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Wisconsin Bookwatch

Volume 14, Number 5 May 2019 Home | WBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Writing/Publishing Shelf Education Shelf
Art Shelf Business Shelf Self-Help Shelf
Fiction Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Biography Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf
Automotive Shelf Railroading Shelf Hunting/Fishing Shelf
Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Political Science Shelf Gardening Shelf
Travel Shelf Crafts Shelf Money/Finance Shelf
Woodworking Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Music CD Shelf DVD Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Wisconsin Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice


All the Hometown Boys
Brad Larson
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor, Madison, WI 53711-2059
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299322205, $28.95, HC, 248pp, www.amazon.com

In the summer of 1917 three Wisconsin National Guard companies came together to form the 150th Machine Gun Battalion of the now famous 42nd "Rainbow" Division. As true comrades, they relied on one another for support as they fought in every major battle of the American Expeditionary Forces, including the landmark battle of Chateau Thierry, which cost the unit dearly. As one of Wisconsin's most celebrated units, a soldier coming from the battalion was selected to represent the state at the unveiling of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C., in 1921. Today, the 150th is all but forgotten, in part because their unit history was never written. Through letters, diaries, and other recollections, Brad Larson (who has been the director of the Oshkosh Public Museum since 1989 and has been researching and presenting public programs about the 150th Machine Gun Battalion for many years) tells us the story of these Guardsmen's experiences as he traces the path of their wartime service and considers the impact of war's trauma and tedium on their lives. Definitively researched, impressively informative, exceptionally well organized, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in presentation and commentary style, "All the Hometown Boys" is extraordinarily informative and inherently engaging read from beginning to end. A work of superbly crafted scholarship, "All the Hometown Boys" is a 'must' for both community and academic library 20th Century American Military History collections, World War I supplemental studies lists, as well as Wisconsin History collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "All the Hometown Boys" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

The Misunderstood Mission of Jean Nicolet
Patrick J. Jung
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
816 State Street, Madison, WI 53575
www.wisconsinhistory.org
9780870208799, $28.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

For years, Wisconsin's schoolchildren have heard the story of Jean Nicolet's arrival in their state. But the popularized image of the hapless explorer landing with billowing robe and guns blazing, supposedly believing himself to have found a passage to China, is based on scant evidence. It is a false narrative that was perpetuated by fanciful artists' renditions and repetition. In more recent decades, historians have pieced together a story that is not only more likely but more complicated and interesting. In "The Misunderstood Mission of Jean Nicolet: Uncovering the Story of the 1634 Journey", Patrick Jung (a professor at the Milwaukee School of Engineering with a Ph.D. in history and anthropology) deftly synthesizes the research about Nicolet and his superior Samuel de Champlain, whose diplomatic goals in the region are crucial to understanding this much misunderstood journey across the Great Lakes. Additionally, historical details about Franco-Indian relations and the search for the Northwest Passage provide a framework for understanding Nicolet's famed mission. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.95), and unreservedly recommended for personal, community and academic library Wisconsin History collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted that "The Misunderstood Mission of Jean Nicolet" is enhanced for academia with an informative Introduction, a two page listing of Acknowledgments, twenty pages of Notes, a sixteen page Bibliography, and a nine page Index.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

A Sidecar Named Desire
Greg Clarke & Monte Beauchamp
Dey St.
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway, New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9780062696380, $19.99, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Throughout history, there has been no greater catalyst for creativity among writers than alcohol in the form of a good, stiff drink -- or so they claim. "A Sidecar Named Desire: Great Writers and the Booze That Stirred Them" is a graphic volume in which authors Greg Clarke and Monte Beauchamp take the on an unforgettable literary bar crawl that is packed from cover to cover with historical factoids, anecdotes, booze trivia, and fascinating detours into the lives of many successful and acclaimed writers -- along with literary-themed cocktail recipes such as Ernest Hemingway's Death in the Afternoon and Philip Larkin's Gin and Tonic (set to verse). For the literary-minded drinker, whether wine, gin, vodka, beer, whiskey, or tequila is the elixir of choice, "A Sidecar Named Desire" will prove to be an inherently fascinating, informative, and occasionally iconoclastic read. Also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99), "A Sidecar Named Desire" is a fun and recommended read for all aspiring and laboring writers. While highly recommended for community and academic library collections, it should also be noted that "A Sidecar Named Desire" is also available as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781982554552, $25.99, CD).


The Education Shelf

Overcoming Teacher Burnout in Early Childhood
Ellen M. Drolette
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
www.redleafpress.org
9781605546094, $24.95, PB, 120pp, www.amazon.com

Ellen M. Drolette has been working in the field of early care and education for 25 years. She has served on the board of NAFCC, is a Global Leader with the World Forum Foundation, and was named a Master Leader in 2016 by Exchange Magazine. She is a family child care provider in a National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) accredited program. In addition to working in direct care, Drolette trains and mentors people at the New Americans in Child Care Project. Caregiver fatigue and low morale is a problem in many early care settings. In "Overcoming Teacher Burnout in Early Childhood", Ellen draws upon her years of experience and expertise to focus on the many reasons why early childhood professionals who can suffer from low staff morale that causes such a high industry turnover rate. Included are ways to motivate and inspire classroom teachers and others to view their work in a way that is healthy, intentional, and creates a high-quality early childhood environment. Personal stories from the field highlight how educators have themselves stayed motivated. The conversational style offers opportunities for self-reflection and group work. Practical steps help caregivers find ways to refuel and bump up morale, providing the energy needed to tackle long-term strategies. "Overcoming Teacher Burnout in Early Childhood" is a critically important and unreservedly recommended addition to school district, college, and university library Teacher Education & Classroom Management instructional reference collections and supplemental studies lists.

The Heart and Science of Teaching
C. Bobbi Hansen
Teachers College Press
1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
www.tcpress.com
9780807759516, $29.95, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

In "The Heart and Science of Teaching: Transformative Applications That Integrate Academic and Social - Emotional Learning", C. Bobbi Hansen (Associate Professor in the School of Leadership and Education Sciences at the University of San Diego) shows her readers why and how to connect essential social - emotional factors and critical cognitive aspects of learning for all students. "The Heart and Science of Teaching": Explores the transformative power of SEL on student learning and well-being; Highlights the critical importance of the teacher-student relationship in the classroom; Illustrates how teacher feedback can assist students in developing a growth mindset; Brings voices of real teachers in each chapter who share their application of the chapter's ideas, and their positive results with their students: Lists targeted book, website, and video resources in each chapter with more examples and information to support teachers' implementation; Examines the implications of current research in neuroscience for classroom teaching; Describes evidence-based models of teaching and how they positively affect student engagement and learning; Shows how to support project-based and other student-led learning while connecting to standards; Describes how to use blogs, podcasts, and an array of web tools to promote engaged learning. Blending the latest research in education, neuroscience, and cognitive psychology, "The Heart and Science of Teaching" is a practical resource that will assist K - 12 teachers in creating an emotionally supportive classroom environment that makes a positive difference in student learning. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $28.45), "The Heart and Science of Teaching" is recommended as a core addition to school district, college, and community library Teacher Education instructional reference collections and supplemental studies lists.


The Art Shelf

Artist Toolbox
Walter Foster Creative Team
Walter Foster Publishing
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781633226975, $14.99, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com

The "Artist Toolbox: Drawing Tools & Materials" first discusses how to create a drawing workspace -- in particular, ensuring proper lighting and storage. Then it details all of the most popular drawing media including: the differences between and advantages of each, their purposes, and the effects that each tool can create. "Artist Toolbox" also covers every drawing tool, including all pencil grades, flat sketching pencils, charcoal and vine charcoal, white charcoal, conte crayons, conte pencils, colored pencils, and pastel. Surfaces and supports are discussed as well to provide a thorough introduction to everything you need to learn to draw. Step-by-step drawing projects round out this thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional guide. With its practical tips, techniques, clear instructions, beautiful artwork, and detailed demonstrations for a comprehensive look at drawing, "Artist Toolbox" will make an expert out of anyone who wants to learn this classic technique. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.87), "Artist Toolbox) is especially recommended to beginning artists and art hobbyists who are interested in fully understanding the focus and function of essential art tools of the trade.


The Business Shelf

Turning the Flywheel
Jim Collins
Harper Business
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway, New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9780062933799, $14.99, PB, 46pp, www.amazon.com

"Good to Great" is a companion guidebook to the author Jim Collins' "Turning the Flywheel: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great". The key to business success is not a single innovation or one plan. It is the act of turning the flywheel, slowly gaining momentum and eventually reaching a breakthrough. Collins teaches readers how to create their own flywheel, how to accelerate the flywheel's momentum, and how to stay on the flywheel in shifting markets and during times of turbulence. Combining research from his Good to Great labs and case studies from organizations like Amazon, Vanguard, and the Cleveland Clinic which have turned their flywheels with outstanding results, Collins demonstrates that successful organizations can disrupt the world around them (and reach unprecedented success) by employing the flywheel concept. As thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Turning the Flywheel" is unreservedly recommended for community and academic library Business Management collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of entrepreneurs, business students, business managers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Turning the Flywheel" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781473217713, $31.85).

Leading Loyalty
Sandy Rogers, Leena Rinne, Shawn Moon
Amacom
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway, New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9780814439395, $24.99, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com

For any business or entrepreneurial enterprise to thrive in today's economy, it's not enough for customers to merely like you. They have to love you. Win their hearts and they will not only purchase more -- they'll talk you up to everyone they know. But what turns casual customers into passionate promoters? What makes people stick with you for the long haul? "Leading Loyalty: Cracking The Code To Customer Devotion" is the result of an extensive study that involved 1,100 stores and thousands of people and features examples that stood out in terms of revenues and profitability. "Leading Loyalty" shows how to: Make warm, authentic connections; Ask the right questions; Listen to learn; Discover the real job to be done; Take ownership of the customer's issue; Follow up and strengthen the relationship; Share insights openly and kindly; Surprise people with unexpected extras; Model, teach, and reinforce these essential behaviors through weekly team huddles. Even small improvements mean a big boost to a bottom line and improve business overall. While very highly recommended for community, corporate, and academic library Business Management instructional reference collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of entrepreneurs, business owners and managers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Leading Loyalty" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781721348251, $24.99, CD).

Management and Leadership
Alex Stajkovic & Kayla Sergent
Research Paradigms Applied, LLC
www.stajkovic.biz
9781733827508, $19.95, PB, 70pp, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of Alex Stajkovic (who is the M. Keith Weikel Distinguished Chair in Leadership at the Wisconsin of School Business) and Kayla Sergent (who is an Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at Edgewood College School of Business), "Management and Leadership: What Can MBA Do in My Workday?" is a straight-forward, easy-to-read, pocketbook formatted reference guide to classic theories in work motivation. Making business choices based on fiery proclamations, flimsy data, and equivocal recommendations leads to questionable results. Evidence-based answers are needed for career and corporate success. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Management and Leadership" should be considered a 'must read' reference for all MBA students and graduates as they seek to establish themselves in the corporate world.


The Self-Help Shelf

The Emotion Code
Dr. Bradley Nelson
St. Martin's Essentials
c/o St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.stmartins.com
9781250214508, $27.99, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a newly revised and expanded edition. "The Emotion Code: How to Release Your Trapped Emotions for Abundant Health, Love, and Happiness" by renowned holistic physician and lecturer Dr. Bradley Nelson skillfully lays bare the inner workings of the subconscious mind. Dr. Nelson deftly reveals how emotionally-charged events from your past can still be haunting you in the form of "trapped emotions" in the form of emotional energies that literally inhabit your body. These trapped emotions can fester in your life and body, creating pain, malfunction, and eventual disease. They can also extract a heavy mental and emotional toll on you, impacting how you think, the choices that you make, and the level of success and abundance you are able to achieve. Perhaps most damaging of all, trapped emotional energies can gather around your heart, cutting off your ability to give and receive love. "The Emotion Code" offers a powerful, effective, and simple way to rid yourself of this unseen baggage. Dr. Nelson's method gives you the tools to identify and release the trapped emotions in your life, eliminating your "emotional baggage," and opening your heart and body to the positive energies of the world. Filled with real-world examples from many years of clinical practice, "The Emotion Code" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Self-Help/Self-Improvement instructional reference collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Emotion Code" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Macmillan Audio, 9781250222015, $39.99, CD).

The Secret Lives of Adults
Allison Keating
Y Lolfa
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, 124 Byers Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
9780717179565, $28.00, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com

Adulthood is tough. As we try to divide ourselves between our partner, children, parents, siblings, friends and colleagues, it is no wonder we can feel overwhelmed, often neglecting the most important relationship of all -- the one we have with ourselves. In "The Secret Lives of Adults: Your Seven Key Relationships - How to Make Them Work", Allison Keating (a Chartered Psychologist with the Psychological School of Ireland) invites the reader to audit and improve their seven key relationships, looking at how their past has influenced who you are today by answering four essential questions: Is there a big gap between your public and private self?; What are your expectations of others and of yourself?; Do you understand why you react to certain comments?; Do you repeat patterns of behavior in your relationships? "The Secret Lives of Adults" provides do-it-yourself exercises and techniques to help the reader understand why he or she behaves as they do in each part of their life, allowing them to unlock the secret to less stressful and more meaningful relationships. Impressively organized and presented, "The Secret Lives of Adults" is an extraordinary, life-changing, life-enhancing, and 'user friendly' read. While very highly recommended for community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Secret Lives of Adults" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.89).

