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Reviewer's Choice
Words to Live By
Kenneth J. Kogut, PhD
Outskirts Press
https://outskirtspress.com/wordstoliveby
9781977210128, $19.95
Words to Live By (a Not All Inclusive Look at Life in Words) gathers inspirational quotes and
arranges them by subject for quick browsing, creating a daily reminder of different insights on
life, captured in quick snippets of wisdom by a wide range of thinkers. There are numerous
quotation and inspirational books on the market already; but what makes Words to Live By
special is its arrangement by thought-provoking (different) subject categories ('On Life', 'On
Toasts', 'On Personal Care'), and how the chosen quotes often represent plays on words. If a
quick, inspirational read is desired, holding more broad appeal and wisdom than most, then
Words to Live By is the item of choice, recommended for being a standout in its field, and quite
accessible to literary and everyday audiences alike.
The Hidden Places of World War II
Jerome M. O'Connor
The Lyons Press
www.lyonspress.com
c/o The Globe Pequot Press
246 Goose Lane, Suite 200, Guilford, CT 06437
www.globepequot.com
9781493030385, $27.95, HC, 360pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In "The Hidden Places of World War II: The Extraordinary Sites Where History Was
Made During the War That Saved Civilization", by historian, college instructor, journalist, and
author Jerome M. O'Connor takes readers to a series of overlooked places where WWII history
was made. These are sites that were thought to be closed or locked away forever or (in some
cases) thought never to exist at all, or were ignored by military historians for decades. With
historical photos, contemporary photos, and written in a conversational style, "The Hidden Places
of World War II" reveals to a new generation of readers, as well as an older generation of
military history buffs, and takes them to the actual locations that changed history.
Many military history readers don't know that you can still visit Nazi U-boat pens in Lorient and
La Rochelle on the French Atlantic coast (they were used in the filming of Raiders of the Lost
Ark) and even pieces of the Atlantic Wall Hitler had built along the French coast in '43 and '44 to
thwart the invasion he knew was coming. These are only two of the many hidden places the
author introduces the reader to.
Critique: An extraordinary and impressively documented history that could well serve as a kind
of travel guide for World War II military history buffs, "The Hidden Places of World War II: The
Extraordinary Sites Where History Was Made During the War That Saved Civilization" is a
unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, college, and university
library World War II Military History collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should
be noted for students, academia, military buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest
in the subject that "The Hidden Places of World War II" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $15.49).
One Day
Gene Weingarten
Blue Rider Press
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.us.penguingroup.com
9780399166662, $28.00, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: On New Year's Day 2013, two-time Pulitzer Prize - winner Gene Weingarten asked
three strangers to, literally, pluck a day, month, and year from a hat. That day (chosen completely
at random) turned out to be Sunday, December 28, 1986, by any conventional measure a most
ordinary day. Weingarten spent the next six years proving that there is no such thing.
That Sunday between Christmas and New Year's turned out to be filled with comedy, tragedy,
implausible irony, cosmic comeuppances, kindness, cruelty, heroism, cowardice, genius, idiocy,
prejudice, selflessness, coincidence, and startling moments of human connection, along with
evocative foreshadowing of momentous events yet to come. Lives were lost. Lives were saved.
Lives were altered in overwhelming ways. Many of these events never made it into the news;
they were private dramas in the lives of private people. They were utterly compelling.
"One Day: The Extraordinary Story of an Ordinary 24 Hours in America" asks and answers the
question of whether there is even such a thing as "ordinary" when we are talking about how we
all lurch and stumble our way through the daily, daunting challenge of being human.
Critique: A brilliant concept deftly researched and presented in the pages of "One Day: The
Extraordinary Story of an Ordinary 24 Hours in America", this unique study is an inherently
fascinating read. Thoughtful and thought-provoking, and an excellent template for similar studies
for other randomly chosen 24 hour time frames, "One Day" is unreservedly recommended for
both community and academic library American History collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "One Day" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$14.99).
Black Indian
Shonda Buchanan
Wayne State University Press
4809 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201-1309
http://wsupress.wayne.edu
9780814345801, $19.99, PB, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Beautifully rendered and rippling with family dysfunction, secrets, deaths, drunks, and
old resentments, Shonda Buchanan's memoir, "Black Indian" is an inspiring and intensely
personal story that explores her family's legacy of being African Americans with American
Indian roots and how they dealt with not just society's ostracization but the consequences of this
dual inheritance.
Buchanan was raised as a Black woman, who grew up hearing cherished stories of her
multi-racial heritage, while simultaneously suffering from everything she (and the rest of her
family) didn't know. Tracing the arduous migration of Mixed Bloods, or Free People of Color,
from the Southeast to the Midwest, Buchanan tells the story of her Michigan tribe -- a comedic
yet manically depressed family of fierce women, who were everything from caretakers and
cornbread makers to poets and witches, and men who were either ignored, protected, imprisoned,
or maimed -- and how their lives collided over love, failure, fights, and prayer despite a stacked
deck of challenges, including addiction and abuse.
Ultimately, Buchanan's nomadic people endured a collective identity crisis after years of
constantly straddling two, then three, races. The physical, spiritual, and emotional displacement
of American Indians who met and married Mixed or Black slaves and indentured servants at
America's early crossroads is where this powerful journey begins. Black Indian doesn't have
answers, nor does it aim to represent every American's multi-ethnic experience. Instead, it digs as
far down into this one family's history as it can go sometimes, with a bit of discomfort. But every
family has its own truth, and Buchanan's search for hers will resonate in anyone who has
wondered "maybe there's more than what I'm being told".
Critique: An inherently fascinating, deftly written, thoughtful and thought-provoking memoir of
an extraordinary woman and her extraordinary family, "Black Indian" is unreservedly
recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary American Biography
collections, as well as Black Studies and Native American studies supplemental curriculum lists.
It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in
the subject that "Black Indian" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Rut-Busting Book for Authors
Nancy Christie
www.nancychristie.com
Mill City Press
www.rutbustingbookforauthors.com
9781545673386, $14.99, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A successful writer, speaker and blogger, Nancy Christie wrote "Rut-Busting Book for
Authors" specifically for the benefit of anyone who is thinking about writing a book but can't
seem to get started, or having got started is unsure of their next move.
"Rut-Busting Book for Authors" will prove to be of practical value for anyone who is unsure how
to get started -- or keep going; who are wondering what publishing option to choose: traditional,
hybrid or indie?; Are confused about how best to market their book and reach their readers?
"Rut-Busting Book for Authors" presents useful 'real world' advice from more than 60 authors
and industry experts including: literary agents and attorneys, publishers and publicists, book
editors and book reviewers.
"Rut-Busting Book for Authors" provides information on the three stages involved in writing,
publishing and marketing a book: The Process--what it takes to turn your book idea into a
publishable manuscript; The Publication--what publishing methods are available; The
Promotion--what strategies will work best for you to create a "book buzz".
If you want to write, publish and market a book, "Rut-Busting Book for Authors" effectively
showcases the process from concept to completion!
It should be noted that the Midwest Book Review is one of the resources listed in Book Review
Listings on page 203.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Rut-Busting Book for
Authors" offers a wealth of practical information, insights, advice, and specific things
to do that will be of immediate benefit to anyone seeking to write, get published, and/or
marketing their book regardless of its genre or subject matter. While unreservedly and especially
recommended for community, college, and university library Writing/Publishing instructional
reference collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of aspiring authors that
"Rut-Busting Book for Authors" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
The Great First Impression Book Proposal
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Modern History Press
https://www.howtodoitfrugally.com/index.htm
c/o Loving Healing Press
5145 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
www.lovinghealing.com
9781615994816, $8.95, PB, 54pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Carolyn Howard-Johnson, has been a UCLA Extension Writers' Program instructor for
nearly a decade. In "The Great First Impression Book Proposal: Everything You Need to Know
About Selling Your Book to an Agent or Publisher in Thirty Minutes or Less" she draws upon
her decades of experience and expertise to helps authors successfully execute the task they most
love to hate -- writing a book proposal. In this 54 page booklet Carolyn has taken the guessing
out of the book proposal process with a thoroughly 'user friendly' and effective step-by-step
instructional guide and manual.
Critique: The creation of an effective book proposal cannot be overemphasized as a basic skill
set for all aspiring authors seeking publication of their work -- and Carolyn Howard-Johnson is a
time-tested expert on the subject. Every aspiring (and even seasoned) author needs to obtain and
carefully read "The Great First Impression Book Proposal" -- and every Creative Writing class
should list "The Great First Impression Book Proposal" on their supplemental studies reading
lists. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Great First Impression Book
Proposal" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
The Christmas Shelf
A Mrs. Miracle Christmas
Debbie Macomber
Ballantine Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com
9780399181399, $20.00, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: As the holiday season begins, Laurel McCullough could use some good news. She and
her husband, Zach, have been praying for a baby that seems more and more like an impossible
dream, and they've had to move in with her beloved grandmother, Helen, who's having trouble
taking care of herself. But when Laurel contacts a local home-care organization for help, there
are no caregivers available.
Then Mrs. Miracle appears at the door. No stranger to lending a helping hand to a family in need,
Mrs. Miracle reveals herself to be nothing short of a godsend. Helen's even convinced she's an
angel! And Laurel can't help but notice that with Mrs. Miracle's companionship, Helen is
noticeably happier and more engaged, decorating the family Christmas tree and setting up the
nativity. In the meantime, Laurel and Zach encounter curious signs, all pointing toward the
arrival of a special baby.
As Christmas approaches, there appears to be even more to Mrs. Miracle than meets the eye. In a
classic tale of Debbie Macomber's signature seasonal magic, Laurel, Zach, and Helen experience
a holiday of heavenly proportions!
Critique: Another gem of a novel by a master of the storytelling arts, Debbie Macomber's "A
Mrs. Miracle Christmas" is an extraordinarily entertaining and smile inducing read from cover to
cover. While absolutely and unreservedly recommended for all community library collections, it
should be noted for the legions of Debbie Macomber fans that "A Mrs. Miracle Christmas" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
The Social Issues Shelf
Helping People Change
Richard Boyatzis, Melvin Smith, and Ellen Van Oosten
Harvard Business Review Press
www.hbr.org
9781633696563, $30.00
Helping People Change: Coaching with Compassion for Lifelong Learning and Growth comes
from authors who are experts on emotional intelligence and coaching, and here examine different
ways to help people change in more meaningful, life-altering ways. Coaches on different levels,
from business and education circles to psychology, will find this survey creates a foundation for
identifying ideals and real-world experiences, analyzing strengths and weaknesses, encouraging
behavioral changes that match personal goals, and creating a network of relationships that
encourage accountability and change. It's a powerful discussion whose lessons can apply to many
different disciplines on many different levels, and is highly recommended beyond business or
educator circles as an important key to coaching's wider-ranging possibilities.
Smart Surveillance
Ric Simmons
Cambridge University Press
One Liberty Plaza, Fl. 20, New York, NY 10006
www.cambridge.org
9781108483605, $105.00, HC, 270pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Over the last decade, law enforcement agencies have engaged in increasingly intrusive
surveillance methods, from location tracking on cell phones to reading metadata off of e-mails.
As a result, many believe we are heading towards an omniscient surveillance state and
irrevocable damage to our privacy rights.
Ric Simmons is the Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer Professor for the Administration of Justice
and Rule of Law at the Moritz College of Law at the Ohio State University. He is the co-author
of four textbooks on evidence and criminal procedure, and he has published over two dozen
scholarly articles in law journals. His scholarship focuses on the Fourth Amendment and how
courts and legislatures should react to the impact of new technologies in regulating
surveillance.
In "Smart Surveillance: How to Interpret the Fourth Amendment in the Twenty-First Century",
Professor Simmons challenges this conventional wisdom by taking a broader look at the effect of
new technologies and privacy, arguing that advances in technology can enhance our privacy and
our security at the same time. Rather than focusing exclusively on the rise of invasive
surveillance technologies, Professor Simmons proposes a fundamentally new method of
evaluating government searches (based on quantification, transparency, and efficiency) resulting
in a legal regime that can adapt as technology and society change.
Critique: As informed and informative as it thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Smart
Surveillance: How to Interpret the Fourth Amendment in the Twenty-First Century" is an
impressively presented work of meticulous scholarship and a critically important contribution to
our on-going national discussion over the proper role of the government's use of technology
within the constitutional context of citizen privacy and the necessities of national security. While
especially and unreservedly recommended for community and academic library Contemporary
Social Issues collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia,
governmental security officials, political activists, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "Smart Surveillance" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781108728966, $34.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.20).
After the Bloodbath
James D. Diamond
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25, East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
http://msupress.org
9781611863314, $22.95, PB, 216pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: As violence in the United States seems to become increasingly more commonplace,
and active shooter drills are now a standard exercise in our schools, the question of how
communities reset after unprecedented violence also grows in significance.
James A. Diamond was a leading attorney in the community where the Sandy Hook Elementary
School tragedy occurred, focuses on three well-known shootings and a fourth shooting that
occurred on the Red Lake Indian Reservation in Minnesota.
In "After the Bloodbath: Is Healing Possible in the Wake of Rampage Shootings?" Diamond
examines killing events, producing insights linking rampage shootings and communal responses
in the United States.
"After the Bloodbath" also looks to the roots of Indigenous approaches to crime, identifying an
institutional weakness in the Anglo judicial model, and explores adapting Indigenous practices
that contribute to healing following heinous criminal behavior. Emerging from the history of
Indigenous dispute resolution is a spotlight turned on to restorative justice, a subject no author
has discussed to date in the context of mass shootings.
Diamond ultimately leads the reader to a positive road forward focusing on insightful steps
people can take after a rampage shooting to help their wounded communities heal.
Critique: With the increasing futility represented by politicians who can only seem to offer
impotent 'thoughts and prayers' to the families and communities victimized by these increasingly
frequent mass killings that utilize military style weaponry to inflict as many casualties as possible
in as little time as possible, "After the Bloodbath: Is Healing Possible in the Wake of Rampage
Shootings?" is a much needed and clarion call to a proper understanding what is going on and
what can (and should) be done about it. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented,
"After the Bloodbath" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library
Contemporary Social Issues collections, as well as the personal reading lists of social activists,
governmental policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject.
Editorial Note: James D. Diamond has spent more than twenty-five years as a criminal lawyer,
with experience as both a state prosecutor and criminal defense attorney, and is certified by the
National Board of Trial Advocacy as a criminal trial specialist. He is the former Director of the
Tribal Justice Clinic at the James E. Rogers College of Law and Professor of Practice at the
University of Arizona. He served as special prosecutor to the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona and
is on the faculty of the National Tribal Trial College. Diamond was a winner of the 1986
American Bar Association Award for Excellence and was the 1992 Mothers Against Drunk
Driving "Man of the Year." In 2014, Diamond was awarded a Doctor of Juridical Science degree
with an emphasis on indigenous peoples law and policy from the University of Arizona College
of Law.
The Jobs/Careers Shelf
The Way We Work: On the Job in Hollywood
Bruce Ferber, Editor
A Vireo Books
c/o Rare Bird Books
www.rarebirdbooks.com
9781644280140, $18.00, Paper, $14.99, Kindle
Collections strong in Hollywood history and media studies will find The Way We Work: On the
Job in Hollywood a powerful addition that surveys the skills, processes, and interactions that
comprise a Hollywood creative endeavor. It consists of essays written by successful Hollywood
directors, writers, and producers who lend their personal experiences and insights to this
collection. Aspiring film students who have their eyes set on Hollywood receive many 'how to'
titles and not a few autobiographies about Hollywood, but few incorporate the nitty-gritty daily
experiences and social and political examinations of The Way We Work: On the Job in
Hollywood, which considers the pros and cons of actors and acting, Hollywood film-making
processes, and the special challenges involved in Hollywood jobs. No media studies collection
should be without this revealing guide, which is at once entertaining and educational.
Introduction to Security Consulting
William F. Blake
Charles C. Thomas, Publisher
2600 South First Street, Springfield, IL 62704
http://www.ccthomas.com
9780398092962, $42.95, PB, 282pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In today's climate of cyber crime, business owners are facing a new set of challenges to
provide for a safe and secure business environment. But the prudent business owner has only to
look to the professional security consultant for assistance in developing strategies to achieve that
goal.
"Introduction to Security Consulting" by William F. Blake is unique textbook that provides the
private investigator with the information to become a proactive partner with the business owner
in enhancing the safety and security within the business. The text includes information pertaining
to the legal ramifications of negligent security claims; how to ensure employees are whom they
claim to be; optimum utilization of security personnel and electronic security devices and
systems; development of relevant security-related policies and procedures; and supervision and
management controls.
"Introduction to Security Consulting" is comprised of 34 chapters which are written in a very
clear and concise style and include such topics as: elements of premises liability and negligent
security, inadequate security, adequate background investigations, qualifications of a security
force, warehouse and cargo security, successful business marketing, armed or unarmed status,
separating high-risk employees, workplace violence programs, officer training, preventing
internal theft and fraud, employing subcontractors, home and personal safety, guard post orders,
parking lot lighting, home security weaknesses, preparation for litigation, crisis management
guidelines, convenience store security, protecting human assets, and developing a business safety
and security plan.
Critique: Comprehensive, effectively organized and presented, "Introduction to Security
Consulting" is an ideal and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community,
corporate, college, and university library Jobs/Careers collections in general, and Business
Security Consultation supplemental studies reading lists in particular.
Your Architecture Career
Gary Unger
Allworth Press
www.allworth.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781621536345, $24.99, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In "Your Architecture Career: How to Build a Successful Professional Life,
professional architect and author Gary Unger provides tips and guidance to students, interns,
architects, and firm owners to help them understand and master the business side of architecture
and interior design.
Students in school are not taught to manage process, projects, and clients - the emphasis is on
design. However, most graduates will not finish their careers as designers. Rather, their focus
will be on marketing, programming, project management, cost estimating, rendering, virtual
reality, drawing documentation, specifications, workplace strategy, and construction
administration. Gary Unger expertly describes the creative aspects of these disciplines and the
considerable value they bring to a firm.
In order to accurately represent how an architecture firm successfully operates, Gary stresses the
importance of teamwork. With project teams made up of architects, engineers, realtors, building
owners, contractors, furniture dealers, and more, it is important to note that a project's success is
measured by how well handoffs of information are executed both inside a firm as well as from
firm to firm. Spanning a wide variety of topics, chapters include: Completing architectural
school; Deciding on a career path; Landing your first job; Building your reputation; Managing
handoffs; RFPs and proposals; Reassessing your career; Starting your own firm
Critique: Comprehensive, expertly organized and presented, "Your Architecture Career: How to
Build a Successful Professional Life" should be considered essential reader for students about to
graduate and are considering a career in architecture. "Your Architecture Career" is an invaluable
resource for the business side of architecture and unreservedly recommended for community and
academic library Jobs/Careers collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Your
Architecture Career" is also available in a paperback edition (9781621537021, $19.99) and in a
digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Gary Unger started his architectural studies at Washington University in St.
Louis, Missouri, and finished up the six-year program at the University of Texas. Prior to
founding CPG Architects in 1980, he was the worldwide director of planning and design at
American Express. He is also the founder of Link Systems, a real estate software business that
provides lease and facility management services to enhance CPG's architectural services. At
CPG, Gary has worked on thousands of projects for such clients as General Electric, Snapple,
Nestle, Newman's Own, and Dannon, along with many financial trading firms.
The Education Shelf
Paying for College, 2020 Edition
Kalman Chany
The Princeton Review
c/o Random House Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
www.PrincetonReview.com
9780525568797, $22.99, PB, 368pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Financing a college education is a daunting task no matter what a student and their
family financial circumstances are. With line-by-line instructions for filling out the FAFSA and
consumer-friendly advice to minimize college costs, this new 2020 edition of "Paying for
College" helps to take control of financing a college education by showing how the new tax law
affects financing your college education.
Also covered are how to: Maximize your financial aid eligibility; Explore long- and short-term
strategies to reduce college costs and avoid expensive mistakes; Complete every question on the
FAFSA and CSS Profile forms to your best advantage; Compare aid offers and learn how to
appeal them if necessary; Plan strategically as a separated/divorced parent, blended family, or
independent student.
Critique: Comprehensive, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Paying for
College, 2020 Edition: Everything You Need to Maximize Financial Aid and Afford College" is
an essential and core addition to school district, college admissions department, and community
library collections -- and an indispensable resource for families seeking a college education for
their children.
Coherent School Leadership
Michael Fullan & Lyle Kirtman
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416627906, $23.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: While leaders may desire or have been told that they must put certain structures into
place in order to enhance their leadership capabilities, they may not know exactly what structures
are needed, or the skills that are required for implementation. In the pages of "Coherent School
Leadership: Forging Clarity from Complexity", authors Michael Fullan and Lyle Kirtman go
beyond simply telling you what you need to put in place to enhance leadership -- they also detail
the route to successful leadership.
"Coherent School Leadership" shows how to combine the components of Fullan's Coherence
Framework (the Framework) with Kirtman's 7 Competencies for Highly Effective Leaders (the
Competencies) to drive coherence (the shared depth of understanding about the nature of the
work and how it impacts the results desired for student achievement) to change the culture in
schools from reactive to proactive.
Fullan and Kirtman, whose work is based in practice, will: Show how to use specific
competencies to drive coherence; Provide examples that show how other leaders have
successfully created coherence; Guide the reader through the day-to-day distractions/stresses so
that they can stay on course; Show how to use the Competencies in relation to the
Framework.
Taking a world view of the forces that could destabilize education and the work of coherence,
"Coherent School Leadership" will show how proven frameworks such as the Framework and the
Competencies can help administrators and educators to cope with even the most complex
scenarios.
Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "Coherent School Leadership: Forging
Clarity from Complexity" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to school
district, college, and university library Education Administration and Teacher Education
collections and supplemental studies curriculums. It should be noted for the personal reading lists
of student teachers, classroom instructors, and education administrators that "Coherent School
Leadership" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.50).
Curriculum: Athena Versus the Machine
Martin Robinson
Crown House Publishing
81 Brook Hills Circle, White Plains, NY 10605
www.crownhousepublishing.com
9781785833021, $19.95, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Martin Robinson worked for 20 years in state schools in London as a teacher, a leader
and an advanced skills teacher. Now an education consultant, he works with schools and other
institutions on curriculum development and a wide range of other issues. He is a regular on the
conference circuit both in the UK and internationally.
In "Curriculum: Athena Versus The Machine" he draws upon his years of experience and
expertise to explore the educational value of a curriculum rooted in the pursuit of wisdom and
advocates the enshrinement of such a curriculum as the central concern of an academic
institution.
Rather than being seen as a data-driven machine, Robinson believes that a school should be
viewed as a place that enables children to develop thoughtful perspectives on the world, through
which they can pursue wisdom and be free to join in with the ancient and continuing
conversation: What is it to be human?
Teachers need to be liberated from policy-led prescription in order to design curricula which
bring the subjects being studied, rather than the blind pursuit of measurable outcomes, to the
foreground of the school's teaching and learning agenda. In "Curriculum", Robinson explores
how this can be achieved.
Critique: Impressively thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Curriculum: Athena Versus the
Machine" is especially recommended reading for classroom teacher, school administrators, and
school board members. While highly recommended for school district, college, and community
library Education Studies collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Curriculum: Athena Versus the Machine" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$14.49).
Breathing New Life into Book Clubs
Sonja Cherry-Paul & Dana Johansen
Heinemann
PO Box 6926, Portsmouth, NH 03802-6926
www.heinemann.com
9780325076850, $29.38, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Managing classroom book clubs can be hard. Very hard. But there is no better way to
get students vested in reading than participating in a book club. When book clubs work they
create a culture and environment of reading unlike anything else while bringing out the very best
in students.
In "Breathing New Life into Book Clubs: A Practical Guide for Teachers" educators Sonja
Cherry-Paul & Dana Johansen address teachers' doubts and concerns about book clubs, and build
a compelling case for their value in every classroom. They provide all the nuts and bolts for
creating and managing successful book clubs, including: Dozens of "pitfalls and pathways"
minilessons that address common roadblocks; Tips for using technology to enhance book club
work for deeper student engagement; Suggested "book bins" for book club work, organized by
grade level and genre.
Critique: Literacy and an appreciation for books as a source of information and entertainment is
critical to success in life. Book clubs are an ideal way to instill the skills to read and an
appreciation of the written word. "Breathing New Life into Book Clubs: A Practical Guide for
Teachers" offers essential strategies to make book clubs work at all grade levels -- making it
unreservedly recommended for school district, college, and university library Teacher Education
collections.
Editorial Note: Sonja Cherry-Paul, Ed.D., has taught middle school English for twenty years. She
is a literacy consultant who served on the Jane Addams Children's Book Award committee for
ten years. Sonja leads presentations about literacy at national conferences and provides
professional development for educators on reading and writing instruction and racial literacy. She
is the coauthor, with Dana Johansen, of the titles Teaching Interpretation and Flip Your Writing
Workshop. Follow Sonja on Twitter @LitLearnAct.
Dana Johansen has taught elementary and middle school for more than fifteen years. Dedicated to
the ever-expanding applications of technology in the classroom, she presents at national
conferences on the use of blogs, digital texts, and flipped learning in literacy instruction. She is
the coauthor, with Sonja Cherry-Paul, of the titles Teaching Interpretation and Flip Your Writing
Workshop. Follow Dana on Twitter @LitLearnAct.
Teaching in Effective Primary Schools
Iram Siraj, et al.
UCL IOE Press
c/o Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9781858565064, $41.95, PB, 220pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Headteachers, teachers, parents, politicians and school governors have long been
united in wondering how to produce effective teaching in primary schools -- but they could find
few reliable answers. "Teaching in Effective Primary Schools: Research into Pedagogy and
Children's Learning" changes that.
Collaboratively compiled and and written by the team of Iram Siraj, Brenda Taggart, Pam
Sammons, Edward Melhuish, Kathy Sylva, and Donna-Lynn Shepherd, in the pages of "Teaching
in Effective Primary Schools" are to be found some of the UK's leading researchers into effective
primary school provision combine qualitative and quantitative research findings to shine a
spotlight on teaching in effective primary schools. They reveal the pedagogical strategies that are
the hallmark of successful schools and bring these strategies to life through detailed observations
of classroom interactions.
Reading "Teaching in Effective Primary Schools" takes the reader into the classrooms of skillful
teachers and describes inspirational teaching -- and offers accessible, multi-layered evidence for
making learning more engaging and motivating for children, through better pedagogical
practice.
Critique: An erudite and impressively informative compendium of nine thoughtful and thought-provoking chapters that are enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a glossary of terms, lists
of figures, tables, boxes, abbreviations, as well as the contributors and their credentials, "Teaching
in Effective Primary Schools" also features two appendices (Effective Pre-school, Primary and
Secondary-Education Publications; Chronology of the Department of Education), a fifteen page
listing of References, and a two page Index -- making it an essential, core addition to both
college and university library Teacher Education collections and supplemental studies lists. It
should be noted for students, academia, educational administrators, school board members, and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Teaching in Effective Primary
Schools" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.39).
Transition for Pupils with Special Educational Needs
Geraldine Scanlon, et al.
Peter Lang Publishing Inc.
www.peterlang.com
9783034318730, $60.95, PB, 214pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Moving from primary to post-primary school and moving from post-primary to
further/higher education pose significant challenges to many young people. Both transitions force
young people toward greater personal autonomy, self-awareness and ideally self-efficacy.
For students with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND), these challenges are
potentially greater, and continuity in, or access to new, support may be necessary to facilitate
these transitions in a manner that gives all students equal opportunities for taking charge of their
own lives, including their education.
The existing empirical literature on the transitions of students with SEND at these levels is
limited. The collaborative work of Geraldine Scanlon, Yvonne Barnes-Holmes, Michael Shevlin,
and Conor McGuckin, "Transition for Pupils with Special Educational Needs: Implications for
Inclusion Policy and Practice" reviews the conceptual, policy and research evidence on young
people's experiences of these transitions.
"Transition for Pupils with Special Educational Needs" also reports on new research conducted
with young people with SEND and relevant stakeholders (including parents, educational
professionals and voluntary agencies) involved in these transitions in Ireland. In so doing, the
book provides a framework of evidence-based practice that can enable schools and professionals
to develop effective and inclusive transition policies and programs.
Critique: Comprised of eight seminal articles by experts in the field of special education,
"Transition for Pupils with Special Educational Needs: Implications for Inclusion Policy and
Practice" is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of illustrative tables, a twenty-four page
Bibliography, and a three page Index. A unique and impressively informative work of meticulous
collective scholarship, "Transition for Pupils with Special Educational Needs" is unreservedly
recommended as a core addition to college and university library Special Education instructional
reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
Mindfulness in the Classroom
Thomas Armstrong
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416627944, $27.99, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In today's schools, with Active Shooter Drills becoming commonplace, students and
teachers feel unprecedented and even alarming levels of stress. How can we create calmer
classrooms in which students concentrate better and feel more positive about themselves and
others? In "Mindfulness in the Classroom: Strategies for Promoting Concentration, Compassion,
and Calm", author Thomas Armstrong offers a compelling answer in the form of mindfulness, a
secular practice he defines as the intentional focus of one's attention on the present moment in a
nonjudgmental way.
In "Mindfulness in the Classroom", Armstrong explains how mindfulness affects the structure
and function of the brain; provides an overview of mindfulness as both a personal practice and a
classroom methodology that aligns with such educational models as Social and Emotional
Learning (SEL), Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS), and Universal Design for
Learning (UDL); shares and explains the extensive research that shows the positive effects of
mindfulness practices in the classroom; describes how to adapt mindfulness for different grade
levels, integrate it into regular school subjects, and implement it schoolwide; and offers
guidelines for teaching mindfulness responsibly, without religious overtones.
Dozens of observations from teachers, students, researchers, and practitioners provide striking
evidence of the power of mindfulness and offer hope to anyone who wants to make classrooms
more productive places of learning.
Critique: Simply stated, "Mindfulness in the Classroom: Strategies for Promoting Concentration,
Compassion, and Calm" should be required reading by every classroom teacher, school
administrator, and school board member. While unreservedly recommended for school district,
college, and university library Teacher Education & School Administration collections, it should
be noted for personal reading lists that "Mindfulness in the Classroom" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $26.55).
Corwin
www.corwin.com
Two excellent Corwin educator guides should be standard to any authoritative teacher's reference
collection. Jessica Djabrayan Hannigan and John E. Hannigan's Building Behavior: The
Educator's Guide to Evidence-Based Initiatives (9781544340081, $34.95) identifies effective
behavior support systems and shows educators how to integrate these systems into a school or
classroom. They consider six common behavior initiatives and advocate their strength and that
educators should understand the purpose and practices of each. From frameworks for best
practices that include resource inventories to insights on social and emotional learning, Building
Behavior is highly recommended for all educators. Tracey Lawrence's A to Z of Classroom
Behavior (9781526464279, $28.24) may appear to be a diminutive guide, but offers busy
educators a fine read that may be quickly reviewed while on a coffee break or lunch hour.
Alphabetical entries cover everything from ADHD to mood swings, include case studies from
both primary and secondary schools, and review common issues and strategies. All this is
presented in highly digestible chunks of detail that lend to quick reading and easy
understanding.
The Science Shelf
Focus on Geodatabases in ArcGIS Pro
David W. Allen
ESRI Press
www.esri/com/esripress
9781589484450, $59.99
Focus on Geodatabases in ArcGIS Pro introduces readers to the geodatabase which manages
geographic information across the ArcGIS platform. It offers a host of best practices, discussions
of geodatabase design and usage, tips on editing data and sharing it on the web, step-by-step
tutorials based on real-world applications, and includes sample projects and study questions for
classroom use. Geography students interested in geodatabase creation, use, and management
need this book, as do professionals using Arc GIS Pro.
