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Library Bookwatch

Volume 11, Number 4 April 2016 Home | LBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Writing/Publishing Shelf Art Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Poetry Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf Graphic Novel Shelf
Education Shelf Cookbook Shelf Philosophy Shelf
LibraryScience Shelf American History Shelf World History Shelf
Computer Shelf Fiction Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Political Science Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Architecture Shelf
Science Shelf Civil War Shelf International Studies Shelf
Biography Shelf Military Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Native American Studies Shelf Parenting Shelf Agriculture Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Human Ecology: How Nature and Culture Shape Our World
Frederick Steiner
Island Press
2000 M St NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20036
www.islandpress.org
9781610917384 $30.00 pbk / $21.81 Kindle www.amazon.com

Originally published in 2002 under the title "Human Ecology: Following Nature's Lead", Human Ecology: How Nature and Culture Shape Our World is now in an updated new edition for 2016. Human Ecology is a fascinating, scholarly examination of the "human ecology", or the interplay between humans and environment. Drawing from the disciplines of biology, geography, sociology, engineering, architecture, and more, Steiner suggests eight principles for understanding human ecology. The new edition further examines how the latest developments in environmental science and urban design (such as geographical information systems, remote- sensing technologies, and waste life-cycles) have changed human ecology. A "must-read" for environmental scientists, landscape planners, municipal leaders, and concerned citizens, Human Ecology is highly recommended for both public and college library collections.

Happiness and Place
Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn
Palgrave Macmillan
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10001
www.palgrave-usa.com
9781137436320, $67.50, HC, 130pp, www.amazon.com

"Happiness and Place: Why Life is Better Outside of the City" by Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn (Assistant Professor of Public Policy at Rutgers University, Camden Campus) is about places (cities, suburbs and towns) and the happiness of people living in these environs. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, Professor Okulicz-Kozaryn defty examines the relations between human happiness and the infrastructure of the places they live. This thought-provoking study aptly argues for the overlooked idea that men and women are happiest in smaller areas and less so in larger communities. Enhanced with sixteen pages of References, and a one page Index, "Happiness and Place" is an inherently interesting read from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for academic library Urban Studies reference collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted for academia and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Happiness and Place" is also available in a Kindle edition ($45.00).

Land of Frozen Laughter
John Lewallen
Mendocino Sea Vegetable Company Publishing
PO Box 455, Philo, CA 95466
9780964764309 $19.95 www.seaweed.net

Land of Frozen Laughter: A Community Development Volunteer in the Vietnam War, 1967- 1969 is the firsthand testimony of author John Lewallen, an American civilian who was one of 400 International Voluntary Services volunteers in Vietnam. Lewallen became disgusted with the war; he was an anti-war activist in the war zone (during the era of the 1968 Tet Offensive, no less), and the target of an assassination team. Land of Frozen Laughter offers a grim, ground- level glimpse of military strategy, portraits of soldiers and civilians (including Vietnamese, Chams, and Raglai Montagnards), bars, bases, brothels, culture clash and much more. Lewallen originally penned Land of Frozen Laugher in 1969, immediately after returning from the war; his memories offer a candid, unforgettable, and completely uncensored perspective of the destructive conflict. Highly recommended.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

The Art of Perspective: Who Tells the Story
Christopher Castellani
Graywolf Press
250 Third Avenue North, Suite 600, Minneapolis, MN 55401
www.graywolfpress.org
9781555977269, $12.00, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Christopher Castellani is the author of three novels, including "All This Talk of Love". He is the artistic director of GrubStreet and teaches in the MFA program at Warren Wilson College. He was recently awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for fiction. In "The Art of Perspective: Who Tells the Story" Castellani draws upon his years of experience and expertise to explain that while a writer may have a story to tell, a sense of plot, and strong characters, for all of these to come together some key questions must be answered. What form should the narrator take? An omniscient, invisible force, or one (or more) of the characters? But in what voice, and from what vantage point? How to decide? Avoiding prescriptive instructions or arbitrary rules, Castellani deftly examines the various ways writers have solved the crucial point-of-view problem. By unpacking the narrative strategies at play in the work of writers as different as E. M. Forster, Grace Paley, and Tayeb Salih, among many others, he illustrates how the author's careful manipulation of distance between narrator and character drives the story. "The Art of Perspective" is a fascinating discussion on a subject of perpetual interest to any writer and is very highly recommended for the personal reading lists of any and all aspiring novelists, as well as a critically important addition to community and academic library Writing/Publishing instructional reference collections. It should be noted that "The Art of Perspective" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.56).

Writing Blockbuster Plots
Martha Alderson
Writer's Digest Press
c/o F+W Media
10151 Carver Road, Suite 200, Blue Ash, OH 45242
www.writersdigest.com
9781599639796, $16.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

"Writing Blockbuster Plots: A Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering Plot, Structure, and Scene" by Martha Alderson is specifically designed o demystify how story writing works. It shows aspiring writers how to track the seven most important elements of a scene on a Scene Tracker, and how to use her Plot Planner to develop a multi-layered plotline for each individual project. "Writing Blockbuster Plots" also provides useful analysis of scenes written by classic and contemporary writers such as Twain, McCarthy, London, Fitch, Chopin, and Letts, all of which will help show writers how to: Pre-plot Link scenes through cause and effect; Determine which scenes are flat and why; Set up tension, conflict and suspense; Develop complex characters; Establish compelling action; Re-vision rewrites; Clarify themes; Deepen and expand narratives. Detailed, comprehensive, insightful, instructive, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Writing Blockbuster Plots" is exceptional and very highly recommended for aspiring writers. It should be noted that "Writing Blockbuster Plots" is also available in a Kindle edition ($11.94).

Publishing Romance
John Markert
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9780786494903, $40.00, PB, 344pp, www.amazon.com

Romance novels have attracted considerable attention since their mass market debut into American popular culture in 1939, yet seldom has the industry itself been analyzed. Founded in 1949, Harlequin quickly gained market domination with their contemporary romances. Other publishers countered with historical romances, leading to the rise of "bodice-ripper" romances in the 1970s. The liberation of the romance novel's content during the 1980s brought a vitality to the market that was dubbed a revolution, but the real romance revolution began in the 1990s with developments in the mainstream publishing industry and continues today. "Publishing Romance: The History of an Industry: 1940s to the Present" by John Markert (Associate Professor of Sociology at Cumberland University, Lebanon, Tennessee) traces the history and evolution of the romance industry, covering successful (and not so successful) trends and describing changes in romance publishing that paved the way for the many popular subgenres flooding the market in the 21st century. A seminal work of outstanding scholarship, "Publishing Romance" is enhanced with the inclusion of twenty-five pages of Chapter Notes; a five page Selected Bibliography, and a three page Index. "Publishing Romance" is an extraordinary history that is especially recommended for academic library Writing/Publishing reference collections and will prove to be of special interest for aspiring writers of romance fiction. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Publishing Romance" is also available in a Kindle edition ($18.04).


The Art Shelf

Munch and Expressionism
Jill Lloyd
Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, New York, NY 10003
www.prestel.com
9783791355269, $60.00, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Expertly examining Edvard Munch's influence on his Austrian and German contemporaries, "Munch and Expressionism" by Jill Lloyd (an independent art historian who has curated exhibitions for leading international museums including Tate, Royal Academy London and the National Gallery Washington, and who has written extensively on Expressionist and contemporary artists) offers a fascinating new look at the Norwegian artist, whose painting The Scream has become a symbol of modern angst. Edvard Munch came of age during an artistic period that celebrated beauty and design. But in his own art, Munch explored darker themes including alienation, sin, and human vulnerability. His resulting work incorporated the vivid colors of previous styles but intensified their emotional power and paved the way for an entirely new approach to painting. Although much has been written about Munch's life and its influence on his art, there has not been a significant study of the artist's influence on his German and Austrian peers until the publication of "Munch and Expressionism". Featuring contributions by leading scholars in the field, including Patricia Bermann, Alison Chang, Jay Clarke, Reinhold Heller, Jill Lloyd, Nils Ohlsen, and Oystein Uvstedt, this authoritative and beautifully illustrated study explores Munch's impact on Austrian and German artists of the period within an Expressionist context. It also examines work in specific media, such as Munch's seminal contributions to printmaking. The artist's thematic and stylistic leitmotifs are highlighted, including self-portraiture, urban scenes, landscapes, couples, and the artist and his model. Vibrant reproductions of works from throughout Munch's oeuvre, including such icons as The Scream, Madonna, and The Kiss, make this a splendid introduction to the artist as well as an exciting springboard to the study of European Expressionism. As beautiful as it is informed and informative, "Munch and Expressionism" is very highly recommended for academia and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the life and work of Edward Munch. Indeed, this coffee-table style volume would be an ideal Memorial Fund acquisition choice for community and academic library Art History and Art Studies reference collections.

Blue Boy & Co.
Catherine Hess, et al.
Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, New York, NY 10003
www.prestel.com
9783791354682, $39.95, HC, 184pp, www.amazon.com

The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens (commonly referred to as The Huntington) is a collections-based educational and research institution established by Henry E. Huntington (1850 - 1927) and located in Los Angeles County at San Marino, California. "Blue Boy & Co.: European Art at the Huntington" is a beautiful and informative volume that offers a celebration of one of America's most important collections of European art, housed in The Huntington. Gainsborough's Blue Boy is just one of the masterpieces contained in the Huntington Galleries and is the first public collection of Old Master painting, sculpture, and decorative arts in Southern California, and among the most important collections of British Grand Manner portraits anywhere. Over one hundred of the most impressive works housed at The Huntington, including paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, and works on paper, are published together for the first time in this handsome catalog. Breathtaking in their range, these works are presented in a dynamic format that juxtaposes medium, style, and cultural origin. The result is a visually stunning selection of European masterpieces that will serve as both a guide to The Huntington's collection and an enlightening compendium for anyone interested in European art. Of immense interest to academia and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the European art collection housed at The Huntington and thereby available to the public for viewing, "Blue Boy & Co.: European Art at the Huntington" is very highly recommended for academic library Art History reference collections, and would be an ideal Memorial Fund acquisition selection for community libraries.