Three Rules for Living a Good Life
Lou Holtz
Ave Maria Press
PO Box 428, Notre Dame, IN 46556
www.avemariapress.com
9781594719066, $16.95, HC, 96pp, www.amazon.com

In "Three Rules for Living a Good Life: A Game Plan for after Graduation", the legendary former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz shared three easy to remember and impossible to forget rules for life during a commencement address at Franciscan University Steubenville. The are: Do what is right; Do everything to the best of your ability; Show people you care. That address, now expanded into book form, offers a quick, sometimes humorous, and always practical formula for recent college graduates and other young adults to reach success in their business, personal, and spiritual lives. A quick and easy read that is as inspired and inspiring as it is insightful and life-changing, it should be noted that "Three Rules for Living a Good Life" is also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).


The Fiction Shelf

Cape May
Chip Cheek
Celadon Books
c/o Macmillan
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.macmillan.com
https://celadonbooks.com
9781250297150, $26.99, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

In late September 1957, Henry and Effie are very young newlyweds from Georgia who arrive in Cape May, New Jersey for their honeymoon only to find the town is deserted. Feeling shy of each other and isolated, they decide to cut the trip short. But before they leave, they meet a glamorous set of people who sweep them up into their drama. Clara, a beautiful socialite who feels her youth slipping away; Max, a wealthy playboy and Clara's lover; and Alma, Max's aloof and mysterious half-sister, to whom Henry is irresistibly drawn. The empty beach town becomes their playground, and as they sneak into abandoned summer homes, go sailing, walk naked under the stars, make love, and drink a great deal of gin, Henry and Effie slip from innocence into betrayal, with irrevocable consequences. Erotic and moving, "Cape May" is a novel about marriage, love and sexuality, and the lifelong repercussions that meeting a group of debauched cosmopolitans has on a new marriage. With "Cape May", author Chip Creek showcases a genuine flair for a distinctive narrative storytelling style -- one that engage the reader's rapt entertained attention quickly. While very highly and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Cape May" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).

Tiger Queen
Annie Sullivan
Blink
c/o HarperCollins
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022
www.harpercollinschildrens.com
9780310768777, $17.99, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com

In the mythical desert kingdom of Achra, an ancient law forces sixteen-year-old Princess Kateri to fight in the arena to prove her right to rule. For Kateri, winning also means fulfilling a promise to her late mother that she would protect her people, who are struggling through windstorms and drought. The situation is worsened by the gang of Desert Boys that frequently raids the city wells, forcing the king to ration what little water is left. The punishment for stealing water is a choice between two doors: behind one lies freedom, and behind the other is a tiger. But when Kateri's final opponent is announced, she knows she cannot win. In desperation, she turns to the desert and the one person she never thought she'd side with. What Kateri discovers twists her world (and her heart) upside down. Her future is now behind two fateful doors -- only she's not sure which holds the key to keeping her kingdom and which releases the tiger! A skillfully crafted and simply riveting read from cover to cover, "Tiger Queen" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Tiger Queen" by Annie Sullivan is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

The Cliff House
RaeAnne Thayne
HQN Books
c/o Harlequin Books
https://www.harlequin.com
9781335004901, $26.99, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com

After the death of their mother, sisters Daisy and Beatriz Davenport found a home with their aunt Stella in the beautiful and welcoming town of Cape Sanctuary. They never knew all the dreams that Stella sacrificed to ensure they had everything they'd ever need. Now, with Daisy and Bea grown, it's time for Stella to reveal the secret she's been keeping from them - a secret that will change their family forever. Bea thought she'd sown all her wild oats when she got pregnant far too young. The marriage that followed was rocky and not destined to last, but it gave Bea her wonderful, mature, now eleven-year-old daughter, Marisol. But just as she's beginning to pursue a new love with an old friend, Bea's ex-husband resurfaces and turns their lives completely upside down. Then there's Daisy -- sensible, rational, financially prudent Daisy. She's never taken a risk in her life -- until she meets a man who makes her question everything she thought she knew about life, love and the power of taking chances. Another deftly written novel by RaeAnne Thayne, "The Cliff House" is a heartwarming story in which Stella, Bea and Daisy will discover that the path to true happiness is filled with twists and turns, but love always leads them back home. While very highly recommended for community library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Cliff House" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781982646530, $39.99, MP3 CD).

Flights of Fancy
Jen Turano
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton Road, Ada, MI 49301
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764233197, $29.99, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com

To escape an unwanted marriage, heiress Isadora Delafield runs away and disguises herself as a housekeeper. She finds a position at the home of self-made man Ian MacKenzie's parents. Ian is unexpectedly charmed by Isadora and her unconventional ways, but when Isadoras secret is revealed, will they still have a chance at happy-ever-after? "Flights of Fancy" is another wonderfully entertaining page-turner of a novel by Jen Turano. While unreservedly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for the growing legion of Jen Turano fans that "Flights of Fancy" is also available in a paperback edition (9780764231674, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.03).

Of Fire and Lions
Mesu Andrews
WaterBrook Press
c/o WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
10807 New Allegiance Drive Suite 500, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com
9780735291867, $14.99, PB, 400pp, www.amazon.com

Belili is a Hebrew girl who escaped death nearly seventy years earlier as the Babylonians ransacked Jerusalem and took their finest as captives. She thought she'd perfected her survival skills in the many years amongst the Magoi and the idol worshipers, blending in with all the others in King Nebuchadnezzar's court. Now, as Daniel's wife and a septuagenarian matriarch, Belili still thinks she's safe and she can live out her days in Babylon without fear -- until the night Daniel is escorted to Belshazzar's palace to interpret mysterious handwriting on a wall. The Persian Army invades, and Bellili's tightly-wound secrets unfurl with the arrival of the conquering army. What will the reign of Darius mean for Daniel, a man who prays to Yahweh alone? Ultimately, Yahweh's sovereign hand guides Jerusalem's captives, and the frightened Hebrew girl is transformed into a confident woman, who realizes her need of the God who conquers both fire and lions. A simply riveting read in which author Mesu Andrews presents a whole new take on a classic Old Testament story, "Of Fire and Lions" is unreservedly recommended for community library Historical Fiction collections. "Of Fire and Lions" is also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99). Librarians should note that there is a large print Library Binding edition available "Of Fire and Lions" (9781643581552, $36.95, 500pp).

The Revenge of the Foxes
A. K. Welsapar
Glagoslav Publications
www.glagoslav.com
9781912894109, $22.55, PB, 122pp, www.amazon.com

Moscow, during the collapse of the Soviet system: In a hospital, young people awaiting heart operations and possible death, live just for today with mischief-making and even love affairs, under the stringent gaze of the old matron, Baba Nastya. Here one of the patients, a young Turkmen, meets a Greek Comsomol boy, a Russian Stalinist with a 'robotic' heart, and the lovely but tragic Mary. To whom does the future belong -- to the soulless robots or the poetical souls? A. K. Welsapar's "Revenge of the Foxes" is a deftly crafted novel by a writer who was declared by his government to be an 'enemy of the people'. Ably translated for the benefit of an American readership from Russian into English by Richard Govett, "Revenge of the Foxes" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Revenge of the Foxes" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Bivouac
Kwame Dawes
Akashic Books
232 Third Street, #A115, Brooklyn, NY 11215
www.akashicbooks.com
9781617757105, $15.95, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com

When Ferron Morgan's father dies in suspicious circumstances, his trauma is exacerbated by the conflict within his family and among his father's friends over whether the death was the result of medical negligence or if it was a political assassination. Ferron grew up in awe of his father's radical political endeavors, but in later years he watched as the resurgence of the political right in the Caribbean in the 1980s robbed the man of his faith. Ferron's response to the death is further complicated by guilt, particularly over his failure to protect his fiancee from a brutal assault. He begins to investigate the direction of his life with great intensity, in particular his instinct to keep moving on and running from trouble. "Bivouac" by Kwame Dawes is a sharply focused portrayal of Jamaica at a tipping point in its recent past, in which the private grief and trauma condenses a whole society's scarcely understood sense of temporariness and dislocation. A deftly crafted and absolutely riveting read, "Bivouac" is an especially recommended addition to community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Bivouac" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.42) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Highbridge Audio Books, 9781684416622, $29.99, CD).

Sin City Retribution: Stolen Steel
Rick Hart
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
www.atlantic-pub.com
9781620236192, $19.95, PB, 184pp, www.amazon.com

Based on a true story, "Sin City Retribution: Stolen Steel" by Rick Hart is thrilling read from cover to cover, as a member of a back-patched, outlaw motorcycle club tells a tale of the gritty, honor-bound, romantic life of a Sin City Biker. The story follows Hart who as a club member is known to his fellows as Turk. He navigates the turbulent streets of 1970s era Los Vegas. Stripping bare the untold stories of an evasive and covert band of brothers, Turk recounts his exploits with the Noblemen Motorcycle Club. High-speed chases, gruesome wrecks, accidental movie cameos, and truck-stop brawls are only some of Turk's crusades with his club; but his real motivation as a Nobleman remains a closely-guarded secret. Because unknown to his comrades, Turk is out for information -- and retribution. A blending of personal memoir with elements of organized crime, "Sin City Retribution: Stolen Steel" is a riveting read from cover to cover. While very highly recommended for community library American Biography & True Crime collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Sin City Retribution: Stolen Steel" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Where Dandelions Bloom
Tara Johnson
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781496428356, $14.95, PB, 416pp, www.amazon.com

Cassie Kendrick is on the run. Her abusive father arranged her marriage to a despicable man, but she's discovered an escape. Disguised as a man, Cassie enlists in the Union army, taking the name Thomas Turner. On the battlefields of the Civil War, keeping her identity a secret is only the beginning of her problems, especially after she meets Gabriel Avery, a handsome young photographer. Anxious to make his mark on the world and to erase the darkness and guilt lurking from his past, Gabriel works with renowned photographer Matthew Brady to capture images from the front lines of the war. As Gabriel forges friendships with many of the men he encounters, he wonders what the courageous, unpredictable Thomas Turner is hiding. Battling betrayal, their own personal demons, and a country torn apart by war, can Cassie and Gabriel learn to forgive themselves and trust their futures to the God who births hope and healing in the darkest places? A deftly crafted and original Civil War era novel by an author with a genuine flair for immediately engaging her readers with a distinctive narrative storytelling style, "Where Dandelions Bloom" is an especially recommended addition to community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Where Dandelions Bloom" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.24).

The Little Girl on the Ice Floe
Adelaide Bon
Europa Editions
214 West 29th Street, Suite 1003, New York, N.Y. 10001
www.europaeditions.com
9781609455156, $17.00, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com

When Adelaide's parents find her mute and unable to explain why she is crying, they bring her to the police station and file a complaint against "X" for sexual assault. Adelaide grows up without showing any outward signs of damage. As a teen and then as an outwardly cheerful young woman, she suffers in silence, battling her demons alone. Twenty-three years later, Adelaide receives a call from the juvenile squad. An investigator has reopened the classified case of "the electrician" and DNA analysis points to a man known to the police as a serial burglar. He is subsequently charged with assaulting 72 minors between 1983 and 2003, and it is suspected that he has hurt hundreds of others who never filed complaints. In the spring of 2016, at the Paris city court, along with 18 other women, Adelaide confronts the rapist who destroyed her life. An extraordinary literary novel written in a precise and delicate prose, as well as exceptional emotional poise and passion, In "The Little Girl on the Ice Floe" Adelaide Bon tells a sensitive story that is both terrifying and all too common. A masterpiece of literary fiction which is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), "The Little Girl on the Ice Floe" is unreservedly commended for personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.

A Desperate Hope
Elizabeth Camden
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton Road, Ada, MI 49301
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764233142, $29.99, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Eloise Drake's prim demeanor hides the turbulent past she believes is finally behind her. A mathematical genius, she's now a successful accountant for the largest engineering project in 1908 New York. But to her dismay, her new position puts her back in the path of the man responsible for her deepest heartbreak. Alex Duval is the mayor of a town about to be wiped off the map. The state plans to flood the entire valley where his town sits in order to build a new reservoir, and Alex is stunned to discover the woman he once loved on the team charged with the demolition. With his world crumbling around him, Alex devises a risky plan to save his town--but he needs Eloise's help to succeed. Alex is determined to win back the woman he thought he'd lost forever, but even their combined ingenuity may not be enough to overcome the odds against them. Another deftly penned novel by an author with a distinctive narrative storytelling style that engages the reader's total attention and holds it from first page to last, Elizabeth Camden's "A Desperate Hope" offers a hopeful, encouraging, and entertaining message for her readers experiencing suffering that assures them God is deeply in love with them, no matter what they go through. While highly recommended for community library general fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Desperate Hope" is also available in a paperback edition (9780764232107, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.69).

