current and timeless, written with the
sharp purity of desert poetry, "The Orange Grove" depicts the haunting inheritance of war and its
aftermath. While very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Orange Grove" is also available in a Kindle
format ($9.76).
Echoes of Family
Barbara Claypole White
Lake Union Publishing
9781503938137, $14.95, PB, 412pp, www.amazon.com
Marianne Stokes fled England at seventeen, spiraling into the manic depression that would
become her shadow. She left behind secrets, memories, and tragedy: one teen dead, and her first
love, Gabriel, badly injured. Three decades later she's finally found peace in the North Carolina
recording studio she runs with her husband, Darius, and her almost-daughter, Jade...until another
fatality propels her back across the ocean to confront the long-buried past. In her picturesque
childhood village, the first person she meets is the last person she wants to see again: Gabriel.
Now the village vicar, he takes her in without question, and ripples of what if reverberate through
both their hearts. As Marianne's mind unravels, Jade and Darius track her down. Tempers clash
when everyone tries to help, but only by finding the courage to face her illness can Marianne heal
herself and her offbeat family. "Echoes of Family" is a riveting read from cover to cover and
clearly showcases author Barbara Claypole White as a true master of the storytelling arts. While
highly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library
General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Echoes of Family"
is also available in a Kindle format ($4.99).
The Valley of Dry Bones
Jerry B. Jenkins
Worthy Publishing
6100 Tower Circle, Suite 210, Franklin, TN 37067
www.worthypublishing.com
9781617950087, $16.99, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com
In "The Valley of the Dry Bones", author Jerry B. Jenkins deftly overlays the ancient End Times
prophecies of Ezekiel onto the landscape of modern California. After a 17-year drought, multiple
earthquakes, and uncontrollable wildfires, the state is desolate. The United States President
declares the state uninhabitable and irreparable, directing California's 39 million citizens to
relocate. From the air, California looks like a vast abandoned sand box, but to a few groups of
people, it's their home. With less than 1% of the population remaining in California at their own
risk, the holdouts encounter a clash of cultures, ethnicities, religions, and politics that pits friend
against friend with the future of California at stake. In a riveting novel that could be ripped from
tomorrow's headlines, "The Valley of the Dry Bones" is another superbly crafted and consistently
engaging novel by a master storyteller. While very highly recommended, especially for
community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"The Valley of the Dry Bones" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.85).
A Floating Phrase
Trent Portigal
Roundfire Books
c/o John Hunt Publishing, Ltd.
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
9781785354229, $14.95, PB, 184pp, www.amazon.com
"A Floating Phrase" by Trent Portigal is a deftly crafted novel that explores the nature of art, fear
and snow puddles through the experiences of Cesarine, a stop-motion animator caught up in the
intrigues of international diplomacy in 1970s continental Europe. At that time, national
delegations for international conferences on European issues, such as those leading up to the
Helsinki Accords, typically included defectors from the other side of the Iron Curtain. This led to
scientists and artists with little experience in diplomacy being involved in high-level politics. A
consistently compelling and fully engaging read from beginning to end, "A Floating Phrase" is
especially recommended for community and academic library Literary Fiction collections. Of
special note for personal reading lists is that "A Floating Phrase" is also available in a Kindle
format ($6.15).
The Wedding Shop
Rachel Hauck
Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530
www.zondervan.com
9780310341543, $15.95, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com
It's the early 1930s, an Cora Scott is walking in stride as a career woman after having inherited
her great aunt's wedding shop in Heart's Bend, Tennessee, where brides come from as far away as
Birmingham to experience her famed bridal treatment. Meanwhile, Cora is counting down the
days until her own true love returns from the river to make her his bride. But days turn into
months and months to years. All the while, Birch Good continues to woo Cora and try to show
her that while he is solid and dependable, he can sweep her off her feet. More than eighty years
later, former Air Force Captain Haley Morgan has returned home to Heart's Bend after finishing
her commitment to military service. After the devastating death of her best friend, Tammy, and
discovering the truth about the man she loved, Haley is searching for her place in life. When
Haley decides to reopen the romantic but abandoned wedding shop where she and Tammy played
and dreamed as children, she begins a journey of courage, mystery, and love. As Cora's and
Haley's stories intertwine through time in the shadow of the beloved wedding shop, they both
discover the power of their own dreams and the magic of everyday love. A deftly crafted and
inherently fascinating read from beginning to end, "The Wedding Shop" clearly showcases author
Rachel Hauck as an impressively gifted and original novelist. For personal reading lists it should
be noted that "The Wedding Shop" is available in a Kindle format ($8.99). Ideal for their General
Fiction collections, community librarians should be aware that "The Wedding Shop" is also
available in a Library Binding edition (Turtle books, 9780606394369, $28.15, 352pp).
Sensing Light
Mark A. Jacobson
Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440, Berkeley CA 94703-3440
www.ulyssespress.com
9781612435701, $15.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
"Sensing Light" is the story of Kevin, who a gay medical resident from working class Boston, has
moved to San Francisco in search of acceptance of his sexual identity. Herb, a middle-aged
supervising physician at one of the nation's toughest hospitals, struggles with his own emotional
rigidity. And Gwen, a divorced mother raising a teen daughter, is seeking a sense of self and
security while endeavoring to complete her medical training. Author Mark A. Jacobson is a
Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Francisco and attending physician at
San Francisco General Hospital, began his internship in 1981, just days after the CDC first
reported a mysterious, fatal disease affecting gay men that wold eventually be know as
HIV/AIDS. In "Sensing Light" he draws upon his own experience and expertise to inculcate a
vivid realism to his novel. The result is a consistently engaging and compelling read from
beginning to end. While very highly recommended for community library General Fiction
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Sensing Light" is also available in a
Kindle format ($9.26).
Wooing The Echo
Lee Morgan
Cosmic Egg Books
c/o John Hunt Publishing, Ltd.
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
9781780998961, $22.95, PB, 357pp, www.amazon.com
The first volume in author Lee Morgan's "The Christopher Penrose" series of novels, "Wooing
The Echo" a story about chasing a ghost and features echoes of magic. Christopher discovers the
darkness that looms behind desire. Christopher is a man haunted and hollow with the loss of a
friend unlike any other. When a stranger arrives with the secrets of 'Old Craft' sorcery and
communion with the dead, Christopher's fate will be altered forever. On that crooked path the
facade of normal life falls away to reveal a world of wonder, but also danger. As the ghosts of the
dead stir, what secrets will rise to the surface with them, and will Christopher survive the horror
that is love's other face? A consistently compelling and deftly crafted journey into a world of the
occult, seething with real, adult and believable magic, "Wooing The Echo" will hold a special
and enduring attraction to fans of the supernatural and occult. While highly recommended for
community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Wooing The
Echo" is also available in a Kindle format ($6.15).
The Life She Wants
Robyn Carr
Mira Books
c/o Harlequin
225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, ON, Canada, M3B 3K9
www.mirabooks.com
9780778330141, $26.99, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
In the aftermath of her financier husband's suicide, Emma Shay Compton's dream life is
shattered. Richard Compton stole his clients' life savings to fund a lavish life in New York City
and, although she was never involved in the business, Emma bears the burden of her husband's
crimes. She is left with nothing. Only one friend stands by her, a friend she's known since high
school, who encourages her to come home to Sonoma County. But starting over isn't easy, and
Sonoma is full of unhappy memories, too. And people she'd rather not face, especially Riley
Kerrigan. Riley and Emma were like sisters until Riley went and betrayed Emma, thereby ending
their friendship. Emma left town, planning to never look back. Now, trying to stand on her own
two feet, Emma can't escape her husband's reputation and is forced to turn to the last person she
thought she'd ever ask for help from her former best friend. It's an uneasy reunion as both women
face the mistakes they've made over the years. Only if they find a way to forgive each other (and
themselves) can each of them find the life she wants. A master of the genre, Robyn Carr has
written yet another consistently compelling read that will prove to be an enduringly popular
addition to community library collections. A 'must' for the legions of Robyn Carr fans, it should
be noted for personal reading lists that "The Life She Wants" is also available in a paperback
edition (9780778319672, $15.99) and in a Kindle format ($9.99).
The Mirror Sisters
V. C. Andrews
Pocket Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 13th fl., New York, NY 10020
www.pocketbooks.com
9781476792361, $7.99, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com
As identical twins, their mother insists that everything about them be identical: their clothes, their
toys, their friends...the number of letters in their names, Haylee Blossom Fitzgerald and Kaylee
Blossom Fitzgerald. If one gets a hug, the other must, too. If one gets punished, the other must
be, too. Homeschooled at an early age, when the girls attend a real high school they find little
ways to highlight the differences between them. But when Haylee runs headfirst into the dating
scene, both sisters are thrust into a world their mother never prepared them for -- causing one
twin to pursue the ultimate independence. The one difference between the two girls may spell the
difference between life, and a fate worse than death. Very highly recommended for personal and
community library collections, author V. C. Andrews is a master of the gothic atmosphere novel
and "The Mirror Sisters" is the latest masterpiece and a 'must read' for her legions of fan.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Winter's Child
Margaret Coel
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780425280324, $27.00, www.penguin.com
Winter's Child provides a satisfying "Wind River" mystery saga that continues a series, providing
a saga that will attract newcomers and prior fans alike. Myra and Eldon Little Shield find an
abandoned baby on their doorstep during a blizzard, and raise the girl as their own. Five years
later, she's ready for school - but her adoptive parents haven't faced the truth: that perhaps the
white child will be taken from them because they aren't her legal parents. They hire a lawyer
hoping to make the adoption official, but when the lawyer's run down, it's up to co-counsel Vicky
to unravel a series of clues that point to something more dangerous than a child's uncertain
heritage.
Lady Here's Your Wreath / Miss Callaghan Comes to Grief
James Hadley Chase
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520083, $19.95, PB, 292pp, www.amazon.com
James Hadley Chase was the pseudonym of Rene Brabazon Raymond and the author more than
90 books and a master of the hard-boiled mystery genre. Brought back into print for a new
generation of appreciative mystery buffs by the Stark House Press in their 'Crime Classics' series,
two of his long out of print, time-lost classic stories are published under one cover. "Lady --
Here's Your Wreath" is the story of Vessi who is heading toward the gas chamber, when a
mysterious phone voice offers newspaperman Nick Mason $10,000 to find the real killer. Vessi's
dying words are "Lu Spencer pulled it", but Spencer's organization is not a group you want to
tangle with because the shareholders include most of the men who run the city. When Mason
decides to check it out anyway, he meets Mardi, Spencer's secretary, a sweet dish with the largest
brown eyes. But Mason's also got a gunman on his tail. And the cold-hearted Blondie, who has a
knack for turning up when she's least expected. Not to mention the mysterious person who keeps
insisting he investigate Spencer. One of them is bound to be wearing a wreath before this game is
over. In "Miss Callaghan Come To Grief", gang boss Mendetta is getting old and careless, so it's
a cinch for Raven to step in and take over. The first thing he changes is the prostitution racket.
Raven feels that too much of the profit is going to the girls. So he rounds them up, takes them off
the street, puts them in new houses and rakes off all the profit for himself. And when fresh girls
are needed, he simply has them kidnapped. Newspaperman Jay Ellinger senses something is
amiss when he hears about a husband whose wife has gone missing. But Sadie is missing for a
different reason -- she saw Raven leave Mendetta's apartment, and can put the finger on him.
Sadie is now a valuable pawn, able to bring the whole racket down. If only Jay can find her.
"Lady Here's Your Wreath / Miss Callaghan Comes to Grief" is very highly recommended for the
personal reading lists of hardcore noir thriller buffs and community library Mystery/Suspense
collections.
The Trouble with Goats and Sheep
Joanna Cannon
Scribner
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
www.simonsays.com
9781501121890, $25.00, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com
England, 1976. Mrs. Creasy is missing and the Avenue is alive with whispers. The neighbors
blame her sudden disappearance on the heat wave, but ten-year-olds Grace and Tilly aren't
convinced. As the summer shimmers endlessly on, the girls decide to take matters into their own
hands. Inspired by the local vicar, they go looking for God -- they believe that if they find Him
they might also find Mrs. Creasy and bring her home Spunky, spirited Grace and quiet,
thoughtful Tilly go door to door in search of clues. The cul-de-sac starts to give up its secrets,
and the amateur detectives uncover much more than ever imagined. As they try to make sense of
what they've seen and heard, a complicated history of deception begins to emerge. Everyone on
the Avenue has something to hide, a reason for not fitting in. In the suffocating heat of the
summer, the ability to guard these differences becomes impossible. Along with the parched
lawns and the melting pavement, the lives of all the neighbors begin to unravel. What the girls
don't realize is that the lies told to conceal what happened one fateful day about a decade ago are
the same ones Mrs. Creasy was beginning to peel back just before she disappeared. All the more
impressive considering that "The Trouble with Goats and Sheep" is author Joanna Cannon's
debut as a novelist, this exceptionally well written and consistently compelling read will prove to
be an enduringly popular addition to community library General Fiction collections. For personal
reading lists it should be noted that "The Trouble with Goats and Sheep" is also available in a
Kindle format ($12.99).
Coffin Road
Peter May
Quercus
1290 Sixth Ave., NY, NY 10104
www.quercus.com
9781681443898, $26.99, HC, 400pp, www.amazon.com
"Coffin Road" author Peter May spins a tale about three disparate cases that may or may not be
linked. On the remote Isle of Harris in Scotland's Outer Hebrides, a man washes up on a deserted
beach, hypothermic and completely disoriented. He has no idea who he is or how he got there.
The only clue to his condition is a map of the island showing a desolate, ancient path called the
Coffin Road. With a sense of dread and no clear idea what lies at the other end, he knows he
must follow the trail if he has any hope of discovering his identity. Meanwhile, homicide
detective George Gunn makes the rough ocean crossing to a remote, sea-battered lighthouse on a
rock in the northern Atlantic, twenty miles west of the Outer Hebrides, to investigate a brutal
murder. Despite its isolation, the tiny island has seen its share of tragedy: more than a century
earlier, three lighthouse keepers disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again. And now
there is a new tragedy, and Gunn must figure out what happened. At the same time, a teenage girl
lies in her Edinburgh bedroom, desperate to discover the truth about her father's death. Two years
after the discovery of the pioneering scientist's suicide note, Karen Fleming still cannot accept
that her father would willingly abandon her. And the more she discovers about the nature of his
research, the more she suspects that there is much more to her father's death. A consummately
skilled and original storyteller, "Coffin Road" fully showcases novelist Peter May's total mastery
of the mystery/suspense genre. While strongly recommended for community library
Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Coffin Road" is
also available in a Kindle edition ($13.99).
Robert B. Parker's Debt to Pay
Reed Farrel Coleman
Putnam
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780399171437, $27.00, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
All is quiet in Paradise, except for a spate of innocuous vandalism. Good thing, too, because
Jesse Stone is preoccupied with the women in his life, both past and present. As his ex-wife,
Jenn, is about to marry a Dallas real-estate tycoon, Jesse isn't too sure his relationship with
former FBI agent Diana Evans is built to last. But those concerns get put on the back burner
when a major Boston crime boss is brutally murdered. Despite all evidence to the contrary, Jesse
suspects it's the work of Mr. Peepers, a psychotic assassin who has caused trouble for Jesse in the
past. Peepers has long promised revenge against the Mob, Jesse, and Suit for their roles in foiling
one of his hits -- and against Jenn as well. And though Jesse and Jenn have long parted ways,
Jesse still feels responsible for her safety. Jesse and Diana head to Dallas for the wedding and,
along with the tycoon's security team, try to stop Peepers before the bill comes due. With Peepers
toying with the authorities as to when and where he'll strike, Jesse is up against the wall. Still,
there's a debt to pay and blood to be spilled to satisfy it. But whose blood, and just how much? A
consistently riveting read from beginning to end, and highly recommended for community library
collections, "Robert B. Parker's Debt to Pay" is also available for personal reading lists in a
Kindle format ($13.99).
Matrimony in Miniature
Margaret Grace
Perseverance Press
c/o Daniel & Daniel, Publishers
PO Box 2790, McKinleyville, CA 95519
www.danielpublishing.com
9781564745750, $15.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
When murder happens in the small town of Lincoln Point CA, there aren't many degrees of
separation between the victim and retired teacher Gerry Porter. How can she stay away from the
investigation when the crime scene is the venue for her marriage to Henry Baker? But this time,
nephew Detective Skip Gowen tries to discourage Gerry's and granddaughter Maddie's efforts to
solve "The Case." He couldn't live with himself if the murderer learns of their efforts and comes
after them. "Matrimony in Miniature" is another consistently engaging and compelling mystery
by Margaret Grace and continues to reveal this author as a master of the genre. A deftly crafted
and unfailingly entertaining read from cover to cover, "Matrimony in Miniature" is
enthusiastically recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
The Raven
Mike Nappa
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerbooks.com
9780800726454, $14.99, PB, 432pp, www.amazon.com
As part of his regular street performance, a deception specialist who goes by the name The Raven
picks his audience's pockets while they watch. It's harmless fun -- until he decides to keep the
spare wallet a city councilman doesn't seem to miss, hoping for a few extra bucks. When he finds
not money but compromising photos of the councilman and his "personal assistants". That's
when the Raven hatches a plan to blackmail the councilman. However, he quickly finds himself
in over his head with the Ukrainian Mafia and mired in a life-threatening plot code-named,
"Nevermore". Private investigators Trudi Coffey and Samuel Hill must scramble to sort out the
clues (and their complicated feelings for each other) to rescue The Raven and save hundreds of
lives from a wildcard bent on revenge. A deftly crafted, exceptionally well written thriller by a
true master of the genre, Mike Nappa's "The Raven" is enthusiastically recommended for
community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Raven" is
also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99). Librarians should be aware that "The Raven" is also
available in a large print hardcover edition (Thorndike Press, 9781410494955, $29.99) and in a
complete and unabridged CD audio book format (Oasis Audio: 9781613758472, $14.99).
Bright Midnight
Chris Formant
www.chrisformant.com
Astor + Blue Editions
9781941286920, $16.95, PB, 275pp, www.amazon.com
Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Brian Jones, Jim Morrison, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, Peter Ham - all
of them iconic rock stars, all of them dead at age twenty-seven. How could a group of great
musicians all die at the same age? All evidence points to the deaths being unrelated, but were
they really? Gantry Elliot is a relic of rock and roll era still writing for Rolling Stone magazine
covering "classic" rock and roll and struggling for relevance in the age of hip-hop and electronic
dance music. Even though he's an encyclopedia of music trivia, Gantry can't compete with the
new kids on the block and is now reduced to watching the clock tick down on his once dynamic
career. But Gantry's vast knowledge may be the only thing that can unravel the Myth of 27. When
anonymous packages start showing up at his office and then his home, Gantry initially shrugs
them off as another Myth of 27 conspiracy nerd trying to get attention. As the clues became more
intimate, more personal, more sinister, he realizes this is not a game: someone knows the truth,
and the truth may put Gantry's life in serious danger. Considering that it is author Chris Formant's
debut as a novelist,"Bright Midnight" is an exceptionally compelling and consistently engaging
read from beginning to end. While very highly recommended for community library
Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Bright Midnight"
is also available in a Kindle format ($7.99).
Dying for Christmas
Tammy Cohen
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
www.pegasusbooks.com
9781681772615, $25.95, HC, 400pp, www.amazon.com
Out Christmas shopping one December afternoon, Jessica Gould meets the charming Dominic
Lacey and impulsively agrees to go home with him for a drink. What follows is a Twelve Days of
Christmas from hell as Lacey holds Jessica captive, forcing her to wear his missing wife's gowns
and eat lavish holiday meals. Each day he gifts her with one item from his twisted past, including
his dead sister's favorite toy, disturbing family photos, and a box of teeth. As the days pass and
the "gifts" become darker and darker, Jessica realizes that Lacey has a plan for her, and he never
intends to let her go. But Jessica has a secret of her own -- a secret that may just mean she has a
chance to make it out alive. Author Tammy Cohen is a master of the suspense/thriller genre and
her latest novel, "Dying for Christmas" is a truly riveting read from beginning to end. While very
highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading
lists that "Dying for Christmas" is also available in a Kindle format ($12.99).
Cat Got Your Diamonds
Julie Chase
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781629538426, $24.99, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Grandeur and opulence are everything in the famed New Orleans Garden District where pets are
family and no bling is too big. Opening Furry Godmother, pet boutique and organic treat bakery,
is Lacy Marie Crocker's dream come true--until the glitter gun used to make her Shih Tzu tutus
becomes a murder weapon. And Lacy becomes public enemy #1. Now Detective Jack Oliver is
hounding Lacy, and her Furry Godmother investor wants out before his name is tarnished by
association. To make matters worse, a string of jewel heists with suspicious ties to the murder
case has New Orleans residents on edge. To save her dream, Lacy must take a stand, put her keen
eyes to work, and unravel what really happened at her shop that night. But can Lacy sniff out the
killer cat burglar in time to get her tail-raising designs on the catwalk? Author Julie Chase is a
master storyteller with a positive gift for whimsey and wit compelling the reader's riveted
attention from beginning to end. While enthusiastically recommended and certain to be an
enduringly popular addition for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be
noted for personal reading lists that "Cat Got Your Diamonds" is also available in a paperback
edition (9781683311973, $15.99) and in a Kindle format ($9.89).
