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Wisconsin Bookwatch

Volume 11, Number 3 March 2016 Home | WBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Money/Finance Shelf
Social Issues Shelf Fiction Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Poetry Shelf Audiobook Shelf Music CD Shelf
DVD Shelf Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Fishing Shelf
Gardening Shelf Sports Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Buddhist Studies Shelf Photography Shelf Woodworking Shelf
Computer Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Automotive Shelf Coloring Book Shelf
Graphic Novel Shelf Education Shelf LGBT Studies Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

No Grey Areas
Joseph N. Gagliano
NoGreyAreas.com
Rebel Publishing
3104 E. Camelback #605, Phoenix, AZ 85016
9780997124811 $15.99 pbk / $9.99 Kindle www.amazon.com

Author Joseph N. Gagliano candidly and remorsefully tells the reader how the lure of easy money seduced him into illicit behavior. Gagliano was not involved in drugs or "street crime"; he was an expert at running complicated betting schemes involving the precise distribution of game scores, which he rigged to ensure that he walked away with a handsome, if ill-gotten profit. Targeted by the FBI, Gagliano served prison time and vowed to turn his life around, only to experience the victim's side of the con game. A trusted business partner betrayed him; a single mistake with a shady friend brought the FBI on his head a second time; and the first criminal defense lawyer he turned to was perhaps the worst fraud of them all. Gagliano presents No Grey Areas partly as a tell-all confessional of his bad decisions, and partly as a scathing indictment of deplorable human behavior - not only in the realm of illegal sports gambling, but also the completely legal realm of bank/real estate gambling that nearly destroyed the U.S. economy in 2009. A testament of hard-learned wisdom, No Grey Areas is utterly fascinating from cover to cover.

Survival of the Caregiver
Janice Hucknall Snyder
MSI Press, LLC
1760-F Airline Hwy, #203, Hollister, CA 95023
www.msipress.com
9781942891062, $14.95, PB, 222pp, www.amazon.com

"Survival of the Caregiver: A Treasury of ABC Self-Help Words That Give Encouragement and Support to the Caregiver" by Janice Hucknall Snyder is the direct result of all the author's ins and outs, ups and downs when caring for her husband for some 20 years when he had Parkinson's Disease, which was followed by Dementia. "Survival of the Caregiver" is written from the heart, making it as candidly personal as it is 'real-world' informative. Janice specifically chose to use an alphabetical list of topics so that a busy caregiver can refer to a special need quickly. "Survival of the Caregiver" will aid substantially and practically significantly assist caregivers in their sad, but meaningful day-in, day-out journey with a special needs loved one. Simply stated, every community library, senior citizen center instructional reference collection, as well as an individual caregiver's personal reading list.

The Dalai Lama's Big Book of Happiness
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, author
Edited by Renuka Singh
Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
www.redwheelweiser.com
9781571747396 $16.95 pbk / $9.95 Kindle www.amazon.com

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the current Buddhist spiritual leader, yet The Dalai Lama's Big Book of Happiness is openly addressed to readers of all faiths and all walks of life. Buddhist philosophy and practical wisdom intertwine in this thoughtful guide to attuning oneself to life's joy. Predicated on the assumption that each human being is responsible for his or her own well-being and happiness, as well as the health of society, The Dalai Lama's Big Book of Happiness examines how happiness can be attained both individually and collectively. "If your neighbor is unjust toward you, it is necessary and appropriate to put up a counter-measure, but without anger or hatred. Analyze the situation and take your effective counter-measure with a smile. That is more effective, isn't it? So hatred is almost of no use. If you think along these lines, you will realize that hatred is something that deserves to be thrown into the waste-paper basket." Highly recommended.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny
Justin Hill
Weinstein Books
345 Hudson Street, 13th floor, New York, NY 10014
www.weinsteinbooks.com
9781602862876, $14.99, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Based on the writings of Wang Dulu, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny" by Justin Hill is another deftly crafted novel featuring a life-altering quest, another struggle between honor and lust for power, an yet another generation of warriors forging alliances and enmities. The adventure, romance, and artistry of popular martial arts film 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' continues in this novelized companion to the first ever Netflix debut film, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny" and is a terrifically entertaining page-turner of a read from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The Money/Finance Shelf

Deduct Everything!
Eva Rosenberg
Humanix Books
PO Box 20989, West Palm Beach, FL 33416
www.humanixbooks.com
9781630060473, $19.99, PB, 286pp, www.amazon.com

Simply stated, "Deduct Everything!: Save Money with Hundreds of Legal Tax Breaks, Credits, Write-Offs, and Loopholes" by tax specialist Eva Rosenberg should be read carefully from cover to cover by every tax payer in the country. Informed and informative, practical and lawful, "Deduct Everything!" is packed solid with instructional information that will lowering almost anyone's annual federal and/or state tax bill. "Deduct Everything!" is a comprehensive and thoroughly 'reader friendly' guide to legal deductions, credits and loopholes including: Rules of thumb for record-keeping and how to stay organized; Secrets to mortgage, tax and insurance deductions; Maximizing work-related expenses; Making the most of medical expense and health savings accounts; Strategies for utilizing deductions and credits for education; and even tips on how to make more money with some of it being altogether tax-free! Of special note are the manifold ways to increase an IRS refund! If you pay taxes, you need your very own copy of "Deduct Everything!". Very highly recommended for community library Money/Finance instructional reference collections, it should be noted that "Deduct Everything!" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.99).

The Art of Making a Pile and Living Like a King
Alistair Friend
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781523265039, $18.00, PB, 148pp, www.amazon.com

Along with contributions by Ace Wilde and Philip James Kirke, "The Art of Making a Pile and Living Like a King" author Alistair Friend draws upon his many years of experience and expertise to present an accessible and entertaining guide to wealth creation specifically designed and intended for ordinary people who are starting from an ordinary financial base. All of the illustrative examples and insightful anecdotes are from real life. All of the money management techniques are authentic and proven. Thoroughly 'reader friendly', practical, and directly applicable, the nine practical strategies presented in the pages of "The Art of Making a Pile and Living Like a King" make this invaluable guide very highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Money/Finance instructional reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Social Issues Shelf

Trouble I've Seen
Drew G. I. Hart
Herald Press
1251 Virginia Avenue, Harrisonburg, VA 22802
www.heraldpress.com
9781513800004, $16.99, PB, 198pp, www.amazon.com

High-profile killings of young black men and women by white police officers, and the protests and violence that ensued, have convinced many white Christians to reexamine their intuitions when it comes to race and justice. In "Trouble I've Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism", theologian and Christian issues blogger Drew G. I. Hart places police brutality, mass incarceration, antiblack stereotypes, poverty, and everyday acts of racism within the larger framework of white supremacy. Leading readers toward Jesus, Hart offers concrete practices for churches that seek solidarity with the oppressed and are committed to racial justice. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Trouble I've Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism" is a compelling, thoughtful and thought-provoking read from beginning to end. Very highly recommended reading and critically important, even life-changing reading, for clergy and all members of the Christian community regardless of their denominational affiliation.


The Fiction Shelf

The Blackpool Highflyer
Andrew Martin
Isis Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781785411236, $35.50, 440pp, www.amazon.com

Assigned to drive holidaymakers to the seaside resort of Blackpool in the hot summer of 1905, Jim Stringer is happy to have left behind the grime and danger of life in London. But his dreams of beer and pretty women are soon shattered when his high-speed train meets a huge millstone on the line. In the months that follow, as he hunts for the saboteur, Jim is drawn into a beguiling but dangerous world of eccentrics, con-men and cowards. From ventriloquists to funfair salesmen, ticket clerks to dandies, everyone is a suspect. "The Blackpool Highflyer" is a riveting suspense thriller of a read from beginning to end and showcases author Andrew Martin as an impressively gifted novelist of the first order. This large print edition is especially recommended for community library large print fiction collections, as well as the personal reading lists for mystery/suspense enthusiasts.

Sidney Chambers And The Forgiveness Of Sins
James Runcie
Isis Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781785411250, $35.50, 448pp, www.amazon.com

James Runcie is an award-winning film-maker and the author of seven novels. "Sidney Chambers and The Shadow of Death", the first in 'The Grantchester Mysteries' series, was published in 2012, soon followed by "Sidney Chambers and The Perils of the Night", and "Sidney Chambers and The Problem of Evil". In October 2014, ITV launched "Grantchester", a prime-time, six-part series starring James Norton as Sidney Chambers. Now a new collection of six new Sidney Chamber stories has been published as "Sidney Chambers And The Forgiveness Of Sins" to the delight of the legion of James Runcie fans. This large print edition is especially recommended for community library large print Mystery/Suspense collections.

