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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Tatiana Romanov
Helen Azar and Nicholas B. A. Nicholson
Westholme Publishing
904 Edgewood Road, Yardley, PA 19067
www.westholmepublishing.com
9781594162367 $26.00 hc / $14.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna of Russia was the second of the four daughters of
Tsar Nicholas II and his wife, the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. Long recognized by historians
as the undisputed "beauty" of the family, Tatiana was acknowledged for her poise, her elegance,
and her innate dignity within her own family. Helen Azar, translator of the diaries of Olga
Romanov, and Nicholas B. A. Nicholson, Russian Imperial historian, have joined together to
present a truly comprehensive picture of this extraordinarily gifted, complex, and intelligent
woman in her own words. Tatiana Romanov, Daughter of the Last Tsar: Diaries and Letters,
1913 - 1918, presents translations of material never before published in Russian or in English, as
well as materials never published in their entirety in the West.
The brisk, modern prose of Tatiana's diary entries reveals the character of a young woman who
was far more than the sheltered imperial beauty as she previously has been portrayed. While
many historians and writers describe her as a cold, haughty, and distant aristocrat, this book
shows instead a remarkably down-to-earth and humorous young woman, full of life and
compassion. A detail-oriented and observant participant in some of the most important historical
events of the early twentieth century, she left firsthand descriptions of the tercentenary
celebrations of the House of Romanov, the early years of Russia's involvement in World War I,
and the road to her family's final days in Siberian exile. Her writings reveal extraordinary details
previously unknown or unacknowledged. Lavishly annotated for the benefit of the nonspecialist
reader, this book is not only a reevaluation of Tatiana's role as more than just one of four sisters,
but also a valuable reference on Russia, the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the
people closest to the Grand Duchess and her family.
Critique: Expertly translated into English with extensive notes, a bibliography, and an index,
Tatiana Romanov: Daughter of the Last Tsar Diaries and Letters 1913-1918 presents the personal
writings of the Romanov family's second oldest daughter during their final years, prior to their
execution by Bolshevik revolutionaries. Tatiana's vivid descriptions and firsthand testimonies are
an invaluable primary source of Russian history, and offer a strong contrast to how other
historical works have traditionally portrayed her. Highly recommended, especially for public and
college library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Tatiana Romanov is
also available in a Kindle edition ($14.99).
Positive Behavior Supports for Adults with Disabilities in Employment, Community, and
Residential Settings, second edition
Keith Storey, Ph.D., BCBA-D and Michal Post, M.A.
Charles C. Thomas, Publisher
2600 South First Street, Springfield, IL 62704
http://www.ccthomas.com
9780398092849 $38.95 pbk
9780398092856 $38.95 ebook
Synopsis: This book responds to a critical need for highly qualified personnel who will become
exemplary professionals in positive behavior supports for adults with disabilities. The authors
present a coherent and systematic approach to understanding the purpose of positive behavior
supports and how support providers can implement these strategies for desirable results. Written
in a nontechnical format that includes real-life examples, the information presented is practical
and easily implemented. Each chapter contains Window to the World Case Studies, Key Point
Questions, Best Practice Recommendations, Employment, Community and Residential Activity
Suggestions, and Discussion Questions. Important and relevant older references are included that
emphasize the understanding of how this field of study has been built upon classic research,
establishing the basis of positive behavior supports.
An advantage of this book is that agencies and organizations preparing support providers can
easily use the book in courses or training that address positive behavior supports, as it covers
methodology that is seldom covered in detail in other texts. Support providers will gain the
necessary knowledge and skills to provide positive behavior supports in employment,
community, and residential settings, thereby improving the quality of life for the individuals they
support. This second edition has been edited and rewritten with new and significant material,
including additional behavior support plans. College instructors are likely to choose this book
based upon the consistent format used throughout and the readability of the book for students in
college classes or adult service providers. The comprehensive coverage of positive behavior
supports and the direct applicability to applied settings will prove useful to support providers that
instruct, train, and supervise.
Critique: Now in an updated second edition, Positive Behavior Supports for Adults with
Disabilities in Employment, Community, and Residential Settings: Practical Strategies that Work
lives up to its title with recommended approaches for psychologists, social service workers, and
other professionals who work with adults who have disabilities (such as autism spectrum
disorder), as well as college course instructors. Chapters address instruction in self-management
strategies, social skills, and more. A thoroughly accessible educational reference and resource,
Positive Behavior Supports for Adults with Disabilities in Employment, Community, and
Residential Settings is highly recommended especially for college library collections and
courses.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Story Selling
Heather Hale
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9781615932818, $26.95, PB, 220pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Pitching is an art form that brings together content and communication channels.
Regardless of What you're pitching, 'Where, When and to Whom' are the fundamental and
universal principles. It's how you pitch that matters -- and there are countless strategies that
combine these three elements in different combinations.
In "Story Selling: How to Develop, Market, and Pitch Your Film & TV Projects", Heather Hale
details all of them, including their construction and applications, in a fun and interactive way that
inspires readers to create memorable and saleable pitches in order to get their projects made.
Critique: Whether authors pitching an idea for publication, a publicist pitching a novel for a film
option, a screen writer or a dramatist pitching a show, "Story Selling: How to Develop, Market,
and Pitch Your Film & TV Projects" is a complete course in the 'real world' requirements for
success in an infamously competitive field. Especially well organized and presented, "Story
Selling" should be considered a 'must' for all dedicated writers seeking to sell what they have
written for publication or adoption. While essential for all community and academic library
Writing/Publishing collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Story Selling" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.41).
The Education Shelf
Families & Educators: Building Great Relationships
Derry Koralek, Karen Nemeth, Kelly Ramsey
The National Association for the Education of Young Children
1313 L Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20005-4101
https://www.naeyc.org
9781938113451, $28.00, PB, 140pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Guided by the 6 Principles for Effective Family Engagement from The National
Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), "Families & Educators: Building
Great Relationships" is a practical guide for early childhood educators on how to build
partnerships with families and develop partnerships with the community. "Families & Educators"
encourages programs to move away from one-size-fits-all approaches to one of reciprocal family
engagement practices.
Critique: A thoroughly 'real world practical' instructional guide for integrating family
engagement experiences into local educational programming, "Families & Educators: Building
Great Relationships" is impressively 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, making it an
ideal and highly recommended addition to public school district, private school, college, and
university library Teacher Education & Education Administration instructional reference
collections.
Study Abroad
Miriam Fuchs, Sarita Rai, Yves Loiseau, editors
Modern Language Association
85 Broad Street, Suite 500, New York, NY 10004-2434
www.mla.org
9781603293877, $65.00, HC, 175pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Thanks to an increasingly interconnected global economy, the role of studying abroad
in twenty-first-century education has expanded. Student participation continues to grow as
disciplinary offerings broaden; meanwhile, programs face persistent challenges to maximize
access, strengthen language learning and multicultural awareness, reduce research bias, ensure
funding, and maintain safety and security.
Designed as a resource for use in creating and conducting courses and programs overseas, "Study
Abroad: Traditions and New Directions" presents a diverse picture of options for study
abroad.
Collaboratively compiled and deftly edited by the team of Miriam Fuchs (Professor of English,
University of Hawaii), Sarita Rai (Professor and Director of Study Abroad for the University of
Hawaii - Manoa), Yves Loiseau (Pedagogical Director of the Center International d'Etudes
Francaises at the University of Catholique du l'Quest in Angers, France), the contributors'
experiences teaching in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, and Central America inform
analyses of global trends, recommendations for enhanced learning, and course models that can be
adapted for a variety of programs and locations.
Essays discuss current policies, procedures, and formats including language immersion,
interdisciplinary studies, mentored research, professional training abroad, service learning, and
institutional partnerships.
Critique: Exceptionally informative, deftly organized and expertly presented, "Study Abroad:
Traditions and New Directions" is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a full listing of
the contributors and their credentials, a bibliography of works cited, and a three page index.
While unreservedly recommended for college and university library Contemporary Educational
Issues collections in general, and Study Abroad supplemental reading lists in particular. It should
be noted for students, education counselors, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in
the subject that "Study Abroad: Traditions and New Directions" is also available in a paperback
edition (9781603293884, $29.00).
A Fragile Enterprise
Nancy Brigham
Rowman & Littlefield
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rowman.com
9781475846010, $35.00, HC, 182pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Nancy Brigham has been engaged in education research and program evaluations for
35 years. "A Fragile Enterprise: Yesterday's Schools and Tomorrow's Students" is based on
thousands of interviews, hundreds of classroom observations and first-hand experience in failing
schools that strive to serve struggling students.
