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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
The Raftsmen
Ryan Barnett, author
Dmitry Bondarenko, illustrator
Firefly Books Ltd.
50 Staples Avenue, Unit 1, Richmond Hill, ON, Canada L4B 0A7
www.fireflybooks.com
9781770859784, $24.95, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
For four French expatriates who escaped the clutches of the Nazi regime to find asylum in
Canada, adventure was to be the antidote to depression brought on by the cruelty of war. In 1956,
armed with nothing but the flannel on their backs, a small stock of food, and some crude
navigation and communication equipment, the quartet set sail from Halifax. Their goal was to
become the first crew to cross the Atlantic by raft. Fashioned from telephone poles and built
entirely by hand, the raft they called L'Egare II would be their home for 88 harrowing days as
they crossed the North Atlantic from Canada to Britain. And they made it! Ryan Barnett is a
documentary filmmaker and a producer at Historica Canada. Dmitry Bondarenko is a Canadian
artist and illustrator who lives and works in Toronto. In "The Raftsmen" they collaborate to
present a dramatic and thrilling portrait of a long-forgotten true adventure and astounding
seafaring achievement set in the aftermath of World War II. An inherently fascinating read from
beginning to end, "The Raftsmen" is unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of
real life action/adventure fans, and will prove to be a unique and enduringly popular addition to
community library collections.
Tortillas, Tiswin, and T-Bones
Gregory McNamee
University of New Mexico Press
MSC05 3185, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131-0001
www.unmpress.com
9780826359049, $24.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
A detailed history that is as informative as it is inherently fascinating for dedicated food buffs,
Gregory McNamee explores the many ethnic and cultural traditions that have contributed to the
food of the Southwest in the pages of "Tortillas, Tiswin, and T-Bones: A Food History of the
Southwest". McNamee deftly traces the origins of the distinctive southwester cuisines to the
arrival of humans in the Americas, the work of the earliest farmers of Mesoamerica, and the most
ancient trade networks joining peoples of the coast, plains, and mountains. From the ancient chile
pepper and agave to the comparatively recent fare of sushi and Frito pie, this complex culinary
journey involves many players over space and time. Born of scarcity, migration, and climate
change, these foods are now fully at home in the Southwest of today -- and with the
"southwesternization" of the American palate at large, they are found across the globe. McNamee
also extends that story across thousands of years to the present, even imagining what the
southwestern menu will look like in the near future. While very highly recommended, especially
for both community and academic library Food History collections and supplemental studies
lists, it should be noted for students, academics, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "Tortillas, Tiswin, and T-Bones: A Food History of the Southwest" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.96).
The Dog Who Wouldn't Be
Farley Mowat
David R. Godine, Publisher
Fifteen Court Square, Suite 320, Boston, MA 02108-2536
www.godine.com
9781567926125, $15.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Also available for community and academic library Canadian Biography collections, "The Dog
Who Wouldn't Be" was originally published in 1957, and became one of those classic dog books
that everyone who ever read it remembers. Much as they remember the great Canadian novelist
and environmentalist Farley Mowat - for his wry humor, his marvelous use of language (his
father was a librarian), his passion for animals in all forms and the outdoors in all its glory, and
his seemingly endless series of misadventures. A deftly crafted memoir that still proves after the
passage of 50 years to be an inherently fascinating and memorable read from cover to cover,
"The Dog Who Wouldn't Be" should be a part of every community, college, and university
library collection.
Cowboy Up! Life Lessons from Lazy B
H. Alan Day with Lynn Wiese Sneyd
www.alandayauthor.com
Morgan James Publishing
11815 Fountain Way, Suite 300, Newport News, VA 23606-4448
www.morganjamespublishing.com
9781683503989 $17.00 pbk / $7.99 Kindle amazon.com
Cowboy Up! Life Lessons from Lazy B is an anthology of true-life stories from award-winning
author and modern-day American cowboy H. Alan Day, who grew up on a southwestern cattle
ranch working with cowhands, horses, and the land. Here are tales of raising an abandoned baby
hawk, surviving an unexpected crash of the small airplane he flew around the ranch daily, and
trapping quail so his sister attending Stanford could create a memorable dinner for her fellow
residents. Lively, adventurous, and with a dash of wry humor, Cowboy Up! Life Lessons from
Lazy B is captivating from cover to cover, and the next best thing to experiencing ranch life in
person. Highly recommended!
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Novel & Short Story Writer's Market 2018: The Most Trusted Guide to Getting Published
Rachel Randall
Writer's Digest Books
c/o F+W Media
10151 Carver Road, Suite 200, Blue Ash, OH 45242
www.writersdigest.com
9781440352652, $29.99, PB, 512pp, www.amazon.com
Rachel Randall, Covington, KY, is the Content Strategist for Writer's Digest. She has served as
editor for short fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Her musings on fiction craft and the writing life
can be found on the Writer's Digest "There Are No Rules" blog. Novel & Short Story Writer's
Market 2018 is the only resource you need to get your short stories, novellas, and novels
published. Under her knowledgeable and experienced editorship, this l37th edition of "Novel &
Short Story Writer's Market 2018: The Most Trusted Guide to Getting Published" features
hundreds of updated listings for book publishers, literary agents, fiction publications, contests,
and more, and each listing includes contact information, submission guidelines, and other
essential tips. Additionally, "Novel & Short Story Writer's Market 2018", offers 'real world
practical' tips for: How to take your readers on a roller-coaster ride by mastering the art of the
unexpected; Weaving foreshadowing and echoing into your story; Discovering the DNA
(dialogue, narrative, and action) dwelling inside all memorable characters. Of special note for
beginning writers are the insights provided from best-selling and award-winning authors,
including Steve Berry, Liane Moriarty, Junot Diaz, and more. Also included is a one-year
subscription to WritersMarket.com's searchable online database of fiction publishers (this comes
with print version only). Pluse there is exclusive access to the webinar "Say What? Create
Dialogue to Hook Readers and Make Your Story Pop" by best-selling author Jennifer Probst.
While "Novel & Short Story Writer's Market 2018: The Most Trusted Guide to Getting
Published" is a critically important addition to every author's instructional reference bookshelf,
and should be a part of every community and academic library's Writing/Publishing reference
collection, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Novel & Short Story Writer's Market
2018: The Most Trusted Guide to Getting Published" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $14.99).
Poet's Market 2018: The Most Trusted Guide for Publishing Poetry
Robert Lee Brewer
Writer's Digest Books
c/o F+W Media
10151 Carver Road, Suite 200, Blue Ash, OH 45242
www.writersdigest.com
9781440352676, $29.99, PB, 474pp, www.amazon.com
Voted Poet Laureate of the Blogosphere in 2010, Robert Lee Brewer, Suwanee, GA, is the Senior
Content Editor for the Writer's Digest Writing Community, focusing especially on
WritersMarket.com and the Writer's Market series. He is also the editor for the 31st annual
edition of "Poet's Market 2018: The Most Trusted Guide for Publishing Poetry", which is an
absolutely essential instructional reference and resource for anyone seeking to have their poetry
published. The "Poet's Market 2018: The Most Trusted Guide for Publishing Poetry" features
hundreds of publishing opportunities specifically for poets, including listings for book and
chapbook publishers, print and online poetry publications, contests, and more. These listings
include contact information, submission preferences, insider tips on what specific editors want,
and (when offered) payment information. In addition to the completely updated listings, "Poet's
Market 2018: The Most Trusted Guide for Publishing Poetry" offers brand-new articles devoted
to the craft and business of poetry, including how to handle a book launch, delivering poetry in
unusual places, starting your own poetry workshop, and more. "Poet's Market 2018: The Most
Trusted Guide for Publishing Poetry" also offers: A one-year subscription to the poetry-related
information and listings on WritersMarket.com; Lists of conferences, workshops, organizations,
and grants; A free digital download of Writer's Yearbook, featuring the 100 Best Markets:
WritersDigest.com/WritersDigest-Yearbook-17; Exclusive access to the webinar "PR for Poets:
The Secret to Getting Your Poems Read" from Jeannine Hall Gailey. Impressively informative,
exceptionally well organized and presented, thoroughly 'user friendly' in form and format, "Poet's
Market 2018: The Most Trusted Guide for Publishing Poetry" should be a part of ever aspiring
poet's personal instructional reference and resource collections. While very highly recommended
for both community and academic library Writing/Publishing collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Poet's Market 2018: The Most Trusted Guide for Publishing Poetry"
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Daily Writing Resilience
Bryan E. Robinson
www.bryanrobinsonbooks.com
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738753430, $19.99, PB, 432pp, www.amazon.com
There is not a seasoned author or an aspiring one who has not had to deal with rejection,
setbacks, and heartbreak. Ironically, most literary agents believe that the most important element
to writing success is perseverance in the face of disappointment. Bryan E. Robinson is the author
of 35 nonfiction books and two novels (www.bryanrobinsonbooks.com) and in "Daily Writing
Resilience: 365 Meditations & Inspirations for Writers" draws upon his years of experience and
expertise to provides an incredibly valuable volume of 'real world' advice, inspiration, and
techniques to help even the most novice of aspiring authors to turn writer's blocks into launch
pads. Offering a wealth of tips and support through exercises such as meditation, breath work,
yoga, stress management, gratitude, de-cluttering, sleep, exercise, mindful eating, and more,
Robinson presents 365 meditations will help anyone successfully navigate the ups-and-downs of
their writing practice, creating positive habits that will guide them toward the success and
fulfillment that they have been seeking. As thoughtful and thought provoking as it is inspired and
inspiring, "Daily Writing Resilience: 365 Meditations & Inspirations for Writers" should be
considered a core addition to the personal reference shelf of anyone seeking (or maintaining) a
professional career as a writer. Indeed, no personal, professional, community, or academic library
Writing/Publishing instructional reference collection should be without a copy of Bryan
Robinson's "Daily Writing Resilience: 365 Meditations & Inspirations for Writers"!
The American History Shelf
In Missouri's Wilds
Richard J. Janet
Truman State University Press
100 East Normal Street, Kirksville, MO 63501-4221
http://tsup.truman.edu
9781612481982, $24.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
In 1818, a small group of Catholic clerics established a religious community in southeastern
Missouri and opened a school, grounded in its European Vincentian roots but influenced by the
isolation of its rural location. St. Mary's of the Barrens became the first American institution of
higher learning west of the Mississippi River and only the fourth Catholic seminary in the United
States. Over the years, St. Mary's emerged as a significant institution whose early leaders played
an important role in the development of the Catholic Church on the American frontier. The
school's subsequent history reflected the changing status of the growing American Catholic
community. "In Missouri's Wilds: St. Mary's of the Barrens and the American Catholic Church,
1818 to 2016" is a definitive history of the Barrens in which author and historian Rick Janet
(Professor of History at Rockhurst University in Kansas City) demonstrates how its story reflects
the broader sweep of the American Catholic experience. An impressively researched and deftly
informative study, "In Missouri's Wilds" is an unique, extraordinary read, making it an especially
and unreservedly recommended addition to community and academic library collections.
The Money/Finance Shelf
The Young Adult's Guide to Graduating College Debt-Free: Skills and Strategies
Nicole Deloria
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
www.atlantic-pub.com
9781620232453, $32.95, Library Binding, 198pp, www.amazon.com
Almost by definition, college is prohibitively expensive, especially for working class and middle
class families. The average graduating college senior is nearly $30,000 in debt when he or she
walks off campus. There is also more financial aid available than ever before, with more than
$238 billion distributed in 2012-13. That's why Nicole Deloria's "The Young Adult's Guide to
Graduating College Debt-Free: Skills and Strategies" should be a part of every highschool,
community, and college library collection. It provides up-to-date information on over 2,200
programs that offer scholarships, internships, or loans to more than 1.7 million students each
year. "The Young Adult's Guide to Graduating College Debt-Free: Skills and Strategies" will
also provide hundreds of innovative ways to cut college costs, including tips on how to earn
college credit on an accelerated basis, how to calculate your college budget, how to make use of
tuition prepayment plans, how to combine higher education and course-related employment, and
how to buy supplies and textbooks for cheap. Simply stated, "The Young Adult's Guide to
Graduating College Debt-Free: Skills and Strategies" is essential reading for anyone seeking a
college education today. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Young Adult's
Guide to Graduating College Debt-Free: Skills and Strategies" is also available in a paperback
edition (9781620231937, $19.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.95).
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Hounds Who Heal
Chris Kent
Hubble & Hattie
www.hubbleandhattie.com
9781845849733, $12.99, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
"Hounds Who Heal: People and dogs - it's a kind of magic" by Chris Kent is the story of the K9
Project, which is a unique organization that works with rescue dogs who now act as therapy dogs.
Heart-warming and educational "Hounds Who Heal" presents illustrative examples of
human/canine companionship as isolated adults and children learn to believe in themselves and
make the often-elusive connection to a friend. Telling the story of each of the dogs, and many of
the people they helped along the way, readers will learn from the people whose lives have been
transformed. Chris Kent is founder of this unique project, has her story of laughter, frustration,
joy, and tears of the Project's eight-year journey. An inherently fascinating and exceptionally
informative read, "Hounds Who Heal: People and dogs - it's a kind of magic" is an especially
recommended addition to both community and academic library Pets/Wildlife collections. It
should be noted for the personal reading lists of anyone who has enjoyed having a canine
companion of their own that "Hounds Who Heal: People and dogs - it's a kind of magic" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
The Graphic Novel Shelf
The Prince and the Dressmaker
Jen Wang
First Second
175 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.firstsecondbooks.com
9781626723634 $16.99 amazon.com
The Prince and the Dressmaker is an all-ages graphic novel; despite the fairytale title, it's set in
modern times. Sebastian is a teenaged Belgian prince with a secret - he enjoys wearing women's
dresses. Sebastian is not gay, and he accepts his identity as a male prince; he simply likes to wear
women's clothing. In his alter ego of Lady Crystallia, Sebastian takes Paris fashion by storm with
the aid of a talented female dressmaker, Frances. Sebastian worries that he will not be able to
properly succeed his father's kingly duties, and he is nervous about his parents' efforts to
'encourage' him to marry (although he allegedly has a choice in who his future bride will be). The
relationship between Sebastian and Frances begins to deepen, but how can Frances fulfill her
dream of becoming a legendary dressmaker if she has to live in Sebastian's shadow and hide his
secret? Poignant, thoughtful, and ultimately heartwarming, The Prince and the Dressmaker is
highly recommended.
Is This Guy for Real?
Written and illustrated by Box Brown
First Second
175 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.firstsecondbooks.com
9781626723160 $19.99 amazon.com
Is This Guy for Real? is a biographical graphic novel in black-and-white, about comedian and
performer Andy Kaufman, well known for his abrasive or even contemptible public personas.
Yet his closest friends and family knew him to be compassionate and sensitive. How did
Kaufman build an entire career around the hatred of his own audience? Is This Guy for Real?
draws upon an extensive bibliography to provide a nuanced, thought-provoking take on Andy
Kaufman's complicated, larger-than-life story. Highly recommended.
Penny Dreadful - The Ongoing Series Volume 1: The Awaking
Chris King, Jesus Hervas, Jason Wordie, Rob Steen
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785855276, $16.99, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com
Based on the popular television horror fantasy series, "Penny Dreadful - The Ongoing Series
Volume 1: The Awaking" picks up the story with the reintroduction of all the main characters in
another Armageddon confrontation between competing forces of evil with the human population
merely pawns in a supernatural ware for domination of the planet between Draculas and his
vampiric minions and Set/Lucifer and his army of demons. Beautifully illustrated and an
inherently fascinating read from cover to cover, "Penny Dreadful - The Ongoing Series Volume
1: The Awaking" is a 'must' for the graphic novel collections of all dedicated horror fantasy
fans.
Shaka Rising
Luke Molver, author & illustrator
Story Press Africa
c/o Catalyst Press
www.catalystpress.org
9781946498991, $24.00, HC, 96pp, www.amazon.com
In a land beset by political turmoil and bloody conflict comes the epic saga of Shaka. Ousted by
one of his chief father's jealous wives and raised in exile, his destiny is sealed through allegiance
to a rival chief. Responding to threats from expanding slave trade in southern Africa, Shaka
consolidates a new kingdom through warfare, mediation, and shrewd diplomacy. Deftly written
and superbly illustrated by Luke Molver, "Shaka Rising: A Legend of the Warrior Prince" is a
truly extraordinary and entertaining graphic novel that will decidedly prove to be an enduringly
popular addition to community library graphic novel collections for readers ages 16 to 86. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Shaka Rising: A Legend of the Warrior Prince" is
also available in a paperback edition (9781946498984, $16.99) and in a digital book format
(Kindle, $11.99).