Oreads
John F. Lavelle
Roundfire Books
c/o John Hunt Publishing, Ltd.
Laurel House, Station Approach, Alresford, Hants, SO24 9JH, UK
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
9781785351839, $18.95, PB, 344pp, www.amazon.com

At fourteen, Cassie Wolphe's way of life in Appalachia is being changed by the influx of modernity/postmodernity. She is in love with Jake McCollum, believes she will marry him and constructs her life around this central act, but like her brother, Ben, Jake rejects a life he believes offers nothing but hard work and poverty. Forced to make a decision between her love of Jake and her love of the mountains, Cassie finds she can't leave, a choice which may define her life forever. At once lyrical, emotionally charged, moving and heartbreaking, Oreads is a literary treat that will keep you compelled right to the very last page and beyond. Author John F. Lavelle's "Oreads" is a compelling, creative, and original novel that is certain to be an enduringly popular and very highly recommended addition to community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Oreads" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.99).

Getting Right
Gary D. Wilson
Roundfire Books
c/o John Hunt Publishing, Ltd.
Laurel House, Station Approach, Alresford, Hants, SO24 9JH, UK
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
9781785351891, $16.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Suppose your more than mildly irritating leech of a sister calls you, as she usually does wanting money, only this time she says instead that she has cancer and in the course of the conversation challenges you to write the story of her life. You say, sure, you'll do that but you'll tell it the way you see it. The tale that emerges involves not only the dying sister, Connie, but brother Len as well. And it's also about "me", the sibling invited to narrate their shared story and whose interplay of memory and imagination raises the question of whether "the truth" of Connie's life (or of anyone else's for that matter) can ever be known. "Getting Right" is an absolutely absorbing and exceptional novel that establishes author Gary D. Wilson as an original and impressively gifted storyteller of the first order. Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Getting Right" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.49).

Tyger
Julian Stockwin
McBooks Press, Inc.
520 North Meadow Street, Ithaca, NY 14850
www.mcbooks.com
9781590137000, $24.00, HC, 328pp, www.amazon.com

In Julian Stockwin's latest nautical adventure historical novel, Kydd is offered a new command but that ship is still under construction, so he decides to look up one of his old naval friends and enjoy some of the pleasures of London. This is cut short when he is summoned to Portsmouth to bear witness at the trial of Sir Home Popham for his actions at Cape Town and Buenos Aires. Kydd confides in friends his true feelings about the way his old commander was treated and, when his opinions become public, finds himself in hot water with the Admiralty. Kydd is punished for his indiscretion by being given a different command: a mutiny ship, Tyger, moored at Yarmouth. On board he faces numerous challenges from a hostile and dejected crew, still under a malign influence. It will take all of Kydd's seamanship and leadership in voyages to the far north and in Baltic waters to turn the ship around. The measure of his success is tested in a cataclysmic battle against three Prussian frigates under the French flag. "Tyger" is another terrifically entertaining read by novelist Julian Stockwin and very highly recommended for community library Historical Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Tyger" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.59).

Last Man on Campus
John Abraham-Watne
North Star Press of St. Cloud
PO Box 451, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0451
www.northstarpress.com
9780878397983, $14.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Malworth University was not Michael Sinclair's first choice. Or his second. In fact, if it were up to him, Mike wouldn't have gone near the sleepy town of Cold River and its tiny university at all. But thanks to his dad, that's exactly where he found himself. Aside from the usual classes, parties, roommate issues, and girls, Mike got the sense that not all was at it seemed. All too soon, he became enmeshed in a mystery that could change his entire life -- and those of the students around him. Does he dare become the last man on campus? "Last Man on Campus" is an original and deftly crafted read that clearly showcases author John Abraham-Watne as an exceptionally gifted storyteller who will leave his fully entertained readers looking eagerly toward his next novel. Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Last Man on Campus" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

The Ramblers
Aidan Donnelly Rowley
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
www.harpercollins.com
9780062413314, $25.99, HC, 400pp, www.amazon.com

The Ramblers explores the lives of three lost souls, bound together by friendship and family. During the course of one fateful Thanksgiving week, a time when emotions run high and being with family can be a mixed blessing, author Aidan Rowley's sharply defined characters explore the moments when decisions are deliberately made, choices accepted, and pasts reconciled. There is Clio Marsh, whose bird-watching walks through Central Park are mentioned in New York Magazine, is taking her first tentative steps towards a relationship while also looking back to the secrets of her broken childhood. Her best friend, Smith Anderson is the seemingly-perfect daughter of one of New York's wealthiest families, and who organizes the lives of others as her own has fallen apart. Then there is Tate Pennington who has returned to the city, heartbroken but determined to move ahead with his artistic dreams. Rambling through the emotional chaos of their lives, this trio learns to let go of the past, to make room for the future and the uncertainty and promise that it holds. "The Ramblers" is a compelling novel influenced by fate, loss, hope, birds, friendship, love, the wonders of the natural world and the mysteries of the human spirit. Demonstrating author Aidan Rowley as an impressively gifted novelist, "The Ramblers" is very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Ramblers" is also available in a paperback edition (9780062413321, $15.99) and in a Kindle format ($12.99).


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Murdock Rocks Sedona
Robert J. Ray
Camel Press
c/o Coffeetown Press
PO Box 70515, Seattle, WA 98127
www.camelpress.com
9781603813372, $16.95, PB, 366pp, www.amazon.com

Wealthy investors in Sedona, Arizona, are dropping dead. They are falling down staircases and off mountainsides, decks, and hiking trails. With so many similar "accidents," the victims had to have been pushed. Other than their wealth and weakness for beautiful young women, what the falling men had in common was a financial interest in Sedona Landing, a historic hotel in Oak Creek Village. They also shared a long history with the chief investor, billionaire Axel Ackerman. Fearing that he too will plunge to his death, Ackerman hires Matt Murdock and Helene Steinbeck to investigate. During his climb to the top of the heap, Ackerman crushed scores of rivals and broke many hearts. The culling of his "Crew" of investors is clearly personal. So who among this crowded field of enemies would orchestrate such a byzantine scheme of revenge? To keep their client safe, Matt and Helene will have to be on their best game. Too bad their last case in Taos took such a heavy toll, particularly on Helene, and caused a rift in their fragile bond. Very highly recommended for mystery buffs and community library Mystery/Suspense collections, "Murdock Rocks Sedona" is the seventh book in the Matt Murdock Murder Mystery series and also available for personal reading lists in a Kindle edition ($5.95).

The Necessary Murder of Nonie Blake
Terry Shames
Seventh Street Books
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633881204, $15.95, PB, 270pp, www.amazon.com

Nonie Blake is back home from a mental institution where she has spent the last twenty years, and people in Jarrett Creek are worried. Maybe too worried, for within a week of her return, Nonie is murdered. Chief Samuel Craddock thinks the only possible suspects are members of her tight-lipped family. Ever since Nonie tried to kill her sister when she was fourteen and was sent away to the institution, the family has kept to itself. Clues are scarce and Craddock is stumped. So he checks with therapists at the mental hospital to see whether they can add anything useful to his investigation. But he discovers that she has not been there for ten years. Now Craddock has to find out where Nonie has been all this time. Soon Craddock finds himself dealing not only with murder, but layers of deception and secrets, and in the midst of it all -- a new deputy, one Maria Trevino, sent by the sheriff to beef up security in the small Texas town. Wonderfully entertaining from beginning to end, "The Necessary Murder of Nonie Blake" by Terry Shames is still another terrific mystery from a proven master of the mystery genre. Very highly recommended for all mystery buffs, as well as community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Necessary Murder of Nonie Blake" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

The Coalition
Samuel Marquis
Mount Sopris Publishing
www.samuelmarquisbooks.com
9781943593088, $14.99, PB, 432pp, www.amazon.com

From the fiftieth floor of an office building in Denver, Colorado, a long range assassin calmly watches a procession of black Lincolns. When the motorcade pulls to the curb in Civic Center Plaza, a prominent leader steps from one of the vehicles and takes the stage to make an important speech. Moments later, a loud boom echoes through the Plaza and the man slumps to the platform. The mysterious sniper, whose very existence is unknown to the international law enforcement community, has just assassinated U.S. President-elect William Ambrose Kieger. In the aftermath of the shocking political crime, the shooter escapes and a Task Force is swiftly assembled, headed up by Special Agent Kenneth Patton of the FBI's Denver Field Office. A ten-year vet in Domestic Terrorism, the unconventional Patton is driven to solve the crime by both professional and personal motives. His search leads him to a secret society whose diabolical and far-reaching plot threatens the very highest levels of the U.S. government. Yet the group's motives, secret membership, and ambitious plans remain elusive. Can Patton and his team uncover the plot in time to save the day? Can they beat the countdown on the clock and catch the assassin and the shadowy group in the background pulling the strings? Or will time run out? "The Coalition" by Samuel Marquis is a riveting novel by an uncommonly gifted writer. This is the stuff from which blockbuster movies are made! Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Coalition" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).