In "A Fragile Enterprise" Brigham recounts true stories the front lines of the struggle between the
entitled few and the marginalized many in America's public schools. In the pages of "A Fragile
Enterprise", the reader will learn about the national narrative of education from the viewpoint of
students and their families.
"A Fragile Enterprise" reveals that: That despite the massive expenditure of public funds,
large-scale national education improvement efforts have largely failed; That failing schools
seldom have the resources and skills to implement the programs that are thrust upon them: That
the charter school solution leaves behind the students who need help the most: How seldom
families are involved in meaningful ways in the education of their children: What the best
teachers do and why they do it that way.
Critique: An impressively informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking read, "A Fragile
Enterprise: Yesterday's Schools and Tomorrow's Students" is an extraordinary and highly
recommended contribution to our on-going national dialogue regarding education policies on the
national, state, and local district level. While a core addition to community and academic library
Contemporary Educational Issues collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of
educators, education administrators, state and federal education policy makers, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "A Fragile Enterprise" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $33.00).
Restoring the Promise
Richard K. Vedder
The Independent Institute
100 Swan Way, Oakland, CA 94621-1428
www.independent.org
9781598133271, $28.95, HC, 416pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Richard K. Vedder is Senior Fellow at the Independent Institute and Distinguished
Emeritus Professor of Economics at Ohio University. He has been Senior Economist at the U.S.
Joint Economic Committee and Visiting Fellow at the Center for the Study of American
Business, Washington University. He is the author of Going Broke by Degree: Why College
Costs Too Much. His articles have appeared in numerous scholarly journals, the Wall Street
Journal, Christian Science Monitor, National Review, Washington Times, and Investor's
Business Daily.
In "Restoring the Promise: Higher Education in America" Vedder notes that American higher
education is increasingly in trouble. Universities are facing an uncertain and unsettling future
with free speech suppression, out-of-control Federal student aid programs, soaring administrative
costs, and intercollegiate athletics mired in corruption.
In "Restoring the Promise" Vedder explores these issues and exposes the federal government's
role in contributing to them. With up-to-date discussions of the most recent developments on
university campuses, "Restoring the Promise" is the most comprehensive assessment of
universities in recent years.
Critique: As informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Restoring the
Promise: Higher Education in America" is an extraordinary and timely contribution to our on-
going national discussion about reforms so increasingly necessary to our educational systems and
policies if America is to retain its competitive edge in our increasingly interconnected and
competitive global economies. An exceptionally well organized and presented study, "Restoring
the Promise" is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library
Contemporary Educational Issues collections and supplemental studies curriculum lists. It should
be note for the personal reading lists of students, academia, education activists, governmental
policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Restoring
the Promise is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Supporting English Learners in the Classroom
Eric M. Haas & Julie Esparza Brown
Teachers College Press
1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
www.tcpress.com
9780807761748, $105.00, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Supporting English Learners in the Classroom: Best Practices for Distinguishing
Language Acquisition from Learning Disabilities" is a compendium of evidence-based best
practices to help classroom teachers address the individual needs of their English learner students
with academic challenges, as well as those who have been referred for special education
services.
In "Supporting English Learners in the Classroom", Eric M. Haas (Professor and Director of the
Educational Leadership Doctoral Program at California State University, East Bay) and Julie
Esparza Brown (Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education at the Graduate
School of Education, Portland State University) make the case that systems can be put in place at
three levels to help English learners succeed: the classroom level, before and after identification;
the support-team level, when support plans are developed and assessed; and the system level,
where programs and professional training plans should be continually developed, assessed, and
revised.
Putting theory into practice, Supporting English Learners in the Classroom" offers guidance and
specific tools to help districts, schools, and classrooms use Multi-Tiered System of Supports
(MTSS) and other interventions to promote higher levels of achievement for ELs with academic
challenges or learning disabilities.
Of special note is how "Supporting English Learners in the Classroom" promotes collaboration
between educators who currently specialize in English language acquisition, special education,
and subject-matter content.
Critique: An ideal and instructive curriculum textbook on the subject, "Supporting English
Learners in the Classroom: Best Practices for Distinguishing Language Acquisition from
Learning Disabilities" is expertly organized and presented, making it an ideal and unreservedly
recommended addition to school district in-service training curriculums, as well as college and
university library Teacher Education instructional resource collections. It should be noted for the
personal reading lists of teachers, school administrators, academia, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that "Supporting English Learners in the Classroom" is also
available in a paperback edition (9780807759530, $34.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$30.99).
The Parenting Shelf
The Caring Child
Christine Fonseca
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
www.prufrock.com
9781618218735, $18.95, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: We live in a self-centered world, despite the call from employers and thought leaders
for more cooperation and compassion. Empathy, or the ability to understand other people's
thoughts and emotions from their point of view, is a vital component of cooperation and
necessary in our increasingly diverse world.
"The Caring Child: Raising Empathetic and Emotionally Intelligent Children" by educational
psychologist Christine Fonseca pulls together the latest research from positive psychology to
provide parents specific tools to help their children develop healthy empathy and emotional
intelligence.
Presented in an easy-to-read, conversational style, "The Caring Child" uses a combination of
evidence-based strategies, real-world examples, and role-playing scenarios to provide parents
with the tools needed to develop these important skills. With specific strategies to address
diverse populations and LGBTQ youth, "The Caring Child" is the an essential resource for
anyone dedicated to cultivating a more compassionate world.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Caring Child: Raising
Empathetic and Emotionally Intelligent Children" is an ideal and impressively informative
instructional guide that is unreservedly recommended as a core addition to personal, professional,
community, college, and university library Contemporary Parenting collections and supplemental
studies lists.
The Autism Shelf
Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew
Ellen Notbohm
Future Horizons, Inc.
721 West Abram Street, Arlington, TX 76013
www.fhautism.com
9781941765883, $16.95, PB, 155pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: One of the autism community's most beloved classics and now in a newly revised and
updated third edition, "Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew" by Ellen
Notbohm has informed, delighted, and guided millions of families and professionals the world
over since its first edition was published in 2005.
A child's voice leads into each chapter, offering a one-of-a-kind exploration into how ten core
characteristics of autism affect our children's perceptions and reactions to the surrounding
physical, sensory and social environments. This new and expanded third edition sharpens the
focus on these basic aspects while expanding on how our own perspectives shape the life of our
child and ourselves, today, tomorrow, and for years to come. An all-new section illuminates the
surprising breadth of our power of choice and outlines potent strategies for strong decision
making in every situation.
Critique: An absolutely essential 'must read' title for any parent, teacher or caregiver of an autistic
child, this new third edition of "Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew" is
unreservedly recommended as a core addition to professional, community, and academic library
Autism collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for personal reading lists of
parents and caregivers that this new edition of "Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes
You Knew" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.52).
The Biography Shelf
The Meanest Man in Congress
Timothy McNulty & Brendan McNulty
New South Books
105 South Court Street, Montgomery, AL 36104
www.newsouthbooks.com
9781588383211, $32.95, HC, 576pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A native of Beaumont, Texas, and a World War II veteran, Jack Brooks (December 18,
1922 - December 4, 2012) represented Texas's Ninth District for forty-two years in the U.S.
Congress. One of the most influential congressmen most Americans have never heard of, the
indefatigable Brooks is finally getting his due in this first full biography in "The Meanest Man in
Congress: Jack Brooks and the Making of an American Century".
In "The Meanest Man in Congress", Tim and Brendan McNulty deftly chronicles in fascinating
detail not only a remarkable lawmaker's career (spanning the tenures of ten U.S. presidents) but
also the epic sweep of American history in the latter half of the twentieth century, from the
Kennedy assassination to the Iran-Contra affair.
Packed from cover to cover with anecdotes based on Brooks's personal correspondence,
interviews with his peers and family members, and more, this meticulously researched biography
traces the incredible life and times of a true public servant, a man who applied his tenacious will
to practical, across-the-aisle governance for the good of his constituents and his country.
At a time when Brooks's brand of selfless service is in short supply and American politics has
become a zero-sum game, "The Meanest Man in Congress" brings into high relief the character
of a man who knew how to compromise and bargain, negotiate and cooperate to get things
done.
Critique: Rescuing from an undeserved obscurity a man whose congressional political acumen
was second only to Lyndon B. Johnson, "The Meanest Man in Congress: Jack Brooks and the
Making of an American Century" is an extraordinary political biography and one that is
unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library 20th Century American
Biography collections and 20th Century American Political Science supplemental studies lists. It
should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "The Meanest Man in Congress" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Agrippina
Emma Southon
Pegasus Books
148 West 37th Street, 13th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.pegasusbooks.com
9781643130781, $27.95, HC, 312pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Sister of Caligula. Wife of Claudius. Mother of Nero. "Agrippina: The Most
Extraordinary Woman of the Roman World" is the story of Agrippina who was at the center of
imperial power for three generations. It is also the story of the Julio-Claudia dynasty -- and of
Rome itself, at its bloody, extravagant, chaotic, ruthless, and political zenith.