The Business Shelf
Let's Go Invent Tomorrow
Jessica Easto
Agate B2
c/o Agate Publishing
1328 Greenleaf Street, Evanston, IL 60202
www.agatepublishing.com
9781572842328, $19.95, HC, 376pp, www.amazon.com
Impressively compiled and edited by Jessica Easto, "Let's Go Invent Tomorrow" collects 365
thought-provoking and inspiring quotations that are packed with insights on business,
management, and leadership from the world's most successful entrepreneurs. Curated from the
best quotes in the In Their Own Words series, "Let's Go Invent Tomorrow" provides future
leaders, aspiring entrepreneurs, and business professionals with a full year's worth of advice and
perspective from visionaries such as Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, Jack Ma, Bill
Gates, Warren Buffett, and more. The In Their Own Words series highlights entrepreneurs who
have built influential companies from the ground up, and whose contributions have changed the
way business is done around the world. While very highly recommended for corporate,
community, and academic library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Let's Go Invent Tomorrow" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Power of Vulnerability
Barry Kaplan & Jeffrey Manchester
Greenleaf Book Group Press
PO Box 91869, Austin, TX 78709
www.greenleafbookgroup.com
9781626344730,$24.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
In "The Power of Vulnerability: How to Create a Team of Leaders by Shifting Inward, executive
coaches Barry Kaplan and Jeffrey Manchester draw upon their years of experience and expertise
to collaboratively create a thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional guide to finding success and
fulfillment for teams and individuals. Based on their work through Shift180 with executives and
their teams, "The Power of Vulnerability" offers a new approach to transforming corporate
culture so that you can thrive at work and in life. Work is often a source of dissatisfaction for
people because in their desire to get ahead, they often lose touch with their values and internal
sources of power. "The Power of Vulnerability" shows how to: Create a sense of safety;
Encourage exploration; Develop an INpowered team that transcends organizational hierarchy;
Foster communication; Be authentic. "The Power of Vulnerability" is fundamental to establishing
a supportive, and open corporate culture that will create loyalty and long-term employee
commitment to the organization. Exceptional, informative, inspiring, and thoroughly 'user
friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Power of Vulnerability" is unreservedly
recommended for corporate, community, and academic library Business Management collections
and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of
students, corporate executives, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject
that "The Power of Vulnerability" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Poetry Shelf
Book Of Twilight
Pablo Neruda
Copper Canyon Press
PO Box 271, Port Townsend, WA 98368
www.coppercanyonpress.org
9781556593987, $20.00, HC, 180pp, www.amazon.com
Pablo Neruda: Pablo Neruda was born Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basoalto in Parral, Chile, in 1904.
He served as consul in Burma and held diplomatic posts in various East Asian and European
countries. In 1945, a few years after he joined the Communist Party, Neruda was elected to the
Chilean Senate. Shortly thereafter, when Chile's political climate took a sudden turn to the right,
Neruda fled to Mexico, and lived as an exile for several years. He later established a permanent
home at Isla Negra. In 1970 he was appointed as Chile's ambassador to France, and in 1971 he
was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. He died in 1973. Now Cooper Canyon Press has
published "Book Of Twilight" which is comprised of Neruda's poetry as ably translated into
English by William O'Daly. Simply stated, this bilingual edition of the "Book Of Twilight" is
unreservedly recommended, both to his legions of appreciative fans and to community and
academic library poetry collections.
Wine of Reunion: Arabic Poems of Rumi
Rumi, author
Nesreen Akhtarkhavari, translator
Anthony A. Lee, editor
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25, East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
http://msupress.org
9781611862638, $19.95, PB, 120pp, www.amazon.com
Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi also known simply as Rumi (30 September 1207 - 17 December
1273), was a 13th-century Persian Sunni, a Muslim poet, a jurist, an Islamic scholar, a
theologian, and a Sufi mystic. compiled, translated into English, and deftly edited by the team of
Nesreen Akhtarkhavari (Associate Professor of Arabic Language and Culture and the Director of
Arabic Studies at DePaul University) and Anthony A. Lee (an award-winning poet and Lecturer
of History at UCLA and at West Los Angeles College), "Wine of Reunion: Arabic Poems of
Rumi" is an inherently fascinating anthology showcasing poems that take the reader on a journey
of spiritual search, ecstatic union, universal salvation, and mystic reconciliation -- a journey in
verse wherein Rumi reveals his soul and welcomes everyone to his spiritual feast. This
dual-language volume, with its informative introduction, is one of the first to bring Rumi's
Arabic poems into English, and it opens a treasury of Rumi's mystic thought and electrifying
poetry. The poems pulsate with desire and longing, with erotic meaning, and with ecstatic
celebration. Rumi found in his mystic poetry a vehicle for the expression of the endless spiritual
bounties of love. The reader will find, at the center of his faith and doctrine, love and a strong
belief in universal salvation and unlimited generosity. Simply stated, "Wine of Reunion: Arabic
Poems of Rumi" is a critically important and unreservedly recommended addition to personal,
community, college, and university library Arabic Poetry collections in general, and Rumi
supplemental studies lists in particular.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
The Pain-Free Back
Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
www.ymaa.com
9781594395376, $16.95, PB, 214pp, www.amazon.com
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, nearly 80 percent of
adults experience low back pain at some point in their lives. For many, the condition progresses
to the point where they will have to manage pain for years to come. Some will have little choice
but to rely on prescription medication. But for the millions of others with back pain, there is
hope. By committing to a series of simple exercises, we can remain loose and flexible. We can
prevent and heal injuries to maintain a strong, healthy back. Motion is the key, and in "The
Pain-Free Back: 54 Simple Qigong Movements for Healing and Prevention" Dr. Yang,
Jwing-Ming will get you moving. You will regain natural, pain-free motion and balance with
qigong, a timeless Chinese art that promotes healing, flexibility, and balance. The gentle,
meditative movements emphasize proper motion in coordination with breath, making qigong the
right choice for preventing, treating, and healing back pain. "The Pain-Free Back" features: 3
back-loosening movements; 12 back-stretching movements; 30 back-healing movements; 7
movements for immediate relief; 2 back-strengthening movements; a 12-step plan for keeping
your back healthy. Exceptionally and impressively 'user friendly' in organization and
presentation, "The Pain-Free Back" is unreservedly recommended for both community and
academic library Health/Medicine collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"The Pain-Free Back" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Healing With Hemp Oil
Earl Mindell
Square One Publishers
115 Herricks Road, Garden City Park, NY 11040
www.squareonepublishers.com
9780757004551, $16.95, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Hemp oil is obtained by pressing hemp seeds. Cold pressed, unrefined hemp oil is dark to clear
light green in color, with a nutty flavor. The darker the color, the grassier the flavor. "Healing
With Hemp Oil: A Simple Guide to Using the Powerful and Proven Health Benefits of CBD" by
registered pharmacist, master herbalist, and college educator Earl Mindell begins by looking at
the important role the hemp plant has played in both Eastern and Western societies as a source
for paper, textiles, rope, and so much more. This is followed by a discussion of the science
behind CBD's medical benefits. "Healing With Hemp Oil" then provides a consumer's guide to
buying hemp products (especially its oil and its CBD supplements) while offering an insightful
examination of hemp's legal status in the United States, from the 1900s to now. Finally, based on
up-to-date studies, Dr. Mindell presents an A-to-Z guide to the many uses of hemp oil and CBD
for various health conditions, from arthritis to depression to heart disease. Although the United
States has given CBD-rich hemp a problematic legal status, fortunately, this product (sourced
from other countries) is readily available. "Healing with Hemp Oil" guides it's users in using this
all-natural substance as a safe, side effect-free remedy, making it an ideal and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Alternative
Health & Medicine collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Healing With Hemp Oil" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$15.86).
An Herbalist's Guide to Formulary
Holly Bellebuono
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738753034, $19.99, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Holly Bellebuono has been a community herbalist, apothecary director, and teacher for over two
decades. She uses her inspiring lectures, books, curriculum, retreats, and workshops to empower
people to think creatively and explore healing and success. Those interested in herbal medicine
can visit her online at www.HollyBellebuono.com. In "An Herbalist's Guide to Formulary: The
Art & Science of Creating Effective Herbal Remedies" she draws upon her many years of
experience and impressive expertise to explore the ancient art of formulary in the form of a
comprehensive guide to creating effective herbal medicine. Organized by body systems, "An
Herbalist's Guide to Formulary" shows how to design a holistic treatment for acute and chronic
conditions. Packed from cover to cover with detailed information on more than one hundred
plants, "An Herbalist's Guide to Formulary" is the unreservedly recommended go-to reference for
formulary. "An Herbalist's Guide to Formulary" presents a 4-tier formula structure as a
commonsense way to integrate a wide range of herbal actions while keeping the formula simple.
"An Herbalist's Guide to Formulary" includes the history of healing traditions as well as personal
and clinical examples that illustrate the art of combining plants for illnesses, preventative care,
and overall wellness. With the guidance as an instructional and reference resource, "An
Herbalist's Guide to Formulary" will enable healing-arts practitioners turn formulary into a
rewarding and practical skill. Unique and exceptional, "An Herbalist's Guide to Formulary" is
especially recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library
Health/Medicine collections and Herbal Medicine supplemental studies lists. It should be noted
for students, herbalists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "An
Herbalist's Guide to Formulary" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Break Through with Breathwork
Jim Morningstar
North Atlantic Books
2526 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704-2607
www.northatlanticbooks.com
9781623171612, $21.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
When working with trauma and chronic health issues, it can often seem like the healing process
gets stuck or is producing only minimal progress. "Break Through with Breathwork:
Jump-Starting Personal Growth in Counseling and the Healing Arts" by licensed clinical
psychologist Jim Morningstar (a pioneer in the integration of psychotherapy with mind-body
techniques such as breathwork and bio-spiritual energetics), is a groundbreaking study that shows
therapists, bodyworkers, and other health care professionals how to achieve remarkable
breakthroughs with their clients using the power of Therapeutic Breathwork. Unlike more
commonly known mindfulness breathwork techniques Therapeutic Breathwork is designed to
also include faster-than-normal breathing (35 - 75 breaths per minute) to enervate the
sympathetic nervous system. This is especially useful in helping to release blocks that arise while
working through difficult emotional issues, including PTSD, addiction, depression, and anxiety.
While traditional talk therapy can take many years, sometimes decades, to produce minimal
relief, Therapeutic Breathwork can help facilitate astonishing breakthroughs within a single
session. "Break Through with Breathwork" deftly explains how therapists can reinforce these
breakthroughs with additional techniques for self-regulation, dramatically reducing recovery time
and often resolving challenges that might never have been worked through in standard practice.
Very highly recommended for both medical clinic, counseling center, community and academic
library Health/Medicine collections and supplemental studies lists, "Break Through with
Breathwork" is an accessible and thorough introduction to one of the most powerful tools in
supporting health and well-being, reducing stress, and stimulating deep emotional and spiritual
growth. It should be noted for medical students, counselors, and non-specialist general readers
with an interest in the subject that "Break Through with Breathwork" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $14.99).
The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf
Spoon
Daniel Rozensztroch
Pointed Leaf Press
136 Baxter Street, Suite 1C, New York, NY 10013
www.pointedleafpress.com
9781938461422, $49.98, HC, 216pp, www.amazon.com
Daniel Rozensztroch has been a longtime consultant to the magazine Marie-Claire Maison and is
now the creative director of the Merci shop in Paris, France. A visual celebration of one of the
most universally recognizable and beloved objects of our daily lives, "Spoon" showcases
hundreds of spoons drawn from Rozensztroch's personal collection. Obsessively collected over
the course of several years, there are spoons made of wood, glass, mother of pearl, bone, metal,
horn, porcelain, enamel, and ceramic, as well as spoons by artists, vintage spoons, rare
one-of-a-kind museum quality pieces to the typical spoon of our everyday life that can be found
in homes all over the world. The spoon as an object transcends all cultures. With high-quality
photography by Francis Amiand and fine Italian printing, This Pointed Leaf Press edition of
"Spoon" is perfect for collectors and lovers of everyday objects -- and will prove to be an
enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, community, museum, and community
library Antiques/Collectibles collections and supplemental studies lists.
The Fiction Shelf
The Evenings: A Winter's Tale
Gerard Reve
Pushkin Press
www.pushkinpress.com
9781782271789, $22.00, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Twenty-three-year-old Frits - office worker, daydreamer, teller of inappropriate jokes - finds life
absurd and inexplicable. He lives with his parents, who drive him mad. He has terrible,
disturbing dreams of death and destruction. Sometimes he talks to a toy rabbit. "The Evenings: A
Winter's Tale" is the story of ten evenings in Frits's life at the end of December, as he drinks,
smokes, sees friends, aimlessly wanders the gloomy city street and tries to make sense of the
minutes, hours and days that stretch before him. Darkly funny and mesmerizing, "The Evenings"
takes the tiny, quotidian triumphs and heartbreaks of our everyday lives and turns them into a
work of brilliant wit and profound beauty. A minor masterpiece of literary fiction, author Gerard
Reve (1923-2006) is considered one of the greatest post-war Dutch authors, and was also the first
openly gay writer in the country's history. His 1947 debut novel, "The Evenings" was chosen as
one of the nation's 10 favorite books by the readers of a leading Dutch newspaper while the
Society of Dutch Literature ranked it as the Netherlands' best novel of all time. Now in a Puskin
Press edition aptly translated into English for an American readership by Sam Garren, "The
Evenings: A Winter's Tale" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to both
community and academic library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"The Evenings: A Winter's Tale" is also available in a paperback edition (9781782273011,
$14.95).
Three Plastic Rooms
Petra Hulova
Jantar Publishing Ltd.
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, 124 Byers Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
9780993377396, $21.99, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com
Ably translated from Czech into English for an American readership by Alex Zucker, "Three
Plastic Rooms" by Petra Hulova is the story of a foul-mouthed Prague prostitute who muses on
her profession, aging and the nature of materialism as imagined in her own reality TV series. In
an unvarnished mixture of vulgar and poetic language, the episodes combine the mundane with
fetishism, violence and dark humor. Showing a genuine flair as a novelist for narrative driven
storytelling, author Petra Hulova's "Three Plastic Rooms" is an extraordinary and memorable
read from beginning to end, making it an ideal addition to community library Contemporary
General Fiction collections and a 'must' for the personal reading lists for anyone that appreciates
a unique and especially well crafted novel.
Edge of Glory
Rachel Spangler
Bywater Books
P.O. Box 3671, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106-3671
www.bywaterbooks.com
9781612941097, $16.95, PB, 330pp, www.amazon.com
Corey LaCroix only wanted to snowboard, but Olympic medals and world championships only
carry you so far when your knees ache and you're suddenly an underdog for the first time in her
career. Elise Brandeis doesn't need a training partner, especially an unorthodox has-been
snowboarder with an attitude. But Elise has already lost a full season to injury, and she's
struggling to make the Olympic ski team. Can teaming up with Corey give her the edge she needs
to go for gold, or will the snowboarder's infuriatingly cocky smile and rock hard abs prove a
distraction she simply can't afford? Both champions brace themselves for the run of a lifetime.
Putting their broken bodies on the line, they fight the competition, the clock, and the frozen
terrain for one more chance at glory. But this time, as they ride the razor's edge between victory
and defeat, the stakes are steeper than any mountain they will ever face when legacies and hearts
collide. Author Rachel Spangler is the Golden Crown Literary Society and Rainbow
Award-winning author of ten lesbian romance novels and novellas. "Edge of Glory" is not just
her latest romance novel, it is also one of her best to date! While highly recommended, especially
for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Edge of
Glory" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Gorilla In My Room: Stories
Jack Ketchum
Cemetery Dance Publications
132-B Industry Lane, Unit 7, Forest Hill, Maryland 21050
9781587675492, $40.00, HC, 190pp, www.cemeterydance.com
Jack Ketchum is the pseudonym of Dallas Mayr who is the recipient of four Bram Stoker Awards
and three further nominations. Many of his novels have been adapted to film, including Red and
The Woman. In 2011, Ketchum received the World Horror Convention Grand Master Award for
outstanding contribution to the horror genre. Now Cemetery Dance Publications has published
"Gorilla In My Room: Stories" an outstanding collection showcasing fifteen of his exquisitely
crafted short stories: The Western Dead; Bully; Listen; Polaroids; Squirrely Shirley (with Lucky
McKee); Group of Thirty; Winter Child; Cow (with Lucky McKee); The Transformed Mouse;
The Right Thing; Awake; That Moment; Oldies; Seconds; and the title piece, Gorilla in My
room. Of special note is the informative introduction by Edward Lee, Gorrilla intro. A
memorable and entertaining read from cover to cover, "Gorilla In My Room: Stories" is
unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library collections, as well as
a 'must' for the personal reading lists of the legions of Jack Ketchum fans!
The Power of a SEAL
Anne Elizabeth
Sourcebook Casablanca
c/o Sourcebooks Inc.
