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Reviewer's Choice
The Oxford Illustrated History of the Book
James Raven
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016-4314
www.oup.com/us
9780198702986, $39.95, HC, 480pp
https://www.amazon.com/Oxford-Illustrated-History-Book/dp/0198702981
Synopsis: Comprised of 14 original essays, "The Oxford Illustrated History of the Book" reveals
the history of books in all their various forms, from the ancient world to the digital present.
Leading international scholars offer an original and richly illustrated narrative that is global in
scope.
"The Oxford Illustrated History of the Book" is the history of millions of written, printed, and
illustrated texts, their manufacture, distribution, and reception. Here are different types of
production, from clay tablets to scrolls, from inscribed codices to printed books, pamphlets,
magazines, and newspapers, from written parchment to digital texts.
"The Oxford Illustrated History of the Book" is a history of different methods of circulation and
dissemination, all dependent on innovations in transport, from coastal and transoceanic shipping
to roads, trains, planes and the internet.
"The Oxford Illustrated History of the Book" is a history of different modes of reading and
reception, from learned debate and individual study to public instruction and entertainment. It is
a history of manufacture, craftsmanship, dissemination, reading and debate.
Yet the history of books is not simply a question of material form, nor indeed of the history of
reading and reception. The larger question is of the effect of textual production, distribution and
reception - of how books themselves made history. To this end, each chapter of "The Oxford
Illustrated History of the Book", succinctly bounded by period and geography, offering incisive
and stimulating insights into the relationship between books and the story of their times.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated, "The Oxford Illustrated History of the Book" is a seminal and
original work of meticulous scholarship that is enhanced for academia and the dedicated
bibliophile with the inclusion of notes on the contributors and their credentials, a timeline, an
eight page listing of abbreviations and a glossary, a fourteen page bibliography of further
suggested reading, and an eight page index. A bibliophile's delight, "The Oxford Illustrated
History of the Book" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community and
college/university library Writing/Publishing collections. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of students, academia, author, publishers, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "The Oxford Illustrated History of the Book" is also readily available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $27.99).
Editorial Note: James Raven is Professor of Modern History at the University of Essex and a
Fellow of Magdalene College, Cambridge. Formerly he was Reader in Social and Cultural
History, University of Oxford, and Professorial Fellow of Mansfield College. He is the author,
editor and co-editor of numerous books in early modern and modern British, European and
colonial history, including Judging New Wealth (1992); The Practice and Representation of
Reading (1996); The English Novel 1770-1829 (2000); Free Print and Non-Commercial
Publishing (2000); London Booksellers and American Customers (2002); Lost Libraries (2004);
The Business of Books: Booksellers and the English Book Trade (2007); Books between Europe
and the Americas (2011); Publishing Business (2014) and Bookscape: Geographies of Printing
and Publishing in London before 1800 (2014).
Christianity and Monasticism in Alexandria and the Egyptian Deserts
Gawdat Gabra & Hany N. Takla, editors
American University in Cairo Press
200 Park Avenue, Suite 1700, New York, NY 10166
www.aucpress.com
9789774169618, $69.95, HC, 416pp
https://www.amazon.com/Christianity-Monasticism-Alexandria-Egyptian-Deserts/dp/9774169611
Synopsis: The Copts are an ethnoreligious group indigenous to North Africa who primarily
inhabit the area of modern Egypt, where they are the largest Christian denomination in the
country. Copts are also the largest Christian denomination in Sudan and Libya. Historically, they
spoke the Coptic language, a direct descendant of the Demotic Egyptian that was spoken in late
antiquity.
The great city of Alexandria is undoubtedly the cradle of Egyptian Christianity, where the
Catechetical School was established in the second century and became a leading center in the
study of biblical exegesis and theology. According to tradition St. Mark the Evangelist brought
Christianity to Alexandria in the middle of the first century and was martyred in that city, which
was to become the residence of Egypt's Coptic patriarchs for nearly eleven centuries.
By the fourth century Egyptian monasticism had begun to flourish in the Egyptian deserts and
countryside. The contributors to "Christianity and Monasticism in Alexandria and the Egyptian
Deserts" are all international specialists in Coptology drawn from around the world. Collectively,
they examine the various aspects of Coptic civilization in Alexandria and its environs and in the
Egyptian deserts over the past two millennia.
The contributions also explore Coptic art, archaeology, architecture, language, and literature. The
impact of Alexandrian theology and its cultural heritage as well as the archaeology of its
university are highlighted. Christian epigraphy in the Kharga Oasis, the art and architecture of the
Bagawat cemetery, and the archaeological site of Kellis (Ismant al-Kharab) with its Manichaean
texts are also discussed.
Critique: Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by the team of Gawdat Gabra (the former
director of the Coptic Museum, and Emeritus Clinical Professor of Coptic Studies at Claremont
Graduate University, California, as well as the chief editor of the St. Mark Foundation for Coptic
History Studies) and Hani Takla (who is the founding president of the Saint Shenouda, a
Archimandrite Coptic Society), "Christianity and Monasticism in Alexandria and the Egyptian
Deserts" is a seminal work of simply outstanding scholarship whose twenty-nine essays are deftly
organized into three major sections: Language and Literature; Art, Archaeology and Material
Culture; Preservation. Enhanced with illustrations, a two page list of Abbreviatins, and a forty-
five page Bibliography, "Christianity and Monasticism in Alexandria and the Egyptian Deserts"
is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional,
community, and college/university library Coptic Christianity collections and supplemental
curriculum studies reading lists.
Editorial Note: The contributors include: Elizabeth Agaiby, Fr. Anthony, David Brakke, Jan
Ciglenecki, Jean-Daniel Dubois, Bishop Epiphanius, Lois M. Farag, Frank Feder, Cacilia Fluck,
Sherin Sadek El Gendi, Mary Ghattas, Gisele Hadji-Minaglou, Intisar Hazawi, Karel Innemee,
Mary Kupelian, Grzegorz Majcherek, Bishop Martyros, Samuel Moawad, Ashraf Nageh, Adel F.
Sadek, Ashraf Alexander Sadek, Ibrahim Saweros, Mark Sheridan, Fr. Bigoul al-Suriany, Hany
Takla, Gertrud J.M. van Loon, Jacques van der Vliet, Youhanna Nessim Youssef, Ewa D.
Zakrzewska, Nader Alfy Zekry
Junctures in Women's Leadership: Higher Education
Carmen Twille Ambar, et al
Rutgers University Press
106 Somerset Street, 3rd Floor, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
http://rutgerspress.rutgers.edu
9780813586229, $120.00, HC, 222pp
https://www.amazon.com/Junctures-Womens-Leadership-Education-Studies/dp/0813586224
Synopsis: Expertly compiled and co-edited by the team of Carmen Twillie Ambar (President of
Oberlin College, Ohio), Carol T. Christ (Chancellor at University of California, Berkeley), and
Michele H. Ozuma (a former president of Women's College Coalition, a nonprofit membership
organization of women's colleges and universities in the United States and Canada), the
contributors to "Junctures in Women's Leadership: Higher Education" collectively illuminate the
careers of twelve women leaders whose experiences reveal the complexities of contemporary
academic leadership through the intersection of gender, race, and institutional culture.
The individual chapters combine interviews and research to create distinct case studies that
identify the obstacles that challenged each woman's leadership, and the strategies deployed to
bring about resolution. The research presented in this volume reveals not only theoretical factors
of academic leadership, but also real time dynamics that give the reader deeper insights into the
multiple stakeholders and situations that require nimble, relationship-based leadership, in
addition to intellectual competency.
With chapters written by many of today's leading women in higher education, "Junctures in
Women's Leadership: Higher Education" brings into sharp focus the unique attributes of women
leaders in the academy and adds a new dimension of analysis to the field of women's leadership
studies. The women leaders interviewed in this volume include Bernice Sandler, Juliet Villarreal
Garcia, and Johnnetta Betsch Cole.
Critique: A seminal and impressively informative work of outstanding and meticulous
scholarship, "Junctures in Women's Leadership: Higher Education" is a thoughtful and thought-
provoking read and will prove to be an especially and welcome addition to Women's Studies
curriculum reading lists in general, and Contemporary Educational Issues supplemental studies
lists in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Junctures in Women's Leadership:
Higher Education" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780813586212, $24.95) and
in a digital book format (Kindle, $24.95).
The Power of Positive Aging
David Allan Lereah
Quill Driver Books
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721
www.quilldriverbooks.com
9781610353601, $15.95, PB, 280pp
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Positive-Aging-Successfully-Inconveniences/dp/1610353609
Synopsis: Americans now live longer than ever -- a full 30 years longer than they did in the early
20th century. Our forever-young culture and personal expectations have not yet adapted to that
change. These extra years can be a burden or an adventure, depending on your mental attitude.
You can't fight the inevitable changes to your aging body, but in "The Power of Positive Aging:
Successfully Coping with the Inconveniences of Aging", author David Lereah says these changes
are at worst inconveniences that won't prevent living a fulfilling life.
"The Power of Positive Aging" offers a practical training guide to successfully cope with the
physical and mental decline that accompanies aging. Based on life lessons learned during
Lereah's successful battle against cancer, "The Power of Positive Aging" gives readers an
easy-to-follow program of mental and spiritual exercises teaching mindfulness and acceptance,
plus strategies for pursuing a balanced life and seeking and accepting social support.
"The Power of Positive Aging" shows how simple lifestyle modifications will transform your
everyday life, helping you to live more joyously for the rest of your years. Growing older can be
the best part of living when you embrace the power of positive aging.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "The Power of Positive Aging: Successfully Coping with the
Inconveniences of Aging" offers a wealth of instructional advice, insights, and practical
information with respect to the aging process and the coping mechanisms that will enable men
and women to enjoy whatever extra years they may experience. While especially and
unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Self-Help/Self-
Improvement collections in general, and Aging Issues supplemental curriculum studies lists, it
should be noted that "The Power of Positive Aging: Successfully Coping with the
Inconveniences of Aging" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.49).
Editorial Note: David Lereah is an economist, cancer survivor, motivational speaker, and founder
of the nonprofit organization United We Age. He previously was the chief economist for the
National Association of Realtors and the Mortgage Bankers Association. He is the author of four
books, the most recent being "All Real Estate Is Local". Lereah's economic commentary has
regularly appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and Businessweek, and on
CNN, CNBC, and other media.
Easy Card Tricks
Peter Arnold
Hamlyn
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9780600634706, $7.99, PB, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Card-Tricks-Peter-Arnold/dp/0600634701
Synopsis: Now with "Easy Card Tricks" by Peter Arnold, anyone can easily learn more than
seventy fun card tricks that are easy to master and will astound both friends and family. The
tricks are simple but impressive, and clear explanations make them accessible to every budding
magician.
"Easy Card Tricks" includes mathematical dupes, sleights of hand, "mind-reading" stunts, expert
tricks and card predictions that will seem impossible to an observer. Some of these tricks need no
special skills at all, some need basic equipment, and some need simple conjuring skills to make
the false shuffles, double lifts and glides look effortless. But all of the tricks are impressive and,
with a little bit of practice, even the most novice beginner will soon be a true master of
illusion!
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly', fun and friendly in organization and presentation, "Easy
Card Tricks: Over 70 Tricks That Anyone Can Learn!" will prove to be an immediate and
enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library
Card Game and DIY Magic Tricks collections.
Editorial Note: Peter Arnold has written over 40 books on football, cricket, boxing, gambling,
snooker, darts and cards. He was also the co-author of the successful "Complete Book of Card
Games" and General Editor on "The Official Rules of Sports and Games".
Chainsaws: A History
David Lee
Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219, Madeira Park, BC, Canada, V0N 2H0
www.harbourpublishing.com
9781550179118, $34.95, PB, 216pp
https://www.amazon.com/Chainsaws-History-David-Lee/dp/155017911X
Synopsis: A chainsaw is a portable, mechanical saw which cuts with a set of teeth attached to a
rotating chain that runs along a guide bar. It is used in activities such as tree felling, limbing,
bucking, pruning, cutting firebreaks in wildland fire suppression and harvesting of firewood.
Chainsaws with specially designed bar and chain combinations have been developed as tools for
use in chainsaw art and chainsaw mills. These specialized chainsaws are used for cutting
concrete during construction developments. Chainsaws are sometimes used for cutting ice, for
example, ice sculpture and winter swimming in Finland. Someone who uses a saw is a sawyer.
(Wikipedia)
With hundreds of full-colour photographs and fascinating ephemera, combined with an
authoritative text listing hundreds of chainsaw models from the 1800s to the present,
"Chainsaws: A History" by David Lee (in conjunction with Mike Acres) carefully traces the
evolutionary threads of countless pioneer devices -- from six-hundred-pound steam-powered
behemoths, to gas chainsaws mounted on wheeled carriages, to diesel chainsaws.
The meticulous and informative text examines Andreas Stihl's Black Forest experiments,
Vancouver's booming WWII chainsaw industry and the postwar race to develop one-man saws,
the rise and fall of Canada's proud Pioneer brand, and the late entry into the field of the
centuries-old arms manufacturer Husqvarna.
Recalling once-familiar brands such as Titan, Timberhog, Bluestreak, Hi-Baller, Hornet, Wasp,
IEL, Partner, PM, Poulan, Dolmar, Danarm, Disston, Remington, Canadien, Lombard, Mall,
McCulloch, Shade, Solo, Be-Bo and Jo-Bu among others, author David Lee worked together
with some of the world's leading chainsaw history experts to create this tribute to one of
humanity's most labor-saving inventions.
Lee concludes this new paperback edition of "Chainsaws: A History" with a note on recent
advances in chainsaw technology (notably the cordless electric chainsaw, powered by a
lithium-ion battery) bringing readers up to date on today's lightweight modern machine.
Critique: An indispensable and comprehensively informative reference source for professionals
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in chainsaws or chainsaw technology,
"Chainsaws: A History" Is profusely illustrated throughout in full color and certain to be an
immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal, community, and academic library
collections.
Editorial Note: David Lee's books range from Four-Wheeling on Southern Vancouver Island
(Harbour Publishing, 1997), a guide to the island's rugged back roads, to Commander Zero
(Tightrope Books, 2012), a novel set on the BC coast. His other books include Stopping Time:
Paul Bley and the Transformation of Jazz (Vehicule Press, 1998) and The Battle of the Five Spot:
Ornette Coleman and the New York Jazz Field (Wolsak and Wynn, 2014). Lee is originally from
Mission, BC, and lived in Pender Harbour, BC, where he gained the hands-on experience that led
him to write Chainsaws. He now lives in Hamilton, Ontario, the setting for his award-winning
Midnight Games (Wolsak and Wynn, 2015) trilogy.
Seaweed: An Enchanting Miscellany
Mich Zwamborn
Greystone Books
www.greystonebooks.com
9781771645997, $18.95, HC, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Seaweed-Enchanting-Miscellany-Miek-Zwamborn/dp/1771645997
Synopsis: Seaweed is so familiar, and yet we know so little about it. Even its names (pepper
dulse, sea lettuce, bladderwrack) are mystifying.
"Seaweed: An Enchanting Miscellany" is exquisitely illustrated portrait in which poet and artist
Miek Zwamborn shares her discoveries of seaweed's history, culture, and science.
We encounter its medicinal and gastronomic properties and long history of human use, from the
Neolithic people of the Orkney islands to sushi artisans in modern Japan. We find seaweed
troubling Columbus on his voyages across the Atlantic and intriguing Humboldt in the Sargasso
Sea. We follow its inspiration for artists from Hokusai to Matisse, its collection by Victorians as
pressed specimens in books, its adoption into fashion and dance, and its potential for combating
climate change, as a sustainable food source and a means of reducing methane emissions in
cattle.
And, of course, "Seaweed: An Enchanting Miscellany" shows how to eat seaweed, through a
fabulous series of recipes based around these "truffles of the seas".
Critique: Unique, fun, informative, and profusely, beautifully illustrated, "Seaweed: An
Enchanting Miscellany" is an extraordinary and inherently fascinating descriptive history, value,
artistic and culinary culture of seaweed. Certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular
addition to personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library collections.
Editorial Note: Living and working as a lock keeper for fifteen years on the Isle of Mull,
Scotland, Miek Zwamborn is a visual artist, author, and translator who studied fine arts in
Amsterdam.
Firefighter Zen
Hersch Wilson
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608686889, $16.95
https://www.amazon.com/Firefighter-Zen-Field-Guide-Thriving/dp/1608686884
Firefighter Zen: A Field Guide to Thriving in Tough Times discusses coping with life's adversity,
sharing longtime volunteer firefighter Hersch Wilson's personal keys for handling danger,
confrontations, and crisis. These reveal a series of techniques for tackling unexpected problems
and events designed for those who would apply six key strategies for facing adversity through a
blend of Wilson's lessons and applied exercises. The focus on coping with the world in a calmer,
more positive way lends to readers interested in spiritual truths as well as self-help approaches,
creating a survey that is particularly notable and needed in this new age of pandemic
challenges.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Modern History Press
https://www.modernhistorypress.com
c/o Loving Healing Press
5145 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
www.lovinghealing.com
9781615995257, $24.95, HC, 56pp
https://www.amazon.com/Carolyn-Howard-Johnson-dp-1615995250/dp/1615995250
Synopsis: In "Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Reference
Guide for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper-Perfect Copy", book publicist,
journalist, marketer, editor, and retailer, Carolyn Howard-Johnson picks the trip-you-up words
that her clients struggle with and puts them in a quick reference guide light enough and small
enough to be used as an quickie gift that the recipient can tuck into a glove compartment or purse
to keep their homonym skills fresh and explains why following grammar rules assiduously isn't
always the best choice for writers.
Critique: An absolute 'must' for aspiring authors seeking publication for their work, and having
substantial value for even the more experienced writer, "Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips
for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Reference Guide for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting
Gatekeeper-Perfect Copy" is the ideal DIY instructional guide and 'how to' reference directly
addressing the most common failing that authors (especially self-published authors) have -- an
insufficient editing of their work.
Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Great Little Last-Minute Editing
Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Reference Guide for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting
Gatekeeper-Perfect Copy" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community,
and college/university library Writing/Publishing collections. It should be noted that it is also
readily available in a paperback edition (9781450507653, $6.95) and in a digital book format
(Kindle, $2.99).
You Talkin' To Me?: How To Write Great Dialogue
Linda Seger & John Rainey
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
www.dreamscapeab.com/audiobooks
9781615933136, $19.99, PB, 251pp
https://www.amazon.com/You-Talkin-Me-Writing-Dialogue/dp/1615933131
Synopsis: Unlike the chitchat of everyday life, dialogue in stories must express character,
advance the story, suggest a theme, and include a few memorable lines that audiences will be
quoting for decades to come.
The best stories have dialogue that sparkles, but it's easy for inexperienced writers to fall into
common pitfalls like creating dialogue that's wooden or too on the nose. Other writers end up
with exposition awkwardly inserted into conversations, actors tripping over unnatural phrases, or
characters who all speak exactly the same way.
"You Talkin' to Me?: How to Write Great Dialogue", successful authors Linda Seger and John
Winston Rainey are here to help the aspiring writer to deal successfully with any kind or category
of dialogue problems. In each chapter, they explore dialogue from a different angle and discuss
examples of great dialogue from films and novels.
To cap it all off, each chapter ends with examples of poor dialogue, which are annotated by Linda
and then rewritten by John, so readers don't just learn how to recognize when it's done well --
they also learn how to make dialogue better.
Whether writing fiction or nonfiction, for the screen or for the page, "You Talkin' to Me?: How
to Write Great Dialogue" show how to will get characters talking!
Critique: A complete and throughly 'user friendly' course of instruction, "You Talkin' to Me?:
How to Write Great Dialogue" is a core addition to both community and college/university
library Writing/Publishing collections. Essential reading for every aspiring author seeking
publication of their work, it should be noted for personal reading lists that You Talkin' to Me?:
How to Write Great Dialogue" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.71)
and as a complete and unabridged audio book deftly narrated by George Newbern (Dreamscape
Media, 9781662032288, $22.99, CD, 5 discs, 5 hours 18 minutes).
The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers
Christopher Vogler
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9781615933150, $29.95, PB, 510pp
https://www.amazon.com/Writers-Journey-Anniversary-Mythic-Structure/dp/1615933158
Synopsis: Celebrating twenty-five years since it's first edition was published, "The Writer's
Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers" by Christopher Vogler is now released by Michael Wiese
Productions in a newly updated and expanded fourth edition.
Originally an influential memo Vogler wrote for Walt Disney Animation executives regarding The Lion King, "The Writer's Journey" details a twelve-stage, myth-inspired method that has galvanized Hollywood's treatment of cinematic storytelling.
A format that once seldom deviated beyond a traditional three-act blueprint, Vogler's comprehensive theory of story structure and character development has met with universal acclaim, and is detailed herein using examples from myths, fairy tales, and classic
movies.
As an instructional guide and manual, "The Writer's Journey" has changed the face of
screenwriting worldwide over the last 25 years, and continues to do so to this very day.
Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "The Writer's Journey - 25th Anniversary
Edition: Mythic Structure for Writers" must be considered essential reading for all aspiring script
writers and storytellers. It should be noted for community and college/university library
Writing/Publishing collections that "The Writer's Journey - 25th Anniversary Edition: Mythic
Structure for Writers" is also available in a library hardcover edition (9781615933235,
$39.95).
Your Turn: Ways to Celebrate Life Through Storytelling
Tyra Manning
www.tyramanning.com
She Writes Press
www.shewritespress.com
9781631524561, $16.95, PB, 168pp
https://www.amazon.com/Your-Turn-Celebrate-Through-Storytelling/dp/1631524569
Synopsis: Creative expression through writing helps us uncover gems of hope and serenity,
enabling us to navigate difficult times. Sharing stories with one another fills the space between
us, inspires us, helps us forge stronger relationships, and teaches us that we're more alike than
different.
In "Your Turn: Ways to Celebrate Life Through Storytelling", writer and educator Tyra Manning
offers examples of stories from her own life, followed by an invitation for readers to delve onto
their own emotional histories, with plenty of room to explore on the page with writing prompts
and tools.
Basically, "Your Turn" is an instructional guidebook and DIY manual for transformation through
self-expression, sparking the reader's creative thought and offers a space to document their own
self-reflection -- helping them overcome challenges and move forward.
Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "Your Turn: Ways to Celebrate Life
Through Storytelling" is an ideal choice for any DIY 'how to' guide for aspiring writers wanting
to utilize the power of the written word to analyze themselves or take advantage of the cathartic
effects of a personalized memoir or autobiography. While especially and unreservedly
recommended for community and college/university library Writing/Publishing collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Your Turn: Ways to Celebrate Life Through
Storytelling" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.49).
Editorial Note; Dr. Tyra Manning overcame personal struggles with substance abuse and mental
illness and went on to become one of America's top educators. As Superintendent of River Forest
District 90 in Illinois, she presided for twelve years over high-performing public-school districts,
where her students often reached the highest levels of academic achievement. Her debut book,
"Where the Water Meets the Sand", was awarded the Independent Book Publisher's (IBPA) 2017
Benjamin Franklin Gold Award for Best Memoir and the Texas Association of Authors Award
for Best Autobiography. She blogs twice per week at her website: www.tyramanning.com
The Jobs/Careers Shelf
Lifeboat: Navigating Unexpected Career Change and Disruption
Maggie Craddock
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608686841, $17.95, PB, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lifeboat-Navigating-Unexpected-Career-Disruption/dp/1608686841
Synopsis: Exacerbated by today's pandemic driven economic depression, today's hardworking
professionals are continuing to have to navigate sudden waves of financial stress, management
shakeups, and downsizing.
Using the experiences of Titanic survivors as a powerful metaphor, executive coach Maggie
Craddock offers lessons for a transformative approach to our professional lives, one that
recognizes that "every man for himself" doesn't work long-term.
"Lifeboat: Navigating Unexpected Career Change and Disruption" is organized as a series of key
questions we all need to ask ourselves when facing unexpected career disruption or difficult
changes at our existing jobs. These questions help readers clarify their authentic priorities, assess
the group energy that guides a particular workplace, and identify the type of job that will help
them reach their true potential.
Critique: Exceptionally informative and well written, "Lifeboat: Navigating Unexpected Career
Change and Disruption" is impressively organized and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in
presentation, making it an ideal DIY addition to personal, professional, community, corporate,
and college/university library Jobs/Careers instructional reference collections. It should be noted
that "Lifeboat: Navigating Unexpected Career Change and Disruption" is also readily available in
a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Maggie Craddock is a veteran executive coach known for her work with Fortune
500 CEOs and senior management. She is also a certified therapist and the author of "The
Authentic Career and Power Genes".
Two Pieces of Paper
Skyler W. King
Morgan James Publishing
11815 Fountain Way, Suite 300, Newport News, VA 23606-4448
www.morganjamespublishing.com
9781642798111, $17.95, PB, 220pp
https://www.amazon.com/Two-Pieces-Paper-Getting-Working/dp/1642798118
Synopsis: "Two Pieces of Paper: Honest Advice for Getting a Degree and a Job in the Modern
Working World" is an advice book for future college graduates by Skyler King who is himself a
recent college.
Too often, career-driven students get distracted from the purpose of going to school; to get a
degree and get a job offer. "Two Pieces of Paper" specifically tackles this problem by offering a
strategic approach to conquering college for a career in the modern working world as well as
advice to make the journey easier.
The strategic approach presented by Skyler King has helped some of his most successful peers
become employed at notable companies, such as Charles Schwab, Blue Origin, International
Paper, Shell Norco, Kiewit, Walmart, General Dynamics: Information Technology, and
more.
"Two Pieces of Paper" will helps future college graduates to: Establish a solid academic
foundation; Leverage extracurricular activities to achieve experience requirements; Craft their
original resume and cover letters; Effectively use e-mail and LinkedIn; Nail any interview format
or question; Successfully complete internships and co-ops.
Critique: Expertly written, nicely organized and effectively presented, "Two Pieces of Paper:
Honest Advice for Getting a Degree and a Job in the Modern Working World" is an especially
and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library
Jobs/Careers instructional reference colleges. An invaluable information resource for all college
graduates, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Two Pieces of Paper: Honest Advice
for Getting a Degree and a Job in the Modern Working World" is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $8.69).
Editorial Note: Skyler W. King is a cybersecurity product manager for a major
telecommunications company. While attending school, Skyler completed three separate summer
internships with three different publicly traded companies (CSC, CSRA, Cisco) and maintained
part-time student employment sponsored by one of those companies working as a student lab
manager of an on-campus lab facility. He also owns and operates a small business where he
distributes an original all-purpose seasoning that has been in his family for over half a century.
He has industry certifications from CompTIA (Security+ and Network+) and Splunk (Core
Certified Power User) and is working on the (ISC)2 Certified Information Systems Security
Professional certification.
The Science Shelf
Ancient Bones
Madelaine Bohme, et al.
Greystone Books
www.greystonebooks.com
9781771647519, $28.95, HC, 376pp
https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Bones-Unearthing-Astonishing-Became/dp/1771647515
Synopsis: Somewhere west of Munich, paleontologist Madelaine B"hme and her colleagues dig
for clues to the origins of humankind. What they discover is beyond anything they ever imagined:
the twelve-million-year-old bones of Danuvius guggenmosi make headlines around the
world.
This ancient ape defies prevailing theories of human history because his skeletal adaptations
suggest a new common ancestor between apes and humans, one that dwelled in Europe, not
Africa. Might the great apes that traveled from Africa to Europe before Danuvius's time be the
key to understanding our own origins?
All this and more is explored in "Ancient Bones: Unearthing the Astonishing New Story of How
We Became Human". Using her expertise as a paleoclimatologist and paleontologist, B"hme
pieces together an awe-inspiring picture of great apes that crossed land bridges from Africa to
Europe millions of years ago, evolving in response to the challenging conditions they found.
In the pages of "Ancient Bones", Bohme also takes us behind the scenes of her research,
introducing us to former theories of human evolution (complete with helpful maps and
diagrams), and walks us through musty museum overflow storage where she finds forgotten
fossils with yellowed labels, before taking us along to the momentous dig where she and the team
unearthed Danuvius guggenmosi himself -- and the incredible reverberations his discovery
caused around the world!
Critique: An inherently fascinating, impressively informative, and exceptionally thought-
provoking read that is ably translated into English for an American readership by Jane
Billinghurst, "Ancient Bones: Unearthing the Astonishing New Story of How We Became
Human" is expertly written, organized and presented, making it a critically important and
unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university
library Physical Anthropology and Paleontology collections and supplemental curriculum studies
reading lists.
Editorial Note: Paleontologist Madelaine Bohme is a professor at the University of Tubingen,
and the founding director of the Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and
Palaeoenvironment.
Rudiger Braun is a journalist who translates cutting-edge science into gripping stories to affect
societal change.
Florian Breier is a journalist, filmmaker, and writer for various television networks.
David R. Begun is a professor of anthropology at the University of Toronto and co-author of the
2019 study that broke the story of the newly discovered bones to the world.
The Handy Physics Answer Book
Charles Liu
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Road, #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075
www.visibleinkpress.com
9781578597352, $49.95, PB, 416pp
https://www.amazon.com/Handy-Physics-Answer-Book/dp/1578597358
Synopsis: Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its motion and behavior through
space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. Physics is one of the most
fundamental scientific disciplines, and its main goal is to understand how the universe behaves.
Physics is one of the oldest academic disciplines and, through its inclusion of astronomy, perhaps
the oldest.Over much of the past two millennia, physics, chemistry, biology, and certain branches
of mathematics were a part of natural philosophy, but during the Scientific Revolution in the 17th
century these natural sciences emerged as unique research endeavors in their own right. Physics
intersects with many interdisciplinary areas of research, such as biophysics and quantum
chemistry, and the boundaries of physics are not rigidly defined. New ideas in physics often
explain the fundamental mechanisms studied by other sciences and suggest new avenues of
research in academic disciplines such as mathematics and philosophy. (Wikipedia)
Revised for the first time in a decade, the completely updated third edition of "The Handy
Physics Answer Book" by Charles Liu makes physics and its impact on us, the world, and the
universe entertaining and easy to grasp. It disposes with the dense jargon and overly-complicated
explanations often associated with physics, and instead it takes an accessible, conceptual
approach -- never dumbing down the amazing science, yet all written in everyday English.
"The Handy Physics Answer Book" tackles big issues and concepts, like motion, magnetism,
sound, and light, and lots of smaller topics too (like, why don't birds or squirrels on power lines
get electrocuted?) and makes them enlightening and enjoyable for anyone who picks up this
informative book.
