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Ann Skea's Bookshelf
There's Been a Little Incident
Alice Ryan
Bloomsbury
https://www.bloomsbury.com
9781803284088, A$29.99 PB, 432 pages
https://www.amazon.com/Theres-Been-a-Little-Incident/dp/1803284072
Molly Black had disappeared...That's why the whole Black clan - from Granny all the way to Killan on Zoom from Sydney -
is huddled together in the back room of Uncle John's semi-D in the Dublin suburbs, arguing about what to do.
Molly, it seems, has made a habit of disappearing ever since her parents died, but she is now nearly thirty years old and, as
her aunt, 'Lady V', sees it, it 'wasn't normal for an entire family to lose their minds' because she has gone away 'for a few
days', even if she did leave a note saying that this time 'it was for good'.
Nevertheless, all thirteen members of the Black family, plus Killan on Zoom, are, when we first meet them, 'squeezed in on
top of each other', sprawled on the floor, perched on each other's knees, 'luxuriating' in an armchair ('Lady V in her exercise
gear') or sitting, like Granny, on the fax machine, as Uncle John, 'wearing a strange pair of military boots for the operation',
outlines the problem. This, as the narrator, lovingly tells us, is a family made up of 'new-age hippies, religious nuts,
alcoholics, former shoe-salesmen, delinquent youths and Sudoku enthusiasts [Granny]'; and meeting them for the first time
is funny but confusing.
One of Uncle John's first demands of the family is that they share the last text messages they had exchanged with Molly.
These become brief chapters early in the book and each fills out the picture we have of the family and of Molly. In separate
chapters, too, as the search goes on, we meet each member of the family, hear their thoughts and learn about their own
problems. We also get to know Molly better. As our narrator tells us:
Molly had a connection to each of us, but, more than that, she brought us all together - for good reasons and bad. Molly
Black was like electricity - sometimes she lit up the world. Sometimes she electrocuted you.
Uncle John, who has acted as Molly's guardian and protector since the death of her parents, clearly needs to find her and to
know that she does not need to be rescued, as has always been the case in earlier 'incidents'. The discovery that she has been
seen in Bangkok only deepens his concern. He 'knew all about Bangkok' and immediately rallied the family to go there and
find her. Molly's cousin Anne, remembers his preparation speech in which
he had painted a vivid and scarring picture of sex-trafficking, modern slavery, poverty and drugs... a den of iniquity which
could only be prepared for by watching the darkest parts of The Deer Hunter.
His description was so clear that Anne's mother (the 'religious nut' of the family) 'had passed out at the image'.
The narrator's wry account of all this is often very funny but, beyond getting to know the family and its individual members,
there is the serious story of Molly's closeness to her vibrant and unusual actress mother, Annabelle, and the terrible grief she
has been suffering since Annabelle's death in a freak accident. Molly is grieving, too, for the separation from her closest
childhood friend (just called 'B') who has moved in with Jeff, a 'financial wizard', with whom he has fallen in love.
Molly thought about grief like a cut. When you accidentally grazed your finger with the knife there was a moment of grace
where no blood emerged. All was white and looked like you had made it out OK. But when Molly stayed still, the blood
began to rise to the top of her finger. Grief was always coming for her. Waiting until she couldn't move. Until there was
nowhere to hide..... So she ran.
Now, however, Molly has found a way of living which helps her to stop running and to deal with her grief, but until the
family find her they don't know this.
Woven into the search for Molly, is a second disappearance: that of a young Irish Nurse, Sheena, who had been working in
London and, according to the London police, may have been seen by Molly just before they both disappeared. I did find
Sheena's story a distraction and wanted to skip ahead to solve that mystery, but it is eventually woven neatly into the
family's lives.
The family, because of their experiences on the search and when they eventually find Molly, share some of the changes this
has brought to her life. Everything works out in the end, for everyone; and the mystery of Sheena's disappearance is finally
solved.
This is, perhaps, a little too tidy and happy an ending, but Alice Ryan handles it well. Only the sudden introduction of the
posthumous voice of Annabelle felt, to me, to be too contrived. However, this is a first novel by an accomplished
story-teller; and it is a remarkable exploration of grief and of the power and the mixed-blessings which come from being
part of a close-knit family. Its hopeful message is spelled out towards the end by Molly's reformed alcoholic Uncle Danny:
'with a bit of luck, no matter how lost you get, it is possible to find yourself again'.
Look! We Have Come Through: Living with D. H. Lawrence
Lara Feigel
Bloomsbury
https://www.bloomsbury.com
9781408877562, A$29.99 PB, 336 pages
https://www.amazon.com/Look-Have-Come-Throu-TPB/dp/1408877562
First, a confession. While I enjoy some of D.H. Lawrence's poetry, I have never warmed to his novels. I have a cherished
memory of a university lecturer infuriating a lot of students by lecturing on Lawrence's fetish with women's stockings (this
was two years before Angela Carter published her essay, 'Lorenzo as Closet-Queen'), and although I appreciate that
Lawrence challenged many of the social conventions of his time, I was put off by what seemed to me to be a
pseudo-psychoanalytical way of viewing life, and by the unrealistic aspects of his work. There, in The Rainbow, for
example, is Tom Brangwen, out on the farm at night in bitter February weather, dealing with the often bloody and traumatic
business of lambing, when
the facts and material of his daily life fell away, leaving the kernel of his purpose clean. And then it came upon him that he
would marry her...
This, to me, is not romantic but laughable. So, when Lara Feigel started quoting long passages from Lawrence's novels, I
concluded that her book was not for me and put it aside. However, I kept taking it up again because I was intrigued by her
personal story, which she weaves into this book, and by the idea that anyone would seriously consider 'living with
Lawrence', as she puts it.
At a time of major upheavals in her life - a divorce and legal struggles over custody of her young children, a new partner, a
move to a rented cottage in the country, and coping with lockdowns due to Covid 19 - she turns to Lawrence for support and
guidance as if he were her personal life-style coach.
Feigel has a comprehensive knowledge of Lawrence's work and regularly teaches it. She has read, and seriously considered
the many critical responses to it, from those of his 'academic champion' F.R. Leavis to the 'coruscating critiques' of Simone
de Beauvoir and Kate Millett, and she discusses these, taking issue with some and being ready to change her mind after
considering others:
Reading Millett, I was overwhelmed by the fierce cogency of her critique. I had been uncertain about Lady Chatterley's
Lover before I read her and now I was convinced by her argument that it was a book that reduced women to passive objects
and reviled the female genitals.
Later in her own book, however, Feigel finds ways to discuss these criticisms with her students and to turn them into
something positive.
There are many places in this book where Feigel writes about Lawrence's work and his life perceptively and in detail, often
taking themes and ideas from books he is known to have read, like that of the 'German naturalist philosopher Ernst Haeckel',
and from books she herself is reading during lockdown, such as 'activist philosopher' Srecko Horvat's recent writings about
the apocalypse. More than anything, however, she turns to Lawrence not just for comfort but for advice on how she can cope
with her own situation.
Locked down in a strange place, with a new partner (P), her two-year-old daughter (G), and her eight-year-old autistic son
(H), she turns to Lawrence, as she says, for 'urgent literary companionship, hoping that he will help me make sense of the
new world we have found ourselves in' and hoping to gain 'a sense of what it means to accept our lived experience as one of
perpetual change'.
'People don't just read Lawrence, they have their lives changed by him', she writes, and she takes this seriously, even
seeming to subscribe to his view of 'illness as primarily a psychic event'. She ponders what Lawrence would have made of
the Covid pandemic and thinks
he might have said we has willed it into being, that by denying the existence of death we had made it necessary for death to
reveal itself, that by excessively medicalising life we had created the conditions for a total takeover of life by medicine, and
that these were the conditions in which we were more likely to get ill. "One is ill because one doesn't live properly - can't",
Birkin says in Women in Love, a book that Lawrence hope would make us healthy, saving us from illness by teaching us to
live.
So, Feigel wants to learn how to live. Yet, in the middle of her examination of Lawrence, her need to write a promised book
about him, and her daily dealings with her family, she still has time to respond, beautifully, to the land and the creatures
which surround her in her rented cottage:
Spring come suddenly here. There are snowdrops, unexpectedly, at the end of January, as the snow melts. There are sunny
days in February, alternating with more days of snow. This is our new post-apocalyptic unseasonal weather, or perhaps it
has always been like this. Snowdrops are, after all, called snowdrops. They are everywhere now, by the side of the road, in
the woods, in gardens. G picks them - she is allowed to pick two each time - and holds them wonderingly.
Always, however, she returns to her wrangling with Lawrence. Most surprising, perhaps, is that at one point she turns to him
for child-rearing guidance. Lawrence had no children and had only infrequent contact with Frieda's children, who lived with
their father after she left him to be with Lawrence. Feigel is angry with him for failing to recognize the hurt Freida felt about
separation from her children, nevertheless, he portrays children with what Feigel calls 'violent tenderness' in his novels. He
did, however, have strong views about 'the cult of motherhood', describing it in The Rainbow as 'a violent trance', 'a helpless
bond', and, elsewhere, suggesting that 'when there is too much maternal sympathy the child doesn't learn to resist
enough'.
Feigel acknowledges that Lawrence's 'polemic' exhortation to parents to 'see that your children get their dinners and clean
sheets, but don't love them... don't even hate them or dislike them', is among his 'madder ideas', but then she argues that
Lawrence is reminding us that 'there loss is built into parenting, that our role is to bring our children into the world and then
allow them to leave us'. 'Lawrence', she concludes, 'however ruthless, is helping me to see this'. It helps her, too, when her
children go to their father at weekends and she feels 'fear and blankness' without them.
Feigel's chapter headings signal the aspects of Lawrence's life and work that occupy her thoughts: Consciousness, Will, Sex,
Parenthood, Community, Religion, Nature and Apocalypse. She deals with each, arguing with Lawrence, angry with him,
puzzling over him, applauding him, attacking and defending him, all the while seeking, as she believes Lawrence did, to use
'literature and culture to open up a space' where 'we can remain pliant and free'. Finally, she writes that
Over the past year, Lawrence has shown me the way to such a space, making me hopeful that I can find a way to live with
the contradictions while still finding truths that I can believe in enough to live by.
'Look!', she might say, 'We have come through!'.
Dr Ann Skea, Reviewer
https://ann.skea.com/THHome.htm
Carl Logan's Bookshelf
Antarctica: A History in 100 Objects
Jean de Pomereu, author
Daniella McCahey, author
Conway
c/o Bloomsbury Press
www.bloomsbury.com
9781844866212, $30.00, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Antarctica-History-Objects-Jean-Pomereu/dp/1844866211
Synopsis: With the publication of "Antarctica: A History in 100 Objects", academicians and historians Jean de Pomereu and
Daniella McCahey lay out the history of Antarctica through 100 varied and fascinating objects drawn from collections
across the world. This beautiful and informative volume is published to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the first
crossing into the Antarctic Circle by James Cook aboard Resolution, on 17th January 1773. It presents a gloriously visual
history of Antarctica, from Terra Incognita to the legendary expeditions of Shackleton and Scott, to the frontline of climate
change.
One of the wildest and most beautiful places on the planet, Antarctica has no indigenous population or proprietor. Its
awe-inspiring landscapes - unknown until just two centuries ago - have been the backdrop to feats of human endurance and
tragedy, scientific discovery, and environmental research. Sourced from polar institutions and collections around the world,
the objects that tell the story of this remarkable continent range from the iconic to the exotic, from the refreshingly mundane
to the indispensable ranging from Snow goggles adopted from Inuit technology by Amundsen; The lifeboat used by
Shackleton and his crew; A bust of Lenin installed by the 3rd Soviet Antarctic Expedition; to The Polar Star aircraft used in
the first trans-Antarctic flight; A sealing club made from the penis bone of an elephant seal; The frozen beard as a symbol of
Antarctic heroism and masculinity; Ice cores containing up to 800,000 years of climate history -- and so much more!
This is stunning history that is both endlessly fascinating and a powerful demonstration of the extent to which Antarctic
history is human history, and human future too.
Critique: Profusely and impressively illustrated throughout, "Antarctica: A History in 100 Objects" is a compelling and
inherently fascinating approach to the history of the human presence in Antarctica over the last 200+ years. Exceptionally
well organized and presented, "Antarctica: A History in 100 Objects" is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to
personal, professional, community, and academic library Arctic Polar Histories. It should be noted for the personal reading
lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Antarctica: A History in
100 Objects" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.60).
Editorial Note #1: Jean De Pomereu (https://www.lensculture.com/pomereu) has focused on Antarctica and the Polar
Regions for nearly twenty years. He has visited Antarctica on many occasions, accompanying both artistic and scientific
expeditions with the United States, New Zealand, Peruvian and Chinese Antarctic programmes. In 2006, he was the
photographer for Lita Albuquerque's Stellar Axis: Antarctica land-art installation, one of the most ambitious artistic project
ever undertaken on the continent. In 2017, he took part in the 'Antarctic Biennale' expedition commissioned by Russian
artist Alexander Ponomarev.
Editorial Note #2: Daniella McCahey ( is an Assistant Professor in British History at Texas Tech University. Her research
includes the history of geology and geophysics in Antarctica, gender histories in Antarctic research stations and histories of
Antarctic botany and volcanology. (https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/author/daniella-mccahey)
We're Going to the Show: Adimus ad Ludos
Christopher Bungaard
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
1000 Brown Street, Unit 301, Wauconda, IL 60084
www.bolchazy.com
9780865168800, $15.00, PB, 56pp
https://www.bolchazy.com/Were-Going-to-the-Show-P3979.aspx
Synopsis: "We're Going to the Show: Adimus ad Ludos" is ancient Roman comedy presented entirely in Latin!
Titus, named after Roman playwright Titus Maccius Plautus, lives with his parents and sisters on the Aventine Hill in
Rome. Without much time for leisure, everyone in the family looks forward to festival days. Titus in particular eagerly
awaits the ludi scaenici, special celebrations when plays are performed. But when it's time to honor Magna Mater, the Great
Mother goddess, with a comedy, Titus wakes up late! Can he catch up with his father and sisters and find a seat in time to
watch the show?
Latin students will relish joining Titus as he rushes through Rome in hopes of enjoying his favorite stock characters in a
production of Plautus's Asinaria.
Using fewer than 150 unique Latin words, this Encounter Latin novella from Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers introduces
various topics related to Roman daily life, ancient religious celebrations, and the theater. Evocative illustrations by Rae
Faba, and a variety of text supports make the story readily comprehensible to novice learners. An introduction by Dr. Robert
Patrick, drawing on his decades of experience teaching Latin, explains the pedagogical underpinnings of the text and
describes how novellas can be used to further language acquisition.
Critique: An ideal textbook addition to Latin curriculums, "We're Going to the Show: Adimus ad Ludos" by Christopher
Bungard (https://classics.osu.edu/people/bungard.5) is informatively enhanced with a Latin-to-English glossary listing all
inflected forms used in the text along with standard dictionary entries, as well as an overview of repeated grammar
structures with examples. An effective introduction describing ways to use novellas in the Latin classroom, "We're Going to
the Show: Adimus ad Ludos" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library
Latin Linguistic Studies collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Collaborative Power Grab
Bob Donaldson
Collaborative Strategies Consulting Inc
https://www.collaborativepowergrab.com
9798986443607, $24.99, PB, 374pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/collaborative-power-grab-robert-donaldson/1142353197
Synopsis: The premise of "Collaborative Power Grab: A Step-by-Step Guide for Every Leader on How to Invite, Attract,
and Cultivate Collaborative Power" by Bob Donaldson is that in order to be an effective leader, you need to be able to gain
power within the group structure. But not just any power will do. You also need to invite collaborative power from the
senior leaders above you. You need to attract that collaborative power from everyone that follows you, and you need to
cultivate power from the larger landscape.
What's different in Donaldson's approach (as being not only a leadership expert but a leadership training expert as well) is
that he gives his students the exact step-by-step process of what they need to do leaving nothing up for interpretation and
making sure (what is a very complicated process) is now broken down into the very easily understood and very easy to
implement actions called Starting Now!
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Collaborative Power Grab: A Step-by-Step Guide for Every
Leader on How to Invite, Attract, and Cultivate Collaborative Power" by management change expert Robert M. Donaldson
will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in Leadership, Motivation, and Education Theory. An appropriate
addition to personal, professional, community, corporate, and academic library collections, it should be noted that
"Collaborative Power Grab: A Step-by-Step Guide for Every Leader on How to Invite, Attract, and Cultivate Collaborative
Power" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.49).
Carl Logan
Reviewer
Carolyn Wilhelm's Bookshelf
Dark Mission (Angel Falls Series Book 8)
Charlene Tess and Judi Thompson
Independently Published
www.sisterswritingcrime.com
9798359095679, $4.99 Kindle, $9.99 Paperback, 282 pages
https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Mission-Thrilling-Romantic-Mystery/dp/B0BJYG7GMH
Dark Mission, Book 8 by the Writing Sisters Tess Thompson, is as riveting a read as all the others in the Angel Falls Series.
I appreciated updates about now familiar characters, and reading about the new. Jay just moved to the area and fits in well
with the locals. However, the trouble is, as in any state with legal marijuana, that illegal purchases are cheaper than
dispensaries, which causes other kinds of problems. Unfortunately, that is why Jay and his sister were drawn to the town,
although working on the positive side of things they run into difficulties.
Jay and his sister are devoted to each other as their parents died when Jay was in high school. She is a writer who disappears
when working on a story. Dead ends, red herrings, uncooperative witnesses, and a few bad cops make Jay's search difficult
and lengthy. The Sheriff gets married in a hurry, but not because of usual reasons for short engagements. Moments of joy
like when the neurodivergent teen enjoys working with horses, alternate with tense scenes like shots ringing out in the dark.
Readers will want to cheer for the good guys and certainly not for the criminals. A realistic story so well done I almost
believe it is all true, although it is fiction.
The rest of the series includes Angel Falls, Crimson Roses, Cold Vengeance, Dark Moments, Dark Flames, Dark Truths,
Dark Memories, and Dark Mission. Each title stands alone as an exciting read. Together, they are a dramatic look at events
and mostly admirable characters. Oh, the bad guys are trouble! The Tess Thompson team are master story writers. Judi is the
plot creator, while Charlene is the writer, which is a great combination for the reader.
Carolyn Wilhelm, Reviewer
Wise Owl Factory LLC
https://www.thewiseowlfactory.com
Chris Patsilelis' Bookshelf
Black Snow: Curtis LeMay, the Firebombing of Tokyo, and the Road to the Atomic Bomb
James M. Scott
W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
https://wwnorton.com
9781324002994, $35.00 hc / $16.90 Kindle, 420 pages
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Snow-Curtis-Firebombing-Atomic/dp/1324002999
On the night of March 9-10, 1945 nearly 300 American B-29 Superfortress Bombers dropped nearly 2,000 tons of
incendiary bombs on Tokyo, Japan flattening 16 square miles of the city, and incinerating more then 100,000 men, women
and children. The firestorm, reaching 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit, melted asphalt and boiled rivers which desperate citizens
had leaped into.
Drawing upon first-person interviews with American Pilots and Japanese survivors James M. Scott, author of Target Tokyo:
MacArthur, Yamashita, and the Battle of Manila" (2018) and other military histories, has written a riveting and insightful
work, "Black Snow: Curtis LeMay,
the Firebombing of Tokyo, and the Road to Atomic Bomb." This book emphasizes the terror, coldheartedness, and even the
instances of humanity within the horrors of total war.