The Rabbi Finds Her Way
Robert Schoen & Catherine deCuir
Stone Bridge Press
www.stonebridge.com
9781611720525, $16.95, PB, 316pp, www.amazon.com

A Pearl Ross-Levy novel by Robert Schoen with Catherine deCuir "The Rabbi Finds Her Way" features a compelling, inspiring, and often funny narrative that weaves the experiences and insights that shape the young rabbi as she finds her way through the challenges of her profession. As Pearl's lifelong friendship with a high school classmate (the victim of a serious car accident) evolves it opens her eyes to the world of religion. And whether she's discussing women's rights in the Bible with a bat mitzvah student, meeting the man she'll soon marry, encouraging a congregant with Alzheimer's to tell a joke whose punch line he's forgotten, or struggling with the anguish of a man who believes he's unwittingly committed a murder, Pearl reveals her intelligence, empathy, grit, and humor. The Rabbi's strength and faith grow as she continues to see that God does, indeed, work in strange ways. As deftly crafted and wonderfully entertaining as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The Rabbi Finds Her Way" is a unique, extraordinary, and highly recommended addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Rabbi Finds Her Way" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.98).

The Plotters
Un-Su Kim
Doubleday & Company
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com
9780385544382, $25.95, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Behind every assassination, there is an anonymous mastermind (a plotter) working in the shadows. Plotters quietly dictate the moves of the city's most dangerous criminals, but their existence is little more than legend. Just who are the plotters? And more important, what do they want? Reseng is an assassin. Raised by a cantankerous killer named Old Raccoon in the crime headquarters "The Library," Reseng never questioned anything: where to go, who to kill, or why his home was filled with books that no one ever read. But one day, Reseng steps out of line on a job, toppling a set of carefully calibrated plans. And when he uncovers an extraordinary scheme set into motion by an eccentric trio of young women (a convenience store clerk, her wheelchair bound sister, and a cross-eyed librarian) Reseng will have to decide if he will remain a pawn or finally take control of the plot. A deftly written and unfailingly entertaining thriller of a read from cover to cover, "The Plotters" showcases author Un-Su Kim's genuine flair for a riveting narrative storytelling style. While very highly recommended for community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Plotters" is also available in a paperback edition (Anchor, 9780525564805, $16.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Batman: The Court of Owls
Greg Cox
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785658167, $24.95, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

For generations, an apocryphal cabal known only as the Court of Owls has controlled Gotham from the shadows, wielding fear and violence through its undead assassins -- the Talons. Dating back centuries, its leaders are men and women of wealth and influence who meet in secrecy, hiding their identities behind stark white masks. Employing science and alchemy, they sought to kill Bruce Wayne who, as Batman, dealt them their greatest defeats. Even then they faded back into the darkness, and he could not eliminate them entirely. Now, Gotham City is plagued with a series of brutal murders in which mutilated bodies are burned almost beyond recognition. Batman and his allies--including Nightwing and Batgirl -- quickly realize that the Talons have returned, yet the reason for the killings remains tauntingly unknown. As the heroes seek answers, their path stretches back more than a century. Should the Owls obtain what they seek, it could grant them power that no one could counter. With each moment that passes, more victims appear. Batman must stop the Talons before they kill again. A 'must read' prose novel for the legions of Batman fans, in "Batman: The Court of Owls", author Greg Cox does full justice to the Caped Crusader and will be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Batman: The Court of Owls" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Milwaukee Noir
Edited by Tim Hennessy
Akashic Books
232 Third Street, #A115, Brooklyn, NY 11215
www.akashicbooks.com
9781617757013 $15.95 pbk / $10.42 Kindle amazon.com

Part of the gritty "Noir Series" of anthologies showcasing promising writers and their stories, Milwaukee Noir is an anthology about the dark side of Wisconsin's largest city. Known for manufacturers, booze, and a burgeoning immigrant city, Milwaukee is the perfect setting for these tales of intrigue, suspense, and mystery from a diverse allotment of authors. Captivating to the final page, Milwaukee Noir is especially recommended for connoisseurs of the genre! It should be noted for personal reading lists that Milwaukee Noir is also available in a Kindle edition ($10.42).

The Betrayal
Steven Bosworth
Austin Macauley Publishers
https://www.austinmacauley.com
9781787107373, $22.95, PB, 452pp, www.amazon.com

Dean Nash feels that something is missing from his life and, one day, is invited to a night club, and, suddenly, everything changes after meeting the owner, Nick Burns. Nash is involved in a robbery masterminded by Burns and soon begins to grasp every opportunity, following instructions from his new mentor. Their actions quickly fall under investigation by a government agency headed by Jon Wagstaff. Nash not only has the fear of Wagstaff around every corner, but soon enters into a journey of self-awareness over a past he knows nothing about. Nash's best friend, Shaun Neal, is completely unaware of Nash's involvement in the robbery and suddenly, driven by anger following the death of his new girlfriend, goes on the rampage after Nash. The final standoff sees Wagstaff, Burns, Neal and Nash in a shootout ending with an unfortunate death, but which men survive to see another day remains to be seen. A truly riveting read from cover to cover, "The Betrayal" showcases author Steven Bosworth's distinctive narrative storytelling style as a novelist. While unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Suspense/Thriller Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Betrayal" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.50).

Murder In Belgravia
Lynn Brittney
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683318934, $26.99, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

As World War I engulfs Europe, a special task force is formed in the affluent Mayfair district of London in 1915 to tackle the city's thorniest crimes against women. When the bobbies and Scotland Yard come up short, there's only one telephone number to dial: Mayfair 100. Lynn Brittney's "Murder In Belgravia" begins with an aristocrat having been murdered, and his wife, a witness and possible suspect, will only talk to a woman. With the blessing of London's Chief Commissioner, Chief Inspector Beech, a young man invalided out of the war, assembles a crew of sharp, intrepid, and well-educated women to investigate. But to get at the truth, Beech, Victoria, Caroline, Rigsby, and Tollman will venture into the city's seedy underbelly, a world where murder is only the first in a litany of evils. All the more impressive when considering that "Murder In Belgravia" is author Lynn Brittney's debut for her Mayfair 100 murder mystery series. A deftly scripted and darkly compelling story of a movement far ahead of its time in combating the prejudices against women in law enforcement, "Murder In Belgravia" will leave its fully entertaining readers looking eagerly toward the next Mayfair 100 novel. While certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Murder In Belgravia" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.80).

A Dream of Death
Connie Berry
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683319870, $26.99, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Autumn has come and gone on Scotland's Isle of Glenroth, and the islanders gather for the Tartan Ball, the annual end-of-tourist-season gala. Spirits are high. A recently published novel about island history had brought hordes of tourists to the small Hebridean resort community. On the guest list is American antiques dealer Kate Hamilton. Kate who has reluctantly returned to the island where her husband died, determined to repair her relationship with his sister, proprietor of the island's luxe country house hotel, famous for its connection with Bonnie Prince Charlie. Kate has hardly unpacked when the next morning a body is found, murdered in a reenactment of an infamous unsolved murder described in the novel -- and the only clue to the killer's identity lies in a curiously embellished antique casket. The Scottish police discount the historical connection, but when a much-loved local handyman is arrested, Kate teams up with a vacationing detective inspector from Suffolk, England, to unmask a killer determined to rewrite island history -- and Kate's future. A deftly crafted mystery by a master of the genre, Connie Berry's "A Dream of Death" is unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "A Dream of Death" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.69).

Murder from Scratch
Leslie Karst
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683319535, $26.99, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Santa Cruz restaurateur Sally Solari's life is already boiling over as she deals with irate cooks and other staffing issues at the busy Gauguin restaurant. The rainy December weather isn't cooling things down, either. So she's steamed when her dad persuades her to take in Evelyn, her estranged blind cousin whose mother has just died of a drug overdose. But Evelyn proves to be lots of fun and she's a terrific cook. Back at the house she'd shared with her mom, Evelyn's heightened sense of touch tells her that various objects (a bottle of cranberry juice, her grandfather's jazz records) are out of place. She and her mom always kept things in the same place so Evelyn could find them. So she suspects that her mother's death was neither accident nor suicide, no matter what the police believe. The cousins' sleuthing takes Sally and Evelyn into the world of macho commercial kitchens, and the cutthroat competitiveness that can flame up between chefs. Sally will have to chop a long list of suspects down to size or end up getting burned! Another deftly written and compelling mystery from author Leslie Karst (who has degrees in English literature, law, and culinary arts), "Murder from Scratch" is a riveting read that also features recipes! While certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Murder from Scratch" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.69).

And Then You Were Gone
R. J. Jacobs
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683319597, $26.99, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

After years of learning how to manage her bipolar disorder, Emily Firestone finally has it under control. Even better, her life is coming together: she's got a great job, her own place, and a boyfriend, Paolo, who adores her. So when Paolo suggests a weekend sailing trip, Emily agrees -- wine, water, and the man she loves? What could be better? But when Emily wakes the morning after they set sail, the boat is still adrift... and Paolo is gone. A strong swimmer, there's no way Paolo drowned, but Emily is at a loss for any other explanation. Where else could he have gone? And why? As the hours and days pass by, each moment marking Paolo's disappearance, Emily's hard-won stability begins to slip. But when Emily uncovers evidence suggesting Paolo was murdered, the investigation throws her mania into overdrive, even as she becomes a person of interest in her own personal tragedy. To clear her name, Emily must find the truth -- but can she hold onto her own sanity in the process? "And Then You Were Gone" by practicing psychologist R. J. Jacobs is a deftly crafted and riveting novel by an author with a genuinely distinctive storytelling style that will engage the readers fully entertained attention from first page to last. While very highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "And Then You Were Gone" is also available in a paperback edition (HarperCollins, 9781443457736, $22.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.80).

Dying for Devil's Food
Jenn McKinlay
Berkley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
www.dreamscapeab.com/audiobooks
9780451492630, $7.99, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Melanie Cooper has zero interest in catering her fifteen-year high school reunion, but Angie insists it's only right that they bask in the success of Fairy Tale Cupcakes--and Mel's engagement to the delicious Joe DeLaura is the cherry on top! Everything is going better than expected until Cassidy Havers, resident mean girl and Mel's high school nemesis, picks a fight. No longer willing to put up with Cassidy's bullying, Mel is ready to tell the former homecoming queen to shut her piehole and call it a night. But as Mel and Joe prepare to depart, Cassidy is found dead in the girl's bathroom, next to a note written in lipstick that points right to Mel--making her the prime suspect. Now, Mel must follow the clues to find the real killer and keep her reputation from being frosted for a crime she didn't commit. An original and terrifically entertaining read by an accomplished author who is a master of the genre, "Dying for Devil's Food" is unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that "Dying for Devil's Food" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, B07QTBXSR1, $30.62, 7 Hours 20 Minutes). It should also be noted for librarians that there is also a paperback large print edition (Wheeler Publishing Large Print, 9781432863425, $26.99, 329pp).

Murder on Trinity Place
Victoria Thompson
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780399586637, $26.00, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

The year of 1899 is drawing to a close. Frank and Sarah Malloy are getting ready to celebrate the New Year at Trinity Church when they notice Mr. Pritchard, a relative of their neighbor's behaving oddly and annoying the other revelers. Frank tries to convince Pritchard to return home with them, but the man refuses and Frank loses him in the crowd. The next morning Sarah and Frank are horrified to learn Pritchard was murdered sometime in the night, his body left on Trinity Place, the side street near the church. The police aren't too interested in the murder, and the family are concerned that the circumstances of the death will reflect badly on Pritchard's reputation. To protect the family from scandal, Nelson asks Frank to investigate. Frank and Sarah delve into Pritchard's past and realize there may have been a deadly side to the dawning of the new century. Another superb mystery in author Victoria Thompson's 'Gaslight Mystery' series, "Murder on Trinity Place" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that "Murder on Trinity Place" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Sunshine State
D. P. Lyle
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608093366, $26.95, HC, 354pp, www.amazon.com

Jake Longly and Nicole Jamison are confronted with the most bizarre case yet. Serial killer Billy Wayne Baker now denies that two of his seven murders were actually his work. An anonymous benefactor, who believes Billy Wayne's denials, has hired Longly Investigations to prove Billy Wayne right. Billy Wayne had confessed to all seven. Not only did the confessed serial killer have the motive, means, and opportunity for murder, but his DNA was found at each crime scene. Bizarre doesn't quite cover it. Jake and Nicole travel to the small Gulf Coast town of Pine Key, Florida, where three of the murders occurred. The local police, FBI, state prosecutor, and crime lab each did their jobs, uncovered overwhelming evidence of Billy Wayne's guilt and even extracted a full confession. Is Billy Wayne simply trying to tweak the system to garner another fifteen minutes of fame? It's likely all a game to him, but, if he's being truthful someone out there is getting away with multiple murders. How? Why? And most importantly, who? Dark clouds loom in the Sunshine State. D. P. Lyle's "Sunshine State" is another deftly penned suspense thriller of a read by a master of narrative storytelling. While unreservedly recommended as an addition to community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Sunshine State" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

The Murder Book
Lissa Marie Redmond
Midnight Ink
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125-2989
www.midnightinkbooks.com
9780738754277, $15.99, PB, 312pp, www.amazon.com

After being brutally stabbed at her desk late one night, Lauren Riley works her way backwards through the haze to piece together who attacked her and why. A mysterious phone message forces her to enlist the help of a retired lieutenant to track down a witness who is desperate not to be found. As she digs into the Buffalo Police Department's hidden past she uncovers a terrible secret, one a fellow officer would kill to protect. "The Murder Book" by Lissa Marie Redmond (who is a retired cold case homicide detective and who has handled a number of high-profile cases) is a simply riveting read from cover to cover. While very highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "The Murder Book" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).