1935 Brookdale Road, #139, Naperville, IL 60563
www.sourcebooks.com
9781492650928, $7.99, PB, 352pp, www.amazon.com
With over two decades of experience, Navy SEAL Leaper Lefton is bringing his expertise to
young and impressionable SEAL trainees in BUD/s. As an instructor, he knows he must prepare
them for all kinds of situations -- and there's a perfect opportunity for hands-on training when he
spots a woman in danger in rough water. Kerry Hamilton, a marine mammal veterinarian for the
U.S. Navy is beyond grateful when Leaper saves her from the rough seas, and their attraction is
instant. But after everything Leaper has been through, can he truly love again? And is Kerry
willing to give him the chance? "The Power of a SEAL" is the fifth and latest addition to author
Anne Elizabeth's series 'West Coast Navy' series and a simply riveting and deftly crafted read
from beginning to end by a master of the romance genre. While unreservedly recommended and
certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections, it should be noted
for personal reading lists that "The Power of a SEAL" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $2.51).
pH: A Novel
Nancy Lord
WestWinds Press
c/o Graphic Arts Books
1700 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.graphicartsbooks.com
9781513260709, $34.99, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
When marine biologist Ray Berringer and his student crew embark on an oceanographic cruise in
the Gulf of Alaska, the waters are troubled in more ways than one. Ray's co-leader, a famed
chemist, is abandoning ship just as the ocean's pH is becoming a major concern. Something at
their university is corrosive, and it's going to take more than science to correct. Powerful bonds
are forged among offbeat characters studying the effects of ocean acidification on pteropods, a
tiny, keystone species, in this cutting-edge, deftly written novel. Of special note is the inclusion
of an author Q&A and reading group discussion questions. While very highly recommended,
especially for community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "pH: A Novel" is also available in a paperback
edition (9781513260686, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.97).
Secrets of the Devil Vine
Faith Kaiser
Livingston Press
University of West Alabama
Station 22, Livingston, AL 35470
www.livingstonpress.uwa.edu
9781604891959, $24.95, HC, 241pp, www.amazon.com
Abigail Stewart returns to her childhood home in Coastal Alabama. Her need to embrace her
once rejected Southern heritage is equally weighed by her desire to unearth the mysteries
surrounding her dark and dangerous childhood. At every turn, her aged but unscrupulous mother
attempts to thwart Abby's discoveries. Though her journey is dotted with horrific memories, she
is determined to find the truth and reconcile her past. Written with a genuine flair for originality
and sustained reader engagement, author Faith Kaiser's "Secrets of the Devil Vine" is a truly
extraordinary novel that will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to both community and
academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Secrets of the Devil Vine" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781604891942, $15.95).
Special Envoy
Jean Echenoz
The New Press
120 Wall Street, floor 31, New York, NY 10005
www.thenewpress.com
9781620973127, $24.95, HC, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Set in Paris, rural central France, and Pyongyang, "Special Envoy" begins with an old general in
France's intelligence agency asking his trusted lieutenant Paul Objat for ideas about a person he
wants for a particular job: someone to aid the destabilization of Kim Jong-un's regime in North
Korea. Objat has someone in mind: Constance, an attractive, restless, bored woman in a failing
marriage to a washed-up pop musician. Soon after, she is abducted by Objat's cronies and spirited
away into the lower depths of France's intelligence bureaucracy where she is trained for her
mission. What follows is a bizarre tale of kidnappings, murders and mutilations, bad pop songs
and great sex, populated by a cast of oddballs and losers. "Special Envoy" is a deftly crafted spy
novel from the pen of an author with a genuine flair for narrative drive suspense. A consistently
entertaining read from cover to cover, "Special Envoy" is unreservedly recommended, especially
for community library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated
espionage/spy novel fans that "Special Envoy" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$14.72).
Alone on the Shield
Kirk Landers
Academy Chicago Publishers
c/o Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781613739914, $15.99, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com
'I hope you get drafted and you go to Vietnam and you get shot and you die there!' Those words,
spoken in the anger of youth, marked the end of the torrid 1960s college romance of Annette
DuBose and Gabe Pender. She would marry a fellow antiwar activist and end up immigrating to
Canada. He would fight in Vietnam and come home to build an American Dream kind of life.
Forty years later, they have reconnected and discovered a shared passion: solo canoeing in
Ontario's raw Quetico wilderness. They decide to meet again to catch up on old times, not in a
cafe but on Annette's favorite island deep in the Quetico wilds. Though they try to control their
expectations for their rendezvous, they both approach the island with a growing realization of the
emotional void in their lives and wonder how different everything might have been if they had
stayed together. They must overcome challenges just to reach the island. Then they encounter the
greatest challenge of all -- each other. Kirk Landers' "Alone on the Shield" is an extraordinarily
crafted novel by an author with a genuine flair for originality and memorable characters that
engage the reader's fascinated attention from beginning to end. Very highly recommended,
especially for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted
for personal reading lists that "Alone on the Shield" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $12.99).
Impossible Saints
Clarissa Harwood
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
www.pegasusbooks.com
9781681776248, $25.95, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Escaping the constraints of life as a village schoolmistress, Lilia Brooke bursts into London and
into Paul Harris's orderly life, shattering his belief that women are gentle creatures who need
protection. Lilia wants to change women's lives by advocating for the vote, free unions, and
contraception. Paul, an Anglican priest, has a big ambition of his own: to become the youngest
dean of St. John's Cathedral. Lilia doesn't believe in God, but she's attracted to Paul's intellect,
ethics, and dazzling smile. As Lilia finds her calling in the militant Women's Social and Political
Union, Paul is increasingly driven to rise in the church. They can't deny their attraction, but they
know they don't belong in each other's worlds. Lilia would rather destroy property and serve time
in prison than see her spirit destroyed and imprisoned by marriage to a clergyman, while Paul
wants nothing more than to settle down and keep Lilia out of harm's way. Paul and Lilia must
reach their breaking points before they can decide whether their love is worth fighting for. A
simply riveting read from cover to cover, "Impossible Saints" by Clarissa Harwood is an original
and consistently entertaining, narrative driven novel by a writer with a genuine flair for both
originality and deftly crafted characters. While highly recommended, especially for community
library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Impossible
Saints" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Lies Jane Austen Told Me
Julie Wright
Shadow Mountain Publishing
P.O. Box 30178, Salt Lake City, Utah 84130-0178
www.shadowmountain.com
9781629723426, $15.99, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Ever since Emma read Pride and Prejudice, she's been in love with Mr. Darcy and has regarded
Jane Austen as the expert on all things romantic. So naturally when Emma falls for Blake
Hampton and he invites her home to meet his parents, she is positive an engagement is in her
future. After all, Blake is a single man in possession of a good fortune, and thus must be in want
of a wife. But when it turns out that what Blake actually wants is more of a hook-up than a
honeymoon, Emma is hurt, betrayed, and furious. She throws herself deeper into her work as
CMO of Kinetics, the fastest growing gym franchise in the nation. She loves her work, and she's
good at it, which is why she bristles when her boss brings in a consultant to help her spearhead
the new facilities on the East Coast. Her frustration turns to shock when that consultant turns out
to be Blake's younger brother, Lucas. Emma is determined not to fall for Lucas, but as she gets to
know him, she realizes that Lucas is nothing like his brother. He is kind and attentive and spends
his time and money caring for the less fortunate. What she can't understand is why Lucas
continues to try to push her back into Blake's arms when he so clearly has fallen as hard for her
as she has fallen for him. Realizing that her love life is as complicated as anything Jane Austen
could have dreamed up, Emma must find a way to let Blake know that it's time for him to let her
go and to let Lucas know it's time for him to love her back. A true master of the Contemporary
Romance genre, Julie Wright's newest novel, "Lies Jan Austen Told Me" is an especially
recommended addition to community library collections. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of dedicated romance novel fans that "Lies Jane Austen Told Me" is also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.79) and as complete and unabridged audio book
(Blackstone Audio, 9781538487976, $34.95, CD).
Come Home
Patricia Gussin
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608092598, $26.95, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Nicole Nelson and Ahmed Masud are a dynamic, highly successful Philadelphia couple. They are
partners in a thriving plastic surgery practice, are very much in love, and they adore their young
son, Alex. But cracks are beginning to appear in their fairy-tale life: lingering post-9/11 prejudice
against Arab men, accumulating malpractice lawsuits for Ahmed, and most recently, pressure
from Ahmed's wealthy family in Cairo for him to permanently return to Egypt permanently --
with his son. The Masud family pressure becomes a demand as the Hosni Mubarak regime is
seriously threatened by protestors in Egypt. Ahmed's family owes their control of the Egyptian
cotton empire directly to Mubarak cronyism. If Mubarak goes down, the Masuds will surely lose
their wealth, maybe even their lives. They need Ahmed back in Egypt to implement their plan to
move their fortune and family out of Egypt and into South America. Ahmed must make a
decision -- stay with Nicole in America or obey his father. And what about their son? Tragic
consequences, which Ahmed could have never foreseen, propel both the Masud family and the
Nelson family on a path toward unspeakable tragedy. Patricia Gussin's "Come Home" is a
superbly crafted novel by gifted author with a genuine flair for narrative driven characters that
provides a simply riveting read from cover to cover. While especially recommended for
community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Come Home" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Vanishing Point
Lisa Harris
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerbooks.com
9780800729769, $29.99, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Detective Garrett Addison and FBI Agent Jordan Lambert team up to find a serial killer before he
strikes again, but what if everything that was believed to be true about the Angel Abductor is
false? Author Lisa Harris' "Vanishing Point" is another superbly crafted read from a novelist with
a genuine flair for originality and an impressive talent for narrative driven storytelling. A master
of the genre, Lisa Harris' "Vanishing Point" is an especially and unreservedly recommended
addition to community library suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading
lists of Lisa Harris fans that "Vanishing Point" is also available in a paperback edition
(9780800728489, $15.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), and as a complete and
unabridged audio book (Recorded Books, B0779HJC3C, $20.95, Audible).
The Last Man in Tehran
Mark Henshaw
Touchstone Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
9781501161261, $24.99, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
New Red Cell Chief Kyra Stryker has barely settled into the job when an attack on an Israeli port
throws the Middle East into chaos. Israel's feared intelligence service The Mossad responds with
a campaign of covert sabotage and assassination, determined to protect the homeland. But
evidence quickly turns up suggesting that a group of moles inside Langley are helping Mossad
wage its covert war. Convinced that Mossad has heavily penetrated the CIA's leadership, the FBI
launches a counterintelligence investigation that threatens to cripple the Agency -- and anyone
who questions the official story is suspect. With few officials willing to help for fear of getting
accused, Kyra turns to her former mentors (the now-retired Red Cell Chief Jonathan Burke and
his wife, former CIA Director Kathryn Cooke) to help uncover who is trying to tear the CIA apart
from the inside out. An absolutely fascinating read from cover to cover, it is interesting to note
that Mark Henshaw, the author of "The Last Man in Tehran" is himself a decorated CIA analyst
and apparently is quite deft at drawing upon his own years of experience and expertise to craft a
truly riveting novel of international espionage. While very highly recommended, especially for
community library fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Last
Man in Tehran" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and in a complete and
unabridged audio book edition (Simon & Schuster Audio, B077H4K31R, $19.84, Audible, 9
hours 24 minutes).
Insurrection at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Rob Tenery
Brown Books Publishing Group
16250 Knoll Trail Drive, Suite 205, Dallas, TX 75248-2871
www.brownbooks.com
9781612549460, $16.95, PB, 396pp, www.amazon.com
As political unrest mounts and tensions simmer, countries across the globe begin plotting to take
America down from within. Military might, information technology, and access to oil are the
leverage by which the world powers gain their footholds. Although the United States has held on
to their predominant rule, other countries are getting restless and beginning to make plans that
will establish a new world order. Important political figures start dropping like flies with no
explanation for cause of death. In the middle of the action sits the President himself, surrounded
by a swarm of security and a staff that he no longer trusts. When a threat to national security
ripples through the White House, the few left standing must make decisions that could tear apart
the very fabric of American values. Although a work of fiction, Rob Tenery's suspense novel,
"Insurrection at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue" is all the more engaging given the current 'real
world' status of American politics at the national and international level. A deftly crafted and
gripping read from beginning to end, "Insurrection at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue" is very highly
recommended, especially for community library General Fiction collections.
The Moscow Code
Nick Wilkshire
The Dundurn Group
3 Church Street, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E 1M2
www.dundurn.com
9781459737143, $15.99, PB, 296pp, www.amazon.com
Ottawa bureaucrat - turned-diplomat Charlie Hillier is back from his adventures in "Escape to
Havana". Having barely survived his first posting in Havana, Charlie is eager to put what he
learned there to good use. And it isn't long before he's thrust into a fresh case -- a technical writer
from Toronto in a Moscow jail on dubious drug charges. Charlie has barely put a dent in the
brick wall that is the Russian legal system when the jailed man turns up dead, the official
explanation: suicide. And just when evidence to the contrary is discovered, the body is
"accidentally" cremated by the authorities. Undeterred by bureaucratic stonewalling and
determined to help the victim's sister get to the bottom of her brother's death, Charlie follows the
sparse clues available. But what he uncovers brings them both far too close to powers more
dangerous than they could have imagined. Suddenly, getting at the truth is less important than
getting out of Russia in one piece. Another riveting novel from author Nick Wilkshire, "The
Moscow Code" is decidedly an unreservedly recommended. Certain to be an enduringly popular
addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "The Moscow Code" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$5.38).
Written in Blood
Layton Green
Seventh Street Books
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633883611, $15.95, PB, 335pp, www.amazon.com
Detective Joe "Preach" Everson, a prison chaplain turned police officer, is coming home. After a
decade tracking down killers in Atlanta, and with a reputation as one of the finest homicide
detectives in the city, his career derailed when he suffered a mental breakdown during the
investigation of a serial killer who was targeting children. No sooner does Preach arrive at home
in Creekville, North Carolina (a bohemian community near Chapel Hill) than a local bookstore
owner is brutally killed, the first murder in a decade. The only officer with homicide experience,
Preach is assigned to the case and makes a shocking discovery: the bookstore owner has been
murdered in exactly the same manner as the pawnbroker in Dostoevsky's "Crime and
Punishment". With the help of Ariana Hale, a law student and bibliophile who knew the victim,
Preach investigates the local writer's community. As their questions increase, a second body is
found, this time eerily resembling the crime scene in a famous Edgar Allan Poe novella. Preach
and Ariana realize that their adversary is an intelligent, literate killer with a mind as devious as it
is disturbed -- and that one or both of them may be his next target. A terrifically entertaining read
from cover to cover, "Written in Blood" clearly reveals author Layton Green's total master of the
genre and his deftly executed novel will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to
community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists
of dedicated mystery buffs that "Written in Blood" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
Fractured Justice
James A. Ardaiz
Pace Press
c/o Linden Publishing
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721-9875
www.woodworkerslibrary.com
9781610352987, $16.95, PB, 380pp, www.amazon.com
When investigators are called to a meticulously staged crime scene on a canal bank in rural
Central California (the latest in a series of murders that have killed three young women in one
month) they realize a dangerous serial killer is on the loose, someone who is highly adept at
hiding his tracks. And before the murderer can be brought to justice, young assistant DA Matt
Jamison will lose his illusions about what justice means. As a fourth victim is abducted and
investigators race against time, Jamison must cope with a sophisticated and elusive killer, a
politically-minded sheriff eager to claim credit and spread blame, mounting pressure to win a
high-profile trial, and his own conscience as part of the machinery of justice. Author James A.
Ardaiz is a former prosecutor, judge, and Presiding Justice of the California Fifth District Court
of Appeal and draws upon his years of professional experience and expertise to bring an element
of authenticity to his gripping, fast-paced, and coldly realistic thriller that tracks a killer from the
crime scene to the courtroom and to a devastating aftermath, Decidedly and unreservedly
recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Fractured Justice" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
The Circus Train Conspiracy
Edward Marston
Allison and Busby
c/o Casemate
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9780749021276, $25.00, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Following a string of successful performances, the Moscardi Circus is traveling by train to
Newcastle for their next show. Yet a collision on the track with a couple of sleepers causes
pandemonium: passengers thrown about and animals escaping into the night. When the body of a
woman is discovered in nearby woodland, Inspector Colbeck is desperate to lend assistance,
believing the two incidents might be connected. Who is the nameless woman and who is
targeting the Moscardi's Magnificent Circus? A beautifully crafted and engagingly entertaining
read from cover to cover, "The Circus Train Conspiracy" is a compelling mystery by a master of
the genre and showcases author Edward Marston's genuine flair as a novelist for narrative driven.
suspenseful storytelling. While an especially recommended addition to community library
Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated
mystery buffs that "The Circus Train Conspiracy" is also available in a paperback edition
(9780749021375, $12.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Trespass
Anthony J. Quinn
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
www.pegasusbooks.com
9781681775500, $25.95, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Detective Celcius Daly is investigating the abduction of a boy by a group of travelers already
under investigation for smuggling and organized crime. As he digs into the child's background,
he discovers a family secret linked to an unsolved crime during The Troubles - the disappearance
of a young woman and her baby. Daly's investigation shakes loose some harrowing truths about
the lawlessness of Northern Ireland's border country. Undergoing an internal investigation over
his handling of the search for IRA spy Daniel Hegarty, Daly soon finds himself entangled in a
vigilante mission, discovering just how far a group of outsiders will go to find their own justice.