The major figure in "Black Snow" is Major General Curtis LeMay who was promoted from his 20th Bomber Command
which flew missions out of China against southern Japan, to head a new air force, the 21st, whose sole objective was
destroying Japan's industrial cities.
A major general at age 38, cigar-chomping LeMay was overweight, with 'pudgy jowls" writes Scott. He looked very stern;
resembled "a bulldog." Nicknamed "Iron Ass." Earlier in the war he flew bombers over the Himalayas. "A grueling hell ....
sudden snowstorms."
The author points out how LeMay, taking over from the more tradition-minded Brigadier General Haywood Hansell, Jr.,
came up with the idea of bombing Japan's cities at night (previously thought more difficult than daylight bombing), and
flying at extremely low altitudes (previously thought way too dangerous).
Six popular -- Tokyo, Kawasaki, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe -- were considered prime targets because of the
concentration of their heavy industry was done in civilian homes; their homes, LeMay believed, frequently doubled as small
factories for Japan's war machine. And this is what guided him toward the "ruthless" conclusion to simply bomb civilian
dwellings. Writes Scott: "Men and woman. Boys and girls. Toddlers and infants. The fires would consume everything and
everyone."
"If we lose the war", LeMay confided to an aid, "we'll be tried as war criminals."
With Lemay's fateful decision, the United States, writes Scott, had crossed a moral line. The general, however, was willing
to cross it in order to shorten the war -- and to avoid an invasion of the Japanese homeland in which, it was predicted, one
half to one million American lives would be lost! -- The firebombing of Tokyo was a "GO."
On the night of March 0-10, 1945 Katsumoto Saotome and his family tried to escape the attack. "Flaming debris had struck
the neck of the man steps in front of him. Another grazed the shoulder of a nearby woman ...."
"Residents flooded the streets pushing carts piled high with bedding, kimonos, and kitchenware ...." Temperatures soared in
the extreme heat of flames -- in the 100s of degrees Fahrenheit! "The Smoke and heat burned throats .... sparks rained down,
singeing eyebrows and lashes"
Asphalt roads melted and clung to bicycle tires, and shoe soles.
The Book's titles, "Black Snow", refers to the thick coat of black ash mixed with snow which covered Tokyo.
"The fires produced a deafening road like a freight train, drowning out the cries of husbands separated from wives, children
from parents", Scott writes.
People spontaneously ignited: "As if suddenly in gasoline", stated sixteen-year-old Minoru Tsukiyama," a first-grader ...
burst into flames."
A mother holding a baby -- her hair wildly aflame -- screaming before her and her baby become "a human torch."
From the windows of his bomber Staff Sergeant LeRoy Triplett, a radarman, recorded "As far as the eye could see ... there
was a sea of flames, a mass of roaring fire that seemed to cover the city like a boiling cauldron."
Writes Scott, "Smoke from the fires wafted up through the bomb bay doors and circulated through the Superfortresses.
Pilots and Navigators, gunmen and flight engineers -- long shielded from carnage by miles of clouds and sky -- inhaled the
acrid aroma of ... burnt flesh"
Dawn on March 10 revealed piles of charcoaled corpses -- over 100,000! -- inn the streets of Tokyo.
In the weeks ahead, LeMay's Superfortresses went on to firebomb numerous other Japanese cities with similar results.
Horrible as the destruction was, it paved the way for the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and, thereby, the
merciful cancellation of an American invasion of Japan and the ending of World War II.
James M. Scott's "Black Snow" is propelled by vivid, eyewitness descriptions -- searing glimpses of human terror and
courage. But the author never loses sight of the moral dimension of the carnage. The book is a must-read.
Chris Patsilelis
Reviewer
Clint Travis' Bookshelf
The Little Book of Satanism
La Carmina
Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440, Berkeley CA 94703-3440
www.ulyssespress.com
9781646044221, $14.95, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Little-Book-Satanism-Satanic-History/dp/1646044223
Synopsis: Satanism is too often misunderstood as a religion that makes blood sacrifices to an evil, horned Prince of
Darkness. In reality, modern Satanists are nonviolent and nontheistic, and consider the Devil to be a meaningful metaphor
for the pursuit of knowledge, reason, and justice.
With the publication of "The Little Book of Satanism: A Guide to Satanic History, Culture, and Wisdom", alternative
culture journalist and blogger La Carmina details the "mark of the beast" in cultural and historic movements over the
centuries, which have informed the sincerely held beliefs and practices of Satanists today.
"The Little Book of Satanism" is a succinct and comprehensive guide that includes: A foreword from Lucien Greaves,
activist, spokesperson, and cofounder of The Satanic Temple; Information on Satan's biblical origins, and his various names,
appearances, and symbols; Details on his age-old role as a scapegoat, from medieval witch trials to the 1980s Satanic Panic;
An overview of modern philosophy and practices, focusing on The Church of Satan, The Satanic Bible, and The Satanic
Temple; Examples of the Devil's influence on art, literature, music, and films ranging from Paradise Lost to Rosemary's
Baby.
"The Little Book of Satanism is a fully accessible book that explains how Satanism developed in the context of social
history while debunking lurid conspiracy theories about serial killers and ritual abuse. It also includes a primer on various
Satanic practices such as social activism, rituals, and holidays. In the spirit of the fallen angel Lucifer, the careful reader will
be inspired by Satanism's affirmative values that courageously oppose arbitrary authority and champion nonconformity.
Critique: Of special appeal to readers with an interest in Paganism, Occultism, and the
Judeo-Christian and Islamic history of the being called Lucifer Morning Star or Satan, "The Little Book of Satanism: A
Guide to Satanic History, Culture, and Wisdom" is informative, fascinating, and iconoclastic. While highly recommended
for personal, community, and academic library Metaphysical Studies collections, it should be noted that "The Little Book of
Satanism" is also now available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note: La Carmina runs the leading blog about Goth travel, fashion and Satanism (LaCarmina.com/blog), and is the
author of four books including Crazy, Wacky Theme Restaurants: Tokyo and Cute Yummy Time, published by Penguin
Random House. She is a graduate of Columbia University and Yale Law School. Follow La Carmina's Gothic adventures in
over 70 countries on www.LaCarmina.com and on social media @LaCarmina
Wuhan 2019: A Novel on Dangerous Games in China
Gabriel Scheff
Independently Published
9798408671229, $17.95, HC, 239pp
https://www.amazon.com/Wuhan-2019-Novel-Dangerous-Games/dp/B09RV17PB5
Synopsis: When 10,000 athletes from around the world descend on the Chinese city of Wuhan for the Military World
Games, no one realizes the danger. Dissidents see the Olympic-styled games as an opportunity to strike. And young
volunteers form an unlikely partnership to try and stop the terrorists. At center of the plot is the Tsagaan Khas, a group bent
on fulfilling an ancient prophesy by a Mongol shaman. The struggle to stop them goes from 2,000-year-old Yellow Crane
Tower to the pangolin pens of Huanan market.
Critique: With the publication of "Wuhan 2019: A Novel on Dangerous Games in China", author Gabriel Scheff deftly
explores in a fiction format the culture of one of China's fastest-growing cities (now made infamous in connection with the
COVID-19 pandemic) and the splendor of the East Lake Greenway region.
As a novelist, Gabriel Scheff effectively contrasts the good nature of the Chinese people with the ever present and
overbearing Chinese Communist government's surveillance that even includes sophisticated retinal scanning and an internet
firewall of censorship. Scheff takes his readers "from the scenic river valleys of southern China to the emperor's summer
palace in Manchuria, along the docks of Canton, into the gambling casinos of Macau, and through the athletic venues of the
games".
A unique, entertaining, and finely crafted novel that will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in military
fiction and contemporary Chinese political culture, "Wuhan 2019: A Novel on Dangerous Games in China" is especially and
unreservedly recommended for community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Wuhan
2019" is also readily available in a paperback edition (GWS Books, 9781087878867, $12.99) and in a digital book format
(Kindle, $4.99).
Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Macmillan Audio
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781250867766, $29.99, CD
https://www.amazon.com/Starry-Messenger-Cosmic-Perspectives-Civilization/dp/1250867762
Synopsis: In a time when our political and cultural views feel more polarized than ever, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson
provides a much-needed antidote to so much of what divides us, while making a passionate case for the twin chariots of
enlightenment -- a cosmic perspective and the rationality of science.
After thinking deeply about how science sees the world and about Earth as a planet, the human brain has the capacity to
reset and recalibrates life's priorities, shaping the actions we might take in response. No outlook on culture, society, or
civilization remains untouched.
With crystalline prose, "Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization" walks us through the scientific palette that
sees and paints the world differently. From insights on resolving global conflict to reminders of how precious it is to be
alive, Tyson reveals, with warmth and eloquence, an array of brilliant and beautiful truths that apply to us all, informed and
enlightened by knowledge of our place in the universe.
Critique: Complete, unabridged, 6 CDs this Macmillan Audio production is brilliantly presented and articulately narrated by
the author. "Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization" by Neil deGrasse Tyson must be considered an
essential addition to personal, community, and academic library audio book collections.
Editorial Note: Neil deGrasse Tyson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_deGrasse_Tyson) is an astrophysicist and the
author of "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry", among other books. He is also the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the
American Museum of Natural History, where he has served since 1996. Additionally Dr. Tyson is the host and cofounder of
the Emmy-nominated popular podcast StarTalk and its spinoff StarTalk Sports Edition, which combine science, humor, and
pop culture. He is a recipient of 21 honorary doctorates, the Public Welfare Medal from the National Academy of Sciences,
and the Distinguished Public Service Medal from NASA. -- Asteroid 13123 Tyson is named in his honor.
Clint Travis
Reviewer
Israel Drazin's Bookshelf
Journeys to Heaven and Hell
Bart D. Ehrman
Yale University Press
https://yalebooks.yale.edu
9780300257007, $32.50 print / $12.48 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Journeys-Heaven-Hell-Afterlife-Christian/dp/0300257007
"Journeys to Heaven and Hell" by Bart D. Ehrman, a highly respected New Testament scholar, tells some of the different
notions various nations and people had about the afterlife in ancient times. He describes a wide variety of katabases and
anabases, but not all.
Katabasis means going down, a descent. It is used to describe a journey to the underworld. Its ancient usage in Greek
mythology told of a person's visit to the world known as Hades. Ancient examples include Orpheus, who goes down to
Hades in a failed attempt to bring his lover, Eurydice, back to the world of the living, Psyche's journey to regain the love of
Eros (Cupid), and Odysseus, who travels there during his trip home after the Trojan war to consult with the prophet Tiresias.
Also, Aeneas who looks for his father Anchises to learn prophecies concerning his fate and that of the Roman Empire.
Anabasis is the opposite of katabasis. It denotes going up. The most famous ancient narratives of anabases are Persephone,
who travels back and forth from Hades every year, and Xenophon's anabasis, the account of the ten thousand goings up to
the sea.
Professor Ehrman introduces us to the katabases in Homer, Virgil, Aristophanes, Lucian, Apocalypse of Paul, I Enoch, and
more. He admits that it is impossible to know whether the authors of these ancient works believed they were true, that their
description of the "underworld" was correct, or if they wrote their books as fiction. Either way, the books strongly impacted
many people who believed what was written in whole or part and molded their behavior based on these beliefs. Many
ancients, as well as many modern thinkers, felt and feel that if heaven and hell do not exist, if God will not award good
conduct and punish wrong behavior, there is no reason to be moral, people can behave as they want.
Ehrman's book has six chapters. In the first three, he examines Greek, Roman, Jewish, and Christian writings and compares
them with others. In the last three chapters, he examines two Christian texts edited by scribes to make them more rational
and acceptable to readers.
What is the view of the afterlife in the Hebrew Bible?
Several facts stand out. First, the Hebrew Bible, the Torah, has no mention or even hint that dead humans go to heaven or
hell. The Torah mentions that the dead goes to Sheol. This word means the grave. Some verses in the late book of Daniel are
the closest to the idea of an afterlife, but most scholars dispute that this interpretation is true.
The biblical book of Ecclesiastes expresses the ancient Jewish view. In 3:19-20, it states, "For, in respect of the fate of man
and the fate of beast, they have the same fate: as the one dies so dies the other, and both have the same life breath; man has
no superiority over the beast, since both amount to nothing. Both go to the same place; both came from dust, and both return
to dust."
Second, it was not until the early second century BCE that a Jewish book speaks of an afterlife. This occurs in the
post-biblical book I Enoch. But, as Ehrman states, we have no idea whether the authors of these books believed what they
wrote was true.
Thirdly, the idea that God will reward good conduct and punish evil is widespread today among many Jews and non-Jews,
as is the notion that if there is no heaven and hell, people can do what they will without concern for consequences.
This third idea is wrong. Even if heaven and hell do not exist, people will be hurt if they misbehave. The world is created
with consequences for good and bad behaviors. Even if God does not award and punish, nature generally does.
Although there is no proof of heaven and hell, many philosophers and clergy teach the idea of reward and punishment. They
do so because of what Plato called a "noble lie," and Maimonides called an "essential truth" to help people feel good and
control their behavior.
The Yeshiva Volume II: Masters and Disciples
Chaim Grade, author
Curt Leviant, translator
Bobbs-Merrill Co
9780672523441 $TBA
https://www.amazon.com/Yeshiva-II-Masters-Disciples/dp/0672523442
The Chaim Grade masterpiece "The Yeshiva II" is subtitled "Masters and Disciples" because it tells of dozens of lives of
people in a manner unequaled by other writers. Each of the many people who populate this story has interesting and exciting
lives that fascinate readers. Grade is uniquely capable of telling their tales and weaving them into the impressive drama of
the protagonist Tsemakh Atlas, thereby creating a drama much like the biblical coat of many colors given to a loved son.
This drama undoubtedly deserves a Nobel Prize for Literature.
Sixty-eight people inhabit this novel set in six Jewish towns in Lithuania after the First World War, six cities that Tsemakh
Atlas enters. One would imagine that it is impossible to remember and distinguish so many. But this notion takes no account
of Grade's genius. We have no difficulty. When they reappear, we recognize them as we would recognize and greet a family
member.
Three stand out. There is Tsemakh. He is tall, handsome, and intelligent, but is conflicted. He spent close to twenty years in
a Yeshiva that emphasized the teaching of Musar, Jewish ethics. Torah and Talmud were also taught but not emphasized.
The ethics taught was harsh. It requires the individual to speak his mind unhesitatingly and, if necessary, embarrass people
who do not act as the yeshiva teaches, even if it causes the other person to become angry. Tsemakh carries this idea to an
extreme. He considers ethical behavior more important than other aspects of Judaism. He is unsure that God exists. He
doubts that God answers prayers and helps people. He is confident that ethical behavior is more important than Torah laws
because people are evil from birth and cannot become good unless they exert constant effort at self-improvement through
ethical studies.
Yet, he feels driven to be a Rosh Yeshiva, the head teacher and mentor at a school for young boys. He signs a contract to
marry a woman and leaves her because he sees she is sickly and her father will not fulfill his obligations under the contract.
He feels very guilty for causing her distress. He marries instead a gorgeous non-religious woman who loves him dearly,
abandons his religious practices, and accepts her family's offer that he be a worker in a store. He also leaves her and his
wealthy in-laws because he feels guilty about the woman he rejected and stopped being religious. He goes to another town
and becomes a Rosh Yeshiva without changing his inner conflicts. He falls in love in the new town with a married woman
who reciprocates his love because her husband is seldom home. Her husband travels from town to town asking for
contributions for yeshivas.
Rabbi Avraham-Shaye Kosover, a renowned scholar and sage, is the opposite of Tsemakh. He suffered a similar betrothal
deception. The woman to whom he was betrothed turned out to be much older than he understood and incapable of having a
child. She is also very loud and outspoken and turns off many people. But unlike Tsemakh, he marries her. He treats her
with dignity, although he does not love her. He acts respectfully to everyone and is highly esteemed by virtually everyone,
even Tsemakh. He criticizes Tsemakh's harsh ethical practices. He said, "Except for certain extraordinary instances when
one must not look on and keep silent, we shouldn't tell another person anything about his character and behavior until he
asks us and until we're certain that he has asked the question so as to improve his character and behavior. Even then, we
shouldn't tell him anything beyond his understanding and his ability to change." He is convinced that Tsemakh is doing
enormous harm to his students by his actions. He takes Chaikl out of Tsemakh's yeshiva to save this intelligent boy. He
makes Chaikl his student.
The third principal character in this novel is Chaikl. Readers should pay special attention to this boy. His father is interested
in the Enlightenment, which questions many Jewish ideas, and encourages Jews to engage in secular studies. He disagrees
with the approach of Rabbi Avraham-Shaye Kosover who felt that Jews must spend their lives immersed in holy books. He
feels instead that Jews must not isolate themselves from the world. Chaikl's mother, on the other hand, is very religious and
wants him to become a rabbi. He is modeled on Chaim Grade, who left the Musar yeshiva and Jewish practices in 1932 at
age 22.
The following is a small sampling of the dozens of other people whose stories are told in this novel. There is the crude
tobacco merchant who tormented his son, a yeshiva student, and drove him to abandon Jewish practices. He refused to send
his wife a divorce for fifteen years. She left the country, settled in Argentina, married another man, and lived in an
adulterous relationship. She had children who were considered bastards by Jewish law. Although once prosperous, he turns
himself into a beggar. He does not send his wife a divorce but goes from house to house begging for food, acting pious to
impress others with his piety despite his terrible treatment of his wife and son.
Sroleyzer, a bricklayer, thief, fence, and a member of Tsemakh Atlas's congregation, is approached to help solve the
problem that arose when the local library gave secular books to the yeshiva students. Tsemakh and Rabbi Avraham-Shaye
Kosover agreed that the library books must be stolen and burnt. Sroleyzer was paid to do so. The two were surprised at the
uproar in the town when the books were taken. Demands were made to punish the person or persons involved in the theft.
Tsemakh suffers greatly. Sroleyzer becomes a hero for claiming that he saved the books.
Elke Kogan, a quiet woman with a mental problem, becomes pregnant. She is unable to identify the man who raped her. The
community feels confident that the culprit is Sheeya Lipnishker, a Torah scholar who teaches Judaism to local farmers, a
man Elke Kogan admires.
In summary, this is an outstanding book by an author who deserves the Nobel Prize for Literature.
The Guide of the Perplexed, Vol. 1
Moses Maimonides, author
Translated with an introduction and notes by Shlomo Pines
University of Chicago Press
https://press.uchicago.edu
9780226448534 $27.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Perplexed-1-Moses-Maimonides-ebook/dp/B006MR25LM
How does God want people to behave?
In Maimonides' Guide for the Perplexed, book 3, chapter 51, in the easy-to-read translation by Michael Friedlander,
Maimonides tells readers: "The present chapter does not contain any additional matter that has not been treated in the
(previous) chapters of this treatise. It is a kind of conclusion, and at the same time, it will explain in what manner those
worship God who have obtained true knowledge concerning God; it will direct them on how to come to that worship, which
is the highest aim man can attain."
There are two things to understand at the outset. First, in his introduction to his Guide, Maimonides tells us that his book
will contain two kinds of ideas: (1) those that are fitting for the unlearned, people who are unable to deal with intellectual
ideas, who are unable to abandon notions they learned as children; and (2) ideas designed to enlighten people who are
intelligent, who not only know about Judaism by also secular studies. He warns his readers to read his book carefully, and
those who are intelligent should accept the latter ideas, not the notions set forth for the masses of the people, such as God
needing to perform miracles, requiring angels to assist him, and God becoming angry when people act improperly. Guide
3:51 contains a section for intelligent people followed by one for the general population. As usual, as will be seen,
Maimonides does not identify his audience for both sections.