Endgame
Jeffrey Round
The Dundurn Group
3 Church Street, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E 1M2
www.dundurn.com
9781459733251, $15.99, PB, 232pp, www.amazon.com
When Harvey Keill, ex-manager of the Ladykillers, arranges a reunion for his notorious punk
band on a remote island off the coast of Seattle, it seems as though the group's glory days are
about to return. One by one, the band members and their guests arrive. Lead singer Spike
Anthrax, bassist Pete Doghouse, and guitarist Max Hardcore confront one another for the first
time since their well-publicized and highly acrimonious split fifteen years earlier stopped them
from finishing their musical testament to punk rock genius: Endgame. They are joined by an
entourage of groupies, girlfriends, one of America's best rock critics, and a real estate agent
invited to put the island up for sale. But where's Harvey? No matter -- a party's a party, right?
Wrong. Once everyone has gathered, a dark secret emerges from the past to haunt them and, one
by one, the guests begin to fall prey to a mysterious fate. In the brilliant tradition of Agatha
Christie, "Endgame" by Jeffrey Round is a consistently compelling read replete with unexpected
plot twists and turns making it highly recommended for personal reading lists and community
library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for dedicated mystery buffs that
"Endgame" is also available in a Kindle format ($5.38).
Beloved Poison
E. S. Thomson
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
www.pegasusbooks.com
9781681772141, $25.95, HC, 400pp, www.amazon.com
Ramshackle and crumbling, trapped in the past and resisting the future, St. Saviour's Infirmary
awaits demolition. Within its stinking wards and cramped corridors, the doctors bicker and
backstab. Ambition, jealousy, and loathing seethe beneath the veneer of professional courtesy.
Always an outsider, and with a secret of her own to hide, apothecary Jem Flockhart observes
everything but says nothing. And then six tiny coffins are uncovered, inside each a handful of
dried flowers and a bundle of mouldering rags. When Jem comes across these strange relics
hidden inside the infirmary's old chapel, her quest to understand their meaning pries open a
long-forgotten past?with fatal consequences. In a trail that leads from the bloody world of the
operating room and the dissecting table to the notorious squalor of Newgate Prison and the
gallows, Jem's adversary proves to be both powerful and ruthless. As St. Saviour's destruction
draws near, the dead are unearthed from their graves while the living are forced to make
impossible choices. And murder is the price to be paid for the secrets to be kept. A simply
riveting read from beginning to end, "Beloved Poison" by E. S. Thomson will prove to be an
enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections and clearly
establishes the author to be a true master of the genre. For personal reading lists it should be
noted that "Beloved Poison" is also available in a Kindle format ($12.99).
Driven
Toby Vintcent
Arcadia Books
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, 124 Byers Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
9781910050712, $18.00, PB, 470pp, www.amazon.com
To a Formula One driver, speed, wheel-to-wheel combat, and danger are all part of everyday life.
But things turn sinister at the Monaco Grand Prix: Remy Sabatino's car is sabotaged, and a
teammate only just defies death when he suffers a horrific crash. Are these incidents in any way
connected? Matt Straker, former Marine and corporate intelligence director, is brought in to
investigate, but he soon realizes that the perpetrators are incredibly and deviously clever. It is
only by outsmarting them that he can uncover a major conspiracy intent on far more than one
man's life. They're after a prize so great they will stop at nothing to get what they want. Clearly,
British author Toby Vintcent draws upon his experience and expertise as an avid Formula One
racing fan to deftly craft a riveting novel that pays considerable attention to descriptive accuracy
in detail and background. While very highly recommended and certain to be an enduringly
popular addition to community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for the
personal reading lists of mystery buffs and racing fans that "Driven" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($7.99).
Infamy
Robert K. Tanenbaum
Gallery Books
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
9781476793191, $27.00, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com
When a former Army veteran suddenly murders a colonel in New York, he claims that he had to
do it because he was being used in mind control experiments. Surprisingly, a top Wall Street
criminal defense lawyer, one with ties to the White House, decides to defend the killer, arguing
that his client suffered from post-traumatic stress from his tours in Afghanistan and that it's his
patriotic duty to assist him. As New York District Attorney Roger "Butch" Karp prepares a
murder case against the veteran, he meets with investigative reporter Ariadne Stupenagel, who
suspects that one of her sources for a story on high-level government corruption was a victim in
the shooting. This points not to a random act of violence, but a hired killing that goes to the top
levels of our nation. Karp goes up against corruption so powerful that he, his family, and his
friends are in danger if he intends to prosecute those responsible for the murder of an FBI
whistle-blower. "Infamy" is a swiftly paced thriller, ripe with intrigue, murder, corruption, and
dramatic courtroom battles, all of which are deftly combine by a master storyteller to make
"Infamy" another must-read for the legions of Tanenbaum fans. While very highly recommended
for community library Legal Thriller collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Infamy" is also available in a Kindle format ($12.99).
The Adjustment League
Mike Barnes
Biblioasis
1520 Wyandotte Street East, Windsor, ON N9A 3L2, Canada
www.biblioasis.com
9781771960823, $14.95, PB, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Back in the 1980s, the patients in a psychiatric hospital formed what they called 'The Adjustment
League' as a means of protecting themselves against the depredations of a corrupt and abusive
staff. Many years later, the leader of this group (a man known only as "The Super") receives a
letter leading to the discovery of a pornographic ring in need of "adjustment". A deftly crafted
noir mystery/suspense thriller of a novel by an author who is a master of the genre, "The
Adjustment League" is a riveting read from cover to cover and highly recommended for
community library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Adjustment
League" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.11).
The Religion/Spirituality Shelf
John the Baptist and the Last Gnostics
Andrew Phillip Smith
Watkins Publishing
Angel Business Club
www.watkinspublishing.com
9781780289137, $16.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Are Gnostics still a part of the Judeo/Christian/Islamic community and can their roots be chased
back to John the Baptist? Among the casualties of the western intervention in Iraq and the recent
activities of ISIS are the Mandeans of Southern Iraq. These peace-loving people are now fleeing
to the west . They are the last Gnostics, the only surviving remnant of the ancient sects who
taught the direct knowledge of God, created their own gospels and myths and were persecuted as
heretical by the church in the second and third centuries. The Mandeans place weekly river
baptisms at the centre of their religious life and the primary exemplar of their religion is none
other than John the Baptist. What is the real history of this mysterious and long lived sect? Can
the Mandean peoples really be traced back to the first century? And who was John the Baptist?
"John the Baptist and the Last Gnostics: The Secret History of the Mandeans" follows the history
of the Mandeans from their present plight back through their earliest encounters with the West,
their place in Islamic counties, their possible influence on the Templars, back to their origins as a
first century baptismal sect connected to John the Baptist and beyond. An impressive work of
historical scholarship, "John the Baptist and the Last Gnostics: The Secret History of the
Mandeans" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library
Religion/Spiritual collections in general, and Gnostics Studies supplemental reading lists in
particular. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "John the Baptist and the Last
Gnostics: The Secret History of the Mandeans" is also available in a Kindle format ($8.99).
No God but One
Nabeel Qureshi
Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530
www.zondervan.com
9780310522553, $17.99, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Nabeel Qureshi is a speaker with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. He holds an MD from
Eastern Virginia Medical School, an MA in Christian apologetics from Biola University, and an
MA in religion from Duke University. His is also an Islamic convert to Christianity. In "No God
but One: Allah or Jesus?: A Former Muslim Investigates the Evidence for Islam and Christianity"
he addresses such questions as: Can Allah and Jesus both be God?; Is the idea of God as a Trinity
problematic?; How does the Quran compare to the Bible?; Did the Council of Nicaea randomly
decide the Biblical canon?; What is the difference between Jihad and the Crusades?; If Jesus is
God how did he die on a cross and who was ruling the universes when Jesus was dead?. An
inherently fascinating and impressively informative read, "No God but One" is very highly
recommended for all members of the Christian community regardless of their denominational
affiliation. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "No God but One" is also available in
a Kindle format ($9.99). Church and community librarians should be aware that "No God but
One" is also available as an MP3 CD audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781531832087,
$14.99).
Angels Plain & Simple
Beleta Greenaway
Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
www.redwheelweiser.com
9781571747556 $14.95 amazon.com
Angels Plain & Simple: The Only Book You'll Ever Need is a succinct guide to connecting with
angels, whether through meditation, dreams, using decks of special cards, or other means. A
deeply spiritual book, open to readers of all religious faiths, Angels Plain & Simple discusses
modern-day encounters with angels, herbs and plants with connections to angels, the meaning of
heaven and angels in the afterlife, and much more. "In Victorian society, it was well known that
little children were under the protection and guardianship of special angles... An angel who
particularly loves children is Paige, so it is she who will minister sick or unhappy children. If a
request is made to an angel of children, the gift of a baby can be granted to couples that are
finding it hard to conceive." A handful of black-and-white illustrations enhance this soulful
addition to spirituality or New Age shelves.
The Christian Studies Shelf
Goddess and God in the World
Carol P. Christ and Judith Plaskow
Fortress Press
P.O. Box 1209, Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209
http://fortresspress.com
9781506401188, $29.00, www.fortresspress.com
Goddess and God in the World: Conversations in Embodied Theology comes from two feminist
theologians who met while each was earning her PhD in Religious Studies at Yale University,
and represents the third book they've worked on together - and, perhaps, the most revealing. Half
of the book is autobiographical in nature, describing each author's life and spiritual evolution.
The second half represents an interactive dialogue between the two, in which they consider the
elements and nature of the God and Goddess in the world. While the two friends and colleagues
have basic differences in perspective which are explored within this dialogue process, their
similarities, questioning attitude, and respectful discussion will prove intimate and revealing to
any who also feel close to spiritual alternatives in the world. From the metaphysical cause of evil
to the infinite nature of the divine, these conversations are recommended for feminist and
alternative spiritual thinkers alike.
Work and Wealth in Scripture
Lawrence A. Clayton
Resource Publications, Inc.
2205 Benton, Searcy, AR 72143
www.resourcepublications.net
9781620322567, $21.00, PB, 164pp, www.amazon.com
What do you do with your money? What do you think of your boss? Do you like your work? Is it
satisfying? Are you satisfied with your answers? Do you know that God, through Scripture,
offers us answers? Two of the most fundamental challenges for all humankind are deciding how
to live and, if we accumulate riches, deciding how to use them. Did you know that God expects
all humankind to work? For the Christian, all work is part of your Christian calling, whether you
collect garbage for a living or sit in Washington deciding affairs of state. And what does
Scripture have to say about riches? Did you know that Jesus directed more attention to the
question of how to deal with wealth than just about any other subject he addressed during his
three-year ministry? "Work and Wealth in Scripture: How to Grow, Prosper, and Work as a
Christian" by Lawrence Clayton is (Professor Emeritus of History, University of Alabama) deftly
explore work and wealth as referenced in biblical scripture and seek answers to the above
questions and a great many others. Beginning with the first work recorded in the Bible and
continuing down to our own contemporary time, when leisure competes with work for our
attention and wealth gives us a false sense of security that puts us in danger of replacing God
with self, "Work and Wealth in Scripture" will prove to be as informed and informative as it is
thoughtful and thought-provoking. Exceptionally well reasoned, researched, written, organized
and presented, "Work and Wealth in Scripture" is unreservedly recommended to the attention of
all members of the Christian community regardless of their denominational affiliation. It should
be noted for personal reading lists that "Work and Wealth in Scripture" is also available in a
Kindle format ($9.99).
Option for the Poor and for the Earth, third edition
Donal Dorr
Orbis Books
Price Building, Box 302, Maryknoll NY 10545-0302
www.orbisbooks.com
9781626981621, $45.00, PB, 548pp, www.amazon.com
A theologian and missionary priest who has served as a consultant to the Pontifical Council for
Justice and Peace and as a resource person for the Irish Missionary Union, In the pages of
"Option for the Poor and for the Earth: From Leo XIII to Pope Francis" Donal Dorr focuses on
Catholic social teaching and economic equality. This is an expanded and revised third edition of
a text long recognized as a classic in Catholic Theological Studies. Throughout, "Option for the
Poor and for the Earth" Dorr appreciates the decided strengths of Catholic social teaching but is
also ready to point out its inconsistencies and weaknesses. In addition to his classic treatments of
church documents from the century and a half of Catholic social teaching that began with Rerum
Novarum in 1870, Dorr adds his magisterial take on Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation,
Evangelii Gaudium, and the new encyclical on ecology. Informed and informative, thoughtful
and thought-provoking, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Option for the Poor
and for the Earth" is an unreservedly recommended addition for community, seminary, and
academic library Christian Studies reference collections in general, and Contemporary Catholic
Social Teachings supplemental studies lists in particular. For the personal reading lists of
students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject it should be noted that
"Option for the Poor and for the Earth" is also available in a Kindle format ($21.49).
Next Door as It Is in Heaven
Lance Ford & Brad Brisco
NavPress
3820 North 30th Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
www.navpress.com
9781631464973, $14.99, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
There was a time when neighbors knew each other's names, when small children and the old and
infirm alike had more than their families looking out for them. There was a time when our
neighborhoods were our closest communities. No more. Neighborhoods have become the place
where nobody knows your name. Into this neighborhood crisis the words of Jesus still ring true:
Second only to the command to love God is the command to "love your neighbor as yourself".
Brad Brisco is currently the Director of Bivocational Church Planting for the North American
Mission Board. He holds a doctorate in the area of missional ecclesiology. In "Next Door as It Is
in Heaven: Living Out God's Kingdom in Your Neighborhood" he draws upon his many years of
experience and expertise to offer simple principles and practical steps to make the neighborhoods
where Christians dwell into communities of love, respect, dignity, and civic virtue. Exceptionally
well written, organized and presented, "Next Door as It Is in Heaven" is very highly
recommended for all members of the Christian community regardless of denominational
affiliations. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Next Door as It Is in Heaven" is
also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).
Working for Our Neighbor
Gene Edward Veith
Christian's Library Press
98 E. Fulton Street, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
http://www.clpress.com
9781942503293, $9.95, PB, 140pp, www.amazon.com
The Protestant Reformation was more than just a series of attempts to correct and counter the
perceived corruption of the Roman Catholic Church. It as also a catalyst for social mobility,
universal education, and the rise of modern market economies. According to Martin Luther, God
himself is hidden in vocation, as he providentially works through ordinary human beings to care
for his creation. In their work (not only in the economy, but also in family, church, and
community) Christians live out their faith in love and service to their neighbors. For Lutherans,
the doctrine of vocation is nothing less than the theology of the Christian life. In its social impact,
vocation gave a theological basis for the division of labor, social equality, and individual
freedom. In the pages of "Working for Our Neighbor: A Lutheran Primer on Vocation,
Economics, and Ordinary Life", author Gene Edward Veith connects vocation to justification,
good works, and Christian freedom, and thereby defining how the Lutheran contribution to
economics can transfigure ordinary life, and work, with the powerful presence of God.
Impressively informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Working for Our Neighbor" is a
highly recommended and invaluable addition to personal, church, seminary, and academic library
Christian Studies collections. It should be noted that "Working for Our Neighbor" is also
available in a Kindle format ($7.99).
Bread for the Journey
Lovella Schellenberg
Herald Press
1251 Virginia Avenue, Harrisonburg, VA 22802
www.heraldpress.com
9781513800486, $16.99, HC, www.amazon.com
The basic message of "Bread for the Journey: Meditations and Recipes to Nourish the Soul, from
the Authors of Mennonite Girls Can Cook" by Lovella Schellenberg is that you can strengthen
your relationship with God by savoring everyday moments while deepen your faith. "Bread for
the Journey"is a compendium of meditations for women and specifically written to offer 90 daily
devotionals that will provide morsels for both inspiration and reflection, all of which are drawn
from God's unending promises in Scripture. Interspersed throughout the devotional are favorite
recipes, inviting us to extend our tables and share God's blessing with others. "Bread for the
Journey" provides: Daily inspiration for your journey with Jesus; Short prayers and invitations to
reflection; Dramatic family stories of suffering, migration, and hope; and 'kitchen cook friendly
recipes from the authors of 'Mennonite Girls Can Cook'. Inspiring, encouraging, uplifting,
motivating, "Bread for the Journey" is very highly recommended for all members of the Christian
community regardless of their denominational affiliation.
Becoming a Person of Mercy
Max Oliva, SJ
Twenty-Third Publications
1 Montauk Ave #200, New London, CT 06320
www.23rdpublications.com
9781627851602, $12.95, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com
Many Christians are familiar with the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. But what do they
really mean? How can bearing wrongs patiently or comforting the afflicted be relevant in our
modern world? In the pages of "Becoming a Person of Mercy: Personal Reflections on the Works
of Mercy", Jesuit priest Max Oliva shares stories and insights from decades of ministry around
the globe with people whose lives are enriched by giving and accepting mercy. From a First
Nations community in Canada to an inner city parish in California, Fr. Oliva provides moving
examples of mercy at work and humbly shares his own conversion to compassion experiences.
Steeped in scriptural insights and enhanced with the words and deeds of champions of mercy
from Pope Francis to Jackie Robinson "Becoming a Person of Mercy" is part practical guide, part
spiritual refreshment, and part small-group handbook. Each individual chapter contains questions
for reflection and discussion to help us discern how God, the source of mercy, calls us to extend
mercy to others, to his own creation, and especially to ourselves. Even the smallest works of
mercy, says Fr. Oliva, are graced experiences of God alive within us. Strongly and unreservedly
recommended for personal seminary, and church library collections, "Becoming a Person of
Mercy" is an informative and inspiring read from beginning to end.
Feeding Your Family's Soul
Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
www.paracletepress.com
9781612618357, $15.99, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
"Feeding Your Family's Soul: Dinner Table Spirituality" by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle is a
vital tool to enable parents to transform a regular dinner time into a prayerful faith lesson for
their elementary school to high school aged children. It will indeed help to fulfill the Catholic
Church's vision for evangelization in the family and beyond. Through 52 fun and creative faith
lessons (one for each week of the year), "Feeding Your Family's Soul" is one-of-a-kind
instruction guide will encourage parents and caregivers to seize the opportunity in teaching the
Catholic faith to the children (the captive audience waiting to eat!) while gathered at the dinner
table, and while reminding them of the value of coming together as a family to break bread and
share hearts. Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, content, commentary, organization and
presentation, "Feeding Your Family's Soul" is very highly recommended for personal, family,
church Christian Parenting collections.
Befriend
Scott Sauls
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781496400949, $15.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
We live in a world where real friendship is hard to find. Suspicious of others and insecure about
ourselves, we retreat into the safety of our small, self-made worlds. Now more than ever, it's easy
to avoid people with whom we disagree or whose life experiences don't mirror our own. Safe
among like-minded peers and digital "friends", we really don't have to engage with those who can
challenge and enhance our limited perspectives. Tragically, even the church can become a place
that minimizes diversity and reinforces isolation. Jesus models a much richer vision of friendship
and in "Befriend: Create Belonging in an Age of Judgment, Isolation, and Fear" pastor and
teacher Scott Sauls invites Christians to see the breadth of Christ's love on a journey comprised
of twenty-one meditations to inspire actively pursuing God's love through expanding your circle
of friends. Real friendship is costly. Love does make us vulnerable. But without risk, our lives
will remain impoverished. "Befriend" is extraordinarily well written, organized and presented,
making it strongly recommended, especially for all members of the Christian community
regardless of their denominational affiliation. It should be noted that "Befriend" is also available
in a Kindle edition ($8.57) and as a complete and unabridged CD audio book (Oasis Audio,
9781613758533, $19.99).
Let God Love You
Wendy Ulrich
Deseret Books
57 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
www.deseretbook.com
9781629722009, $17.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
We learn who we are and what we can hope for from others in the context of our relationships
with family, friends, and others around us. Some of what we have learned and experienced may
even blind us to what is really true about God, leaving us both yearning for and afraid of
closeness with Him. Coupling the teachings of Christ and His prophets with gospel-oriented
ideas from her counseling background, in the pages of "Let God Love You: Why We Don't; How
We Can" by author, psychologist, and devout Mormon Wendy Ulrich probes faulty assumptions
that we may bring to our relationship with God. By understanding and healing these false beliefs
and then following the teachings of Christ about how we can ''come unto Him'', Wendy deftly
asserts that we learn to see God more accurately, rely on Him more trustingly, and become
strengthened in His love. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Let God Love
You: Why We Don't; How We Can" is very highly recommended. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Let God Love You" is also available in a Kindle format ($10.49).
The Judaic Studies Shelf
Kabbalah and Jewish Modernity
Roni Weinstein
Littman Library Of Jewish Civilization
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR, 97213
www.isbs.com
9781906764623, $49.50, HC, 222pp, www.amazon.com
Something crucial and quite unprecedented happened to kabbalah in the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries. Though it had previously been considered a highly secretive and esoteric
tradition, its practitioners began to spread its doctrines throughout the Jewish world with
missionary zeal. Their goal was ambitious: no less than the remodeling of the religious and
ethical attitudes of the entire Jewish population, a reformation of Judaism. In "Kabbalah and
Jewish Modernity" by academician Roni Weinstein (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) persuasive
argues that kabbalistic innovations were partly a response to changes in the Catholic world-view,
revealing an intimate link with Counter-Reformation Catholicism, as well as religious and
political changes taking place in contemporary Islamic Ottoman settings. Professor Weinstein
sees the emergence of 'Jewish modernity' as the result of developments that were intrinsically
Jewish rather than as a response to outside influences during the Enlightenment; controversially,
he therefore places its origins in the Mediterranean world of the late sixteenth century rather than
in eighteenth-century Berlin. His argument is based on a wide range of Jewish sources-including
theological tracts, kabbalistic and ethical literature, hagiographies, mystical diaries, halakhic
rulings and response, and community and confraternal regulations-as well as the testimonies of
non-Jewish travellers, and Catholic religious literature. A truly impressive work of original and
seminal scholarship, "Kabbalah and Jewish Modernity" is extraordinarily informative,
exceptionally well written, organized and presented, making it unreservedly recommended for
both academia as well as non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject. Simply
stated, "Kabbalah and Jewish Modernity" is unreservedly and emphatically recommended for
college and university library Judaic Studies collections in general, and Kabbalah supplemental
studies reading lists in particular.