For everyone who has ever wondered about the sources of energy production in the United
States, or how different kinds of light bulbs shine, or why wearing dark-colored clothes is
warmer than light-colored ones, or even what happens when you fall into a black hole, The
Handy Physics Answer Book examines more than 1,000 of the most frequently asked, most
interesting, and most unusual questions about physics, ranging from How can I be moving even
while I'm sitting still? to Why shouldn't metal objects be placed in microwave ovens? to How
will the universe end?
"The Handy Physics Answer Book" also includes a glossary of commonly used terms to cut
through the jargon, a helpful bibliography, and an extensive index. Ideal for students, curious
readers of all ages, and anyone reckoning with the essential questions about the universe. This
handy resource is an informative primer for applications in everyday life as well as the most
significant scientific theories and discoveries of our time.
Critique: Expertly organized and presented, this newly updated and expanded third edition of
"The Handy Physics Answer Book" should be considered as an essential and core addition to
every school and community library Science collection. 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 Handy Physics Answer Book" is also readily available in a paperback edition
(9781578596959, $21.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
Editorial Note: Charles Liu is a professor of astrophysics at the City University of New York's
College of Staten Island and an associate with the Hayden Planetarium and Department of
Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History. His research focuses on colliding
galaxies, starburst galaxies, quasars, and the star formation history of the universe. In addition to
his research publications, Liu also writes for students and general audiences; including Visible
Ink Press' popular The Handy Astronomy Answer Book, as well as StarTalk with Neil DeGrasse
Tyson and Jeffery Lee Simons. For his work with students, he has received the American
Institute of Physics Science Writing Award and the Award for Popular Writing on Solar Physics
from the American Astronomical Society.
The General Fiction Shelf
The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma
Tadeusz Dolega-Mostowicz
Northwestern University Press
629 Noyes Street, Evanston, IL 60208
www.nupress.northwestern.edu
9780810142879 $24.95 pbk / $14.72 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Career-Nicodemus-Dyzma-Novel/dp/0810142872
Synopsis: First published in Polish in 1932, "The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma" was Tadeusz
Dolega-Mostowicz's breakout novel.
Dyzma is an unemployed clerk who crashes a swanky party, where he makes an offhand crass
remark that sets him on a new course. Soon high society (from government ministers to
drug-fueled aristocrats) wants a piece of him. As Dyzma's status grows, his vulgarity is
interpreted as authenticity and strength. He is unable to comprehend complicated political
matters, but his cryptic responses are celebrated as wise introspection. His willingness to do
anything to hold on to power (flip-flopping on political positions, inventing xenophobic plots,
even having enemies assaulted) only leads to greater success.
Dolega-Mostowicz wrote his novel in a newly independent Poland rampant with political
corruption and populist pandering. Jerzy Kosinski borrowed heavily from the novel when he
wrote Being There, and readers of both books will recognize similarities between their plots.
This biting political satire (by turns hilarious and disturbing, contemptuous and sympathetic) is
an indictment of a system in which money and connections matter above all else, bluster and
ignorance are valorized, and a deeply incompetent man rises to the highest spheres of
government.
Critique: A classic of Polish literature, this new Northwestern University Press paperback edition
of "The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma" by Tadeusz Dolega-Mostowicz is ably translated into
English for an American readership by the team of Ewa Malachowska-Pasek and Megan Tomas.
Enhanced for the reader and for academia with the inclusion of an informative Foreword by
Benjamin Paloff, "The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma is an especially appropriate and
unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library Literary Fiction
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Career of Nicodemus Dyzman"
is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.70).
Looking For the King
David C. Downing
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
www.paracletepress.com
9781640603493, $17.99, PB, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Looking-King-Inklings-David-Downing/dp/1640603492
Synopsis: In 1940, American Tom McCord is a 23-year-old graduate student studying in England
and researching the historical evidence for the legendary King Arthur. There he meets perky and
intuitive Laura Hartman, a fellow American staying with her aunt in Oxford, and the two of them
team up for an even more ambitious and dangerous quest.
Aided by the Inklings (that illustrious circle of scholars and writers made famous by its two most
prolific members, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien) Tom and Laura begin to suspect that the fabled
Spear of Destiny, the lance that pierced the side of Christ on the Cross, is hidden somewhere in
England!
Critique: A thoroughly entertaining and deftly crafted novel by an author with a genuine flair for
originality and the kind of narrative storytelling style that keeps the reader's total attention from
first page to last, "Looking For The King" by David C. Downing will prove to be an immediate
and enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary Fiction collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Looking For The King" is also readily available in
a digital book format (Kindle, $8.49).
The Orchard House
Heidi Chiavaroli
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781496434722, $24.99, HC, 432pp
https://www.amazon.com/Orchard-House-Christian-Historical-Massachusetts/dp/1496434722
Synopsis: 2001 - Abandoned by her own family, Taylor is determined not to mess up her chance
at joining the home of her best friend, Victoria Bennett. But despite attending summer camp at
Louisa May Alcott's historic Orchard House with Victoria and sharing dreams of becoming
famous authors, Taylor struggles to fit in. As she enters college and begins dating, it feels like
Taylor is finally finding her place and some stability . . . until Victoria's betrayal changes
everything.
1865 - While Louisa May Alcott is off traveling the world, Johanna Suhre accepts a job tending
Louisa's aging parents and their home in Concord. Soon after arriving at Orchard House, Johanna
meets Nathan Bancroft and, ignoring Louisa's words of caution, falls in love and accepts Nathan's
proposal. But before long, Johanna experiences her husband's dark side, and she can't hide the
bruises that appear.
2019 - After receiving news of Lorraine Bennett's cancer diagnosis, Taylor knows she must
return home to see her adoptive mother again. Now a successful author, Taylor is determined to
spend little time in Concord. Yet she becomes drawn into the story of a woman who lived there
centuries before. And through her story, Taylor may just find forgiveness and a place to
belong.
Critique: An historical fiction novel and part of the outstanding 'Time Slip' series from Tyndale
House Publishing, "The Orchard House" by Heidi Chiavaroli is inspired by the life of Louisa
May Alcott and is set in Concord, Massachusetts in 1865 and the 2000s. The result is an
inherently fascinating read that will be appreciated by the legions of Louisa May Alcott fans.
Impressively original and throughly entertaining from cover to cover, "The Orchard House" will
prove to be a welcome and popular addition to community library collections. It should be noted
for personal reading lists that "The Orchard House" is also readily available in a paperback
edition (9781496434739, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.99).
Moss
Klaus Modick
Bellevue Literary Press
c/o NYU School of Medicine
550 First Ave., OBV A612, New York, NY 10016
www.blpress.org
9781942658726, $16.99, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Moss-Klaus-Modick/dp/1942658729
Synopsis: An aging botanist withdraws to the seclusion of his family's vacation home in the
German countryside. In his final days, he realizes that his life's work of scientific classification
has led him astray from the hidden secrets of the natural world. As his body slows and his mind
expands, he recalls his family's escape from budding fascism in Germany, his father's need to
prune and control, and his tender moments with first loves. But as his disintegration into moss
begins, his fascination with botany culminates in a profound understanding of life's meaning and
his own mortality.
Critique: In his deftly scripted novel "Moss", visionary, poet and novelist Klaus Modick explores
our fundamental human desires for both transcendence and connection, as well as to our tenuous
and intimate relationship with nature. An inherent fascinating, thoughtful and thought-provoking
read from first page to last, "Moss" is an especially recommended addition to both community
and college/university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Moss" is readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$10.99).
Editorial Note: Klaus Modick is an award-winning author and translator who has published over
a dozen novels as well as short stories, essays, and poetry. His translations into German include
work by William Goldman, William Gaddis, and Victor LaValle, and he has taught at Dartmouth
College, Middlebury College, and several other universities in the United States, Japan, and
Germany. Moss, Modick's debut novel, is his first book to be published in English. He lives in
Oldenburg, Germany.
All Our Broken Idols
Paul M.M. Cooper
Bloomsbury
https://www.bloomsbury.com/us
9781408879405 $27.00 hc / $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Broken-Idols-Paul-M-M-Cooper/dp/1408879409
Synopsis: Assyria, in the reign of Ashurbanipal. For Aurya and her daydreaming brother Sharo,
every day is a struggle for survival, as they dodge the beatings of their drunken father and
scrabble for scraps of food. One violent evening, everything changes. Soon, they are on the barge
of King Ashurbanipal, bound for the beautiful, near-mythical city of Nineveh. Their fates become
inextricably bound to that of the king - and the injured lion captured by his men.
Twenty-six centuries later, British-Iraqi archaeologist Katya joins a dig in Mosul to protect the
ancient ruins of Nineveh from organised looters, following in the footsteps of her dead father.
When she and Salim, a fellow archaeologist, discover an astonishingly beautiful and rare carving,
they know their find will bring the world's attention to Mosul. But the real world crashes in to
their studious idyll to catastrophic, devastating effect when ISIL storm Mosul - and take Katya,
Salim and local girl Lola hostage.
All Our Broken Idols is hauntingly evocative, a novel in which past and present lives intertwine
and stories travel across the ages. It is a story about the importance of art and the threat it poses
to those in power. And it is about bravery; standing up for what you believe in, and who you
love.
Critique: All Our Broken Idols is an extraordinary historical fiction novel following lives in both
ancient Assyria and the present-day Middle East. Interconnections between past and present form
an unfolding drama in this suspenseful saga of ancient authoritarianism and modern-day
terrorism. All Our Broken Idols is compelling to the very end, and highly recommended. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that All Our Broken Idols is also available in a Kindle
edition ($9.99).
The Lions of Fifth Avenue
Fiona Davis
Dutton
c/o Penguin Group USA
https://www.penguin.com
9781524744618, $27.00, HC, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lions-Fifth-Avenue-Novel/dp/1524744611
Synopsis: It's 1913, and on the surface, Laura Lyons couldn't ask for more out of life -- her
husband is the superintendent of the New York Public Library, allowing their family to live in an
apartment within the grand building, and they are blessed with two children.
But headstrong, passionate Laura wants more, and when she takes a leap of faith and applies to
the Columbia Journalism School, her world is cracked wide open. As her studies take her all over
the city, she is drawn to Greenwich Village's new bohemia, where she discovers the Heterodoxy
Club -- a radical, all-female group in which women are encouraged to loudly share their opinions
on suffrage, birth control, and women's rights. Soon, Laura finds herself questioning her
traditional role as wife and mother.
But when valuable books are stolen back at the library, threatening the home and institution she
loves, she's forced to confront her shifting priorities head on -- and may just lose everything in
the process.
Eighty years later, in 1993, Sadie Donovan struggles with the legacy of her grandmother, the
famous essayist Laura Lyons, especially after she's wrangled her dream job as a curator at the
New York Public Library. But the job quickly becomes a nightmare when rare manuscripts,
notes, and books for the exhibit Sadie's running begin disappearing from the library's famous
Berg Collection.
Determined to save both the exhibit and her career, the typically risk-adverse Sadie teams up
with a private security expert to uncover the culprit. However, things unexpectedly become
personal when the investigation leads Sadie to some unwelcome truths about her own family
heritage -- truths that shed new light on the biggest tragedy in the library's history.
Critique: An original, immediately riveting and totally absorbing novel by a gifted author with a
genuine flair for reader engaging narrative storytelling, "The Lion's of Fifth Avenue" by Fiona
Davis will prove to be an immediate and popular addition to community library Literary Fiction
collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all Fiona Davis fans that "The
Lion's of Fifth Avenue" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Librarians should also note that there is a large print paperback edition of "The Lion's of Fifth
Avenue" (Random House Large Print, 9780593285985, $29.00, 464pp).
Murmurations
Carol Lefevre
Spinifex Press
www.spinifexpress.com.au
9781925950083, $19.95, PB, 112pp
https://www.amazon.com/Murmurations-Carol-Lefevre/dp/1925950085
Synopsis: For the first time since he'd left the island he thought of the starlings massed at dusk in
the winter trees behind the children's home. He remembered the rustle of their wings when they
twisted in skeins over the fields, or swelled and contracted high above the cliffs, dark wave after
dark wave, lifting and falling in a kind of dance. Sister Lucy had said it was a murmuration.
He was still quite young, and he had thought the birds were showing him a sign, that there was
something written in their fluid patterns. Lives merge and diverge; they soar and plunge, or come
to rest in impenetrable silence.
Critique: Carol Lefevre holds a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Adelaide, where
she is a Visiting Research Fellow. "Murmurations" is an exquisitely crafted novella that
showcases Lefevre's genuine flair for originality and the kind of narrative storytelling style that
engages the readers full and rapt attention throughout. An elegant work of original fiction,
"Murmurations" is especially recommended for community and college/university library
Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Murmurations" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).
Beyond the Higher Ground
Thomas A. Brigger
Page Publishing Inc.
101 Tyrellan Avenue Suite 100 New York, NY 10309
www.pagepublishing.com
9781645449676, $20.95, PB, 330pp
https://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Brigger/dp/164544967X
Synopsis: Tasked with an assignment to manage the construction of a prison on a remote
Appalachian mountaintop, Tucker Mason sees an opportunity to restart his life past the death of
his wife and the recurring demons of his childhood.
But strange occurrences at the house that he rented on Bright's Mountain and the suspicion of
drugs being smuggled through the prison construction site create distractions that lead to
violence, intrigue, and his own imperilment.
Struggling under the weight of loss and guilt, Tucker encounters a world that he never knew
existed in the shadow of the emerging prison.
Offering a unique perspective on the human condition, "Beyond the Higher Ground" by Thomas
Brigger provides a historical glimpse of Southwestern Virginia to a powerful exposition of the
drug crisis that has devastated the region and the abject brutality of those who deliver it.
Critique: Showcasing author Thomas A. Brigger's impressive flair for narrative storytelling and
keen attention to dramatic detail and unexpected plot twists and turns, "Beyond The Higher
Ground" is a compelling, entertaining, and unreservedly recommended addition to community
library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Beyond The Higher Ground" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Tea by the Sea
Donna Hemans
Red Hen Press
P.O. Box 40820 Pasadena, CA 91114
www.redhen.org
9781597098458, $16.95, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Tea-Sea-Donna-Hemans/dp/1597098450
Synopsis: To find the daughter taken from her, Plum Valentine must find the child's father who
walked out of a hospital with the day-old baby girl without explanation. Seventeen years later,
weary of her unfruitful search, Plum sees an article in a community newspaper with a photo of
the man for whom she has spent half her life searching. He has become an Episcopal priest. Her
plan: confront him and walk away with the daughter he took from her.
From Brooklyn to the island of Jamaica, "Tea by the Sea" traces Plum's circuitous route to find
her daughter and how Plum's and the priest's love came apart.
Donna Hermans novel, "Tea by the Sea" is the story of a seventeen-year-old girl who was taken
from her mother at birth; an Episcopal priest with a daughter whose face he cannot bear to see;
and a mother weary of searching for her lost child -- the story a family uniting and
unraveling.
Critique: A deftly crafted and entertaining work of impressive literary nuance, "Tea by the Sea"
by Donna Hemans is an extraordinary, original, and inherently fascinating novel that is especially
and unreservedly commended as an addition to both community and college/university library
Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. One of those all too rare novels that will linger in the
mind and memory long after the book is finished and set back upon the shelf, it should be noted
for personal reading lists that "Tea by the Sea" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.49).
Lily Rose
Deborah Robinson
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781510764057, $24.99, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lily-Rose-Novel-Deborah-Robinson/dp/1510764054
Synopsis: Love has set the tone for most of Lily Rose's young life in Cumberland Falls, high in
the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. But her perfect world falls apart when her beloved adopted
parents are tragically killed and she is sent to live at Red Rose Farm, in the Bluegrass. Lily starts
high school and meets her first love, who introduces the idea of a much bigger world to Lily.
This relationship spurs her to pursue the grit and glamour of the New York fashion world and a
marriage that will nearly cause her demise.
"Lily Rose" by Deborah Robinson follows Lily as she grows into a New York fashion icon and
battles abuse, power struggles, and infertility. In the shadows, we learn about the young woman
who gave Lily up and how they will collide. Lily Rose is about love and marriage, infidelity,
infertility, and identity. It also calls into questions the old adages blood is thicker than water and
nothing is more important than family. Will Lily Rose ever find what she has been searching for?
And most importantly, will she be able to stay true to herself in the process?
Critique: An inherently interesting novel written by an author with a positive flair for originality
and narrative storytelling, "Lily Rose" will have a very special appeal and appreciation to readers
who like a deftly crafted novel that will engage their total attention 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 "Lily Rose" is also readily available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
The Wild Heavens
Sarah Louis Butler
Douglas & McIntyre
c/o Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219, Madeira Park, BC, Canada, V0N 2H0
www.douglas-mcintyre.com
9781771622585, $22.95, PB, 274pp
https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Heavens-Sarah-Louise-Butler/dp/177162258X
Synopsis: It all starts with an impossibly large set of tracks, footprints for a creature that could
not possibly exist. A hairy, nine-foot creature that would become a lifelong obsession for Aidan
Fitzpatrick, and in turn, his granddaughter Sandy Langley.
"The Wild Heavens" spans the course of single winter day, interspersed with memories from
Sandy's life -- childhood days spent with her distracted, scholarly grandfather in a remote cabin in
British Columbia's interior mountains; later recollections of new motherhood; and then the tragic
disappearance that would irrevocably shape the rest of her life, a day when all signs of the
mysterious creature would disappear for thirty years.
When the enigmatic tracks finally reappear, Sandy sets out on the trail alone, determined to find
out the truth about the mystery that has shaped her life.
Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "The Wild Heavens" is author Sarah
Louis Butler's debut as a novelist, this fully entertaining, impressively original, and deftly craft
story is thoroughly reader engaging from first page to last thanks to a narrative driven storytelling
skill set that ensures this will be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to any and all
community library Contemporary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists
that "The Wild Heavens" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.99).
The Zulus of New York
Zakes Mda
Penguin Random House South Africa
c/o Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781415210154, $17.00, PB, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Zulus-New-York-Professor-Zakes/dp/1415210152
Synopsis: The Great Farini would stride on to the stage and announce,"Ladies and gentlemen,
and now for the highlight of the day, the ferocious Zulus." The impresario Farini introduced
Em-Pee and his troupe to his kind of show business, and now they must earn their bread. In 1885,
in bustling New York City, they are the performers who know the true Zulu dances, while all
around them fraudsters perform silly jigs.
Reports on the Anglo-Zulu War portrayed King Cetshwayo as infamous, and audiences in
London and New York flock to see his kin. What the gawking spectators don't know is that
Em-Pee once carried nothing but his spear and shield, when he had to flee his king. But amid the
city's squalid vaudeville acts appears a vision that leaves Em-Pee breathless: in a cage in
Madison Square Park is Acol, a Dinka princess on display.
For Em-Pee, it is love at first sight, though Acol is not free to love anyone back.
Critique: A unique, deftly crafted, and fully entertaining novel by a master of the narrative
storytelling arts, "The Zulus Of New York" by Zakes Mda is a compelling page turner of a read
from beginning to end. While especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading
lists, as well as both community and college/university library Literary Fiction collections.
Nancy: A Physician's Tale
Thomas M. Daniel
Fithian Press
c/o Daniel & Daniel Publishers
PO Box 2790, McKinleyville, CA 95519
www.danielpublishing.com
9781564746238, $14.95, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Nancy-Physicians-Thomas-M-Daniel/dp/1564746232
Synopsis: Third-year medical student Nancy Vincent is one capable, intelligent, self-confident,
take-charge Wonder Woman. Her Sherlockian diagnostic skills made it possible for her to save a
patient in serious trouble from tetanus, also called lockjaw. Nancy had been a Peace Corps
volunteer in Bolivia and wants to be come as good a doctor as her father. She impresses her
fellow students, her trainers, and her instructors, especially Dr. Arthur Loring, her mentor who in
due time will become much more to her.
Critique: Thomas M. Daniel's "Nancy: A Physician's Tale" is an original, engaging, entertaining,
and pleasurable novel by an author with a genuine flair for the kind of narrative storytelling that
will make it an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal reading lists, as well as
community library Contemporary General Fiction collections.
How to Save a Life
Liz Fenton Lisa Steinke
Lake Union Publishing
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781542005098, $14.95, PB, 303pp
https://www.amazon.com/How-Save-Life-Liz-Fenton/dp/1542005094
Synopsis: When Dom bumps into Mia, his ex-fiancee whom he hasn't seen in almost a decade, he
believes they've been given a second chance and asks her out. When Mia dies tragically on their
date, Dom makes a desperate wish: to be given the chance to save her life. And when he wakes
the next morning to the shock that she's alive, he thinks his wish may have been granted. But day
after day, no matter what he changes about their time together, she still meets a terrible fate.
Dom frantically searches for answers to save his beloved Mia and rekindle their former love. But
the further he digs, the more obsessed he becomes, making him realize that slowing down time
may be the only way to see things clearly. As he's forced to confront the truth about himself and
those he's closest to, Dom vows that he'll watch Mia die a thousand times if it means he can save
her once.
Dom is having a very bad day -- one he literally can't escape from.
Critique: The collaborative efforts of co-authors Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke, "How To Save A
Life" is an impressively original, deftly written, and thoroughly entertaining novel from first page
to last. An extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to community library
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "How To Save A Life" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio
book (Brilliance Audio, 9781799767794, $14.99, CD).
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
Life Once Dreamed
Rachel Fordham
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.revellbooks.com
www.dreamscapeab.com/audiobooks
9780800738662, $20.99, HC, 338pp
https://www.amazon.com/Life-Once-Dreamed-Rachel-Fordham/dp/0800738667
Synopsis: Six years ago, a shocking secret sent Agnes Pratt running in search of a new start. She
found it in the 1880s frontier community of Penance, a rugged town of miners and lumberjacks
in the Dakota Territory, where she became Miss Aggie, respected schoolteacher and confirmed
old maid. But the past has a way of catching up with people.
When childhood friend and former sweetheart James Harris accepts a position as the town
doctor, Aggie's pleasantly predictable days suddenly become anything but. James wants to know
why Agnes left behind the life they had dreamed of creating for themselves -- but he is the one
person who can never know.
In the shadows of the Black Hills, can a healing light be shed on the past? Or will the secret
Agnes can't seem to outrun destroy her chance at happiness?
Critique: Another beautifully crafted historical romance from the consummate storyteller Rachel
Fordham, "A Life Once Dreamed" will be an especially appreciated and popular addition to
community library Romance Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists
of all romance fiction fans that "A Life Once Dreamed" is readily available in a paperback
edition (9780800735395, $15.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99), and as a complete
and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781662018121, $19.99, CD).
The Western Fiction Shelf
Stagecoach West
William Heuman
Sagebrush Large Print Westerns
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781785418495, $30.59, PB, Large Print, 166pp
https://www.amazon.com/Stagecoach-West-William-Heuman/dp/1785418491
Synopsis: Riding into town with pennies to his name after a venture to round up wild horses ends
with his pard riddled with arrows and everything they owned in the hands of the Utes, Grady
Mulvane has all the appearance of a saddlebum who is looking for a handout. But the sheriff of
Bottle Springs is quick to spot the seasoned outdoorsman underneath, and has a proposition:
work at a swing station for the local Concord line and keep his eyes and ears open for clues to the
identities of the road agents who have been robbing the stages of their Wells Fargo gold. With
suspicious characters and hard cases aplenty, and loose management that seems to prefer being
robbed to being protected, Grady's got his work cut out for him - especially when he finds the
muzzle of a Colt inches from his face!
Critique: As an author, William Heuman has a knack for the kind of narrative driven, plot
surprise laden, action packed western that will keep the reader's fully engaged attention from first
page to last. "Stagecoach Western" has it all -- ruthless bad guys, stagecoach holdups, a young
woman with a fancy for our hero, and an unexpected but fully satisfying finale! This large print
paperback edition is especially recommended for the personal reading lists of all dedicated
western action/adventure fans and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community
library Western Fiction collections.
Lightning Strike!
Brent Towns
Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444844917, $21.49, PB, Large Print, 248pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lightning-Strike-Brent-Towns/dp/1444844911
Synopsis: For five years it was thought the gunfighter known as Lightning Swift had crawled off
into the desert to die after being wounded in a gun battle that put an end to Harley Mossop and
his gang. But how wrong everyone was. Thanks to an old miner who took him in, patched him
up, and gave him a shot at a new life.
But then someone shot the man who saved his life, and the gunfighter with the lightning-fast
hands has returned from the grave, Colts blazing. He's mad and is not going to stop until the
person responsible is planted in the ground.
In addition to a crooked assayist and his hired gang of killer, from the past looms a killer -
Laredo Mossop, the brother of Harley Mossop, king of the fast-guns, and a man dedicated to
killing the man they called Lightning Strike!
Critique: Featuring a number of deftly presented gunfights, a pretty girl, an Apache ally, and a
determination for vengeance on the part of both hero and villain, "Lightning Strike!" by Brent
Towns is the consummate action/adventure western and this large print paperback edition from
the Linford Western Library is certain to be a welcome addition to the personal reading lists of
western novel fans and community library collections.
A Return To The Alamo
Paul Bedford
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444844061, $21.49, PB, Large Print, 296pp
https://www.amazon.com/Return-Alamo-Paul-Bedford/dp/1444844067
Synopsis: British Army deserter Thomas Collins is working with the Texas Rangers to bring
supplies of gunpowder back to San Antonio for the continuing struggle against the fearsome
Comanche Nation. As they slowly drive their heavy-laden wagons back, Thomas's past catches
up with him in the form of a ruthless British officer, Captain Speirs, who has crossed the Atlantic
to apprehend him. Further complicated by the accompaniment of a determined prostitute named
Vicki who is also a cousin of Thomas' fiancee Sarah, Thomas must take control of the Rangers if
they are to reach San Antonio safely. But Thomas faces some tough and lethal decisions leading
to a final climax nine-years to the day when the Alamo first fell.
Critique: The author of the Black Horse western novel "The Forgotten Land", Paul Bedford is a
consummate expert in the creation of unexpected plot twists and turns leading to a truly
memorable climax. This large print paperback edition of "A Return To The Alamo" from the
Linford Western Library has everything a western action/adventure fan could want and is a
terrific read from cover to cover -- making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to
community library collections.
Arizona Skyline
Allan Vaughan Elston
Sagebrush Large Print Westerns
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781785417009, $30.59, PB, Large Print, 246pp
https://www.amazon.com/Arizona-Skyline-Allan-Vaughan-Elston/dp/1785417002
Synopsis: One year earlier, Ron Garroway was in the right place at the wrong time: searching for
land to start a ranch near the fledgling town of Prescott, Arizona, he fell in with two men who
robbed a bank with a confederate. Although on a scouting expedition at the time, Ron was named
as the third man just before the two convicts were hanged. Tired of running, he knows he must
return to Prescott to clear his name. On the stage journey he meets the beautiful Christine
Mayberry, traveling from Ohio to discover why her prospector father disappeared from the town
without a trace nine years ago. Ron finds himself entangled in the mystery - but he never
anticipated getting kidnaped as soon as he arrives by a couple of hardcases after the money
they're convinced he's stashed away from the bank heist!
Critique: With two intertwined and deftly plotted stories, western author Allan Vaughan Elston
has written a riveting, action packed western novel that will fully appeal to any and all dedicated
western fiction fans. This large print edition of "Arizona Skyline" is an especially and
unreservedly recommended addition to personal reading lists and community library Western
Fiction collections.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Ellery Queen's Japanese Mystery Stories
Ellery Queen, editor
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805315521, $15.99, PB, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Ellery-Queens-Japanese-Mystery-Stories/dp/4805315520
Synopsis: "Ellery Queen's Japanese Mystery Stories: From Japan's Greatest Detective & Crime
Writers" is comprised of 12 short stories of mystery and suspense by award-winning Japanese
authors. Each story features dramatic twists and unexpected turns, which is what led the
legendary Ellery Queen to selected them from among many thousands published in postwar
Japan. Each story features an unusual crime and a complex set of clues investigated by a diverse
and colorful cast of characters that includes a calculating inspector, a tenacious journalist, and a
determined scientist.
"Ellery Queen's Japanese Mystery Stories" includes: "
Perfectly Lovely Ladies" by Kawabata Award winner Yasutaka Tsutsui: Eight women fight the
high cost of living using violent means but will they get away with murder?
"The Cooperative Defendant" by Akutagawa Prize winner Seicho Matsumoto: After a man
confesses to a killing, he retracts his confession and accuses the detectives of coercion. But who
is right?
"Devil of a Boy" by Edogawa Rampo Prize winner Seiichi Morimura: A schoolboy may still be
very young but he is as sinister as the most hardened of criminals...or is someone else
involved?
"The Kindly Blackmailer" by Mystery Writers of Japan Award winner Kyotaro Nishimura: A
man involved in a fatal hit-and-run is blackmailed by a mysterious witness. Who is this
enigmatic stranger?
A unique collection that is sure to delight lovers of great detective and crime fiction, "Ellery
Queen's Japanese Mystery Stories" also features an informative foreword by Japanese detective
fiction expert Satoru Saito which places the stories within the context of Japanese society and
modern Japanese literature.
Critique: A dedicated mystery lover's delight, this new paperback edition of "Ellery Queen's
Japanese Mystery Stories: From Japan's Greatest Detective & Crime Writers" from Tuttle
Publishing will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library
Mystery/Suspense collections and the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs.
Editorial Note: Ellery Queen was the pseudonym of Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington
Lee, two cousins from Brooklyn who became America's most successful authors of crime and
detective fiction in the 1930s and 1940s. It is also the name of the celebrated character they
created. From 1929 to 1971, Dannay and Lee published 36 novels under the Ellery Queen name,
establishing the pair as the leading detective writers of the genre's golden age. They also
collected stories and published several anthologies of detective fiction by other writers, including
this one.
Satoru Saito is Associate Professor of Japanese Literature at Rutgers University. His areas of
interest and specialization include modern and contemporary Japanese literature, Japanese film,
and Japanese popular culture. He has published articles on Edogawa Ranpo and Tsubouchi
Shoyo and the book Detective Fiction and the Rise of the Japanese Novel, 1880&;1930 which
explores the critical role detective fiction played in the formation of modern Japanese
literature.