In her own time, Agrippina was recognized as a woman of unparalleled power. Beautiful and
intelligent, she was portrayed as alternately a ruthless murderer and helpless victim, the most
loving mother and the most powerful woman of the Roman empire, using sex, motherhood,
manipulation, and violence to get her way, and single-minded in her pursuit of power for herself
and her son, Nero.
This biography of her follows Agrippina as a daughter, born in Cologne, to the expected heir to
Augustus's throne; as a sister to Caligula who raped his sisters and showered them with honors
until they attempted rebellion against him and were exiled; as a seductive niece and then wife to
Claudius who gave her access to near unlimited power; and then as a mother to Nero -- who
adored her until he had her assassinated.
Through senatorial political intrigue, assassination attempts, and exile to a small island, to the
heights of imperial power, thrones, and golden cloaks and games and adoration, Agrippina scaled
the absolute limits of female power in Rome. Her biography is also the story of the first Roman
imperial family known as the Julio-Claudians, and of the glory and corruption of the empire
itself.
Critique: A deftly written and impressively informative biography by Emma Spouthon,
"Agrippina: The Most Extraordinary Woman of the Roman World" is enhanced for the reader
with the inclusion of 8 pages of color illustrations. An absorbing and entertaining read from
beginning to end, this superbly organized and presented biography is enhanced for academia with
the inclusion of a six page listing of Dramatis Personae, a four page Timeline, a six page
Glossary, and a four page bibliography for Further Reading. Of special note is the Introduction
(History and Fiction). While unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university
library Ancient Rome & Roman Biography collections, it should be noted for students, academia,
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Agrippina: The Most
Extraordinary Woman of the Roman World" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$14.99).
Editorial Note: Living in England, Emma Southon has a PhD in Ancient History from the
University of Birmingham and researches subjects of sex, the family, gender, and religion. She
holds a long running obsession with the bad guys of the Roman empire, and tweets at
@NuclearTeeth.
Jean Vanier: Portrait of a Free Man
Anne-Sophie Constant
Plough Publishing House
151 Bowne Drive, PO Box 398, Walden, NY 12586 USA
www.plough.com
9780874861402, $18.00, PB, 250pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In August 1964 Jean Vanier is a thirty-six-year-old Canadian from a famous family
(one who has already joined the navy during war at age thirteen, become an officer, earned a
PhD, and taught ethics at the University of Toronto) takes up residence in a little house he just
bought in the village of Trosly, France, with two mentally disabled men he has removed from a
care home.
The house, which he calls l'Arche (the Ark), has neither water nor electricity. His plan? None. He
is just convinced he has to do it, touched by the silent cry of these men shut up in the gloomy,
violent institution where he found them. His example is contagious; within months the
community has grown to over fifty.
The late Jean Vanier (September 10, 1928 - May 7, 2019) is known and loved around the world
for having created L'Arche, those unique communities of people with disabilities and their
volunteer caregivers in more than one hundred and fifty sites on five continents. But Vanier is
also a philosopher, a spiritual master who touches believers and nonbelievers alike, a tireless
messenger of peace and ecumenism, and an adventurer with life full of twists and turns.
Critique: Impressively informative, meticulously researched, expertly organized and presented,
"Jean Vanier: Portrait of a Free Man" by Anne-Sophie Constant is a literary biography that paints
a rare portrait of this extraordinary man and the events and influences that shaped his destiny.
While very highly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary
Biography collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Jean Vanier: Portrait of a
Free Man" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The General Fiction Shelf
Two Wings to Fly Away
Penny Mickelbury
Bywater Books
P.O. Box 3671, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106-3671
www.bywaterbooks.com
9781612941493, $16.95, PB, 325pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In 1856 Philadelphia, a cross-dressing runaway slave named Genie Oliver uses her
dress shop as a front for her work with the Underground Railroad.
Reluctant white heiress Abby Read runs a rooming house, not only because she rejects the life of
an idle society woman, but because she has no intention ever to marry a man.
After the young daughter of Abby's free black servant, Maggie, is grabbed by rogue slave
catchers and later recovered, Abby joins forces with Genie, a white Pinkerton's agent, and an
unlikely cast of characters from all walks of life. Together, this diverse cadre of people risks
everything to join forces with the great abolitionist Harriet Tubman in a dangerous effort to guide
escaped slaves to freedom in Philadelphia.
As racial and economic tensions simmer and boil over throughout Philadelphia and across the
country, Abby and Genie discover a profound friendship, a shared purpose -- and the promise of
something more.
Critique: A deftly written and thoroughly entertaining historical novel, in the pages of "Two
Wings To Fly Away" author Penny Mickelbury expertly details an inherently fascinating account
of a divided nation on the brink of a Civil War. While especially and unreservedly recommended
for community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Two Wings To Fly Away" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.69).
The Queen & The Spymaster
Sandra E. Rapoport
KTAV Publishing House
527 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York 11225
www.ktav.com
c/o Urim Publications (dist.)
www.UrimPublications.com
9781602802940, $39.95, HC, 520pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Esther was queen of all Persia, beautiful and mysterious. In a royal court rife with
intrigue, she was also the ultimate coup for a spymaster: she was perfectly placed to influence the
most powerful king in the ancient Near East. Only when her people faced certain genocide was
the Bible's highest-placed sleeper agent activated.
Critique: "The Queen & The Spymaster" is a deftly crafted and simply riveting novel by Sandra
E. Rapoport that is based on the story of Esther, and adheres to the ancient biblical text while
imagining the suspenseful, gripping and ultimately triumphant backstory of the unlikely heroes of
Xerxes' Persia. Certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library
Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Queen & The
Spymaster" is also available in a digital format (Kindle, $10.34).
The Schoolmaster's Daughter
John Smolens
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25, East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
http://msupress.org
9781611863277, $19.95, PB, 392pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In April 1775 Abigail Lovell's family is divided politically -- while her father, who has
for decades been schoolmaster at the prestigious Latin School, remains loyal to King George III,
she and her two brothers engage in undercover activities designed to destabilize the British
occupation of Boston.
Her sickly older brother, James, operates the patriots' spy ring, while Abigail acts as a courier,
eluding increasingly aggressive British patrols, and her younger brother, Benjamin, slips out of
the city to fight alongside Abigail's love, Ezra, in the battles at Lexington and Concord.
With the help of her friend, Rachel Revere, Abigail smuggles money and supplies out to her
brother, Ezra, and Rachel's husband, Paul. But when a British sergeant is found murdered,
Abigail stands accused before a military tribunal, and on the eve of the British assault on Bunker
Hill she and her brothers plot to influence the outcome of that pivotal battle.
"The Schoolmaster's Daughter" is the story of a family torn asunder by political strife and a
determined young woman who makes courageous sacrifices for the patriot cause at the outbreak
of the American Revolution.
Critique: A deftly scripted saga of a novel by an author with a genuine flair for a thoroughly
reader engaging narrative storytelling style, "The Schoolmaster's Daughter" is an extraordinary
novel against the backdrop of the American Revolution. One of those novels that will linger in
the mind and memory of the reader long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon
the shelf, this paperback edition of "The Schoolmaster's Daughter" is unreservedly recommended
for both community and academic library Historical Fiction collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "The Schoolmaster's Daughter" is also now available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $9.99).
Blackpool Lass
Maggie Mason
Magna Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9780750547314, $35.50, HC, Large Print, 438pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Blackpool, England, 1932. When Grace's Ma passes away and her Da's ship sinks with
all hands, Grace is utterly alone in the world. She's sent to an orphanage in Blackpool, but the
master has an eye for a pretty young lass. Grace won't be his victim, so she runs, destitute, into
the night.
In Blackpool, she finds a home with the kindly Sheila and Peggy -- and meets a lovely airman.
But it's 1938, and war is on the horizon. Will Grace ever find the happiness and home she
deserves?
Critique: This large print edition of Maggie Mason's "Blackpool Lass" is an inherently
compelling page turner of a read by an author with a natural flair for originality and deftly
scripted narrative storytelling. Certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to
community library General Fiction collections, "Blackpool Lass" is highly and unreservedly
recommended.