When the Earth Had Two Moons
Erik Asphaug
Custom House
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway, New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9780062657923, $28.99, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In 1959, the Soviet probe Luna 3 took the first photos of the far side of the moon. Even
in their poor resolution, the images stunned scientists: the far side is an enormous mountainous
expanse, not the vast lava-plains seen from Earth. Subsequent missions have confirmed this in
much greater detail.
How could this be, and what might it tell us about our own place in the universe? As it turns out,
quite a lot.
Fourteen billion years ago, the universe exploded into being, creating galaxies and stars. Planets
formed out of the leftover dust and gas that coalesced into larger and larger bodies orbiting
around each star. In a sort of heavenly survival of the fittest, planetary bodies smashed into each
other until solar systems emerged. Curiously, instead of being relatively similar in terms of
composition, the planets in our solar system, and the comets, asteroids, satellites and rings, are
bewitchingly distinct. So, too, the halves of our moon.
In "When the Earth Had Two Moons", esteemed planetary geologist Erik Asphaug takes us on an
exhilarating tour through the farthest reaches of time and our galaxy to find out why. Beautifully
written and provocatively argued, When the Earth Had Two Moons is not only a mind-blowing
astronomical tour but a profound inquiry into the nature of life here - and billions of miles from
home.
Critique: Erik Asphaug is a professor of planetary science at the University of Arizona, a member
of the faculty of the world-renowned Lunar and Planetary Laboratory in Tucson, and was part of
the team behind NASA's successful Galileo and LCROSS missions. A winner of the prestigious
Harold C. Urey Prize from the American Astronomical Society, recognizing outstanding
achievements by a young planetary scientist, his areas of expertise include the geology of comets
and asteroids and the giant impacts that formed the planets and moons. He was also a professor at
the University of California-Santa Cruz.
In "When the Earth Had Two Moons: Cannibal Planets, Icy Giants, Dirty Comets, Dreadful
Orbits, and the Origins of the Night Sky" planetary geologist and academician Asphaug draws
upon his years of research and expertise to provide the reader with a truly wondrous and
surprising exploration of planet formation and the origins of life.
A meticulous and expertly presented work of science, "When the Earth Had Two Moons" is
unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for both community and academic library
Contemporary Science, Astronomy, and Planetary Geology collections and supplemental studies
lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest
in the subject that "When the Earth Had Two Moons" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio,
9781982663087, $39.99, CD).
Map of the World
Martin Vermeer & Antii Rasila
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9780367217730, $99.95, HC, 289pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Geodesy is the Earth science of accurately measuring and understanding Earth's
geometric shape, orientation in space and gravitational field. The field also incorporates studies
of how these properties change over time and equivalent measurements for other planets (known
as planetary geodesy). Geodynamical phenomena include crustal motion, tides and polar motion,
which can be studied by designing global and national control networks, applying space and
terrestrial techniques and relying on datums and coordinate systems.
Carl Friedrich Gauss, the "foremost of mathematicians", was a land surveyor. Measuring and
calculating geodetic networks on the curved Earth was the inspiration for some of his greatest
mathematical discoveries. This is just one example of how mathematics and geodesy have
evolved together throughout history.
The collaborative work of Martin Vermeer (Professor of Geodesy in the Department of the Built
Environment, Aalto University, Finland) and Antti Rasila (Associate Professor of Mathematics at
Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Guangdong, China), "Map of the World:
An Introduction to Mathematical Geodesy" is for students and professionals in geodesy, land
surveying, and geospatial science who need to understand the mathematics of describing the
Earth and capturing her in maps and geospatial data: the discipline known as mathematical
geodesy.
"Map of the World" aims to provide an accessible introduction to this area, presenting and
developing the mathematics relating to maps, mapping, and the production of geospatial data.
Described are the theory and its fundamental concepts, its application for processing, analyzing,
transforming, and projecting geospatial data, and how these are used in producing charts and
atlases. Also touched upon are the multitude of cross-overs into other sciences sharing in the
adventure of discovering what our world really looks like.
Critique: "Map of the World: An Introduction to Mathematical Geodesy" is organized, written
and presented in an impressively accessible style that is replete with exercises -- making it highly
adaptable textbook for curriculum courses on different levels. Especially and unreservedly
recommended for students and professionals in the mapping sciences, "Map of the World" will
prove to be an ideal and instructive source for non-specialist readers with an interest in maps and
map making. While a critically important addition to college and university library collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Maps of the World" is also available in a digital
book format (eTextbook, $87.96).
The General Fiction Shelf
Eastbound from Flagstaff
Annette Valentine
Morgan James Publishing
11815 Fountain Way, Suite 300, Newport News, VA 23606-4448
www.morganjamespublishing.com
9781642793352, $39.95, Library Binding, 334pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Simon Hagan is running from a lie, intent on believing his own efforts and
perseverance can overcome anything. He abandons roots that are his foundational strength and
hides behind his charm, living every moment as if life's daring him to fail -- again. He's
reckoning with his father's God who could have delivered better outcomes but didn't.
Simon's return to the notion of forgiveness is the catalyst for a new beginning as it reunites
Simon to the place he once thought was the impossible dream. The answer for Simon isn't
blowing in the backwinds of his dream chase; rather, it unfolds in the outstretched hand of a
villain.
Critique: "Eastbound from Flagstaff " is first installment in an epic trilogy by Annette Valentine
(and based upon the author's father) that begins in the 1920's, unique in its purposeful
illumination of the human condition and its ideological indifference to God, asks the question:
"Why was God silent when I needed him?" While unreservedly and especially recommended for
community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Eastbound from Flagstaff" is also available in a paperback edition (9781642793345, $18.95)
and in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.69).
Knower of the Field
Phalgun Prativadi, M.D.
Dog Ear Publishing
www.dogearpublishing.net
9781457570520, $14.95, PB, 290pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Dr. Arya Krish is a brilliant physician and philanthropist, and the head of Beacon
Medical Institute. The ground breaking technology developed there, through the Panacea Project,
will usher in the new age of genetics that will change the world we live in.
Krish's vast ambition at home and abroad leads to entangled alliances with industry juggernaut
Alpha Corp, as well as the US government. He is forced to confront cut-throat corporate
corruption, government encroachment, and a haunting family history. The ends must justify the
means, which give rise to the bad blood within. Arya Krish has to make peace with it, to become
a true knower of the field.
Critique: With a deftly scripted plot that could well be ripped from tomorrow's headlines with
respect to advances in the genetic sciences and technologies, "Knower of the Field" by Dr.
Phalgun Prativadi is an inherently compelling read from first page to last. While especially and
unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Knower of the Field" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $4.99).
The Timepiece
Beverly Lewis
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton Road, Ada, MI 49301
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764233258, $22.99, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: As the only daughter, Sylvia Miller always held a special place in her Old Order
family, one Adeline Pelham jeopardizes when she shows up at the Millers' Hickory Hollow farm.
It isn't that Adeline means to be a threat, but her very existence is a reminder of the painful secret
that has so recently upended the Miller household. And with Sylvia and her mother still
struggling to come to terms with that news, this is a challenging time to welcome an Englisher
(especially this Englisher!) into their midst.
Despite the Millers' unexpected hospitality, Adeline is well aware that she's treading on Sylvia's
turf, and she feels guilty about doing so when Sylvia is grappling with issues of her own. Not
only is Sylvia trying to rebuild her trust in her father, but she's uncertain what to make of her
once-promising engagement to Titus Kauffman, who hasn't pursued her since she confronted
him. Adeline wishes she could help Sylvia, but she's not sure that either she or Sylvia is ready for
that level of closeness in their relationship.
Can God make something good come out of the mistakes of the past? Or does Adeline's
arrival mark one too many surprises for the Millers and their Amish community?
Critique: Another deftly crafted and especially entertaining novel from the pen of Beverly Lewis,
"The Timepiece" is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library
Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of the
author's legions of fans that "The Timepiece" is also available in a paperback edition
(9780764233074, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Nugget
P. T. Deutermann
St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.stmartins.com
9781250205889, $27.99, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Lieutenant Bobby Steele, USN, is a fresh-faced and eager naval aviator: a "Nugget,"
who needs to learn the ropes and complex procedures of taking off and returning safely to his
aircraft carrier. A blurry night of drinking lands him in an unfamiliar bed aboard the USS
Oklahoma; later that day, the Japanese destroy Pearl Harbor. After cheating death and losing his
friend in this act of war, the formerly naive Steele vows to avenge the attack.
Flying sea battle after battle, Steele survives the most dangerous air combat in World War II,
including Midway, is shot down twice, rescued twice, and eventually leads a daring mission to
free prisoners from a secluded Japanese POW camp.
Critique: Packed from cover to cover with authentically presented military action on land and at
sea in the Pacific Theatre of WWII and featuring a memorable protagonist based on a true-life
hero, "The Nugget" is a first-class adventure novel by P. T. Deutermann -- a former commander
whose family served in the Pacific. While unreservedly recommended, especially for community
library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Nugget"
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged
audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781982631772, $29.95, MP3 CD).
A Single Light
Tosca Lee
Howard Books
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
9781476798646, $27.00, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Six months after vanishing into an underground silo with sixty others, Wynter and
Chase emerge to find the area abandoned. There is no sign of Noah and the rest of the group that
was supposed to greet them when they emerged -- the same people Wynter was counting on to
help her locate the IV antibiotics her gravely ill friend, Julie, needs in order to live.
As the clock ticks down on Julie's life, Wynter and Chase embark on a desperate search for
medicine and answers. But what they find is not a nation on the cusp of recovery thanks to the
promising new vaccine Wynter herself had a hand in creating, but one decimated by disease.
What happened while they were underground?
With food and water in limited supply and their own survival in question, Chase and Wynter
must venture further and further from the silo. Aided by an enigmatic mute named Otto, they
come face-to-face with a society radically changed by global pandemic, where communities
scrabble to survive under rogue leaders and cities are war zones. As hope fades by the hour and
Wynter learns the terrible truth of the last six months, she is called upon once again to help save
the nation she no longer recognizes -- a place so dark she's no longer sure it can even
survive.
Critique: "A Single Light" by Tosca Lee is a deftly crafted dystopian novel that is a simply
riveting read from first page to last. While unreservedly recommended for community library
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Single Light" is also available in
a paperback edition (9781501169083, $17.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
She Chose Me
Tracey Emerson
Charnwood
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444841510, $35.50, HC, Large Print, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: After twenty years abroad, Grace returns to London to manage her dying mother's
affairs. Taking a temporary post teaching English at a local school, she rents a rundown flat and
travels to the care home on weekends. But the people in Grace's life are not what they seem to
be! When she receives a blank Mother's Day card in the post, she is confused and unsettled. Who
could have sent it to her, and why? She isn't a mother. Another Mother's Day card arrives, and
then come the silent phone calls. Haunted by disturbing flashbacks, Grace starts to unravel.
Someone is out to get her. Someone who will make her face the past she has run from for so
long.
Critique: An inherently riveting psychological thriller of a novel from author with a particularly
effective and reader engaging narrative storytelling style, this large print edition of Tracey
Emerson's "She Chose Me" is particularly and unreservedly recommended for community library
Suspense/Thriller collections.
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
Stealing Kisses in the Snow
Jo Mcnally
HQN
c/o Harlequin Books
https://www.harlequin.com
9781335041487, $7.99, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Single mom Piper Montgomery's plate is full. Between her two adorable kids, two jobs
and a fixer-upper house, she's so busy she can hardly see straight. But when rugged biker Logan
Taggart strolls into the inn where she's working, she can't help but stare. He has bad boy written
all over him. And with two kids relying on her, that's the last thing she needs this Christmas.
Rendezvous Falls is nothing but a pit stop for Logan. Once his grandmother is back on her feet
and ready to reclaim the inn, Logan can get back on the road. It's where he belongs, even if his
grandmother's matchmaking book club try to convince him otherwise. Still, there's something
about beautiful spitfire Piper that makes him wonder if family and forever might just be what he
needs after all.
But as the holidays draw ever closer, so do Piper and Logan. Could these polar opposites find
that all they want this Christmas is each other?
Critique: Another deftly crafted romance novel by a master of the genre, "Stealing Kisses in the
Snow" by Jo McNally is unreservedly recommended reading for all dedicated fans of true love
and happy endings. While especially appropriate for community library Romance Fiction
collections, it should be noted that "Stealing Kisses in the Snow" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $5.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio,
9781094003771, $39.99, CD).
The Western Fiction Shelf
Brothers In Blood
Lee Lejeune
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444841411, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: As young Stubbs 'Sunshine' Shining is riding west, he sees four gunmen firing at a
homestead and scares them off. Bethany Bartok, the widowed resident, explains that her son Bart
has gone off in search of his fortune, and her daughter Elspeth has travelled east to be educated.
Sunshine decides to stay for a short spell - but when he learns that Bart has been kidnapped, and
the local Cutaway brothers are determined to get their hands on the property, he starts to untangle
threads that lead him into dangerous territory.
Critique: A superbly crafted western with more surprising twists and turns than a rodeo bucking
bronco, "Brothers In Blood" is an immensely entertaining and satisfying read that will have a
very special appeal for all dedicated western novel fans and in this large print edition is certain to
be an immediately popular addition for any and all community library Western Fiction
collections.
The Tied-Down Holster
Hugh Martin
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444841756, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Men tend to disappear around Blue Mesa, New Mexico. Dick Young, ostensibly an
easy-going artist, vanishes close to a deep chasm in this locality ruled by powerful rancher Walt
Guisewell, who sees the land he has tamed as his kingdom. Bob Young, brother of the missing
man, arrives and proves to be very different from Dick. Sometime soldier, sometime convict and
sometime lawman, he wears the holster of his Colt revolver tied down in a fashion that proclaims
him a serious man to reckon with.
Critique: "The Tied-Down Holster" is another terrifically entertaining action/adventure western
from the pen of Hugh Martin and in this large print edition from the Linford Western Library is
certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to the personal reading lists of all
dedicated western buffs and the Western Fiction collections of community libraries.
Dead Man's Eyes
Derek Rutherford
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444841770, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 296pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Accused of having killed a Texas Ranger, ex-train robber Jim Jackson is now out of
the tough Texas Convict Leasing System, an incarceration where brutal guards beat all the
courage out of him. Now good for nothing except drinking, Jackson is known as 'Junk' or 'Shaky',
the town drunk, by the townsfolk of Parker's Crossing. The only thing strange about 'Junk' is that
he always seems to have money to buy his booze, but no discernable means of earning it. But
Jackson does have one unexpect thing going for him - he's the fastest gunmen in the west. When
a series of violent murders terrify the people of Parker's Crossing and threatens his only friends
(Rose his landlady, and Amos a man blinded by the Apache), it is to Jim 'Junk' Jackson to defend
them. But can Jackson find the courage to take on the killers?
Critique: Once again author Derek Rutherford has penned a riveting western novel with more
plot twists and turns than the Colorado river. This large print edition of "Dead Man's Eyes" is
especially recommended for community library Western Fiction collections, and the personal
reading lists of all dedicated western action/adventure fans!
No Fire Without Smoke
Mark P. Lynch
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444839807, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 216pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Danny Roden's Travelling Medicine and Jamboree Show pulls into Bradbury, hoping
for a peaceful trip. But trouble quickly finds them in the shape of gunman Jack Donovan and two
of his unsavory pals. After a failed robbery attempt, murder and the kidnaping of a young girl, the
lady sharpshooter Smoke Winters' act is disrupted as, haunted by her own past, she must go after
the outlaws and recover the child -- and her friends are compelling to follow after her and into a
den of death in the form of a town called Inferno.
Critique: Another original western novel by the author of "Hour of the Black Wolf", "No Fire
Without Smoke" this riveting story of the Old West by Mark P. Lynch is certain to be a welcome
and enduringly popular addition to both personal reading lists and community library large print
Western Fiction collections.
LeRoy, US Marshal
Neil Hunter
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444839791, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 200pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: No matter what the odds, US Marshal Alvin LeRoy always completes his assignments.
That's why he's been sent after the murderous Jack Reno gang. His pursuit takes him across
southwest Texas, where he faces up to bushwhackers and the aftermath of a massacre of a wagon
train of men, women and children. A trail of deception and danger ultimately leads him to New
York, where he confronts the menacing top man of the crime syndicate who's behind the whole
affair.
Critique: A master of the action/adventure western genre, few writers can equal Neil Hunter and
this large print edition of "LeRoy, US Marshal" is still another example of his impressive and
thoroughly reader engaging narrative storytelling style. Simply stated, no community library
Western Fiction collection should be without a copy of "LeRoy, US Marshal" in their collection
or absent from the personal reading lists of all dedicated western fiction fans.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Word to the Wise
Jenn McKinlay
Berkley Prime Crime
www.penguinrandomhouse.com
9780593100035, $26.00
Word to the Wise adds to the Library Lovers mystery series with a focus on library director
Lindsey's upcoming marriage, the unwanted attentions of a newcomer to town, Aaron, and a
murder that involves Lindsey's fiance in not a marriage, but an effort to clear his name. It's up to
Lindsey's research abilities to once again get to the bottom of secrets and uncover a deadly
murderer who has more than one death in his sights. The fine tension and small-town atmosphere
will delight cozy mystery fans.
Murder in Tranquility
J. D. Griffo
Kensington Mystery
c/o Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street, Floor 21, New York, NY 10018-2522
www.kensingtonbooks.com
9781496713964, $7.99, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Ever since Alberta Scaglione inherited her spinster aunt's Cape Cod cottage, she's been
enjoying the good life in Tranquility, New Jersey, with her black cat, Lola. But since things are
mostly quiet in this town, she finds other things to do -- like joining Jinx for morning jogs in
Tranquility Park.
She has to do something to stay healthy, as long as it doesn't involve Jinx's healthful tofu
sausages and gluten-free pasta. But when they stumble across a treehouse hidden in the trees, and
a dead body underneath it, they take a detour into solving a murder. Now the Ferrara ladies will
have to exercise extreme caution to avoid a permanent decline in their health . Of special note is
the inclusion of Italian recipes from Alberta's kitchen!
Critique: Also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.17) and as
a complete and unabridged audio book (Tantor Audio, 9781515937845, $29.99, CD), "Murder in
Tranquility" is a cover to cover treat for all dedicated whodunnit mystery buffs and certain to be
an enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense
collections.
The Books of the Dead
Emilia Bernhard
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781643851570, $26.99, HC, 309pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: When American sleuth Rachel Levis stumbles upon an employee of the French
national library strangled in the bathroom of a cafe, she's not surprised to be asked to help with
the investigation by her old acquaintance Capitaine Boussicault -- after all, she and her best
friend Magda solved a tricky murder only eighteen months before.
But right from the start, this case proves to be tres difficile. When Rachel goes undercover as a
librarian to determine which of his book-loving colleagues loathed the man enough to kill him,
the library is rocked by more bad news: a priceless antique book has been mutilated. And the
very next day, her favorite suspect for the murder is found dead in the stacks.
Just as the case is heating up, Boussicault pulls Rachel from the investigation. Undeterred, she
and Magda decide to forge ahead with their own investigation -- even if it could put them at odds
with the police and in serious danger. With evidence and suspects piling up, it will be up to them
to find the culprit -- and stop more innocent books from being harmed--before anyone else
checks out for good!
Critique: Another deftly crafted 'A Death in Paris' mystery from the pen of Emilia Bernhard,
"The Books of the Dead" is a riveting read from cover to cover and highly recommended for
community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists
of dedicated mystery buffs that "The Book of the Dead" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $12.99).
A Legacy of Murder
Connie Berry
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781643851549, $26.99, HC, 327pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: It's Christmastime and antiques dealer Kate Hamilton is off to visit her daughter,
Christine, in the quaint English village of Long Barston. Christine and her boyfriend, Tristan,
work at stately-but-crumbling Finchley Hall. Touring the Elizabethan house and grounds, Kate is
intrigued by the docent's tales of the Finchley Hoard, and the strange deaths surrounding the
renowned treasure trove. But next to a small lake, Kate spies the body of a young woman, killed
by a garden spade.
Nearly blind Lady Barbara, who lives at Finchley with her loyal butler, Mugg, persuades Kate to
take over the murdered woman's work. Kate finds that a Burmese ruby has vanished from the
legendary Blood-Red Ring, replaced by a lesser garnet. Were the theft and the woman's death
connected?
Kate learns that Lady Barbara's son fled to Venezuela years before, suspected of murdering
another young woman. The murder weapon belonged to an old gardener, who becomes the
leading suspect. But is Lady Barbara's son back to kill again? When another body is found, the
clues point toward Christine. It's up to Kate to clear her daughter's name!
Critique: Also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99), "A Legacy of Murder" is
author Connie Berry's second Kate Hamilton mystery and a veritable treasure for fans of
traditional British mysteries and one that is unreservedly recommended for the personal reading
lists of all dedicated mystery fans and community library Murder/Suspense collections.
Galway Girl
Ken Bruen
Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
154 West 14th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10011
www.groveatlantic.com
9780802147936, $26.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Jack Taylor has never quite been able get his life together, but now he has truly hit
rock bottom. Still reeling from a violent family tragedy, Taylor is busy drowning his grief in
Jameson and uppers, as usual, when a high-profile officer in the local Garda is murdered. After
another Guard is found dead, and then another, Taylor's old colleagues from the force implore
him to take on the case.
The plot is one big game, and all of the pieces seem to be moving at the behest of one very
dangerously mysterious team: a trio of young killers with very different styles, but who are united
their common desire to take down Jack Taylor. Their ring leader is Jericho, a psychotic girl from
Galway who is grieving the loss of her lover, and who will force Jack to confront some personal
trauma from his past.
Critique: A deftly crafted and riveting read from cover to cover, "Galway Girl" showcases author
Ken Bruen's total master of the suspense/thriller genre, as well as a genuine flair for originality
and a distinctive reader engaging narrative storytelling style. While especially recommended for
community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Galway Girl" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete
and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781974983773, $22.99, CD).
Strangers She Knows
Christina Dodd
HQN
c/o Harlequin Books
225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada, M3B 3K9
https://www.harlequin.com
9781335016614, $27.99, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Living on an obscure, technology-free island off California means safety from the
murderer who hunts Kellen Adams and her new family. Or does it? Family time becomes
terror-time, and at last, alone, Kellen faces a killer playing a cruel game. Only one can survive,
and Kellen knows who must win -- and who must die.
Critique: A simply riveting suspense thriller of a novel with more unexpected plot twists and
turns than a Coney Island roller coaster, "Strangers She Knows" showcases author Christina
Dodd's complete mastery of the genre and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to
community library Suspense/Thriller Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading
lists that "Strangers She Knows" is also available in a paperback edition (978-1335468338,
$16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Passport to Death
Yigal Zur
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608093649, $26.95, HC, 209pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Dotan Naor, an Israeli private investigator, ousted from Shin Bet (Israel's internal
security service) goes to Thailand to find Sigal Bardon, a beautiful young girl from a wealthy
Israeli family.
Sigal has disappeared in Bangkok -- completely. Dotan has connections in Thailand and he's
familiar with Bangkok's dark side, including the narrow alleys with bars and hookers, trenches of
stagnant water, hotel rooms with illicit activity. This is where he intends to start his search. But
when the passport of the missing Israeli girl ends up in his hands during his first taxi ride in the
city, he's suspicious that someone is playing him. But who? And why?
As Dotan searches for Sigal, police corruption blocks his every path. Every lead he pursues
draws him closer and closer to a black hole in his "own" past (one intertwined with his pursuit of
Sigal) one that leads him to Reuven -- and the haunting failure that led to the dismissal of both of
them from Shin Bet. The wound between Dotan and Reuven is raw and deep, but Dotan realizes
it must be healed in order to save Sigal.
Critique: An original and deftly crafted suspense thriller of a read from cover to cover, "Passport
to Death" showcases author Yigal Zur's impressive and thoroughly reader engaging narrative
storytelling style. While certain to be a popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Passport to Death" is also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.95).
Rage
Jonathan Maberry
St. Martin's Griffin
c/o St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.stmartins.com
9781250303578, $18.99, PB, 464pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A small island off the coast of Korea is torn apart by a bioweapon that drives everyone
(men, women, and children) insane with murderous rage. The people behind the attack want
Korea reunified or destroyed. No middle ground. No mercy.
Soon Japan, China, and the United States are pushed to the brink of war, while terrorists threaten
to release the rage bioweapon in a way of pure destructive slaughter. That's when Joe Ledger
leads his newly formed band of international troubleshooters in their first mission to stop the
terror cell, fighting alongside agents from North and South Korea.
With the lives of billions at stake, Ledger is willing to bring his own brand of terror to this
frightening new war.
Critique: Launching a new series by a master of the Suspense/Thriller genre, "Rage" from the
imaginative pen of Jonathan Maberry is a deftly crafted and simply riveting read from cover to
cover. While unreservedly recommended, especially for community library collections, it should
be noted that "Rage" is also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Read and Buried
Eva Gates
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781643852331, $26.99, HC, 309pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The Bodie Island Lighthouse Library Classic Novel Book Club is reading Journey to
the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne while workers dig into the earth to repair the Lighthouse
Library's foundations. The digging halts when Lucy pulls a battered tin box containing a Civil
War-era diary from the pit. Tucked inside is a hand-drawn map of the Outer Banks accompanied
by a page written in an indecipherable code.
The library is overrun by people clamoring to see the artifact. Later that night, Lucy and Connor
McNeil find the body of historical society member Jeremy Hughes inside the library. Clearly
Jeremy was not the only one who broke into the library -- the map and the coded page are
missing.
Lucy's nemesis, Louise Jane McKaughnan, confesses to entering the library after closing to sneak
a peek but denies seeing Jeremy -- or his killer. When Lucy discovers that fellow-librarian
Charlene had a past with Jeremy, she's forced to do what she vowed not to do--get involved in
the case. Meanwhile, the entire library staff and community become obsessed with trying to
decode the page. But when the library has a second break in, it becomes clear that someone is
determined to solve that code.
Critique: A fun read with many an unexpected plot twist and turn, "Read and Buried" is author
Eva Gates latest addition to her simply outstanding 'A Lighthouse Library Mystery' series. While
especially recommended for community library Murder/Suspense collections it should be noted
for individual mystery fans that "Read and Buried" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $12.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio,
9781094006956, $29.95, CD).
The Road To Grantchester
James Runcie
Isis Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
9781785417429, $TBA, HC, Large Print, 384pp, www.ulverscroftusa.com
Synopsis: In 1938, eighteen-year-old Sidney Chambers is dancing with Amanda Kendall at the
Caledonian Club. No one believes, on this golden evening, that there will be another war.
Returning to London seven years later, Sidney has gained a Military Cross, and lost his best
friend. The carefree youth that he and his friends were promised has been blown apart, just like
the rest of the world -- and Sidney, carrying a terrible guilt, must decide what to do with the rest
of his life.
But he has heard a call: constant, though quiet, and growing ever more persistent. To the
incredulity of his family and the derision of his friends (irrepressible actor Freddie, and beautiful,
spiky Amanda) Sidney must now negotiate his path to God: the course of which, like true love,
never runs smooth.
Critique: An absolute 'must read' for the legions of the Sidney Chamber's mystery novels by
James Runcie, this large print edition of "The Road To Grantchester" will prove to be an
immediate and enduringly popular addition to all community library collections.
Beyond a Reasonable Stout
Ellie Alexander
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250205759, $26.99, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: It's the dead season in Leavenworth, Washington. The throngs of Oktoberfest crowds
have headed home, and the charming Bavarian streets are quiet and calm -- momentarily.
Villagers use the reprieve to drink in the crisp fall mountain air and prepare for the upcoming
winter light festival. Soon the German-inspired shops and restaurants will be aglow with
thousands of twinkling lights. Visitors will return to the northern Cascades to drink warm mulled
cider and peruse the holiday markets.
Brewer, Sloan Krause and her partner Garrett Strong are using the slowdown to stock up on a
new line of their signature craft beers at Nitro. They're experimenting with a hoppy holiday pine
and a chocolate hazelnut stout. The small brewery is alive with delicious scents and bubbling
batches of brew.
Sloan is in her element. She loves the creativity and low-key atmosphere at Nitro. Only that is
soon threatened by the incumbent city council member Kristopher Cooper. Kristopher is running
for re-election on a platform of making Leavenworth dry. Everyone in beertopia is fuming.
Leavenworth's economy relies on keeping the kegs flowing. Kristopher wants to banish beer, a
policy that might just bankrupt the entire village. However, Kristopher turns up dead days before
election night.
Sloan quickly realizes that his murder isn't the work of a stranger. Friends, family, and every
other business owner had a motive to kill him, including none other than April Ablin,
Leavenworth's self-described ambassador of all things German. Sloan finds herself defending
April and trying to sleuth out a killer amongst a group of familiar faces.
Critique: As deftly crafted a mystery novel as an artisan brewed beer, "Beyond A Reasonable
Stout" by Ellie Alexander is a wonderfully entertaining 'whodunnit' that is unreservedly
recommended as an immediate and enduringly popular addition to a community library's
Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated
mystery buffs that "Beyond A Reasonable Stout" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $13.99).
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Changed Purpose
Paula Jean Henry
Westbow Press
c/o Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.westbowpress.com
9781973645559, $35.95, HC, 252pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Twenty-eight-year-old Sarah Louise Gordon is a Civil War history expert who loves
the Lord and believes in respecting God-given freedoms. Although she lives in modern-day
Philadelphia, Sarah wishes she could travel back in time and change history to save General
Stonewall Jackson's life. Sarah has no idea she is about to discover that wishes do come true,
sometimes in the most unlikely of places.
After she quits her job on a whim and moves to Stone Mountain, Georgia, to be closer to her
brother and his family, she decides to tour the Antebellum Plantation. But when she
unexpectedly finds herself separated from her family, Sarah soon realizes that she has somehow
traveled back in time to 1863. She is left to contemplate whether she really has the persuasive
power to save Stonewall Jackson and avoid being arrested and hung for treason in the process.
As Sarah embarks on a passionate and courageous mission to transform the outcome of the Civil
War, she must place her trust in God and embrace that this is her new purpose.
Critique: An inherently fascinating, engaging, and unique time-travel science fiction novel,
"Changed Purpose" by Paula Jean Henry is a truly intriguing, deftly written, and original tale of a
young Christian historian who journeys back in time in an attempt to influence the outcome of
the Civil War and alter history forever. While unreservedly recommended, especially for
community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections, it should be noted for personal reading
lists that "Changed Purpose" is also available in a paperback edition (9781973645566, $19.95)
and in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
The Last Road
K. V. Johansen
Pyr
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633885547, $18.00, PB, 518pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: When even the gods are dying, the hope of the world may lie in its most feared
enemies. A new god proclaimed as the All-Holy has arisen in the west and leads an army
eastward, devouring the gods and goddesses of the lands between, forcibly converting their folk
and binding their souls to himself.
The very fabric of the world appears threatened by forces beyond the understanding of scholars
and wizards alike. Even the great city of Marakand, where the roads of east and west converge,
seems powerless to resist the All-Holy, though the devils Moth and Yeh-Lin and the assassin
Ahjvar, undead consort of the god of distant Nabban, have come to stand with it. That may avail
Marakand little, for the shapeshifting Blackdog, once a champion of the gods, follows obediently
at the All-Holy's heel and Lakkariss,
Critique: The fifth title in author K. V. Johansen's 'Gods of the Caravan Road' saga, "The Last
Road" is a superbly crafted action/adventure novel by a master of the heroic fantasy genre. While
certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Science Fiction
& Fantasy collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated fantasy fans
that "The Last Road" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Forever and a Doomsday
Laurence MacNaughton
Pyr
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633885561, $18.00, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: When insidious spirits from beyond the grave try to get their clutches on the
apocalypse scroll, Dru Jasper and her misfit friends are the only hope for stopping doomsday.
Crystal shop owner and up-and-coming sorceress Dru Jasper is the unwilling guardian of the
apocalypse scroll, an ancient instrument of destruction held in check by the last of seven wax
seals.