Hanging Falls: A Timber Creek K-9 Mystery
Margaret Mizushima
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
www.dreamscapeab.com/audiobooks
9781643854458, $26.99, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hanging-Falls-Timber-Creek-Mystery/dp/1643854453
Synopsis: A deluge has flooded the high ground near Hanging Falls -- but heavy rains aren't the
only menace descending on Timber Creek. While on a scouting mission to pinpoint trail damage,
officer Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner Robo stumble upon a body floating at the edge of a lake.
Robo catches human scent, which leads to an enigmatic forest-dweller who quickly becomes
suspect number one.
With help from veterinarian Cole Walker, Mattie identifies the victim, and discovers an odd
religious cult whose dress and manners harken back to the 19th century. As the list of suspects
grows, an unexpected visit from members of Mattie's long-lost family sheds new light on her
childhood as they help Mattie piece together details of the fateful night when she was abducted at
age two.
The tangled threads of the investigation and family dynamics begin to intertwine -- but darkness
threatens to claim a new victim before Mattie and Robo can track down the killers.
Critique: A beautifully scripted and inherently riveting mystery by an author with a total mastery
of suspense and impressively narrative storytelling skills, "Hanging Falls" will prove to be a
welcome and enduringly appreciated addition to community library Mystery/Suspense
collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that
"Hanging Falls" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99) and as a
complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781662031809, $22.99, CD).
The Readers' Room
Antoine Laurain, author
Emily Boyce, Jane Aitken, Polly Mackintosh, translators
Gallic Books
www.gallicbooks.com
9781910477960, $19.95, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Readers-Room-Antoine-Laurain/dp/1910477966
Synopsis: When the manuscript of a debut crime novel arrives at a Parisian publishing house,
everyone in the readers' room is convinced that it is something truly special. And the committee
for France's highest literary honour, the Prix Goncourt, agrees.
But when the shortlist is announced, there's a problem for editor Violaine Lepage: she has no
idea of the author's identity. As the police begin to investigate a series of murders strangely
reminiscent of those recounted in the book, Violaine is not the only one looking for answers.
And, suffering memory blanks following an aeroplane accident, she's beginning to wonder what
role she might play in the story!
Critique: Ably translated into English by the team of Emily Boyce, Jane Aitken, and Polly
Mackintosh for an appreciative American readership, "The Reader's Room" by Antoine Laurain,
(who is also the author of "The Red Notebook", combines intrigue and charm in a reader
dazzling and original novel that deftly blends mystery, love and the power of books. Certain to
have immense appeal to mystery buffs and bibliophiles alike, "The Reader's Room" will prove to
be a welcome and inherently entertaining addition to community library collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "The Reader's Room" is also readily available in a paperback
edition (9781910477977, $15.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Alibi for a Dead Man
Wilson Toney
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520861, $14.95, PB, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Alibi-Dead-Man-Wilson-Toney/dp/1944520864
Synopsis: Why would a dead man need an alibi? Bug and Roche work for the National Detective
Agency. They solve mysteries for a living using well established, step-by-step procedures -- as
well as plenty of wisecracks, insults and bad office coffee.
When they are sent to check out a suspicious car crash involving an already dead driver, they
smell something fishy. They quickly work out that the crash was part a much larger crime -- a
multi-million-dollar bank heist. But unravelling the connections isn't easy, especially when more
people start dying and the coffee isn't getting any better!
Critique: A deftly crafted homage to the golden age of pulp fiction, "Alibi for a Dead Man" by
Wilson Toney" is a fully entertaining and humor laced mystery that is especially recommended
for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading
lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that "Alibi for a Dead Man" is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
As the Crow Dies
Kenneth Butcher
Pace Press
c/o Linden Publishing
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721-9875
www.woodworkerslibrary.com
9781610353618, $14.95, PB, 366pp
https://www.amazon.com/Crow-Segal-Rudisill-Murder-Mystery/dp/1610353617
Synopsis: When a body is found in the River Arts District of Asheville, North Carolina, the man
on the case is police lieutenant Ira Segal, recently returned to semi-active status after being shot
in the line of duty. Segal, who carries Elmore Leonard paperbacks as security blankets, isn't sure
he's up to investigating a murder, and neither is his partner, military veteran and local roller derby
star Sgt. Dinah "Dinosaur" Rudisill.
Segal discovers that the victim worked for the mysterious start-up company Creatures 2.0, which
trains animals to acquire uncanny capabilities. Creature 2.0's eccentric founder, Francis Elah, has
gone missing, and no one can find him, not even Elah's top client, the Office of Naval
Intelligence.
As Segal and Rudisill investigate the murder and Elah's disappearance, they meet the bizarre
animals Elah trained, including a raccoon who rolls cigarettes, pigeons who follow a priest to
church, and a superintelligent crow who keeps bringing evidence to the detectives' attention.
When the trail leads to a shadowy military contractor, more murders, and a threat to national
security, Segal and Rudisill don't know who to trust and face a dangerous confrontation!
Critique: A genuine treat for the dedicated mystery buff, "As the Crow Dies" as author and
novelist Kenneth Butcher takes his readers on a hectic ride with more entertaining plot twists and
turns than a Cony Island roller coaster! A thoroughly entertaining and unreservedly
recommended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted
for personal reading lists that "As the Crow Dies" is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $7.19).
The Reflecting Pool
Otho Eskin
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608094110, $26.95, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Reflecting-Pool-Marko-Zorn/dp/1608094111
Synopsis: Marko Zorn, a Washington, D.C. homicide detective with expensive tastes in art,
classic cars, and women, must take on extra work (not always strictly legal, often unorthodox and
usually dangerous) to supplement his income -- work which requires his special combination of
skill and steel nerves. Although he's adept at navigating the corridors of law enforcement and the
world of criminal gangs, he'd prefer to stay home and watch old movies, enjoy his art collection,
and listen to cool jazz.
When Zorn discovers the body of a Secret Service agent (a supposed drowning victim) it leads
him to a domestic terrorist group with tentacles in the White House -- a White House that does
not want this death investigated. As the demands of his professional life escalate, Zorn's alternate
career heats up, placing him in the middle of competing D.C. crime bosses feuding over a
shipment of illegal arms -- making Zorn the hunted and the hunter. He needs to avoid becoming
the victim as he navigates the twin forces of evil closing in on him from his legitimate job (facing
down political power) and his secret side job.
Critique: Providing the fully entertained reader with a deft blend of intrigue, suspense and
mystery, "The Reflecting Pool" has the kind of unexpected plot twists and turns that keeps the
reader's riveted attention from beginning to end. While highly and unreservedly recommended
for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the
personal reading lists of all suspense thriller buffs that "The Reflecting Pool" is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Fire and Vengeance
Robert McCaw
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608093687, $26.95, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Vengeance-Kane-Hawaiian-Mystery/dp/1608093689
Synopsis: Having killed his father's nemesis and gotten away with it, Hilo, Hawai i Chief
Detective Koa Kane, is not your ordinary cop. Estranged from his younger brother, who has been
convicted of multiple crimes, he is not from a typical law enforcement family. Yet, Koa's secret
demons fuel his unwavering drive to pursue justice.
Never has Koa's motivation been greater than when he learns that an elementary school was
placed atop a volcanic vent, which has now exploded. The subsequent murders of the school's
contractor and architect only add urgency to his search for the truth.
As Koa's investigation heats up, his brother collapses in jail from a previously undiagnosed brain
tumor. Using his connections, Koa devises a risky plan to win his brother's freedom. As Koa
gradually unravels the obscure connections between multiple suspects, he uncovers a
forty-year-old conspiracy. When he is about to apprehend the perpetrators, his investigation
suddenly becomes entwined with his brother's future, forcing Koa to choose between justice for
the victims and his brother's freedom.
Critique: The second volume in author Robert McCaw's 'A Koa Kane Hawaiian Mystery' series,
"Fire And Vengeance" is a suspense thriller of a mystery fans delight. With more plot twists and
turns than a Disney Land roller coaster, "Fire And Vengeance" is a compulsive page turner of a
read and one that is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library
Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of
all dedicated mystery buffs that "Fire And Vengeance" is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $9.99).
Substantial Justice
Daniel Ben-Horin
Rare Bird Books
453 S. Spring Street, Suite 302, Los Angels, CA 90013
https://rarebirdlit.com
9781644281123, $26.00, HC, 232pp
https://www.amazon.com/Substantial-Justice-Novel-Daniel-Ben-Horin/dp/1644281120
Synopsis: Substantial Justice chronicles the 1985 misadventures of Spider Lacey, a laconic
Citroen mechanic, and Siobhan Mollenkopf, a lawyer who has reappeared in Spider's life after a
ten-year hiatus. Things start well, then devolve when Spider's best friend, a marijuana grower and
controversial talk-show host, is murdered.
Spider and Siobhan spiral into a world of white supremacists, political activists, lumber tycoons,
motorcycle gangs, early online geeks, tree-spikers and law enforcement. The terrain is San
Francisco, Mendocino County, New York City, and Arizona.
Critique: "Substantial Justice" by Daniel Ben-Horin deftly blends elements of dark humor,
romance, with those of a deftly crafted and fully original suspense thriller of a read -- and one
that is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "Substantial Justice" is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $11.49).
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Uranus
Ben Bova
Tor/Forge Books
120 Broadway, 22nd Floor, New York, NY 10271
www.tor-forge.com
9781250296542, $27.99, HC, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Uranus-Outer-Planets-Trilogy-Bova/dp/1250296544
Synopsis: On a privately financed orbital habitat above the planet Uranus, political idealism
conflicts with pragmatic, and illegal, methods of financing. Add a scientist who has funding to
launch a probe deep into Uranus' ocean depths to search for signs of life, and you have a
three-way struggle for control.
Humans can't live on the gas giants, making instead a life in orbit. Kyle Umber, a religious
idealist, has built Haven, a sanctuary above the distant planet Uranus. He invites "the tired, the
sick, the poor" of Earth to his orbital retreat where men and women can find spiritual peace and
refuge from the world.
The billionaire who financed Haven, however, has his own designs: beyond the reach of the laws
of the inner planets Haven could become the center for an interplanetary web of narcotics,
prostitution, even hunting human prey.
Meanwhile a scientist has gotten funding from the Inner Planets to drop remote probes into the
"oceans" of Uranus, in search of life. He brings money and prestige, but he also brings journalists
and government oversight to Haven. And they can't have that.
Critique: Ben Bova is an legendary science fiction author of more than 120 published works of
science fact and fiction. He is a six-time winner of the Hugo Award, a former editor of Analog
Magazine, a former editorial director of Omni, and was also president of both the National Space
Society and the Science Fiction Writers of America.
"Uranus" is a classic Ben Bova science fiction novel replete with his trademark originality and a
deftly scripted showcasing his narrative driven story telling style that continues to justify his
reputation among dedicated science fiction fans. While also readily available for personal reading
lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99), this edition of "Uranus" from Tor Books is an
especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, college, and
university library Science Fiction collections.
The Road Not Taken
Susan Rubin
www.susanrubinwriter.com
Harvard Square Editions
2152 Beachwood Terrace, Hollywood, CA 90068
www.harvardsquareeditions.org
9781941861684, $19.95, PB, 292pp
https://www.amazon.com/Road-Not-Taken-Susan-Rubin/dp/1941861687
Synopsis: A woman suddenly widowed at 50, left with money but no direction to her life. Deep
in transition from suburban housewife status, she moves back to the West Village where she
grew up. When she meets a woman who appears to be an identical twin, she discovers the Lost: a
group of 100 fully-formed people dropped off on Earth as it cooled down they have lived on the
planet as it developed the many species and geography of today.
The Lost show her the myriad dimensions of Spacetime, taking her to ancient Egypt, Weimar
Germany, and planets without inhabitants, and reuniting her with loved ones she has lost to
death. Through a casual affair with Osiris, god of Egypt, and her friendship with Vincent Van
Gogh, she lives many truths that are new to her and learns who she needs to become to walk the
road not taken.
Critique: An inherently and absolutely fascinating science fiction novel by an author with a
genuine flair for original and the commendable ability to hold the reader's fully entertained
attention from first page to last, "The Road Not Taken" by Susan Rubin is an extraordinary treat
for all dedicated science fiction fans and unreservedly recommended for community library
Science Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading list that "The Road Note
Taken" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Swords of El Cid
Robert E. Waters
Zmok Book
c/o Winged Hussar Publishing
https://www.wingedhussarpublishing.com/store/zmok-books
9781945430138, $14.99, PB, 225pp
https://www.amazon.com/Swords-Cid-City-Old-Gods/dp/1945430133
Synopsis: The year is 1502, and the Eldar Gods are furious! They seek a doorway into this world,
but Catherine of Aragon and Fymurip Azat have other plans. On a mission for the Hanseatic
League and hot off their adventures in The Cross of Saint Boniface, they enter Spain seeking to
steal Tizona, the fabled sword of Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, aka El Cid, one of the finest Medieval
warriors of Spain.
Their way is fraught with dangers incalculable: spirit bulls, treacherous goblins, relentless
wolfmen, and cherub swarms, and when the Spanish Inquisition sniffs out their trail, their
mission grows even deadlier. But the most dangerous foe they face may be Catherine's parents,
King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.
They have secured Spain under one banner, but are they true rulers of the Christian God, or are
their personal alliances suspect at best? Catherine faces the ultimate decision: honor the mission,
or honor her familial obligations. Death and madness may lay in both directions, and on the very
borders of Europe, the Mamluks of Egypt and the Ottomans of Turkey, lay in wait for any
opportunity to strike.
Catherine and Fymurip must tread boldly but carefully, or the world will fall into darkness and
fire.
Critique: An original fantasy novel, "The Swords of El Cid" by Robert E. Waters is set in the
alt-historical world of Starybogow that features conspiracies in the court of Ferdinand and
Isabella. Exceptionally well written, impressively entertaining, and showcasing the author's
genuine flair for the kind of imaginative and narrative driven storytelling style that fully engages
the reader's total attention from start to finish, "The Swords of El Cid" is especially and
unreservedly recommended for community library Fantasy Fiction collections. It should be noted
for the personal reading lists of all dedicated fantasy fans that "The Swords of El Cid" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.55).
Give Me LibertyCon
Christopher Woods & T.K.F. Weisskopf, Editors
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
www.baen.com
9781982124649, $16.00
https://www.amazon.com/Give-Me-LibertyCon-Christopher-Woods-ebook/dp/B087H4BM3R
Give Me LibertyCon features short stories by David Weber, Larry Correia, Jody Lynn Nye, and
other notable sci-fi writers who have participated in LibertyCon, and offers new works that will
delight readers of science fiction and nonfiction. These are diverse presentations all designed to
support the concepts of the annual sci-fi convention held in Tennessee, and includes works such
as Nye's 'Liberty for All' that celebrate the concepts and the enactment of LibertyCon ideals in
unusual ways. Prepare for a diverse collection of adventures and insights - one that captures the
heart of LibertyCon and sci-fi creativity.
The Military Shelf
Phoenix Rising
Col. Keith M. Nightingale (Ret.)
Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781612008776, $34.95, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Phoenix-Rising-Hostage-Rebirth-Operations/dp/1612008771
Synopsis: "Phoenix Rising: From the Ashes of Desert One to the Rebirth of U.S. Special
Operations" by Keith Nightingale recounts the paradoxical birth of SOF through the prism of
Operation Eagle Claw, the failed attempt to rescue fifty-two Americans held hostage in the U.S.
Embassy in Tehran forty years ago.
When terrorists captured the Embassy on November 4, 1979, the Joint Chiefs of Staff quickly
realized that the United States lacked the military capability to launch a rescue. There was no
precedent for the mission, a mission that came with extraordinary restrictions and required a
unique force to take it on. With no existent command structure or budget, this force would have
to be built from scratch in utmost secrecy, and draw on every branch of the U.S. military.
Nightingale was back then a major, and Deputy Operations Officer and the junior member of
Joint Task Force Eagle Claw, commanded by Major General James Vaught. Based on
Nightingale's detailed diary, "Phoenix Rising" vividly describes the personalities involved, the
issues they faced, and the actions they took, from the conception of the operation to its
hair-raising launch and execution.
Nightingale's historically significant post-analysis of Eagle Claw gives unparalleled insight into
how a very dedicated group of people from the Chief of Staff of the Army to lower-ranking
personnel subjugated personal ambition to grow the forces necessary to address the emerging
terrorist threat -- a threat which the majority of uniformed leadership and their political masters
originally denied in 1979.
The Special Operations capability of the United States today is the ultimate proof of their
success.
Critique: Impressively informative and an inherently fascinating read, "Phoenix Rising: From the
Ashes of Desert One to the Rebirth of U.S. Special Operations" is extraordinarily detailed and
will prove to be an enduringly valued and critically important contribution to community and
college/university library 20th Century American Military History collections and supplemental
curriculum studies. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia,
military history buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"Phoenix Rising: From the Ashes of Desert One to the Rebirth of U.S. Special Operations" is
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Further Memoirs of a Bush War Operator
A. J. Balaam
Helion and Company
c/o Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781913118587, $24.95, PB, 172pp
https://www.amazon.com/Further-Memoirs-Bush-War-Operator/dp/1913118584
Synopsis: From the searing heat of the Zambezi valley to the freezing cold of the Chimanimani
mountains in Rhodesia; from the bars in Port St John's in the Transkei to the Drakensberg
Mountains in South Africa; to the slums of Maputo Mozambique and the violence and corruption
of Beira Mozambique to the beauty of the Portuguese Islands, "Further Memoirs of a Bush War
Operator" is is one man's story of his fight against terror and survival in a world that no longer
had any use for him or his skills.
Twice decorated with the Member Of The Legion of Merit (ML) and the Military Forces
Commendation (MFC), Andrew Balaam was a member of the Rhodesian Light Infantry and later
the Selous Scouts for twelve years. This is his account of his experiences whilst in the Rhodesian
Light Infantry, Selous Scouts, Transkei and South African Government.
His story is brutally truthful, frightening and sometimes humorous. It is also the story of the final
hours of one of the finest armies in the world, the fight for power amongst senior army officers,
the fighting, backstabbing and spying as seen through the eyes of the author.
Critique: Candid, vividly detailed, "Further Memoirs of a Bush War Operator" is an impressive
and extraordinary military memoir that will be enduringly appreciated and valued as part of any
community or college/university library Military History collection and is especially
recommended for the personal reading lists of all dedicated military history buffs..
Editorial Note: Andrew J. Balaam, one of ten children, spent his early life moving between
Bulawayo, in Southern Rhodesia (now known as Zimbabwe), and Livingstone in Northern
Rhodesia (now known as Zambia). In 1966 he was called up for National Service and decided to
join the Rhodesian Army. After doing a stint in the Rhodesian Light Infantry he left to join the
Rhodesian Railyways. However, war was on the horizon, and 8 months after leaving, he
re-joined the Rhodesian Light Infantry. Two years later he joined the famous Selous Scouts,
where he stayed until the end of the war. After leaving Rhodesia he ended up in the Transkei
with Ron Reid Daly and other former Scout members.
Across the Rhine: January - May 1945
Simon Forty
www.battledetective.com
Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781612008509, $29.95, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Across-Rhine-January-May-Simon-Forty/dp/161200850X
Synopsis: The final doom of the Third Reich came from the west with a massive concentration of
Allied forces and firepower. With France secured, Hitler's vain counterattack in the Ardennes
held and the Channel and North Sea ports cleared, little stood in the way of the Allies other than
the dominant geographical feature of western Europe: the mighty Rhine River stretching from the
North Sea almost to Switzerland.
In the north, the 21st Army Group executed one of the largest operations of the war: a huge
airdrop backed up by an amphibious crossing that made full use of 79th Armoured Division's
specialized armor including the Alligators of 4th Royal Tank Regiment. Further south, until it
collapsed under the pressure, the Ludendorff Bridge, captured intact at Remagen allowed US
First Army to create a bridgehead. They would use it to good effect, wheeling north to surround
the Ruhr, Germany's industrial heartland. Further south, where the river was narrower, Patton's
Third Army vaulted the Rhine with its customary elan, as did Devers' Sixth Army Group.
Ahead of the Allies were the remains of the German forces, often no more than Volkssturm or
Hitlerjugend, determined to resist for as long as possible so that Hitler had time to unleash his
super weapons. In the end, these proved figments of Hitler's fevered imagination and the
defenders crumbled in the face of units that, after nine months of training, had become deadly
proponents of the art of aggressive warfare with modern equipment (such as the M26 Pershing
and Comet) being rushed to the front in the hope it could see action before the war finished.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, "Across the Rhine: January - May 1945" by Simon
Forty is an extraordinary, impressively informative, and expertly presented study that will prove
to be an enduringly appreciated addition to personal, professional, community, and
college/university library World War II military history collections and supplemental curriculum
studies reading lists.
Editorial Note: Simon Forty has produced a range of highly illustrated books on the Normandy
battlefields, the Atlantic Wall and the liberation of the Low Countries with co-author Leo
Marriott -- and has an impressive website at: www.battledetective.com
The American History Shelf
A Dust Bowl Book of Days, 1932
Margaret Spader Neises, Joan Neises Volk & Craig Volk, authors
South Dakota Historical Society Press
900 Governors Drive, Pierre, SC 57501-2217
https://www.sdhspress.com
9781941813294, $22.95, HC, 85pp
https://www.amazon.com/Dust-Bowl-Book-Days-1932/dp/1941813291
Synopsis: The Dust Bowl was a period of severe dust storms that greatly damaged the ecology
and agriculture of the American and Canadian prairies during the 1930s; severe drought and a
failure to apply dryland farming methods to prevent the aeolian processes (wind erosion) caused
the phenomenon. The drought came in three waves, 1934, 1936, and 1939 - 1940, but some
regions of the High Plains experienced drought conditions for as many as eight years.
(Wikipedia)
Margaret Spader Neises (1897 - 1954) was a second-generation American, born to German
immigrants who moved to South Dakota to farm. She married Lawrence Neises in 1922, and they
settled near Howard, South Dakota, before leaving the farm and moving to Mitchell during the
Great Depression in the early 1930s.
"A Dust Bowl Book of Days, 1932" invites readers into the day-to-day life of Margaret Spader
Neises as she cares for her family. She bears witness to her husband's work struggles, her
children's illnesses, and the forces of nature beyond her control. Margaret's fears give rise to
pithy, poignant observations.
Whether documenting the escapades of a young temptress, her family's attempts to stay one step
ahead of the banker, or her own whimsies, Margaret creates a vivid portrait of her life in simple
prose.
Critique: An invaluable and inherently fascinating documentation of life during one year of the
Dust Bowl that would exacerbate the impact of the Great Depression upon millions of farm and
ranching families throughout the American Midwest, "A Dust Bowl Book of Days, 1932" is a
truly extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to community and college/university
library 20th Century American History collections, as well as the personal reading lists of
students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.
Tales of Forgotten Chicago
Richard C. Lindberg
Southern Illinois University Press
1915 University Press Drive, Carbondale, IL 62901
www.siupress.com
9780809337811, $24.95, PB, 280pp
https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Forgotten-Chicago-Richard-Lindberg/dp/0809337819
Synopsis: "Tales of Forgotten Chicago" is comprised of twenty-one fascinating, little-known
stories about a great city and its people that author Richard C. Lindberg has uncovered and which
reveal lost historical events and hidden gems from the Windy City's past.
Spanning the Civil War through the 1960s, "Tales of Forgotten Chicago" showcases forgotten
crimes, punishments, and consequences including: a poisoned soup that nearly killed three
hundred leading citizens, politicians, and business and religious leaders; a woman in showbiz and
her street-thug husband whose checkered lives inspired a 1955 James Cagney movie; and the first
police woman in Chicago, hired as a result of the senseless killing of a young factory girl in a
racially tinged case of the 1880s.
Also included are tales of industry and invention, such as America's first automobile race, the
haunting of a wealthy Gilded Age manufacturer's mansion, and the identity of the telephone's
rightful inventor. Chapters on the history of early city landmarks spotlight the fight to save
Lakefront Park and how "Lucky" Charlie Weeghman's north side baseball park became Wrigley
Field. Other chapters explore civic, cultural, and political happenings: the great Railroad Fairs of
1948 and 1949; Richard J. Daley's revival of the St. Patrick's Day parade; political disrupter Lar
"America First" Daly; and the founding of the Special Olympics in Chicago by Anne Burke and
others. Finally, some are just wonderful tales, such asa touching story about the sinking of
Chicago's beloved Christmas tree ship.
Critique: An inherently fascinating read from first page to last, "Tales of Forgotten Chicago" is
an extraordinary work of investigative scholarship that could well serve as a template for similar
volumes showcasing the colorful history of other major American cities. An absolutely and
unreservedly recommended addition to personal reading lists, as well as community, college, and
university library American History collections in general, and Chicago History supplemental
studies lists in particular.
Editorial Note: Richard C. Lindberg is an author, journalist, and lecturer who has written
nineteen other books about Chicago history, politics, criminal justice, sports, and ethnicity
including the 2011 memoir of his Northwest Side boyhood, "Whiskey Breakfast: My Swedish
Family, My American Life", which was named nonfiction book of the year by the Chicago
Writer's Association.
The Notorious Life of Ned Buntline
Julia Bricklin
TwoDot Books
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rowman.com
www.globepequot.com
9781493047536, $26.95
https://www.amazon.com/Notorious-Life-Ned-Buntline-Betrayal/dp/1493047531
The Notorious Life of Ned Buntline: A Tale of Murder, Betrayal, and the Creation of Buffalo
Bill follows the life of Edward Zane Carroll Judson ("Ned Buntline"), who created a fictional
image of the American West and its figures. He wrote some four hundred dime novels (or more)
throughout his lifetime glorifying the figures of the West and ultimately contributed to many
legends about the West and its people. His own life was one of adventure and contrasts, but
seldom was in the limelight in the way that he used to portray American icons. This survey of the
wild ride of his world and times is highly recommended reading for those who enjoy real stories
of the American West, considerations of how legends are crafted, and the particular adventures of
Judson, whose life was every bit as exciting as the fictionalizations he created. Highly
recommended for its survey of American history and the creation of images and perceptions of
the West.
The World History Shelf
A History of Modern Japan
Christopher Harding
www.christopher-harding.com
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805315972, $16.99, PB, 512pp
https://www.amazon.com/History-Modern-Japan-Search-Present/dp/4805315970
Synopsis: In "A History of Modern Japan: In Search of a Nation: 1850 to the Present", cultural
historian Christopher Harding delves into the untold stories of Japan's recent history -- from
Japanese feminists who fought for an equal political voice in the 1890s, to a pop star's nuclear
power protest song in 2011.
Though highly successful, and typically portrayed as a unified effort, Japan's rebuilding
throughout the 20th century faced a lot of domestic criticism. "A History of Modern Japan" is
story-led account gives a voice to those who felt they didn't fit in with what Japan was becoming.
It's that push and pull that made the country what it is today.
"A History of Modern Japan" is a simply fascinating and informative read for anyone interested
in Japanese culture (whether film and literature, or pop culture and manga) as big shifts in
Japanese ideology and society tend to come from culture and the arts, rather than being
politically-driven.
It will also be of interest to those traveling to Japan who want a better sense of the place, or
anyone seeking to better understand Japan's role on the global stage.
With over 100 photographs, maps and prints, "A History of Modern Japan" showcases the
compelling story of Japan's amazing growth and its resulting struggles. For all the country's
advancement, the Japanese people continue to wrestle with the notion of what it means to be
Japanese in a changing world.
Critique: Impressively informed and informative, "A History of Modern Japan: In Search of a
Nation: 1850 to the Present" is an extraordinary and thoroughly 'reader friendly' history.
Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "A History of Modern Japan" is an
especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community library World History
collections in general, and Japanese history supplemental curriculum reading lists in
particular.
Editorial Note: Christopher Harding is a cultural historian of modern Japan, South Asia and the
UK, and a Senior Lecturer in Asian History at the University of Edinburgh. He lived and worked
in Japan for three years through a Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation scholarship. Professor
Harding has written numerous articles for scholarly journals as well as for newspapers and
magazines, including The Guardian, The New York Times, BBC History Magazine and History
Today. He also appears regularly on radio and TV (BBC, ABC), presenting on a wide range of
subjects such as religion, politics, culture and mental health. He maintains a web site at:
www.christopher-harding.com
Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World
Philip Matyszak
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500052150, $34.95, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Peoples-Ancient-Philip-Matyszak/dp/0500052158
Synopsis: The ancient world of the Mediterranean and the Near East saw the birth and collapse of
several great civilizations. While some of these are well known, many have been unjustly
forgotten. Our history is overflowing with different cultures that have all evolved over time,
sometimes dissolving or reforming, though ultimately shaping the way we continue to live. But
for every culture that has been remembered, what have we forgotten?
"Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World" is a thorough and informative guide that explores
those civilizations which have faded from the pages of our textbooks but played a significant role
in the development of modern society.
"Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World" covers the Hyksos to the Hephthalites and everyone in
between, providing a unique overview of humanity's history from approximately 3000 BCE - 550
CE.
A wide range of illustrated artifacts and artworks, as well as specially drawn maps, help to tell
the stories of forty lost peoples and allow readers to take a direct look into the past. Each entry
exposes a diverse culture, highlighting their important contributions and committing their
achievements to paper.
Critique: Having enormous informational value for both history students and non-professional
general readers with an interest in the subject, "Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World" is
further enhanced with the inclusion of 197 illustrations. While especially and unreservedly
recommended for both community and college/university library History of Ancient Civilization
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that 'History of Civilization & Culture" is
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note: Philip Matyszak has a doctorate in Roman history from St. John's College,
Oxford. He is the author of numerous books on the ancient world, including "Legionary: The
Roman Soldier's (Unofficial) Manual", "The Greek and Roman Myths", and "Ancient
Magic".
I am Ashurbanipal: King of the World, King of Assyria
Gareth Bereton
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500480441, $45.00, PB, 348pp
https://www.amazon.com/Ashurbanipal-king-world-Assyria/dp/0500480443
Synopsis: In 668 BCE Ashurbanipal inherited the largest empire in the ancient world, an empire
which stretched from the shores of the eastern Mediterranean to the mountains of western Iran.
He ruled from his massive capital at Nineveh, in present-day Iraq, where temples and palaces
adorned with brilliantly carved sculptures dominated the citadel mound, and an elaborate system
of canals brought water to his pleasure gardens and game parks. Ashurbanipal assembled the
greatest library in existence during his reign, and, guided by this knowledge, defined the course
of the empire, asserting his claim to be "King of the World."
Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "I am Ashurbanipal: King of the World, King of
Assyria" features images of objects excavated from all corners of the empire and highlights the
British Museum's unrivaled collection of Assyrian reliefs, which bring to life the tumultuous
story of Ashurbanipal's reign: his conquest of Egypt, the crushing defeat of his rebellious brother,
and his ruthless campaign against the Elamite rulers of southwest Iran.
Originally published in 2014 to accompany a once-in-a-generation exhibition at the British
Museum, this new coffee-table style (10 x 1.1 x 11 inches ) paperback edition gives an intriguing
account of the Assyrian Empire told through the story of its last great ruler, and shows the
importance of preserving Iraq's rich cultural heritage for future generations.
Critique: Impressively informed and informative and enhanced with the inclusion of 325 full
color illustrations, "I am Ashurbanipal: King of the World, King of Assyria" is an extraordinary
work of scholarship that is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, making
it an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, community, and
college/university library Ancient Mesopotamia History collections in general, and Assyrian,
Babylonian, and Sumerian History supplemental curriculum studies reading lists in
particular.
Editorial Note: Gareth Brereton is an archeologist and the curator responsible for the British
Museum's Ancient Mesopotamia collection. Brereton is also a Council Member and Trustee for
the British Institute for the Study of Iraq (BISI).
The Civil War Shelf
Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg
James M. McPherson
Crestline Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9780785835608, $17.99, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hallowed-Ground-Walk-at-Gettysburg/dp/0785835601
Synopsis: In the illustrated pages of "Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg", author and
historian James M. McPherson, (who is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Battle Cry of
Freedom, and arguably the finest Civil War historian in the world), walks readers through the
Gettysburg battlefield -- the site of the most consequential battle of the Civil War.
In "Hallowed Ground", McPherson makes stops at key locations, including Seminary Ridge, the
Peach Orchard, Cemetery Hill, and Little Round Top. He reflects on the meaning of the battle,
colorfully describes the events of those terrible three days in July 1863, and places the battle and
war in the greater context of American and world history.
This is the first illustrated version of this groundbreaking and important book and includes
vintage photographs, memorabilia, and maps, as well as full-color photography of the battlefields
and historical landmarks as they stand today. Of special note are the sidebars written by
contemporary soldiers, statesmen, and women of the day, as well as pieces by some of today's
best-known historians and writers, add context to this engaging study.
Critique: Impressively informative and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in commentary, organization
and presentation, "Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg" is an extraordinary and
unreservedly recommended addition to community and college/university library American Civil
War collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for students, academia,
and American Civil War history buffs that "Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Andersonville Raiders
Gary Morgan
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811738842, $27.95, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Andersonville-Raiders-Yankee-versus-Notorious/dp/0811738841
Synopsis: On the evening of July 11, 1864, six men were marched into Andersonville Prison,
surrounded by a cordon of guards, the prison commandant, and a Roman Catholic priest. The six
men were handed over to a small execution squad, and while more than 26,000 Union prisoners
looked on, the six were executed by hanging. The six, part of a larger group known as the
Raiders, were killed, not by their Rebel enemies but by their fellow prisoners, for the crimes of
robbing and assaulting their own comrades.
Who were these six men? Were they really guilty of the crimes they were accused of? Were they
really, as some prisoners alleged, murderers? What role did their Confederate captors play in
their trial and execution? What brought about their downfall?
Relying on military records, diaries, memoirs written within five years of the prison closing, and
the recently discovered trial transcript, author Gary Morgan has discovered a version of events
that is markedly different from the version told in later day "memoirs" and repeated in the history
books. In the pages of "Andersonville Raiders: Yankee versus Yankee in the Civil War's Most
Notorious Prison Camp" and for the first time in a century and a half, is the real story of the
Andersonville Raiders and the most witnessed execution in American history.
Critique: Impressively informative and a deftly crafted work of history that has all the drama of a
riveting novel, "Andersonville Raiders: Yankee versus Yankee in the Civil War's Most Notorious
Prison Camp" is a unique, extraordinary, and unreservedly recommended addition to both
community and college/university library American Civil War collections and supplemental
curriculum studies reading lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and dedicated
American Civil War history buffs that "Andersonville Raiders: Yankee versus Yankee in the
Civil War's Most Notorious Prison Camp" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $14.31).
Editorial Note: Gary Morgan is a high-school history teacher in western Massachusetts, a
long-time member of the Salisbury Confederate Prison Association, and recipient of a 2017
Friends of Andersonville grant.
The Aftermath of Battle
Meg Grocling
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611211894, $14.95, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Aftermath-Battle-Burial-Civil-Emerging/dp/1611211891
Synopsis: The clash of Union and Confederate armies in the American Civil War left hundreds of
thousands of men dead, wounded, or permanently damaged. Skirmishes and battles could result
in casualty numbers as low as one or two and as high as tens of thousands. The carnage of the
battlefield left a lasting impression on those who experienced or viewed it, but in most cases the
armies quickly moved on to meet again at another time and place. When the dust settled and the
living armies moved on, what happened to the dead left behind?
Unlike American Civil War battle narratives, "The Aftermath of Battle: The Burial of the Civil
War Dead" by Meg Grocling picks up the story as the battle ends.
The burial of the dead was an overwhelming experience for the armies or communities forced to
clean up after the destruction of battle. In the short-term action, bodies were hastily buried to
avoid the stench and the horrific health concerns of massive death; in the long-term, families
struggled to reclaim loved ones and properly reinter them in established cemeteries.
Visitors to a battlefield often wonder what happened to the dead once the battle was over. In this
easy-to-read overview that will complement any Civil War library, author and historian Grocling
provides a look at the aftermath of battle and the process of burying the Civil War dead.
With a masterful storytelling is richly enhanced with hundreds of photos and illustrations, "The
Aftermath of Battle" is part of the Emerging Civil War Series from Savas Beatie and offers
compelling, easy-to-read overviews of some of the Civil War's most important stories.
Critique: A unique, informative, and nicely illustrated historical study, "The Aftermath of Battle:
The Burial of the Civil War Dead" should be considered as an essential and core addition to
personal, professional, community, and college/university library American Civil War History
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading
lists of students, academia, and dedicated American Civil War history buffs that "The Aftermath
of Battle: The Burial of the Civil War Dead" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $8.49).
Editorial Note: Meg Groeling is a contributing writer for the blog Emerging Civil War. She is
currently a master's candidate at American Public University, majoring in military history with a
Civil War emphasis.
The Environmental Studies Shelf
At the Precipice: New Mexico's Changing Climate
Laura Paskus
University of New Mexico Press
1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131-0001
www.unmpress.com
9780826359117, $19.95, PB, 200pp
https://www.amazon.com/At-Precipice-Mexicos-Changing-Climate/dp/0826359116
Synopsis: "At the Precipice: New Mexico's Changing Climate" by Laura Paskus explores the
question many of us have asked ourselves: What kind of world are we leaving to our children?
The realities of climate change consume the media and keep us up at night worrying about the
future. But in New Mexico and the larger Southwest, climate change has been silently wreaking
havoc: average temperatures in the Upper Rio Grande Basin are increasing at double the global
average, super fires like Las Conchas have devastated mountains, and sections of the Rio Grande
are drying up.
Paskus has tracked the issues of climate change at both the state and federal levels. In the pages
of "At the Precipice" she shares the frightening truth, both in terms of what is happening in
nature and what is not happening to counteract the mounting crisis. She writes, "I wonder about
the coming world. Which trees will grow, which birds will have survived. . . . The door to that
new world has opened. And there's no going back." And yet our future is not yet determined--or
is it?
Critique: An extraordinary, informative, and clarion call to action with respect to the issue of
Global Climate Change in general, and the impact of climate change on New Mexico and the
American southwest in particular, "At the Precipice: New Mexico's Changing Climate" is
especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and
college/university library Climate Change collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists
in particular.
Editorial Note: Laura Paskus is an environmental journalist and a correspondent whose work has
been widely published. She is the producer of New Mexico In Focus's series "Our Land: New
Mexico's Environmental Past, Present, and Future."
The Architecture Shelf
Little Worlds
Natasha Sandmeier, editor
AA Publications
https://www.aaschool.ac.uk/publications
c/o Actar D
http://actar.com
9781907896538, $39.95, PB, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Little-Worlds-AA-Agendas-Steele/dp/1907896538
Synopsis: Expertly compiled and knowledgeably edited by Natasha Sandmeier, "Little Worlds"
documents three years of conversations and projects in Diploma Unit 9's ongoing enquiry into
context. At a time when architecture is trying to redefine itself, the issue of context (how to
collect it, make it, shape it, talk about it, and enter one's architecture within it) continues to be
pressing issue in architecture.
"Little Worlds" pulls together a collection of utterly unique and singular worlds that collectively
argue for a positioning of architecture: not geographically, but rather set within its rich cultural
context shaped by real histories and imagined futures. Ultimately, the contributors to "Little
Worlds" addresses a question all architects face at the beginning of their bright futures -- how to
shape an identity.
Critique: Informed and informative, "Little Worlds" should be considered essential reading for
all architecture students and practitioners, making it an critically important and core addition to
professional and college/university library Contemporary Architecture collections in general, and
Architectural Criticism, Architecture Teaching, and Architecture Project Planning &
Management supplemental curriculum studies lists in particular.
An Anatomy of Influence
Thomas Daniell
AA Publications
https://www.aaschool.ac.uk/publications
c/o Actar D
http://actar.com
9781907896965, $49.95, HC, 292pp
https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Influence-Thomas-Daniell/dp/1907896961
Synopsis: Expertly written by Thomas Daniell (who is Professor of Architectural Theory and
Criticism at Kyoto University, Japan, and was previously Head of the Department of Architecture
at the University of Saint Joseph, Macau), and featuring an informative foreword by Thomas
Weaver as well an instructive afterword by Peter Cook, "An Anatomy of Influence" is comprised
of a informational wealth of texts and images that collectively present the theory and practice of
12 leading Japanese architects.
Rather than the usual array of exquisite yet autonomous buildings, "An Anatomy of Influence"
focuses on the hitherto unexplored lives of their architects and the febrile intellectual, social and
political environment in which they worked. The period covered spans from the postwar decades
up to the present day, but the emphasis is on the radical transformation of Japan's architectural
culture that occurred in the 1960s and 1970s.
Critique: A unique and seminal body of architectural scholarship and insights on contemporary
Japanese architecture, "An Anatomy of Influence" is an extraordinary and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal, professional, corporate, and college/university library
Architectural History collections and supplemental curriculum architectural studies lists.
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Leonardo Da Vinci: The Renaissance of the World
Marwan Kahil, author
Ariel Vittori, illustrator
NBM Publishing
160 Broadway, Ste. 700, East Wing, New York, NY 10038
www.nbmpub.com
9781681122595, $19.99, HC, 128pp
https://www.amazon.com/Leonardo-Vinci-Renaissance-Comics-Biographies/dp/1681122596
Synopsis: "Leonardo Da Vinci: The Renaissance of the World " by the team of author/storyteller
Marwan Kahil and artist/illustrator Ariel Vittori is an historical biography in the form of a
graphic novel that shows the process of Da Vinci's work and his inventions, his persecution as a
gay man, and how the changing politics of his country and ebbs and flows of those in power
affected him and his career -- all deftly complemented with background on his chronology, a list
of his oeuvres, and more!
Critique: Impressively informative and inherently fascinating, "Leonardo Da Vinci: The
Renaissance of the World" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to
highschool, community, and college/university library collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Leonardo Da Vinci: The Renaissance of the World" is also readily available in
a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Editorial Note: Graduate of the Ecole Speciale d'Architecture in Paris, Marwan Kahil won a
screenwriting competition at the Angoul me International Comics Festival in 2006 and then
collaborated with the Festival as an artistic assistant director, set designer, and speaker. He is
currently working on several projects of graphic novels, comics, movies, and theater.
Ariel Vittori can count the following among her past and present clients: Mondadori, Disney, and
Campari. She has done food illustration for gourmet events and various comics, and has
collaborated as an interpreter at the prestigious Idea Academy.
The Audiobook Shelf
Churchill's Hellraisers
Damien Lewis, author
Read by Matt Bates
HighBridge
www.highbridgeaudio.com
9781696600675 $39.99
https://highbridgeaudio.com/churchillshellraisers.html
Synopsis: It is the winter of 1944. Allied forces have succeeded in liberating most of
Axis-occupied Italy - with one crucial exception: the Nazi headquarters north of the Gothic Line.
Heavily guarded and surrounded by rugged terrain, the mountain fortress is nearly impenetrable.
But British Prime Minister Winston Churchill is determined to drive a dagger into the "soft
underbelly of Europe." The Allied's plan: drop two paratroopers into the mountains - and take the
fortress by storm...
The two brave men knew the risks involved, so they recruited an equally fearless team: Italian
resistance fighters, escaped POWs, downed US airmen, even a bagpipe-playing Scotsman known
as "The Mad Piper." Some had little military training, but all were willing to fight to the death to
defeat the Nazi enemy. Ultimately, the mission that began in broad daylight, in the enemy's line
of fire, would end one of the darkest chapters in history - through the courage and conviction of
the unsung heroes who dared the impossible...
Critique: Churchill's Hellraisers is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a gripping, true-life
military saga of World War II. Two brave Allied paratroopers operated behind enemy lines in
Italy to take down a bastion of the Nazis. These two men recruited an unlikely assortment of
allies including local resistance fighters, escaped prisoners of war, US airmen who had been shot
down, and more. An extraordinary tale of superlative heroism, Churchill's Hellraisers is highly
recommended for both personal and public library audiobook collections. 10 CDs, 12.25
hours.
Stanley Kubrick: American Filmmaker
David Mikics, author
Read by Steven Jay Cohen
Tantor Audio
tantor.com
9781705229545 $37.99
https://tantor.com/stanley-kubrick-david-mikics.html
Synopsis: Kubrick grew up in the Bronx, a doctor's son. From a young age he was consumed by
photography, chess, and, above all else, movies. He was a self taught filmmaker and self
proclaimed outsider, and his films exist in a unique world of their own outside the Hollywood
mainstream. Kubrick's Jewishness played a crucial role in his idea of himself as an outsider.
Obsessed with rebellion against authority, war, and male violence, Kubrick was himself a calm,
coolly masterful creator and a talkative, ever curious polymath immersed in friends and
family.
Drawing on interviews and new archival material, David Mikics for the first time explores the
personal side of Kubrick's films.
Critique: Stanley Kubrick: American Filmmaker is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a
candid, thoughtful portrayal of one of Hollywood's most groundbreaking filmmakers. A wealth
of new archival material as well as preserved interviews form the basis of this balanced
examination of the interconnections between Kubrick's personal life, his identity as Jew and an
"outsider" in Hollywood, and his legendary films. Stanley Kubrick: American Filmmaker is
highly recommended for both personal and public library audiobook collections. 7 CDs, 7.5
hours. It should be noted that Stanley Kubrick: American Filmmaker is also available in
hardcover (9780300224405, $26.00, Yale University Press) and in a Kindle edition
($14.04).
Space Station Down
Ben Bova, author
Doug Beason, author
Samantha Desz, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
https://tantor.com
9781705210253, $12.99, CD, (8 CDs, 9 Hours)
https://tantor.com/space-station-down-doug-beason-ben-bova.html
Synopsis: When an ultra-rich space tourist visits the orbiting International Space Station, NASA
expects a $100 million win-win: his visit will bring in much needed funding and publicity.
But the tourist venture turns into a scheme of terror. Together with an extremist cosmonaut, the
tourist slaughters all the astronauts on board the million-pound ISS-and prepares to crash it into
New York City at 17,500 miles an hour, causing more devastation than a hundred atomic bombs.
In doing so, they hope to annihilate the world's financial system.
All that stands between them and their deadly goal is the lone survivor aboard the ISS, Kimberly
Hasid-Robinson, a newly divorced astronaut who has barricaded herself in a secure area.
Critique: Brought to life in a true 'theatre of the mind' experience by the expert and dramatic
narrative skills of Samantha Desz, this complete and unabridged audio book edition of "Space
Station Down" by the collaborative team of science fiction authors Ben Bova and Doug Beason
is an extraordinarily entertaining and unreservedly recommended addition to community library
audio book collections and a 'must' for the legions of Ben Bova fans.
Goddess of the North
Georgina Kamsika, author
Zehra Jane Naqvi, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
https://tantor.com
9781705210253, $12.99, CD, (9 CDs, 11.5 Hours)
https://tantor.com/goddess-of-the-north-georgina-kamsika.html
Synopsis: Detective Inspector Sara Nayar is a goddess. Literally. A Hindu goddess who was
accidentally brought to England during Queen Victoria's reign. Working now as a police
detective, Sara survives on humanity's innate faith in law and order.
Sheffield is a city of many gods, however, and when Sara witnesses a murder, she knows the
perpetrator is divine. As a goddess of order, she must solve the crime before the god can kill
again, but thousands of years living as a human has left her spiritually weak.
Vulnerable in ways she hasn't felt since leaving India, Sara fights to balance her mortal and
immortal lives as the murders around her escalate. And with tensions amongst her fellow divinity
on the rise, Sara is running out of time. If she can't restore order and find balance in the chaos,
the city itself might pay the price.
Set in a vividly realized Northern city, where gods coexist with a balance of faith, "Goddess of
the North is a thrilling urban fantasy steeped in multicultural mythology. A murder mystery at
heart, it's an exploration of identity, love, faith, and the transformative powers of
self-acceptance.
Critique: Unique, original, and a compellingly entertaining mix of fantasy and mystery, this
complete and unabridged audio book "Goddess of the North" by Georgina Kamsika is deftly
narrated by Zehra Jane Naqvi and will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition
to community library audio book collections and the personal lists of dedicated ubrban fantasy
and mystery/suspense fans.
The Empress of Salt and Fortune
Nghi Vo, author
Cindy Kay, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
https://tantor.com
9781705210253, $12.99, CD, (3 CDs, 2 Hours)
https://tantor.com/the-empress-of-salt-and-fortune-nghi-vo.html
Synopsis: A young royal from the far north, is sent south for a political marriage in an empire
reminiscent of imperial China. Her brothers are dead, her armies and their war mammoths long
defeated and caged behind their borders. Alone and sometimes reviled, she must choose her
allies carefully.
Rabbit, a handmaiden, sold by her parents to the palace for the lack of five baskets of dye,
befriends the emperor's lonely new wife and gets more than she bargained for.
At once feminist high fantasy and an indictment of monarchy, "The Queen of Salt and Fortune"
follows the rise of the empress In-yo, who has few resources and fewer friends. She's a northern
daughter in a mage-made summer exile, but she will bend history to her will and bring down her
enemies, piece by piece.
Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "The Empress of Salt and Fortune is
author Nghi Vo's debut as a novelist, this deftly scripted, original, and thoroughly entertaining
blend of elegant fantasy, high royalty, and political intrigue is superbly brought to life by the
talented narrative skills of Cindy Kay. The result is a complete and unabridged audio book that is
very highly recommended addition to community library collections.
Flame
Donna Grant, author
Antony Ferguson, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
https://tantor.com
9781705210253, $12.99, CD, (9 CDs, 11 Hours)
https://tantor.com/flame-donna-grant.html
Synopsis: Living among the Dragon Kings, Cain has spent lifetimes learning to distrust both
mortals and Fae. He is a warrior born -- and every instinct demands that he fight to keep his own
kind safe. But when a fringe member of the Dark Fae contacts the Kings with an urgent warning,
Cain is torn for the first time. How can he trust this beautiful creature when resisting his primal
attraction to her is battle enough?
Noreen is horrified by what her kind and the malevolent Others are planning for the Dragon
Kings. Dark Fae or not, there are lines she will not cross-even if it means risking her life. But she
never imagined that she would risk her heart until she meets Cain. She wants him with a
soul-deep desire that frightens her -- and endangers them both.
Is saying goodbye to everything Noreen has ever known worth a love that will span time and
realms? If she believed in destiny, she would believe they were meant for each other. But that fire
was put out long ago.
Critique; "Flame" is part of fantasy author Donna Grant's exceptional 'Dark Kings' series and is
vividly presented in this complete and unabridged audio book edition from Tantor Audio and
brilliantly narrated by the theatrical talents of Antony Ferguson. A thoroughly entertaining and
original high fantasy novel from beginning to end, "Flame" is unreservedly and especially
recommended for community library audio book collections and the personal lists of all fantasy
fans.
Plague of Corruption
Dr. Judy Mikovitz, author
Kent Heckenlively, author
Mariel Hemingway, narrator
Impact Audio
c/o Blackstone Audiobooks
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781645552345, $35.99, CD, (8 CDs)
https://www.urbanaudiobooks.com/plague-of-corruption?sp=379227
Synopsis: Dr. Judy Mikovits is a brilliant researcher who is shaking up the traditional science
establishment with her groundbreaking discoveries. And like many women who have trespassed
into the world of male dominated medical science, she uncovered decades-old secrets that many
of her colleagues would prefer to stay buried.
From her doctoral thesis, which changed the treatment of HIV-AIDS, saving the lives of
millions, including basketball great Magic Johnson, to her spectacular discovery of a new family
of human retroviruses, and her latest research which points to a new golden age of health, Dr.
Mikovits has always been on the leading edge of science.
Dr. Mikovits has seen the best and worst of science. When she was part of the research
community that turned HIV-AIDS from a fatal disease into a manageable one, she saw science at
its best. But when her investigations questioned whether the use of animal tissue in medical
research were unleashing devastating plagues of chronic diseases, such as autism and chronic
fatigue syndrome, she saw science at its worst. If her suspicions are correct, we are looking at a
complete realignment of scientific practices, including how we study and treat human
disease.
With the assistance of Kente Heckenlively in recounting Dr. Mikovits' nearly four decades in
science, including her collaboration of more than thirty-five years with Dr. Frank Ruscetti, one of
the founders of the field of human retrovirology, "Plague of Corruption: Restoring Faith in the
Promise of Science" is a behind the scenes look at the issues and egos which will determine the
future health of humanity.
Critique: Ably narrated by the vocal talents of Mariel Hemingway and featuring an informative
Foreword by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., this complete and unabridged audio book edition of "Plague
of Corruption: Restoring Faith in the Promise of Science" is an extraordinary contribution to our
understanding of the role and promise of the scientific method in advance our understanding of
chronic diseases and is especially timely in this current Covid-19 pandemic where in America,
politics has perverted the public's understanding of, and faith in, medical science. Where
disinformation, misinformation, and corrupt politics have put millions of American lives in peril.
Simply stated, every community and academic library in the country should have a copy of this
complete and unabridged audio book edition of "Plague of Corruption: Restoring Faith in the
Promise of Science" form Impact Audio.
The Library CD Shelf
16670
Matthew Mayer
www.matthewmayer.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
16670 is a solo piano tribute to the true story of a heroic man - Rajmund Maximilian Kolbe
(1894-1941), Auschwitz prisoner 16670. Kolbe was a Franciscan friar who provided shelter to
World War II refugees, including 2,000 Jews whom he hid from German persecution. In
Auschwitz, he voluntarily surrendered his life for execution in place of a stranger. 16670 is a
profound work to promote the legacy of a truly noble human being, highly recommended
especially for personal and public library collections. The tracks are "16670", "Glasses", "Simple
Humanity", "For a Stranger", "Polish Flowers", "Philosophy of End", "Choices", "Vision
(Dreams 8)", "Block 17", "Block 11", and "Kid Rajmund".
A Dark Murmuration of Words
Emily Barker
Thirty Tigers
thirtytigers.com
$10.99 CD / $7.99 MP3 amazon.com
United Kingdom folk singer Emily Barker presents A Dark Murmuration of Words, an original
soundscape that draws upon folk and blues traditions to explore the pervasive themes of gender
inequality, poverty and slavery, environmental exploitation and climate crisis, and their
combined repercussions on the past and future. A Dark Murmuration of Words is foreboding, but
also promises that the path to effect change and promote healing lies in the actions one chooses
to take, every day. Powerful, emotional, and soul-stirring, A Dark Murmuration of Words is
highly recommended. The tracks are "Return Me", "Geography", "The Woman Who Planted
Trees", "Where Have the Sparrows Gone?", "Strange Weather", "Machine", "When Stars Cannot
Be Found", "Ordinary", "Any More Goodbyes", and "Sonogram".
An American Classic
Jeannie Seely
jeannieseely.com
Curb Records
curb.com
$13.98 CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
An American Classic is a studio album by country music performer Jeannie Seely. Comprised of
a mixture of new recordings and re-recordings of popular favorites by Seely. A great many of the
songs involve collaboration with other music artists. An American Classic is emotional,
inspiring, and highly recommended especially for country music connoisseurs. The tracks are "So
Far, So Good (feat. The Whites)", "If You Could Call It That (feat. Steve Wariner)", "To Make a
Dream Come True", "Teach Me Tonight", "Can I Sleep In Your Arms Tonight", "All Through
Crying Over You (feat. Rhonda Vincent)", "When Two Worlds Collide (feat. Bill Anderson)",
"Not a Dry Eye in the House (feat. Willie Nelson)", "Old Flames (feat. Waylon Payne)", "That's
How I Roll (feat. Lorrie Morgan & Vince Gill)", "Don't Touch Me", "Dance Tonight (feat. Ray
Stevens)", and "Peaceful Waters".
A Momentary Pause
Holland Phillips
www.musicbyholland.com
Ageless Records
$9.99 CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
A Momentary Pause is the ninth solo album of original songs by award-winning music artist
Holland Phillips. An emotional New Age soundscape, A Momentary Pause is immersively
beautiful, offering a positive, life-affirming message. Highly recommended, especially for
personal and public library collections. The tracks are "Upon Awakening", "Whispers", "Our
Sweeter Days", "Stepping Stones", "Dreaming On Ice", "Palindrome", "Study in Patterns",
"Casting Shadows", "A Momentary Pause", and "Bedtime Prayers".
Scenes from Dinetah
Connor Chee
www.connorchee.com
Wild Saguaro Records
www.wildsaguarorecords.com
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
Scenes from Dinetah is a new age solo piano album of songs inspired by Navajo culture. A brief
introductory passage in the Navajo language, accompanied by Native American flute and piano,
precedes each song. Scenes from Dinetah is extraordinarily beautiful, strikingly passionate, and
highly recommended. The musical tracks (not including the passages preceding each track) are
"Sunrise", "Horny Toad", "Pathways", "Hogan", "Sheep", "Horses", "Weaving", "Female Rain",
"Fry Bread", "Cedar", "Sunset", and "Stars". 45 min. 48 sec.
The Horticulture vol. 1
Jeff "Horti" Hortillosa
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $4.86 MP3 amazon.com
Multimedia artist Jeff "Horti" Hortillosa presents The Horticulture vol. 1 is a four-song EP album
featuring pop-rock, guitar solos, jazz chords, and a bold exploration into prominent political
issues, including police brutality, mass shootings, pipelines, environmental problems, and global
dissonance. Horticulture, vol. 1 is meant to be paired with a separate, 25-minute short film titled
"Jesus Christ - War Monkey" that Hortillosa directed, acted in, and scored music for; however,
The Horticulture vol. 1 is a mind-expanding listening experience on its own. Highly
recommended. The tracks are "Jesus Christ", "Millionaire", "Us and Them", and "Mayon
Volkano".
The Library DVD/Blu-ray Shelf
Dispatches from Elsewhere
AMC Networks
c/o Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
www.acornonline.com
$34.98 DVD / $44.98 Blu-ray
Complete in ten episodes, Dispatches from Elsewhere is an extraordinary drama shot in scenic
Philadelphia, about four strangers searching for meaning in their lives. They discover a
mysterious game and start following its clues, questing for solutions to a puzzle nestled amid the
events of everyday life. Insightful, extraordinary, and thought-provoking, Dispatches from
Elsewhere is highly recommended for both personal and public library DVD or Blu-ray
collections. Bonus materials include a behind-the-scenes featurette (19 min.), character profiles
(9 min.), and a Love Letter to Philly (4 min.). 10 episodes on 3 DVDs or 3 Blu-ray discs, 403
min. plus bonus, SDH subtitles.
Seachange: Paradise Reclaimed
Starring Sigrid Thornton
Acorn TV
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
www.acornonline.com
$49.99 DVD
Seachange: Paradise Reclaimed revives a hit Australian dramady series. After the breakup of her
marriage, lawyer Laura Gibson (played by Sigrid Thornton) returns to the coastal town of Pearl
Bay, only to find it drastically changed after twenty years. Her old magistrate position is taken;
her elder daughter is pregnant and trying to hide it; and her relationship with her daughters is
rocky at best. As she tries to rebuild her damaged family connections, she learns of a corrupt
business deal that could destroy the beautiful seaside environment. Perhaps Pearl Bay and her
family need her support as much as she needs theirs? Warm-hearted, witty, and thoroughly
entertaining, Seachange: Paradise Reclaimed is highly recommended for both personal and
public library DVD collections. Bonus materials include a disc with four episodes from the
original series. 8 episodes on 2 DVDs plus bonus disc, 372 min. plus 218 min. bonus, SDH
subtitles.
Dead Still
Acorn TV
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
www.acornonline.com
$39.99 DVD
Dead Still is the DVD debut of an original Irish mystery series set in the Victorian era. Blending
elements of suspense and macabre humor, Dead Still is inspired by the 1880s Europe historical
trend of "post-mortem photography", commissioned portrayals of the recently deceased. Dublin
memorial photographer Brock Blennerhasset (played by British Independent Film Award winner
Michael Smiley) and his faithful assistant make their rounds among grieving families to carry out
photo assignments, a persistent detective investigates a string of local murders that have
troublesome connections to Brock. As cameras become cheaper and the price of photography
spirals downward, Brock tries to stay in business with aid from his intelligent niece. Grim, sly,
and fascinating, Dead Still is a unique experience for murder mystery connoisseurs, highly
recommended. Bonus materials include a behind-the-scenes featurette. 6 episodes on 2 DVDs,
296 min. plus 63 min. bonus, SDH subtitles.
Playing for Keeps, season 1
Sundance Now
c/o Acorn
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
www.acornonline.com
$34.99 DVD
Playing for Keeps, season 1 is the DVD debut of an Australian murder mystery-dramady set on
the sidelines of professional football (the sport also known as "soccer" in America), from the
perspectives of the players' wives. On red carpets, in beauty salons, in designer bedrooms, and
more, a web of status is shocked by the unexpected death of a team member. A dark yet alluring
saga of wealth, power, intrigue, and ruthlessness, Playing for Keeps is utterly fascinating. 8
episodes on 2 DVDs, 356 min., subtitles in English SDH and French.
