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Andrea Kay's Bookshelf
The Bedtime Boat
Sital Gorasia Chapman, author
Anastasia Suvorova, illustrator
Crocodile Books
c/o Interlink Publishing Group
www.interlinkbooks.com
9781623716783, $18.95, HC, 29pp
https://www.amazon.com/Bedtime-Boat-Sital-Gorasia-Chapman/dp/1623716780
Synopsis: Chandan has had an exciting day out with his mom -- but now it's time for bed, and however hard he tries, he just can't sleep.
Luckily, his mom has some calming mindfulness techniques at her fingertips. The bedtime boat sits on Chandan's tummy, rising and falling with his breath. As he travels on a voyage of imagination over the seas, the bedtime boat is always there to keep him grounded, and soon gently lulls him into a relaxed and peaceful sleep.
Critique: With stunning illustrations by award-winning illustrator Anastasia Suvorova, "The Bedtime Boat" is a lyrical rhyming picture book by author and storyteller Sital Gorasia Chapman is the perfect way to help restless little ones drift off to sleep. A fun bedtime read from cover to cover, it should be noted that "The Bedtime Boat" is enhanced with the inclusion of origami boat instructions for making a special sleepy time vessel -- making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended pick for family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections for children ages 3-7.
Editorial Note #1: Sital Gorasia Chapman (https://sitalgorasiachapman.com) studied Writing for Children at the City Lit, and her picture book submission was commended at the FAB awards in 2019. She was recently commissioned to write a poem for the CBeebies children's television series Colours, which is available on BBC iPlayer. Sital lives in London with her husband and three young daughters.
Editorial Note #2: Anastasia Savorova (https://chaosego.com/about) is the 2018 winner of the Bologna Children's Book Fair Silent Book Contest. She has illustrated several books for children including Shadow by Lucy Christopher and Adrift by Heidi Stemple. She lives in Russia.
Matzah Ball Chase
Rachelle Burk, author
Brittany Lakin, illustrator
Apples & Honey Press
c/o Behrman House Inc.
www.behrmanhouse.com
9781681156361, $18.95, HC, 32pp
https://www.amazon.com/Matzah-Ball-Chase-Rachelle-Burk/dp/1681156369
Synopsis: Just as a boy's grandmother puts some delicious matzah ball soup in his bowl, the matzah ball, animated and mischievous, jumps out and rolls onto the floor and out the door! As the two dash after it, more and more people join the chase as the matzah ball rolls past landmarks, from cities to deserts and eventually to the sea. This matzah ball will not be stopped!
In a spirited adventure reminiscent of The Gingerbread Man with a bouncy rhyming text by children's author Rachelle Burk evokes the classic children's satire "On Top of Spaghetti" this energetic, independent, and particularly expressive matzah ball bounces through major landmarks in Israel.
Critique: Fully supporting the author's original and entertaining storyline with thoroughly kid-friendly and charming illustrations by Brittany Lakin, Rachelle Burk's "Matzah Ball Chase" if a fun read from cover to cover and will prove to be an immediate and enduringly appreciated pick for family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections for children ages 3-6.
Editorial Note #1: Rachelle Burk (https://rachelleburk.blogspot.com) is a retired social worker who writes fiction and non-fiction for readers ages 3 to 13. Her previous books include Women Who Changes the World: A Feminist Book for Children, Don't Turn the Page!, The Story of Simone Biles, The Best Four Questions, and many others.
Editorial Note #2: Brittany Lakin (www.brittanyelakin.com/about) received a BA (Hons) Illustration degree from Plymouth University in 2018 and began to pursue children's illustration. Since then, she has placed within the Top 25 for Pictoplasma's 'Face Off', and second for the Templar Illustration Prize, and second for the Plum Pudding Illustration Award. She lives in England.
Fidl Afire
Alicia Svigals
https://aliciasvigals.com
Borscht Beat
$15.00 CD / $10.00 digital
https://borschtbeat.bandcamp.com/album/fidl-afire
Fidl Afire is the latest album by Alicia Svigals, renowned for her consummate mastery of the klezmer violin ever since her 1997 album Fidl sparked a klezmer fiddle revival. In Fidl Afire, Svigals performs with an old-school klezmer dance band; the songs include both traditional klezmer favorites and originals by Alicia and others. Vivacious and brilliantly performed, Fidl Afire is highly recommended especially for klezmer connoisseurs! The tracks are Fidl Afire Fantasy, Lebedik, Levitt Bulgar, Trinkt Briderlekh Lekhayim, Alicia's Patsh Tants, Mayn Mame Ver Ikh/I'm Becoming My Mother, Feter Max's Bulgar, Dybbuk Honga, MacDowell Freylekhs, Oy Tate/Rebns Nign, and South Fallsburg Bulgar.
Andrea Kay
Reviewer
Andy Jordan's Bookshelf
Talking with Your Teen about Sex
Julia Sadusky
Ave Maria Press
www.avemariapress.com
9781646802241, $19.95, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Talking-Your-Teen-about-Sex/dp/1646802241
Synopsis: Published by Ave Maria Press, "Talking with Your Teen about Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics" by clinical
psychologist Julia Sadusky is specially meant to help Catholic parents learn how to build trust, reduce shame, and have an
ongoing and compassionate conversation with teenage boys and girls about sex, while also reinforcing Catholic family
values.
"Talking with Your Teen About Sex" answers most commonly asked questions and offers practical advice on addressing
puberty, dating, intimacy, technology, pornography, and other experiences your child may navigate in their teen years and
beyond.
It is a simple reality of our times that if parents don't proactively talk with their kids about sexuality-related experiences
before puberty, they will likely learn from their friends, social media, or other sources that in all probability will not share
their Christian values.
Intentionally setting aside time and focus to discuss these critical facets of human sexuality will become some of the most
important minutes of your life as a parent. As you listen to what your teen knows and thinks about critical and hot-button
topics and discover what you love most about their curiosities and individuality, you will both foster a deeper connection
as you explore their belovedness as children of God.
Informed by the latest clinical research and drawing on the same guiding principles as Sadusky's first book, "Start Talking
to Your Kids about Sex" (which focuses on elementary-age children) "Talking with Your Teen about Sex" will equip
parents to be primary educators as teens move through adolescence. Guided by Catholic teaching, "Start Talking to Your
Kids about Sex" is intended for ages ten and up, goes beyond the typical "sex talk". It will equip you to confidently
communicate with your child about topics such as bodily changes, physical boundaries, sexual ethics, and masturbation
with greater comfort.
"Start Talking with Your Teen about Sex" deals with such primary questions and concerns as: Why am I having such a
hard time starting the conversation?; What is happening to my child's body?; How do I actually have the sex talk?; How do
I respond to crushes and dating?; What if they tell me something bad happened to them?
Psychologist Sadusky also gives specific attention to the ways in which boys and girls experience puberty and sexuality
differently. The sexual and pubescent development of each sex is addressed individually throughout the book, and in some
cases, separate chapters are designated for discussions with boys and others for discussions with girls.
Finally, Sadusky will challenge you in ways that might feel uncomfortable at times. She also will encourage you to
consider your own ideas about sex and to reflect on areas of shame you may carry.
Critique: Essential reading for any parent and other care giver entrusted with the mental, physical, and spiritual health of
preteens and teens, "Talking with Your Teen about Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics" is especially and unreservedly
recommended for family, community, and college/university library Parenting & Human Sexuality collections and
supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "Talking with Your Teen about Sex" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Julia Sadusky (https://www.juliasadusky.com) is a licensed clinical psychologist and the owner of Lux
Counseling and Consulting. She is the author of "Start Talking to Your Kids about Sex" and is a consultant, speaker, and
adjunct professor. Sadusky has done extensive research in sexual development and specializes in trauma-informed care.
Her clinical practice is in Colorado.
Ann Skea's Bookshelf
The Beauties
Lauren Chater
Simon & Schuster
https://www.simonandschuster.com
9781760850241, A$32.99 PB, 384pp.
https://www.amazon.com/Beauties-Lauren-Chater/dp/1760850241
What do you do if the King invites you to share his bed but you find the idea repulsive?
'A wave of nausea ripples through her stomach. She clenches her jaw and swallows, trying to stop the bile rising into her throat. Forcing herself to smile, she inclines her head - not quite a nod, but not a flat refusal either.'
The King is Charles II, restored to the English throne after the Cromwellian Interregnum. His favourite mistress, Lady Castlemaine, is in 'a delicate condition' he tells Emilia. She is expecting his child and has barred him from her bed, thus causing him 'restless nights' and leaving him 'vexed' and 'in a quandry'.
'Perhaps you, Emilia are the answer?'
The trouble, for Emilia, is that she has tried to attract the King's attention in order to help her husband, Robert, regain his estate and titles. These had been confiscated when the King's agent accidentally discovered that Sir John Lennox, Emilia's elderly and increasingly vague father-in-law, had briefly kept his eldest son, William, hidden, before realising he was a traitor to the Crown and a thief.
Unlike his brother, Robert Lennox had fought with the Royalists and had longed for the day of the King's return. Now, as Emilia tells the King, the loss of his peerage, his home, and the deaths of his parents, have forced him to take menial labour wherever he can find it, and he is deeply depressed. She, too has found work, serving food at a roadside tavern.
Emilia, had written about their new lives to her childhood friend, Arabella, who is a successful actress in London, and Arabella, had written back sending some money and urging Emilia to join her in London so that she can try to get the King to grant Robert a pardon: 'The King has done so for a few others', she tells her.
Arabella is sure that Emilia's beauty would catch the King's eye if she joined the other commoners who wait daily in the King's receiving rooms at Whitehall Palace. Robert, who has become morose and increasingly distant in their relationship, is so desperate for money that he agrees to this plan.
Arabella dresses Emilia for her first visit to the Stone Gallery at Whitehall, and weaves white ribbons into Emilia's distinctive hair, which one artist who had wanted to paint her portrait had described as 'the same colour as a frozen waterfall'.
''What if the King doesn't notice me?'
Arabella scoffs. 'Then he's blind.'
'What if he's too busy?'
'Then we'll return tomorrow''
The room is crowded with petitioners. 'Emilia is aware of the wall of bodies at her back, the hot breath of strangers on her neck', and some of the petitioners are 'plagued by illnesses and deformities'. The King does notice her but is called away before she can speak to him. So, for many days she returns, but the King is always busy elsewhere. Only by chance, at a rehearsal of Arabella's latest theatrical performance, does a real meeting take place; and, so, Emilia's dilemma begins. How can she avoid answering the King's question?
The first chapters of The Beauties span the years 1662-5 and tell of 'Emilia' and this beginning. Chapter 3 jumps to 'Henry. London 1665' and introduces 'Henry Greenhill. Aged twenty-six' and 'the principal assistant at the Covent Garden studio of court artist Peter Lely'.
Henry is an exceptionally skilled artist and Lely trusts him 'to complete the portraits commissioned by the King and by courtiers and nobles'. He has worked hard to attain this position, but due to his intervention over non-payment by a professional engraver, Lely is furious with him and demotes him in favour of his rival artist, Mary Beale. Henry must take over Mary's job of looking after the twelve young apprentices and ensuring they are 'fed, clothed and behaving themselves'. He must also supplement the weekly lessons they have with Lely by instructing them on the 'basics of painting portraits and landscapes'.
Mary is abrupt and unfriendly towards Henry and Henry is dismayed at this role reversal. The way he deals with this situation, and his eventual meeting with Emilia, form the second theme of this book.
Chapter 4, rather confusingly, jumps back in time to 1654, a time before the Restoration of the King as Charles II and the return of the royal family, including James, Duke of York, to England. In this chapter, we meet Anne Hyde as a youthful lady-in-waiting to Charles's young, widowed, sister, Princess Mary, whose court-in-exile is in the Hague in Holland. Anne Hyde's life forms the third, very important, strand of this book.
Tying these three themes together is art. In particular, the commissioning of a series of portraits of the most beautiful women at court. These portraits have come to be know as 'The Windsor Beauties', and they are still part of the British Royal Art Collection.
