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Wisconsin Bookwatch

Volume 12, Number 5 May 2017 Home | WBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Fiction Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Buddhist Studies Shelf
Gardening Shelf Cookbook Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Fishing Shelf Biography Shelf Poetry Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Music Shelf Art Shelf
Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Audiobook Shelf Music CD Shelf
DVD Shelf Self-Help Shelf American History Shelf
Writing/Publishing Shelf Education Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Computer Shelf Military Shelf Travel Shelf
Automotive Shelf Business Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

Cows and Catastrophes
Brindley Hosken
Old Pond Publishing
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR, 97213
www.isbs.com
9781910456484, $14.91, PB, 182pp, www.amazon.com

"Cows and Catastrophes: The Flights and Fancies of a Cornish Dairy Farmer" includes tales of author Brindley Hosken's 40 years of farming on the beautiful Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall, where he has lived and worked for all his life. After 35 years of dairy farming, and in an increasingly challenging market, Brindley made the difficult decision to sell his cows in 2010 and now contract rears dairy heifers. Most of the stories comprising "Cows and Catastrophes" are humorous, some of them asking such questions such as "What if I'm a Celebrity was set on a farm?", while others will inspire tears. Together, they are all thought-provoking. Featuring 32 specially commissioned illustrations by Rory Walker, "Cows and Catastrophes" will bring a wry smile to the faces of other farmers who will recognize situations that they too have been in. "Cows and Catastrophes" will also give readers who are not involved in farming an idea about what happens down farm lanes and in the patchwork of fields that they pass on their way to work each day. Readers will appreciate the tough job that farmers today face. Exceptionally well written, entertaining, informative, thought-provoking, organized and presented, "Cows and Catastrophes" is an especially recommended addition for community and academic library Dairy Farming, Agricultural Science, or Farm Life collections.

The Art of Plant-Based Cheesemaking
Karen McAthy
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
www.newsociety.com
9780865718364, $19.99, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

The popularity of artisan cheeses continues to increase at a rapid rate as is diary-free cheeses for those who are lactose intolerant or strictly vegan in their diets. In "The Art of Plant-Based Cheesemaking: How to Craft Real, Cultured, Non-Dairy Cheese" pioneering cheesemaker Karen McAthy (Founder and Head Cheesemaker at Blue Heron Creamery, which makes cultured, plant-based cheeses for restaurants, retail outlets, and private customers) draws upon her years of experience and expertise to present a profusely illustrated, user friendly, highly practical guide that extends traditional cheesemaking methods into the realm of plant-based media as a substitute for dairy. "The Art of Plant-Based Cheesemaking" covers: Understanding culturing and fermentation; Essential ingredients and equipment for crafting plant-based cheese; Plant and nut-based media and how to make them; How to create and train plant-based cultures; Delicious recipes for quick cheeses; Advanced recipes for cultured and aged cheeses; Resources for sourcing equipment and cultures. A complete, comprehensive, instruction manual that is packed from cover to cover with step-by-step recipes, straightforward processes, and encouraging experimentation, "The Art of Plant-Based Cheesemaking" makes plant-based cheesemaking accessible for beginners and serious foodies alike. Original, unique, and enthusiastically recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Art of Plant-Based Cheesemaking" is also available in a Kindle format ($19.32).


The Fiction Shelf

Diablo
Chuck Tyrell
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
9781444827552, $20.99, Large Print, PB, 253pp, www.ulverscroftusa.com

On the streets of Diablo jobs are scarce, tempers roiling and dead men are stripped almost before they hit the ground. But Shawn Brodie needs to collect $3000 for Tin Can Evans, and that amount of money can cause epic problems for man in a hell of a town such as this. And when things go bad, those living south of the A&P tracks, in a jumble of huts and tents, get the blame. With a host of dangerous men walking its streets, it's only a matter of time before the fuse is lit that threatens to blow Diablo all to Hell...maybe where it belongs. Author Chuck Tyrell is a master of the action/adventure western genre and "Diablo" is a deftly crafted and highly recommended story replete with unexpected twists and turns that will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal reading lists and community library Western Fiction collections.

The Grub Rider
James C. Work
Five Star Books
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432833954, $25.95, HC, 275pp, www.amazon.com

Mysterious forces drive Gabe Allen to leave home in search of the Keystone Ranch. Job by job, handout by handout, he finally makes it. But his next journey will be far more dangerous, more demanding. He is to see an arrogant lady safely home to her own ranch where her sister is being held hostage by an outlaw gang whose leader is almost certainly insane. Gabe's only weapons are his wit, ingenuity, and a .44 revolver; but what can one man and one gun do against an outlaw who decorates his stronghold with the skeletons of other men who have come against him? Author James C. Work doesn't just write ordinary westerns, he deftly crafts impressively original and consistently entertaining action/adventure novels that are set in the historical American west. Simply stated, "The Grub Rider" is very highly recommended for community library collections and the personal reading lists of dedicated western novel fans looking for a truly memorable read.

Miss Julia Weathers the Storm
Ann B. Ross
Viking Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780735220478, $27.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Miss Julia's sweet and generous husband, Sam, has decided to take a big group trip to the beach, inviting family and friends. While Miss Julia prepares for the big trip, her longtime friend LuAnne comes to her with a horrifying discovery -- her husband may be cheating on her. Julia invites LuAnne along to the beach to get away and clear her head--and to keep from doing anything rash. Everyone settles into the rental house and six-year-old Latisha, their beloved housekeeper Lillian's great-granddaughter, is having a blast searching for seashells when she discovers some much more valuable treasures that have washed up from a strong storm off the coast. As the storm nears, the crew packs up to head back to Abbotsville, and it appears that the three strangers they met on the beach -- who seemed a bit too interested in little Latisha's treasures--have followed them back to their sleepy town. An original, deftly crafted, and consistently entertaining read from cover to cover, "Miss Julia Weathers the Storm" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Miss Julia Weathers the Storm" is also available in a Kindle format ($13.99).

Before We Sleep
Jeffrey Lent
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781620404997, $28.00, HC, 400pp, www.amazon.com

Katey Snow, seventeen, slips the pickup into neutral and rolls silently out of the driveway of her Vermont home, her parents, Oliver and Ruth, still asleep. She isn't so much running away as on a journey of discovery. She carries with her a packet of letters addressed to her mother from an old army buddy of her father's. She has only recently been told that Oliver, who she adores more than anyone, isn't her biological father. She hopes the letter's sender will have answers to her many questions. "Before We Sleep" moves gracefully between Katey's perspective on the road and her mother, Ruth's. Through Ruth's recollections, we learn of her courtship with Oliver, their marriage on the eve of war, and his return as a changed man. Oliver had always been a bit dreamy, but became more remote, finding solace most of all in repairing fiddles. There were adjustments, accommodations, sacrifices--but the family went on to find its own rhythms, satisfactions, and happiness. Now Katey's journey may rearrange the Snows' story. In "Before We Sleep" accomplished novelist Jeffrey Lent has once again crafted an inherently insightful and entertaining read that will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Before We Sleep" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99). Librarians should be aware that there is a complete and unabridged CD audio book edition of "Before We Sleep" (Tantor Audio, 9781541456983, $29.99).

Beneath a Scarlet Sky
Mark Sullivan
Lake Union Publishing
9781503943377, $14.95, PB, 524pp, www.amazon.com

Pino Lella wants nothing to do with the war or the Nazis. He's a normal Italian teenager who is obsessed with music, food, and girls. But his days of innocence are numbered. When his family home in Milan is destroyed by Allied bombs, Pino joins an underground railroad helping Jews escape over the Alps, and falls for Anna, a beautiful widow six years his senior. In an attempt to protect him, Pino's parents force him to enlist as a German soldier -- a move they think will keep him out of combat. But after Pino is injured, he is recruited at the tender age of eighteen to become the personal driver for Adolf Hitler's left hand in Italy, General Hans Leyers, one of the Third Reich's most mysterious and powerful commanders. Now, with the opportunity to spy for the Allies inside the German High Command, Pino endures the horrors of the war and the Nazi occupation by fighting in secret, his courage bolstered by his love for Anna and for the life he dreams they will one day share. An accomplished novelist with a genuine flair for narrative driven storytelling, Mark Sullivan has scored another inherently engaging and thoroughly entertaining read with "Beneath a Scarlet Sky". While very highly recommended, especially for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Beneath a Scarlet Sky" is also available in a Kindle format ($4.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781536623147, $9.99, MP3).

The Path of the Wind
James A. Misko
Square One Publishers
115 Herricks Road, Garden City Park, NY 11040
www.squareonepublishers.com
9780757004445, $17.95 PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Miles Foster is a newly minted teacher who dreams of getting a teaching job in the highly respected and financially stable Portland, Oregon school system where everything is available, and where he and his wife call home. But the only opening for his talents is in a remote lumber mill town in central Oregon, two hundred miles away. It is a poor school with forty students, and is controlled by a jealous superintendent and school board who tolerate no thinking outside the box and who conspire to destroy his teaching career. Miles must find a way to educate students who have been passed along regardless of what they learned, and defeat the damaging control of the school board and superintendent without losing his marriage or his job, or both. James Misko is a truly gifted novelist with a genuine flair for deftly created and memorable characters. "The Path of the Wind" is a consistently entertaining and highly recommended addition to community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Path of the Wind" is also available in a Kindle format ($10.99).