Gold Digger
Written and created by Marnie Dickens
Starring Julia Ormond and Ben Barnes
Acorn TV
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
www.acornonline.com
$39.99 DVD
Gold Digger is a darkly suspenseful, six-part romantic drama on DVD, about a woman who
meets a much younger man on her sixtieth birthday, and cultivates a relationship. The woman's
three adult children question whether their mother's new boyfriend truly loves her, or simply has
his sights set on her money. Emmy-award winning actress Julia Ormond and established actor
Ben Barnes bring this mesmerizing original saga to life. Highly recommended! Bonus materials
include a behind-the-scenes featurette. 6 episodes on 2 DVDs, approx. 300 min. plus 21 min.
bonus, SDH subtitles.
The Cookbook Shelf
Dairy Free Meal Prep
Silvana Nardone
Rockridge Press
www.rockridgepress.com
c/o Callisto Media
https://www.callistomedia.com
9781647392598, $14.99, PB, 194pp
https://www.amazon.com/Dairy-Free-Meal-Prep-Budget-Friendly/dp/1647392594
Synopsis: Whether you want to avoid allergens, save money and time, or eat healthier,
preplanned dairy free meals have a multitude of perks. With "Dairy Free Meal Prep: Easy,
Budget-Friendly Meals to Cook, Prep, Grab, and Go" by Silvana Nardone you can simplify your
daily routine with this complete culinary guide and dairy free cookbook that features 6 weeks of
meal plans and 70 scrumptious recipes.
Helpful and practical information about meal planning, convenient grocery lists, and step-by-step
prep directions mean spending less time in the kitchen and more time living life!
This dairy free cookbook includes: Why ditch dairy? (Learn the benefits of eliminating dairy,
from increased mental clarity to better digestion); Meal prep pointers (Discover a guide to meal
prep in this comprehensive dairy free cookbook, including storage tips, must-have kitchen
equipment, and tips for thawing and reheating); Dairy free staples (Try your hand at foundational
foods like Cashew Milk, Cheese Sauce, Green Goddess Dressing, and beyond).
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' and ideal for the novice kitchen cook, "Dairy Free Meal Prep:
Easy, Budget-Friendly Meals to Cook, Prep, Grab, and Go" is a pleasure to browse through as a
meal planning culinary reference comprised of nutritious, well-balanced, and delicious dairy free
recipes -- making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional,
and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted for anyone having to adhere to
dairy product free meals that "Dairy Free Meal Prep" is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: Silvana Nardone is the author of The 30-Minute Dairy-Free Cookbook and
Silvana's Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Kitchen: Timeless Favorites Transformed. Previously,
Silvana was the founding editor-in-chief of celebrity chef Rachael Ray's magazine, Rachael Ray
Every Day, and the owner of an Italian bakery, Fanciulla.
Simply: Easy Everyday Dishes
Sabrina Ghayour
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784727031, $34.99, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Simply-everyday-dishes-bestselling-Persiana/dp/1784727032
Synopsis: Sabrina Ghayour (born 5 January 1976 in Tehran, Iran) is a British-Iranian Chef, food
writer and author. She is the host of the supper club 'Sabrina's Kitchen' and released her first
cookbook, Persiana, in May 2014. (Wikipedia)
"Simply: Easy Everyday Dishes" is Sabrina Ghayour's new collection of unmissable dishes
presented in her own signature style, and influenced by her love of fabulous flavors. "Simply:
Easy Everyday Dishes" comprised of thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes for delicious
foods that can be enjoyed with a minimum of fuss.
With recipes deftly organized into sections ranging from Effortless Eating to Traditions With a
Twist, "Simply: Easy Everyday Dishes" provides over 100 bold and exciting recipes that can be
enjoyed every day of the week that range from Pomegranate molasses & honey glazed meatballs;
to Harissa chicken noodle lettuce cups; to Tahini, almond & orange brownies; to Turmeric,
orange & coconut rice pudding, and more!
Critique: Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, "Simply: Easy Everyday Dishes" will
enjoy an immense and enduring popularity as part of family, professional, and community library
cookbook collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Simply: Easy Everyday
Dishes" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Little Vegan Dessert Cookbook
Laura Crotty
https://www.lauracrotty.com
Lincoln Square Books
https://www.lincolnsquarebooks.com
9781947187108, $19.99, 84pp
https://www.amazon.com/Little-Vegan-Dessert-Cookbook-Vintage/dp/1947187104
Synopsis: Laura Crotty has always had a thing for old cookbooks. For "The Little Vegan Dessert
Cookbook: Vintage Recipes Revised", she combed through her extensive recipe collection to
select the best recipes for cookies, cakes, doughnuts, bars, and breads -- and then experimented
with healthy ingredients to make them conducive to a plant-based vegan diet.
The resulting recipes include vegan versions of such classics as Toll House Inn Chocolate Chip
Cookies, Chocolate Cake from the 1934 Hershey's Cookbook, and S'mores from the 1927 Girl
Scout's Handbook. The book also contains plant-based takes on other standards she culled from
vintage cookbooks - like Brownies, Blondies, Peanut Butter Cookies, Linzer Tarts, Carrot Cake,
Coffee Cake, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Tea Bread, and Zucchini Bread. Vegan
interpretations of the author's family favorites make an appearance as well -- like her
grandmother's light and lemony Genets and her mother-in-law's Irish Soda Bread.
With a retro design and sections on Baking Tips (including different egg replacement methods)
and Pantry Items that every vegan baker should have, This edition of "The Little Vegan Dessert
Cookbook" offers treats that are right for every season and every occasion ranging from
campfires and picnics to birthdays and holidays -- all the while reminding us of the tastes that
have come to represent our childhood.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated throughout, nicely organized and expertly presented with step-
by-step culinary instructions for each showcased dessert, and especially impressive when
considering that "The Little Vegan Dessert Cookbook: Vintage Recipes Revised" is Laura
Crotty's debut as a cookbook writer, this specialized culinary compendium of vegan recipes will
prove to be an enduringly welcome addition to any and all vegan cookbook collections. While
this hardcover edition is especially appropriate for community library collections, it should be
noted for personal and family cookbook collections that "The Little Vegan Dessert Cookbook:
Vintage Recipes Revised" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781947187115,
$16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Seattle-based culinary writer Laura Crotty received her chef certification at the
Institute for Culinary Education under the instruction of the late Annemarie Colbin, PhD, an
early pioneer of the health-food movement. Laura is an ADDY Award recipient for her food
journalism, and her work has appeared in such outlets as Motherwell, the Huffington Post, and
Seattle Magazine.
Recipes from the President's Ranch
Matthew Wendel
The White House Historical Association
1610 H Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006
www.whitehousehistory.org
9781931917933, $45.00, 184pp
https://www.amazon.com/Recipes-Presidents-Ranch-Matthew-Wendel/dp/1931917930
Synopsis: In "Recipes from the President's Ranch" White House Chef Matthew Wendel provides
a first-hand account of his years working for President George W. Bush and his family at Camp
David and at their Texas home on Prairie Chapel Ranch.
He offers a collection of recipes, photographs, stories, and memories of daily life as senior
advance representative in the Office of Presidential Advance and as the personal chef and
personal assistant to the president. Included with recipes of the author's signature hot cinnamon
rolls and fried chicken are the Bush family's favorite dishes, meals that world leaders were
served, and a behind-the-scenes look at how he prepared for head of state visits and shopped for
the first family.
Chef Wendel's account reveals a unique window into the hard work, detail, and protocol involved
in working for the first family and reveals how the president welcomed world leaders using both
his home and the power of sharing a meal in an intimate setting as a bridge-building diplomatic
tool. Smoked beef tenderloin, stacked enchiladas, hot rolls, soups, and plenty of fresh salads were
staples for the Bushes, but cheeseburgers became a tradition for their luncheons with world
leaders at Prairie Chapel Ranch.
Providing wholesome, delicious, comforting food to guests was the Bush's way of saying to
anyone sitting down to a meal with them -- "Welcome. We're glad you are here."
Critique: Enhanced with the inclusion of an informative Foreword by Laura Bush, profusely and
beautifully illustrated in full color, "Recipes from the President's Ranch" is a coffee-table style
volume that is part history and part culinary compendium of delicious, nutritious dishes that, by
following the thoroughly kitchen cook friendly recipes, will enable anyone to dine in a kind of
presidential eloquence. "Recipes from the President's Ranch" will prove to be an immediate and
enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, and community cook book
collections.
The Sourdough School
Vanessa Kimbell
Kyle Books
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
http://www.kylebooks.com
9780857839091, $29.99, HC, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sourdough-School-Sweet-Baking-Nourishing/dp/0857839098
Synopsis: Sourdough bread is made by the fermentation of dough using naturally occurring
lactobacilli and yeast. It uses biological leavening rather than using cultivated baker's yeast. The
lactic acid produced by the lactobacilli gives it a more sour taste and improved keeping qualities.
(Wikipedia)
"The Sourdough School: Sweet Baking: Nourishing the Gut & The Mind" by sourdough expert
Vanessa Kimbel is an indispensable, step-by-step guide to exploring the techniques and
ingredients involved in successful sweet sourdough baking. A companion to the Vanessa's "The
Sourdough School", it focuses on sweet recipes that are gut-friendly and rely on natural
sweetness where possible.
Classic recipes and new ideas for flavor combinations offer bakers an alternative method of
baking cakes, tarts, pancakes, doughnuts, pannetones, pretzels - nothing is off limits. If it rises, it
can be made with sourdough. Also featured are recipes for compotes and syrups to accompany
your bakes.
Vanessa also explains how sourdough helps to maintain the health and diversity of your gut
microbiome, which in turn improves mental health. New studies are unveiling links between the
microorganisms in our gut and our mood and behaviour, and Vanessa is at the forefront of this
research.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated throughout and showcasing an impressive assortment of
nutritious, delicious, and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' sourdough recipes, "The Sourdough
School: Sweet Baking: Nourishing the Gut & The Mind" will prove to be an immediate and
enduringly popular addition to family, professional, and community library cookbook collections.
Ideal for the novice baker as a complete instruction guide and manual, "The Sourdough School:
Sweet Baking: Nourishing the Gut & The Mind" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note: Vanessa Kimbell runs The Sourdough School in Northamptonshire, where she
teaches sourdough breadmaking and baking classes to students from around the world. A regular
BBC radio journalist in the UK, she is a third generation baker of Italian descent and trained in
several French bakeries.
One Tin Bakes
Edd Kimber
Kyle Books
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9780857838599, $22.99, HC, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/One-Tin-Bakes-simple-traybakes/dp/0857838598
Synopsis: Compiled by Edd Kimber (the first ever winner of the Great British Bake Off), "One
Tin Bakes" showcases 70 delicious one-pan, no-fuss baking recipes. for
With chapters that include Cakes, Brownies & Cookies, Pastry, Desserts, No-Bake Bakes and
Buns & Breads, there's plenty to choose from to create a beautiful baked pastry ranging from
Anzac Caramel Slices for a sweet treat with a salty kick, to Rhubarb Strawberry Cobbler for an
easy summer dessert, to Tahini Babka Buns for those weekend pastry cravings.
The recipes comprising "One Tine Bakes" require only minimal kitchen equipment to whip up
something fruity, chocolatey, spiced or nutty. "One Tin Bakes" is replete with versatile and
achievable recipes that celebrate the flavors of both traditional and modern bakes from around
the world -- each with that special Edd Kimber twist!
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full color photography, "One Tin
Bakes" will enable even the most novice and inexperience of kitchen cooks to produce award
winning and incredibly delicious treats with a minimum of fuss. While certain to be an
immediate and enduringly popular addition to family, community, and professional library
cookbook collections, it should be noted that "One Tin Bakes" is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
The Music Shelf
The Rolling Stones In the Beginning
Bent Rej
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784727000, $50.00, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Rolling-Stones-Beginning-Unseen-Images/dp/1784727008
Synopsis: From March 1965 to May 1966, photographer Bent Rej enjoyed unparalleled access to
the Rolling Stones as one of the trusted inner circle, accompanying the band on its first full
European outing: the Satisfaction tour.
"The Rolling Stones In the Beginning: With Unseen Images" is Rej's collection of more than 300
intimate photographs of the band on stage, on the road and at home, documenting a year in the
life of the Rolling Stones as they enjoyed their first taste of popular success.
Critique: An inherently fascinating coffee-table style volume (9.6 x 1.4 x 11.4 inches" that is
unreservedly recommended for both community and college/university library collections, this
new and updated edition of "The Rolling Stones In the Beginning" will be especially prized for
its never-before-seen photographs that were newly unearthed from Rej's archive -- the result is a
'must' for the legions of dedicated Rolling Stones fans.
Bruce Springsteen: All the Songs
Philippe Margotin & Jean-Michel Guesdon
Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784726492, $60.00, HC, 672pp
https://www.amazon.com/Bruce-Springsteen-Songs-Story-Behind/dp/1784726494
Synopsis: The latest book in the simply outstanding 'All the Songs' series from Octopus Books,
"Bruce Springsteen: All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track" is the most in-depth and
comprehensive exploration of Bruce Springsteen's songs ever written.
Spanning nearly 50 years of albums, EPs, B-sides, and more, "Bruce Springsteen: All the Songs"
presents the full story behind every single song that The Boss has ever released. Moving
chronologically through Springsteen's long career, expert authors Margotin and Guesdon explore
everything there is to know about every single song.
No stone is left unturned across 672 pages, ranging from the inspiration behind the lyrics and
melody, to the recording process, and even the musicians and producers who worked on each
track.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, "Bruce Springsteen: All the Songs: The Story Behind
Every Track" is an impressively detailed and informative compendium that will prove to be an
immediate and enduringly popular addition to community, college, and university library
American Music History collections in general, and Bruce Springsteen supplemental curriculum
studies lists in particular. A must-have for every Springsteen fan, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Bruce Springsteen: All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $30.99).
Editorial Note: Philippe Margotin has written many books on music, including biographies of
U2, Radiohead, and the Rolling Stones. Jean-Michel Guesdon is a producer, musician, sound
engineer, and writer. His work as a musician and composer gives him a unique insight into
Springsteen's work. Together, they have written in-depth All the Songs books on The Beatles,
The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin.
While We Were Getting High: Britpop and the '90s
Kevin Cummins
Cassell
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781788402200, $40.00, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/While-We-Were-Getting-High/dp/1788402200
Synopsis: Britpop was the seminal UK-based music and culture movement of the 90s. "While
We Were Getting High: Britpop and the '90s"is an inherently fascinating volume of photographic
images -- many never published before. Also featured are informative interviews with the heroes
of Britpop, including Noel Gallagher.
Hundreds of photographs taken by renowned photographer Kevin Cummins, chief photographer
at the NME for more than a decade, showcasing Britpop's greatest stars at their most creative and
iconic including: Oasis; Blur; Pulp; Kula Shaker; The Verve; Suede; Elastica; Happy Mondays;
The Stone Roses; The Bluetones; The Boo Radleys; Dodgy; The Charlatans; Echobelly; Gene;
Kenickie; Mansun; The Divine Comedy - Supergrass; Sleeper; Menswear; Marion; The
Seahorses; Shampoo. and many more!
Critique: A unique and engagingly absorbing photographic history of Britpop bands and
performers, "While We Were Getting High: Britpop and the '90s" will prove to be an enduringly
popular addition to both community and college/university library collections. It should be noted
for the personal reading lists of all dedicated Britpop fans that "While We Were Getting High:
Britpop and the '90s" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.99).
Editorial Note: Manchester-born Kevin Cummins has an international reputation as one of the
world's leading photographers and is famed for his iconic portraits of musicians including Joy
Division, David Bowie, Nick Cave, Mick Jagger, Patti Smith and Oasis. These photographs have
appeared on magazine covers and in art galleries and museums including the National Portrait
Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and in cities including New York,
Buenos Aires, Berlin, Bologna and many others. Chief photographer at the NME for over ten
years, Kevin captured some of the best- known images in modern music history -- his work has
decorated bedroom walls the world over.
The Art Shelf
Watercolor: A History
Marie-Pierre Sale
Abbeville Press
116 West 23 Street, 5th Fl, New York, NY 10011
www.abbeville.com
9780789213730, $125.00, HC, 400pp
https://www.amazon.com/Watercolor-History-Marie-Pierre-Sal%C3%A9/dp/0789213737
Synopsis: Watercolor is a painting method in which the paints are made of pigments suspended
in a water-based solution. Watercolor refers to both the medium and the resulting artwork.
The term watercolor calls to mind atmosphere, luminosity, and immediacy -- qualities that derive
directly from the quick-drying, translucent nature of water-based pigments. In "Watercolor: A
History", Louvre curator Marie-Pierre Sale provides an authoritative and beautifully illustrated
account of this versatile and widely beloved artistic medium.
Sale's incisive text traces the development of watercolor from the thirteenth to the twentieth
century in Europe and the United States, encompassing every type of work, ranging from
plein-air sketches to finished studio pieces, and showcases a wide variety of artists. Here are
Durer's detailed animal studies, Turner's landscapes, Cezanne's tireless explorations, Sargent's
light-dappled sketches, O'Keeffe's pioneering abstractions.
"Watercolor: A History" is handsome coffee-table style volume (9.6 x 12.1 inches) that features
more than three hundred full-color illustrations that are specially printed on Munken paper to
capture the vibrancy and texture of the original works.
Critique: An elegantly beautiful and impressively informative history, "Watercolor: A History" is
an ideal Memorial Fund acquisition choice for community, college, and university library Art
History collections, and would be a prized and valued addition to the personal reading lists of art
students, art historians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in watercolor
painting.
Editorial Note: Marie-Pierre Sale is curator at the Musee du Louvre. She was previously a curator
at the Musee D'Orsay, and is the author of several books, including "Drawing Outdoors:
Variations of the Drawing on Nature in the First Half of the 19th Century", "Eugene Delacroix:
Pyrenees Notebook", and "Watercolor: Workshop and Outdoors".
The Gift of Color: Henry Lawrence Faulkner
Fine Art Editions
www.finearteditions.net
9781532353284, $95.00, HC, 289pp
https://www.finearteditions.net/product/the-gift-of-color-henry-lawrence-faulkner-paintings-poe
ms-and-writings-bookstore-edition
Synopsis: Henry Lawrence Faulkner (January 9, 1924 - December 3, 1981) was a Kentucky-born
artist and poet known as an eccentric rebel and bohemian. Faulkner is best known for his wildly
colorful oil paintings and eccentric acts, including his bringing a bourbon-drinking goat to parties
and art shows. He was a close friend of Tennessee Williams, who called him "a creative poet and
artist."
Faulkner studied as a scholarship student at the Louisville School of Art. Around the 1959,
Faulkner started to exhibit his paintings more frequently, which were often compared to the
Surrealist and Colorist movements and linked to famed artists such as Gustav Klimt. It is said he
took inspiration from sources ranging from California to Italy, but his most popular works are
abstractions of scenes in his native Kentucky. Today, his works are in the collections of the
Morris Museum of Art in Morristown, NJ, and The Johnson Collection in Spartanburg, SC,
among others.
Faulkner died in a car accident in Lexington, Kentucky, on December 3, 1981. In 2014, the
Faulkner Morgan Archive, Inc. was created, in part, to help preserve Henry Faulkner's legacy.
(Wikipedia)
In the spring of 1957, Henry Faulkner emerged onto the New York gallery scene with his first
sale to The Collectors of American Art co-op. From that moment forward, his career began a
meteoric rise to fame.
His life's story was as audacious as it was theatrical. He was deeply rooted in the classics and
self-educated. Truly artistic, partly mystic, and by any measure, a marketing genius, Faulkner's
uninhibited talents were predictably unpredictable. He synthesized painting, poetry and the
performing arts; he could turn a phrase into a song and glean transcendent colors that expressed
the music of his very being from a palette of paint.
Faulkner's artwork creatively incorporated mid-century European art styles with a primitive
flourish. At times he was prolific, producing art shows and filling patron requests that ranged
from New York to Miami, St. Louis to Nantucket, Cincinnati to Sicily, Key West to Lexington.
During this lime-light career, he created an estimated 5000 works of art.
Faulkner's gifts were apparent to everyone in the room, while his shortcomings and
idiosyncrasies glared back at the community at large. His flamboyant charm was often his way of
expressing a childlike joy with insights into the humor and pathos of love and loneliness.
Faulkner often showered this love upon a menagerie of animals that he expanded throughout his
33-year professional career; one of his most famous companions was Alice, his nanny goat.
Henry Lawrence Faulkner lived his own legend while creating it and became larger than life after
his unexpected death. He indeed bequeathed us his imagination; perhaps, he was the bearer of the
gifts - the gift of color. "The Gift of Color: Henry Lawrence Faulkner" from Fine Arts Editions is
beautifully presented and meticulously researched presentation of Faulkner's story, paintings, and
writings will be a welcome addition to any art lover's home collection.
Critique: Impressively informative and profusely, beautifully illustrated throughout, "The Gift of
Color: Henry Lawrence Faulkner" is a 'must' for the legions of Henry Lawrence Faulkner fans
and this coffee-table style edition will prove to be a welcome and enduringly appreciated addition
to personal, professional, community, and college/university library 20th Century American Art
History collections.
Ceramics Masterclass
Louisa Taylor
Frances Lincoln
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9780711254077, $30.00, Flexibound, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Ceramics-Masterclass-Creative-Techniques-Artists/dp/0711254079
Synopsis: The subject of ceramics is steeped in human history and tradition. For thousands of
years men and women have exploited the versatile qualities of clay as a material to produce items
ranging from humble utilitarian vessels, right through to exquisite works of art.
In "Ceramics Masterclass: Creative Techniques of 100 Great Artists ", Louisa Taylor explores
this diverse discipline by showcasing 100 of the most innovative and inspiring artists past and
present, analysing the techniques and methods used to create the works, and the concepts which
underpin their creative process.
"Ceramics Masterclass" shows aspiring ceramic artists how to recreate intricate still-life
dioramas like fifteenth-century artist Bernard Palissy, to explore narrative like Grayson Perry,
and to convey sensitivity to material like Phoebe Cummings.
Arranged thematically, Ceramics Masterclass will include chapters on vessels, decorative pieces,
function, figurative works, conceptual pieces and installations.
Ideal for students, amateurs and professionals alike, "Ceramics Masterclass" will represent a
global perspective of historical and contemporary approaches to clay and be a catalyst for
discovery and intrigue.
Critique: Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, "Ceramics Masterclass: Creative
Techniques of 100 Great Artists" offers a complete course of study that is impressively 'user
friendly' in organization and presentation. Impressively informed and informative, "Ceramics
Masterclass: Creative Techniques of 100 Great Artists" will prove to be an exceptionally valued
and appreciated addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library
Pottery and Ceramic Art collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Louisa Taylor graduated from the Royal College of Art, London, in 2006 with a
Masters degree in Ceramics & Glass. Since graduating, she has been featured in respected design
publications, and her work has also earned design and development awards. Alongside making
her own range of tableware, Louisa lectures on ceramics for the BA (Hons) / M Des / MFA
Design and Craft degrees at the University of Brighton, and consults as a freelance designer for
industry, including concept/form development and colour consultancy.
Carve Your Clay
Hilda Carr
www.hildacarrpottery.com
Rockport Publishers
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9781631598494, $26.99, HC, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Carve-Your-Clay-Techniques-Ceramics/dp/163159849X
Synopsis: In the pages of "Carve Your Clay: Techniques to Bring the Ceramics Surface to Life"
ceramic artist Hilda Carr takes the aspiring artist through the creative techniques that produce
amazing, dynamic results, including inlay, piercing, sgraffito, etching, relief carving, wire
cutting, and more. Aspiring ceramists can gain new skills as they complete 20 projects featuring
Carr's signature style, each project laid out with clear step-by-step photography and
easy-to-follow instruction to achieve beautiful results.
"Carve Your Clay: Techniques to Bring the Ceramics Surface to Life" is a comprehensive
instruction manual that includes an easy guide on how to create basic forms, as well as glazing
and firing techniques. Whether new to ceramics or a more experienced potter looking to explore
new surface design techniques, "Carve Your Clay" will both educate and inspire.
Critique: Profusely and effective illustrated throughout, "Carve Your Clay: Techniques to Bring
the Ceramics Surface to Life " is a complete course of throughly user friendly and artist inspiring
instruction making it an ideal DIY manual and one which is unreservedly recommended for
community, art center, and academic library Ceramic Arts instructional reference collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Carve Your Clay: Techniques to Bring the
Ceramics Surface to Life" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781782218524,
$18.16).
Editorial Note: A set designer by trade, UK-based (Surrey, England) Hilda Carr turned her hand
to ceramics in 2014 and now sells her work through her website as well as in shops and galleries
across the UK. She has built a large following on Instagram where she frequently shares her new
works and techniques. She can be found at @hildacarrpottery and maintains a web site a
www.hildacarrpottery.com
Lisa Yuskavage: Wilderness
Christopher Bedford, et al.
Gregory R. Miller & Co.
c/o Distributed Art Publishers
155 Sixth Avenue, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10013-1507
www.artbook.com
9781941366271, $55.00, HC, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lisa-Yuskavage-Wilderness-Christopher-Bedford/dp/1941366279
Synopsis: Lisa Yuskavage (1962) is an American artist who lives and works in New York City.
She is known for her figure paintings, in which seemingly ignoble subjects are depicted with
classic, historical techniques.
Though she is arguably best known for the voluptuous female nudes that populate her paintings,
Lisa Yuskavage's work is just as focused on the ethereal settings in which these subjects appear.
Yuskavage creates finely detailed landscapes that blur the line between the fantastical and the
familiar, melding abstraction with realism to depict self-contained worlds. These outdoor scenes
defy conventions of landscape painting with surreal color palettes of lush greens and delicate
pinks, cast in a gauzy light quality that highlights the almost magical nature of her paintings.
Published in conjunction with a joint exhibition between the Aspen Art Museum in Colorado and
the Baltimore Museum of Art in Maryland, "Lisa Yuskavage: Wilderness" includes color
reproductions of Yuskavage's paintings and watercolors from the early 1990s to the present, as
well as an interview between Yuskavage and fellow artist Mary Weatherford.
Critique: Exceptionally informative and beautifully illustrated throughout, "Lisa Yuskavage:
Wilderness" is a coffee-table style volume ( 10.2 x 0.8 x 12.2 inches) that fully showcases and
celebrates the work of an acclaimed American artist that is especially and unreservedly
recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library
Contemporary American Art & Art History collections.
Editorial Note: Lisa Yuskavage received her MFA from the Yale School of Art in 1986. In the
years since, her signature style of figure painting has developed something of a cult following for
its attention to art historical tradition and a decidedly contemporary, pop culture-based approach
to the representation of the female form. Her work has been in solo exhibitions around the world.
Yuskavage is represented by David Zwirner.
The Philosophy Shelf
The Handy Western Philosophy Answer Book
Ed D'Angelo
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Road, #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075
www.visibleinkpress.com
9781578597314, $49.95, HC, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1578597315
Synopsis: Western philosophy refers to the philosophical thought and work of the Western
world. Historically, the term refers to the philosophical thinking of Western culture, beginning
with Greek philosophy of the pre-Socratics such as Thales (c. 624 - c. 546 BC) and Pythagoras
(c. 570 - c. 495 BC), and eventually covering a large area of the globe. The word philosophy
itself originated from the Ancient Greek philosophia, literally, "the love of wisdom".
The scope of philosophy in the ancient understanding, and the writings of (at least some of) the
ancient philosophers, were all intellectual endeavors. This included the problems of philosophy
as they are understood today; but it also included many other disciplines, such as pure
mathematics and natural sciences such as physics, astronomy, and biology (Aristotle, for
example, wrote on all of these topics). (Wikipedia)
"The Handy Western Philosophy Answer Book: The Ancient Greek Influence on Modern
Understanding" by Ed D'Angelo offers answers to questions within the context of Western
Philosophy such as: What is philosophy?; What is metaphysics?; What is logic?; How is ethics
different than morality?; How did Pre-Socratic philosophy get started?; What is the arrow
paradox?; Who was Pythagoras?, How did Stoicism inspire modern cognitive psychotherapy?;
Who was the founder of Western philosophy?; How does democracy degenerate into tyranny?;
What impact did the Epicureans have on the modern world?; What is the postmodern condition?
and so much more.
Philosophy is the pursuit of answers to big questions about the purpose of life, death, and
existence. Philosophy is about how to reason and find the answers for yourself. Philosophy is a
puzzle in which you collect clues and you make connections.
Critique: An ideal introduction to Western Philosophy, Ed D'Angelo's "The Handy Western
Philosophy Answer Book" is a perfect companion for anyone seeking wider truths and happiness.
An informative, accessible, easy-to-understand guide to the big questions about living, "The
Handy Western Philosophy Answer Book" is enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of more
than 120 photos and graphics, a helpful bibliography, a glossary of terms, and an extensive index.
While an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and
college/university library Philosophy 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
Handy Western Philosophy Answer Book" is also readily available in a paperback edition
(9781578595563, $24.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Education Shelf
Assessment, Evaluation, and Accountability in Adult Education
Lilian H. Hill, editor
Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9781620368510, $35.00, PB, 300pp
https://www.amazon.com/Assessment-Evaluation-Accountability-Adult-Education-dp-162036851X/dp/162036851X
Synopsis: Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by Lilian H. Hill, "Assessment, Evaluation,
and Accountability in Adult Education" is specifically intended to help practitioners in adult
education become better informed about assessment, evaluation, and accountability as these are
critical functions of administering and running adult education programs.
"Assessment, Evaluation, and Accountability in Adult Education" will prove to be an invaluable
and constructive resource for adult educators who have been asked to serve on assessment
committees, produce detailed reports for funders and accreditors, create a culture of assessment
within their program and organization, and/or develop reports for accountability purposes.
Section one presents an introductory overview of assessment and evaluation in adult
education.
Section two gives guidance on practices for specific areas of adult education practice, such as
army military education, human resource development, and continuing professional
education.
Section three provides assessment practices for adults in higher education, with chapters
dedicated to distance learning, health professions education, and graduate education.