Emilia, as a young wife, had taken up painting and was deeply interested in art. With the loss of the Lennox estate, she had to give up this occupation, but her skills become useful when she helps to support herself while living with Arabella in London.
Henry, is drawn into Emilia's life when Peter Lely gives him to task of painting Emilia's portrait. It is a slow and frustrating business, because Emilia has told the King that she will only agree to accept his offer if he adds her portrait to those of The Windsor Beauties, and then only when the portrait is finished. Emilia is determined to delay this moment for as long as possible, so she is evasive and uncooperative with Henry, who incurs Lely's wrath when the King's agent demands progress.
Anne Hyde, is the woman who commissioned The Windsor Beauties portraits. Lauren Chater creates a fascinating life for her, since historical records have failed to do this. Anne tells her own story, from her time as a pleasant, rather naive girl, favoured by Princess Mary and learning hard lessons about the perfidious nature of charming court gallants, to the time of being the subject of court ladies' slurs directed at her as 'an immoral woman of inferior birth, a climber of the worst sort'. Hers is life full of fascination, complexity and uncertainty, as befits that of the woman who eventually married James, Duke of York, the second-in-line to the throne, and became Duchess of York.
Theatre, too, has a rich and colourful presence in The Beauties. Arabella, is one of the leading actresses in the Duke's Theatre, but her employment is terminated when she becomes pregnant. She and Emilia, however, begin to work with the charismatic Winifred Duncan, who is establishing an all female theatre company.
This new and ambitious venture includes the restoration of the old London Fortune Theatre by five women who have learned from their carpenter father
'how to measure and cut the beams of wood he used in the foundations of other people's houses... how to hammer nails and remove them, how to construct furniture, how to scribe to ensure the beams fit tightly together and bore the loads they were assigned.'
Eventually, Emilia, too, is employed to restore and paint scenic backdrops.
Henry, meanwhile has begun to enjoy teaching the apprentices, especially one boy, George, who has a similar impoverished background to Henry's, and shows exceptional talent. Mary, however, makes him aware that the fate of 'the entire studio' depends on him completing the portrait of Emilia for the King, who is becoming increasingly impatient.
For Amelia, Arabella and Henry, the outbreak of plague in 1665 temporarily resolves their problems.
Henry stays in London to look after the boys. Emilia sees the streets 'jammed with people... some carry trunks, others wheel barrows piled with assorted belonging', and when Emilia finds the Fortune theatre is deserted, Arabella tells her
''Everyone has left. The King himself has fled Whitehall. The plague hasn't reached all the parishes yet, but it's only a matter of weeks before everyone succumbs to it. Winnie has gone to arrange our passage to the countryside. Her cousin has a house there.''
By the time Emilia and the theatre group return to London, everything has changed. Emilia's dilemma still exists but there is new potential for her to avoid its resolution.
The Beauties is an enjoyable romantic history in more ways than one. Romance, love, sexual liaisons, and dilemmas abound, but these are all part of the richness, romance and rivalries of courtly life. Lauren Chater sets her scenes and paints her characters and their various lives, thoughts, emotions and problems, with the discerning eye and skill of an artist inspired by the painter of The Windsor Beauties.
Dr Ann Skea, Reviewer
https://ann.skea.com/THHome.htm
Carl Logan's Bookshelf
The Flag Revelation
Christopher Maddish
Homonoia Books
https://homonoiabooks.blogspot.com
9798989356324, $29.99, HC, 402pp
https://www.amazon.com/Flag-Revelation-Connections-Synchronicity-Illustrated/dp/B0CVYJJFXK
Synopsis: 1. Vexillology is the study of the history, symbolism and usage of flags or, by extension, any interest in flags in general. 2. Each one of the 50 American state flags has its own individual history.
Some people may look at all 50 American state flags and see an amazing collection of US history woven in. But have you ever wondered if there's more to America's state flags than meets the eye? Beyond the colorful designs, a hidden realm awaits, where flags hold the keys to stories you never knew existed. There is a puzzle yearning to be solved in plain sight, all waving proudly across the United States.
With the publication of "The Flag Revelation: Proof of Providence Due to the Mysterious & Uncanny Connections of the 50 States of America, Synchronicity Illustrated" by vexillologist Christopher Maddish presents a traveler's guide through the tapestry of United States history.
Weaving stories of the 50 states, their flags, and the deep synchronicities that bind them, this journey is not just about flag history but also the essence of national spirit. Christopher (endorsed by Queen Elizabeth II for his vexillological prowess), offers revelatory insights that explore the depths of America's soul, where the mysteries of synchronicity and providence come alive.
"The Flag Revelation" addresses: The soulmate-sister state theory, taking a fresh look at America's flags and their serendipitous connections; Synchronicity's deep power and its transformative role beyond mere coincidence; Epic tales and trivia of American Revolution history, flag lore, and more, altering your perspective on our great nation; A comprehensive exploration of the essence of flags in an enjoyable and illuminating manner; What America's forefathers like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin meant by "providence," played out in simple and poetic fashion.
Critique: Fascinating, informative, detailed, unique, comprehensive, Christopher Maddish's "The Flag Revelation: Proof of Providence Due to the Mysterious & Uncanny Connections of the 50 States of America, Synchronicity Illustrated" will prove a singularly welcome pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library American History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Flag Revolution" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9798989356300, $24.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Christopher Maddish (www.zebratigerfish.blogspot.com) is an expert vexillologist and a leading authority in the vibrant world of American History and flag studies. Recognized globally for his expertise, his design for the Prime Meridian flag was not only raised at the Greenwich Observatory but also received the royal endorsement from Queen Elizabeth II. As both an educator and writer, Christopher's mission is clear: To explore the intricate beauty and history of flags, shedding light on their profound stories and significance.
The God of War
Frank Kenny
Jin Hua Publishers
https://frankkennyjinhuapublishers.com
9781739270407, $19.99, PB, 344pp
https://www.amazon.com/God-War-Ancient-Abraham-Heraclius/dp/1739270401
Synopsis: Our world has been shaped by Judaism (Yahweh), Christianity (Jehovah), and Islam (Allah) from antiquarian times down to the present day by the concept of one God as creator and judge. The influence of this deity casts a shadow over human affairs. Though God is worshipped as a figure of peace and hope, ancient texts depict a much different being. Do believers truly understand the origins of their God?
With the publication of "The God of War: How an Ancient God Shaped the Modern World" (Volume 1, 1200BC - 630AD Abraham to Heraclius) by religious historian Frank Kenny the reader will delve into the heart of religious history, where the enduring legacy of the Abrahamic faiths converge with tales of war and theology, revealing their profound impact on contemporary society.
In this compelling narrative, Kenny navigates the complex evolution of a warlike deity from the early scriptures of Jerusalem to the verses of the Bible and Qur'an they inspired. Challenging the one-dimensional portrayal of a benevolent God, "The God of War" offers a multifaceted view that spans the history of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
The readers of "The God of War" will: Explore the progression of religious beliefs and their impact on global conflicts and societal transformation; Witness how the conflict lines emerged between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, despite their mutual reverence for Abraham, father of their faiths. Learn how these differences led to centuries of war and bloodshed; Unearth the anachronisms of the Bible and the historical context that shaped them; Get a clearer understanding of the march of Yahweh, God of War, from obscure provincial deity to arbiter of human morality; Travel across 3,000 years of world history from the highlands of Canaan to the killing fields of the Persian and Roman empires encountering the remarkable men and women who played a significant role.
Meticulously researched and peppered with enriching historical detail, "The God of War" offers an impartial examination of the religion based wars, violent conflicts, and political struggles that still affect us today. "The God of War" is essential reading that challenges conventional narratives and encourages readers to find their own answers to the complexities of faith.
Critique: Informative, comprehensive, fascinating, detailed, iconoclasitc, and exceptionally 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, author and historian Frank Kenny's "The God of War: How an Ancient God Shaped the Modern World (Volume 1, 1200BC - 630AD Abraham to Heraclius) from Jin Hua Publishers is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Religious History/Religious Studies collections and supplemental curriculum lists. It should be noted for students, academia, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The God of War" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) as well.
Editorial Note: Frank Kenny (www.frankkennyjinhuapublishers.com) is an accomplished researcher and author specialising in the history of the Abrahamic religions. Educated at Trinity College Dublin and the Open University, he combines a background in technology with a passion for history and challenging conventional religious narratives.
Carl Logan
Reviewer
Chris Patsilelis' Bookshelf
On Great Fields: The Life and Unlikely Heroism of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
Ronald C. White
Random House
Randomhousebooks.ccm
9780525510086, $35.00 HC / $13.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Great-Fields-Unlikely-Lawrence-Chamberlain/dp/0525510087
July 2, 1863. The second day of the horrific Civil War Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in which about 40,000 men were wounded and 5,000 killed. On this day Union General Gouverneur K. Warren was shocked to see that Little Round Top hill, about to be taken by a brigade of Alabamans, was devoid of Union troops, completely undefended. If the Confederates took this strategic hill and brought up artillery, they could batter Union troops below mercilessly.
Warren then persuaded a commander to immediately send a brigade to push back the encroaching rebels.
The man sent to defend boulder-strewn Little Round Top was 34-year-old Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, commander of the 20th Maine brigade. Mild-mannerly, soft-spoken, intellectual and friendly, Chamberlain in the previous year had been a Bowdoin College (Maine) professor of speech and modern languages. (He was fluent in nine).
Besides four years of classical studies at Bowdoin, Chamberlain had spent thee years at a theological seminary in Maine.
Reaching the summit of Little Round Towpath with his men ahead of the rebels, Chamberlain could see the enemy slowly advancing up the craggy hill towards him. He then heard a loud, shrill sound - and suddenly realized what it was: The fierce, rebel yell from the waves of attacking enemy....
Ronald C. White is a New York Times bestselling author of the biographies "A. Lincoln" (2009) and "American Ulysses" (2016) and also author of three other books on Lincoln including "Lincoln in Private" (2021). He's also co-authored seven other works of history. His new work is "On Great Fields: The Life and Unlikely Heroism of Joshua Lawrence Lawrence Chamberlain."
Chamberlain, White informs us, was born on September 8, 1828 in the small, rural village of Brewer, Maine. Aside from his extensive combat exploits in the Civil War - in which he was severely wounded in the June 28, 1864 Battle of Petersburg, and which he was severely wounded in the June 18, 1864 Battle of Petersburg, and in which he engaged in ferocious, hand-to-hand battle at Five Forks, April 1, 1865. Chamberlain also became governor of Maine (1867) and later president of Bowdoin College (1871).
But what Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain is famous for on the world stage - what Medal of Honor upon him 1893 - was his decisive tide-turning action at Little Round Top on that fateful second day at Gettysburg...
-We return to that violent scene - Chamberlain and his men hear the bloodcurdling rebel yell louder!, louder! "Tree by tree, boulder by boulder they came" up the slopes Chamberlain wrote in his diary. All semblance o order breaks down in the smoky, vicious chaos of battle...
An hour passes....
The 20th Maine is running out of ammo. Chamberlain's men furiously restock bullets from fallen friends, or even enemies. But those sources could not supply their need for long, writes White.
__ __ __ __ At this critical, desperate moment Chamberlain shouts "Bayonnet!" - the weapon used when all the possibilities are gone.
His diminished brigade half the size of the Confederate onslaught, charges down the slope against the surprised rebels. "Cuts and thrusts grapplings and wrestlings... conflict swayed to and fro... At times I saw around me more of the enemy than of my own men...", wrote Chamberlain in a post-war magazine.
Bullets went zipping - ricocheting viciously amongst the rocks and soldiers.... The tide turns for Chamberlain brigade - they finally prevail. The rebels surrender in scores. "The Twentieth Maine suffered 130 casualties, about one-third of the regiment including forth killed or mortally wounded", writes White.
On February 24, 1914, in Portland's Maine, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain died at age 85, succumbing to infections from old war wounds and pneumonia.
Assiduously researched and simply written, Ronald C. White's "On Great Fields" is the definitive biography of a true Civil War Hero.