The Cairo Brief
Fiona Veitch Smith
Lion Fiction
c/o Lion Hudson
www.lionhudson.com
9781782642497, $12.95, PB, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Intrepid reporter sleuth Poppy Denby is invited to attend the auction of the Death Mask of Nefertiti. The auction is to be held on the country estate of Sir James Maddox, a famous explorer and Egyptologist. Representatives of the world's leading museums will be bidding on the mask which was found, in Egypt, under murderous circumstances. Poppy and her colleagues from The Daily Globe, who are trying to stay one step ahead of their rivals from The London Courier, dismiss rumors of an ancient curse. But when one of the auction party is murdered, and someone starts stalking Poppy, the race is on to find the killer before 'the curse' can strike again. A deftly crafted and inherently riveting mystery in author Fiona Vetich Smith's 'Poppy Denny Investigates' series, "The Cairo Brief" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. For the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs it should be noted that "The Cairo Brief" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.30).

Murder with Lemon Tea Cakes
Karen Rose Smith
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street, Floor 21, New York, NY 10018-2522
www.kensingtonbooks.com
9781617739606, $7.99, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Daisy is a widowed mom of two teenagers for whom she feels especially protective. Then when her aunt Iris started dating the wealthy and not-quite-divorced Harvey Fitz, Daisy is worried -- especially after his bitter ex stormed in and caused a scene at the party Daisy's Tea Garden was catering. Then there was the gossip she overheard about Harvey's grown children being cut out of his will. Daisy didn't want her aunt to wind up with a broken heart -- but she never expected Iris to wind up a suspect in Harvey's murder. Now the apple bread and orange pekoe is on the back burner while the cops treat the shop like a crime scene -- and Daisy hopes that Jonas Groft, a former detective from Philadelphia, can help her clear her aunt's name and bag the real killer before things boil over! A riveting entertainment of a whodunnit mystery from first page to last, "Murder with Lemon Tea Cakes" by Karen Rose Smith is unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Knight: A Chronicle of the Sibyl's War
Timothy Zahn
Tor
c/o Tor/Forge Books
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.tor-forge.com
9780765329677, $24.99, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Nicole Hammond was just trying to survive on the streets of Philadelphia, then she and her partner Bungie were abducted by a race of mysterious moth-like aliens and taken to a strange ship called the Fyrantha. Now she is a Sibyl, a special human that has the ability to communicate with the aliens and their ship, and no one is happy. Competing factions control different parts of the Fyrantha with the humans and other sentient aliens caught in the middle. But Nicole is done being bullied, and now she has a plan to take control of the ship. She just has to outsmart war profiteers and slavers to do it. "Knight: A Chronicle of the Sibyl's War" by the Hugo Award Winning author Timothy Zahn is a superbly crafted science fiction action/adventure novel by a master of the genre. Certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Science Fiction collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of the legions of Timothy Zahn fans that "Knight: A Chronicle of the Sibyl's War" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Tantor Audio, 9781541469044, $29.99, CD).

Thorn
Anna Burke
Bywater Books
P.O. Box 3671, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106-3671
www.bywaterbooks.com
9781612941431, $16.95, PB, 215pp, www.amazon.com

On a cold day deep in the heart of winter, Rowan's father returns from an ill-fated hunting trip bearing a single, white rose. The rose is followed by the Huntress, a figure out of legend. Tall, cruel, and achingly beautiful, she brings Rowan back with her to a mountain fastness populated solely by the creatures of the hunt. Rowan, who once scorned the villagers for their superstitions, now finds herself at the heart of a curse with roots as deep as the mountains, ruled by an old magic that is as insidious as the touch of the winter rose. Torn between her family loyalties, her guilty relief at escaping her betrothal to the charming but arrogant Avery Lockland, and her complicated feelings for the Huntress, Rowan must find a way to break the curse before it destroys everything she loves. There is only one problem -- if she can find a way to lift the curse, she will have to return to the life she left behind. And the only thing more unbearable than endless winter is facing a lifetime of springs without the Huntress. A riveting and original romantic thriller of a fantasy novel by an author with a total mastery of the genre, Anna Burke's "Thorn" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Fantasy Action/Adventure collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated fantasy fiction fans that "Thorn" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).


The Biography Shelf

The Fourth String
Janet Pocorobba
Stone Bridge Press
www.stonebridge.com
9781611720464, $16.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

The word sensei in Japanese literally means "one who came before", but that's not what Janet Pocorobba's teacher wanted to be called. She used her first name, Western-style. She wore a velour Beatles cap and leather jacket, and she taught foreigners, in English, the three-stringed shamisen, an instrument that fell out of tune as soon as you started to play it. Vexed by the music and Sensei's mission to upend an elite musical system, Pocorobba, on the cusp of thirty, gives up her return ticket home to become a lifelong student of her teacher. She is eventually featured in Japan Cosmo as one of the most accomplished gaijin, "outside people," to play the instrument. Part personal memoir, part biography of her Sensei, "The Fourth String: A Memoir of Sensei and Me" looks back on the initial few years of that apprenticeship, one that Janet's own female English students advised her was "wife training," steeped in obedience, loyalty, and duty. Even with her maverick teacher, Janet is challenged by group hierarchies, obscure traditions, and the tricky spaces of silence in Japanese life. Impressively well written with a distinctive narrative storytelling style, "The Fourth String" is an inherently fascinating, thoughtful, and compelling read, making it unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Biography collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Fourth String" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.67).

Rising Son
Sandra Vea
Sasquatch Books
1904 Third Ave, Suite 710, Seattle, WA 98101
www.sasquatchbooks.com
9781632172419, $22.95, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Masao Abe was a second-generation Japanese American who was swept up in the momentum of history during World War II. Born in southern California but educated as a teenager in Japan during the 1930s, he returned to the US and was drafted into the US Army. As he completed basic training, the attack on Pearl Harbor put his military career in limbo because the US government didn't know what to do with him or how to think about him--was he an enemy or a patriot? Masao was eventually recruited to join the secretive Military Intelligence Service: he was trained to accompany American soldiers as they fought their way across the islands in the Pacific. His assignment was to convince Japanese Imperial soldiers to lay down their arms, and to read captured documents looking for enemy strategies. He went to war with a bodyguard because his commanders knew he wore a target on his front and his back. "Rising Son: A US Soldier's Secret and Heroic Role in World War II" is little-known slice of history reveals how the confluence of race, war, and loyalty played out when the nation called for the service of those it judged most harshly. It is interesting to note of biographer Sandra Vea that Masao Abe is the father of her partner, Alan Abe. She coaxed Masao's story out of him through years of interviews and corroborating research. While very highly recommended for both community and academic library biography collections in general, and World War II supplemental studies reading lists in particular, "Rising Son" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Starlight Man
Mike Ashley
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520649, $22.95, PB, 462pp, www.amazon.com

Writers and reviewers throughout the last 100 years have been extolling the virtues of the tales of novelist and short story writer Algernon Blackwood (14 March 1869 - 10 December 1951). But Blackwood was a rolling stone and kept virtually no papers or private records. When Mike Ashley decided to research Blackwood's life in 1978 he had no idea that over forty years later he would still be researching. A first edition of the biography was published in 2001 but that had to be edited down, and Ashley knew at that time that there were still many unanswered questions. Since then some of those questions have been answered and though there still remains some mystery about Blackwood (and maybe that adds to his aura and fascination) Ashley has now brought the biography up to date in this new edition of "Starlight Man: The Extraordinary Life of Algernon Blackwood", restoring the text that was removed and adding more of the results of his researches. Very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library American Biography collections, this new and expanded edition of "Starlight Man" is the most extensive and thorough study of Blackwood's life and works revealing more about the mystic, the adventurer, the innocent, the seeker.

An Englishman in Texas
Ron Kenney, author
Kimberly Davis, editor
Madville Publishing LLC
PO Box 358, Lake Dallas, TX 75065
9781948692021, $16.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

"An Englishman in Texas" is a deftly scripted and impressively candid memoir by Ron Kenney, who was an English jockey who came to the United States in 1960. This autobiographical account begins with his childhood in the northeast of England during WWII. Ron then goes on to describe how, with no knowledge of horses, he was sent four hundred miles from home at 14 years of age to apprentice as a jockey. Ron had been turned away by the foreman at the coal mine because he was too small. The story also follows Ron through his coming of age to his coming to America when he was 30. It follows his fortunes in pursuit of the American Dream. "An Englishman in Texas" also tells of riding horses for some of the wealthiest and most famous horse trainers in Texas. Deftly edited by Kimberly Davis, "An Englishman in Texas" is the intensely personal and inherently interesting story of Ron's loves, his betrayals, and introduces the people who helped him along the way, making this memoir an unreservedly recommended addition to personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library Contemporary American Biography collections.


The Christian Studies Shelf

The Strangeness of Truth
Fr. Damian Ference
Pauline Books & Media
50 St. Paul's Avenue, Boston, MA 02130-3433
www.paulinemedia.com
9780819891266, $16.95, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com

Our lives are filled with questions, and our world is filled with answers: in the cloud, online, and in libraries of books. But the answers to the most important questions are rarely straightforward. In fact, sometimes the truth is downright strange. But somehow, even in its strangeness, truth reveals a clarity that calls forth a response from the depths of one's being. If you allow yourself to be open to the strangeness of truth, it can change your life. That is the principle and inspiring message of "The Strangeness of Truth: Vibrant Faith In A Dark World" by Rev. Damian J. Ference (who is a priest of the Diocese of Cleveland, and who has served as Director of Human Formation and Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Borromeo Seminary in Wickliffe, Ohio). While very highly recommended for church, seminary, and academic library Christian Studies collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Strangeness of Truth" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).

The Magnificent Journey
James Bryan Smith
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830846382, $22.00, HC, 176pp, www.amazon.com

The secular world holds to such maxims as: "Look out for yourself first" and "Nice guys finish last". But following that path leaves Christians feeling isolated and anxious, and can even take them to a place of spiritual ruin. There is a road to life in the unshakeable kingdom of God, but it's not an easy journey. In "The Magnificent Journey: Living Deep in the Kingdom, James Bryan Smith (who is a theology professor at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas, serves as the director of the Apprentice Institute for Christian Spiritual Formation at Friends University, is a founding member of Richard J. Foster's spiritual renewal ministry, Renovare, and an ordained United Methodist Church minister who has served in various capacities in local churches) shows us the better road, the road less travelled, but the road full of riches. Along the way he introduces us to new spiritual practices that will provide the sustenance we need for the deepest, most joy-filled journey of our lives -- the journey into the heart of God. Inspired and inspiring, "The Magnificent Journey" is very highly commended to the attention of all Christians regardless of denominational affiliations. It should be noted that "The Magnificent Journey" is also available in a paperback edition (9780830846399, $21.88) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

One Coin Found
Emmy Kegler
Fortress Press
P.O. Box 1209, Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209
http://fortresspress.com
9781506448213, $18.99, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com

Emmy Kegler is pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Northeast Minneapolis. She is the coordinator and editor of Queer Grace, an online encyclopedia for LGBTQ and Christian life, and a sought-after speaker. Emmy has had a complicated relationship with the Bible. As a queer woman who grew up in both conservative Evangelical and progressive Protestant churches, she knows too well how Scripture can be used to wound and exclude. And yet, the stories of Scripture continue to captivate and inspire her -- both as a person of faith and as a pastor to a congregation. So she set out to fall in love with the Bible, wrestling with the stories inside, where she met a God who continues to seek us out -- appearing again and again as a voice, a presence, and a promise. Whenever we are pushed to the edges, our voices silenced, or our stories dismissed, God goes out after us -- seeking us until we are found again. And God is seeking out those whose voices we too quickly silence and dismiss, too. Because God's story is a story of welcome and acceptance for everyone -- no exceptions. Emmy shows us that even when we feel like lost and dusty coins (rusted from others' indifference, misspent and misused) God picks up a broom and sweeps every corner of creation to find us. Inspired and inspiring, "One Coin Found: How God's Love Stretches to the Margins" is especially recommended reading for all members of the Christian community -- regardless of their denominational affiliations.