The second thing that must be recognized and understood is that his statement that 3:51 contains nothing new should be
understood by intellectual people that this statement is not true for if it were not new, why would Maimonides have
included it? Intelligent people should realize that he wrote these words for the public to suggest that they ignore the first half
of this chapter. He took this approach because what he was about to say would bother, perhaps even anger people in the
general public. He recognized that thinking people would see through this ploy and approach the chapter knowing that it
contains a new and very significant idea.
As we will see below, Maimonides stresses that religious Jews who diligently observe the Torah commands and rabbinical
enactments, who spend time reading or even studying the Torah and Talmud, and who devote hours to prayer have failed to
do what God wants them to do. It is important to observe the law, but the law leads one to proper behavior, achieved only
when one has knowledge of God as Maimonides explains the term. Maimonides stresses in his Guide 1:54, people can only
know God by understanding the laws of nature that God created or formed, laws revealed in the secular sciences. "The
knowledge of the works of God is the knowledge of His attributes, by which He can be known." Thus, true worship of God
requires Jews to study the sciences. This is the only way to gain knowledge of God. This is Maimonides' explanation of
Exodus 33, where Moses requested that God tell him what God is. God, in essence, tells Moses that he can only know about
God by viewing what God did.
Maimonides presents his revelation of what is proper worship of God and that Jews are not doing what God wants them to
do if they only spend their entire day studying the Torah and Talmud in Guide for the Perplexed 3:51 by a parable. He
compares people who worship God to people having a relationship with their king.
In the parable, humans seeking to do what God wants them to do are like people ruled by a king who is in his palace. Some
of the king's subjects are:
People who turn their backs to the palace, like people who have false ideas about God.
Some never saw the palace. This describes most religious people. They "observe the divine commandments, but are
ignorant" of secular studies.
Similarly, some people try to reach the palace, circling it looking for an entrance but never find it. They symbolize
individuals who devote themselves to the "study of the practical law. They believe in the true principles of faith... but are not
trained in philosophical treatment of the law." These people consider themselves pious because they refuse to engage in
worldly affairs. By "practical law," Maimonides means Torah and Talmudic law. By "philosophical treatment," he and the
people of his time meant all of the sciences.
The fourth group is a little better than the third who reject secular study. These represent people who study secular subjects,
but not enough.
The final group are those people who in the simile enter the room where the king is present. They describe individuals who
obey Jewish laws and study the laws of nature and the sciences. They are, like Maimonides, totally observant of halakha
while engaging in improving themselves and society by studying and using their knowledge of the sciences. They are
doctors, lawyers, engineers, plumbers, construction workers, social workers, and the like.
Maimonides writes that it is necessary to gain knowledge of God by knowing His works, "then commence to devote
yourselves to Him, try to approach Him and strengthen the intellect, which is the link that joins you to Him." The more
people "think of Him [know the sciences], the more they are engaged in His worship." He summarizes: "The highest kind of
worship to which we refer in this chapter, is only possible after the acquisition of the knowledge of God."
Maimonides' teaching that people should learn the laws of nature, the sciences, makes sense. Maimonides tells us in Guide
3:27 and 28 that the purpose of the law, meaning the Torah, is to remove injustice, teach good conduct that furthers the
well-being of society, and impart truths that help improve individuals and society. Obviously, the knowledge of science,
including subjects such as medicine, proper hygiene, philosophy, logic, physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, statistics,
history, sociology, and even weather forecasting, will help further these goals immeasurably.
Maimonides follows this discussion in Guide 3:51 with a long "Note" in which he tells readers that to strengthen the bond
with God, people must engage in "reflecting about God." He writes that we should read the law, pray, perform the precepts,
free ourselves from worldly business, and other distractions. Read the Shema prayer with the intent to be more pious. Read
the Torah with all your thoughts occupied with an understanding of what you read, and do not let superfluous things disturb
your thoughts. Only "think of worldly matters when you eat, drink, bathe, talk with your wife and little children, or when
you converse with other people." These times "must suffice to you for reflecting on everything that is necessary as regards
business, household, and health." This "Note," was written for the general unenlightened population. It mentions nothing
about spending time studying the laws of nature.
This "Note" was obviously written for most Jews who could not accept what Maimonides revealed previously. It contradicts
the prior section and Maimonides' own behavior. He preferred spending a sizable amount of time every day studying the
sciences and using his time to help others. He devoted half of most days ministering as a physician to the health of the
non-Jewish leaders of Egypt; engaging in community affairs; writing books on medicine; studying Talmud commentaries
and Jewish Law; answering questions of people assembled in his house and those who wrote to him, and educating fellow
Jews.
The Origins of Judaism: An Archaeological Historical Reappraisal
Yonatan Adler, author
Yale University Press
https://yalebooks.yale.edu
9780300254907 $45.00 print / $33.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Origins-Judaism-Archaeological-Historical-Reappraisal-Reference-ebook/dp/B0BGYJ6TXS
When did Jews begin to observe Biblical Laws?
The question of when did Jews begin to observe the practices and prohibitions of biblical laws is one of the most important
yet thorniest questions that has bothered scholars for centuries. While traditional Jews believe their ancestors accepted and
practiced Torah laws since the time of Moses, there is no clear statement that this occurred in the Bible itself. Associate
Professor Yonatan Adler of the Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Ariel University in Israel
addresses this age-old question. His reply, supported by multiple sources, is contained in his 2022 book, "The Origins of
Judaism: An Archaeological Historical Reappraisal," a scholarly, easy-to-read Yale University Press book. Several hundred
interesting notes follow the 236-page book in 64 pages, a bibliography of 30 pages, and an extensive, helpful index of 34
pages.
Adler's goal in this very informative and eye-opening book is not to examine when, why, and by whom the Torah was
written or answer any other theological question. His focus is on the behavior of the Judean society, when we can identify
the time when Judeans observed the Torah. Many scholars argued previously that the early Judeans did not obey Torah law,
but they did not identify when Jews accepted the Torah as a director of their lives. For example, I wrote in my book "The
Tragedies of King David," "Scholars contend that there are many indications in the book of Samuel that the book's author
knew nothing about Moses's Torah, and may not have known about the biblical books of Joshua and Judges. I identified
thirty-nine such indications in my two prior books about Samuel and David. There are an additional eighteen in this volume,
fifty-seven in all." In later books on the Bible, I showed more examples.
Adler examines thirteen practices, dietary laws, ritual purity, artful portrayals of humans and animals, tefillin and mezuzot,
the synagogue, circumcision, the Sabbath prohibitions, the Passover sacrifice, the Festival of Unleavened Bread, fasting on
the Day of Atonement, residing in booths on Sukkot, the four species, and having a continually lit seven-branched menorah
in the Jerusalem temple. In each case, he begins by telling the law as specified in the Pentateuch, the five books of Moses,
examines the evidence for the practice or prohibition in the first century CE, both writings by Jews and non-Jews of this
time, such as Philo, Josephus, Dead Sea Scrolls, the New Testament, Roman writers, as well as archaeological finds of the
period, such as coins, pottery, buildings, and bones, and continues backward in time to earlier available writings and
archaeological evidence before the first millennium, until there is no evidence that people observed these practices,
Adler found that "the earliest surviving evidence for a widely practiced Judean way of life governed by the Torah never
predates the second century BCE." The evidence suggests that the early Hasmonean leadership who rescued the Judean
nation from Syrian Greek control, legitimized the Pentateuch as the authoritative law and fashioned themselves as the
"restorers" of an ancient system of divine law. They went so far as to convert the Semitic people they conquered forcibly.
They were the first who converted people. There was no need for conversion previously. The Hasmonean family led the
revolt against the Syrian Greeks around 167 BCE. The last of the brothers, Simon, became high priest and leader of the
Judeans in 142 BCE when he established an independent country led by his descendants until the Hasmonean state fell to
the Roman general Pompey in 63 BCE.
While the lack of evidence of the Judean observance of the Torah before the Hasmonean era could suggest the Torah did not
exist before that time and the tradition that the Torah was present since the time of Moses is untrue, Professor Adler does
not say this. He wrote that he was only interested in this study on when the Judean population observed Torah practices and
prohibitions. We readers are left to decide this issue ourselves. It is possible that despite the majority not making Torah the
guide to their lives until the mid-second century BCE, a minority of Jewish ancestors, perhaps even a sizable minority,
accepted a Torah life since very ancient times. There are also many other possibilities.
Letters Concerning the English
Voltaire, author
John Lockman, translator
CreateSpace
9781548226640 $3.99
https://www.amazon.com/Letters-Concerning-English/dp/1548226645
An example of prejudice
Unthinking prejudice resulted in the deaths of millions. The stories of Voltaire and Jenner are examples.
The Frenchman Voltaire (1694-1778) tried unsuccessfully to get the French to inoculate children from smallpox. He was a
very intelligent member of the Enlightenment, a writer, historian, and philosopher who criticized Christianity and slavery.
He was an advocate for civil liberties. He authored some 2,000 books and pamphlets. He is best known for his highly
acclaimed novel Candide in which he mocked the thinkers of his time.
His 92-page "Letters Concerning the English" contains essays based on his experiences and observations in England
between 1726 and 1729. He tells how the Circassians, Turks, Chinese, and English inoculated children with a small dose of
smallpox. The Circassians, for example, were a nation that lived on the northeast shore of the Black Sea. Russians
massacred most of the people. From ancient times, they made an incision in the arm of their children before they reached the
age of six months. They placed in the incision a pustule, a bit of pus, taken from the body of another child with smallpox.
The pustule assured that even if the inoculated child got smallpox later in life, it was very mild and did not kill or disfigure
the child as smallpox generally did. In contrast, prejudice against the other nations, many French hated the English, closed
the minds of the French and others, resulting in many millions of disfigurements and unnecessary deaths. Some French even
called the inoculation process anti-Christian.
After Voltaire's death, it was not until 1796 that the first smallpox vaccine was developed against the contagious disease.
The British doctor Edward Jenner (1749-1823), who pioneered the concept of vaccines, demonstrated that infection with the
relatively mild cowpox virus conferred immunity against the deadly smallpox virus. It helped the inoculated person's body
to develop immunity to smallpox. It is estimated that Jenner saved 530 million lives.
Jenner, of course, did not call inoculation anti-Christian. He was a Christian who treasured the Bible and was not
prejudiced. Before his death, he stated to a friend: "I am not surprised that men are not grateful to me, but I wonder that they
are not grateful to God for the good which He has made me the instrument of conveying to my fellow creatures."
The Sages, Character, Context & Creativity, Volume V
Binyamin Lau
Koren
https://korenpub.com
9781592644025 $24.95
https://korenpub.com/products/copy-of-the-sages-vol-iv
https://korenpub.com/products/sages-set
The truth about the Oral Law
Many Jews are convinced that the laws and customs that originated with the rabbis were taught at Sinai to the Israelites
during the days of Moses and are called "Oral Law," even though the Torah itself states that only the Decalogue that people
call The Ten Commandments were spoken there. Rabbi Dr. Binyamin Lau describes the true origin of rabbinical laws. He
also informs us about the rabbis and the occurrences of the times they lived in his five-volume series "The Sages."
The fifth book, written first in Hebrew, is now translated and sold in English. It is called "The Sages, Character, Context &
Creativity." It focuses "on the teachings of the second generation of talmudic sages - the founders of the great rabbinic
academies in Babylonia and the Land of Israel at the end of the third century CE." It is very informative. The prior four
Sages books are, The Second Temple Period, From Yavneh to the Bar Kokhba Revolt, The Galilean Period, and From the
Mishna to the Talmud.
Rabbi Dr. Yehuda Brandes tells readers in the Foreword that, in his opinion, "the main purpose of this series is to set the
various sages of the Mishna and Talmud before the eyes of students who study their teachings. All too often, teachers of
rabbinic literature do not bother to introduce their students to the various sages mentioned in the text." A complete
understanding of rabbinical rulings is only gained by knowing the person making the ruling, why he did so, and the
conditions of the time that prompted him to act. Rabbi Lau does this in clear, understandable language.
We read of the death of the first generation of Babylonian rabbis, Rav in 247 CE and Shmuel in 254 CE, their successors,
and the founding of rabbinical academies in Southern Babylonia in Sura and Northern Babylonia in several cities. We also
read of the academies in the Land of Israel, the significant differences between Babylonia and Israel, conditions during the
reign of the last pagan Roman Emperor Diocletian when Jews were satisfied to live in peace under Roman rule, and the
power of his successor Constantine. This first Christian emperor started a period in which Israel suffered. We also read of
Israeli rabbis' dislike for the rabbis of Babylonia. They thought the Babylonian Jews acted improperly by not returning to
Israel when Cyrus allowed Jews to return from their exile to their homeland in Israel
There is much in this 278-page book that will enlighten readers.
Dr. Israel Drazin, Reviewer
www.booksnthoughts.com
Jack Mason's Bookshelf
The Death of Christ
Steven Rutledge
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781399088770, $36.95, HC, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Death-Christ-Archaeological-Historical-Evidence/dp/1399088777
Synopsis: What was the world like, and what was going on in it, around the time of Jesus' death? "The Death of Christ: The
Bible and Popular Culture vs Archaeological and Historical Evidence" by Professor Steven Rutledge is detailed study that
examines this very question, and also seeks to place Jesus in his larger historical context, as a non-citizen resident of the
Roman Empire living in Judaea and Galilee in the 20s and 30s AD.
"The Death of Christ" deftly explores the larger background and context to some of the major power-brokers of the Roman
Empire in Jesus' day, including the emperor Tiberius, his ambitious Praetorian Prefect Sejanus, Judaea's governor Pontius
Pilate, and the client king who governed Galilee, Herod Antipas. It further explores some of the larger historical and cultural
context and background of some of the characters who parade through the gospel accounts, including the treacherous
informant Judas Iscariot, the tax collector turned apostle, Matthew, and the gruff centurion whose servant Jesus was said to
have healed.
Furthermore, "The Death of Christ" also considers the nature of Jesus' radical resistance to the Roman Empire, and seeks to
contextualize it through comparison with other resistance movements. Attempts to recover the historical Jesus have sought
to put him in his immediate context of ancient Galilee, Judaea, and the Jewish community to which he belonged.
Instead
"The Death of Christ" focuses on the Roman historical background to the time and place of his ministry and death. Cast into
relief against the much larger picture of the greater Roman world of which he was a part, the ministry of Jesus is quite
radical indeed.
Critique: A simply fascinating, thought-provoking, and impressively well presented study, Professor Steven Rutledge's "The
Death of Christ: The Bible and Popular Culture vs Archaeological and Historical Evidence" includes maps, illustrations,
family trees, a glossary, chapter notes, a bibliography, and an index. An exceptional work of meticulous research and simply
outstanding scholarship, "The Death of Christ: The Bible and Popular Culture vs Archaeological and Historical Evidence" is
a unique and strongly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library Christian History and
Archaeology collections. It is also readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Steven Rutledge (https://classics.umd.edu/directory/steven-rutledge) is an Associate Professor Emeritus of
Classics (University of Maryland, College Park), and an Adjunct Professor of History at Linfield University (McMinnville,
Oregon). He is also the author of Imperial Inquisitions. Prosecutors and Informants from Tiberius to Domitian (Routledge
2001), Ancient Rome as a Museum. Power, Identity, and the Culture of Collecting (Oxford 2012), and A Tacitus Reader
(Bolchazy-Carducci 2014). He has also written numerous articles on Roman history and culture.
Port of Refuge: Udaagamax
Dan Magone
Dorrance Publishing Company
585 Alpha Drive, Suite 103, Pittsburgh, PA 15238
www.dorrancepublishing.com
9781685373542, $57.00, HC, 238pp
https://www.amazon.com/Port-Refuge-Udaagamax-Dan-Magone/dp/1685373542
Synopsis: After his forty-plus-year career in emergency ship repair and marine salvage in western Alaska, Dan Magone
knows the grit and grace required to survive Alaska's brutal marine frontier. "Port of Refuge: Udaagamax" is an episodic
memoir that records his breathtaking experiences at sea and the high adventure and discouraging setbacks that accompanied
it.
During his career, Dan Magone personally directed the successful salvage or wreck removal of seventy-nine vessels and has
been awarded two Public Service Commendations by the USCG. He received his commercial diving certificate in 1971, has
maintained an Explosive Handlers license since 1990 and has extensive experience in underwater welding and ship
repair.
Touching on environmentalism, spirituality, race and ethnicity, as well as friendship, leadership and loyalty, "Port of
Refuge: Udaagamax" proves that the marine industry is what you make of it.
Critique: With each chapter beginning with a full color illustration, "Port of Refuge: Udaagamax" is an impressively well
written, organized and presented memoir that is an inherently fascinating and exceptionally informative read from first page
to last. Of special appeal to those with an interest in the subject of maritime & marine salvage, and available for personal
reading lists in a paperback edition (9798886046823, $23.64, Amazon) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), "Port
of Refuge: Udaagamax" is especially and unreservedly recommended as a unique of special addition to community and
academic library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections.
Editorial Note: Dan Magone (https://portofrefuge.com/about-dan-magone) is a longstanding member of Unalaska Christian
Fellowship, supports the Unalaska Native Fisherman's Association, and is a regular at the city's annual School Career Day
where he does his best to inspire students in career ideas. But Magone is best known for being the guy that the fishermen,
the city, or any local can call when they need help quick.
The Potentialist I: Your Future in the New Reality of the Next Thirty Years
Ben Lytle
Amplify Publishing
https://amplifypublishinggroup.com
9781637551363, $28.00, HC, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Potentialist-Future-Reality-Thirty-Years/dp/1637551363
Synopsis: Anyone living through the next thirty years will become the most powerful members of the human race to have
ever existed. They will live long, novel lifestyles doing more significant, meaningful work. They will function as only
geniuses could have done in the past. They will collaborate and share experiences in physical and virtual reality with
anyone, anywhere, anytime. Innovations in medicine, seamless integration with automation, and unlimited Cloud computing
power are what will make it all possible.
They will have the opportunity and the duty to create a decidedly better world. But they will also need to develop the
wisdom to use this expansive power in advance of receiving it. Their success or failure will decide if the future is a new age
of enlightenment or darkness. Experience and maturity alone cannot provide the required wisdom fast enough. They will
also need to maximize their innate potential to accelerate wisdom.
Withe the publication of "The Potentialist: Your Future in the New Reality of the Next Thirty Years", Ben Lytle explains the
first steps to achieve our potential and accelerate wisdom. We will be encouraged to discard potential-limiting mindsets,
wasteful habits, and destructive lifestyles that caused unnecessary suffering in prior generations. We will discover how
forces of change create a better world (a New Reality!) by breaking down the one we know. The pace of life will accelerate
and become more turbulent. Institutions such as government, education, religion, news media, and many employers will be
disrupted and become less reliable. But we will live to see the unfolding New Reality through the lens of opportunity instead
of anxiety and fear.
"The Potentialist" is first installment in a three-book series and written specifically for those who will live thirty years or
more, those who are older and seeking to assist younger people through this unprecedented challenge, and leaders who are
charged with adapting organizations for the New Reality. Mind-blowing change is coming. "The Potentialist" provides a
kind of roadmap to success.