If the forces of darkness manage to break the final seal, the world will come to a fiery end. It's up
to Dru to keep the scroll safe. No pressure or anything. When a chilling cohort of soul-devouring
wraiths breaks free of the netherworld to get their ghostly fingers on the scroll, it's up to Dru and
her friends to stop them.
These freakishly evil spirits can kill with just a touch. To fight them, Dru needs a rare crystal
older than the Earth itself. Her only hope of finding it is to race to a meteorite crater deep in the
desert, with the wraiths right on her tail. But as her friends lose their magical powers to the
life-draining evil of the wraiths, the fate of the world hangs in the balance.
The only chance to stop doomsday is for Dru to descend into the depths of the netherworld.
There, she must unearth the secrets of a lost city and overcome a long-lost enemy from her past.
Can she find a way to save her friends and safeguard the scroll forever -- before the wraiths break
the seventh seal and bring on doomsday?
Critique: A deftly penned, original, and fully entertaining fantasy novel by a master of the genre,
"Forever and a Doomsday" by Laurence MacNaughton is a riveting read from cover to cover and
will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Science Fiction & Fantasy
collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated fantasy fans that
"Forever and a Doomsday" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
City of Beasts
Corrie Wang
https://www.corriewang.com
Freeform Books
https://freeform.go.com/books
9781368026628, $17.99, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: For seventeen years, fees have lived separate from beasts. The division of the sexes has
kept their world peaceful. Glori Rhodes is like most other fees her age. She adores her
neighborhood's abandoned Costco, can bench her body weight, and she knew twenty-seven beast
counterattack moves by the time she was seven. She has never questioned the separation of the
sexes or the rules that keep her post-nuclear hometown safe. But when her mother secretly gives
birth to a baby beast, Glori grows to love the child and can't help wondering: What really is the
difference between us and them?
When her brother, at the age of five, is snatched in a vicious raid, Glori and her best friend, Su,
do the unthinkable -- covertly infiltrate the City of Beasts to get him back. What's meant to be a
smash-and-grab job quickly becomes the adventure of a lifetime as the fees team up with a
fast-talking, T-shirt cannon-wielding beast named Sway, and Glori starts to see that there's more
to males, and her own history, than she's been taught.
Glori, Sway, and a motley cohort of friends will go to the ends of the earth to find her little
brother. And maybe save their divided world while they're at it.
Critique: An impressively original, exceptionally well written and inherently riveting novel by an
author with a distinctive and reader engaging narrative storytelling style, "City of Beasts" by
Corrie Wang will prove to be an immediate and highly popular addition to community library
Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all
dedicated SciFi fans that "City of Beasts" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$10.99).
The Orchid Throne
Jeffe Kennedy
St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.stmartins.com
9781250194312, $7.99, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: As Queen of the island kingdom of Calanthe, Lia will do anything to keep her people
free (and her secrets safe) from the mad tyrant who rules the mainland. Guided by a magic ring of
her father's, Lia plays the political game with the cronies the emperor sends to her island. In her
heart, she knows that it's up to her to save herself from her fate as the emperor's bride. But in her
dreams, she sees a man, one with the power to build a better world -- a man whose spirit is as
strong, and whose passion is as fierce as her own.
Conri, former Crown Prince of Oriel, has built an army to overthrow the emperor. But he needs
the fabled Abiding Ring to succeed. The ring that Lia holds so dear to her heart. When the two
banished rulers meet face to face, neither can deny the flames of rebellion that flicker in their
eyes -- nor the fires of desire that draw them together. But in this broken world of shattered
kingdoms, can they ever really trust each other? Can their fiery alliance defeat the shadows of
evil that threaten to engulf their hearts and souls?
Critique: An immediately absorbing and original novel by an author with a distinctive and
thoroughly reader engaging narrative storytelling style, "The Orchid Throne" by Jeffe Kennedy
will become an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Fantasy Fiction
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Orchid Throne" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book
(Tantor Audio, 9781977369390, $29.99, CD).
Uncompromising Honor
David Weber
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
www.baen.com
9781481483506, $28.00, HC, 784pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The Solarian League's navy counts its superdreadnoughts by the thousands. Not even
its own government knows how enormous its economy truly is. And for hundreds of years, the
League has borne the banner of human civilization, been the ideal to which humanity aspires in
its diaspora across the galaxy. But the bureaucrats known as the "Mandarins," who rule today's
League, are not the men and women who founded it so long ago. They are corrupt, venal,
accountable to no one -- and they've decided the upstart Star Kingdom of Manticore must be
destroyed.
Honor Harrington has worn the Star Kingdom's uniform for half a century and served her
monarch and her people well. In the course of those years, the woman the newsies call the
Salamander has grown from a tactically brilliant but politically naive junior officer to supreme
fleet command and a seat on the highest military and political councils of the Grand
Alliance.
Very few people know war the way Honor Harrington does. Very few have lost as many men and
women, as many friends, as much family, as she has. Yet despite that, hers has been a voice of
caution. She knows the Mandarins and the Solarian League Navy are growing increasingly
desperate as the truth of their technological inferiority sinks home, but she also knows the sheer
size of the League. And she knows how its citizens will react if the Grand Alliance takes the war
to the League, attacks its star systems, destroys its infrastructure, kills its civilians. Today's
victory, bought on those terms, can only guarantee a future war of revenge against a resurgent
Solarian League and its navy.
Honor knows the Grand Alliance must find a victory that doesn't require incursions deep into
Solarian space, doesn't leave a legacy of bottomless hatred, and the strategy she supports has
been working.
The League is sliding towards inglorious defeat as it steadily loses ground in the Protectorates
and the Verge. As its central government teeters towards bankruptcy and even some of its core
systems opt to secede in the face of the Mandarins' corruption. As the Solarian Navy finally
realizes it cannot face an Alliance battle fleet and win. But the Mandarins have embraced a
desperate new strategy, and in pursuit of that strategy, the SLN has committed atrocities such as
the galaxy has not known in a thousand years. The League have violated its own Eridani Edict
against mass civilian casualties, violated the Deneb Accords prohibition on war crimes.
And they have finally killed too many of the people Honor Harrington loves. Hers is the voice of
caution and compromise no longer, and the galaxy is about to see something it has never
imagined. The Salamander is coming for the Solarian League, and Hell is coming in her
wake.
Critique: The 19th volume in David Weber's now legendary Honor Harrington science fiction
action/adventure series, "Uncompromising Honor" is a 'must read' for the legions of Weber fans
and will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to both community and
academic library Science Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists of all
dedicated SciFi fans that "Uncompromising Honor" is also available in a mass market paperback
edition (9781982124137, $9.99, 1120pp) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.73).
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Healthy Eating series
Kyle Books
c/o Octopus Publishing
http://www.kylebooks.com
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
Two excellent books combine recipes with disease-specific management issues and are top picks
for those who want to use dietary choices to maintain health. Margaret Rayman, Vanessa
Ridland, Katie Sharpe and Patsy Westcott's Healthy Eating to Reduce the Risk of Dementia: 100
Fantastic Recipes Based on Extensive, In-Depth Research (9780857837530, $16.99) provides a
range of recipes encouraging brain-rich foods that reduce the risk of dementia. These are based
not on philosophy but on in-depth research and include dishes easy to put together, such as a
creamy Cauliflower and Cashew Soup from blogger Monica Shaw of smarterfitter.com, or
cookbook author Gino D'Acampo's quick and easy Linguine with Garlic, Shrimp and Spinach.
The range of foods and discussions about food-related influences on dementia sets this cookbook
apart from any other. Jose van Mil works with Christine Archer-Mackenzie in Healthy Eating
During Chemotherapy (9780857837523, $16.99) pairs a chef with a medical specialist, who
provide some 100 recipes for chemo patients who may struggle with eating during their
treatment. These recipes are rich in vitamins, easy to digest, comfort food-style affairs that are
easy to eat, from a creamy baked Mushroom Mousse with its souffle-like consistency to a
nutritious Eggplant and Chicken Spread Sandwich. Color photos abound in both productions,
while the ease and appeal of the dishes makes them attractive.
A Deeper Yoga
Christina Sell
Hohm Press
PO Box 4410, Chino Valley, AZ 86323
www.hohmpress.com
9781942493457, $19.95, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Christina Sell has been exploring body image & yoga since 1991 when, as a recovering
bulimic, she found the practices & principles of yoga. She has a BA in Counseling, an MA in
Integrative Education, & has been teaching alignment-oriented yoga since 1998. She is certified
in breath & massage therapy. Known for her no-nonsense teaching style, Christina enjoys helping
people of all ages, sizes & abilities find courage, strength & hope through yoga practice.
In "A Deeper Yoga: Moving Beyond Body Image to Wholeness & Freedom" Christina draws
upon her years of experience and expertise to provide an instructional guide and manual that is
uniquely aimed at practitioners who initially found help from yoga, but who are now
experiencing impatience, discouragement or even disillusionment. Christina leads the reader to
yoga's more esoteric teachings, using language without jargon or unnecessary details. The tone is
compassionate, yet strong and authoritative inviting us to empower our own deeper knowing, yet
without watering down the traditional teachings.
Topics of body image, self-hatred, eating disorders, addiction and emotional imbalance are
considered throughout as Christina skillfully dismantles the illusions and early conditionings that
lead to unrealistic norms of perfection and empower a media-driven standard of beauty and offers
an alternative view of genuine beauty.
Critique: Impressively informative, inspirationally thoughtful and thought-provoking, "A Deeper
Yoga: Moving Beyond Body Image to Wholeness & Freedom" is an extraordinary and
thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone and commentary style, making it unreservedly recommended for
both community and academic library Health & Medicine collections in general, and Yoga
supplemental studies lists in particular. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "A
Deeper Yoga" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.95).
The Rejuvenation Solution
Robert D. Willix, Jr., MD
Health Communications, Inc.
3201 S.W. 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190
www.hcibooks.com
9780757322877, $15.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: While aging is inevitable, physical, mental, and spiritual declines often associated with
the aging process doesn't have to be. With a focus on prevention instead of prescriptions, of
empowering the patient to discover the body's own healing intellect, in "The Rejuvenation
Solution: Age in Reverse--7 Proven Medical Breakthroughs That Prevent Disease and Make You
Feel Years Younger ", Dr. Robert D. Willix offers a comprehensive plan that will completely
revamp your health, making you look and feel years younger no matter what your age.
A board-certified cardiovascular surgeon from the University of Michigan Medical Center who
pioneered open heart surgery in South Dakota in 1977, Dr. Willix is also an avid athlete who
competed in the Ironman World Championship, and spent his life researching the root causes of
aging and integrative medical techniques that would halt the aging process in its tracks.
Knowing that once his patients reached his surgery suite it was often too late to radically change
their course, Dr. Willix left his surgical career behind to become a leading expert on natural
healing techniques. While many physicians may not even know these latest developments, he
distills cutting-edge research from many disciplines so that anyone can age-proof their health
with these 7 keys:
Geroprotectors: These are the next-generation antioxidants - learn how to harness them through
foods and supplements.
Inflammabots. Body-wide inflammation is known to be the source of nearly all diseases of aging,
including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease. Learn how to control
inflammation for the long haul.
Hormone-Peptide Connection. Avoid age-related hormone decline by maintaining this delicate
balance.
Telomerase Activators. Telomerase is The Energizer Bunny enzyme that keeps cells youthful.
Discover how to keep your telomerase functioning optimally.
The Muscle of Youth. Exercise is one the best anti-aging medicines of this century if done
correctly. Don't waste hours on a machine - learn how to rev up the powerful anti-aging gene
known as FOXO.
Rejuvenation Nutrition. Rejuvenate your body from the inside out in visible and in medically
measurable ways.
Age-Defying Stress Management. Learn how proper relaxation helps produce antioxidants,
lowers the damage from oxidation, and lengthens telomeres.
"The Rejuvenation Solution" enables the non-specialist general readers to be in the driver's seat
when it comes to their health -- anyone can accelerate aging or can put these habits into practice
and decelerate aging starting today, enjoying abundant health and the many benefits it brings for
many years to come.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Rejuvenation Solution: Age
in Reverse--7 Proven Medical Breakthroughs That Prevent Disease and Make You Feel Years
Younger" is one of those instructional health guides and medical manuals that will enable the
reader to extend both the length and the quality of their life. While especially and unreservedly
recommended for community, college, and university library Health/Medicine collections, it
should be noted for the personal reading lists of medical students, academia, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Rejuvenation Solution" is also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Principles of Green Bioethics
Cristina Richie
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25
East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
http://msupress.org
9781611863239, $49.95, PB, 244pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Health care is ubiquitous in the industrialized world. Yet, every medical development,
technique, and procedure impacts the environment.
Green bioethics synthesizes environmental ethics and biomedical ethics, thus creating an
interdisciplinary approach to sustainable health care. Notably, green bioethics addresses not the
structure of environmental sustainability in health-care institutions but the sustainability of
individual health-care offerings. It parallels traditional biomedical ethics by providing four
principles for ethical guidance: distributive justice, resource conservation, simplicity, and ethical
economics. Through these four principles, green bioethics presents a coherent framework for
evaluating the sustainability of medical developments, techniques, and procedures.
The future of our world may very well depend on how effectively we halt ecological destruction
and conserve our resources in all areas of life. The principles of green bioethics, outlined in
"Principles of Green Bioethics: Sustainability in Health Care" by Cristina Richie, will advance
sustainability in health care.
Critique: Organized into three major sections (Approaches to Sustainability and Health Care;
Principles of Green Bioethics; Green Bioethics in Practice), and enhanced for academia with the
inclusion of thirty-four pages of Notes, twenty-six pages of References, and a five page Index,
"Principles of Green Bioethics: Sustainability in Health Care" is an extraordinary and timely
study that is unreservedly recommended for community and academic library Environmental
Studies, Ethics, and Contemporary Philosophy collections, as well as the personal reading lists of
students, academia, environmental activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in
the subject.
Editorial Note: Cristina Richie is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioethics and
Interdisciplinary Studies, with an adjunct appointment in the Department of Public Health at the
Brody School of Medicine, at East Carolina University. Richie is the head of the North Carolina
Unit of the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics.
Exercises for Parkinson's Disease
William Smith, M.S.
Hatherleigh Press
c/o The Hatherleigh Foundation
62545 State Highway 10, Hobart, NY 13788
www.hatherleighpress.com
9781578267668, $15.00, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: William Smith, MS, NSCA-CSCS, MEPD works for a nationally recognized
healthcare system in the New York metropolitan area providing health and wellness services. His
focus is in special populations and how healthcare providers and fitness professionals can work
more closely together. His previous books include "Exercises for Perfect Posture", "Exercises for
Brain Health", and "Exercises for Cardiac Recovery".
In "Exercises for Parkinson's Disease" William Smith provides a complete guide in the same
format to achieving better health for Parkinson's patients, providing them with everything from
tips on how to structure their day to take full advantage of higher energy periods, to tailor-made
workout programs designed to boost mobility and balance. Studies have shown that exercise
improves fitness and energy levels in Parkinson's patients, while also relieving pain and helping
them retain control in their daily life.
"Exercises for Parkinson's Disease" works as an integrated part of any Parkinson's treatment plan,
optimizing mobility, increasing strength and minimizing pain, while providing lifestyle tips to
keep you motivated and moving forward.
"Exercises for Parkinson's Disease" also includes: A detailed overview of how exercise can
improve Parkinson's disease symptoms; Clear, informative pictures of safe, effective exercises;
Information on Parkinson's life-hacks for relaxation and motivation; Detailed instructions on how
to perform each movement; A complete fitness approach to restoring functionality.
Featuring expert-approved fitness techniques, with options ranging from resistance training to
mobility movements to light strength exercises, "Exercises for Parkinson's Disease" is the
all-in-one resource for anyone looking to take back control and live their best life!
Critique: Medically sound in content, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation,
"Exercises for Parkinson's Disease" is unreservedly recommended for use with Parkinson's
patients and will prove to be an enduringly valued addition to community, hospital, sheltered
living facility, college, and university library Parkinson's instructional treatment collections. It
should be noted that as a complete fitness guide to improve mobility, strength and balance that
"Exercises for Parkinson's Disease" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Reef Fish Behavior: Florida Caribbean Bahamas
Ned Deloach, Anna Deloach, Paul Humann
New World Publications
www.fishid.com
9781878348685, $49.95, PB, 448pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Reef Fish Behavior presents an overview of what is presently known about the nature
of Florida, Caribbean and Bahamas reef fishes for recreational divers, underwater naturalists,
photographers, and budding marine biologists. This new 448-page second edition includes 588
photos, emphasizes reef fish life cycles, reproduction, cleaning symbiosis, colors & camouflage,
senses and sound communications, marine wildlife management plus 16 fish family
overviews.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, the fully updated and expanded second
edition of "Reef Fish Behavior: Florida Caribbean Bahamas" is an impressively informative and
exceptionally well organized, making it unreservedly recommended for personal, professional,
community, and academic library collections.
Orca: The Whale Called Killer, fifth edition
Erich Hoyt
Firefly Books Ltd.
www.fireflybooks.com
9780228102298 $24.95 amazon.com
Synopsis: When Erich Hoyt's Orca: The Whale Called Killer was first published in 1981, little
was known about Orcinus orca. The largest member of the dolphin family was then considered
too dangerous to approach in the wild. That all changed when Erich Hoyt and his colleagues
spent seven summers in the 1970s following these intelligent, playful creatures in the waters off
northern Vancouver Island. Working alongside other researchers keen to understand the life
history of the killer whale, Hoyt's group helped to dispel the negative mythology about orcas
while uncovering the intimate details of their social behavior.
This revised fifth edition includes Hoyt's original account, plus exciting new chapters that bring
readers up to date on the revolution in public awareness and orca research that has taken place.
Hoyt's youthful adventures turned into his life's work. Now a world-renowned expert on whales
and dolphins, he shares orca wisdom along with stories gleaned from decades of additional field
study in the Russian Far East as well as return trips to Canada's West Coast to visit with the
descendants of the killer whales he encountered 45 years ago.
Critique: Now in a revised and expanded fifth edition with new chapters about modern-day orca
research, Orca: The Whale Called Killer is an in-depth examination of these complex, intelligent
aquatic mammals. A handful of inset color photographs illustrates this extensive study of killer
whale behavior, thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds. Orca: The Whale Called
Killer is highly recommended especially for public and college library wildlife science
collections.
Feed the Birds
Chris Earley
Firefly Books Ltd.
www.fireflybooks.com
9780228102014, $24.95, PB, 296pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Feeding birds is growing in popularity and is enjoyed by over 50 million North
Americans each year.
Chris Earley is a zoologist and environmental biologist. He is the Interpretive Biologist and
Education Coordinator at The Arboretum, University of Guelph. His previous books include
"Falcons in the City", "Warblers of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America", and
"Birds A to Z".
In his latest book, "Feed the Birds: Attract and Identify 196 Common North American Birds " he
has designed a resource for beginners and experienced birdwatchers alike. Covering 196 bird
species that are attracted to backyard bird feeders, "Feed the Birds" helps the bird lover to not
only attract and identify birds but also understand their behavior and adaptations to the
environment. A wide variety of feeders and seed types are presented with helpful tips on how to
attract the largest variety of birds.
Each individual profile for the 196 featured species includes a variety of photographs, an
identification guide, a range map, information on bird seed and natural food preferences, and
behavior. Other topics include: Why feeding birds is important; Building do-it-yourself feeders;
Foiling squirrels: Attracting birds with natural foods and water; Building shelters and nest boxes;
Involving children; Photographing birds; Hand feeding; Recognizing individual birds and
identifying similar-looking species; Growing plant varieties that make a garden attractive to
birds.
"Feed the Birds" also contains information on how to choose the right seeds; the importance of
ensuring all windows are bird-safe (with links to organizations that work to reduce bird-window
collision); cat-friendly deterrents; and citizen science activities like the annual Christmas Bird
Count and Project Feederwatch.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, expertly organized and presented, comprehensively
informative, "Feed the Birds" is a complete guide that should be a core addition to personal,
professional, community, college, and university library Pets/Wildlife collections in general, and
North American wild bird identification and care studies lists in particular.
The Hidden World of the Fox
Adele Brand
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9780062966100, $24.99, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: For thousands of years myth and folklore have celebrated the cunning intelligence of
the fox. Today the red fox is the nature's most populous carnivore, its dancing orange tail a
common sight in backyards. Yet who is this wild neighbor, truly? How do we negotiate this
uneasy new chapter of an ancient relationship?
In the pages of "The Hidden World of the Fox", readers will join British ecologist Adele Brand
on a journey to discover the surprising secrets of the fabled fox, the familiar yet enigmatic
creature that has adapted to the human world with astonishing (some say, unsettling)
success.
Brand has studied foxes for twenty years across four continents ranging from the Yucatan
rainforest to India's remote Thar Desert, from subarctic Canada to metropolitan London. Her
observations have convinced her that the fox is arguably the most modern of all wildlife,
uniquely suited to survival in the rapidly expanding urban/wild interface.
Blending cutting-edge science, cultural anthropology, and intimate personal storytelling drawn
from her own remarkable fieldwork, Adele Brand's "The Hidden World of the Fox" is a rich and
revelatory portrait of the extraordinary animal that she has devoted her life to understanding.
Critique: Enhanced with the inclusion of a section of full color photography, "The Hidden World
of the Fox" is an impressively informative and inherently fascinating read from cover to cover.
While unreservedly recommended, especially for community and academic library collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Hidden World of the Fox" is also available in
a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone
Audio, 9781094026084, $29.99, CD).
The Library Science Shelf
Putting Library Assessment Data to Work
Selena Killick & Frankie Wilson
Facet Publishing
www.facetpublishing.co.uk
9781783302208, $64.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Effective library assessment is crucial for a successful academic library. But what do
we mean by library assessment and how can it be used to improve the library service? "Putting
Library Assessment Data to Work" provides a practical guide for library administrators,
managers and practitioners on how to make effective use of existing sources of information for
assessment activities with the aim of improving academic library services.
"Putting Library Assessment Data to Work" brings together key library assessment
methodologies detailing how they can be used to improve an academic library. The book takes
common sources of data that academic libraries will already be collecting, and presents simple
qualitative and quantitative techniques that can be used to evaluate and assess their services, both
in detail and overall. The different assessment methods are presented from a practical perspective
with a theoretical grounding, and include practical case studies to illustrate how the
methodologies have successfully been applied.
"Putting Library Assessment Data to Work" includes coverage of: The theoretical framework for
assessment, it's purpose and the tools and techniques used; Institutional, national and
international student surveys and how they can be sued to improve library service; The history
and development of standardized library surveys, how they have been used and their impact; The
benefits of In house library surveys and case studies of where they gave been used; Qualitative
feedback in the library; Taking a holistic approach to library assessment through advocacy and
strategic planning.
"Putting Library Assessment Data to Work" will be essential reading for library and information
service managers, administrators, assessment practitioners, educators and policy shapers. It will
also be useful for students and researchers interested in library assessment.
Critique: Expertly organized and presented, "Putting Library Assessment Data to Work" is a
comprehensive and thoroughly 'user friendly' compendium that is unreservedly recommended for
the personal reading lists of community, corporate, governmental, and academic libraries as a
core part of their Library Science collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
The American History Shelf
Good Time Girls of Arizona and New Mexico
Jan MacKell Collins
TwoDot
c/o The Globe Pequot Press
246 Goose Lane, Suite 200, Guilford, CT 06437
www.globepequot.com
9781493038114, $19.95, www.globepequot.com
Good Time Girls of Arizona and New Mexico: A Red-Light History of the American Southwest
follows the history of prostitution in these areas, examining why and how thousands of women
chose or were forced to enter into this challenging, dangerous profession. Some dreamed of
escaping it while others became successful, but these stories uniformly consider the overall
impact and evolution of this illicit profession, narrowing the focus to Arizona and New Mexico's
regional involvements and special situations. Any collection strong in Southwest history will find
this an engrossing revealing coverage.
Marooned
Joseph Kelly
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781632867773, $32.00, HC, 512pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Every school aged child is taught that the great American origin story begins with an
exodus. Fleeing religious persecution, the hardworking, pious Pilgrims thrived in the wilds of
New England, where they built their fabled city on a hill. Legend goes that the colony in
Jamestown was a false start, offering a cautionary tale. Lazy louts hunted gold till they starved,
and the shiftless settlers had to be rescued by English food and the hard discipline of martial
law.
But in historical fact neither of these stories are true. In "Marooned: Jamestown, Shipwreck, and
a New History of America's Origin", Joseph Kelly (Professor of Literature at the College of
Charleston, South Carolina) reexamines the history of Jamestown and comes to a radically
different and decidedly American interpretation of these first Virginians.
In this gripping account of shipwrecks and mutiny in America's earliest settlements, Professor
Kelly argues that the colonists at Jamestown were literally and figuratively marooned, cut loose
from civilization, and cast into the wilderness. The British caste system meant little on this
frontier: those who wanted to survive had to learn to work and fight and intermingle with the
nearby native populations. Ten years before the Mayflower Compact and decades before Hobbes
and Locke, they invented the idea of government by the people. 150 years before Jefferson, they
discovered the truth that all men were equal.
The epic origin of America was not an exodus and a fledgling theocracy. Rather it is a gripping
tale of shipwrecked castaways of all classes marooned in the wilderness fending for themselves
in any way they could -- a story that illuminates who we are today.
Critique: An extraordinary and seminal work of original and meticulously detailed scholarship,
"Marooned: Jamestown, Shipwreck, and a New History of America's Origin", although a work of
painstaking and documented research reads with all the reader engaging style of a deftly penned
novel. This collective saga of the founding of America is unreservedly recommended for
community, college, and university library American History collections and supplemental
curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia,
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Marooned" is also
available in a paperback edition (9781632867780, $22.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Arkansas, Forgotten Land of Plenty
Ronald R. Switzer
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476677019, $49.95, PB, 277pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In the first decades of the 1800s, white Americans entered the rugged lands of
Arkansas, which they had little explored before. They established new towns and developed
commercial enterprises alongside Native Americans indigenous to Arkansas and other tribes and
nations that had relocated there from the East.
"Arkansas, Forgotten Land of Plenty: Settlement and Economic Development, 1540-1900" by
Ronald R. Switzer (who is a retired National Park Service executive and National Park
superintendent who has written numerous articles, reports, and books on Southwest archaeology
and western history) is the story of Arkansas's people as revealed through numerous biographies,
highlighting early life in frontier Arkansas over a period of 200 years.
"Arkansas, Forgotten Land of Plenty" provides a categorical look at commerce and portrays the
social diversity represented by both prominent and common Arkansans -- all grappling for
success against extraordinary circumstances.
Critique: Enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a twelve page Bibliography, eighteen
pages of Chapter Notes, and a nine page Index, "Arkansas, Forgotten Land of Plenty: Settlement
and Economic Development, 1540-1900" is a unique, informative, well organized, accessibly
presented, and meticulously researched state history that is unreservedly recommended for
personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library American History collections
in general, and Arkansas History supplemental curriculum lists in particular.
The World History Shelf
Medieval Warfare: A Reader
Kelly DeVries & Michael Livingston, editors
University of Toronto Press
10 St. Mary Street, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4Y 2W8
www.utppublishing.com
9781442636705, $120.00, HC, 392pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Kelly DeVries (Professor in the Department
of History at Loyola University, Maryland and an honorary historical consultant at the Royal
Armouries, UK) and Michael Livingston (who is a professor in the Department of English, Fine
Arts, and Communications at The Citadel), "Medieval Warfare: A Reader" examines how armed
conflict was experienced in the Middle Ages both on the field of battle and at home.
This comprehensive collection of more than 130 primary-source materials (some translated here
into English for the first time) traces over one thousand years of military developments, including
the fall of Rome, the fight for Jerusalem, the building of castles and other fortifications, the rise
of gunpowder, and the negotiation of treaties.
Developed by two of the leading experts in medieval military history, the readings tell stories of
terrors and tragedies, triumphs and technologies in the Middle Ages. By reclaiming the voices of
victims and veterans that have previously been ignored, the editors successfully stake out a
powerful new perspective on the long history of military conflict and suffering.
Critique: A simply impressive work of collaborative scholarship, "Medieval Warfare: A Reader"
must be considered an essential core addition to community, college, and university library
Medieval Studies collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the
personal reading lists of students, academia, medieval warfare enthusiasts, and non-specialst
general readers with an interest in the subject that "Medieval Warfare: A Reader" is also
available in a paperback edition (9781442636699, $49.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$39.95).
Following in the Footsteps of Edward II
Kathryn Warner
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526732934, $24.95, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Edward II (25 April 1284 - 21 September 1327) is famously one of England's most
unsuccessful kings, as utterly different from his warlike father Edward I as any man possibly
could be, and the first English king to suffer the fate of deposition. Highly unconventional, even
eccentric, he was an intriguing personality, and his reign of nineteen and a half years from 1307
to 1327 was a turbulent period of endless conflict and the king's infatuation with his male
favorites, which ended when his own queen led an invasion of his kingdom.
In "Following in the Footsteps of Edward II: A Historical Guide to the Medieval King" historian
Kathryn Warner deftly presents a new take on this most unconventional and puzzling of kings,
from the magnificent Caernarfon Castle where he was born in 1284 shortly after his father
conquered North Wales, to his favorite residences at King's Langley in Hertfordshire and
Westminster, to the castle of Berkeley in Gloucestershire where he supposedly met his brutal
death in September 1327, to Gloucester Cathedral, where his tomb and alabaster effigy still exist
and are among the greatest glories surviving from medieval England.
Critique: Informed and informative, exceptional in presentation, a meticulous example of
outstanding scholarship, and an inherently fascinating read, "Following in the Footsteps of
Edward II: A Historical Guide to the Medieval King" is an especially recommended addition to
both community and academic library English History collections in general, and Edward II
supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted that "Following in the
Footsteps of Edward II" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.98).
Following in the Footsteps of Oliver Cromwell
James Hobson
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526734839, $24.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Oliver Cromwell is one of the most important figures in British History. He was both
soldier and politician and the only non-Royal ruler of Britain in a thousand years. His actions and
ideas still have political and social consequences today, and his legacy still divides people. Love
him or loathe him, Cromwell still matters. "Following in the Footsteps of Oliver Cromwell: A
Historical Guide to the Civil War" by historian and biographer James Hobson is a history of his
life through the places in Britain and Ireland where he lived, visited, ruled or fought.
"Following in the Footsteps of Oliver Cromwell" begins in Huntingdon in 1599, with the
respectable but unimportant Cromwell family living under the shadow of richer relatives. Civil
War and Cromwell's controversial successes at Marston Moor, Naseby, Basing House and
Worcester transform him into the most powerful person in Britain, saving him from obscurity
and moving him from a modest house in Ely to Hampton Court Palace. Cromwell is involved in
the execution of King Charles I outside the Banqueting House, his own coronation in
Westminster Hall, and bloody slaughter in Ireland. His death in 1658 does not end the
controversy. His enemies take revenge on his corpse and the debate about his legacy begins.
Critique: A concise and information packed combination of biography and history, "Following in
the Footsteps of Oliver Cromwell: A Historical Guide to the Civil War" will prove to be a
welcome addition to community and academic library English History collections in general, and
Oliver Cromwell supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for students,
academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Following in the
Footsteps of Oliver Cromwell" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Following in the Footsteps of Henry Tudor
Phil Carradice
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526743305, $22.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Henry VII (Welsh: Harri Tudur; 28 January 1457 - 21 April 1509) was the King of
England and Lord of Ireland who seized the English crown on 22 August 1485 and held it to the
day of his death. He was the first monarch of the House of Tudor and therefore popular known as
Henry Tudor .
The story of Henry Tudor's march to Bosworth and the throne of England began long before the
fatal summer of 1485, with his birth in Pembroke Castle. The gigantic fortress where he spent his
childhood years lay some 12 miles inland from the spot where Henry was supposed to have
landed in Milford Haven when he came to challenge Richard III in August 1485.