The Essential Karl Barth
Keith L. Johnson
Baker Academic
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
9781540960733, $40.00, HC, 384pp, www.amazon.com

Karl Barth (May 10, 1886 - December 10, 1968) was one of the most influential theologians of the 20th century. His work is considered essential reading for every dedicated student of Christian theology. Reading Barth's theology poses a challenge, however, because of the sheer size of his corpus, the complexity of his claims, and the distance between his context and the context of his readers. "The Essential Karl Barth: A Reader and Commentary" by Keith L. Johnson is an accessible and ideal introduction by a respected scholar in Barthian studies who offers a one-stop resource on Barth's thought, providing a selection of his most important writings, critical commentary, and detailed introductory and concluding chapters. While unreservedly recommended for community, church, seminary, college, and university library collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the life and work of Karl Barth, that is compendium is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $32.58).

Budgeting for a Healthy Church
Jamie Dunlop
Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530
www.zondervan.com
9780310093862, $14.99, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com

Jamie Dunlop has served as Associate Pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC since 2009 where, in addition to general pastoral duties, he oversees administration and adult education and coordinates oversight of several non-profits based at the church. Prior to joining the church staff, he worked for a decade in business, managing an operating unit of a large consultancy while serving his church as a lay elder. In "Budgeting for a Healthy Church: Aligning Finances with Biblical Priorities for Ministry" Pastor Dunlop draws upon his years of experience and expertise to present the church budget as a financial tool and a pastoral tool. A church's philosophy of ministry is locked into its budget, and so the budget will either stifle or accelerate any attempts to move a congregation toward a biblical model of church health. As such, the church budget is a far more potent pastoral tool than many church leaders realize. "Budgeting for a Healthy Church" deftly examines each section of the budget in light of Biblical principles to show how a church budget can lock in healthy approaches to ministry. Whereas most books on church budgeting are "how" books, explaining how the budgeting process should work, this is a "what" book, helping church leaders determine the pastoral implications of what they choose to fund in their budgets. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Budgeting for a Healthy Church" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99) and unreservedly recommended for church and seminary collections, as well as the personal reading lists of Protestant pastors and ministers regardless of denominational affiliations.

Diverse Voices in Modern US Moral Theology
Charles E. Curran
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
www.press.georgetown.edu
9781626166318, $104.95, HC, 264pp, www.amazon.com

In "Diverse Voices in Modern US Moral Theology", Charles E. Curran (who is the Elizabeth Scurlock University Professor of Human Values at Southern Methodist University) presents the diverse voices of US Catholic moral theologians from the mid-twentieth century to the present. Professor Curran discusses eleven key individuals in the development and evolution of moral theology as well as the New Wine, New Wineskins movement. This diversity, which differs from the monolithic understanding of moral theology that prevailed until recently, comes from the diverse historical circumstances or Sitz im Leben of the authors. Each of these theologians developed her or his approach in light of these circumstances and in response to shifts in the three audiences of moral theology -- the Church, the academy, and the broader society. While also available in a paperback edition (978-1626166325, $34.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.92), "Diverse Voices in Modern US Moral Theology" unreservedly recommended for seminary and academic library Contemporary Christian Studies collections, and certain be an important resource for clergy, students and scholars of US Catholic moral theology, as well as non-specialist general readers seeking to understand the current state of moral theology in America today from a Catholic perspective.

A Critical Study of the Rule of Benedict - Volume 3
Adalbert de Vogue
New City Press
202 Cardinal Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538
www.newcitypress.com
9781565486010, $49.95, PB, 354pp, www.amazon.com

The work of Adalbert de Vogue, OSB (1924 2011) serves as the basis of all serious study of the Rule of Benedict. "A Critical Study of the Rule of Benedict: Liturgy, Sleeping Arrangements, and the Penal Code (RB 8-20, 22-30, 42-46)" is third volume in the New City Press series "A Critical Study of The Rule of Benedict" and interprets The Rule, especially those facets of monastic life that secular readers might find unimportant such as prayer regimen, psalmody, correction of faults, and everyday routines like sleeping arrangements. Written in accord with standards of meticulous scholarship in an accessible translation by Benedictine Sister Colleen Maura McGrane, this volume specifically traces how Benedict departed from earlier Rules and explains why, more than 1,500 years later, monasteries still follow these practices. "A Critical Study of the Rule of Benedict: Liturgy, Sleeping Arrangements, and the Penal Code (RB 8-20, 22-30, 42-46)" is a critically important and unreservedly recommended addition to seminary and academic Benedictine Studies collections.

Practical Holiness
Albert Hasse, OFM
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
www.paracletepress.com
9781640601970, $15.99, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

In "Practical Holiness: Pope Francis as Spiritual Companion" features anecdotes about people and stories about saints as part of an informative exploration of Pope Francis's apostolic exhortation, Rejoice and Be Glad: On the Call to Holiness in Today's World. While there are no cookie-cutter approaches to holiness, "Practical Holiness" encourages you to rediscover your own unique way of living out the Beatitudes and Jesus's two-fold command of love and the "five great expressions of love of God and neighbor" which are essential for any Christian in our self-absorbed, digital culture. Reflection questions at the end of each chapter, as well as forty personal questions at the end of "Practical Holiness", make this ideal for reflection, adult faith formation, book clubs, spiritual directors and their directees, and further catechesis during the RCIA's Mystogogia period between Easter and Pentecost. Inspired and inspiring, "Practical Holiness" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.69).

Give Up Worry for Lent!
Gary Zimak
Ave Maria Press
PO Box 428, Notre Dame, IN 46556
www.avemariapress.com
9781594718816, $13.95, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

During the season of Lent, Catholics and other Christians frequently give up something they enjoy as a measure of penance or self-discipline -- and often fall back into old habits at the first "Alleluia!" In Give Up Worry for Lent!, Gary Zimak (Director of Parish Services at Mary, Mother of the Redeemer Catholic Church in North Wales, Pennsylvania) offers fellow worriers practical, scripture-centered advice on how to relinquish the need to control the uncontrollable (not just for Lent but for good) and how to find peace in Christ. From Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, Zimak guides you to ponder a scripture passage and to apply it to your own life by following four simple steps: Read, Reflect, Respond, Pray. As you continue to meditate on scripture and practice the simple action steps at the end of each reflection, you will find it easier to replace old worries with new messages of hope and to change your life forever. Inspired and inspiring, "Give Up Worry for Lent!: 40 Days to Finding Peace in Christ" is especially recommended to the attention of all members of the Roman Catholic community.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Redeeming Relevance in the Book of Leviticus
Rabbi Francis Nataf
Urim Publications
c/o KTAV Publishing House
527 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York 11225
www.UrimPublications.com
9781602803343, $21.95, HC, 104pp, www.amazon.com

The Jewish people has a rather peculiar relationship with the book of Leviticus. On the one hand, almost all serious Jews are aware that many of Judaism's most important laws and ideas are to be found in the Torah's middle book. Yet in spite of these highlights, Leviticus also contains material that the average reader will find less stimulating. Many of its laws are directed to the priestly elite in charge of the Temple service. In "Redeeming Relevance in the Book of Leviticus: Explorations in Text and Meaning", Rabbi Francis Nataf (a Jerusalem-based educator and writer) tells us that the Torah's middle book is actually also its most important. That is because the sons of Aharon and their descendants serve as a model for the entire Jewish people. Once we know what is expected from them, we can have a better idea of what is expected from us. As illustrated in this volume of Redeeming Relevance, the central Torah principle encrypted in Leviticus is nothing less than a call for all Jews to do their utmost to help the rest of mankind. This is the center of the Torah; the rest is commentary. Impressively informative and exceptionally well presented, "Redeeming Relevance in the Book of Leviticus" is very highly recommended for community, synagogue, and academic library Judaic Studies collections and personal reading lists.

Monsters and Monstrosity in Jewish History
Iris Idelson-Shein & Christian Wiese, editors
Bloomsbury Academia
c/o Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781350052147, $114.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Jews have occupied a liminal position within European society and culture, being deeply immersed yet outsiders to it. For this reason, they were perceived in terms of otherness and were often represented as monstrous beings. However, at the same time, European Jews invoked, with tantalizing ubiquity, images of magical, terrifying and hybrid beings in their texts, art and folktales. These images were used by Jewish authors and artists to push back against their own identification as monstrous or diabolical and to tackle concerns about religious persecution, assimilation and acculturation, gender and sexuality, science and technology and the rise of antisemitism. Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by the team of Iris Idelson-Shein (who is the Gerda Henkel Research Fellow at Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Germany) and Christian Wiese (who holds the Martin Buber Chair in Jewish Thought and Philosophy at Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Germany), "Monsters and Monstrosity in Jewish History: From the Middle Ages to Modernity" brings together an impressive cast of contributors from around the world, this fascinating volume that will prove to be an enduringly invaluable resource for academics, postgraduates and advanced undergraduates interested in Jewish studies, as well as the history of monsters. While "Monsters and Monstrosity in Jewish History" is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Judaic History & Culture collections and supplemental studies curriculum reading lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Monsters and Monstrosity in Jewish History" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $92.39).

The Sacred Exchange
Rabbi Mary L. Zamore, editor
CCAR Press
www.ccarpress.org
9780881233339, $23.95, PB, 490pp, www.amazon.com

Expertly compiled and deftly edited by Rabbi Mary L. Zamore, "The Sacred Exchange: Creating a Jewish Money Ethic" is the newest addition to the CCAR Press Challenge and Change series. This anthology of 36 informative articles creates a rich and varied discussion about the ethics of money from a Judaic perspective. Our use of and relationship with money must reflect our religious values -- "The Sacred Exchange" aims to start a comprehensive conversation within the Jewish community about how Judaism can guide us in this multi-faceted relationship. A unique and ground-breaking anthology, "The Sacred Exchange" will prove to be a welcome and enduringly valued addition to synagogue, community, college, and university library Judaic Studies collections, as well as the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.


The Automotive Shelf

Formula 1: Car by Car: 1980-89
Peter Higham
Evro Publishing Limited
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781910505236, $79.95, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com

The third volume in the simply outstanding, decade-by-decade history of Formula 1 racing, "Formula 1: Car by Car: 1980-89" by Peter Higham (who for nearly 30 years worked for Haymarket Consumer Media, the publisher of motor racing magazines and websites, and for half of that period was director of LAT Photographic, which is the world's largest motor racing photo archive), features: A year-by-year treatment covering each season in fascinating depth, running through the teams (and their various cars) in order of importance; The two teams that dominated the decade (McLaren and Williams) taking all but two of the drivers' and constructors' titles including McLaren's World Champions were Niki Lauda (1984), Alain Prost (1985, 1986 and 1989) and Ayrton Senna (1988), while Williams's were Alan Jones (1980), Keke Rosberg (1982) and Nelson Piquet (1987); The two other significant winning teams which were Brabham, who took Nelson Piquet to two drivers' titles (1981 and 1983), and Ferrari, which won two constructors' titles (1982 and 1983). Also featured are other winning marques such as Benetton, Ligier, Lotus, Renault and Tyrrell. Profusely illustrated with more than 600 photos (entirely in color and all from the magnificent archives of LAT Images) show every type of car raced by every team and driver, presenting a comprehensive survey of all participants. The sweep of the decade covers sustained technical advances, particularly in carbon-fiber construction and ever-increasing power outputs. Of special note is the informatively detailed text that includes car specifications and technical essentials. A nostalgic joy to browse through by all dedicated Formula 1 racing fans, Peter Higham's "Formula 1: Car by Car: 1980-89" is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Automotive History collections in general, and Formula 1 Racing supplemental studies lists in particular.

Chevelle Restoration and Authenticity Guide 1970-1972
Dale McIntosh & Rick Nelson
CarTech Inc.
838 Lake Street South, Forest Lake, MN 55025
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613254295, $36.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

The high-water mark of the muscle car era is usually credited as 1970, and for good reason; Chevrolet was now stuffing high-powered 454 engines into Chevelles. Adding a larger displacement above the still-available 396 (402) offered buyers the option to order the most powerful production car of that era. The 1970-1972 Chevelles remain the most collectible of the model to this day. Author and historian Dale McIntosh pairs with restoration expert Rick Nelson to provide this bible of authenticity on the legendary 1970, 1971, and 1972 Chevelle models. Everything about restoring your Chevelle back to bone-stock is covered meticulously, including step-by-step instructions for chassis and interior restoration. Understanding date variances on parts applicable to the build date of your Chevelle is vital to a factory-correct restoration, and including them in this book provides a depth of coverage on these cars that is unequaled. Restoring a 1970-1972 Chevelle back to concours correct takes a certain amount of expertise. Thankfully, Rick and Dale have done a lot of the heavy lifting on the research side. With this authenticity guide, you can be confident that you have all the correct components and options accurately and expertly represented for your stock restoration. These fine details put the Chevelle Restoration and Authenticity Guide 1970-1972 a cut above the rest. Profusely illustrated throughout, "Chevelle Restoration and Authenticity Guide 1970-1972" is expertly organized and presented, making it a valued and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library 20th Century Automotive History collections in general, and Chevelle repair and restoration instructional reference collections in particular.