Chris Patsilelis
Reviewer
Clint Travis' Bookshelf
The Monosexual
Dean Monti
Madville Publishing
www.MadvillePublishing.com
9781956440898, $20.95, PB, 222pp
https://www.amazon.com/Monosexual-Dean-Monti/dp/1956440895
Synopsis: "The Monosexual" by novelist Dean Monti is the story of Vincent Cappellini, an obsessed ultra-monogamist who struggles when his relationship with the love of his life abruptly ends.
Twice-burned (once in love and once by the sun) Vincent faces a host of challenges to his self-appointed sense of identity. Sunburn, bad sushi, a Sinatra karaoke contest, and the road rage fury of a woman scorned are but a few of the trials Vincent will endure while facing the ultimate test to his monosexuality -- a new woman in his life.
Critique: Through his remarkably distinctive and narrative driven storytelling style, author Dean Monti raises his original and deftly crafted novel to an impressive level of literary excellence with a riveting and fun read for those with an interest in absurdist fiction laced with dark humor. While available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), "The Monosexual" from Madville Publishing is especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Dean Monti started writing at age two, but nothing legible until age five. Since then, his fiction has appeared in several literary journals in print and online. His critically-acclaimed novel, The Sweep of the Second Hand, was published by Academy Chicago Publishers and reprinted in paperback by Penguin. In addition to other novels, he is the author of several full-length and one-act plays and has had works staged in Chicago and Norfolk, Virginia. His short story "Why Dogs Don't Talk" was adapted as a stage play and short film. Additionally, Monti has also taught creative writing at Columbia College in Chicago and at College of DuPage.
Generals and Admirals of the Third Reich: Volume 2: H - O
James 'Jack' Webb
Casemate Publishers
www.casematepublishers.com
9781952715167, $49.95, HC, 360pp
https://www.amazon.com/Generals-Admirals-Third-Reich-H/dp/1952715164
Synopsis: This second volume of the three-volume set "Generals and Admirals of the Third Reich from Casemate Publishers offers concise biographical information for generals and admirals of the Third Reich with surnames between H and O. The set covers all branches of service, providing a brief but scholarly overview of each individual, including personal details and dates for all attachments to unit, and medals awarded, offering a readily accessible go-to reference work for all World War II researchers and historians.
In addition to the biographic information comprising "Generals and Admirals of the Third Reich: Volume 2 H-O", this volume also includes detailed appendices on Reichsheer Generals and Reichsmarine Admirals from 1921 - 1935.
These books comprising this simply outstanding series by James Jack Webb are packed with information on these senior officers of the Third Reich, many of whom are little documented in the English language.
Critique: An indispensable and comprehensive reference work providing brief, scholarly biographical summaries for senior officers of the Third Reich from 1935-1945 (and covering surnames H - O) is an essential and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library World War II biography/history collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and WWII military history buffs that "Generals and Admirals of the Third Reich: For Country or Fuehrer: Volume 2: H - O" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.95).
Editorial Note: James "Jack" Webb was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. While growing up, he always enjoyed asking about and listening to the war stories told by his uncles who served in Europe during the Second World War. One side of his family were from the South and fought in the Civil War as well as other major conflicts in the United States military. The other side were from Japan and despite losing everything due to the attack on Pearl Harbor, were allowed to fight for their country and the freedom of their families. James has studied the conflicts in Europe for the last 38 years and continues to work in the medical field.
Clint Travis
Reviewer
Jack Mason's Bookshelf
Surf Therapy
Cash Lambert
Hatherleigh Press
c/o The Hatherleigh Foundation
www.hatherleighpress.com
9781578269945, $20.00, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Surf-Therapy-Renegade-Science-Treatment/dp/1578269946
Synopsis: Surfing? The fundamental message of "Surf Therapy: The Evidence-Based Science for Physical, Mental & Emotional Well-Being" is that surfing can be an effective form of personal therapy.
Surf therapy is an emerging field with promising results which aims to address the mental, physical and emotional epidemics of the modern age. With the publication of "Surf Therapy", author Cash Lambert paddles out with today's leading surf therapy practitioners and surf therapy organizations to discover how surfing is changing lives for the better.
"Surf Therapy" covers surfing as a mental health treatment for: Drug addiction and addiction recovery; Children and adults diagnosed with autism; Social development of at-risk inner-city children; Physical disabilities like spinal cord injuries; PTSD in active-duty police officers' Terminal illnesses like cystic fibrosis; Women recovering from abusive living situations.
With interviews from today's leading surf therapy practitioners and data from groundbreaking studies, "Surf Therapy" is a story of science, resilience, and the lengths that humans will go to help one another in need.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Surf Therapy: The Evidence-Based Science for Physical, Mental & Emotional Well-Being" by Cash Lambert is a seminal, ground-breaking, extraordinarily informative, thoughtful, inspiring, and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, mental health clinic, college, and university library Self-Help, Ayurveda, Alternative Medicine and Mental Health therapy collections and supplemental Psychology curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that this edition of "Surf Therapy" from Hatherleigh Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) as well.
Editorial Note: Cash Lambert (https://www.cashlambert.com) is the author "Waves of Healing: How Surfing Changes the Lives of Children with Autism". He is the Founder and Director of Editorial for American Surf Magazine. A former Editor for Hawaii's Freesurf Magazine, his articles have been featured in ESPN Outdoors, Surfing Magazine, Eastern Surf Magazine, the Outdoor Channel, Surfline, Stab Magazine, Flux, Patagonia and more. A graduate of Palm Beach Atlantic University, he served as a volunteer surf instructor with Surfers for Autism for 4 years.
The Biochar Handbook
Kelpie Wilson
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
www.chelseagreen.com
9781645022305, $39.95, PB, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Biochar-Handbook-Practical-Bioactivated-Charcoal/dp/1645022307
Synopsis: Like many human discoveries, biochar has likely been invented, lost, and reinvented multiple times in human history. It can be found in the rich terra preta soils of the Amazon and in the ancient "dark earths" dotting Africa, Asia, and Europe. However, biochar isn't just an archeological curiosity. With the publication of "The Biochar Handbook: A Practical Guide to Making and Using Bioactivated Charcoal", author Kelpie Wilson argues that the simple process of burning organic material in a low-oxygen, low-emission environment could be one of the most powerful tools we have to restore degraded soils and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
In accessible and authoritative prose, in "The Biochar Handbook" Wilson demonstrates that biochar is a low-tech but effective means of reducing wildfire risks, restoring soil carbon, managing manure, weaning farms off of toxic inputs, and producing the best compost ever made.
"The Biochar Handbook also offers: A pocket history of biochar; Step-by-step instructions on making biochar for yourself; Applications for soil water retention, pest deterrence, compost enhancement, and more; Inspiring examples of ecosystem restoration and improved forest management; Low-cost recipes, including Cultured Biochar and Sustainable Potting Soil.
Wilson makes a compelling case that biochar is both simple to make and a potent solution to a host of knotty problems, both global and close to home. Whether you're a gardener, homesteader, rancher, commercial farmer, permaculturalist, or forest manager, "The Biochar Handbook" will show you how to put biochar to work, making you and your community more resilient as a result.
Critique: Nicely illustrated and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Biochar Handbook: A Practical Guide to Making and Using Bioactivated Charcoal" will prove of immense and practical value to readers with an interest in biotechnology, soil science, and sustainable agriculture collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.99), "The Biochar Handbook" is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library collections and supplemental Environmental Restoration curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Kelpie Wilson is a mechanical engineer and analyst with 35 years of experience in renewable energy, sustainable forestry, and resource conservation. She has worked in the biochar industry since 2008 and was a founding board member of the US Biochar Initiative. She manages the Biochar in the Woods network to promote biochar production in place to benefit native ecosystems. Kelpie researches and teaches techniques for using biochar in compost and manure management and presents many biochar workshops each year to farmers, foresters, and landowners. She owns a biochar consulting business, Wilson Biochar Associates, and sells her Ring of Fire Biochar Kilns through Wilson Biochar, LLC.
Jack Mason
Reviewer
Jane Cairns' Bookshelf
As Long as I Breathe
Garrett James
www.garrettjamesproductions.com
Self-published on Amazon
9798822071025, $11.99
https://www.amazon.com/As-Long-I-Breathe/dp/B09ZJB5NG5
Rarely will you find a love story that will appeal equally to men and women. As Long as I Breathe by Garret James is such a love story. James has brought to life characters that both men and women can enjoy, cheer on, and visualize as themselves in that situation.
Stephanie (Steph) Morgan is caught in an abusive love relationship. Even so, she shows herself to be strong and capable in her role as a single mom who has two jobs to care for Lilianna Rose (Lily), her seven-year-old daughter. She has the stamina to carry on after her fiance, Matt Peterson, is killed while on duty as a police officer.
Mason Cain seems to be what the outside world wants him to be - a tough, tattooed ex-con who's led a tough life. No one, except his new acquaintance and neighbor, Steph, has the privilege of seeing his true inner self. As Mason and Steph become better acquainted and closer, Mason's tender heart comes to the fore. What will they both go through as their love blossoms and deepens, and the jealous, abusive boyfriend goes haywire?
Even the secondary characters are interesting. Lily is a smart, rambunctious, but well-mannered seven-year-old. Nicholas Canon, a DCI agent, investigates Matt Peterson's mysterious death. He's also a strong and steady influence on Steph and her sister Beth. Can he bring closure to the matter of Matt Peterson's mysterious death? Wayne and Jo, an older couple whom Mason and Steph meet while they're on a short vacation, are fun loving and a great influence on Lily.
This adventure grabs you and doesn't let you go until the final page is turned. Well-written characters and a finely tuned, well-paced story will entice you to read about and enter the world of Mason and Steph. And come to the end of the story wanting more.
Jane A. Cairns, Reviewer
www.janecairns.com
John Burroughs' Bookshelf
Emotional Brandywine
Bruce E. Mowday, author
Karl J. Kuerner, illustrator
Regent Press
www.regentpress.net
9781587906657, $40.00, HC, 68pp
https://www.amazon.com/Emotional-Brandywine-Bruce-Mowday/dp/1587906651
Synopsis: The September 11, 1777, battle of Brandywine was a defeat for General George Washington that is too often forgotten by historians.
Brandywine was one of the most important engagements of the American Revolution. It was also the largest land battle. -- It was there that Lafayette began his rise to an American hero that afternoon when he shed his blood for American freedom.
Critique: Artist/illustrator Karl J. Kuerner and author/historian Bruce E. Mowday both grew up near the main battlefield. Karl received instructions by world-known artist Andrew Wyeth and uses his artistic talents to depict the Brandywine landscape, while Bruce writes about the history. The result is "Emotional Brandywine" from the Regent Press. The deft paring of full color, full page illustration with succinct historical commentary makes makes this large format (9" x 10.5", hardcover edition of "Emotional Brandywine" an unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library American Revolutionary War collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Karl Kuerner's artistic talent was recognized and nurtured at a very young age by Carolyn Wyeth the sister of Andrew Wyeth and a renowned artist in her own right. Kuerner grew up surrounded by artists and the task of painting. From the age of seven he watched Andrew Wyeth paint some of his greatest works at the Kuerner Farm - Karl's family homestead for three generations - and a major source of inspiration for more than 1,000 of Wyeth's works of art - and eventually over 300 of Kuerner's own works. As Karl matured artistically, Andrew Wyeth took a keen interest in the young artist and took him under his wing - mentoring and teaching him for more than three decades.
Editorial Note #2: Bruce Mowday is a newspaper reporter who has also authored more than 20 books on history, sports, business and true crime. Mowday has appeared on numerous television and radio shows, including Counter Culture, a PBS Emmy-winning show, the Discovery ID channel, ReelZ network, C-SPAN, the Pennsylvania Cable Network, Hollywood and Beyond, Our American Heritage, Whatcha Got, Journey into the Civil War, Chronicles of the American Civil War and local television and radio stations.