Henry's landing and progress to Bosworth Field were a gamble, but by 1485 the last of the
Lancastrian princes had little option but to chance his arms. He had worn out his welcome on the
Continent and, despite his unpopularity in some quarters of English society, there was the real
risk that Richard's reign might finally begin to create stability and financial success; Yorkist
stability.
A gamble, yes, but one that had to be taken if the House of Lancaster was to survive.
In "Following in the Footsteps of Henry Tudor: A Historical Journey from Pembroke to
Bosworth" by author and historian Phil Carradice, we are provided with many fascinating stories
drawn from Henry's march and the places he visited. This was a journey that took just over two
weeks.
It was a time of treachery and double dealing but it culminated with the establishment of the
Tudor dynasty, the end of the Wars of the Roses and the beginnings of the modern world.
Critique: Deftly written with all the page-turning compulsion of a work of fiction, "Following in
the Footsteps of Henry Tudor: A Historical Journey from Pembroke to Bosworth" is an
impressively informative, exceptionally well organized and adroitly presented study that is
unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library British History collections
in general, and 15th century English History supplemental studies lists in particular. It should be
noted that for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "Following in the Footsteps of Henry Tudor" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $13.99).
The Kongs of Qufu
Christopher S. Agnew
University of Washington Press
PO Box 359570, Seattle, WA 98195-9570
www.washington.edu/uwpress
9780295745923, $95.00, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The city of Qufu, in north China's Shandong Province, is famous as the hometown of
Kong Qiu (551 - 479 BCE), the man who is best known as Confucius in English and as Kongzi
or Kong Fuzi in Chinese.
In "The Kongs of Qufu: The Descendants of Confucius in Late Imperial China", Christopher
Agnew (Associate Professor of History, University of Dayton) deftly chronicles the history of the
sage's direct descendants from the inception of the hereditary title Duke for Fulfilling the Sage in
1055 CE through its dissolution in 1935, after the fall of China's dynastic system in 1911.
Drawing on archival materials, Professor Agnew reveals how a kinship group used genealogical
privilege to shape Chinese social and economic history. The Kongs' power under a hereditary
dukedom enabled them to oversee agricultural labor, dominate rural markets, and profit from
commercial enterprises. "The Kongs of Qufu" aptly demonstrates that the ducal institution and
Confucian ritual were both a means to reproduce existing social hierarchies and a potential site of
conflict and subversion.
Critique: A seminal work of meticulously researched scholarship, "The Kongs of Qufu: The
Descendants of Confucius in Late Imperial China" is an extraordinary, unique, and unreservedly
recommended addition to community, college, and university library Chinese History collections.
Enhanced with the inclusion of a Chronology of Dynasties, two Appendices, a four page Chinese
Character Glossary, twenty-two pages of Notes, a twelve page Bibliography, and a ten page
Index, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist
general readers that the "The Kongs of Qufu" is also available in a paperback edition
(9780295745930, $30.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $28.50).
Athene Palace
R. G. Waldeck, author
Ernest Latham, editor
Center for Romanian Studies
Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781592110087, $49.99, HC, 382pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: As European capitals fell during 1940 and 1941, there swarmed to the Athene Palace,
Bucharest's Grand Hotel, diplomats, generals, Gestapo spies, and demi-mondaines from all over
Europe. Arriving at the crowded Athene Palace on the day Paris fell in June, 1940, American
female journalist Rosa Goldschmidt Waldeck observed for the next seven months all the events
that unfolded and the international figures that made Romania Europe's last sensational hotbed of
intrigue and color.
Hitler's beautiful feminine agents held court in the Athene Palace lobby within eyeshot of British
diplomats, while around them moved fifth columnists, German economists and generals,
American and English diplomats and newspapermen, all who made the Athene Palace the most
glamorous spot on the continent. The dramatic events of this turbulent period are described here
chiefly in terms of personalities: Carol and Lupescu, Antonescu and Dr. Clodius, Nazi
Gauleiters, British Quislings, Romanian appeasers, and all the types who dominated the scene of
World War II Europe... On the surface this is a fast-moving, dramatic study is as readable as a
novel, but it is also a most effective dissection of the Nazi New Order.
This penetrating insight into the German administration of Europe reveals the reasons underlying
the failure of the Nazi regime. Originally published during the Second World War, this new
edition is enhanced by a thorough introductory study on the life of author R. G. Waldeck and
work by Ernest H. Latham, Jr., former cultural attache at the American Embassy in Bucharest
and a well-known specialist in Romanian history who has done extensive research on American
and British journalists in Romania during World War II.
Critique: Impressively organized and presented, this new edition of "Athene Palace" is an
extraordinary and impressively informative history that will prove to be an enduringly welcome
addition to the growing body of World War II histories. While unreservedly recommended for
community, college, and university library collections, it should be noted for the personal reading
lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"Athene Palace" is also available in a paperback edition (9781592110070, $29.99).
The Civil War Shelf
Columbus, Georgia, 1865
Charles A. Misulia
The University of Alabama Press
PO Box 870380, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0380
www.uapress.ua.edu
9780817359768, $29.95, PB, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Columbus, Georgia, 1865: The Last True Battle of the Civil War" by Charles A.
Misulia (who is the president of Veteran Arms, LLC, a Georgia-based company specializing in
reproductions of historical firearms and works extensively with historical film, television, and
theatrical productions) is a comprehensive study of the Easter Sunday, April 16, 1865, conflict,
which occurred in the dark of night and extended over a mile and half through a series of forts
and earthworks and was finally decided in an encounter on a bridge a thousand feet in
length.
This original study offers the first complete account of this battle, examining and recounting in
depth not only the composition and actions of the contending forces, which numbered some three
thousand men on each side, but meticulously detailing the effect of the engagement on the city of
Columbus and its environs.
"Columbus, Georgia, 1865" fills in an omission in the grand account of our cataclysmic national
struggle and adds a significant chapter to the history of an important regional city. In addition,
"Columbus, Georgia, 1865" takes on the long-vexing question of which encounter should be
recognized as the last battle of the Civil War and argues persuasively that the battle that took
place in Columbus, Georgia, qualifies for this distinction on a number of counts.
Critique: Enhanced for academia with the inclusion of illustrations, five appendices, fifty-six
pages of notes, an eight page bibliography, and a fourteen page index, "Columbus, Georgia,
1865: The Last True Battle of the Civil War" is a work of extraordinary and meticulous
scholarship and a prized addition to the growing library of American Civil War history and
literature. While unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library
American Civil War collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted for students,
academia, civil war history buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "Columbus, Georgia, 1865: The Last True Battle of the Civil War" is also available
in a digital book format (eTextbook, $28.45).
Colonels in Blue
Roger D. Hunt
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476675893, $39.95, PB, 249pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Colonels in Blue: Missouri and the Western States and Territories" compiled by
Roger D. Hunt is a biographical civil war dictionary that catalogs the Union army colonels who
commanded regiments from Missouri and the western States and Territories during the Civil
War. The seventh volume in a series documenting Union army colonels, "Colonels in Blue"
details the lives of officers who did not advance beyond that rank. Included for each colonel are
brief biographical excerpts and any available photographs, many of them published for the first
time.
Critique: Impressively informative, expertly organized and presented, illustrated throughout with
black-and-white historical photography, "Colonels in Blue: Missouri and the Western States and
Territories" is a critically important and essential addition to any personal, community, or
academic library American Civil War collection and supplemental studies lists.
The Architecture Shelf
Downsize: Living Large in a Small House
Sheri Koones
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781641550338, $34.95, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A successful columnist and speaker, Sheri Koones is also an expert on small houses,
energy efficiency, and prefabrication. She is an authority whose previous books include
Prefabulous, Prefabulous Small Houses, Prefabulous + Sustainable, Prefabulous + Almost Off
the Grid, and Prefabulous World. She won the prestigious Robert Bruss Real Estate Book Award
from NAREE in 2008, 2011, 2013, and 2017.
In "Downsize: Living Large in a Small House", she presents the hottest trend in the housing
market. The 25 small houses presented in this profusely illustrated volume are owned by people
who have made a conscious decision to downsize from a larger home to a smaller home -- or
who just decided to build small in the first place.
Some of the houses are new (site-built or prefab), others are remodels. All are 2,000 sq. ft. or
less. The featured houses show how to use space efficiently through such strategies as: Creative
storage space; Multi-purpose rooms; Pocket and Barn doors; Integrating smaller appliances.
These exceptional houses show how small can be comfortable, practical, energy efficient -- and
beautiful.
Critique: Exceptionally informative and a simple pleasure to simply browse through, "Downsize:
Living Large in a Small House" will be an enduringly popular addition to personal, professional,
community, and academic library Contemporary Architecture collections and supplemental
studies reading lists.
The African Dwelling
Epee Ellon & Diane Chehab
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476673806, $49.95, PB, 231pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Housing has changed in Sub-Saharan Africa since the Europeans arrived. Africans no
longer live in traditional homes. This historical transition from "hut to house," from traditional to
Western style, reflects slavery, colonialism and other social influences.
Epee Ellong teaches African Architecture at the Ecole Superieure Speciale d'Architecture du
Cameroun in Yaounde, Cameroon. In 1988, he was published in Presence Africaine on the use of
urban space in African funeral ceremonies. While working in the U.S. as an architect, he spoke
regularly at universities and at the Museum for African Art.
Diane Chehab is an American project manager and former architectural designer. She lived in
Cameroon from 1981 to 1993, and between 2015 and 2016. She writes about Africa on her blog,
Away From Africa.
In "The African Dwelling: From Traditional to Western Style Homes" Eppe Long with the
assistance of Diane Chehab focuses on Cameroon, known as "Africa in Miniature" because of its
geographical and cultural representation of the continent at large.
Architectural styles, materials and construction techniques are discussed within a larger context,
examining how lifestyle changes and architectural trends influence each other. "The African
Dwelling" provides a rich examination of the challenges and opportunities for a new generation
of African architects to integrate the lessons of the past and create a future more responsive to the
region's needs.
Critique: A unique and impressively informative study that is replete with black-and-white
photographic illustrations, "The African Dwelling: From Traditional to Western Style Homes" is
enhanced with academia with the inclusion of a one page Bibliography, seven pages of Chapter
Notes, and a six page Index. An extraordinary work of meticulous scholarship, "The African
Dwelling" is an especially recommended addition to personal, professional, college, and
university library Architectural Studies collections and supplemental curriculum lists.
The Sports Shelf
The NFL 100
Craig Ellenport
Triumph Books
https://www.triumphbooks.com
c/o Independent Publishers Group
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.ipgbook.com
9781629377452, $29.95, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Craig Ellenport is a veteran sportswriter who has covered the NFL for more than 30
years. He has written several books about the NFL for kids and young adults. During his 12 years
as senior editor at NFL.com and director of NFL Publishing, he oversaw production of all NFL
publications, serving as co-editor for The Super Bowl: An Official Retrospective.
In "The NFL 100", Ellenport celebrates the NFL's monumental 100th season with a vivid
retrospective that pays full tribute to America's game in spectacular fashion. The superstars, the
dynasties, and the most heartstopping, unbelievable moments are all here.
With incisive writing and hundreds of the finest historical photos, NFL fans can relive a century's
worth of the greatest games and personalities that have captivated football fans everywhere. "The
NFL 100" takes the reader on a truly memorable journey through the 100 most essential,
influential, and amazing moments in the league's history in breathtaking fashion. Simply stated,
this is a pictorial journey no fan will want to miss.
Critique: Profusely illustrated with an accompanying and knowledgeable commentary, "The NFL
100" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal, community, and
academic library American Sports History collections. It should be noted for the personal reading
lists of all dedicated NFL fans that "The NFL 100" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $19.99).
Managing Sport Events, second edition
T. Christopher Greenwell, Leigh Ann Danzey-Bussell, & David J. Shonk
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
www.HumanKinetics.com
9781492570950, $95.00, PB, 260pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Running a successful sporting event (whether it's a local event, state championship, or
international competition) requires the knowledge and skills to plan, organize, promote, lead, and
communicate effectively. Merging research findings with best practices, this newly updated and
expanded second edition of "Managing Sport Events" presents the key principles of event
management to prepare students to enter the field with the skills needed to immediately engage in
event production and evaluation.
With updated references throughout, this second edition of "Managing Sport Events" emphasizes
practical application by offering plenty of contemporary examples and learning opportunities for
students including: New industry profiles at the beginning of each chapter showcase
professionals putting theory into practice; Added sections address emerging trends and topics,
such as sustainability and event security; Examples show how new technologies can be utilized
for event management and event presentation; Scenarios highlighting recreational and
community events better represent smaller-scale events such as a local 5K run or a youth
basketball tournament; Case studies and learning activities at the end of each chapter allow
students to put theory into practice; A new web resource offers mini case studies with
multiple-choice questions that provide immediate feedback to help students gauge their
comprehension.
This new edition of "Managing Sport Events" will lead students through the reality of what it
takes to conduct a successful event. Starting with event conception and development, the text
then addresses key planning areas, including staffing, budgeting, marketing, promotion,
sponsorship, and legal and risk management. It then moves into key operational areas such as
services, logistics, and on-site management, and it concludes the process with postevent duties
and considerations.
Critique: Comprehensively informative, exceptionally well organized and presented, this newly
published second edition "Managing Sports Events" is an ideal and highly recommended
curriculum textbook and should be a part of every college and university library collection. It
should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, sports events managers, and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Managing Sports Events" is
also available in a digital book format (eTextbook, $64.79).
Baseball in Europe: A Country by Country History
Josh Chetwynd
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476679129, $45.00, PB, 389pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: With the success of The Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic, baseball in Europe
has begun to receive more attention. But few realize just how far back the sport's history stretches
on the continent. Baseball has been played in Europe since the 1870s, and in several countries the
players and devoted followers have included royalty, Hall of Famers from the U.S. major
leagues, and captains of industry.
Featuring approximately 80 new interviews and 70 new photos and images, this newly updated
and revised second edition of "Baseball in Europe: A Country by Country History" by Josh
Chetwynd builds extensively on the previous edition's country-by-country histories of more than
40 European nations. Also included are two new appendices on European players signed by MLB
organizations and European countries' performance in worldwide rankings.
Critique: A fascinating and informative sports history, this newly updated and expanded second
edition of "Baseball in Europe: A Country by Country History" will prove to be a unique and
unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and
university library Sports History collections in general, and Baseball History supplemental
studies reading lists in particular.
Editorial Note: Josh Chetwynd is an award-winning journalist who has served as a staff reporter
for USA Today, The Hollywood Reporter and U.S. News & World Report. A former
professional baseball player in the United Sates and Europe, he has broadcast baseball in the
United Kingdom on both television for Channel Five and BT Sport and on radio for the
BBC.
The Art Shelf
The Ultimate Fluid Pouring & Painting Project Book
Jane Monteith
Quarry Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartous.com
9781631597633, $22.99, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Fluid pouring and painting can result in beautiful, organic, and abstract designs that
can be captured on special papers, canvas and board substrates, used to make gorgeous
lampshades, poured into molds or dishes to create coasters, geodes, and agate slices, and can
even be formed into vases, vessels, and bowls. In the pages of "The Ultimate Fluid Pouring &
Painting Project Book: Inspiration and Techniques for using Alcohol Inks, Acrylics, Resin, and
More" aspiring artists can join mixed-media artist and international instructor Jane Monteith (a
master of the fluid artforms and creator of the stunningly beautiful and popular paintings called
MOD Minis), in this wildly popular new art form.
For both novice and experienced artists, this expressive instruction manual and guide shares
detailed, comprehensive techniques for working with high flow inks and acrylic paints. "The
Ultimate Fluid Pouring & Painting Project Book" guides the enthusiastic artist through a variety
of different fluid projects, from fluid-painted collage to resin-poured paints on different
substrates.
"The Ultimate Fluid Pouring & Painting Project Book" shows how to: Use various tools and
solutions to create beautiful colors and textures on paper; Work with resin and avoid common
mistakes to produce a flawless finish; Gain an understanding of basic color theory and which
color combinations go hand in hand to create elegant designs; Become knowledgeable on what
types of products to use to create various effects; Understand how to seal and protect a work for
years to come.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, "The Ultimate Fluid Pouring & Painting Project Book:
Inspiration and Techniques for using Alcohol Inks, Acrylics, Resin, and more" is as ideal
curriculum textbook for art school classes, and is a thoroughly 'user friendly' DIY instructional
that is highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library collections.
Truth and Beauty in the Canadian Rockies
Lisa Christensen
Fifth House Publishers
c/o Fitzhenry & Whiteside
195 Allstate Parkway, Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R 4T8
www.fitzhenry.ca
9781927083581, $50.00, PB, 148pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Walter J. Phillips was born in Lincolnshire, England, and immigrated to Canada in
1913 at the age of 29, after spending considerable time studying abroad in South Africa and
Paris. Today, he is considered one of the most accomplished watercolorist artists Canada has
ever produced. In 1941, he became resident artist at the Banff School of Fine Arts, and played a
vital role in the development of that institution's visual arts program.
Phillips' career spanned from the early 1900s through the late 1950s, when the increasing frailty
of his eyesight caused him to stop painting. Phillips' work has been widely exhibited throughout
North America and Great Britain. His topics ranged from the Canadian prairies to the Rocky
Mountains.
"Truth and Beauty in the Canadian Rockies: An Explorer's Guide to the Art of Walter J. Phillips"
is the fourth volume in Lisa Christensen's highly acclaimed Hiker's Guide to Art of the Canadian
Rockies series, which "takes the art off the wall and presents it in the context of the magnificent
locations that inspired its creation."
Critique: Living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Lisa Christensen is a former curator and auction
house director, a prolific freelance writer, an art historian, and the Associate Curator of Art at the
Glenbow Institute. Combining beautifully reproduced images of Walter J. Phillips artworks with
an impressively informative and detailed commentary, her newest publication, "Truth and Beauty
in the Canadian Rockies: An Explorer's Guide to the Art of Walter J. Phillips" will prove to be an
extraordinary, welcomed and appreciated addition to personal, professional, community, and
academic library 20th Century Canadian Art History collections.
Helene Schjerfbeck
Jeremy Lewison, Rebecca Bray, Desiree de Chair, et. al.
Royal Academy of Arts
c/o Distributed Art Publishers
155 Sixth Avenue, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10013-1507
www.artbook.com
9781912520039, $40.00, HC, 168pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Though little known outside her native country, Helene Schjerfbeck (July 10, 1862 -
January 23, 1946) is one of Finland's best-loved artists, and has influenced artists far beyond its
borders. Her career, which stretched from the late 1870s to the end of World War II, spanned
both impressionism and modernism.
"Helene Schjerfbeck" is published to accompany a major survey exhibition at London's Royal
Academy of the Arts, the artist's first solo exhibition in the UK since she exhibited in London in
1890. The full range of her exceptional work is presented, with 70 paintings in all genres,
including portraits and self-portraits, landscapes and still lifes. With essays about Schjerfbeck's
technique, her social and cultural context and her influence on later artists such as Francis Bacon,
Lucian Freud and Frank Auerbach, this volume offers a thorough introduction to the artist's work
and legacy.
Critique: Impressively informative, beautifully illustrated, exceptionally organized and presented,
"Helene Schjerfbeck" showcases the life and career of an extraordinary artist and should be
considered a core addition to college and university library European art history collections in
general, and Helene Schjerfbeck supplemental studies reading lists in particular.
Greco Disco
Luke Edward Hall
www.lukeedwardhall.com
teNeues Publishing
350 Seventh Avenue, Suite 301, New York, NY, 10011
www.teneues.com
9783961711963, $65.00, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Artist and designer Luke Edward Hall, based in London, has taken the design world by
storm with his playful, nostalgic, charming, and sophisticated interiors, fabrics, ceramics,
furniture, stationery, prints, drawings, and paintings.
With a strong belief that his artwork, d cor, and interior design convey happiness and optimism,
whimsical and romantic themes and a bright color palette are purposeful hallmarks of the
wunderkind's aesthetic. Before the age of 30, Luke has already collaborated with some of the
world's most prestigious creative brands and garnered acclaim from The New York Times,
Vogue, and many of the most influential arts, design, and fashion publications. teNeues is proud
to debut the exciting, beautiful, and exuberant first monograph of the brilliant Luke Edward
Hall.
After graduating from the esteemed Central Saint Martins, Hall began his career in interior
design before establishing his own studio in 2015, and has since worked across a broad range of
art and design commissions and interior design projects. He has expanded his portfolio to design
collections of housewares, table linens, ceramics, stationery, embroidered slippers, clothing, and
jewelry, and more. Burberry, Liberty London, Svenskt Tenn, Rowing Blazers, Christie s, and the
Royal Academy of London are among his notable clientele.
Luke has exhibited his artwork in London and Stockholm and contributed art pieces and his
writings to such lauded culture magazines as Cabana, House & Garden, and Pleasure Garden. He
is currently a regular columnist for the House & Home section of the Financial Times.
Critique: An impressively illustrated and informative coffee-table style (10.1 x 1 x 12.9 inches)
compendium showcasing and commenting upon the art and designs of Luke Edward Hall,
"Greco Disco" is certain to be an enduringly valued addition to both community and academic
library collections in general, and Luke Edward Hall supplemental studies reading lists in
particular. It should be noted that additional information on Hall's continuing work can be found
on his web site at: www.lukeedwardhall.com
Gordon Onslow Ford: A Man on a Green Island
Sepp Hiekisch-Picard, et al.
Lucid Art Foundation
c/o Distributed Art Publishers
155 Sixth Avenue, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10013-1507
www.artbook.com
9781732667303, $65.00, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Gordon Onslow Ford (26 December 1912 - 9 November 2003) was one of the last
surviving members of the 1930s Paris surrealist group surrounding Andre Breton. Born in the
English town of Wendover in 1912 to a family of artists, Onslow Ford began painting at an early
age. His grandfather, Edward Onslow Ford, was a Victorian sculptor. At the age of 11, he began
painting landscapes under the guidance of his uncle. Following the death of his father at age 14,
he was sent to the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth. The ocean affected him deeply and his
early works depicted ocean scenes. The metaphor of taking a "voyage" later became an important
aspect of his paintings. (Wikipedia)
Published by the Lucid Art Foundation, "Gordon Onslow Ford: A Man on a Green Island" is a
comprehensive and profusely illustrated study that is the first major resource on the life and work
of Ford (1912 - 2003) who spent more than 50 years in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Marked by an initial interest in automatist techniques, Ford's painting gradually developed
through studies of Eastern philosophy, mysticism and ecology resulting in complex and varied
works that incorporated cosmic charts and biomorphic abstraction.
This superbly organized publication is comprised of a series of thoroughly researched essays,
includes previously unpublished archival material, and features some 200 color illustrations trace
Onslow Ford's time spent in Paris, stints in New York and Mexico, culminating in his move in
1947 to the Bay Area.
Critique: Comprehensively informative and superbly organized, "Gordon Onslow Ford: A Man
on a Green Island" is an impressive memorial to the man and his art -- making it an unreservedly
recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library 20th
Century Art History collections in general, and Gordon Onslow Ford supplemental studies
reading lists in particular.
The Self-Help Shelf
When to Walk Away
Gary Thomas
Zondervan Publishing House
www.zondervan.com
9780310346760 $24.99 hc / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: Your life's calling is too important to let toxic people take it away. In When to Walk
Away, Gary Thomas--bestselling author of Sacred Marriage--draws from biblical and modern
stories to equip you with practical insights to handle toxic people in your life and live true to your
God-given purpose.
As Christians, we often feel the guilt and responsibility of meeting the needs of unhealthy people
in our lives. Whether a sibling, parent, spouse, coworker, or friend, toxic people frequently seek
to frustrate our life's calling. While you're seeking first God's kingdom, they're seeking first to
distract your focus and delay your work.
Instead of attempting the impossible task of mollifying toxic people, it's time we dedicate our
energy to the only worthwhile effort: completing the work God has given us by investing in
reliable people. It's only when we learn to say no to bad patterns that we can say yes to the good
work God has planned for us.
Bestselling author of Sacred Marriage, Gary Thomas looks at biblical examples from the lives of
Jesus, Paul, and Nehemiah. Drawing from years serving as a pastor, Thomas shares modern
stories and practical examples for dealing with the toxic people in our lives. Each chapter
includes insightful takeaways that you can apply right away. You'll discover how to:
Learn the difference between difficult people and toxic people
Find refuge in God when you feel under attack
Discern when to walk away from a toxic situation
Keep a tender heart even in unhealthy relationships
Grow your inner strength and invest in reliable people
We can't let others steal our joy or our mission. It's time to strengthen our defense, learn to set
healthy boundaries, and focus on our God-given purpose. It's time to know When to Walk
Away.
Critique: Although When to Walk Away: Finding Freedom from Toxic People is written from a
Christian perspective, and especially for a Christian audience, its core message is crucial for
readers of all religious backgrounds. Chapters discuss how to understand the difference between
difficult people (who can be negotiated with) and toxic people (who will not negotiate in good
faith, and actively seek to cause harm), as well as the importance of knowing when to walk away
from truly toxic individuals. When to Walk Away is an invaluable resource for personal, church,
and public library collections, highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists
that When to Walk Away is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
I Wanted Fries with That
Amy Fish
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608686193, $15.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: At some point in our lives, we've all experienced an injustice, large or small (such as a
restaurant botching our lunch order or a boss who isn't following the guidelines for workplace
etiquette) and suffered in silence for fear of offending anyone. When we fail to speak up,
however, we shortchange ourselves.
As ombudsman at Concordia University in Montreal, Amy Fish resolves complaints from
students, faculty, and staff. She has written for the Huffington Post Canada, Reader's Digest, and
the Globe and Mail and appeared on CBC Marketplace and CTV News.
In "I Wanted Fries with That: How to Ask for What You Want and Get What You Need", Amy
encourages standing up for yourself (and others) by complaining effectively. Her suggestions will
appeal to anyone who wants to speak up and isn't sure where to start, including managers
navigating workplace disputes, couples who argue about the same things over and over, and even
someone with a friend with bad breath. Illustrating her points with funny real-life stories, Amy
reveals pragmatic methods to redress grievances with civility, honesty, and fairness for everyone
involved -- whether you're trying to right the wrongs of the world or just claim the french fries
you ordered.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, real world practical in commentary, exceptionally
well organized and presented, "I Wanted Fries with That: How to Ask for What You Want and
Get What You Need" is a 'quality of life enhancing' read from cover to cover. While unreservedly
recommended for community, college, and university library Self-Help/Self-Improvement
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "I Wanted Fries with That" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.76).
Start Finishing
Charlie Gilkey
Sounds True
PO Box 8010, Boulder, CO 80306
www.soundstrue.com
9781683642633, $24.95, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In "Start Finishing: How to Go from Idea to Done", Charlie Gilkey presents a 9-step
method for converting an idea into a project by addressing the challenges you'll face and getting
the project on a reality-based schedule.
"Start Finishing" will teach you how to: Practice the five keys that lead to self-mastery; Build
your success pack of supporters, guides, peers, and beneficiaries; Keep working through the
thrashing that comes with any project that matters to you; Chunk, link, and sequence your ideas
down to doable parts; Use the Five Project Rule to prioritize your daily schedule and be at peace
with the work you choose not to do; Fly through drag points how to deal with head trash, no-win
scenarios, and other people's priorities; Heatmap your schedule so you do the right work at the
right time; Overcome cascades, logjams, and tarpits the three ways projects routinely get stuck;
Finish strong -- celebrating, reviewing, and riding the momentum to your next goal.
The underlying message of "Start Finishing" is that no one is incapable, that we are all wired to
struggle, that we are able to get our act together. With a few key steps, anyone can change the
way they show up, how they plan, and how they respond when things get tough.
Critique: As thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring, "Start Finishing:
How to Go from Idea to Done" is a unique, extraordinary, effective, and 'user friendly'
instructional guide that is unreservedly recommended for community and academic library Self-
Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Start
Finishing" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) and as a complete and
unabridged audio book (Sounds True Audio, 9781683643906, $29.95, CD).
Everything Begins with Asking for Help
Kevin Braddock
Kyle Books
https://www.kylebooks.co.uk
c/o Octopus Publishing
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9780857836762, $12.98, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A mental health manual for the modern age, "Everything Begins with Asking for Help"
by Kevin Braddock is an honest guide to depression and anxiety, from rock bottom to recovery,
from someone who has been through it and come out the other side.
"Everything Begins with Asking for Help" is a frank, insightful and thought-provoking extended
conversation on mental health that draws on Kevin's own personal experience of a severe mental
breakdown and sharing the recovery tools he has developed in partnership with various medical
professionals and mental health experts.
Kevin shares his own story to give "Everything Begins with Asking for Help" a vital human
element, explaining how his fast-paced life in Berlin as a successful magazine journalist was
brought to a sudden halt by a major depressive episode. In this dark time, Kevin reached out to
friends for help and it was that act (asking for help) that set him on the long road to
recovery.
Building on this narrative, Kevin leads the reader through the stages of asking for help, learning
to listen, the physical, emotional and mental elements of recovery, and how to maintain stable
mental health at home and at work. Written with warmth, honesty and compassion, "Everything
Begins with Asking for Help" is a valuable resource for anyone who needs help and doesn't know
where to begin.
Critique: Unique, inspiring, and potentially life changing, life healing, life enhancing read that is
thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, organization and presentation, "Everything Begins with Asking
for Help: A Mental Health Manual For The Modern Age" is unreservedly recommended for
community, college, and university library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "Everything Begins with Asking for Help" is also available in
a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
To Hell With the Hustle
Jefferson Bethke
Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.thomasnelson.com
9780718039202, $17.99, PB, 197pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Our secular culture makes constant demands of us: Do more. Accomplish more. Buy
more. Post more. Be more. In following these demands, we have indeed become more: More
anxious. More tired. More hurt. More depressed. More frantic. What we are doing isn't
working!
In a society where hustle is the expectation, busyness is the norm and information is king, we
have forgotten the fundamentals that make us human, anchor our lives, and provide meaning.
Jefferson Bethke, (a New York Times bestselling author and popular YouTuber), has lived the
hustle and knows we need to stop doing and start becoming.
In "To Hell With the Hustle: Reclaiming Your Life in an Overworked, Overspent, and
Overconnected World", Bethke draws upon his years of experience and expertise to show: How
to proactively set boundaries in your life; How to get comfortable with obscurity; The best way to
push back against the demands of contemporary life; The importance of embracing silence and
solitude; How to handle the stressors that life throws at us.
Bethke's underlying message in this age of a ubiquitous social media is that the very things the
world teaches us to avoid at all costs (silence, obscurity, solitude, and vulnerability) are the very
things that can give us the meaning, and the richness we are truly looking for.
Critique: Exceptionally well written and as insightfully thoughtful as it is ultimately inspiring,
"To Hell With the Hustle: Reclaiming Your Life in an Overworked, Overspent, and
Overconnected World" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community,
college, and university library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "To Hell With the Hustle" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio,
9781799724377, $22.99, CD).
The Photography Shelf
Ira Cohen: Into the Mylar Chamber
Edited with text by Allan Graubard
Text by Ira Cohen, et. al.
Fulgur Press
c/o Distributed Art Publishers
www.artbook.com
9781527236332 $49.95 amazon.com
Synopsis: Between 1968 and 1971, in a loft on New York's Jefferson Street, the poet,
photographer and filmmaker Ira Cohen created some of the most mythic images of the late
1960s. Inspired by his friends Jack Smith and Bill Devore, Cohen's initial experiments with black
light developed into an experimental ritual space he termed the Mylar Chamber a simple room of
hinged boards hung with reflective Mylar film. Through his extended network, and with the
support of artist and set designer Robert LaVigne, Cohen invited visitors to play another self
within this small theater, among them Jimi Hendrix, William Burroughs, Vali Myers, Jack
Smith, Angus MacLise, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Lionel Ziprin, Ching Ho Cheng, Petra Vogt,
Charles Ludlam, John McLaughlin and the rock group Spirit.