David Hockney: A Bigger Exhibition
Richard Benefield, et al.
Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, New York, NY 10003
www.prestel.com
9783791353340, $65.00, HC, 228pp, www.amazon.com

David Hockney (born 9 July 1937) is an English painter, draughtsman, printmaker, stage designer and photographer. An important contributor to the Pop art movement of the 1960s, he is considered one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century. "David Hockney: A Bigger Exhibition" was published to accompany exhibition of his work drawn from the past few years. This beautifully illustrated catalogue with its informed and informative commentaries captures the grand scale and vibrant color of Hockney's work of the twenty-first century. Featuring over 100 full-color works of art from museum collections and Hockney's private studio, including such major new works as The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate Wood, The Bigger Message, and Bigger Yosemite, "David Hockney: A Bigger Exhibition" also includes multiple-image galleries (spread over gatefolds) of some of his iPad drawings and self-portraits, plus film stills from the artist's "Cubist" movies. Hockney's own insight into this latest chapter of his career is included, as is thoughtful commentary by renowned critic Lawrence Weschler and art historian Sarah Howgate. "David Hockney: A Bigger Exhibition" is a "must" for the legions of David Hockney enthusiasts and would prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, community, and academic library Contemporary Art History reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Human Chord / The Centaur
Algernon Blackwood
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520014, $19.95, PB, 338pp, www.amazon.com

Born in London on March 14, 1869, Algernon Blackwood rebelled against his strong Catholic upbringing and began studying Oriental religions and the occult, later joining several occult societies. When he reached twenty, his father sent him to Canada. Returning to Britain in the late 1890's, he soon began turning some of his strange experiences into stories. An acquaintance sent these stories to a publisher and the result was "The Empty House" (Stark House Press, 9781933586458, $19.95, PB, 352pp), soon followed by many more weird story collections and some truly strange and powerful novels. A storyteller, mystic, adventurer, radio and television personality, Algernon Blackwood revealed to his friends that most of his stories were based on actual events. By the time of his death in 1951, he had become one of the greatest writers of supernatural fiction in the 20th century. This Stark House Press edition of two of Algernon Blackwood's classic stories of the supernatural, "The Human Chord / The Centaur" once again brings back into print two of his earliest novels for a new generation of appreciative readers. For those new to the writings of Algernon Blackwood, "The Human Chord / The Centaur" will prove to be the perfect introduction and sending eager readers out looking for the rest of his impressive library of original and deftly crafted tales. Of special note is that this Stark House Press edition of "The Human Chord / The Centaur" also includes a complete bibliography of Algernon Blackwood's published writings, including his novels, autobiography, short story collections, and plays. "The Human Chord / The Centaur" is very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library Literary Fiction collections.

Haunting Investigation
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Smoke & Shadow Books
c/o Cleveland Writer's Press
www.clevelandwriterspress.com
9781943052011, $27.99, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Spring 1924. The world has clawed its way back from the ravages of WWI and the Spanish Flu pandemic. The 20's are beginning to roar. Poppy Thornton lives with her Aunt Jo and her excitable cat Maestro in upper-crust Philadelphia. Poppy is determined to make a name for herself as a serious crime reporter, but is stuck reporting on garden parties and ladies' fashion. Then one day her editor assigns her to collect background information on the suicide of a prominent businessman. She soon discovers it was actually a murder. But her surprising source for this information is the ghost of a man killed alongside her father during the Great War. Even if she dared tell anyone, who would believe it? Together Poppy and her "gentleman haunt" follow the trail of a string of murders. But as their investigation narrows in on an all-too-familiar suspect, Poppy becomes a target herself and wonders if her ghost of a partner will appear in time to keep her from joining him in the afterlife. "Haunting Investigation" is another terrific read from the mind and imagination of Chelsea Quinn Yarbro. A blend of fantasy and mystery, "Haunting Investigation" is a "must read" for the legions of Yarbro fans and is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community and academic library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Haunting Investigations" is also available in a paperback edition (9781943052004, $19.99) and in a Kindle format ($7.49).

The Service of the Dead
Candace Robb
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
www.pegasusbooks.us
9781681771274, $25.95, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Political unrest permeates York at the cusp of the fifteenth century, as warring factions take sides on who should be the rightful king '-- Richard II, or his estranged, powerful cousin in exile, Henry Bolingbroke. Independent minded twenty-year-old Kate Clifford is struggling to dig out from beneath the debt left by her late husband. Determined to find a way to be secure in her own wealth and establish her independence in a male dominated society, Kate turns one of her properties near the minster into a guest house and sets up a business. In a dance of power, she also quietly rents the discreet bedchambers to the wealthy, powerful merchants of York for nights with their mistresses. But the brutal murder of a mysterious guest and the disappearance of his companion for the evening threatens all that Kate has built. Before others in town hear word of a looming scandal, she must call upon all of her hard-won survival skills to save herself from ruin. "The Service of the Dead" by Candace Robb is a strikingly well crafted novel that is a compelling page-turner from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Service of the Dead" is also available in a Kindle edition ($12.99) and in an MP3 CD format ($29.95).


The Poetry Shelf

Collected Poems: 1974-2004
Rita Dove
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com
9780393285949, $39.95, HC, 448pp, www.amazon.com

Rita Frances Dove (born August 28, 1952) is an American poet and author. From 1993 to 1995 she served as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. She is the first African American to have been appointed since the position was created by an act of Congress in 1986 from the previous "consultant in poetry" position (1937 - 86). Dove also received an appointment as "special consultant in poetry" for the Library of Congress's bicentennial year from 1999 to 2000. Dove is the second African American to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1987, and she served as the Poet Laureate of Virginia from 2004 to 2006. Dove is the recipient of many literary honors, including the Pulitzer Prize and the Fulbright Lifetime Achievement Medal. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, she is currently a Commonwealth Professor of English at the University of Virginia. Gathered from thirty years of her poetry, including seven published volumes of her work, "Collected Poems: 1974-2004" is a compilation that includes Dove's fresh reflections on adolescence in The Yellow House on the Corner and her irreverent musings in Museum. She sets the moving love story of Thomas and Beulah against the backdrop of war, industrialization, and the civil right struggles. The multifaceted gems of Grace Notes, the exquisite re-invention of Greek myth in the sonnets of Mother Love, the troubling rapids of recent history in On the Bus with Rosa Parks, and the homage to America's kaleidoscopic cultural heritage in American Smooth all celebrate Dove's mastery of narrative context with lyrical finesse. Rita Dove's "Collected Poems: 1974-2004" is very strongly recommended for both community and academic library American Poetry collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Collected Poems: 1974-2004" is available in a Kindle edition ($19.99).

Anchored
Lorna Shaughnessy
Salmon Poetry
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, 124 Byers Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
9781910669228, $18.00, PB, 80pp, www.amazon.com

"Anchored" is an anthology of original Irish poetry that clearly establishes Lorna Shaughnessy as a master wordsmith who can engage in the rhythmic use of language to directly connect with her readership with an authentic Irish perspective. Her free verse poetry is intensely personal and yet universal in its reach and impact. "Anchored" is very highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Contemporary Irish Poetry collections. 'The Chosen': He thought he'd breathed his last / when they asked his religion / and told him to step forward. / A workmate's hand urged caution / but they hadn't come for him. // 'Don't look back', they said / and shoved him on his way. / He staggered down the unlit road / and felt as though his own bones shattered / when they opened fire on the ten left behind. (January 1976).

Domestic Garden
John Hoppenthaler
Carnegie Mellon University Press
5032 Forbest Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15289-1021
www.cmu.edu/universitypress
University Press of New England (dist.)
1 Court Street, Suite 250, Lebanon, NH 03766-1358
www.upne.com
9780887485954, $15.95, PB, 80pp, www.amazon.com

Very highly recommended personal reading lists as well as community and academic library collections, "Domestic Garden" is John Hoppenthaler's third collection of poetry. The theme is one of observing the contemporary remnants of an American Dream and what it mean and looks like in our time is at the book's heart. Hoppenthaler's poems are deftly written in a variety of styles, offering testimony and uncovering, row by row, what remains viable. Deciding to Marry (for Christy): The insistent sweep from the Hatteras / Lighthouse flicks over sand dunes / lining the silver-tinged ocean. Much was // made of John's expected shipwreck / The rats moved on. The mast I cut into cordwood, / and fire changed its nature to wind. // I'd hunkered down in the last place on earth. / I drank from crude stills, distilled bitter fruits. / Mosquitoes swarmed and shape-shifted, // droned sad songs around my head. / It became so obvious: / you at the top of the lighthouse stairs, the red dress.


The Audiobook Shelf

Dark Territory: The Secret History of Cyber War
Fred Kaplan
Read by Malcolm Hillgartner
Blackstone Audiobooks
31 Mistletoe Road, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781504694308 $34.95 www.downpour.com

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Fred Kaplan presents Dark Territory: The Secret History of Cyber War, now in an unabridged audiobook rendition. Here is an intense scrutiny of the latest evolving battlefield - cyberwarfare. From the inner workings of the National Security Agency, to the top-secret cyber units of the Pentagon, to the efforts of officers, policymakers, scientists, and spies, Dark Territory shows how cyber battles over the control of computers and data directly affect military and societal plans, potential, and operations. Utterly fascinating throughout, Dark Territory is a "must" for strategists and policymakers of the 21st century. 7 CDs, 9 hours, tracks every 3 minutes for ease of bookmarking.

Masters of War: History's Greatest Strategic Thinkers
Andrew R. Wilson
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
www.recordedbooks.com
GC0022, 9781490659503, $100.75, www.amazon.com

From Napoleon's revolutionary campaigns to the way insurgency, terrorism, and nuclear weaponry have defined the nature of warfare and the results of military strategy have changed the course of history again and again and again. "Masters of War: History's Greatest Strategic Thinkers" is an audio book collection of 24 thought-provoking 30 minute lectures by Andrew R. Wilson (Professor of Strategy and Policy at the U.S. Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island) give students and non-specialist general listeners with an interest in the history of military strategy a truly insiders study of both the content and historical context of the world's greatest war strategists. "Masters of War" is a concise and rigorous survey in which Professor Wilson introduces: Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War; Sun Tzu's famous The Art of War; Machiavelli's strategy for a republic with a citizen-army; Jomini, Clausewitz, and the Napoleonic revolution in warfare; the development of naval strategy and the rise of airpower; Mao Tse-tung, David Galula, and Roger Trinquier's reflections on insurgency and counterinsurgency and their influence on the U.S. Army's Field Manual 3-24; Just-war theory, from Thucydides' Melian Dialogue to Operation Iraqi Freedom; nuclear war, terrorism, and other strategic challenges for the 21st century. Strongly recommended for both community and academic library collections, this flawlessly produced, complete and unabridged, audio book edition for "Masters of War" is comprised of 12 CDs and a bonus disc featuring a course workbook.

The Last Telegram
Liz Trenow
Read by Susan Duerden
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
9781515901594 $42.99 www.tantor.com

The Last Telegram: A Novel of What Saves Us is the unabridged audiobook rendition of an emotional story set during World War II. Told in flashbacks, The Last Telegram traces the memories of Lily Verner, who worked in her family's silk mill to create parachutes for soldiers. A saga of the grim toll of war, and terrible loss, The Last Telegram is thought-provoking and soul-searching to the very end. Highly recommended, especially for public library audiobook collections. 9 CDs, 11 hours.

Steel Magnolias
Robert Harling, author
Jessica Kubzansky, director
L.A. Theatre Works
681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, CA 90291
9781682660027 $29.95 www.latw.org

An audiobook of the 1987 play by Robert Harling (recorded before a live audience), Steel Magnolias is about the connections between six women in a small-town community of the American South. When one of their group unexpectedly passes on, each woman must find her own way to cope with the loss. The play's title is a metaphor for the women themselves, who are capable of being both as fragile as a magnolia flower and as strong as steel. A full cast of talented, vivacious professionals brings this captivating story to life; it's the next best experience to witnessing a performance of Harling's classic play in person. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library audiobook and theater collections. 2 CDs, 1 hour 53 min.