Rogue Mission
Jeffrey S. Stephens
Post Hill Press
http://posthillpress.com
9781618688132, $26.00, HC, 432pp, www.amazon.com

CIA agent Jordan Sandor is on a mission that blends non-stop suspense, intrigue and danger. His mission is more complex and has more at stake than any he has faced before. From Bermuda to the United Kingdom, from France to the deserts of Iraq, Jordan must face down villains both known and unknown, recognized and hidden, as he struggles to prevent the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent people. Needing help as never before, Sandor calls upon his usual group of talented associates, as well as top CIA analyst Beth Sharrow, a former lover still willing to risk her life and career to help Sandor. A riveting read from first page to last, "Rogue Mission" is the consummate action/adventure novel by a master of the storytelling arts. Very highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library General Fiction collections, "Rogue Mission" is the stuff from which Hollywood blockbuster movies are made!


The Poetry Shelf

Seaglass Picnic
Frances Driscoll
Pleasure Boat Studio
201 West 89th Street, New York, NY 10024
www.pleasureboatstudio.com
9780912887418, $17.00, PB, 166pp, www.amazon.com

Seaglass Picnic" by Francis Driscoll is a compelling memoir in the form of free verse poetry that deftly blends real life, a post traumatic stress episode, and something of a love story into an inherently fascinating and absorbing narrative. It is a powerful story of survival. No made-for-tv triumphant survival, but the day-by-day ongoing struggle of it. The simple, direct language of these tight, understated poems penetrate the heart with their cumulative power. A stark, stunning collection, "Seaglass Picnic" is very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library Contemporary American Poetry collections.

Sky Gazer
Alan Holder
Anaphora Literary Press
http://anaphoraliteraryc.om
9781681142074, $20.00, PB, 142pp, www.amazon.com

Firmly rejecting the unabashed subjectivity and accompanying impenetrability of much contemporary verse, Alan Holder's "Sky Gazer", from first to last, makes his free form verse steadily available to the reader, assumed to be "a creature of feeling" and often addressed directly. The reader is onboard for a train ride or in-step for a woodland walk. "Sky Gazer" continually registers that great commonality of human experience, the four seasons. The poems share the sights that come the poet's way-so much of what he sees assumes the status of spectacle-the source of many of those arresting sights being the heavens, which Holder never tires of contemplating. He has a fondness for long, winding verse sentences; some poems consist of but a single one. Again and again, Holder alludes, sometimes implicitly, to works by great figures of the literary past-Shakespeare, Milton, Wordsworth, Tennyson, Melville, Twain, Yeats, Frost, Stevens, Eliot, Dylan Thomas-using them as springboards to go his own way. Repeatedly, his poems raise questions that do not admit of answers. Sky Gazer is very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community, college, and university Contemporary American Poetry collections.

A Journey Through My Soul
Lena Sousa Day
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478754367, $8.95, PB, 54pp, www.amazon.com

"A Journey Through My Soul" is a collection of one passionate, thoughtful, lyrical young woman's path from early adolescence to the present day. Many of the poems reflect her teenage years, giving wonderful insight about the wonder and wisdom of emerging maturity, with experiences ranging from the ecstatic thrill of first love and crushes, the deep comfort and bonding of true friendship, and the heartbreak of learning to deal with betrayal and the end of relationships. You will be carried along on an expanding world view that includes the quiet despair of longing for loved ones stationed overseas, the joys and fears of motherhood, and the multifaceted discovery of true and lasting love. These poems reflect experience that is both universal and unique, illuminated by a personal voice and sensitivity that allow the reader both a sense of community, and a glimpse into something beyond the everyday. Moving, inspiring, and honest, "A Journey Through My Soul" is a perfect companion for every life path. An impressive and deftly crafted volume of verse, "A Journey Through My Soul" is very highly recommended. Teenage Angst: My stomach is in my throat / My insides are on fire / I've got to get out of this place / To go crazy is not my desire // Parents nagging / A brother who drives me up the wall / Another spat with him / And he doesn't even bother to call // Where does it end? / Or tell me, will it ever? / I'm so tempted to throw in the towel / And give up the endeavor.


The Audiobook Shelf

Inside the Miracle
Mark Nepo
marknepo.com
Read by the author
Sounds True Audio
413 South Arthur Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027
9781622035427 $69.95 www.soundstrue.com

Inside the Miracle: Enduring Suffering Approaching Wholeness is the unabridged audiobook rendition of author, teacher, and poet Mark Nepo's testimony. Nepo's words include the entirety of his literary classic "Acre of Light", written shortly after his recovery from cancer (he was first diagnosed in 1987), as well as new poems, essays, and teachings that Nepo has collected in the years since that difficult phase in his life. Questions and exercises from Nepo's workshops encourage the reader to contemplate the complex journey that is life itself. Inspirational and uplifting, Inside the Miracle is a "survival kit" of positive reinforcement. 6 CDs, 6 hours 46 min.

Cauldron of Ghosts
David Weber & Eric Flint
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781511357470, $19.95, CD, www.amazon.com

"Cauldron of Ghosts" is the sequel to David Weber's Honor Harrington series of science fiction novels "Torch of Freedom" and "Crown of Slaves". Secret agent Anton Zilwicki and Victor Cachat return having previously discovered the role of The Mesan Alignment (a centuries-old cabal that seeks to impose its vision of a society dominated by genetic rank onto the human race) in corrupting the Solarian Legage and aggravating the war between Honor Harrington's Star Kingdom of Manticore and the Havenite forces. Old coalitions have now disintegrated and new alliances have been created. For starters, the long and hard-fought war between the Republic of Haven and the Star Empire of Manticore is not only over, but these bitter enemies have formed a new pact. Their common foe: the Mesan Alignment itself. But more information is needed to bring the Alignment out of the shadows. Now, defying the odds and relying on genetic wizardry themselves for a disguise, Zilwicki and Cachat return to Mesa only to discover that even they have underestimated the Alignment's ruthlessness and savagery. Soon they are on the run in Mesa's underworld, not only hunted by the Alignment but threatened by the exploding conflict on the planet between Mesa's overlords and the brutalized slaves and descendants of slaves who have suffered under their rule for so long. But if Zilwicki and Cachat succeed in rooting out the ancient conspiracy, a great evil may be finally removed from the galaxy and on a long-oppressed planet, freedom may finally dawn. This complete and unabridged audio book edition is skillfully narrated by Peter Larkin in a 23 hour, 1 minute, performance presented on 19 CDs. An absolute "must" for the legions of David Weber fans, "Cauldron of Ghosts" is enthusiastically recommended for personal and community library Science Fiction Audio Book collections.

The Fury
Shane Gericke, author
Read by Robertson Dean
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
9781494503253 $39.99 www.tantor.com

Brought to life by the superb performance of Robertson Dean (winner of nine Earphones Awards, among other honors), The Fury: A Thriller is an unabridged audiobook murder mystery that escalates to the brink of international annihilation. Detective Superstition "Sue" Davis, struggling to cope with the murder of her husband and allegations of police misconduct, is sent on a dangerous undercover assignment in a Mexican narcotics cartel. But when a U.S. special forces raid gone awry kills the family of the cartel's criminal leader, Jimenez "Jimmy" Garcia, Garcia vows murderous retribution. Can Davis stop a drug kingpin savvy enough to seize weapons of mass destruction, and insane enough to detonate them on U.S. soil? Edge-of-seat exciting to the very end, The Fury is a choice pick for connoisseurs of the genre! 9 CDs, 11 hours.

Worship Changes Everything
Darlene Zschech
www.hope-global.org
Read by Pamela Klein
Oasis Audio
289 Main Place, Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781613757376 $19.99 www.oasisaudio.com

Worship Changes Everything: Experiencing God's Presence in Every Moment of Life is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a testimony by Australian author Darlene Zschech (a pastor of Hope Unlimited Church). Zschech discusses the challenge of dedicating oneself to worship amid the countless demands of everyday life. Worship Changes Everything describes ways to incorporate the joy of honoring the Lord in everything, a liberation that transforms the way one perceives life, one's purpose, and the world at large. A treasury of insight written by a faithful Christian, for faithful Christians, Worship Changes Everything is highly recommended. 7 CDs.

Married and Still Loving It
Gary Chapman and Harold Myra
Read by Peter Berkrot
Oasis Audio
289 Main Place, Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781613758236 $17.99 www.oasisaudio.com

Created especially for Christian couples, Married and Still Loving It is an unabridged audiobook guide by Gary Chapman, a marriage counselor of over forty years' experience, and Harold Myra, the CEO of Christianity Today, offering advice for maintaining a healthy, lifelong marriage. The testimony of real-life couples who have encountered ups and downs on their marital journeys enrich this combination of roadmap and inspiration. Married and Still Loving It cannot substitute for personally visiting a marriage counselor in the case of major problems, but its wisdom will enrich the lives of Christian couples everywhere; one's relationship does not need to be distressed to benefit from the practical suggestions herein. 4 CDs, PDF included.