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Miguel's Gift
Bruce Kading
Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781613736258, $14.99, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com

In late 1980s Chicago, Nick Hayden, a rookie INS field agent, is eager to make his mark in the unit responsible for picking up illegal immigrants around the city. Hayden excels, whether he's raiding factories or busting Colombian drug dealers. Seen as a rising star by supervisors, over time the green, idealistic Hayden evolves into what one veteran agent terms a "gladiator," an agent willing to do whatever is necessary to get the job done. But Hayden's real reason for joining INS (the mysterious death of an agent thirteen years earlier) remains a closely guarded secret, even as he reluctantly begins a discreet inquiry to uncover the truth. Hayden's world changes dramatically when he recruits Miguel Chavez, a humble Mexican illegal immigrant, to be an informant to help take down Salvador Rico, the ruthless kingpin of Chicago's counterfeit document trade. Nick faces challenges during the investigation that profoundly alter his career and personal priorities as the story builds to a deadly confrontation. Author Bruce Kading has created a consistently compelling thriller with deftly crafted and memorable characters within the context of a deftly written police procedural storyline whose unexpected plot twists and turns fully engage his readers right down to the last page of the last chapter. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Miguel's Gift" is also available in a Kindle format ($10.06).

Shanghai Flame / Counterspy Express
A. S. Fleischman
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520144, $19.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Stark House Press is in the business of bringing back into print time lost classics for the benefit of a whole new generation of appreciative leaders. Albert Sidney Fleischman (March 16, 1920 - March 17, 2010), was an American author of children's books, screenplays, novels for adults, and nonfiction books about magic. Two of his mystery novels comprise this Stark House Press edition. In 'Shanghai Flame', Alex Cloud knows he's being followed. He only has a short period of time to find Flame and bring her back to the ship in order to leave Shanghai alive. China has turned Red, and an American newspaperman's life has turned worthless. Dodging from one risky situation to the next, Cloud runs into Haigmann, a canny middle-man who seems to think Cloud has something of value. Eventually Cloud finds Flame, but she wants nothing to do with him. Undaunted, he's sworn to get her out of Shanghai, but now finds himself carrying a lethal pack of cards with a microfilm of names glued into them. Now they re both on the run, trying to stay one step ahead of the spies and thieves who want that film ready and willing to kill anyone to get it. In "Counterspy Express', the dying words of Jim Cabot's European contact ring in his ears as finds himself being trailed by one woman and tempted by another. His mission is to locate Borsilov, a defected Russian scientist. His predecessor, Max Becker, died trying. And already Cabot has been knocked senseless and his life threatened by two gunmen as he tries to track down the missing scientist. Behind the threats is an Italian Red named Major Racasoli. Pitted against them all is an English opportunist, Sydney Jardine, who wants to sell Borsilov to the highest bidder. But those dying words of warning mean nothing to Cabot now, because he has met Pia--and all bets are off. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections alike, "Shanghai Flame / Counterspy Express" is very highly recommended as a deftly crafted and consistently entertaining read from cover to cover.

Subject 375
Nikki Owen
Blackstone Publishing
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781504725798, $24.99, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com

Plastic surgeon Dr. Maria Martinez has Asperger's. Convicted of killing a priest, she is alone in prison and has no memory of the murder. DNA evidence places Maria at the scene of the crime, yet she claims she's innocent. Then she starts to remember a strange room, strange people, and being watched. As Maria gets closer to the truth, she is drawn into a web of international intrigue and must fight not only to clear her name but to remain alive. The first volume of a planned 'Project' trilogy by Nikki Owen, "Subject 375" is a simply riveting read from cover to cover with all manner of unexpected twists and turns. A deftly crafted, multilayered story by a truly gifted novelist with a flair for suspense drive narratives, "Subject 375" is very highly recommended, especially for community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Subject 375" is also available in a paperback edition (9781504754798, $9.99) and in a Kindle format ($7.99).

I Found You
Lisa Jewell
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
9781501154591, $26.00, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

In a windswept British seaside town, single mom Alice Lake finds a man sitting on the beach outside her house. He has no name, no jacket, and no idea how he got there. Against her better judgment, she invites him inside. Meanwhile, in a suburb of London, twenty-one-year-old Lily Monrose has only been married for three weeks. When her new husband fails to come home from work one night she is left stranded in a new country where she knows no one. Then the police tell her that her husband never existed. Twenty-three years earlier, Gray and Kirsty are teenagers on a summer holiday with their parents. Their annual trip to the quaint seaside town is passing by uneventfully, until an enigmatic young man starts paying extra attention to Kirsty. Something about him makes Gray uncomfortable -- and it's not just that he's playing the role of protective older brother. "I Found You" is another storytelling gem from the pen of Lisa Jewell and continues to reveal her genuine flair for deftly crafted characters and truly engaging, narrative driven plots. While very highly recommended, especially for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "I Found You" is also available in a Kindle format ($12.99).

Moving Target
Lynette Eason
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerbooks.com
9780800728540, $25.99, HC, 338pp, www.amazon.com

When Maddy McKay and Quinn Holcombe don't show up for Quinn's surprise birthday party, his friends know that something is very wrong. Their search turns up little beyond evidence that Quinn and Maddy just decided to take off for a long overdue vacation. But it soon becomes apparent that they did not leave of their own accord. Maddy awakens in a cement room with no idea where she is. But it's not long before she realizes she's in the clutches of a madman exacting revenge by hunting. His prey of choice? Humans. Now Maddy and Quinn must run for their lives, hoping to find their killer before the next game begins. Because if they don't win this game, they die. The third title in author Lynette Eason's outstanding 'Elite Guardians' series, "Moving Target" is a compelling and simply riveting read from cover to cover. While very highly recommended, especially for community library action/adventure suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Moving Target" is also available in a paperback edition (9780800723248, $15.99) and in a Kindle format ($8.53).

Lies the Mushroom Pickers Told
Tom Phelan
Arcade Publishing
www.arcadepub.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781628724288, $24.95,HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

When journalist Patrick Bracken returns to Gohen, the Irish village where he was born, he knows the eyes of the townspeople are on him. He has come home to investigate two deaths that happened decades earlier when he was a child, deaths that were ruled accidental. But Patrick knows (and believes the whole town knows) they were murders. He knows because he and his best friend, Mikey Lamb, were witnesses. Part human comedy and part mystery, "Lies the Mushroom Pickers Told" by accomplished novelist Tom Phelan is an enthralling, masterful story about what holds a village together and what keeps people apart. A consistently entertaining and deftly crafted read from cover to cover, "Lies the Mushroom Pickers Told" is an especially recommended addition to community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Lies the Mushroom Pickers Told" is also available in a paperback edition (9781628727548, $16.99) and in a Kindle format ($11.01).

The Vanquished
David Putnam
Oceanview Publishing
595 Bay Isles Road, 120-G, Longboat Key, FL 34228
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608092161, $26.95, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Former cop and ex-con Bruno Johnson and his wife Marie, living in their safe haven in Costa Rica with the children they illegally rescued from certain death, find a message from their outlaw motorcycle gang enemies written on the back of one of their beloved children. The motorcycle gang, Sons of Satan, out for revenge, will stop at nothing to lure the now furious Bruno back into their web. Bruno and Marie, forced to return to Southern California, battle additional demons in the form of an ex-spouse's entanglements. The FBI, watching the Sons of Satan, recognizes Bruno's unique skills and ties. They recruit him to recover a stolen military drone armed with Hellfire missiles, while Bruno struggles to keep pregnant Marie out of the crossfire. Ultimately, Bruno's inability to ignore a woman in peril yields unspeakable consequences. A simply riveting read from cover to cover, "The Vanquished" is a deftly crafted novel the clearly reflects author David Putnam's years of experience and expertise from his former career in law enforcement. While certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Vanquished" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Brood of the Witch Queen / The Quest of the Sacred Slipper
Sax Rohmer
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520243, $19.95, PB, 296pp, www.amazon.com

Arthur Henry Ward (15 February 1883 - 1 June 1959), better known as Sax Rohmer, was a prolific English novelist. Now Stark House Press has brought back into print two true classics of the 20th century occult-mystery genre."Brood of the Witch Queen" is the story of Robert Cairn who is caught out in the rain and he sees something strange. Apollo, the king of the swans, seems to have died without apparent reason right in front of his eyes! When Robert goes to investigate, he discovers that the swan had its neck broken in three places. He's so spooked by this that he goes to the nearest home, the one of Antony Ferrara. Inside Antony's home, Robert feels frightened and suffocated. Antony has always been a strange man. He's been rumored to be a bad boy of sorts and was asked to leave Egypt. The reason for that, nobody quite knows. But Robert sees some strange things in Antony's home. He glimpses Egyptian artifacts and creepiest of all, an unwrapped mummy. Why Antony has all these items, one can only guess. Their guesses are nothing compared to the strange happenings that's actually happening. And Robert and his friends must find out what before it's too late! "The Quest of the Sacred Slipper" is an episodic supernatural mystery thriller in which the stolen slipper of Mohammed, one of the sacred relics of Islam, is sought by its guardian (a descendant of the ancient Assassins) and his henchmen (dwarfs turned by a drug into giants of strength and agility) armed with natural and supernatural vengeance devices. Brought back into print for a new generation of appreciative readers, this edition of "Brood of the Witch Queen / The Quest of the Sacred Slipper" is unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for personal reading lists and community library collections.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Sons of Saint Patrick
George J. Marlin & Brad Miner
Ignatius Press
PO Box 1339, Fort Collins, CO 80522
www.ignatius.com
9781621641131, $34.99, HC, 506pp, www.amazon.com