Handbook on Social Innovation and Social Policy
Stephen Sinclair & Simone Balion, editors
Edward Elgar Publishing
www.e-elgar.com
9781800887442, $250.00, HC, 330pp
https://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Social-Innovation-Handbooks-Welfare/dp/1800887442
Synopsis: Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Professors Stephen Sinclair and Simone Balion, the "Handbook on Social Innovation and Social Policy" from Edward Elgar Publishing investigates the often-contested relationship between these two areas of enquiry and practice by applying a critical perspective to stimulate dialogue and mutual learning between the interconnected fields of social innovation and social policy analysis.
Bringing together discerning contributions from a diverse team of international scholars and analysts, the "Handbook on Social Innovation and Social Policy" fully explores key policy insights, practical lessons and advances in theoretical understanding which can be drawn from social innovation and social policy.
The individual chapters comprising "Handbook on Social Innovation and Social Policy" examine a comprehensive range of social issues and policy areas including sustainable development, employment, immigration, financial exclusion, digital services, food provision, health and social care, and gender equality. Presenting distinctive new insights into how social innovation and social policy can address these issues, the contributors to the "Handbook on Social Innovation and Social Policy" ultimately considers how social innovation can offer solutions and ways forward in response to emerging social problems and persistent welfare needs.
The "Handbook on Social Innovation and Social Policy" will prove invaluable for academics, scholars, and advanced students of social policy, social innovation and enterprise, public management and administration, and politics. Locating the relationship between social innovation and social policy in historical, theoretical, and practical contexts, it will also benefit civil society organisations and public policymakers tasked with developing and implementing innovations and reforms in key policy areas.
Critique: Informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of numerous figures, tables, an index, plus a listing of the contributors and their credentials, this hardcover edition of the "Handbook on Social Innovation and Social Policy" is highly recommended as a core addition to personal, professional, governmental, and college/university library Social Science Reference collections and supplemental Governmental/Public Social Policy curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Stephen Sinclair, Professor of Social Policy, Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health, Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland, UK
Editorial Note #2: Simone Baglioni, Professor of Sociology, Department of Economics and Management, University of Parma, Italy
John Burroughs
Reviewer
Julie Summers' Bookshelf
Women of the Colorado Mines
Linda Wommack
Farcountry Press
www.farcountrypress.com
9781560378327, $18.95, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Women-Colorado-Mines-Linda-Wommack/dp/1560378328
Synopsis: Beginning with the discovery of gold near present-day Denver in 1858, Colorado's placers and mines promised vast riches of gold, silver, and other precious minerals. That promise lured throngs of treasure seekers, including more than a few strong, savvy women.
With the publication of "Women of the Colorado Mines", author Linda Wommack digs deep into their tribulations and triumphs to reveal the true lives of women prospectors, mine owners, labor advocates, and a handful of mining heiresses who found fabulous wealth in them thar hills.
Critique: Nicely illustrated with B/W historical photographs, and enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a Bibliography and an Index, Linda Wommack's "Women of the Colorado Mines" from Farcountry Press is a memorable and informative trip through a unique aspect of Colorado history and will prove to be a welcome and appreciated addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Colorado History collections and supplemental 19th Century American Women's History curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "Women of the Colorado Mines" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: A Colorado native, Linda Wommack (https://lindawommack.com) is a historian and historical consultant. An award-winning writer, she has written eighteen books on Colorado history, including Murder in the Mile High City, Colorado's Landmark Hotels, From the Grave: A Roadside Guide to Colorado's Pioneer Cemeteries, Our Ladies of the Tenderloin: Colorado;s Legends in Lace, Colorado History for Kids, Colorado's Historic Mansions and Castles, Colorado's Historic Schools, Ann Bassett: Colorado's Cattle Queen, Haunted History of Cripple Creek and Teller County, Growing Up with the Wild Bunch, Ranching Women of Colorado, Cripple Creek, Bob Womack and the Greatest Gold Camp on Earth, and From Sand Creek to Summit Springs: Colorado's Indian Wars. She has also contributed to two anthologies concerning Western Americana. She is a three-time winner of the prestigious Will Rogers Medallion Award.
Don't Retire... Graduate!, second edition
Eric D. Brotmam. CFP
Brotman Media Group, LLC
https://brotmanmedia.com
9781734970159, $24.99, HC, 357pp
https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Retire-Graduate-Financial-Retirement/dp/1734970154
Synopsis: Whether retirement is right around the corner or you've just stepped into your professional life, financial independence can feel daunting and unattainable. Stressful money mistakes or debt shouldn't postpone retirement planning until your golden years.
The earlier you start planning for your future, the better -- but it's never too late to go back to school and double major in financial independence and retirement readiness at any age!
"Don't Retire... Graduate!: Building a Path to Financial Freedom and Retirement at Any Age" by Eric Brotman can be the key to your degree and fully-fledged financial freedom with a full syllabus of courses that will help you advance, not retreat, but evolve into the perfect retirement for you.
Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition for 2024, "Don't Retire... Graduate!" offers updated strategies for evolving interest rates and investments, including insights on Roth IRAs and an overview of the SECURE Act 2.0. Gain the expertise you need with the assistance of experienced retirement planners. Get answers to powerful financial questions including how to navigate challenges after a global pandemic and legislation impacting personal finance.
No matter where you are along your personal finance journey, "Don't Retire...Graduate!" is guide offering simple insights for beginners and a 'real world' step-by-step plan for growing your wealth, your way -- so that you can graduate into a successful retirement when you're ready!
This newly revised second edition of "Don't Retire... Graduate!" offers: Three smart investing strategies to free yourself from debt while still paying yourself first; Addresses the question of 'Why risk management and insurance will build security for your financial castle and everyone living in it'; Presents 12 relationship questions to determine if you should keep or break up with your financial advisor, wealth manager, or CFP; How to maximize the peak earning years of your career with a crash course in retirement accounts and IRAs; Plus twenty-one extra credit assignments in financial independence to take you to the top of the class.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in approach, organization and presentation for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in eventually retiring with solid financial support, Eric Brotman's "Don't Retire... Graduate!: Building a Path to Financial Freedom and Retirement at Any Age" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, senior citizen, and college/university library Money/Fianance/Education collections and supplemental Wealth Managment/Retirement Planning curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "Don't Retire...Graduate" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781734970135, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Eric D. Brotman, CEO of BFG Financial Advisors, started his financial planning career in 1994 in Baltimore. He holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, a master's in financial services, and multiple financial certifications. Eric founded Brotman Financial Group, Brotman Consulting Group, and Brotman Media Group. He has served on numerous boards, including the Maryland State Retirement & Pension System, hosted the "Don't Retire...Graduate!" podcast, authored three personal finance books, and is a sought-after speaker on personal finance topics. (https://brotmanconsultinggroup.com)
Julie Summers
Reviewer
Margaret Lane's Bookshelf
How Not to Get Sick
Benjamin Bikman & Diana Keulian
BenBella Books
www.benbellabooks.com
9781637744543, $26.95, PB, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/How-Not-Get-Sick-Resistance/dp/1637744544
Synopsis: With his breakout book "Why We Get Sick", Benjamin Bikman helped thousands of people to understand insulin resistance: what it is, why it happens, how it affects nearly every system in our bodies.
Now, with the publication of "How Not to Get Sick: A Cookbook and Guide to Prevent and Reverse Insulin Resistance, Lose Weight, and Fight Chronic Disease" Professor Bikman offers a companion guide featuring 70 low-carb and keto-friendly recipes. Professor Bikman has teamed up with the fitness expert and recipe developer Diana Keuilian to help the nearly 9 in 10 American adults affected with insulin resistance. Together, they translate the latest research into actionable, easy-to-follow steps. You can make dramatic improvements in your insulin sensitivity, resist chronic illness, attain a healthy weight, and improve your energy.
In part one, readers will learn how to assess their health with regards to insulin resistance and understand the science. In part two, they will discover a three-pronged approach to reversing insulin resistance or maintaining insulin sensitivity. And in part three, acquire the tools to put the plan into action, with exercise, meal plans for intermittent fasting, and healthful recipes that the whole family will love.
The health promoting recipes range from BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders; Mediterranean Turkey Bowls; Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole; Meatzza Pizza; and Crispy Sweet Mongolian Beef; to Adobo Braised Mushroom Tacos; Sizzling Crab Cakes; Vegetarian White Garlic Lasagna; Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks; Frosted Fudge Brownies and Iced Apple Cinnamon Muffins.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated with stunning full-color photography, this compendium of health information provides essential knowledge and inspiring encouragement -- making "How Not to Get Sick: A Cookbook and Guide to Prevent and Reverse Insulin Resistance, Lose Weight, and Fight Chronic Disease" is an thoroughly 'user friendly' resource for healthy living. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99), this large format (8.06 x 0.63 x 10.06 inches, 1.78 pounds) paperback edition of "How Not to Get Sick" from BenBella Books is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Low Carb & Ketogenic Dieting collections.
Editorial Note #1: Benjamin Bikman earned his PhD in bioenergetics and was a postdoctoral fellow with the Duke-National University of Singapore studying metabolic disorders. Currently, his professional focus as a scientist and professor (Brigham Young University) is to better understand the origins and consequences of metabolic disorders, including obesity and diabetes, with a particular emphasis on the role of insulin. He frequently publishes his research in peer-reviewed journals and presents at international science and public meetings.
Editorial Note #2: Diana Keuilian (https://realhealthyrecipes.com) is passionate about creating wholesome versions of your favorite foods. She removes the gluten, soy, grains and cane sugar from traditional comfort food recipes like cake, tacos, cookies, waffles, enchiladas and more.
Dressed, Styled, and Down the Aisle: Becoming a Stylish Bride
Julie Sabatino
https://thestylishbride.com
Greenleaf Book Group Press
www.greenleafbookgroup.com
9798886451375, $41.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Dressed-Styled-Down-Aisle-Becoming/dp/B0CB9KWKHC
Synopsis: Written by Julie Sabatino (the founder of the bridal styling industry and the most sought-after and esteemed stylist in the business), "Dressed, Styled, and Down the Aisle: Becoming a Stylish Bride" is the definitive guide to feeling comfortable, confident, and beautiful on your wedding day and putting together your unique fashion story.
This elegant volume from the Greenleaf Book Group Press features an array of stunning photographs and illustrations and includes a wealth of styling resources. Utilizing Julie Sabatino's actionable advice and easy-to-use exercises, you will learn how to find your dream dress, style your wedding party, and create a wedding wardrobe you love. A sanity-saving manifesto, "Dressed, Styled and Down the Aisle" is designed to take the stress out of wedding shopping, saving much-needed time, money, and energy before you even step foot into a salon.
Packed from cover to cover with insider tips, expert guidance, and plenty of humor, Julie utilizes her twenty years of professional experience in helping brides curate their uniquely beautiful weddings to walk you through the entire styling process, giving you access to a wealth of information, behind-the-scenes shortcuts, and tricks of the trade that have never been made available to the public -- until now!
Critique: This large format (7.5 x 1 x 10.5 inches, 2.45 pounds) hardcover edition of "Dressed, Styled, and Down the Aisle: Becoming a Stylish Bride" will prove to be of maximum inspirational value to readers with an interest in wedding ceremonies, budgets, photography, vows and toasts. While also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), "Dressed, Styled, and Down the Aisle: Becoming a Stylish Bride" is a unique and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, and community library Bridal & Wedding collections.
Editorial Note: A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, Julie Sabatino is the founder of The Stylish Bride (https://thestylishbride.com), a full-service bridal styling company dedicated to helping brides (and grooms) navigate the world of wedding wear. Widely recognized as the first and most influential bridal stylist in the world, Julie has spent two decades curating bridal looks for an impressive client list that includes celebrities, socialites, and elite power players, who count on her impeccable taste, highly coveted connections, and unparalleled expertise to guide them through the often-confusing world of wedding attire.
Margaret Lane
Reviewer
Michael Carson's Bookshelf
True Wealth: 9 Lessons From a Grandfather on Happiness and Abundance
Ken Honda
Hay House, Inc.
www.hayhouse.com
9781401978020, $22.99, HC, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/True-Wealth-Grandfather-Happiness-Abundance/dp/1401978029
Synopsis: With the publication of "True Wealth: 9 Lessons From a Grandfather on Happiness and Abundance" from Hay House Inc., author Ken Honda provides invaluable lessons on success and abundance that are founded on Zen principles and delivered in a spirit of compassion, freedom, and joy.