The Music CD Shelf

It's About Time
Hank Williams Jr.
Produced by Julian Raymond
Nash Icon Records
$10.00 CD / $9.49 MP3 www.amazon.com

Hank Williams Jr., a musician who has entertained listeners for five decades and counting, presents his latest album It's About Time, a country medley embracing salt-of-the-earth Christian values. Songs celebrate Williams' love for God and Jesus Christ, his fierce dedication to the constitutional right to bear arms ("We might as well give up and run / If we let 'em take our God and guns"), why being born in America is "like hitting the lottery", and more. Fans of Williams' no-nonsense, upfront-and-open style will thoroughly enjoy It's About Time! A booklet of the complete lyrics to all songs is included with the physical CD version of It's About Time. The tracks are "Are You Ready for the Country (feat. Eric Church)" (3:29); "Club U.S.A." (3:19), "God Fearin' Man" (2:37), "Those Days Are Gone" (3:41), "Dressing Like an Icon" (4:13), "God and Guns" (4:50), "Just Call Me Hank" (3:02), "Mental Revenge" (2:57), "It's About Time" (3:30), "The Party's On" (2:59), "Wrapped Up, Tangled Up In Jesus (God's Got It)" (6:21), and "Born to Boogie (feat. Brantley Gilbert, Justin Moore & Brad Paisley)" (2:45).

Guy Buttery
Guy Buttery
Privately Published
$9.98 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

South African music artist Guy Buttery presents a self-titled instrumental anthology (with wordless vocals on two tracks) that pushes the boundaries of multiple genres. Individual songs vary immensely in style, from world-fusion to African folk, and in tone from ambient to wildly excited. Eclectic and extraordinary, Guy Buttery is especially recommended for world music collections, and individual connoisseurs in search of something different. The tracks are "Werner Meets Egberto in Manaus", "Floop", "In the Shade of the Wild Pig", "From Srinager", "To Goulimine", "Sleep Deprivation", "The Upper Reaches", "Two Chords & the Truth", "Verbosity", "A Piece for Rudolf Fritsch", and "In the Morning".


The DVD Shelf

The Fall: Series 2
Starring Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.acornonline.com
9781621724599 $39.99 DVD (2 disc set)
9781621724605 $39.99 Blu-ray (2 disc set)

Available in both DVD and Blu-ray formats, The Fall: Series 2 collects all six episodes of this dramatic British psychological thriller. Golden Globe-winning actress Gillian Anderson (known for her starring role in "The X-Files") delivers an intense performance in the role of Superintendent Stella Gibson, a detective running out of time to track down serial killer Paul Spector (played by Jamie Dornan, known for his role in "Fifty Shades of Grey"). At once both disturbing and fascinating, The Fall keeps the viewer in suspense to the very end. Bonus material includes a 12 minute behind-the-scenes featurette, 9 minutes of deleted scenes, and a photo gallery. The Fall: Series 2 is especially recommended to connoisseurs of the genre. 6 episodes on 2 discs, 403 min. plus bonus, 1080 p/16:9, SDH subtitles.

Sai Fundamental Training
Nicholas C. Yang
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
9781594393495 $49.95 www.ymaa.com

Sai Fundamental Training: Sequence and Martial Applications is a martial arts educational DVD about an ancient Chinese weapon called the sai. A type of baton with prongs, sai were once used by law enforcement. Today, training with sai can improve hand and arm coordination, and the skills learned in order to wield sai can be incorporated into any fighting style. Sai Fundamental Training includes the history of theory of sai use; step-by-step instructions for fundamental techniques and drills; solo and partner training exercises; and much more. Host Nicholas C. Yang, a lifelong martial artist and son of Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming has won over three dozen awards for barehanded and weapon forms international and national competitions, and taught martial art seminars worldwide. Sai Fundamental Training is an excellent source of supplemental training for aspiring and practicing martial artists, highly recommended. 180 min.

BeyondBarre series
Colleen Ketchum
Privately Published
$14.99 each beyondbarre.com

Two fitness DVDs from Colleen Ketchum, founder and owner of Pilates in Motion Fitness Studio, blend upbeat exercise choreography with proper form and body alignment to burn calories, strengthen muscles, improve flexibility, and more. BeyondBarre: Fit (53 min. plus bonus segment) is a workout that emphasizes muscle tone with inexpensive props such as a small ball, resistance bands, and weights. BeyondBarre: Grace (60 min. plus bonus segment) spices its workout with ballet-inspired movement and stretching, the better to improve balance and fluidity of motion. Access to inexpensive hand weights and a sturdy chair of ballet barre are ideal for getting the most out of the experience. Both DVDs make excellent additions to any fitness collection.

Sermon on the Mount
Sinclair B. Ferguson
Ligonier Ministries
421 Ligonier Court, Sanford, FL, 32771-8608
9781567695557 $48.00 DVD / $31.00 CD / $24.00 download www.ligonier.org

Available in multiple formats including DVD, CD, and audio-visual download, Sermon on the Mount is an anthology of twelve 23-minute sermon-messages by professor of systematic theology and former pastor Sinclair B. Ferguson, each shining light on how the Sermon on the Mount (a famous collection of the sayings and teachings of Jesus Christ) gives guidance to Christians today. The sessions are "Life in the Kingdom", "The Beatitudes", "The Fulfillment of the Law", "The Meaning of the Law", "Living the Reconciled Life", "Love Your Enemies", "Scribes, Pharisees, Hypocrites", "Knowing God as Father", "The Lord's Prayer", "The Cure for our Anxiety", "Condemnation & Discernment" and "Ultimate Choices". Sermon on the Mount is an excellent self-study tool; downloadable study guides and an associated online course from Ligonier Connect are available separately. 2 DVDs; English and Spanish dubbed messages included.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Once Upon a Pillow
Rebecca Vizard
Pointed Leaf Press
136 Baxter Street, Suite 1C, New York, NY 10013
www.pointedleafpress.com
9781938461279, $75.00, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com

Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "Once Upon a Pillow: A Story Of Home, Design, And Exquisite Textiles" showcases a truly stunning collection of pillows and accessories designed by Rebecca Vizard. Celebrated for her innovative use of rare antique textiles ranging from the embroidered metallic threads of ecclesiastical vestments, to Venetian Fortuny draperies and Central Asian suzanis, Vizzard's designs present a perfect balance of art and material culture. An early childhood fascination with textiles eventually led her to create pillows from her growing personal collection of rare textiles and, when Neiman Marcus placed its first order in 1999, B VIZ Design was officially launched. While her collecting forays frequently take her abroad, she returns to her Louisiana roots and its rich history and tradition of decorative arts for inspiration. In addition to Vizard's home, rooms in a range of styles and periods by such top flight designers as Gerrie Bremermann, Barry Dixon, Suzanne Kasler and Matthew Patrick Smyth are included to illustrate embroidery, applique, tapestry, needlepoint, Fortuny, damask and brocade, as well as suzani and ethnic pillows. A selection of accessories from lighting, gifts and dog wear of Fortuny fabric is also highlighted and an annotated textile glossary is included. Her pillows frequently grace the covers of national publications, such as House Beautiful, Veranda, Elle Decor, Traditional Home, and Architectural Digest. Visually stunning, informed and informative, "Once Upon A Pillow" is very highly recommended to the attention of needlecraft enthusiasts, and especially for community and academic library Textile Art collections.


The Fishing Shelf

American Nymph Fly-Fishing Guide
Michael Gorman
Frank Amato Publications
PO Box 82112, Portland, OR 97282
www.amatobooks.com
9781571885296, $29.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

A veteran fisherman himself, Michael Gorman wrote "American Nymph Fly-Fishing Guide" to help aspiring anglers wanting to consistently catch more fish in both moving and still waters. Gorman reveals that 'nymphing' is the technique that most often out-fishes both wet flies and dry flies. Gorman shares his vast knowledge on nymph fishing, including: equipment, techniques for still and moving waters, finding fish, reading water, all-star stream and lake nymph fly patterns, leader construction and specs, steelhead nymph fishing, steelhead nymph and egg flies, and much more. Fly-fishing is about successful puzzle solving. But with "American Nymph Fly-Fishing Guide", Michael Gorman gives you all the clues needed to become an effective nymph angler. Illustrated in full color throughout, "American Nymph Fly-Fishing Guide" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, making it very highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Fly Fishing instructional reference collections.