Ford 429/460 Engines: How to Rebuild
Charles Morris
CarTech Inc.
838 Lake Street South, Forest Lake, MN 55025
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613254929, $29.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

In this newly revised and profusely illustrated edition of "Ford 429/460 Engines: How to Rebuild", dedicated Ford expert Charles Morris covers all the procedures, processes, and techniques for rebuilding a 385 Series big-block engine. A detailed step-by-step text provides details for determining whether the engine actually needs a rebuild, preparation and removal, disassembly, inspection, cleaning, machining and parts selection, reassembly, start-up, and tuning. Also included is a chapter in building the special Boss 429 engines, as well as a bonus chapter on the Ford 351 Cleveland, Ford's little brother to the big-block. An ideal instruction and reference guide on the subject, "Ford 429/460 Engines: How to Rebuild" will prove to be a welcome addition to personal, professional, community library, and technical college autoshop collections.


The Railroading Shelf

The Southwold Railway 1879 - 1929
David Lee, Alan Taylor, and Rob Shrland-Ball
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781473867581, $60.00, HC, 248pp, www.amazon.com

"The Southwold Railway 1879 - 1929: The Tale of a Suffolk Byway" showcases of one of East Anglia's minor railways: A 3ft gauge railway, single track, just over 8 miles long from Halesworth (connections to London) across the heathland and marshes of East Suffolk to the seaside resort and harbor of Southwold. Profusely illustrated throughout, "The Southwold Railway 1879 - 1929" collates the research and memories of one of the last surviving passengers with maps and pictures to tell a fascinating tale of immaculate passenger service, management from a distant London office, closure at very short notice, and twenty-first century revival. Extraordinarily informative, "The Southwold Railway 1879 - 1929" is particularly recommended for the personal reading lists of all railroading history buffs and will prove to be an enduringly popular and valued addition to both community and academic library Railroading History collections and supplemental studies lists.

Twenty First Century Narrow Gauge: A Pictorial Journey
James Waite
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781473887671, $70.00, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com

James Waite has been a skilled railway photographer for many years. In the illustrated pages of "Twenty First Century Narrow Gauge: A Pictorial Journey" he has brought together period photographs of many of the world's steam-worked narrow gauge railways in the twenty-first century, concentrating mostly on views which show the scenery, both natural and man-made, through which they ran. They are accompanied by extended captions; the fruit of extensive research containing much historical information about the railways and their locos. "Twenty First Century Narrow Gauge: A Pictorial Journey" also offers many fascinating insights into the districts and communities which they serve, along with anecdotes about his adventures while visiting them which are often amusing and always informative. A welcome addition to all personal, community, and academic library railroading history collections, "Twenty First Century Narrow Gauge: A Pictorial Journey" is a truly extraordinary volume that will be especially appreciated by dedicated railroading history buffs.


The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

Backcountry Flies
Steve Kantner
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811737111, $29.95, PB, 216pp, www.amazon.com

A South Florida fixture for the past 50 years, Steve Kantner has walked (and fished) practically every foot of surf, pier, and canal bank that's accessible on foot. He has written for Salt Water Sportsman, Florida Sportsman, Fly Rod & Reel, Fly Fishing in Salt Waters, and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, and has served as editor-at-large and opinion columnist for Florida Fishing Weekly. He is the author of Ultimate Guide to Fishing South Florida on Foot and contributed to A Passion for Tarpon and A Net Full of Tails. Florida's coastal fishing has suffered over the years, and more and more anglers are turning toward the inland waters to fish for trophy largemouth bass, peacock bass, snook, baby tarpon, cichlids, and a host of other exotic species. In "Backcountry Flies: Tying and Fishing Florida Patterns, from Swamp to Surf", Kantner draws upon his years of experience and expertise to create a profusely illustrated instructional guide and manual specifically dedicated to fly patterns for these fish and includes step-by-step instructions as well as fishing information that will prove invaluable -- especially to the novice angler. While very highly recommended, especially for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Backcountry Flies" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.79).

The Predator and Varmint Hunter's Guidebook
Patrick Meitin
Krause Publications
c/o F+W Media
700 East State Street, Iola WI 54945
www.krausebooks.com
9781440248504, $24.99, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com

Predators and varmints offer many fun and affordable ways to enjoy the shooting sports with almost year-round hunting opportunities. From small ground squirrels and prairie dogs to freezer-filling wild hogs and potentially lucrative coyotes and bobcats, nowhere else can the firearms enthusiast receive so much shooting opportunity. In "The Predator and Varmint Hunter's Guidebook", experienced hunter Patrick Meitin covers the many different varmints and predators available to be hunted around the country, in addition to the best tactics, rifles, handguns, optics, ammunition and more, to employ for hunting success. "The Predator and Varmint Hunter's Guidebook" features: An overview of the many species of varmints and predators in North America; Proven hunting and shooting tactics for the most popular species; Long-range shooting tips and tactics; Insights into the rifles, handguns, gear and optics used by top predator and varmint hunters, including suppressors and airguns; In-depth discussion of the best cartridges for predator and varmint hunting; Expert advice on handloading many popular cartridges; Equipment directory featuring the latest hunting and shooting gear. Profusely and usefully illustrated throughout, "The Predator and Varmint Hunter's Guidebook" is an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal and community library Hunting/Fishing instructional reference collections. It should be noted that "The Predator and Varmint Hunter's Guidebook" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.74).


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Magic: The Gathering Cards
Ben Bleiweiss
Krause Publications
c/o F+W Media
700 East State Street, Iola WI 54945
www.krausebooks.com
9781440248801, $27.99, PB, 512pp, www.amazon.com

Ben Bleiweiss is the general manager of StarCityGames.com, the world's largest Magic retailer. He is an expert in Magic finance, pricing Magic cards for the past 15 years, including the 20-million inventory of singles cards at Star City Games. Magic: The Gathering is the world's most played trading card game. Now for the first time in the game's 25-year history, Ben has drawn upon his experience and expertise to create the only guide on the market to capture all the magic (and value) of thousands of cards released for MTG. Featuring 165 unique card sets, "Magic: The Gathering Cards - The Unofficial Ultimate Collector's Guide" beautifully showcases the rarest and most valuable cards on the secondary market, including an Alpha Black Lotus worth more than $27,000! There are also a wealth of expert tips for collecting and card investing. Authoritative and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Magic: The Gathering Cards - The Unofficial Ultimate Collector's Guide" is an essential acquisition for all dedicated Magic: The Gathering fans and collectors -- and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community and academic library collections as well!


The Political Science Shelf

The Democracy Fix
Caroline Fredrickson
The New Press
120 Wall Street, floor 31, New York, NY 10005
www.thenewpress.com
9781620973899, $25.99, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com

Despite representing the beliefs of a minority of the American public on many issues, conservatives are in power not just in Washington, DC, but also in state capitals and courtrooms across the country. They got there because, while progressives fought to death over the nuances of policy and to bring attention to specific issues, conservatives focused on simply gaining power by gaming our democracy. They understood that policy follows power, not the other way around. Now, in "The Democracy Fix: How to Win the Fight for Fair Rules, Fair Courts, and Fair Elections", Caroline Fredrickson (who has had a front-row seat on the political drama in DC for decades while working to shape progressive policies as special assistant for legislative affairs to President Clinton, chief of staff to Senator Maria Cantwell, deputy chief of staff to Senator Tom Daschle, and president of the American Constitution Society) persuasively argues that it's time for progressives to focus on winning. "The Democracy Fix" shows how Democrats can learn from the right by having the determination to focus on judicial elections, state power, and voter laws without stooping to their dishonest, rule-breaking tactics. The underlying message is that Democrats must be ruthless in thinking through how work to change the rules of the game to regain power, expand the franchise, end voter suppression, win judicial elections, and fight for transparency and fairness. Offering a 'real world' blueprint for political success in the era of Trump and the forthcoming 2020 elections, "The Democracy Fix" should be on the personal reading list of every political activist seeking a restoration of American values that have been so badly undermined these past two years as evidence by the Muller Report. While very highly recommended for community and academic library Contemporary Political Science collections, it should be noted that "The Democracy Fix" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.24) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781974954674, $39.99, CD).


The Gardening Shelf

Growing Your Own Tea Garden
Jodi Helmer
CompanionHouse Books
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781620083222, $18.99, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

The ideal do-it-yourself instruction guide and manual for the gardener and tea enthusiast, "Growing Your Own Tea Garden: The Guide to Growing and Harvesting Flavorful Teas in Your Backyard" is packed with inspiration, illustrations, and practical instructions for cultivating and enjoying delicious teas on even the most modest plot of ground. Author Jodi Helmer (who is an experienced journalist who writes about food, gardening, farming, the environment and sustainable living) will help even the most novice of gardeners to effectively and successfully plan and plant a productive backyard tea garden. With sample garden designs and cultivation advice, Jodi shows how to choose the right crops for a particular soil and climate, and starting with the tea plant (Camellia sinensis), then going on through a comprehensive survey of tisanes, or herbal teas, readers will discover how to grow the full range of herbal infusions that make wonderful teas, from flowering chamomile and lavender to chicory roots, rose hips, lemon verbena, peppermint, aromatic bergamot and more. Jodi also shows how to harvest, dry and store tea to enjoy all year long, -- along with brewing tips and creative recipes. It should be noted that sample tea garden designs include instructions for growing tea in container gardens and raised beds, understanding the differences between black tea, green tea, white tea and herbal tea, drying and storing tea leaves for consumption on cool autumn days, and 'Let it steep: how to brew the perfect cup of tea'. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Growing Your Own Tea Garden" is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal and community library DIY Gardening instructional reference collections.

Growing Berries and Fruit Trees in the Pacific Northwest
Tara Austen Weaver
Sasquatch Books
1904 Third Ave, Suite 710, Seattle, WA 98101
www.sasquatchbooks.com
9781632171559, $19.95, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com

"Growing Berries and Fruit Trees in the Pacific Northwest" by Tara Austen Weaver is a complete and comprehensive instructional reference and guide to backyard fruit tree and berry bush growers covering recommended varieties and climate info specifically for the Pacific Northwest both west and east of the Cascades with their ideal climates for growing berries and fruit trees. Also included are informative sidebars showcasing historical orchards, fruit enthusiast societies, gleaning organizations, and more. Also included are several recommended cultivars of each of the following types of fruit: Berries -- strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, kiwi berries, plus less common berries such as lingonberries, elderberries, currants, gooseberries, jostaberries, and a section on wild berries; Fruit trees -- apples, pears, Asian pears, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, plus less common fruit trees such as figs, persimmons, and quince. Beautifully illustrated, exceptionally well organized and presented, "Growing Berries and Fruit Trees in the Pacific Northwest" is an ideal, unique, and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Growing Berries and Fruit Trees in the Pacific Northwest" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

The Kew Gardener's Guide to Growing Herbs
Holly Farrell, author
Jason Ingram, illustrator
White Lion Publishing
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9780711239364, $16.00, HC, 144pp, www.amazon.com

The culinary herbs showcased in "The Kew Gardener's Guide to Growing Herbs: The Art and Science to Grow Your Own Herbs" provide flavors and scents unlike any other. Culinary herbs are a living trove of fresh flavors for any cook, with an almost alchemical power to transform the simplest dish. Herbs can be used as seeds, flowers, or leaves; cooked and eaten themselves or used to infuse a dish or drink. They are popping up in artisan gin, ice cubes and cocktail syrups; in foraged dishes and kitchen gardens of the best restaurants as chefs realize that often the only way to capture that elusive flavor is to have home-grown, freshly harvested herbs on their doorstep. With "The Kew Gardener's Guide to Growing Herbs" these intense flavors can now be a reality for gardeners and food enthusiasts with any size of garden, from an acre to a window box. Underpinned by the authority of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the expertise of Holly Farrell "The Kew Gardener's Guide to Growing Herbs" combines practical elements with inspiration and beauty. Aspiring herb gardeners will find out how to grow herbs in all situations, how to plant, propagate and harvest, then the 80 most exciting herbs are identified, illustrated and their uses explained. "The Kew Gardener's Guide to Growing Herbs" is enhanced with the inclusion of Jason Ingram's specially commissioned photography for 12 projects which show how to develop a herb garden at the next level and use herbs in the most interesting ways from planting a herb roof to making herbal oils. Also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.57), "The Kew Gardener's Guide to Growing Herbs" is an especially recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library Gardening instructional reference collections.


The Travel Shelf

London's Best Cocktail Bars
Susan Cohen
IMM Lifestyle Books
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781504801058, $14.99, HC, 176pp, www.amazon.com

With numerous watering-holes to choose from, it can be daunting trying to pick the best spot for an evening out on the town in a city as large and diverse as London, Englad. That's why London food and drink expert Susan Cohen decided to help narrow down the selection by presenting the creme de la creme of hot cocktail spots in London in "London's Best Cocktail Bars", the hippest, most up-to-date guide to London's diverse and stylish cocktail scene. It offers lively descriptive reviews of 48 top venues across the city, from smart hotels and rooftop bars to craft cocktail hotspots, over-the-top concept bars, and celebrity-spotting destinations. Each revealing entry includes a concise description, contact and reservation details, nearby tube stops, whether food is served, opening hours, and lavish color photos. Locations are pinpointed on easy-to-read maps. While very highly recommended for personal and community library Travel Guide collections with respect to London, England, "London's Best Cocktail Bars: The Most Popular Hotspots 48 Top Venues with Maps, Recipes, Reviews, Contact & Reservation Details, Hours, Nearby Tube Stops, and Lavish Photography" is an ideal, profusely illustrated, and thoroughly 'user friendly' resource for planning truly memorable itineraries for anyone visiting London for either business or pleasure.