Critique: Of special appeal and value to readers with an interest in the social aspects of evolving technologies, engineering,
and self-help/motivation for dealing successfully with social, cultural, political, and economic change, "The Potentialist:
Your Future in the New Reality of the Next Thirty Years" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal,
professional, community, and academic library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students,
academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Potentialist: Your Future in the New
Reality of the Next Thirty Years" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Ben Lytle (https://potentialistfuture.com/about) is a self-made serial entrepreneur-CEO known for being
ahead of the curve. He launched five successful companies, including two listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The best
known is Anthem, today twenty-ninth on the Fortune 500 with a market value over $100 billion. He is a healthcare policy
expert who served on state and presidential healthcare commissions, a governance leader with extensive public company
experience.
Jack Mason
Reviewer
John Burroughs' Bookshelf
Poster Art of the Disney Parks, second edition
Danny Handke, author
Vanessa Hunt, author
Disney Editions
c/o Disney Book Group
https://books.disney.com
9781368062473, $50.00, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Poster-Disney-Second-Editions-Deluxe/dp/1368062474
Synopsis: Disney attraction posters have been an important means of communication since Disneyland began displaying
them in 1956. These eye-catching pieces of artwork adorn the parks with flair and style, and are displayed to build
excitement and disseminate information about the newest additions to the Disney landscape. As evidenced by the evolution
of the attraction posters, art styles and design techniques have certainly changed over the years. These characteristics also
differ from continent to continent. Posters from EPCOT, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, and
Shanghai Disneyland exhibit the nuances in presentation that give each park's pantheon of posters its signature look and
story.
This significantly expanded and fully updated second edition of "Poster Art of the Disney Parks" by the team of Danny
Handke and Vanessa Hunt includes : An incredible collection of original attraction posters from Shanghai Disneyland; The
extensive and graphically bold collection of EPCOT posters first unveiled at D23 Expo 2019; Posters featuring attractions
and lands inspired by storytelling from Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel.
A variety of vibrant voices quoted throughout "Poster Art of the Disney Parks", providing interesting insights about the
development of the posters over the years and the interconnection among art, typography, and graphic design -- Disney
style.
Critique: A coffee-table style (11.5 x 1.13 x 14.38 inches, 1 pound) volume, "Poster Art of the Disney Parks: 2nd Edition"
will prove to be an especially appreciated addition to personal, community, and academic Pop Culture Art & Disney Art
collections for collectors, art students, and non-specialist general readers wanting a lasting memento of their visit to a
Disney theme park.
Editorial Note #1: Danny Handke (https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-handke-992b03b1) is a senior creative director for
Walt Disney Imagineering, where he is responsible for creating and developing stories and ideas for Disney parks and cruise
ships from concept to completion. On the Disney Wish cruise ship project, Danny is leading the creative direction and story
development for Worlds of Marvel, AquaMouse, Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge, Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure,
Disney's Oceaneer Club, and more. He has worked for The Walt Disney Company for eighteen years. His recent projects
include Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: BREAKOUT! at Disney California Adventure, the integration of Marvel and
Star Wars to Disney's Oceaneer Club across the Disney Cruise Line fleet, and several blue sky projects for Disneyland
Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort, and Hong Kong Disneyland. He is also coauthor of the first edition of Poster Art of the
Disney Parks for Disney Editions. Danny is a graduate of the Art Institute of Phoenix with a degree in Media Arts &
Animation.
Editorial Note #2: Vanessa Hunt (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinesaunderspr) worked for The Walt Disney Company
for nearly twenty years. As a former Walt Disney Imagineer and a lifelong Disney aficionado, she was part of the group
responsible for the original artwork preserved in the Walt Disney Imagineering Art Collection. She has been curator of
several Imagineering exhibits featuring many of the works from the collection, and has consulted for The Walt Disney
Family Museum. Vanessa is also the coauthor of the first edition of Poster Art of the Disney Parks (2012) as well as the
wildly popular Maps of the Disney Parks (2016) and The Disney Monorail: Imagineering a Highway in the Sky (2020). In
addition, Vanessa was the curatorial director on Marc Davis in His Own Words: Imagineering the Disney Theme Parks
(2019).
The Power of Story
Harold R. Johnson
Biblioasis
www.biblioasis.com
9781771964876, $16.95, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Story-Truth-Trickster-Fictions/dp/1771964871
Synopsis: Approached by an ecumenical society representing many faiths, from Judeo-Christians to fellow members of First
Nations, Harold R. Johnson agreed to host a group who wanted to hear him speak about the power of storytelling. "The
Power of Story: On Truth, the Trickster, and New Fictions for a New Era" is the outcome of that gathering.
In "The Power of Story", Johnson explains the role of storytelling in every aspect of human life, from personal identity to
history and the social contracts that structure our societies, and illustrates how we can direct its potential to re-create and
reform not only our own lives, but the life we share. Companionable, clear-eyed, and, above all, optimistic, Johnson's
message is both a dire warning and a direct invitation to each of us to imagine and create, together, the world we want to
live in.
Critique: A fascinating, thought-provoking, and ultimately inspiring read from cover to cover, "The Power of Story: On
Truth, the Trickster, and New Fictions for a New Era" will have a very special appeal and value to readers with an interest in
Native American folklore, mythology, and cultural studies. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book
format (Kindle, $9.99), "The Power of Story" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional,
community, and academic library Indigenous People's Biographies & Cultural Studies collections and supplemental
curriculum syllabus.
Editorial Note: Harold R. Johnson (1954-2022) was the author of six works of fiction and six works of nonfiction, including
Firewater: How Alcohol is Killing My People (and Yours), which was a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award
for Nonfiction. Born and raised in northern Saskatchewan to a Swedish father and a Cree mother, Johnson served in the
Canadian Navy and worked as a miner, logger, mechanic, trapper, fisherman, tree planter, and heavy-equipment operator.
He graduated from Harvard Law School and managed a private practice for several years before becoming a Crown
prosecutor. He was a member of the Montreal Lake Cree Nation.
John Burroughs
Reviewer
Julie Summers' Bookshelf
Bells: Music, Art, Culture, and Politics from Around the World
Jaan Whitehead
Girl Friday Books
https://girlfridaybooks.com
https://www.thebellsbook.com
9781954854734, $34.95, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Bells-Music-Culture-Politics-Around/dp/1954854730
Synopsis: We live in a world of bells but seldom notice them. However, bells have existed in all cultures since earliest times
and are one of the world's most remarkable artifacts. They have been the "voice" of God and Buddha, a talisman for early
monastics, a source of glorious music, and part of many sacred rituals. Yet, they have also been the clocks, school bells, fire
bells, and shop bells of daily life. With the publication of "Bells: Music, Art, Culture, and Politics from Around the World",
Jaan Whitehead brings together seventeen stories that explore the magic and mysticism of these bells, their political and
religious power, their wide-ranging musicality, and their familiarity in our everyday lives.
The stories range from the recently discovered chimes of Ancient China to the music of carillons and change ringing to
reindeer bells in Arctic Norway to the surprising bell that is on the International Space Station. Other stories explore
Buddhist bells in Japan and Tibet, the famous African bells of Benin, Russian bells, early Christian bells in Scotland, the
Liberty Bell and Big Ben, bells on trains, cable cars, and circus wagons, and two bells brought up from lost ships to serve as
memorials for their crews. Illustrated with 130 photographs, this beautiful book brings bells out from the background of our
days to create a living history of this amazing musical instrument.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated, impressively informative, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Bells:
Music, Art, Culture, and Politics from Around the World" will have a very special appeal for bell collectors, musicians, and
fans of musical instruments, as well as museums, universities, and libraries that have musical instrument collections. It will
also appeal to the nonspecialist general reader with an interest in the use of bells as part of cultural history. While highly
recommended for library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Bells: Music, Art, Culture, and
Politics from Around the World" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note: Jaan Whitehead (https://www.thebellsbook.com) has been researching and collecting bells for over
twenty-five years. She graduated from Wellesley College with a major in economics, has a M. A. in economics from the
University of Michigan, and a Ph. D in political theory from Princeton University. In recent years, she has been working in
the theater world and is the co-editor of The Art of Governance: Boards in the Performing Arts, as well as several articles
about theater in the American culture.
The Spirited Kitchen: Recipes and Rituals for the Wheel of the Year
Carmen Spagnola
The Countryman Press
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.countrymanpress.com
9781682686676, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Spirited-Kitchen-Recipes-Rituals-Wheel/dp/1682686671
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Spirited Kitchen: Recipes and Rituals for the Wheel of the Year", by Carmen
Spagnola the underlying message throughout is that practicing witchcraft means nurturing a relationship with the seasons
and drawing on ancestral roots to find magic in small details.
From the Halloween festivities of Samhain to Midsummer celebrations and the return autumn at Harvest Home, witch and
animist Carmen Spagnola will be your guide through the modern pagan Wheel of the Year.
With "The Spirited Kitchen", you will learn to channel folk magic into every ingredient, feast, and centerpiece. In winter,
Cranberry Custard Tarts encourage health and well-being; in spring, Deep Dish Nettle Quiche ushers in resilience after cold
months; and Calendula Chicken embodies the abundance of summer. Along the way, ritual crafts like Salt Spells, Witches
Ladders, and Corn Dollies set the scene with extra symbolism.
Critique: Informative and fascinating, "The Spirited Kitchen: Recipes and Rituals for the Wheel of the Year" is enhanced
with the inclusion of 100 color photographs and 20 black/white illustrations, tips on foraging, and a glossary of spirited
symbols and ingredients. The ideal instructional reference of those with an interest in everyday animism, folk magic,
modern witchcraft, and recipes that are palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, and reflect Wiccan values, "The Spirited
Kitchen: Recipes and Rituals for the Wheel of the Year" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, and
community library collections. It should be noted that "The Spirited Kitchen: Recipes and Rituals for the Wheel of the Year"
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.19).
Editorial Note: Carmen Spagnola (https://www.carmenspagnola.com) is a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef turned trauma
recovery practitioner and clinical hypnotherapist. The founder of The Numinous Network and The Numinous Podcast, she
leads seasonal folk magic workshops both online and in-person at her home in British Columbia.
The Eighty-Year-Old Sorority Girls
Robin Benoit
Brown Books Publishing Group
https://www.brownbooks.com
9781612545516, $21.99, HC, 332pp
https://www.amazon.com/Eighty-Year-Old-Sorority-Girls-Robin-Benoit/dp/1612545513
Synopsis: As a group of eighty-something girlfriends deals with the mental decline of their sorority sister, they reconnect
with their college sorority, advise their grandchildren, find new lives for themselves, and continue to show up for each
other.
Vivian, nicknamed "Button," is an Alzheimer's patient who adores her sorority group. Helen rediscovers love at age
eighty-one, Ida's crazy side comes out during football season, and Laney is the "big sister" in charge of baking for the group.
These three women consistently show up for Vivian as her mental health deteriorates -- because that is what sisters do. As
they discover a new way of life, they find they would rather take "the road less traveled," just as they did in their college
days.
Critique: Fascinating, heart-warming, deftly crafted, and a fully rewarding read from cover to cover, "The Eighty-Year-Old
Sorority Girls" by author Robin Benoit is one of those novels that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book
itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library
Contemporary Women's Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Eighty-Year-Old Sorority
Girls" is readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
Editorial Note: Robin Benoit (https://www.robinbenoit.com) has served in officer positions for her sorority and Alumnae
Panhellenic. She graduated from college in 1985 with a degree in Journalism/Public Relations. She believes it was her
sorority experience which led her to a career in public relations/community relations with non-profit agencies and
corporations because she wanted her work to be meaningful and helpful to others. That desire to make a difference led her
to become a writer. Robin wrote her first book in 2010 following the amazing success of her daughter Jillian's vision
therapy treatment. Jillian's Story: How Vision Therapy Changed My Daughter's Life and second book was co-written with
her daughter in 2014, Dear Jillian: Vision Therapy Changed My Life Too.
Julie Summers
Reviewer
Kat Payne's Bookshelf
How to Survive Your Murder
Danielle Valentine
Razorbill
https://www.penguin.com/razorbill-overview
9780593352014, $17.99 print / $10.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Survive-Your-Murder-Danielle-Valentine/dp/0593352017
Of Corn Fields, Time Travel, and Brutal Murders
"The scream wouldn't have helped her, anyway. It was much, much too late for that. The chain saw flew closer, whirring
and grinding, the sound it made an electric howl - Until it hit bone," (Valentine).
Readers are hooked at the bloody prologue of Danielle Valentine's newest story, where she doesn't waste time jumping right
into the action. Valentine's newest novel, "How to Survive Your Murder," was published 01 September 2022 and follows
Alice Lawrence as she's forced to relive the worst night of her life - the night her older sister, Claire, was stabbed to death in
front of her. It's Halloween night, and Alice is attending a party with her friends. Instead of venturing through the eerie, dark
corn maze to reach festivities, the group sneaks around it; however, Alice allows her older sister to venture into the maze
alone. As more time passes and Claire doesn't appear from the towering corn, Alice enters the maze to search for her lost
sister, only to find Chloe - one of the most popular girls at their Nebraska high school and the organizer of the Halloween
party - missing her arm and sees her older sister Claire being stabbed to death. A year later, Alice meets a girl who
transports her back to the Halloween party where Alice is able to save Claire; however, discovering who the true murderer is
isn't as straight forward as Alice thought.
Danielle Valentine has written under two other pseudonyms: Danielle Vega and Danielle Rollins. Her novels are published
under Penguin Random House, where her description reads: "Danielle Valentine spent her childhood hiding under the
covers while her mother retold tales from the pages of Stephen King novels. Now as an adult, she can count on one hand the
number of times in her life she's been afraid." As readers, we can see where her horror inspiration originates from. Valentine
is from New England, which is where many of Stephen King's books take place, and where her first horror novel "Survive
the Night" is situated. However, her newest story takes place in Nebraska; she has other books take place in various
locations, with "The Merciless: Last Rites," being in Italy.
I've read all of Danielle Valentine's novels, all of them in the horror genre. Horror is my favorite genre to read and write;
thus, I've read a plethora of the genre's stories. Valentine creates perfect pacing in her novels, elegantly balancing scenes and
including significant details. For example, in "How to Survive Your Murder," the pacing of the story is imperative since it
takes place in one night. Valentine repeatedly states how much time remains until midnight. The chapter, "Carb Up! You're
Gonna Need It..." is the slowest pacing of the story but still keeps the reader on their toes. Alice and her love interest, Wes,
go to a local donut shop called O-Town Dough. This chapter combines a sweet interaction between Alice and Wes that
swiftly turns sour as more evidence of who's behind the murders is revealed.
While Valentine is great at pacing, she excels at creating unique characters who're easy to become attached to, which is
perfect for horror. Her pacing improves her characterization as she sprinkles small character details throughout the story
rather than depositing large chunks of information. Compared to Valentine's previous horror novels, The cast of "How to
Survive Your Murder," leaves much to be desired. The two characters I felt were the most unique and possessed the most
personality were Alice and Claire. A common theme in Valentine's horror novels is a teenage protagonist - Alice - and a
group of friends who also serve as main characters. In this story, I wasn't connected to any of Alice's friends. Xavier, whose
nickname was X, seemed like a stereotypical Tik Tok boy. Millie was my least favorite character. "Millie loves gossip. You
don't tell her something unless you're ready for the whole world to hear about it." As such, she was an irritating character. It
was difficult for me to decipher how she fit into their friend group; she didn't enjoy horror like Alice and X did, which is
what the story revolves around. Eli was my favorite of Alice's three friends, but still his character didn't stick with me; most
of the dialogue between him and Alice was over messages. Even Wes, Alice's love interest, was convoluted. Alice's high
school spread rumors about Wes to the point where no one knew what was true about him. The two chapters titled,
"Halloween One Year Later," and "Your Friends Aren't Really Your Friends," made me dislike Alice's friends as they began
to turn against her, starting their podcast without her and talking about behind her back.
"How to Survive Your Murder" is Valentine's newest horror novel, but the story is nothing spectacular. It differs from
Valentine's previous works as it combines both supernatural/paranormal and true crime horror. The novel is tailored toward
a young adult audience, but this aspect is easily noticeable. Valentine tried too hard for the characters to be stereotypical,
modern teenagers to the point where I was cringing at some points, especially during the first conversation between Alice,
X, and Millie in the chapter "Three Hours Earlier." The dialogue seems unrealistic and has an overwhelming number of
references to classic horror films. Overall, Valentine's newest novel is full of spontaneous twists, but it isn't her best work.
Nonetheless, it was a fun adventure trying to solve who the murderer was, and it built up to an exciting and unexpected
climax. If you're searching for a fun horror novel that balances a bloody mystery with quirky teenage banter, then this is the
book for you.
Kat Payne, Reviewer
https://katpayneportfolio.wordpress.com
Margaret Lane's Bookshelf
My First Popsicle: An Anthology of Food and Feelings
Zosia Mamet
Penguin Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
www.penguin.com
9780143137290, $26.00, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/My-First-Popsicle-Anthology-Feelings/dp/0143137298
Synopsis: What is your most poignant memory surrounding food? Of all the essentials for survival: oxygen, water, sleep,
and food, only food is a vast treasure trove of memory and of sensory experience. Food is a portal to culture, to times past,
to disgust, to comfort, to love: no matter one's feelings about a particular dish, they are hardly ever neutral.
With the publication of "My First Popsicle: An Anthology of Food and Feelings", Zosia Mamet showcases some of the most
prominent voices in art and culture to tackle the topic of food in its elegance, its profundity, and its incidental charm. With
contributions from Stephanie Danler on vinaigrette and starting over, Anita Lo on the cultural responsibility of dumplings,
Tony Hale on his obsession with desserts at chain restaurants, Patti LuPone on childhood memories of seeking out shellfish,
Gabourey Sidibe on her connections with her father and the Senegalese dish Poullet Yassa, Andrew Rannells on his
nostalgia for Jell-O Cake, Sloane Crosley on the pesto that got her through the early months of the pandemic, Michelle
Buteau on her love for all things pasta, Jia Tolentino on the chicken dish she makes to escape reality, and more,
"My First Popsicle: An Anthology of Food and Feelings" is as much an ode to food and emotion as it is to life. After all, the
two are inseparable.
Critique: Of particular interest and appeal to readers with an interest in gastronomy, cooking, the cultural and personal
impact of food, "My First Popsicle: An Anthology of Food and Feelings" is a fascinating, informative, and thought-
provoking compendium of deftly crafted short stories that is especially and unreservedly recommended for both community
and academic library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "My First Popsicle: An Anthology of
Food and Feelings" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Editorial Note: Zosia Mamet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zosia_Mamet) is perhaps best known for her starring role in the
Emmy- and Golden Globe Award-winning HBO series Girls, and her role in the Emmy-nominated HBO Max series The
Flight Attendant.
Essential Oils for Dental Health
Karin Opitz-Kreher, author
Jutta Schreiber D.M.D., author
Earthdancer Books
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781644115787, $15.98, PB, 128pp
https://www.amazon.com/Essential-Oils-Dental-Health-Treatment/dp/1644115786
Synopsis: Healthy teeth in a healthy oral environment play a key role in physical and mental well-being. We all want to
preserve our teeth intact for as long as possible, and essential oils allow us to do so in a natural way. These precious "stars"
from the plant kingdom promote oral hygiene and prevent a range of dental ailments, including caries and periodontitis.
They can even help alleviate a fear of going to the dentist.
With the publication of "Essential Oils for Dental Health: A Holistic Guide to Oral Care and Treatment", experienced
essential oils expert Karin Opitz-Kreher and holistic dentist Jutta Schreiber, D.M.D., have combined their expertise to
explain in clear, accessible, and practical terms how to use essential oils for oral health.