"Sons of Saint Patrick" is the history of America's premiere Catholic see, the archdiocese of New York from the coming of French Jesuit priests in the seventeenth century to the early years of Cardinal Timothy Dolan. It includes many intriguing facets of the history of Catholicism in New York, including: the early persecution of and legal discrimination against Catholics; the waves of catholic immigrants, most notably from Ireland; the Church's rise to power under New York's first archbishop, "Dagger" John Hughes; the emerging awareness in the Vatican of New York's preeminence; the clashes between America and Rome over the "Americanist" heresy; the role New York's archbishops have played in the life of America's greatest city and in the world. "Sons of Saint Patrick" focuses on the ten archbishops of New York and shows how they became the indispensable partners of governors and presidents, especially during the war-torn twentieth century. Also discussed are the struggles of the most recent archbishops in the face of demographic changes, financial crises, and clerical sex-abuse cases. "Sons of Saint Patrick" is an objective but colorful portrait of ten extraordinary men men who were saints and sinners, politicians and pastors, and movers and shakers who as much as any other citizens have made New York one of the greatest cities in the world. All ten archbishops have been Irish, either by birth or heritage, but given New York's changing ethnic profile, Cardinal Timothy Dolan may be the last son of Saint Patrick to serve as its archbishop. A unique and comprehensive historical study by the team of George J. Marlin (Chairman of Aid to the Church in Need U.S.A., an agency under the guidance of the Pope) and Brad Miner (Senior Fellow of the Faith & Reason Institute in Washington, D.C., and the Senior Editor of the 'Catholic Thing'), "Sons of Saint Patrick" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library American Catholic History collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Nothing to Fear
Barry C. Black
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781496421081, $22.99, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

We live in turbulent and hazardous times. Yet is it possible that, ultimately, there is actually nothing to fear? Barry C. Black is the spiritual "leader of leaders" for the US Senate and shepherding those governmental policy makers on the front lines of the decisions that shape our culture. Now in the pages of "Nothing to Fear: Principles and Prayers to Help You Thrive in a Threatening World", Chaplain Barry Black shows all of us how to thrive in the midst of today's turbulence and confusion by following eight principles that Jesus gave his disciples prior to sending them into a dangerous world. These teachings are as relevant today as when Jesus first spoke them two thousand years ago. Containing Scriptural insights and powerful prayers to help you seek God's guidance and blessing, "Nothing to Fear" will illuminate the way to live boldly, bravely, and faithfully in the face of today's perils. Informative, thoughtful, inspired and inspiring, "Nothing to Fear" is unreservedly recommended reading for all members of the Christian community regardless of denominational affiliations. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Nothing to Fear" is also available in a paperback edition (9781496418685, $15.99), in a Kindle format ($8.85), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781538435809, $29.95, MP3 CD).

Control Girl
Shannon Popkin
Kregel Publications
2450 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.kregel.com
9780825444296, $14.99 PB, $10.49 Kindle, 216pp, www.amazon.com

Every wife and mother experiences little fights with their husband and kids. Unhappiness is the result of things not matching our versions of perfection. Tension, anger, fear, anxiety -- it all begins with a heart that craves control. When perspectives of how life should go replaces God's, we are doomed in our quests for security, peace, and joy before we can even get started. That's why Shannon Popkin has written "Control Girl: Lessons on Surrendering Your Burden of Control from Seven Women in the Bible" in which she shares what she has discovered about her own control struggles and about God from studying seven 'Control Girls' as recorded in the Bible. Whether it was Eve's desire to know instead of trust, Sarah's inability to wait for God to move, or Rebekah's controlling hand on her family's future, each of these women's stories contain warnings and lessons for us today. Readers will learn how they too can lay down this burden of trying to control everything and find rest in surrendering to the One who truly is in control. Biblically based, deftly written, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, as thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring, "Control Girl" is very highly recommended for all members of the Christian community regardless of their denominational affiliation.

Unchained
Noel Jesse Heikkinen
David C. Cook
c/o Cook Communications
4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.cookministries.com
9781434709950, $22.99, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com

Often when people follow Jesus, they feel more guilty instead of more free. A powerful book for the spiritually restless, "Unchained: If Jesus Has Set Us Free, Why Don't We Feel Free? " by Noel Jesse Heikkinen (a Pastor at Riverview Church, a multi-site church of over 3,000 near Lansing, Michigan) shows Christians how they can have a robust faith that celebrates their freedom in Christ without compromising their holiness as God's followers. "Unchained" turns to the person and work of Jesus Christ as the source of freedom -- not just his work 2,000 years ago but also what he is doing today. As readers dig into the meaning of the freedom that Jesus offers, they will understand, perhaps for the first time, what true freedom in Christ means. Exceptional, informative, thoughtful, inspired and inspiring, "Unchained" is highly recommended to the attention of all members of the Christian community regardless of their denominational affiliation. It should be noted that "Unchained" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

The Miracle of Mindfulness
Thich Nhat Hanh
Beacon Press
24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210
www.beacon.org
9780807064900, $20.00, HC, 168pp, www.amazon.com

"The Miracle of Mindfulness" is a classic guide to meditation that has introduced generations of readers to the life-changing beauty of mindful awareness. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (who is a global spiritual leader, poet, peace activist, and is revered around the world for his powerful teachings and best-selling writings on mindfulness and peace) offers gentle anecdotes and practical exercise as a means of learning the skills of mindfulness. From washing the dishes to answering the phone to peeling an orange, he reminds us that each moment holds within it an opportunity to work toward greater self-understanding and peacefulness. This gift edition features Thich Nhat Hanh's inspiring calligraphy, photographs from his travels around the world, and a revised afterword. An absolute 'must' for his legions of followers, the new edition of "The Miracle of Mindfulness" is unreservedly recommended for personal, family, community, and academic library Buddhist Studies collections in general, and Buddhist Meditation supplemental studies reading lists particular. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Miracle of Mindfulness" is also available in a Kindle format ($14.99).


The Gardening Shelf

The Food Lover's Garden
Jenni Blackmore
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
www.newsociety.com
9780865718425, $29.99, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Vegetables and herbs fresh from a garden are uniformly superior to the origin-unknown, not-so-fresh, pesticide-laden offerings at the a local grocery store. "The Food Lover's Garden: Growing, Cooking, and Eating Well" is an impressively accessible, profusely illustrated, easy-to-use guide to growing, cooking, and preserving twenty-some popular, easy-to-grow vegetables and herbs. "The Food Lover's Garden" guides the aspiring family gardener through: Getting started with easy step-by-step growing instructions from balcony to backyard; Provides simple, tasty recipes incorporating each showcased vegetable and herb; Features meal combinations of two or more of the featured dishes; covers the selection of essential kitchen tools and gadgets to maximize the harvest; and even includes canning and pickling recipes to preserve what the garden produces. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Food Lover's Garden" is enthusiastically recommended, especially for community library Gardening instructional reference collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Food Lover's Garden" is also available in a Kindle format ($19.37).


The Cookbook Shelf

Favorite New Orleans Recipes
Suzanne Ormond, Mary Irvine, Denyse Cantin
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
www.pelicanpub.com
9781455623464, $12.95, PB, 96pp, www.amazon.com

New Orleans has long had the reputation for being the home of an excellent and distinctive cuisine. The collaborative effort of Suzanne Ormond, Mary Irvine, and Denyse Cantin, "Favorite New Orleans Recipes" is the first cookbook ever to have been issued simultaneously in English, French, and Spanish is the showcase entree into the culinary melange that is New Orleans. The three authors have drawn extensively from their own connections to these cultures, in some cases unlocking nineteenth-century cooking secrets discovered in old, handwritten notes. They present what they consider to be the 119 best recipes created in the city. From drinks like the Sazerac and Cafe au Lait to entrees such as Red Beans and Rice and Crawfish Etouffee to desserts including Cherries Jubilee, Bananas Foster, and Pain Perdu, every recipe is world class. All recipes include metric measures. A delight to simply browse through, inspiring to plan menus with, this thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' culinary compendium is very highly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

The Essential Amish Cookbook
Lovina Eicher
Herald Press
1251 Virginia Avenue, Harrisonburg, VA 22802
www.heraldpress.com
9781513800295, $22.99, PB, 296pp, www.amazon.com

There is a distinctive Amish cuisine. This cuisine is showcased in "The Essential Amish Cookbook: Everyday Recipes from Farm and Pantry" compiled and presented with succinct commentaries by Lovina Eicher (author of the syndicated column, Lovina's Amish Kitchen, which appears in 40 newspapers around the United States and on a weekly blog) as she shares traditional Amish recipes along with her own kitchen tips and secrets. Growing up, Eicher learned to cook and bake at an early age alongside her mother, longtime columnist and Amish cookbook author Elizabeth Coblentz, and has put those skills to use in her own Amish kitchen as she cooks for her eight children. The authentic, palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen cook friendly recipes range from Rhubarb Coffeecake; Amish Macaroni Salad; Sweet Potato Casserole; Campfire Stew; and Buttermilk Spice Cake; to Peanut Butter Dream Bars; Peach Butter; Homemade Church Cheese Spread; Poor Man's Steak; and Amish Wedding Nothings, or Knee Patches. Profusely illustrated from cover to cover, a delight to browse through and inspiring to plan menus with, "The Essential Amish Cookbook" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "The Essential Amish Cookbook" is also available in a Kindle format ($18.99).