The Lines
Anthony Varallo
www.anthonyvarallo.com
University of Iowa Press
119 West Park Road, Iowa City, IA 52242-1000
www.uiowapress.org
9781609386658, $17.00, PB, 230pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Set in the summer of 1979, when America was running out of gas, "The Lines" is a
novel by Anthony Varallo that tells the story of a family of four (the mother, the father, the girl,
and the boy) in the first months of a marital separation.
Through alternating perspectives, we follow the family as they explore new territory, new living
arrangements, and new complications. The mother returns to school. The father moves into an
apartment. The girl squares off with her mother, while the boy struggles to make sense of the
world.
Although a work of fiction, "The Lines' deftly explores the way we are all tied to one another,
and how all experience offers the possibility of love and connection as much as loss and
change.
Critique: An erudite, insightful, multilayered and compelling novel from first page to last, "The
Lines" is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and
academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: The author, Anthony Varallo has to his impressive literary credits four short story
collections: Everyone Was There, winner of the Elixir Press Fiction Award; This Day in History,
winner of the John Simmons Short Fiction Award; Out Loud, winner of the Drue Heinz
Literature Prize; and Think of Me and I'll Know. Currently he is a professor of English at the
College of Charleston, where he is also the fiction editor of Crazyhorse. He maintains a website
at www.anthonyvarallo.com.
The Dragon Lady
Louisa Treger
Bloomsbury Caravel
c/o Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781448217267, $26.00, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Opening with the shooting of Lady Virginia 'Ginie' Courtauld in her tranquil garden in
1950s Rhodesia, "The Dragon Lady" by Louisa Treger tells Ginie's extraordinary story, so called
for the exotic tattoo snaking up her leg. From the glamorous Italian Riviera before the Great War
to the Art Deco glory of Eltham Palace in the thirties, and from the secluded Scottish Highlands
to segregated Rhodesia in the fifties, the narrative spans enormous cultural and social change.
Lady Virginia Courtauld was a boundary-breaking, colorful and unconventional person who
rejected the submissive role women were expected to play.
Ostracized by society for being a foreign divorcee at the time of Edward VIII and Mrs Simpson,
Ginie and her second husband,Stephen Courtauld, leave the confines of post-war Britain to forge
a new life in Rhodesia, only to find that being progressive liberals during segregation proves
mortally dangerous. Many people had reason to dislike Ginie, but who had reason enough to pull
the trigger?
Deeply evocative of time and place, "The Dragon Lady" subtly blends fact and fiction to paint the
portrait of an extraordinary woman in an era of great social and cultural change.
Critique: An inherently fascinating, compulsive page-turner of read from beginning to end, "The
Dragon Lady" showcases author Louisa Treger's genuine flair for a distinctive and reader
engaging narrative storytelling style. While especially and unreservedly recommended for
community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"The Dragon Lady" is also available in a paperback edition (9781448217458, $15.95) and in a
digital book format (Kindle, $10.49).
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
The Winter That Made Us
Kate Field
Thorpe / Charnwood Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444841206, $35.50, HC, 366pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: When Tess finds herself unexpectedly alone and back in Ribblemill, the childhood
village she thought she'd escaped, she's sure she can survive a temporary stay. Determined to
throw herself into village life, Tess starts a choir and gathers a team of volunteers to restore the
walled garden at Ramblings, the local stately home.
Everything could be perfect if she weren't sharing a cottage and a cat with a man whose manner
is pricklier than the nettles she's removing. As winter approaches, Tess finds herself putting
down her own roots as fast as she's pulling them up in the garden. But the ghosts of the past
hover close by, and Tess must face them if she's to discover whether home is where her heart has
been all along.
Critique: A wonderfully entertaining and absorbing read from cover to cover, this large print
edition of "The Winter That Made Us" by Kate Field is an extraordinary page turner of a novel
that will prove to be a welcome addition to any and all community library Contemporary
Romance Fiction collections.
The Western Fiction Shelf
Cry of a Cactus Wren
Donna M. Vesely
Five Star Publishing
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432852214, $25.95, HC, Library Binding, 295pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Local desert dwellers call Dominica "La Loca Santa", the holy crazy one, who lives
with a padre's ghost. Riding out of the broiling foothills, a gunman releases horrors that for the
past seven years were locked in a chamber of oblivion in Dominica's mind. She intuitively knows
he is linked to the secrets the mountain holds and has come to take her away. He does, into
Apacheria, where both their unexpected destinies lie ahead of them.
Critique, An original and deftly penned western novel by Donna M. Vesely, "Cry of a Cactus
Wren" is a riveting story of suspense, mystery, adventure, and romance that is deftly set against
the historical backdrop of territorial New Mexico, with story elements that lean on the
paranormal in the tradition of Hispanic Southwest and Native American legends. Very highly
recommended, especially for community library Western Fiction collections, it should be noted
for personal reading lists that "Cry of a Cactus Wren" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $7.99).
Rakeheart
Rusty Davis
Five Star Publishing
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432857318, $25.95, HC, 281pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Rakeheart, Wyoming is a western town with troubles that include murders, violence,
and deceit. Into its crosscurrents comes Kane, a troubleshooter sent west to learn why ex-army
officer Jared Wilkins was killed.
Kane encounters hostility at every turn. The rancher's widow emerges as his prime suspect even
as the townspeople who ask him to become sheriff make it clear they are playing a deceitful
game.
As Kane tries to impose law and order on a town that has its own purposes at heart, he struggles
to plumb the depths of Rachel Wilkins, who holds tightly to her own secrets. When the violence
erupts, he is left with no allies except Rachel as they wage one fiery battle for the future and the
soul of Rakeheart.
Critique: A simply riveting read from first page to last, "Rakeheart" by Rusty Davis is everything
a western fan looks for in a novel -- and that includes more unexpected plot twists and turns than
a Disney Land roller coaster. Certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to
community library Western Fiction collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of
all dedicated western buffs that "Rakeheart" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$7.99).
Editorial Note: Rusty Davis is a lifelong member of the worldwide Cowboy Nation, from the
days when westerns were shown on black-and-white TVs smaller than most computer screens.
Rusty is a free-lance writer who believes that the American West is the backdrop where the
age-old fights of individuals to stand tall and proud in defiance of the powerful bring the spheres
of history and fiction together. In his works, men and women fight for their freedom against
those who would use the rugged lands of the West as a place for enriching themselves at the
expense of others. To Rusty, Western fiction distills the essential elements of America -- men
and women against the land, the rugged against the mighty, and the endless struggle of flawed
men and women for a chance at redemption. The West has always been drama on a grand scale,
lived out by men and women who had the strength to make the West great, the courage to risk
everything when it was time to stand tall, and the tenacity to keep going, even when the price of
being a man was going out with a gun to stand in a wind-blown street.
Long Shadows
Clyde Barker
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444830743, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: For many years, Colonel Robert Farrance has lived a respectable life. Nobody knows
that his present prosperity is founded upon his earlier life as a ruthless and determined bandit
who gang called him Long Bob.
Then Ikey Wilson, a figure from his desperado past, arrives in town asking Farrance to assist him
in securing his lost proceeds from a long-ago train robbery from another old gang member --
Andrew Crawley.
The colonel acquiesces. But triumph looks to turn to tragedy when Farrance stands to lose all that
he holds most precious!
Critique: With a plot that would make a blockbuster western of a movie, "Long Shadows" is a
deftly crafted and compulsive page-turner of a read that is especially and unreservedly
recommended for the personal reading lists of dedicated western fiction fans -- and certain, in
this large print edition, to be an enduringly popular addition to community library
collections.
Outlaw's Empire
Ray Hogan
Sagebrush Large Print Westerns
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781785416835, $29.99, PB, Large Print, 198pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Riley Tabor is an out of work cowboy who gets mixed up with a womanizing stranger
who is getting set upon by three men. The result is Riley and his new acquaintance, Adam Hale,
must take off in Hale's wagon. When Adam dies in an accident of his own making, Riley inherits
a buggy, a team of horses, and (much to his astonishment) a trunk of money. But heading west on
the wagon trail, he discovers that his problems are just beginning!
Critique: An unusual and fully entertaining read, "Outlaw's Empire" is really three
interconnecting stories, each with its own series of surprising twists and turns which ultimate
leave to a surprising, unexpected conclusion. This large print edition of western author Ray
Hogan's new and singularly outstanding novel, "Outlaw's Empire" is an especially recommended
addition to personal reading lists and community library collections.
The Angry Land
Samuel A. Peeples
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444840445, $20.99, PB, 360pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The legend of Billy Bascom is born the day they plant the cross that reads: 'Here lie
Ben Ober and Jim Boone, hanged for cattle rustling, May 14, 1880'. There should be a third name
on that board: that of Billy Bascom. But the kid is rescued from Jason Ryan's lynch party just in
time by a British gentleman turned cattleman. The thirst to avenge the death of his friends, and
the murder of his savior, has changed Billy into New Mexico's most ruthless gunslinger. And no
man is going to be his undoing.