From Mourning to Morning
Rabbi Simeon Schreiber
Urim Publications
c/o Lambda Publishers
527 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York 11225
www.UrimPublications.com
9789655242614, $19.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
In the pages of "From Mourning to Morning: A Comprehensive Guide to Mourning, Grieving,
and Bereavement", Rabbi Simeon Schreiber (Senior Staff Chaplain at Mount Sinai Medical
Center in Miami Beach, Florida), translates his many years of experience and considerably
expertise into a greater understanding of the emotions surrounding death, grieving, mourning,
and bereavement in Judaism. From "Mourning to Morning" deftly presents these principles in a
comprehensive format. Focusing on the Shiva, the seven day period of mourning in Judaism,
Rabbi Schreiber explains the foundation of visiting a house of mourners, and suggests proper
etiquette in conducting a visit. With sensitivity and expertise, Rabbi Schreiber provides unique
and practical advise on how to cope with death, mourning, and the related issues that we all will
inevitably face. Impressively well written, organized and presented, "From Mourning to
Morning" is unreservedly recommended.
The Buddhist Studies Shelf
Embracing Each Moment
Anam Thubten
Shambhala Publications, Inc.
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-4544
www.shambhala.com
9781611803464, $18.95, HC, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Anam Thubten grew up in Tibet and at an early age began to practice in the Nyingma tradition of
Tibetan Buddhism. Among his many teachers, his most formative guides were Lama Tsurlo,
Khenpo Chopel, and Lama Garwang. He is the founder and spiritual advisor of Dharmata
Foundation, teaching widely in the US and occasionally abroad. According to Thubten, the
awakened life is the essence and aim of the Buddhist teachings. "Embracing Each Moment: A
Guide to the Awakened Life" is a guide to cultivating the awakened mind and heart that allows
this wonderful kind of life to happen. "Embracing Each Moment" deftly illuminates the path to
awakened living in a way that's concise and completely accessible to anyone of any background.
The basic message is that happiness primarily arises from our state of mind, though we can't deny
the fact that outside circumstances play a big role. If we can learn to embrace each moment of
our lives, then we will be empowered to let go of our emotional patterns and false beliefs about
ourselves, and thereby discover the compassion that's been there all along. While "Embracing
Each Moment" is an extraordinary and very highly recommended addition to community,
college, and university library Buddhism collections and supplemental studies reading lists. For
students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject, it should be noted that
"Embracing Each Moment" is also available in a Kindle format ($12.99).
The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf
Comic Book Fever
George Khoury
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614
9781605490632, $34.95, www.twomorrows.com
Comic Book Fever: A Celebration of Comics 1976-1986 captures the look and feel of a bygone
era of comic book enthusiasm, when comics of all types could be found in every local business,
artists proliferated, and comics were experiencing revolutionary trends from limited series
publications to new artists and real-world inspirations for comic book heroes. Chapters packed
with color photos from comics, ads, and media supplement interviews with major artists and
industry professionals with discussions of the social and artistic developments that helped
influence and change the comic book world and created a decade of powerful transformation,
lending to a book that is a fitting tribute for any comic book history enthusiast.
Bears
Ted Rechlin
Rextooth Studios
rextooth.com
9781591521860 $19.95 amazon.com
Suitable for readers of all ages, Bears is a striking, full-color graphic novel about the natural life
of bears in the wild - or during the dangerous occasions when bears cross paths with humans.
Three short stories feature a grizzly bear mother with cubs, a young black bear on the run in a
suburb, and a polar bear surviving among the arctic ice. "Bear spray. These hikers have come
prepared. It won't hurt [the mama grizzly] permanently, but it stings her nose and eyes. When
bears attack people, it's bad for everyone... The best thing about bear spray: everybody lives." As
educational as it is entertaining, Bears is highly recommended for both school and public library
graphic novel collections, and the personal graphic novel shelves of bear fans everywhere!
Elvis
Philippe Chanoinat, author
Fabrice Le Henaff, illustrator
NBM Publishing
160 Broadway, Ste. 700, East Wing, New York, NY 10038
www.nbmpub.com
9781681120768, $19.99, HC, 80pp, www.amazon.com
Ably written by French author Philippe Chanoinat and superbly illustrated by French artist and
illustrator Fabrice le Henaff, "Elvis" is the graphic novel biography of a young man by the name
of Elvis Aaron Presley who stepped into Sun Studios in 1954 to record his first single "That's All
Right". Little did Elvis Presley know that he would soon revolutionize music and culture
worldwide. This graphic novel biography starts with the story of "The King's" humble beginnings
in Mississippi, detailing, every step of the way, his meteoric rise to the stratosphere of stardom. It
includes his service in the military, his extensive record as a Hollywood film star, his
complicated family life, finally ending on the last days of the Hound Dog. While guaranteed to be
an enduringly popular addition to community library collections and a 'must' for the legions of
Elvis Presley fans, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Elvis" is also available in a
Kindle format ($8.99).
The Pterodactyl Hunters in the Gilded City
Brendan Leach
Secret Acres
237 Flatbush Avenue, #331, Brooklyn, NY 11217
www.secretacres.com
9780996273930, $20.00, HC, 44pp, www.amazon.com
Brendan Leach is an Ignatz and Xeric Award winning Cartoonist and Illustrator. His comics have
been published by Secret Acres, Top Shelf Comics, and Retrofit Comics. Brendan's illustration
work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators and 3 3 Magazine, and his comics have
been included in many collections and anthologies, including Best American Comics 2011. His
graphic novel "Pterodactyl Hunters in the Gilded City" is a story of sibling rivalry and family
tradition in a rapidly changing alternate universe world and set in a version of 1904 New York
where generations of working-class hot air balloonists take to the skies each night to defend their
city from pterodactyls. A solidly original, deftly written, engagingly illustrated story from first
page to last, "The Pterodactyl Hunters in the Gilded City" is very highly recommended for
community library Graphic Novel collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"The Pterodactyl Hunters in the Gilded City" is also available in a Kindle format ($5.99).
The Audiobook Shelf
Selected Poetry by Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll, author
Read by Roger May
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28, Franklin, TN 37064
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
9781843799740 $14.98 amazon.com
Stage and BBC radio play actor Roger May lends his vocal talent to Selected Poetry by Lewis
Carroll, an audiobook of poems by the author of the timeless classics "Alice in Wonderland" and
"Through the Looking Glass". Selected Poetry by Lewis Carroll includes not only Carroll's most
famous poems, such as "Jabberwocky" and "The Hunting of the Snark", but also lesser-known
treasures including "Brother and Sister" and "My Fairy". Selected Poetry by Lewis Carroll is
suitable for listeners all ages, and highly recommended for gift-giving as well as for personal and
public library audiobook collections. 1 CD, 78 min. 31 sec.
Tong Wars
Scott D. Seligman, author
David Shih, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
www.tantor.com
9781515906582, $37.99, CD, www.amazon.colm
In Chinese culture, the word tong means "hall" or "gathering place". In North America, a tong is
a type of organization found among Chinese living in the United States and Canada. These
organizations are described as secret societies or sworn brotherhoods and are often tied to
criminal activity. From the late 1800s to the 1930s there were intermittent 'wars' between
different tong groups -- especially in New York City. Nothing the municipal and state authorities
had tried to end this lethal conflict between tong members had worked. Not threats or
negotiations, not shutting down the betting parlors or opium dens, not throwing Chinese
offenders into prison. Not even executing them. The New York DA was running out of ideas, and
more people were dying every day as the weapons of choice evolved from hatchets to automatic
weapons and even bombs. "Tong Wars" by historian Scott Seligman is an impressively
researched and written history of the conflict and significant individuals associated with it from
its origins to it's ultimate conclusion. Expertly narrated by David Shih, "Tong Wars" is a
consistently compelling and informative account. This complete and unabridged audio book
edition is very highly recommended, especially for community library collections in general, and
academic library American History collections in particular. (9 CDs, 11 hours).
The Originalist
John Strand, author
Starring Edward Gero, Kerry Warren, Harlan Work, et. al.
L.A. Theatre Works
681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, CA 90291
www.latw.org
9781682660492 $29.95 amazon.com
L.A. Theatre Works is well-known for their audiobooks of captivating, full-cast performances of
both modern and classic plays. The Originalist is an audiobook rendition of a play analyzing the
judicial views of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. As an "originalist," Scalia
believed in a strict interpretation of the U.S. Constitution as the foundation of the law. But the
Constitution is a short document, and there are limits to how much it can describe; is it even
possible to apply laws written 200 years ago to the problems of today without interpretation or
guesswork? Edward Gero, Kerry Warren, and Harlan Work play the roles of Justice Anton
Scalia, Cat, and Brad in this three-man play, recorded before a live audience at Arena Stage in
Washington, D.C. A thoughtful political statement as well as a riveting drama, The Originalist is
highly recommended especially for public library audiobook collections. 2 CDs, 2 hours 14
min.
The Empty House and Other Stories
Algernon Blackwood
Read by Hugh Ross
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28, Franklin, TN 37064
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
9781843799948 $41.98 amazon.com
Superbly performed by professional theater and film actor Hugh Ross, The Empty House and
Other Stories is an unabridged audiobook of four classic yet terrifying tales. The novellas are
about an abandoned house with nightmarish, re-enacted past; a fearsome trip down the Danube
river; a half-beast monster that preys on a hunting party; and psychological deterioration at the
core of the human mind. Chilling to the core, The Empty House and Other Stories is highly
recommended for connoisseurs of classic horror and public library audiobook collections. The
stories are "The Empty House", "The Willows", "The Listener", and "The Wendigo". 6 CDs, 6
hours 38 min. 49 sec.
High Heat
Richard Castle, author
Read by Robert Petkoff
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
www.HachetteAudio.com
9781478971504 $30.00 amazon.com
Also available in print and ebook formats, High Heat is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a
thriller featuring Captain Nikki Heat. A gruesome video and a murderous threat from a terrorist
group set Heat on edge; the killers' next target is her husband, magazine writer Jameson Rook,
who is supposedly pursuing a story about independent presidential candidate Legs Kline. Heat's
desperate search to find the terrorists before they find Rook takes a turn for the bizarre when she
encounters a woman who seems to be her long-dead mother! Superbly performed by professional
theater actor Robert Petkoff, High Heat is thrilling and suspenseful to the very end, and a choice
pick for both personal listening and public library audiobook collections.
Bold Angel
Kat Martin
Read by Lucy Rayner
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
www.tantor.com
9781515911203 $44.99 amazon.com
Also available in paperback and Kindle editions, Bold Angel is an unabridged audiobook of war
and passionate love. Caryn of Ivesham is antagonistic toward the Norman knight Ral the
Relentless. Ral saved her from a fate worse than death, and their wedding could bring peace to
her besieged land, yet she cannot forgive him for his conquests - or for the reprehensible cruelty
his men perpetrated on her sister. Ral himself is consumed with desire for Caryn, yet lingering
doubts remain that his rebellious bride might betray him. Intense and burning, Bold Angel is a
choice pick for connoisseurs of steamy historical romance! 12 CDs, 14.5 hours.
The Bette Davis Club
Jane Lotter
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781531866044 $9.99 amazon.com
The Bette Davis Club is an unabridged MP3 audiobook (plays on MP3-CD enabled players, or
transfers to portable devices) filled with laughter and hijinks galore. Fifty-ish spinster Margo Just
begins the morning of her niece's wedding with a double martini, but when the young bride
suddenly flees with a family heirloom, her mother offers Margo fifty grand to bring both the
young woman and the invaluable property back. Margo sets out with the bride's jilted and
understandably upset fiance in a cross-country chase, and the adventure only gets more bizarre
from there! High-spirited humor is the drink of the day in this delightful comedy. 1 disc, 11 hours
3 min.
The Allure of Julian Lefray
R.S. Grey, author
Performed by Renee Givens and BJ Pottsworth
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781536611465 $9.99 amazon.com
The Allure of Julian Lefray is an unabridged MP3-CD audiobook (plays on MP3-CD enabled
players, or transfers to portable devices) filled to the brim with romance and sexual tension.
Josephine Keller is an impoverished young woman lucky enough to land a dream job, as the new
executive assistant at Lorena Lefray Designs in New York City. Her task is to assist Lorena
Lefray's wealthy and handsome older brother, Julian. Laced with humor and passion, The Allure
of Julian Lefray is a pleasure to experience, and superbly performed by Renee Givens and BJ
Pottsworth. A treat for connoisseurs of the genre! 1 MP3-CD, 8 hours.
Gut-Shot
William W. Johnstone with J. A. Johnstone, authors
Tom Stechschulte, narrator
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
www.recordedbooks.com
9781490645759, $TBA, Unabridged, 8 CDs, W0381
Sam Flintlock is an experienced and professional bounty hunter with the scars to prove it.
Through a series of unexpected circumstances Flintlock is hired as a body guard for a young man
that is publicly accused of the brutal murder of a young school-teacher. But when brought to a
hearing, the judge's verdict was not guilty for lack of evidence. And the suspected killer's first
guard was murdered by a shotgun blast. That's when the young man's lawyer hires Flintlock --
who knows that some very powerful and dangerous people are trying to make a man look guilty
as sin. The only way for Flintlock to get the truth now is to go gunning for it--on a bad man's
blood-soaked killing ground. William Johnstone is a master of the western action/adventure genre
and "Gut-Shot" is a riveting story replete with unexpected plot twists and deftly crafted
characters that are brought vividly to life by the superb narrative storytelling of Tom
Stechschulte. Of special note is the introduction of a supernatural element in the form of
Flintlock's long deceased grandfather Barnabus who has a deem view of his grandson's
intelligence. A wonderfully entertaining yarn, "Gut-Shot" will leave its listeners looking eagerly
toward more stories of the bounty hunter Sam Flintlock.
Highbridge Audiobooks
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
www.highbridgeaudio.com
Lian Hearn draws upon her impressive studies in Japanese medieval culture and history to deftly
craft a series of fantasy novels (The Tale of Shikanoko) that have been produced by Highbridge
Audio Books into complete and unabridged CD audio books, each of which are deftly narrated
by Neil Shah. Volume 1 is "Emperor of the Eight Islands" (9781681681528, $29.99) where a
future lord is dispossessed of his birthright by a scheming uncle, a mountain sorcerer imbues a
mask with the spirit of a great stag for a lost young man, a stubborn father forces his son to give
up his wife to his older brother, and a powerful priest meddles in the succession to the Lotus
Throne, the child who is the rightful heir to the emperor barely escaping the capital in the arms of
his sister. And that is just the beginning! Volume 2 is "Autumn Princess, Dragon Child"
(9781681681542, $29.99) where a self-assured warrior stumbles into a game of Go that turns
fatal. An ambitious lord leaves his nephew for dead and seizes his lands. A stubborn father forces
his son to give up his wife to his older brother. A powerful priest meddles in the succession to
the Lotus Throne. A woman of the Old People seeks five fathers for her five children, who will
go on to found the Spider Tribe and direct the fate of the country. Volume 3 is "Lord of the
Darkwood" (9781681681566, $29.99) sees Shikanoko, at what should be the warrior's hour of
greatest triumph, turn his back on those around him, in mourning for a secret love. The Spider
Tribe, spurned by their guardian, explore the extent of their powers and ruthless ambitions. Hina,
who alone knows the whereabouts of the true emperor, has to forge a new identity of her own.
No one must ever know that she is Kiyoyori's daughter. As the traditional powers navigate
weakness and disarray, old spirits and new figures enter the epic battle for the Lotus Throne. All
the major players of The Tale of Shikanoko are forced to deal with the consequences-expected
and unexpected alike-of their past reckless actions. Each of them strives to achieve their destiny,
but so far the paths they have followed seem to have done nothing but provoke Heaven's
displeasure. An original, complex, imaginative, and highly recommended trilogy, all three
volumes of The Tales of Shikanoko series are very highly recommended for personal and
community library audio book collections.
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
www.hachetteaudio.com
Tom Wolfe's The Kingdom of Speech (9781478953166, $30.00) is presented as an unabridged
audio narrated by Robert Petkoff, a film and television actor who holds many credits to his name
and who lends a smooth and evocative voice to a startling examination of language and social
science - startling because Tom Wolfe is more commonly associated with powerful works of
fiction. This isn't to say that Wolfe doesn't employ some of his most successful fictional
approaches here, though: as he surveys Darwinism, evolution, language, and speech over human
history, he provides a riveting and often rollicking survey that lends well to a lively audio
presentation. Emma Donoghue's The Wonder (9781478911751, $30.00) receives a fine narration
by Kate Lock, whose voice successfully brings to life the story of English nurse Lib, trained by
Florence Nightingale herself, who is in a poor Irish village to investigate a pre-teen who has
eaten nothing for four months. Lib's job is to verify this - but it turns into something more than
exposing a hoax as Lib discovers the origins of true wonder in the world she thought she knew so
well. A powerful saga of discovery and revelation makes for a riveting account. Robert Hicks'
The Orphan Mother (9781478940579, $35.00) receives an engrossing coverage by Adenrele Ojo,
whose captivating voice is the perfect accompaniment of choice to tell of Mariah Reddick, a
former slave, whose post-Civil War career as a midwife to the women of Franklin, Tennessee is
once again about to change in the face of political struggle. This time it's her son who is involved
in a rally and a fight, and when murder happens, Mariah faces the destruction of everything she
knows, once again. This engrossing novel comes to life in audio. Amy Myers, MD's The Thyroid
Connection (9781478938675, $30.00) is narrated by Hilary Bogert who successfully and clearly
covers the highlights of a health guide on how to identify thyroid problems and understand their
impact on one's life. From exhaustion to brain fog and weight gain, a malfunctioning thyroid can
exhibit many symptoms attributed to other things. Here Dr. Myers shows how to work with one's
physician to get the tests and treatment that help identify thyroid problems and alleviate their
symptoms. James Patterson and Maxine Paetro's Woman of God (9781478941668, $35.00)
receives a vivid reading by Therese Plummer as it tells of a new pope who promises to be like
none other in history. Brigid's faith has always been locked in adversity and she faces vast
changes in her life at the same time as the Church is struggling for a new identity and meaning in
the world. Diverse purposes dovetail in this story of faith, renewal, and revolution. Maureen
Dowd's special brand of political commentary comes to life in The Year of Voting Dangerously:
The Derangement of American Politics (9781478964322, $35.00), a blend of pointed humor and
candid criticism of the 2016 election year's ironies and two candidates who have the highest
'dislike' rating of any other election. Dowd's background as a NY Times columnist who has
covered Trump and Clinton for decades lends a special authority to her vivid analysis, which
should be enjoyed by a wide audience of voters. Affinity Konar's Mischling (9781478912828,
$30.00) is narrated by Vanessa Johansson and includes an interview with the author as it tells of
Pearl and her twin sister, who are sent to Auschwitz with their mother in 1944 and who become
part of a terrible experiment by Mengele. When Pearl vanishes, her sister is convinced she's still
alive and a search evolves that is every bit as compelling as the struggle for survival. A powerful
saga evolves, which is especially engrossing and gripping in audio. Eowyn Ivey's To the Bright
Edge of the World (9781478964759, $35.00) is narrated by John Glouchrevich, Kiff
Vandenheuvel and Christine Lakin who bring to life an impressively compelling saga of survival
set in 1885 and revolving around an expedition to the wild Alaska Territory. As events continue,
the group makes discoveries while a pregnant wife left behind struggles with a winter that will
bring changes and challenges into her life. James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge's Bullseye
(9781478928164, $35.00) is read by Danny Mastrogiorgio and provides an engrossing Detective
Michael Bennett thriller revolving around a deadly encounter in Manhattan's Upper West Side,
where a storm hides the activities of a team of assassins on the hunt. Bennett may be the only
force standing between them and a new Cold War as politics and intrigue evolve into a gripping
confrontation that comes to life in audio. John C. Maxwell's Jump Start Your Priorities
(9781478909804, $15.00) benefits from Chris Sorensen's smooth and precise reading which
captures Maxwell's 90-day improvement plan. The focus on setting priorities for daily success
helps listeners stay organized and keep their eyes on their goals. It doesn't just say how to
develop strategies: it shows how to manage changing priorities in the process of achievement. All
are exceptional audios.
The Library CD Shelf
Immortelle
Deuter
DeuterMusic.com
New Earth Records
NewEarthRecords.com
c/o Sounds True
413 South Arthur Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027
www.soundstrue.com
$13.99 CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com
Award-winning New Age musician Deuter presents Immortelle, an album of songs inspired by
the mysteries of nature and named after medicinal plants that have aided humanity for countless
generations. Deuter has a long history of creating music ideal for accompanying healthful and
spiritual practices such as yoga, meditation, dreaming, and massage; Immortelle continues his
tradition of music as a soul-searching journey. Deuter has mastered vast repertoire of musical
instruments from all over the world; the songs in Immortelle include flutes, keyboards, cello,
piano, guitar, and some vocalizations. Immortelle is a treasure for New Age connoisseurs, highly
recommended! The tracks are "Monarda" (5:30), "Sonnenbraut" (10:15), "Traubensilberkerze"
(10:12), "Lily of the Valley" (7:22), "Vervain" (7:05), "Binsuga" (5:25), "Immortelle" (6:52), and
"Cumaru" (6:55). 60 min.