Ryland, Peters & Small
341 East 116th Street, New York, NY 10029
www.rylandpeters.com

Now available to Americans, the British publishing house, Ryland, Peters & Small, has published four simply outstanding ethnic and 'party hearty' illustrated cookbooks that will prove to be enduringly popular additions to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. Dunja Gulin's "Falafel Forever: Nutritious and Tasty Recipes for Fried, Baked, Raw, Vegan and More!" (9781849758161, $15.95, HC, 64pp) showcases the Falafel, an ancient Middle Eastern food originally made with fava or chickpeas (garbanzo beans), which are crushed and mixed with herbs and spices and molded into patties. They are then traditionally served in pita bread pockets with salad and dips such as hummus, tzatziki, or tahini sauce. Featured recipes range from Red Lentil Falafel Wraps, to Mushroom and Walnut Falafel, to Falafel Coconut Curry. Of special note are the recipes for Cashew Yogurt Sauce, Tofu Mayonnaise, and Tahini Sauce. Nitisha Patel's "My Modern Indian Kitchen: Over 60 Recipes for Home-Cooked Indian Food" (9781849758147, $21.95, HC, 160pp) presents recipes for authentic Indian street food, vegetarian dishes, desserts and more with such culinary delights as Pulled Tandoori Lamb Kathi Rolls, Duck Pepper Stir Fry, Masala Roasted Potatoes, and Mushroom Pilau. Of special note is the recipe for An Indian Summer night's Dream. "Real Mexican Food: Authentic Recipes for Burritos, Tacos, Salsas and More" (9781849753425, $24.95 HC, $9.99 Kindle, 144pp) by the team of Felipe Fuentes Cruz and Ben Fordham showcases a wealth of dishes ranging from Ensalada de Habas (Spicy Broad/Fava Bean Salad); Tacos de Tofu (Tofu Tacos); and Enfrijoladas (Corn Tortillas Dipped in Black Bean Sauce); to Salsa de Aguacate (Avocado Salsa); Bunuelos (Cinnamon Fritters); and Agua de Flor de Jamaica (Hibiscus Flower Water). Of special note are the instructions on 'How To Make Corn Tortillas'. For parties of any and all occasions, "101 Bar Bites: Delicious Nibbles, Snacks and Small Plates to Complement Your Drinks" (9781849758079, $19.95, HC, 144pp) offering make-it-yourself recipes for everything from Sweet Potato Fries; Chicken Liver Parfait; Sliders; Baked Dates Stuffed with Harissa Couscous; and Thai-Style Mini Fish Cakes; to Duck Breast Chinese Pancakes; Roast Garlic Salt Cad Croquettes; Pizzettes, and Mini Popcorn Cheesecakes. All four of these culinary collections are a delight to browse through and inspiring to plan party menus with, making them each very highly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Wise Craft Quilts
Blair Stocker
Roost Books
c/o Shambhala Publications, Inc.
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-4544
www.shambhala.com
9781611803488, $29.95, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com

In "Wise Craft Quilts: A Guide to Turning Beloved Fabrics into Meaningful Patchwork, Blair Stocker (quiltmaker, upcycler, painter, teacher, DIY daredevil, blogger, and founder of Wise Craft Handmade) shares ways to use cherished fabrics to make quilts with more meaning. Each of the twenty-one quilts illustratively showcased in this impressive volume gathers a special collection of fabric, outlines a new technique, and spins a story. By using special fabrics as the starting point for each project, ranging from a wedding dress to baby's first clothes, worn denim, Tyvek race numbers, and more, the finished quilt is made even more special. "Wise Craft Quilts" is the perfect instructional guide for making quilts that have a story to tell and which will offer a whole new level of appreciation for what they represent in quilter's life and the lives of the ones they love. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Wise Craft Quilts" is very highly recommended for personal and community library Needlecraft instructional collections in general, and quilting supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Flying Geese: New Quilts from an Old Favorite
Linda Baxter Lasco, editor
American Quilter's Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
www.americanquilter.com
9781683391067, $24.95, PB, 96pp, www.amazon.com

Compiled and edited by Linda Baxter, "Flying Geese: New Quilts from an Old Favorite" is the result of the popular National Quilt Museum annual contest based on a traditional quilt pattern. The challenge to quiltmakers stems from the contest name 'New Quilts From An Old Favorite'. This year's theme is the Flying Geese block. An exhibit of contest winners and finalists is held each year at the museum. "Flying Geese: New Quilts from an Old Favorite is an illustrated collection of the most innovative quilts entered in the contest. Inside avid needlecrafters will meet the quilters, discover their inspiration, and follow their techniques. Here presented is the color, the creativity, and the craft of a widely diverse group. "Flying Geese: New Quilts from an Old Favorite" will provide motivation for all quilters to consider their own interpretation of a traditional block to create a new quilt from an old favorite. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Flying Geese: New Quilts from an Old Favorite" is unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for personal and community library quilt making instructional reference collections.

Design Inspiration
Margaret Solomon Gunn
American Quilter's Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
www.americanquilter.com
9781683390138, $26.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

The AQS Signature Series brings an in-depth look into the quilting process of award winner Margaret Solomon Gunn (owner of Mainely Quilts of Love, a long arm quilting studio). The illustrated patterns comprising "Design Inspiration" feature easy-to-follow instructions for making three of Margaret's most well-known, award-winning show quilts. "Design Inspiration" chronicles Margaret's journey for of the three quilts from design inspiration to finished product, providing tips and insight on how the well-designed, pieced, and quilted masterpieces were created. Line drawings, thread suggestions, quilting instructions, and detailed photographs are provided of the quilting designs for key areas on each quilt. The three patterned designs will appeal to all quilting skill levels. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Design Inspiration" is very highly recommended for personal and community library quilting instructional reference collections.

When Bad Things Happen to Good Crocheters
Beth Wolfensberger Singer
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781627103947, $19.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

Comprehensive, practical, effective, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "When Bad Things Happen to Good Crocheters: Survival Guide for Every Crocheting Emergency" is an instructional 'how to' compendium of shortcuts such as how to change yarns halfway through a project; how professionals finish their crochet for a polished look; deciphering the magic that makes crochet charts work; reading crochet patterns like a pro; learning when and how to fix your mistakes; and avoiding finishing fiascos. "When Bad Things Happen to Good Crocheters" features projects that included the Time's Square Bag; Granny Square Mug Blankies; Bubble-Wrap Scarf; and more. Replete with get-organized tips will have even the most novice student crocheting at a professional level in no time at all, "When Bad Things Happen to Good Crocheters" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Needlecrafting instructional reference collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "When Bad Things Happen to Good Crocheters" is also available in a Kindle format ($13.99).


The Fishing Shelf

Nymph Masters
Jason Randall
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811716796,$34.95, HC, 296pp, www.amazon.com

Sitting down with a copy of "Nymph Masters: Fly-Fishing Secrets from Expert Anglers" by Jason Randall is the next best thing to taking a fishing trip with the country's best anglers. Randall draws upon his expertise and experience with fly fishing giants such as George Daniel, Landon Mayer, Lefty Kreh, Ed Jaworowski, Ed Engle, Gary Borger, and Joe Humphreys and shares their top nymphing techniques, flies, and tactics with you. "Nymph Masters" covers everything from rigging flies, reading the water, casting, and fighting fish in streams and rivers from across the country from Pennsylvania to Alaska, in author and angler Jason Randall's personal quest to learn the methods of the masters. Profusely illustrated and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, as informative as it is comprehensive, "Nymph Masters" is unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library collections in general, and Fly Fishing supplemental studies reading lists in particular.


The Biography Shelf

It Makes Me Wonder
William W. Sherrill
Bright Sky Press
2365 Rice Boulevard, Suite 202, Houston, TX 77005
9781942945383 $24.95 www.brightskypress.com

"It Makes Me Wonder" is Bill Sherrill's thoughtful memoir in which he shares with the reader his personal path that began as a Depression-era dropout to the highest echelons of LBJ's administration and international business. "It Makes Me Wonder" deftly details his combat experience on Iwo Jima, the inner-workings of the Federal Reserve Board, the development of Galveston Island's first recreational communities, and the founding of the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Houston's C. T. Bauer College of Business. More than just an inherently interest account of a life lived in interesting times, "It Makes Me Wonder" provides inspiration for those who want to improve their own lives as well as those who want to help others find success. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "It Makes Me Wonder" is an especially recommended addition to both community and academic library American Biography collections.

The Morning the Sun Went Down
Darryl Babe Wilson
Heyday Books
PO Box 9145, Berkeley, CA 94709
www.heydaybooks.com
9781597143622, $15.00, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com

"The Morning the Sun Went Down" by Darryl Babe Wilson is a deftly crafted, lyrical, and richly textured memoir comprising both the beauty and the deep tragedies of his personal journey to adulthood. Born into the Achumawi and Atusgewi tribes (often called the Pit River Nation) of northeastern California, Wilson's early years were spent with his parents and eight brothers and sisters in a life rich in a Native American tradition. But when a car accident tore the family apart, Wilson entered into the foster system and then juvenile hall, where he was subjected to assimilation tactics that attempted to strip him of his identity. In "The Morning the Sun Went Down", Wilson blends his peoples' narratives with stories of youthful innocence to create a coming-of-age story that doubles as a cultural tour de force. Very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library American Biography collections, "The Morning the Sun Went Down" is one of those candidly informative and intensely personal memoirs that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself is finished and set back upon the shelf.


The Poetry Shelf

Because I Cannot Leave This Body
Carol V. Davis
Truman State University Press
100 East Normal Street, Kirksville, MO 63501-4221
http://tsup.truman.edu
9781612481883, $15.95, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com

In her new collection of free verse, "Because I Cannot Leave This Body", by poet Carol V. Davis crosses cultural and geographic boundaries to explore her family's history as Jews, as outsiders, as immigrants. Ranging from Los Angeles to Nebraska to Germany to Russia, Davis probes the boundaries between faith, folklore and superstition, trying to find her own way through terrain both menacing and inviting. The present, past and the human body move through the lens of her dark humor. Her restless mind is most at home at the uncomfortable edges where solace, when found, is ephemeral and fragmentary. Inherently engaging, thought-provoking, original, "Because I Cannot Leave This Body" is very highly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary American Poetry collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Because I Cannot Leave This Body" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).