The Inferiors
Mari Wolf, author
Jim Roberts, narrator
Speculative!
c/o Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781511357074, $14.99, CD, www.amazon.com

Far into the future, mankind has developed into telepathic beings. However a few children are still born "stupid", that is, without the ability to communicate telepathically. One of these unfortunates is Eric, who grows up knowing that he is different from everyone else. As a child he is taken under the wing of an old man who is a friend of Eric's parents and taught to read the books in an ancient museum, leaning about the old people before the age of universal telepathy. The telepaths learn new things instantly by "hooking up" with others who have the knowledge. Eric has to study and learn in the old way. Eric is treated, and feels, inferior, until he finds a group of others like himself. But they turn out to be nothing like what Eric had imagined they'd be based upon his studies of the ancient humans. Never the less, Eric and decides to embark upon on a dangerous plan to gain back their full humanity and make it out to the stars. An original and highly entertaining story by Mari Wolf that is deftly narrated by Jim Roberts, this flawlessly produced audio book edition of "The Inferiors" provides a true 'theatre of the mind" experience that is a "must" for all dedicated science fiction enthusiasts, and is a very highly recommended addition to community library audio book collections. (2 CDs, 46 minutes).

The Dressmaker's War
Mary Chamberlain, author
Read by Susan Duerden
Highbridge Audio Books
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781622319725 $34.99 www.highbridgeaudio.com

Mary Chamberlain (Emeritus Professor of History, Oxford Brookes University) presents The Dressmaker's War: A Novel, the unabridged audiobook rendition a historical fiction saga about a working-class seamstress who dreams of a better life even as the horrors of World War II close in upon her. In 1939, Ada Vaughan falls hard for the romantic promises of Stanislaus von Lieben, who claims to be a Hungarian aristocrat. She agrees to go on a romantic vacation with him, but when war breaks out, he abandons her. Captured by the Germans, Ada must use her talent as a brilliant dressmaker to survive. Yet after the war, she finds London devastated, and the consequences of the choices she made to avoid death continue to haunt her. Emotional, powerful, and a cautionary tale against trusting empty promises (particularly those from a whirlwind romance with a person one has not had the time to get to know well), The Dressmaker's War is highly recommended for both personal and public library audiobook collections. 9 CDs, 10.5 hours.


The Library CD Shelf

Saving Cecil's Pride
savingcecilspride.com
RadHaus LLC
12910 Culver Blvd., Suite D, Los Angeles, CA 90066
$18.00 for 3 CD set plus album download

Cecil was a beloved wild lion in Africa, who was shot and killed by a tourist-hunter. Though Cecil is gone, the quest to preserve Africa's wildlife and ecological diversity continues. Cecil's Pride is a grand album anthology by a wide variety of musicians, created as a fundraiser for the Big Life Foundation, a conservation organization working on the ground in Africa to protect wildlife. All profits from sales go to the Big Life Foundation, and the purchase price includes both the physical set of 3 CDs and the option to download the music. The tracks have been created and performed by a grand variety of artists, and range in nature from ambient to new age, world beat, experimental, and much more. Saving Cecil's Pride is especially recommended as a superb gift for compassionate connoisseurs of world music!

A Bridge Between
Carbe and Durand
carbeanddurand.com
Strange Tree Productions
$12.99 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

A Bridge Between is an extraordinary album by acoustic-guitar duo Carbe and Durand, a team who have spanned genres from classical to blues, pop, rock-n-roll, world-fusion, nuevo-flamenco, and more. The songs include three original compositions, and acoustic-guitar arrangements of classics from the last half-century. A Bridge Between is a "must-have" for connoisseurs of quality acoustic guitar! The tracks are "A Bridge Between", "Time After Time" Scarborough Fair", "A Thought For You", "Classical Gas", "Paint It Blac", "Blackbird", "isn't She Lovely", "Wichita Lineman", "Mountain Song", "Everybody Wants To Rule the World", "Fragile", and "Crazy Train".

Jason Miles presents: To Grover With Love / Live in Japan
Produced by Jason Miles
Whaling City Sound
1310 Tucker Road, No. Dartmouth, MA 02747
www.whalingcitysound.com
c/o Naxos of America (dist.)
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28, Franklin, TN 37064
www.naxosusa.com
$16.99 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Originally recorded in June of 2010 at Blue Note Tokyo, Jason Miles presents: To Grover With Love / Live in Japan is an album is a jazz talent showcase. Jason Miles plays in honor of the great sax player Grover Washington Jr., along with special guest Ralph MacDonald on percussion and Ryan Shaws on vocal cameo. Rendering Grover's beloved songs with passion and inspiration, Jason Miles presents: To Grover With Love / Live in Japan is a treasure for jazz connoisseurs. The physical CD includes a collector's booklet with an introduction by Jason Miles and color photographs (no lyrics, though). The tracks are "Winelight" (8:14), "Sassy Stew" (5:44), "Take Me There" (7:55), "Lorans Dance" (9:43), "Just the Two of Us" (6:26), "Black Frost" (6:56), "Inner City Blues" (5:43), "Let It Flow" (12:21), and "Mr Magic" (8:37). 71 min. 45 sec.


The Library DVD Shelf

Humans Series 1
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
9781621724452 $39.99 DVD
9781621724667 $39.99 Blu-ray www.acornonline.com

Available on both DVD and Blu-Ray, Humans Series 1 is now available in a complete, unedited UK edition, featuring more than 20 minutes of footage not previously broadcast on AMC. Series 1 consists of eight dramatic episodes, set in a near-future world where humanoid servants called synthetics, or "synths", ease the burdens of everyday life... but will these synths remain complacent as servants forever? When a husband brings home a female synth to the family, his wife feels uneasy even though the children like her right away; meanwhile, a synth engineer cannot bear to dispose of his beloved yet malfunctioning synth. A keenly character-driven plot speculating on the boundaries of future technology, Humans Series 1 is troubling, riveting, and highly recommended. Bonus features include 30 min. of behind-the-scenes footage, 49 min. of featurettes, and a photo gallery. It should be noted that Humans Series 1 contains violence, coarse language, nudity, and sexual situations. 8 episodes on 3 DVDs (or 2 Blu-ray discs), 385 min. plus bonus material, widescreen, SDH subtitles.

Getting Your Kicks! A Beginner's Guide to Choreography
Adrea Gibbs
Meriwether Publishing
c/o Pioneer Drama Service
PO Box 4267, Englewood, CO 80155-4267
1566081149 $29.95 www.pioneerdrama.com

Getting Your Kicks! A Beginner's Guide to Choreography is a highly recommended introduction to stage choreography (dance moves for theater), consisting of a DVD and a 28-page workbook that fits snugly inside the DVD case. An excellent resource for self-study or classroom instruction, Getting Your Kicks! is perfect for novice or untrained dancers of all ages and backgrounds. Getting Your Kicks! covers fundamentals including jumps, turns, and kicks; a wide variety of dance steps including grapevine, pony, wizard, cakewalk, waltz step, Charleston, soft shoe, etc.; determining formation and staging; and more. Getting Your Kicks! is a "must-have" for dance instruction collections, and highly recommended for anyone with an interest in choreography, whether as a hobby, for community theater, or as a profession. It should be noted that in order to view the Getting Your Kicks! DVD, a DVD player with DVD-R compatibility is required.


The Graphic Novel Shelf

Manga Classics
Udon Entertainment
335 N Ohio Avenue, Fremont, OH 43420
http://www.udonstore.com

The term manga is a Japanese word referring both to comics and cartooning. Manga are the kind of comics created in Japan and conforming to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century. They have a long and complex pre-history in earlier Japanese art, and have become very popular with American readers of all ages. Manga books from Udon Entertainment have their captions translated into English for an American readership. Two of the newest titles in Udon Entertainment's 'Manga Classic' series are particularly outstanding. "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne and drawn in the Manga style by SunKeno Lee (9781927925348, $24.99, HC, 9783927925331, $19.99, PB, 308pp) and is the classically tragic story Puritan America. "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens and drawn in the Manga style by Nokman Poon (9781927925324, $24.99, HC; 9781927925317, $19.99, PB, 308pp) is one of English literature's greatest tales of romance, mystery, comedy, and unforgettable characters woven through a gripping rags-to-riches tale. The manga versions of great literature are exceptionally entertaining for teens and adult, and are very highly recommended as enduringly popular additions for personal, school, and community library collections. Classroom teachers working with reading adverse students should note that the use of manga novels are extraordinarily effective in developing reading skills.

Apollo: The Brilliant One
George O'Connor
First Second
175 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.firstsecondbooks.com
9781626720152 $9.99 www.olympiansrule.com

Part of the "Olympians" series of full-color graphic novel adaptations of classic Greek mythology, Apollo: The Brilliant One showcases selected myths about Apollo, the legendary Greek god of order, reason, healing, and the sun. Yet these stories reveal a deity who is all too often consumed by pride, lust, jealousy, or revenge, and those mortals who dare to love Apollo always seem to meet an unseemly fate. Even though Apollo: The Brilliant One flows smoothly as a graphic novel, its rendition of classic Greek mythology is so accurate that it could serve as a study aid for a college course. The darkest aspects of Greek mythology are not sanitized or downplayed, although discretion is applied to the art where particularly violent scenes are concerned. Apollo: The Brilliant One and the entire Olympians series are highly recommended for public and college library graphic novel collections, and for any reader interested in learning more about Greek mythology.

Delilah Dirk and the King's Shilling
Tony Cliff
First Second
175 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9781626721555 $17.99 www.firstsecondbooks.com

Delilah Dirk and the King's Shilling is a full-color graphic novel of swashbuckling adventure, set in the early 1800's. The principal heroes are the roguish Delilah Dirk and her sharp-witted Turkish ally, Erdemoglu Selim. War rages between the British and the French, but Delilah Dirk cares nothing for military matters... until a British officer, Major Jason Merrick, accuses her of treason. Prideful and protective of her reputation, Delilah will go to any lengths to set Merrick in his place - even if those lengths include a return visit to her own family! But in her efforts to remain respected, will Delilah forget to show proper respect to Selim? As the full extent of Merrick's plots come into play, one woman's efforts to clear her good name may well have a shockwave effect on history! Delilah Dirk and the King's Shilling is a treasure for connoisseurs of historical adventure. Also highly recommended is the previous Delilah Dirk graphic novel, "Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant" (9781596438132, $16.99).