What Lies Beyond
R. Carlos Nakai Quartet
Canyon Records Productions
1761 West University Drive, Suite 145, Tempe, AZ 85281-3220
www.canyonrecords.com
$14.98 CD / $9.99 iTunes
What Lies Beyond is an extraordinary fusion album blending R Carlos Nakai's Native American
flue melodies with the creative stylings of saxophonist-keyboardist AmoChip Dabney, the
pulsating rhythms of ethno-world drummer Will Clipman and bassist Johnny Walker. The
quartet offers a fresh take on global jazz with elements of funk and rock, in this keenly vivacious
album. What Lies Beyond is especially recommended for connoisseurs of creative jazz and
soaring flute play. Highly recommended! The tracks are "What Lies Beyond" (7:42),
"Kathmandu This" (8:07), 'lo Valley (7:10), "On Sunlit Wings" (5:06), "Imazighenation" (8:37),
"Fiddy Fo'" (5:53), "Unidentified Identity" (5:32), "Cafe du Monde" (5:07), "Sonoran Spring"
(6:25), "Gnu Queue" (4:52), and the iTunes exclusive track "Rancho Improvioso" (3:07).
Walking to You
Rachel Currea
www.rachelcurrea.com
Rachel Currea Music, Inc.
$13.97 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com
Walking to You is a piano solo album of original songs performed with uplifting passion.
Inspirational and enlightening, Walking to You is a choice pick to listen to while engaging in
creative endeavors, or simply enjoying a nature walk. The tracks are "Walking to You" (3:03),
"Song Without Words" (3:41), "Sarah's Dance" (1:55), "Abundance of the Heart" (3:20),
"Evening Joys" (3:49), "Forever" (2:38), "Reconciliations" (4:08), "Hear Me Now" (4:04), "It'll
Be OK" (2:35), "Once Upon a Time" (3:32), "The Crossing" (1:33), "Waltz in E Minor" (2:14),
"Night Butterflies" (2:00), "Celestial Dreams" (4:16), "Starlight Lullaby" (3:41), and "Hymn to
the Holy Spirit (piano solo version)" (6:08).
Dancing on the Wind
Shoshana Michel
www.shoshanamusic.com
Privately Published
$14.97 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com
Dancing on the Wind is a New Age solo piano album by Shoshana Michel, who has years of both
classical and ragtime music training. Her original music, composed on both piano and keyboard,
flows with boundless grace and beauty. Dancing on the Wind is a joy to experience, highly
recommended. The tracks are "When Leaves Dance" (4:46), "Heather, Roses and Moonlight"
(3:29), "Dancing on the Wind" (3:44), "Love Everlasting" (4:38), "Finding the Light Within"
(6:14), "A Night of Lights" (4:21), "Gently Flows the River Tranquil" (4:18), "Wandering"
(5:00), "Wishing for You" (5:49), "Dream's Journey" (5:15), and "Quiet Valley" (5:27). 53 min.,
5 sec.
It's All in the Family
Sylvia Hutton
Produced by John Mock & Sylvia Hutton
www.SylviaMusic.com
Privately Published
$13.97 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com itunes.com
Grammy-nominated singer Sylvia Hutton's first music album release in 14 years, It's All in the
Family is a showcase of Sylvia's extraordinary talent. She co-wrote the majority of its twelve
original songs, which connect with her own roots and her lifelong journey. Sylvia's mellifluous
voice is pure inspiration to experience! The tracks are "Every Time A Train Goes By",
"Somebody's Daughter", "Leave The Past in the Past", "A Right Turn", "All in the Family",
"Grandpa Kirby Runnin' the Hounds", "Immigrant Shoes", "Cumberland Rose", "Hope's Too
Hard", "I Didn't Know What I Was Missing", "Here Lately", and "Do Not Cry For Me".
Putumayo World Music
www.putumayo.com
www.amazon.com
Two new Putumayo World Music CDs, each featuring songs by a diverse variety performers, are
festive, vibrant additions to international music collections. "African Rumba" ($12.99 CD / $9.49
MP3) is a joyous explosion of Afro-Latin dance music. The tracks are "Aminata" (4:56),
"Jammo" (3:30), "Mame" (5:10), "Paysan" (4:10), "Boul Topato" (5:36), "Lolita" (2:26), "Tata
Masamba" (4:42), "Lonlon Vanvan" (3:29), "Micorrason" (3:13), and "Sin Murri Gossi" (4:11).
"Latin Christmas" ($12.99 CD / $9.49 MP3) is a holiday album that celebrates the season with
rhythmic Latin and Brazilian songs. The tracks are "Joy to the World" (2:39), "Santa Claus is
Coming to Town" (2:57), "Blanca Navidad" (3:13), "Jingle Bells" (4:00), "La Peregrinacion"
(3:08", "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (3:36), "Noche de Paz" (3:03), "Christmas Rhumba"
(3:51), "El Anyo Viejo" (3:01), "Ven Ven" (2:03), and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
(4:45). Both are joyous, eclectic "best of the best" medleys ideal for parties or public library
music collections.
Whaling City Sound
1310 Tucker Road, No. Dartmouth, MA 02747
www.whalingcitysound.com
Whaling City Sound presents two original music CDs sure to appeal to jazz connoisseurs and
collectors. "Chance Meeting" ($14.99) is the brainchild of quartet drummer Adam Nussbau,
bassist Dave Zinno, guitarist Jay Azzolina, and saxophonist Dino Govoni, whose happenstance
first encounter led to creative collaboration. The tracks are "Problem Child" (6:06), "N.T.I."
(4:35), "Lament for Michael Brecker" (5:10), "1 of 3" (4:36), "My Maia" (7:19), "Asha" (7:38),
"Jimmy's Blues" (6:59), "14" (7:00), "Meatsauce" (3:58), and "Insight, Enlight" (2:55). "Night
Music" ($14.99) features songs by Serbian-born guitarist-composer Rale Micic, along with
Danny Grissett on piano, Corcoran Holt on bass, and Johnathan Blake on drums. "Night Music"
was inspired by Hungarian classical composer Bela Bartok, and has an innate intensity that
reflects the challenge of adapting to life's unexpected changes. The tracks are "Hotel Insomnia"
(7:35), "Jano" (5:55), "Melody in a Mist" (1:24), "Late Call" (4:58), "Blue" (4:41), "Nocturne"
(1:38), "Night Music" (7:18), "Night Music" (7:18), "Nocturne (reprise)" (1:35), "Afterparty"
(4:19), "Sunrise" (9:19), and "Color of the Sun" (5:39).
Tracks
Snowapple
Zip Records
www.ziprecords.com
$10.99 CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
Tracks is the third album by Amsterdam-based, jazz-inspired band Snowapple. A theme of trains,
travel, and connections runs through the original songs, which touch upon topics ranging from
rush hour frustration to the plight of refugees, to the bravery of 19th-century explorer and writer
Isabelle Eberhardt, who often disguised herself as a man. An unforgettable work of creativity and
emotion, Tracks is highly recommended for both personal and public library music collections.
The tracks are "Businessmen", "Choo Choo Train", "Any Way", "There Becomes Here",
"Isabelle", "Track 22","Rolling Away", "Pi", and "Going My Way".
Fluid Foundation
Performed by Fluid Foundation
17th Street Studios
$9.99 CD / $7.00 download cdbaby.com
Fluid Foundation is the self-titled debut album of a progressive reggae quintet. Songs range from
reggae and dube to surf music and hip-hop, as well as contributions from special guests.
Overflowing with vivacious rhythm, Fluid Foundation is music to groove to, and a savory delight
for connoisseurs of the genre! The tracks are "Liquid Spacey", "Foundation", "Sea Swells",
"Tripulation", "Roll With Me", "Spin Me Round", "Take the Lead", "Cruizin'", "Livin' Carefree",
and "Times Trippin' Dub".
Whispers from Silence
Tom Moore & Sherry Finzer
HeartDance Records
www.heartdancerecords.com
$12.97 CD / $8.99 download cdbaby.com
Whispers from Silence is a music album designed to encourage deep relaxation, meditation,
inner peace, and spiritual awakening. The original, instrumental songs craft a soundscape with
gentle yet unpredictable elements. Wind instruments and synthesizers strike a balance between
ancient and modern elements in this soothing treasure, highly recommended for unwinding after
a difficult day. The tracks are "Awakening Breath" (5:38), "Toward the One" (7:55), "Whispers
from Silence" (9:12), "Infinite Space" (7:10), "Way of the Heart" (6:48), "Yugen" (8:32), "Peace
Within" (5:46), and "An Ancient Presence" (9:50). 60 min., 51 sec.
Nouvelle Journee
Lorraine Klaasen
Justin Time
www.justin-time.com
$12.98 CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
Nouvelle Journee (meaning "Joys of New Day") is the latest music album from South
African-born, JUNO award-winning vocalist Lorraine Klaasen. The songs honor family ties and
social responsibility, and their lyrics span a variety of languages, including the Tsonga, Sotho,
isiZulu, and Xhosa languages of South Africa as well as English and French. Nouvelle Journee is
a jubilant celebration, highly recommended especially for connoisseurs of international music.
The tracks are "Nouvelle Journee" (3:28), "Ke Tshepile Bafatsi" (4:02), "Home Sweet Home"
(4:07), "Township Memories" (3:56), "Polokwane" (4:21), "Izani Nonke" (3:50), "Make It Right"
(4:04), "Babalazi" (3:37), "Where To Now" (5:15) and "Thulandivile" (4:02).
The Library DVD Shelf
Argentina
A film by Carlos Saura
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
$24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com
Three-time Academy Award nominee Carlos Saura presents Argentina, an extraordinary
documentary of Argentina's rich heritage of folklore, music, and dance, spanning centuries-old
traditions up to the modern day. Mellifluous performances and stunning choreography
distinguish this "must-see" for connoisseurs. Argentina is especially recommended for public and
college library DVD collections, and makes an excellent gift for anyone who adores the
performing arts! 85 min., color, Spanish language with English subtitles.
Agatha Raisin Series One
Based on the novels by M.C. Beaton
Starring Ashley Jensen
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$59.99 www.acornonline.com
Based on the popular novels by M.C. Beaton, Agatha Raisin Series One follows Agatha Raisin
(played by Ashley Jensen), a retired PR executive whose retreat to a small village unexpectedly
entangles her in criminal dealings. When she enters the local quiche-baking competition, her
entry unexpectedly kills the judge, leaving her the prime suspect for first-degree murder! Can
Agatha uncover the true killer in time to save her reputation, and herself from prison? With the
help of her former assistant Roy, Detective Constable Bill Wong, and her cleaner Gemma,
Agatha just might discover her own, innate talent for sleuthing! A witty blend of dry humor and
murder mystery intrigue, Agatha Raisin Series One is highly recommended for connoisseurs of
the genre. Bonus materials include a behind-the-scenes featurette (18 min.) and a photo gallery. 9
episodes on 3 DVDs, 462 min., widescreen, SDH subtitles.
21st Century Great Layouts
TM Books & Video
PO Box 9228, Michigan City, IN 46361
9781936890415 $19.99 www.tmbv.com
21st Century Great Layouts is a DVD especially for model railroad hobbyists and fans. Kicking
off an all-new model railroad layout series, 21st Century Great Layouts shows off three hi-rail
layouts and a Postwar Lionel layout, using both available control systems - Lionel's LEGACY
and MTH's DCS. On display are three hi-rail layouts and an especially detailed Postwar Lionel
layout, each skillfully assembled by a different creator, with tips on operating, wiring, and using
the new control systems to the fullest. 21st Century Great Layouts is a "must-see" for model
railroad enthusiasts, highly recommended. 65 min.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Your Tarot Your Way
Barbara Moore
www.tarotshaman.com
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738749242 $15.99 / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com
Tarot instructor Barbara Moore presents Your Tarot Your Way: Learn to Read with Any Deck, a
user-friendly introduction to connecting with and performing readings of Tarot cards. Chapters
walk one through how to do a reading, and the core symbolism of each of the minor arcana, court
cards, and major arcana is given its own page. Black-and-white illustrations and real-life
examples round out this excellent self-teaching reference and resource, highly recommended
especially for novice Tarot readers.
Haunted Bridges
Rich Newman
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738748474, $15.99, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Across the country hundreds of bridges harbor some of the creepiest paranormal activity known
to man. Invisible hands reach out and touch unsuspecting travelers. Residual ghosts haunt scenes
of murders, accidents, hangings, and suicides. At some bridges a voice cries out in the darkness
that sends a chill down the spine of anyone who hears it. "Haunted Bridges" by Rich Newman
tells the kinds of stories that are told in hushed tones around hearths and campfires as we ponder
the unknown late into the night. The stories are at once mesmerizing, unique, and unexpectedly
familiar, as if we all know deep down that fate keeps some spirits bound to earth. If you can
endure the fear and you don't look away, you will experience the dread and mystery of the
unexplained. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented (cities and states are listed for
324 public locations so readers can look up specific bridges), "Haunted Bridges: Over 300 of
America's Creepiest Crossings" is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community and
academic library Metaphysical Studies collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted
that "Haunted Bridges" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).
Medium
Konstanza Morning Star
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738748139, $19.99, PB, 264pp, www.amazon.com
With precise detail, a wide variety of exercises, and a wealth of expertise, in "Medium: A
Step-by-Step Guide to Communicating with the Spirit World" Konstanza Morning Star (an
ordained minister, certified medium, national spiritualist teacher credentialed through the
National Spiritualist Association of Churches, and a shamanic practitioner) shows how to
develop your innate gift of spirit communication. "Medium" explains how mediumship works,
how anyone can use it, and how to build a strong spiritual foundation so that your abilities will
flourish. "Medium" is a beginner-friendly instructional guide specifically designed to help
aspiring mediums gain strong and clear spiritual perception through a nine-step process.
Konstanza Morning Star takes the reader inside the medium's mind and body, demonstrating how
to actually experience contact with a spirit person through clairvoyance, clairaudience,
clairsentience, and other spiritual senses. Featuring instructions for creating and conducting a
home practice circle, assisting a "stuck" spirit to move on to the light, and much more, "Medium"
is a book no aspiring medium should be without. While unreservedly recommended for personal
reading lists, as well as community and academic library Metaphysical Studies collections, it
should be noted that "Medium" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).
The Self-Help Shelf
Enough, Already!
Heather Jayne Wynn
http://heatherjwynn.com
Change Makers Books
c/o John Hunt Publishing, Ltd.
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
9781785353086, $19.95, PB, 216pp, www.amazon.com
Heather Wynn is on a mission to transform the conversation about women and fitness. She
knows you can't hate your body into true health. Instead, through the practices in her
do-it-yourself self-help guidebook "Enough, Already!: Finding Happiness Now in a World That
Wants to Sell You Perfection Later", readers will learn to make sane and lasting health and
physique changes and finally arrive at a place of peace and love -- a state to which you've been
worthy all along. Heather's insightful anecdotes from her personal journey as well as her
professional work with clients, help readers to clearly and insightfully recognize the absurdity of
the expectations for our bodies that we allow outside influences to determine for us, and the type
of lifestyle we think we need to live in order to be healthy and fit. Exceptionally well written,
organized and presented, "Enough, Already!: Finding Happiness Now in a World That Wants to
Sell You Perfection Later" is as informed and informative as it is practical and inspiring. While
very highly recommended for personal and community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Enough, Already!: Finding
Happiness Now in a World That Wants to Sell You Perfection Later" is also available in a Kindle
format ($7.99).
Grow
Jackie Beere
Crown House Publishing
6 Trowbridge Drive Suite 5, Bethel, CT 06801
www.crownhousepublishing.com
9781785830112, $16.95, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com
In "Grow: Change your mindset, change your life - a practical guide to thinking on purpose",
author Jackie Beere demonstrates how we can all change our mindsets, learn to learn and chose
to think on purpose. Our thoughts and beliefs lead us to develop habits that can predict our
success or failure. We can all choose to grow and coach our loved ones to do the same by
fostering and sustaining a mindset that will keep us healthy and happy in future years. Jackie
Beere believes the key to this is thinking on purpose and metacognition. Jackie shows you how
you can understand yourself and others so that you can be flexible, fearless and happy. Jackie
shares observations, stories and practical tools to help you, and others you care about, grow.
Jackie offers a personal perspective, but one that is informed by wide reading and research in the
fields of psychology and cognitive therapy. She has been particularly inspired by Daniel
Goleman's work on emotional intelligence, Carol Dweck's research on the power of developing a
growth mindset, the founding principles of neuro-linguistic programming, and the latest
discoveries about our brains and how they work. "Grow" is an consistently informative,
engaging, practical and occasionally inspiring read that is very highly recommended, especially
for community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. For personal reading lists it
should be noted that "Grow" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.59).
5% More
Michael Alden
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
9781119281863, $25.00, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com
"5% More: Making Small Changes to Achieve Extraordinary Results" by Michael Alden
(President & CEO of Blue Vase Marketing) presents a painless route to change, with results that
can last a lifetime. Whether you want to boost your health, wealth, or wisdom, "5% More"
reveals a key technique that makes it stick and shows how to bring goals within reach with only
five percent more effort. Readers will learn how to: Accomplish big changes with very small
steps; Make bigger leaps in progress each step of the way; Break big goals into manageable
milestones; Find a change that you can stick to for the long-term. No matter what the goal, no
matter what the baseline, small, incremental steps will result in ultimate success. While is very
highly recommended for community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections, it should be
noted for personal reading lists that "5% More" is also available in a Kindle format ($7.55).
The Biography Shelf
William The Conqueror
Peter Rex
Amberley
c/o Casemate
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781445660172, $17.95, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com
"William the Conqueror: The Bastard of Normandy" by the late Peter Rex (who was Head of
History at Prince Thorpe College for twenty years and who was an acknowledged expert on
Eleventh-Century English and Norman history) is an accomplished biography of the Norman
king who conquered England in 1066, changing the course of the country forever. Of
Franco-Scandinavian descent through his father, Duke Robert 'the Magnificent', William the
Conqueror's life is set against his true background, the turbulent Norman Duchy which, even
after the Conquest of England, remained his primary concern. William is revealed as the brutal
and violent product of his time, much given to outbursts of rage, capable of great cruelty,
autocratic, avaricious and prone to a sort of grisly humor, yet, with all that he could also be a
loyal friend and affectionate husband and father. His military reputation rests mainly on his
victory at Hastings and he showed little sign of strategic or tactical genius. He was a competent
rather than inspired general, benefiting from the mistakes and disunity of his foes. Only at
Hastings did he meet and defeat a man who was his peer as a leader of men. He inspired great
loyalty in some and even greater hatred in others. His primary attribute was his ruthless will
which made him the driving force behind Norman ambition in North Western Europe. His
propagandists shamelessly manipulated the facts to justify his conquest of England, a dubious
enterprise if ever there was one. An inherently and consistently informed and informative
account, "William The Conqueror" is a compelling read from beginning to end and very highly
recommended for personal and community library collections.
Algren: A Life
Mary Wisniewski
Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781613735329, $30.00, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com
The late Nelson Algren (March 28, 1909 - May 9, 1981) was an American writer best known for
his 1949 novel about drug addiction "The Man with the Golden Arm" which won the National
Book Award and was adapted as a 1955 film of the same name. "Algren: A Life" by investigative
journalist Mary Wisniewski is the definitive biography based on interviews with dozens of
Algren's inner circle -- including photographer Art Shay and the late Studs Terkel. "Algren: A
Life" also examines the author's unpublished writing and correspondence, including hundreds of
letters he received from lover Simone de Beauvoir. This is an impressively crafted account that is
as entertaining as it is meticulously researched. "Algren: A Life" reveals new details about the
writer's life, work, personality, and habits, digging beneath the street-crawling man's man
stereotype to show a funny, sensitive, and romantic but self-destructive artist. Readers will learn
how, initially celebrated then savaged by literary critics for his continued preoccupation with
prostitutes and drug addicts in his fiction, Algren himself was personally haunted by insecurity
about his work and practically gave up writing fiction after 1956, and how he finally found a
sense of community and acceptance in the artist colony of Sag Harbor before his death in 1981.
"Algren: A Life" provides a fresh look at the man whose tough but humorous style and
compassionate message enchanted readers and fellow writers and whose boyish charm seduced
many women is indispensable to anyone interested in 20th-century American literature. While
strongly recommended for community and academic library 20th Century American Biography
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Algren: A Life" is also available in
a Kindle format ($14.99).
The Message of the City
Patricia E. Palermo
Swallow Books
c/o Ohio University Press
215 Columbus Road, Suite 101, Athens, OH 45701
www.ohioswallow.com
9780804011679, $59.95, HC, 372pp, www.amazon.com
Dawn Powell (November 28, 1896 - November 14, 1965) was a gifted satirist and novelist who
moved in the same circles as Dorothy Parker, Ernest Hemingway, renowned editor Maxwell
Perkins, and other mid-century New York literary luminaries. "The Message of the City: Dawn
Powell's New York Novels, 1925 - 1962" is a critical biography and study of the New York her
novels by independent scholar Patricia Palermo who reminds us how Powell earned a place in the
national literary establishment and East Coast social scene. Though Powell's prolific output has
been out of print for most of the past few decades, a revival is currently under way with the
Library of America publishing house touting her as a "rediscovered American comic genius", and
releasing new editions of her collected novels. In 2015 she was posthumously inducted into the
New York State Writer's Hall of Fame. Informed and informative, exceptionally well researched,
and a consistently compelling read from beginning to end, "The Message of the City" fills a
major gap in the story of a long-overlooked literary great. Palermo places Powell in cultural and
historical context and, drawing on her diaries, reveals the real-life inspirations for some of her
most delicious satire, and an unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and
university library American Biography and 20th Century American Literary History collections.