Readers will embark on a transformative adventure with Kei as he unravels his grandfather's legacy, one letter at a time.
Upon the passing of his grandfather, Kei inherits a series of nine letters covering 80 years of his grandfather's learned wisdom. Each unveils an important lesson about what's most important in life -- achieving a joyous and successful life beyond material wealth.
Motivated by these letters, 20-year-old Kei begins an introspective international journey (from Tokyo to Hokkaido to Bangkok, Bhutan, and beyond) to learn about his grandfather's past. Readers will follow Kei along this path as he absorbs the essence of each lesson and its fundamental value -- including: The value of failure to propel us forward; The power of determination to chart our course; The opportunity we have, every day, to choose actions that will change our lives; The intricate balance between money and true abundance -- and so much more!
With every letter, Kei's world view expands, leading him closer to understanding his grandfather's legacy and the profound meaning of true wealth. The letters invite readers to contemplate the meaning of wealth beyond financial abundance and propel them toward a life rich in happiness, purpose, and authentic connection.
Critique: Inherently fascinating, compelling, unique, insightfully thought-provoking, and of immense value to readers with an interest in motivational self-help, happiness and success (both personally and professionally), "True Wealth: 9 Lessons From a Grandfather on Happiness and Abundance" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted that this edition of "True Wealth" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Ken Honda (www.KenHonda.com) is a Japanese author whose books have sold over eight million copies internationally since 2001, and which are now available in a growing number of languages and countries worldwide. Known as the "Happy Money Guy," "Money Healer," and "Zen Millionaire," Ken bridges the topics of money and happiness in his teachings, inviting readers to heal their relationship with money, experience more abundance and happiness, and express their gifts in alignment with their destiny and life purpose.
Be Data Analytical: How to Use Analytics to Turn Data into Value
Jordan Morrow
Kogan Page Inc.
www.koganpage.com
9781398609303, $110.00, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Be-Data-Analytical-Analytics-Value/dp/1398609307
Synopsis: In our modern age, data needs analytics to turn it into value and for organizations to be truly data-driven, they need to use analytics correctly. However, most organizations do not move beyond the first, most rudimentary stage of analytics. They miss out on the powerful insights and opportunities available with all the four levels of analytics: descriptive, diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive.
With the publication of "Be Data Analytical: How to Use Analytics to Turn Data into Value" data analysis expert Jordan Morrow reveals how to supercharge data value through all the four levels of analytics, bringing data to life and enhancing data-driven decision making.
"Be Data Analytical" examines each of these four levels of analytics in-depth: what they are, why they matter, how they can be used strategically and how they can be implemented. It also explores how individuals and organizations can improve their skills and performance in each of these areas.
Ably written by a global trailblazer in the world of data literacy, "Be Data Analytical" shows professionals, managers, leaders and organizations how to use analytics for the successful and strategic conversion of data into value, insight and action.
Critique: Comprehensive, fundamental, detailed, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, Jordan Morrow's "Be Data Analytical: How to Use Analytics to Turn Data into Value" from Kogan Page is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, corporate, and college/university library data mining systems and planning collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, corporate executives, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Be Data Analytical" is also available in a paperback edition (9781398609280, $29.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.99).
Editorial Note: Jordan Morrow is known as the "Godfather of Data Literacy", having helped pioneer the field by building one of the world's first data literacy programs and driving thought leadership. He is also the founder and CEO of Bodhi Data. Morrow is a global trailblazer in the world of data literacy and enjoys his time traveling the world speaking and/or helping companies. He served as the Chair of the Advisory Board for The Data Literacy Project, has spoken at numerous conferences around the world, and is an active voice in the data and analytics community. He has also helped companies and organizations around the world, including the United Nations, build and understand data literacy. Morrow is based near Salt Lake City, Utah and is the author of three books: Be Data Literate, Be Data Driven, and Be Data Analytical, all published by Kogan Page.
Michael J. Carson
Reviewer
Robin Friedman's Bookshelf
Brahms - Reger: Song Transcriptions
Johannes Brahms, composer
Max Reger, composer
Rudolf Buchbinder, performer
Deutsche Grammophon
https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en
B0CTJ1K8HH, $13.95
https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/de/katalog/produkte/brahms-reger-rudolf-buchbinder-13300
Songs Without Words By Brahms/Reger
With so much beautiful music in the world, it is still rare to find a little-known work and to be captured, deeply moved. I was fortunate to have this experience in finding this new CD of Max Reger's (1873 - 1916) transcriptions for the piano of songs by Johannes Brahms (1833- 1897), a composer Reger knew and greatly admired. The renowned Viennese pianist Rudolf Buchbiner performs the Reger transcriptions on this recent DG recording.
Brahms wrote over 200 songs over his life. Many of them are deeply romantic and personal, more so than his larger works. They feature singing, lovely melodies, frequently over a more complex, contrapuntal piano accompaniment. Brahms' songs are known to lovers of lieder, and I have been listening to them for a long time. I had no knowledge of Reger's transcriptions which are rarely performed or recorded. Reger wrote two sets of 14 transcriptions each of Brahms's songs, the first set in 1906 and the second in 1912. These 28 transcriptions or "songs without words" are included on this CD.
Reger's transcriptions follow closely Brahms's original scores, both in their flowing melodies and in their original piano writing. There is little in the way of virtuosic embellishment. The transcriptions are meltingly beautiful in their own right, both for listeners who know and for those who may not know the Brahms originals.
The transcriptions run the range of Brahms's songs from opus 3 through opus 107 and include some songs of a light, humorous character in addition to the more introspective, love-tossed songs more characteristic of the composer. The transcriptions include Brahms's best known-song, the famous "Brahms Lullaby or "Wiegenlied" opus 49 no. 4. Some of the transcriptions I especially enjoyed include "Alte Liebe", op. 72 no. 1, "Minnelied", op 71 no. 5, "Sapphische Ode", op. 94 no. 4 and "Wie Melodien zieht es mir" op. 105 no. 1.
The contemporary American composer Lowell Liebermann composed in 2009 "Four Etudes on Songs of Brahms" Op. 88, a set of solo piano works based on Brahms's songs. Liebermann's etudes include his setting of Brahms' "An ein Veilchen" op. 49 no 2, a work I have been learning to play. It was fascinating to compare Liebermann's etude with the transcription of this song by Reger.
The liner notes for the CD don't include the texts or translations for the songs, which is a deliberate choice and I think good. The goal is to encourage the listener to become immersed in these "songs without words" as Reger transcribed them, for solo piano without the original texts. In his brief note to the CD, "Singing at the piano -- desire and a lifelong quest on the pianist's part" Rudolf Buchbinder describes his joy in finding these little-known transcriptions of Brahms. He writes: "i hope my listeners will enjoy this journey into an inner dimension, as well as having the time and the curiosity to explore each individual song and to experience the intensity of these works of art entirely without words."
Lovers of the piano and of song will want to hear these miniature transcriptions of Brahms's songs by Max Reger performed by Rudolf Buchbinder.
Total Time: 58 minutes.
Love Songs
Various composers
Angela Hewitt, performer
Hyperion
https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk
B093QNSNSJ, $16.78
https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA68341
Love Songs From Angela Hewitt
The Canadian pianist Angela Hewitt is renowned for her performance of major works in the piano literature, in particular the works of Bach and Beethoven, Couperin, Rameau, and Scarlatti, among many others. This CD offers a different view of Hewitt. It consists not of works originally written for the piano or keyboard but instead of transcriptions to the piano of intimate, short love songs. Of the 23 works on CD all but one are songs written for piano and voice. The exception is a beautiful transcription made by Hewitt herself of the fourth movement from the Fifth Symphony of Mahler.
In the liner notes, Hewitt writes that this recording was a project in her mind for many years. She turned to it at last during the pandemic of 2020 when she, and so many others, were forced to stay home and contend with their own thoughts. Hewitt reflected on the importance of music and love in her life, and in the lives of others, and this highly introspective, emotive CD of love song is the result.
This CD is a joy in its musical selections and in Hewitt's playing. She has always been a gifted pianist, but the performances on this CD are often transcendently beautiful and well-conceived and touch the heart. Many listeners will find the selections familiar, and most will find something new or hear beloved music in a new way.
A highlight of the CD is Hewitt's performance of Gluck's "Orpheus Lament and Dance of the Blessed Spirits" in the transcription by Wilhelm Kempff. I have loved Gluck's music and Kempff's Beethoven for a long time, and this performance was a treasure. Hewitt performs with feeling two songs of Schubert and three by Schumann in transcriptions by Liszt and others. I loved Hewitt's performance of George Gershwin's "Love Walked In" in the piano arrangement by Percy Grainger, the five Spanish songs by de Falla and Hewitt's own imaginative transcription of Mahler.
The five transcriptions of songs by Richard Strauss deserve to be mentioned separately because these works have not formed a large part of my listening experience. The Strauss songs were transcribed for piano by Max Reger. I have been listening to a new CD of Reger's piano transcriptions of songs of Brahms by pianist Rudolph Buchbinder and that CD of song transcriptions led me to Hewitt's earlier CD. I appreciated these songs of love by Strauss in Reger's settings in a way I hadn't before,. especially the transcription of Strauss's most famous song "Tomorrow!" Hewitt brought the feeling of this music through to me.
Hewitt's unusually detailed liner notes include the text and translations of most of the songs as well as her on thoughts on the music. She writes that as a pianist she keeps the words of the songs in mind as she plays in order to craft the phrasing and she recommends the listeners follow the words in order to sing along, if they wish. While I read and followed the texts, they seemed to me more of a distraction. I preferred to hear these performances as "songs without words" and to focus on the music and on Hewitt's artistry.
This is a beautiful CD coming from the depths of the heart during the lonely days of the pandemic. It is to be savored. Hewitt captures the mystery of love and of music.
My Father Knew Charles Ives -- Harmonielehre
John Adams, composer
Nashville Symphony, performer
Giancarlo Guerrero, performer
Naxos
https://www.naxos.com
B08NF2Z894, $14.62
https://www.naxos.com/CatalogueDetail/?id=8.559854
John Adams, Meister Eckhart, And Charles Ives
The third movement of John Adams's "Harmonielehre" is titled "Meister Eckhart and Quackie". I knew this music because I have been a reader of Eckhart, a great medieval German mystic, for a long time. I did not, unfortunately, have much exposure to the music of John Adams (b. 1947) before this CD, which is part of the "American Classics" series of Naxos. I am embarassed to confess this lack of knowledge of the music of perhaps the greatest living American composer.
This CD includes two large orchestral works of John Adams beautifully performed by the Nashville Symphony Orchestra under its music director Giancarlo Guerrero. The earlier work on the CD is "Harmonielehre", a three movement work of about 40 minutes dating from 1985 which concludes with the musical portrayal of the third movement with Eckhart giving Adams's baby son Quackie a tour of heaven. What better guide could anyone have? The music is pulsating, imaginative, mystical, and fun.
The entire "Harmonielehre" is similarly erudite and allusive with musical references to Schoenberg, Anfortas -- in medieval German sources -- Sibelius, Mahler, and more. The work also is autobiographical and shows the musical seeking and changes of its gifted composer. Adams had been among those who had reacted to the serialsm of the American classical music of his time through minimalism, an attempt to simplify music through repetition and rhythm. When it came to this piece, Adams had decided he needed to expand and move in a different direction. Thus, there are minimalist elements in "Harmonielehre", particularly in the lengthy opening movement but the work moves in its own way with an imaginative return to tonal composition and brilliant, varied orchestration. The opening movement combines a minimalist opening and conclusion with music of romantic searching while the second movement is austure and brooding. And in the third movement we have Eckhart guiding Quackie through heaven. The entire work is symphonic in scope and a musical and personal journey.