Master Keaton 5
Naoki Urasawa
Story by Hokusei Katsushika and Takashi Nagasaki
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
www.viz.com
9781421575940 $19.99 www.amazon.com

The fifth volume of Master Keaton continues the black-and-white manga (Japanese graphic novel) series set in the early 1990's, the contemporary times of when it was created. The protagonist, Taichi Hiraga Keaton, is the son of a Japanese father and a British mother. His training in the British military serves him well, since his (unfortunately low-paying) job as an insurance investigator often lands him in dangerous situations! In volume 5, Keaton must get to the bottom of ruthless murders, protect the family of a deceased war veteran from criminal robbers, and much more. The longest and most fascinating saga in this anthology involves Keaton's efforts to rescue a British diplomat from the heart of the Iraq war (not the 2003 invasion of Iraq - that was well after this manga's time - but rather the one triggered by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and spearheaded by the administration of the first President Bush). A fine blend of mystery, intrigue, action, and character development, Master Keaton is a highly recommended series to connoisseurs of classic manga.


The Education Shelf

Poor Students, Rich Teaching: Mindsets for Change
Eric Jensen
Solution Tree
555 North Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404
www.solution-tree.com
9781936764518, $34.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

In "Poor Students, Rich Teaching: Mindsets for Change" educator Eric Jensen draws upon his years of experience and expertise to provide practical and research-based strategies to ensure all students, regardless of circumstance, are graduate college and career ready. This thorough resource details the necessary but difficult work that teachers must do to establish the foundational changes essential to positively impact students in poverty. Organized tools and resources are provided to help teachers effectively implement these essential changes. "Poor Students, Rich Teaching: Mindsets for Change" will result in an understanding of the urgency of poverty in the United States; the four powerful mindsets required to bring about successful change; how to build effective relationships with students, and help them see achievement as a reachable target; and create a welcoming classroom climate where all students love to learn and are engaged for success. Of special note is that there is a download of free reproducibles from "Poor Students, Rich Teaching: Mindsets for Change" at www.go.solution-tree.com/. While very highly recommended for professional and academic library Educational Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists, it should be noted for classroom teachers and interested members of the general public that "Poor Students, Rich Teaching: Mindsets for Change" is also available in a Kindle edition ($33.20).

Excellence Through Equity
Alan M. Blankstein & Pedro Noguera
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781483392783, $36.95, PB, 328pp, www.amazon.com

Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Alan M. Blankstein (who served for 25 years as the Hope Foundation) and Pedro Noguera (Distinguished Professor of Education, Graduate School of Education and Information, UCLA), "Excellence Through Equity: Five Principles of Courageous Leadership to Guide Achievement for Every Student" is an illuminating anthology of 15 original articles that collectively builds the case that equity is the most powerful means we have to lift all children to higher achievement and to benefit society at large. "Excellence Through Equity" includes: Examples of high-leverage practices used by award-winning schools and districts; System-level examples of excellence through equity including whole state and district-wide; Examples of classroom level practice that lead to success for students from underserved populations as well as for their more privileged peers; A powerful concluding chapter that focuses on what we can learn from other nations that have pursued the goals of educational equity. Enhanced with an informative Foreword by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, "Excellence Through Equity" is very highly recommended reading for educational administrators and classroom instructors. Simply stated, no college or university library should be without a copy of "Excellence Through Equity" in the Educational Studies reference collection. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Excellence Through Equity" is also available in a Kindle edition ($32.25).

Curious Minds
Ty Kolstedt & Azeem Z. Vasi
Zephyr Press
c/o Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781613731505, $16.95, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

The collaborative project of Ty Kolstedt ( who teaches secondary-level social studies in the Denver area) and Dr. Azeem Z. Vasi (an otolaryngologist who has daily clinic interaction with parents and children dealing with various developmental issues), "Curious Minds: 40 Hands-on Activities to Inspire a Love of Learning" is a thoroughly 'user friendly' resource for parents and homeschoolers in search of kid-friendly DIY projects, educators seeking to enhance classroom lessons, and caregivers or camp counselors looking for activities with a deeper educational lesson behind them, "Curious Minds" is filled to the brim with learning activities that will excite the eager, gifted child just as much as the special needs learner. Through 40 fun projects specifically designed to promote kids' critical thinking about the interest in the world they live in, "Curious Minds" fosters active "learning by doing" in four core academic areas: math, science, social studies, and language arts. Each activity includes a short mini-lesson and list of "related lingo" to provide educational background information; a simple materials list; easy-to-follow, illustrated instructions; and guidance for extending the activity. The wide range of projects ensures every child's interest will be piqued. Kids will make homemade butter like the pioneers did; understand viscosity by making homemade quicksand; learn to recognize and use creative writing techniques; make their own ink using natural resources; and much more! "Curious Minds" is very highly recommended for parents and teachers, as well as community and academic library educational resource instructional reference collections.

Strategies for Writing from Sources
Jessica Hathaway
Shell Education
5301 Oceanus Drive, Huntington Beach, CA 92649-1030
www.shelleducation.com
9781425815462, $39.99, PB, 296pp, www.amazon.com

"Strategies for Writing from Sources" by Jessica Hathaway is practical and comprehensive "how-to" guide that will provide classroom teachers with all of the information they will need to help their students write from sources. "Strategies for Writing from Sources" allows students to analyze informational texts, argument/opinion texts, narrative texts, diverse media sources, and multiple sources to help students improve their own writing and allows them to gain a deeper understanding of the sources through close reading and critical analysis. Each section contains five lessons that are specific to the grade spans K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, content, organization, and presentation, "Strategies for Writing from Sources" is very highly recommended as a K-12 school writing curriculum supplement, as well as a critically important addition to academic library Teacher Education reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Cookbook Shelf

The Six O'Clock Scramble Meal Planner
Aviva Goldfarb
American Diabetes Association
1701 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311
http://www.diabetes.org
9781580405676, $22.95, PB, 431pp, www.amazon.com

Compiled by cookbook author Avivia Goldfarb, "The Six O'Clock Scramble Meal Planner" is comprised of 160 delicious, diabetes-friendly recipes that require 30 minutes or less to prepare; 32 weekly menu plans complete with main dishes and sides - and an organized grocery list for each week; Recipes organized by season and by week to give you variety throughout the year; Recipes that are built on natural, fresh ingredients; Slow cooker directions for most recipes. Also features are mouth-watering color photos for each individual recipe. The recipes themselves range from Carpool Chicken; Savory Korean Vegetable Pancakes; Salmon Salad Melts with Havarti; Rosemary-Garlic Pork Roast with Whipped Sweet Potatoes; and Spaghetti with Creamy Avocado Pesto and Roasted Tomatoes; to Texas Tornado Bake; Cobb Salad with Bacon, Avocado, and Blue Cheese; Incan Quinoa Delight; Toasty Baked Burritos; and Winter Rainbow Soup. Each recipe is fully compliant with the dietary needs of anyone having to cope with diabetes. Delicious, nutritious, appealing and appetizing, "The Six O'Clock Scramble Meal Planner" will prove to be an enduring favorite for family and community library cookbook collections and meal planning references.

Foolproof Preserving
America's Test Kitchen
17 Station Street, Brookline, MA 02445
www.americastestkitchen.com
9781940352510, $26.95, PB, 310pp, www.amazon.com

The art of preserving produce by canning and preserving has come full circle from grandmother's kitchen to a whole new generation of family kitchen cooks now eager to learn it. "Foolproof Preserving: A Guide to Small Batch Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Condiments, and More" is detailed guide to home preserving is perfect for novice canners and holds a great deal of informational value to experienced canners as well. "Foolproof Preserving" showcases more than 100 easy, step-by-step, illustrated food preserving recipes across a wide range of categories, from sweet jams and jellies to savory jams, vegetables, condiments, pickles, whole fruits, and more. Let the experts at America's Test Kitchen show you how to do it right with detailed tutorials, troubleshooting tips, equipment information, and insight into the science behind canning. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to family and community library collections, it should be noted that "Foolproof Preserving" is also available in a Kindle edition ($25.99).

Betty Crocker Fast From-Scratch Meals
Betty Crocker
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003
www.hmhco.com
9780544714458, $19.99, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Home cooks no longer have to choose between speedy meal prep and wholesomeness. Beautifully illustrated throughout, "Betty Crocker Fast From-Scratch Meals" is an impressive collection of 150 delicious recipes that integrates fresh, nourishing ingredients into memorable dinners that are on the table in 30 minutes or less. With tasty main dishes like Provencal Fish Soup or Coconut Curry Chicken, and kid-pleasing desserts like Strawberry Blossoms and Fresh Berry Cobbler, eating healthfully has never been so delicious, quick, or kitchen cook friendly. Special features provide mini-recipes for a specific type of produce, and icons call out Meatless entrees and start-to-finish time. A special pantry guide helps home cooks stock their larders with foods that make meal planning and prep a cinch. In addition, a guide to farmers' markets will ease readers into eating locally and enjoying more produce. From Toasted Pesto-Chicken Sausage Sandwiches; Two-Potato Ham Chowder; and Seared Mackerel with Gremolata Mayonnaise; to Turke-Cheddar-Chipotle Burgers; Speedy Honey-Lime Fruit Salad; and Butter Pecan Cantaloupe Wedges, "Betty Crocker Fast From-Scratch Meals" is as much fun to simply browse through as it is inspiring to plan menus with. "Betty Crocker Fast From-Scratch Meals" is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections!

Eat Street
John Carruthers, John Scholl, Jesse Valenciana
Running Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.runningpress.com
9780762458691, $23.00, PB, 328pp, www.amazon.com

John Carruthers is a writer, editor, and 2014 graduate of Hot Dog University. John Scholl is a founding member of ManBQue. Jesse Valenciana is the founder of ManBQue and lifelong Chicagoan. Together the have collaborated in compiling and presenting "Eat Street" a ManBQue based culinary treasure trove of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen cook friendly recipes of popular street foods that can be made at home. Beautifully and profusely illustrated in full color, and with recipes ranging from Mexican Truffle Quesadillas; Chicago Meets Buffalo Wings; Bacon Lime Fried Rice; and Sesame Steak Manapua; to Belgian Beer Mussels; Detroit Coney Dogs; Drunk Guy Nachos; and French Pressed Beer, "Eat Street" will prove to be a unique and highly prized addition to personal and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Eat Street" is also available in a Kindle edition ($15.99).

Low-Carb Essentials
George Stella
Quail Ridge Press
PO Box 123, Brandon, MS 39043
www.quailridge.com
9781938879173, $19.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

In the pages of "Low-Carb Essentials: Everyday Low-Carb Recipes You'll Love to Cook", veteran Food Network chef George has showcases over 120 of his newly created recipes, each one providing the ultimate treat for anyone seeking a healthy diet of incredibly tasteful dishes that achieve weight-loss success. Whether you have been living a low-carb lifestyle for years, or are simply looking to eat less processed foods, "Low-Carb Essentials" will prove to a culinary treasure trove. More than 60 full-color photos present dishes that look as good as they taste. All recipes are made without any white flour or added sugar, making them gluten-free, and great for diabetics as well. Enhanced with complete nutritional analysis, a helpful shopping list, and practical 'kitchen cook friendly' tips, the recipes range from Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes; Guacamole Stuffed Deviled Eggs; Golden Grilled Chicken with Peaches; and Italian Sausage Bolognese; to Tilapia with Blistered Tomatoes; Spaghetti Squash Carbonara; Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Prosciutto; and Toasted Hazelnut Chocolate Cupcakes. From wheat-free casseroles, to no-sugar-added desserts, to guilt-free appetizers, to meal planning for everyday family dinners, "Low-Carb Essentials: Everyday Low-Carb Recipes You'll Love to Cook" will prove to be a family favorite and is highly recommended for both personal and community library cookbook collections.