Critique: The fourteen erudite and informative articles comprising "Assessment, Evaluation, and
Accountability in Adult Education" are enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a complete
listing of the contributors and their credentials, as well as a sixteen page Index. While a
significant and unreservedly recommended addition to college and university library Teacher
Education collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of student teachers,
classroom educators, adult edition administrators, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject of Adult Education that "Assessment, Evaluation, and Accountability in
Adult Education" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $27.99).
Editorial Note: Lilian H. Hill is Professor of Adult and Higher Education at the University of
Southern Mississippi. Her research interests are in adult health learning and health literacy,
professional education, and assessment and evaluation. She has held executive-level positions for
the Commission of Professors of Adult Education of the American Association of Adult and
Continuing Education and served as co-editor of Adult Learning in 1994 - 2005 and 2020 - 2023.
Hill served on the assessment committees of two universities, and her past administrative roles
have involved assessment, evaluation, and accreditation responsibilities. She was recipient of the
2015 Okes Award for outstanding Research in Adult Education; was inducted into the
International Adult and Continuing Education in 2018; and was selected for the UGA Circle of
50, honoring 50 alumni for the 50th anniversary of the Adult Education Program in 2019.
Building Capacity for Teaching Engineering in K-12 Education
Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education
National Academies Press
500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
www.nap.edu
9780309499422, $55.00, PB, 260pp
https://www.amazon.com/Building-Capacity-Teaching-Engineering-Education/dp/0309499429<
br>
Synopsis: Engineering education is emerging as an important component of US K-12 education.
Across the country, students in classrooms and after- and out-of-school programs are
participating in hands-on, problem-focused learning activities using the engineering design
process. These experiences can be engaging; support learning in other areas, such as science and
mathematics; and provide a window into the important role of engineering in society.
As the landscape of K-12 engineering education continues to grow and evolve, educators,
administrators, and policy makers should consider the capacity of the US education system to
meet current and anticipated needs for K-12 teachers of engineering.
"Building Capacity for Teaching Engineering in K-12 Education" reviews existing curricula and
programs as well as related research to understand current and anticipated future needs for
engineering-literate K-12 educators in the United States and determine how these needs might be
addressed. Key topics in this report include the preparation of K-12 engineering educators,
professional pathways for K-12 engineering educators, and the role of higher education in
preparing engineering educators.
This report also proposes steps that stakeholders (including professional development providers,
postsecondary preservice education programs, postsecondary engineering and engineering
technology programs, formal and informal educator credentialing organizations, and the
education and learning sciences research communities) might take to increase the number, skill
level, and confidence of K-12 teachers of engineering in the United States.
Critique: A central and significant contribution to college and university library Teacher
Education collections in general, and Higher & Continuing Education, Education Reform &
Policy, and Elementary Education supplemental curriculum studies lists in particular, "Building
Capacity for Teaching Engineering in K-12 Education" is extraordinarily well organized and
presented. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of education students, faculty, school
administrators, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Building
Capacity for Teaching Engineering in K-12 Education" is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $44.99).
Independent Thinking On MFL
Crista Hazell
Crown House Publishing
81 Brook Hills Circle, White Plains, NY 10605
www.crownhousepublishing.com
9781781353370, $16.95, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Crista-Hazell/dp/1781353379
Synopsis: MFL refers to Modern Foreign Language.
Crista Hazell is an MFL specialist with many years successful experience both in the classroom
and in positions of leadership. She has worked across the UK and internationally from Belgium
and Cyprus to Slovenia and Ghana with students, teachers and school leaders in developing
teaching, learning, relationships and behaviour. Her creativity and energy for bringing the
teaching of MFL alive for students during her time in the classroom was matched by her high
expectations and willingness to take on board that difficult class all without losing sight of the
children and young people in her care.
In "Independent Thinking on MFL: How to make modern foreign language teaching exciting,
inclusive and relevant" she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to show aspiring
and practicing MFL teachers and heads of languages departments in primary schools, secondary
schools and colleges how they can make modern foreign language teaching exciting, inclusive
and relevant by taking teachers on a instruction tour of how to get the teaching of a new language
right.
Critique: Deftly written, expertly organized and accessibly presented, "Independent Thinking on
MFL: How to make modern foreign language teaching exciting, inclusive and relevant" is an
ideal curriculum textbook and especially useful for DIY personal instruction making it an ideal
and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, and college/university Foreign
Language supplemental studies lists.
The Power of Student Agency
Anindya Kundu
Teachers College Press
1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
www.tcpress.com
9780807763896, $90.00, HC, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Student-Agency-Looking-Opportunity-dp-0807763896/dp/0807763896
Synopsis: How can we promote the learning and well-being of all students, especially those who
come from some of the most disadvantaged backgrounds? In "The Power of Student Agency:
Looking Beyond Grit to Close the Opportunity Gap" author and educator Anindya Kundu argues
that we can fight against deeply rooted inequalities in the American educational system by
harnessing student agency -- each person's unique capacity for positive change.
To make his case, Kundu draws powerful narratives from a population of individuals who beat
the odds to become academically and professionally successful. These strivers have overcome
challenges such as broken families, homelessness, unexpected pregnancies, forms of abuse,
incarceration, and more, to make it in the world. But it wasn't simply individualism, tenacity,
resilience, or grit that helped them. Rather, as Kundu illustrates, it was a combination of social
and cultural supports that paved the path towards their dreams, harnessing the inherent power of
their agency.
"The Power of Student Agency" features: A counter-narrative to the popular misconception that
all students need is "grit"; A strengths-based approach to education that is sensitive to students'
communities and cultures; First-person quotes from individuals who have overcome immense
odds; Useful diagrams for educational stakeholders on the relationship between grit and agency;
Descriptions of dense sociological concepts presented in plain terms; The inclusion of
fundamental and new waves in psychology.
Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "The Power of Student Agency: Looking
Beyond Grit to Close the Opportunity Gap" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition
to school district, college, and university library Teacher Education collections. It should be
noted for the personal reading lists of student teachers, classroom teachers, school administrators,
academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Power of
Student Agency: Looking Beyond Grit to Close the Opportunity Gap" is also readily available in
a paperback edition (9780807763889, $29.95) and in a digital book format (eTextbook,
$16.17).
Editorial Note: Anindya Kundu is currently a senior fellow at the City University of New York
Graduate Center. His work has appeared in TED Talks, NPR Education, MSNBC, and the
Huffington Post.
From Behaving to Belonging
Julie Causton & Kate Macleod
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416629290, $27.95, PB, 135pp
https://www.amazon.com/Behaving-Belonging-Inclusive-Supporting-Challenge/dp/1416629297
Synopsis: Challenging student behavior is one of the most significant issues educators face.
Though it may seem radical to use words like love, compassion, and heart when we talk about
behavior and discipline, the compassionate and heartfelt words, actions, and strategies teachers
employ in the classroom directly shape who students are -- and who they will become. But how
can teaching from the heart translate into effective supports and practices for students who
exhibit challenging behavior?
In "From Behaving to Belonging: The Inclusive Art of Supporting Students Who Challenge Us"
educators Julie Causton and Kate MacLeod detail how teachers can shift from a "behavior
management" mindset (that punishes students for "bad" behavior or rewards students for "good"
or "compliant" behavior) to an approach that supports all students (even the most challenging
ones) with kindness, creativity, acceptance, and love.
Causton and MacLeod's approach as outlined and explained in "From Behaving to Belonging:
The Inclusive Art of Supporting Students Who Challenge Us": Focuses on students' strengths,
gifts, and talents; Ignites students' creativity and sense of self-worth; Ensures that students' social,
emotional, and academic needs are met; Prompts teachers to rethink challenging behavior and
how they support their students; Helps teachers identify barriers to student success in the cultural,
social, and environmental landscape; Inspires teachers to reconnect with their core values and
beliefs about students and teaching.
We need to transform our classrooms into places of love. To that end, "From Behaving to
Belonging: The Inclusive Art of Supporting Students Who Challenge Us" represents a paradigm
shift from a punitive mindset to a strengths-based, loving approach and encourages the radical act
of creating more inclusive and caring schools.
Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "From Behaving to Belonging: The
Inclusive Art of Supporting Students Who Challenge Us" will prove to be a practical guide to
improving classroom student behavior and performance for grades K-12 -- and have immense
value for classroom instructors at the college and university level as well. While very highly
recommended for school district, college and university library Teacher Education collections, it
should be noted for the personal reading lists of participants of school district in-service training
programs, classroom instructors, student teachers, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "From Behaving to Belonging: The Inclusive Art of Supporting
Students Who Challenge Us" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$25.13).
Editorial Note: Julie Causton is founder and CEO of Inclusive Schooling. She is a former
professor in the Inclusive and Special Education Program in the Department of Teaching and
Leadership at Syracuse University. She has spent the past 20 years studying and creating best
practices for inclusive education, with a specific focus on supporting students whose behavior
challenges the educational system.
Kate MacLeod is an assistant professor of special education at the University of Maine at
Farmington and founder and consultant at Inclusive Schooling. Her teaching, research, writing,
and consulting are guided by a passion for inclusive education and social justice. Kate is a former
high school special education teacher in New York City and now works with administrators,
educators, and families around the country to create more inclusive practices for all students.
Co-Teaching Do's, Don'ts, and Do Betters
Tody J. Karten & Wendy W. Murawski
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416629184, $30.95, PB, 194pp
https://www.amazon.com/Co-Teaching-Dos-Donts-Do-Betters/dp/1416629181
Synopsis: Co-teaching has been increasingly adopted to support students in the general education
K-12 classroom. After 20 years of field testing, we know what works and what doesn't.
"Co-Teaching Do's, Don'ts, and Do Betters" is practical instructional guide by co-teaching and
inclusion education experts Toby J. Karten and Wendy W. Murawski who detail the best
practices for successful co-teaching and ways to troubleshoot common pitfalls.
"Co-Teaching Do's, Don'ts, and Do Betters" directly and effectively addresses the do's, don'ts,
and do betters of: The co-teaching relationship and collaborative roles; Co-planning instruction
and assessment; Co-teaching in action; Academic and behavioral supports and interventions;
Collaborative reflections, improvements, and celebrations.
Classroom teachers will gain valuable insights on what to start doing, what to stop doing, and
how to improve their co-teaching practices to better reach all students.
Critique: Expertly written, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation,
"Co-Teaching Do's, Don'ts, and Do Betters" is ideal for school district in-service training
programs and is very strongly recommended as an addition to both college and university library
Teacher Education collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for
the personal reading lists of classroom teachers, student teachers, school administrators, and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Co-Teaching Do's, Don'ts, and Do
Betters" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.40).
Editorial Note: Toby J. Karten is a staff developer, instructional coach, educational consultant,
author, adjunct professor, and inclusion specialist who has taught populations of learners at
levels ranging from preschool to graduate school. Karten has been recognized by the Council for
Exceptional Children and the New Jersey Department of Education as an exemplary educator,
receiving two Teacher of the Year awards. Karten works with school districts throughout the
United States and internationally as a staff developer, inclusion coach, and educational
consultant. She maintains a website at: www.inclusionworkshops.com.
Wendy W. Murawski is the executive director and Eisner Endowed Chair for the Center for
Teaching and Learning at California State University, Northridge. A former special education
and high school German teacher, Murawski is passionate about inclusive education. Her research
on co-teaching is widely published and has garnered both research and publication awards. She is
the author or co-author of 13 books on education, as well as co-teaching software. Murawski is
the past president of the Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children and
the CEO and president of 2 TEACH LLC, an educational consulting company. She is a
frequently requested keynote speaker and has presented in North America, Asia, Europe, and
Africa on topics related to inclusive education.
Student as Producer
Mike Neary
Zero Books
c/o John Hunt Publishing, Ltd.
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
9781789042382, $27.95, PB, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Student-Producer-Revolutionary-Teachers-Teach/dp/1789042380
Synopsis: "Student as Producer: How do Revolutionary Teachers Teach? " by Mike Neary is set
between the student protests and urban riots that erupted in England in 2010-2011 and the 2017
General Election, during which students and young people played a significant role by protesting
the politics of austerity and by supporting the politics of Corbynism.
This revolutionary curriculum is framed around unlearning the law of labor and the institutions
through which the law of labor is enforced, including the capitalist university which seeks growth
and expansion for the sake of growth, neglecting the needs of students in favor of the needs of
the capitalist state.
Through thought experiments and reference to the work of the Soviet legal theorist, Evgeny
Pashukanis, "Student as Producer" searches for solutions to how cooperatives might be brought
about by a sense of common purpose and social defense.
Mike Neary grounds his answers in a version of Marx's social theory known as 'a new reading of
Marx', as advanced by authors such as Werner Bonefeld and Moishe Postone. The theory is
applied to various aspects of pedagogy, criminology, and political sociology to create a curricula
for revolutionary teaching that will aid activists who are seeking ways in which to engage
critically with higher education.
Critique: Thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Student as Producer: How do Revolutionary
Teachers Teach?" is an inherently interesting and occasionally iconoclastic read that will have
particular appeal for readers with an interest in higher and continuing education, the philosophy
and social aspects of education, Communism & Socialism with respect to the process of
education and educational institutions. While also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $22.99), "Student as Producer: How do Revolutionary Teachers Teach?" is an especially
recommended addition to community, college, and university library Teacher Education
collections.
Editorial Note: Mike Neary is Professor of Sociology at the University of Lincoln, (Lincoln,
England) where between 2017 and 2019 he held the post of Director of Research in the School
for Social and Political Sciences. He is the author of The Labour Debate: An Investigation into
the Theory and Reality of Capitalist Work and The Future of Higher Education: Policy, Pedagogy
and the Student Experience. Neary's research centres on the future of universities and the role of
higher education in creating a post-capitalist society.
Zest For Learning
Bill Lucas & Ellen Spencer
Crown House Publishing
81 Brook Hills Circle, White Plains, NY 10605
www.crownhousepublishing.com
9781785834011, $22.95, PB, 200pp
https://www.amazon.com/Zest-Learning-Developing-real-world-challenges/dp/1785834010
Synopsis: The collaborative project of Bill Lucas and Ellen Spencer, "Zest For Learning:
Developing Curious Learners Who Relish Real-World Challenges" explores the ways in which
classroom teachers can fuel their pupils curiosity and help them find their passions, develop
independence and challenge themselves to become more expansive learners.
The third book in the Pedagogy for a Changing World series from Crown House Publishing,
"Zest for Learning" deftly examines how schools can enrich their pupils learning both within and
beyond school. This could be encouraged through, for example, greater engagement with sports
and the arts, or by collaborating with external bodies such as the Scouts and Guides, or the Duke
of Edinburgh scheme and with libraries, museums, faith groups and environmental
associations.
"Zest for Learning" connects the co-curriculum with the formal curriculum, building both
theoretical and practical confidence in the kinds of pedagogies which work well. "Zest for
Learning" is infused throughout with a range of ideas for getting pupils to love learning so much
that they will be able to learn whatever they want to throughout their lives.
Critique: Expertly written, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Zest for
Learning" is an ideal textbook for school district in-service teacher training programs and an
unreservedly recommended addition to college/university library Teacher Education collections
and supplemental curriculum studies reading lists. It should be noted for the personal reading
lists of student teachers, faculty, school administrators, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "Zest for Learning" is also readily available in a digital book format
(eTextbook, $21.80).
Editorial Note: Professor Bill Lucas is the Director of the Centre for Real-World Learning. With
Guy Claxton he created the Expansive Education Network -- an organisation of schools that
share a common view of the goals of education. These goals are outlined in their seminal book,
'Educating Ruby'.
Dr Ellen Spencer is a senior researcher at the Centre for Real-World Learning. She has a PhD
from the University of Warwick, where her doctoral research focused on the impact of policy on
school improvement.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Pet Nation
Mark L. Cushing
Avery Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
https://www.penguin.com
9780593083864, $27.00, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Pet-Nation-Affair-Changed-America/dp/0593083865
Synopsis: In the last 20 years pets have gone from the backyard to sleeping on our beds, then
showing up in every corner of America. "Pet Nation: The Love Affair That Changed America" by
Mark L. Cusing tells the story of this seismic shift and the economic, media, legal, political, and
social dramas springing from this cultural transformation.
Since 1998 the pet population in the U.S. has almost doubled -- about two-thirds of the country
now owns a pet. No longer left to wander the neighborhood, dogs and cats eat special food, get
individualized medical attention, and are provided with all manner of toys. As founder of the
Animal Policy Group, Mark Cushing provides an inside look at the rise of what he has termed
our 'Pet Nation', tracking the myriad ways pets are acquired (a "Canine Freedom Train" runs
south to north), reporting on pet rights legislation (and the unseen problems that come with
elevating their status), pet healthcare (revealing the truth and myths about large scale breeders),
and discovering that despite what many organizations would have us believe, there is a shortage
of dogs.
Insightful, surprising, and with a wealth of great stories, "Pet Nation" reveals the big changes that
are happening in front of us right now. It shows us not only what our love of animals says about
pets, it shows us what it says about ourselves.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and impressively thought-provoking study, "Pet Nation: The
Love Affair That Changed America" is an extraordinarily informative and highly recommended
addition to community and college/university library Pets & Wildlife collections. A 'must read'
for everyone who has an animal companion as a part of their family, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Pet Nation" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$14.99).
Editorial Note: Mark Cushing is the founding partner and CEO of the Animal Policy Group and a
Stanford honors graduate. He acts as Trustees Counsel for Lincoln Memorial University and has
served as adjunct faculty and lecturer at Lincoln Memorial University, Lewis & Clark College,
and the University of Oregon law school.
The Money/Finance Shelf
Financial Freedom: Secrets of Debt-free Living
Simon Aranonu
Westbow Press
c/o Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.westbowpress.com
9781973675556, $11.95, PB, 138pp
https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Freedom-Secrets-Debt-free-Living/dp/1973675552
Synopsis: Simon Aranonu wrote "Financial Freedom: Secrets of Debt-free Living" specifically
for those people who are either in financial mess or may soon enter into financial mess because
they lack knowledge about personal finance. "Financial Freedom: Secrets of Debt-free Living"
bridging that financial information and expertise gap by equipping readers with the practical
knowledge and effective skills necessary to successfully manage personal finance regardless of
the amount of their particular revenues or state of their present financial debts and/or
obligations.
Critique: Expertly written, accessibly organized, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in presentation,
"Financial Freedom: Secrets of Debt-free Living" provides a complete DIY course of instruction
and guidance that will enable anyone to become free of the crippling burden of debt and to
achieve whatever their personal financial goals might be through identifying and avoiding the
factors that create 'debt bondage', what steps can be taken to remain debt free, and how to both
build and preserve personal wealth and prepare for eventual retirement. While especially and
unreservedly recommended for both community and college/university library Money/Finance
Management collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Financial Freedom:
Secrets of Debt-free Living" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$3.99).
Editorial Note: Currently the Executive Director at the Bank of Industry and the Author of
"Solution Capsules, Simon Aranonu as spent more than thirty-four years in accounting, banking,
and as a financial consultant.
The Psychology Shelf
The Art Therapists' Primer, third edition
Dr. Ellen G. Horovitz, editor
Charles C. Thomas, Publisher
2600 South First Street, Springfield, IL 62704
http://www.ccthomas.com
9780398093389, $59.95, PB, 408pp
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Therapists-Primer-Assessments-Diagnosis/dp/0398093385
Synopsis: Now in a newly updated and expanded third edition, "The Art Therapists' Primer: A
Clinical Guide to Writing Assessments, Diagnosis, and Treatment" is knowledgeably compiled
and deftly edited by Doctor Ellen G. Horovitz shares over 40 years of her professional experience
as she transliterates evidence-based art therapy into medical terminology.
Featuring impressively informative contributions by twenty-four experts in the field, "The Art
Therapists' Primer" collectively spells out the how-to's behind producing art therapy assessments,
process notes, significant sessions, objectives and modalities, termination summaries and
internet-based assessments into translatable documentation, designed to dovetail within an
interdisciplinary medical model. In addition, this third edition emphasizes information on how to
use psychological applications and art therapy based assessments to ensure best practices and
efficacy of patient care.
This step-by-step methodology fashions these reports, placing art therapy on equal footing with
all mental health clinicians and generates records, which serve as points of departure for
practitioners. This text is specifically designed as a teaching tool that lays the foundation to
enhance pertinent skills that are important to patient practice, including the armament to write up
clinically-based reports that serve as a model for the field.
Additionally, the practitioner is offered sample formats, legends and abbreviations of clinical and
psychiatric terms, guidelines for recordable events, instructions of writing up objectives,
modalities, and treatment goals as well as training on composing progress versus process
notes.
The Appendices provides a wealth of information and forms to use in one's clinical practice,
making "The Art Therapists' Primer" an essential reference manual that accessibly amasses
information that will serve as a companion guide for every art therapist to formulate clinical
reports, and it will aid patients toward their trajectory of wellness, recovery and, above all,
health.
Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "The Art Therapists' Primer: A Clinical
Guide to Writing Assessments, Diagnosis, and Treatment" is an ideal choice as a curriculum
textbook and is unreservedly recommended for professional, college and university library Art
Therapy Psychology & Counseling collections and supplemental studies lists for students and
practitioners alike.
The Library Science Shelf
Resource Discovery for the Twenty-First Century Library
Simon McLeish, editor
Facet Publishing
www.facetpublishing.co.uk
9781783301386, $64.95 British Pounds, 240pp
http://www.facetpublishing.co.uk/title.php?id=301386
Synopsis: Discovery is central to academic activities at all levels and is a major focus for libraries
and museums. Of all the parts of modern library provision, discovery services are the most
clearly affected by developments in IT, from databases to search engines to linked data to
machine learning. It is crucial to the relationship between libraries and their communities.
Knowledgeably compiled and expertly edited by Simon McLeish, "Resource Discovery for the
Twenty-First Century Library" will help community and academic librarians learn how to adapt
in a fast changing area to continue to provide a high level of service.
"Resource Discovery for the Twenty-First Century Library" contains a range of contributions by
experts that analyze the ways in which libraries are tackling the challenges facing them in
discovery in the (post)-Google era. Individual chapters describe specific areas of discovery and
local implementations and ideas. "Resource Discovery for the Twenty-First Century Library" will
help with enhancing discovery both inbound - making locally held resources globally
discoverable, and outbound -- making global resources locally discoverable, in ways which are
relevant to your user community.
"Resource Discovery for the Twenty-First Century Library" will also be quite useful for subject
librarians and others who give direct support to library users, digital library technicians,
managers, staff with responsibility for managing electronic resources, metadata and discovery
specialists, trainers and user education specialists. It will also be of particular use to curators and
others who give direct support to researchers, managers of digitisation and cataloguing products,
IT staff, trainers and user education specialists.
Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Resource Discovery for the Twenty-First
Century Library" will prove to be ideal as a curriculum textbook and is unreservedly
recommended for both college and university Library Science collections. Enhanced for
academia with the inclusion of numerous Figures and Table, as well as a complete listing of the
contributors and their credentials, it should be noted for personal reading lists that there is also a
digital edition of "Resource Discovery for the Twenty-First Century Library" available from
Facet Publishing in the form of an ebook PDF (9781783301409).
Editorial Note: Simon McLeish worked in conference organization before the planning of an
Internet conference led to work as a web designer during the dot com era. This developed into a
career in digital libraries, including the development of online academic journals, research
environments and authentication. Work on Shibboleth and Identity Management culminated in
the production of the JISC Identity Management Toolkit and the book Access and Identity
Management for Libraries. In 2013, Simon took up the post of Resource Discovery Architect for
the Bodleian Libraries of the University of Oxford, and now divides his time between managing
existing discovery and authentication services for the libraries and in research and
development.
The Theatre/Cinema Shelf
What Price Hollywood?
Elyce Rae Helford
The University Press of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40508-4008
www.kentuckypress.com
9780813179292, $40.00, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/What-Price-Hollywood-Gender-George/dp/0813179297
Synopsis: During the early Hollywood sound era, studio director George Cukor (July 7, 1899 -
January 24, 1983) produced nearly fifty films in as many years, famously winning the Best
Director Oscar at the 1964 Academy Awards for My Fair Lady. His collaborations with so-called
difficult actresses such as Katharine Hepburn, Judy Garland, and Marilyn Monroe unsettled
producers even as his ticket sales lined their pockets.
Fired from Gone with the Wind for giving Vivien Leigh more screen time than Clark Gable,
Cukor quickly earned a double-sided reputation as a "woman's director." While the label
celebrated his ability to help actresses deliver their best performances, the epithet also branded
the gay director as suitable only for work on female-centered movies such as melodramas and
romantic comedies. Desperate for success after a failed drag film nearly ended his career, Cukor
swore to work within Hollywood's constraints.
Nevertheless, "What Price Hollywood? Gender and Sex in the Films of George Cukor" by
Professor Elyce Rae Helford finds that Cukor continued to explore gender and sexuality
on-screen. Drawing on a broad array of theoretical lenses, Helford examines how Cukor's
award-winning films (including My Fair Lady and The Philadelphia Story) as well as his
lesser-known films engage Hollywood masculinity and gender performativity through camp,
drag, and mixed genres.
Blending biography with critical analysis of more than twenty-five films, "What Price
Hollywood?" tells story of a once-in-a-generation director who produced some of the best films
in history.
Critique: An extraordinarily informative and deftly presented study of one of the truly
outstanding Hollywood film directors of the 20th Century, "What Price Hollywood?: Gender and
Sex in the Films of George Cukor" will prove to be an immediately welcome and unreservedly
appreciated addition to both community and academic library American Cinema History
collections in general, and George Cukor supplemental studies lists in particular. It should be
noted for the personal reading lists of film students, academia, film buffs, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "What Price Hollywood?: Gender and Sex in
the Films of George Cukor" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$24.49).
Editorial Note: Elyce Rae Helford is Professor of English, a former director of women's and
gender studies, and current Director of Jewish and Holocaust Studies at Middle Tennessee State
University. She is also the co-editor of "The Woman Fantastic in Contemporary American Media
Culture" and editor of "Fantasy Girls: Gender in the New Universe of Science Fiction and
Fantasy Television".
The Kilroys List: Volume Two
Annah Feinberg, et al.
Theatre Communications Group
520 Eighth Avenue, 24th floor, New York, NY 10018-4156
http://www.tcg.org/publications
9781559369541, $16.95, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Kilroys-List-Vol-Monologues-Playwrights/dp/155936954X
Synopsis: The Kilroys are a gang of playwrights and producers who came together in Los
Angeles in 2013 to stop talking about gender parity in theater and start taking action. In 2014,
they released their first annual List: a vetted collection of plays written by women, trans, and
nonbinary writers, nominated by hundreds of professional artistic directors, literary managers,
professors, directors, and dramaturgs.
Now in a second volume, The Kilroys are back with a new collection of 67 monologues and
scenes by women and nonbinary playwrights. This collection includes a monologue or scene
from each play from the 2016 and 2017 editions of The List.
Critique: All aspiring actors and theatre buffs will appreciated this new anthology that is an ideal
as a reference for auditions and acting class practices. While especially recommended for
community theatre, school theatrical class curriculums, community and college/university library
Theatre collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Kilroys List: Volume
Two" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Health/Medicine Shelf
What You Must Know About Strokes
Amytis Towfighi, MD & Laura J. Stevens, MSci
Square One Publishers
115 Herricks Road, Garden City Park, NY 11040
www.squareonepublishers.com
9780757004834, $16.95, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/What-Must-Know-About-Strokes/dp/0757004830
Synopsis: A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death.
There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to
bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functioning properly. Signs and symptoms of a
stroke may include an inability to move or feel on one side of the body, problems understanding
or speaking, dizziness, or loss of vision to one side. Signs and symptoms often appear soon after
the stroke has occurred. If symptoms last less than one or two hours, the stroke is a transient
ischemic attack (TIA), also called a mini-stroke. A hemorrhagic stroke may also be associated
with a severe headache.[3] The symptoms of a stroke can be permanent. Long-term
complications may include pneumonia and loss of bladder control. (Wikipedia)
No one is ever prepared for a stroke. It just happens, and when it does, the results can be life
altering. From difficulties with communication to weakness, numbness, and cognitive
difficulties, a stroke can have a wide range of consequences. For most people affected by a
stroke, a flood of questions come afterward: How did this happen? What do we do next? What
are our options? How long will recovery take? Am I at risk for another stroke?
To answer these questions and so many others, stroke specialist Dr. Amytis Towfighi and
best-selling health writer and stroke survivor Laura Stevens have written "What You Must Know
About Strokes: How to Recover from a Stroke and Prevent another Stroke". Written in plain
English, this useful guide offers all the information stroke survivors and their loved ones need to
know in order to ask the right questions and make informed decisions.
"What You Must Know About Strokes" is divided into five sections:
Part 1 explains what a stroke is and which risk factors increase the odds of having a stroke. It
also includes information on identifying the early signs of a stroke and what to do when they
appear.
Part 2 looks at the immediate care given to stroke survivors as they are brought into a hospital
setting.
Part 3 details the most common rehabilitation treatments given to stroke patients to help them
regain their ability to carry out their daily activities, mobility, speech, and cognition. These
include occupational, physical, and speech therapies. It also discusses a number of
complementary and alternative treatments that may be helpful.
Part 4 offers important suggestions on lifestyle and nutrition to help patients avoid another
stroke.
Part 5 provides a look at life after a stroke and the issues stroke survivors may face. It offers
practical and easy-to-follow advice on moving forward.
Of special note is that "What You Must Know About Strokes" also offers a section of resources,
listing services and agencies that provide answers and assistance to stroke patients and their
families.
The many challenges of dealing with a stroke are great -- for patients as well as their loved ones.
The road back is not always easy. Understanding what is happening and what treatment options
are available is crucial. The information contained in "What You Must Know About Strokes" can
greatly benefit anyone dealing with the aftermath of a stroke and make all the difference in the
world.
Critique: Impressively informative, comprehensive, and specifically written to benefit the non-
specialist general reader with an interest in the subject, "What You Must Know About Strokes:
How to Recover from a Stroke and Prevent another Stroke" is especially recommended for
community library Health/Medicine collections and the personal reading lists of anyone who has
to deal with stroke and its aftermath.
Editorial Note: Amytis Towfighi, received her MD from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She
completed her internship and residency at Harvard; she completed internship at Massachusetts
General Hospital (MGH) and Neurology Residency at MGH and Brigham and Women's
Hospital. She completed her Vascular Neurology fellowship at UCLA. She is currently an
associate professor of neurology at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern
California (USC). Dr. Towfighi is also the Director of Neurological Services for the Los Angeles
County Department of Health Services and the Associate Medical Director and Chief of
Neurological Services at Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center. She served as Chair of
Neurology at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center for eleven years.