The Gardening Shelf

Gardening Like A Ninja
Angela England
Hobble Creek
c/o Cedar Fort, Inc.
2373 West 700 South, Springville, Utah 84663
www.cedarfort.com
9781462118083, $24.99, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com

By giving Angela England's "Gardening Like a Ninja: A Guide to Sneaking Delicious Edibles into Your Landscape" a careful read, anyone can create a garden that will be the envy of their neighborhood while adding nutritious fruits and vegetables to your family dinner table. Beautifully illustrated, "Gardening Like A Ninja" shows aspiring gardeners how to have edible plants which are useful for everyday cooking, also create a sustainable and beautiful landscape that's easy to maintain. Anyone can save both time and money using the visually appealing and edible designs and harvest the fruits from your delicious paradise with the help of "Gardening Like A Ninja". Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Gardening Like A Ninja" is very highly recommended for both community and academic library Gardening instructional reference collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Gardening Like A Ninja" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The Sports Shelf

Summer Sports Camps 101
Richard Leonard
FiT Publishing
PO Box 6116, Morgantown, WV 26506-6116
www.fitpublishing.com
9781940067032, $18.95, PB, 216pp, www.amazon.com

"Summer Sports Camps 101" by Richard Leonard (Adjunct Professor of Sport Management at the United States Sports Academy) is a comprehensive guide for creating and operating a summer sports camp. New or seasoned coaches, sports industry practitioners, and camp administrators in youth and college-level sports will benefit from Richard Leonard's many years of extensive experience and expertise in planning and managing successful sports camps. This guidebook streamlines the process of conceptualizing, developing, operating, and concluding the summer sports camp season for camp administrators and coaches. Key administrative, management, and marketing considerations are also provided in an easy-to-read format that includes quick camp tips, sample forms, and helpful lists. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Summer Sports Camp 101" is very highly recommended for professional, community and academic library Sports/Athletics instructional reference collections in general, and the non-specialist general reader who has an interest in creating and operating a summer sports camp experience in behalf of the children of their community.

The History of AMC Motorsports
Bob McClurg
CarTech Inc.
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613251775, $39.95, HC, 204pp, www.amazon.com

Profusely illustrated throughout, "The History of AMC Motorsports: Trans-Am, Quarter-Mile, NASCAR, Bonneville and More" by veteran racing journalist Bob McClurg is an impressively well written and informative study that ranges from Nash-American Motors corporate history, to the first years of NASCAR, to the 1960s efforts that included Trans-Am and drag racing Super Stock programs, to the Craig Breedlove land speed record efforts when 106 world records were shattered and covered by Hot Rod magazine. An absolute "must read" for all car racing enthusiasts, "The History of AMC Motorsports" is very highly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library automotive sports collections.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Charter, Customs, and Constitutions of the Cistercians
Patrick F. O'Connell
Cistercian Publications
c/o Cascadia Publishing House
126 Klingerman Road, Telford, PA 18969
www.CascadiaPublishingHouse.com
The Liturgical Press (distributor)
2950 Saint John's Road, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
www.litpress.org
9780879070410, $29.95, PB, 326pp, www.amazon.com

As master of novices for ten years (1955 - 1965) at the Cistercian Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani in Kentucky, Thomas Merton was responsible for the spiritual formation of young men preparing for monastic profession. In "Charter, Customs, and Constitutions of the Cistercians: Initiation into the Monastic Tradition", three related sets of Merton's conferences on ancient and contemporary documents governing the lives of the monks are published for the first time: on the Carta Caritatis, or Charter of Charity, the foundational document of the Order of Citeaux; on the Consuetudines, the twelfth-century collection of customs and regulations of the Order; and on the twentieth-century Constitutions of the Order, the basic rules by which Merton and his students actually lived at the time. These conferences form an essential part of the overall picture of Cistercian monastic life that Merton provided as part of his project of "initiation into the monastic tradition" that is evident in the broad variety of courses that he put together and taught over the period of his mastership. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Charter, Customs, and Constitutions of the Cistercians" will prove to be of immense interest those with an interest in the life and thought of Thomas Merton, as well as philosophy and practice of the Cistercian monastic life. Very highly recommended for church, community, and academic library Christian Studies collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Charter, Customs, and Constitutions of the Cistercians" is also available in a Kindle edition ($23.99).

A Journey through the Life of Jesus
Mike Folmer
Westbow Press
c/o Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.westbowpress.com
9781490885490, $33.95, HC, 196pp, www.amazon.com

"A Journey through the Life of Jesus: A Yearlong Devotional Series of the Gospels: Volume I: Days 1-90" by Mike Folmer (a member of Hope International Ministries, Tulsa, Oklahoma) is a devotional project, which is divided into four volumes and provides the reader with a chronological look at the Four Gospels, insights into each of the recorded accounts of the events in the life of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and the opportunity to apply this information to his or her life through each day's Ponder Point. The use of these devotionals will enhance the reader's walk with the Lord by enabling him or her to continue to grow in His "grace and knowledge". As informed and informative as it is inspired and inspiring, "A Journey through the Life of Jesus" is very highly recommended to all members of the Christian community regardless of their denominational affiliation. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Journey through the Life of Jesus" is also available in a paperback edition (9781490885483, $17.95) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).

Way of the Real Faith
D. A. Singh
Elina Publishing
www.elinapub.com
9780997176100, $14.95, PB, 210pp, www.amazon.com

The God of love has given a blueprint for inviting all people into His kingdom. "Way of the Real Faith: A Choice, a Journey, a Destiny" by Dr. Singh (who has a small Michigan-based ministry to help people find a saving relationship with Jesus Christ) explains it all in simple language that even a ten-year old child can understand. Making choices is part of life, but a choice about one's eternal destiny is the most critical one. Besides, the book answers many questions that people are asking today: Why is there evil, chaos, and confusion in the world? Who is God, and how can someone come to Him? What makes Jesus unique? Can the Holy Scriptures be trusted? What is the faith of Abraham? Is the future foretold? Will the world come to an end? Then what will happen? Dr. Singh's "Way of the Real Faith" can be studied individually or as a family. Any Christian can utilize "Way of the Real Faith" in their personal ministry to others. Inspired and inspiring, informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Way of the Real Faith" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in commentary, organization and presentation -- making it very highly recommended to all members of the Christian community regardless of their denominational affiliation.

Reclaiming the Atonement: The Incarnate Word
Patrick Henry Reardon
Ancient Faith Publishing
PO Box 748, Chesterton, IN 46304-0748
http://store.ancientfaith.com
9781936270491, $18.95, PB, 296pp, www.amazon.com

Patrick Henry Reardon is the pastor of the All Saints Orthodox Church in Chicago, Illinois. With "Reclaiming the Atonement: The Incarnate Word" Fr. Patrick Reardon presents the first of three volumes exploring redemption and salvation through the lens of Scripture, patristics, and liturgics, as well as through history, philosophy, language, literature, and psychology. He brings all these perspectives together to show how the whole of Christ s work from Incarnation to Ascension accomplishes the atonement of God with man. Exceptionally well written, reasoned, organized and presented, "Reclaiming the Atonement: The Incarnate Word" is informative, compelling, and highly recommended reading, especially for clergy and lay members of the Orthodox Christian community.

The Between Time
Damaris Zehner
Twenty-Third Publications
1 Montauk Ave #200, New London, CT 06320
www.23rdpublications.com
9781627851107, $12.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

From her missionary work in Kyrgyzstan, to her family s life in an old farmhouse in Indiana, to her daughters trying to rescue a baby goat named Hope, in the pages of "The Between Time: Savoring the Moments of Everyday Life", author Damaris Zehner shares stories that will resonate with anyone who has stood at a crossroads of faith and wondered what God has in mind for us. Honest, eloquent, thought-provoking, and steeped in generous love, her essays invites us to embrace our everyday blessings and joyfully seek God s kingdom wherever we happen to be. "The Between Times" is inherently interesting and ultimately inspired, making it very highly recommended reading for all members of the Christian community regardless of their denominational affiliation.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

The Dharma of Star Wars, revised and expanded edition
Matthew Bortolin
Wisdom Publications
199 Elm Street, Somerville, MA 02144
www.wisdompubs.org
9781614292869 $16.95 pbk / $10.99 Kindle www.amazon.com

Matthew Bortolin (ordained member of Thich Nhat Hanh's Order of Interbeing) presents The Dharma of Star Wars, an introduction to Buddhism that draws heavily upon the popular Star Wars series of science-fiction movies to illuminate Buddhist concepts. Now in a revised and expanded edition, The Dharma of Star Wars compares Jedi concentration to the practice of mindfulness; discusses Darth Vader's karma; examines how the eightfold path can transform the dark side; and much more. A new way of understand the basics of Buddhism and of thinking about the widely beloved Star Wars franchise, The Dharma of Star Wars is uniquely insightful.


The Photography Shelf

Look into My Eyes
Kevin Bubriski
Museum of New Mexico Press
PO Box 2087, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2087
www.mnmpress.org
9780890136119, $39.95, HC, 140pp, www.amazon.com

Kevin Bubriski is a documentary photographer. His work has been exhibited worldwide and is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the International Center of Photography, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Yale University Art Gallery, the Center for Creative Photography, and the Bibliotheque Nationale de France. "Look into My Eyes: Nuevomexicanos por Vida, '81-'83" is a coffee-table volume showcasing Bubriski's black-and-white photography taken over a span of three years and using Hispanic residents of Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico, as well as several northern New Mecico villagers as his subjects. The result is the work of a true artist who uses a camera in lieu of paint and canvas. "Look into My Eyes: Nuevomexicanos por Vida, '81-'83" is very highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library American Photography collections.