Kosher By Design Brings It Home
Susie Fishbein
Mesorah Publications Ltd.
4401 2nd Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
www.mesorah.com
9781422616895, $34.99, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Beautifully illustrated throughout by the color photography of John Uher, "Kosher By Design Brings It Home" is a compilation of fully kosher dishes that Susie Fishbein largely obtained through her travels in Italy, France, Mexico, Israel, and throughout North America. Each individual recipe begins with a succinct commentary, a servings estimate, a list of ingredients, and thoroughly 'user friendly' step-by-step instructions. The recipes themselves range from Tilapia with Browned Butter Caper Sauce; Sweet Potato Chestnut Soup; Veal Scallopini; Butternut Squash Farrolo; and Balsamic Glazed Onions; to Provencal Wheatberry Salad; Amalfi Sage Chicken; Cheesy Grits Casserole; Eggplant and Tomato Tart; Roasted Vegetable Crisps; and Halvah Baklava. "Kosher By Design Brings It Home" is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.


The Philosophy Shelf

I Eat, Therefore I Think
Raymond D. Boisvert
Fairleigh Dickinson University Press
The Gatehouse M010C
285 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940
www.fdupress.org
9781611476866, $70.00, HC, 176pp, www.amazon.com

"I Eat, Therefore I Think: Food and Philosophy" by Raymond Boisvert (who teaches philosophy at Siena College, Loudonville, New York) breaks new ground by introducing philosophy via an activity central to life: eating. Building on the original meaning of philosophy as love of wisdom, "I Eat, Therefore I Think: Food and Philosophy" explains how the search for wisdom can best succeed by addressing not just the mind, but the entire human being. Eating, an activity that integrates physiological, social, religious, cultural, ethical, and aesthetic dimensions, offers an opportunity to re-think fundamental questions. The result: "I Eat, Therefore I Think: Food and Philosophy" is a surprising and novel ways to approach art, religion, knowledge, ethics, and even democracy. "I Eat, Therefore I Think: Food and Philosophy" outlines a new philosophy for our time. As such, it will be of interest to people curious about the topic of food, to those interested in learning about philosophy, and to those who seek new ideas as guides for living meaningful lives in an intelligible world. Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "I Eat, Therefore I Think: Food and Philosophy" is very highly recommended for academic library Philosophy and Anthropology reference collections. For the personal reading lists of academics and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject, it should be noted that "I Eat, Therefore I Think: Food and Philosophy" is also available in a paperback edition (9781611477122, $39.99) and in a Kindle format ($39.99).


The Library Science Shelf

Practical Tips for Facilitating Research
Moira J. Bent
Facet Publishing
7 Ridgmount Street, London, England, WC1E 7AE
www.facetpublishing.co.uk
978178330174, $49.95, PB, 263pp, www.amazon.com

"Practical Tips for Facilitating Research" by Moria J. Bent (Faculty Liaison Librarian & National Teaching Fellow at Newcastle University) is a an effectively informed and informative instructional guide that offers innovative tips and reliable best practice to enable new and experienced library and information professionals to evaluate their current provision and develop their service to meet the evolving needs of the research community. Interacting effectively with information is at the heart of all research, consequently information professionals have a key role to play in facilitating the development of researchers who are able to operate confidently and successfully in the information world. Grounded in current theory and informed by practitioners from around the world, "Practical Tips for Facilitating Research" offers a wide range of ideas and methods to assist library and information professionals in developing and managing their role in the research environment. Part of the outstanding 'Practical Tips for Library and Information Professionals' series from Facet Publishing, "Practical Tips for Facilitating Research" covers: Getting to know your research community; Collection management to meet specific and often conflicting research needs and spaces for researchers; Developing information literate researchers; Supporting researchers at a distance, including the international aspects of research support; Contributing to research excellence exercises; Getting involved in the publication process; Making and measuring research impact in terms of bibliometrics; Ethics and academic integrity for researchers; Scholarly communication and open access; Social media and networking for researchers in terms of the library's role; Research data management. Comprehensive and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, content, organization, and presentation, "Practical Tips for Facilitating Research" is strongly recommended library and information professionals who work with research staff and students and an essential, core addition to college and university Library Science reference collections and supplemental studies lists.


The American History Shelf

Bold Women in Indiana History
Louise Hillery
Mountain Press Publishing Company
PO Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
9780878426553 $14.00 www.mountain-press.com

Teen and adult readers will enjoy Bold Women in Indiana History, a nonfiction anthology about women from the state of Indiana who dared to make a difference. Here are the true stories of Marie Bailly, the first settler in northwest Indiana; Mother Theodore Guerin, a Catholic nun eventually canonized as a saint; Vivian Carter, founder of a successful record label; and many more. A list of selected sources, recommended sites to visit, occasional black-and-white photographs, and an index round out the edifying collection about courageous women. Highly recommended, especially for school and public library American history shelves.

The Alamo's Forgotten Defenders
Phillip Thomas Tucker
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
9781611211917 $29.95 www.savasbeatie.com

The Alamo's Forgotten Defenders: The Remarkable Story of the Irish During the Texas Revolution shines a spotlight on the oft-overlooked contribution that people of Irish heritage made to the Texas uprising of 1835-1836. Irish-Americans were the single largest immigrant group in Texas during that time; they were among the garrison of Goliad, which raised the first flag of Texas Independence; and more than a dozen Irish natives gave their lives in defense of the Alamo. The Alamo's forgotten Defenders draws upon newspaper articles, journals, diaries, and secondary accounts to assemble a thoughtful military history of the Texas Revolution from the perspective of Irish-Americans who were in the thick of it. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library American History collections.

Riding for the Lone Star
Nathan A. Jennings
University of North Texas Press
1155 Union Circle #311336, Denton, TX 76203-5017
9781574416350 $32.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

Frontier historian and U.S. Army officer Nathan A. Jennings presents Riding for the Lone Star: Frontier Cavalry and the Texas Way of War, 1822-1865, a scholarly examination of the military history and contributions of Texas cavalry. Jennings utilizes military reports, memories of cavalry participants, government documents and more to trace the how Texas militarism throughout clashes with Indian tribes, territorial conflicts, the Mexican-American War, the cataclysmic American Civil War, and more. Endnotes, a bibliography, and an index enhance this excellent scrutiny. As engaging and entertaining as it is edifying, Riding for the Lone Star is especially recommended for public and college library American History collections.

Citizen of a Wider Commonwealth
Edwina S. Campbell
Southern Illinois University Press
1915 University Press Drive, SIUC Mail Code 6806, Carbondale, IL 62901
9780809334780 $34.50 www.siupress.com

Citizen of a Wider Commonwealth: Ulysses S. Grant's Postpresidential Diplomacy is a scholarly analysis of the travels and influence of Ulysses Grant, the famous Civil War general and eighteenth President of the United States, after the end of his presidency. Grant worked to confirm and strengthen Anglo-American cooperation, supported universal (male) suffrage as the bedrock of governmental legitimacy, shaped Jonh Hay's Open Door policy in 1899-1900, and much more. A chronology, notes, and an index round out this thoughtful, heavily researched and engagingly presented history, highly recommended for public and college library collections.


The World History Shelf

A History of Modern Latin America, second edition
Teresa A. Mead
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
9781405120517, $56.95, PB, 416pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, "A History of Modern Latin America: 1800 to the Present" which is compiled and edited by Teresa A. Mead (Florence B. Sherwood Professor of History and Culture, Union college, New York), examines the diverse and interlocking experiences of people of indigenous, African, and European backgrounds from the onset of independence until today. "A History of Modern Latin America" illustrates and analyzes the major and minor events that shape history, including the triumphs and defeats, as well as the everyday lives of people of varied classes and racial and ethnic backgrounds. "A History of Modern Latin America" intersperses accounts of the lives of prominent figures with those of ordinary people; emphasizes gender's role in influencing political and economic change and shaping cultural identity. Very highly recommended for academic library Latin American History collections, as well as a Latin American History curriculum textbook, there is an invaluable student and instructor resources for "A History of Modern Latin America" available at http://minerva.union.edu/meadet/modernlatinamerica/index.html. For the personal reading lists of students, academics, and the non-specialist general reading with an interest in 19th and 20th century Latin American history, it should be noted that "A History of Modern Latin America" is also available in a Kindle edition ($35.49).


The Computer Shelf

Build Your Own Gaming PC
Russell Barnes
Haynes Publishing
www.haynes.co.uk
9780857338020, $36.95, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com

The do-it-yourself, step-by-step, instruction manual to building the ultimate computer, anyone can now get the performance they want on an affordable budget. With "Build Your Own Gaming PC" the build-it-yourself enthusiast will find all the cutting-edge technology and guidance needed to make a perfect PC. Whether looking to upgrade a current computer or building a new one from scratch, anyone will be able to play the latest games in style and be ready to face the challenges of next year's hottest titles. Profusely illustrated throughout, thoroughly 'user friendly' in text, organization and presentation, and featuring a very useful twenty page Index, "Build Your Own Gaming PC" is ideal for personal, community, and academic library Computer Science instructional reference collections.

How Software Works
V. Anton Spraul
No Starch Press
245 - 8th Street, San Francisco, CO 94103-3910
www.nostarch.com
9781593276669, $29.95, PB, 216pp, www.amazon.com

We use computer software every day to perform all kinds of tasks. It's the force behind stunning CGI graphics, safe online shopping, and speedy Google searches. Software drives the modern world, but its inner workings remain a mystery to many. "How Software Works: The Magic Behind Encryption, CGI, Search Engines, and Other Everyday Technologies" by V. Anton Spraul (has taught introductory programming and computer science for more than 15 years) deftly explains how computers perform common-yet-amazing tasks that we take for granted every day. "How Software Works" covers such issues as: How data is encrypted; How passwords are used and protected; How computer graphics are created; How video is compressed for streaming and storage; How data is searched (and found) in huge databases; How programs can work together on the same problem without conflict; How data travels over the Internet. "How Software Works" also breaks down these processes with patient explanations and intuitive diagrams so that anyone can understand-no technical background is required, and you won't be reading through any code. In plain English, you'll examine the intricate logic behind the technologies you constantly use but never understood. If you've ever wondered what really goes on behind your computer screen, "How Software Works" will give you fascinating look into the software all around you. Impressively well written, organized and presented, "How Software Works" is very highly recommended for high school, community, college, and university library Computer Science reference collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "How Software Works" is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.99).