A deftly crafted and inherently riveting read from cover to cover, "Trespass" is another narrative
driven mystery by a master of the genre and unreservedly recommended, especially for
community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists
of dedicated mystery buffs that "Trespass" (an Inspector Celcius Daly Mystery) is also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
The Persian Always Meows Twice
Eileen Watkins
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street, Floor 21, New York, NY 10018-2522
www.kensingtonbooks.com
9781496710567, $15.00, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Professional cat grooming isn't all fluff, so when the fur starts flying, Cassie McGlone, owner of
Cassie's Comfy Cats, handles her feistiest four-legged clients with a caring touch and nerves of
steel. While these qualities certainly help keep her business purring, they also come in handy
when she makes a house call to her best client, millionaire George DeLeuw, and discovers his
murdered body next to his newly orphaned Persian, Harpo. To help the local police find the
actual killer, Cassie begins her own investigation. But no one, from George's housekeeper to his
vindictive ex-wife, is giving up clues. Not until Cassie is given permission to temporarily board
Harpo does anyone show interest in the Persian's wellbeing. Someone is desperate to get their
paws on Harpo before the feline helps untangle a felony. Are there deadly truths that a cat
whisperer like Cassie can coax out? She needs to tread lightly and remember she gets one life,
not nine. A thoroughly entertaining read from cover to cover, "The Persian Always Meows
Twice" showcases author Eileen Watkins as a master of the genre and having a genuine flair for
originality and narrative driven storytelling of the first order. While "The Persian Always Meows
Twice" will prove to be an extraordinary and popular addition to Mystery/Suspense collections, it
should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "The Persian
Always Meows Twice" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Darkness, Sing Me a Song
David Housewright
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250094476, $25.99, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Holland Taylor is a PI who does simple background checks and other mostly unchallenging
cases. Still wounded by the long-ago death of his wife and daughter, and newly mourning a
recently failed relationship, Taylor doesn't have much interest in more challenging work. But
almost by accident, he finds himself in the middle of the crime of the century. Eleanor
Barrington, the doyenne of a socially prominent family of great wealth, has been arrested for the
murder of Emily Denys, her son's fiancee. Barrington made no secret of her disdain for the
victim, convinced that she was trying to take advantage of her son and her family. Taylor had
been brought in to do a full background check on Emily, only to discover that both her name and
her background were fabricated. Before he could learn more, she was murdered -- shot in the
head outside her apartment. Barrington had been overheard threatening to kill her son's fiance
and an eyewitness claims to have seen her kill Emily. But that's not the worst of it. Barrington's
own son has even worse accusations to make against her. Caught in the dark tangle of a twisted
family and haunted by his own past, Taylor finds that the truth is both elusive and dangerous. The
fourth novel in author David Housewright's outstanding 'Holland Taylor' series, "Darkness, Sing
Me a Song" is another perfectly crafted gem of a story replete with unexpected twists and turns
ultimately leading to a dramatic conclusion. While "Darkness, Sing Me a Song" is unreservedly
recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted
for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that it is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $13.99).
Mining for Justice
Kathleen Ernst
Midnight Ink
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125-2989
www.midnightinkbooks.com
9780738753348, $15.99, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Chloe Ellefson is excited to be learning about Wisconsin's Cornish immigrants and mining
history while on temporary assignment at Pendarvis, a historic site in charming Mineral Point.
But when her boyfriend, police officer Roelke McKenna, discovers long-buried human remains
in the root cellar of an old Cornish cottage, Chloe reluctantly agrees to mine the historical record
for answers. She soon finds herself in the middle of a heated and deadly controversy that
threatens to close Pendarvis. While struggling to help the historic site, Chloe must unearth dark
secrets, past and present, before a killer comes to bury her. A simply riveting read from cover to
cover, "Mining for Justice" is the newest addition to author Kathleen Ernst's series of superbly
crafted Chloe Ellefson mystery novels. A true master of the genre, "Mining for Justice" is
original, extraordinary, and entertaining, making it unreservedly and enthusiastically
recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted
for personal reading lists that "Mining for Justice" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.59) while librarians should be aware that there is a large print edition (Thorndike
Press, 9781432846718, $30.99).
Three Drops of Blood and a Cloud of Cocaine
Quentin Mouron
Bitter Lemon Press
www.bitterlemonpress.com
9781908524836, $14.95, PB, 232pp, www.amazon.com
When old Jimmy Henderson is found murdered in his Ford pick-up truck in a suburb of Boston,
Sheriff Paul McCarthy takes charge of the investigation. Soon, Franck, a young private detective
visiting from New York, also takes an interest in the case. Sheriff McCarthy, a church-going
man, desperately trying to keep a boundary between the sordidness of his investigations and his
private life. And Franck, a violent, decadent dandy, always rushing to the bathroom for another
line of coke, revealing the darker workings of the case with a blood curdling laugh. When the
two men finally meet the entire existence of the sheriff as a righteous family man (and probably
as a police officer) will be turned on its head. Author Quentin Mouron's debut as a crime novel
author, "Three Drops of Blood and a Cloud of Cocaine" is a darkly humorous literary and
psychological mystery set in a Boston still suffering from the consequences of the financial crisis.
Breaking the conventions of the crime novel genre, "Three Drops of Blood and a Cloud of
Cocaine" holds a satirical mirror to our society by entering the minds of two men right on the
edge of sanity. A unique, entertaining, and compelling read from cover to cover, "Three Drops of
Blood and a Cloud of Cocaine" is unreservedly recommended, especially for community library
Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Three Drops of
Blood and a Cloud of Cocaine" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Much Ado About Murder
Elizabeth J. Duncan
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683313250, $26.99, HC, 264pp, www.amazon.com
Costume designer Charlotte Fairfax has another murder on her hands as she prepares for the
latest performance of the Catskills Shakespeare Theater Company, Much Ado About Nothing.
The company's steady growth enables them to cast star British actress Audrey Ashley, who
arrives on scene to play the lead role of Beatrice. But things immediately get more complicated
when Audrey insists the company replace the current director with new, up and coming British
director Edmund Albright. Edmund plans to change the popular romantic comedy, which
alienates several people associated with the production. And the list of people he upsets only
grows: the laid off former director, the hotel owner's secretary, and even Audrey herself. Just as
Edmund's plans are about to come to fruition, his body is discovered on his sofa, holding a gun in
his hand. His death is quickly ruled a suicide but Charlotte thinks otherwise. Why would
Edmund, on the brink of greatness, kill himself? And in such an American way? With a whole
cast of characters to investigate, Charlotte is determined to unmask each one before it's final
curtain call on the whole production. The third and newest addition to author Elizabeth J.
Duncan's simply outstanding 'Shakespeare in the Catskills Mysteries' series, "Much Ado About
Murder" is a 'must read' for all dedicated mystery buffs and would be an enduringly popular
addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Much Ado About Murder" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
The Roma Plot
Mario Bolduc
The Dundurn Group
3 Church Street, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E 1M2
www.dundurn.com
9781459736061, $17.99, PB, 472pp, www.amazon.com
Max O'Brien may be a professional con man, but that doesn't mean you can't count on him in a
bind. So when he hears that his old friend Kevin Dandurand is a wanted man over a seemingly
racially motivated killing spree, he heads to Bucharest to try to make sense of what looks like an
impossible situation. The buried truths he uncovers reach back to the Second World War, the
Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, and an entanglement between a Roma man and a
German woman whose echoes pursue O'Brien and Dandurand into the present day. But if they
can't escape the long shadows of the past, the two will find their present cut all too short. A deftly
crafted and riveting read from first page to last, "The Roma Plot" reveals author Mario Bolduc as
a gifted novelist with a genuine flair for narrative driven storytelling that offers the reader a
consistently entertaining and unpredictable plot of unexpected twists and turns. While
unreservedly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it
should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "The Roma Plot" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Monday Starts on Saturday
Arkady & Boris Strugatsky, authors
Andrew Bromfield, translator
Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781613739235, $15.99, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Sasha is a young computer programmer from Leningrad. While driving through the forests of
Northwest Russia to meet up with some friends for a nature vacation he picks up a couple of
local hitchhikers, who persuade him to come work with them at the National Institute for the
Technology of Witchcraft and Thaumaturgy, or NITWiT. The adventures Sasha has in the largely
dysfunctional Institute involve all sorts of magical beings and devices including a wish-granting
fish, a talking cat who can remember only the beginnings of stories, a sofa that translates fairy
tales into reality, a motorcycle that can zoom into the imagined future, a hungry dog-size
mosquito -- along with a variety of wizards (including Merlin), vampires, and petty bureaucrats.
First published in Russia in 1964, and now deftly translated into English by Andrew Bromfield
for an American readership, "Monday Starts on Saturday" has become the most popular Arkady
& Boris Strugatsky novel in their native homeland. By turns wildly imaginative, hilarious, and
disturbing, "Monday Starts on Saturday" is a comic masterpiece by two of the world's greatest
science fiction writers. While especially recommended for community and academic library
Contemporary Science Fiction & Fantasy collections, it should be noted for the personal reading
lists of science fiction fans that "Monday Starts on Saturday" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio,
9781538459812, $29.95, MP3 CD).
Renegades
Thomas Locke
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerbooks.com
9780800729776, $25.99, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
When twins Sean and Dillon Kirrell use their transit abilities to rescue a kidnap victim, they
cross a clandestine group within their government who seeks to control all planets with their
transit powers, forcing the brothers to choose sides in what could explode into full-blown war.
Thomas Locke is a pseudonym for Davis Bunn, an award-winning novelist. "Renegades" is
another of his deftly crafted and consistently entertaining novels that takes the reader on a
gripping science fiction action/adventure of the first order. The second volume of the outstanding
'Recruits' series, "Renegades" is an especially recommended addition to community library
Science Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated science
fiction fans that "Renegades" is also available in a paperback edition (9780800727901, $12.99)
and in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.74).
The Railroading Shelf
The Privatisation Classes
David Cable
Pen & Sword Books
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781473864375, $60.00, HC, 264pp, www.amazon.com
"The Privatisation Classes: A Pictorial Survey of Diesel and Electric Locomotives and Units
since 1994" is a unique and very special album of captioned full color photographs taken by
David Cable who is a well-regarded author of several books covering trains throughout much of
the world. "The Privatisation Classes" looks at the types of locomotives and multiple units that
have been introduced into the UK since 1994, when the government privatized British Rail into a
series of privately operated franchises. An incredible forty-one classes have been, or are shortly
to be introduced, the majority being passenger units. "The Privatisation Classes" shows these
classes in a variety of color schemes adopted by the franchisees. The photographs comprising
"The Privatisation Classes" are, in the main, taken in the South East of England, which is where
the great majority of these new trains operate, with the surroundings being given as much
prominence as possible. A wonderfully entertaining and impressively informative browse from
cover to cover, "The Privatisation Classes" is a 'must' for the personal collections of dedicated
railroading buffs, and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to both community and
academic library Railroading History collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
The Awakened Dreamer
Kala Ambrose
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738753119, $15.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Dreams can be an important part of decision-making, relationships, and problem-solving -- if
they are properly interpreted and applied to our waking life. "The Awakened Dreamer: How to
Remember & Interpret Your Dreams" by Kala Ambrose is an easy-to-use instructional guide and
manual that shows how to strengthen the connection between our conscious and unconscious
self, helping us achieve our goals and discover valuable insights. "The Awakened Dreamer"
explores dreams and sleep phenomena of all kinds, including: Recurring Dreams; Prophetic
Dreams; Teaching Dreams; Visitation Dreams; Lucid Dreams; Nightmare's; Daydreams; Sleep
Walking; Sleep Talking. "The Awakened Dreamer" also provides approachable exercises, guided
meditations, example dreams, and instructions for creating a personalized symbol guide.
Additionally, "The Awakened Dreamer" teaches how to combine daydreams with powerful
visualizations that can be channeled into nightly dreams, allowing dreamers to manifest their
desires into reality. An extraordinary and deftly written instructional, "The Awakened Dreamer"
is highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library
Metaphysical Studies collections in general, and Dream Interpretation supplemental studies
reading lists in particular. It should be noted for students, practitioners, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that "The Awakened Dreamer" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Ghosts of the Civil War
Rich Newman
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738753362, $15.99, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com
The American Civil War left behind unforgettable stories of brave soldiers, heartbroken families,
violent battles, as well as a paranormal legacy that continues to fascinate and unnerve us more
than 150 years after the war ended. In "Ghosts of the Civil War: Exploring the Paranormal
History of America's Deadliest War" experienced paranormal investigator Rich Newman deftly
presents over 160 different locations with reported supernatural activity related to the Civil War.
In the pages of "Ghosts of the Civil War" readers will explore major battlefields, smaller
skirmishes, forts, cemeteries, homes, and historic buildings teeming with ghosts. Readers will
discover the rich history of these Civil War locations and why so many souls linger long after
death. Featuring terrifying, heartbreaking, and captivating ghost stories, "Ghosts of the Civil
War" uncovers the supernatural secrets of America's deadliest war. An absolute 'must read' for
dedicated metaphysical studies students, and of particular interest to Civil War buffs, "Ghosts of
the Civil War" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Ghosts of the Civil War" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Medicine Wheel Plain & Simple
Deborah Durbin
Hampton Roads Publishing Company
65 Parker St., Ste. 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
www.hrpub.com
9781571747839, $14.95, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
Like their Western and Chinese counterparts, Native Americans developed an astrological system
for understanding the world and envisioning harmony in the universe. Based on animals and
clans and including corresponding trees, stones, and colors, the medicine wheel is broken into 12
moons similar to the 12 signs in Western astrology. In fascinating detail and with illustrations
throughout, this new entry in the simply outstanding 'Plain & Simple' series explores an exciting
and little-known aspect of Native American culture. In addition to analyses of all the signs,
symbols, and seasonal associations, there are illuminating charts, explanations of the medicine
wheel, and practical ideas for using Native American astrology as an oracle. "Medicine Wheel Plain & Simple" is
a book for anyone who is fascinated by Native American legend and lore. While very highly
recommended for both community and academic library Metaphysical Studies and Native
American Studies collections, it should be note for the personal reading lists of students,
academics, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Medicine
Wheel Plain & Simple" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.30).
The Elements of Parapsychology
K. Ramakrishna Rao
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9781476671222, $35.00, PB, 337pp, www.amazon.com
Psychic phenomena, recorded throughout human history, remained a mystery or a matter of faith
rather than a subject of serious study until scientists began to investigate them roughly a century
and a half ago. Systematic experimentation began with the work of J.B. Rhine at Duke
University, resulting in the publication of Extra-Sensory Perception (1934) followed by
Extra-Sensory Perception After Sixty Years (1940). Rhine and researchers who came after him
struggled to present sufficient evidence to gain scientific credibility for the existence of
extrasensory abilities. Yet despite tight experimental controls and numerous significant results
the subject remains controversial. Parapsychologists argue that the impasse is not due to a lack of
evidence but to the challenge their claims pose to the worldview of science in general. "The
Elements of Parapsychology" by Professor K. Ramakrishna Rao (who is a philosopher and
psychologist with expertise in Indian psychology, consciousness studies and parapsychological
research; has published nearly 200 research papers and 15 books; served as the executive director
of the Foundation for Research on the Nature of Man; was the founder, head and professor of the
Department of Psychology and Parapsychology; and vice-chancellor, Andhra University; and is
currently president of the Asian Congress of Philosophy) offers comprehensive overview of the
discipline of parapsychology and presents a full understanding of both its concepts, theories and
methods, and its controversies, problems and prospects. A seminal and impressively presented
study from beginning to end, "The Elements of Parapsychology" must be considered a core and
fundamental addition to both community and academic library Metaphysical Science collections
and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Elements of
Parapsychology" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
The Automotive Shelf
Ford Big-Block Parts Interchange
George Reid
CarTech Inc.
838 Lake Street South, Forest Lake, MN 55025
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613253441, $26.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Ford was somewhat unique among Detroit manufacturers in that it had two very different
big-block engine designs during the muscle car era. The FE engine was a design pioneered in the
late 1950s, primarily as a more powerful replacement for the dated Y-block design because cars
were becoming bigger and heavier, and therefore, necessitated more power to move. What started
as torquey engines meant to move heavyweight sedans morphed into screaming
high-performance mills that won Le Mans and drag racing championships through the 1960s. By
the late 1960s, the design was dated, so Ford replaced the FE design with the "385" series, also
known as the "Lima" design, which was more similar to the canted-valve Cleveland design being
pioneered at the same time. It didn't share the 1960s pedigree of racing success, but the new
design was better in almost every way; it exists via Ford motorsports offerings to this day. In
"Ford Big-Block Parts Interchange", George Reid (a Ford enthusiast for more than 30 years who
enjoys restoring and building Fords) covers these engines completely. Interchange and
availability for all engine components are covered including cranks, rods, pistons, camshafts,
engine blocks, intake and exhaust manifolds, carburetors, distributors, and more. Expanding from
the previous edition of High-Performance Ford Parts Interchange that covered both small- and
big-block engines in one profusely illustrated volume, "Ford Big-Block Parts Interchange" cuts
out the small-block information and devotes every page to the MEL, FE and 385 series
big-blocks from Ford, which allows for more complete and extensive coverage. Absolutely
recommended for personal, professional, community, and technical college Automotive
instructional reference collections. It should be noted that "Ford Big-Block Parts Interchange" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.71).