In December 1969, in a summary of the past decade, Life magazine declared that "few came as
close to explaining the euphoric distortions of hallucinogenics" as Cohen through his Mylar
Chamber photographs, but the full story draws upon much deeper ideas surrounding identity and
the power of the image.
This is the first book to explore Cohen's iconic Mylar Chamber photographs. Published on the
50th anniversary of the Life magazine feature, and with several gatefolds, it includes more than
70 images from this intensely creative period, each digitally restored from the original negatives
by Cohen's friend and collaborator, Ira Landgarten. It also includes an interview with Cohen,
excerpts from his poetry, critical writing from Allan Graubard and Ian MacFadyen and further
reflections from Timothy Baum, Alice Farley and Thurston Moore.
Critique: Into the Mylar Chamber showcases Ira Cohen's extraordinary photographs, taken in a
"Mylar Chamber" set up with reflective Mylar film. The extensive text describes the creation of
these stunning, unusually warped images, as well as delving into the connections Ira Cohen and
the (often famous) guests who agreed to be photographed. Captivating and extraordinary, Ira
Cohen: Into the Mylar Chamber is utterly unforgettable, and highly recommended for public and
college library photography and art collections.
Camera Austria International
Christiane Kuhlmann & Vaclav Macek, authors
Christine Frisinghelli, editor
Spector Books
c/o Distributed Art Publishers
155 Sixth Avenue, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10013-1507
www.artbook.com
9783959052573, $40.00, HC, 322pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Camera Austria International: Laboratory For Photography And Theory" traces the
artistic and institutional decisions that have influenced the Camera Austria association. Since its
founding in the mid-1970s as an association of Austrian photographers, the group has had an
important place in the European photography world, putting on exhibitions and symposia on
topics in photography and, since 1980, publishing the magazine Camera Austria
International.
Operating through a network of photographers, academics and art critics from all over the world,
Camera Austria has come to function like a laboratory shaping photographic culture. At the
center of this unique and very special volume are the photographers that Camera Austria has
worked with, whether in exhibitions, at symposia or in the magazine -- numbering among them
Robert Adams, Nobuyoshi Araki, Lewis Baltz, William Eggleston, Hans-Peter Feldmann, Seiichi
Furuya, Luigi Ghirri, David Goldblatt, Nan Goldin, Zofia Kulik, Tatiana Lecomte, Susan
Meiselas, Peter Piller, Walid Raad, Michael Schmidt, Allan Sekula, Ahlam Shibli, Lieko Shiga,
Manfred Willmann and Tobias Zielony.
Critique: An impressive and meticulously presented contribution to the history of photography,
"Camera Austria International: Laboratory For Photography And Theory" is especially
commended as an extraordinary and enduringly valued addition to personal, professional,
community, college, and university library collections and supplemental studies lists.
The World at Night
Babak Tafreshi
White Lion
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781781319130, $40.00, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Bringing together the images of over 40 photographers across 25 countries, those who
browse through the pages of Babak Tafreshi's The World at Night: Spectacular Photographs of
the Night Sky" will be astounded by the lights of the night sky in some of the darkest places on
earth; discover the beauty of galaxies, planets, and stars; view great celestial events; and see
some of the world's most important landmarks against the backdrop of an incredible
nightscape.
Babak Tafreshi is the founder of the international organization The World at Night, and has
personally curated the images in this collection (many of them previously unseen) to reveal the
true splendor of the sky at night. This profusely illustrated volume is a kind of specialist guide to
night-sky photography will help aspiring astronomers and amateur photographers capture their
own gorgeous images of the heavens.
Commentary on the science, astronomy, and photography accompany stunning images organized
by theme and include: Symbols of all nations and religions embraced by one sky of endless
beauties; UNESCO World Heritage Sites at night; The Universe revealed through constellations,
sky motions, atmospheric phenomenon, Aurora, and other wonders; Images highlighting the
beauty of dark skies away from light-polluted urban areas; Celestial events, from great comets to
spectacular eclipses; Astro-tourism destinations, like ancient astronomical monuments and
modern.
Critique: A breathtakingly beautiful volume of truly memorable images and a sheer pleasure to
simply browse through one page at a time, "The World at Night: Spectacular Photographs of the
Night Sky" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional,
community, and academic library Contemporary Photography collections.
The Gaze of Things
Nuria Enguita, Akihito Yasumi, & Miryam Sas
La Fabrica
c/o Distributed Art Publishers
155 Sixth Avenue, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10013-1507
www.artbook.com
9788417048860, $40.00, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Focusing on the two most influential groups of postwar Japanese photographers (the
Vivo group (1957 - 61) and the editorial collective responsible for the short-lived but legendary
Provoke journal (1968) "The Gaze of Things: Japanese Photography in the Context of Provoke"
supplies an overview of Japanese art and photography from the 1950s to the present, with a
particular emphasis on the transformations undergone by photography during the period.
Photographers associated with Vivo (including Ikko Narahara, Shomei Tomatsu, Eikoh Hosoe
and Akira Sato) and Provoke (Daido Moriyama, Yutaka Takanashi and Takuma Nakahira)
developed a new photographic language during the seismic shifts in postwar Japanese society,
much of which centered on critiques of American occupation and Japan's adoption of American
ways of life.
Published to accompany an exhibition at the Bombas Gens Centre d'Art in Valencia, Spain, this
catalog surveys these artists' lasting impact into the 21st century.
Critique: A unique, absorbing, deftly organized, exceptionally informative, and accessibly
presented volume by the team of Nuria Enguita, Akihito Yasumi, and Miryam Sas, "The Gaze of
Things: Japanese Photography in the Context of Provoke" is unreservedly recommended for
personal, professional, community, college, and university library 20th Century Photography
collections in general, and The History of Japanese Photography supplemental studies lists in
particular.
The Mathematics Shelf
Neutrices and External Numbers
Bruno Dinis & Imme van den Berg
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781498772679, $149.95, HC, 360pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Neutrices and External Numbers: A Flexible Number System" introduces a new
model of orders of magnitude and of error analysis, with particular emphasis on behaviour under
algebraic operations. The model is formulated in terms of scalar neutrices and external numbers,
in the form of an extension of the nonstandard set of real numbers. Many illustrative examples
are given.
"Neutrices and External Numbers" starts with detailed presentation of the algebraic structure of
external numbers, then deals with the generalized Dedekind completeness property, applications
in analysis, domains of validity of approximations of solutions of differential equations,
particularly singular perturbations. Finally, it describes the family of algebraic laws
characterizing the practice of calculations with external numbers.
"Neutrices and External Numbers" presents scalar neutrices and external numbers, a
mathematical model of order of magnitude within the real number system, outlines complete
algebraic rules for the neutrices and external numbers, conducts operational analysis of
convergence and integration of functions known up to orders of magnitude, formalises a calculus
of error propagation, covariant with algebraic operations, and presents mathematical models of
phenomena incorporating their necessary imprecisions, in particular related to the Sorites
paradox.
Critique: The latest addition to the outstanding CRC Press 'Monographs and Research Notes In
Mathematics' series, "Neutrices and External Numbers: A Flexible Number System" by Bruno
Dinis (who is a postdoc at the Faculdade de Ci ncias, University of Lisbon, whose main area of
interest is Mathematical Logic, Proof Theory, Nonstandard Analysis, and Philosophy of
Mathematics) and Imme van den Berg (who is an Associated Professor in Mathematics at the
University of Evora, Portugal and whose main area of interest lies in non-standard analysis) is
enhanced for academia with an informative five page Foreword, as well as the inclusion of a
twelve page Bibliography and a four page Index -- making is a significant and unreservedly
recommended addition to professional, college, and university library Advanced Mathematics
collections and supplemental curriculum lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-
specialist readers with an interest in the subject that "Neutrices and External Numbers" is also
available in a digital book format (eTextbook, $99.81).
The Environmental Studies Shelf
We Are Puget Sound
David L. Workman, et al.
Mountaineers Books
1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134-1161
www.mountaineersbooks.org
9781680512588, $29.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Puget Sound is a magnificent and intricate estuary, the very core of life in Western
Washington. Yet it's also a place of broader significance: rivers rush from the Cascade and
Olympic mountains and Canada's coastal ranges through varied watersheds to feed the Sound,
which forms the southern portion of a complex, international ecosystem known as the Salish
Sea.
A rich, life-sustaining home shared by two countries, as well as more than 50 Native American
Tribes and First Nations, the Salish Sea is also a huge economic engine, with outdoor recreation
and commercial shellfish harvesting alone worth $10.2 billion. But this spectacular inland sea is
suffering. Pollution and habitat loss, human population growth, ocean acidification, climate
change, and toxins from wastewater and storm runoff present formidable challenges.
"We Are Puget Sound: Discovering and Recovering the Salish Sea" amplifies the voices and
ideas behind saving Puget Sound, and it will help engage and inspire citizens around the region
to join together to preserve its ecosystem and the livelihoods that depend on it.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "We Are Puget Sound: Discovering
and Recovering the Salish Sea" is an impressively informative, deftly organized, and accessibly
presented study that should be a part of every community, college, and university library
Contemporary Environmental Studies collections in general, and Salish Sea supplemental studies
reading lists in particular.
A New Coast
Jeffrey Peterson
Island Press
2000 M Street NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20036
www.islandpress.org
9781642830125, $45.00, PB, 408pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Climate change is causing more severe storms and rising seas that will inexorably push
the American coastline inland with profound impact on communities, infrastructure, and natural
systems. In "A New Coast: Strategies for Responding to Devastating Storms and Rising Seas",
Jeffrey Peterson draws a comprehensive picture of how storms and rising seas will change the
coast. Peterson offers a clear-eyed assessment of how governments can work with the private
sector and citizens to be better prepared for the coming coastal inundation.
Drawing on four decades of experience at the Environmental Protection Agency and the United
States Senate, Peterson presents the science behind predictions for coastal impacts. He explains
how current policies fall short of what is needed to effectively prepare for these changes and how
the Trump Administration has significantly weakened these efforts.
While describing how and why the current policies exist, he builds a strong case for a bold, new
approach, tackling difficult topics including: how to revise flood insurance and disaster
assistance programs; when to step back from the coast rather than build protection structures;
how to steer new development away from at-risk areas; and how to finance the transition to a
new coast.
Key challenges, including how to protect critical infrastructure, ecosystems, and disadvantaged
populations, are examined. Ultimately, Peterson offers hope in the form of a framework of new
national policies and programs to support local and state governments. He calls for engagement
from the private sector and local and national leaders in a "campaign for a new coast."
"A New Coast" is a compelling assessment of the dramatic changes that are coming to America's
coast. Peterson offers insights and strategies for policymakers, planners, and business leaders
preparing for the intensifying impacts of climate change along the coast.
Critique: A comprehensive and impressively informative study, "A New Coast: Strategies for
Responding to Devastating Storms and Rising Seas" should be considered a core addition to
personal, professional, community, and academic library Political Studies, Public Policy, and
Contemporary Environmental Studies collections and supplemental curriculum reading lists. It
should be noted for students, academia, environmental activists, governmental policy makers,
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "A New Coast" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $42.75).
Editorial Note: Dr. Jeffrey Peterson has 40 years of experience in environmental policy
development and program management, particularly focused on water issues. Most recently he
was Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Water responsible for climate change policy. In that
capacity he co-chaired the EPA Sea Level Rise Workgroup and was a member of the Federal
Interagency Sea Level Rise Workgroup. He also worked for almost four years at the White House
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) during the first Obama term. At CEQ, he co-chaired
the Interagency Water Resources and Climate Change Workgroup and authored the first national
plan addressing water resources management and climate change. Returning to EPA in 2012, he
chaired the National Water Program Climate Change Workgroup and served for five years as the
Federal co-chair of the Climate Change and Water Workgroup of the Federal Advisory
Committee on Water Information (ACWI).
Environmental Fiscal Challenges for Cities and Transport
Marta Villar Ezcurra, et al.
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060-3815
www.e-elgar.com
9781789904178, $150.00, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: As populations become increasingly concentrated in urban centres and mega cities,
while demands on transportation continue to grow, the question of how to mitigate the
environmental footprint of these trends is ever more pressing. This comprehensive book
demonstrates the potentially significant role of environmental taxation and other market-based
instruments in meeting these challenges.
Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by the team of Marta Villar Ezcurra (Professor of
Financial and Tax Law, Faculty of Law, CEU San Pablo University, Spain), Janet E. Milne
(Professor of Law and Director of the Environmental Tax Policy Institute, Vermont Law School,
US), Hope Ashiabor (Associate Professor of Law, Faculty of Business and Economics,
Macquarie University, Australia), and Mikael Skou Andersen (Professor of Environmental Policy
Analysis, Aarhus University, Denmark), "Environmental Fiscal Challenges for Cities and
Transport " provides global insights as it features international contributions from specialists in
economics, law, technology, political economy and policy analysis. Studying environmental
pricing policies in the context of urban sustainability and transportation, the contributing scholars
identify cross-cutting issues to demonstrate how the use and evaluation of policy instruments can
be improved.
This is in addition to addressing the pervasive environmental impact of cities and transportation,
novel case studies illustrate how the digital economy, as well as increasing globalization,
necessitate a more sustainable approach in which environmental fiscal solutions could play a
vital role.
"Environmental Fiscal Challenges for Cities and Transport" will have broad appeal for
researchers and will also be a useful resource for students in law, economics and politics with an
interest in urban and environmental issues. Policymakers and their staff will find its use of
real-world examples and nontechnical language particularly beneficial.
Critique: Comprised of eighteen scholarly contributions that are deftly organized into five major
sections (Impacts of the Emerging Twenty-First Century Economy; Fiscal Environmental
Policies for Urban Concentration; Challenging Issues for Transport Taxes; The Evaluation of
Cross-Cutting Policies), "Environmental Fiscal Challenges for Cities and Transport" is enhanced
for academia with the inclusion of figures, tables, a listing of abbreviations, as well as a listing of
the contributors and their credentials. The twenty-first volume in the outstanding Edward Elgar
Publishing series 'Critical Issues in Environmental Taxations", "Environmental Fiscal Challenges
for Cities and Transport" is an especially recommended addition to college and university library
Urban Transportation Studies and Environmental Studies collections and supplemental
curriculum reading lists.
Handbook on Green Growth
Roger Fouquet, editor
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060-3815
www.e-elgar.com
9781788110679, $290.00, HC, 528pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Economies around the world have arrived at a critical juncture: to continue to grow
fueled by fossil fuels and exacerbate climate change, or to move towards more sustainable,
greener, growth. Choosing the latter is shown to help address climate change, as well as present
new economic opportunities. Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by Roger Fouquet
(Associate Professorial Research Fellow, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and
the Environment, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK ) the "Handbook on
Green Growth" provides a deeper understanding of the concept of green growth, and highlights
key lessons from the experience of green transformations across the world following a decade of
ambitious stimulus packages and green reforms.
With comprehensive chapters from key researchers in the field drawn from across the globe, the
"Handbook on Green Growth" offers up to date and original analysis of the many facets of the
phenomenon of green growth. Is economic growth desirable? When can economic growth and
environmental policies work together? What are the key factors that will achieve green growth?
What will be the multiple impacts of green growth? And, what have been the experiences of
economies that have undertaken a green transformation?
The "Handbook on Green Growth" will be a key resource for students and academics interested
in economics, environmental and ecological studies, as well as for those specialising in
environmental policy. It will also be a valuable tool for policy makers concerned about the dual
objectives of stimulating economic growth and addressing environmental damage.
Critique: Comprised of twenty-one erudite and informative contributions by experts that are
organized into five major sections (The Growth Strategy; The Potential for Green Growth and Its
Impacts; The Drivers of Green Growth; Green Transformations; Beyond Green Growth),
"Handbook on Green Growth" is enhanced with a complete listing of all the contributors and
their credentials, as well as a nineteen page Index. An ideal curriculum textbook, the "Handbook
on Green Growth" is unreservedly recommended as an essential and core addition to both college
and community library Contemporary Environmental Issues collections and supplemental studies
reading lists.
The Big Thaw
Eric Scigliano, et al.
Mountaineers Books
1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134-1161
www.mountaineersbooks.org
9781680512472, $35.00, HC, 176pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Permafrost (the dark, ice-flaked, permanently frozen ground that lies under tundra and
boreal forests across our northern regions) covers more than 12 percent of the earth's land mass.
It exists in places that seem otherworldly and unimaginably remote to most of us, but the changes
taking place in the permafrost layer may ultimately affect the lives of every person on Earth.
In "The Big Thaw: Ancient Carbon, Modern Science, and a Race to Save the World", readers
meet a diverse team of scientists and students who have been studying the permafrost and what
lies beneath: a vast store of ancient carbon, more than four times the quantity found in all of
today's forests, which is releasing carbon dioxide and methane as the permafrost thaws. The
release of all this carbon would alter Earth's climate forever. Braving endless hordes of
mosquitoes, quicksand, and extreme temperatures, the researchers are racing against the clock to
educate us all about the changes we must make in order to combat climate change being
exacerbated by the melting of permafrost world wide.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout with full color photography combined with an
impressively informative commentary, "The Big Thaw: Ancient Carbon, Modern Science, and a
Race to Save the World" is a critically important and unreservedly recommended addition to the
personal reading lists of all environmental activists, as well as a core addition to community and
academic library Contemporary Environmental Studies collections and supplemental curriculum
lists.
The Science and Politics of Global Climate Change, third edition
Andrew E. Dessler & Edward A. Parson
Cambridge University Press
One Liberty Plaza, Fl. 20, New York, NY 10006
www.cambridge.org
9781107179424, $105.00, HC, 278pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Now in a fully updated and expanded third edition reflecting the large changes in
scientific knowledge and policy debates on climate change since the previous edition in 2009,
"The Science and Politics of Global Climate Change: A Guide to the Debate" provides a concise
but thorough overview of the science, technology, economics, policy, and politics of climate
change in a single volume.
The perfect response to climate change deniers, "The Science and Politics of Global Climate
Change" explains how scientific and policy debates work, outlines the scientific evidence for the
reality and seriousness of climate change and the basic atmospheric science that supports it, and
discusses policy options and the current state of the policy debate.
By pulling these elements together, "The Science and Politics of Global Climate Change"
explains why the issue can be so confusing and provides guidance on practical routes forward.
Anyone interested in climate change, the global environment, or how science is used in policy
debates should read this book.
Critique: Expertly organized and presented, "The Science and Politics of Global Climate Change:
A Guide to the Debate" by Andrew E. Dressler (Texas A&M University) and Edward A. Parson
(University of California - Los Angeles) is the ideal textbook for undergraduate or graduate
courses in environmental policy and climate change -- and an unreservedly recommended
addition to community, college, and university library Contemporary Environmental Studies
collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, environmental
activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Science and
Politics of Global Climate Change" is also available in a paperback edition (9781316631324,
$44.99) and in a digital book format (eTextbook, $27.49).
The Political Science Shelf
United States of Distraction
Nolan Higdon & Mickey Huff
City Lights Publishers
261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133
www.citylights.com
9780872867673, $16.95, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The role of news media in a free society is to investigate, inform, and provide a crucial
check on political power. But in the age of a Donald Trump presidency does it still?
It's no secret that the goal of corporate-owned media is to increase the profits of the few, not to
empower the many. As a result, people are increasingly immersed in an information system
structured to reinforce their social biases and market to their buying preferences.
Journalism's essential role has been drastically compromised, and Donald Trump's repeated
claims of "fake news" and framing of the media as "an enemy of the people" have made a bad
scenario worse.
Written in the spirit of resistance and hope, "United States of Distraction: Media Manipulation in
Post-Truth America (And What We Can Do About It)" by the team of Nolan Higdon (Professor
of History and Communication at California State University, East Bay) and Mickey Huff
(Director of Project Censored and the President of the Media Freedom Foundation) offers a clear,
concise appraisal of our current situation, and presents readers with action items for how to
improve it.
Critique: Meticulously researched and documented, "United States of Distraction: Media
Manipulation in Post-Truth America (And What We Can Do About It)" is a clarion call of alarm
that has the added value of presented 'real world' effective responses that ordinary citizens can
employ to promote and defend the Constitutional role of a free press in our American style
democracy. While unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library
collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, journalists,
political activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "United
States of Distraction" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
In All Fairness
Robert M. Whaples, et al.
The Independent Institute
100 Swan Way, Oakland, CA 94621-1428
www.independent.org
9781598133318, $26.95, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Collaborative compiled and co-edited by the team of Robert M. Whaples (who is
co-editor and managing editor of The Independent Review and Professor of Economics at Wake
Forest University), Michael C. Munger (who is also the co-editor of The Independent Review
and Director of the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Program and a professor in the
Departments of Political Science and Economics at Duke University), and Christopher J. Coyne
(another co-editor of the Independent Review and the F. A. Harper Professor at George Mason
University), "In All Fairness: Equality, Liberty, and the Quest for Human Dignity" is a collection
of essays in which the authors challenge recent misbegotten egalitarian ideas, exposing the
quicksand on which they rest, and the self-serving interests they often promote.
This original collection of erudite contributors is replete with thoughtful and thought-provoking
insights about the connections among fairness, liberty, equality and the quest for human
dignity.
While each individual chapter offers unique insights, the overriding theme is that fairness must
rest on a conception of humanity that recognizes the dignity of each person -- a dignity that
requires everyone to respect individual choices and voluntary transactions.
Critique: Enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a thirty-page Bibliography, twenty pages
of Notes, and a four page listing of the contributors and their credentials, "In All Fairness:
Equality, Liberty, and the Quest for Human Dignity" is unreservedly recommended for
community and academic library Political Science and/or Contemporary Social Issues collections
and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "In All Fairness" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $16.99).
The Cookbook Shelf
The Food of Sichuan
Fuchsia Dunlop
W.W. Norton
www.wwnorton.com
9781524004837, $40.00
The Food of Sichuan is a new, updated edition of the 2001 classic Land of Plenty and, twenty
years later, still remains the reference of choice for English-speaking cooks who would study
Sichuanese cuisine. This edition has been fully revised and updated and offers fifty new recipes
and insights into Sichuanese cooking, while all the original recipes have been retested and
revisited based on eighteen years of Dunlop's studies and travels in China. From old Sichuan
favorites and folk dishes to modern interpretations of classics, The Food of Sichuan excels in a
wide-ranging discussion for those who would not just cook the food, but experience the history
and culture's influences on Sichuan cuisine. There are now many Chinese cookbooks on the
market that focus on or include Sichuan food, but The Food of Sichuan remains a classic made
even more accessible and important by this key revision. It should be part of any comprehensive
Chinese culinary collection.
Pizza
Pippa Cuthbert & Lindsay Cameron Wilson
CompanionHouse Books
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781620083741, $19.99, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Pizza is a weekly staple dinner simply because it's delicious, easy, and fun to
personalize, no matter personal or familial food preferences might be. The ultimate DIY guide to
making pizza at home, pizza experts Pippa Cuthbert and Lindsay Cameron Wilson's "Pissa" is an
extraordinary recipe book that provides step-by-step instructions for more than 70 creative
topping and crust ideas ranging from traditional favorites to new flavor combinations that are
perfect for meat-lovers, vegetarians, fish fanatics, and the kids!
Critique: Beautifully illustrated throughout and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization
and presentation, "Pizza: Over 100 Innovative Recipes for Crusts, Sauces, and Toppings for
Every Pizza Lover" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal,
family, and community library cookbook collections and should be considered a 'must' for every
pizza loving 'make it yourself' enthusiast!
Mezcal: The Gift of Agave
Nancy J. Hajeski
Imagine Publishing
c/o Charlesbridge Publishing
85 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472
https://www.imaginebooks.net
9781623545253, $16.99, HC, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: What has long been a local Mexican secret, Mezcal is now enjoyed throughout the
world for its smoky, exotic flavor and excellent base in cocktails. Compiled by Nancy J. Hajeski,
"Mezcal: The Gift of Agave" is detailed and colorfully illustrated guidebook that includes
mezcal's deep history, details its artisanal production in remote Mexican villages, and explains
the proper ways to serve and drink this distinctive liquor.
Of special note are the tips for locating the top mezcals on the market and selecting varietals that
best suit particular tastes, as well as suggestions for mezcal pairings with dishes over meals.
There is even a chapter showcasing twenty of the best commercial distilleries including
recommended examples of young jovens, lightly aged reposados, and aged anejos.
Finally, "Mezcal: The Gift of Agave" offers easy-to-follow recipes for unique mixed drinks and
zesty mezcal-based dishes.
Critique: An absolute 'must' for mezcal enthusiasts, "Mezcal: The Gift of Agave" will prove to be
an enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library
collections. Exceptionally well organized and presented, it should be noted that "Mezcal: The
Gift of Agave" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Leon Happy Curries
Rebecca Seal & John Vincent
Conran
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781840917970, $19.99, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Curry (plural curries) is a variety of dishes originating in the Indian subcontinent that
use a complex combination of spices or herbs, usually including ground turmeric, cumin,
coriander, ginger, and fresh or dried chilies. Curry is generally prepared in a sauce. Curry dishes
prepared in the southern states of India, where the word also originated, may be spiced with
leaves from the curry tree. (Wikipedia)
Leon is the home of naturally fast food, and now they have turned their hand to creating a
collection of curries in "Leon Happy Curries", a cookbook that showcases more than 100 new
recipes inspired by dishes from Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and Burma, as well as Kenya, Somalia
and the Caribbean.
Kitchen cooks can now find fiery, speedy, warming or creamy curries, plus everything they might
want on the side, from fluffy flatbreads and perfect rice to crunchy relishes, garlicky greens and
tangy pickles. Wither fast fixes with easy wins from a supermarket, or something more fancy for
when you have a little more time, "Leon Happy Curries" have them, including Sri Lankan
jackfruit and vegetable curry, Kashmiri lamb rogan josh, Skinny salmon and coconut curry and
Katsu chicken curry as well as tasty side dishes and tips.
Critique: With beautifully illustrated dishes pictured throughout, "Leon Happy Curries" is a
delight to browse through and inspiring to plan menus with. While strongly recommended for
personal, professional, family and community library cookbook collections, it should be noted
that "Leon Happy Curries" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Sourdough on the Rise
Cynthia Lair
Sasquatch Books
1904 Third Ave, Suite 710, Seattle, WA 98101
www.sasquatchbooks.com
9781632172136, $19.95, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Sourdough bread is made by the fermentation of dough using naturally occurring
lactobacilli and yeast. Sourdough bread has a more sour taste and better inherent keeping
qualities than breads made with baker's yeast, due to the lactic acid produced by the
lactobacilli.
With "Sourdough on the Rise: How to Confidently Make Whole Grain Sourdough Breads at
Home" even the most novice will learn how to make delicious whole grain sourdough breads
ranging from Danish rye seed bread and English muffins, to focaccia and flapjacks with recipes
designed to build confidence and skill in home cooks.
Home cooks will begin by creating their own unique starter using flour, water, and warmth to
attract wild yeast which develops into a dynamic, living ingredient for bread baking (detailed
instructions on how to keep your starter lively for many years are included). Once the starter
blossoms, the home cook can begin baking a variety of internationally inspired breads.
Fermented breads are remarkable for both their digestibility and health-giving properties. With
recipes for twelve high-fiber, whole-grain sourdough breads, there are another two dozen recipes
to accompany them. Slather a buttermilk biscuit with homemade Creme Fraiche Butter with Sea
Salt or enjoy the naan you've just baked with Indian Spinach with Fried Paneer. Use your
sourdough starter in the morning to whip up yogurt flapjacks served with Lemon Blackberry
Sauce, or take an orange, pecan, and fig loaf and make Figgy French Toast.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated throughout, "Sourdough on the Rise: How to Confidently Make
Whole Grain Sourdough Breads at Home" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to
family, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Sourdough on the Rise" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
Fried Rice
Danielle Centoni
Sasquatch Books
1904 Third Ave, Suite 710, Seattle, WA 98101
www.sasquatchbooks.com
9781632172297, $19.95, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Infinitely customizable, cheap to make, and downright delicious, fried rice is one of
the world's most popular comfort foods. "Fried Rice: 50 Ways to Stir Up the World's Favorite
Grain" is a compendium of delicious recipes that draw inspiration from all over the globe, and
will expand the home cook's fried rice repertoire well beyond the usual Chinese takeout
staple.
In addition to standards like spicy-funky Indonesian Fried Rice and classic Chinese Fried Rice
with BBQ Pork, you'll find inventive takes on worldly flavors. Think Fried Cauliflower Rice
with Turkey Kofta, Mint, and Feta from the Middle East, and Huevos Rancheros Fried Rice from
Latin America. These satisfying dishes reveal just how versatile fried rice can be, and most use
pantry staples or whatever you have in the fridge. Others, such as Duck Confit Fried Rice with
Fennel, Mustard Greens, and Pickled Raisins, elevate the humble dish into entertaining-worthy
territory, proving there's no limit to this globe-trotting grain.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated with full color photography throughout, and ideal for planning
menus with, "Fried Rice: 50 Ways to Stir Up the World's Favorite Grain" will prove to be an
enduringly popular addition to family and community library cookbook collections. It should be
noted for the home cook's personal reading lists that "Fried Rice: 50 Ways to Stir Up the World's
Favorite Grain" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Milk Street: The New Rules
Christopher Kimball
Voracious
c/o Little, Brown & Company
c/o Hachette Book Group
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9780316423052, $35.00, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Christopher Kimball's Milk Street is located in downtown Boston (at 177 Milk Street)
and is home to a cooking school, a bimonthly magazine, and public television and radio shows.
They are the authors of Milk Street: The New Home Cooking, Milk Street: Tuesday Nights,
which won both the IACP and James Beard Awards for General Cooking
Now with the publication of "Milk Street: The New Rules: Recipes That Will Change the Way
You Cook", Christopher Kimball defines 75 new rules of cooking that will dramatically simplify
your time in the kitchen and improve your results. These powerful principles appear in more than
200 recipes that teach you how to make your food more delicious and interesting.
Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, the recipes ranges from Charred Broccoli with
Japanese-Style Toasted Sesame Sauce (Rule No. 9: Beat Bitterness by Charring); Lentils with
Swiss Chard and Pomegranate Molasses (Rule No. 18: Don't Let Neutral Ingredients Stand
Alone); and Bucatini Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Sage (Rule No. 23: Get Bigger
Flavor from Supermarket Tomatoes); to Soft-Cooked Eggs with Coconut, Tomatoes, and
Spinach (Rule No. 39: Steam, Don't Boil, Your Eggs); Pan-Seared Salmon with Red
Chili-Walnut Sauce (Rule No. 44: Stick with Single-Sided Searing); and Curry-Coconut Pot
Roast (Rule No. 67: Use Less Liquid for More Flavor).
Both novice and seasoned kitchen cooks alike will enjoy learning how to: Tenderize tough greens
quickly; Create creamy textures without using dairy; Incorporate yogurt into baked goods; Trade
time-consuming marinades for quick, bright finishing sauces, and more
Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Milk Street: The New Rules: Recipes
That Will Change the Way You Cook" from Christopher Kimball will prove to be an immediate
and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, family, and community library
cookbook collections. It should be noted that this unreservedly recommended cookbook is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
New York Christmas Baking
Lisa Nieschlac & Lars Wentrup
Murdoch Books
www.murdochbooks.co.uk
9781760634681, $26.99, HC, 128pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "New York Christmas Baking" by the culinary team of Lisa Nieschlac and Lars
Wentrup is packed from cover to cover with enticing recipes for cakes, cookies and treats for the
most wonderful time of the year, in the most magical city in the world.
Following the success of "New York Christmas" (which is also published by Murdoch Books)
Lisa and Lars have now created "New York Christmas Baking", a profusely illustrated cookbook
that is comprised of New York's best baking recipes for the Christmas season.
With each chapter dedicated to different types of confectionary, New York Christmas Baking" is
filled with enough delicious recipes to make every day feel like Christmas. Chapter one focuses
on sweet Christmas cookies, whoopie pies and snickerdoodles. Chapter two on holiday cakes,
pies and cupcakes. And chapter three on Christmas breakfast, bread, muffins and buns. With
"New York Christmas Baking" even the most novice of kitchen cooks and their families can
enjoy sour cream snowflakes, gingerbread cookie cups, apple crumble muffins and much
more.