The Fiction Shelf

The Lobby
Randi M. Sherman
Friesen Press
990 Fort Street, Suite 300, Victoria, BC, Canada, V8V 3K2
www.friesenpress.com
9781460278109, $31.99, HC, 222pp, www.amazon.com

In the pages of his novel "The Lobby", author Randi M. Sherman welcomes the reader to the Shipley Hotel, where the perky and attentive staff provides the gold standard in artificial concern and comfort to all the colorful characters who pass through its polished brass revolving door and find themselves. Practically engineered for eavesdropping, San Francisco's juiciest hotel lobby offers the perfect place to witness the comings and goings-and the most comedic intersections-of staff, long-term residents, and eclectic guests. Featuring over fifty stories all transpiring in a single twenty-four hour period and intersecting in the Shipley Hotel's elegant lobby, readers will meet an eccentric and vast array of characters, most of whom will look awfully familiar and all of whom will speak to the heart. Employing acute skills in human observation and a keen understanding of the essential human needs-frequently unplanned and unexpected rendezvous, ready laughter at others' expense. "The Lobby" is an impressive, deftly crafted work of original fiction that will prove to be a riveting read from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Lobby" is also available in a paperback edition (9781460278116, $15.49) and in a Kindle format ($7.99).

Late For Gettysburg
Vance Tillman
Linford Western Library
Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444826111, $24.57, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

When the Civil War ended with the surrender of Confederate forces, Eugene Wyeth who rode with Jeb Stuart refuses to surrender. With a price on his head he assumes there is a bounty hunter around every corner. But when his old comrade-in-arms, Rattlesnake Jack, is shot, Wyeth must risk exposure and ride into town to seek help. Branded a traitor to the southern cause by the fanatical and ruthless Kirby Taylor and his Black Mask gang of gunslingers Wyeth's finds himself a wanted man under a sentence of death. In an ultimate confrontation that includes his sweetheart Jolie being in dire jeopardy because of her love for him, Wyeth must examine all he has stood for and put his very identity to the test. "Late For Gettysburg" is a terrific action/adventure western novel from beginning to end and very highly recommended in this Large Print edition for community library collections and the personal reading list for any and all western buffs.

A Thousand Shall Fall
Andrea Boeshaar
Kregel Publications
2450 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.kregel.com
9780825443817, $14.99, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Nineteen-year-old Carrie Ann Bell is independent and spirited. The only thing she really fears are the Union soldiers fighting against her Confederate friends. When her youngest sister runs away from home, brave Carrie Ann is determined to find her and bring her back. Disguised as a soldier, she sets off--only to find she's fallen into the hands of the enemy. Her childhood friend Confederate Major Joshua Blevins has warned her against these Yankees: they're all devils, ready to inflict evil on unsuspecting young women. When Colonel Peyton Collier arrests her for her impersonation of an officer, it seems to confirm all her fears. Soon, though, she finds herself drawn to the handsome, gallant colonel. He rescued her, protected her, and has been every inch the gentleman. Carrie Ann discovers that her foe has become her ally--and more than that, someone she could love. But the arrival of Joshua in the Union camp as a spy will test her loyalties. Will she protect someone who has been like family or be loyal to this stranger to whom she wants to offer her heart? When her world is being torn apart around her, whom should she trust? Set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, "A Thousand Shall Fall" is framed around compelling characters and a very romantic setting in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. Andrea Boeshaar's extensive research guarantees historical accuracy and romance genre enthusiasts and Civil War buffs alike will enjoy the Christian perspectives on actual historical events. "A Thousand Shall Fall" is very highly recommended for community library Historical Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "A Thousand Shall Fall" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Step by Step
Candace Calvert
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781414390345, $14.99, PB, 400pp, www.amazon.com

Three years after a tragic accident left her a widow, ER nurse Taylor Cabot is determined to move on, checking off one item after another on her survival list. Her relationship with a handsome plastic surgeon even gives her hope for the last point, to "fall in love again". At least until crisis chaplain Seth Donovan steps back into her life, reawakening unanswered questions about her husband's death. While in San Diego to train community volunteers, Seth hopes to learn why Taylor is backing away from the crisis team and from their friendship. But nothing prepares him for the feelings that arise when he sees Taylor again . . . and sees her moving on with another man. When a community crisis hits home and puts lives at risk, emotions run high and buried truths are unearthed. Will hope make the survival list? The second volume in author Candace Calvert's outstanding 'Crisis Team' series, "Step by Step" is another deftly crafted and enormously entertaining novel by a true master of the genre. "Step by Step" is very highly recommended for community library Romance Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Step by Step" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

The Tsarina's Legacy
Jennifer Laam
St. Martin's Griffin
c/o St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.stmartins.com
9781250091512, $27.99, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Grigory "Grisha" Potemkin has had a successful long association with the powerful Empress Catherine of Russia. But Catherine and Grisha are both older now and face new threats from powers outside of Russia, as well as from those close to them. Haunted by the horrors of his campaign against the Muslim Turks, Grisha hopes to construct a mosque in the heart of the empire. Unfortunately, Catherine's much younger new lover, the ambitious Platon Zubov, stands in his way. Grisha determines that to preserve Catherine's legacy he must save her from Zubov's dangerous influence and win back her heart. When she learns she is the lost heiress to the Romanov throne, Veronica Herrera's life turns upside down. Dmitry Potemkin, one of Grisha's descendants, invites Veronica to Russia to accept a ceremonial position as Russia's new tsarina. Seeking purpose, Veronica agrees to act as an advocate to free a Russian artist sentenced to prison for displaying paintings critical of the church and government. Veronica is both celebrated and chastised. As her political role comes under fire, Veronica is forced to decide between the glamorous perks of European royalty and staying true to herself. In Jennifer Laam's "The Tsarina's Legacy", unexpected connections between Grisha and Veronica are revealed as they struggle to make peace with the ghosts of their past and help secure a better future for themselves and the country they both love. A deftly crafted, multi-layered, exceptionally entertaining read from beginning to end, "The Tsarina's Legacy" reveals author Jennifer Laam as an impressively gifted and original novelist. Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Tsarina's Legacy" is also available in a paperback edition (9781250068798, $15.99) and in a Kindle format ($9.99).

Early Warning
Jane Smiley
Anchor Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com
9780307744814, $16.00, PB, 496pp, www.amazon.com

It's 1953, and the Langdons are at a crossroads. Walter, their stalwart patriarch, has died unexpectedly, and his wife must try to keep their farm going. But of their five children, only one will remain to work the land. The others scatter to Washington, DC, California, and everywhere in between. As the country moves into the Cold War, through the social revolutions of the '60s and '70s, and into the unprecedented wealth (for some) of the early '80s, the Langdon children have children of their own: twin boys who are best friends and vicious rivals; a girl whose rebellious spirit takes her to the notorious Peoples Temple in San Francisco; and a golden boy who drops out of college to fight in Vietnam, leaving behind a secret legacy. Capturing a transformative period through recognizable and familiar characters, "Early Warning" is the second volume in Jane Smiley's epic trilogy and brings to vividly to life the challenges and rewards of family and home, even in the most turbulent of times. Penned by a Pulitzer Prize level master storyteller, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Early Warning" is also available in a Kindle edition ($11.99).

Eureka Valley: Grandfathers' Grandfathers
Lisa Doerr
Northern Lakes Farm
2665 - 233rd Street, Cushing, WI 54006
www.northernlakesfarm.com
9780996262606, $19.95, PB, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Who really won America's Civil War? Lycurgus Bell and the more than 100,000 Southern soldiers who fought for Abraham Lincoln thought they knew. They were wrong. "Eureka Valley: Grandfathers' Grandfathers" by Lisa Doerr is a magical re-telling of American history. Grounded in northwestern Wisconsin's glacial landscape, this powerful tale unravels the roots that bind a modern rural couple to their ancestors, Lycurgus Bell and Wood John Johnson. Born to an Alabama family loyal to the Union, Lycurgus serves in Lincoln's Civil War army. Returning home a victor, he expects his just rewards. Instead, the Union he suffered greatly to save hangs him out to dry. Driven from home, Lycurgus and his wife seek refuge with their prized gaited horses in Eureka Valley. Swedish immigrant, Wood John Johnson, spends years felling Wisconsin's forests and cruising new timber stands for East Coast financiers. Upon entering Eureka Valley's unique transitional ecosystem, he glimpses a different way of life that lives on today. These uncommon characters and others such as Sylvester Partridge, Bratch Porter, Chickamauga, Peder Borgen, Waabani and Mountain Slasher, are drawn from the real people who fought the Civil War and made colonization of America's vast heartland possible. Impressively well written and with an exceptional attention to historical detail, "Eureka Valley: Grandfathers' Grandfathers" is a compelling and rewarding read from beginning to end -- and establishing author Lisa Doerr as a novelist of commendable storytelling skill. Very highly recommended as an enduringly popular addition to community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Eureka Valley: Grandfathers' Grandfathers" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.99).


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The Case of the Fickle Mermaid
P. J. Brackston
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
www.pegasusbooks.us
9781605989464, $25.95, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

Gretel (of the brother and sister team of Hansel and Gretel) is now all grown up and working as a private investigator in 18th century Bavaria. Her professional interest is piqued when she begins to hear whispers of of mysterious goings-on off the coast of Schleswig-Holstein: sailors are disappearing, and there are rumors of mermaids and sea creatures and all manner of slippery, sea-based happenings. Ordinarily, Gretel's interest in sea-life does not extend beyond that which is edible, doused in butter and garlic, and already on the plate before her. However, funds are low, and the captain of the ship Arabella makes a tempting offer of good pay and a free cruise in return for her detective services. With a splendid new wig packed, Hans as her bodyguard on the journey north, and the promise of two weeks of fine dining and erudite company whilst sailing around the picturesque Friesian islands, what could possibly go wrong? P. J. Brackston has come up with the original idea of writing terrific mystery novels based on characters from the old Brothers Grimm fables. "The Case of the Fickle Mermaid" is the latest and one of the very best. An absolute "must" for mystery buffs with fond memories of Brothers Grimm stories, "The Case of the Fickle Mermaid" is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Case of the Fickle Mermaid" is also available in a Kindle edition ($12.99).

Between Black and White
Robert Bailey
Thomas & Mercer
c/o Amazon Digital Publishing
9781503953079, $15.95, PB, 398pp, www.amazon.com

In 1966 in Pulaski, Tennessee, Bocephus Haynes watched in horror as his father was brutally murdered by ten local members of the Ku Klux Klan. As an African American lawyer practicing in the birthplace of the Klan years later, Bo has spent his life pursuing justice in his father's name. But when Andy Walton, the man believed to have led the lynch mob forty-five years earlier, ends up murdered in the same spot as Bo's father, Bo becomes the prime suspect. Retired law professor Tom McMurtrie, Bo's former teacher and friend, is a year removed from returning to the courtroom. Now McMurtrie and his headstrong partner, Rick Drake, must defend Bo on charges of capital murder while hunting for Andy Walton's true killer. In a courtroom clash that will put their reputations and lives at stake, can McMurtrie and Drake release Bo from a lifetime of despair? Or will justice remain hidden somewhere between black and white? A riveting novel from beginning to end, "Between Black and White" is a compelling page-turner of a read that will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Between Black and White" is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).