Learn all you need to know about what factors to consider when buying oils, which methods to use for different treatments,
and how to apply them safely within the mouth. Sixteen recommended essential oils and various oil mixtures are discussed,
all with beautiful four-color illustrations. Discover their safe application and health benefits through the focused expertise
and knowledge of the authors. The simple and practical techniques in "Essential Oils for Dental Health: A Holistic Guide to
Oral Care and Treatment" will help to preserve and enhance your dental and oral health.
Critique: Nicely illustrated with full color photography and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation,
"Essential Oils for Dental Health: A Holistic Guide to Oral Care and Treatment" is an unreservedly recommended addition
to community, college, and university library Health/Medicine collections. For non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject it should be noted that "Essential Oils for Dental Health: A Holistic Guide to Oral Care and
Treatment" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note #1: Karin Opitz-Kreher has qualifications in aura soma, aura soma bodywork, and foot reflex zone
reharmonization. She works in her own wellness clinic, specializing in stress reduction and harmonization. Karin has been
making use of traditional knowledge of essential oils and passing this on to others in workshops since 2013.
Editorial Note #2: Jutta Schreiber, D.M.D., has been working as a dentist for more than thirty years, specializing in holistic
and naturopathic approaches at her own clinic in Neubi berg, Germany. Her methodology includes materials testing and
exclusion, identifying interference zones, homeopathy, anthroposophical techniques, bioresonance, matrix rhythm therapy,
and much more. She has also been using essential oils successfully in her clinic for many years. Since 2022 Jutta has
worked with various dental practices as a consultant on dental and oral health, applying her knowledge and expertise in the
field of essential oils.
Margaret Lane
Reviewer
Mark Walker's Bookshelf
Those Who Are Gone: A Novelette
Lawrence F. Lihosit
Independently Published
9798352366608, $13.00, Paperback, 118 pages
https://www.amazon.com/Those-Who-Gone-Lawrence-Lihosit/dp/B0BFV42QCT
Over the years, I've read and reviewed several of the eighteen books of fellow author and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer
"Lorenzo" Lihosit. He was a volunteer in Honduras and married a lady from Mexico, and I was a volunteer in Guatemala
and married a se¤orita from there. I used his Peace Corps Experience: Write & Publish Your Memoir to write my own,
Different Latitudes: My Life in the Peace Corps and Beyond, proofed his Oral History from Madera, California, and agreed
with the Madera Tribune, "The best of its kind in print. Like Volume 1, the author offers real-life stories by citizens of
Madera, California. It seems like they speak directly to us, seated at our kitchen table, waving their arms while laughing.
This is a must-read for those interested in the California Central Valley."
So, when he told me he was writing a story about my community of Scottsdale, Arizona, I purchased a copy as soon as it
appeared. Lorenzo assured me it was "a page-turner," and he was right. He also told me, "Yesterday, I received comments
from the man who was the model for Vic Chacon. He said that it was so accurate that it affected him."
Those Who Are Gone tells the story of Jack Colter's early school years in the 1960s when Scottsdale had 10,000 people.
This modest "Novelette" is historical fiction, although the characters and scenes of his childhood adventures and mishaps
with his friends came alive.
As someone who has traveled extensively and lived in different cultures, the author's stories with a mix of Anglos, Yaqui,
Papago, and Pima Indians were a surprise and a delight. And since I learned more slang than good grammar when learning
Spanish in the Peace Corps, I felt at home with the jargon used by the young protagonists, "Muy Jalado," said Wuicho, and
everyone laughed.
"Eh la moey," said Chucho, and everyone laughed again.
"so, if jalado is a jerk, what is 'Eh la moey," I asked.
"It's like cool," responded Vic....
The diversity of these schoolboys is emphasized when a teacher addresses "Chucho." "So, you speak two languages and play
an instrument." He responds, "I speak three languages, ma'am." "The third language is Yaqui?" Chucho nodded. "You are
considered a well-educated person, Chucho. Thank you for sharing," responded his teacher.
The book offered an appreciation of local Indigenous history. Phoenix is known for its extensive system of canals, which
have local Indigenous origins, "The modern canals were begun in 1878. We believe the Hohokam began building their
ancient system about 1,500 years ago...."
The tragic origins of Yaqui Indians in Scottsdale were traced back to the Mexican government, which in 1896 and 1926
"used poisonous gas dropped from planes, 12,000 troops, and artillery. Yaquis were sold as enslaved people and taken by
cattle cars to work on plantations in the Yucatan." At that time, Yaquis were welcome (to Arizona) as political refugees
because of the genocide."
Among other things, the Yaquis brought their medicinal remedies with their "curanderas." After a hard-fought battle on the
basketball court, the boys applied "sabila poultice" to their bruised legs. This linguistic and cultural diversity wasn't always
appreciated by others, as reflected while shaking hands after winning a basketball game from a larger school and hearing
such slurs as "Injun chumps" from opposing players.
The book ends with a profound observation by the narrator, Jack Colter:
Maybe my role was meant to be as a witness. To this day, every member of our Thunderbird team still has a yellowed,
cut-out copy of that newspaper photo even though none of us live in South Scottsdale anymore. We've all become
Hohokam, those who are gone."
This is why a story of childhood schoolmates and basketball games is so fascinating and timely, as it reflects how much the
community has changed over the last 68 years. The population of Scottsdale has increased from 10,000 to over 250,000
today after a steady process of gentrification. Modest homes have given way to sleek, high-rise apartments. The average
home in North Scottsdale is worth approximately $5 million, making it one of the wealthiest communities in the
country.
Old Town Scottsdale, "The West's Most Western Town," is now populated with boutiques, and a stretch of Scottsdale Road
is lined with dealerships of Benzes, Beamers, and Ferraris, not to mention the occasional $500,000 Lamborghini, all of
which causes one to appreciate a day when life was simpler and more inclusive.
About the Author: Lawrence F. Lihosit was born in the southern suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, in 1951. His family later
moved to Arizona, where he graduated from grade school, high school, and Arizona State University. He reluctantly served
in the U.S. Army Reserves during the closing years of the Vietnam War and enthusiastically volunteered for the Peace
Corps (Honduras, 1975-1977).
His literary work is eclectic, including poetry, short stories, travel essays, memoirs, history, and how-to. He recently
published a series of art essays, accompanied by more than 150 sketches from his travels. Several of his books were
nominated for Peace Corps Writers' awards, and one was named Best Travel Book of the Year (2012). Another received a
U.S. Congressional Commendation (2011). Some of his work is listed in the U.S. Library of Congress Peace Corps
Bibliography, and his Peace Corps literary donations are in the John F. Kennedy Library Archives.
The Man Within My Head
Pico Iyer
Vintage
c/o Penguin
https://www.penguin.com
9780307387561, $16.00 print / $12.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Man-Within-My-Head/dp/0307387569
I came across Pico Iyer while reading and reviewing Ronald Wright's Time Among the Maya, published by ELAND Press,
as he wrote the introduction. His overview was insightful and concise, and I learned he'd written over 50 such openings.
Initial research revealed that he was a revered travel writer and that he'd written a book about his fascination with one of my
favorite writers, Graham Greene.
The book is a meditation about Graham, as well as the author. Greene is the virtual man in Iyer's head, raising the question,
what causes a particular writer to resonate in our souls? I'd grappled with this question regarding the iconic writer Moritz
Thomsen. I explored my fascination with his life and writing in an essay in which I followed him on a trip from the Pacific
coast of Ecuador to the deepest reaches of the Amazon River in Brazil entitled, "The Saddest Pleasure: A Journey of Two
Writers."
A Los Angeles Review of Books provides the most lyrical description of this book, "Part memoir, part literary excavation,
part travelogue, and existential inquiry, it's a story about finding one's voice as a writer and one's place in the world (or lack
of place)."
In The Man Within My Head, Pico Iyer unravels the mysterious closeness he has always felt with the English writer Graham
Greene; he examines Greene's obsessions and his elusiveness and traces some of his mysterious influences. Iyer begins by
following Greene's trail from his first novel, The Man Within, to such later classics as The Quiet American and begins to
unpack all he has in common with Greene: an English public school education, a lifelong restlessness, and refusal to make a
home anywhere, a fascination with the complications of faith. The deeper Iyer plunges into their haunted kinship, the more
he begins to wonder whether the man within his head is not Greene, but his father or perhaps some more shadowy aspect of
himself.
The author would follow Greene's footsteps across the globe from Cuba to Sri Lanka, including stopovers to the heights of
Bolivia. After high school, the author "bumped across Central and South America on buses, taking in the tough and
unaccountable world that school had trained us for...." It was Bolivia that he remembered twenty years later, as I also did,
since I'd made a similar trek, which included Bolivia "..the bowler-hatted women laboring up the steep streets and near the
cathedral, unsold goods slung over their shoulders; the billowing, snow-white clouds that looked fantastical in skies as sharp
as those of Lhasa; the square-headed statues in the Altiplano, barely excavated in centuries."
While reading the book, I learned that the author ran into some of my favorite writers who knew Greene, although in one
case, Iyer only referred to him as "my friend Paul..." with whom he sipped tea after lunch on "an expansive estate in Hawaii"
where geese clucked along the path. In the bungalow "where Paul wrote, fierce tribal masks from Angola and the Pacific
Islands grinned down unnervingly." He goes on to reveal that Greene had offered words of public praise for Paul's first
travel book, The Great Railway Bazaar, "perhaps because he saw strong echoes in it of his early book and first commercial
success, Stamboul Train...."
In a conversation between Paul and Graham Greene about infidelity, Paul says he had an image of Green as a "power figure,
a Shaman" and revealed some interesting characteristics of Greene, "...he didn't type, he didn't drive, he couldn't boil an
egg."
The author provided one final piece of information that confirmed my suspicion that his friend was Paul Theroux with a
quote that tied my favorite authors, Theroux, Greene, and Moritz Thomsen. The connection was to one of Theroux's novels,
Picture Palace, in which an imaginary Maud Pratt is talking to an aging Graham Greene:
"I'm going to wind it up. Call it a day."
"Whatever for?"
"I'm too old to travel, for one thing."
"Which Frenchman said, 'Travel is the saddest of the pleasures?'"
"It gave me eyes."
This last quote inspired the title of Moritz Thomsen's My Saddest Pleasure. (Theroux met Thomsen in Ecuador twice in the
late seventies and considered him a friend). And that would inspire the title for my most recent book, My Saddest Pleasures:
50 Years on the Road, which contained my travel "horror stories."
For Iyer, Greene was his adopted father, although the two never met. Iyer didn't need Green's manuscripts or letters in
research libraries; "...I made no conscious effort to track down those who'd known him. He lived vividly enough inside me,
in some more shadowy place...." The author sums up his virtual relationship with Greene in the book's last paragraph as
follows, "...But with Greene, there'd be no need of words at all. He knew me better than I did myself. I knew him better than
I knew Louis or my father or many of the people closest to me, when it came to his secrets, his sins, his most intimate
needs...." All of these recall Donna Seaman's words: "A writer is a palmist, reading the lines of the world."
About the Author: Pico Iyer was born in Oxford, England--to parents from India--raised in California, and educated at Eton,
Oxford, and Harvard. Since 1987, he has been based in Western Japan, traveling everywhere from Bhutan to Easter Island,
North Korea, to Los Angeles airport. Apart from the two novels and ten works of non-fiction he has published, he has
written introductions to more than fifty other books, screenplays, librettos, and many liner notes for Leonard Cohen. He
regularly speaks everywhere, from West Point to Davos and Shanghai to Bogota, and between 2013 and 2016, he delivered
three talks for TED.com.
Democrazy Version 2020
Elizabeth Graham
Archway
https://www.archwaypublishing.com/en
c/o Simon & Schuster
https://www.simonandschuster.com
9781665712644, $30.95
https://www.amazon.com/Democrazy-Version-2020-Warning-Citizens/dp/1665712643
The author attended a presentation I made at the Arizona Professional Writers Group in August, and I participated in a
presentation she made to the same group's "Book Club" the next month, which offered an excellent opportunity to get
acquainted. Her book helped connect the dots between several circumstances around past President Trump many
Americans, and I wondered about: The stunning comment he made at the Helsinki Conference where he ignored his own
intelligence community's reports of Russian involvement in our elections because Putin said it was a lie. And then the
impact of Trump working with and borrowing money from some of Putin's oligarchs for such projects as a Trump Tower in
SoHo (New York) and Trump's potential interaction with Russian prostitutes who work for Putin in a Moscow hotel
room.
She brings a unique perspective on Putin and Russia: "My work with the CIA was extremely clandestine, top-secret
clearance. My father worked there, and he wanted me in his office - so by the ripe ole age of 16, I had a top-secret clearance.
I graduated from HS (high school) in 1962 and went to work there while I attended college and afterward. The very last
meeting I had with CIA personnel was in Scottsdale in 2014 - 50 plus years later."
She lived in the former Soviet Union, soon to become Russia, for twenty years, and two of her children attended Moscow
Public Schools. She's also an excellent cross-cultural communicator and speaks Russian and Ukrainian, among other
Cyrillic-based languages. She worked with Science Applications International Corporation and the largest "Russian
Language Data Base" in the U.S. as a manager for twelve years. She told me of her first-hand experience with Russia's
operations and the Russian daily infiltration of the U.S. As she put it, "I bring a different perspective on Russia and Putin
than the "Russian Experts" in DC who have spent time in Russia as an ex-pat and consider themselves "well informed."
The author went on to describe why she wrote the book and some of the most salient points she wanted to make:
As for the lack of understanding within the U.S., people here are not only naive about how the world operates but also
isolated. My book discusses how so many Americans - especially Republicans - were brainwashed. I explained how Hitler's
brainwashing began in totalitarian countries and was used to convert an entire nation of peaceful people into a hateful and
violent society that killed over six million human beings. Putin spent all his "spy years" living and working in Germany. He
speaks German fluently and fully grasped Hitler's methods of mind manipulation. Along came Trump, who used the same
type of mind-altering methods used by Hitler and Putin - repeating lies and hatred over and over.
In 2020, hate crimes and violence in the U.S. increased by 30% in one year - the highest percentage jump ever. By this time,
Trump had already been caught in a typical Putin/Russia spy trap due to professional prostitutes working for Putin (probably
when he went to Russia in the 1990s trying to open a signature hotel.) He came back to the U.S. from a trip to Russia and
said to a friend, "you need to go to Russia; the girls there have no morals" - almost an admission of guilt or due to his lack
of financial management (he filed four bankruptcies and U.S. banks refused to loan him money - so he turned to Russia) and
his being in bed with a long list of Russians on many, many business deals as far back as 1990. Putin and his KGB buddies
needed new ways to launder black cash into the U.S. instead of just using banks - and along came inexperienced and
ignorant Trump with his crooked business deals - a KGB textbook perfect example.
Putin is an international mob boss, and if those on his chain do not do what he requests - they or a member of their family
die - it's a replay of the good ole Al Capone days - torture and murder. Ivana Trump's death was probably NOT an accident
but a warning to Trump. I could go on and on, but the book explains in detail and provides a chart outlining "how Trump
was associated with Russians (all KGB), was groomed for years, and then nailed."
Most Americans do NOT grasp anything outside of their neighborhoods. Russia is the opposite of the U.S., and it took me
many years to be bi-cultural so that I looked like, spoke, and dressed Russian. Russians think 3-dimensional, while
Americans think 2-dimensional. Americans are just plain way behind in the world of scheming and corruption on an
international scale.
While Americans were told the Cold War era was over and we are now living in the age of international cooperation, the
Cold War never ended for Russian leaders, especially Putin, who spent his entire life as a KGB spy hating the United States.
He blames the U.S. for the fall of the Soviet Union and will do just about anything to destroy our democracy - including
putting Trump in power. Trump sold his soul - and our country - to the devil when he became involved with Russians. His
desperate need to maintain control of the Presidency was probably due to his relationship with Putin - since this was
potentially Trump's only safety net.
The author includes an article from the July issue of "The Moscow Times" which Graham says describes similarities
between Hitler, Stalin, Putin, and Trump:
At the same time, he (Putin) is as banal as the dictators and autocrats of the 20th century - these dictators all fostered the cult
of the leader, relied on the indifference and obedience of the masses, deified the state, maintained a cult of strength,
militarism and heroic death, confused themselves with the state, built an autarkic economic model, often surviving by
extracting rents from resource dependence. They also refused on principle to allow a rotation of power, fought against
"national traitors," imprisoned their opponents, imposed censorship, and sought to rule forever.
I was surprised to learn that one of the significant reasons the author wrote the book was in response to the murder of
George Floyd in the summer of 2020, "Like so many others across the U.S. and around the world, my gut response was
disbelief, outrage, and blind fury. The news replayed his death over and over and over... There is a malevolent tragedy
playing out in our country, and now - finally - spectators are recording these murders."
She highly recommends and quotes Robin DeAngelo's White Fragility, a book about Why it's so hard for White People to
Talk about Racism, "Race is an evolving social idea created to legitimize racial inequality and protect white advantage..."
and quotes expatriate writer Richard White. who said, "There isn't any Negro problem; there is only a White problem." As
White pointed out, "racism against people of color doesn't occur in a vacuum." She then explains how Trump and other
Republican leaders have used mistrust and hatred to stoke their white supremacist base.
The subtitle on the book's cover reflects the urgency the author feels, "A Warning to All U.S. Citizens: It Can Happen
Here!!! And the profile of the book is correct to point out that the book provides a "...distinctive view that she brings to this
book on racism in America and our country's recent brush with totalitarianism - a dictatorship based on rule by fear."
The book is enhanced with humorous and insightful cartoons and includes "endnotes" and a bibliography. On the back cover
of the most recent version is a letter to the author from President Biden on August 3rd, 2022 - "Your story is an integral part
of the American story, and I am humbled that you shared it with me...Through trials and triumphs, we will always be a
Nation where hope runs deep and optimism reigns. Folks like you remind me of that truth every day." Keep the Faith,
Sincerely, Joe Biden.
About the Author: Elizabeth Graham has spent about twenty-five years living and working abroad - mainly in the Soviet
Union, then Russia, and then the five countries of Central Asia. She had also served as a consultant in the war-torn areas of
Rwanda, Bosnia, and Afghanistan.
Mark D. Walker MA, Reviewer
http://www.millionmilewalker.com
Mark Zvonkovic's Bookshelf
They're Going To Love You
Meg Howrey
Doubleday
https://knopfdoubleday.com/imprint/doubleday
9780385548779, $28.00 hc / $13.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Theyre-Going-Love-You-Novel/dp/038554877X
Emerging from endarkenment into enlightenment.
Can one categorize They're Going to Love You as a "coming of age" novel? The protagonist, Carlisle, confronts a plethora
of obstacles as she progresses toward womanhood and occasionally grasps a truth of one kind or another. But that genre may
not be a perfect fit because in many respects the plot is retrospective; it doesn't move through a typical journey of angst and
discovery to a concluding "aha" moment. Instead, Carlisle's narration moves back and forward in time, through glimpses of
perspective that don't so much lead to a conclusion as they create a dance that a reader can experience through Meg
Howrey's beautiful use of metaphor and imagery. Said another way, Carlisle is not similar to Holden Caufield, who starts his
story at the end and then marches through a bittersweet, although flat, narrative of how he got there. Instead she skirts
around a single incident that occurs when she is twenty-four years old. Howrey craftily allows her narration to drop only
hints about that incident until midway through the book. And Carlisle is a far more complex character than those found in
the typical, modern coming of age efforts, which are often too much saturated with teenage angst. If the novel is a coming of
age one, Carlisle shares a stage with Scout Finch.