Laura Stevens, MSci, received her master's degree in nutrition science from the Department of
Nutrition Science at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Since graduation, she has
worked at Purdue as a researcher, investigating the relationship between diet and health
disorders. Apart from her work at Purdue, Laura is also the author of eight books on diet,
behavior, and allergies.
The Business Shelf
Profit or Wealth?
Ruth King
Morgan James Publishing
11815 Fountain Way, Suite 300, Newport News, VA 23606-4448
www.morganjamespublishing.com
9781642799392, $14.95, PB, 154pp
https://www.amazon.com/Profit-Wealth-Simple-Sustainable-Business/dp/1642799394
Synopsis: Many business owners just worry about profits and ignore business wealth building,
but a business to survive and prosper needs both. Without building wealth, any business can still
go bankrupt.
Unlike books which solely focus on building personal wealth, "Profit or Wealth?: Simple Rules
for Sustainable Business Growth" by Ruth King gives business owners and entrepreneurs clear
and simple rules to build business wealth which can translate to personal wealth.
"Profit or Wealth?" takes a unique perspective on what really matters in financial statements.
Percentages don't matter. Dollars do. For example, are those business owners discover why
looking at net profit percentages or gross margins can get them in trouble.
Critique: Simply stated, in this present economic crisis that threatens to turn a pandemic created
recession into a plague state depression, "Profit or Wealth?: Simple Rules for Sustainable
Business Growth" is a timely and important contribution to personal, professional, community,
corporate, and collge/university library Business Management and Wealth Management
collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of business owners and entrepreneurs
that "Profit or Wealth?" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Ruth King holds an MBA in Finance from Georgia State University and
bachelor's and master's Degrees in Chemical Engineering from Tufts University and the
University of Pennsylvania, respectively. She started the Decatur, Georgia branch of the Small
Business Development Center in 1982. She also started the Women's Entrepreneurial Center and
taught a year-long course for women who wanted to start their own businesses. More recently,
Ruth was the instructor for the Inner-City Entrepreneur (ICE) program in conjunction with the
Small Business Administration. She has also been interviewed by the Wall Street Journal Radio
Network, the Big Biz Show, and many regional and local radio programs. Ruth has appeared on
MSNBC's "It's Your Money" program, Fox San Diego, and many other local television stations.
Ruth has spoken internationally for Kohler, Carrier Corporation, Safeguard (division of Deluxe),
and many other corporations and national/state/local associations.
Courageous Cultures
Karin Hurt & Danny Dye
HarperCollins Leadership
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway, New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781400219537, $24.99, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Courageous-Cultures-Karin-Hurt/dp/1400219531
Synopsis: Many business leaders and corporate executives are convinced that they have an open
environment that encourages their employees to speak up and are shocked when they learn that
employees are often holding back. Employees have ideas and want to be heard. Leadership wants
to hear them. Too often, however, employees and leaders both feel that no one cares about
making things better. The disconnect typically only widens over time, with both sides becoming
more firmly entrenched in their viewpoints.
Becoming a courageous culture means building teams of microinnovators, problem solvers, and
customer advocates working together. A microinnovator is the employee who consistently seeks
out small, but powerful, ways to improve the business. A problem solver is the employee who
cares about what's not working and wants to make it better. They uncover and speak openly about
what's not working and think critically about how to fix it. A customer advocate is the employee
who sees through your customers' eyes and speaks up on their behalf. They actively look for
ways to improve customers' experience and minimize customer frustrations.
In our world of rapid change, a courageous culture is your competitive advantage. It ensures that
your company is "sticky" for both customers and employees. In this book you'll learn practical
tools to uncover, leverage, and scale the best ideas from every level of your organization.
Collaboratively written by the team of Karin Hurt and Danny Dye, "Courageous Cultures: How
to Build Teams of Micro-Innovators, Problem Solvers, and Customer Advocates" is the result of
their latest research conducted and confirms why organizations struggle when it comes to
creating strong cultures where employees are encouraged to contribute their best thinking.
"Courageous Cultures" shows how proven models and tools that leaders can apply throughout all
levels of the organization can successfully re-engage and motivate employees; understand best
practices from companies around the world; and learn how to apply these strategies and
techniques in their own organizations.
Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "Courageous Cultures: How to Build Teams
of Micro-Innovators, Problem Solvers, and Customer Advocates" is an ideal DIY course of
instruction that will lay out a successful approach for management to get the most value out of
what their employees have to offer to maximize corporate success in a highly competitive and
highly stressful business environment. While especially recommended for corporate, community,
and college/university library Business Management collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Courageous Cultures: How to Build Teams of Micro-Innovators, Problem
Solvers, and Customer Advocates" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$12.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781713527213,
$24.91, CD).
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Hoodoo Cleansing and Protection Magic
Miss Aida
Weiser Books
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
www.redwheelweiser.com
9781578636976, $16.95, PB, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hoodoo-Cleansing-Protection-Magic-Unpleasant/dp/1578636973
Synopsis: Does your house feel a little wonky? Is someone giving you the evil eye? Are you just
having a run of bad luck or have you been cursed? Miss Aida answers all these questions and
more in the pages of "Hoodoo Cleansing and Protection Magic: Banish Negative Energy and
Ward Off Unpleasant People".
In this unique metaphysical handbook, Miss Aida offers sound, practical advice for all sorts of
dicey situations, large and small. "Hoodoo Cleansing and Protection Magic" is filled with rituals,
spells, and Miss Aida's own personal magical formulas for removing negative energies, breaking
malevolent spells, and banishing harmful people so that you can take control and live your best
life.
A seasoned magical practitioner from an eclectic background, Miss Aida shares her own psychic
and spiritual experiences in order to help you cleanse and protect your space, aura, and loved
ones. Within these pages, you will learn how to: Avoid and protect yourself from negative
entities; Understand unpleasant, negative, and predatory people and take action against them;
Break a cycle of bad luck; Distinguish reputable ghost hunters from frauds and amateurs;
Recognize bewitched or possessed objects and remove their effects.
Critique: A unique and thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional guide, "Hoodoo Cleansing and
Protection Magic: Banish Negative Energy and Ward Off Unpleasant People" will prove to be an
inherently fascinating and exceptionally informative read for dedicated metaphysical students and
practitioners.
Enhanced with an informative Foreword by author, teacher, psychic, spirit worker, and
aromatherapist Judika Illes and highly recommended for community and academic library
Metaphysical Studies collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Hoodoo
Cleansing and Protection Magic: Banish Negative Energy and Ward Off Unpleasant People" is
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Miss Aida was born into a family with a long history of spiritual work; most of
her family practiced santeria, palo, or brujeria - or a combination of all three. She later learned
hoodoo from esteemed teachers. A natural medium and hoodoo practitioner, she is also a US Air
Force veteran and a registered nurse.
Holy Ice: Past Lives & Crystal Skulls
Paulinne Delcour-Min
Ozark Mountain Publishing, Inc.
PO Box 754, Huntsville, AR 72740
www.ozarkmt.com
9781940265766, $20.00, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Ice-Crystal-Skulls-Secrets/dp/1940265762
In the pages of "Holy Ice: Past Lives & Crystal Skulls", author Paulinne Delcour-Min takes us on
a breathtaking journey through time, to the heart of the mystery of the crystal skulls. Revered by
shamans, held by indigenous peoples, displayed in the museums of the world, the crystal skulls
are ancient artifacts that can inspire us to awaken to our power.
Change is coming: global warming, pollution. Today's environmental crisis shows that the old
ways aren't working. We can't stop change, but we can choose to work with it and bring in a
Golden Age. In "Holy Ice: Past Lives & Crystal Skulls", past life memories researched through
regression span from Atlantis to the present day, building a cosmic vision for the future --
underscoring that those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.
Within the pages of "Holy Ice: Past Lives & Crystal Skulls" are to be found the secrets of
time.
Critique: An inherently fascinating, impressive informative, exceptionally well organized, and
thoroughly 'reader friendly' in presentation, "Holy Ice: Past Lives & Crystal Skulls" is an
especially original and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional,
community, and college/university library Contemporary Metaphysical Studies collections. It
should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general reader with an interest in the
subject that "Holy Ice: Past Lives & Crystal Skulls" is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Paulinne Delcour-Min lives with her husband on the northeast coast of England.
Paulinne loves the beauty of plants and her garden is an intimate place brimming with flowers.
Gardening is her joy and provides a good counterbalance to the heady work of past lives and
healing through time. As she says, gardening is a very grounding activity. Her eyes are on the
stars and our future, but her hands and her heart are firmly committed to the Earth. She is here to
make a difference.
Edgar Allan Poe Tarot
Rose Wright, author
Eugene Smith, illustrator
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738760339, $31.99, Cards, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Edgar-Allan-Tarot-Rose-Wright/dp/0738760331
Synopsis: Blending the divinatory power of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot with the visionary
writings of Edgar Allan Poe, "Edgar Allan Poe Tarot" from Llewellyn Publications is a very
special and unique tarot deck that provides the practitioner with deep spiritual insights into who
they are and what they might become.
The stunning artwork by Eugene Smith is based on Rose Wright's retelling and referencing of
Poe's tales of the mysterious and the macabre illuminates the imagination and opens the soul to
fantastical realms of spirit.
Critique: The "Edgar Allan Poe Tarot" would grace any personal, professional, community, or
college/university library collection and the accompanying instruction guide and manual will
prove ideal for the novice and have a great deal of value for even the experienced tarot
reader.
Editorial Note: Rose Wright is an author, certified Reiki healer, and lifelong student of tarot and
astrology who often engages along the Los Angeles shoreline practicing healing arts and energy
work. Her work has been featured in Refinery 29, New Worlds Magazine, and New Leaf
Magazine.
Eugene Smith pursued a BFA in painting and drawing from the Academy of Art University in
San Francisco and his artwork and illustrations have appeared in books, editorials, tarot card
decks, and educational graphic novels.
The Biography Shelf
Can This Marriage Be Saved?: A Memoir
Nancy McCabe
University of Missouri Press
201 S. 7th Street, Columbia, MO 65211
https://upress.missouri.edu
9780826222121, $29.95, HC, 284pp
https://www.amazon.com/Can-This-Marriage-Be-Saved/dp/0826222129
Synopsis: "Can This Marriage Be Saved?: A Memoir" by Nancy McCabe (who directs the
writing program at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford and teaches in the low residency
MFA program at the Spalding University School of Creative and Professional Writing) is a
warm, deeply-personal, and often humorous story in which she re-examines and gains new
understanding of her early life and her ill-advised marriage.
Borrowing from Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights and Kafka's "Metamorphosis", "Can This
Marriage Be Saved?: A Memoir" is comprised of how-to essays, before-and-after weight loss
ads, a curriculum guide, Bible study notes, an obsession with Tom Swiftie jokes, and women's
magazine columns and quizzes that oversimplified women's lives and choices.
McCabe examines the many influences that led into her youthful marriage -- then out of it, and
into finally taking control of her life.
Critique: An inherently fascinating, insightful, thoughtful and thought-provoking life story, "Can
This Marriage Be Saved?: A Memoir" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended
addition to community and college/university library Contemporary American Biography
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Can This Marriage Be Saved?: A
Memoir" is also readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle,
$28.45).
That Wasn't the Plan: A Memoir
Reg Sherren
Douglas & McIntyre
c/o Harbour Publishing
www.douglas-mcintyre.com
9781771622547, $24.95, PB, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/That-Wasnt-Plan-Reg-Sherren/dp/1771622547
Synopsis: Residing in Winnipeg, MB, Canada, Reg Sherren is a popular commentator, writer and
freelance producer. A two-time Gemini and Canadian Screen Award nominee, Sherren has also
been the recipient of numerous journalism awards from the New York and Columbus
international film and video festivals, as well as the Radio-Television News Directors'
Association.
Many Canadians will remember Reg Sherren as host of the popular CBC TV program Country
Canada, when he crisscrossed the nation sniffing out amazing but little-known stories of life in
small towns and rural areas. Others will recall his many years as feature reporter for CBC's
flagship news program, The National, collecting stories like that of Montreal inventor Catalin
Alexandru Duru magically soaring above the earth on his home-made hoverboard to set a new
Guiness World Record. In the course of his eventful career Sherren did everything from guest
hosting network radio shows like Cross Country Checkup to reporting from war zones, and his
experiences make for an autobiography bristling with memorable characters, unbelievable events
and provocative reflection.
Breaking news, politics, crime, economics -- Sherren covered it all, and always with what Peter
Mansbridge called "his unique ability to weave fascinating detail into the fabric of the people and
places that make our nation so diverse and so interesting." In this memoir, "That Wasn't the
Plan", Sherren shares behind-the-scenes stories of his career in television journalism and the
many Canadians he met along the way, from the time he rode on the back of a humpback whale,
to chronicling a journey down the world's longest ice road in a solar-powered car.
Sherren also provides insight into the changing business of broadcasting, having witnessed
up-close how the industry has evolved, and why it is more important now than ever.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "That Wasn't the Plan: A Memoir"
is especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library
Canadian Biography collections. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book
format (Kindle, $16.99), "That Wasn't the Plan: A Memoir" will have a very special appeal to
journalism industry insiders, CBC fans, and Canadian history buffs.
I'm So Glad You're Here: A Memoir
Pamela Gay
https://pamela-gay.com
She Writes Press
www.shewritespress.com
9781631528743, $16.95, PB, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Im-So-Glad-Youre-Here/dp/1631528742
Synopsis: "I'm So Glad You're Here: A Memoir" by Pamela Gay is the story of a family disrupted
by ramifications of a father's mental illness. The personal memoir opens with a riveting account
of Pamela, age eighteen, witnessing her father being bound in a straitjacket and carried out of the
house on a stretcher.
The trauma she experiences escalates when, after her father has had electroshock treatments at a
state mental hospital, her parents leave her in a college dorm room and move from Massachusetts
to Florida without her. She feels abandoned. Both her parents have gone missing.
Decades later, when Gay and her three much-older siblings show up for their father's funeral, she
witnesses her sundered family's inability to gather together. Eventually, she is diagnosed with
PTSD of abandonment and treated with EMDR therapy -- and finally begins to heal.
Poignant and powerful, "I'm So Glad You're Here: A Memoir" is Pamela Gay's exploration of the
idea that while the wounds we carry from growing up in fractured families stay with us, they do
not have to control us -- a reflective journey that will inspire readers to think about their own
relational lives.
Critique: An inherently interesting and impressively candid personal story, "I'm So Glad You're
Here: A Memoir" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to both
community and college/university library Contemporary American Biography collections and
will have an immense appeal to reader's struggling with similar family issues of their own. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "I'm So Glad You're Here: A Memoir" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Pamela Gay is a Professor Emerita at Binghamton University, State University of
New York, where she taught courses in flash memoir and flash fiction. Professor Gay is the
recipient of a New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) award in creative nonfiction and an
Independent eBook Award for her memoir "Homecoming", which combined text, image, and
sound. Professor Gay's writing has been published in Brevity, Iowa Review, Paterson Literary
Review, Midway Journal, Monkeybicycle, Grey Sparrow, Vestal Review, and other literary
journals, as well as two anthologies.
The Needlecraft Shelf
Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in Burano
Kaffe Fassett
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781641551199, $29.95, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Kaffe-Fassetts-Quilts-Burano-Fassett/dp/1641551194
Synopsis: San Francisco-born artist Kaffe Fassett is a name every quilter knows. His work has
been commissioned by the British monarchy, American fashion designers, and the Royal
Shakespeare Company. He has written numerous best-sellers including Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in
Italy, Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in Morocco, and Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in the Cotswold's.
Kaffe Fassett uses the colorful Venetian island of Burano to form the backdrop of another
stunning collection of new quilt designs from the Kaffe Fassett Studio.
"Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in Burano: Designs Inspired by a Venetian Island" is the latest in his
popular series of patchwork and quilting books. The quilts themselves have been photographed
on location in Burano, a tiny island in Italy's Venetian archipelago, famous for its lace making
but also for its brilliantly painted houses in a myriad jewel colors.
The colorful house walls, sometimes distressed and occasionally decorated with murals, form the
backdrop, along with the canals, bridges, and boats of this special Venetian island, to another
wonderful selection of Kaffe's new quilt designs.
This collection of 19 quilts features both new fabric designs from the Kaffe Collective and some
of his Classics. Bali Brocade makes a fantastic background to Kaffe's sumptuous Shimmer Star
quilt with its ripples of pattern in contrasting prints. His two versions of a very simple quilt,
comes in two very different colorways. Hot Steps is a riot of color, whereas by contrast its sister
quilt, Cool Steps, in dusty blues, greens, and greys has an dreamy quality. Liza Prior Lucy's rich
and dark Turkish Coffee quilt, with its hint of Eastern promise, fussy cuts Kaffe's new Turkish
Delight fabric to brilliant effect.
Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in Burano provides all the instructional text, diagrams, and templates to
make the quilts, plus a section on basic patchwork techniques for less experienced quilters.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in
Burano: Designs Inspired by a Venetian Island" is profusely illustrated and with accessible step-
by-step instructions that will enable even the most novice of quilters to produce truly excellent
results. "Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in Burano: Designs Inspired by a Venetian Island" is especially
and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library
Needlecraft & Quilting instructional reference collections.
Decorative Macrame: 20 Stylish Projects for Your Home
Shufunotomo Company LTD.
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805316238, $14.99, PB, 64pp
https://www.amazon.com/Decorative-Macrame-Stylish-Projects-Your/dp/4805316233
Synopsis: In "Decorative Macrame", Shufunotomo (a leading Japanese publisher of books and
magazines on topics such as cooking, handcrafts, home decor, health and nutrition, fiction,
manga and more) deftly walks even the most novice of macrame enthusiasts through even the
most through the process of creating their own unique pieces, perfect for any space. Clear
step-by-step photographs show how to create the four basic knots and apply simple macrame
techniques, while detailed diagrams help with things like measurements -- making the creation
process less daunting.
Diagrams, drawings and instructions show you to create 20 projects, each of which are simple
enough for beginners, satisfying enough for practiced macrame practitioners. Ranging from small
accessories to hanging statement pieces, everyone will be able to find something that catches
their eye.
The showcased projects include: Soft wall hangings (perfect for warming up any space); An
elegant room divider; A boho chic lampshade; An adorable bunting that can hang year-round;
Multiple hanging plant holders; Curtain ties that add a touch of interest to your windows; A
keychain so you can carry your crafts with you; and thirteen more!
Beautiful lifestyle images of the finished projects (surrounded by muted tones, natural materials
and an abundance of plants) are sure to inspire any space.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and
presentation, "Decorative Macrame: 20 Stylish Projects for Your Home" is an ideal and
unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library
Needlecraft instructional reference collections. It should be noted for the personal reading list of
all dedicated macrame enthusiasts that "Decorative Macrame: 20 Stylish Projects for Your
Home" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Gardening Shelf
Saving Seeds
Dan Jason
Harbour Publishing
www.harbourpublishing.com
9781550179002, $14.95, PB, 96pp
https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Seeds-Gardeners-Preserving-Biodiversity/dp/1550179004
Our agricultural food comes from seeds. But where do those seeds come from? And where are
they going? For much of human history, farmers saved their own seed stocks to ensure a good
harvest from year to year.
In the mid-twentieth century, governments became involved in seed saving, creating massive
seed libraries cataloguing thousands of varieties. This biodiversity has come under attack in
recent decades, as corporations have replaced heirloom varieties with genetic engineering and
costly trademarks. In such an agricultural climate, saving seeds becomes both a practical act of
preservation and powerful act of protest.
Many households grow fruits, herbs, vegetables or flowers for personal use, and each of these
home gardens has the potential to preserve vital biodiversity, if only we would let plants go to
seed, harvest and preserve them. "Saving Seeds: A Home Gardener's Guide to Preserving Plant
Biodiversity" by Dan Jason is a clear and winsome introduction to the essentials of seed saving,
from seed selection criteria to harvest and storage tips. It also addresses the role of seed-saving
communities: local swaps, seed companies, friends and neighbours and even how the Internet can
support this time-honoured practice.
In an era of community gardens, farmers markets and renewed interest in heirloom species,
"Saving Seeds" is a timely call to ensure a more secure future for our seeds and ourselves.
Critique: Expertly written, impressively informative, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization
and presentation, "Saving Seeds: A Home Gardener's Guide to Preserving Plant Biodiversity"
should be considered a 'must read' instructional guide by dedicated family gardeners. While
unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Gardening collections,
it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Saving Seeds: A Home Gardener's Guide to
Preserving Plant Biodiversity" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Editorial Note: Dan Jason lives on Salt Spring Island, BC, where he founded the mail-order seed
company Salt Spring Seeds. He has written many popular books about growing and preparing
food sustainably, including "The Power of Pulses" (Douglas & McIntyre, 2016, with Hilary
Malone and Alison Malone Eathorne) and "Some Useful Wild Plants" (Harbour Publishing,
2017).
The Christian Studies Shelf
Radical Saints: 21 Women for the 21st Century
Melanie Rigney
Franciscan Media
28 West Liberty Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
https://info.franciscanmedia.org
9781632533111, $16.99, PB, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Radical-Saints-Women-21st-Century/dp/1632533111
Synopsis: Compiled with commentary by Melanie Rigney, "Radical Saints: 21 Women for the
21st Century" features twenty-one female saints who walked the earth in the twentieth century
and were canonized in the twenty-first. Each individual chapter tells the story of one woman's
radical gift and the world in which she lived. "Radical Saints" is comprised of stories of everyday
women who are living these gifts in ways large and small today. Some of the women featured
include Jacinta Marto, Elizabeth of the Trinity, Teresa of Calcutta, Marianne Cope, Mary
Mackillop, Gianna Beretta Molla, Katharine Drexel, Josephine Bakhita, and Maria Faustina
Kowalska.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "Radical Saints: 21 Women for the 21st Century" showcases
twenty-one truly extraordinary Christians whose lives impacted those around them and serve as
Christian role models for those who came after them. Inherently fascinating and impressively
informative, "Radical Saints: 21 Women for the 21st Century" is especially recommended for
church, seminary, community, and academic library Christian Inspirational and Christian Saints
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading
lists of clergy, seminary students, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "Radical Saints: 21 Women for the 21st Century" is also readily available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $8.49).
Editorial Note: Melanie Rigney is the author of several books, including Sisterhood of Saints:
Daily Guidance and Inspiration. She also writes for Catholic Digest, Living Faith,
CatholicMom.com, Women in the New Evangelization, and other sites and publications.
Lord, You Called Me: Discerning Your Path in Life
Ricardo Grzona, FRP
Marketing Department
Loyola Press
3441 North Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60657
www.loyolapress.com
9780829450057, $12.95, PB, 200pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lord-You-Called-Me-Discerning/dp/082945005X
Synopsis: What do I want to do? Who do I want to be? In other words, how do I discover God's
dream for me? Realizing the answers to these questions begins by opening our hearts and
listening to the voice deep inside us -- God's voice. Once we learn to do that, we can discern our
gifts, purpose, and path in life. We can respond to God's call to action.
In the pages of "Lord, You Called Me: Discerning Your Path in Life" and based on his
experience of making the Spiritual Exercises under the direction of Father Jorge Bergoglio, SJ,
(who is now known world wide as Pope Francis), Brother Ricardo Grzona, FRP, offers
twenty-one lectio divina encounters with God's Word. Through the prayerful reading of the
Scriptures, followed by reflection, prayer, and contemplation guided by Grzona's prompts, we
can begin to discern our path to God's call.
"Lord, You Called Me: Discerning Your Path in Life" can be used as a daily reader for a self-led,
21-day retreat or as guide for meditative prayer whenever time allows. It will also be useful for
fruitful discussion in a prayer group or as a text for youth retreats with a spiritual director.
Critique: Engagingly written, organized and presented, "Lord, You Called Me: Discerning Your
Path in Life" is an inspired and inspiring read that is fully recommended to the attention of all
members of the Catholic church who aspire to a daily relationship with God. Inspired and
inspiring, "Lord, You Called Me: Discerning Your Path in Life" is an ideal and recommended
addition to church, seminary, and academic library Christian Personal and Spiritual Growth
collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminary students, clergy, and lay
members of the Catholic community that "Lord, You Called Me: Discerning Your Path in Life"
is also reading available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note: Born in Mendoza, Argentina, Ricardo Grzona studied at the Pastoral Theological
Institute of CELAM (Medellin) at the Pontifical Gregorian University and the Salesian Pontifical
University (Rome), with an emphasis on evangelization and catechesis. He currently chairs the
Fundacion Ramon Pane, which focuses on the formation of parish and diocesan leaders, as well
as various church groups.
Sunday's Sermon for Monday's World
Sally A. Brown
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
4035 Park East Court SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
www.eerdmans.com
9780802871121, $19.99, PB, 216pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sundays-Sermon-Mondays-World-Preaching/dp/0802871127
Synopsis: What can preachers do to help congregants navigate everyday life with the courage,
imagination, and savvy it takes to testify in action and word to God's mercy and justice?
Christianity's witness depends on credible Christian lives carried out in ordinary settings of
everyday life. "Sunday's Sermon for Monday's World: Preaching to Shape Daring Witness" by
Sally A. Brown will help preachers design sermons that equip believers to act with
improvisational, creative courage in the ordinary settings of their Monday-to-Saturday lives.
How can we who preach inspire the "ordinary prophets" of our time -- those who, in Christ's
name, will act in great or small ways as agents of redemptive interruption? In the pages of
"Sunday's Sermon for Monday's World: Preaching to Shape Daring Witness", Brown draws upon
her extensive experience both in parish ministry and training others for ministry, and shares
preaching strategies that equip these ordinary prophets to take daring action.
Brown begins by reconsidering the power and limits of the mission model of Christian witness
and argues that Christian witness today must be adaptive, and therefore imaginative and
improvisational. She then turns to the connection between the sermons our listeners hear on
Sunday and their capacity to timely, inventive action in everyday situations.
"Sunday's Sermon for Monday's World: Preaching to Shape Daring Witness" will inspire both
preachers and those who listen to them to move from sanctuary to street, week after week, eager
to discern and participate in the ongoing, redemptive work of God already under way amid the
ordinary scenes and settings of their Monday-to-Saturday lives.
Critique: Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Sunday's Sermon for
Monday's World: Preaching to Shape Daring Witness" is an inspired and inspiring approach to
developing effective and spiritually relevant sermons -- making it an ideal and unreservedly
recommended addition to church, seminary, and academic library Christian Pastoral Resources,
Christian Social Issues, and Christian Preaching collections in general and the personal reading
lists of clergy and seminary students in particular.
Editorial Note: Sally A. Brown is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.. She
teaches preaching, hermeneutics, and homiletical theory at Princeton Seminary, where she also
directs the annual Engle Institute of Preaching. She is the 2019 President of the Academy of
Homiletics. Her previous books include "Ways of the Word: Learning to Preach for Your Time
and Place" (with Luke A. Powery), "Cross Talk: Preaching Redemption Here and Now", and
"Lament: Reclaiming Practices in Pulpit, Pew, and Public Square" (co-edited with Patrick
Miller).
Belonging: Finding the Way Back to One Another
Sharon A. Hersh
NavPress
www.navpress.com
c/o Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781631469602, $15.99, PB, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Belonging-Finding-Way-Back-Another/dp/1631469606
Synopsis: In the pages of "Belonging: Finding the Way Back to One Another" by Sharon A.
Hersh offers members of the Christian community a fresh perspective on common grace, leading
us out of self-destructive narcissism and into whole and healthy relationships with God and
others.
The reality is, God created us with an innate desire to belong to something more than us. When
we integrate our story within God's first story about us, we can bravely face ourselves and
discover the truth of belonging and worthiness that God has written. And we start to imagine
how to invite others into a greater sense of belonging.
The journey to finding ourselves and one another is not for the faint of heart. It's messy. It's hard
work. But it's worth it. We can have a front-row seat to a tectonic shift, not just on the surface of
our lives, but in places deep down inside as we recognize common grace in the beautiful and
terrible parts of our lives. In other words, every chapter in our stories, every conversation, and
every character is part of the way back to belonging.
Readers are invited to the very edge of their seat in anticipation of what could happen when they
and others engage with the unexpected grace that passionately declares life is not all about our
pain, our accomplishments, our rights, our abuse, our power, or our beliefs. It is about us finding
our way. Together. It is about a supernatural interconnectedness to a deeper story that invades
every nook and cranny of our lives with light and love -- because we belong to one another.
Critique: Thoughtful and thought-provoking, inspired and inspiring, life-affirming and life-
enriching, "Belonging: Finding the Way Back to One Another" is an extraordinary and
unreservedly recommended addition church, seminary, community, and academic library
Christian Self Help, Christian Personal Growth, and Christian Pastoral Counseling collections. It
should be noted for the personal reading lists of clergy, seminary students, and lay members of
the Christian community that "Belonging: Finding the Way Back to One Another" is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.19).
Editorial Note: Sharon Hershis a licensed professional counselor, an adjunct professor in
graduate counseling programs, a sought-after speaker, and the author of several books, including
"The Last Addiction: Why Self Help Is Not Enough", "Bravehearts: Unlocking the Courage to
Love With Abandon", "Mothering Without Guilt".
Becoming Real: And Thriving in Ministry
Sandra T. Montes
Church Publishing Incorporated
445 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016
www.churchpublishing.org
9781640652484, $16.95, PB, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Real-Thriving-Sandra-Montes/dp/1640652485
Synopsis: If congregations were to look outside their doors, they may find that the people who
need the good news don't look like them and that the way to engage them is by having ministries
that are genuine in the practice of their faith. A real ministry is one of respectful relationships,
excellence, authenticity, and love. In "Becoming Real: And Thriving in Ministry", Sandra
Montes provides an easy-to-understand perspective on relationships that can be implemented in
any setting with any group and fulfil the mandate of Jesus to "Go therefore and make disciples of
all nations" as build relationships with those whom God has put in our personal
neighborhoods.
Written in both English and Spanish, each chapter contains a study guide with Bible verses and
reflection questions. "Becoming Real: And Thriving in Ministry" also offers true life anecdotes
and examples of what to do and what not to do so that when using the REAL rubric with any
group of people, you can emulate Jesus and bring the good news to them. Church leaders wanting
to be more inclusive or trying to grow in their changing neighborhood will find this book a
welcome resource.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Becoming Real: And
Thriving in Ministry" is an excellent and practical instruction manual and guide for creating and
expanding effective ministries and serving the needs of all members of the Christian community.