The Health/Medicine Shelf

The Oxygen Cure
William S. Maxfield, M.D.
Humanix Books
PO Box 20989, West Palm Beach, FL 33416
www.humanixbooks.com
9781630060510, $19.99, PB, 228pp, www.amazon.com

In the United States, the FDA currently recognizes hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for 14 specific medical conditions, including decompression sickness, embolism, crush injury, bone infection, burns, wound healing, severe anemia, and several others. Now, in "The Oxygen Cure", hyperbaric expert William S. Maxfield (who is a board-certified physician in hyperbaric medicine, radiology, and nuclear medicine, and one of the nation's foremost experts in hyperbaric medicine, pioneering its use to treat wounds, brain trauma, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions), argues that HBOT is a vastly underused modality that deserves to take its place among frontline medical treatments. As a holistic treatment, HBOT targets the underlying disease or condition, not just the symptoms. Featuring hope-inspiring case histories and expert findings, "The Oxygen Cure" shows how HBOT not only benefits the sick and injured (including our wounded veterans), but may also reduce our country's staggeringly high medical costs. HBOT often provides a safe alternative to drug therapy and dangerous invasive procedures. Exceptionally well written, "The Oxygen Cure" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, making it very highly recommended, especially for community and academic library Health/Medicine collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of medical students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Oxygen Cure" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).


The Music Shelf

The Hell-Bound Train, second edition
Glenn Ohrlin, author
Charlie Seemann, editor
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
www.ttupress.org
9780896729629, $24.99, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Glenn Ohrlin (1926-2015) was a cowboy singer, working cowboy, rodeo rider, storyteller, and illustrator. In "The Hell-Bound Train: A Cowboy Songbook" he has gathered dozens of his favorite songs, which chronicle the range and rodeo life he lived. Ohrlin was known for singing in an unornamented Western style, accompanying himself on the guitar and harmonica. Most of his repertoire comes from the period of 1875 to 1925. Edited by Charlie Seemann (Executive Director of the Western Folklife Center in Elko, Nevada), "The Hell-Bound Train" includes music and lyrics for songs such as "My Home's in Montana," "The Texas Rangers," and "Bull Riders in the Sky", along with Ohrlin's commentary on each work's provenance and meaning. "Charlie Seemann is executive director of the Western Folklife Center in Elko, Nevada" is a truly impressive collection that is very highly recommended for community and academic library American Music History collections, as is clearly a 'must-have' for any fan of cowboy and folk music in general, and Glenn Ohrlin in particular.


The Art Shelf

Folk Art Fusion
Heather Galler
Walter Foster Publishing
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
www.findfolkart.com
9781633221987, $21.95, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

In "Folk Art Fusion" artist Heather Galler (who paints with oil, acrylic, and mixed media to create bright, cheerful folk-art paintings, ceramic tiles, jewelry, and more, and whose prints are sold by more than 50 retailers worldwide) explores the colorful combination of art styles present in modern folk art paintings. With "Folk Art Fusion" aspiring artists will learn how traditional folk art continues to influence today's painters, and discover how to create contemporary folk-art paintings with approachable, step-by-step projects featuring traditional subjects painted with creative techniques and popular style, including flowers, animals, architecture, sugar skulls, portraits, and more. Colorful, contemporary, and inspirational, "Folk Art Fusion" allows artists of all skill levels to discover the joy of creating modern, global-inspired art in this time-treasured genre. Profusely and beautifully illustrated from cover to cover, "Folk Fusion Art" is an extraordinary and thoroughly 'user friendly' instruction manual in organization and presentation. While very highly recommended for community, academic, and art school instructional reference collections, it should be noted for art students, professional artists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Folk Art Fusion" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Boruto 1
Masashi Kishimoto, creator/supervisor
Art by Mikio Ikemoto
Script by Ukyo Kodachi
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
9781421592114 $9.99 www.viz.com

Boruto 1 is a "must-read" for fans of the long-running Naruto series of shonen manga (action- packed Japanese comics suitable for teens as well as adults) about ninja with the supernatural powers to promote peace or war. The Boruto series follows the next generation of aspiring ninja; though times are peaceful, not all is well in the home of Naruto Uzumaki. Young Boruto Uzumaki resents that his father's job as Hokage keeps him away from the family so much, and has no desire to follow directly in Naruto's footsteps - instead, the one who longs to earn the position of Hokage is his friend Sarada, Sasuke's daughter! But will Sasuke accept Boruto's request to become his student? Furthermore, the Chunin exams are about to begin, and the pressure to succeed is on! A supplemental short story about Mitsuki rounds out this highly recommended adventure.

Flying Witch 1
Chihiro Ishizuka
Vertical, Inc.
451 Park Avenue South, 7th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.vertical-inc.com
9781945054099 $10.95 amazon.com

Flying Witch 1 begins a black-and-white manga (Japanese comics) series about novice witch Makoto Kowata and her intelligent black cat familiar. The two of them move in with Makoto's distant relatives in rural region, so that Makoto can complete her training and become a full- fledged witch. But there is far more to witchcraft than magic and riding broomsticks - a witch has to be practiced in a multitude of skills, including gardening, navigation, and diplomacy with seasonal spirits! Flying Witch is a gentle, heartwarming story for all ages, highly recommended.

Nichijou My Ordinary Life 7
Keiichi Arawi
Vertical, Inc.
451 Park Avenue South, 7th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.vertical-inc.com
9781942993667 $10.95 amazon.com

Nichijou My Ordinary Life 7 is an eclectic black-and-white manga (Japanese comics) series; due to its lighthearted, episodic comedy nature, volume 7 is as good a jumping-on point as any. Among the adventures of volume 7, Yukko is impossibly baffled by the masterful deadpan sarcasm of her friend; parachute fireworks prove surprisingly dangerous; and the talking cat Mr. Sakamoto and an intelligent robot try to instill the tiniest bit of discipline in the child scientist who created them both! The Nichijou My Ordinary Life series is a delight for readers of all ages and an excellent pick-me-up for dreary days, highly recommended.

Nichijou My Ordinary Life 8
Keiichi Arawi
Vertical, Inc.
451 Park Avenue South, 7th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.vertical-inc.com
9781942993674 $10.95 amazon.com

Nichijou My Ordinary Life 8 continues the black-and-white manga (Japanese comics) about mostly ordinary school students in mostly everyday situations... except for all of the many, many times they're not! In volume 8, a 5-yen coin hypnotism goes terribly awry, the war to reclaim an Afro-style wig reaches epic proportions, and the talking cat Mr. Sakamoto meets the ditzy Yukko for the first time! Alternating between newspaper-style comic strip gags and silly vignettes, Nichijou My Ordinary Life is fun for all ages.

My Neighbor Seki 9
Takuma Morishige
Vertical, Inc.
451 Park Avenue South, 7th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.vertical-inc.com
9781945054013 $10.95 amazon.com

My Neighbor Seki 9 continues the black-and-white manga (Japanese comics) escapades of Seki, a brilliant yet easily bored student who amuses himself at school with extraordinarily creative games. Even though Seki's classmate Yokoi just wants to study hard, she inevitably gets caught up in Seki's wacky adventures! Among the vignettes of volume 9, Yokoi visits a restaurant where Seki's mother is working (could Seki have inherited his prodigious talents directly from her?); Seki persuades a more serious student to try physical exercise equipment in class; and even a severe cold can't keep Seki from his daily antics! Lighthearted, all-ages fun is the hallmark of this wonderful series, highly recommended.

Revolutionary Girl Utena Complete Deluxe Box Set
Story and Art by Chiho Saito
Original Concept by Be-Papas
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
www.viz.com
9781421585871 $49.99 amazon.com

Revolutionary Girl Utena Complete Deluxe Box Set collects the entire black-and-white shojo manga (Japanese comics aimed especially at girls and young women) classic that captivated a generation. This two-volume hardcover set includes the complete stories of "Revolutionary Girl Utena" (which inspired a beloved anime TV series) as well as "The Adolescence of Utena". ("The Adolescence of Utena" is a re-imagining of Utena's story, which formed the basis for the anime "Revolutionary Girl Utena - The Movie".) Featuring sweeping art, striking themes, and a strong heroine whose resolves to become like the prince she idolizes, Revolutionary Girl Utena is a timeless, fantastic story. Revolutionary Girl Utena is a "must" for shojo connoisseurs! The deluxe box set includes a beautifully illustrated case to hold the two graphic novels, and a stunning full-color poster of Utena and Anthy (both girls are nude in the poster, but the image is artistic, not erotic).

The Water Dragon's Bride 1
Rei Toma
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
www.viz.com
9781421592558 $9.99 amazon.com

The Water Dragon's Bride 1 begins a new shojo manga (Japanese comics aimed especially at girls and young women) series. A young, modern-day girl suddenly finds herself transported into a faraway feudal world. She befriends a boy named Subaru, but then Subaru's village decides to sacrifice her to become the bride of the Water Dragon God! Can she escape the clutches of the cold, enigmatic, and distant deity? And what hope awaits her even if she can return to the village that condemned her? A captivating original fairy tale showcasing both the light and dark in human nature, The Water Dragon's Bride is highly recommended.