The Crafts Shelf

Practical Leatherwork
Carsten Bothe
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764357442, $19.99, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com

Leather is a strong and versatile material, and indispensable when you're working, hunting, or exploring outdoors. In "Practical Leatherwork: Cutting, Sewing, Finishing, and Repair ", hunter and outdoor professional Carsten Bothe offers the ultimate beginner's guide for this useful hobby. With its photo-rich, step-by-step instructions, anyone can learn the techniques of cutting, sewing, and finishing to make, or repair essential leather items. Aspiring leather crafters will learn how to make a seam, to wet-form, to apply button studs and rivets, and everything else needed to master the basics. Featuring five useful projects that are good-looking, and able to be put to practical use will help the readers put what they have learned into practice: make their own belt, dog leash, belt bag, knife sheath, and leather holster. Whether a hunter, reenactor, knifemaker, scout, horseback rider, or bushcraft fan, or using leather in other ways, here is an effective and thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional guide to a new skill that will be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, and community library leather crafting collections.

Beadwoven Glamour
Isabella Lam
Kalmbach Books
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612
www.KalmbachHobbyStore.com
9781627005654, $22.99, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com

Living and working in Israel, Isabella Lam started beading in 2009. She is a popular teacher at the Bead&Button Show. She has been published in numerous beading magazines in Europe as well as in Bead&Button, Beadwork, and Bead Design. In "Beadwoven Glamour: Crystal-Embellished Jewelry" she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to provide a beautifully illustrated instructional guide that is ideal for the advanced beginner or intermediate stitcher looking for fine, sparkly, beautiful jewelry to make, wear, and cherish for years to come. This project-focused instruction manual showcases some 25 necklaces, bracelets, pendants, and earrings, many with color variations and some presented in sets. Each self-contained project presents all the instructions and tips on the project pages. Of special note is a basics section to help beginners get started quickly. Clear instructions and illustrations break each piece down step by step so every beader can be successful. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, and community library collections, it should be noted that "Beadwoven Glamour" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.41).


The Money/Finance Shelf

Wealth Made Easy
Dr. Greg Reid
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, Suite 400, Dallas, TX 75204
www.benbellabooks.com
9781946885463, $19.95, HC, 200pp, www.amazon.com

Expertly compiled and deftly written by Greg Reid, "Wealth Made Easy: Millionaires and Billionaires Help You Crack the Code to Getting Rich" is comprised of insightful, real-world strategies, tips, and stories that will forever redefine the way we gauge our own success and set ourselves on the path toward our wildest dreams with respect to money management and financial investment. Replete with exclusive, personal advice from those living at the top tier of wealth the contributors include: Dan Fleyshman (who is the youngest founder of a publicly traded company); Wayne Henuset (co-owner, chairman, and president of Energy Alberta Corporation and president of Willow Park Wines & Spirits); Jules Haimovitz (an entertainment executive best known for having created the Showtime, Lifetime, Sundance, and Smithsonian cable channels); Ron Klein (the inventor of the magnetic strip on the credit card); Dr. Gene N. Landrum (founder of the Chuck E. Cheese concept of family entertainment); Tonino Lamborghini (the founder of the Tonino Lamborghini Company and heir to the Lamborghini fortune); Walter O'Brien, executive producer and writer for the ScorpionTV series; Brian Sidorsky, founder and CEO of Landsdowne Equity Ventures, a highly profitable family-owned real-estate business. Impressively organized and presented, "Wealth Made Easy" is an inherently fascinating informative, thought-provoking, and potentially life changing read. While very highly recommended for both community and academic library Money/Finances collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Wealth Made Easy" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.82) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781543682267, $19.99, CD).


The Woodworking Shelf

Woodworking
Tom Carpenter
Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781497100053, $29.99, PB, 488pp, www.amazon.com

Comprised of complete step-by-step instructional guides with respect to skills, techniques, and projects that are enhanced with more than 1,200 photos and illustrations, "Woodworking" by Tom Carpenter offers a complete and illustrated 'how to' compendium showcasing 41 complete do-it-yourself project plans, complete with easy-to-follow diagrams and expert guidance. With Tom Carpenter's "Woodworking" aspiring DIY woodworking enthusiasts will find all the information and project plans that a beginning woodworker needs to develop a hobby that will last a lifetime, -- and that any experienced woodworker will want as a reference resource! Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Woodworking" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, high school woodshop, and community library woodworking instructional reference collections.

Scroll Saw Wooden Bowls
Carole Rothman
Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
9781565239616, $19.99, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com

While wood bowls are commonly made on a lathe, this newly updated and expanded edition of "Scroll Saw Wooden Bowls" is a guided resource that showcases 30 projects for crafting beautiful bowls with the more accessible scroll saw. Each individual project contains clear instructions and beautiful illustrations. The projects are organized in a progressive learning format, so everyone can find something exciting to make -- even a new scroller! Beginning crafters can start with the most basic starter bowl and gradually work their way toward more elaborate bowls -- such as laminated swag bowls; a flared lobed bowl made with varied angles; a thin, eight-segmented bowl; and an inward curving bowl. Original patterns for other types of vessels include a vase, a ginger jar, and a candy dish. For advanced wood crafters, an appendix expands upon the earlier material and pushes the wood artist to create new patterns or adapt the existing ones to create art of their very own. Expertly organized and thoroughly 'user friendly' in presentation, "Scroll Saw Wooden Bowls" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, and community library collections -- as well as a textbook for highschool and technical college woodshop curriculums.

Essential Joinery
Marc Spagnuolo
Spring Hosue Press
www.springhousepress.com
9781940611877, $27.95, PB, 216pp, www.amazon.com

Marc Spagnuolo is a woodworking enthusiast, video producer, author of Hybrid Woodworking, co-host of the Wood Talk podcast, and host of the popular web series The Wood Whisperer. He has contributed to FineWoodworking.com, Popular Woodworking Magazine, Woodcraft Magazine, and WOOD Magazine throughout his career. His unique blend of humor, technology, and solid woodworking information makes The Wood Whisperer one of the most trusted brands within the woodworking industry. Whether it's a kitchen cabinet or an 18th century highboy, the foundation for all types of woodworking can be boiled down to a handful of essential joinery skills. Once learned, these joinery methods can be used to create almost anything the woodworker's mind can imagine. From Marc Spagnuolo's workshop of The Wood Whisperer, the popular YouTube host and best-selling author Marc Spagunolo teaches his preferred, time-tested methods for creating these joints in "Essential Joinery: The Fundamental Techniques Every Woodworker Should Know". Rather than working solely by hand or machine, Spagunolo teaches woodworkers how to choose the joinery methods that make the most sense for the task at hand. And, in his easy-going and accessible style that promotes comfort and confidence, he provides several styles and methods for creating each joint. With "Essential Joinery", beginners and pros alike will learn to hone the joinery skills that will take their woodworking to the next level. Profusely illustrated with thoroughly 'user friendly' step-by-step instructions, "Essential Joinery" is an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community library woodworking collections, as well as a textbook for highschool and technical college woodshop curriculums.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Akashic Records: One True Love
Gabrielle Orr
Ozark Mountain Publishing, Inc.
PO Box 754, Huntsville, AR 72740
www.ozarkmt.com
9781940265582, $13.00, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

In theosophy and anthroposophy, the Akashic records are a compendium of all human events, thoughts, words, emotions, and intent ever to have occurred in the past, present, or future. They are believed by theosophists to be encoded in a non-physical plane of existence known as the etheric plane. A practical guide to accessing Akashic records, Gabrielle Orr's "Akashic Records: One True Love" principle purpose is to ignite and maintain the love within you and that you will thereby find your true self in the process of working with the divine energy of the Akashic Records. Developing a connection to the Akashic Records requires both heart and spirit. I am going to use a common medium (language) to explain the process and the guidelines of connecting to this source. "Akashic Records: One True Love" is essential a workbook in the form of a manual that will teach you everything you need to know in order to successfully access your Akashic Records. Also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99), readers are urged to follow the guidelines and instructions carefully and in the given sequence so that they will receive the most benefit from this class.

Finding Your Way in the Spiritual Age
Dr. Dan Bird
Ozark Mountain Publishing, Inc.
PO Box 754, Huntsville, AR 72740
www.ozarkmt.com
9781940265568, $11.50, PB, 120pp, www.amazon.com

Our daily lives are intertwined with the "other side", but there is really no reason to be afraid. We are on our own individual paths with signs all around us from passed loved ones, our Spiritual Guides, Guardian Angels, and more, and they operate only from the level of love. Reading "Finding Your Way in the Spiritual Age" is like having a talk with the author, he says what he believes and offers suggestions for anyone on how to relax and learn from your Spiritual experiences. The information comprising "Finding Your Way in the Spiritual Age" is down to earth, simply explained and meant to be enjoyed in an informal, yet very interesting way. The world is truly changing on many levels, and this read may help you along your path. Very highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library collections, "Finding Your Way in the Spiritual Age" by Dan Bird offers metaphysical studies students with a common sense approach to the increasing interest in Spirituality. It should be noted that "Finding Your Way in the Spiritual Age" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).


The Audiobook Shelf

Once & Future
Cori McCarthy & Amy Rose Capetta
Hachette Audio
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
www.HachetteAudio.com
9781549115882, $30.00, CD, www.amazon.com

When Ari crash-lands on Old Earth and pulls a magic sword from its ancient resting place, she is revealed to be the newest reincarnation of King Arthur. Then she meets Merlin, who has aged backward over the centuries into a teenager, and together they must break the curse that keeps Arthur coming back. Their quest? Defeat the cruel, oppressive government and bring peace and equality to all humankind. Superbly narrated by Lauren Fortgang who does full and complete justice to this complete and unabridged audio book edition of "Once & Future" by Cori McCarthy and Amy Rose Capetta, science fiction fans will have a particular appreciation of this action/adventure fantasy loosely based on the King Arthur mythos but with a very special SciFi twist. A technical flawless recording, "Once & Future" is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal and community library audio book collections. (9 CDs, 11 Hours).

Ghosts of Gotham
Craig Schaeffer
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781721358151, $14.99, CD, www.amazon.com

Irresistibly drawn to mysteries, if only to debunk them, reporter Lionel Page exposes supernatural frauds, swindlers, and charlatans. His latest case is an obsession -- at least for an ancient and wealthy heiress: verify the authenticity of a lost Edgar Allan Poe manuscript circulating through New York City's literary underworld. But the shrewd Regina Dunkle offers more than money. It's a pact. Fulfill her request, and Lionel's own notorious buried past, one he's been running from since he was a child, will remain hidden. As Lionel's quest begins, so do the warnings. And where rare books go, murder follows. It's only when Lionel meets enigmatic stranger Madison Hannah, his personal usher into the city's secret history, that he realizes he's being guided by a force more powerful than logic... and that he isn't just following a story. He is the story. Now that the true purpose of his mission is revealing itself in the most terrifying ways, it may finally be time for Lionel to believe in the unbelievable. An original and riveting story by Craig Schaeffer, "Ghosts of Gotham" is dramatically and effectively narrated by Susannah Jones in this complete and unabridged audio book novel, making it unreservedly recommended for personal and community library audio book collections. (12 CDs, 14 hours, 38 minutes).

The Book of Flora
Meg Elison
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781721354245, $14.99, CD, www.amazon.com

In the wake of the apocalypse, Flora has come of age in a highly gendered post-plague society where females have become a precious, coveted, hunted, and endangered commodity. But Flora does not participate in the economy that trades in bodies. An anathema in a world that prizes procreation above all else, she is an outsider everywhere she goes, including the thriving all-female city of Shy. Now navigating a blighted landscape, Flora, her friends, and a sullen young slave she adopts as her own child leave their oppressive pasts behind to find their place in the world. They seek refuge aboard a ship where gender is fluid, where the dynamic is uneasy, and where rumors flow of a bold new reproductive strategy. When the promise of a miraculous hope for humanity's future tears Flora's makeshift family asunder, she must choose: protect the safe haven she's built or risk everything to defy oppression, whatever its provenance. Expertly narrated by Shakina Nayfack, "The Book of Flora" by Meg Elison is a deftly crafted, thoroughly entertaining, and impressively original audio book that is especially recommended to the attention of dedicated science fiction fans and community library audio book collections. (7 CDs, 9 Hours).

Optic Nerve
Maria Gainza, author
Read by Kyla Garcia
HighBridge Audio Books
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
https://highbridgeaudio.com
9781684572847 $29.99 amazon.com

Masterfully performed by Kyla Garcia, Optic Nerve is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a daring novel, the English-language debut of Argentinian writer Maria Gainza. Here is one view askew after another of episodes in art history - Picasso organizes a cruel banquet in alleged tribute to Rousseau; El Greco visits the Sistine Chapel and is dismayed by the body images that Michelangelo created; and much more - which interact with the narrator's life. Sensual, capricious, and bold, Optic Nerve is an extraordinary tour de force, highly recommended. 5 hours on 4 CDs.