Critique: Clearly based on the Lincoln County War that brought Americans one of the first
legendary 'anti-heroes' in the form of Billy the Kid, "The Angry Land" by Samuel A. Peeples is a
fully entertaining read with a few original twists and turns that fully reinvigorate one of the
world's best known western sagas. This large print edition from the Linford Western Library
collection is enthusiastically recommended for personal reading lists of western novel fans and
community library collections alike!
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Blade of the Samurai
Susan Spann
Seventh Street Books
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633885462, $15.95, PB, 264pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: June, 1565: Master ninja Hiro Hattori receives a pre-dawn visit from Kazu, a fellow
shinobi working undercover at the shogunate. Hours before, the shogun's cousin, Saburo, was
stabbed to death in the shogun's palace. The murder weapon: Kazu's personal dagger. Kazu says
he's innocent, and begs for Hiro's help, but his story gives Hiro reason to doubt the young
shinobi's claims.
When the shogun summons Hiro and Father Mateo, the Portuguese Jesuit priest under Hiro's
protection, to find the killer, Hiro finds himself forced to choose between friendship and personal
honor. The investigation reveals a plot to assassinate the shogun and overthrow the ruling
Ashikaga clan.
With Lord Oda's enemy forces approaching Kyoto, and the murderer poised to strike again, Hiro
must use his assassin's skills to reveal the killer's identity and protect the shogun at any cost.
Kazu, now trapped in the city, still refuses to explain his whereabouts at the time of the
murder.
But a suspicious shogunate maid, Saburo's wife, and the shogun's stable master also had reasons
to want Saburo dead. With the shogun demanding the murderer's head before Lord Oda reaches
the city, Hiro and Father Mateo must produce the killer in time -- or die in his place!
Critique: Another impressively well crafted and attention riveting murder mystery in the time of
the Japanese shogunate, "Blade of the Samurai" is a part of author Susan Spann's simply
outstanding Shinobi Mystery series that deftly blends historical details of Japanese society with
the unexpected plot twists and turns of an elegantly presented mystery. While unreservedly
recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the
personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that "Blade of the Samurai" is also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Pride, Prejudice and Poison
Elizabeth Blake
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683315742 $26.99 hc / $12.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: In this Austen-tatious debut, antiquarian bookstore proprietor Erin Coleridge uses her
sense and sensibility to deduce who killed the president of the local Jane Austen Society.
Erin Coleridge's used bookstore in Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, England is a meeting place
for the villagers and, in particular, for the local Jane Austen Society. At the Society's monthly
meeting, matters come to a head between the old guard and its young turks. After the meeting
breaks for tea, persuasion gives way to murder - with extreme prejudice - when president Sylvia
Pemberthy falls dead to the floor. Poisoned? Presumably...but by whom? And was Sylvia the
only target?
Handsome - but shy - Detective Inspector Peter Hadley and charismatic Sergeant Rashid Jarral
arrive at the scene. The long suspect list includes Sylvia's lover Kurt Becker and his tightly
wound wife Suzanne. Or, perhaps, the killer was Sylvia's own cuckolded husband, Jerome.
Among the many Society members who may have had her in their sights is dashing Jonathan
Alder, who was heard having a royal battle of words with the late president the night before.
Then, when Jonathan Alder narrowly avoids becoming the next victim, Farnsworth (the town's
"cat lady") persuades a seriously time-crunched Erin to help DI Hadley. But the killer is more
devious than anyone imagines.
Critique: Award-winning author Elizabeth Blake presents Pride, Prejudice and Poison, a cozy
literary mystery about the machinations lurking beneath the facade of a literary society whose
president is abruptly murdered. Wickedly devious intrigue marks the work of a killer who uses
poison as their weapon of choice - can they be identified before they kill again? A cozy mystery
embellished with references to Jane Austen's beloved classics, Pride, Prejudice and Poison is
highly recommended for mystery connoisseurs and public library collections. It should be noted
for personal reading lists that Pride, Prejudice and Poison is also available in a Kindle edition
($12.99).
And Then They Were Doomed
Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781643850009 $26.99 hc / $10.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: Zoe Zola is one of ten invitees to an Agatha Christie symposium. Tempers flare...and
then there are nine. Can Jenny Weston save Zoe from murder on the Upper Peninsula?
Little Person author Zoe Zola believes that one of the unluckiest things in life is to receive an
invitation - in the form of a letter edged in black - to an Agatha Christie symposium at an old
Upper Peninsula hunting lodge. Her reluctance dissipates when she learns that the organizer is
named Emily Brent - the name of a character poisoned by cyanide in Christie's And Then There
Were None.
As a dreary rain soaks the U.P., Zoe and nine other Christie scholars - each of whom bears a
vague resemblance to one of the classic mystery novel's characters - arrive at the lodge. At the
opening night dinner, arguments flare over the experts' discordant theories about Christie. Next
morning, the guests find one particularly odious man has gone - whereabouts and reasons
unknown. Such a coincidental resemblance to a work of fiction is surely impossible; therefore, it
appears to be possible.
As the guests disappear, one by one, Zoe resolves to beat a hasty retreat - but her car won't start.
She calls her friend, amateur sleuth/little librarian Jenny Weston, but Jenny will have to wait out
a storm off Lake Superior before she can come to the rescue. If Zoe's to stay alive to greet Jenny
when she eventually arrives, she'll have to draw on everything she knows about Agatha Christie's
devilish plots in Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli's fourth tantalizing Little Library mystery.
Critique: Inspired by Agatha Christie's classic murder mystery "And Then There Were None",
And Then They Were Doomed unfolds in eerie parallel to the original, as the attendees to an
Agatha Christie symposium find themselves unable to leave - and easy targets. Zoe Zola must
distill her own knowledge of Christie's classic if she is to have a prayer of surviving, let alone
identifying the killer! A deliriously twisted and dramatic tale of suspense, And Then They Were
Doomed is enthusiastically recommended to connoisseurs of the genre, and especially of
Christie's timeless thrillers. It should be noted for personal reading lists that And Then They
Were Doomed is also available in a Kindle edition ($10.99).
The Art Shelf
The Art of Mesoamerica, sixth edition
Mary Ellen Miller
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500204504, $26.95, PB, 288pp
https://www.thamesandhudsonusa.com/books/the-art-of-mesoamerica-from-olmec-to-aztec-softc
over-6th-edition
Synopsis: Now in a newly expanded and revised sixth edition, "The Art of Mesoamerica: From
Olmec to Aztec" by Mary Ellen Miller (who is the Sterling Professor of the History of Art at
Yale University and in 2019 has become director of the Getty Research Institute) surveys the
artistic achievements of the high pre-Hispanic civilizations of Central America (Olmec, Maya,
Teotihuacan, Toltec, and Aztec) as well as those of their lesser-known contemporaries.
Providing an in-depth examination of central works, Professor Miller guides readers through the
most iconic palaces, pyramids, sculptures, and paintings. From the Olmec colossal head 5
recovered from San Lorenzo to the Aztec calendar stone found in Mexico City's Zocalo in 1790,
this book reveals the complexity and innovation behind the art and architecture produced in
pre-Hispanic civilizations.
This new sixth edition of "The Art of Mesoamerica: From Olmec to Aztec" deftly incorporates
fifty new lavish color images and extensive updates based on the latest research and dozens of
recent discoveries, particularly in Maya art, where excavations at Teotihuacan, the largest city of
Mesoamerica, and Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztecs, have yielded new sculptures.
Critique: A sterling work of meticulous scholarship, profusely and beautifully illustrated
throughout, exceptionally and impressively informative, deftly organized and presented, this new
sixth edition of "The Art of Mesoamerica: From Olmec to Aztec" is an absolute 'must' for
personal, professional, community, college, and university library Mesoamerica Art History
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
The Life and Art of Joseph Henry Sharp
Peter H. Hassrick, editor
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
c/o University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
www.oupress.com
9780931618727, $25.00, PB, 164pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The Buffalo Bill Center of the West is a fount of major collections of art from some of
the most renowned painters and sculptors of the American West. Holdings of artworks by titans
such as Frederic Remington and Charles Russell number in the hundreds. The painter Joseph
Henry Sharp (September 27, 1859 - August 29, 1953), while claiming less space on the walls of
the Center's Whitney Western Art Museum, is represented by a substantial number of works that
reveal his joy and devotion to the West and to its indigenous people. The Center also owns a set
of Sharp's papers, an extensive archive gifted by the artist's primary chronicler, Forrest Fenn of
Santa Fe. Fenn also donated Sharp's Montana cabin, the "Absarokee Hut," to the Center, thus
collectively making the museum a focal point for Sharp studies.