Critique: A unique and very special cookbook, "New York Christmas Baking" is a family
friendly compendium that is a pleasure to browse through and inspiring to plan a holiday menu
with -- making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal and community
library cookbook collections!
Cousin Rick's Game and Fish Cookbook
Rick Black
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811738248, $19.95, HC, 200pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Rick Black is passionate about hunting, fishing, and cooking wild game and fish, and
has spent a lifetime collecting and testing recipes for every kind of fish, fowl, and game, both
large and small. Now in the pages of "Cousin Rick's Game and Fish Cookbook" he shares more
than 250 of his favorite recipes for deer, elk, antelope, caribou, moose, bear, buffalo, squirrel,
rabbit, beaver, raccoon, trout, bass, salmon, and panfish.
In addition to the recipes themselves, Rick also includes chapters on rubs and marinades, cooking
with beer, and how to cook for wild game banquets. Great tasting wild game starts with savvy
field dressing, and Rick shares plenty of tips and helpful info on how to best and safely prepare
game and fish before you get to the kitchen.
Rick knows that cooking game should be a rewarding and enjoyable experience so, in typical
Cousin Rick style, he includes a dollop of down-home humor too!
Critique: An inspiring pleasure to simply browse through, page by page, and a 'must' for the
dedicated hunter and fisherman, "Cousin Rick's Game and Fish Cookbook" will prove to be a
unique and treasured addition to personal, professional, and community library collections.
Cannelle et Vanille
Aran Goyoaga
Sasquatch Books
1904 Third Ave, Suite 710, Seattle, WA 98101
www.sasquatchbooks.com
9781632172006, $35.00, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Compiled by Aran Goyoaga, the recipes comprising "Cannelle et Vanille: Nourishing,
Gluten-Free Recipes for Every Meal and Mood" are deftly organized around the day: starting off
with Spicy Carrot, Grapefruit, and Sunflower juice Soft-cooked Eggs with Dukkah and Bitter
Greens; and move on to Tomato, Corn, and Bread Salad at midday.
There is a chapter of everyday dinners you can prepare on a weeknight, such as a simple
spaghetti and meatballs supper or Braised Chicken with Apples and Cider. You'll also find a
chapter of menus to inspire you when you want to gather together a larger group of friends and
family which Aran heartily encourages! She is especially known for her tender, gluten-free
baking, and her compendium of palate-pleasing, appetite satisfying dishes includes recipes for
her sourdough bread, caramelized onion and fennel biscuits, and apple tarte tatin (with flour
substitutions are included for those who aren't gluten-free).
Filled with Aran's gorgeous photographs, there are suggestions sprinkled throughout "Cannelle et
Vanille" for creating a welcoming space with lighting, linens, flowers, and flatware, along with
gentle encouragement to spend time in the kitchen nourishing yourself as well as those you
love.
Critique: An elegant compendium of thoroughly kitchen cook friendly recipes, "Cannelle et
Vanille: Nourishing, Gluten-Free Recipes for Every Meal and Mood" is a delight to browse
through and inspiring to plan menus with. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$17.99), "Cannelle et Vanille" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, family,
and community library gluten-free cookbook collections.
The Biography Shelf
Troublemaker for Justice
Jacqueline Houtman, Walter Naegle, Michael G. Long
City Lights Publishers
261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133
www.citylights.com
9780872867659, $13.95, PB, 172pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Bayard Rustin (March 17, 1912 - August 24, 1987) was an American leader in social
movements for civil rights, socialism, nonviolence, and gay rights.
Rustin worked with A. Philip Randolph on the March on Washington Movement in 1941 to press
for an end to racial discrimination in employment. Rustin later organized Freedom Rides and
helped to organize the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to strengthen Martin Luther
King Jr.'s leadership, teaching King about nonviolence and later serving as an organizer for the
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
After the passage of the civil rights legislation of 1964 - 65, Rustin became the head of the AFL -
CIO's A. Philip Randolph Institute, which promoted the integration of formerly all-white unions
and promoted the unionization of African Americans. During the 1970s and 1980s, Rustin served
on many humanitarian missions, such as aiding refugees from Communist Vietnam and
Cambodia. At the time of his death in 1987, he was on a humanitarian mission in Haiti.
Rustin was a gay man who had been arrested early in his career for engaging in public sex. Due
to criticism over his sexuality, he usually acted as an influential adviser behind the scenes to
civil-rights leaders. In the 1980s, he became a public advocate on behalf of gay causes.
Later in life, Rustin shifted ideologically towards neoconservatism, for which President Ronald
Reagan posthumously praised him after his death in 1987. On November 20, 2013, President
Barack Obama posthumously awarded Rustin the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Critique: "Troublemaker for Justice: The Story of Bayard Rustin, the Man Behind the March on
Washington" by the team of Michael G. Long (Associate Professor of Religious Studies and
Peace and Conflict studies at Elizabethtown College); Walter Naegle (the former partner of the
American Civil Rights leader Bayard Rustin and is the Executive Director of the Bayard Rustin
Fund, which commemorates Rustin's life, values, and legacy); and author Jacqueline Houtman is
a definitive account of the life and work of one of America's key figures in the struggle for Civil
Rights for blacks and gays. While unreservedly recommended for both community and academic
library Contemporary American Biography collections, it should be noted for the personal
reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers that "Troublemaker for
Justice" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.44).
These Boys and Their Fathers
Don Waters
University of Iowa Press
119 West Park Road, Iowa City, IA 52242-1000
www.uiowapress.org
9781609386795, $17.00, PB, 230pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In 2010, Don Waters set out to write a magazine story about a surfing icon who he
knew as his absentee father. It was an attempt to find a way of connecting to a man he never
knew. He didn't imagine that the story would become a years-long quest to understand a man
who left behind almost nothing except for a self-absorbed autobiography for his abandoned
son.
"These Boys and Their Fathers: A Memoir" touches on Waters's early life with his single mother
(and her string of dysfunctional men) and his later search for and encounters with his father, but
it quickly expands into a gripping account of the life of a 1930s pulp writer, also named Don
Waters, with whom Waters becomes obsessed. This wildly original book blends memoir,
investigative reporting, and fiction to sort out difficult aspects of family, masculinity, and what it
means to be a father.
Critique: A thoroughly absorbing and deftly crafted read from cover to cover, "These Boys and
Their Fathers: A Memoir" is unreservedly recommended for community and academic library
Contemporary American Biography collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"These Boys and Their Fathers: A Memoir" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$13.59).
Portrait of an American Businessman
Carl Ware
Mercer University Press
1501 Mercer University Drive, Macon, GA 31207-0001
www.mupress.org
9780881467154, $29.00, HC, 308pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Carl Ware is an American success story. Born in 1943 to humble Georgia
sharecroppers, he faced hardship while growing up black in the Jim Crow South. His father made
history as the first black man to vote in Georgia's Fifth Congressional District since
Reconstruction. Ware worked his way through college, taking part in the Atlanta Student
Movement.
Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he rose to become one of the most influential business
leaders and philanthropists of his generation. Ware was elected to the Atlanta City Council in
1973 and later served as its first black president from 1976 to 1979. In 1979 he was named vice
president of Special Markets for Coca-Cola USA. He founded the Coca-Cola Foundation and
became known as the company's "Daring Diplomat."
As the highest-ranking African American executive at the Coca-Cola Company, Ware would
become the architect of his employer's South Africa disinvestment and the first American
businessman to meet with Nelson Mandela after his release from prison in 1990. During this
time, Ware proved instrumental in the fall of South Africa's brutal system of apartheid. In 1991
he was appointed deputy group president of Coca-Cola's Northeast Europe Africa group. In 1993
he became the company's first black group president, heading the Africa operations.
Retiring from Coca-Cola in 2003 as head of global public affairs and administration, Ware
served on the boards of Georgia Power, National Life of Vermont, Cummins, Chevron, and PGA
Tours Golf Course Properties, as well as the Council on Foreign Relations, the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce, and as chairman of the Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.
Now, for the first time and with the assistance of Sibley Fleming, Carl Ware shares his incredible
and inspiring story and how he rewrote the rules for power sharing in America.
Critique: An inherently fascinating, inspiring, and impressively informative autobiography,
"Portrait of an American Businessman: One Generation from Cotton Field to Boardroom" is
especially and unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library
Contemporary American Biography collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
Carl Ware's life story is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.00).
Sheeran: A Biography
Sean Smith
Diversion Books
443 Park Avenue South, Suite #1004, New York, NY 10016
www.diversionbooks.com
9781635766516, $16.99, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Edward Christopher Sheeran, MBE (born 17 February 1991) is an English singer,
songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actor. In early 2011, Sheeran independently released
the extended play, No. 5 Collaborations Project. After signing with Asylum Records, his debut
album, + (pronounced "plus"), was released in September 2011. It topped the UK and Australian
charts, reached number five in the US, and has since been certified eight-times platinum in the
UK. The album contains the single "The A Team", which earned him the Ivor Novello Award for
Best Song Musically and Lyrically. In 2012, Sheeran won the Brit Awards for Best British Male
Solo Artist and British Breakthrough Act. "The A Team" was nominated for Song of the Year at
the 2013 Grammy Awards, where he performed the song with Elton John. (Wikipedia)
Now a grammy-award winner, Ed Sheeran strikes chords in millions of listeners worldwide -- a
feat all the more staggering given that he couldn't even carry a tune until the age of fifteen. At
thirteen, then just a guitarist in a school rock band, today's most successful solo star decided he
would fly far higher than hometown fame. Within a year, he had recorded an album in his
bedroom.
In "Sheeran: A Biography" Sean Smith traces the astonishing journey of the shy little English boy
with a stammer who, avoiding flashy showmanship, grew up to become a global phenomenon.
With compelling new research and interviews, Smith delivers the story of Sheeran's remarkable
parents, who supported their son's dream long before it seemed achievable; the friends and
mentors who encouraged his raw talent; and the lovers who inspired his most famous songs.
Smith describes the setbacks Sheeran faced before his fortunes were transformed by Elton John's
management company, a record deal, and a song that changed everything...with some help from
Taylor Swift. Now Sheeran has sold 150 million records worldwide, earned $432 million touring
in 2018 alone, and broke records with his 2018 UK tour but still made time to play for just 400
people at a charity night to raise money for the homeless last year. As this captivating book
reveals, there's no one quite like Ed.
Critique: An absolutely 'must read' biography for the growing legions of Ed Sheeran fans,
"Sheeran: A Biography" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to both
community and academic library Contemporary Biography collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that this impressively informative and exceptionally well written study is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
De Kalb One of the Revolutionary War's Bravest Generals
John Beakes
Heritage Books
www.heritagebooks.com
9780788459009, $37.50, HC, 488pp
Synopsis: People who saw Major General Johann de Kalb's heroic actions at the battle of
Camden, South Carolina on August 16, 1780, never forgot it. A soldier who fought there wrote
fifty-three years later that de Kalb was "...perhaps the bravest man that ever lived."
Bleeding from eleven wounds, de Kalb died three days after the battle. British officers attended
his funeral to respect an honored foe. American leaders spoke and wrote of their high regard.
Congress authorized a memorial statue in Annapolis, the capital of Maryland, whose sons he had
led in battle.
"De Kalb One of the Revolutionary War's Bravest Generals" by John Beakes is military
biography deftly chronicles the life and legacy of this fine military leader.
Critique: Meticulously researched, deftly written, organized and presented, "De Kalb One of the
Revolutionary War's Bravest Generals" successfully rescues from obscurity one of the American
Revolution's most impressive patriots. Impressively informative, "De Kalb One of the
Revolutionary War's Bravest Generals" is especially and unreservedly recommended for
community, college, and university library American History collections in general, and
American Revolutionary War supplemental studies reading lists in particular.
The Black Prince
Michael Jones
Pegasus Books
148 West 37th Street, 13th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.pegasusbooks.com
9781643132297, $19.95, PB, 488pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: As a child Edward of Woodstock, eldest son of Edward III, and better known to
posterity as the Black Prince was given his own suit of armor. At the age of sixteen, he helped
defeat the French at Crecy. At Poitiers, in 1356, his victory over King John II of France forced
the French into a humiliating surrender that marked the zenith of England's dominance in the
Hundred Years War. As lord of Aquitaine, he ruled a vast swathe of territory across the west and
southwest of France, holding a magnificent court at Bordeaux that mesmerized the brave but
unruly Gascon nobility and drew them like moths to the flame of his cause.
Edward's military achievements captured the imagination of Europe: heralds and chroniclers
called him "the flower of all chivalry" and "the embodiment of all valor". In the pages of "The
Black Prince: England's Greatest Medieval Warrior", Michael Jones (a military historian,
battlefield tour-guide, and documentary film presenter, and the co-author of "The Women of the
Cousins' War" and "The King's Grave: The Search for Richard III") deftly examines in
documented detail what was the true nature of the man behind the chivalric myth, and of the
violent but pious world in which he lived.
Critique: Enhanced with the inclusion of 5 pages of Maps, 8 pages of color illustrations, a
Timeline, and Appendix (Black Propaganda and the Sack of Limoges), 21 pages of Notes, a 12
page Bibliography, and a 12 page Index, "The Black Prince: England's Greatest Medieval
Warrior" is an impressively informative and exceptionally well written biography that is very
highly recommended, especially for community and academic library collections. It should be
noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with
an interest in the subject that "The Black Prince: England's Greatest Medieval Warrior" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Graphic Novel Shelf
MediEvil
Chris Sorrell, author
Jason Wilson, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781787734197 $12.99 hc / $10.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: Created by MediEvil's original co-creators, this brand-new original comic story offers
a whole new perspective on the world of Gallowmere and Sir Daniel Fortesque. Beautifully
illustrated and full of surprising revelations, it is sure to be a joyful surprise for fans of the classic
PlayStation game.
MediEvil: The Comic Prequel tells the story of Sir Daniel Fortesque after the ending of MediEvil
2. Traveling back in time Sir Dan encounters his original, living self and (re)experiences the
events leading up to the legendary battle in which he first lost his life. He must work with some
old friends and battle some old foes if he is to save his kingdom and seal his status as the Hero of
Gallowmere.
Critique: Crafted by original co-creators of the popular action-fantasy-undead-parody video
games "MediEvil" and "MediEvil 2", MediEvil is a full-color graphic novel featuring an original
story that is both a sequel and a prequel to the games. (Time travel is funny like that.) The
gleefully irreverent humor that distinguished the games is evident on every page, as the undead
warrior Sir Daniel Fortesque must visit a critical moment in the past. This is the junction in time
when Sir Dan's younger, more vain, and more cowardly living self had to save the kingdom from
a horde of rampaging undead... a task only possible with the aid of Sir Dan's older, wiser, more
courageous, and thoroughly skeletal current self! Fortunately, Sir Dan is not alone in his quest;
the resourceful archer with a secret Canny Tim and the freewheeling fairies Griff & Noreen offer
crucial assistance, and Sir Dan's true love Princess Kiya supports him from beyond the depths of
time. A brief, wittily written Introduction to MediEvil ensures that the reader does not need any
knowledge of the video games to fully enjoy the wild fantasy-zombie-comedy ride! Highly
recommended, especially for connoisseurs of the laughably bizzare. MediEvil is a treat that
readers of all ages will enjoy, though there is some cartoony blood and gore (monsters and
undead aren't known for playing nice)!
Gramercy Park
Timothee de Fombelle, author
Christian Cailleaux, illustrator
IDW Publishing
2765 Truxton Road, San Diego, CA 92106
www.idwpublishing.com
9781684055500, $19.99, HC, 96pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: New York, 1954. On the roof of an apartment building, a young woman patiently tends
to her beehives and seems to be longing for someone or some thing. In the building across the
street lives a kingpin of crime, isolated from the world, except for one mysterious weekly outing.
They don't know each other, but they can see one another. Between them: the void, a police car,
and a private fenced-in park under lock and key.
Critique: An inherently absorbing and deftly crafted graphic novel, "Gramercy Park" is one of
those rare and original stories that defies the obvious and cliched, allowing the reader the
freedom to wander in this mysterious adventure and get lost in the poetic script of author
Timothee de Fombelle and embrace the delicate drawings and muted colors of illustrator
Christian Cailleaux. While unreservedly recommended for both community library Graphic
Novel collections, and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be
noted for personal reading lists that "Gramercy Park" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $17.99).
Manga Classics: Dracula
Bram Stoker, author
Stacy King, adapter
Virginia Nitouhei, illustrator
UDON Entertainment
http://www.udonentertainment.com
9781947808058, $24.99, HC, 300pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: With the publication of his novel "Dracula", author Bram Stoker created a new genre within the horror category. In this brilliant Manga Classic graphic novel adaptation by Stacy King and illustrator Virginia Nitouhei, readers from age 7 to 70+ will encounter Jonathan Harker, a young English lawyer, who is traveling to Castle Dracula in the Eastern European country of Transylvania. The reason for his journey is to finalize the details of a real estate transaction with a nobleman named Count Dracula. As Harker explores the beautiful countryside he begins to receive warnings from the locals about the man he about to meet. They give him odd charms and crucifixes to ward off evil spirits. They also utter a strange word that Harker later discover means "vampire". Originally published in 1897, Dracula has inspired many horror genres, gothic drama, theatrical, film and tv interpretations.
Critique: The manga-style artwork offers a new way to immerse oneself in the classic horror story that established vampires in the public consciousness as monsters to be feared. Clearly the best graphic novel edition of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" published to date, Manga Classics: Dracula is especially and unreservedly recommended for school and community library Graphic Novel collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Manga Classics: Dracula" is also available in a paperback edition (9781947808065, $17.99).
Rust Belt
Sean Knickerbocker
Secret Acres
www.secretacres.com
9780999193549 $18.95 amazon.com
Synopsis: Some people aren't invited to the Resistance. They meet no definition of the Other.
Identity politics excludes them. They're called unlucky when they fall victim to economic
injustice. They even take the blame for our national crises - but who are these people? Rust Belt
looks right at the underemployed, the working poor and the dreamers of America's changing,
post-industrial cities.
Critique: Rust Belt is a black-and-white graphic novel about the working poor, the unemployed,
the underemployed, and the left behind of post-industrial cities and towns. Here are the people
struggling to get by on low-paying service jobs if they can find a job at all, and coping with the
toll of the grind in various ways, not all of them healthy. Raw, real, and unforgettable, Rust Belt
is a sobering read, highly recommended.
The Woman Who Loved Life And Other Stories
Johnny Craig
Fantagraphics Books
7563 Lake City Way, NE, Seattle, WA 98115
www.fantagraphics.com
9781683962014, $29.99, HC, 232pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: John "Johnny" Thomas Alexis Craig (born in 1925 in Pleasantville, New York) drew
one of the most infamous covers in comic book history: the "severed head" Crime SuspenStories
that was spotlighted at the Kefauver comics hearings. He passed away in 2001.
Published by Fantagraphics Books, "The Woman Who Loved Life And Other Stories" collects
all of the legendary comics stories that Craig and EC great Al Feldstein collaborated on under the
pseudonym F.C. Aljon. Of special interest to collectors are presented two stories for the first time
since their initial publication more than 70 years ago. "Moon Girl," EC's first (and only)
superhero and one of EC's earliest horror stories, and "Zombie Terror," both scanned from the
original art. Plus "Edna Sunday," the story of a vicious woman murderer, restored for the first
time ever with its original, never-before-printed shocking splash panel.
"The Woman Who Loved Life And Other Stories" is comprised of twenty-six stories in all, with
essays and commentary by EC experts. There are black & white illustrations throughout.
Critique: An absolutely 'must read' for all dedicated graphic novel enthusiasts and EC Comics
fans, "The Woman Who Loved Life And Other Stories" showcasing zombies, mood, murder and
mayhem, is unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Woman Who Loved Life And
Other Stories" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.94).
The Audiobook Shelf
Me
Elton John, author
Read by Taron Egerton with Elton John
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781250231055 $39.99 audio CD
9781250231062 $26.99 digital
Synopsis: In his first and only official autobiography, music icon Elton John reveals the truth
about his extraordinary life, from his rollercoaster lifestyle as shown in the film Rocketman, to
becoming a living legend.
Christened Reginald Dwight, he was a shy boy with Buddy Holly glasses who grew up in the
London suburb of Pinner and dreamed of becoming a pop star. By the age of twenty-three he was
performing his first gig in America, facing an astonished audience in his bright yellow dungarees,
a star-spangled T-shirt, and boots with wings. Elton John had arrived and the music world would
never be the same again.
His life has been full of drama, from the early rejection of his work with song-writing partner
Bernie Taupin to spinning out of control as a chart-topping superstar; from half-heartedly trying
to drown himself in his LA swimming pool to disco-dancing with Princess Diana and Queen
Elizabeth; from friendships with John Lennon, Freddie Mercury, and George Michael to setting
up his AIDS Foundation to conquering Broadway with Aida, The Lion King, and Billy Elliot the
Musical. All the while Elton was hiding a drug addiction that would grip him for over a
decade.
In Me, Elton also writes powerfully about getting clean and changing his life, about finding love
with David Furnish and becoming a father. In a voice that is warm, humble, and open, this is
Elton on his music and his relationships, his passions and his mistakes. This is a story that will
stay with you by a living legend.
Critique: Me is the unabridged audiobook rendition of mega-successful singer-songwriter Elton
John's autobiography. Here are gripping, behind-the-scenes true stories of the complex music
world, extraordinary stardom, and a life-destroying drug addiction that lasted over a decade (after
which Elton made and kept a commitment to sobriety). Here also are true-life anecdotes of love,
civil partnership, and marriage to a partner of the same gender, as well as raising two sons as a
family. Me is utterly fascinating from beginning to end, and highly recommended especially to
fans of Elton John's memorable music. 10 CDs, 12 hours.
A Room with a View
E. M. Forster, author
Kate McAll, adaptor & director
L.A. Theatre Works
681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, CA 90291
www.latw.org
9781682660935, $29.95, CD, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In this original audio book adaptation of E.M. Forster's novel, "A Room with a View",
an encounter in Florence and an offer to exchange rooms brings George Emerson to the attention
of Lucy Honeychurch. Their flirtation is cut short by Lucy's chaperone, but when they meet again
back home in England, Lucy must negotiate the demands of her station with the desires of her
heart.
This audio book production includes an interview with Julian Sands, was recorded before a live
audience at the UCLA James Bridges Theater in March, 2019, is adapted and directed by Kate
McAll, and features a gifted cast that includes Rosalind Ayres as Charlotte Bartlett; Edita
Brychta as Mrs. Honeychurch, Miss Lavish, Signora; Alastair James Murden as Freddy
Honeychurch, Guide, Italian Driver; Moira Quirk as Miss Catherine Alan, Miss Teresa Alan,
Maid; Darren Richardson as Mr. Beebe and Sir Harry; Julian Sands as Mr. Emerson; Eugene
Simon as George Emerson; Eleanor Tomlinson as Lucy Honeychurch; and Matthew Wolf as
Cecil Vyse, Shopkeeper, English Driver.
Critique: A superbly produced 'theatre of the mind' experience, this L.A. Theatre Works edition
of E. M. Forster's "A Room with a View" is unreservedly recommended for personal,
community, and academic library audio book collections. (3 CDs, 2 Hours 8 minutes).
Hold These Truths
Jeanne Sakata
L.A. Theatre Works
681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, CA 90291
www.latw.org
9781682660911, $29.95, CD, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: During WWII in Seattle, University of Washington student Gordon Hirabayashi fights
the US government's orders to forcibly remove and incarcerate all people of Japanese ancestry on
the West Coast. As he struggles to reconcile his country's betrayal with his passionate belief in
the US Constitution, Gordon begins a 50-year journey toward a greater understanding of
America's triumphs -- and a confrontation with its failures.
This flawlessly produced audio book production also includes an interview with playwright
Jeanne Sakata and was sponsored in part by the California Civil Liberties Program from the
California State Library and directed by Jessica Kubzansky. Starring the vocal talents Ryun Yu,
this production of "Hold These Truths" also features the additional voices of Matthew Floyd
Miller, Suzy Nakamura, Matt Walker, and Greg Watanabe.
Critique: A deftly presented, thoroughly entertaining, thoughtful and thought-provoking
production from beginning to end, "Hold These Truths" (and given the times we now live in) is
an especially recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library audio book
collections. (2 CDs, 1 Hour 45 Minutes)
A Walk in the Woods
Lee Blessing, author
Cameron Watson, director
L.A. Theatre Works
681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, CA 90291
www.latw.org
9781682660898, $29.95, CD, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Lee Blessing is an American playwright whose best-known play, "A Walk in the
Woods", was a Harold and Mimi Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award Winner (Booth Theatre). It
was later produced in London's West End and seen on PBS's American Playhouse. It's the story
of an idealistic American diplomat who locks horns with a mercurial Soviet negotiator during a
series of conversations in the woods outside Geneva. As their mutual friendship and
understanding deepens, an awareness that their work may ultimately be pointless casts a shadow
over their hopes to achieve a lasting peace.
This audio book adaptation includes a post-play discussion with playwright Lee Blessing and
UCLA Political Science professor Richard Anderson. It was recorded before an audience at
UCLA's James Bridges Theater in January 2019, and was directed by Cameron Watson.
Critique: An inherently riveting 'theatre of the mind' experience from beginning to end, "A Walk
in the Woods" will prove to be a welcome and appreciated addition to personal, community, and
academic library audio book collections. (2 CDs, 1 Hour 44 minutes)
Hachette Audio
www.hachetteaudio.com
Sandra Brown's Outfox (9781478916864, $35.00) receives an excellent pairing with the voice of
Victor Slezak, who brings to life Brown's dramatic, complex story of a man with multiple
identities linked to eight women who vanish. FBI agent Drex is convinced they have been
murdered by sociopath Weston, but Weston's ability to remain elusive by trading identities is part
of what makes him impossible to pin down. An engrossing story evolves as yet another woman
enters the picture unaware of the threat to her life. Iris Johansen's Smoke Screen
(9781549141409, $35.00) is read by Elisabeth Rodgers, who captures the underlying tension and
riveting thriller action perfectly. Journalist Jill has just returned from a small African village with
a heart-wrenching story of mass murder. The families of the dead need Eve Duncan's skills as a
forensic sculptor to identify their loved ones. But when Eve journeys to the jungles of Africa on a
mercy mission, she discovers that Jill's efforts may be hiding a more sinister plot, leaving her
alone in an unstable country filled with threats. An absorbing, tense thriller evolves. Both audios
are highly recommended for thriller listeners who look for nonstop action paired with highly
talented, evocative narrators. Malcolm Gladwell's Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know
About the People We Don't Know (9781549150333, $40.00) is narrated by the author, who
closely examines how interactions with strangers often go awry. This may seem like a personal
self-help title at first, but Gladwell delves into the psychological of political communications and
international relationships, blending psychology, history, and news scandals into an analysis of
the tools and approaches people use to communicate with and understand one another. It's a key
discussion for modern times and divided nations and cultures that is especially evocative in
audio. Judge Jeanine Pirro's Radicals, Resistance, and Revenge: The Left's Plot to Remake
America (9781549123900, $35.00) is also read by the author and provides a contention that the
left holds plans to remake America. Her first book Liars, Leakers, and Liberals exposed the plot
to destroy Trump: this follow-up broadens its contentions with analysis of new information that
points to a conspiracy with an underlying plot to attack American liberty. Binyamin Appelbaum's
The Economists' Hour: False Prophets, Free Markets, and the Fracture of Society
(9781549153310, $40.00) is read by Dan Bittner, who adds a strong voice to bring to life this
original history of power and plays during four decades of economic changes. It traces the rise of
modern economics and the power of economists around the world, considering their beliefs,
principles, and promises in a well-researched discussion that lends particular well to audiobook
format.
The Library CD Shelf
Bach Side of the Moon: Baroque Adagios Reimagined
Piers Adams and Larry Lush
bachsideofthemoon.com
Red Priest Recordings
www.redpriestrecordings.com
$18.99 CD amazon.com
Recorder virtuous Piers Adams and electronic music master Larry Lush present Bach Side of the
Moon: Baroque Adagios Reimagined, a CD that reworks and reimagines 18th century
compositions by Bach, Albinoni, Vivaldi, Sammartini, Handel, Purcell, and Gluck into 21st
century "chill-out lounge" music. A transcendental, new age way to experience beloved classics,
Bach Side of the Moon is a treasure for connoisseurs, and makes an exceptional gift! Highly
recommended. 56 min., 50 sec.
Paris Cafe
Putumayo
www.putumayo.com
9781587594359 $13.69 CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com
Performed by a variety of talented artists, Paris Cafe is a collection of classic pieces of French
music, evoking the atmosphere of bistros, cafes, and cabarets of 1950s Paris. A wonderful,
enriching experience, Paris Cafe is enthusiastically recommended especially for international
music collections, and also makes an excellent gift. The tracks are "Douce France", "C'est
Magnifique", "Un Gamin de Paris", "Sweet Joy", "Sous Les Ponts de Paris", "La Mer", "La
Complainte de la Butte", "Flambee Montalbanaise", "Quelqu'un M'a Dit", and "Vous Qui Passez
Sans Me Voir".
Into The Unknown
Harrison Edwards
www.harrison-music.com
Privately Published
$14.98 CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
The fifth album of original music by Harrison Edwards, Into The Unknown is an instrumental,
New Age album crafted from keyboards, digital pianos, sound modules, and "soft-synths"
(synthesizers that are entirely software based). The sweeping music brims with the hidden
wonder of the next great discovery, near or far. Into The Unknown is beautiful, inspirational, and
highly recommended especially for New Age connoisseurs. The tracks are "First Light", "The
Awakening", "The Dawn Land", "Into The Unknown", "Discovery", "Revelation", "Finding
Peace", "The Arrows of Time", "Into The Light", "Reawakening", "On Heaven's Shores", and
"The Great Mystery".
Everybody Under the Sun: Voices of Solstice, Volume 1 The Singers
Paul Winter Consort & Friends
paulwinter.com
solsticeconcert.com
Living Music
c/o Earth Music Productions, LLC
$20.00 double-disc CD / $12.99 digital download
Everybody Under the Sun: Voices of Solstice, Volume 1 The Singers is a two-disc CD anthology
of live recordings of 22 guest singers from 13 cultures around the world, each of whom have
been featured in Paul Winter's solstice celebrations at the world's largest cathedral (New York's
St. John the Divine) during the past 38 years. An eclectic, extraordinary, and utterly unforgettable
musical celebration of the turn of the seasons, Everybody Under the Sun: Voices of Solstice,
Volume 1 The Singers is a treasure for personal and public library music collections, highly
recommended. The disc 1 tracks (72 min.) are "Kurksi Funk", "In My Life", "The Sparrow",
"How Can I Keep from Singing?", "Luiza", "Lua Soberama", "Golden Apples of the Sun",
"Witchi Tai To", "Fog on the Hill", "Nhemumusassa", "Bulgarian Song", "Singing to the
Mountain", "Zebra Song", "Sound Over All Waters", and "A Whiter Shade of Pale". The disc 2
tracks (77 min.) are "You Are My Sunshine", "El Belen", "Desenredo", "Green Grass, It Grows
Bonny", "Prayer, Suite Port Au Prince", "Sweet Memories", "Before It's Too Late", "Words of
Wish Fulfillment", "Mystery", "Angola", "Christmas Day Is Come", "In My Life", "The Good
Wish", "The Rain is Over and Gone", and "Minult/Auld Lang Syne".