Hero-A-Go-Go
Michael Evry
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614
www.twomorrows.com
9781605490731, $36.95, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com

It was in comic books that the children and young adults of the 60s would learn that spies liked their wars cold and their women warm, good guys beat bad guys with a pun and a punch, and Batman shook a mean cape."Hero-A-Go-Go: Campy Comic Books, Crimefighters, & Culture of the Swinging Sixties" celebrates the camp craze of the Swinging Sixties, when just about everyone (including the teens of Riverdale, an ant and a squirrel, even the President of the United States) was a super-hero or a secret agent. Back Issue magazine and former DC Comics editor Michael Eury takes the reader through that coolest cultural phenomenon with this all-new collection of nostalgic essays, histories, and theme song lyrics of classic 1960s characters like Captain Action, Herbie the Fat Fury, Captain Nice, Atom Ant, Scooter, ACG's Nemesis, Dell's super-Frankenstein and Dracula, the "split!" Captain Marvel, and others! Featuring interviews with Bill Mumy (Lost in Space), Bob Holiday (It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman), Ralph Bakshi (The Mighty Heroes, Spider-Man), Dean Torrence (Jan and Dean Meet Batman), Ramona Fradon (Metamorpho), Dick DeBartolo (Captain Klutz), Tony Tallarico (The Great Society Comic Book), Vince Gargiulo (Palisades Park historian), Joe Sinnott (The Beatles comic book), Jose Delbo (The Monkees comic book), and many more! Exceptionally informative, impressively comprehensive, deftly organized and presented, profusely illustrated, "Hero-A-Go-Go" is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Literary Studies collections in general, and 1960s Comic Book Popular Culture History supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

The Circles of Power
Pierre Christin, author
Jean-Claude Mezieres, illustrator
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
9781849183260, $15.95, PB, 64pp, www.amazon.com

Broke, without a job, their badly damaged ship in dire need of major (and expensive) repairs, Valerian and Laureline are stuck on the planet Rubanis, unable to pay for said repairs. So when a trio of old acquaintances introduces them (for a price) to the head of the local police, who is looking for independent agents for a risky - but well-paid - mission, they accept readily enough. But Rubanis is the most corrupt planet in the entire galaxy. How are they to find out who really holds the reins of power there? "The Circles of Power" is the fifteenth volume in the outstanding science fiction graphic novel series featuring the interstellar adventures of Valerian and Laureline. Expertly scripted and impressively illustrated, "The Circles of Power" is solidly entertaining from cover to cover and is especially commended for the personal reading lists of science fiction fans, as well as community library graphic novel collections.


The Audiobook Shelf

The Accidental Bride
Jane Feather, author
Performed by Jenny Sterlin
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781536665673 $9.99 www.brillianceaudio.com

The Accidental Bride is an unabridged MP3 audiobook (plays on MP3-CD enabled players or transfers to portable devices) of a historical romance novel, part of the sultry "Brides Trilogy". The story follows Phoebe, a willful young woman with a passion for writing poetry. Suddenly, she finds herself forcibly engaged to the husband of her recently passed elder sister. At first Phoebe is inclined to spurn the marriage with a distant man, but then she notices how devilishly handsome he is...! Can a woman who thought she would never marry transform herself into the ultimate seductress? Passionate and sensual, The Accidental Bride is a treat for connoisseurs of the genre. 1 disc, 12 hours.

Thanos: Death Sentence
Stuart Moore
Graphic Audio
7520 Standish Place, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20855
9781628513516, $19.99, CD, www.graphicaudio.net

The Mad Titan called Thanos whose mistress is Death itself and whose possession of the Infinity Gems enables him to slaughter all of the superheroes in the Marvel Universe and even to destroy the Earth itself in the beginning of "Thanos: Death Sentence" begins another simply riveting audio book from Graphic Audio. But when another Titan Chronos (father of Thanos) defeats him, takes back the Infinity Gems, and restores the universe to its former state, Thanos's beloved Mistress Death grants him one final chance. Stripped of his powers and his old skin, Thanos embarks on a cosmic walkabout to reassert his power over himself and the Multiverse. This all-new, original tale explores the inner life of one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe. Haunted by family (or the semblances of it) the Mad Titan may become something else entirely. Will he maintain his illusions of grandeur, or is this a new path for a lost god? Once again, a gifted multicast of talented actors under the direction of Scott McCarmick, and dramatically enhanced with the inclusion of music and sound effects, make this an unreservedly recommended addition to community library audio book collections -- and a "must" for the legions of Marvel Universe fans.

Sorry to Disrupt the Peace
Patty Yumi Cottrell
Read by Nancy Wu
Blackstone Audiobooks
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781441755698 $34.95 amazon.com

Sorry to Disrupt the Peace is the unabridged audiobook rendition of one woman's investigation into her adoptive brother's despair. Why did he kill himself? The more she searches, the more reasons she finds not to go on living. The powerful tale a complex character confronting psychological demons, Sorry to Disrupt the Peace is a riveting experience, masterfully performed by theater, television, and film actress Nancy Wu. 6 CDs, 6 1/2 hours.


The Music CD Shelf

Runnin' For The Ghost
Big Mean Sound Machine
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com

Runnin' For The Ghost is the fourth full-length studio album from Big Mean Sound Machine. An instrumental album that defies genres for a unique soundscape - certain tracks were learned, arranged, and recorded in a single day, and reflect the spontaneity and freedom of their origins. Runnin' For The Ghost surges with creative fervor, and is especially recommended for connoisseurs of fresh, original sound. The tracks are "Return of the March", "Seeing The Bigger Picture", "Van Chatter", "Runnin' for the Ghost", "Hired Guns", "Burning Van", "Kang's Lament", "Triple Bacon", "The G", "Sahara Cell Phones", and "Another Grain of Sand".

Dubtopia
Gentleman's Dub Club
www.gentlemansdubclub.com
www.easystar.com
$11.99 amazon.com

Dubtopia is the latest release from Gentleman's Dub Club, a group of nine musicians with an unparalleled talent for high-energy, hip-moving dub. A no-holds-barred celebration of the dub dancefloor, Dubtopia is enthusiastically recommended for fans of the genre! The tracks are "Intro", "Dancing in the Breeze", "Let a Little Love", "Fire in the Hole", "Gridlock", "Young Girl", "Hotter", "Higher Ground", "Take Control", "In Your Heart", "Fade Away", "Your Light", and "Sun Kissing".

Bring the Flavors
Jack Gates
www.jackgatesmusic.com
$14.99 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com

Bring the Flavors is an original album featuring Jack Gates' guitar talent (and that of his associates on the drums, bass, harmonica, and cello). Blending elements of new age, jazz, and folk to create a unique styling, Bring the Flavors captivates the listener with its richness. Highly recommended! The tracks are "Bring the Flavors" (3:03), "Time In" (3:22), "Wave Theory" (2:46), "Waterfalls" (4:25), "Seraphic Journey" (8:16), "Enigmatic Land" (3:00), "Cloud Forest" (4:31), "Marketplace" (3:04), "The Magician" (4:05), "Dawn Walker" (2:35), "Beach Traffic" (2:06), "Choco Latte" (5:39), "Electric Sonata" (4:13), and "Liquid Entropy" (3:30). 54 min. 35 sec.

Drapetomania
Grey Filastine and Nova Ruth
Privately Published
www.jarringeffects.net
www.postworldindustries.com
$14.99 CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com

Drapetomania is a music album drawing upon acoustic, pop, and experimental stylings. The album's theme decries xenophobia, and advocates a world that transcends arbitrary borders. In particular, the song "Perbatasan" was inspired by the band's performance at the Calais Jungle migrant camp in France, and was recorded inside the holding cell of a former deportation center. An outspoken call for human compassion, Drapetomania is striking, soul-stirring, and highly recommended. The tracks are "Miner" (4:03), "Blockchainz" (3:29), "Perbatasan" (3:39), "Cleaner" (3:33), "Fenomena" (2:56), "Halcyon" (4:04), "Senescence" (4:11), "Salarymen" (4:28), "Glass Seagulls" (3:47), "Matamata" (4:18), "Chatarreros" (4:23), and "Night X" (2:38).

AJ Lee
AJ Lee
www.aissalee.com
www.ajleemusic-ep.com
$8.99 CD / $6.99 download cdbaby.com

AJ Lee is the eponymous, second solo recording by talented 19-year-old singer AJ Lee, well- known for her exceptional California bluegrass music. Listeners of all ages will enjoy her mellifluous voice, and bluegrass connoisseurs especially are in for a treat! The tracks are "Look At Miss Ohio", "Hickory Wind", "California Cotton Fields", "Tomorrow Is A Long Time", "Just One Look", and "Wait A Minute". 22 min.


The DVD Shelf

Boruto: Naruto the Movie
Screenplay, Character Design, and Produced by Masashi Kishimoto
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
www.viz.com
$17.50 DVD / $29.98 Blu-ray/DVD combo pack amazon.com

Set in a world of Naruto, where the mystic powers of ninja can defend the peace or incite war, Boruto: Naruto the Movie is an anime (Japanese animated movie) chronicling the adventures of the next generation. Naruto Uzumaki has achieved his dream of becoming the Seventh Hokage, the primary protector of the Hidden Leaf Village. Now, the village is preparing its Chunin exams to train shinobi. Competitors include Sasuke's daughter Sarada; Mitsuki, a shinobi of remarkable talent yet unknown background; and Boruto, Naruto's son. Yet an unknown danger is imminent; Sasuke's warning does not come in time to prevent a ferocious attack, and Boruto is horrified to see his father vanish! A treat for action-packed anime connoisseurs, Boruto: Naruto the Movie is highly recommended for teen and adult viewers. Bonus features include storyboards, an option for clean end credits, and original Japanese trailers. It should be noted for personal anime collections that Boruto: Naruto the Movie is available both in DVD format ($17.50) and as a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack ($29.98).