BRM: A Mechanic's Tale, second edition
Dick Salmon
Veloce Publishing Ltd.
www.veloce.co.uk
9781787112278, $50.00, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Now in a newly updated second edition, "BRM: A Mechanic's Tale" is the story of Dick Salmon,
a man who was both a devoted fan and a loyal team member of British Racing Motors. Salmon
saw and was involved in the repeated failures and humiliating times of the 1950s, through the
gradual progress of winning minor races to Jo Bonnier winning the first World Championship
Grand Prix in Holland in 1959. "BRM: A Mechanic's Tale" culminates in the ultimate honor in
1962, when, in East London, South Africa, as Graham Hill drove the BRM to victory to win both
the drivers World Championship and the Constructors Championship for the BRM team, thereby
making a considerable contribution to British motor racing history. Profusely illustrated with
period photography and images throughout, "BRM: A Mechanic's Tale" is an inherently
fascinating and impressively informative read from beginning to end. While very highly
recommended for both community and academic library Automotive History collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "BRM: A Mechanic's Tale" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $37.99).
The Classic Car Adventure
Lance Cole
Pen & Sword Books
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781473896413, $34.95, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
"The Classic Car Adventure: Driving Through History on the Road to Nostalgia" by veteran
automotive writer, designer and serial classic car owner, Lance Cole is specifically designed to
be read as a companion book that can be read in full from beginning to end, or dipped into
anywhere for a specific classic car fix. Old stories and new details are presented in the pages of
"The Classic Car Adventure" and cover all eras of our cars. A compilation of Lance Cole's
published and unpublished adventures and opinions about the design and the driving of some of
the greatest cars in motoring history, "The Classic Car Adventure" ranges from 'vintagent' to
'modern classic', pristine to oily-rag, up hill, down dale and across continents, charting the great
classic car enthusiasm in a series of engaging essays about cars, car design and the men that
made the motor industry. From tales of Malcolm Sayer to Bedelia, and of BMW, Jaguar, Bugatti
and Porsche, to tales of old Saabs and rusty Citroens, "The Classic Car Adventure" will prove to
be an informed and informative as, thoughtful and thought-provoking, insightful and entertaining
read from cover to cover. While very highly recommended, especially for community and
academic library Automotive Studies collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists
of dedicated classic car buffs that "The Classic Car Adventure" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $20.97).
The Christian Studies Shelf
Living Wisely with the Church Fathers
Christopher A. Hall
IVP Academic
c/o InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830851881, $24.00, PB, 276pp, www.amazon.com
The first centuries of Christianity may be quite foreign to 21st century Christians, but the
writings arising out of that ancient era hold a treasury of wisdom for members of Christian
communities today. Early Christians struggled and flourished in a culture that was in love with
empire and military power, infatuated with sex and entertainment, tolerant of all gods but hostile
to the One. And from this crucible of discipleship they extracted lessons of virtue, faithfulness,
and joy in Christ. In "Living Wisely with the Church Fathers", Christopher Hall (Director of
Renovare Institute of Christian Spiritual Formation, and the Associate Editor of the Ancient
Christian Commentary on Scripture) takes us to this distant time, where he interviews Christian
leaders around the ancient Mediterranean world, inquiring how to live a good life as a Christ
follower. The menu of topics wends its way through wealth and poverty, war and violence,
marriage and sexuality, theater and the arena, as well as the harsh realities of persecution and
martyrdom. Gathering around Basil or Chrysostom or Augustine, we are instructed anew in the
way of discipleship. And as they grapple with issues surprisingly resonant with our own, this
cloud of ancient witnesses both surprises and challenges us in the life of faith. A uniquely
informed and informative approach, "Living Wisely with the Church Fathers" is an inherently
fascinating read from cover to cover, and very highly recommended for community, seminary,
and academic library Christian Theology/History collections and supplemental studies lists. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Living Wisely with the Church Fathers" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.18).
Our Common Home
Michael O'Neill McGrath
World Library Publications
3708 River Road, Suite 400, Franklin Park, IL 60131-2158
www.wlpmusic.com
9781584598626, $20.00, PB, 95pp, www.amazon.com
While reading Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si', artist and author Brother Michael O' Neill
McGrath was literally inspired to grab stylus in hand and embark on a creative drawing journey
that lead him to illustrate some of the pope's most inspirational writings. Most of the art in "Our
Common Home" is digital, while some images were taken from Mickey's ever-present
sketchbook, all of them highlighted by the impassioned, uplifting, and challenging quotations
from Pope Francis. These vivid illustrations help the reader discover and remember the pope's
instructional words of wisdom as he speaks of the God-given gifts that surround us, and how we
have been mandated to care for creation with all of its beauty and inspiration. "Our Common
Home" invites us to slow down, look around, and remember that all around us has been granted
to us and is in our care. It coaxes us to take the time to find some quiet respite from the frantic
pace of the world in which we live and ponder what we might do to safeguard that which has
been given us to care for His creation -- planet Earth. Inspired and inspiring, "Our Common
Home" is decidedly and unreservedly recommended, especially in the era of struggling with the
causes and effects of Climate Change.
Everything You Always Wanted to Know about God (But Were Afraid to Ask)
Eric Metaxes
WaterBrook Press
c/o Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group
10807 New Allegiance Drive Suite 500, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com
9781400071012, $18.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
We all have questions about God? But where can we go to get answers? In addition to the Bible,
one highly recommended source for all members of the Christian community is "Everything You
Always Wanted to Know about God (But Were Afraid to Ask)" by Eric Metaxas. Totally
conversational in form and format (and sometimes flat-out hilarious), Erik takes on such
questions as: How can a good God create a world that has evil and suffering?; Is God anti-sex?;
Doesn't science make God obsolete?; What's the real story on miracles?; If God is everywhere,
why go to church?; Don't we already have God within us?; Isn't God too busy running the
universe to care about the details of my day?. These questions (and a great many more) get
no-nonsense answers that don't hide behind dull theological language. Inspired and inspiring,
informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, timely and timeless, "Everything
You Always Wanted to Know about God (But Were Afraid to Ask)" is an extraordinary read
from cover to cover and should be a part of ever community, church, and academic library
Christian Studies collection. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Everything You
Always Wanted to Know about God (But Were Afraid to Ask)" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $11.99).
How Then Shall We Live?
Samuel Wells
Canterbury Press Norwich
c/o Church Publishing Incorporated
445 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016
www.churchpublishing.org
9781848258624, $27.00, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
The secular world constantly throws up new challenges about what it means to be Christian and
to live a distinctively Christian lifestyle. In "How Then Shall We Live?: Christian Engagement
With Contemporary Issues", the priest, broadcaster, writer and ethicist Samuel Wells considers
some of the biggest contemporary political, social and moral challenges and grapples with them
in the light of Christian hope and wisdom. Under three headings (Engaging the World, Being
Human, and Facing Mortality) Wells probes a wide range of issues including the rise of religious
extremism, migration, ecology, social media, sexual identities, inequality, obesity, life stages
from childhood to old age, dementia, facing death and much more. This striking and profoundly
wise study deftly sets out to shape a theological imagination and fluency that is grounded in the
reality of being human in a suffering world and yet open to transformation by the life and
wisdom of God. Informative, thought-provoking, inspired and inspiring, "How Then Shall We
Live?: Christian Engagement With Contemporary Issues" is an extraordinary read and one that is
decidedly and unreservedly recommended for all members of the Christian community regardless
of denominational affiliations. While a critically important addition to community and academic
library Contemporary Christian Studies collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that "How Then Shall We Live?: Christian Engagement With Contemporary Sssues" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God
Mark Batterson
Multnomah Books
c/o Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group
12265 Oracle Blvd., Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com
9780735291089, $21.99, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
The underlying message of "Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God" by Mark Batterson is that
God's voice is often spoken in a whisper. Not to make it difficult to hear Him, but to draw us
close. Many people have a tough time believing God still speaks. Mark Batterson certainly
believes so, and as a result seeks to introduce his readers to the seven love languages of God;
each of them unique and entirely divine. By learning to tune in to and decipher each language,
readers will become able to hear His guidance in simple as well as life-altering choices. God is
actively speaking through: Scripture, Desires, Doors, Dreams, People, Promptings, and Pain.
"Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God" provides the tools needed to unlock each of these
languages. Exceptionally well reasoned, written, organized and presented, "Whisper: How to
Hear the Voice of God" is one of those inspired and inspiring books that will be referred to again
and again and again. While unreservedly recommended for church, community, and academic
library Contemporary Christian Studies collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$11.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Random House Audio, B076DYNRM2,
$23.95, 7 Hours 16 Minutes).
Life in the Presence of God
Kenneth Boa
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830845163, $17.00, PB, 266pp, www.amazon.com
As Christians we believe that God is everywhere and always with us. So why don't we experience
his presence more? Life is full of distractions, and our 24/7 news cycles and social media drown
out the voice of God. It's hard to discern God's presence amid the hubbub. But experiencing God
is not just for the super-spiritual or ultra-mature. Every Christian can learn to cultivate a greater
awareness of God in the everyday. In "Life in the Presence of God: Practices for Living in Light
of Eternity" Ken Boa (an author, a speaker, and the president of Reflections Ministries) offers a
contemporary guide to practicing the presence of God. Using biblical foundations, living and
historical examples, and evidence from neuroscience, Ken reveals how we can walk with God
and abide in his presence. We need to rethink how we use our time and technology to make room
for God, to train ourselves with new habits that deepen our awareness of God. "Life in the
Presence of God" offers not a magical technique but dozens of practical exercises and disciplines
that help us draw close to God even in the midst of our cacophonous modern culture. Practicing
God's presence is not just for the professionals. It's for ordinary people like us. And the more we
live in God's presence, the greater our abiding peace and joy. An extraordinary instructional,
"Life in the Presence of God" is an inspired and inspiring read that is especially commended to
the attention of all members of the Christian community. It should be noted for personal reading
lists that "Life in the Presence of God" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.57)
and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Christian Audio, 9781545902349, $19.98,
CD).
Heroism and Genius
William J. Slattery
Ignatius Press
PO Box 1339, Fort Collins, CO 80522
www.ignatius.com
9781621640141, $24.95, HC, 292pp, www.amazon.com
The genius of Roman Catholic Christianity was to draw elements from the cultures of the Jews,
Greeks, Romans, Arabs and Germanic peoples in order to build a new and original civilization,
one that would embody within its structures the New Testament based Christian vision of God
and man, time and eternity. Its construction and maintenance, amid attrition and cultural
earthquakes, is a saga spread over seventeen hundred years. Although Catholic priests do not
hold a monopoly on the struggles or the achievements involved, nevertheless, from A.D. 300 to
1000, because they numbered so many men of heroism and genius in their ranks, and due to their
leadership positions, they became the pioneers and irreplaceable builders of a new culture and
Christian socio-political order. "Heroism and Genius: How Catholic Priests Helped Build - and
Can Help Rebuild - Western Civilization" by William J. Slattery (who ordained priest in St.
Peter's Basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1991) presents some of these formidable men: Fathers of
Western Culture, of free-enterprise economics, and of the institution of chivalry; leaders of
nations, statesmen, and defiers of tyrants; music composers, pioneers of universal education, and
architects of some of the world's loveliest buildings; and, enigmatically, the clandestine
revolutionaries behind the explosion of the culture of romantic love bonded to Christian marriage
whose aura still enchants the air of the West. A seminal work of impressively researched and
written scholarship, "Heroism and Genius" is unreservedly recommended for community,
seminary, and academic library Christian History collections and supplemental studies lists. It
should be noted for the personal reading lists of clergy, students, academia, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "Heroism and Genius" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $14.72).
Your Light Gives Us Hope
Anselm Grun
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
www.paracletepress.com
9781612619040, $16.99, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com
In the pages of "Your Light Gives Us Hope: 24 Daily Practices for Advent", Anselm Grun ( a
German Benedictine monk, Cellerar of Munsterschwarzach Abbey) offers a daily reader of very
simple and often quite direct Advent reflections. Anselm Grun deftly shows the reader how to
approach the festive season consciously, making it a blessed time for ourselves and our families.
He draws on his own personal experience as a spiritual director to offer practices for personal
devotion or for family prayer for each day of Advent. Also included are special reflections for the
Sundays of the season. "Your Light Gives Us Hope" brings the spiritual wisdom of Anselm Grun
to a new generation of American readers who are eager for a new voice for celebrating the
Advent and Christmas season. While unreservedly recommended for all members of the
Christian community, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Your Light Gives Us
Hope" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Paul and His Team
Ryan Lokkesmoe
Moody Publishers
820 N. LaSalle Blvd., Chicago, IL 60610
www.moodypublishers.com
9780802415646, $13.99, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Most Christians know something of the Apostle Paul's life and ministry, but what about the
incredible team of influencers he assembled and mobilized? Who were they, and how did Paul
lead this team to accomplish God's purposes? Even more, what can we learn from their successes
and failures, and how can we imitate their qualities? These are the questions that inspired Ryan
Lokkesmoe (the Lead Pastor of Real Hope Community Church in the Houston area) to write
"Paul and His Team: What the Early Church Can Teach Us About Leadership and Influence".
Like a church-ministry version of Team of Rivals, it reveals important principles about
leadership and influence by showing how this early ministry team: Adapted to cultural, doctrinal,
and interpersonal challenges; Found common ground with their audiences; Led baby believers
toward maturity; Stayed united despite differing opinions; Equipped others for the work of the
ministry; Conducted their lives with self-discipline; Built and maintained strategic partnerships;
Navigated sensitive cross-cultural situations; Persisted through difficulty, frustration, and
fractured relationships; Persevered when ministry was discouraging; Developed leaders to
replace them. Extraordinarily well written, informed and informative, inspired and inspiring,
"Paul and His Team" is unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of all members
of the Christian community. It should be noted that "Paul and His Team" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $8.79) as well as a complete and unabridged audio book (Christian
Audio, 9781545900598, $19.98, CD).
The Nexus: Understanding Faith and Modern Culture
Jon H. Widener, M.D.
Westbow Press
c/o Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.westbowpress.com
9781512791334, $54.95, PB, 640pp, www.amazon.com
In "The Nexus: Understanding Faith and Modern Culture", retired orthopedic surgeon,
evangelical and long-time Southern Baptist Sunday School teacher Jon Widener observes how
Christianity has lost many battles over the years and how the evangelical community has been
fraught with endemic anti-intellectualism. He sees an evangelical insularity taking the form of
retreat and retrenchment from the comings and goings of the larger society. In "The Nexus" Dr.
Widener proposes that modern Christian believers correct these deficits by exercising the
exhortation of I Pet 3:15 (KJV) to always be prepared "to give an answer to every man that
asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you." Believers should educate themselves on culturally
relevant issues where there are questions of Christian morality. This is the burden and purpose of
"The Nexus". Accordingly, the standard for inclusion is straight-forward. If the topic is culturally
encountered and has moral implications, then it meets the threshold standard for inclusion in the
work. Impressively informed and informative, exceptionally thoughtful and thought-provoking,
extraordinarily inspired and inspiring, "The Nexus: Understanding Faith and Modern Culture" is
especially recommended for the personal reading lists of all members of the Christian community
regardless of denominational affiliations.
The Judaic Studies Shelf
Jewish South Florida
Paul M. Kaplan
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
www.pelicanpub.com
9781455622139, $24.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
"Jewish South Florida: A History and Guide to Neighborhoods, Synagogues, and Eateries" by
biographer and historian Paul M. Kaplan offers the reader a rich history of the Jewish cultural
tradition that lie beneath the surface of South Florida. Beyond the stereotype of elderly Jews
visiting sunny beaches, Florida boasts a distinctively Jewish population. The area is inhabited by
Ashkenazi Jews, Sephardic Jews with roots in Spain or Turkey, and those from Cuba and other
Latin American countries. This cultural mingling makes the Jewish way of life in South Florida
so unique, featuring synagogues and eateries from Boca Raton, Palm Beach, and Miami. More
than simply a travel guide, "Jewish South Florida" approaches each profiled location as an
opportunity to bring to light the culture of the Jews that have made South Florida their home. An
impressively informed and informative study, "Jewish South Florida" is an extraordinary read
and could well be utilized as a template for similar cultural history studies for other distinctive
Jewish communities throughout the country. While unreservedly recommended for community
and academic library American Judaic History collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Jewish South Florida" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$23.56).