Carlisle's story begins with a view of dancers standing in fifth position, inviting the reader to "Feel what I feel" and "See
what I see." But she isn't actually there to see it. What she's conveying is a part of a story told to her. So the reader is asked
to "Imagine what I imagine," as she introduces an antagonist, Alex. It's a very complex beginning, impossible to figure out
really, until one is well into the story. James, a second antagonist, is the one telling Carlisle about Alex, who must be
imagined because she hasn't met Alex yet. Although told in the first few pages of the novel, the event described actually
occurs in the middle of the story's chronology, and the next chapter will jump forward to a point near its end. As the novel
continues, Carlisle's narration slides back and forth in time, randomly it seems at first, to entwine the plot with an often
disheartening revelation of herself. Howrey brilliantly paces the narrative by way of these juxtapositions of events and
revelation, bringing Carlisle to life by allowing the reader to witness her subconscious monologue. And at the end of the
story, after the feeling, seeing, and imagining, Carlisle asks the reader to "remember what I remember."
Carlisle is a far more developed and multi-dimensioned character than Kate Crane and Luke Prescott, the author's
protagonists in her previous novels. Waves of insight push over her at times, but just as frequently she is desperate to
understand. She is at one moment flighty, another moment serious, and a lot of time just insecure. That is no surprise in her
teenage years, when her father buys her a dress that is silky with bright stripes and she observes, "I'm not the girl that would
wear that, look good in that. I put it on and immediately feel fantastic. Whatever girl this dress is right for, I want to be her."
These kinds of observations replay themselves over the later years, particularly as she arrives in New York in 2016, for what
might be a reconciliation, when she feels "disoriented, in between cities, decades, versions of myself." She is forty-three
years old. Over the previous nineteen years she has repeatedly told herself versions of the story that would lead to this trip to
New York. Just before leaving on the trip, she is working on a dance and thinks that "the past gets caught in the lungs, the
joints, the interstitial tissues of our bodies. It was part of the dance I was making today. A waltz with time, with oneself.
With anger. With shame. With love?" This is a recurring struggle for Carlisle, these feelings of failure, in connection with
both the Bank Street incident and her ballet career, and her attempts at rationalization. She believes that she has "failed at
both. But I'm not that girl anymore and her dreams are no longer my dreams. Why should I feel like I failed her? I'm not that
girl anymore. Oh, she's still there." Howrey doesn't create a precisely constructed history for Carlisle. Nor is her psychology
linear; her behavior and thoughts don't often make sense. That would've caused the novel to succumb to a common fallacy
in most modern novels, that a life always has coherence.
They're Going To Love You is set in the world of dance, but to say that it is about dance does the novel a disservice. Dance
is merely Howrey's backdrop for her presentation of Carlisle's journey through the novel's chronology, during which she
makes her mistakes and then, metaphorically, comes to a ceasefire in her battle for atonement she believes she must achieve.
Carlisle is commissioned to choreograph a new version of The Firebird, a version in her mind that is not a fairy tale, but
"one about power and freedom, the gaining of it, the loss of it, the trades you make for it." It is given no more definition than
that in the novel but a reader can certainly imagine how the struggles during Carlisle's life are wedged into her vision for the
ballet. And Howrey then employs another turn of chronology, in which Carlisle, performing the literary equivalent of a
battlement fondu, presents what will happen, how her version of The Firebird will be successful, how closure will come at
Bank Street, and how she will come to terms with "All this wreckage. All this gorgeous, unrepeatable wreckage. Life."
Like many ballets, Howrey presents the novel's plot in movements, through which Carlisle plunges into endarkenment, most
of which is her own making, and emerges into enlightenment. The term "containment" appears in the novel at times,
perhaps a nod toward a combination of particular ballet positions, but also a reference to a recurring theme in the novel.
"Not every movement needs to go out into the world. We can keep some for ourselves. Contained. Powerful." And in a
larger context it becomes a failure of containment, or restraint at one time, that highlights Carlisle's three relationships
during the story, her metaphorical pas de deux with each of James, Alex and Isabel. With these dances Howrey develops
Carlisle's character and place milestones for the plot. The recollections are a brilliant way to pace Carlisle's movement
toward reconciliation, not unlike the manner in which Prince Ivan is led to the egg that holds Kashchey's soul. Arguably, a
reader could find a fourth pas de deux with Carlisle and her father, but that seems a bit too contrived and a forced coherence
for her life. If there is a father-child pas de deux in the novel, it is between James and Alex, something suggested subtly by
Howrey's elegant prose.
With They're Going To Love You Howrey takes a step, perhaps a leap, toward literary virtuosoship. The author's prose
seamlessly slides back and forth between folksy simplicity and chromatic outburst, often leaving the reader gasping for air.
And the elasticity in the plot's chronology sometimes produces moments of startlement, like those that come after an
unexpected lightning bolt. The finale arrives in a sweet melody created with the heroine's previsional observations. One can
compare the novel to a symphony or a ballet, but in the end They're Going to Love You stands in its own position as a fine
novel.
Mark Zvonkovic, Reviewer
www.markzvonkovic.com
Michael Carson's Bookshelf
Mavericks: How Bold Leadership Changes the World
David Giles Lewis, author
Jules Goddard, author
Tamryn Batcheller-Adams, author
Kogan Page Inc.
www.koganpage.com
9781398604414, $80.00, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mavericks-Bold-Leadership-Changes-World/dp/1398604410
Synopsis: Business organizations are where the world's most innovative and impactful talents lie; along with the ingenuity,
the technology and the resources to change the world for the better.
With "Mavericks: How Bold Leadership Changes the World", co-authors and London Business School faculty David Giles
Lewis, Jules Goddard, and Tamryn Batcheller-Adams show how to awaken the 'maverick mindset' in you; one that will
question, debate and enhance. It's not the conformists but the mavericks are the key to answering some of the world' most
pressing challenges. That's because they don't settle for anything less, and neither should you. "Mavericks" shows you how
being a maverick isn't about shooting from the hip and rocking the boat for the sake of it, it's about demanding better of
yourself and your organization for the wider good.
"Mavericks" guides you through the five characteristics that you can develop to become a maverick leader. From passionate
belief, an undeterred attitude, being resourceful, being directional and finally experimenting, these characteristics are the
blueprint for you to grow into an iconic and positive change maker. The focus is not on what becoming a leader can do for
you, but on what you can do to make the world a better place.
Critique: As real-world practical as it is motivationally inspiring, "Mavericks: How Bold Leadership Changes the World" is
exceptionally well written, organized and presented -- making it an useful and 'user friendly' instructional textbook on the
subject of sustainable business development and management. While a core recommendation to personal, professional,
corporate, community, and academic library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Mavericks: How
Bold Leadership Changes the World" is also available in a paperback edition (9781398604391, $25.95) and in a digital book
format (Kindle, $20.76).
Editorial Note #1: David Lewis (https://www.davidlewiscv.com) has 35 years of experience in business and academia. He is
a consultant and sought-after speaker working with global business leaders. In 2019, David was cited on Thinkers 50 Radar
of top global management thinkers. David's research with co-author Alison Reynolds focuses on diversity and performance -
the ability of teams and organizations to thrive in the face of new, uncertain and complex situations. With Alison, David
developed the Qi Index, a tool to help leaders understand and enhance the quality of interaction between people to better
formulate and execute groundbreaking strategies.
Editorial Note #2: Jules Goddard ( has spent most of his career at London Business School, first as a Professor of Marketing
and latterly as an architect of its action learning programmes for corporate clients. He served as the inaugural Gresham
Professor of Commerce, and is currently on the faculty of CEDEP, Fontainebleau, France. He is a member of the Council of
the Royal Institute of Philosophy. (www.london.edu/faculty-and-research/contributors/jules-goddard)
Editorial Note #3: Tamryn Batcheller-Adams (https://www.bxai.org/tamryn-batcheller-adams) is a psychologist, leadership
presenter, consultant and coach working internationally with TomorrowToday Global. As a prac[1]tising psychologist with
two Masters' degrees in psychology, Tamryn focuses on leadership, team and individual development. Having worked with
leaders across 20 countries, Tamryn utilizes frameworks with a focus on building adaptability, emotional agility, resilience,
stress management, self[1]awareness, social awareness and team cohesion to enhance personal, professional and collective
growth. She co-designs, facilitates and coaches in Senior Executive Leadership Programmes and is a registered Enneagram
(personality) specialist based in Cape Town, South Africa.
Every Goddamn Day
Neil Steinberg
University of Chicago Press
1427 East 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637
www.press.uchicago.edu
9780226779843, $25.00, HC, 408pp
https://www.amazon.com/Every-Goddamn-Day-Alternatingly-Heartbreaking/dp/022677984X
Synopsis: Every day in Chicago is a day to remember. In a city so rich with history, every day is the anniversary of some
storied historical or cultural moment, whether it's the dedication of the Pablo Picasso sculpture downtown on August 15, or
the arrest of Rod Blagojevich at his Ravenswood home on December 9, or a fire that possibly involved a cow on October
8.
With the publication of "Every Goddamn Day: A Highly Selective, Definitely Opinionated, and Alternatingly Humorous
and Heartbreaking Historical Tour of Chicago", acerbic Chicago Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg takes the story of the
city, pares away the dull, eat-your-peas parts, and provides 366 captivating daily readings in what makes Chicago Chicago
and America America. It calls upon a wide cast of characters ranging from Oscar Wilde to Muhammad Ali, from Emma
Goldman to Teddy Roosevelt, and from Richard M. Daley to Fred Hampton, to create a compelling narrative that can be
read at a sitting or in a yearlong series of daily doses.
From New Year's Day to New Years' Eve, Steinberg takes the reader on a vivid and entertaining tour, illuminating the
famous, obscure, tragic, and hilarious elements that make each day in Chicago memorable.
Critique: A fun, fascinating, and informative read from cover to cover, "Every Goddamn Day: A Highly Selective,
Definitely Opinionated, and Alternatingly Humorous and Heartbreaking Historical Tour of Chicago" by Neil Steinberg is
organized with each day (January 1 through December 31) having its own one page accounting of something distinctive that
happened on that day somewhere in Chicago's recorded history. With a special appeal for readers with an interest in
immigration, urban sociology, Chicago history, memorable characters and events, "Every Goddamn Day: A Highly
Selective, Definitely Opinionated, and Alternatingly Humorous and Heartbreaking Historical Tour of Chicago" is a unique
and recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library American Regional History
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Every Goddamn Day: A Highly Selective, Definitely
Opinionated, and Alternatingly Humorous and Heartbreaking Historical Tour of Chicago" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $23.75).
Editorial Note: Neil Steinberg (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Steinberg) is a daily news columnist for the Chicago
Sun-Times, where he has been on staff since 1987. His books include Out of the Wreck I Rise and You Were Never in
Chicago, both also published by the University of Chicago Press. His writing has also appeared in Esquire, Rolling Stone,
Granta, the Washington Post, and the New York Times Sunday Magazine, among other publications.
The Fall of the FBI
Thomas J. Baker
Bombardier Books Post Hill Press
1604 Westgate Circle, Suite 100, Brentwood, TN 37027
www.posthillpress.com
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9781637586242, $30.00, HC, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Fall-FBI-Agency-Became-Democracy/dp/1637586248
Synopsis: Americans have lost faith in the Federal Bureau of Investigation, an institution they once regarded as the world's
greatest law-enforcement agency. Thomas Baker spent many years with the FBI and is deeply troubled by this loss of faith.
Specific lapses have come to light and each is thoroughly discussed in "The Fall of the FBI: How a Once Great Agency
Became a Threat to Democracy".
Why did they happen? What changed? The answer begins days after the 9/11 attacks when the FBI underwent a significant
change in culture. To understand how far the Bureau has fallen, "The Fall of the FBI" shows the crucial role played by the
FBI and its agents in past decades. It was quite often, as the reader will see from these firsthand experiences, a fun-filled
adventure with exciting skyjackings, kidnappings, and bank robberies. At the same time, the reader will see the reverence
the Bureau had for the Constitution and the concern agents held for the rights of each American.
More than just a mere memoir, "The Fall of the FBI" it is law enforcement history. From the shooting of President Reagan
and the death of Princess Diana, to the TWA 800 crash and even getting marching orders from St. Mother Teresa, Baker's
story shows how the FBI has played a pivotal role in our country's history.
Critique: Of special value to readers with an interest in federal law enforcement, the political attempts at corrupting federal
law enforcement, "The Fall of the FBI: How a Once Great Agency Became a Threat to Democracy" offers extraordinary and
inherently fascinating insights that, given the attempts of the Trump administration to politicize the FBI and DOJ, is
exceedingly relevant, timely, and unreservedly recommended to personal, professional, community, and academic library
Law Enforcement & Judicial Studies collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Fall of the FBI" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio,
9798200983827, $31.95, CD).
Editorial Note: Thomas J. Baker (https://fbiretired.com/agent/thomas-baker) has over thirty-three years of investigative and
management experience as an FBI Special Agent. He has experience with police management and training issues, having
served as a management instructor at the FBI academy. His international experience is extensive. He served as the Legal
Attache in Canberra, Australia, and Paris, France. He was the American security representative to the Calgary Winter
Olympics and was commended by the Canadian government for his role in the event. As the Assistant Special Agent in
Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, he was one of the first agents on the scene of President Reagan's shooting; Tom
directed the FBI's initial response to that crisis.
Michael J. Carson
Reviewer
Robin Friedman's Bookshelf
Selected Songs
Ned Rorem, composer
Carol Farley, performer
Ned Rorem, performer
Naxos American Classics
https://www.naxos.com
B00005QISU, $9.06
https://www.naxos.com/CatalogueDetail/?id=8.559084
An American Composer Of Art Song
American popular song, whether standards, show tunes, jazz, blues, or rock, is one of our country's most visible artistic
achievements. American classical (or Art) songs are much less known. Ned Rorem (b. 1923) is probably the greatest
American composer in this unfamiliar medium. Rorem is sometimes dubbed the "American Schubert."
This CD features 32 of Ned Rorem's songs for voice and piano. Soprano Carole Farley is the accomplished singer, and Ned
Rorem himself plays the piano. The disc is special because it features settings of the works of American poets. The CD
begins with 9 settings of poems by the mid-twentieth century poet, Theodore Roethke, and concludes with settings of 5
poems by Walt Whitman. The disc also includes settings of poems by William Carlos Williams, Gertrude Stein, and Paul
Goodman, among others. Thus the disc combines in a special way American creative effort in poetry and in music.
Rorem's songs are declamatory in style. Typically, the voice line delivers the text of the poetry in a sort of chant. The
relationship between the voice line and the piano is far from Schubertian. Generally, the piano takes a separate line and
accentuates the voice by means of large chords or by runs or by other comments and punctuation on the voice. The texts are
well set and the music is effective. There are some unusual harmonies with jazz and blues influences. Rorem's piano
accompaniment on this disc gives the recording a sense of authenticity -- we get a good idea of how the composer wants his
songs to be conveyed.
The disc includes excellent program notes and texts of all the songs. Naxos has received deservedly high praise for its
"American Classics" series which makes much music written by Americans available on CD at a low price. This disc
includes some lovely, little-known songs. It is an excellent introduction to the American art song and to the music of Ned
Rorem.
The Shattering: America In The 1960s
Kevin Boyle, author
W.W. Norton & Company
https://wwnorton.com
9780393355994, $18.89 hc / $17.60 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Shattering-America-1960s-Kevin-Boyle/dp/1324036117
The United States In The 1960s
In the third chapter of "The Shattering" (2021), Kevin Boyle's history of the tumultuous 1960s, the concept of the "Beloved
Community" receives considerable attention and, in fact, constitutes the chapter's title. While exploring the Civil Rights
Movement during the late 1950s -- early 1960s, Boyle discusses the nature of the Beloved Community. He quotes civil
rights activist James Lawson as saying "Love is the force by which God binds man to himself and man to man." (p. 103)
Lawson said that with uncompromising love, the Civil Rights movement wouldn't just redeem America's soul but would
also create on American soil the Beloved Community. (p. 104) Boyle then discusses John Lewis's expansion of the nature of
the Beloved Community. (p. 104). Lewis had said:
"According to this concept all human existence has strived toward community, toward community together. Wherever it is
interrupted or delayed by forces that would resist it -- by evil or hatred, by greed, by the lust for power, by the need for
revenge -- believers in the Beloved Community insist that it is the moral responsibility of men and women with soul force,
people of goodwill, to respond and to struggle nonviolently against the forces that stand between a society and the harmony
it naturally seeks."
Civil Rights leaders expanded the concept of the Beloved Community from American philosophers and social thinkers
earlier in the 20th Century, including Josiah Royce among others. While the term does not appear frequently in Boyle's
book, it constitutes a foil to the title of his study "The Shattering: America in the 1960s" in the history it has to tell.
The 1960s and the decade's many components have received a great deal of scholarly and popular attention. In his Preface,
Boyle uses the term "shattering" to describe the break-down of what often is seen as consensus politics: compromise, and a
sense of national unity in the United States prior to the events of that decade, spurred on, in many accounts, by the nation's
young people. Boyle does not entirely agree with the portrayal of consensus politics in America. Rather, he sees the events
of the 1960s as arising in substantial part from issues and fissures in the earlier United States that were not far, if at all,
below the surface and that needed to be addressed. "Even at its mid-fifties peak", Boyle writes, that political order was a
fragile arrangement, its boundaries repeatedly tested and occasionally broken. In the first half of the 1960s they were fully
breached." (pp. xxiii -- xiv).
Thus Boyle, while recognizing the end of consensus politics, emphasizes as well the continuity of the 1960s with prior
events in America. His book contextualizes the decade by brief looks at the years following WW II, including the rise of the
Cold War, the Truman presidency, domestic unrest, and the Korean War, among other things. Although many types of
shattering took place in the 1960s, Boyle, probably wisely, focuses on three intertwined histories: the Civil Rights struggle
waged by African Americans, the anti-war movement centering upon the Vietnam War, and the extent, if any, of the
government's right to regulate its citizens' sexual behavior. These three histories provide more than ample material for a
book about the 1960s while leaving still leaving much unsaid.
Boyle's history combines the broad, large themes mentioned above with many stories and anecdotes about individuals. This
is a valuable approach to take. As Boyle points out: "History isn't shaped by structures alone, though, no matter how
powerful they may be. Individual actions matter too, as do the complex mix of experiences, beliefs, and emotions that lie
behind them." (p.xv) Thus in his study, Boyle devotes a great deal of attention to a small working class family, the Cahills,
in Chicago and to its history and neighborhood. The book opens with the family organizing a neighborhood display of the
American flag in 1961 in celebration of the Fourth of July. Boyle delves into the family's immigrant history and explores
how the family fared and changed as the 1960s ran their course. He goes on about the Cahills a great deal, making the book
meander in places, but on balance his discussion brings a human, particular perspective to his broad history. So too, while
exploring the large events of the era and figures such as the Kennedys, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Martin Luther
King, Jr. and others, Boyle weaves in discussions of individuals, some well-known, some less so.
The book also tends to move between subject matter and chronology in its organization. Some chapters begin, for example,
in the middle of a story and then work back. Other chapters begin with a discussion of the Vietnam War, for example, and
then shift to a discussion of contemporaneous events in Civil Rights, in gender issues, or student protests. Again, it is
valuable to see the inter-relationship of the events of the 1960s, even at the cost of a collage-like presentation on
occasion.