Healing Hands
Cathy Oakes
www.cathyoakessolopiano.com
Sierra Keys Music
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
Healing Hands is a solo piano album by Cathy Oakes, who has taught piano and voice for over
40 years. The songs reflect upon her challenging journey to survive breast cancer, and are an
homage to the medical professionals who aided her, as well as an offering of support to others
battling the affliction. Healing Hands is an uplifting, life-affirming experience, highly
recommended especially for connoisseurs of solo piano. The tracks are "The Threshold",
"Healing Hands", "Letting Go", "Blanket of Solitude", "Wings of Change", "The Darkest Hour",
"A Silent Prayer", "Grateful", "A Fragile Grasp", "Anchor of Hope", "Thankfulness", and
"Blessed Journey".
A View from Within
Jim Robitaille Group
Whaling City Sound
www.whalingcitysound.com
$TBA CD / $8.91 MP3 amazon.com
Award-winning guitarist Jim Robitaille and Dave Liebman (soprano and tenor saxophones),
Tony Marino (double bass), and Alex Ritz (drums) present A View from Within, a vibrant jazz
album that captivates the listener with its extraordinary flair. A treasure for connoisseurs of the
genre, A View from Within is highly recommended for personal and public library jazz guitar
collections, and also makes an excellent gift! The tracks are "A View from Within", "Slow
Tuesday", "Point of Origin", "Nightfall", "Touch and Go", "Opaque", "What is this Thing Called
Love", "Spatial", and "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise".
The Space Between Breaths
Sherry Finzer & Will Clipman
sherryfinzer.com
willclipman.com
Heart Dance Records
$13.98 CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
The Space Between Breaths is a new-age instrumental album blending the flute play of Sherry
Finzer and the pan-global percussion of Will Clipman into a unique, original soundscape ideal
for relaxation, massage, yoga, meditation, or simply experiencing the joy of the moment. A
beautiful treasure perfect for unwinding at the end of the day, The Space Between Breaths is
highly recommended for both personal and public library music collections. The tracks are
"Evening at Angkor Wat", "Cliff Dwellers", "Kilauea Rain", "Penumbra", "The Space Between
Breaths", "Enchanted Forest", "Black Swan", "Valley of Lights", "Timbuktu & You", and
"Child's Play." 57 min., 5 sec.
All the Pieces
Lynn Tredeau
www.lynntredeau.com
Privately Published
$10.95 CD / $9.00 digital
The sixth album by solo piano artist Lynn Tredeau, All the Pieces is an inspirational work of
original songs that evokes the spirit of storytelling through music alone. From "Photos Without a
Memory", which reflects upon the mental theft committed by Alzheimer's disease; to "A
Weathered Heart" about the impressions left by tremendous joy and sorrow upon one's core
being, and much more, All the Pieces draws the listener on thought-provoking journeys. Highly
recommended, especially for solo piano connoisseurs. The tracks are "Photos Without a
Memory", "Love for a Lifetime", "One Drop is an Ocean", "All in One Place", "910 Taylor", "A
Weathered Heart", "Sea of Amber", "Bohemian", "Wilson's Pond", "Broken Pieces", "Precious
Handprints", and "History Yet to Come".
The Library DVD Shelf
Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries, series 1
Starring Geraldine Hakewill
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$49.99 www.acornonline.com
Available in both DVD and Blu-ray formats, Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries is a
successor to the tremendously popular Australian mystery series. The titular heroine Peregrine
Fisher (played by Geraldine Hakewill, also known for her role in "Wanted") inherits her aunt
Phryne's estate after Phryne disappears during a case. Peregrine decides to follow in her aunt's
footsteps as a detective, and sets to work solving mysteries in 1960s Melbourne! Though
Peregrine has never personally known her famous aunt, she finds guidance from The
Adventuresses' Club, a group of extraordinary women who cherish Phryne as a member. Upbeat,
delightful, and toally groovy, Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries is a treat for connoisseurs!
Bonus materials include an 11-minute behind-the-scenes featurette. 4 feature-length mysteries on
2 discs, 353 min. plus bonus, SDH subtitles. Also highly recommended for fans of the series is
"Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries: Holiday Pop-Up Collectible" (55 min., $24.99).
Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries: Holiday Pop-Up Collectible
Starring Essie Davis
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$24.99 www.acornonline.com
Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries: Holiday Pop-Up Collectible is a limited edition, holiday episode
from the second season of "Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries" presented in a delightful 3D
package - the DVD case opens into a pop-up display of Miss Fisher. In 1920's Melbourne, Miss
Phryne Fisher is an independent woman in a male-dominated world, who solves crimes with a
pistol in one hand and often a paramour in the other, with assistance from her maid Dorothy
"Dot" Williams (played by Ashleigh Cummings). In this episode, Miss Fisher visits a chalet to
celebrate "Christmas in July", only to find one of the residents has been electrocuted while
hanging the festive lights. Miss Fisher suspects foul play, and must race against time before
another victim is targeted! Bonus materials include a two-minute season's greetings from the
cast. Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries: Holiday Pop-Up Collectible makes an excellent gift for
connoisseurs of the genre, as do the other Holiday Pop-Up Collectibles showcasing Christams
episodes: "Midsomer Murders: Holiday Pop-Up Collectible" and "The Brokenwood Mysteries:
Holiday Pop-Up Collectible". 1 DVD, 55 min., SDH subtitles. Also highly recommended for
fans of Miss Fisher is the successor series featuring her sleuthing niece in 1960's Melbourne,
"Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries, series 1".
Queens of Mystery
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$39.99 www.acornonline.com
An Acorn TV Original Series now available on DVD, Queens of Mystery is a contemporary saga
about three crime-writing sisters and their niece, Detective Sergeant Mattie Stone, who apply
their knowledge of both fictional and real-world crime to solve murders in the beautiful English
region of Wildemarsh. Though they are skilled sleuths, the answer to one, deeply personal
mystery eludes them - the unexplained disappearance of Mattie's mother, 25 years ago. Witty and
laced with humor, Queens of Mystery is a worthy spiritual successor to the classic "Murder, She
Wrote" series, and highly recommended to connoisseurs of the genre. Bonus materials include a
behind-the-scenes featurette (61 min.) and Easter Eggs (10 min.). 6 episdoes on 3 DVDs, 284
min., SDH subtitles.
Taken Down, series 1
Chad Campbell
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$39.99 www.acornonline.com
Taken Down, series 1 is a six-part Irish crime series on DVD. In Dublin, a young Nigerian girl is
found violently murdered. The investigation into her death leads Inspector Jen Rooney and her
team to a Direct Provision Centre for asylum-seekers. Another girl from the Direct Provision
Centre has disappeared, and Rooney must scour the city's vile underworld of criminals and
traffickers to find her, before she suffers a cruel fate! Taken Down is a gripping, timely crime
drama, and a "must" for connoisseurs of the genre. Highly recommended. Bonus materials
include 45 minutes of cast and crew interviews. It should be noted that Taken Down is
recommended for mature viewers, due to strong language, violence, drug use, sexual situations,
and disturbing images. 6 episdoes on 2 DVDs, 320 min. plus bonus material, SDH subtitles.
A Discovery of Witches
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$39.99 www.acornonline.com
A Discovery of Witches is the DVD and Blu-ray debut of a Sundance Now/Shudder Original
Series, set in a modern-day world where witches, vampires, and demons quietly exist among
humans. The intelligent historian Diana Bishop (played by Teresa Palmer, who has also had roles
in "Warm Bodies" and "Hacksaw Ridge") is a witch who resists her own talent - until she
accidentally calls up an ancient manuscript with great and terrible powers, and thrown into an
unlikely alliance with geneticist and vampire Matthew Clairmont (played by Matthew Goode,
who has acted in "Downton Abbey" and "Watchmen"). The mysterious manuscript, and a
blossoming romance between Diana and Matthew, threatens to break ancient taboos and destroy
the fragile peace between powerful species! A Discovery of Witches is an exciting and rapturous
fantasy saga, highly recommended for connoisseurs. Bonus materials include 45 min. of
featurettes about the series' characters, mythology, and TV magic. It should be noted that A
Discovery of Witches is intended for mature viewers, due to the presence of strong language,
violence, sexual situations, and disturbing images. 8 episodes on 2 discs, 355 min. plus bonus,
SDH subtitles.
The Military Shelf
Girl With A Sniper Rifle
Yulia Zhukova
Greenhill Books
c/o Pen & Sword Books
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781784383985, $32.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Luliia was a dedicated member of the Komsomol (the Soviet communist youth
organization) and her parents worked for the NKVD. She started her military training at the
sniper school and eventually became a valued member of her battalion during operations against
Prussia.
She persevered through eight months of training before leaving for the Front on 24th November
1944 just days after qualifying. Joining the third Belorussian Front her battalion endured rounds
of German mortar as well as loudspeaker announcements beckoning them to come over to the
German side.
In "Girl With A Sniper Rifle: An Eastern Front Memoir", Luliia recounts how they would be in
the field for days, regularly facing the enemy in terrifying one-on-one encounters. She sets down
the euphoria of her first hit and starting her "battle count" but her reflection on how it was also
the ending of a life.
These feelings fade as she recounts the barbarous actions of Hitler's Nazi Germany. She recalls
how the women were once nearly overrun by Germans at their house when other Red Army
formations had moved off and failed to tell them. She also details a nine-day standoff they
endured encircled by Germans in Landsberg.
Regularly suffering ill-health she took a shrapnel injury to her knee and had to be operated on
without an anesthetic. She would eventually see the end of the war in Kongsberg.
Like her famous counterpart Pavlichenko, she gained recognition but struggled to come to terms
with war service. Haunted by flashbacks she burned the letters she sent home from the Front. She
later discovered that of the 1885 graduates of her sniper school only 250 had died in war.
"Girl With A Sniper Rifle" is a powerful, firsthand account in of coming up close to the
machinations of the NKVD (the secret police) as well as the grueling toll of war and the
breathtaking bravery of this female sniper.
In this vivid firsthand account we gain unique access to the inner workings of Stalin's Central
Women's Sniper School, near Podolsk in Western Russia. Additional material includes notes by
John Walter and an introduction by Martin Pegler.
Critique: Providing an absolutely fascinating, impressively informative, deeply personal account,
"Girl With A Sniper Rifle: An Eastern Front Memoir" will prove to be an immediate and
enduringly popular addition to community and academic library World War II Military History &
Biography collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia,
military buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Girl With A
Sniper Rifle" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Operation Starlite
Otto J. Lehrack
Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781612008011, $19.95, PB, 233pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Operation Starlite: The Beginning of the Blood Debt in Vietnam - August 1965" is a
graphic account of the first major clash of the Vietnam War. On August 18, 1965, regiment
fought regiment on the Van Tuong Peninsula near the new Marine base at Chu Lai. On the
American side were three battalions of Marines under the command of Colonel Oscar Peatross, a
hero of two previous wars. His opponent was the 1st Viet Cong Regiment commanded by
Nguyen Dinh Trong, a veteran of many fights against the French and the South Vietnamese.
Codenamed Operation Starlite, this action was a resounding success for the Marines and its result
was cause for great optimism about America's future in Vietnam.
Of special note are the detailed descriptions of how the fight unfolded. Marine participants from
private to colonel were interviewed during the book's research phase. The battle is seen from the
mud level, by those who were at the point of the spear. But this is not just another war story told
exclusively from the American side. In researching the book, the author talked with and walked
the battlefield with men who fought with the 1st Viet Cong Regiment. All were accomplished
combat veterans years before the U.S. entry into the war.
The reader is planted squarely in America in 1965, the year that truly began the long American
involvement. Operation Starlite sent the Vietnam War into the headlines across the nation and
into the minds of Americans, where it took up residence for more than a decade. Starlite was the
first step in Vietnam's becoming America's quagmire.
The subtitle, The Beginning of the Blood Debt in Vietnam - August 1965, refers to "han tu"
translated as Blood Debt and in Vietnamese, can mean revenge, debt of honor, or blood owed for
blood spilled. The Blood Debt came into Vietnamese usage early in the war with the United
States. With this battle, the Johnson Administration began compiling its own Blood Debt, this
one to the American people.
"Operation Starlite" also looks at the ongoing conflict between the U.S. Army and the U.S.
Marines about the methodology of the Vietnam War. With decades of experience with
insurrection and rebellion, the Marines were institutionally oriented to base the struggle on
pacification of the population. The Army, on the other hand, having largely trained to meet the
Soviet Army on the plains of Germany, opted for search-and-destroy missions against
Communist main force units. The history of the Vietnam War is littered with many "what ifs."
This may be the biggest of them
Critique: Otto Lehrack served with the U.S. Marines for 24 years as an enlisted man and officer.
He was an infantry company commander during the Tet Offensive on his first tour (1967 - 1968),
and the operations officer of a signal intelligence battalion on his second tour (1970 - 1971) in
Vietnam. He has an MA in history from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Lehrack is the author
of No Shining Armor: The Marines at War in Vietnam and America's Battalion: Marines in the
First Gulf War. With "Operation Starlite: The Beginning of the Blood Debt in Vietnam - August
1965" he has once again provided an impressively informed and informative study that should be
a core part of every community and academic library Viet Name War collection, as well as the
personal reading lists of students, academia, military buffs, and non-specialist general readers
with an interest in the subject.
Ambush Valley
Eric Hammel
Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781612007878, $22.95, PB, 345pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In the summer of 1967, the Marines in I Corps, South Vietnam's northernmost military
region, were doing everything they could to lighten the pressure on the besieged Con Thien
Combat Base.
Still fresh after months of relatively light action around Khe Sanh, the 3d Battalion, 26th
Marines, was sent to the Con Thien region to secure the combat bases' endangered main supply
route. On September 7, 1967, its first full day in the new area of operations, separate elements of
the battalion were attacked by at least two battalions of North Vietnamese infantry, and both
were nearly overrun in night-long battles.
On September 10, while advancing to a new sector near Con Thien, the 3d Battalion, 26th
Marines, was attacked by at least a full North Vietnamese regiment, the same NVA unit that had
attacked it two days earlier. Isolated into two separate defensive perimeters, the Marines battled
through the afternoon and evening against repeated assaults by waves of NVA regulars intent
upon achieving a major victory. In a battle described as "Custer's Last Stand -- With Air
Support," the Americans prevailed by the narrowest of margins.
"Ambush Valley: I Corps, Vietnam 1967: The Story of a Marine Infantry Battalion's Battle for
Survival" is an unforgettable account of bravery and survival under impossible conditions. It is
told entirely in the words of the men who faced the ordeal together -- an unprecedented mosaic of
action and emotion woven into an incredibly clear and vivid combat narrative by one of today's
most effective military historians.
"Ambush Valley" achieves a new standard for oral history. A war story not to be missed.
Critique: A deftly organized and presented study that is enhanced with the inclusion of a two
page Bibliography, a six page listing of Reflections of a representative collections of survivors,
"Ambush Valley: I Corps, Vietnam 1967: The Story of a Marine Infantry Battalion's Battle for
Survival" is unreservedly and especially recommended for both community and academic library
Viet Nam War collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for students,
academia, military history buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest of the subject
that "Ambush Valley" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Tours of Duty
Michael Lee Lanning, editor
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811738484, $19.95, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Michael Lee Lanning served more than twenty years in the U.S. Army, including
service in Vietnam, where he commanded an infantry platoon, a recon platoon, and a rifle
company. His other books include the classic memoir Vietnam, 1969-1970, which the New York
Times called "one of the most honest and horrifying accounts of a combat soldier's life to come
out of the Vietnam War," and Inside Force Recon.
Compiled and edited by Lanning, "Tours of Duty: The Best Vietnam War Stories from the Men
Who Served" is a compendium of personal accounts of what the Viet Nam war was like for the
men who fought it out in the jungles, deltas, paddies, villages, and cities of that controversial
conflict.
These are the stories Vietnam vets tell over beers at Legion halls and VFW posts -- stories of
young men tangled up in the chaos of landing zones and nameless jungle hills, in the boredom of
base camps, in the confusion of a controversial war. Raw, often gut-wrenching, sometimes funny,
these war stories describe slices of individual tours of duty, from the firefights to the friendships,
and capture the kaleidoscope of the American experience in Vietnam.
Critique: An absolutely fascinating read from cover to cover, "Tours of Duty: The Best Vietnam
War Stories from the Men Who Served" is especially and unreservedly recommended for both
community and academic library Viet Name War military history collections and supplemental
studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, military history buffs, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "Tours of Duty" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Harry Potter Film Vault Volume 1: Forest, Lake, and Sky Creatures
Jody Revenson
Insight Editions
PO Box 3088, San Rafael, CA 94912
www.insighteditions.com
9781683837466 $16.99 amazon.com
Synopsis: Discover the filmmaking secrets behind the magical creatures of the Forbidden Forest,
the Black Lake, and beyond.
From centaurs to merpeople and horn-tailed dragons, magical creatures and terrifying beasts are
key characters in the Harry Potter films. Harry Potter: Film Vault: Volume 1: Forest, Lake, and
Sky Creatures features illustrations and behind-the-scenes photography that give fans an in-depth
look at the development and creation of the magnificent creatures seen throughout the
movies.
The Film Vault compiles the filmmaking secrets and visionary artistry behind the Harry Potter
films into a series of twelve deluxe collectible volumes. Intricately designed and packed with
gorgeous concept art and unit photography from the Warner Bros. archive, each volume in the
series gives fans striking insights about bringing the Wizarding World to the big screen.
Included in each book is a collectible art print, making this series a must-have for all Harry Potter
fans and collectors everywhere.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated with full-color artwork and photography throughout, Harry Potter
Film Vault Volume 1: Forest, Lake, and Sky Creatures is the first in a twelve-volume series
showcasing how the magical world of the cherished Harry Potter fantasy novels was adapted to
the silver screen. The text of Volume 1 describes in exquisite detail how fantastic creatures
including centaurs, Buckbeak the hippogriff, Aragog the giant spider, merpeople, and a variety of
dragons were brought to unforgettable life. The Harry Potter Film Vault series is a treasure for
fans of the films, a joy to browse from cover to cover and highly recommended.
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
Steven Jay Schneider & Ian Haydn Smith, editors
B.E.S. Publishing
www.bes-publishing.com
9781438050751, $35.00, HC, 960pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: This brand-new eighth edition of "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die" now
covers more than a century of movie history. Selected and authored by a team of international
film critics, every profile is packed with details, plot summaries and production notes, and
little-known facts relating to the film's history. Each individual entry offers a fresh look at some
the greatest films of all time.
Movie fans and cinema students can learn the complete history of filmmaking, from silent-era
sensations such as D. W. Griffith's controversial The Birth of a Nation to recent Oscar winners
like A Star Is Born, BlacKkKlansman, and Roma. In these pages they will discover little-known
facts about Hollywood's most memorable musicals, greatest dramas, noteworthy documentaries,
screwball comedies, classic westerns, action and adventure films, and more.
Movie lovers of all stripes will thoroughly enjoy this must-have compilation.
Critique: With this fully updated eighth edition, "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die" is
an impressively organized and informative must-have reference for all movie lovers ranging from
casual movie-goers to dedicated film connoisseurs. "1001 Movies You Must See Before You
Die" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, community and academic library
Film & Cinematic History collections. It should be noted that in this era of Epix, TCM, Amazon,
and other movie oriented commercial sources that most of these films can be readily obtained for
the interested viewer.
Dynamic Dames
Sloan De Forest
Running Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.runningpress.com
9780762465521, $23.00, HC, 248pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: From Scarlett O'Hara to Thelma and Louise to Wonder Woman, strong women have
not only lit up the screen, they've inspired and fired our imaginations. Some dynamic women are
naughty and some are nice, but all of them buck the narrow confines of their expected gender
role -- whether by taking small steps or revolutionary strides.
Through engaging profiles and more than 100 photographs, "Dynamic Dames" by Sloan De
Forest showcases fifty of the most inspiring female roles in film from the 1920s to today. The
characters are discussed along with the exciting off-screen personalities and achievements of the
actresses and, on occasion, female writers and directors, who brought them to life.
Among the stars profiled in their most revolutionary roles are Bette Davis, Mae West, Barbara
Stanwyck, Josephine Baker, Greta Garbo, Audrey Hepburn, Natalie Wood, Barbra Streisand,
Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Joan Crawford, Vivien Leigh, Elizabeth Taylor, Dorothy Dandridge,
Katharine Hepburn, Pam Grier, Jane Fonda, Gal Gadot, Emma Watson, Zhang Ziyi, Uma
Thurman, Jennifer Lawrence, and many more.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, and drawing from the Turner Movie Classic film
library, "Dynamic Dames: 50 Leading Ladies Who Made History" is an inherently fascinating,
impressively informative, expertly organized and presented cinematic history and survey that is a
'must read' for all dedicated movie fans and film buffs. While certain to be an enduringly popular
addition to community and academic library Theatre/Cinema/TV collections, it should be noted
for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "Dynamic Dames" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$12.99).
Editorial Note: Sloan De Forest is a writer, actress, and film historian who has written about film
for Sony, Time Warner Cable, and Bright Lights Film Journal, among other outlets. She is the
author of "Turner Classic Movies: Must-See Sci-Fi", as well as a contributing author of "Natalie
Wood: Reflections on a Legendary Life" and "Grace Kelly: Hollywood Dream Girl".
The Simpsons' Beloved Springfield
Karma Waltonen & Denise Du Vernay, editors
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476674551, $39.95, PB, 280pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: First aired in 1989 and still going strong today in 2019, The Simpsons has become
America's most beloved and longest running animated show on television.
An offshoot of the Tracey Ullman television series, The Simpsons went on to change the world
of television, bringing to the screen a cartoon for adults, a sitcom without a laugh track, an
imperfect lower class family, a mixture of high and low comedy and satire for the masses.
Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Karma Waltonen and Denise Du Vernay, "The
Simpsons' Beloved Springfield: Essays on the TV Series and Town That Are Part of Us All" is
an impressively informative collection of new essays that explores the many ways in which The
Simpsons reflects everyday life through its exploration of gender roles, music, death, food
politics, science and religion, anxiety, friendship and more.
Critique: An absolute 'must read' for the legions of Simpsons fans, this comprised of an
'Introduction: Putting the Spring in Springfeld' and 'The Simpsons Timeline (Forever
Incomplete)' as well as nineteen erudite and insightful essays. Of special note is the inclusion of a
listing of the contributors and their credentials. A unique and original body of impressively
presented scholarship, "The Simpsons' Beloved Springfield: Essays on the TV Series and Town
That Are Part of Us All" will be an especially popular and appreciated addition to community,
college, and university library Theatre/Cinema/TV collections in general, and The Simpsons
supplemental studies in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists that "The
Simpsons' Beloved Springfield" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Directing Actors
Judith Weston
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9781615932009, $39.95, Library Binding, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A complete and comprehensive course of detailed instruction by Internationally
renowned directing coach Judith Weston, "Directing Actors: Creating Memorable Performances
for Film & Television" demonstrates what constitutes a good performance, what actors want
from a director, what directors do wrong, script analysis and preparation, how actors work, and
shares insights into the director/actor relationship.
Critique: An ideal curriculum textbook, "Directing Actors: Creating Memorable Performances
for Film & Television" is impressively organized and presented, making it an essential and core
addition to professional, community, and academic library Theatre/Cinema/TV instructional
reference collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, stage
and film directors, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"Directing Actors" is also available in a paperback edition (9780941188241, $29.95), in a digital
book format (Kindle, $16.19), and as an audiobook (Dreamscape Media, 9781974970513 $39.99
CD / 9781974970551 $19.99 MP3 CD).
The Christian Studies Shelf
Worship Wars
David Waddell
Westbow Press
c/o Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.westbowpress.com
9781973623182, $35.95, HC, 282pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: David Waddell teaches Recreation Administration at the University of Mississippi.
This position followed a twenty year career in ministry leadership with local churches. He has
witnessed God's grace in his life and the life of others. He enjoys writing about the topic of grace,
forgiveness, and second chances.
How do you worship? Where do you worship? Do you believe worship should be traditional,
solemn, and reverential, or should worship be contemporary, lyrical, and lively? These questions
about the proper venue, style, or manner in which we worship seem to never go away in
Christianity. But is there a right answer?
In "Worship Wars: The Kings Lead the Battle to Spirit and Truth", Waddell explores this
question by going beyond style and taking a more personal view of worship. With both humorous
and earnest reflections on his own flaws, faux pas, and failures in worship, Waddell looks to the
Bible and to the kings of Israel and Judah, where he reveals an order of worship using the stories
of the kings as examples to teach better worship practices.
No one is perfect in their worship habits and patterns, but the Bible offers a way for worshipers
to have the freedom to worship in spirit and in truth, regardless of the style. Whether our
individual acts of worship are traditional, contemporary, or a combination of each, we can all
discover a lifestyle of worship in spirit and in truth that will please God and bring us all closer to
Jesus.
Critique: Deftly written, insightfully informative, and impressively inspiring, making it especially
recommended for church, seminary, community, and academic library Christian Theology &
Spirituality collections and the supplemental studies reading lists for all members of the Christian
community regardless of denominational affiliations, it should be noted that "Worship Wars: The
Kings Lead the Battle to Spirit and Truth" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781973623175, $19.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Until Every Child Is Home
Todd R. Chipman
Moody Publishers
820 N. LaSalle Blvd., Chicago, IL 60610
www.moodypublishers.com
9780802419064, $13.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: All Christians are commanded to look after the children of their communities. But
trying to convince people to do foster care or adoption can feel like just another daunting,
impossible task. It's hard enough to get volunteers for the nursery, much less volunteers to foster
or adopt a child!
But what if we're thinking about it the wrong way? What if orphan care actually increases your
church's capacity to do ministry? What if this one ministry opens doors to many others?
In the pages of "Until Every Child Is Home: Why the Church Can and Must Care for Orphans"
the reader will discover how orphan care transforms 6 key aspects of their Christian ministry,
meet dozens of families and churches who have experienced the transformative power of orphan
care, and learn how to get involved even if you're not ready or presently in a position to foster or
adopt.
Critique: Specifically addressing one particular (and universal) need of every Christian
community, "Until Every Child Is Home: Why the Church Can and Must Care for Orphans" is an
extraordinary and unreservedly recommended read. It should also be noted that "Until Every
Child Is Home" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Ecclesiastes: An Introduction and Commentary
Knut Martin Heim
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830842650, $19.00, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes is probably best known for its repeated refrain
that "everything is meaningless," or "vanity." However, a thorough reading demonstrates that this
is not its final conclusion.
Knut Martin Heim is professor of Old Testament at Denver Seminary. Previously he taught at
The Queen's Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education (University of Birmingham, UK)
and at Trinity College Bristol, UK. In "Ecclesiastes: An Introduction and Commentary", his
Tyndale commentary shows that Ecclesiastes is intellectually sophisticated, theologically rich,
emotionally deep -- and full of humor!
While it is realistic about life, it is life-affirming and immensely practical. It is also politically
engaged, presenting its critique of a repressive foreign regime in an entertaining and
thought-provoking way.
As an addition to The Tyndale Commentaries (which are designed to help the reader of the Bible
understand what the text says and what it means), this introduction to "Ecclesiastes" gives a
concise but thorough treatment of its authorship, date, original setting, and purpose. Following a
structural Analysis, the Commentary takes the book section by section, drawing out its main
themes, and also comments on individual verses and problems of interpretation. Additional
Notes provide fuller discussion of particular difficulties.
Critique: An ideal textbook for study groups, seminary curriculums, clergy, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject, "Ecclesiastes: An Introduction and Commentary"
is unreservedly recommended. It should be noted that this informed and informative study is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Dear Joan Chittister
Jessie Bazan, editor
Twenty-Third Publications
1 Montauk Avenue, #200, New London, CT 06320
www.23rdpublications.com
9781627854863, $18.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: As Christian women, where can we find communities in this secular world who will
accept us fully for who we are? Where do we find the courage to walk forward, often alone, and
proclaim the truth?
It's an experience many women share: they are well-educated, talented, and passionate about
discipleship and ministry, but they serve a church that puts limits on their participation just
because they are women and often seems to wish they d just remain silent. Who can they turn to
for wisdom, inspiration, and courage?
Compiled and edited by Jessie Bazan, "Dear Joan Chittister: Conversations with Women in the
Church" is groundbreaking book in which ten young women who are active in ministry share
their thoughts, aspirations, questions and desires with Sister Joan Chittister, a spiritual master
and prophetic visionary who has long encouraged the gifts and voices of those too easily
dismissed. The conversations unfold in a series of letters. Each letter writer shares an experience
from her life or ministry, and Joan then responds with affirmation and challenge, sharing her
wisdom, inspiration and courage with those vitally committed to the church.
The result is a powerful message that needs to be read by women and men alike. "Dear Joan
Chittister: Conversations with Women in the Church" confronts current realities, buoys future
hopes and refuses to accept the status quo for a church called to embody the gospel message for a
new generation.
Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Dear Joan Chittister: Conversations with
Women in the Church" is inspired and inspiring reading that is unreservedly recommended for all
members of the Christian community regardless of denominational affiliations. It should be noted
for personal reading lists that "Dear Joan Chittister" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $15.99).
Rings of Fire
Leonard Sweet
www.leonardsweet.com
NavPress
www.navpress.com
c/o Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781631463945, $17.99, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Regardless of denominational affiliations, what lies ahead for Christians around the
world is a topic of perennial interest to everyone.
Those who follow the works of bestselling authors Malcolm Gladwell, Faith Popcorn, Daniel
Pink, and other trend forecasters, will appreciate learning about over 25 rings of fire that lie
ahead for Christians around the world in "Rings of Fire: Walking in Faith through a Volcanic
Future" by Leonard Sweet.
In the pages of "Rings of Fire", Len maps the future for the Christian church in a sweeping
survey of the twenty-first century. In the face of eruptive and disruptive culture changes from
economics and communications to bioethics and beyond, how do we fight fire with fire, not only
catching up to our culture but leading our friends and neighbors toward the feet of Christ? No
one has done more to startle the church from its slumber than Len Sweet, and no one has
equipped the church as effectively.
While "Rings of Fire" is a benchmark book from a seminal leader of the modern evangelical
movement, of special note are the incisive questions to stimulate creative thinking for individual
or group study by Mark Chironna and an informative afterword that ties Len's expansive work
together and sets us on the right course
Critique: Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, iconoclastic and
insightful, "Rings of Fire: Walking in Faith through a Volcanic Future" is an extraordinary and
unreservedly recommended addition to personal reading lists, as well as seminary, community,
and academic library Contemporary Christian Studies collections. It should be noted that "Rings
of Fire" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.09) and as a complete and
unabridged audio book (Oasis Audio, 9781640913226, $14.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Len Sweet (www.leonardsweet.com) was born of a mixed marriage: his mother
was a fiery Pilgrim Holiness-ordained preacher from the mountains of West Virginia and his
quiet father a Free Methodist lay leader from the Adirondack mountains of upstate New York.
After a de-conversion at 17, Len became an atheist intellectual and scholar dedicated to exposing
the nincompoopery and poppycockery, if not tomfoolery and skullduggery of all religions. After
this seven-year period of liminality, Len came back to the faith of his ancestors, where he has
been ever since, exploring the "interstices" and "semiotics" of religion, culture and history.
The Travel Shelf
Lonely Planet Europe
Lonely Planet Publications
www.lonelyplanet.com
9781787013711 $26.99 pbk / $15.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: Lonely Planet's Europe is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what
to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Raise a glass of champagne at the top of
the Eiffel Tower in Paris, marvel at the number of masterpieces at the Hermitage in St
Petersburg, and explore Prague's neighbourhoods, galleries and bars - all with your trusted travel
companion. Get to the heart of Europe and begin your journey now!
Inside Lonely Planet's Europe:
Full-colour maps and images throughout
Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests
Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble
spots
Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips,
prices
Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most
guidebooks miss
Cultural insights provide a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, art, food, drink,
sport, politics
Covers Britain, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Switzerland,
Germany, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Montenegro, Poland, Russia,
Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey, Scandinavia and more.
The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet's Europe is our most comprehensive guide to Europe, and is
perfect for discovering both popular and off-the-beaten-path experiences.