The Haftorah of the Week
Ervin Landau
Urim Publications
c/o Lambda Publishers
527 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York 11225
www.UrimPublications.com
9789655241686, $26.95, HC, 376pp, www.amazon.com
Ervin Landau is a businessman who hosted a weekly haftorah show on Spectrum Radio,
London's multi-ethnic radio station. In the pages of "The Haftorah of the Week: An Overview
and Elucidation of the Haftorah Portion of the Prophets" he presents an examination of the
haftorah -- the prophetical writings in the Bible that are read weekly in synagogue in conjunction
with the reading from the Torah. These excerpts and their ties to the weekly Bible portion,
however, have been largely unexamined. In this erudite and informative study, Landau offers
critically important insights into the distinct ways in which the haftorah correlates to the parasha,
and how the two texts inform one another to present a broader message. A unique contribution to
the growing body of Judaic Studies literature, "The Haftorah of the Week: An Overview and
Elucidation of the Haftorah Portion of the Prophets" is unreservedly recommended as an
invaluable addition to personal, synagogue, community, and academic library collections and
supplemental studies reading lists.
Moadei HaRav
Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Pick
Urim Publications
c/o Lambda Publishers
527 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York 11225
www.UrimPublications.com
9789655242195, $29.95, HC, 278pp, www.amazon.com
Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Pick teaches advanced Torah studies at Bar Ilan University in Israel. Through
the collection of essays and lectures that comprise "Moadei HaRav: Public Lectures on the
Festivals by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik", Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Pick provides insight on Rabbi
Joseph B. Soloveitchik's thoughts on Jewish festivals. Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik was not only
one of the outstanding Talmudists of the 20th century, but was also one of its most creative and
seminal Jewish thinkers. Moadei HaRav provides lectures by the Rav on the major Jewish
holidays, such as Passover and Sukkot, as well as Hanukah and Purim. An introductory essay
analyzes the Rav's works and interests in Judaism as well as his methodology of Talmud analysis.
"Moadei HaRav" is unreservedly recommended for synagogue, community, college, and
university library Judaic Studies collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
A Concise Code of Jewish Law for Converts
Rabbi Michael J. Broyde
Urim Publications
c/o Lambda Publishers
527 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York 11225
www.UrimPublications.com
9789655242492, $24.95, HC, 180pp, www.amazon.com
While the topic of conversion in Judaism has been extensively covered, no one has explored the
particular laws related to after conversion. In the pages of "A Concise Code of Jewish Law for
Converts", Rabbi Michael J. Broyde (Professor of Law at Emory University School of Law and a
Senior Fellow at Emory University's Center for the Study of Law and Religion) deftly explores
many topics and questions that revolve around the life of a Jewish convert. Such topics include
the place of a convert in a Jewish community according to Jewish law, the treatment of a convert
in respect to acceptance and discrimination, and providing affirmative incentives to converts.
Containing a detailed review of every aspect of Jewish law from the convert's perspective and in
relation to them, as well as supplemental essays, "A Concise Code of Jewish Law for Converts"
provides knowledge and guidance on life after conversion. A unique and extraordinarily
informative study, "A Concise Code of Jewish Law for Converts" is impressively 'reader friendly'
in organization and presentation, making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to
personal, synagogue, community, and academic library Judaic Studies collections and
supplemental studies lists.
The Islamic Studies Shelf
Symbol of Divine Light
Nicholas Stone
World Wisdom
1501 East Hillside Drive, Bloomington, IN 47401
www.worldwisdom.com
9781936597567, $22.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
"Symbol of Divine Light: The Lamp in Islamic Culture and Other Traditions" surveys the history
of the mosque lamp, describing the numerous variants made in different historical periods and
containing more than 200 stunning color and b/w illustrations. The deep significance of light and
the lamp in Islamic culture and other traditions (Jewish, Christian, Zoroastrian, Hindu, and
Buddhist) is also explored, with reference made to the writings of authors belonging to the
"Traditionalist school", notably Frithjof Schuon, Rene Guenon, Titus Burckhardt, and Martin
Lings. "Symbol of Divine Light" presents a detailed exploration of the famous Koranic Verse of
Light and the symbolism of its constituent elements: light, the niche, the lamp, glass, oil, and the
tree. Parallels are also drawn with other traditions, indicating a universal symbolism. Symbol of
Divine Light concludes that the most important function of the mosque lamp was as a symbolic
reminder of the Verse of Light, as demonstrated by examples that were virtually non-functional
as lighting devices and also the extensive use of the mosque lamp as a decorative motif in Islamic
architecture. Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "Symbol of Divine Light" amply
provides the reader an opportunity to contemplate the meaning of the mosque lamp as a symbol
of Divine Light. Impressively informed and informative from cover to cover, "Symbol of Divine
Light" is highly and unreservedly recommended for personal, mosque, community, and academic
library Islamic History collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
The Buddhist Studies Shelf
Tales for Transforming Adversity
Khenpo Sodargye
Wisdom Publications
199 Elm Street, Somerville, MA 02144
www.wisdompubs.org
9781614292555, $16.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Khenpo Sodargye was born in Tibet in 1962 in what is today the Sichuan province of China.
After spending his early years herding yaks, he entered the Buddhist monastery and went on to
become the preeminent scholar of Larung Gar Buddhist Institute in Serthar. He has been
especially effective at popularizing Tibetan Buddhism among Chinese communities and regularly
speaks at universities in Asia and the West. In "Tales for Transforming Adversity: A Buddhist
Lama's Advice for Life's Ups and Downs" he provides a variety of meditations on topics ranging
from flattery and jealousy to karma and compassion. In each brief chapter Khenpo Sodargye
weaves in stories from ancient classics and modern headlines. Drawing on adages from the
Buddha, Confucius, and even Mark Twain, he delivers simple and timeless insights about facing
adversity and developing a good heart. With this English-language edition, American students of
Buddhism can benefit from Khenpo Sodargye's ageless advice on money, relationships,
mortality, and more. While "Tales for Transforming Adversity: A Buddhist Lama's Advice for
Life's Ups and Downs" is very highly recommended for both community and academic library
Buddhism collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted for students and
non-specialist general readers that it is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$11.99).
The Photography Shelf
Abandoned France
Sylvain Margaine, photographer
Jonglez Publishing
c/o National Book Network
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9782361952167, $39.95, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Since 1998 Sylvain Margaine has been identifying and photographing the world's forgotten
heritage and publishing these urban explorations on his website: www.forbidden- places.net.
With the assistance of David Margaine, Sylvain's "Abandoned France" follows the trail of the
abandoned Gandrange steelworks or the decommissioned Uckange blast furnaces in Lorraine, a
spectacular marine graveyard in Brittany's Crozon peninsula, a forgotten chateau on the outskirts
of Paris, a derelict sanatorium in the Alps, the remains of a magnificent Art Deco concert hall in
the north, a disused hospital in the south-west, a military fort in the Pyrenees, now off-limits, and
a former wine storage cellar in Normandy. Sylvain still travels around France in search of these
forbidden and often overlooked places because, as with the publication of "Abandoned France",
this is the way he draws attention to the sometimes dramatic fate of the country's heritage, the
preservation of which has become a matter for serious reflection. A fascinating, thoughtful and
thought-provoking browse from cover to cover, "Abandoned France" is an especially
recommended addition to both community and academic library Contemporary Photography
collections.
Ballenesque: Roger Ballen - A Retrospective
Roger Ballen
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500519691, $80.00, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Roger Ballen is an award-winning American photographer who has lived and worked in South
Africa since the 1970s. "Ballenesque: Roger Ballen - A Retrospective" is a visual exploration of
his now more than four-decade-long career and represents an entirely fresh edit by Roger Ballen
himself and features many previously unpublished images. Best known for his psychologically
powerful and intricately layered images that exist in a space between painting, drawing,
installation, and photography "Ballenesque" is the first comprehensive retrospective of his work
and is deftly separated into four parts, presenting a chronological journey through Ballen's entire
oeuvre, including both iconic images and previously unpublished works. With more than 300
photographs in color and duotone, as well as featuring an informative introduction by Robert JC
Young, "Ballenesque" offers a new way of seeing Ballen's work for those who already follow his
career, as well as providing a impressively comprehensive introduction for those encountering
his striking photographs for the first time. "Ballenesque: Roger Ballen - A Retrospective" is
highly recommended as a critically important addition to personal, professional, community, and
academic library Contemporary Photography collections and supplemental studies reading
lists.
The Woodworking Shelf
Finishing Wood
Fine Woodworking Editors
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781631868931, $21.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
A great finish can make even the most simple of woodworking projects look magnificent, while a
bad finish job can ruin the most well-built and sophisticated piece of furniture. Finishing can be a
daunting and mystifying task to many woodworkers and DIYers who fear wrecking their projects
at this late stage in the process. That's why the editorial staff of Fine Woodworking magazine
assembled a collection of articles from Fine Woodworking to bring together in one instructional
resource the very best information on a rich variety of finishing techniques. Finishing wood isn't
limited to fine clear finishes like shellac and French polishing, but also includes bright pigmented
lacquers, dyes and stains, milk paint, and "crackled" paint. Of special note is the section devoted
to the hot new trend of coloring wood. Also included is timeless information on preparing a
surface before you apply a finish (a critical first step) as well as tried-and-true methods for
applying all the traditional finishes, whether by brush or by spraying. Profusely illustrated from
cover to cover, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Finishing Wood" is
an essential, core addition to personal, professional, school wood shop, community, and technical
college library Woodworking instructional reference collections.
The Fashion Shelf
Fashion Design Course: Principles, Practice, and Techniques
Steven Faerm
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788
www.barronseduc.com
9781438011073, $23.99, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Steven Faerm is the BFA Director of Fashion Design at Parsons The New School for Design in
New York City. An alumnus of Parsons, he was nominated for the prestigious Designer of
the Year Award during his final year. Following graduation, he went on to work for such
designers as Donna Karan and Marc Jacobs. He has been an active faculty member at Parsons
since 1998. In "Fashion Design Course: Principles, Practice, and Techniques" he draws upon his
years of experience and expertise to provide a completely 'user friendly' course of instruction for
aspiring fashion designers. The "Fashion Design Course" covers: How the digital age impacts
education and the design process from research right through to the finished product; Customer
Profiles: demographics, psychographics, the role of advertising, and more; Creating a unique
vision with help from ethnographic research, design considerations, iconic films and their impact
on fashion design, and developing a fabric story; Cultivating your design collection through
process and investigation while using Mood Boards, Garment Construction, and more; Producing
your own collections with individual exercises based on frequently used concepts for building
collections including Shipping Reports, Ethnic Backgrounds, 3D/2D, Concept to Runway, Shifts
in Fashion, Accessories, and more; Strategies and tips that will help you transition from course
work to a career in fashion including tips on resumes, interviewing, portfolio presentation, and
more. Now in a significantly updated second edition "Fashion Design Course: Principles,
Practice, and Techniques" includes the latest information in fashion design and development and
is an ideal introduction for students, dressmakers, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the creative side of the fashion industry. Exceptionally well written, organized,
illustrated and presented, "Fashion Design Course: Principles, Practice, and Techniques" is
unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Contemporary
Fashion instructional reference collections. It should be noted for fashion design students that
"Fashion Design Course: Principles, Practice, and Techniques" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $16.19).
The Needlecraft Shelf
Start with Strips
Susan Ache
Martingale & Company
19021 - 120th Avenue NE, Suite 102, Bothell, WA 98011
www.shopmartingale.com
9781604688719, $25.99, PB, 80pp, www.amazon.com
In the beautifully illustrated pages of "Start with Strips: 13 Colorful Quilts from 2-1/2" Strips",
master scrap quilter Susan Ache shares her secrets for creating gorgeous, colorful quilts -- and
they all start with 2-1/2" fabric strips. Once Susan's thoroughly 'user friendly' tricks for sorting
strips, even the most novice quilt making beginner will feel comfortable in making sensationally
scrappy quilts without fear of choosing colors or prints. And Susan's sorting method? It works
the same for virtually all precut fabrics. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Start with
Strips: 13 Colorful Quilts from 2-1/2" Strips" is enthusiastically recommended for personal and
community library Needlecraft instructional reference collections. It should be noted that "Start
with Strips: 13 Colorful Quilts from 2-1/2" Strips" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
The Big Book of One-Block Quilts
That Patchwork Place
Martingale & Company
19021 - 120th Avenue NE, Suite 102, Bothell, WA 98011
www.shopmartingale.com
9781604688931, $28.99, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
It's so easy to create quilts that repeat a single block -- make just one and even the most novice of
quilt makers will have the confidence to fly through the rest of their quilt! With "The Big Book
of One-Block Quilts", quilting enthusiasts will be able to choose from a 57 diverse quilts to piece
one block at a time, or make blocks in multiples with quick chain-piecing methods. "The Big
Book of One-Block Quilts" features such star quilting designers including Kim Diehl, Country
Threads' Mary Etherington and Connie Tesene, Pat Sloan, Carrie Nelson, and Jo Morton will
help along the way. With "The Big Book of One-Block Quilts" anyone can pair repeated blocks
with plain squares, rotate blocks for a playful spin, or simply line them up row by row. From fun
make-in-a-weekend designs to stunning quilts to cherish and pass on, "The Big Book of
One-Block Quilts" will have just the perfect block to repeat in a colossal compilation of quilt
patterns! Impressively 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Big Book of
One-Block Quilts" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, and community
library Needlecrafting instructional reference collections. It should be noted that "The Big Book
of One-Block Quilts" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Parenting Shelf
Understanding Your Teen
Jim Burns
IVP Books
c/o InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830844876, $16.00, PB, 212pp, www.amazon.com
Parenting teenagers is one of the biggest challenges a parent can face. New realities make
becoming independent more difficult. Teens are traveling a different road and are moving at a
different pace than those of previous generations. Today's cultural environment is more
complicated and confusing than ever. That's why with "Understanding Your Teen: Shaping Their
Character, Facing Their Realities" by family expert Jim Burns has provided a handy guide for
parenting teens. For teens to become responsible adults, parents need to help them grow through
developmental changes to attain a healthy self-identity, establish good relationships, make wise
decisions, and grow in their relationship with God. Burns shows how parents can shape behavior
and character, navigate social media challenges, and communicate and resolve conflict healthily.
He also tackles the realities of our day, including cyberbullying, dating violence, self-injury,
depression, and much more. Whether you're facing serious troubles or need simple tips for a
better family life, this book offers help and hope, "Understanding Your Teen" will prove to be an
immensely insightful and informative instructional guide. Exceptionally well written, organized
and presented, "Understanding Your Teen" is especially recommended for community library
Parenting reference collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Understanding
Your Teen" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
The Real Mum's Guide to Surviving Parenthood
Jen Hogan
Orpen Press
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, 124 Byers Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
9781786050328, $22.00, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com
In the pages of "The Real Mum's Guide to Surviving Parenthood", Jen Hogan (a real-life, mother
of seven children) offers her perspective on the rollercoaster of parenthood, with all its ups and
downs, challenges, and rewards. The approach and tone are both humorous and sensitive.
Realistic and anecdotal, "The Real Mum's Guide to Surviving Parenthood" is filled from cover to
cover with 'real world' practical advice that appreciates the emotional involvement in rearing
children. "The Real Mum's Guide to Surviving Parenthood" will prove to be an informative and
applicable read for all parents, from expectant mothers to parents of teenagers as it deals with a
broad range of concerns and issues including: Pregnancy, Childbirth, Miscarriage; The Newborn
Stage; Postnatal Depression; The importance of friends for a new mother; Toddler terrors and
'threenagers'; Adjusting the family dynamic with the introduction of a new child; The primary
school years; The secondary school transition. If you as a busy mother have time for only one
'self-help' book, make it "The Real Mum's Guide to Surviving Parenthood"! While very highly
recommended for community and academic library Parenting instructional reference collections,
it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Real Mum's Guide to Surviving
Parenthood" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Self-Help Shelf
How to Survive Your Childhood Now That You're an Adult
Ira Israel
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608685073, $15.95, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
As children, we learned to get approval by creating facades to help us get our emotional and
psychological needs met, but we also rebelled against authority as a way of individuating. As
adults, these conflicting desires leave many of us feeling anxious or depressed because our
authentic selves are buried deep beneath glitzy or rebellious exteriors or some combination
thereof. "How to Survive Your Childhood Now That You're an Adult: A Path to Authenticity and
Awakening" by psychotherapist Ira Israel is provocative and instructive guide offering the reader
a powerful, comprehensive, step-by-step path to recognizing the ways of being that we created as
children and transcending them with compassion and acceptance. By doing so, we discover our
true callings and cultivate the authentic love we were born deserving. With an underlying and
ultimately inspiring theme of positive change, "How to Survive Your Childhood Now That
You're an Adult" is a life-changing, life-enhancing read from cover to cover, and one that is
unreservedly recommended for personal growth reading lists, as well as community and
academic library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted that "How to
Survive Your Childhood Now That You're an Adult" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Tantor Audio, 9781541464919,
$24.99, CD).