Rake, Series 1
Starring Rihard Roxburgh
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$39.99 www.acornonline.com

Rake, Series 1 is an Australian comedy-drama about Cleaver Greene (played by Richard Roxburgh), a genius barrister who fights a daily struggle with his own self-destructive inclinations. Cleaver defends some of the most hopeless cases accused of murder, bigamy, or even cannibalism. Debt collectors and the Tax Office hound him endlessly, and his heart yearns for two women - one a former prostitute (played by Adrienne Pickering), the other his best friend's wife. Yet Cleaver's talent has won him case after seemingly unwinnable case, as well as the loyalty of his associates. Rake is a multifaceted character drama, highly recommended for mature viewers due to scenes of violence, strong language, nudity, drug use, and sexual situations. 8 episodes on 3 DVDs, 450 min, widescreen, SDH subtitles.

800 Words Season 2, Part 1
Starring Erik Thomson
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$49.99 www.acornonline.com

800 Words Season 2, Part 1 continues a touching Australian-New Zealand dramady about newspaper columnist George Turner (played by Erik Thomson), an Australian city boy trying to adapt to the eccentric (to put it mildly) New Zealand town of Weld. Though he wanted to give his children a fresh start after the passing of his wife, nothing about his new life has gone according to plan! Although 800 words is primarily a gentle-hearted drama, it is recommended for older teen or adult audiences due to some coarse language, nudity, and sexual situations. 8 episodes on 2 DVDs, 365 min. plus bonus material, widescreen, SDH subtitles.

The Steps
Monterey Media Inc.
125 Auburn Court #220, Westlake Village CA 91362
www.montereymedia.com
$5.99 DVD / $17.19 Blu-ray / $TBA video-on-demand

Available in DVD, Blu-ray, and video-on-demand formats, The Steps is an off-kilter, independent comedy about a family visit that devolves into a clash of lifestyles and expectations. When a brother and a sister go to their father's lakehouse to meet his new wife, the wife's rambunctious children and an unexpected announcement that the "step" parents will adopt a child bring long-buried resentments to the surface. Can this collection of strangers with contradicting personalities figure out a way to become a family? A serious, heart-tugging thread runs through this wry, insightful, and highly recommended movie. Bonus features include behind-the-scenes cast interviews. 98 min., closed captioned, widescreen.


The Self-Help Shelf

Live Your Happy
Maria Felipe
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608684533, $14.95, PB, 136pp, www.amazon.com

The Rev. Maria Felipe, is a Cuban American who was born in Miami, and found success as a model and actress before following a spiritual path that led her to study 'A Course in Miracles'. She went on to become an ordained minister at Pathways of Light and now leads monthly services in both Spanish and English at Unity Church in Burbank, California. Inspired, lively, and fun, in "Live Your Happy: Get Out of Your Own Way and Find the Love Within", reflects Maria Felipe's real-world approach to living based on A Course in Miracles. "Live Your Happy" will deftly guide the reader toward a life released from fear and doubt and filled with joy and power. In nine crystal-clear chapters, Maria shows just how to banish the "cuckoo voice of the ego" and connect with what she describes as an 'internal teacher', accessing unlimited love and strength. Maria's illustrative stories, shared from her own life and from her students' experiences, demonstrate that with a willing attitude and an open heart, true happiness isn't just possible -- it's inevitable! Inspired, inspiring, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Live Your Happy" is very highly recommended, especially for community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Live Your Happy" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.85).


The American History Shelf

Philadelphia Celebrates
Edward W. Duffy
Camino Books, Inc.
PO Box 59026, Philadelphia, PA 19102
www.caminobooks.com
9781680980110, $19.95, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com

Edward W. Duffy is the author of "Philadelphia: A Railroad History" (2013). Over the course of his career, Duffy has worked for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation, the Philadelphia Port Corporation, and the Philadelphia Department of Commerce. Now in "Philadelphia Celebrates: Three Great Anniversaries - 1876-1926-1976" explores such issues as: How do you celebrate a national commitment to equality, liberty, and tolerance in the middle of political upheaval, riots, and a national draft?; What can we learn about the character of a city by studying how its representatives plan such a celebration? A remarkable account of the Centennial, Sesquicentennial, and Bicentennial celebrations of the American Declaration of Independence, "Philadelphia Celebrates" lays bare the motivations behind the planning and execution of these celebrations. Far more than just a volume of city history, "Philadelphia Celebrates" is a portrait of the people who made these celebrations possible: the rebels, the crooks, the advocates, and the citizens forgotten in the shadow of politicians egos. "Philadelphia Celebrates" dives into unexpected places to unearth the relics of these celebrations, and ultimately presents the reader with a thoughtful history of Civil Rights, Women's Rights, and Religious Freedom in Philadelphia through the analysis of these three great anniversaries. And what a timely analysis it is: with 2026 fast approaching, "Philadelphia Celebrates" will remind citizens and city officials alike that the success of a celebration depends on the support of local residents, no matter what the political climate. Exceptionally well written, informative, organized and presented, "Philadelphia Celebrates" is a very highly recommended, instructive, thoughtful and thought-provoking read from beginning to end.

The Handy New York City Answer Book
Chris Barsanti
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Road, #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075
www.visibleinkpress.com
9781578595860, $21.95, PB, 464pp, www.amazon.com

New York is the self-proclaimed cultural capital of the world; the largest city in the United States; a melting pot of immigrants; as well as the site of Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Central Park, Wall Street, Broadway, bridges, bodegas, restaurants, museums, and so much more. The "city that never sleeps", New York is bustling with people, cultural and sporting events, world-class shopping and high fashion, and other tourist attractions that draw in millions visitors from all over the world. Illustrated with black-and-white historical photos, "The Handy New York City Answer Book" by Chris Barsanti deftly explores the fascinating history, people, myths, culture, and trivia, taking an in-depth look at the city so nice, they named it twice. Showcasing the unique character of the city through a combination of facts, stats, and history, and the unusual and quirky, it answers more than 850 intriguing questions about people, events, government, and places of interest, including: Who were the first New Yorkers?; Why are Manhattan's streets laid out in a grid?; Why is there a windmill on the New York seal?; How did New York help elect Abraham Lincoln president?; What were "sweatshops"?; Who started the gossip column?; What is "stop and frisk"?; What was the first sport likely played by European settlers in New York was?, and an additional wealth of historical informational tidbits. Informed and informative, "The Handy New York City Answer Book" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation. While very highly recommended for school and community library American History collections in general, and New York City History supplemental studies lists, it should be noted that "The Handy New York City Answer Book" is also available in a Kindle format ($13.82).


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Naked Truths About Getting Book Reviews
Gisela Hausmann
http://www.giselahausmann.com
Educ-Easy Books
PO Box 6366, Greenville, SC 29606
9780986403439, $12.99, PB, 106pp, www.amazon.com

Book reviews are an essential, core, fundamental part of every successful marketing plan specifically designed to bring the book to the attention of the librarians, booksellers, and the reading public. In "Naked Truths About Getting Book Reviews", one of the most prolific and respected reviewers who posts on the Amazon.com web site has now written a 'how to' instructional guide for authors, publishers, and reviewers on how to successfully obtain and effectively employ reviews. "Naked Truths About Getting Book Reviews" also includes a wealth of practical information on a number of related issues including the dispelling of misunderstandings about reviews; contacting foreign reviewers; getting reviews from Amazon's top reviewers; getting reviews from friends and colleagues; buying reviews from paid review services; common mistakes authors make with respect to the book review process; how seeking reviews has changed since 2015; and so much more. Impressively informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Naked Truths About Getting Book Reviews" is also exceptionally 'user friendly' in organization and presentation. While very highly recommended for community, college, and academic library Writing/Publishing instructional reference collections in general, and Book Marketing supplemental studies reading lists in particular, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Naked Truths About Getting Book Reviews" is also available in a Kindle format ($4.89).