The latter work on the CD is the three-movement "My Father Knew Charles Ives" from 2003, As with "Harmonielehre", this work is deeply personal, searching, and erudite. Adams' father did not "know" Charles Ives, but this music draws parallels between Ives's life and his father's influence, and Adams's own life. Both composers have strong roots in New England. The title of the opening movement "Concord" puns on Adams's hometown of Concord, New Hampshire, and the title of Ives's famous piano sonata with its referece to Concord, Massachusetts and Transcendentalism. The fathers of both composers were musicians and band members, and both deeply influenced their composer sons. The opening movement is the most Ivesian of the three with its lengthy, raucous middle section which captures the spirit of an Ives band but yet is Adams's own. The second and third movements explore nature in New England in a setting at "The Lake" and a setting at "The Mountain". Thoreau comes to mind as well as Ives. The second movement has echoes of a dance band and of the early courtship of Adams's parents. The third movement shows Adams' lifelong awe in the face of mountains, in particular of New England mountains including New Hampshire's Mount Kerseage. With its long melodic lines and focus on New England nature, I was also reminded of the music of Alan Hovhaness, another New Englander and a mystic who also was inspired by mountains and lakes. Adams's in this work reflects upon his past to continue to expand his own musical vision.
Frank DeWald wrote the informative liner notes for this CD. Both works were recorded in the Laura Turner Concert Hall in Nashville, "Harmonielehre" in October, 2018, and "My Father Knew Charles Ives" in October, 2019. This CD is an outstanding addition to the "American Classics" series.
Total Time: 69:03
St Luke Passion
Krzysztof Penderecki, composer
Warsaw Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, performer
Antoni Wit, conductor
Naxos
https://www.naxos.com
B0000DJEM2, $17.43
https://www.naxos.com/CatalogueDetail/?id=8.557149
Modernistic Passion
Although he has returned to a neo-romantic compositional style, Krzysztof Penderecki (1933-2020) first became known as an avant-garde modernist composer. His monumental "St. Luke Passion", first performed in 1966, has become, in its intensity and emotionality, one of the few overtly modernistic compositions to attract a wide audience. This work is heavily indebted to the passion music of Bach but in a style that is uniquely modern. Penderecki uses the letters of Bach's name, B-A-C-H, as the basis for many of the tone rows in the work.
The St Luke Passion is scored for a massive orchestra, including a large percussion section, chorus and boys chorus, soprano, baritone, and bass soloists, and an Evangelist. The work sets texts from the Gospel of St. Luke as well as from other biblical and liturgical sources.
The St. Luke Passion reflects the composer's own devout faith, but one does not need to be a believer to respond to this score. The music is almost entirely atonal. At only two points, at the end of the piece and it the conclusion of the climactic "stabat mater" does Penderecki resolve the music into a chord in the major key. Virtually the entire work is sad and somber. Within its frame, there is a great diversity of music. Penderecki uses the form of ancient chants, in the chorus singing a capella in hushed tones. In portions of the work, such as the scene before Pilate (track no 13) or the scene where Jesus is mocked on the cross (track no 22) the chorus hisses and shouts in a strong cacophony of sound. The soloists have moments of almost mystical intensity. And the spoken part of the Evangelist alternates effectively with the choral and solo passages. The music makes frequent use of a gong, which reminded me of the extensive use of that instrument in the more accessible music of the American composer, Alan Hovhaness.
This recording of the St Luke Passion dates from 2004 and received a deserved rating of 10/10 on Classics Today. Antoni Wit conducts the Warsaw National Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra and the Warsaw Boys Choir. The recording is part of a continuing series of Penderecki's major works on the budget-priced Naxos label. It makes a compelling case for this passionate music. The CD includes detailed liner notes and the complete Latin text and translation of the Passion. Izabella Klosinaska is especially impressive in her soprano solos.
The St Luke Passion opens with an expansive prayer, set for organ, orchestra and large chorus. It follows, in Part I with a series of recitatifs, solos, and choruses of the events leading to the arrest of Jesus. The admonition "Jerusalem, Jerusalem turn again to thy God" is repeated twice, the first time for chorus the second time for soprano solo.
The second and longer portion of the work describes the Crucifixion in anguished music with frenetic writing for the chorus. The climactic moments of the work include the long chorus "Popule meus" (track 16), the "Stabat mater" (track 24) which incorporates Penderecki's setting of this text in 1962, and the final chorus (track 27) which ends in the major key with the words Into thy hands I commend my spirit/ for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth."
The St. Luke Passion is difficult music with an emotional force that cannot be denied. Listeners who are willing to see that modernistic music can have an almost visceral appeal will love this music of passion and religious devotion.
Total Time: 76:24
God and the American Writer
Alfred Kazin
Knopf
https://knopfdoubleday.com
9780394549682, $15.00, paperback
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/90616/god-and-the-american-writer-by-alfred-kazin
Religions Of Freedom
The famous American critic, Alfred Kazin (1915-1998), explores in this book various ideas of God and religion in the works of major American writers. The book is not limited to novelists but includes considerations of poets, essayists, philosophers, and Presidents as well. The book begins with the Puritan period of Jonathan Edwards and Anne Bradstreet and concludes with a glance at Thomas Pynchon and John Updike. There are chapters on Hawthorne, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Melville Whitman, Lincoln, Dickinson, William James, Mark Twain, T.S. Elliot, Frost, and Faulkner.
Although the book describes many American approaches to religion, it is not until near its end that Kazin offers something of a definition of what he thinks the search is about. Kazin writes (p. 236) "I think of religion as the most intimate expression of the human heart, as the most secret of personal confessions, where we admit to ourselves alone our fears and our losses, our sense of holy dread and our awe before the unflagging power of a universe that regards us as indeed of 'no account'". Kazin's understanding of religion as personal and individual in character appears to owe a great deal to that of William James in his famous book, "The Varieties of Religious Experience". Kazin's book thus invites the reader to see religion in personal, noninstitutional terms. The book also warns the reader away (see p. 141) from an "American Civil Religion" in which Americans worship their own culture and history as evidenced by a smug materialism.
There is a great emphasis in the book, as there should be, on slavery, the Civil War and continuing issues of race in America. Here Kazin gives Abraham Lincoln the strongest word, as a leader, a writer, and a religious thinker. Lincoln was a nonchurchgoer and was not religious in any traditional sense. He indeed exemplified a theme that appears to run through this book -- that in the United States people are encouraged to find religion and meaning for themselves outside the bounds of formal creed. Yet, in the Second Inaugural Address, Lincoln offered a profound meditation both on Divine Justice and on Divine Inscrutability and on the related, even though conflicting, themes of retribution and forgiveness.
Most of the book covers familiar authors and familiar books. I enjoyed in particular reading Kazin's discussion of Melville because it focuses on Melville's little-known epic poem "Clarel". This poem is based on Melville's own trip to what was then Palestine and it explores Melville's tortured thought on the relationship between religion and secularism.
This book is a valuable study both of American literature and American religious thought with an emphasis on the effect of freedom and secularism on the nature of religion in the United States. It may encourage the reader to explore, or to think about anew, the nature of American literature and to rethink for him or herself the nature of religious ideals and practices.
Robin Friedman
Reviewer
Satinderpal Singh Bawa's Bookshelf
The Incarcerations: Bhima Koregaon and the Search for Democracy in India
Alpa Shah
Harper Collins Publishers India
https://harpercollins.co.in
9780008518806, $41.36, HC, 672pp
9789354899867, $22.50, PB, 588pp
https://www.amazon.com/Incarcerations-Alpa-Shah/dp/0008518807
'The Incarcerations: Bhima Koregaon and the Search for Democracy in India' (2024) is written by Alpa Shah. She is a Professor of Anthropology at London School of Economics.
The book starts with the introduction of 'dramatis personae', who belonged to different sections of society as representatives of the particular sections which are mainly concerned with Adivasi, Dalits and Muslims, all were victimized by politics and incarcerated in connection with the prime minister's assassination plan in 2018, as which is commonly known to Bhima Koregaon-16 (BK-16) case. Most of them did not know each other before their incarceration.
In this book Alpa Shah decodes the political discourses, meta narratives and the hegemony of a particular religion in contemporary Indian history and tries to establish humanitarian principles and practices in the context of the incarceration of Bima Koregaon.
The media is such a powerful tool which makes our social and political opinion. It is not possible for an individual to access information about the incident or event independently, so his or her dependency is on the media. But when the media starts ignoring marginalized and dissenting voices, how can one get relevant and reliable information?
As Alpa claims, in the case of Bima Koregaon, 'the many television news channels not only accepted the police version of the events without question but also ran TV shows and debates in support of it.'
The Republic TV telecasted Bima Koregaon story and their arrest in connection with the prime minister's assassination plot and claimed a copy of the letter for this plot too. But when Sudha Bharadwaj, one of the BK-16, filed a legal complaint against the Republic TV for spreading fake news and demanded a copy of the letter, she was refused and said that was the result of their own 'investigative journalism'. The same provocative narrative was used by the police for further investigation.
So the media trials play an imperative and important role in making fictional elements against the activists and intellectuals in India who are fighting for the betterment of the Adivasis and Dalits for their legal and legitimate rights.
Some of them constantly register their dissents on environmental issues and implementation of the saffron agenda and ideological domination. Alpa challenges this type of journalism, which is committed to divulging 'ridiculous, scurrilous and unsubstantiated' stories and allegations. She proves that the media is being used as a weapon to blur social problems and deflect public attention to consumerism and other political motives in the postmodern world.
Alpa says that today Indian democracy, in other words the 'mother of democracy', is facing the greatest challenges, especially the Indian constitution and its spirit of equality, secularity, unity in diversity are all under threat by the domination of a single cast or creed where the liberty of thought, expression, belief and equality of opportunity has been marginalized systemically.
In a different context, Alpa questioned these confidential letters about the assassination plot because she had firsthand experience during her anthropological research between 2008-2010 on the Maoist guerrilla armies where they use code words for communication or any action, and then how it is possible to discuss the assassination plot in so casually a manner in the letters.
It is ironic that, on the one hand, national and international governing bodies at different levels are raising awareness of climate change and global warming issues, but on the other hand, corporates and MNCs in developed and underdeveloped countries persistently accruing from marginalized people, especially in developing countries like in India where some Adivasi-communities are being forced to leave their native lands.
Alpa tries to unveil this harsh reality that, in many cases, the displacement of indigenous people from their land is being normalized in the name of 'national development' projects. Where some industrialists/corporates earn huge money from projects sanctioned by the government.
If someone raises his or her voice against these malpractices, he or she may be arrested. Like an eighty-year-old priest, Stan Swami from Jharkhand was arrested in connection with the BK-16, because he was not a 'silent spectator'. He had been fighting for the rights of Adivasis for three decades. He articulated his resistance to the displacement of indigenous people from their land by the state and corporations. He tried to make them understand that the police are not the real enemy but the administration, government and capitalist class are the real enemy, he emphasized. Though his health did not allow him to do so, he was committed to fighting every injustice and raised questions about the ruling powers of India.
He proved his solidarity with the Adivasis community in many cases. The state apparatus did not pay any attention to his health issues and did not grant bail on health grounds. He passed away in the jail. Prof. Ramachandra Guha and Mihir Deasi said his death was a 'case of judicial murder' and 'custodial death' respectively.
Apla portraits some biographical sketches so vividly that detail and description have its own touching and interesting impact on the mind of the reader. Like in the case of Sudha Bharadwaj who surrendered her US citizenship and came back to devote her life to the struggle of the poor in her own country. After arriving in India she had to go through the process of 'de-accente' and 'declass' herself first and learning something practically beyond formal education.
Only then she could understand the inequalities of the real world where Adivasi became merely a puppet in the hands of capitalists and industrialists. So she started living with the Adivasi community members in Chhattisgarh to understand them as well as enlighten them about their legal rights and environmental issues. Bharadwaj jumped in the battle against the mining corporations and state nexuses and crony capitalism. The issues of environmental litigation, forest rights, land acquisitions, habeas corpus cases, mass rapes, encounter killings were addressed by Sudha and her team.
The term 'Urban Naxal' is totally politically motivated. Even the ideological differences at administrative level between the centre and state are being defined with the help of this term. Even the Prime Minister Narendera Modi said during the election campaign of 2024 that 'the ruling Punjab leadership (AAP) is a mirror of the ideology of urban Naxal...They may take the state down the wrong path.'