The Audiobook Shelf
Shift Ahead
Allen Adamson and Joel Steckel, authors
Performed by Tom Parks
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781536663259 $19.99 www.brillianceaudio.com
Shift Ahead: How the Best Companies Stay Relevant in a Fast-Changing World is the
unabridged MP3 audiobook (plays on MP3-CD enabled players or transfers to portable devices)
about the importance of adapting to technological and market-based changes for all types of
organizations, from nonprofits to small businesses to multinational corporations. How can
executives best react to new technology that all but dismantles the traditional business model,
competitors that appear out of nowhere, evolving trends and tastes, and more? Shift Ahead draws
form interviews with more than 100 executives and experts who lived through turbulent changes
or closely analyzed them, and is a "must" for business leaders or proprietors in the twenty-first
century. Highly recommended. 1 MP3 CD, 10 hours 22 min.
Mr. Dickens and His Carol
Samantha Silva, author
Euan Morton, narrator
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781427292728, $29.99, CD, www.amazon.com
Charles Dickens is not feeling the Christmas spirit. His newest book is an utter flop, the critics
have turned against him, relatives near and far hound him for money. While his wife plans a
lavish holiday party for their ever-expanding family and circle of friends, Dickens has visions of
the poor house. But when his publishers try to blackmail him into writing a Christmas book to
save them all from financial ruin, he refuses. And a serious bout of writer's block sets in.
Frazzled and filled with self-doubt, Dickens seeks solace in his great palace of thinking, the city
of London itself. On one of his long night walks, in a once-beloved square, he meets the
mysterious Eleanor Lovejoy, who might be just the muse he needs. As Dickens' deadlines close
in, Eleanor propels him on a Scrooge-like journey that tests everything he believes about
generosity, friendship, ambition, and love. The story he writes will change Christmas forever. All
the more impressive when considering that "Mr. Dickens and His Carol" is the debut of author
Samantha Silva as novelist, this superbly crafted and consistently entertaining story is deftly
narrated by the vocal talents of Euan Morton. The result is a true 'theatre of the mind' experience
from beginning to end, making this complete and unabridged Macmillan Audio edition "Mr.
Dickens and His Carol" unreservedly recommended for personal and community library audio
book collections. (7 CDs, 8 Hours).
Children of the Fleet
Orson Scott Card, author
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.macmillanaudio.com
9781427289926, $39.99, CD, www.amazon.com
Orson Scott Card is an American novelist, critic, public speaker, essayist, and columnist. He
writes in several genres but is known best for science fiction. "Children of the Fleet" is a new
angle on Card's 'Ender's Shadow' science fiction series, telling the story of the Fleet in space,
parallel to the story on Earth. Ender Wiggin won the Third Formic war, ending the alien threat to
Earth. Afterwards, all the terraformed Formic worlds were open to settlement by humans, and the
International Fleet became the arm of the Ministry of Colonization, run by Hirum Graff. MinCol
now runs Fleet School on the old Battle School station, and still recruits very smart kids to train
as leaders of colony ships, and colonies. Dabeet Ochoa is a very smart kid. Top of his class in
every school. But he doesn't think he has a chance at Fleet School, because he has no connections
to the Fleet. That he knows of. At least until the day that Colonel Graff arrives at his school for
an interview. Card's thoroughly entertaining story is brought to life in a true 'theatre of the mind'
experience with an especially talented cast that includes Stefan Rudnicki, Emily Rankin, Kirby
Heyborne, Orson Scott Card, P.J. Ochlan, Gabrielle de Cuir, Richard Gilliland, Kristoffer Tabori,
and Judy Young. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library audio book
collections, this complete and unabridged Macmillan Audio edition is a 'must' for the legions of
Orson Scott Card fans! (10 CDs, 11.5 Hours).
The Unkillable Kitty O'Kane
Colin Falconer, author
Performed by Alana Kerr Collins
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781543630329 $24.95 www.brillianceaudio.com
The Unkillable Kitty O'Kane is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a historical fiction novel
starring a plucky and resourceful heroine. Set in the early twentieth century, the saga follows
Kitty O'Kane's escape from extreme poverty in Dublin, her misfortune aboard the "Titanic" while
working as a maid, her fight for civil rights as a New York suffragette, her travels in war-torn
Europe as a journalist, and her return to her native Ireland to serve as a nurse in the Irish Civil
War. She finds the possibility of love with her childhood sweetheart, Tom Davis, but will her
tumultuous and sometimes violent past impede her road to happiness? An absorbing, character-
driven saga smoothly brought to life by performer Alana Kerr Collins, The Unkillable Kitty
O'Kane is highly recommended for both public library and personal audiobook collections. 8
discs, 9 hours 44 min.
Questions That Sell, second edition
Paul Cherry, author
Performed by Patrick Lawlor
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781543640755 $24.99 www.brillianceaudio.com
Now in an updated second edition with new material on how to discover hidden customer needs
and motivations, how to turn social media contacts into actual sales leads, how to soothe anxious
buyers, and more, Questions That Sell is an unabridged audiobook not only for sales
professionals, but also for any independent contractor or small business owner. Knowing the
right questions to ask a prospective client can make all the difference in a fiercely competitive
economy, making Questions that Sell a "must" resource. Highly recommended! 7 discs, 8 hours
17 min.
The Music CD Shelf
The View from Outside
The Ries Brothers
RiesBrothers.com
Privately Published
$13.99 CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com
The View from Outside is the debut album by The Ries Brothers, an up-and-coming duo of
literal brothers who incorporate rock, blues, funk, and reggae into their own unique style of lively
music. Vocals, drums, keyboard bass, and guitar are the primary instruments driving this
energetic, passionate performance, enthusiastically recommended as a musical "pick me up"! The
tracks are "It's Never Me", "Closer To You", "Street Lights", "Echoing Dream", "Neon Signs",
"Run to the Sea", "The View from the Outside", "Sentimental Games", "No Place I'd Rather Be",
"Something", "Unrequited", "Without You", and "Road Map".
After the Harvest
Michael Kent Smith
michaelkentsmith.com
Heart Dance Recordings
$TBA CD / $7.99 MP3 amazon.com
Originally composed in 2002, After the Harvest is being re-released by Heart Dance Recordings.
Composed by painter and musician Michael Kent Smith, After the Harvest is inspired by the
music structure of the 12th century and draws inspiration from the cycles of life, from daily
routines to generational shifts. Many of the songs were built around medieval tunes, though once
the composition was complete Michael Smith removed the original medieval melody from the
finished project. A variety of instruments including guitars, dulcimers, psaltery, bandurria,
recorders, dumbec and shakers are used in this unique and memorable creation, highly
recommended for connoisseurs of reinvented classics. The tracks are "The Fruits of Your Labor"
(6:45), "Tapestry #1" (3:09), "Konstantin Surveys His Land" (4:15), "Fourteen Generations"
(2:05), "The Veil" (2:44), "Sing Mother Earth" (4:11), "Peace Is Every Step" (3:01), "The Family
Tree" (2:53), "Aucon Vont" (2:29), "The Royal Chamber" (3:48), "The (W)hole Above Me"
(5:01), "As the Crow Flies (Parts I & II)" (3:35), "Until Next Year (The Haymakers Dance)"
(3:38) and "The Noble Vine" (2:54).
Spiritual Odyssey
Russell Suereth
www.russellsuereth.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
Spiritual Odyssey: A Chronicle of a Spiritual Journey is the fourth recording by electronic
keyboardist, new age vocalist, and composer Russell Suereth. The music is designed to guide the
listener on a spiritual voyage to clear the mind and sharpen the senses, encouraging one to dream
and think beyond everyday confines. Spiritual Odyssey is beautiful, inspirational, and highly
recommended especially to new age connoisseurs. The tracks are "Break the Chains" (3:21), "My
Beating Heart" (3:19), "Where Will I Go" (4:37), "A Ride to Virgo" (4:56), "So Far Away"
(3:18), "The Hidden Dance" (3:33), "It's All Around" (3:59), "The Walls are Tumbling" (5:00),
"Seed of Imagery" (3:45) and "A Burning Rainbow" (3:45).
When Every Word Was Singing
Uwe Gronau
uwegronau.com
Privately Published
$TBA cdbaby.com
When Every Word Was Singing is the latest, original new age album by German keyboardist and
composer Uwe Gronau, well-known for his dynamic creativity and masterful electric
soundscapes. A handful of friends and associates, including lyricist Michael Hoing, contributed
to a few of the songs, but most of When Every Word Was Singing flows from Gronau's vision.
Soul-stirring to the point of transcendental, When Every Word Was Singing is highly
recommended to new age connoisseurs. The tracks are "When Every Word Was Singing" (4:05),
"Inner Face" (3:51), "Motif in Motion" (3:54), "Never Forget" (3:54), "Breakfast in Kentucky"
(4:01), "Rockets on their Minds" (3:30), "Rainbows in our Eyes" (3:25), "Storm" (2:34), "Into the
Sky" (3:31), "Dream Dream" (3:45), "Jackson" (4:13), "Loving Time" 4:23", "Ray of Hope"
(3:14), "Death of a Matador" (3:53), "Nachstuck" (3:30), and "Waterland" (2:49).
The DVD/Blu-ray Shelf
Acceptable Risk
Chad Campbell
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$39.99 www.acornonline.com
Available in both DVD and Blu-ray formats, Acceptable Risk is an Acorn TV Original Series
laced with corporate intrigue. When the second husband of Sarah Manning (played by Elaine
Cassidy) is killed while on business in Montreal, her daily life in Dublin escalates out of control.
She begins to understand just how little she knew of his business dealings with a powerful
international pharmaceutical company. Could whoever killed him also have murdered her first
husband? What secret might both men have known that made their lives forfeit? Detective Emer
Byrne (played by Angeline Ball) has been assigned to the case, and relentlessly sifts conflicting
evidence in spite of her superior's orders. A harrowing and suspenseful thriller, Acceptable Risk
is highly recommended. Bonus features include behind-the-scenes featurettes (62 min.) and cast
interviews (19 min.) 6 episodes on 2 discs, 322 min. plus bonus.
George Gently: The Complete Collection
Based on the novels by Alan Hunter
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$149.99 DVD / $149.99 Blu-ray www.acornonline.com
Available as a 25-disc DVD set or as a 13-disc Blu-ray set, George Gently: The Complete
Collection gathers the entire BBC detective drama series based on the riveting novels by Alan
Hunter and starring award-nominated actor Martin Shaw as the respectable Detective George
Gently. Aided by his loyal partner Detective Inspector John Bacchus (played by Lee Ingleby),
George Gently investigates sinister crimes and confronts the turbulent social and political
changes of mid-1960s England. The Complete Collection consists of the 25 feature-length
mysteries of all eight George Gently series, and is an absolute "must-have" for British mystery
connoisseurs! Bonus materials include behind-the-scenes featurettes, cast interviews, production
notes, and a photo gallery. 37.5 hours.
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
www.ymaa.com
www.holdenqigong.com
Two excellent DVDs from YMAA Publications and instructor Lee Holden guide viewers of all
skill and experience levels to Qi Gong, an ancient movement practice in Chinese medicine that
promotes a healthy body and tranquil mind. In "Qi Gong for Strong Bones" (33 min.), Holden
demonstrates strength building exercises, as well as bone breathing Qi exercises and ways to
circulate life force energy. In "Qi Gong for Healthy Joints" (54 min.), Holden guides the viewer
to flexibility building exercises, joint circulation Qi exercises, and flows to send energy to the
joints. Both DVDs are easy to follow, and filmed amid the beautiful Yosemite wilderness. A
disclaimer on both DVDs notes that they are not intended to substitute for the counsel of a
trained physician concerning bone or joint issues; with that caveat firmly in mind, "Qi Gong for
Strong Bones" and "Qi Gong for Healthy Joints" are highly recommended as a supplement to
personal fitness programs.
The Travel Shelf
The Solo Travel Handbook
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
9781787011335 $17.99 www.lonelyplanet.com
The Solo Travel Handbook: Practical Tips and Inspiration for a safe, fun and fearless trip is
packed cover to cover with recommendations for solo travelers, whether on a road trip, a visit to
a foreign city, or a vacation on an island paradise. Full-color photographs illustrate this superb
resource, with tips ranging from useful smartphone apps, to safety suggestions (such as asking
the staff of one's local accommodation to mark which areas on a map are dangerous to visit), to
health concerns ("In some countries, typically developing countries, what it says on the
[pharmaceutical] packet may not be what's inside the packet"). The Solo Travel Handbook also
has recommendations for being a responsible and eco-friendly travelers, as well as planning a
balanced itinerary and travel budget. An absolute "must-have" for any independent traveler,
highly recommended.
Veggie Hotels
teNeues Publishing Group
7 West 18th Street, New York, NY, 10011
www.teneues.com
9783961710454, $65.00, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Even with the loveliest hotel room and a beckoning pool, the perfect vacation for vegetarians can
be spoiled when the restaurant forces them to make a meal out of side dishes because no
vegetarian entrees are offered. For vegetarians and vegans, a hotel vacation suiting their culinary
lifestyle is quite a challenge. But there are outstanding alternatives out there, they just have to
find them! Travel journalists, Thomas and Karen Klein, had the same thought, so, in 2011, they
joined forces with Peter Haunert to launch the hotel partner and website, VeggieHotels, a portal
featuring 100% vegetarian hotels and inns. In addition to purely vegetarian-vegan hotels, more
establishments are offering guests outstanding vegan cuisine alongside more conventional dishes,
so the founders of VeggieHotels responded to this trend in 2015 by expanding their selection of
vegan-friendly accommodations with another new website called, VeganWelcome. They shine a
spotlight on wonderful places run with great love and enthusiasm that are paving the way for a
kind of tourism based on ethical principles and sustainability. And their success shows just how
right they were: today, more than 300 hotels and inns in over 60 countries are VeggieHotels and
VeganWelcome members. Guests at these establishments can savor new and creative vegetarian
and vegan cuisine that will satisfy even the most jaded palate. This volume introduces the best
hotels from the VeggieHotels and VeganWelcome websites with gorgeous photos and detailed
information on each property's special features from cooking classes to yoga retreats. The
locations include everything from trendy downtown hotels in vegan hotspots Berlin and London
to a holistic health resort on Bali. Top chefs reveal their secret recipes as well, so your culinary
getaway can continue long after you've returned home. A unique, beautifully illustrated, and
impressively informative specialized travel guide of special interest and value to vegans and
vegetarians, "Veggie Hotels" is unreservedly recommended for personal, travel agency,
community, and academic library Travel Guide collections.
Secret Tokyo
Pierre Mustiere & Yoko Kera
Jonglez Publishing
9782361951153, $19.95, PB, 400pp, www.amazon.com
"Secret Tokyo" is a unique local guide to a Tokyo relatively unknown to a typical tourist
including a building that acts as a giant firewall, a secret city center canyon, a statue that cures
warts, ultra-modern designer toilets, an extraordinary tree that helps you quit smoking, an
electronic sunflower, a spectacular modern temple hidden in the heart of Shinjuku, a street that
gives Tokyo taxi drivers nightmares, a massive building that looks like a warship, forgotten
rivers, and so much more! Far from the ordinary crowds and the usual cliches, the city of Tokyo
swings between modernity and tradition, preservation of its heritage, sophisticated aestheticism
and eccentricity, offering countless off-beat experiences. The Japanese capital is home to any
number of well-hidden treasures that will be revealed only to residents and travelers who find
their way off the beaten track with the help that "Secret Tokyo" has to offer them. An
indispensable guide for those who thought they knew Tokyo well or would like to discover the
other face of the city, "Secret Tokyo" is nicely illustrated throughout and unreservedly
recommended for personal, community, and academic library Travel Guide collections in
general, and Tokyo excursion itineraries in particular.
The Cookbook Shelf
Cooking with the Wolfman: Indigenous Fusion
David Wolfman & Marlene Finn
Douglas & McIntyre
c/o Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219, Madeira Park, BC, Canada, V0N 2H0
www.douglas-mcintyre.com
9781771621632, $29.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Chef David Wolfman, member of the Xaxli'p First Nation, is an internationally recognized expert
in wild game and traditional Indigenous cuisine. He has been a culinary arts professor at George
Brown College in Toronto since 1994 and is also executive producer and host of a popular APTN
program, Cooking with the Wolfman. With the assistance of Marlene Finn, David Wolfman
draws upon his years of culinary experience and expertise to create "Cooking with the Wolfman:
Indigenous Fusion" showcasing a wealth of beautifully illustrated and 'kitchen cook friendly'
recipes for truly memorable Canadian dishes. These exquisite and deftly crafted recipes range
from Wild Rice Pepper Pilaf; Flame-Kissed Pineapple Shrimp Kebobs; Easy Deer Lasagna; and
Cranberry Moose Meatloaf with Mushroom Fig Sauce; to Lemony Rabbit Succotash;
Hot-Smoked Winnipeg Goldeye Chowder; Buffalo Pemmican; and Alderwood Smoked Nuts. Of
special note in addition to the recipes themselves are the instructional sections for novice chefs
on kitchen essentials and food handling techniques, basic cooking methods and 'tricks of the
trade. Unique, original, elegant, "Cooking with the Wolfman: Indigenous Fusion" will prove to
be an enduringly prized addition to any personal, family, professional, or community library
cookbook collection.