Compiled and edited by Peter H. Hassrick, "The Life and Art of Joseph Henry Sharp" marks a
fresh inspection of who Sharp was, how and where he was trained as a painter, why he selected
the nation's western Native population as a primary subject, what impact his imagery had on
audiences across the continent, and how his production as a painter of what he referred to as the
"real Americans" differed from that of his contemporary peers.
Beyond the pages of "The Life and Art of Joseph Henry Sharp", and in conjunction with its
findings and insights about Sharp, the Center has produced an online catalogue of some 700
examples of the artist's paintings held in public collections. The repositories of these works span
the country from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles with an obvious wellspring held by
institutions in the West and Midwest. Readers who avail themselves of this volume's additional,
electronic chapter will be rewarded with a vast and compelling compendium of Sharp's treasured
paintings from over fifty museums, foundations, and libraries around the country.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "The Life and Art of Joseph Henry
Sharp" is an impressive compendium of erudite, insightful, and informative contributions and
commentaries by experts on this influential western painter and his chosen subject matter.
Expertly organized and presented, "The Life and Art of Joseph Henry Sharp" is unreservedly
recommended for personal, community, and academic library American Art History collections
in general, and Joseph Henry Sharp supplemental studies lists in particular.
Hyman Bloom: Matters of Life and Death
Erica Hirshler, author
Naomi Slipp, author
Hyman Bloom, artist
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Avenue of the Arts
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
www.mfa-publications.org
9780878468614, $40.00, HC, 112pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Hyman Bloom (1913 - 2009) was born in Lithuania, now Latvia. He and his family
immigrated to the United States in 1920, escaping anti-Semitic persecution. He lived and worked
in the Boston area until his death. His work is held in many public collections, including the
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Bloom was a contemporary of Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock and Arshile Gorky. With
informative commentaries by Erica Hirshler and Naomi Slipps, "Hyman Bloom: Matters of Life
and Death" is a new study that focuses on Bloom's paintings and drawings of human corpses,
anatomical studies and archeological excavations from the 1940s and 1950s. He often returned to
these subjects throughout his career, using thickly applied paint in rich colors as he aspired to
present both the physical and the spiritual on canvas.
Insightful curatorial essays accompanied by beautiful full-color reproductions deftly explore this
difficult but compelling work, considering themes such as the life, death and rebirth of Bloom's
artistic reputation; the growing divide between figuration and abstraction at this defining moment
of American art; earlier artistic traditions of representing mortality; the relationship between
these works and Bloom's Judaism, interest in Eastern religions, and belief in reincarnation; and
the artist's desire to find beauty and meaning within death and decay. In these drawings and
paintings, as Bloom himself asserted, "the paradox of the harrowing and the beautiful [can] be
brought into unity."
Critique: A seminal study of the late Hyman Bloom's artistic work, "Hyman Bloom: Matters of
Life and Death" is an extraordinarily informative contribution to a major artistic talent and is
unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, college and university library 20th
Century Art History collections in general, and Hyman Bloom supplemental studies lists in
particular.
Drawing the Head for Artists
Oliver Sin
Quarry
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781631596926, $26.99, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Oliver Sin graduated from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco with a
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration. He began his career as a computer games concept artist,
including stints at LucasArts and 3DO, and has been teaching for the Academy's School of 2D
Animation and the School of Fine Art since 2001. His award-winning portrait art has been
recognized by the Portrait Society of America, and featured on ArtistsNetwork.com, in the
journal The Art of the Portrait, and in International Artist and Southwest Art magazines.
In "Drawing the Head for Artists: Techniques for Mastering Expressive Portraiture", Sin presents
a richly informative and beautifully illustrated instructional volume leads aspiring artists through
a step-by-step introduction to his method of creating portraits from establishing a point of view to
applying the timeless principles for creating an accurate and expressive likeness.
"Drawing the Head for Artists" also covers: Essential Materials & Techniques: Learn about
necessary supplies and basic drawing techniques, including hatching, various stroke styles, and
blending; Applying the Essentials: Explore how the concepts of sight-sizing, value, negative
space/shapes, and plane changes factor into a portrait's underlying structure; Techniques for
Creating Depth & Dimension: Investigate how contrasting shapes, overlapping forms, and linear
and atmospheric perspective are used to enhance depth; Creating the Illusion of Three
Dimensions: Examining how edges (contours as well as changes in value) are used to convey
three-dimensional form.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, "Drawing the Head for Artists" is the perfect
instructional guide for beginning artists and is unreservedly recommended for personal,
community, art school, and academic library collections.
The Art of Drawing People
Debra Kauffman Yaun, et al.
Walter Foster
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781633227958, $19.99, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: With step-by-step instruction from a variety of artists, "The Art of Drawing People:
Simple Techniques for Drawing Figures, Portraits and Poses" provides plenty of helpful tips on
choosing the right tools and materials, fundamental drawing techniques, developing value and
shading, and setting up an effective composition, as well as important information about the
influences of anatomy, bone structure, and musculature. Detailed examples of facial features,
hands, and feet will help guide you through the most challenging aspects of drawing people.
Whether drawing from life or from photographs, "The Art of Drawing People" is comprehensive
drawing guide and the perfect instructional guide for beginning artists. Aspiring artists can follow
along, step by step, as professional artists reveal their drawing secrets. With practice, anyone can
soon be able to produce amazing likenesses.
Critique: The quintessential instruction manual and specifically designed for the novice or
beginning artist, "The Art of Drawing People: Simple Techniques for Drawing Figures, Portraits
and Poses" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, making it an ideal
addition to personal, community, and art school curriculum collections.
The Library Science Shelf
Trusting Records and Data in the Cloud
Luciana Duranti & Corinne Rogers, editors
Facet Publishing
www.facetpublishing.co.uk
9781783304035, $163.30, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Trusting Records and Data in the Cloud" by the team of Luciana Duranti (Professor of
Archival Theory, Diplomatics, and the Management of Digital Records in the Master's and
Doctoral Archival Programs of the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies of the
University of British Columbia) and Corinne Rogers (Project Coordinator for InterPARES Trust
(2013-2019) and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Library, Archival and Information
Studies (the iSchool) at the University of British Columbia, and a Systems Archivist with
Artefactual Systems presents up-to-date research and offers concrete guidelines for records
professionals concerned with challenges to records in the online environment including privacy,
accessibility, portability, metadata and ownership.
"Trusting Records in the Cloud" presents the key findings of the InterPARES Trust project,
which has investigated issues of trust in and trustworthiness of records in the cloud environment.
The project generated theoretical and methodological frameworks to develop local, national and
international policies, procedures, regulations, standards and legislation, in order to ensure public
trust grounded on evidence of good governance, a strong digital economy, and a persistent digital
memory.
"Trusting Records in the Cloud" includes: The risks and remedies to the contracts the general
public must enter into with social media and other service providers; Implementing retention and
disposition schedules in the cloud; Understanding the role of metadata in cloud services for chain
of custody; Rethinking issues of appraisal, arrangement and description; New practices with
respect to preservation including a model for preservation as a series of services that may be
implemented by a single trusted digital repository or by a variety of preservation actors;
Information governance, risk management, and authentication practices and technologies.
"Trusting Records in the Cloud" is essential reading for records managers, archivists, information
professionals and organizations who are using or intend to use the cloud for creation,
management and preservation of their information. It will also be useful reading for students of
records management, archival studies and information management, educators in those
disciplines, individuals working in academic, government and the private sector and members of
the public at large who are concerned about their privacy and rights with respect to personal
information in the cloud.
Critique: Comprehensive in scope and expertly organized in presentation, "Trusting Records in
the Cloud" is the ideal textbook for teaching archivists and records managers students and
therefore an unreservedly recommended addition to college and university Contemporary Library
Science instructional reference collections. For library staff in-service training programs it should
be noted that "Trusting Records in the Cloud" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781783304028, $94.99).
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Dental Anatomy and Morphology
Hilton Riquieri
Quintessence Publishing
www.quintpub.com
9780867157703, $172.00, HC, 332pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Dental Anatomy and Morphology" by Hilton Riquieri (Master Ceramist and Director,
Science and Technology Institute, Sao Paulo State University, Sao Paulo, Brazil), "Dental
Anatomy and Morphology" is a beautiful illustrated atlas that conveys not only the practical
knowledge of dental anatomy but also the art of sculpting it in wax.