It should be noted for non-specialist general readers with an interest in the life and work of Dawn
Powell that "The Message of the City" is also available in a paperback edition (9780804011686,
$26.95) and in a Kindle format ($13.19).
The View From The Back Of The Bus
Chris Smith
University of North Texas Press
1155 Union Circle #311336, Denton, TX 76203-5017
www.unt.edu/untpress
9781574415742, $24.95, HC, 416pp, www.amazon.colm
The late Mel Lewis (1929 - 1990) was born Melvin Sokoloff to Jewish Russian immigrants in
Buffalo, New York. He first picked up his father's drumsticks at the age of two and at seventeen
he was a full-time professional musician. "The View from the Back of the Band: The Life and
Music of Mel Lewis" by Chris Smith is the first biography of this legendary jazz drummer. For
over fifty years, Lewis provided the blueprint for how a drummer could subtly support any
musical situation. While he made his name with Stan Kenton and Thad Jones, and with his band
at the Village Vanguard, it was the hundreds of recordings that he made as a sideman and his
ability to mentor young musicians that truly defined his career. Away from the drums, Lewis's
passionate and outspoken personality made him one of jazz music's greatest characters. It is often
through Lewis's own anecdotes, as well as many from the musicians who knew him best, that
"The View From The Back Of The Bus" traces the career of one of the world's greatest
drummers. "The View From The Back Of The Bus" is impressively enhanced with the inclusion
of previously unpublished interviews, personal memoirs, photos, musical transcriptions, and a
selected discography add to this comprehensive and definitive biography. While unreservedly
recommended for community and academic library American Biography and Contemporary
American Music History collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The View
From The Back Of The Bus" is now available in a paperback edition (9781574416534, $18.95)
and in a Kindle format ($9.99).
Heart Like A Starfish
Allen Callaci
Pelekinesis
112 Harvard Avenue, #65, Claremont, CA 91711
www.pelekinesis.com
9781938349355, $25.00, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Allen Callaci is the lead singer for the band Refrigerator, an adjunct professor, and a librarian
whose work has appeared in MungBeing, the Poly Post, The Huffington Post, BK Nation,
Cinefantastique, Crump Comics and various zines in the 90s. He is also a heart transplant
recipient. "Heart Like A Starfish" is his personal account of that death-defying journey and the
healing that follows for both himself and those around him. With his own illustrations and with
cover art by Amy Maloof, "Heart Like A Starfish" is a wonderfully chaotic tale is told in a
non-linear style that manages to convey the frenetic events and emotions while still embracing
the strength and care and security all around. It should be noted that a portion of the proceeds
from the sale of "Heart Like A Starfish" will be donated to Cedars- Sinai Heart Research Institute
where the procedure was performed. An inherent and consistently engaging read from beginning
to end, "Heart Like A Starfish" is highly recommended for community library American
Biography collections. For personal reading lists, "Heart Like A Starfish" is also available in a
Kindle format ($9.99).
Suburban Gospel
Mark Beaver
Hub City Press
186 West Main Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306
www.hubcity.org
9781938235191, $16.95, PB, 264pp, www.amazon.com
When the deacons at Mark Beaver's Bible Belt church cue up an evangelical horror flick aimed at
dramatizing Hell, he figures he'd better get right with God, and soon. Convinced he could die at
age seven and spend eternity roasting on a spit in the fiery furnace of Hades, he promptly gets
Saved. But once adolescence hits, the Straight and Narrow becomes a tight squeeze. But
"Suburban Gospel" offers more than a look inside Bible Belt suburbia, circa Jerry Falwell and the
Moral Majority -- it is also a tale of faith and flesh. Beaver invites us into a world filled with
Daisy Duke fantasies and Prince posters, Nerf Hoops and Atari joysticks, raggedy Camaros and
the neon light of strip malls. As much about the adolescent heart as the evangelical mind, the
story explores similar emotional terrain as coming-of-age classics like Tobias Wolff's This Boy's
Life and Mary Karr's Cherry. Suburban Gospel is a tale of growing up Baptist, all right but also
of just growing up. Exceptionally well written, inherently fascinating, consistently compelling,
"Suburban Gospel" is highly recommended for community library American Biography
collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that it is also available in a Kindle
format ($9.99).
Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life
Ruth Franklin
Liveright Publishing
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780871403131, $35.00, www.wwnorton.com
Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life provides a strong biographical study that blends history,
literature, and biography in a survey of Shirley Jackson like none other. It follows her mentors,
her struggle to balance her literary creations with her life as a wife and mother, and her depiction
of her trapped role as part of her horror writing (as in her powerful We Have Always Lived in the
Castle), and it offers a different view of Jackson's works and her controversial frankness in an era
where women's liberation wasn't a part of social thought. The result is more than another survey
of Jackson's works; but deeply probes their origins, their social influences, and the mentors and
life from which they evolved: essential reading for any student of Shirley Jackson's writings.
The Autism Shelf
High-Functioning Autism and Difficult Moments
Brenda Smith Myles, Ph.D. and Ruth Aspy, Ph.D.
Autism Asperger Publishing Company
11209 Strang Line Road, Lenexa, KS 66215
9781942197249 $21.95 www.aapcpublishing.net
High-Functioning Autism and Difficult Moments: Practical Solutions for Reducing Meltdowns
lives up to its title as a step-by-step guide to understand, prevent, and alleviate instances of
meltdowns caused by unbearable frustration or sensory overload. "Sometimes (unless the person
is a 'runner') an effective preventative strategy is to walk with the individual with HF-ASD. It is
important here for the support person to resist talking because during the Rumbling Stage, the
individual on the spectrum is beginning to feel overwhelmed. Any additional input simply adds
to the feeling of being overwhelmed and will likely move him to the Rage Stage. In addition,
even if the individual is able to process what is being said, anything the support person says is
usually the 'wrong' thing." The plain-spoken text is thoroughly accessible to readers of all
backgrounds. An absolute "must-read" for those who have HF-ASD and for educators, therapists,
or other professionals who work with people who have HF-ASD, High-Functioning Autism and
Difficult Moments is highly recommended, especially for public and college library
collections.
The Loving Push
Temple Grandin & Debra Moore
Future Horizons, Inc.
721 West Abram Street, Arlington, TX 76013
www.fhautism.com
9781941765203, $19.95, PB, 280pp, www.amazon.com
Collaboratively written by Temple Grandin (Professor of Animal Sciences, Colorado State
University) and psychologist Debra Moore, "The Loving Push: How Parents and Professionals
Can Help Spectrum Kids Become Successful Adults" provides an essential roadmap for parents
wanting prepare children on the autism spectrum to become successful adults in today's world.
"The Loving Push" spells out the steps any parent can take to restore their child's hope and
motivation -- and what they must avoid. Included in "The Loving Push", eight life stories are told
by people on the autism spectrum. Of special note are the chapters on subjects such as how to get
kids off their computers, how to build on their strengths and get back to caring about their lives,
and how to find a path to a successful, meaningful life. Informed, informative, practical,
insightful, exceptionally well organized and presented, "The Loving Push" is very highly
recommended for community and academic library Parenting Skills Development collections and
supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of parents,
teachers, therapists, and anyone who cares about a child or teen on the autism spectrum needs,
that "The Loving Push" is also available in a Kindle format ($10.99).
The Power Card Strategy 2.0
Elisa Gagnon & Brenda Smith Myles
AAPC Publishing
11209 Strang Line Road, Lenexa, KS 66215
www.aapcpublishing.net
9781942197263, $21.95, PB, 94pp
The Power Card Strategy is a visual aid developed by educators and parents to assist students
with Asperger Syndrome and autism in making sense of social situations, routines, the meaning
of language, and the hidden curriculum that surrounds us wherever we go. What sets The Power
Card Strategy apart is that it makes use of children's special interests - to help them make sense
of situations they encounter on a daily basis. Exceptionally well organized and presented, and
very highly recommended, "The Power Card Strategy 2.0" by autism spectrum experts Elisa
Gagnon and Brenda Smith Myles is an ideal, practical, and effective tool for classroom teachers,
parents, and autistic children care-providers.
The Education Shelf
Empowering Students with Hidden Disabilities
Margo Vreeburg Izzo & LeDerick Horne
Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company
PO Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
www.brookespublishing.com
9781598577358, $26.95, PB, 181pp, www.amazon.com
"Empowering Students with Hidden Disabilities: A Path to Pride and Success" has inspiring and
informative answers to how classroom teachers can empower students with invisible disabilities
to manage their challenges, accept and advocate for themselves, and reach their goals and
dreams? . Told with the authentic voices of adults with hidden disabilities, this exceptionally
well organized and presented instructional study will help teachers guide their students on the
Path to Disability Pride and support their success in the classroom and community. Personal
stories blend with powerful strategies as the Margo Vreeburg Izzo (Program Director for
Transition Services at The Ohio State University Nisonger Center) and LeDerick Horne (who
was labeled as neurologically impaired in third grade and defies any and all labels, is a dynamic
spoken-word poet, and a tireless advocate for children with disabilities) share reflections on their
experience with disability and offer up practical teaching tips and interventions based on the
latest research. An essential resource for educators, families, and self-advocates, "Empowering
Students with Hidden Disabilities" covers classroom teachers promoting disability pride within
students, schools, and communities; teaches critical life skills, including social-emotional,
executive function, reading, and coping skills; reduces the stigma of hidden disabilities; develops
mentoring programs that connect students with advice and encouragement; assists college
students as they navigate the challenges of campus life and classes; preparing young adults to
launch fulfilling careers and responsible, self-determined adult lives; helping students develop
authentic and meaningful relationships with others; support students with a range of hidden
disabilities, including ADHD, learning disabilities, autism, and emotional and behavioral
disturbance. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Empowering Students with
Hidden Disabilities" is unreservedly recommended for college and university library Teacher
Education instructional reference collections in general, and classroom teacher supplemental
studies reading lists in particular.
Balancing the Equation
Matthew R. Larson & Timothy D. Kanold
Solution Tree
555 North Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404
www.solution-tree.com
9781936763689, $24.95, PB, 136pp, www.amazon.com
Co-published with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, "Balancing the Equation: A
Guide to School Mathematics for Educators and Parents" by academicians Matthew Larson and
Timothy Kanold focuses on classroom teachers involved in K-12 mathematics education and are
seeking to help children achieve success. "Balancing the Equation" addresses popular
misconceptions and misguided discourses about mathematics education and draw on
peer-reviewed research about instruction that can significantly improve students' conceptual
understanding. Also presented are: Reasons why expectations for mathematics teaching and
learning must be raised; The history of the progression, changes, and disputes in K-12
mathematics education; Insights about mathematics education in an era of mathematics reform;
the definition of mathematical literacy and what elements are part of effective mathematics
instruction. Of special note are the steps that must be taken to support the teaching and learning
of mathematics, so all students can be college and career ready. Simply stated, "Balancing the
Equation" is a critically important and highly recommended addition to professional and
academic library Teacher Education instructional reference collections and supplemental studies
reading lists.
Art Projects for Middle School
Susan Manes
Crystal Productions
PO Box 2121, 401 Hickory Street, Fort Collins, CO 80522
www.crystalproductions.com
CP7243, $24.95, Spiral Binding, 80pp, www.amazon.com
Compiled and written by Susan Manes, "Art Projects for Middle School" is comprised more than
50 art projects and rubrics including drawing, painting, sculpting, and multimedia art projects
that introduce important concepts like the elements of art, art styles like Abstract Expressionism
and Pointillism, and skills such as perspective, proportion and shading. Rubrics help students
understand how projects are evaluated. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Art Projects
for Middle School" is especially recommended as supplemental school curriculum textbook and
would be an invaluable addition to college and university library Teacher Education reference
collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
You're the Principal! Now What?
Jen Schwanke
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416622215, $34.95, PB, 345pp, www.amazon.com
A principal's job is astonishingly complex, and its competing demands can be overwhelming,
especially in the first few years. In "You're the Principal! Now What? Strategies and Solutions
for New School Leaders", Jen Schwanke (a language arts educator and is currently a principal for
the Dublin City School District in Dublin, Ohio. and a graduate instructor in educational
leadership) draws upon her years of experience and expertise to provide a mentor's guidance to
steer new principals through the period of adjustment and set the foundation for a long and
rewarding career. "You're the Principal! Now What?" covers: Establishing productive
professional relationships; Building and maintaining a positive school culture; Resolving conflict
among staff and parents; Supporting students' social-emotional needs; Conducting staff
evaluations and delivering feedback; Keeping up with district, state, and federal mandates;
Managing the facility and the budget. Standalone chapters provide easy access to the solutions
you need for the situations you face. Along with real-life scenarios and critical tips for success,
readers will find helpful models of what to do, what to say, and how to say it. "You're the
Principal! Now What?" is a source for ideas any time an educational administrator encounters a
problem and think, "Now what?" It's the beginning of an ongoing conversation about the
wonderful and rewarding work of being a principal. While an essential and core addition to
college and university library Educational Administration collections and supplemental studies
reading lists, it should be noted that "You're the Principal! Now What?" is also available in a
Kindle format ($33.20).
Trust and Verify
Dean Fink, editor
UCL IOE Press
c/o Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9781782771470, $41.95, PB, 258pp, www.amazon.com
"Trust and Verify: The Real Keys to School Improvement" by Dean Fink (who is an independent
consultant with experience in more than thirty countries; a former teacher, principal, and
superintendent; and the author or coauthor of five books on leadership and educational change)
looks at trust and distrust in educational settings and argues that nations with higher degrees of
trust in their professional educators achieve superior results for all students. Not blind trust,
however, which if unchecked by some kind of verification system can prove as unproductive for
individuals and organizations as intrusive, coercive and time-consuming verification strategies.
Both sides of this equation are important, hence the title "Trust and Verify". These behaviors are
the real keys to school improvement. "Trust and Verify" is an accessible and compelling study
that provides a unique, research-based look at trust and distrust and their impact on school
improvement in seven different nations: Australia, Canada, England, Finland, Lithuania, Sweden,
and the United States. While unreservedly recommended for college and university library
Teacher & Administrative Education collections and supplemental studies reading lists, it should
be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Trust
and Verify" is also available in a Kindle format ($33.56).
Managing the Inner World of Teaching
Robert J. Marzano & Jana S. Marzano
Marzano Research Laboratory
555 N. Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404
http://www.marzanoresearch.com
9780990345831, $19.95, PB, 168pp, www.amazon.com
It is vitally important that classroom teachers work assiduously to cultivate a positive mindset,
and choose productive actions by examining their emotions and interpretations in the classroom.
By investigating three management phases (awareness, analysis, and choice) classroom teachers
can become mindful of factors that influence their interactions with students and learn a process
for ensuring positive outcomes. With a careful reading of "Managing the Inner World of
Teaching: Emotions, Interpretations, and Actions", teachers will gain concrete strategies and
activities that enhance classroom practice and impact student learning. "Managing the Inner
World of Teaching" will enable teachers to: Develop a deep understanding of the human mind;
Self-assess your mental state in regard to career, family, and friends; Understand how to use the
three-phase management process every day to ensure success: Identify and stay true to your moral
purpose and ideals to cultivate personal and professional satisfaction; and Gain strategies and
activities to enhance the lives of students, and learn to honor each student's self-system. While
unreservedly recommended for college and university Teacher Education collections and
supplemental studies reading lists, it should be noted for students and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that "Managing the Inner World of Teaching" is also
available in a Kindle format ($9.99).
Tiered Fluency Instruction
Chase Young & Timothy Rasinski
Maupin House Publishing
c/o Capstone Press
PO Box 669, Mankato, MN 56002-0669
www.capstonepub.com
9781496608031, $24.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
Fluency is an important part of literacy comprehension, but how can classroom teachers make
sure they are providing the support that all students learning to read require? The collaborative
work of Chase Young (Associate Professor in the Department of Language, Literacy, and Special
Populations at Sam Houston State University) and Timothy Rasinski (Professor of Literacy
Education at Kent State University and the Director of its award winning reading clinic), "Tiered
Fluency Instruction: Supporting Learners in Grades 2-5" will prove to be of immense practical
help to teachers in meeting meet this challenge. "Tiered Fluency Instruction" is critically
important resource that will provide fluency support for all students, including diffluent readers.
Of special note are the chapters on RTI Tiers, assessment and ways to integrate technology.
While very highly recommended as a core addition to college and university library Teacher
Education reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists, it should be noted for
students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Tiered Fluency
Instruction" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).
Creative Block Play
Rosanne Regan Hansel
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781605544458, $39.95, www.redleafpress.org
Creative Block Play: A Comprehensive Guide to Learning Through Building is another title that
should be in any early learning collection; especially those concerned with incorporating creative
block play into the curriculum. It focuses on how to use the simple block toy to foster a child's
creativity and ability to engage successfully with others, and photos and stories of different block
play activities create many ideas adults can apply to a child's playtime. From organizing a block
area and showing kids how to creatively handle loose parts to understanding various stages of
block play, Creative Block Play takes a relatively simple play tool and provides new connections
to learning.
Stenhouse Publishers
480 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101-3451
www.stenhouse.com
Jennifer Allen's second edition of Becoming a Literacy Leader (9781625310965, $33.33) covers
the author's work as she moved to a new school and position as a literacy specialist, and
examines what it means to assume such a role in supporting learning and change. While the first
edition of this book detailed her work and move, this latest continues the process of evaluating
her newfound role as a literacy guide, adding more information gleaned from the ten years since
her first discussion and surveying the basics of how she applied her job to the school community.
The result is more than just an update of events, but a re-assessment gained from further
experiences in the blossoming school system and new position, and is a highly recommended
reference for any teacher considering the role of a literacy leader. Kathy G. Short, Deanna Day
and Jean Schroeder edit Teaching Globally: Reading the World Through Literature
(9781571107923, $37.33) will reach teachers of grades K-8 with a discussion of how a global
curriculum operates and why it's important for students to know not only geographical facts
about other cultures, but their perspectives and social environment. The tips on how to
incorporate such a curriculum in an existing structure comes from an author who has developed
and applied her own framework, and shows teachers how to blend an expanded global focus into
existing literacy and social studies programs. From concrete examples of approaches that helped
open specific countries to students to tables and charts that offer data supporting case histories
and examples, Teaching Globally offers a powerful key to fostering student understanding. Vicki
Meigs-Kahlenberg's The Author's Apprentice: Developing Writing Fluency, Stamina, and
Motivation Through Authentic Publication (9781571109415, $33.33) is a year-long guide filled
with weekly lesson plans and strategies for encouraging students to write, and is an interesting
new approach that incorporates mentoring, middle grade to young adult published authors, and
ideas for turning notebooks, writing assignments, and projects into 'challenges' that spark student
interest. From creating characters to using National Novel Writing Month as an impetus for
extended writing projects beyond the usual essay or singular paper, The Author's Apprentice is an
inspiring survey that breathes new life into student creative writing projects. Kristin Ackerman
and Jennifer McDonough's Conferring with Young Writers: What to Do When You Don't Know
What to Do (9781625310392, $28.00) is for teachers of grades K-5 and any interested in helping
a child build early writing habits. The authors have been teaching writing for several years, and
though their classroom experiences and lesson plans they've created a structured program
specifically directed to writing teachers. Visual reproductions of student papers accompany
extensive notes from common core state standards to creating and keeping writing goals at the
forefront of creative assignments.
The Architecture Shelf
Bracket 3: At Extremes
Lola Sheppard, editors
Actar Publishers
355 Lexington Avenue, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10017
http://actar.com
9780989331760, $39.95, PB, 270pp, www.amazon.com
Compiled and edited by Lola Sheppard (who received her Bachelor of Science in Architecture
and Bachelor of Architecture from McGill University, her Master of Architecture degree from
the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and is currently an Associate Professor at the University
of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada) with the assistance of Maya Przbylski, "Bracket 3: At Extremes"
is comprised of critical articles and unpublished design projects that investigate architecture,
infrastructure and technology as they operate in conditions of imbalance, negotiate tipping points
and test limit states. Contemporary architects are conditioned, as designers of the built
environment, towards the organization of people, programs and movement. Indeed the history of
modern urbanism, architecture and building science has been predicated on an anti-entropic
notion of programmatic and social order. But there are scenarios in which a state of extremity or
imbalance is productive. The contributors to "Bracket 3: At Extremes" seeks to understand what
new spatial orders emerge in this liminal space. How might it be leveraged as an opportunity for
invention? What are the limits of wilderness and control, of the natural and artificial, the real and
the virtual? What new landscapes, networks, and urban models might emerge in the wake of
destabilized economic, social and environmental conditions? Exceptionally well organized and
presented, "Bracket 3: At Extremes" is a unique, original, and highly recommended addition to
professional, college, and university library Contemporary Architecture collections and
supplemental studies reading lists.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Call of the Cats
Andrew Bloomfield
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608683987 $15.95 pbk / $9.96 Kindle amazon.com
Call of the Cats is the true-life story of author and aspiring screenwriter Andrew Bloomfield, who
discovered that a large colony of feral cats lived on the property of his newly acquired home in
Southern California. As feral cats, they had essentially reverted to wild behavior, unaccustomed
to human touch, and ill-suited as pets. They also suffered a high death toll from harsh conditions
and predators. After witnessing the aftermath of a midnight attack that decimated another litter of
kittens, Bloomfield decided he would not abandon the cats to suffer the cruelties of nature.