It's All Greek To Me
Debbie Matenopoulos
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, STE 400, Dallas, TX 75204
www.benbellabooks.com
9781939529930, $29.95, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com
Debbie Matenopoulos is the first member of her family born in America and grew up in a
traditional Greek household, eating delicious, authentic Greek cooking that her family had passed
down for generations. By the time Debbie had started her television career in New York on The
View, she began eating a standard American diet. But despite carefully limiting how much she
ate, she found herself gaining weight and lacking energy. As Debbie's career as an entertainment
news reporter and television host on BS, MTV, E!, and other networks had her constantly on the
go, she was grabbing whatever food was readily available. It was only when she returned to her
traditional Greek diet that she found herself easily (and healthily) realizing her natural weight and
regaining her natural energy, stamina, and physique. Now, in "It's All Greek to Me: Transform
Your Health the Mediterranean Way with My Family's Century-Old Recipes", Debbie shares 120
of her family's traditional Greek recipes and adds her own touch to make them even healthier and
easier to prepare. Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, the thoroughly 'kitchen cook
friendly' recipes range from Kalamarakia Tiganita (Lightly Fried Calamari); Patata kai Kremithi
Salata (Potato and Onion Salad); and Fasolatha (Navy Bean Soup); to Kolokithakia Gemista me
Kima (Stuffed Zucchini); Hirino Krassato (Pork in White Wine Sauce); and Trigona
Thessalonikis (Almond Custard Triangles). While enthusiastically and unreservedly
recommended for family, community, and professional ethnic cookbook collections, it should be
noted that "It's All Greek to Me: Transform Your Health the Mediterranean Way with My
Family's Century-Old Recipes" is also available in a paperback edition (9781942952411, $21.95)
and in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.19).
Everyday Korean
Kim Sunee & Seung Hee Lee
The Countryman Press
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.countrymanpress.com
9781682681145, $29.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
The backbone of Korean cuisine, jang, has a flavor not found anywhere else in the world. The
cuisine's combination of savory, sweet, salty, and spicy flavors makes it uniquely delicious, yet
there are few resources for those who wish to enjoy it at home. Until now. Compiled and
presented by Kim Sunee (a former food editor) Seung Hee Lee (who born and raised in Korea,
has studied traditional Korean Royal Court cuisine and teaches cooking classes in Atlanta,
Georgia) "Everyday Korean: Fresh, Modern Recipes for Home Cooks" is comprised of authentic
ethnic recipes that packed with Korean flavors, as well as Korean cooking techniques that will
open the door for readers unfamiliar with the cuisine. With thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly'
recipes ranging from Egg Pinwheels with Seaweed; Braised Rice Cakes; Glazed Lotus Root; and
Fresh Soy-Cured Blue Crabs; to Turnip Kimchni; Braised Fish in Spicy Broth; Beef on a Stick
with Korean BBQ Sauce; Duck Breast with Creamy Soy Sauce; and Kimchi Fried Rice Arancini.
Profusely illustrated with the beautifully photography of Leela Cyd and offering a wealth of
practical tips for building a Korean pantry, drink pairings (from soju to microbrews), and menu
ideas, "Everyday Korean" is the ultimate guide to one of the world's most unique and delicious
cuisines and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, professional and
community library Ethnic Cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Everyday Korean" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.05).
The Architecture Shelf
City of Wooden Houses: Georgetown, Guyana
Compton Davis
Merrell Publishers
8755 Lookout Mountain Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046
www.merrellpublishers.com
9781858946641, $60.00, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Georgetown is the capital of Guyana and located on the northeast coast of South America. It has
been described as 'the Venice of the West Indies', and its elegant canals and bridges, lush tropical
vegetation and handsome buildings make it a place of great beauty. The city's architecture is
essentially colonial, having been molded by the French, Dutch, British and Spanish during the
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Built in a classical style reinterpreted by local craftsmen and
realized largely in the region's plentiful wood rather than more durable brick and stone, these
buildings are now suffering from neglect and the ravages of the hot, humid climate. Some are
being carefully preserved and maintained, but many more are disintegrating or being demolished
to make way for development, much of it in glass and concrete. Beautifully and profusely
illustrated throughout, "City of Wooden Houses: Georgetown, Guyana" by professional architect
Compton Davis documents those colonial buildings, some of which have disappeared even since
they were photographed. Photographs of the individual buildings being showcased, along with
their particular features are accompanied by short descriptive and historical texts. "City of
Wooden Houses: Georgetown, Guyana" will have special and particular appeal to architects,
architecture students, and architecture conservationists and preservationists, making it
unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library
Architecture collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
Empire, State & Building
Kiel Moe
Actar D
c/o Actar Publishers
355 Lexington Avenue, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10017
http://actar.com
9781940291840, $34.95, HC, 300pp, www.amazon.com
"Empire, State & Building" by Kiel Moe (Associate Professor of Architecture and Energy at the
Harvard Graduate School of Design) considers the material basis of building as a key impetus of
both urbanization and the energetics of urban life. The otherwise externalized material
geographies and thermodynamics of building's material basis reveal much about the dynamics
and efficacy of how we build. "Empire, State & Building" plots the material history and
geography for one plot of land in Manhattan (the parcel of land under the Empire State Building)
over the past two hundred years. Through rich illustrations, "Empire, State & Building" deftly
tracks all the building material that have passed through this parcel or remain in its geographic
and ecological dynamics: spatially (in terms of their geographic material footprints and industrial
processes) and quantitatively (in terms of embodied energy, embodied carbon, and energy flow).
In successive chapters, "Empire, State & Building" articulates the empire and states that are
inherent to building, but remain unconsidered (abstract and unknown) by architects. Impressively
informed and informative, "Empire, State & Building" is extraordinarily well written, organized
and presented, making it an unreservedly recommended addition to professional, community, and
academic library Architectural History collections in general, and Empire State Building
supplemental studies reading lists in particular.
The Education Shelf
Robotics for Young Children
Ann Gadzikowski
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
www.redleafpress.org
9781605545448, $34.95, PB, 148pp, www.amazon.com
"Robotics for Young Children: STEM Activities and Simple Coding" by Ann Gadzikowski (who
has more than twenty-five years of experience as a teacher and director of early childhood
programs, and is the Early Childhood Coordinator for Northwestern University's Center for
Talent Development, as well as overseeing the summer Leapfrog Program) introduces young
children to the building and programming of robots through playful, developmentally appropriate
activities. Many early childhood professionals are unfamiliar with computer science, robotics,
and engineering concepts. "Robotics for Young Children" is a user-friendly and accessible
instruction guide and manual that will provide teachers with great ideas for engaging young
children in the form of 100 exciting hands-on computer science and engineering activities.
"Robotics for Young Children" can be easily included in a developmentally appropriate
curriculum and offers a balance of adult-facilitated and child-centered activities, making it an
ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to classroom, school district, college, and
university library Teacher Education instructional materials collections.
Lesson Plans
Judson G. Everitt
Rutgers University Press
106 Somerset St., 3rd Floor, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
http://rutgerspress.rutgers.edu
9780813587608, $95.00, HC, 222pp, www.amazon.com
An Assistant Professor of Sociology at Loyola University Chicago, Illinois, Judson G. Everitt
wrote "Lesson Plans: The Institutional Demands of Becoming a Teacher" to take students,
education policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject into
the everyday worlds of teacher training revealing the complexities and dilemmas teacher
candidates confront as they learn how to perform a job that many people assume anybody can do.
Using rich qualitative data, Professor Everitt analyzes how people make sense of their
prospective jobs as teachers, and how their introduction to this profession is shaped by the
institutionalized rules and practices of higher education, K-12 education, and gender. Trained to
constantly adapt to various contingencies that routinely arise in schools and classrooms, teacher
candidates learn that they must continually try to reconcile the competing expectations of their
jobs to meet students' needs in an era of accountability. "Lesson Plans" also reveals how
institutions shape the ways we produce teachers, and how new teachers make sense of the
multiple and complicated demands they face in their efforts to educate students. A remarkably
informative and exceptionally insightful study that is impressively accessible in both
organization and presentation, "Lesson Plans" is a unique and critically important addition both
college and university library Teacher Education collections and supplemental studies lists. It
should be noted that "Lesson Plans" is also available in a paperback edition (9780813587592,
$26.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $26.95).
The Biography Shelf
Agnes Moorehead On Radio, Stage and Television
Axel Nissen
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9781476667584, $39.95, PB, 217pp, www.amazon.com
In a career spanning six decades, Agnes Moorehead (December 6, 1900 - April 30, 1974) was
perhaps unique among 20th-century American actresses in becoming a star in four different
entertainment media (radio, theater, film and television) after the age 40. Focusing on 25 of her
most representative performances, "Agnes Moorehead on Radio, Stage and Television" by Axel
Nissen (Professor of American literature in the Department of Literature, Area Studies and
European Languages at the University of Oslo in Norway) is a biographical retrospective that
analyzes her work on radio serials like Mayor of the Town (1942-1949) and Suspense
(1942-1962), her stage productions of Don Juan in Hell and Gigi, her television appearances on
Bewitched and The Twilight Zone and her Emmy-winning appearance on The Wild Wild West.
Professor Nissen ably presents Moorehead's roles in the context of her personal life, discusses her
relationship with directors, producers and other performers and provides little known facts about
the productions. An extraordinarily informative and exceptionally well written biography
complete with Chapter Notes, a Bibliography, and an Index, "Agnes Moorehead On Radio, Stage
and Television" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic 20th Century
American Biography collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists (especially for
babyboomers who perhaps knows Agnes Moorehead best for her role in Betwitched as Endora)
that "Agnes Moorehead On Radio, Stage and Television" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $19.99).
Whatsoever Things...
Mark Camphouse
GIA Publications, Inc.
7404 South Mason Avenue, Chicago, IL 60638
www.giamusic.com
9781622771325, $29.95, HC, 265pp, www.amazon.com
John P. Paynter was one of the true legends of the wind band world, serving as the celebrated
Director of Bands at Northwestern University and President of the Midwest Band and Orchestra
Clinic. He forever impacted the instrumental music community. "Whatsoever Things...: The Life
and Teachings of John P. Paynter" is a fascinating and detailed portrait, the result of a
collaborative effort that is written by his friends, colleagues, former students, and with guidance
from the Paynter family. This outstanding biography delves into Paynter's outstanding abilities as
a great teacher, conductor, composer-arranger, leader, role model, innovator, and motivator.
"Whatsoever Things..." also explores Mr. Paynter's early years growing up in small-town Mineral
Point, Wisconsin, his student years at Northwestern University, his years as Director of Bands at
Northwestern, his directorship of the famed Northshore Concert Band, and his years as President
of the Midwest Clinic. More than a simple portrait of an extraordinary man, "Whatsoever
Things..." culminates with an examination of the present state of affairs in instrumental music
education and the wind band profession, and how its role in the school curriculum and in society
may change in the years ahead. An exceptionally informative and comprehensive study,
"Whatsoever Things..." is unreservedly recommended, especially for community and academic
library American Biography collections in general, and Music Education History supplemental
studies lists in particular.
American Witness: The Art and Life of Robert Frank
R. J. Smith
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780306823367, $35.00, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Robert Frank (born November 9, 1924) is a Swiss-American photographer and documentary
filmmaker. As well-known as Robert Frank the photographer is, few can say they really know
Robert Frank the man. Born and raised in wartime Switzerland, Frank discovered the power and
allure of photography at an early age and quickly learned that the art meant significantly more to
him than the money, success, or fame. The art was all, and he intended to spend a lifetime
pursuing it. "American Witness" is the first comprehensive look at the life of a man who's as
mysterious and evasive as he is prolific and gifted. Leaving his rigid Switzerland for the more
fluid United States in 1947, Frank found himself at the red-hot social center of bohemian New
York in the '50s and '60s, becoming friends with everyone from Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg,
and Peter Orlovsky to photographer Walker Evans, actor Zero Mostel, painter Willem de
Kooning, filmmaker Jonas Mekas, Bob Dylan, writer Rudy Wirlitzer, jazz musicians Ornette
Coleman and Charles Mingus, and more. Frank roamed the country with his young family, taking
roughly 27,000 photographs and collecting 83 of them into what is still his most famous work:
The Americans. His was an America nobody had seen before, and if it was harshly criticized
upon publication for its portrait of a divided country, the collection gradually grew to be
recognized as a transformative American vision. And then he turned his back on certain success,
giving up photography to reinvent himself as a film and video maker. Frank helped found the
American independent cinema of the 1960s and made a legendary film with the Rolling Stones.
Today, the nonagenarian is an embodiment of restless creativity and a symbol of what it costs to
remain original in America, his life defined by never repeating himself, never being satisfied.
"American Witness" is a definitive portrait of a singular artist and the country that he saw,
making it unreservedly recommended, especially for community and academic library
Contemporary American Biography collections in general, and Robert Frank supplemental
studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "AmericanWitness" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $23.99).
East of the Rockies: The Les Morgan Story
Jeannette Morgan Yim & Les Morgan
Sweetgrass Books
c/o Farcountry Press
PO Box 5630, Helena, MT 59604
www.farcountrypress.com
9781591521983, $16.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
On first meeting him, Les Morgan seems to be just a deeply humble, sweet, gentle, and
seemingly simple Montana man. But there has been nothing simple or easy about the journey that
has shaped him into the survivor he is today. "East of the Rockies: The Les Morgan Story" is a
compelling and informative memoir in which Les takes us into his life from as early as he can
remember, recalling experiences starting as young as two years old, and he gives us the reality of
what it was like being raised with a speech problem by a 1st Special Service Forces veteran
father, a devout and quiet Catholic mother, and five sisters and brothers. Through his love of
music, Les overcomes his childhood struggles, then loses his first love to cancer, raises three
children as a widower, has a son on the autism spectrum, and eventually finds love again. Subtly
profound and poignant, this is a deeply personal story about abuse, loss, grief, forgiveness,
healing, triumph, perseverance, and finding happiness despite hardships. Interviewed over
several years by his loving sister Jeannette, these two siblings enrich their already unbreakable
bond by diving into his journey together. "East of the Rockies: The Les Morgan Story" is
unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary American
Biography collections and personal reading lists.
The Fishing Shelf
Trout Streams Of Western New York
J. Michael Kelly
Burford Books, Inc.
101 East State Street, #301, Ithaca, NY 14850
www.burfordbooks.com
9781580801829, $18.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com
A veteran angler, J. Michael Kelly was the outdoors columnist for the Syracuse Post-Standard for
sixteen years and has contributed thousands of articles for a wide variety of outdoors
publications. Western New York State is home to some of the finest trout fishing in the United
States, from major rivers with massive brown trout to the most intimate streams home to wild
brookies. In "Trout Streams Of Western New York: Locations, Strategies and Techniques for All
Anglers" Kelly draws upon his years of experience, research and expertise about angling for trout
in the Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Southern Tier regions to provide beginners and local experts
alike with the essential ingredients for great fishing, including clear directions to more than 50
top-notch streams in six counties and Allegany State Park. Kelly brings his angling mastery to
large trout waters like the serpentine Ischua Creek north of Olean, the upper Genesee River and
its no-kill area near Wellsville and the scenic, wild-fish-only Wiscoy Creek in southern
Wyoming County, and many more, with precise instructions on where, when and how to catch
fish with both fly and spinning tackle. The most effective techniques and equipment are covered
in full, along with go-to flies for the fly fisherman. Of special note is Kelly's promotion of a
conservation crusade on behalf of natural resources which need, above all else, some
well-motivated friends. Simply stated, "Trout Streams Of Western New York: Locations,
Strategies and Techniques for All Anglers" is an ideal and thoroughly 'user friendly' planning
guide for anyone wanting to fish the waters of Western New York.
The Sports Shelf
The First Season
Bob Duff
Biblioasis
1520 Wyandotte Street East, Windsor, ON N9A 3L2, Canada
www.biblioasis.com
9781771961844 $15.95 / $9.25 Kindle amazon.com
Sports journalist Bob Duff (who is a contributor to "The Hockey News", HockyBuzz.com,
NHL.com, and more) presents The First Season: 1917-18 and the Birth of the NHL, a history of
the first year of the National Hockey League. The NHL has just reached a centennial, but in its
very first year it almost died out. Conceived during The Great War (which would later be known
as World War I), the NHL was originally a new league created to break away from despised
Toronto owner Eddie Livingstone. Yet one crisis after another buffeted the nascent hockey
league, from a scarcity of talented players due to military conscription, to divided loyalties
among fans, to the fire that consumed the Montreal Arena that was home to two teams. An
amazing glimpse into true-life sports history and the colorful people who shaped it, The First
Season is a "must-read" for hockey enthusiasts and highly recommended for public and college
library sports collections.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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