The Father: Made in Sweden
Anton Svensson, author
Elizabeth Clark Wessel, translator
Quercus
http://www.quercusbooks.co.uk
9781681445403, $26.99, HC, 592pp, www.amazon.com

How does a child become a criminal? How does a father lose a son? Written by Anton Svensson and ably translated from Swedish into English for an American readership, "The Father: Made in Sweden" is an epic crime novel. "The Father" is based on the extraordinary true story of three brothers who, over the course of three years and with stolen military-grade hardware, went on a crime spree, committing numerous armed robberies including ten audacious bank jobs in Sweden. None had committed a crime before. All were under twenty-four years old. When their incredible crime wave had come to an end amid the glare of the international media, all of them would be changed forever as individuals and as a family. This intoxicating, heartbreaking thriller tells the story of how three boys are transformed over the course of their lives from innocent children to hardened criminals. A riveting and deftly crafted read from beginning to end, "The Father: Made in Sweden" is very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Father: Made in Sweden" is also available in a Kindle edition ($12.99).

Blood of the Oak
Eliot Pattison
Counterpoint Press
1919 Fifth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710-1916
www.counterpointpress.com
9781619026155, $26.00, HC, 304pp, www.amazon.com

The fourth entry in the author Eliot Pattison's outstanding 'Bone Rattler' series, "Blood of the Oak" advances the protagonist Duncan McCallum to 1765 and into the throes of the Stamp Tax dissent, which marked the beginning of organized resistance to English rule. Duncan follows ritualistic murders that are strangely connected to both the theft of an Iroquois artifact and a series of murders and kidnappings in the network of secret runners supporting the nascent committees of correspondence -- which are engaged in the first organized political dissent across colonial borders. He encounters a powerful conspiracy of highly placed English aristocrats who are bent on crushing all dissent, is captured by its agents, and sent into slavery in Virginia beside the kidnapped runners. Inspired by an aged Native American slave and new African friends Duncan decides not just to escape but to turn their own intrigue against the London lords. Included in the novel's cast of characters are figures from our history who have their own destinies to fulfill in the next decade, including Benjamin Franklin (writing from London), Samuel Adams, the early Pennsylvania rebel James Smith, Dr. Benjamin Rush, and, very briefly, a soft spoken militia officer named Washington. "The Song of the Oak" takes a fresh view on the birth of the new American nation, suggesting that the "freedom" that became the centerpiece of the Revolution was uniquely American, rising not just from unprecedented political discourse but also from the extraordinary bond with the natural world experienced by frontier settlers and native tribes. Another deftly constructed and riveting novel from the pen of Eliot Pattison, "Blood of the Oak" is a riveting read from beginning to end and highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense and Historical Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Blood of the Oak" is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.99).

Trace Takes A Hand
Owen G. Irons
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444826104, $20.99, Large Print PB, 232pp, www.amazon.com

Years ago, the infamous Arista gang stole fifty thousand dollars, but only for one member betrayed the gang and escaped with the whole haul for himself. That traitor was Luke Cason who lived quietly with his daughter Sally, until one day he is abducted by his former Arista gang members who are seeking both vengeance and the money. Meanwhile, Texas state marshal Trace Cavanagh is staking plenty on a big gamble: taking two convicts from the penitentiary to assist him in hunting the gang. When their path crosses with Sally's, lawkeepers and lawbreakers alike must join forces to track down the deadly Aristas and recover what's left of the stolen money. With "Trace Takes A Hand" western action/adventure author Owen G. Irons has penned another riveting good read replete with unexpected plot twists and surprises all leading up to a climatic and unpredictable end. Very highly recommended in this Lindford Western Library edition, "Trace Takes A Hand" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal reading lists and community library large print western fiction collections.


The Political Science Shelf

Local Party Organizations in the Twenty-First Century
Douglas D. Roscoe & Shannon Jenkins
State University of New York Press
State University Plaza, Albany, NY 12246-0001
www.sunypress.edu
9781438459493, $75.00, HC, 170pp, www.amazon.com

While the media pay the most attention to the actions of the national political committees, political scientists have long emphasized the key role of local party organizations. Despite sweeping changes in the political environment, remarkably little research has sought to understand precisely how these local parties are structured, what they do, and whether they have any impact on the political system. In "Local Party Organizations in the Twenty-First Century," Douglas D. Roscoe and Shannon Jenkins (both of whom are Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth) use data collected from more than 1,100 local parties in forty-eight states to provide the most thorough examination of the role of local political parties in the US political system, something that has been lacking in contemporary accounts of the role of parties. They show that party organizations take particular forms and engage in certain activities because political actors find these forms and activities useful for winning elections. While past research has centered primarily on the role of national and state political parties in the United States, "Local Party Organizations in the Twenty-First Century" demonstrates the continuing central role of local political parties in the electoral process, providing readers with a more comprehensive understanding of the US party system. An especially timely study during the unusually controversial presidential race of 2016, "Local Party Organizations in the Twenty-First Century" is very highly recommended for community and academic library Political Science reference collections and supplemental studies lists. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Local Party Organizations in the Twenty-First Century" is also available in a Kindle edition ($67.69).

Democracy on the Edge
Terry A. AmRhein
Mill City Press
322 First Avenue N., 5th floor, Minneapolis, MN 55401
www.millcitypublishing.com
www.amrheinsbooks.com
9781634134323, $16.00, PB, 300pp, www.amazon.com

Trying to make sense of political issues in the United States can be challenging, especially with the "spin" placed on so many issues by media and politicians. If you are fed up with lies and half-truths and want real answers, Terry AmRhein obliges in the pages of "Democracy on the Edge: A Discussion of Political Issues in America" addressing such issues as: The Supreme Court's decision on "Citizens United"; How gun ownership is a right but has limitations; The effects of global warming (by W. K. Fifield, MD); How health care issues affect all Americans; The influence of big business on American lives; Causes of the "Financial Crisis," and what Congress has done; The Tea Party and their conflicting views; America's deep debt and plans to dig out of it. While based on verifiable facts, "Democracy on the Edge" includes Terry's flare for personal anecdotes and humorous quips that make the political treatise as informed, informative, thoughtful, thought-provoking, and simply delightful to read. Very highly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary American Political Science reference collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Democracy on the Edge" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

The Director's Six Senses
Simone Bartesaghi
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9781615932344, $15.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

Simone Bartesaghi is a professional filmmaker with awards in several international festivals both as a screenwriter and as a director. Currently he develops new projects through his production company, SIBA MEDIA LLC, and teaches film as an adjunct professor at Santa Monica City College. Simone draws upon his many years of experience and expertise to write "The Director's Six Senses: An Innovative Approach to Developing Your Filmmaking Skills", an innovative, unique, and engaging approach to the development of the skills that every visual storyteller must have. The fundamental premise of "The Director's Six Senses" is that a director is a storyteller 24/7 and must be aware of the "truth" that he or she experiences in life in order to be able to reproduce it on the big screen. Through a series of hands-on exercises and practical experiences, the reader develops the "directorial senses" in order to be able to tell a story in the most effective way. Practical, comprehensive, insightful, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in composition, organization, and presentation, "The Director's Six Senses" is essential reading for all aspiring directors of theatrical or cinematic projects. Very highly recommended for academic library Theatre/Cinema/TV instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Director's Six Senses" is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.52).

You Can Act on Camera
D. W. Brown
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9781615932337, $15.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

From the big issues to the fine points, "You Can Act on Camera: Insider Tips for Delivering a Great Performance Every Time" gives you what you need to know when they call "Action!". The author of "You Can Act on Camera", D. W. Brown, is one of the world's leading experts on the subject and he provides his invaluable 31 Principles for Acting On Camera, as well as key advice on how to come through in the clutch. In addition, he incisively interviews directors of major acclaim for their insights on the unique art of acting for the camera. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "You Can Act on Camera" is very highly commended to members of community theatrical groups, community and academic library Theatre/Cinema/Television instructional reference collections in general, and the personal reading lists of aspiring actors. It should be noted that "You Can Act on Camera" is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.60).


The Architecture Shelf

American Architecture: A History, second edition
Leland M. Roth & Amanda C. Roth Clark
Westview Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
9780813349688, $85.00, PB, 752pp, www.westviewpress.com

Now in a fully updated second edition, "American Architecture: A History" by Leland M. Roth (Marion Dean Ross Professor of Architectural History Emeritus, University of Oregon - Eugene) and Amanda C. Roth Clark (Assistant Professor of Art History and Library Director, Whitworth University) provides a sweeping introduction to the history of architecture in the United States including the major developments that shaped the environment from the first Americans to the present, from the everyday vernacular to the high style of aspiration. Eleven chronologically organized chapters chart the social, cultural, and political forces that shaped the growth and development of American towns, cities, and suburbs, while providing full description, analysis, and interpretation of buildings and their architects. Featured in this second edition is an entirely new chapter detailing the green architecture movement and architectural trends in the 21st century. Further updates include an expanded section on Native American architecture and contemporary design by Native American architects, new discussions on architectural education and training, more examples of women architects and designers, and a thoroughly expanded glossary to help today's readers. The art program is expanded, including 640 black and white images and 62 new color images. Accessible and engaging, American Architecture continues to set the standard as a guide, study, and reference for those seeking to better understand the rich history of architecture in the United States. Very highly recommended as a textbook for a college or university architectural history curriculum, "American Architecture: A History" is a core addition for community and academic library American Architecture reference collections and supplemental studies lists. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "American Architecture: A History" is also commended to the attention of the non-specialist general reader with an interest in American architecture and its history. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "American Architecture: A History" is also available in a Kindle edition ($54.99).

Landscapes of Communism
Owen Hatherley
The New Press
126 Wall Street, floor 31, New York, NY 10005-4007
www.thenewpress.com
9781620971888 $35.00 hc / $23.99 Kindle www.amazon.com

Illustrated with a wealth of black-and-white photographs, and enhanced with notes and indexes (both a general index and an index of places), Landscapes of Communism: History of Buildings is a history of architecture created and influenced by communist governments in the former Soviet bloc. Drawn from an extensive five-year travelogue, Landscapes of Communism examines both edifices and public spaces, as well as the economic forces that affected their construction. The irony and ramifications of capitalist societies occupying what used to be centerpieces of communism are also contemplated. Notably, Landscapes of Communism is from a socialist perspective, and questions how the ideology of socialism transformed into the Communist Party. Landscapes of Communism is a welcome addition to public and college library architectural history collections.