So those who believe in different ideological approaches other than the ideology of the BJP they all 'Urban Naxals', 'anti-nationalists', 'Naxal sympathizers'. Alpa addressed such uncomfortable questions in her book with a critical and realistic approach. She frequently compares and contrasts incidents that happened in the past with their reflections on the present and the future. This technique of comparison assists her to have a balanced critique of reality and a 'fact-finding mission', while simultaneously expounding the political sociology behind each and every incident, which makes her discourse valid and vivid for making authentic arguments.
This book discoursed how the judiciary and UAPA have been weaponized by the state to vanquish any critical voices and dissents. Alpa writes, when revolutionary poet Varavara Rao's name was brought up in the BK case, his family was worried that this time the prison experience would be significantly different because Rao had been incarcerated as a 'convicted criminal not as a political prisoner whose trial had not even begun.'
Professor Anand Tellumbde and artists of the Kabir Kala Manch had been working for the progress and prosperity of the marginalized, stigmatized and oppressed groups, i.e. the Dalits and raised their voices against the 'systematic planned casteist valance'. They were arrested in connection with BK-16.
Rona Jacob had a communal harmony and pro-democratic message for society and was arrested. Gautam Navlakha passionately worked for the defense of civil liberties, particularly for the people of Kashmir. He was also arrested. All the incarcerations were done with deep planning and plotting. In most cases, victims' computers/laptops were hacked to fabricate some objectionable and offensive materials.
So these are sad stories about revolutionaries who were/are fighting against the cruelty of the government in the so-called world's largest and oldest democracy. Authenticity is maintained in this work with the appropriate quotations and citations, which makes it a reliable document on the theme of the incarceration of Bima Koregaon. All the major and most important historical and political events have been discussed with authentic quotes and notes.
This book elaborates the most conflicts and contradictions of our recent past, especially in the two terms (2014, 2019) of the Modi government and its episodic attack on democratic institutions and trying to suppress independent voices.
When Alpa was talking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tesla, she compared the two situations. On the one hand, the people affectionately welcomed the Prime Minister of India, and on the other hand, some protesters had gathered outside the hall and criticized the Modi government for ill-treating minorities and the poor in India. She quoted some messages from social websites to prove her strong dissatisfaction with the current situation in India. But here, the level of disparagement was very low.
The ordinary people may call the PM whatever they want, but in such scholarly writing, Alpa should not have quoted this type of derogatory remark (Alpa Shah, 2024:35) about the popular Prime Minister because she was trying to write a valuable argument in favour of democratic values. So the level of criticism should have been maintained.
But overall, the book meticulously discourses the democratic issues and a 'search' for democracy and gives a chance to understand the real meaning and implementation of Louis Althousser's concept of ideological state apparatus and repressive state apparatus.
Satinderpal Singh Bawa
Reviewer
Suanne Schafer's Bookshelf
Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth
Natalie Haynes
Harper Perennial
https://www.harpercollins.com/collections/harper-perennial
9780063377097, $30.00
https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Might-Goddesses-Greek-Myth/dp/0063377098
Divine Might is not a retelling of the Greek and Roman myths or even an in-depth look at the pantheon, but a marvelous female-centric take at the ancient Greek and Roman goddesses, looking particularly at those females who are strong enough to rival their male counterparts. This is not a book for those who know nothing of the myths, but more for those interested in them beyond the usual tellings and retellings.
Natalie Haynes examines Hera, Aphrodite, Artemis, Demeter, Hestia, Athene, the Furies, and the nine Muses. This book connects pop culture to movies (the Disney movie Hercules and Xanadu starring Olivia Newton-John), popular music (Lizzo and Cardi B), Playmobil's Hestia toy, the Juno spacecraft sent to explore Jupiter (the Roman name for Zeus) and, of course, Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series to these myths. Haynes posits that Hera is justified in her anger, capriciousness, and maliciousness due to her place in the pantheon: she is a married woman, with a philandering husband, doomed to be invisible; her interference in the lives of those heroes she cares about is limited by Zeus.
Haynes continues her analysis of these female goddesses and their behavior through this fascinating book concluding that Hestia, goddess of the hearth, is the most well-behaved goddess, able to get along with humans and the other gods in the pantheon without difficulty. It is amazingly well-researched and erudite, yet conversational, humorous, and witty. I particularly enjoyed her etymological and lexicological analyses of the way the Green words look on the page and how one word can be trapped between two others, emphasizing the meaning. One of my favorite lines occurs early in the book: "Not only did the ancient Greeks seem to have modelled gods in their mortal image, but they apparently chose their worst selves as the template." Another great quote: "Avoid the very idea of husbands! The Latin here reads fuge coniugis usum - flee the use of a husband - which I may yet have as a tattoo."
Midnight in Istanbul
Kathryn Gauci
https://www.kathryngauci.com
Independently Published
9798325105401, $14.98
https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Istanbul-WWII-Espionage-Thriller/dp/B0D3M1MV5D
As always, Kathryn Gauci's research is impeccable as she returns to the Middle East after her last book being set in the Pyrenees. She really captures the atmosphere of Istanbul, its food and culture, as well as its post-Ataturk cosmopolitan atmosphere and international intrigue. It takes place at the height of World War II. Turkey is trying to stay neutral in the midst of World War II, unable to support another war like World War I. She departs from her usual third person omniscient narrator to first person in the character, Eliott Caldwell, in this noir novel. He is ostensibly a journalist, but in reality is a spy working for the British OSS, trying to build assistance for the Resistance in Austria and Greece. He has a wife in England but seeks "comfort" elsewhere with the lovely Hungarian cabaret singer, Ilona, who is also a spy.
The plot has plenty of twists and turns as Caldwell explores Istanbul. Spies are everywhere, ranging from the Gestapo to the Brits to the Americans to the Russians - not to mention Turkey's own police and spies - so no one can be trusted, except the lovely Ilona.
The Poppy Field
Caroline Kellems
Grand Canyon Press
https://grandcanyonpress.com
9781963361049, $39.99
https://www.amazon.com/Poppy-Field-Fast-paced-fiction-survival/dp/1963361008
I enjoyed The Poppy Field very much, reading it in two sittings. An evangelical preacher from Indiana is called to preach the Gospel in Guatemala and drags his wife and two children there very much against their will. From the moment they land, they are faced with what the wife, Katherine, feels are insurmountable problems and dangers, including the run-down shack they are to live in, but the husband, Phil, is certain God will provide for them and protect them. Though as a pastor's family they are nowhere near wealthy, in the United States, they enjoyed a surfeit of riches, compared to most of the Guatemalans they met. The locals are devastatingly poor, with one exception: Alfonso Cardenas, a Mexican living in Guatemala, is wealthy, charming, handsome, and philanthropic. He gradually insinuates himself into the lives of the pastor's family to the point of having them live under his protection in his compound. He becomes a sexual temptation to Katherine, who is fed up with Phil's neglect of her and his family in his eagerness to proselytize. Alfonso's extravagant lifestyle is quite attractive to her daughter. Katherine and her son sense a darkness to Alfonso that Phil refuses to accept. He remains convinced that God, through Alfonso, is taking care of his ministry and his family.
The rapid pace of this book with its ever-escalating menace made me unable to put it down. Kellems does a great job of capturing the overwhelming sense of foreignness expatriates experience when first landing in a different country. The contrast between the richness of the Guatemalan land and its biodiversity with the indigence of the majority of its inhabitants is stark and well-captured. Kellems herself, a former Peace Corps worker in Guatemala, has the background of dealing with poverty in addition to currently owning a coffee plantation there, so she writes from her soul about her adopted country.
Hearts that Cut
Kika Hatzopoulou
Razorbill
https://www.penguin.com/razorbill-overview
9780241614662, $8.99
https://www.amazon.com/Hearts-That-Cut-Kika-Hatzopoulou/dp/024161466X
I had a hard time getting into Hearts that Cut. I suspect it might have helped to have read the first of the duology (Threads that Bind) before digging into this one. I simply never felt settled or oriented until about one-third of the way through.
Hatzopoulou tries to blend magic with Greek mythology but is far less successful in creating such than Rick Riordan in his multiple Greek/Roman gods series.
That said, there were a few things I liked: the idea that descendants of the original Greek Fates Clotho (the Spinner), Lachesis (the Measurer/Apportioner), and Atropos (who cuts the threads and ends peoples' lives perform similar tasks, but their names have been replaced by their jobs: weaver, drawer, cutter. I particularly liked that they could see these threads and that there was a cost to their performance of the duties; for example, when a cutter cuts someone's thread, she also loses one of her own.
An Art Lover's Guide to Paris and Murder (A Countess of Harleigh Mystery Book 7)
Dianne Freeman
Kensington
www.kensingtonbooks.com
9781496745118, $27.00
https://www.amazon.com/Lovers-Murder-Countess-Harleigh-Mystery/dp/1496745116
An Art Lover's Guide to Paris and Murder (A Countess of Harleigh Mystery) is the seventh in the Countess of Harleigh cozy mystery series, set in London in 1900. In this story, the reader finds newly-wed Frances, the Countess of Harleigh, persuading her new husband, George, to go to Paris on a belated honeymoon. Coincidentally, George has gotten a letter from an aunt in Paris asking him to look into the death of her long-ago artist lover. Adding to the spectacle of this novel is the wonderful role the Exposition Universelle (the 1900 World's Fair held in Paris) plays here with the Eiffel Tower and the rue d'Avenir (the first moving sidewalk), to name a few attractions.
The book is cleverly plotted with the usual broad array of potential suspects and intriguing relationships. As in the rest of the series, the delightfully witty relationship between Frances and George, the insight into Victorian conventions and social mores, not to mention the intrigue and mystery, enliven the series. This seventh in the series is an enjoyable romantic mystery with a touch of humor and a hint of the attraction between George and Frances.
The Weaver and the Witch Queen
Genevieve Gornichec
Ace
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/imprints/A0/ace/books
9780593438244, $27.00
https://www.amazon.com/Weaver-Witch-Queen-Genevieve-Gornichec/dp/0593438248
The Weaver and the Witch Queen is not a Norse myth retelling, but a reimagining of the origin of the "Mother of Kings," who began the lineage of the Norse kings. This is a blending of Norse tales from Egil's Saga and Snorri Sturluson's Heimskringla and Gornichec's own magical system, resulting in historical fantasy, pure and simple.
What makes the novel unusual is that this is a novel about three women, best friends as children, and their growth into young womanhood. Even as children they had dreams that set them apart from the usual girls' dreams. As children, they (Gunnhild and the sisters Oddny and Signy) perform a blood oath swearing to always be there for each other. Soon after, Gunnhild flees her abusive home to train as a witch. Ten years later, the girls' paths cross again when Viking raiders destroy Signy and Oddny's farm and kill the rest of their family. Signy is enslaved, but Oddny escapes. Gunnhild learns that she and her friends are also bound by a prophecy. Gunnhild and Oddny honor their oath and rescue Signy.
This story highlights the personal growth of each of these strong female characters. One of the best parts about it is the transgender representation of Halldor, the love interest of Oddny. A slight but strong Viking warrior who can best even King Eirek. Halldor was given a woman's name at birth, but by force of will, becomes the grandson of the current king, and falls in love with a woman. Halldor is always described as male, and the handling of his birth gender is very delicately handled.
Molly Malloy and the Angel of Death
Maria Vale
Sungrazer Publishing
https://www.sungrazerpublishing.com
9798987832134, $14.99
https://www.amazon.com/Molly-Molloy-Angel-Death-Maria/dp/B0C7T8GWSY
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/molly-molloy-and-the-angel-of-death-maria-vale/1143648124
Molly Malloy and the Angel of Death is an oddball, often laugh-out-loud funny romance. There are no billionaires, no rich doctors, no sexy shape-shifters; instead, the female lead is a down-and-out waitress trying to work her way out of the lower class by studying to become a paramedic. Azrael, the eponymous Angel of Death, is a skinny guy with a near-alien body who dresses in a much-patched big coat, eats constantly whatever he can steal from his victims. He makes the supreme boo-boo. He is supposed to go to a hospital room and collect the soul of a woman who chokes to death on an atomic-heat chicken wing. Instead, he pats her on the back and saves her life and mistakenly takes the soul of her grandmother, the elderly woman in the hospital bed. Because of her near-death experience, Molly can see Death. He starts to stalk her, having been given the order to collect her soul. Needless to say, Molly isn't ready to die and thwarts Death at every turn. Over time, these two misfits fall in love in this cute novel about the transformative power of love.