The Woodworking Shelf

Making Wooden Dinosaur Toys and Puzzles
Judy Peterson & Dave Peterson
Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781565238909, $19.99, PB, 120pp, www.amazon.com

Kids (and a great many adults) love dinosaurs! These primeval reptiles inspire children s imaginations with scary fun and some of their earliest connections to science. With Judy and Dave Peterson's "Making Wooden Dinosaur Toys and Puzzles: Jurassic Giants to Make and Play With", even the most novice of woodworking hobbyists can create exciting wooden dinosaur puzzles and toys by carrying out the do-it-yourself, step-by-step projects comprising "Making Wooden Dinosaur Toys and Puzzles". Featuring thirty-eight original puzzles covering all of the most popular species, from Velociraptor and Stegosaurus to Triceratops and Tyrannosaurus Rex, "Making Wooden Dinosaur Toys and Puzzles" also offers two spectacular puzzle dioramas featuring a Maiasaur mama with her babies, and a T-Rex on the attack. Patterns are also provided for easy-to-cut dinosaur toys that are safe for toddlers who can't play with small objects. Award-winning scroll saw artists Judy and Dave Peterson provide thoroughly 'user friendly' instructions, plus basic information on safety, cutting, sanding, finishing, and equipment. "Making Wooden Dinosaur Toys and Puzzles" is very highly recommended for personal wooden toy woodworking collections, and would be an enduringly popular addition to community library Crafts/Hobbies instructional reference shelves.


The Computer Shelf

Murach's C# 2015
Anne Boehm & Joel Murach
Mike Murach & Associates
4340 North Knoll Avenue, Fresno, CA 93722
www.murach.com
9781890774943, $57.50, PB, 908pp, www.amazon.com

Offering a complete course of instruction, "Murach's C# 2015" is a self-paced instructional textbook that shows how to use Visual Studio 2015, C# 6.0, and the .NET 4.6 classes to develop Windows Forms applications. It's a comprehensive, object-oriented manual that shows how to use business classes, inheritance, and interfaces the way they're used in the real world. It's also data programming book that shows how to create professional database applications using data sources, ADO.NET code, and the Entity Framework, as well as how to use LINQ to query data structures, from collections to arrays to datasets. "Murach's C# 2015" will enable anyone to develop 3-tiered, object-oriented Windows Forms applications the way the best professionals do. They will also have the core C# and Visual Studio skills needed to develop any C# application, whether for Windows, the web, or mobile devices. Of special note are such features as Live Code Analysis; Code Lens; and LINQ. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organizations and presentation, "Murach's C# 2015" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Computer Science reference collections in general, and C# 2015 studies curriculums in particular.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Let Food Be Your Medicine
Don Colbert, MD
Worthy Publishing
134 Franklin Road, Suite 200, Brentwood, TN 37027
www.worthypublishing.com
9781617955884 $21.99 hc / $10.99 Kindle www.amazon.com

Let Food Be Your Medicine: Dietary Changes Proven to Prevent or Reverse Disease is a reader-friendly guide to better health through improving one's diet. Author Don Colbert, MD, a medical doctor of over twenty-five years' experience, discusses how a modified Mediterranean diet can strengthen one's body against cardiovascular disease, arthritis and autoimmune disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia and Alzheimer's, ADHD and autism, and more. A disclaimer warns that Let Food Be Your Medicine absolutely cannot substitute for the direct care of a physician, and in the case that the recommendations here contradict those of the reader's doctor, then the reader should always follow their own doctor's directions. Yet the guidelines for healthier living are invaluable, especially in today's postmodern world saturated with unhealthy foods. Highly recommended! "Keeping fat intake low has been proven to reduce cancer risk, as studies have shown that cultures with the lowest fat consumption also have the lowest incidence of cancer. Trans fats, fried foods, and excessive polyunsaturated fats trigger inflammation in the body. Inflammation has been linked to the transformation of normal cells into cancer cells. Inhibiting inflammation is very important in slowing the growth of cancer. Certain fats, however, do not fuel inflammation, including omega 3 fats and monounsaturated fats."

Goodbye Parkinson's, Hello Life!
Alex Kerten & David Brinn
Divine Arts
c/o Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9781611250442, $18.95, PB, 230pp, www.amazon.com

Parkinson's Disease, a disorder of the central nervous system, affects 1 million people in America and 10 million worldwide. "Goodbye Parkinson's, Hello Life!: The Gyro-Kinetic Method for Eliminating Symptoms and Reclaiming Your Good Health" is by author Alex Kerten, who has been researching anatomy and the physiology of behavior for over 30 years and treats clients with movement disorders, specializing in Parkinson's Disease. He is the head of the Gyro-Kinetics studies at the Maccabe health Care Institute and founder and director of the Gyro-Kinetics Center in Herzliya, Israel. He also teaches at the Dr. A. Kalev center for Rehabilitating Structural Movements. "Goodbye Parkinson's, Hello Life!" presents Kerten's breakthrough holistic technique that combines dance therapy, behavior modification, and martial arts, to prove that there is life beyond the diagnosis of PD. It should be noted that "Goodbye Parkinson's, Hello Life!" received "Recommended Reading" status by the Michael J. Fox Foundation and listings on the National Parkinson's Association social media sites. Those who follow Kerten's techniques and are committed to becoming "Parkinson's warriors" can succeed in eliminating many, if not most, of their symptoms and return to a productive and fulfilling life. Instead of viewing themselves as Parkinson's victims, the methods in "Goodbye Parkinson's, Hello Life!" will lead them to become healthy people with Parkinson's. "Goodbye Parkinson's, Hello Life!" includes 20 easy-to-follow exercises. Simply stated, every community library's Health & Medicine instructional reference collection should include a copy of "Goodbye Parkinson's, Hello Life!". For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Goodbye Parkinson's, Hello Life!" is also available in a Kindle edition ($11.65).


The Cookbook Shelf

Dining at The Ravens
Jeff Stanford & Joan Stanford
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, STE 400, Dallas, TX 75204
www.benbellabooks.com
9781941631652, $19.95, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Located on the Mendocino coast The Ravens Restaurant at the Stanford Inn by the Sea provides its patrons with a mindful, compassionate, and sustainable dining experience in an enchanting and unforgettable setting. In "Dining at The Ravens", the restaurant founding husband and wife team of Jeff and Joan Stanford showcases the Ravens culinary experience with more than 150 nutritious and delicious vegan recipes. Beautifully illustrated throughout, replete with practical cooking tips, and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and step-by-step instructions, the recipes range from Citrus Polenta with Braised Garden Greens and a Creamy Toasted Cashew Sauce; Indian-Spiced Polenta Napoleon; Mushroom Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Burger; Ravens Spicy Peanut Curry Sea Palm; and Sweet Summer Corn Bisque; to Peach Huckleberry Cobbler; Cilantro Mint Pesto; Indian Spiced Kale and Potato Omelet; Roasted Zucchini Soup with Pistachio Cream and Fresh Mint; Chantrerelle and Fall Vegetable-Stuffed Portobello; and Ravens Vegan Cashew Cheese. As much fun to browse through as it is practical to plan menus with, "Dining at The Ravens" is very highly recommended for personal, family, and community library Vegan/Vegetarian cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Dining at The Ravens" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Katie Chin's Everyday Chinese Cookbook
Katie Chin
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9780804845229, $24.95, HC, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Katie Chin's love learned to cook Chinese cuisine by watching and then later helping her renowned mother, Leeann Chin, prepare delicious Chinese dishes in her popular restaurants. Katie inherited her mom's passion and talent, and has become a respected food writer and television personality in her own right. In "Katie Chin's Everyday Chinese Cookbook", the daughter is eager to share her mother's food legacy with American kitchen cooks as an enduring culinary homage to Leeann's mastery of all that Chinese cooking has to offer. This treasury of family recipes includes many unique dishes that Leeann developed during a six-decade career in the food business, including time-honored classics that she herself learned from her mother in China. Some dishes reflect Leeann's Chinese-American childhood or are recipes which Katie and Leeann developed while together. Others are creations that Katie has developed more recently. Woven throughout the book are fond memories and anecdotes from Katie's childhood, always involving cooking and eating with her mom. "Katie Chin's Everyday Chinese Cooking" is a beautifully illustrated celebration of Leeann Chin's amazing mastery of the complete array of flavors and techniques in Chinese cuisine, and her unique ability to make them accessible to Westerners. Of special note are Katie's tips and techniques which allow anyone to create a refined and tasty Chinese meal at home. The thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly" recipes range from Lettuce Wraps with Chicken; Wor Wonton Soup; Ginger Shrimp and Sugar Snap Pea Salad; and Stir-Fried Chicken with Bok Choy; to Sichuan Beef; Tea-Smoked Sea Bass; Chinese Long Beans with Cashews; and Crab Fried Rice. Of special note is the section devoted to Drinks and Desserts featuring Chilled Berry Tea; Banana-Walnut Wontons; Five-Spice Chocolate Cake; and more! Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections, it should be noted that "Katie Chin's Everyday Chinese Cookbook " is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.99).