The Science Shelf

Energy In Context
Gale Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place, Stamford, CT 06902
www.cengageptr.com
9781410317483, $344.00, HC, 2 Volumes, www.amazon.com

Energy is a subject that impacts lives and economies across the globe. "Energy: In Context" is a two volume, comprehensive instructional reference work that will help students and non-specialist general readers to understand the fundamentals of energy science, while also exploring the social, political, economic, and cultural factors that impact how we find, use, store, and sometimes waste energy. The 224 signed, alphabetically arranged entries meet the needs of students from high school through college as well as public library users concerned about this important resource. Each entry follows a standard set of rubrics, including "Introduction," "Historical Background and Scientific Foundations," and "Impacts and Issues." Unfamiliar terms are called out in a Glossary box in each entry in addition to being defined in the text. Each entry includes a bibliography; many also feature interesting sidebars. Some 50 primary source documents and 270 color images, illustrations, and other graphics further enhance the text. "Energy In Context" features signed articles enabling users can rely on its authority; color photos and graphics that clarify and add interest for all users, but are especially important for visual learners; sidebars and primary source documents to provide the contextual information; specialized terms are defined within the text, in a glossary box for the article, and in a cumulative glossary for the set, so readers don't need to go to another source for a thorough understanding; as well as up-to-date information on important topics in the field of Energy science. "Energy In Context" is a core, essential, and vitally important addition to high school, community, college, and university library Energy Science & Issue reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Civil War Shelf

Trevilian Station, June 11-12, 1864
Joseph W. McKinney
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9780786499038, $39.95, PB, 352pp, www.amazon.com

In June 1864, General Ulysses Grant ordered his cavalry commander, Philip Sheridan, to conduct a raid to destroy the Virginia Central Railroad between Charlottesville and Richmond. Sheridan fell short of his objective when he was defeated by General Wade Hampton's cavalry in a two-day battle at Trevilian Station. Enhanced with period photography, "Trevilian Station, June 11-12, 1864: Wade Hampton, Philip Sheridan and the Largest All-Cavalry Battle of the Civil War" by retired U.S. Army officer and military historian Joseph W. McKinney is an exceptionally well documented and an impressively detailed, comprehensive, and informative account. A seminal work of original scholarship, "Trevilian Station, June 11-12, 1864" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to community and academic library American Civil War reference collections and supplemental studies lists. For the personal reading lists of Civil War buffs it should be noted that "Trevilian Station, June 11-12, 1864" is also available in a Kindle edition ($24.99).


The International Studies Shelf

Bound by Conflict: Dilemmas of the Two Sudans
Francis Mading Deng in collaboration with Daniel J. Deng
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue, University Box L, Bronx, NY 10458-5172
www.fordhampress.com
9780823270781 $22.00 pbk / $14.99 Kindle www.amazon.com

Bound by Conflict: Dilemmas of the Two Sudans is a scholarly analysis of the disturbing and ongoing war in Sudan, ever since its independence in 1956. A comprehensive peace agreement in 2005 gave South Sudan independence, yet bloodshed persists and each nation accuses the other of supporting the other nation's rebels. Francis M. Deng, the first Permanent Representative of South Sudan to the United Nations collaborates with Daniel J. Deng, a senior adviser to the Japan International Cooperation Agency in South Sudan, to question the common assumptions about the conflict, and offer a framework for the elusive possibility of peace, security, and stability between the two nations, with the possibility of forming a meaningful association. Measured and thought-provoking, Bound by Conflict is a "must-read", and the concepts it discusses have potential implications bringing peace to other multigenerational wars as well. Highly recommended.

International Politics: Power and Purpose in Global Affairs, fourth edition
Paul D'Anieri
Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place, Stamford, CT 06902
www.cengageptr.com
9781133602101, $164.95, PB, 544pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a fully updated fourth edition, "International Politics: Power and Purpose in Global Affairs" by Paul D'Anieri (Professor of Political Science, University of California, Riverside with a special research focus on and foreign policy in the post-Soviet states, and especially on Ukraine-Russia relations) is a student-oriented and contemporary textbook on introducing the study of international relations in a clear, accessible style, with engaging concepts and analytical tools for students and a fully developed pedagogical program for instructors. "International Politics: Power and Purpose in Global Affairs" bridges the gap between analytical theories and real-world issues and events. Students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in international political issues will enjoy varied case studies and boxed features on history, policy, culture, and geography, along with vivid graphics. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "International Politics: Power and Purpose in Global Affairs" is now in a fully updated and significantly expanded fourth edition that will prove to be an ideal textbook for college and university Global Political Studies curriculums, and is an essential, cored addition to academic library International Political Science reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Biography Shelf

The Cooler King
Patrick Bishop
The Overlook Press
141 Wooster Street, New York, NY 10012
9781468312737 $28.95 www.overlookpress.com

Enhanced with brief notes and an index, The Cooler King: The True Story of William Ash, the Greatest Escaper of World War II is the amazing biography of fighter pilot William Ash, who was shot down in 1942 and spent the rest of World War II interred in and escaping from German POW camps. His relentless efforts to achieve freedom caused notable disruption to the German war effort, even though he was ultimately unsuccessful. Ash earned the nickname of "The Cooler King" because he was repeatedly sentenced to "the cooler", a solitary confinement block to punish POWs. Near the end of the war, Ash fell ill, yet worked to achieve one final escape; he successfully informed approaching Allied soldiers of the Germans' location, aiding one of the final battles of the war. An extraordinary chronicle of resolve and heroism, The Cooler King is edifying, inspirational, and highly recommended.

Whiskey River Ranger
Bob Alexander
University of North Texas Press
1155 Union Circle #311336, Denton, TX 76203-5017
9781574416312 $34.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

Whiskey River Ranger: The Old West Life of Baz Outlaw is the biography of Texas Ranger and Deputy U.S. Marshal Baz Outlaw, well-known for both his heroism, yet also a flawed and fallible human being. Outlaw's career reads almost like wild west pulp fiction, with true tales of train robberies, horseback chases, vigilante justice (and vigilante criminality), ambushes, bushwacking, and more. Outlaw lived by the gun and died by the gun, shot down amid a brothel brawl. An extraordinary read from cover, Whiskey River Ranger is enthusiastically recommended for public library biography collections and casual browsing by anyone interested in true tales of the gunslinging Old West.

The Forgotten Governor
John Wills
Langdon Street Press
322 1st Avenue N, Suite 500, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9781634137270 $21.95 www.langdonstreetpress.com

The Forgotten Governor: Fernando de Rivera and the Opening of Alta California is a studious biography of Don Fernando de Rivera y Moncada (1725-1781), a Spanish soldier who also served as the third governor of Alta California. Over the course of thirteen years, he led and directed California's settlement, helped found missions and presidios, and put down an Indian revolt. Rivera's legacy is largely forgotten today, but in his own time he was a controversial figure; he clashed with Father Serra and Juan Bautista de Anza, and at one point was excommunicated from the Catholic Church for violating church sanctuary. An annotated bibliography and an index round out this nuanced portrait of a complex figure in California history.


The Military Shelf

An Untaken Road
Steven A. Pomeroy
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402
9781612519739 $44.95 www.nip.org

Technology historian Steven A. Pomeroy (associate professor of military and strategic studies at the Air Force Academy) presents An Untaken Road: Strategy, Technology, and the Hidden History of America's Mobile ICBMs, a history of not only the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles, but also key strategic decisions of the Cold War involving the strengths and weaknesses of nuclear power as a deterrent weapon of America's military forces. A handful of black-and-white illustrations, notes, a bibliography, and an index enhance this scholarly and measured chronicle of military technology and history. Drawing upon recently declassified documents, An Untaken Road should be required reading for anyone pursuing or engaged in a defense department career, and is especially recommended for college library military history collections.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Living with Bears Handbook, second edition
Linda Masterson
Pixyjack Press
PO Box 149, Masonville, CO 80541
PixyJackPress.com
9781936555611 $24.00 www.amazon.com

Now in an expanded second edition, Living with Bears Handbook is a no-nonsense guide written especially for people who live in bear country. Bears are dangerous predators; humans who intentionally or unintentionally lure them with food only exacerbate the odds of disaster. Living with Bears Handbook handbook emphasizes the prevention of human-bear conflicts, through such common-sense measures as bear-proofing one's home (and garbage!), managing potential bear attractors such as fruit trees or gardens and much more. Also included are instructions for responding to bear encounters or attacks, and case studies from the U.S. and Canada. Living with Bears Handbook has the potential to save the lives of both bears and people, and is highly recommended.


The Native American Studies Shelf

Native American Almanac
Yvonne Wakim Dennis, Arlene Hirschfelder, and Shannon Rothenberger Flynn
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Rd., #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075
9781578595075 $24.95 www.visibleinkpress.com

Native American Almanac: More than 50,000 Years of the Cultures and Histories of Indigenous Peoples is an extensive reference and resource about the complex heritage and cultures of indigenous peoples of the North American continent. Black-and-white photographs are interspersed throughout this survey of pre-contact and post-contact history, brief biographies of notable individuals, environmental and land issues, treaties, languages, social movements and much more. A "must-have" for public and college library Native American Studies collections, highly recommended.


The Parenting Shelf

Free Your Child from Overeating
Michelle P. Maidenberg, PhD, MPH, LCSW-R
The Experiment
220 East 23rd Street, Suite 301, New York, NY 10010-4674
www.theexperimentpublishing.com
9781615192700 $16.95 pbk / $12.51 Kindle www.amazon.com

Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapist Michelle P. Maidenberg, PhD, MPH, LCSW-R presents Free Your Child from Overeating: A Handbook for Helping Kids and Teens, a parenting guide for today's modern world, which unfortunately inundates children (and adults!) with unhealthy food. Chapters show basic principles of mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral therapy, acceptance, and commitment therapy can help young people improve their eating habits and form the foundation for lifelong better health. Adults will also find these no-nonsense techniques useful! Highly recommended, both for personal reference and public library parenting and health collections.


The Agriculture Shelf

Compendium of Corn Diseases, fourth edition
Gary P. Munkvold & Donald G. White, editors
APS Press
3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121
978089054492-1, $119.00, PB, 165pp, www.shopapspress.org

Compiled and co-edited by the team of Gary P. Munkvold and Donald G. White, this updated and expanded fourth edition of the "Compendium of Corn Diseases" provides the most current, practical, and deftly presented information on the diagnosis and management of corn diseases. This latest edition of "Compendium of Corn Diseases" provides the diagnose and treatment for nearly 90 diseases and disorders. With it's informed and informative text enhanced with the inclusion of more than 300 images and management recommendations, the "Compendium of Corn Diseases" from APS Press continues to be a basic industry reference and is very highly recommended for professional, corporate, and academic library Agricultural Sciences reference collections in general, and Corn Diseases supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Wheat Flour, second edition
William A. Atwell & Sean Finnie
APS Press
3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121
9781891127908, $159.00, 164pp, www.shopapspress.org

The collaborative project of William A. Atwell and Sean Finnie, this newly updated and expanded second edition of "Wheat Flour" is a straightforward, practical guide that offers coverage of specific product applications, problem resolution, and basics of wheat and milling. Profusely illustrated throughout, "Wheat Flour" will rapidly and comprehensively inform the reader concerning the latest research on wheat flour. "Wheat Flour" will show the reader how to troubleshoot costly issues related to flour quality and food production, as well as develop a range of consistent, superior products that include wheat flour. The latest addition to the APS Press outstanding handbook series of practical guides designed specifically for the food industry, "Wheat Flour" is very highly recommended for professional, corporate and academic library Food Science reference collections and Agricultural Product supplemental studies lists.


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Diane C. Donovan, Editor
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
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