Bloomfield began to name, feed, house, rescue, neuter, and even nurse cats as needed, attempting
to improve colony's quality of life one cat at a time. The hard work and compassion he put into
caring for the cats ultimately rewarded him with a far greater sense of meaning and purpose than
he had ever found in pursuit of Hollywood fame and fortune. Call of the Cats is heart-touching,
profound, and highly recommended.
Exotic Animal Medicine for the Veterinary Technician, third edition
Bonnie Ballard & Ryan Cheek
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell
9781118914281, $74.99, HC, 536pp, www.amazon.com
Now in a newly updated and expanded third edition (and which is now illustrated in color for
first time), "Exotic Animal Medicine for the Veterinary Technician" by the team of Bonnie
Ballard (who holds Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Georgia College of
Veterinary Medicine and in 1997 developed a veterinary technology program at Gwinnett
Technical College in Lawrenceville, Georgia, where she acts as the program director) and Ryan
Cheek (a veterinary technologist and a full time instructor at Gwinnett Technical College) is a
comprehensive yet clear methodical introduction to exotic animal practice for technicians in the
classroom and clinic setting alike. With an emphasis on the exotic species most likely to present
to a veterinary practice, "Exotic Animal Medicine for the Veterinary Technician" covers avian,
reptiles, amphibians, fish, small mammals, and wildlife. Featuring anatomy, restraint, common
diseases to radiology, surgical assisting, and parasitology, of special note is a new chapter on fish
medicine. Of special note is the companion website offering review questions and images from
the text in PowerPoint. Comprehensive, exceptionally well organized and presented, "Exotic
Animal Medicine for the Veterinary Technician" is an ideal textbook for college and university
library Veterinary Reference Collections in general, and Exotic Small Animal Veterinary
Services supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for veterinary
students that "Exotic Animal Medicine for the Veterinary Technician" is also available in a
Kindle format ($44.99).
Insider Training
Christina Potter
Aperture Press LLC
201 Washington Street, Suite 533, Reading, PA 19601
www.AperturePress.net
9780990930297, $19.95, HC, 60pp, www.amazon.com
Common problems of dog owners include dogs ignores you when you call their names; bath time
is the stuff of nightmares; barking annoys the neighbors; a new puppy is out of control. If you
want a better life for you and your dog, "Insider Training: Chester Gigolo's Dog Training Secrets
Revealed" is what-to-do instruction manual to turn to for successfully training your canine
companion. "Insider Training", presents easy step-by-step instructions, humorously told through
a dog's perspective, to successfully train an age or breed of dog. Whether you're training for the
home, the show ring, or the big screen, all breeds large and small will respond to the exercises,
sound advice, and insightful tips contained in the page of "Insider Training". Christina Potter has
been training dogs for over twenty years. She has trained various breeds such as Golden
Retrievers, Chinese Cresteds, Berger Picards, and an Afghan Hound. With "Insider Training:
Chester Gigolo's Dog Training Secrets Revealed" she draws upon her impressive experience and
exceptionally expertise to prove a thoroughly 'user friendly' guide and do-it-yourself manual that
is unreservedly recommended for personal and community library Pets/Wildlife collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Insider Training" is also available in a paperback
edition (9780997302004, $11.95) and in a Kindle format ($4.99).
The Automotive Shelf
Mustang: The First 50 Years
TM Books & Video
PO Box 9228, Michigan City, IN 46361
9781936890859, $19.99, DVD, www.tmbv.com
In 1964, Ford's new pony car was immediately embraced by the "Mustang" generation -- namely,
those Baby Boomers who blossomed into a huge buying force and were looking for a new car
that fit their fun-loving, go-fast lifestyle. The Mustang, which included affordability,
performance and cachet, was that car. One million Mustangs were sold in the first 18 months.
"Mustang: The First 50 Years" is a superbly produced 2 DVD set that tells the story of America's
love affair with the Mustang through the eyes of collectors, enthusiasts, journalists and former
Ford employees who were there at the beginning, including Gale Halderman (who designed the
1965 Mustang), Henry Ford III, Mustang expert Jeff Burgy, authors John Clor, Bob Fria, and
Matt Stone. Mustangs of all generations were shot in beautiful high definition, wide-screen DVD
video and are featured along with rarely seen historical footage from the Ford Archives. There
are also profiles on Carroll Shelby, Lee Iacocca and others. Exceptionally informed and
informative, "Mustang: The First 50 Years" has a total running time of 2 hours, 30 minutes, and
is enthusiastically recommended for personal, community, and academic library Automotive
History collections.
The History of Ford Trucks
TM Books & Video
PO Box 9228, Michigan City, IN 46361
9781936890781, $12.99, DVD, www.tmbv.com
The Ford F-150 is the best-selling truck on the planet. Why? To find the answer we go back to
Ford's first truck produced in the Ford factory, the Model T one-ton in 1917, then the first
factory-built pickup in 1925. We cover Ford's first V8 in 1932, the Streamline Era of the 30s,
WWII, and 13 generations of the legendary F-Series, including the 2017 Raptor. "The History of
Ford Trucks" is a TM Books & Video DVD that combine rare footage from the Ford Archives
with stunning, HD-widescreen footage of Limited Editions like the King Ranch,
Harley-Davidson, Raptor, and Lightning. The story of Ford trucks is the story of America. Trucks
played a pivotal role in the shaping and expanding of America, the two World Wars, the postwar
boom, and still today -- trucks keep America rolling. A story of innovation, determination, and
loyalty, this very special automotive history is told through the eyes of journalists, Ford
executives, historians, and those who just love Ford trucks. Very highly recommended for
personal, community, and academic library Automotive History collections, "The History of Ford
Trucks" has a total running time of 70 minutes.
Linda Vaughn: The First Lady of Motorsports
Linda Vaughn & Rob Kinnan
CarTech Inc.
838 Lake Street South, Forest Lake, MN 55025
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613252321, $39.95, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Linda Vaughn was born August 11, 1943 in Dalton, Georgia and is an American motor racing
personality who has been described as the "preeminent beauty queen of stock car racing".
Vaughn was named "Miss Queen of Speed at Atlanta International Raceway" at the age of 18 and
has acquired many other titles since then. Vaughan has been a notable ambassador and promoter
of various forms of American motor racing for several decades and was chosen to be the queen
of the 1961 Dixie 400. In 1976 she even appeared in a movie called 'The Gumball Rally'. Perhaps
the most photographed personality in automotive and motorsports history, Linda Vaughn has
entertained fans and has been a premier marketer of automotive goods for more than 55 years.
Profusely illustrated and with the assistance of Rob Kininan, Linda tells the inherently
fascinating story of her life and career in the world of automotive racing promotion in the pages
of "Linda Vaughn: The First Lady of Motorsports". Exceptionally informative and impressively
well organized and presented from first page to last, "Linda Vaughn: The First Lady of
Motorsports" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Automotive
Racing History collections and is a 'must' for the legions of Linda Vaughn fans!
Mopar Small-Block Engines
Larry Shepard
CarTech Inc.
838 Lake Street South, Forest Lake, MN 55025
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613252802 $26.95 amazon.com
Automotive Media Award-winning author Larry Shepard presents Mopar Small-Block Engines, a
technical guide to Chrysler LA-series and Magnum small-block engines, which power Chrysler,
Dodge, and Plymouth cars and trucks made from 1964 to 2003. Full-color photography on almost
every page illustrates this meticulous, step-by-step reference, invaluable for professional auto
repairmen and for lay readers with some background in auto maintenance who wish to keep their
vehicle's small-block engine in the best possible condition. An excellent and supremely detailed
resource!
The Needlecraft Shelf
Block Genius
Sue Voegtlin
Landauer Corporation
3100 NW 101st Street, Suite A, Urbandale, Iowa 50322
www.landauercorp.com
9781935726906, $24.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
"Block Genius: Over 201 Pieced Quilt Blocks with No Math Charts" by needlecraft expert and
photographer Sue Voegtlin is comprised of 201 classic blocks that can usefully sewing skills,
make block exchanges, and/or simple create wonderful block sampler quilts. "Block Genius
organizes and presents the blocks in groups of 2 2, 3 3, 4 4, and 6 6 grids with
instructions and math provided for 6-, 9- and 12-inch blocks. A veritable block library that will
be the quilters practical go-to source for reference, inspiration and instruction. With the
exception of a few that were designed by Sue Voegtlin, the block designs presented are all nearly
100 years old. Some designs are still sewn to this day, but many deserve new recognition and use
by today's quilters. Of special note is that four-color photography provides color and
fabric-choice inspiration to quilters, and each block's evocative name recalls quilting's rich
history. Clear instructions and expert advice: exploded diagrams of each block make construction
a snap without special rulers. Tips on fabric selection, color choice, cutting pressing and sewing.
Simply stated, "Block Genius" is unreservedly recommended for both personal and community
library Needlecraft instructional reference collections.
Patchwork Quilted Bags
Reiko Washizawa
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9780804846660, $16.95, PB, 96pp, www.amazon.com
"Patchwork Quilted Bags: Totes, Purses and Accessories" by quilting expert Reiko Washizawa is
a beautifully and profusely illustrated compendium of full-sized quilting patterns and
step-by-step instructions for 19 different projects, along with techniques for assembling the
perfect patch, make this quilting book ideal for novice and practiced crafters alike. Projects range
in size from large totes to small pouches in a zakka vein. The individual projects range from a
bird-themed travel bag, to a colorful clasp purse; to a fold-away eco bag, to a round bag/basket.
"Patchwork Quilted Bags" shows creative ways to use every type of patch from squares to
yo-yos, and every type of print from florals to newsprint. Pages showcasing different patchwork
quilts add inspiration for mixing traditional and contemporary forms. Unique and thoroughly
'user friendly' in organization and step-by-step presentation, "Patchwork Quilted Bags" is
enthusiastically recommended for community library Needlecraft instructional collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Patchwork Quilted Bags" is also available in a
Kindle format ($9.99).
Singer Sewing Custom Curtains, Shades, and Top Treatments
Susan Woodcock
Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781589239319, $26.99, PB, 232pp, www.amazon.com
Susan Woodcock owns HomeDecGal.com, a how-to sewing and decorating resource and
workroom in western North Carolina. She began teaching professionally in 2003, and is currently
a Craftsy.com instructor. In Singer Sewing Custom Curtains, Shades, and Top Treatments: A
Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Making and Installing Window Decor" she draws upon her
years of experience and expertise to write, organize and present a thoroughly 'user friendly'
how-to instruction manual that guides the reader step-by-step through the entire process from
planning the project to measuring scale and proportion, to selecting necessary tools, fabric, and
hardware to actually sewing the curtains and installing them. "Singer Sewing Custom Curtains,
Shades, and Top Treatments covers: Window treatment project planning; Window
measurements; Calculating scale and proportion; Fabric and hardware selection; Curtains and
draperies; Grommets; Gathered and ruched curtains; Pleated curtains; Adding trim, banding, and
other embellishments to window treatments; Shades and blinds; Roman shades; Flat shades with
dowels; Relaxed draperies; Gathered shades; Top treatments; Common tips and techniques;
Cutting and Sewing. Enhanced with the inclusion of a glossary and a listing of resources, "Singer
Sewing Custom Curtains, Shades, and Top Treatments" is unreservedly recommended for
community library Needlecraft instructional reference collections. It should be noted for personal
DIY needlecrafter's reading lists that "Singer Sewing Custom Curtains, Shades, and Top
Treatments" is also available in a Kindle format ($14.57).
Couture Sewing: Making Designer Trims
Claire B. Shaeffer
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781631866579, $26.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Claire Shaeffer is an internationally respected author, lecturer, college instructor and columnist
whose innovative sewing techniques and easy-to-read instructions have guided readers and
students through many sewing facets of the garment industry. In the pages of "Couture Sewing:
Making Designer Trims" Claire presents sewing methods she has developed based on her own
meticulous research into couture sewing methods and techniques. Offering a unique, multimedia
approach, which includes detailed step-by-step instructions, photos, and how-to video, form an
essential resource for needlecrafters looking to elevate their garments to the next level by adding
appropriate trims, "Couture Sewing: Making Designer Trims" is a must-have resource that gives
an overview of the different types of trims that are used in a couture workroom and explains
different methods for attaching the trims to a garment. As a bonus readers will learn how to
create trims from scratch. Of special note is the inclusion of intriguing garment examples from
Claire's impressive personal collection, alongside information on the construction methods used
to create them. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation,
and accompanied by a instructional DVD, "Couture Sewing: Making Designer Trims" is highly
recommended for personal, professional, and community library Needlecraft instructional
reference collections.
Folk Art Quilted Traditions
Suzy Webster
American Quilter's Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781683390077, $22.95, www.aqsquilt.com
Suzy Webster's Hungarian background led to her interest in Hungarian folk art which, when
combined with her penchant for quilting, offers some twelve inspired quilt blocks for newcomers
and advanced quilters alike in Folk Art Quilted Traditions. These blocks are then incorporated
into different projects that benefit from the folk art tradition. Chapters cover applique layering,
fusion, numbering pieces, and quilt stitching the results, creating a powerful gathering of
possibilities any quilter will want to know.
The Art Shelf
Picturing Indian Territory
Edited by B. Byron Price
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
www.oupress.com
9780806155777 $34.95 amazon.com
Picturing Indian Territory: Portraits of the Land That Became Oklahoma, 1819-1907 is an
artbook filled cover to cover with striking, full-color reproductions of historic artworks that
depicted images of Native Americans living in land designated as "Indian Territory" before the
American Civil War. Three, thoughtful essays provide historical context to these artworks, and
describe the creation of "Indian Territory" separate from the United States as well as the saga of
Oklahoma's eventual statehood. An extraordinary visual record of Native American history,
Picturing Indian Territory is unforgettable and highly recommended especially for public and
college library collections.
Helio Oiticica: To Organize Delirium
Lynn Zelevansky, et al.
Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, New York, NY 10003
www.prestel.com
9783791355221, $75.00, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
The late Helio Oiticica (July 26, 1937 - March 22, 1980) was a Brazilian visual artist who was
best known for his participation in the Neo-Concrete Movement, for his innovative use of color,
and for what he later termed "environmental art", which included Parangoles and Penetrables.
The collaborative work of Lynne Zelevansky, Elizabeth Sussman, James Rondeau, Donna De
Salvo, and Anna Katherine Brodbeck, "Helio Oiticica: To Organize Delirium" is the most
comprehensive study to date of Helio's work. Profusely illustrated with 310 flawlessly
reproduced illustrations, "Helio Oiticica: To Organize Delirium" captures the excitement and
complexity of Oiticica's paintings, sculptures, and installations. Enhanced with the inclusion of
insightful essays covering the entirety of his career, (with special emphasis on his little-known
New York period between 1971 and 1978) "Helio Oiticica: To Organize Delirium" thoroughly
exploring Oiticica's most acclaimed works while also examining his involvement with music,
literature, and his response to politics and the social environment in Brazil. "Helio Oiticica: To
Organize Delirium" is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library
Art History collections in general, and Helio Oiticica supplemental studies reading lists in
particular.
Abstract Expressionism for Beginners
Richard Klin, author
Lily Prince, illustrator
For Beginners LLC
155 Main Street, Suite 211, Danbury, CT 06810
www.forbeginnersbooks.com
9781939994622 $15.95 amazon.com
Part of the user-friendly "For Beginners" series, Abstract Expressionism for Beginners teaches
the reader about the Abstract Expressionism movement that shaped art history in the postwar era.
Black-and-white illustrations throughout help illuminate the works of iconic figures in modern
art such as Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko, Helen Frankenthaler, and much
more. "During the 1950s, [the Cedar Tavern] became the iconic watering hole where many of the
AbEx painters gathered night after night. The booze, dispensed by ex-Marine bartenders, flowed
freely - very freely. Jackson Pollock was often on the premises - besotted, antagonistic,
brawling." Abstract Expressionism for Beginners lives up to its title in terms of accessibility, and
is a choice pick for public library Art History collections.
Creative Strength Training
Jane Dunnewold
North Light Books
c/o F+W Media
700 East State Street, Iola WI 54945
9781440344954, $24.99, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Artists and athletes alike benefit from strength training. Building creative stamina takes
encouragement, mentoring, and regular practice. In "Creative Strength Training: Prompts,
Exercises and Personal Stories for Encouraging Artistic Genius" by educator and artist Jane
Dunnewold, aspiring artists will discover powerful strategies that combine writing and hands-on
art-making to overcome creative stumbling blocks, develop a unique voice and make creating art
a regular habit. "Creative Strength Training" offers ten specific exercises for making art that
stands apart as uniquely yours. Readers will receive support and inspiration from the contributing
artists who share how each chapter has improved their practice and helped them evolve.
Exceptionally well written, organized, illustrated and presented, "Creative Strength Training" is
unreservedly recommended for personal, community, art school, college and university library
collections. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in
the subject that "Creative Strength Training" is also available in a Kindle format ($11.99).
Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
Harriet Quick's Vogue: The Shoe (9781840916591, $125.00) appears in an oversized edition
including a clam shell case and presents lovely photos capturing amazing styles. Here are some
300 oversized color images of shoes that come from a hundred years of British Vogue,
accompanying an in-depth discussion of changing styles and the inspirational sources for their
creation. Besides being a 'must have' pick for fashion collections, a secondary strength of this
collection lies in its stunning photographic representations of shoes which come from some of
British Vogue's most talented artists. Luxurious, revealing, and opulent in structure and
presentation, Vogue: The Shoe is not to be missed by any fashion or photography artist or
collections catering to them. Judith Miller's Art Deco: Living with the Art Deco Style
(9781784721060, $39.99) traces the popularity of Art Deco among collectors and artists alike
and is recommended for any who want a basic overview of the movement, its origins, its
influence on the art world, and its lasting presence today. An oversized presentation packed with
illustrations discusses both specific artists and general impact of the Art Deco period, with
chapters displaying examples of works that have found their way into homes, public places, and
professional circles. Glassworks, clocks, pottery and sculpture are all covered as part of the
exploration of the wide-ranging applications of Art Deco beyond the usual architectural focus.
No arts collection should be without this sweeping overview of the style's many incarnations,
artists and examples.
The Poetry Shelf
Lost Among the Hours
Alan Britt
Rain Mountain Press
www.rainmountainpress.com
9781495106064, $16.00, PB, 93pp, www.amazon.com
The American poet Alan Britt believes that each poem has its feral destiny. "Lost Among the
Hours" is an impressive compilation of some of his best work. Like an artist puts pain to canvas,
Britt puts words to paper. The result is a kaleidoscopic swirl of emotion evoking phrases, lines of
deliberate human insight, and the consistently compelling presentation of observations both
personal and universal. "Lost Among the Hours" is highly recommended for personal reading
lists as well as community and academic library Contemporary American Poetry collections.
'American Politics' (for Red Cloud): You know it doesn't matter / who's President // The
President doesn't control / the death rate, anyway. // Take genocide, for example. // Not long ago,
both parties disguised / cholera as truth, then quarantined / Sioux grandmothers and babes /
inside buffalo skins stretched / across warm, moist South Dakota / nights punctuated by insane
bullfrogs.
The Woodworking Shelf
The Fundamentals of Segmented Woodturning
James Rodgers
Linden Publishing
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721-9875
www.woodworkerslibrary.com
9781610352789, $24.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
"Profusely and beautifully illustrated with step-by-step instructions for each project, The
Fundamentals of Segmented Woodturning: Projects, Techniques & Innovations for Today's
Woodturner", by professional woodturner and woodturning instructor Jim Rodgers provides the
most up-to-date guide for any woodturner trying his hand at segmented woodturning. With an
emphasis on visual instruction, "The Fundamentals of Segmented Woodturning" offers the new
segmenter with a simple, accessible introduction to the established practices while providing
advanced segmenters with all the new techniques that have emerged due to the growing
popularity of the craft. Starting with the basics, "The Fundamentals of Segmented Woodturning"
covers the essentials of tools, the steps of construction, and critical technique of accurate segment
cutting before moving on to ring segmented and open segmented turning. Also covered for
aspiring segmented woodturners are simple design enhancements to dress up any project, a
bowl-from-a-board project that utilizes lamination to create mind-blowing designs, and fun
techniques for simple and fast segmented pens and vessels that utilize scrap wood and can be
completed in a small amount of spare time. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and
presentation, "The Fundamentals of Segmented Woodturning" is very highly recommended for
both personal, highschool wood shop, and community library Woodworking instructional
reference collections.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
The Span of Empire
Eric Flint and David Carrico
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
9781476781532, $26.00, www.baen.com
The Span of Empire tells of a long battle against opponents who have been terrorizing the galaxy
- a battle looking for new soldiers as this book opens. Preceptor Ronz, guardian of Earth, is
sending an exploration fleet to gain more allies in the struggle; but the fleet's only find remnants
of intelligent species who have been slaughtered by the Ekhat. Even as they search for support,
the Ekhat are growing stronger as new warriors come into power. How can the Jao and their
contingent win such an impossible battle? Fans of military science fiction will find much to like
in this gripping saga of struggle and survival.