Critique: Up-to-date with the latest research as of 2019, Lonely Planet Europe is an absolute
"must-have" for any tourist, business traveler, or visitor to Europe. Filled with over 1200 pages
of survival guides, recommended lodgings and restaurants, maps, language basics, regionwide
itineraries, and more covering every European country, Lonely Planet Europe is the
quintessential, definitive travel guide, enhanced with an easy-to-use index. Highly recommended!
It should be noted for personal reading lists that Lonely Planet Europe is also available in a
Kindle edition ($15.99).
Southern Ontario's National Parks
N. Glenn Perrett, author
Lynn & N. Glenn Perret, photographers
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
195 Allstate Parkway, Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R 4T8
www.fitzhenry.ca
9781554553976, $34.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Southern Ontario is one of the most developed areas in Canada. It also has North
America's busiest highway - Highway 401. But in amongst this largely urban area are to be found
six gems in Canada's national park's system: Point Pelee National Park; Bruce Peninsula National
Park; Fathom Five National Marine Park; Georgian Bay Islands National Park; Rouge National
Urban Park; and Thousand Islands National Park.
These parks not only protect some of the most spectacular wilderness left in this part of the
province, but they offer incredible nature experiences -- everything from hiking, camping and
canoeing to boating, bird watching and swimming. In Southern Ontario's National Parks, N.
Glenn Perrett showcases these special places and why nature is important. He then takes the the
armchair traveler on some wonderfully entertaining eco-adventures!
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with color photography, "Southern
Ontario's National Parks" is an extraordinarily informative, deftly organized and presented
introduction and guide to six scenic wonders, making it an ideal and highly recommended
addition to personal and community library Canadian Travel Guide collections.
Editorial Note: N. Glenn Perrett is a writer and environmentalist who lives with his family in
Mulmur, Ontario. Glenn enjoys canoeing, hiking and spending time in nature. His interests
include protecting animals and the environment and living lightly on the planet and these beliefs
are reflected in Southern Ontario's National Parks.
Hiking Southwest Canyon Country
Sandra Hinchman
Mountaineers Books
1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134-1161
www.mountaineersbooks.org
9781680511468, $24.95, PB, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Now in a fully updated and expanded fourth edition, "Hiking Southwest Canyon
Country" by Sandra Hinchman, anyone easily plan an itinerary to visit pueblo ruins, admire
striking arches, stroll through impressive river canyons, soak in rock art, take a backpacking trip,
and more.
From national parks (Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde,
and Petrified Forest, Capitol Reef) to national monuments (Natural Bridges, Canyon de Chelly,
Bandelier, El Morro, Colorado, Dinosaur, and Bears Ears) to several state parks and more -- the
Four Corners region offers endless opportunities for explorers.
"Hiking Southwest Canyon Country" has been helping visitors and locals plan for nearly thirty
years! Beyond details on hikes and sights, author Sandra Hinchman shares helpful background on
geology, climate, flora and fauna, Native cultures, and much more. For many hikes, notable
nearby destinations offer even more choices for expanding your itinerary.
Critique: Expertly organized and presented, nicely illustrated throughout with color photography
and maps, this new fourth edition of "Hiking Southwest Canyon Country" is unreservedly
recommended for personal, community, and academic library collections. It should be noted that
"Hiking Southwest Canyon Country " is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$19.95).
100 Things to Do in Springfield, IL Before You Die
Penny Zimmerman-Willis
Reedy Press
PO Box 5131, St. Louis, MO 63139
www.reedypress.com
9781681062204, $15.99, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: There may be a city called Springfield in many states, but only one of them is a state
capital: Springfield, Illinois. Within the pages of this newly updated second edition of "100
Things to Do in Springfield, IL, Before You Die", however, you ll find out that Springfield is
much more than Abraham Lincoln's hometown and Illinois's capital. Those highlights may have
put Springfield on the map in a way few other cities of its size can match, but this unique travel
guide reveals hidden gems that even the locals might not know about.
Explore the parks and nature preserves, war memorials, and museums. Visit one of Frank Lloyd
Wright's greatest designs at the Dana Thomas House, or hear the beautiful melodies of one of the
world's largest carillons at the Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon. In the pages of this new edition
of "100 Things to Do in Springfield, IL, Before You Die" both out-of-town tourists and local
residents alike will find insider tips on where to find the best horseshoe (Springfield's signature
sandwich), the best canoeing (down the Sangamon River), pick fresh blueberries, and see live
theater under the stars.
In "100 Things to Do in Springfield, IL, Before You Die" longtime resident Penny
Zimmerman-Wills shares her lifetime of expertise and experience in Central Illinois. With this
book as your guide, she ll help you make your own lasting memories in Springfield, Illinois.
Critique: Expertly organized and presented, impressively informative and thoroughly 'user
friendly in tone and commentary, this new second edition of "100 Things to Do in Springfield,
IL, Before You Die" is a pleasure to browse through and will prove to be an indispensable
resource for planning a memorable day trip or an extended vacation in the Illinois state
capital.
The Business Shelf
The Leader You Want to Be
Amy Jen Su
Harvard Business Review Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
http://hbr.org/books
9781633695917, $28.00, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "The Leader You Want to Be: Five Essential Principles for Bringing Out Your Best
Self--Every Day" by Amy Jen Su was written specifically for anyone finding themselves wishing
they had more hours in the day, wanting to do more, yet feeling they just can't add another thing
to their plate without being overwhelmed by stress or compromising their health, relationships,
and integrity.
The answer as underscored by "The Leader You Want to Be" is more than just a time
management system or a silver-bullet solution for changing routines. In its pages leadership
expert and coach Amy Jen Su helps readers discover that the answer lies within. By focusing in
specific ways on five key leadership elements of Purpose, Process, People, Presence, and Peace
anyone can increase their time, capacity, energy, and ultimately their impact -- and with less
stress and more equanimity.
Drawing on rich and instructive stories of clients, leaders, artists, and athletes, as well as on
research by experts, "The Leader You Want to Be" brings together the best of both Western
management thinking and Eastern philosophy to provide a holistic yet hands-on approach.
Critique: An indispensable, deftly crafted, real-world practical, and thoroughly 'user friendly'
instructional guide to helping the reader to tap into and expand their leadership capacity so that
you can sustain your optimal level of performance and thrive as a leader, "The Leader You Want
to Be" is unreservedly recommended for community, corporate, and academic library Business
Management collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Leader You Want
to Be" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.39).
The Parenting Shelf
The Board Game Family
Ellie Dix
Crown House Publishing
81 Brook Hills Circle, White Plains, NY 10605
www.crownhousepublishing.com
9781785834332, $18.95, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Today it is all to common to find parents feeling as if they are competing with screens
for their children's attention. As their kids get older, they become more distant leading parents to
worry about the quality of the already limited time they share. They pine for tech-free time in
order to reconnect, but don't know how to shift the balance.
A teacher and educationalist, and previously the co-owner and director of Pivotal Education,
Ellie Dix has been obsessed with board games from an early age. Ellie firmly believes that board
games have positively influenced her ability to solve problems, manage failure and experiment
with multiple paths to success and she now puts her teaching skills, understanding of behavior
and experience with gamification to use by helping parents to introduce board games to family
life.
In "The Board Game Family: Reclaim Your Children From The Screen", Dix seeks to help
parents with this issue by inviting them and their families into the unplugged world of board
games. The benefits of board games are far-reaching. Playing games improves memory formation
and cognitive abilities, boosts critical thinking, develops interpersonal skills and refines our
problem-solving and decision-making.
With these benefits in mind, Dix explains how parents can unleash the potential of those dusty
boxes at the back of the cupboard and become teachers of outstanding gamesmanship equipped
to navigate the unfolding drama of competition, thwart the common causes of arguments and
tears, and bind together a happier, more social family unit.
Critique: As thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring, "The Board Game
Family: Reclaim Your Children From The Screen" is a practical and comprehensive instruction
guide that offers a genuine and 'real world practical' solution to an increasingly relevant problem
in our present age of social media and computer-based gaming. While unreservedly and
especially recommended for community library Parenting Skills instructional reference
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Board Game Family" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.49).
The Needlecraft Shelf
Bowl Me Over
Debbie Busby
Martingale & Company
www.shopmartingale.com
9781683560197, $22.99
Bowl Me Over: A Bounty of Tiny Pillows to Enjoy Every Day shows how to stitch tiny pillows
that can be used as bowl fillers and artistic embellishments, and brings folk art to a down home
level as it simplifies the time, effort, and materials needed to craft these gems. Color photos of
finished products include one-page patterns, materials lists, and easy stitching and assembly
directions, making for a fun guide crafters will find accessible and appealing.
Free-Motion Quilting 101
Ashley Nickels
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781641550024, $24.95, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: It is common that quilters wanting to finish their quilts will employ machine quilting
in order to do so. In "Free-Motion Quilting 101: Techniques & Patterns for Beginners",
needlecraft teacher and quilter Ashley Nickels provides in-depth instruction on learning the
technique of free-motion quilting, combined with simple small projects that reinforce the
technique. Quilters will have fun while learning the necessary steps to complete a quilting
project.
"Free-Motion Quilting 101" is deftly divided into three parts -- workbook-style practice; project
session and in-depth reference for finishing a quilt. It also features 15 foundational designs; 3
simple projects; and 1 larger project that is a culmination of the techniques learned in this
instruction manual and guide.
Free-Motion Quilting 101 is squarely on mastering the technique on a regular home sewing
machine and will be the treasured and appreciated resource enabling new quilters pick up first to
learn how to free-motion quilt successfully.
Critique: Profusely illustrated, exceptionally well organized and presented, "Free-Motion
Quilting 101: Techniques & Patterns for Beginners" is the ideal introduction for the novice
quilter and will prove invaluable as a 'refresher' for the more seasoned quilter, making it very
highly recommended for personal, professional, and community library Needlecraft instructional
reference collections.
Fat Quarter: Vintage
Susie Johns
The GMC Group
www.gmcbooks.com
9781784944216, $19.95, PB, 152pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Living in London, England, Susie Johns is an artist and designer who has written
dozens of craft books, mostly on knitting, crochet and sewing, including Knitted Pets, Knitted
Woodland Creatures, How to Embroider and Fat Quarter: Bags & Purses (GMC
Publications).
In "Fat Quarter: Vintage" she showcases 25 needlecrafting projects made from short lengths of
fabric. The projects comprising"Fat Quarter: Vintage" are separated into five decades, from the
1930s to the 1970s, with each individual chapter containing five projects using fat quarter fabric
or scraps that reflect the era.
The individual projects have clear step-by-step instructions and beautiful accompanying
photography; include a useful tools and technique section for those who are new to sewing; are
perfect for using the leftover remnants of fabric; and make great gifts!
The showcased DIY projects include: 1930s pin cushion, 1940s flower brooch, 1940s sewing
machine cover, 1950s apron, 1950s sunglasses case, 1960s child's dress, 1970's draft stopper,
1970s shopping bag.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, and will prove to be of
immense interest and value to novice and seasoned needlecrafters alike, "Fat Quarter: Vintage" is
an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, and
community library Needlecraft instructional reference collections.
Colorful Knit Soxx
Kerstin Balke
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811737937, $24.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Kerstin Balke learned knitting at the age of six from her grandmother. She has made
pullovers, jackets, scarves, hats, and even fine tablecloths over the years, but her true passion is
the knitted sock For several years she has been designing her own patterns under the name Stine
& Stitch.
In "Colorful Knit Soxx: 26 Sock Patterns for Warm, Happy Feet" she draws upon her years of
experience and expertise to provide a profusely illustrated instructional guide and manual
showcases twenty-six sock patterns.
Critique: Ideal for the novice knitter while of immense value for the seasoned knitter as well,
"Colorful Knit Soxx: 26 Sock Patterns for Warm, Happy Feet" will prove to be an immediate and
enduringly popular addition to personal and community library knitting project collections.
The Woodworking Shelf
Woodworker's Handbook
Roger Horwood
Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781497100657, $17.99, PB, 168pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Roger Horwood started woodworking at school in High Wycombe, England (the center
of the British chair-making industry). In 1969 he moved to South Africa, where he has continued
to work with wood, building just about every type of freestanding furniture - both modern and
period pieces - in a variety of soft, hard, and exotic woods. Horwood is also the author of
Step-by-Step Wooden Toys.
In "Woodworker's Handbook: The Beginner's Reference to Tools, Materials, and Skills, Plus
Essential Projects to Make Beginner-Friendly DIY Guide with 5 Step-by-Step Projects" Horwood
draws upon his years of experience to create an ideal and thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional
guide and reference for the novice woodworker.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, and ideal for the DIY woodworking beginner,
"Woodworker's Handbook" is unreservedly recommended, especially as a highschool or
technical college woodshop curriculum textbook -- and should be a part of every community
library's woodworking instructional reference collection.
Chip Carving
Tatiana Baldina
The GMC Group
www.gmcbooks.com
9781784945466, $24.95, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Chip Carving is the art of removing small sections of wood from a single piece of
timber, usually to form geometric patterns. Finished pieces can be very intricate and complex but
amazing results can be achieved surprisingly easily with the right guidance. Unlike many types of
woodworking, chip carving requires very few tools, usually just two knives, and is a wonderful
way too decorate all manner of existing objects including boxes, plates and furniture.
Tatiana Baldina is a professional woodcarving artist who lives and works in Russia. She
specializes in chip carving and chose to study the subject as part of her Applied Fine Arts degree
at the Volga Regional State University. After graduating, Tatiana went on to create many of her
own original pieces, she also worked for several companies producing carved boxes and other
items for the home. Tatiana is a Laureate of The International Association of the Creative
Professions, Vatikam, France. She has worked as a freelance woodcarver since 2014.
In "Chip Carving: Geometric Patterns to Draw and Chip Out Of Wood", Baldina draws upon her
many years of experience and expertise to guides the reader through the process of creating 15
distinctive projects. The necessary stages are explained with the use of detailed step-by-step
photographs and accompanying text. Baldina also explains how to go about planning and
designing each project in preparation for the actual carving process.
Critique: A unique, profusely illustrated throughout, and thoroughly 'user friendly' DIY
instructional guide and manual, "Chip Carving: Geometric Patterns to Draw and Chip Out Of
Wood" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional,
and community library Woodworking & Crafts/Hobbies collections.
The Fishing Shelf
Surfcasting Block Island and Cuttyhunk
D. J. Muller
Burford Books, Inc.
101 East State Street, #301, Ithaca, NY 14850
www.burfordbooks.com
9781580801898, $16.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Surf fishing is the sport of catching fish standing on the shoreline or wading in the
surf. A general term, surf fishing may or may not include casting a lure or bait, and refers to all
types of shore fishing - from sandy and rocky beaches, rock jetties, or even fishing piers. The
terms surfcasting or beachcasting refer more specifically to surf fishing from the beach by casting
into the surf at or near the shoreline. With few exceptions, surf fishing is done in saltwater.
(Wikipedia)
"Surfcasting Block Island and Cuttyhunk" by D. J. Muller is a detailed guide to two legendary
surfcasting destinations, home to some of the best striped-bass angling in the world. Block
Island, just off the coast of Rhode Island, boasts a rich variety of surfcasting venues, from sand
beaches to rips to boulder fields. Muller has fished the island extensively and takes the reader on
a step-by-step tour around Block, explaining in detail where and how to fish each area correctly.
Rods, reels, and lures for the surfcaster are explained in depth.
Some 35 miles northeast of Block Island is Cuttyhunk, the last island in the Elizabeth Islands
chain. It was here in the latter half of the 19th century that surfcasting was born, and although
much of the opulence of the gilded-age surfcasting clubs is gone, the angling remains as
interesting and as challenging as ever. Again Muller takes the reader on a detail-rich tour of this
small but fascinating island, pinpointing where and how to surfcast for bass.
For any surfcaster, beginner to advanced, who is looking for fresh and exciting fishing
opportunities, "Surfcasting Block Island and Cuttyhunk" will become the indispensable
reference.
Critique: Impressively informative, deftly written, expertly organized and presented, "Surfcasting
Block Island and Cuttyhunk" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal,
professional, and community library Fishing/Hunting collections in general, and salt water
fishing supplemental instructional references lists in particular.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
The Morrigan
Courtney Weber
Weiser Publishers
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
www.redwheelweiser.com
9781578636631, $16.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The Morrigan is one of Pagan Ireland's most famous (and notorious) goddesses. Her
name translated as "phantom queen" or "great queen". The Morrigan is famous for being a
goddess of war, witchcraft and death, protection and retribution.
Courtney Weber is a Wiccan priestess, writer, tarot advisor, metaphysical teacher, and social
activist. She is the author of "Brigid: History, Mystery, and Magick of the Celtic Goddess",
"Tarot for One: The Art of Reading for Yourself", and the producer and designer of Tarot of the
Boroughs.
In "The Morrigan: Celtic Goddess of Magick and Might", Courtney also explores the goddesses
patronage of motherhood, healing, shapeshifting, and the land. Classified among the Sidhe
(fairies), the Morrigan dates back at least to Ireland's Iron Age, but she is as modern as she is
ancient -- enjoying a growing contemporary and global following.
Courtney also provides a guide for the modern devotee of this complex, mysterious goddess that
encompasses practical veneration with modern devotionals, entwined with traditional lore and
Irish-Celtic history.
Critique: An inherently fascinating, impressively informative, and deftly written study that is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.63), "The Morrigan: Celtic Goddess of Magick
and Might" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic
library Metaphysical Studies collections in general, and Celtic Mythology & Magick
supplemental studies reading lists in particular.
Divination Conjure Style
Starr Casas, author
Josef Bailey, illustrator
Weiser Publishers
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
www.redwheelweiser.com
9781578636693, $18.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In "Divination Conjure Style: Reading Cards, Throwing Bones, and Other Forms of
Household Fortune-Telling", professional conjure woman Starr Casas shares the secrets of
conjure-style divination that she learned at home and that, until very recently, were family secrets
that were only transmitted orally.
Traditional conjure is the domain of the poor and disenfranchised, living in regions that were
(and remain) unfriendly to esotericism and the occult. Thus, conjure divination relies on
inexpensive tools that are not exclusively magical: playing cards, rather than tarot cards, or
scrying with blue water instead of a crystal ball.
The primary focus of "Divination Conjure Style" is playing-card divination, but other methods
covered include bibliomancy, pyromancy, pendulums, and throwing the bones. Starr discusses
the history of these methods and also offers practical information so that the reader can master
these techniques for themselves.
Of special note is that Josef Bailey, a young New Orleans artist, has created illustrations of
conjure-style playing cards to Starr's specifications.
Critique: Impressively original, extraordinarily informative, exceptionally well organized and
deftly presented, "Divination Conjure Style: Reading Cards, Throwing Bones, and Other Forms
of Household Fortune-Telling" will prove to be an immediately popular and enduringly valued
addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Contemporary Metaphysical
Studies collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Divination Conjure Style"
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Russian Black Magic
Natasha Helvin
Destiny Books
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781620558874, $16.99, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Born in the Soviet Union and descended from a matrilineal line of witches, in the
pages of "Russian Black Magic: The Beliefs and Practices of Heretics and Blasphemers",
Natasha Helvin offers a rare look into the secret practices of Russian black magic, passed down
from teacher to disciple for generations both orally and through their grimoires bound in black.
Drawing from her own experience, Helvin provides insight into the fundamental ideology of
black magic practitioners, from the universal laws of magic to the principles of morality. She
explains a mage's view on fate and predestination, how the world was created, and their
relationship with the demons that grant them their power. She examines the demonic pantheon as
well as how a black sorcerer is able to influence the forces in the universe and pass on his or her
powers and knowledge to further generations.
Exploring the history of occult practices in Russia, including how Christianity had a profound
effect upon magic and witchcraft, Helvin shows how attempts to forcibly convert the Russian
population to the Christian faith were widely resisted, and instead of these ancient pagan
practices disappearing, they blended with Christian belief. Authorities repainted old pagan gods
as demons in order to eradicate ancient traditions. Black magic became labelled as defiantly
anti-Christian simply for preserving the old ways, and as a result, some branches of black magic
evolved as a reaction against enforced Christianity and practitioners proudly accepted the label of
"blasphemer" or "heretic."
Through "Russian Black Magic", readers can explore the Left-Hand path of Russian magic and
its spells and rituals. Author Natasha Helvin deftly explains about cemetery magic, sacrifices, the
creation of Hell Icons, and places of power, such as crossroads, swamps, and abandoned villages,
as well as the best times to practice black magic, how to choose the best grave for your spell, and
how to summon demons. Providing many concrete examples of spells, Helvin demonstrates the
broad range of what can be accomplished by those who practice the black arts, if they commit
themselves to the craft.
Critique: A unique and expertly presented study, "Russian Black Magic: The Beliefs and
Practices of Heretics and Blasphemers" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular
addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Metaphysical Studies
collections in general, and Russian metaphysical supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for
students of the occult, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject
that "Russian Black Magic" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
The Railroading Shelf
Great Northern Railway Gallery
Michael A. Vanns
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781473882072, $49.95, HC, 184pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The Great Northern Railway was one of 120 companies that ran trains in Britain
during the Victorian and Edwardian period. Formed in 1846, it traded independently for
seventy-six years until absorbed into the London & North Eastern Railway on 1 January 1923.
Operating a network of nearly 700 route miles it ran trains between King's Cross, London and
York, into the Eastern Counties and the East Midlands, the West Riding of Yorkshire, into
Lancashire and even south of the Thames.
It developed distinctive characteristics, both in the way it managed its affairs and in the
appearance of its trains, stations, signals and signalboxes. Numerous photographs were taken,
particularly from the 1890s onwards, by dedicated amateurs attracted to the lineside by the sight
of speeding steam locomotives in apple green livery, hauling polished teak carriages. Goods
trains and the endless procession of coal trains were not such popular photographic subjects, but
by searching out these and images of staff, stations and signalboxes, "Great Northern Railway
Gallery: A Pictorial Journey Through Time" by Michael A. Vanns aims to capture something of
the spirit of a once-great organization in the heyday of Britain's steam railway systems.
Critique: A simply fascinating and impressively informative illustrated history that is also
available for dedicated railroading history buffs in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.99),
Michael Vanns' "Great Northern Railway Gallery: A Pictorial Journey Through Time" will prove
to be an enduringly appreciated and popular addition to personal, professional, community, and
academic library British Railroading History collections.
Great Western, Pannier Tank Classes
David Maidment
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526734518, $80.00, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Profusely illustrated throughout, "Great Western, Pannier Tank Classes: An Overview
of Their Design and Development" is the tenth book by David Maidment in the Pen & Sword
Books' 'Locomotive Portfolio' series and covers the large number of designs from 1860 onwards
of 0-6-0 saddle tanks built for both the Great Western Railway and the independent railway
companies in South Wales, most of which were converted to pannier tanks in the Churchward
and Collett eras as they were reboilered with raised Belpaire fireboxes between the early 1900s
and the late 1920s.
As well as the Armstrong and Dean engines, the book goes on to describe the design,
construction and operation of the largest class of steam engines built in the UK in the last century
- Collett's familiar 57XX class, examples of which were still being built after nationalization.
Collett also designed pannier tank engines for branch passenger and freight work - the 54,64 &
74XX series, and Hawksworth continued the GW tradition with a tapered boiler version, the
94XX, after the Second World War as well as the light 16XX and the outside cylinder
Walschaerts valve geared 15XX.
Critique: A very comprehensive volume covering so many classes, valuable for the modeler, and
featuring more than 400 photographs (of which over 50 are in color), "Great Western, Pannier
Tank Classes: An Overview of Their Design and Development" will prove to be an welcome and
enduringly appreciated addition to personal, community, and academic library railroading history
collections. It should be noted that "Great Western, Pannier Tank Classes: An Overview of Their
Design and Development" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).
Editorial Note: David Maidment was a senior manager with British Railways, with widespread
experience of railway operating on the Western and London Midland Regions culminating in the
role of Head of Safety Policy for the BRB after the Clapham Junction train accident He retired in
1996, was a Principal Railway Safety Consultant with International Risk Management Services
from 1996 to 2001 and founded the Railway Children charity (www.railwaychildren.co.uk) in
1995. He was awarded the OBE for services to the rail industry in 1996.
The International Studies Shelf
Saudi, Inc.
Ellen R. Wald
Pegasus Books
148 West 37th Street, 13th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.pegasusbooks.com
9781643132259, $17.95, PB, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The Saudi Royal family and Aramco leadership are, and almost always have been,
motivated by ambitions of long-term strength and profit. They use Islamic laws, Wahhabi
ideology, gender discrimination, and public beheadings to maintain stability and their own
power. Underneath the thobes and abayas and behind the religious fanaticism and illiberalism
lies a most sophisticated and ruthless enterprise. Today, that enterprise is poised to pull off the
biggest IPO in history.
Over more than a century, fed by ambition and oil wealth, al Saud has come from nothing to rule
as absolute monarchs, a contrast with the world around them and modernity itself. The story
starts with Saudi Arabia's founder, Abdul Aziz, a lonely refugee embarking on a daring gambit to
reconquer his family's ancestral home -- the mud-walled city of Riyadh. In "Saudi, Inc.: The
Arabian Kingdom's Pursuit of Profit and Power", author Ellen R. Wald then takes readers almost
to present day, when the multinational family business has made al Saud the wealthiest family in
the world and on the cusp of a new transformation -- as al Saud and its family business, Aramco,
are embarking on their most ambitious move: taking the company public.
Critique: Given the manipulations of the current presidential administration by the Saudis,
"Saudi, Inc.: The Arabian Kingdom's Pursuit of Profit and Power" will prove to be an essential
and core addition to community, college, and university library International Studies collections
in general, and Contemporary Saudi Arabia supplemental studies lists in particular. Featuring 16
pages of color photographs, two pages of Notes on Sources, twenty-five pages of Notes, and a
seven page Index, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia,
government policy makers, corporate executives doing (or considering doing) business with the
Saudis, as well as the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the subject that "Saudi
Inc." is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Ellen R. Wald, PhD, is a widely cited consultant on geopolitics and the global
energy industry. She earned her doctorate in history at Boston University and an AB in history,
Near Eastern studies, and creative writing at Princeton University. She teaches Middle East
history and policy and has appeared on TV and radio on three continents.
The Humor Shelf
I Don't Like Your Kids (And Other Things I'm Afraid to Admit)
Laura LeBrun
Austin Macauley
www.austinmacauley.com
9781528915267 $8.95 pbk / $4.29 Kindle amazon.com
9781528961172 $4.50 ebook
Synopsis: Ever wonder why Mormons have extreme road rage or why dating a cop is like playing
Russian Roulette? Perhaps you are confused as to why you need to shave your butt or how
viewing pornography will turn you into a serial killer. Luckily for you, Laura LeBrun answers all
this and more with the wisdom of a woman who has been there and has your back! Not for the
faint of heart, this book was written to make you laugh while educating you on the horrors of
everyday life.
Critique: Laura LeBrun presents I Don't Like Your Kids (And Other Things I'm Afraid to Admit)
an utterly hilarious blend of memoir and comedy, as well as an irreverent and scathing
indictment of the bizarreness of everyday life. Le Brun openly confesses her personal travails
(such as falling in love with a con man who literally stole thousands of dollars from her) with a
refreshing candor that makes one want to laugh, then cry, then laugh again. Highly
recommended! It should be noted for personal reading lists that I Don't Like Your Kids is also
available in a Kindle edition ($4.29).
The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf
Rare Watches
Paul Miquel
Conran
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781840917833, $50.00, www.octopusbooksusa.com
Rare Watches: Explore the World's Most Exquisite Timepieces is a lovely hardcover, slipcased
production that profiles some fifty of the rarest watches in the world. While some might believe
that only specific professional collectors would thus be interested in its survey, many an amateur
collector and those interested in timepiece history in general will find it a lovely production. The
photos are published in collaboration with high-end auction houses and watch manufacturers, so
are replete with stunning detail that matches well with the discussions of valuation and each
watch's history and attributes. No collection strong in timepieces and antiques should be without
this exquisitely produced, lovely keepsake edition.
The Philosophy Shelf
The Good Place and Philosophy
Steven A. Benko and Andrew Pavelich, Editors
Open Court Publishing
www.opencourtbooks.com
9780812694765, $19.95
The Good Place and Philosophy: Get an Afterlife joins others in Open Court's 'Popular Culture
and Philosophy' series and provides sociology, philosophy, and performing arts readers with a
lively discussion of the TV hit The Good Place and its not-so-subtle metaphysical and ethical
issues. Anyone who thinks philosophy is a dated study will find this book (and others in the
series) an absorbing collection of discussions that pinpoint just how central philosophical
inspection can be to daily living and modern culture. TV and film fans of the show receive plenty
of social, spiritual, and philosophical analysis here which offer much food for thought.
The Native American Studies Shelf
Neither Wolf Nor Dog
Kent Nerburn
New World Library
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608686384, $18.95
Neither Wolf Nor Dog: On Forgotten Roads with an Indian Elder bridges the gap between Native
American and white belief systems and examines 1990s reservation life in the Dakotas as it tells
of two very different men struggling to understand one another. Kent Nerburn examines the
culture and perceptions of Native American elder Dan, who brings him to a greater
understanding of historical precedent, modern concerns, and typical myths about Native
American lives. The result is a vivid discussion that offers readers many thought-provoking
reflections.
The Automotive Shelf
GQ Drives
Paul Henderson
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784725990, $29.99
GQ Drives: A Stylish Guide to the Greatest Cars Ever Made gathers color photos from car
photographers and adds British GQ's in-depth reports to consider driving styles and performances
of machines around the world, from the 1950s to modern times. From the costs and design
challenges of these tailor-made innovations to the evolution of various designs such as the
Chevrolet Corvette Z06-Z07 models, GQ Drives provides a depth and attention to detail that
other car profiles can't match. The result is not just visually attractive, but creates an informative
car history that deserves a place in any auto history or transportation collection.
The Liquor Shelf
The Whisky Dictionary
Ian Wisniewski
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784725488, $20.00, www.octopusbooksusa.com
The Whisky Dictionary: An A-Z of Whiskey, From History & Heritage to Distilling & Drinking
adds to this publisher's drinks dictionary series with a focus on all kinds of whiskey, from Scotch
to Japanese, bourbon, and more. The entries cover the history, distilling methods, flavors,
recipes, and uses of whiskey around the world, and come from a whiskey expert who explores all
aspects of various whiskies and their production, tastes, and special attributes, making this a
'must' for anyone interested in the subject; but especially newcomers.
The Wisconsin Shelf
Long Way Round
John Hildebrand
University of Wisconsin Press
728 State Street, Suite 443, Madison, WI 53706-1418
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299324803, $26.95, HC, 232pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Inspired by tales of a mythic Round River, a circular stream where "what goes around
comes around," in the pages of "Long Way Round: Through the Heartland by River", author and
educator John Hildebrand sets off to rediscover his home state of Wisconsin.
Wisconsin is in the midst of an identity crisis, torn by new political divisions and the old gulf
between city and countryside. Cobbling rivers together, from the burly Mississippi to the slender
wilds of Tyler Forks, Hildebrand navigates the beautiful but complicated territory of home. In
once prosperous small towns, he discovers unsung heroes (lockmasters, river rats, hotelkeepers,
mechanics, environmentalists, tribal leaders, and perennial mayors) who are struggling to keep
their communities afloat.
While history doesn't flow in a circle, it doesn't always move in a straight line either. Hildebrand
charts the improbable ox-bows along its course. "Long Way Round" shows us the open road as a
river with possibility around the next bend.
Critique: A fully absorbing, entertaining, insightful, deftly crafted and thought-provoking read
from cover to cover, "Long Way Round: Through the Heartland by River" is unreservedly
recommended, especially for community and academic library Wisconsin History, Wisconsin
Culture, and Wisconsin Travel collections and personal reading lists.
Editorial Note: John Hildebrand is the author of numerous books, including the award-winning
Mapping the Farm: The Chronicle of a Family and The Heart of Things: A Midwestern Almanac.
His essays have appeared in Harper's, Audubon, and Sports Illustrated. He teaches at the
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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