The ideal anatomy of each dental structure is described in detail and the waxing techniques are
beautifully illustrated step by step for visual reference. Master Ceramist Riquieri ably
demonstrates that for every morphologic feature there is an explanation in nature, assigning
significance to every minute feature of dental morphology.
Organized by tooth and arch, "Dental Anatomy and Morphology" views morphology through a
clinical lens and repeatedly draws connections between anatomical features and clinical concepts.
The fundamental knowledge presented in this text is essential for improving waxing and
sculpting techniques and will be useful for students and specialists alike.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout with the photography of Dental Technician and
instructor Rodrigo Yamada Riquieri, "Dental Anatomy and Morphology" is exceptionally well
written, organized and presented, making it an ideal textbook for Dental Science curriculums and
supplemental studies reading lists, as well as dental school, college, and university library
collections instructional reference collections.
The Audiobook Shelf
Always On
Arve Peder Overland
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
Gildan Media, LLC: B07G5FHP4B
9781980043836, $TBA, CD, www.recordedbooks.com
Synopsis: In "Always On: Digital Brand Strategy in a Big Data World", Arve Peder Overland
answers such fundamental corporate questions as: From where do powerful strategies come?
How do some companies develop strategies that enable them to outperform others regardless of
the state of their industry or the economic climate? How does a company get the essentials to
work in regard to the company's strategies, such as leadership buy-in and follow-through on
implementations and performance management, without being slow, rigid, and check-box
focused?
Companies have different needs and live in vastly different environments. The internal structure
of an organization and the market in which it competes is not going to adapt to a digital strategy
process; it must find a process and methodology that works best for it. With big data emerging as
a standard framework for decision-making, digital strategy and governance have taken on
increased importance. It's a given in today's online marketplace that you are perceived as being
always on. It is the responsibility of all corporate executives and managers to make certain that
their governance programs for their systems and platforms keep it that way.
Critique: Exceptionally informative, expertly organized and presented, this ably narrated
complete and unabridged audio book edition of Arve Peder Overland's "Always On: Digital
Brand Strategy in a Big Data World" is a 'real world practical' compendium of commentary,
insights, advice, strategies and techniques that should be a part of every professional, corporate,
college, and university library Business Management collection and supplemental studies list.
(CA0618, 5 Disks, 6 Hours).
Editorial Note: Arve Peder Overland has been at the forefront of digital marketing since the
mid-nineties. He has spent most of his career in the United States, where he led a digital agency,
working with some of the world's leading companies and brands. Before joining id.mngmnt, a
management consulting firm specializing in customer intelligence as a partner, Arve served as
Digital Practice Director for Hill+Knowlton Strategies Europe, a WPP company. At id.mngmnt,
Arve heads up the digital consulting practice, focusing on building result-oriented digital
strategies for clients and developing governance practices that reduce risk and monitor
performance.
American Messiahs
Adam Morris
HighBridge Audio Books
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
https://highbridgeaudio.com
9781684419012, $39.99, CD, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A history with sweeping implications, Adam Morris' "American Messiahs: False
Prophets of a Damned Nation" challenges our previous misconceptions about "cult" leaders and
their messianic power.
Mania surrounding messianic prophets has defined the national consciousness since the
American Revolution. From Civil War veteran and virulent anticapitalist Cyrus Teed, to the
dapper and overlooked civil rights pioneer Father Divine, to even the megalomaniacal Jim Jones,
these figures have routinely been dismissed as dangerous and hysterical outliers.
After years of studying these emblematic figures, Adam Morris demonstrates that messiahs are
not just a classic trope of our national culture; their visions are essential for understanding
American history. As Morris demonstrates, these charismatic, if flawed, would-be prophets
sought to expose and ameliorate deep social ills-such as income inequality, gender conformity,
and racial injustice.
Provocative and long overdue, this is the story of those who tried to point the way toward an
impossible "American Dream": men and women who momentarily captured the imagination of a
nation always searching for salvation.
Critique: A unique and seminal study of an American phenomenon, "American Messiahs: False
Prophets of a Damned Nation" is extraordinary and inherently fascinating throughout. This
complete, unabridged, and flawlessly recorded audio book edition of "American Messiahs" is an
extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic
library audio book collections. (10 CDs, 12.5 Hours)
Escape from Stalag Luft III
Jens Muller, author
Derek Perkins, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
https://tantor.com/new-releases.html
9781618033567, $42.99, CD, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: On the night of March 24, 1944, Bram Vanderstok was number eighteen of seventy-six
men who crawled beyond the barbed wire fence of Stalag Luft III in Zagan, Poland. The 1963
film The Great Escape, was largely based on this autobiography but (with Vanderstok's
agreement) the filmmakers chose to turn his story into an Australian character named
Sedgwick.
His memoir sets down his wartime adventures before being incarcerated in Stalag Luft III and
then in extraordinary detail describes various escape attempts which culminated with the famous
March breakout. After escaping, Vanderstok roamed Europe for weeks, passing through Leipzig,
Utrecht, Brussels, Paris, Dijon, and Madrid, before making it back to England.
He reported to the Air Ministry and two months after escaping returned to the British No. 91
Squadron. In the following months he flew almost every day to France escorting bombers and
knocking down V1 rockets. He was one of only 3 to make it to freedom. More than 50 others had
been executed by the Germans and the remaining 20 or so were returned to the POW camp from
which they had escaped.
Critique: Expertly narrated by Derek Perkins, "Escape from Stalag Luft III" is an extraordinary
story and an invaluable contribution to the growing body of World War II memoirs form a
generation that is now passing from the stage. Complete and unabridged, this Tantor Media
edition of "Escape from Stalag Luft III" is unreservedly recommended for personal, community,
and academic library World War II audio book collections. (4 CDs, 4 Hours)
Editorial Note: It should be noted that in August 1944 Jens Muller finally returned to his home
whereupon he learned that his two brothers had been killed in concentration camps after being
arrested for resistance work. His father had been tortured and blinded by the Gestapo during
interrogation -- but he had never betrayed his son.
The Library CD Shelf
No Boundaries
Dave Bass
Whaling City Sound
www.whalingcitysound.com
c/o Naxos of America (dist.)
www.naxosusa.com
$16.99 CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com
In the album No Boundaries, Dave Bass performs classic, beloved jazz songs on the piano, with a
wealth of support from fellow musicians: two-time Grammy winner Ted Nash on a variety of
instruments including flutes and saxophones; five-time Grammy nominee Karrin Allyson
performing vocals; two-time Grammy winner Carlos Henriquez on bass; Jerone Jennings on
drums; and more. No Boundaries is a vivacious album with a strong Latin influence, and a
superb contribution to personal and public library jazz piano collections. Highly recommended!
The tracks are "Lennie's Pennies", "Spy Movie End Credits", "Agenbite of Inwit", "If I Loved
You", "La Mulata Rumbera", "Tango Adagio", "Time of My Life", "Siboney", "Neither Have I
Wings", "Danzon #1", "Swing Theory", "In the Rain", and "Hallucinations". 72 min., 42 sec.
A Journey for Mankind
Tom Moore & Sherry Finzer
sherryfinzer.com
Heart Dance Records
www.heartdancerecords.com
$12.99 CD / $10.00 digital bandcamp.com
A Journey for Mankind is a new age album inspired by the historic 1969 mission to land a man
on the moon. Profound and beautiful, A Journey for Mankind inspires the listener to relax,
expand their senses, and reach out to unlimited possibilities. Highly recommended, especially for
personal and public library music collections. The tracks are "Dawn at the Coast", "Trans-lunar",
"A Song for Distant Earth", "Shadow of the Moon", "Blue Pearl in a Black Sky", "Tranquility
Base Here", "Magnificent Solitude", "Trans-earth", and "Night Sky in Wonder". 43 min., 51
sec.
The Library DVD Shelf
Invisible Hands
A film by Shraysi Tandon
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
www.firstrunfeatures.com
$24.95 amazon.com
Shining a light on horrific injustice, Invisible Hands is a feature-length documentary about child
labor and trafficking in the supply chains of global mega-corporations. Filmed in India, China,
Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Ghana, Invisible Hands is about children as young as 6 years old
laboring to make everyday products. Invisible Hands is a call to action about the need to
eradicate child labor, and to end the hypocrisy of executives who claim they are innocent of the
crimes that their contractors commit. Invisible Hands is a "must-have" for public and college
library DVD collections, highly recommended. 75 min.