Afternoon of a Faun
James Lasdun, author
Read by Simon Vance
HighBridge Audio Books
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
https://highbridgeaudio.com
9781684418794 $24.99 amazon.com

Superbly performed by Simon Vance, Afternoon of a Faun is an original audiobook about a journalist who learns that an old flame is about to publish a memoir that accuses him of raping her, twenty years ago. He wracks his memories - did he truly commit sexual assault in the past? He remembers a time when the two of them were intoxicated, but the details are hazy, and dreamlike. Is she a victim wronged, or mistaken in her mind, or something else entirely? The answers are not immediately clear-cut in this suspenseful psychological drama, highly recommended. 4 hours on 4 CDs.


The Music CD Shelf

Megg Farrell & Friends
Megg Farrell
http://www.meggfarrell.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $TBA digital itunes.com spotify.com

Available digitally on iTunes and Spotify, Megg Farrell & Friends is a country album inspired by the deep friendships and shared love of music that Megg Farrell found in the southern states of America. Inspired by classic country stars such as Patsy Cline and Emmylou Harris, she founded the group "Megg Farrell & Friends". Their album is an unforgettable celebration of Americana, and a choice pick for fans of the genre! The tracks are "Feelin' Single", "Lovesick Harmony", "New Orleans Waltz", "When I Learned To Sing", "Tulsa Queen", "New York Love Song", "Ooh Las Vegas", "Blues In The Womb", and "If I Were A Woman".

Benji & Rita
Benji Kaplan and Rita Figueiredo
www.benjiandrita.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com

Created and performed by Benji Kaplan and Rita Figueiredo, Benji & Rita is an album of arranged music inspired by classic songs from the couple's homelands in New York and Brazil. Both Portuguese lyrics are present in this showcase of the best of both music worlds. Rich, emotional, and adventurous, Benji & Rita is a unique treat for multicultural album connoisseurs! The tracks are "Sao Francisco e brasileiro", "Piocera", "Memorial Day", "Valsa da metropole", "Zenite e Nadir", "Santa Efigenia", "Impetuosa atracao", "Swing do jazz", "Cajubim", "Nao armo no moco", "Passatempo", "Bryant Park", "Lundu dos orixas", and "A moura do maracaxa".

Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro Overture
The Great Kat
http://www.greatkat.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $0.99 MP3 amazon.com

Guitarist/violinist The Great Kat, a.k.a. "The World's Fastest Guitar Shredder", has released another single in which she guitar-shreds a classic work of music at breakneck speed. Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro Overture is a revolutionary performance of a timeless composition with unfettered, vivacious abandon. An eye-opening new way to experience Mozart, Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro Overture is extraordinary, mesmerizing, and highly recommended!

Riptide
Atlas Maior
atlasmaior.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com

Riptide is a jazz album that draws upon American and Progressive Jazz, Middle Eastern and Indian traditions, and Latin American musical elements. Music artist Atlas Maior has crafted original melodies that experiment with maqamat (the Middle Eastern modal system) as well as harmonic progressions found in American jazz. A wide range of musical played by talented band members are incorporated into the performance: Joshua Thompson on alto saxophone, Charlie Lockwood on the oud (Middle Eastern fretless lute), Josh Peters on the oud, and Ted Camat on drums and percussion. Guest artists contribute to this bold treasure, highly recommended especially for connoisseurs of original jazz creations. The tracks are "The Curse", "Riptide", "Nastaran", "Chamber of Mirrors", "Cumbia Raposa", "Oryx", "Trata", "Iddaa!!", "Huzzam Hive Pt. 1", "Huzzam Hive Pt. 2", and "Osman Pehlivan".

The Gumption
Tanika Charles
Record Kicks
$14.89 CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com

Award-nominated Canadian soul star Tanika Charles presents The Gumption, an album of songs that speak to heartrending emotions - vulnerability, uncertain love, forbidden fruit, and more. Reflecting the will to grow and improve, The Gumption carries a lasting beauty that resonates in the listener's heart and mind. Highly recommended, especially for connoisseurs of soul. The tracks are "Tell Me Something", "Going Home", "Love Overdue", "Remember to Remember", "Cool Scorpio", "Dans Les Nuages", "Cadillac Moon", "Upside Down", "First & Last", "Look At Us Now", "Since You Been Gone", and "Always Restless". 38 min.


The DVD Shelf

Anote's Ark
A film by Matthieu Rytz
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
$24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com

An official selection of the 2018 Sundance film festival, Anote's Ark is a documentary about the Pacific island nation of Kiribati, a remote land threatened with eradication due to rising sea levels. President Anote Tong searches for options for his people, ranging from mass migration to building underwater cities. Many citizens are already traveling overseas to escape rising water, abandoning 4,000 years of Kiribati culture. Anote's Ark superbly captures the heartrending beauty of this island paradise, and the quiet desperation of the ongoing, existential threat. Highly recommended, especially for school and public library DVD collections. 77 min.

Finding Joy
Starring Amy Huberman and Aisling Bea
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$34.99 www.acornonline.com

Finding Joy is a six-episode, life-affirming comedy crafted with wit and aplomb. Created, written by, and starring Amy Huberman as the routine-centric Joy, whose stable life becomes upended by a difficult breakup with her live-in boyfriend. Then a promotion forces her to replace her network's star vlogger, the Happy Hunter, and her new job sends her to increasingly unusual places that people visit in search of happiness, from wrestling matches to wellness retreats. To make matters worse, Joy can't seem to stop running into her ex and his gorgeous new girlfriend! Will Joy find her own path to happiness? Charming and heartwarming, Finding Joy is a delightful treasure. Bonus materials include a 33 minute behind-the-scenes featurette. 6 episodes, 156 min. plus bonus, widescreen, SDH subtitles.

Agatha Raisin, series two
Starring Ashley Jensen
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$39.99 www.acornonline.com

Starring Emmy and SAG-nominated actress Ashley Jensen, Agatha Raisin season is a DVD 3- disc set of three feature-length murder mysteries that early retiree Agatha Raisin solves in a cozy small town. She has a knack for unearthing the culprits behind the most bizarre of crimes, but her love life is a complicated tangle possibly beyond all human reason! The feature-length episodes are "The Wizard of Evesham", where Agatha suspects her hair salon stylist of blackmailing clients; "The Fairies of Fryfam", where a local woman hires Agatha to unearth evidence of a marital affair; and "The Curious Curate", where the arrival of a handsome curate creates a buzz, but a sudden murder leaves one of Agatha's friends as the prime suspect. Bonus material includes a behind-the-scenes featurette (52 min.) and a seven-minute "Agatha Asks" segment. Agatha Raisin series two is a treat for connoisseurs of British mysteries, highly recommended. 3 DVDs, 287 min. plus bonus, widescreen, SDH subtitles.

Qi Gong 30-Day Challenge
Lee Holden
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
1594395512 $29.95 www.ymaa.com

As defined by the National Qigong Association, qigong is a mind-body-spirit practice that integrates breathing techniques, movement, massage, and focused intent to improve one's health. Qi Gong 30-Day Challenge is a DVD for viewer-friendly guide for people of all activity levels and backgrounds. Qigong expert Lee Holden demonstrates a series of 30 seven-minute routines. One can benefit from Qi Gong 30-Day Challenge in as little as seven minutes a day (or complete multiple routines for a more sustained exercise session), the better to cultivate a habit that is excellent for improving one's mood, releasing tension, and revitalizing energy. Qi Gong 30-Day Challenge is highly recommended as a supplement to fitness DVD libraries, especially as an introduction to anyone who is new to qigong. 215 min.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Rowan: 40 Years: 40 Iconic Hand-Knit Designs
Sixth&Spring Books
104 West 27th Street, 3rd Fl, New York, NY 10001
www.sixthandspringbooks.com
9781640210288, $27.95, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com

In 1978, founders Stephen Sheard and Simon Cockin established the needlecraft oriented magazine 'Rowan' with a specialization in kits. They soon expanded into the global market and became known for their quality yarns and their exclusive and exquisite knits. Featuring the work of such renowned knitwear designers as Kaffe Fassett, Martin Storey, Louisa Harding, and Sarah Hatton, and compiled/edited by the editorial staff of Sixth&Spring Books "Rowan: 40 Years: 40 Iconic Hand-Knit Designs" celebrates the magazine's legacy with gorgeous sweaters, cardigans, wraps, and more. While it offers a gallery of covers, never-before-seen images from the original magazines, and a brief history, half of the designs have been knit again using modern colors and newly photographed with updated styling to prove Rowan's designs are as fashionable today as they were years or decades ago. Every knitter will turn to this book for patterns and inspiration, making it an ideal and welcome addition to personal, professional, and community library Needlecrafting instructional reference collections.

Morse Code Quilts
Sarah J. Maxwell
Landauer Publishing
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing
1970 Broad Street, East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.landauercorp.com
9781947163065, $14.99, PB, 64pp, www.amazon.com

Sarah J. Maxwell is a talented fabric and pattern designer for Studio 37 Fabrics, a division of Marcus Fabrics, with countless quilts to her credit. Her work has been featured regularly in both McCall's Quilting and McCall's Quick Quilts. Sarah's quilts have also appeared in Make Modern, Simply Modern, American Patchwork & Quilting, Quilts & More, and many other magazines. In "Morse Code Quilts" she draws upon her very special expertise to show aspiring quiltmakers how to use Morse code to customize their quilts with morse code based secret messages and hidden meanings. A baby quilt can contain the child's name and birthday, or a wedding quilt might feature the happy couple's names along with the date of their vows. Favorite quotations, popular sayings, and simple sentiments are all wonderful opportunities to create a unique quilt! Beautifully illustrated and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Morse Code Quilts" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal and community library Quilting Needlecraft instructional reference collections.


The Cookbook Shelf

Wisconsin Cheese Cookbook
Kristine Hansen
The Globe Pequot Press
246 Goose Lane, Suite 200, Guilford, CT 06437
www.globepequot.com
9781493037919, $24.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Wisconsin's artisan cheese scene is steeped in tradition and bursting with innovations. Local cheesemakers attract visitors from all over the world. Cheese is a huge part of the state's tourist draw and homegrown character. Everyone who calls Wisconsin home or visits for a day will love this book of the best recipes to cook with cheese. "Wisconsin Cheese Cookbook: Creamy, Cheesy, Sweet, and Savory Recipes from the State's Best Creameries" features stunning photos and 60 recipes from the 28 creameries featured will include comfort-food staples like pizza, mac 'n cheese, and grilled-cheese sandwiches, as well as wow-worthy dinner-party favorites such as mascarpone cheesecake, plus picnic-friendly salads and delicious breakfasts. The noteworthy creameries covered in the "Wisconsin Cheese Cookbook" include Carr Valley Cheese and Emmi Roth in Southwest Wisconsin; BelGioioso Cheese and Sartori in Northeast Wisconsin; Holland's Family Cheese in Northwest Wisconsin; and Clock Shadow Creamery in Southeast Wisconsin. A 'must' for all dedicated cheese lovers, the "Wisconsin Cheese Cookbook" is unreservedly recommended for personal and community library cookbook collections.


The Wisconsin Shelf

The Handy Wisconsin Answer Book
Terri Schlichenmeyer & Mark Meier
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Rd., #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075
www.visibleinkpress.com
9781578596614, $21.95, PB, 416pp, www.amazon.com

"The Handy Wisconsin Answer Book" provides a exhaustively detailed and in-depth look at the Badger state's fascinating history, people, myths, culture, geography, and trivia. "The Handy Wisconsin Answer Book" also covers Wisconsin's industries, politicians, arts, media, culture, sports dynasties and legends as it brings the state's past and present to life. Readers will learn about the earliest people in the Great Lakes area, the Paleo-Indian People, French explorers, traders, the Paul Bunyan "myth," today's numerous ethnic festivals, including Brat(wurst) Days, Polka Days, Cheese Days, and the Wisconsin Highland Games, and more! "The Handy Wisconsin Answer Book" answers to nearly 1,400 questions the Badger State's unique and interesting history, people, and places ranging from Why is Wisconsin called "Wisconsin"?; How much snow falls in Wisconsin?; What is the Wisconsin state dance?; and Which Native American tribes called Wisconsin home?; to Was there a Civil War POW camp in Wisconsin?; How many acres of State Forests does Wisconsin have?; What is the most popular attraction in the state?; Where did the Green Bay Packers get their name?; How many towns in Wisconsin claim to be the UFO Capital of the World? Illustrating the unique character of the state through a combination of facts, stats, and history, as well as the unusual and quirky, "The Handy Wisconsin Answer Book" answers intriguing questions about people, places, events, government, and places of interest, making it a 'must have' for every school and community library throughout Wisconsin and an ideal resource for Wisconsin based trivia contests and anyone who is newly immigrated to Wisconsin.


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