Oysters: Recipes that Bring Home a Taste of the Sea
Cynthia Nims
Sasquatch Books
1904 Third Ave, Suite 710, Seattle, WA 98101
www.sasquatchbooks.com
9781632170378, $19.95, HC, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Cynthia Nims is a cookbook author and culinary consultant focused on food, beverages, and travel. In "Oysters: Recipes that Bring Home a Taste of the Sea" she has drawn upon her years of experience and expertise to compile a truly impressive collection of thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes for one of the most popular shell fish. "Oysters: Recipes that Bring Home a Taste of the Sea" also includes shucking instructions, and the local farming success story of the many delicious oysters from the Pacific Coast, as well as ideas for what to drink with oysters, as well as practical tips for buying and storing oysters. Since oysters are grown and harvested in some of the most beautiful environments on earth, "Oysters: Recipes that Bring Home a Taste of the Sea" is enhanced with the inclusions of scenic as well as food photography. The delectable oysters grown along the West Coast (which include Pacific, Kumamoto, Olympia, and Eastern and European Flat species) are represented. The recipes themselves range from Oyster Sliders with Togarashi Slaw; Cracker-Coated Oysters with Dilled Cream; and Oyster Stew; to Steamed Oysters with Sake-Ginger Butter Sauce; Cider-Poached Oysters on Toast; and an Oyster & Celery Root Bisque. A simply fantastic specialized cookbook, "Oysters: Recipes that Bring Home a Taste of the Sea" is very highly recommended for personal, family, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Oysters: Recipes that Bring Home a Taste of the Sea" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.99).

The Big Green Egg Book
Dirk Koppes
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
www.andrewsmcmeel.com
9781449471156, $50.00, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com

The popularity of the top-selling kamado style cooker, the Big Green Egg, continues to grow across the US and overseas. Beautifully illustrated, "The Big Green Egg Book: Cooking on the Big Green Egg" is compiled by Dirk Koppes and presents an outstanding culinary collection showcasing 55 recipes introduce myriad flavor capabilities from top International chefs for using the Big Green Egg. Also features are profiles of 15 International chefs, explaining how they discovered the Big Green Egg, as well as why and how they are using it in their professional kitchens. The nutritious, delicious, and kitchen cook friendly dishes range from Eggplant Steaks with Fennel-Rosemary Dressing and Buffalo Mozzarella; Smoky Burger with Miso Butter, Kimchi, and Fried Egg Yolk; Smoked Warm Salmon on Beet and Broad Bean Salad with Horseradish Sauce; Calzone with Sausage and Ricotta; to Indian Lamb Spareribs with Chapati and Apple Yogurt; Baked Truffle Potatoes with Mushrooms and Vanilla Oil; Pumpkin Tarte Tatin with Creme Fraiche; Pork Belly with Sage, Roasted Grapes, and Bean Salad; Puffed Pancake with Peaches and Plum Compote; and Ice Cream Cake with Whipped Cream and Blackberries. As much as a delight to simply browse through as it is inspiring to plan menus with, "The Big Green Egg Book: Cooking on the Big Green Egg" is very highly recommended for personal, family, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "The Big Green Egg Book" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Hollyhock: Garden to Table
Moreka Jolar & Heidi Scheifley
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
www.newsociety.com
9780865717275, $24.95, PR, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Hollyhock is renowned the world over as an unparalleled center of learning and connection specifically designed to inspire, nourish, and support people who are making the world better. At the heart of this unique institution, located on beautiful Cortes Island, is Hollyhock's spectacular organic garden, just steps from the ocean view kitchen. Serving up exquisite meals for thirty years, the Hollyhock cooks are back with a new collection, boasting over two hundred new garden-inspired recipes. Filled from cover to cover with imaginative ideas and seasoned with global inspiration, "Hollyhock: Garden to Table" invites you to join in a celebration of the beauty of fresh, local food. The versatility of whole grains, healthy oils, and natural sweeteners is showcased in mouth watering culinary creations such as: Thin-Crust Pizza with Nettle Pesto and Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Asparagus, and Chevre; Black Sesame Crusted Albacore Tuna with Ponzu Sauce; Soft Polenta with Roasted Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onions, Peas, and Smoked Cheddar; Honey Roasted Pears with Balsamic and Mascarpone; Salmon Burgers; Whole Grain Bread with Yam and Sage; Rustic Skillet Pear Tarte Tatin; Breakfast Fruit Cobbler; Iced Honeybush Hibiscus Mint Tea, and so much more! Packed from cover to cover with delicious, nutritious, kitchen cook friendly, gourmet quality recipes that are as much fun to browse through as they are practical to plan menus with, "Hollyhock: Garden to Table" is especially commended to the attention of anyone and everyone with an interest in sustainable seafood and garden-fresh foods. Simply stated, "Hollyhock: Garden to Table" is enthusiastically recommended for personal, family, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Hollyhock: Garden to Table" is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.99).

LIMA Cookbook: Peruvian Home Cooking
Virgilio Martinez
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784720889, $29.99, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Virgilio Martinez was the national skateboarding champion of Peru in the 1990s but, after an accident, decided to study law in Lima. During a holiday job, he discovered his passion for cooking, dropped out of university, and traveled to Canada and then London to become a Cordon Bleu graduate. After working for 10 years in Canada, Europe and Asia he became head chef of Gaston Acurio's restaurant in Bogota. Returning home, he opened his own restaurant, Central, in the Peruvian capital in 2010. In "LIMA Cookbook: Peruvian Home Cooking" Chef Martinez has compiled a beautifully and profusely illustrated cornucopia of authentic Peruvian cuisine with recipes that range from Batido de Mango y Menta Freca (Mango and Fresh Mint Smoothie); Chonta Asada y Kiwicha (Broiled Hearts of Palm with Amaranth); Ceviche de Salmon aji Amarillo y Cancha (Salmon Ceviche with Yellow Aji and Cancha Corn); and Langostinos con Palta y Limon (Shrimp with Avocado and Lime); to Anticucho de Asado de Tira (Short Rib Anticuchos); Pachamanca de Gallina y Papas (Chicken and Potato Pachamancha); Cerdo con Chicha de Jora (Pork with Chicha de Jora); and Banana Carmelizada con Anis Estrella (Carmelized Banana with Star Anise). As fun to simply browse through as it is practical to plan Peruvian themed menus with, "LIMA Cookbook: Peruvian Home Cooking " is very highly recommended for personal, family, professional, and community library ethnic cookbook collections.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Modern Cross Stitch
Hannah Sturrock
Ryland, Peters & Small
341 East 116th Street, New York, NY 10029
www.rylandpeters.com
9781782492405, $19.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

Cross-stitch is a traditional craft that allows beginners and experts alike to enjoy the experience of creating something through the crafting art of needlework. In the pages of "Modern Cross Stitch: Over 30 Fresh and New Counted Cross-stitch Patterns", needlecraft expert Hannah Sturrock draws upon her years of experience and expertise to present more than thirty truly beautiful patterns suitable for even the most novice of cross stitch enthusiasts. "Modern Cross Stitch" presents five chapters of fabulous ideas including: For a Beautiful Baby; For Big Kids; For a Special Occasion; For a Nature Lover; and For the Home. Now anyone can make an adorable peeping ted pillow for young ones, or a comic-book style cross-stitched cell phone case. They can form an extra handmade touch to presents with stitched gift tags, and create a Christmas toy sack that will be treasured throughout the years. They can bring the beauty of nature into the home with the flower burlap tote and the stunning floral finch pillow. They can even take their cross-stitching to a whole new level, including decorating walls with washi tape birds and stitching velvet ribbon onto woven chair seats. "Modern Cross Stitch" also shows how to make use of other innovative materials, too, including soluble canvas (which allows the cross-stitching on any fabric) and glow in the dark embroidery floss. Hannah's designs are a little bit different from what is available elsewhere. She uses simple outlines with striking patterns and clean, fresh colors, and takes inspiration from new interior fashions, vintage textiles, nature, toys, and more, always striving to be contemporary and stylish. "Modern Cross Stitch" is very highly recommended for personal and community library Needlecraft instructional reference collections.


The Automotive Shelf

Holley Carburetors: How to Rebuild
Mike Mavrigian
CarTech Inc.
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613251980, $26.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

Holley Performance Products is an automotive performance company now based in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Holley, when originally based in Michigan, was one of the major producers of carburetors, being supplied as standard equipment on many Detroit-built automobiles. In the pages of "Holley Carburetors: How to Rebuild", automotive expert Mike Mavrigian (a certified member of the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence and the editor-in-chief of Auto Service Professional) guides you through each important stage of the Holley carburetor rebuilding process, so you have the best operating carburetor for a particular engine and application. In addition, Mavrigian clearly explains carb identification as well as idle, mid-range and high-speed circuit operation, specialty tools, and available parts. Profusely illustrated with a profusion of step-by-step instructions, "Holley Carburetors: How to Rebuild" is a very highly recommended instruction guide for anyone working on rebuilding a Holley Carburetor for their vehicle.