Gazelle
Rikki Ducornet
Anchor
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
ASIN B000XU4SVO, $8.99
https://www.amazon.com/Gazelle-Rikki-Ducornet-ebook/dp/B000XU4SVO
Gazelle is a fascinating glimpse of the expatriate world in Cairo in the 1950s. Lizzie, a thirteen year-old American girl, her mother, and her father (an expert on war) have moved there because of the father's Fulbright scholarship. The mother, a blonde Scandinavian embarks on a series of affairs and moves out of their home after she's discovered dancing in the nude with a strange man. Her devastated father immerses himself in playing war games with his friend, Ramses Ragab, a gentle perfume maker, while neglecting his daughter. Lizzie fantasizes about becoming Ram's lover, her first crush on an older man, as she reads A Thousand and One Arabian Nights - the unexpurgated version. She and her father return to the States early, leaving the mother behind, after a betrayal of the worst kind.
This is a lovely, somewhat erotic coming-of-age story steeped in the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of Cairo. The story is told by one narrator in two timelines, the past in the point of view of the teenaged Lizzie and the present in the voice of Lizzie years later when she's returned to Cairo and works as a surgical anatomist specializing in mummies. The two voices wind around each other seamlessly as the older Lizzie realizes that the events of that summer have altered the trajectory of her life immeasurably, tainting her relationships with the men in her life.
Suanne Schafer, Reviewer
www.SuanneSchaferAuthor.com
Susan Bethany's Bookshelf
The Mother-Daughter Relationship Makeover
Leslie Glass & Lindsey Glass
Health Communications, Inc.
https://hcibooks.com
9780757325069, $16.95, PB, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mother-Daughter-Relationship-Makeover-Steps-Bring/dp/0757325068
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Mother-Daughter Relationship Makeover: 4 Steps to Bring Back the Love" by Health Communications Inc., co-authors Leslie Glass and her daughter, Lindsey Glass offer a brand-new kind of interactive self-help book that combines actionable information, compelling storytelling, and writing prompts that are guaranteed to bring awareness, understanding, and compassion to mothers and daughters everywhere. It promises to heal your relationship and keep it strong, offering a positive pathway to peace and serenity no matter how far apart you feel you are.
As mother and daughter, Leslie and Lindsey have lived through their own traumas and devastating ups and downs in their relationship. In "The Mother-Daughter Relationship Makeover" they have turned their experiences into a successful platform for helping others and share in a single volume. They use their own tumultuous story (told from their respective points of view) to help other mothers and daughters understand that even if you go off track, go to war, part ways for years, you can still find your way back to friendship, understanding, and love.
For the first time, Leslie and Lindsey will share their secret sauce for healing, broken down into four steps:
Revealing Your Back Story
Exploring Your Emotional and Personality Styles
Understanding Your Conflicts and Triggers
Learning the Tools to Restore the Love
Critique: Unique, effective, exceptionally well organized, thoroughly 'user friendly in presentation, "The Mother-Daughter Relationship Makeover: 4 Steps to Bring Back the Love" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal reading lists, as well as community and college/university library Self-Help, Parenting, and Mother/Daughter collections and supplemental Parent/Adult Relationship curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "The Mother-Daughter Relationship Makeover: 4 Steps to Bring Back the Love" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (HighBridge Audio, 9798874760229, $45.95, CD).
Editorial Note #1: Lindsey Glass grew up in New York City and received her BA from Johns Hopkins University and her MA from New York University. She is an author, screenwriter, and cofounder of Reach Out Recovery, where her articles about relationships and recovery reach millions of readers worldwide. Lindsey has written screenplays, TV shows, and coproduced award-winning documentaries, including The Secret World of Recovery and The Silent Majority, which premiered on PBS in 2014. Lindsey has worked in publishing and communications and served as a recovery advocate for twenty years from testifying in Congress to teaching her 2019 self-help book, 100 Tips for Growing Up, to recovery and gang reentry programs.
Editorial Note #2: Leslie Glass, with her daughter Lindsey, is editor of the popular online recovery and wellness magazine Reach Out Recovery. Together they produced the 2016 ASAM Media Award-winning documentary The Secret World of Recovery and the WEDU/PBS special The Silent Majority. Leslie Glass is a journalist and the author of twelve novels, including nine USA Today and New York Times bestselling suspense novels featuring NYPD Det. Sgt. April Woo. She is the author of The Teen Guide to Health, and recovery workbooks Find Your True Colors in 12 Steps and the children's coloring book, The 8 C's that Help Me Be All Right. Leslie has worked in advertising, publishing, and magazines and has served as a public member of the Middle States Commission of Higher Education, a trustee of The New York Police Foundation, and vice president of the Asolo Repertory Theatre.
Coaching by Drawing: How to Spark Change with a Drawing
Tamas Jardan with Anna Pataki, authors
Albert Vermes, translator
Rainforest Consulting
https://coachingbydrawing.com
9786150187969, $35.50, PB, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Coaching-DrawingTM-Spark-Change-Drawing/dp/6150187969
Synopsis: With the publication of "Coaching by Drawing: How to Spark Change with a Drawing" by co-authors Tamas Jardan and Anna Pataki (and ably translated into English by Albert Vermes), it is time to revolutionize your personal and professional coaching approach to unlocking brand new ways of initiating change and start drawing your way towards growth!
Whether you're a junior or senior professional coach, a leader with a coaching mindset, an HR-professional, a mentor, a pastor, an educator, or simply someone on a self-improvement journey, the tools comprising "Coaching by Drawing" will prove invaluable as you learn about this approach method, creating the drawing, asking the right questions, checking out tips and read inspiring, illustrative, real-life examples.
Enhance your ability to inspire your clients and create deep and long-lasting impact with this unprecedented approach. No artistic skills required -- just a pen and paper!
"Coaching by Drawing" shows: How visualization matters; how to use simplified drawings of metaphors, symbols, and models to enhance the effect of conversation; How to engage your client; How you can support your client in a more confident and efficient way; How to conduct a coaching conversation in a safe and secure way and never feel stuck around what question to ask; How you can support your self-development; How you can leverage the conventional approach of using only verbal tools to navigate life's challenges.
Critique: Comprehensive, exceptionally 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Coaching by Drawing: How to Spark Change with a Drawing" deals with: Discovering resources, mapping, and achieving goals, making decisions, initiating change. It also features: 33 powerful drawing-based coaching tools; Over 1500 powerful coaching questions that you can apply right away; Easy-to-use guidelines and algorithms; Simple, smart, and easy-to-follow structure -- and many, many drawings. Of special value to readers with an interest in Teacher & Student Mentoring, Business Mentoring & Coaching, Human Resources & Personnel Management, "Coaching by Drawing" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, corporate, college and university library collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "Coaching by Drawing" is also available in a digital book format ($9.99).
Editorial Note: Tamas Jardan (https://linkedin.com/in/tamasjardan) is a renowned strategic consultant, senior management coach and one of Hungary's first ICF Master Certified Coaches. With a strong foundation in computer science and business administration, he specializes in elevating the performance of business leaders, athletes, and individuals facing significant transitions.
Editorial Note #2: Hungarian Anna Pataki is a Business Coach, a Trainer in Nonviolent Communication, a Mediator, and a Management Consultant. (https://hu.linkedin.com/in/anna-pataki-pcc-pmp-482b0725).
Editorial Note #3: Professor David Clutterbuck is one of Europe's most prolific and well-known management writers and thinkers. He has written more than 65 books and hundreds of articles on cutting edge management themes. He co-founded the European Mentoring & Coaching Council, the primary professional organisation in the field with Europe, and is now its Special Ambassador, promoting good practice in coaching and mentoring internationally. He founded the International Standards for Mentoring & Coaching Programmes and recently completed a 3 year term as external examiner for Ashridge Coaching MBA. He was voted Coaching at Work magazine's first Mentor of the Year and is visiting professor at three universities - Sheffield Hallam, Oxford Brookes and York St John.
Susan Bethany
Reviewer
Willis Buhle's Bookshelf
The Long March Home
Tosca Lee & Marcus Brotherton
Fleming H. Revell Company
www.revellbooks.com
c/o Baker Publishing Group
9780800742768, $19.99, PB, 400pp
https://www.amazon.com/Long-March-Home-Friendship-Sacrifice/dp/0800742761
Synopsis: Jimmy Propfield joined the army for two reasons: to get out of Mobile, Alabama, with his best friends Hank and Billy and to forget his high school sweetheart, Claire.
Life in the Philippines seems like paradise -- until the morning of December 8, 1941, when news comes from Manila: Imperial Japan has bombed Pearl Harbor. Within hours, the teenage friends are plunged into war as enemy warplanes attack Luzon, beginning a battle for control of the Pacific Theater that will culminate with a last stand on the Bataan Peninsula and end with the largest surrender of American troops in history.
What follows will become known as the Bataan Death March -- one of the worst and most infamous atrocities in modern warfare. With no hope of rescue, the three friends vow to make it back home together. But the ordeal is only the beginning of their nearly four-year fight to survive.
Critique: Although a work of fiction, "The Long March Home" by co-authors Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee is inspired by true stories from the men who endured and survived The Long March Home and the POW Japanese internment that was to follow. A deftly crafted coming-of-age tale of friendship, sacrifice, and the power of unrelenting hope that is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library World War II fiction collections, "The Long March Home" was original published in hardcover (9780800742751, $26.99) by Revell and is now newly released in a paperback edition and in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.39).
Editorial Note #1: Marcus Brotherton (https://marcusbrotherton.com) is the author or co-author of more than 25 books.
Editorial Note #2: Tosca Lee (https://toscalee.com) is the author of 11 novels, including The Line Between, The Progeny, The Legend of Sheba, and Iscariot.
Flashpoint: An FBI Thriller
Catherine Coulter
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063283091, $30.00, HC, 400pp
https://www.amazon.com/Flashpoint-FBI-Thriller-27/dp/0063283093
Synopsis: A year has passed since Elizabeth Palmer was nearly killed with hundreds more in the attempted bombing of St. Paul's in London, believed to be a terrorist act until the police discovered it was a cover for something even more sinister.
But for Elizabeth, life is finally back to normal. She's optimistic, her painting is getting accolades, when suddenly her world changes in a flash. With three new attempts on her life, and her connection to the terrorist attack, MI-5 gets involved to find out who is trying to kill her and why.
Autumn Backman, twelve years old, begrudgingly accepts a summer job to shepherd Tash Navarro, a shy, bullied little boy. He's staying with his uncle while his father and stepmother go on a honeymoon in Europe. Then the unexpected happens. Autumn learns Tash is gifted psychically, like her, and Tash's father, Archer Navarro, is suspected of embezzling from his own firm. The FBI and Interpol are on the case, but Archer and his new wife have disappeared. Tash is scared and convinced his father needs help, so Autumn reaches out to Dillon Savich, the only person she knows who can find them.
Desperate for answers, Elizabeth flies to Washington, D.C., to seek out Savich and Sherlock and is assigned Special Agent Rome Foxe for protection. With deadly assailants in terrifying pursuit, Elizabeth and Rome soon find themselves neck deep in danger and in a race for survival.
Critique: Author Catherine Coulter is a master of the action-packed, pulse pounding, adventure thriller genre. Here newest novel, "Flashpoint" is another riveting read from start to finish and will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular pick for community library Mystery/Suspense/Thriller collections. It should be noted for her legions of fans that "Flashpoint" is also readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Catherine Coulter (www.catherinecoulter.com) is the author of ninety-two novels including the FBI suspense thriller series and A Brit in the FBI international thriller series, co-written with the brilliant author J.T. Ellison.
Willis M. Buhle
Reviewer
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
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