Stargate
Pauline Gedge
Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781613735084, $17.99, PB, 352pp, www.amazon.com
In the earliest years of the history of the universe, the Worldmaker has turned against his
creations with unaccountable malice. One by one the ruling sun lords of each solar system have
fallen, succumbing to the lure of forbidden knowledge. The terrible punishment for their crime is
isolation where the Gates connecting their worlds to the rest of the cosmos are sealed off. Their
innocence lost, their civilizations hopelessly corrupted, the immortal sun people are condemned
to languish with their subjects in an eternity of solitude. With courageous and often desperate
measures the remaining sun lords are now preparing themselves and their subjects for a battle
unlike any they have ever imagined. The final struggle has begun. Unfolding with epic power,
"Stargate" is conceived by author Pauline Gedge with a richness, subtlety, and depth that set it
apart from most science fiction novels. First published in 1982 but long out of print, this
'Rediscovered Classics' edition of "Stargate" from the Chicago Review Press will prove to be a
welcome introduction to a whole new generation of appreciative readers of a truly gifted master
of the science fiction genre. While unreservedly recommended for community library Science
Fiction & Fantasy collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of scifi fans is that
"Stargate" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).
The Grimm Future
Erin Underwood, editor
NESFA Press
PO Box 809, Framingham, MA 01701
9781610373159, $35.00, HC, 272pp, www.nesfapress.com
Compiled and edited by Erin Underwood, "The Grimm Future" is a compendium of fourteen
outstanding science fiction and fantasy stories by masters of the genre and blending fresh new
science fiction with a futuristic dash of magic. From cover to cover, "The Grimm Future" is a
unique and consistently compelling anthology of re-imagined Grimm fairy tales from some of
today's most exciting authors along with the original stories that inspired them. The individual
stories comprising "The Grimm Future" deftly examines our humanity and what that term might
come to mean through the eyes of future generations as society advances into an age when
technology consumes nearly every aspect of our lives or has ultimately changed life as we know
it. How might these timeless stories evolve? Given the relentless onrush of technology, there is
even greater need for fairy tales and Grimm magic in our future. Simply stated, "The Grimm
Future" is unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for the personal reading lists of
science fiction and fantasy fans, and would prove to be an enduringly popular addition to
community and academic library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections.
Dungeonology
Candlewick Press
99 Dover Street, Somerville, MA 02144
www.candlewick.com
9780763693534 $24.99 amazon.com
Part of the delightful series of "Ology" pop-up books filled with pull-out items and secrets,
Dungeonology showcases the monsters, treasures, and evil labyrinths of the Forgotten Realms
(R) setting from the pen-and-paper role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. Packed with color
illustrations (including a 3D hologram on the inside back cover) and fold-out sections,
Dungeonology is a beautiful collector's item. Removable paper parts and the fragility of pop-up
books make Dungeonology unsuited for public library collections or very young children, but
Dungeonology is an excellent giftbook for fantasy fans and role-playing gamers ages 10 and
up!
The Beer/Wine Shelf
Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book 2017
Margaret Rand, general editor
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781784721473 $16.99 www.octopusbooksusa.com
Now in its 40th anniversary edition, Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book 2017 is a compact,
quick-reference, up-to-date guide packed with information on more than 6,000 wines and
growers. Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book 2017 summarizes each wine's styles, quality
standing, vintage information, and much more. Made accessible to wine tasters of all experience
levels with definitions of technical terms, as well as fascinating vignettes and more, Hugh
Johnson's Pocket Wine Book 2017 is an absolute "must" for wine connoisseurs!
The Social Issues Shelf
Workplace Bullying
Judith Geneva Balcerzak
NASW Press
750 First Street, NE, #700, Washington, DC 20002-4241
www.naswpress.org
9780871014900, $49.99, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Simply stated, "Workplace Bullying: Clinical and Organizational Perspectives" is an instruction
manual for how to help anyone stressed out at work; who feels degraded, humiliated,
embarrassed, or threatened; who is a victim of workplace bullying. Although the problem of
workplace bullying is not new, the incidence, prevalence, and severity have worsened in the
United States. In "Workplace Bullying" clinical social worker Judith Geneva Balcerzak draws
upon her more than thirty-five years of experience and expertise to provide an understanding of
workplace bullying from a theoretical, clinical, organizational, and public policy perspective.
While unreservedly recommended for college and university library Social Work Studies
collections, "Workplace Bullying" is an especially resource for social workers, clinicians,
practitioners, consultants, and policy advocates addressing the concerns of workplace bullying
and offers strategies for bullying prevention and intervention, treatment, remediation, and
advocacy for those who are or have been bullied in the workplace.
Water is for Fighting Over and Other Myths about Water in the West
John Fleck
Island Press
2000 M St NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20036
www.islandpress.org
9781610916790, $30.00, HC, 264pp, www.amazon.com
The allocation of water and water rights has long been a point of contention between competing
parties for what is now a dwindling resource in the American southwest due to one of the most
extended periods of drought in the region's geological history. But having covered environmental
issues in the West for a quarter century, John Fleck brings a particular expertise to the pages of
"Water is for Fighting Over and Other Myths about Water in the West". He acknowledges the
serious problems posed by a dwindling Colorado River, and has seen people in the Colorado
River Basin come together, conserve, and share the water that is available. Western communities,
whether farmers and city-dwellers or US environmentalists and Mexican water managers, have a
promising record of cooperation, a record often obscured by the crisis narrative. "Water is for
Fighting Over" is a fresh take on western water as it brings to light the true history of
collaboration and examines the bonds currently being forged to solve the Basin's most dire
threats. Rather than perpetuate the myth "Whiskey's for drinkin', water's for fightin' over," Fleck's
fundamental message is that readers can embrace a new, more optimistic narrative -- including a
future where the Colorado continues to flow. Very highly recommended for community and
academic library Environmental Studies collections, it should be noted for academia and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Water is for Fighting Over" is
also available in a Kindle format ($17.54).
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Being Professional
Adam Coplan
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9781615932498, $24.95, PB, 220pp, www.amazon.com
With respect to the specialized area of screen writing, "Being Professional" by Adam Coplan is a
complete course of instruction under one cover. "Being Professional" teaches the ABCs of
screenwriting from a practical perspective, rather than a merely theoretical or academic
perspective. "Being Professional" highlights the many traps, mistakes, and pitfalls that frequently
plague writers of all experience levels and shows them the difference between simply completing
a script as an amateur, and taking an idea and executing the best version of it as a professional
piece, worthy of industry attention. Of special note are the chapters on editing and presentation,
Simply stated, "Being Professional" should be considered a mandatory study manual for anyone
and every one who aspires to write a play for film, television, or theatre.
The Writer's Way, ninth edition
Jack Rawlins and Stephen Metzger
Cengage Learning, Inc.
20 Channel Center Street, Boston, MA 02210
www.cengage.com
9781285438542 $126.95 pbk / $24.99 ebook www.cengagebrain.com
Now in an updated ninth edition, The Writer's Way is a professional textbook designed especially
for college writing courses. Formulated around a whole language approach, and the core
principles of knowing one's audience and having a good reason to write, The Writer's Way is an
intermediate to advanced guide applicable to students refining their skill in all types of writing,
from academic research papers to written debates to prose fiction. "A research guide does more
than list entries; it's a real instruction manual on doing research in the field. It may summarize or
critique the sources it lists, review the biographical materials available, give an overview of
what's being done in the field, and even suggest fruitful new lines of inquiry... If you can find a
reference guide to your subject, and it isn't out-of-date, begin your research there." The Writer's
Way is a superb resource for classroom use or self-study, and a "must-read" for every student
seeking a college degree. It should be noted for personal reading lists that The Writer's Way is
also available in an affordable ebook edition ($24.99).
The Economic Studies Shelf
Trans-Pacific Partnership: An Assessment
Cathleen Crimino-Isaacs and Jeffrey J. Schott, editors
Peterson Institute for International Economics
1750 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20036
www.piie.com
9780881327137 $23.95 pbk / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a trade agreement among twelve Pacific Rim countries,
including the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Vietnam, and
Malaysia, and notably not including China. It features provisions designed to reduce both non-
tariff and tariff barriers to trade, and establish an investor-state dispute settlement mechanism.
The TPP is currently awaiting ratification to become fully effective. Trans-Pacific Partnership:
An Assessment is an anthology of scholarly essays by learned authors scrutinizing prospective
ramifications of the TPP. Individual writings include "Tariff Liberalization", "Liberalization of
Services Trade", "Dispute Settlement Mechanism", "Labor Standards in the TPP", "TPP and
Digital Trade", "TPP and Exchange Rates", and much more. "Although the TPP does not address
all the concerns of labor rights advocates, it represents an important step forward...
Implementation of the mandated reforms would deliver significant improvements in Brunei,
Malaysia, and Vietnam. The monitoring mechanisms attached to Vietnam's plan in particular
seem more proactive than past US efforts." Trans-Pacific Partnership: An Assessment offers a
timely examination of a pivotal modern political and economic issue, and is highly recommended
especially for public and college library Economic Studies shelves.
The Business Shelf
The Etiquette Edge
Beverly Langford
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
www.amacombooks.org
9780814437629, $16.00, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
"The Etiquette Edge: Modern Manners for Business Success" by Beverly Langford (President of
LMA Communication, a training, coaching, and consulting firm that specializes in strategic
communication and interpersonal effectiveness, and who teaches in the Robinson College of
Business at Georgia State University) gives the reader a crash course on modern business
manners. New advice explains how to navigate sticky situations at work, including digital
interactions that are easy to misinterpret -- and hard to mend. "The Etiquette Edge covers:
interviewing etiquette and dress codes; working in close quarters; communicating upward; the
essentials of making a great impression and building relationships; being smart about how and
when to use a smartphone; handling difficult conversations with tact and finesse; checking texts
and emails for content and tone; creating a polished image on social media; conducting meetings
whether in person, online, or over lunch with poise and confidence; and so much more! In our era
of self-perceived entitlement, saying thank-you and giving praise are increasingly rare -- but these
simple acts are far from empty gestures. They're refreshing reflections of respect. Inconsiderate
people and poor conduct may permeate the workplace, but success comes to those who play by a
better set of rules. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Etiquette Edge" is
unreservedly recommended for community and academic library Business Management reference
collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for members of the business
community and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Etiquette
Edge" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).
The Farmer's Office
Julia Shanks
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
www.newsociety.com
9780865718166, $24.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Specifically written for the benefit of men and women embarking on farming as an
entrepreneurial enterprise, author Julia Shanks draws upon her personal experience and expertise
to distill years of teaching and business consulting with farmers into the pages of The Farmer's
Office: Tools, Tips and Templates to Successfully Manage a Growing Farm Business", making it
a truly comprehensive, practical, and fully accessible guide. "The Farmer's Office" covers all
aspects of launching, running and growing a successful farm business through effective
bookkeeping and business management, providing tools to make managerial decisions, apply for
a loan or other financing, and offering general business and strategy advice for growing a
business. While absolutely and firmly recommended for community and agricultural school
instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Farmer's
Office" is also available in a Kindle format ($14.74).
The Music Shelf
Fleetwood Mac on Fleetwood Mac
Sean Egan, editor
Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781613732342, $28.99, HC, 448pp, www.amazon.com
The music group Fleetwood Mac was a triumph from the beginning with their first album being
the UK's best-selling album of 1968. After some low points (such as when founder Peter Green
left the group), some fans felt that the band continuing was sacrilege. But then Lindsey
Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined the group and their 1977 album, Rumours, became one of
history's immortals, a true classic that remained on the charts for years and in the public's
affection forever. In the press, the ethereal Californian Stevie Nicks, the tormented rocker
Lindsey Buckingham, the dignified English rose Christine McVie, the blunt-speaking John
McVie, and the loquacious Mick Fleetwood have all regularly been astoundingly candid.
Compiled and edited by Sean Egan, "Fleetwood Mac on Fleetwood Mac: Interviews and
Encounters" is collection of interviews from across the entirety of Fleetwood Mac's career and
features articles from such celebrated publications as Crawdaddy, New Musical Express, Circus,
Creem, Mojo, Goldmine, Classic Rock, Blender, and Elle, as well as interviews that have never
previously appeared in print. "Fleetwood Mac on Fleetwood Mac" is the only place fans can learn
the Fleetwood Mac story from the band members' own mouths. While unreservedly
recommended for community, college, and university library Popular Music History collections
in general, and Fleetwood Mac supplemental studies reading lists in particular, it should be noted
for academia and the legions of Fleetwood Mac fans that "Fleetwood Mac on Fleetwood Mac" is
also available in a paperback edition (9781785582929, $14.25) and in a Kindle format
($9.99).
The Archaeology Shelf
Solomon's Temple And Palace
Yosef Garfinkel & Madeleine Mumcuoglu
Biblical Archaeology Society Press
4710 - 41st Street, NW, Washington, DC 20016-1700
www.biblicalarchaeology.org
9789657027301, $50.00, HC, 232pp, www.amazon.com
Solomon's Temple (also known as the First Temple) and the royal palace known from the
Hebrew Bible have been a riddle for millennia and of intense interest on the part of biblical
archaeologists. Biblical descriptions of these structures have proven difficult to interpret. Yet
authors Yosef Garfinkel (Yigael Yadin Chair of Archaeology at the Hebrew University of
Jerusalem and Director of the excavations at Lachish) and Madeleine Mumcuoglu (who
participated in the Qeiyafa and Lachish excavations) believe they have unlocked the meaning of
these enigmatic Biblical passages, thanks to the discovery of a small stone Temple model at
Khirbet Qeiyafa. The present their findings in the profusely illustrated pages of "Solomon's
Temple and Palace: New Archaeological Discoveries", providing a new understanding of the
Biblical descriptions of the two ancient structures. Impressively well written, organized and
presented for both academia and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the subject,
"Solomon's Temple And Palace" is unreservedly recommended for community and academic
library Biblical Archaeology collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
The Language Studies Shelf
Pliny the Younger: Selected Letters
Jo-Ann Shelton
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
1570 Baskin Road, Mundelein, IL 60060
www.bolchazy.com
9780865168404, $29.00, PB, 296pp, www.amazon.com
Pliny the Younger (61 - c.113), was a lawyer, author, and magistrate of Ancient Rome. Pliny's
uncle, Pliny the Elder, helped raise and educate him. Both Pliny the Elder and Younger were
witnesses to the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, in which the former died. Pliny was considered
an honest and moderate man. He rose through a series of Imperial civil and military offices, the
cursus honorum. He was a friend of the historian Tacitus' and employed the biographer Suetonius
on his staff. Pliny also came into contact with other well-known men of the period, including the
philosophers Artemidorus and Euphrates the Stoic, during his time in Syria. Pliny the Younger
wrote hundreds of letters, many of which still survive, that are of great historical value for the
time period. Some are addressed to reigning emperors or to notables such as the historian
Tacitus. Pliny served as an imperial magistrate under Trajan (reigned 98 - 117), and his letters to
Trajan provide one of the few surviving records of the relationship between the imperial office
and provincial governors. Compiled and edited by Jo-Ann Shelton (Professor Emerita of
Classics, University of California - Santa Barbara), "Pliny the Younger: Selected Letters" begins
with an introduction to Pliny's life and letters, then presents the unadapted Latin texts of thirty
letters with same (and facing) page commentaries. Enhanced with the inclusion of genealogical
charts, three maps, nine b/w illustrations, a glossary of proper names, and appendix of
instructions, an index, and a Latin to English glossary, "Pliny the Younger: Selected Letters" is
especially recommended for personal, professional, college, and university library Latin Studies
collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
The Military Shelf
Vietnam's High Ground
J. P. Harris
University Press of Kansas
2501 West 15th Street, Lawrence, KS 66049
www.kansaspress.ku.edu
9780700622832, $45.00, HC, 552pp, www.amazon.com
"Vietnam's High Ground: Armed Struggle for the Central Highlands, 1954-1965" by J. P. Harris
(a Senior Lecturer in War Studies at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst) is the story of the
struggle for survival in the region known as the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The rugged
mountains, high plateaus, and dense jungles of the Central Highlands seemed as forbidding to
most Vietnamese as it did to most Americans. During 1954 to 1965, the great majority of its
inhabitants were not ethnic Vietnamese. Ngo Dinh Diem's regime initially supported an
American counterinsurgency alliance with the Highlanders only to turn dramatically against it.
As the war progressed, however, the Central Highlands became increasingly important. It was the
area through which most branches of the Ho Chi Minh Trail passed. With its rugged, jungle-clad
terrain, it also seemed to the North Vietnamese the best place to destroy the elite of South
Vietnam's armed forces and to fight initial battles with the Americans. For many North
Vietnamese, however, the Central Highlands became a living hell of starvation and disease. Even
before the arrival of the American 1st Cavalry Division, the Communists were generally unable
to win the decisive victories they sought in this region. Harris's ground breaking study culminates
with an account of the campaign in Pleiku province in October to November -- a campaign that
led to dramatic clashes between the Americans and the North Vietnamese in the Ia Drang valley.
Harris's analysis overturns many of the accepted accounts about NVA, US, and ARVN
performances. Impressively detailed and documented, "Vietnam's High Ground" is extraordinary,
comprehensive, and exceptionally well written. While unreservedly recommended for
community and academic library 20th Century Military History collections in general, and
Vietnam War supplemental studies reading lists in particular, it should be noted for academia and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Vietnam's High Ground" is also
available in a Kindle format ($27.99).
The Jobs/Careers Shelf
Career Paths in Psychology, third edition
Robert J. Sternberg, editor
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242
www.apa.org/books
9781433823107, $29.95, PB, 584pp, www.amazon.com
Compiled and edited by Robert J. Sternberg, and wow in a fully updated and expanded third
edition, "Career Paths in Psychology: Where Your Degree Can Take You" continues to be the
ideal textbook for students seeking to find an exciting career in psychology. Its comprehensive
coverage spans more psychology related careers than ever, with the vast majority of chapters new
to this edition. Amidst all the choices, "Career Paths in Psychology" will help future
psychologists find their optimal career path as it describe 30 different graduate-level careers (i.e.,
careers for those holding a PhD, EdD, or PsyD) in three distinct areas of endeavor: academia,
clinical and counseling psychology, and specialized settings such as for-profit businesses,
non-profits, the military, and schools. Each individual chapter deftly explores a different career,
and describes typical daily activities, the approximate range of compensation, advantages and
disadvantages of the career, opportunities for employment and advancement, and how to plan
one's educational experiences to prepare for this specialty. Exceptionally well organized and
presented, "Career Paths in Psychology" is a vitally important addition to community, college,
and university library Jobs/Careers reference collections.
200 Skills Every Fashion Designer Must Have
Aisling McKeefry
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788
www.barronseduc.com
9781438008967 $24.99 amazon.com
200 Skills Every Fashion Designer Must Have lives up to its title as a thorough reference and
resource for aspiring fashion designers everywhere. Filled with detailed illustrations and
full-color photography throughout, 200 Skills Every Fashion Designer Must Have discusses the
artistic, creative, and marketing talents that successful designers need to succeed, as well as
commonly used artistic concepts such as the different types of repeat print designs. 200 Skills
Every Fashion Designer Must Have is a "must" for anyone seeking to break into the business,
highly recommended.
The Theatre/Cinema Shelf
Evil Genius
Michael Bigelow Dixon, editor
Smith & Kraus Publishers
177 Lyme Road, Lyme NH 03755-6610
www.smithandkraus.com
9781575259048, $17.95, PB, 263pp, www.amazon.com
Compiled and edited by director, dramaturge, playwright and author Michael Bigelow Dixon,
"Evil Genius: Monsters on Stage" offers a ground-breaking collection of essays, monologues and
one-act plays that feature monstrous characters who haunt and harass the human species. These
are monsters for thinking audiences -- monsters that speak their bold and insidious minds. Essays
include a history of monsters in dramatic literature as well as a how-to guide to theatrical
creature-making. Theater director/designer Julie Taymor introduces the volume with analysis of
monsters who've appeared in her own productions. This unique anthology features new dramatic
writing from Naomi Iizuka, Jon Jory, Atar Hadari, Richard Dresser, Constance Congdon, Janet
Allard, Elizabeth Wong, Mark Stein and 23 more playwrights and poets whose nightmarish
works are ready for production, auditions and classroom use. "Evil Genius: Monsters on Stage" is
a unique and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, school drama department,
community theatre, community library, and academic library Theatre/Cinema/TV reference
collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Infections of Leisure, fifth edition
David Schlossberg, editor
ASM Books
c/o ASM International
9639 Kinsman Road, Materials Park, OH 44073-0002
www.asminternational.org
9781555819224, $77.60, PB, 411pp, www.amazon.com
The leisure activities engaged in by Americans, ranging from the mundane to the exotic, expose
us all to a growing list of pathogenic microbes, some new and many increasingly resistant to
current therapies. Common pets, livestock, traveling, and cuisine all have the potential to cause
illnesses that may be difficult to diagnose and treat. Engagingly written by a team of infectious
disease specialists and edited by David Schlossberg (Professor of Medicine, Temple University
School of Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of
Medicine), and now in a fully updated and expanded fifth edition, "Infections of Leisure" features
nineteen informed and informative articles which are focused on the infection risks associated
with particular types of activities, including camping, playing sports, interacting with animals,
receiving body modifications, and mountain climbing. This new edition includes vibrant,
full-color images, recommended readings chosen by expert authors, and practical tips in each
chapter. Useful for health care professionals, microbiologists, and infectious diseases specialists,
the information in comprising "Infections of Leisure" will support confident identification of
leisure-associated infections and enable informed choices, as well as provide an understanding of
the risks posed to human health by hobbies, exotic foods and travel. Exceptionally well
organized and presented, "Infections of Leisure" is highly recommended for non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject and would be a critically important addition to
community, college, and academic library Health & Medicine collections.