The Coloring Book Shelf

Celtic Mandala Pocket Coloring Book
Lisa Tenzin-Dolma
Watkins Publishing
Angel Business Club
359 Goswell Road, London, England, EC1V 7JL
www.watkinspublishing.com
9781780289441, $8.95, PB, 72pp, www.amazon.com

The "Celtic Mandala Pocket Coloring Book" is comprised of twenty-six designs specifically crafted by Lisa Tenzin-Dolma. Each color-it-yourself design is accompanied by an informative commentary and a recommended color palette. The "Celtic Mandala Pocket Coloring Book" is further enhanced with the inclusion of ten basic line templates so that you can design your own mandalas, as well as a directory of key mandala symbols. Very highly recommended as an adult contemplative coloring books. Also highly recommended are two other adult coloring books from Lisa Tenzin-Dolma: "The Healing Mandala Pocket Coloring Book" (9781780289465, $8.95, 72pp) and "Buddhist Mandala Pocket Coloring Book" (978-1780289427, $8.95, 72pp).

Buddhist Art Coloring Book 2
Robert Beer, author/illustrator
Shambhala
4720 Walnut Street, Boulder, CO 80301
9781611803525, $15.95, www.shambhala.com

the "Buddhist Art Coloring Book 2: Buddhas, Deities, and Enlightened Masters from the Tibetan Tradition " contains fifty detailed line drawings of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist deities and holy men recreated to be honored with reverent color finishing by the reader. Originally created by the artist illustrator in the late 1980s, these finely detailed portraits were made with a fine sable-hair brush, taking between 50 and 200 hours each to complete. Of special significance are the drawings of Green Tara, White Tara, and Padmasambhava, which have also been drawn separately for a limited edition of silk screen prints. Also in the back of the book are brief descriptions and biographies of each figure represented, with references to other sources with guides to the traditional colors often used to decorate such images. An Author's Note in the beginning also respectfully requests the reader to "please treat the spiritual images shown here with due consideration. We invite you to follow the tradition to safely burn any of these sacred images that you may no longer want, rather than throwing them in the trash, if it is possible and convenient." The reader is invited to experience many happy hours of study and artistic work on these lovely representations of holy figures in the Tibetan-Buddhist tradition.

AKA Associates Inc.
www.akabooks.com

There are two new additions to the outstanding 'Doodle Art Alley Books' series by Samantha Snyder. "Magical Flowers Coloring Book: Magical Designs" (9780997102130, $9.95, PB, 104pp) showcases 50 doodle art images printed on one side of the pages for all ages to color. The images include flower baskets, bouquets, buds, flower vases, vines, and other flower designs. "Magical Animals Coloring Book: Magical Designs" (9780997102147, $9.95, PB, 106pp) presents 50 doodle art images printed on one side of the page for all ages to color. The images include an alligator, bird, cat, dog, elephant, giraffe, panda, turtle, unicorn, and zebra. Both of these coloring books will have immense cross-generational appeal, and provide hours of pleasurable enjoyment and recreational relaxation. For a complete listing of all the titles in Samantha Snyder's 'Doodle Art Alley Books' series visit www.akabooks.com


The Graphic Novel Shelf

Ninja Slayer 2
Original Work by Bradley Bond and Philip Ninj@ Morzez
Art by Yuki Yogo
Script by Yoshiaki Tabata
Vertical Comics
451 Park Avenue South, 7th floor, New York, NY 10016
9781942993438 $10.95 www.vertical-comics.com

Ninja Slayer 2: Last Girl Standing (Ichi) continues the dark, over-the-top violent saga set in Neo-Saitama, a cyberpunk city ravaged by criminals, corrupt corporations, and murderous ninja. Ordinary mortals who survive near-death experiences are sometimes inhabited by supernatural ninja souls of monstrous power and extreme brutality. While a very few ninja may choose to resist the bloodlust of their dual soul, the vast majority of ninja are unfettered butchers who lord their superiority over helpless civilians. But there is one who despises the vile carnage of other ninja, and that is the Ninja Slayer! Ninja Slayer 2 features guest protagonist Koki Yamoto, a Neo-Saitama schoolgirl who awakens to her lethal ninja powers when thugs attempt to gang-rape her. She later witnesses the rampage of another nascent ninja. Is Yamoto's destiny nothing but violence, or is there hope for anything better in her life? This graphic novel adaptation is as savage as the original series of novels (if not more so), and is most definitely not for the faint of heart. Recommended for intense action manga connoisseurs ages 16 and up.

Ninja Slayer 3
Original Work by Bradley Bond and Philip Ninj@ Morzez
Art by Yuki Yogo
Script by Yoshiaki Tabata
Vertical Comics
451 Park Avenue South, 7th floor, New York, NY 10016
9781942993438 $10.95 www.vertical-comics.com

Ninja Slayer 3: Last Girl Standing (Ni) continues the shockingly violent cyberpunk story of the Ninja Slayer, and concludes the story arc introducing guest protagonist Koki Yamoto, a high school girl turned ninja through a dark twist of fate. The saga is set in the corrupt city of Neo-Saitama, a cyberpunk hell on earth ruled by murderous ninja - people fused with ninja spirits that grant them superhuman powers. Ninja of the criminal Soukai Syndicate are determined to forcibly recruit Yamoto and another emergent ninja to serve their evil ends. Yet wherever ninja appear, the Ninja Slayer is not far behind! Yamoto wants nothing to do with the horrific violence that saturates ninja life, but what choice does she have? And what hope for survival does she have, when the psychotic ninja soul within the Ninja Slayer clamors for her blood as well? An adaptation as brutal and exciting as the original novels, Ninja Slayer 3 is a "must-read" for intense action manga fans ages 16 and up!


The Education Shelf

Cracking the ACT with 6 Practice Tests, 2016 Edition
The Princeton Review
c/o Random House Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
www.PrincetonReview.com
www.randomhouse.com/princetonreview
9781101881989, $19.99, PB, 832pp, www.amazon.com

The Princeton Review is the premier publisher of college and university entrance examination instructional reference guides. Now in a fully updated 2016 edition, "Cracking the ACT with 6 Practice Tests" provides all the prep an aspiring college applicant need to ace the ACT with 6 full-length practice tests, thorough ACT topic reviews, and extra practice online. Included in this thoroughly 'user friendly' edition are: Powerful tactics to help you avoid traps and beat the ACT; Tips for pacing yourself, choosing a LOTD, logical guessing, and more; Essential strategies to help you work smarter, not harder; Complete coverage of all test topics, including the new reading and writing sections; Thorough review of the skills necessary to ace all five ACT sections; Bulleted chapter summaries for quick review; 6 full-length practice tests (4 in the book, 2 online) with detailed answer explanations; Drills for each test section - English, Mathematics, Reading, Science, and Writing; Instant score reports for online tests; plus optional LiveGrader(TM) essay scoring. Complete and comprehensive, "Cracking the ACT with 6 Practice Tests, 2016 Edition" is confidently recommended for personal, community, and academic library college prep tests instructional reference collections


The LGBT Studies Shelf

Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood
Eric Rosswood
New Horizon Press
PO Box 669, Far Hills, NJ 07931
www.newhorizonpressbooks.com
9780882825144 $15.94 pbk / $10.99 Kindle www.amazon.com

Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood: Firsthand Advice, Tips and Stories from Lesbian and Gay Couples is a parenting guide created especially to address the unique challenges faced by LGBT couples. Chapters discuss adoption, foster care, assisted reproduction, surrogacy, co-parenting and more. Author and LGBT activist Eric Rosswood addresses the obstacles that exist for gay and lesbian couples from a practical point of view. Personal testimonies of gay and lesbian parents round out this thoughtful, serious-minded guide. "Because of the large sums of money involved [in surrogate parenting services], you need to make sure you're not being taken advantage of... Ask for references so that you can speak directly to people who have been through the program. Contact independent physicians, attorneys, and mental health professionals for objective opinions about the agency and program you are considering. Also, make sure to seek the advice of an independent attorney who can oversee the process on your behalf." An absolute "must-have" for any LGBT couple engaged in family planning!


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Icelandic Magic
Stephen E. Flowers, Ph.D.
Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781620554050 $16.95 pbk / $9.99 Kindle www.amazon.com

Icelandic Magic draws upon grimoires preserved through the centuries in the National Library of Reykjavik to reveal a rich tradition of pagan magic, spirituality, and lore. Author and expert in Germanic languages and medieval studies Stephen E. Flowers, Ph.D. summarizes the mythology behind Icelandic magic, the use of runes and magical letters, the theory and practice of rituals, and much more. Icelandic Magic is fascinating to browse, and superb addition to metaphysical studies collections.


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Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
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http://www.midwestbookreview.com


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