When Writers Drive the Workshop
Brian Kissel
Stenhouse Publishers
480 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101-3451
www.stenhouse.com
9781625310736, $28.00, PB, 186pp, www.amazon.com

"When Writers Drive the Workshop: Honoring Young Voices and Bold Choices " by Brian Kissel (an educator for more than twenty years, and a Professor of Literacy and Elementary Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte) is practical, engaging instructional study that asks classroom teachers to go back to the roots of a writing workshop asking what happens when students, not planned teaching points, lead writing conferences? What happens when students, not tests, determine what they learned through reflection and self-evaluation? Writing instruction has shifted in recent years to more accountability, taking the focus away from the writer. "When Writers Drive the Workshop" explores what happens when empowered writers direct the writing workshop. Through stories from real classrooms, Professor Kissel reveals that no matter where children come from, they all have the powerful, shared need to be heard. And when children choose their writing topics, their lives unfold onto the page and teachers are educated by the young voices and bold choices of these writers. Written in an engaging, teacher-to-teacher style, "When Writers Drive the Workshop" focuses on four key components of writing workshop, with an eye on what happens when teachers step back and allow students to drive the instruction: Conferring sessions where students lead and teachers listen; Author's Chair where students set the agenda and ask for feedback; Reflection time and structures for students to set goals and expectations for themselves; Mini-lessons that allow for detours based on students' needs, not teacher or curricular goals. Each of the five chapters comprising "When Writers Drive the Workshop" includes practical ideas, a section of Guiding Beliefs, a list of Frequently Asked Questions, and some Digital Diversions to help teachers see the digital possibilities in their classrooms. Impressively comprehensive, informative, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "When Writers Drive the Workshop" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, college, and university library Teacher Education instructional reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Education Shelf

The Balanced Teacher Path
Justin Ashley
Free Spirit Publishing
217 Fifth Avenue North, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1299
www.freespirit.com
9781631981012, $19.97, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

It wasn't long after being named North Carolina History Teacher of the year that Justin Ashley started noticing signs of burnout in his attitude toward his career. He knew he needed to make some radical changes in how he handled his work and personal life. In "The Balanced Teacher Path: How To Teach, Live, And Be Happy", Justin shares his personal story and in the process illuminates just how easy it is to give your job everything you've got and leave yourself with nothing outside of school -- and shows new teachers and veterans alike the self-care techniques they can employ to create work-life balance and prevent burnout. With equal parts humor and wisdom, Justin analyzes four key aspects of every teacher's life (career, social, physical, and financial) and offers insightful, practical advice to bring these areas into sync, reigniting a passion for teaching in the process. Unique and exceptional, "The Balanced Teacher Path" is impressively 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, making it an ideal and highly recommended addition to personal, school district, and academic library Teacher Education collections and supplemental studies reading lists for classroom teachers K-12.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Romantic Comedies
Pamela Jaye Smith
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9781615932511, $20.95, PB, 252pp, www.amazon.com

Most film guides simply list films alphabetically, give production facts, and offer rather dry descriptions. But not "Romantic Comedies: These Films Can Save Your Love Life!" by Pamela Jaye Smith. She has deftly designed her film guide to help people better understand themselves, their loved ones, and their romantic situations -- or lack thereof. Scientific studies show that couples who watch romantic movies together and then discuss them and their feelings about them have a much higher "stay-together rate" than couples who enter traditional therapy. "Romantic Comedies" is fun and colorful rom-com movie guide can help people find the perfect film to match their mood, put them in a different mood, bring up things hard to talk about, or generally improve their romantic well-being. Informed, informative, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Romantic Comedies" is very highly recommended for both community and academic library Theatre/Cinema/TV collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Romantic Comedies" is also available in a Kindle format ($18.52).

Bradypedia
Erika Woehik
BearManor Media
P. O. Box 1129, Duncan, OK 73534-1129
www.bearmanormedia.com
9781629331317, $34.99, HC, 380pp, www.amazon.com

The Brady Bunch is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz that aired from September 26, 1969, to March 8, 1974, on ABC. The series revolves around a large blended family with six children. "Bradypedia" is the newest book about The Brady Bunch and tells the story of the development of the original series through its end and then delves into the many spin-offs that ensued. There's a price guide for the memorabilia, a chapter on the 80+ songs recorded by the Brady kids, and biographical info on the actors and their families. New revelations abound such as: What did Chief Eagle Cloud really say to Alice in the Grand Canyon?; Were Mike and Carol scripted to have a baby together?; How many times was Peter Brady engaged to be married?; And what if Mike and Carol had adopted a bunch of kids after theirs left home? "Bradypedia" the most comprehensive reference guide to The Brady Bunch ever published making it an absolute 'must' for the legions of Brady Bunch fans and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community and academic library American TV History collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Computer Shelf

Practical Packet Analysis, third edition
Chris Sanders
No Starch Press
245 - 8th Street, San Francisco, CO 94103-3910
www.nostarch.com
9781593278021, $49.95, PB, 368pp, www.amazon.com

Wireshark is the world's most popular network sniffer that makes capturing packets easy, but it won't be much help if the user doesn't have a solid foundation in packet analysis. Now in a fully updated and expanded third edition, "Practical Packet Analysis: Using Wireshark to Solve Real-World Network Problems" by Chris Sanders (a computer security consultant, researcher, and educator) covers: Monitoring your network in real-time and tap live network communications; Recognizing common network protocols including TCP, IPv4 and IPv6, SMTP, and ARP; Building customized capture and display filters to quickly navigate through large numbers of packets; Troubleshooting and resolving common network problems like loss of connectivity, DNS issues, and sluggish speeds with packet analysis; Understanding how modern exploits and malware behave at the packet level; Carving out data in a packet to retrieve the actual files sent across the network; Graphing traffic patterns to visualize the data flowing across your network; Using advanced Wireshark features to understand confusing captures; Building statistics and reports to help you better explain technical network information to non-techies. Exceptional informed and informative, "Practical Packet Analysis" is especially for novice network analysts, and has enduring instructional reference value for experienced administrators. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Practical Packet Analysis" should be considered a critically important addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Computer Science collections.


The Military Shelf

America Star Books
PO Box 151, Frederick, MD 21705-0184
www.americastarbooks.pub

Major Hal Skaarup has served with the Canadian Forces for more than 40 years, starting with the 56th Field Squadron, RCE and completing his service as the G2 (Intelligence Officer) at CFB Gagetown, New Brunswick in August 2011. He was a member of the Canadian Airborne Regiment, served three tours with the Skyhawks Parachute Demonstration Team, and worked in the Airborne Trials and Evaluation section. He served as an Intelligence Officer overseas in Germany and Colorado, and has been on operational deployments to Cyprus, Bosnia, and Afghanistan. He has been an instructor at the Tactics School at the Combat Training Centre in Gagetown and at the Intelligence Training Schools in Borden and Kingston. He earned a Master's degree in War Studies through the Royal Military College. Major. Skaarup is also the author for four simply outstanding books on Canadian military history, military museums, and military monuments.. "Canadian War Trophies" (9781300964148, $38.60 PB, $0.99 Kindle, 492) describes and illustrates the captured weapons and equipment of former adversaries on display in Canada, including war prizes from the Crimean War, the Fenian Raids, the Boer War, the Great War, the Second World War, the Korean War, the Cold War, the Yugoslav Wars and Afghanistan. "Shelldrake" (9781469750002, $35.95 PB, $3.99 Kindle, 375pp) is an illustrated compendium of descriptively detailed Canadian army and navy artillery pieces, museums and monuments. The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery is represented by a long and distinguished line of gunners with historical ties back to the days before Canada's Confederation. "Ironsides" (9781462034642, $35.95 PB, $9.99 Kindle, 368pp) provides an informative and detailed synopsis of the carefully preserved and restored armored fighting vehicles on display in Canada. "Ironsides" highlights the importance of these upon key turning points in history when these AFVs were in use as tools of war at home and overseas. "Axis Warplane Survivors" (9781300067443, $41.30 PB, $0.99 Kindle, 546pp) is a superbly organized and illustrated guidebook to the preserved Military Aircraft of the Second World War Tripartite Pact of Germany, Italy, and Japan, joined by Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia; the co-belligerent states of Thailand, Finland, San Marino and Iraq; and the occupied states of Albania, Belarus, Croatia, Vichy France, Greece, Ljubljana, Macedonia, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Manchukuo, Mengjiang, the Philippines and Vietnam. These four volumes are extraordinary, unique, and very highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library World War II History collections in general, and Canadian Military History supplemental studies reading lists in particular.


The Travel Shelf

The Disneyland Encyclopedia, third edition
Chris Strodder, author
Illustrated maps by Tristan Tang
Santa Monica Press
P.O. Box 850, Solana Beach, CA 92075
www.santamonicapress.com
9781595800909 $19.95 pbk / $14.72 Kindle amazon.com

Now in an updated third edition, The Disneyland Encyclopedia: The Unofficial, Unauthorized, and Unprecedented History of Every Land, Attraction, Restaurant, Shop, and Major Event in the Original Magic Kingdom lives up to its title as an amazingly detailed reference and resource, featuring over 600 A-to-Z entries interspersed with black-and-white photographs and maps. Travelers and trivia seekers alike will enjoy browsing the lowdown on just about every last bit of the Magic Kingdom, including the influential people who helped design it. A treasure trove for Disney aficionados, The Disneyland Encyclopedia will prove particularly appealing to tourists planning their visit, or in search of a memorable souvenir.


The Automotive Shelf

Steve Magnante's 1001 Mustang Facts
Steve Magnante
CarTech Inc.
838 Lake Street South, Forest Lake, MN 55025
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613252727 $24.95 amazon.com

Steve Magnante's 1001 Mustang Facts is packed cover to cover with completely true and often little-known facts about Mustang cars. Each technical trivia tidbit is succinctly presented in a single paragraph. A handful of black-and-white photographs intersperse this treat for automotive connoisseurs! "[Fact 88] Early 1965 Mustangs were fitted with a very unique brake master cylinder with the brake light trigger switch and wiring built into its body. Surprisingly, buyers who wanted power assist (a $48 upgrade) were restricted to drum brakes. The first power- boosted Mustang front disc brakes didn't arrive until 1967."


The Business Shelf

Selling Contemporary Art
Edward Winkleman
Allworth Press
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781621535577 $19.99 amazon.com

Selling Contemporary Art: How to Navigate the Evolving Market lives up to its title as a modern business guide especially from the perspective of art dealers. Author and gallery owner Edward Winkleman covers aspects of the practice that have changed dramatically in recent years, including the rise of the art fair and the "mega gallery", the competitive online market for art, how art dealers can be art fair organizers, business models for art dealing in an increasingly post brick-and-mortar world, and much more. Selling Contemporary Art is an absolute "must-read" not only for any merchant in the art business, but also for modern artists looking to successfully sell their own work!


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e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
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