Outpatient Nutrition Care and Home Nutrition Support
Carol Ireton-Jones, PhD, RDN, Editor
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781498711029, $99.95, www.crcpress.com
Outpatient Nutrition Care and Home Nutrition Support: Practical Guidelines for Assessment and
Management is a nutrition support title recommended for any college-level healthcare collection
and for any professional reference library concerned about nutritional issues in home health
systems. It synthesizes the latest research and best practices information in nutrition for RDNs
and other professionals working outside of hospital settings, offering information specific to
assessing and meeting nutritional requirements in all kinds of settings. Common nutritional
problems and how to manage them receive clear direction in a guide that links risk factors and
management challenges with information specific to conditions commonly seen in home health
care settings, making for an invaluable reference nutritionists will need.
The Literary Studies Shelf
Writing in a Speaking World
Peter Orton
ACMRS
Arizona State University
PO Box 874402, Tempe, AZ 85287-4402
http://acmrs.org/publications
9780866984935, $68.00, HC, 266pp, www.amazon.com
"Writing in a Speaking World: The Pragmatics of Literacy in Anglo-Saxon Inscriptions and Old
English Poetry" by academician Peter Orton is a critical investigation of some manifestations of
literate ways of thinking and expression in Anglo-Saxon writings. Two of its main themes are the
relationship between runic and roman writing in both epigraphical inscriptions and manuscript
poetry, and certain distinctive deictic usages, in particular the use of the first-person pronoun, 'I'
or 'me', in reference to non-human subjects (inscribed media or artifacts, particular copies of
texts, or the texts themselves). The Old English Riddles, comparable with inscriptions in their
use of the first-person pronoun for non-human 'speakers', also sometimes combine runic and
roman writing, and shed interesting light on contemporary ideas about literacy and orality.
Finally, the Old English 'lyrics' of the Exeter Book illustrate certain difficulties involved in
'reclaiming' the first-person pronoun for human reference, and foreshadow later developments in
human subjectivity in writing. A masterpiece of seminal literary scholarship, "Writing in a
Speaking World" is enhanced for the benefit of scholarship with the inclusion of a twelve page
Bibliography. Impressively informed and informative, exceptionally well organized and
presented, "Writing in a Speaking World" is unreservedly recommended for college and
university library English Literary History collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
The Sports Shelf
Basketball Essentials
Ryan Goodson
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
97814925196114, $19.95, www.humankinetics.com
Basketball Essentials: Improve Ballhandling, Shooting, Rebounding, and All Aspects of Your
Game offers a close review of the basics of basketball, and adopts a 'learn as you do' approach to
the subject using black and white photos paired with sequential instruction to explain the basics
of how to play. Novice basketball players receive a survey of all the fundamental skills and how
to move them from basic to advanced in the course of practicing, and receive clear explanations
of strategies for offensive and defensive maneuvers in an exceptionally clear overview that
should be the starting point for any layer newly entering the game.
Power Games
Jules Boykoff
Verso
20 Jay Street, 10th Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201-8346
www.versobooks.com
9781784780722, $19.95, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
The Olympics have a checkered, sometimes scandalous, political history. In the pages of "Power
Games: A Political History of the Olympics", Jules Boykoff, a former US Olympic team
member, takes readers from the event's nineteenth-century origins, through the Games' flirtation
with Fascism, and into the contemporary era of corporate control. Along the way he recounts
vibrant alt-Olympic movements, such as the Workers' Games and Women's Games of the 1920s
and 1930s as well as athlete-activists and political movements that stood up to challenge the
Olympic machine. Impressively well researched, written, organized and presented, this
exceptionally informed and informative account is a consistently engaging read from beginning
to end and very highly recommended for community and academic library collections. It should
be noted for personal reading lists that "Power Games" is also available in a Kindle format
($9.99).
I'd Know That Voice Anywhere
Frank Deford
Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
154 West 14th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10011
9780802125248 $25.00 www.groveatlantic.com
I'd Know That Voice Anywhere: My Favorite NPR Commentaries is a sparkling sampler of
commentaries from celebrated sports journalist Frank Deford, a senior contributing writer at
"Sports Illustrated", now well-known for his weekly contributions to National Public Radio's
"Morning Edition". This prime selection of Deford's most insightful NPR pieces offers a
kaleidoscope of sports highs and lows, as Deford tackles topics ranging from student-athlete
cheating, to why gay athletes "play straight" (they're more concerned about negative reactions
from the audience than from their colleagues), to questioning a modern economy dominated by
golfers, and much more. I'd Know That Voice Anywhere is an eclectic joy to read, highly
recommended.
The Library Science Shelf
Acquisitions: Core Concepts and Practices
Jesse Holden
ALA Editions
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9780838914601, $85.00, PB, 132pp, www.amazon.com
All library systems, public, academic, corporate or private, must operate on a defined budget
thereby necessitating informed acquisition policies and practices. As a discipline, acquisitions
encompasses everything from purchasing and budgeting to enabling access to materials; and
every format from books, monographs, and serials to e-books, subscription-based electronic
resources, and beyond. In this guide, Holden boils it to down to its essentials while providing a
strategic framework that introduces and integrates all aspects of acquisitions. Using a holistic,
hands-on approach that's as useful for working librarians as for those studying the profession,
"Acquisitions: Core Concepts and Practices" by Jesse Holden (Account Services Managers for
EBSCO Information Services and former Head of Acquisitions at the University of Southern
California) provides an overview of acquisitions as a library profession, with a discussion of
basic competencies, notions of ethics, and the organizing principle of assemblage ; lays out a
robust conceptual framework that unifies disparate aspects of acquisitions work and synthesizes
its practical aspects; thoroughly examines content acquisitions in all formats, with an in-depth
look at digital materials; covers such important trends as the rise of e-books, the ramifications of
mobile devices as a mode of content access and interaction, demand-driven acquisition, and
shifting expectations regarding paid-for content; tracks advancements in technology, including
the widespread implementation of discovery services for content searching; underscores the
responsive service component of acquisitions as informed by user expectations, community
feedback, and usage standards such as COUNTER and SUSHI; addresses budgetary issues such
as changes in services offered by vendors and subscription agents, and the emergence of a new
normal for budget constraints and expectations resulting from the recession; and looks ahead to
what anticipated changes to acquisitions means for the future. Presenting a model that's both
comprehensive and flexible, "Acquisitions: Core Concepts and Practices" demonstrates how
technical competencies and ethical imperatives can inform the day-to-day workflow of
acquisition librarians and is unreservedly recommended for community, corporate, and academic
library collections in general, and Library Science & Librarian Training supplemental studies
reading lists in particular.
The Genealogy Shelf
American Place Names of Long Ago
Gilbert S. Bahn
Genealogical Publishing Company
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 260, Baltimore, MD 21211
www.genealogical.com
9780806315577, $35.00, HC, 347pp, www.amazon.com
"American Place Names of Long Ago" by Gilbert S. Bahn is derived from George Cram's
"Unrivaled Atlas of the World" and contains an index of over 100,000 place names of "every
county, city, town, village, and post-office in the United States [showing] the population of the
same according to the Census of 1890." Considering just how many nineteenth-century American
place names have changed or disappeared in the intervening years, and that 45 percent of the
places listed in this index were too small or obscure to have their population counts listed by the
census taker, the importance of such a work to genealogists and historians is self-evident.
According to Gilbert Bahn, census enumerators listed all place names on their tabulation sheets,
even when the population counts were too small to warrant recording. That's how Cram was able
to compile an extremely detailed list of place names -- and an accurate list, at that, because the
names were recorded by local enumerators and automatically tied in to their respective counties!
For purposes of this reprint edition the original format by Cram has been rearranged into three
columns; otherwise there has been no change to the original text. Each entry, in alphabetical
order within states, gives the place name, the county in which the place is located, and the
population of the place at the time of the census. State capitals and large cities are in caps, county
seats are in boldface, post offices are in roman type, and places that are not post offices are
rendered in italics. Places that were too small for a population count are indicated by an X. This
index is an unexpectedly rich source of information and unreservedly recommended for personal,
professional, community, and academic library Genealogical and American History reference
collections.
The Environmental Studies Shelf
The Natural Heritage of Illinois
John E. Schwegman
Southern Illinois University Press
1915 University Press Drive, SIUC Mail Code 6806, Carbondale, IL 62901
www.siupress.com
9780809334841 $24.50 pbk / $14.46 Kindle amazon.com
Interspersed with color photography throughout, The Natural Heritage of Illinois: Essays on Its
Lands, Waters, Flora, and Fauna consists of ninety-four brief yet scholarly and insightful essays
about the natural environment and wildlife of Illinois. Individual writings discuss historical
accounts of early Illinois; conservation and management of natural features in Illinois; problems
with exotic species and diseases on the Illinois environment; and much more. "In spring 1995 at
least part of Illinois' Prairie Chicken flock seems to have turned the corner on its precipitous
decline. After three years of introduction of Prairie Chickens from Minnesota and Kansas to
overcome inbreeding problems, the population curve is creeping up." Author John E.
Schwegman, a founder of the Natural Areas Association, has provided an excellent and
fascinating collection, highly recommended especially for public and college library
collections.
The Human Sexuality Shelf
What You Need To Know About Human Sex
Dr. Graham Clingbine
Troubador Publishing Ltd.
www.troubador.co.uk
9781785893735 $12.99 amazon.com
What You Need To Know About Human Sex is a no-nonsense sex education book for readers of
all ages. Dr. Graham Clingbine candidly discusses sexual identity and sexual orientation; issues
of society, religion, and ethics; criminal sexual activity, such as sexual assault or human
trafficking for forced prostitution; and much more. "There is probably no such thing as sexually
'normal'. Perhaps a range of behaviours and attitudes cover what most people would consider to
be normal... A good rule of thumb may be that whatever people do or think, providing there is no
harm done to others, then those things are acceptable." What You Need To Know About Human
Sex is an excellent, thoroughly accessible, and non-judgmental primer, especially recommended
for high school public library collections.
The International Studies Shelf
Viet Nam: Tradition and Change
Huu Ngoc, author
Edited by Lady Borton & Elizabeth F. Collins
Ohio University Research in International Studies
c/o Ohio University Press
215 Columbus Road, Suite 101, Athens, OH 45701
www.ohioswallow.com
9780896803022 $26.95 pbk / $21.99 Kindle amazon.com
Journalist Huu Ngoc, whose credentials include a twenty-year tenure as a columnist for Hanoi's
English-language newspaper "Viet Nam News", presents Viet Nam: Tradition and Change, an
in-depth discussion of modern Vietnamese culture and traditions, as well as the challenges
besetting Viet Nam today. Chapters discuss Viet Nam's history, identity, and way of life;
Buddhism in Viet Nam; exemplary heroes and heroines of Vietnamese history; notable works of
Vietnamese literature; how Vietnamese women's lives have changed in recent years; the
reverberations of globalization; and much more. "Single parenting, although still a new notion in
Viet Nam, is gaining acceptance. But unlike in the West, where middle-class career building and
the disintegration of the nuclear family are the main causes, the new phenomenon of single
parenting in Viet Nam is another consequence of war. Many women spent their best years
fighting and thus missed their chance for marriage. Lonely, they desperately wanted to have
children." A handful of edifying line drawings and an index round out this excellent cultural
survey, thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, and highly recommended especially
for public library collections.
The American History Shelf
Madam President: The Secret Presidency of Edith Wilson
William Hazelgrove
Regnery Publishing, Inc.
300 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
9781621574750 $29.99 www.regnery.com
Thoroughly accessible to lay readers and scholars alike, Madam President: The Secret Presidency
of Edith Wilson is the true story of the women who was America's first female president, in
practical reality if not necessarily elective office. In the fall of 1919, an era of fragile peace after
the close of World War I, President Woodrow Wilson suffered a paralyzing stroke that left him
bedridden. His wife, First Lady Edith Wilson, worked to handle the everyday responsibilities of
the Executive Office, including reading all correspondence addressed to her husband. The extent
of her governmental work was kept secret at the time, and has been largely forgotten today, but
her legacy helped set the groundwork for women in public office. Extensively researched, and
enhanced with notes, a bibliography, and an index, Madam President is a timely "must-read", and
highly recommended, especially for public and college library collections.
Water Tossing Boulders
Adrienne Berard
Beacon Press
24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210
9780807033531 $26.95 www.beacon.org
Award-winning journalist Adrienne Berard presents Water Tossing Boulders: How a Family of
Chinese Immigrants Led the First Fight to Desegregate Schools in the Jim Crow South, the story
of the Chinese-American Lum family. In 1924, their children Martha Lum and her older sister
Berda Lum were prohibited from attending a whites-only middle school, the family's resistance
led up to the first US Supreme Court case to challenge the constitutionality of racially segregated
public schools, thirty years before the historic "Brown v. Board of Education" decision. Berard
has reconstructed a vivid, true-life American story through meticulous research of historical
documents and family correspondence. Water Tossing Boulders is a welcome contribution to
American History collections, highly recommended especially for public and college library
shelves.
The Electrifying Fall of Rainbow City
Margaret Creighton
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393247503, $28.95, www.wwnorton.com
The Electrifying Fall of Rainbow City: Spectacle and Assassination at the 1901 World's Fair tells
of the year (1901) when Buffalo, New York hosted the world's fair meant to celebrate the
beginnings of a new century. Fair organizers envisioned it as a pinnacle of beauty and
achievement; but in fact the Buffalo Exposition became synonymous with murder, strife, and
protest. The key figures of this spectacle come to life in The Electrifying Fall of Rainbow City,
with chapters reading with the high drama and attraction of fiction as they present a captivating,
different viewpoint of an exposition's high and low moments. Vintage black and white images
pepper the story line and bring the times and its events to life in a coverage that should be part of
any American history holding.
The Civil War Shelf
Women in Civil War Texas
Deborah M. Liles and Angela Boswell, editors
University of North Texas Press
1155 Union Circle #311336, Denton, TX 76203-5017
www.unt.edu/untpress
9781574416510 $29.95 hc
9781574416602 $23.96 ebook
Women in Civil War Texas: Diversity and Dissidence in the Trans-Mississippi is an anthology of
scholarly essays by learned authors about the perspectives of Texan women during the American
Civil War, often called the "Freedom War" at the time. Writings discuss the experiences of both
pro-Confederacy and pro-Union women; black slave women and free black women (notably, the
latter were uncommon and unwelcome in Texas); Mexican-Texan women; and more. Women in
Civil War Texas draws on and distills information from a wealth of primary sources, including
wills, court cases, slave narratives, correspondence, and more. Essay-specific notes, a handful of
black-and-white photographs, and an index round out this excellent contribution to American
History shelves, highly recommended especially for public and college library collections.
Battle of Wills
David Alan Johnson
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781633882454 $28.00 www.prometheusbooks.com
Battle of Wills: Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, and the Last Year of the Civil War is a close
study of how the markedly different temperaments of opposing generals Robert E. Lee of the
Confederacy and Ulysses S. Grant of the Union shapes the course of the American Civil War.
Ultimately, Grant's unrelenting determination claimed the upper hand over Lee's military genius.
Battle of wills delves into the personal history of each general - how Grant's father worked to
earn a successful living as a tanner and leather goods dealer, while Lee's father was imprisoned
for bankruptcy and unpaid debts, which spurred Lee to personally uphold a code of respectability
and courtesy - traits that, while seemingly positive at first glance, sometimes failed to translate
into decisive orders on the battlefield. Battle of Wills also explores how Grant, Lee, and many
other officers destined to oppose one another served as comrades-in-arms during the earlier
Mexican war (1846-1848). Notes, a select bibliography, and an index round out this welcome
addition to public and college library Civil War shelves.
The Folktale/Fairytale Shelf
Tales from the Arabian Nights
Donna Jo Napoli, author
Christina Balit, illustrator
National Geographic Press
101 West 104th Street, Suite 8, New York, NY 10025
www.nationalgeographic.com
9781426325403 $24.99 hc / $13.99 Kindle amazon.com
Featuring stylized, full-color illustrations throughout, Tales from the Arabian Nights: Stories of
Adventure, Magic, Love, and Betrayal is a captivating anthology of fairy tales about royalty,
love, and daring adventure. Sidebars inform the reader about how these stories reflect history,
culture, and geography; Tales from the Arabian Nights also features a map of the Middle East for
geographic context, and suggested reference materials for readers who want to learn more. The
selected stories Arabian Nights stories featured in Tales from the Arabian Nights include "Ali
Baba & The Forty Thieves", the seven voyages of Sinbad the Sailor, "Aladdin", "Maaruf the
Cobbler", and a dozen more. Highly recommended, especially for private browsing and public
library collections.
The Journalism Shelf
Skewed
Larry Atkins
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781633881655, $24.00, www.prometheusbooks.com
Skewed: A Critical Thinker's Guide to Media Bias is recommended reading for college-level
audiences interested in media and journalism, and focuses on advocacy journalism's bias and
processes and how different types of media structures create and influence news and public
perception. Chapters consider both the positive and negative roles of advocacy journalism and
provide a series of tools helpful in analyzing media presentations. In presenting discussions that
help craft a more informed audience, Skewed offers insights that are particularly recommended
for classroom discussion and debate for audiences already involved in media studies.
The Crafts Shelf
Making Art from Maps
Jill K. Berry
Rockport Publishers
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 - 1st Avenue North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1721
9781631591020, $24.99, www.quartoknows.com
Making Art from Maps: Inspiration, Techniques, and an International Gallery of Artists views
maps in a different light than geographer applications: it shows how artists around the world are
incorporating maps into fashion, sculpture, and even carved books and jewelry. The
project-oriented display includes step-by-step instructions, color photos, materials lists, and a
range of techniques for blending color maps into various projects. Brief autobiographical
sketches of each map artist and how they got started accompany these selections and round out a
crafts guide dedicated to taking maps to a whole new level of artistic endeavor, blending them
into everyday life decor.
The Technology Shelf
Artech House Publishers
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com
James Sinopoli's Advanced Technology for Smart Buildings (9781608078653, $159.00) comes
from an expert in his field and provides a basic introduction to new technologies that can be used
for advanced smart buildings working with security, energy, and control systems. It's a
cutting-edge discussion that documents how information technology is changing the building
industry and how offices and homes are created, and it discusses the role of the facility data
manager and builder, various new smart technologies and their network requirements, how smart
technologies are utilized under different conditions, and specifications for future building. Protap
Pramanick and Prakash Bhartia's Modern RF and Microwave Filter Design (9781630811570,
$179.00) surveys the latest best practices for designing RF and microwave filters, offering
engineers and technical personnel a manual packed with information key to designing a filter
design software package, and using these filters in different mechanisms. Discussions of
prototypes, configuration requirements and processes, transmission lines, power capabilities are
accompanied by charts and formulas at every step, reinforcing this technical reference's
usefulness to practicing engineers.
The Computer Shelf
Microsoft Access 2016 Programming By Example
Julitta Korol
Mercury Learning
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9781942270843, $54.95, www.merclearning.com
Microsoft Access 2016 Programming By Example with VBA, XML, and ASP has been updated
for Access 2016 and provides programmers with the latest guide to the latest Access interfaces
and techniques. Like its previous editions, this "by example" coverage maintains the depth and
completeness of information, directs its detailed references to those already familiar with the
basics of Access, and blends in hands-on exercises with its wealth of programming specifics,
including code and real-world examples. These illustrated exercises form the foundation of a
book that is visually and textually clear on all the specifics of applying Access 2016's many new
tools to the latest objectives in the business and programming world, making it a top
reference.
Introduction to Scientific and Technical Computing
Frank T. Willmore, Eric Jankowski and Coray Colina, Editors
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781498745048, $79.95, www.crcpress.com
Introduction to Scientific and Technical Computing should be in any college-level collection
strong in science and engineering, as well as in many a practicing professional's library, and is
designed to help scientists with the basic techniques that can apply to scientific processes from
the computer world. Chapters offer direct routines and scientific research and analysis, covering
the basics of software engineering and providing references suitable for a wide range of scientific
disciplines. With its project examples including modification tips, practical issues and problem
points, software design and decision-making, and tips for creating new features, this is a solid
reference that reviews the entire process.
The Wisconsin Shelf
Place Names Of Wisconsin
Edward Callary
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor, Madison, WI 53711-2059
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299309640, $21.95, PB, 360pp, www.amazon.com
The names given to the villages, towns and cities that comprise Wisconsin often reflect the state's
diverse history and are drawn from Native Americans, the exploring French trappers and traders,
and the divers European settlers, as well as place names associated with political figures, land
owners, and even postmasters! Alphabetically compiled by Edward Callery (Professor Emeritus
of Linguistics at Northern Illinois University and the past president of both the American Name
Society and the North Central Name Society), "Place Names Of Wisconsin" is comprised of
2,057 community names ranging from Abbotsford to Zoar. Of very special note is the informed
and informative introduction by Professor Callary, as well as the inclusion of a twenty-page list
of References. While unreservedly recommended for community, college, university, and local
museum library Wisconsin History collections, it should be noted for non-specialist general
readers that "Place Names Of Wisconsin" is also available in a Kindle format ($11.99).
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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