I was intrigued by Boyle's discussion of the Nixon presidency. He sees Nixon as trying to reinvent himself to bring back
what many people then thought of as the peaceful, largely consensus days of the Eisenhower presidency of the 1950s. Boyle,
as noted earlier, finds the 1950s rather less than admirable. Still, I wondered whether the problem was more in Nixon
himself rather than in the days and policies of his former presidential mentor. Boyle finds much of the 1960s as a time of
protest justified by the injustices of the America of the time. Again, I did not find it necessary to agree with Boyle's opinions
in their entirety to benefit from his book.
Boyle is a Professor of American History at Northwestern University and received a National Book Award for his "Arc of
Justice" (2003) about a 1920's trial in Detroit helping to precipitate the Civil Rights Movement. As were many readers of
"The Shattering", I was in high school and college during the 1960s. I learned from Boyle's book even while it brought back
memories and made me sad. The divisions of that time persist in the current United States. My wish is for our dear country
to come together, resolve its differences and wounds in a spirit of patriotism and in the direction of the ideal of the Beloved
Community discussed in Boyle's book and in this review.
What Happens After Pascal's Wager?: Living Faith and Rational Belief
Daniel Garber, author
Marquette University Press
https://www.marquette.edu/mupress
9780874621761, $20.96, hardcover
https://www.amazon.com/What-Happens-After-Pascals-Wager/dp/0874621763
Daniel Garber In Milwaukee
The Philosophy Department at Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin sponsors an annual lecture by a distinguished
philosopher in honor of St. Thomas Aquinas, with each lecture being preserved in small, uniformly bound volumes. Daniel
Garber, Professor and Chairman of the Philosophy Department at Princeton University, gave the 2009 Aquinas Lecture.
Garber is renowned as a historian of early modern philosophy and of the philosophy of science. His Aquinas Lecture, "What
Happens After Pascal's Wager: Living Faith and Rational Belief" moves from the history of philosophy to questions of
epistemology and of religious faith and belief. It is a short, challenging philosophical presentation which Garber tells the
reader, had its origin in various earlier essays and lectures.
Garber begins with Pascal's famous wager on God's existence in his "Pensees". He quotes Pascal:
"Either God is or he is not. But on which side shall we incline? There is an infinite chaos that separates us. At the extremity
of this infinite distance, a game is being played in which heads or tails will come up. How will you wager?"
Pascal argues that the stronger bet for the skeptic or "libertine" is in favor of God's existence. His argument has always
provoked substantial controversy. But Garber's focus is not on the wager itself. Rather he considers what comes "after" the
wager. The issue is that belief cannot be commanded. Belief may come, for Pascal, only through the adaptation of a way of
life which includes, in Catholicism, taking communion, observing the sacraments and following other matters of faith.
Adopting this way of life, Pascal says, will allow the individual to understand religious belief in a way that would not be
possible from the outside.
It is this aspect of Pascal's wager and its aftermath that Garber subjects to critical scrutiny. Broadly, the question would be
whether a belief formed in the manner which Pascal describes would be reasonable. Garber describes various possible
objections with counter-examples, including the possibility of self-deception, the lack of a cognitive elements in a belief so
formed (What if the belief could be induced by a pill?) and contingency in the formation of the belief (if the individual had
been raised in a different time or place, say in a Jewish or Moslem home or in the Amazon rainforest, the belief pattern
would have been different.).
The discussion quickly becomes complex as Garber moves from figures such as Pascal, Descartes, and Hume to modern
epistemological theory as exemplified in the work of Frank Ramsey, among others. He distinguishes two ways of coming to
a belief, say, that God exists. The first is based on reasons and arguments in support. The second is based on historical or
genetic reasons. A person in the position of Pascal's believer would have reasons of the second type and his belief might be
viewed as inadequate because he has not fully examined all the evidence and all the possibilities. What is interesting is
Garber's attempt to weave these two ways of believing together. He argues that an individual ordinarily is not expected to
explore every option and to read every work on a matter before formulating a belief. A belief formed historically could well
be partial but could still have reasons to support it. Garber wants to conclude that the faith could be justified for an
individual for himself as long as when it came to particular matters in life or to relationships with others, it was tempered
with a degree of skepticism. The conclusion is a creative melding, I think, of Pascal and Hume.
I was fascinated by this short, provocative argument in Garber's Aquinas Lecture. I was also gratified to think of philosophy
in Milwaukee where I studied in my early life and as an undergraduate. I always am moved to remember some of the history
of my own beliefs through the philosophical and intellectual life of my old home town.
Philosophers Without Gods: Meditations on Atheism and the Secular Life
Louise M. Antony, editor
Oxford University Press
https://global.oup.com
9780199743414, $17.95 paperback / $9.59 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Philosophers-without-Gods-Meditations-Atheism/dp/019974341X
Philosophers Without Gods
While philosophy and religion have long been my passion, I had a more specific reason for reading this collection of essays,
"Philosophers Without Gods: Meditations on Atheism and the Secular Life" (2007), edited by Louise Antony. I had read
Daniel Garber's 2009 Aquinas Lecture at Marquette University, Milwaukee, "What Happens After Pascal's Wager: Living
Faith and Rational Belief" and was fascinated by Garber's careful, nuanced analysis of the nature of religious belief. Garber's
Aquinas Lecture reaches the following seemingly paradoxical conclusion: "it seems to me that the conviction I have may
well suffice for the salvation that I seek, the salvation that was the ultimate point of this whole exercise. And this leads to a
delicious irony. It is possible that while the certainty that I arrive at through the Pascal Regimen may be good enough for
eternal salvation, it isn't good enough for everyday life". Garber makes reference to his essay "Religio philosophi: Some
Thoughts on God, Reason, and Faith" in "Philosophers Without Gods", the book under review here. I was so impressed by
Garber's lecture that I purchased "Philosophers Without Gods" immediately.
The book consists of essays by twenty philosophers, including Garber, and the editor of the volume, Louise Antony. Each of
the philosophers in the book self-identifies as an atheist. In their individual essays, the philosophers explain why he or she
does so and how he or she came to reject theism. The essays are all within the Judaic or Christian understanding of theism.
They discuss Jewish and Christian theology and, crucially, they all engage with Biblical texts. It is important at the outset to
be reminded that the Abrahamic faiths and the Bible do not necessarily exhaust theism.
Philosophical studies of religion and of atheism are legion but what sets "Philosophers Without Gods" apart is the personal,
searching character of the essays. This is particularly the case for the first of the two parts of the book, which consists of ten
essays under the heading "Journeys". These essays are heavily experiential in tone as the writers explain what led them to
atheism, frequently after growing up in religious homes. Not accidentally, I think, the essays also suggest why their writers
opted to become philosophers and to explore questions of religious faith in detail. I did not become an academic
philosopher, but the book resonated with me and reminded me of my own life, journeys, and searchings.
In particular, the first four essays are by philosophers raised in Judaism. Garber's essay "Religio Philosophi" is in this group
and it has a much more personal tone than his broader, more academic Aquinas Lecture. Garber describes his fascination
with religious questions, particularly with the Christian mysticism and early Christian thought he encountered in his
philosophical studies. For all the appeal and wisdom he drew from this tradition, Garber explains that he remained a
nonbeliever and an atheist. The Aquinas Lecture, if I understand it correctly, is slightly more open to the possibility of
belief.
The remaining three essays by Stewart Shapiro, Joseph Levine, and Louise Antony are also steeped in different ways in
Judaism and show respect for its teachings even while the authors largely reject the religion. The six remaining essays in
Part I by Daniel Farrell, Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Edwin Curley (the outstanding recent translator of the works of
Spinoza), Marvin Belzer, James Tappenden, and Daniel Dennett are likewise heavily autobiographical, personal, and
insightful from a perspective beginning in Christianity. I was deeply moved by the essays in this part of the book. The essays
are accessible to readers who have faced questions of religious faith in their own lives and require no particular background
in philosophy.
The essays in Part Two, "Reflections" continue the personal, meditative character of the essays in the first part but they tend
to focus on specific philosophical issues. Thus the essays, including Elizabeth Anderson's "If God is Dead is Everything
Permitted" address the claim that without God, "everything is permissible" or subject to relativism. The problem of evil,
long a difficulty for religion is the subject of several essays, including the reconstructed essay "Divine Evil" by the late
David Lewis.. Some of the essays, including "Transcendence without God" by Anthony Laden, and "Without the Net of
Providence" by Kenneth Taylor discuss and reformulate traditional religious concepts in a secular way. I found these
discussions insightful. David Owen's essay "Disenchantment" suggests the limitations of science even in a world without
God. Marcia Homiak's "An Aristotelian Life" explores the "Nichomachean Ethics" as offering an alternative to theism. And
the essays by Simon Blackburn, Richard Feldman, Georges Rey, and Jonathan Adler address aspects of atheism and theism
in dialogue. In general, the essays in Part II of the book are somewhat more technical than those in Part I. Some of them are
couched in the idiom of modern analytic philosophy.
This book is valuable for many reasons. For me, much of it was deeply personal and related to questions in my life. The
book allows philosophers to speak for themselves and shows the still crucial character of the discussion between theism and
atheism in understanding and in leading a good human life. More broadly, the book shows the continuing importance of
philosophical thinking, an importance which sometimes is slighted by philosophers themselves. The book encourages the
reader to think deeply about assumptions and about large issues. I do not consider myself an atheist but I also am not a theist
within the terms of this book. I was glad to find this book and to think through it.
"Philosophers Without Gods" will appeal to serious readers with a strong interest in religious questions.
A Sun for the Dying
Jean-Claude Izzo, author
Howard Curtis, translator
Europa Editions
https://www.europaeditions.com
B079MFDCKF, $11.99, Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Dying-Jean-Claude-Izzo-ebook/dp/B079MFDCKF
Down And Out In Paris And Marseilles
Jean-Claude Izzo (1945-2000) was born in Marseilles to immigrant parents, giving him the life of an outsider. In the 1990's
Izzo wrote a series of noir novels, known as the Marseilles Trilogy, which made him famous. His final book, "A Sun for the
Dying" tells the story of a homeless, down and out man in his 40s named Rico. For three years, Rico has lived on the streets
of Paris. When his only friend, a homeless man named Titi, freezes to death at a metro stop, Rico leaves Paris and journeys
to Marseilles in the south of France. The story is harsh, violent, graphic and moving as it speaks of love, loneliness, and
loss.
The book is divided into two parts. The first part of the book takes the reader from Rico's life on the streets of Paris through
a brutal beating he suffers from two pimps in Avignon. This part is narrated in the third person with an occasional reference
to an "I" who comments on some aspect of the story he recounts. The second part of the book begins about a year after the
first part. Rico has survived his beating and found his way to Marseilles. This portion of the story is told in the first person
by the same narrator who speaks in part 1: an adolescent boy named Abdou, 13-15 years of age, who has smuggled himself
into Marseilles from Algiers. Rico befriends Abdou. Part 1 tells what Abdou has understood from Rico about Rico's life.
Part 2 is Rico's life in Marseilles as Abdou sees it.
Throughout the book, scenes from Rico's life on the streets are interspersed with flashbacks of his past life. The flashbacks
center on Rico's search for love and his relationships with women. Rico wants to return, homeless and broken in heart, to
Marseilles because as a young 20 year old fresh from military service he had fallen in love with Lea. He never forgot the
beauties of their affair on the shore of Marseilles. Rico broke off with Lea and married a woman named Sophie and the
couple had a boy, Julien. Rico was modestly successful as a travelling salesman. When Sophie leaves Rico for another man,
Rico is crushed. He begins drinking heavily, loses his job, has affairs with two women, Julie and Malika, before landing
inexorably on the street homeless and alone. In Avignon, during the journey to Marseilles, Rico has his last live relationship
with a woman, a young prostitute from Bosnia named Mirjana. The relationship is intense on both sides and ends with
Rico's beating from the pimps.
With its violent and lurid character, the book is cast in the form of a spiritual journey as well as a quest by Rico for the
memories of his lost loves -- melded together in Lea, Sophie and Mirjana. There are three authors, Kerouac, Saint-John
Perse, and Homer, whose works help frame the journey.
The most important influence on the book is Kerouac. After Rico's friend Titi dies early in the story, Rico remembers how
Titi compared their journey in life to those of the beats that Jack Kerouac described in "On the Road" and "The Dharma
Bums". Kerouac's spiritual quest pervades Rico's own sad journey. Rico travels with the flamboyant and criminal Dede,
possibly a reminder of Dean Moriarty, Sal Paradise's travelling companion in "On the Road."
As for the second author, Mirjana, the prostitute with whom Rico has a relationship, carries among her few possessions a
book of poems by the French poet Saint-John Perse. Little known to Americans, Perse was a diplomat as well as a poet who
was forced to flee Vichy France during the 1940's. Perse won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1960. His evocative, difficult
poems of the hope of a better life for people inspire Rico briefly and give Mirjana the strength to live.
The third important author on the journey is Homer. Near the end of the book, when Rico befriends Abdou, the pair briefly
discuss Homer's Odyssey with its parallels to their own wandering lives and searches for love. These books and many of the
French song lyrics that appear in the novel do a great deal to set the books themes of searching, love, loss, and memory.
The novel is harsh and raw, reminding me in places of Charles Bukowski. The book spoke to me of the universal character
of suffering and of the common elements of the human condition. For all the desperation of Rico's life, a small sense of
hope comes through based upon the power of love. Rico's final understanding of his life and his search may not be the same
as the adolescent narrator's understanding. This, Izzo's final book, is absorbing, disturbing, beautifully written and
bittersweet.
Robin Friedman
Reviewer
Suanne Schafer's Bookshelf
Ordinary Grace
William Kent Krueger
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
https://www.simonandschuster.com/search/books/Imprint-Atria-Books
9781451645859, $17.00
https://www.amazon.com/Ordinary-Grace-William-Kent-Krueger/dp/1451645856
Ordinary Grace is a beautifully written coming-of-age story, told in retrospect from a distance of forty years and the point of
view of thirteen year old Frankie Drum. Set in New Bremen, Minnesota, in the summer of 1961, Frankie starts that summer
a normal kid who adores his older sister, Ariel, and is adored in turn by his little brother, Jake. As the summer progresses,
Frankie's family and New Bremen are beset by multiple tragedies, death in many forms. The novel captures both Frankie's
innocence and his creeping awareness of adult issues: secrets, lies, premarital sex, teen pregnancy, adultery, racial issues
(particularly prejudice against Native Americans), PTSD and other psychological issues.
Krueger's writing is exquisite, bringing me to tears on occasion. This is a mystery in which the endpoint is deducible, but the
suspense, the climax, and how the characters learn of and handle the solution is fascinating. The overall message about
God's love, grace, and forgiveness is meaningful and not at all offensive to this agnostic. This book goes in my permanent
collection and makes it to my "all-time favorite" book list.
The Silent Count
E. A. Smiroldo
https://www.easmiroldo.com
Independently published
9798840423226, $16.99
https://www.amazon.com/Silent-Count-Smiroldo/dp/B0B5NYS4DQ
The Silent Count is an interesting read on a subject matter - climate change - at the forefront of modern life. E. A. Smiroldo
builds a lot of suspense in the life of Dara Bouldin, a young nuclear engineer who has just received her Ph.D. Dara has
developed a plan to reverse climate change and has been picked up by the CIA to participate in a clandestine assignment.
Unfortunately, her personal life isn't going as well as her professional life at this point. She is being devoured by debt, all
occurred to help her father get out from under heavy gambling debts. She's broken an engagement with a long-term rock star
boyfriend, though they remain in contact. She turns twenty-three years old during the book, so she's really too young to
understand the ethical concerns of her invention.
Author Smiroldo successfully simplifies the physics so the reader can grasp them without dumbing down the subject too
much. She also looks at the ethics of climate change, why we refuse to change our ways of life to fix the problem. There are
many naysayers regarding climate change, and one issue that emerges is who we should trust to lead us out of this morass,
those that claim science is "fake news" or actual scientists.
It's News to Me
R.G. Belsky
Oceanview Publishing
https://oceanviewpub.com
9781608094561, $27.95
https://www.amazon.com/Its-News-Clare-Carlson-Mystery/dp/1608094561
It's News to Me by R G Belsky is the fifth in the Clare Carlson mysteries, an investigative journalist fiction series. Clare's
boss is fired and she faces a new, controversial, and cantankerous new woman determined to achieve high ratings on their
TV news program whatever the cost. Her goal is within sight when young Riley Hunt, the "perfect" college student, is found
murdered near campus. Clare must investigate the real story, not just the one her boss chooses to promote her "Take New
York Back" program to foment fear in the city. Clare becomes convinced that the story is more than just a simple murder
case and investigates further, bringing her deeper into conflict with not only her boss, but a mob boss and the police
commissioner.
Clare Carlson is a credible journalist, funny, feisty, and determined. The dialogue is excellent with multiple great retorts.
There are plot twists and turns, some I could anticipate and others not, in this complex story. I will check out the earlier four
books in this series, my ultimate compliment.
Dead and Gondola (Christie Bookshop #1)
Ann Claire
Bantam
http://www.randomhousebooks.com/imprints
9780593496343, $17.00
https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Gondola-Christie-Bookshop-Mystery/dp/0593496345
Dead and Gondola is the first in the new Christie Bookshop series. Ellie Christy has recently returned to her family home in
Last Word, Colorado, where she and her sister, Meg, run the family's history bookshop, the Book Chalet. They are the fifth
generation in the book business. They're joined by Agatha C. (as in Cat) Christy, a cranky long-haired Siamese whose
Instagram profile is larger than that of the two women. Last Word is a skiers' paradise being bought up by wealthy people
and pricing out the old-time residents, creating a melange of movie stars, real estate entrepreneurs, skiing enthusiasts, and
grumpy old-timers and their ensuing conflicts.
A mysterious stranger enters the shop as a book club holds a seance re-enacting an Agatha Christy book, The Sittaford
Mystery. He leaves suddenly and is later found murdered on a gondola. While in the shop, he leaves behind a rare copy of a
Mary Westmacott, an Agatha Christie written under a pseudonym.
This is a cute book. Ellie is an appealing protagonist, and her family and friends feel lifelike and fun. Agatha Christie books
are a common denominator, and the conclusion even wraps up like most Christie books do with the suspects gathered
together as Ellie tries to get them to talk. The ending has a twist that brings everything to an exciting climax. Dead and
Gondola is the perfect book for a gloomy day or when you need a light fluffy read.
Egypt's Golden Couple: When Akhenaten and Nefertiti Were Gods on Earth
John Darnell, Colleen Darnell
St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250272874, $29.99
https://www.amazon.com/Egypts-Golden-Couple-Akhenaten-Nefertiti/dp/1250272874
The Darnells, a husband and wife team of Egyptologists, combine scholarship, detective suspense, and adventure in Egypt's
Golden Couple. I have always been fascinated by Egyptology, so I particularly enjoyed this book. Like The Real Valkyrie:
The Hidden History of Viking Warrior Women, Egypt's Golden Couple is part history, part archaeology, and part fiction.
Each chapter opens with a scenario that is fictional derived from known facts about the subjects, and even the backdrops of
the scene are based on actual paintings and bas-reliefs on the walls.
Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti have been portrayed in widely differing accounts and depicted as an incestuous tyrant or an
innovator who affected nearly every aspect of Egyptian life. He established the world's first monotheist religion. The
images, the gold funerary mask of his son Tutankhamun (King Tut) and the painted bust of his wife Nefertiti, are among the
most recognizable in the world, right up there with Vincent Van Gogh's "Sunflowers."