While highly recommended for church and seminary Christian Ministry instructional reference
collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminary students, clergy, and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Becoming Real: And Thriving
in Ministry" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Rivers Wanted
Rivers Teske
Westbow Press
c/o Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.westbowpress.com
9781973678328, $35.95, HC, 248pp
https://www.amazon.com/Rivers-Wanted-Extraordinary-Visions-Encourage/dp/1973678322
Synopsis: "Rivers Wanted: Does God Still Speak Today? Extraordinary Dreams and Visions
from God to Encourage Your Life" is the inspirational story of how God personally intervened in
the life of Rivers Teske, a mainline pastor's wife overcoming fears, tragedy and uncertainty
through supernatural visions and dreams given by God.
Reader's are invited to step into the author Rivers Teske's inherently fascinating world of Heaven,
angels, the martyrs, the writing on the wall in Hollywood, and more as they explore these
exciting accounts of extraordinary communications from God that enabled a deep healing of trust
and unshakable belief to be born.
How will you know Jesus when he returns? Are you ready for the judgement and finality of the
Last Day on earth? "Rivers Wanted" provides invaluable insights to help answer those questions
and more!
Critique: An inherently interesting, thoughtful, thought-provoking and inspiring read throughout,
"Rivers Wanted: Does God Still Speak Today? Extraordinary Dreams and Visions from God to
Encourage Your Life" is exceptional and highly recommended for church and seminary
collections -- and also readily available for personal reading lists in a paperback edition
(9781973678311, $19.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Editorial Note: Rivers Teske, is an International Speaker with a healing ministry who gives a
powerful message of hope, encouragement and certainty of heaven for those facing crisis and
even death. She overcame her own fear of death and dying when taken to Heaven where she met
God. Her prayer is that reading "Rivers Wanted" is that it will strengthen the reader's faith and
resolve about resurrection hope and eternal life.
Valentin's Diary
Valentin Diaz
Westbow Press
c/o Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.westbowpress.com
9781973684862, $30.14, PB, 178pp
https://www.amazon.com/Valentin%C2%92s-Diary-Valentin-Diaz/dp/1973684861
Synopsis: How do you recover from a devastating heartbreak, otherwise known as broken heart
syndrome? The sufferer experiences heart pain, shortness of breath and even thinks he may be
dying. Do you give in to overwhelming grief? Or do you, like Valentin Diaz, have personal
dialogues with God searching for insight?
In the beginning there is denial and bargaining: "God, here is my game plan. If it be Your will, let
me have Liliana... and I will give her back to you." Then anger and bitterness. "What's wrong
with me God? I hate this. Why can't you just snap your fingers and make it happen?
Finally, acceptance. The long six-year journey to recovery is over. In Valentin Diaz personal
story his readers will not only learn about God's plan for the author, but will learn something
about God's divine purpose in their own lives as well.
Critique: An extraordinarily candid combination of intensely personal memoir and the realities of
a Christian faith, as well as insights into our relationship to God, "Valentin's Diary" is especially
well written and presented, making it very highly recommended to the attention of all members
of the Christian community regardless of denominational affiliations. It should be noted for the
personal reading lists of clergy, seminary students, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "Valentin's Diary" is also readily available in a paperback edition
(9781973684855, $13.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Jesus of the East: Reclaiming the Gospel for the Wounded
Phuc Luu
Herald Press
P.O. Box 866, Harrisonburg, VA 22803
www.heraldpress.com
9781513806716, $29.99, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-East-Reclaiming-Gospel-Wounded/dp/1513806718
Synopsis: Much of Western Christianity has enjoined the narrative of Jesus as a Palestinian
Jewish healer and liberator who served the sick and oppressed. But the Jesus of the Gospels is
also a revolutionary who stands with the sinned against, the wounded, and the marginalized. In
"Jesus of the East: Reclaiming the Gospel for the Wounded", author Phuc Luu re-narrates the life
of Jesus to show how he made it his work to topple systems that privileged the few and
disregarded the many, especially the poor and lowest.
"Jesus of the East: Reclaiming the Gospel for the Wounded" is provocative study in which Luu
offers a counter-narrative to Western Christianity, which for centuries has legitimized
colonization and violence to prop up the powerful at the expense of the masses. Pulling from the
tradition of the early Eastern church, the present work of theologians of the oppressed, and Luu's
own experiences as a Vietnamese immigrant, "Jesus of the East: Reclaiming the Gospel for the
Wounded " offers a transformative vision of healing for the world.
For those living in the land between pain and hope, Luu's prophetic words will renew our
imaginations and draw us closer to the heart of God.
Critique: An extraordinary, eloquent, informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Jesus of
the East: Reclaiming the Gospel for the Wounded" is an impressive and valued addition to the
ever growing library of Christian Studies and is unreservedly recommended reading for seminary
students, clergy, theologians, and non-specialist general readers throughout the Christian
community regardless of denominational affiliations. It should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Jesus of the East: Reclaiming the Gospel for the Wounded" is also readily available in a
paperback edition (9781513806723, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.49).
Editorial Note: Phuc Luu immigrated with his family to the United States from Vietnam when he
was four. Luu is now a theologian, philosopher, and artist creating work in Houston, Texas, to
narrow the divide between ideas and beauty. If theology is speaking about God, Luu seeks to give
new language and grammar to what theology has not yet said. He served for seven years on the
Nobel Peace Prize Committee for the American Friends Service Committee (Quakers). He holds
degrees in theology (MDiv, PhD) and philosophy (MA), but has learned the most from the places
where people ask difficult questions, where they live in the land between pain and hope, and
where these stories are told.
St. Gregory Palamas and Orthodox Spirituality
John Meyendorff
SVS Press
575 Scarsdale Road, Yonkers, NY 10707
www.svspress.com
9780913836118, $20.00, PB, 184pp
https://www.amazon.com/St-Gregory-Palamas-Orthodox-Spirituality/dp/0913836117
Synopsis: St Gregory Palamas was a fourteenth-century Byzantine saint and Church Father, who
incorporated traditional Eastern monastic spirituality into a comprehensive theological
vision.
His understanding of hesychasm (the monastic movement centered on solitude and unceasing
prayer) is grounded in an incarnational theology: When spiritual joy comes to the body from the
mind, it suffers no diminution by this communion with the body, but rather transfigures the body,
spiritualizing it rejecting all evil desires of the flesh, it no longer weighs down the soul but rises
up with it, the whole man becoming spirit, as it is written: 'He who is born of the Spirit is spirit'
(John 3:6-8). Triads 11, 2.9
"St. Gregory Palamas and Orthodox Spirituality" is a richly documented and B/W illustrated
study of Orthodox spirituality traces the development of 'Orthodox mysticism' from the desert
fathers through the patristic tradition to Byzantine hesychasm and its heritage in Russian
monasticism. It shows how the work of Palamas transcends the limits of one school of
spirituality and renews in its deepest essence the life of the Christian Mystery.
Critique: An impressively informed and informative work of seminal scholarship, "St. Gregory
Palamas and Orthodox Spirituality" by Professor John Meyendorff is an extraordinary and highly
recommended addition to college/university library collections, as well as the personal reading
lists of clergy, seminary students, and lay members of Orthodox Christian communities.
Editorial Note: Fr John Meyendorff (1926-1992) was a Professor of Church History and
Patristics at St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, and a Professor of History at
Fordham University, NY. He was a Fellow of the National Endowment for the Humanities
(1976-77), and a Guggenheim Fellow. He held honorary doctorates from the University of Notre
Dame and General Theological Seminary, was a Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy,
and a Senior Fellow at Dumbarton Oaks. In 1990 The Diploma of Honorary Member of the
Leningrad Theological Academy was bestowed upon him.
Don't Quit in the Dip
Shaun Nepstad
Worthy Publishing
www.worthypublishing.com
9781546015383, $23.00, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Quit-Dip-Focused-Promises/dp/1546015388
Synopsis: From a Christian perspective, if we are truly blessed to be a blessing, then we can take
the lessons we learn in hardships and turn them around to help others navigate through their
seasons of struggle. Hope and healing are the two words God has given us. Hope for tomorrow
and healing from yesterday. The underlying message in "Don't Quit in the Dip: Stay Focused on
God's Promises for You" by Shaun Nepstad is that God wants to use our stories to bring hope and
healing to others.
When it comes to life, we've all asked, "Is there more?" We want to believe there's more to life
than what we're currently experiencing. But the problem is, so much in life promises more but
doesn't deliver. There's actually only One who can deliver the "more" we need, and that is Jesus.
He delivers more than what we ask for or can even imagine. Consistently. Without fail. No
matter what our situation looks like.
Don't Quit in the Dip inspires us to keep fighting. To keep believing. And to keep helping us
experience God's full blessing.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "Don't Quit in the Dip: Stay Focused on God's Promises for
You" is a life changing, spirituality-enhancing read that will prove to be a welcome and
appreciated addition to Christian Personal Growth and Self-Help/Self-Improvement reading lists
for all members of the Christian community regardless of denominational affiliations. It should
be noted that "Don't Quit in the Dip" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$12.99).
Editorial Note: Shaun Nepstad and his wife, Dianna, founded Fellowship Church in Antioch,
California, in 2002. Over the past nine years, the church has grown from 350 to over 5,000 in
weekly attendance and expanded to two campuses, and it was recognized by Outreach magazine
as #25 on its 2018 list of 100 Fastest Growing Churches.
The Poetry Shelf
Can You Smell the Rain?
Patricia Cleary Miller
BkMk Press
c/o University of Missouri-Kansas City
www.umkc.edu/bkmk
9781943491216, $14.95, PB, 122pp
https://www.amazon.com/Smell-Rain-Patricia-Cleary-Miller/dp/1943491216
Synopsis: The verse by Patricia Cleary Miller that comprise her new collection, "Can You Smell
The Rain" poses the old theatrical question of "Who wants what, and why can't they have
it?"
Patricia's confused characters take themselves seriously as they yearn for love. With wit and
gently biting satire, she presents their struggles. Beware: a snicker at these characters is a snicker
at yourself.
Whether the scene is a French-speaking convent school in Kansas City or an Irish-American
woman's further coming of age as a Radcliffe student, wife, mother, poet, or world traveler, "Can
You Smell The Rain" collectively presented a journey of the mind marked by "a radiant wit and a
sensuous appreciation for life itself".
Critique: A body of verse that will linger in the mind, memory and emotions long after the book
itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf, "Can You Smell The Rain?" is an especially
and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, and college/university library
Contemporary American Poetry collections.
Editorial Note: Patricia Cleary Miller is Professor Emerita of English at Rockhurst University,
where she founded and edited the Rockhurst Review. She is the author of Starting a Swan Dive
(Daniel L. Brenner Award) from BkMk Press, as well as the poetry titles Dresden and Crimson
Lights, and the nonfiction title Westport: Missouri's Port of Many Returns. Her work has
appeared in Stand, Connecticut Review, New Letters, Cottonwood, I-70 Review, and elsewhere.
Her secondary school was the French Convent of Notre Dame de Sion. For eight years she was
poet laureate of the Harvard Alumni Association and a past president of the Writers Place.
{#289-128}: Poems
Randall Horton
The University Press of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40508-4008
www.kentuckypress.com
9780813180410, $29.95, HC, 90pp
https://www.amazon.com/289-128-Poems-University-Kentucky-Poetry/dp/0813180414
Synopsis: "Forgive state poet #289-128 / for not scribbling illusions / of trickery as if timeless
hell / could be captured by stanzas / alliteration or slant rhyme", remarks the speaker, Maryland
Department of Corrections prisoner {#289-128}, early in this haunting collection. Three sections
-- {#289-128} Property of the State, {#289-128} Poet-in-Residence (Cell 23), and {#289-128}
Poet in New York -- frame the countless ways in which the narrator's body and life are socially
and legally rendered by the state even as the act of poetry helps him reclaim an identity during
imprisonment.
These poems address the prison industrial complex, the carceral state, the criminal justice
system, racism, violence, love, resilience, hope, and despair while exploring the idea of freedom
in a cell. In the tradition of Dennis Brutus's Letters to Martha, Wole Soyinka's A Shuttle in the
Crypt, and Etheridge Knight's The Essential Etheridge Knight, {#289-128} challenges the
language of incarceration -- especially the ways in which it reinforces stigmas and
stereotypes.
Though {#289-128} refuses to be defined as a felon, this collection viscerally details the
dehumanizing effects of prison, which linger long after release. It also illuminates the ways in
which we all are relegated to cells or boundaries, whether we want to acknowledge it or not.
Critique: A unique and inherently fascinating body of work, the verse comprising {#289-128}:
Poems is an impressive collection that will be of immense interest to the possibilities of poetry in
describing and altering perceptions and conditions that are extraordinary and fundamental to the
human condition. A collection of poetry that will linger in the mind and memory long after the
book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf, {#289-128}: Poems is especially
recommended for community, prison, and college/university library collections. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that {#289-128}: Poems is also readily available for personal
reading lists in a paperback edition (9780813179889, $19.95) and in a digital book format
(Kindle, $18.95).
Editorial Note: An Associate Professor of English at the University of New Haven, Randall
Horton's past honors include the Bea Gonzalez Poetry Award, a National Endowment for the
Arts Fellowship in Literature, and most recently a GLCA New Writers Award for Creative
Nonfiction for "Hook: A Memoir". The author of numerous books, he is a member of the
experimental performance group Heroes Are Gang Leaders, which received the 2018 American
Book Award in Oral Literature.
The Woodworking Shelf
The Guide to Woodworking with Kids
Doug Stowe
Blue Hills Press
9781951217235, $19.95, PB, 168pp
https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Woodworking-Kids-Projects-Lifelong/dp/1951217233
Synopsis: "The Guide to Woodworking with Kids: Craft Projects to Develop the Lifelong Skills
of Young Makers" is a culmination of craftsman Doug Stowe's four-decade career in
woodworking and nearly twenty years of working with students K-12 in his Wisdom of the
Hands woodworking class at the Clear Spring School in his hometown of Eureka Springs,
Arkansas.
This comprehensive guide offers step by step instruction for teachers, parents and grandparents to
offer safe woodworking opportunities to their students and kiddos as a way of developing a wide
range of valuable life-skills.
Based in part on the philosophies of Froebel's Kindergarten and Educational Sloyd, "The Guide
to Woodworking with Kids" illustrates the importance of doing real, hands-on activities in school
and at home that enable students to: Think things through for themselves; Develop skill,
originality and inventiveness; Explore their own self-interests; Plan, organize and execute
meaningful work; Prepare to profitably employ leisure time; Be handy and resourceful; Develop
both character and intellect; Create useful beauty to benefit family, community and self
"The Guide to Woodworking with Kids" is more than just another woodworking book, it will
give parents, grandparents and teachers the confidence, encouragement, and the insight needed to
safely engage children in life-enhancing creative arts.
Critique: Offering profusely illustrated and thoroughly 'kid friendly' step-by-instructions for each
woodworking project, "The Guide to Woodworking with Kids" is an ideal and unreservedly
recommended addition to family, personal, school wood shop, and community library
Woodworking Crafts instructional reference collections.
The Wood Burn Book
Rachel Strauss
Rockport Publishers
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9781631598920, $24.99, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Wood-Burn-Book-Essential-Pyrography/dp/1631598929
Synopsis: Pyrography or pyrogravure is the free handed art of decorating wood or other materials
with burn marks resulting from the controlled application of a heated object such as a poker. It is
also known as pokerwork or wood burning. (Wikipedia)
In "The Wood Burn Book: An Essential Guide to the Art of Pyrography", Rachel Strauss teaches
the novice woodburning artist everything necessary to know in order to master the art of
pyrography.
"The Wood Burn Book" is essential guide opens with a brief background to the art of wood
burning, a list of tools and how to use them, basic techniques that can be used over and over
again, and even what to burn and how to be safe doing it. Aspiring wood burners will also find a
detailed explanation of the process from start to finish, with patterns, techniques for lettering and
adding color, as well as dozens of projects ready for gifting, including picture frames, cutting
boards, coasters, cards, wooden spoons, and jewelry.
Above all, Strauss has created the instructional guide and manual she wished she had when she
first discovered pyrography: a simple guide that quickly gets the reader successfully burning.
With the right tools and a little time, anyone can be able to create meaningful handmade gifts
without breaking the bank. Whether it's to create a family name sign as a housewarming gift for
newlyweds, or customize baby blocks for a new little one, wood burning is the versatile hobby
that can be used time and time again to create memorable gifts for all of life's occasions.
In addition, wood burning is a practice in mindfulness, requiring patience and focus to awaken
the senses and calm the mind. Mastering the art of writing with fire begins with the ability to
follow a line. If you can trace, you can burn.
Critique: Enhanced with a profusion of color photography illustrations throughout and offering a
wealth of step-by-step directions, "The Wood Burn Book: An Essential Guide to the Art of
Pyrography" is an ideal and thoroughly user friendly instruction manual that is as fun as it is
informative and will prove to be a welcome and enduringly popular addition to personal,
professional, community, and art center library Woodworking and DIY Crafts collections.
Editorial Note: Rachel Strauss is the founder of the Wood Burn Corner. On Instagram
@woodburncorner she hosts challenges to help wood burning artists from around the globe
expand their skills, try new things, and connect with their fellow pyrographers. She also started
Burn Club, a place for wood burning artists of all skill levels to gather, share, learn, and grow
together. Her artwork can be found on the packaging of the Walnut Hollow Creative
Woodburner. Rachel is a featured teacher on Skillshare for her wood burning classes, and her
work has graced the official Instagram feeds of Etsy, Joann, Craftsposure, and many others.
Rachel chooses to use wood from sustainable sources and donates to organizations that plant
trees around the globe.
The Travel Shelf
Day Hiking North Cascades
Craig Romano
www.CraigRomano.com
Mountaineers Books
1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134-1161
www.mountaineersbooks.org
9781680512236, $21.95, PB, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Day-Hiking-North-Cascades-Mountain/dp/1680512234
Synopsis: The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America.
They span the border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of
Washington and are officially named in the U.S. and Canada as the Cascade Mountains. The
portion in Canada is known to Americans as the Canadian Cascades, a designation that also
includes the mountains above the east bank of the Fraser Canyon as far north as the town of
Lytton, at the confluence of the Thompson and Fraser Rivers. (Wikipedia)
"Day Hiking North Cascades" is a travel guide for hiking enthusiasts that covers Mount Baker,
the North Cascades Highway (SR 20) corridor, North Cascades National Park, Winthrop and the
Methow Valley, the Pasayten Wilderness area, parts of Glacier Peak Wilderness, and the
Mountain Loop Highway.
Compact and fresh with a broad range of hiking options, this is the most up-to-date guide for the
area, and is organized along highway and other travel corridors with an emphasis on trails that
are 12 miles or shorter, round-trip. The new and fully updated second edition features 136 hikes
total, with 30 all-new ones and several expanded routes. Many of these hikes are not included in
any other guide.
Critique: Compact and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Day Hiking
North Cascades" is an essential and invaluable planning guide for anyone contemplating an
enjoyable wilderness experience hiking the North Cascades. While very highly recommended for
community library Travel Guide collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Day Hiking North Cascades" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$17.95).
Editorial Note: Craig Romano is the author or co-author of more than twenty books. Romano
also writes for numerous publications, tourism websites, and HikeoftheWeek.com. He maintains
a web site at www.CraigRomano.com and can be followed on Facebook
@craigromanoguidebookauthor
National Trails of America
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
www.lonelyplanet.com
9781788689380, $30.00, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/National-Trails-America-Lonely-Planet/dp/1788689380
Synopsis: Outdoor enthusiasts and armchair travelers alike can hike across some of America's
most impressive and scenic trails with "National Trails of America", an inspiring traveling
companion from Lonely Planet. W
With an informative foreword by Cheryl Strayed, the celebrated author of Wild: A Journey From
Lost To Found, and profusely illustrated throughout in full color, "National Trails of America"
features the US's 30 National Trails ranging from the scenic wonder of the Pacific Crest Trail to
the heavy history of the Trail of Tears -- as well as 28 others. Readers will discover the majesty
of each route and all the unmissable stops along the way.
With a series of beautifully-shot photos and maps scattered throughout, "National Trails of
America" is a comprehensive guide to America's best trails can't help but inspire. From the epic
scenery of the mighty Grand Canyon to the steamy rainforests of Puerto Rico, and from the
historic battlefields of Eastern Tennessee to the Gateway Arch of St. Louis, no corner of America
is left unturned. Plus, with accompanying planning details for each and every hike, including
details on where to stay, top tips along the way and how to get there, it's never been easier to hit
the road.
Of special note is the mixture of day treks and multi-day thru-hikes, so there is something in the
pages of "National Trails of America" that will appeal to all types of hikers.
Critique: A simply pleasure to simply browse through, "National Trails of America" is
impressively informative and inherently interesting. Ideal for planning outdoor hiking excursions
through the very best that the American landscape has to offer, "National Trails of America" is an
ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library
American Travel Guide collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "National
Trails of America" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.86).
The Sports Shelf
101 Best Rowing Workouts
Sarah Fuhrmann
Hatherleigh Press
c/o The Hatherleigh Foundation
62545 State Highway 10, Hobart, NY 13788
www.hatherleighpress.com
9781578268443, $14.99, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Rowing-Workouts-Sarah-Fuhrmann/dp/1578268443
Synopsis: Rowing is one of the most effective activities that man or woman can do for overall
fitness and health. It provides a full-body workout, increases endurance, and boosts aerobic
performance while being easy enough on the joints for those looking for low-impact cardio.
"101 Best Rowing Workouts" by Sarah Fuhrmann (one of the leading voices in the rowing
community whose company, UCanRow2, brings the power of indoor rowing to exercisers and
fitness professionals worldwide) is a compilation of essential exercise programs for everyone
wanting to erg their way to health. "101 Best Rowing Workouts" includes additional information
on the benefits of rowing, the best way to start rowing, basic techniques, common errors and key
workouts for beginners, those focused on weight loss, runners, strength training, postpartum, and
more.
Critique: An ideal and profusely illustrated DIY exercise instructional guide and manual using
for use with any form of rowing machine, "101 Best Rowing Workouts" is an ideal and highly
recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library Ab Workouts/Stretching
Exercise & Fitness collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "101 Best
Rowing Workouts" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Automotive Shelf
Chrysler's Motown Missile
Geoff Stunkard
CarTech Inc.
838 Lake Street South, Forest Lake, MN 55025
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613254752, $36.95, PB, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Chryslers-Motown-Missile-Engineering-Program/dp/161325475X
Synopsis: In the pages of "Chrysler's Motown Missle" by Geoff Stunkard, classic car and
automotive racing fans will enjoy learning about Mopar's skunkworks racing team and its rise to
dominance in this fascinating history!
The drama of 1970s Chrysler Pro Stock drag racing unfolds in this new and detailed history,
which focuses on the racing and technological evolution of the legendary Motown Missile and
Mopar Missile racing programs from 1970 to 1977. Unequaled by any other drag racing
development program, this was a huge undertaking in term of time, money, and effort.
The 1970s saw great change in Detroit and in auto racing, with Pro Stock being a huge draw for
fans. Chrysler racing historian and author Geoff Stunkard presents a chronological recollection,
drawing from many interviews and summaries of the actual technical efforts that the factory
accomplished and includes both rare/unpublished technical and personal images from the team
members and some of the most dramatic images taken by the sport's best photographers.
From the earliest days of owner/engine builder Ted Spehar, factory engineer Tom Hoover, and
driver Don Carlton, the narrative is a colorful look at the team's inner workings, programs,
victories, and even defeats. Set against a backdrop of characters like Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins,
"Dandy" Dick Landy, and "Dyno" Don Nicholson, Carlton's driving prowess had few
equals.
Indeed, called by one period scribe as a "cyborg," the likeable pilot would pay the ultimate price
as a drag racing driver. From the Challengers and 'Cuda to the Demons and Colts, "Chrysler's
Motown Missle" showcases the cars that made Chrysler so much a part of this racing era, as well
as Ted Spehar's never-before-revealed information on the 1970s Pro Stock engine program.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout with B/W and Color photography, "Chrysler's Motown
Missile: Mopar's Secret Engineering Program at the Dawn of Pro Stock" is a unique, impressive
informative, and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and
academic library American Automotive History & Racing collections.
The Parenting Shelf
Mindfulness for Children
Sarah Rudell Beach
CICO Books
c/o Ryland Peters & Small
519 Broadway, 5th floor, New York, NY 10012
www.rylandpeters.com
9781782496069, $14.95, PB, 128pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Children-activities-children-resilience/dp/1782496068
Synopsis: Helping children to be more mindful is a powerful gift and a fundamental parental
responsibility. By being mindful children will learn to recognize and manage their emotions, be
more able to calm down when they are upset, become better at focusing on important tasks, and
more able to interact with others with empathy and generosity.
These are fundamental skills that children will need throughout their life, but that they often
aren't taught explicitly. Think of how often we demand that children "pay attention" or "calm
down", without ever having shown them how to do so.
Now with "Mindfulness for Children: Simple activities for parents and children to create greater
focus, resilience, and joy", parents can with mindfulness expert Sarah Rudell Beach.
Parents must first learn how to be more mindful themselves before teaching their children basic
mindfulness skills. With easy-to-follow activities, chapter by chapter children learn to Soothe,
Focus, Feel, Pause, Appreciate, and Connect. Each individual activity includes variations for
different age groups, along with "emergency" how-tos for particularly stressful moments.
Critique: Expertly written, accessibly organized, and impressively presented, "Mindfulness for
Children: Simple activities for parents and children to create greater focus, resilience, and joy" is
a thoroughly user friendly and comprehensive instructional manual and guide that is especially
recommended for community and academic library Contemporary Parenting collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Mindfulness for Children" is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.49).
Editorial Note: Sarah Rudell Beach has had a personal mindfulness practice for many years,
holds a master's degree in education, and is a Mindful Schools Certified Instructor. She is the
executive director of Brilliant Mindfulness and teaches mindfulness courses to children, teens,
and adults. She is also the author of Mindful Moments for Busy Moms, published by CICO
Books, and writes about mindfulness and healthy living for the Huffington Post.
The Self-Help Shelf
Living Love
Victoria Price
Ixia Press
c/o Dover Publications, Inc.
31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, NY 11501
https://www.doverpublications.com/ixiapress
9780486840109, $14.95, PB, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Living-Love-Victoria-Price/dp/0486840107
Synopsis: With "Living Love: 12 Heart-Centered Practices to Transform Your Life", Victoria
Price, (who is also the author of "Vincent Prince: A Daughter's Biography" and "The Way of
Being Lost: A Road Trip to My Truest Self", shows how you can be the person you long to be,
how to become someone who overflows with immense joy, experiences deep connection,
expresses their creativity, and feels profound peace.
Essentially a spiritual self-help book, "Living Love" demonstrates how to turn aside the fears that
stand between you and self-fulfillment and to embrace the healing power of love, permitting it to
transform every aspect of your life. From creating a daily routine of joy and gratitude to
developing a practice of presence and forgiveness, in the pages of "Living Love", Victoria
provides the tools for taking delight in being alive, countering fear, and developing compassion
and openness.
Critique: Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Living Love: 12
Heart-Centered Practices to Transform Your Life" is a fully engaging, impressively inspiring, and
life-changing, life-enhancing, life-embracing read from beginning to end. While especially and
unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library Self-Help/Self-
Improvement collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Living Love" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Victoria Price is a popular inspirational speaker on topics ranging from the daily
practice of joy, living your legacy of yes, facing your fears and transforming your life through
love-based practices, and making peace with your past stories to expand your creative futures.
Victoria has appeared on Good Morning America, and NPR's "Fresh Air" and "Morning
Edition," and her work has been featured in USA Today, People, Travel & Leisure, Art &
Auction, and The New York Times.
The Computer Shelf
Flowchart and Algorithm Basics
A.B. Chaudhuri
Mercury Learning
www.merclearning.com
c/o Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9781683925378, $49.95
https://www.amazon.com/Flowchart-Algorithm-Basics-Art-Programming/dp/1683925378
Flowchart and Algorithm Basics: The Art of Programming is a treatise on program logics that
will benefit programmers who want to improve their flowcharting skills. This fine art of
sequencing steps is supported by algorithms and applied arithmetic that lends to better computer
functions and programming approaches. From common problems involving looping and arrays to
task analysis and handling changing variables, chapters link flowchart approaches to supportive
math routines and provide specific examples of typical issues and their resolution. The result is a
programmer's guide to best practices that should ideally supplement any introductory course,
serving as a refresher of approaches and applied math to programmers looking to build upon
existing skills, as well.
The Technology Shelf
Basic Electronics Theory and Practice, third edition
Sean Westcott and Jean Riescher Westcott
Mercury Learning
www.merclearning.com
c/o Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9781683925286, $54.95
https://www.amazon.com/Basic-Electronics-Practice-Sean-Westcott/dp/1683925289
The third updated edition of Basic Electronics Theory and Practice will appeal to students and
those who dabble in electronics as a hobby, and introduces the basic theory and practice of
various electronic systems. Chapters include exercises for independent study, reinforced by a disc
of companion files which feature over twenty video tutorials and lessons, plus color images from
the book. Theory is complimented by practical applications, from working with the latest
Raspberry Pi to handling power supplies, soldering, building a robot, and understanding the
rudiments of cybersecurity. Between the chapter review questions, diagrams and charts, and
supporting math, this handbook is a highly recommended adjunct to classes in electronics, those
looking for a basic refresher course, and students seeking a logical, progressive self-study
program.
Lithium-Ion Batteries and Applications V. 2: Applications
Davide Andrea
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com
9781630817695, $159.00
https://www.amazon.com/Lithium-Ion-Batteries-Applications-Comprehensive-Engineering/dp/1630817694
Lithium-Ion Batteries and Applications V. 2: Applications: A Practical and Comprehensive
Guide to Lithium-Ion Batteries and Arrays, From Toys to Towns provides an in-depth, 2-volume
resource for engineers working with battery technology, and provides a basic understanding of
design, deployment, and testing that includes many applications, problems, and solutions. This
volume focuses on small batteries in consumer products and power banks, residential and
telecom systems, and microgrids. It is packed with charts, equations, discussions of drivers,
system integration methods, different types of applications, and case studies which offer
real-world problems and solutions. Black and white photos pepper these charts and visual
displays in a production highly recommended for power engineers and those looking to update
their knowledge.
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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