Akhenaten and Nefertiti transformed Egyptian solar worship from polytheism to monotheism. While doing so, they changed
the face of Egyptian art and architecture. The Darnells weave a delightful story about these two rulers. I enjoyed the in-depth
view of Egyptian life, but some readers may find it slow going, particularly in parts that talk about the difficulty of reading
and translating hieroglyphs: The verb is written with three phonetic signs. The first sign is a chisel... which we can
approximately pronounce as 'ab'...
Overall, this is a great read but be prepared to learn more about ancient Egypt that you might wish to.
Jason (Book 2 in the Blades of Bronze Series)
Mark Knowles
Head of Zeus
https://headofzeus.com
https://www.ipgbook.com/head-of-zeus-publisher-HOZ.php
9781803287188, $29.95
https://www.amazon.com/Jason-Blades-Bronze-Mark-Knowles/dp/1803287187
Jason, the retelling of the myth of Jason and the Argonauts, is a 528-page tale of Jason's journey home after he's stolen the
golden fleece. He's accomplished the mission his uncle, King Pelias of Iolkos, set for him, and now hopes to retake the
throne Pelias stole from Jason's father. On the return voyage, Jason and his compatriots must deal with Circe, the Sirens,
warring kingdoms, and hostile tribes. It isn't mentioned on the title page or the first few pages of the novel that Jason is the
second in the Blades of Bronze series. Jason stands well as an independent volume, however, if one has a basic knowledge
of Greek myths and can piece together the myth.
Knowles is very knowledgeable about Greek mythology and the depth of his research is apparent. The novel is populated
with many of the major and minor characters of Greek mythology: Theseus, Orpheus, Castor and Pollux, etc. The storyline
is rich, fleshing out the myth well while packing in enough action and heroics to engage a modern reader of Marvel
comics.
However - and this is a big however - Jason is not for someone with little knowledge of Greek mythology. Knowles
provides no transition from Argo (book 1 in the series) to Jason nor background on the many, many characters, though he
does provide a list of the "prominent" Argonauts and a map in the early pages of the book. Unfortunately, I found a fair
number of technical problems with the writing. The writing is convoluted, switching randomly from past to present,
sometimes within a paragraph. There are multiple points of view, often with no indication of whose POV the reader is in for
several paragraphs - there's nothing like beginning a chapter and not knowing whose POV you're reading or where you are
located in time and space. For instance, in the prologue, the she in is never clearly identified. Even after rereading, I couldn't
decide if the POV was that of one of Celeus's daughters (Demo, Callidice, or Saessara) or Persephone. While I enjoy
learning new words, too often the erudite literary words were too obscure and had to be looked up, thus removing me from
the story. Some of the problems were simply amateurish, such as having two or more males in the same paragraph with
whichever he is meant being clear. Overall, the prose itself is stilted and lacked rhythm.
I think the concept of the novel interesting and, if properly edited, I'd enjoy it immensely. While Jason is compared by some
reviewers to Circe and The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, the prose never rises to the majesty of Miller's.
Never Name the Dead
D.M. Rowell
Crooked Lane Books
http://www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639101276, $26.99
https://www.amazon.com/Never-Name-Dead-D-Rowell/dp/1639101276
Never Name the Dead, though the first in a series, may join the ranks of Native American books along the veins of Tony
Hillerman and Anne Hillerman's Leaphorn/Chee mysteries. I was entranced by the aspects of Kiowa culture found in this
novel. All her life, Mud, a biracial woman, has been neither white enough nor Kiowa enough. To cope with a failed
relationship and her feelings of not fitting in, she moves to California, reshapes herself as Mae, and establishes her own
company. After ten years, she returns to Oklahoma in response to an enigmatic phone call from her grandfather. She leaves
her business at a critical point to return home where she finds her grandfather missing and then is forced into the role of a
detective. One mystery is solved, but another left hanging. hopefully leaving an opening for a second in the series.
This murder mystery is tightly woven. When I finished reading, I could scarcely believe the entire novel took place in less
than twenty-four hours. She juggles multiple potential suspects, all seemingly capable of killing someone, before the reveal
happens
This is not a run-of-the-mill cozy mystery. Rowell covers multiple sociological, historical, and ecological areas: authentic
Kiowa cultural details, the many broken treaties with white men, the fact that Native Americans on the whole are the
poorest of America's poor, the raping of the land by oil developers, particularly frackers, and the raping of Kiowa culture by
museums and artifact collectors. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Cleopatra's Vendetta
Avanti Centrae
https://www.avanticentrae.com
Thunder Creek Press
https://www.thundercreekpress.com
Kindle only, $4.99
https://www.amazon.com/Cleopatras-Vendetta-Thriller-Avanti-Centrae-ebook/dp/B0B5JJGV2N
Cleopatra's Vendetta is a fast-paced thriller with an unusual background story. Cleopatra, after being defeated by Octavius,
has a servant/spy hide a map to her secret stash of gold. She has hides images of female deities, before she kills herself.
Centuries later, three American women and their two children are kidnapped from a bar in Bari, Italy. These women are the
wives and friends of an American Special Ops group. Stryker, whose wife Angie and daughter Harper are among the
kidnapped victims, must find the women. They soon uncover a group called the Sons of Adam and learn that somehow
everything is related to Cleopatra. The team travels all over Italy, Greece, the Ionian Islands, Egypt, and India to solve the
mystery.
Author Centrae's prose is sharp; her characters show a moderate amount of depth and emotion and some forward growth in
their character arcs. However, I look to Daniel Silva for the ultimate in thrillers. His Gabriel Allon is a deep, richly
characterized man with ethics. Also, Silva's details make me feel like I'm back in the Jewish ghetto in Venice, for example,
or standing right before the artwork he describes. I was not fully transported by Cleopatra's Vendetta, but those who love a
snappy read with a conspiracy with world-wide involvement, this may be the read for you.
Doomed Legacy (#9 in the Rick Cahill series)
Matt Coyle
Oceanview Publishing
https://oceanviewpub.com
9781608094790, $27.95
https://www.amazon.com/Doomed-Legacy-9-Rick-Cahill/dp/1608094790
Doomed Legacy, the ninth book in Coyle's Rick Cahill private investigator series, reads well as a stand-alone book with just
enough back story splashed in to orient the reader. Cahill is not on the best of terms with the local law enforcement
stemming from days when he was the primary suspect for his wife's murder. His life seems to be turning around: He's
reconciling with his good friend, Turk, after a major disagreement; Cahill's girlfriend, Leah, who saw him through being
shot in the face in Santa Barbara, is now his wife and they have a toddler daughter; in addition, a fellow PI, Moira, has
worked with Cahill on a few cases pitches in with this case. He's now seeing a neurologist regarding some changes in the
way his brain is functioning and learns he has CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) from multiple concussions during
his years of playing sports and being beaten up as a private investigator and cop.
Cahill is a great wounded hero, and Coyle does a superb job of capturing Cahill's efforts to deal with his new diagnosis.
Cahill - a moody PI, tough, hard-boiled, and unapologetic - has been side-tracked by his wife and is doing only background
checks for employers, which he finds unappealing and dull. Doomed Legacy centers around the murder of a woman who
talks to Rick about possible abnormalities in the handling of the company's background checks - critical because that
company also works with the Defense Department. The reader is immediately taken on a whirlwind tour of the West Coast
as Cahill moved from San Diego to Santa Barbara to Monterrey while tracking down multiple plot lines: a serial rapist, the
DOD employee background checks, police coverups, and Chinese spies.
So far I've read half this series and will definitely continue working through the remainder.
Mother of Valor
Gary Corbin
https://garycorbinwriting.com
Double Diamond Publishing
Kindle only, $4.99
https://www.amazon.com/Mother-Valor-Valorie-Dawes-Thrillers-ebook/dp/B0BBD9R4CX
Valorie (Val) Dawes is molested at age twelve by a family friend, "Uncle Milt." Though Val eventually reports it to her
family, no one believes her except her Uncle Val, a cop. He's shot in the line of duty before he can bring Milt to justice. A
year after Val is raped, her mother walks out of her life. Years later, Val follows in her Uncle Val's footsteps and becomes a
policewoman. As a rookie, she faces the usual harassment of any younger cop by older policemen as well as the rampant
sexism in her department.
Rookie cop Val Dawes has been on duty less than a year and has already fired her weapon three times - with two fatalities.
When she works investigation a prostitution operation, she blows the lid off a national sex trafficking ring with ties to a
violent right-wing group. Val's mother unexpectedly shows up again just as the heat is on the police department to keep
Fourth of July celebrations safe in Clayton.
Author Corbin manages to integrate pedophilia, childhood sexual abuse, sexism, workplace harassment, and right wing
politics into a police procedural, keeping the Valory Dawes series en pointe with current events. Corbin also does a good job
getting into the head of a young abused woman finding her way back to trusting men.
Suanne Schafer, Reviewer
www.SuanneSchaferAuthor.com
Susan Bethany's Bookshelf
Uphill: A Memoir
Jemele Hill
Henry Holt & Company
www.henryholt.com
Macmillan Audio
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781250624376, $27.99, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Uphill-Memoir-Jemele-Hill/dp/1250624371
Synopsis: Jemele Hill's world came crashing down when she called President Trump a "white supremacist"; the White
House wanted her fired from ESPN, and she was deluged with death threats. But Hill had faced tougher adversaries growing
up in Detroit than a tweeting president. Beneath the exterior of one of the most recognizable journalists in America was a
need and a calling to break her family's cycle of intergenerational trauma.
Born in the middle of a lively routine Friday night Monopoly game to a teen mother and a heroin-addicted father, Hill
constantly adjusted to the harsh realities of not only her own childhood but the inherited generational pain of her mother and
grandmother. Her escape was writing.
Hill's mother was less than impressed with the brassy and bold free expression of her diary, but Hill never stopped
discovering and amplifying her voice. Through hard work and a constant willingness to learn, Hill rose from newspaper
reporter to columnist to new heights as the coanchor for ESPN's revered SportsCenter. Soon, she earned respect and support
for her fearless opinions and unshakable confidence, as well as a reputation as a trusted journalist who speaks her mind with
truth and conviction.
In Uphill: A Memoir, she shares the whole story of her work, the women of her family, and her complicated relationship
with God in an unapologetic, character-rich, and eloquent story of her life.
Critique: Exceptionally well written and presented, Jamele Hill' "Uphill: A Memoir" is an inherently fascinating and
thought-provoking read from cover to cover. With a special appeal to readers with an interest in African-American and
Journalist memoirs, "Uphill: A Memoir" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community and academic library
American Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Uphill: A Memoir" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Macmillan Audio,
9781250791054, $39.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Jemele Hill (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jemele_Hill) is the Emmy Award winning and former co-host of
ESPN's SportsCenter and 2018 NABJ Journalist of the Year. Hill is a contributing writer for the Atlantic, where she covers
the intersection of sports, race, politics, and culture. She is also the producer of a Disney/ESPN documentary with Colin
Kaepernick.
Decoding the Stars
Allison Scott
Wellfleet Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9781577153290, $22.99, PB, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Decoding-Stars-Astrology-Illustrated-Encyclopedia/dp/1577153294
Synopsis: Astrological archetypes are highly fluid and subjective in nature and your personal relationship with them can
change over time. While we may look to our zodiac signs to help us navigate our relationships, career, finances, and family
matters, astrology can also help us align the personality and the soul.
You may have already learned how to interpret the external influences through astrology -- the paths your life may take, who
you will make friends with and love. Now's the time to find what's inside you. "Decoding the Stars: A Modern Astrology
Guide to Discover Your Life's Purpose" by Allison Scott is an instructive guide that will help you understand your desires,
skills, and unique talents and guide you toward identifying your purpose and motivation.
With the guidance of "Decoding the Stars: A Modern Astrology Guide to Discover Your Life's Purpose", you will awaken
self-knowledge and awareness of your larger spiritual planetary influences. The more self-aware you become, the greater
your possibility of finding inner peace and happiness. With a walk through your birth chart, reflective questions, and writing
prompts, "Decoding the Stars: A Modern Astrology Guide to Discover Your Life's Purpose" will help you to better
understand your creative spirit and bring your life's purpose to light.
Critique: Arranged by the signs of the Zodiac, "Decoding the Stars: A Modern Astrology Guide to Discover Your Life's
Purpose" by astrologist Allison Scott is an ideal introduction for the novice and has much of value for active practitioners
and dedicated students of the metaphysical sciences. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Decoding
the Stars: A Modern Astrology Guide to Discover Your Life's Purpose" is an especially welcome and recommended
addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Metaphysical Studies collections in general, and
supplemental Astrology curriculum studies lists in particular. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Decoding the
Stars: A Modern Astrology Guide to Discover Your Life's Purpose" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$11.99).
Editorial Note #1: Allison Scott (https://www.conjuringthemuse.com) of Conjuring the Muse is an astrologer dedicated to
helping people unlock the wisdom of their birth charts so they can express their true selves. She specializes in astrology
readings specifically tailored for creatives to help them reflect on what they are here to manifest. Allison uses the power of
astrology to help people identify their unique purpose and calling in life, and to help them bring that into full fruition.
Editorial Note #2: "Decoding the Stars: A Modern Astrology Guide to Discover Your Life's Purpose" is part of the
Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia series from Wellstreet Press. These elegantly designed and beautifully illustrated books
that offer comprehensive, display-worthy references on a range of intriguing topics, including dream interpretation,
techniques for harnessing the power of dreams, flower meanings, and the stories behind signs and symbols. Also available
in the series are: The Complete Book of Birthdays, The Complete Language of Flowers, The Complete Book of Dreams,
and The Complete Guide to Astrological Self-Care.
Susan Bethany
Reviewer
Willis Buhle's Bookshelf
Do the Right Thing
Karla Rae Fuller
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9781615933402, $26.95, PB, 132pp
https://www.amazon.com/Right-Thing-Storytelling-Screenplays-Diversity/dp/1615933409
Synopsis: With the publication of "Do the Right Thing: Five Screenplays that Embrace Diversity", Professor Karla Rae
Fuller offers screenwriting strategies that focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. The five film featured are: Moonlight, Get
Out, Mudbound, Roma, and Always be My Maybe. The goal is to teach an already challenging writing mode that requires
screenwriters to create complex human experiences through visual storytelling.
We are in a critical historical moment where the importance of screenwriting can be of the utmost usefulness in the
observation of racism, inequity and inclusion in all media. The screen representations of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality or
class are not often explicitly addressed at the "front end" of the film production process, specifically, during the creation of
the screenplay (whether original or adapted from outside source material).
The idea is to introduce and reinforce the importance of accountability for what you write for the screen. This is not to limit
the screenwriter's creative impulses, but rather to create and engage them in consistent ways that reveal unconscious biases
and instances of systemic racism. We will use five case studies of commercially successful and award-winning screenplays
that resist stereotypes to present multidimensional depictions of historically underrepresented groups, such as LGBTQ,
African American, Latino and Asian American.
In the discussions of each individual screenplay issues such as the adaptation process, plot structure and devices,
characterization, setting, symbolism, and genre conventions are introduced and analyzed in depth.
Critique: "Do the Right Thing: Five Screenplays that Embrace Diversity" is a simply fascinating, insightful, thoughtful and
thought-provoking study that will have a very special appeal to aspiring (and professional) script writers with an interest in
the impact and influence that screenplays can have on the mores, attitudes, and prejudices of the consumers of films and
television programming. While highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and film school library
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Do the Right Thing: Five Screenplays that Embrace Diversity"
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.49).
Editorial Note: Karla Rae Fuller (http://www.karlaraefuller.com) is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of
Cinema and Television Arts at Columbia College Chicago. She teaches in the Cinema Studies and Screenwriting areas in
the undergraduate and MFA graduate programs. She received her PhD from Northwestern University, MFA from Columbia
University in New York City and BA from Amherst College. Prior to teaching at Columbia College, Ms. Fuller held the
position of Director of Feature Film Evaluation at Vestron Inc. which produced the hit movie Dirty Dancing among others.
She was also a freelance script reader for New Line Cinema, Miramax and various other production companies.
Caesar's Lord
Bryan Litfin
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.revellbooks.com
9780800742461, $39.95, HC, 464pp
https://www.amazon.com/Caesars-Constantines-Empire-Bryan-Litfin/dp/080074246X
Synopsis: After more than a decade of tumult, Roman warrior Rex and his aristocratic wife, Flavia, are thankful to the God
they serve for the peaceful life they are living in the city of Alexandria. But with the Empire in flux, it cannot last. When
Rex is called away to serve Constantine in his fight against Licinius, Flavia's loneliness and longing for a baby lead her
down the road of temptation. Perhaps one of Egypt's gods will grant her conception?
As battles rage both within and without, Rex and Flavia will have to rely on God's forgiveness and protection if they are to
survive the trials to come. Their adventures sweep them into the great events of the ancient church, including the forging of
the Nicene Creed, terrible murders within the imperial family, the quest for the true cross of Christ in Jerusalem, and the end
of pagan Rome as a new Christian empire dawns.
Critique: With the publication of "Caesar's Lord", novelist Bryan Litfin brings his epic Constantine's Empire series to a
dramatic close in a riveting and deftly written story of struggle and redemption, temptation and salvation, brutality and faith.
Of special note is the inclusion of an Historical Note, 'The Dynasty of Constantine', a Gazetter of Ancient and Modern Place
Names, a Glossary, and a Prologue. Unreservedly recommended for community library Historical Fiction collections, it
should be noted that "Caesar's Lord" is also available for personal reading lists in a paperback edition (9780800738198,
$19.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99). The first two volumes of this simply outstanding trilogy are "The
Conqueror" and "Every Knee Shall Bow".
Editorial Note: Bryan Litfin (www.bryanlitfin.com) is the author of several works of nonfiction, including Wisdom from the
Ancients, Early Christian Martyr Stories, After Acts, and Getting to Know the Church Fathers. A former professor of
theology at the Moody Bible Institute, Litfin earned his PhD in religious studies from the University of Virginia and his
ThM in historical theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. Bryan is also a Professor of Theology in the Rawlings
School of Divinity at Liberty University.
Time Lock
Howard Berks, author
Peter Berk, author
IE Snapes
www.ingramelliott.com
9781952961076, PB, PB, $14.99, Kindle $8.49, 240pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/timelock-howard-berk/1141824667?ean=9781952961076
Synopsis: With crime rampant in the near future, the President authorizes a controversial program: TimeLock, a cellular
acceleration process that instantly ages prisoners the total number of years of their sentence. In other words-three strikes and
you're old -- very old.
Despite ongoing public outcries, two years later the program is up and running and crime is already on the decline. But what
happens if you're innocent?
Falsely convicted of murder, 23-year-old Morgan Eberly is sentenced to be aged 40 years in a TimeLock capsule. When a
riot interrupts his processing, Morgan (now 43 years old) manages to escape.
With powerful forces on his trail, Morgan enlists the help of Janine Price, the FBI agent who arrested him. Together, they
investigate the murders of ex-prisoners who were transformed by TimeLock and soon discover why Morgan is certain to be
next.
Can Morgan and Janine unlock the truth about TimeLock before it's too late?
Critique: An exceptionally well written and simply riveting read from first page to last, "Time Lock" by the late Howard
Berk and his son Peter Berk, is an inherently fun read that will have a special appeal to fans of original science fiction
stories. The stuff of which movies are made, "Time Lock" is unreservedly recommended for community library Science
Fiction collections and the personal reading lists of all dedicated science fiction fans.
Willis M. Buhle
Reviewer
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
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
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