Coffee From Seed to Cup / Cafe Desde la Semilla a la Taza
Bennet Watt HD Productions, Inc.
www.Bennett-Watt.com
9781604902976 $24.95
Coffee From Seed to Cup / Cafe Desde la Semilla a la Taza is a bilingual English/Spanish DVD
documentary and part of the "Discoveries Costa Rica" series. Beautiful footage reveals how
coffee beans are grown, picked, and processed into world-class quality coffee. Here are true
stories of farmers who sell to beneficios (processing plants), micro-mill business model farmers
who bear responsibility for all phases of coffee production, to a coffee research facility created by
Starbucks and much more. Educational, fascinating, and a special treat for anyone who delights
in savoring high-quality coffee, Coffee From Seed to Cup is a welcome contribution to public
library DVD collections. Highly recommended! 57 min.
The Cookbook Shelf
The Way of Eating
Yuan Mei, author
Sean J. S. Chen, translator
Berkshire Publishing Group
122 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230
www.berkshirepublishing.com
9781614728283, $39.95, HC, 250pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A treatise and a cookbook, written in the late eighteenth century by the Qing dynasty
poet Yuan Mei, "The Way of Eating: Yuan Mei's Manual of Gastronomy" is, remarkably, the
first English edition of one of the world's most famous books about food.
Ably translated into English and deftly annotated by Sean J. S. Chen, "The Way of Eating"
includes recipes for well-known dishes such as birds nest and sharks fin, and offers modern
readers an appealing perspective on Chinese history and culinary culture.
Although the text of this edition of "The Way of Eating" is in English it still includes Chinese
characters and vocabulary. The aim was to convey the charm, humor, and erudition of one of
China's greatest writers. Also included are a glossary and a bibliography of additional
sources.
Critique: A unique and inherently fascinating read, as well as a significant and critically
important contribution to culinary history, "The Way of Eating: Yuan Mei's Manual of
Gastronomy" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal,
community, and academic library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that
"The Way of Eating: Yuan Mei's Manual of Gastronomy" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781614728276, $29.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).
Dinner Just for Two
Christina Lane
The Countryman Press
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.countrymanpress.com
9781682680094, $35.00, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Sharing a meal is something most couples love to do; meal-planning programs such as
Blue Apron have made it easy and fun to prepare dinner together, too. But home cooks who
enjoy homemade food at a reasonable cost really only need a great cookbook, with a friendly
voice and delicious recipes, designed to be made and eaten by two. "Dinner Just for Two" by
food blogger Christina Lane is just that.
From simple meals to celebratory dinners, comfort food to healthy but hearty options, "Dinner
Just for Two" features 100 dishes ranging from Bourbon- Glazed Turkey Burgers; Creamy Baked
Spaghetti for Two; Pear Pecorino Pasta; and Sheet Pan Summer Salmon; to Cheddar Garlic
Biscuits; Barbecue Chicken Cornbread Casserole; Green Chile Mac & Cheese; and Chocolate
Fondue for Two.
Critique: This elegant compendium of thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes is profusely and
beautifully illustrated throughout with more than 100 full color photographs. Enjoyable to
browse through and inspiring to plan menus with, "Dinner Just for Two" is an extraordinary and
unreservedly recommended for personal, family, and community library Contemporary Cook
Collections. It should be noted that "Dinner Just for Two" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $16.05).
Cooking with Miss Quad
Quad Webb
The Countryman Press
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.countrymanpress.com
9781682683804 $29.95 hc / $14.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: Quad Webb stars on Bravo's Married to Medicine and is a talk show host on the
ground-breaking Sister Circle, where her quick wit and fun-loving personality captivate
audiences. She posts her #CookingWithQuad tutorials on Instagram @absolutelyquad.
Cooking is a pleasure and a respite for Quad Webb; it's an expression of love she wants to share
with all her fans and has created "Cooking with Miss Quad: Live, Laugh, Love and Eat" for just
that purpose.
Quad learned to cook from her mother, growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, so she's been
cooking her entire life and insists that she's made every mistake possible behind a stove. In this
culinary compendium she encourages even complete beginners to give cooking a try with
delicious, updated southern classics ranging from Jalapeno Cheese Hushpuppies; Cajun Deviled
Eggs; Peach, Fig, and Arugula Salad; and Cornmeal-Dusted Catfish; to Memphis Dry Rub Ribs;
Basil Pesto Chicken; Sun-Dried Tomato Cornish Hen; and Cabernet Sangria.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated throughout with more than 100 full colored photographs,
"Cooking with Miss Quad: Live, Laugh, Love and Eat" is a very special and recommended
addition to personal, professional, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should
be noted that "Cooking with Miss Quad" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$14.99).
The Technology Shelf
Holography: Principles and Applications
Raymond K. Kostuk
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781439855836, $169.95, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A hologram is an image that appears to be three dimensional and which can be seen
with the naked eye. Holography is the science and practice of making holograms.
(Wikipedia)
"Holography: Principles and Applications" by Raymond K. Kostuk (Professor of Electrical and
Computer Engineering at the College of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona) provides
a comprehensive overview of the theory, practical considerations, and applications of
holography.
Professor Kostuk has spent his career working on different aspects of this subject, and in this
book, conveys the foundation for others to use holography and holographic concepts in a variety
of important applications. Special emphasis is placed on the analysis of the imaging and
diffraction efficiency properties of holographic optical elements that are finding increasing use in
medical imaging, solar conversion systems, and augmented reality eyewear.
A comprehensive overview of holographic materials is also given as this area is critical for
implementing successful holographic designs. The important areas of digital and computer
generated holography are also presented to give the reader an understanding of these topics.
Professor Kostuk explains each subject in a manner that he has found effective in teaching
holography for over thirty years.
"Holography: Principles and Applications" is especially suitable for researchers and as a textbook
for graduate students in optics, physics, and engineering. As an aid to instructors and students,
the book includes exercise problems and a set of laboratory experiments to enhance
understanding. Methods for preparing and handling holographic materials is also provided to
help individuals develop experimental capability in holography. In addition, over 450 current and
foundational references are provided to help the researcher probe further into this interesting and
useful subject.
Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "Holography: Principles and Applications"
is the ideal curriculum textbook for Holography curriculums and reservedly recommended for
corporate, college, and university library Holography collections and supplemental studies lists. It
should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "Holography: Principles and Applications" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $54.95).
The Photography Shelf
Fragile
Pedro Jarque Krebs
teNeues Publishing
350 Seventh Avenue, Suite 301, New York, NY, 10011
https://books-teneues.com
9783961712229, $65.00, HC, 220pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: There are few things more fascinating than the diversity of the animal kingdom--and
it's a wonder under immense threat. The latest figures estimate that 60 percent of all animal
populations on our planet have been wiped out in the last 50 years.
Pedro Jarque Krebs is a multi-award-winning wildlife photographer who in "Fragile" focuses his
lens on this fragile natural world to draw attention to its precarious situation. His full page, full
color photographs aim to break down the psychological and emotional barriers that separate us
from our fellow creatures, capturing every animal (whether a bird, a reptile, or a big cat) in an
atmosphere of breathtaking intimacy.
Beautiful and humbling, his images give the animals their full and due dignity. They remind us
that we are not the center of the universe, and that our most important project is to protect the
intricate ecosystem of which we are just a small, constituent part.
Critique: Especially appropriate as a Memorial Fund acquisition for community and academic
libraries, "Fragile" is a simply gorgeous coffee table style photography book that will be
especially appreciated by environmentalist and endangered animal preservation activists.
Body: The Photography Book
Nathalie Herschdorfer
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500021583, $65.00, HC, 432pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In a world of selfies and body shaming, photoshopping and gender fluidity, body
image has never been more at the forefront of popular cultural dialogue. Body is a definitive,
democratic statement at a time when our fixation with images of the human form is greater than
ever before.
Nathalie Herschdorfer is a curator and art historian specializing in the history of photography.
She is the director of the Museum of Fine Arts in Le Locle, Switzerland.
In "Body: The Photography Book" Herschdorfer brings together over three hundred and fifty
images created predominantly in the twenty-first century that explore our relationship with the
body.
This photographic compendium showcases work from major names in art photography, including
Bettina Rheims, Lauren Greenfield, Cindy Sherman, Viviane Sassen, and Sally Mann, alongside
others whose fashion work has shaped our view of the human form, such as Solve Sundsbo and
Daniel Sannwald. Interwoven with these major works are images that explore the numerous other
ways in which we have represented the body, and the ways in which imaging of the body has
been used, shared, and changed over the last quarter-century.
Capturing the complex and often paradoxical relationship we have with our bodies (from fantasy
to reality and curiosity to obsession) "Body: The Photography Book" is a timely homage to, and
introspection of, the human form as it sits in our current culture.
Critique: Profusely enhanced with 360 color illustrations, and highly recommended for personal
and professional photography collections, "Body: The Photography Book" is an extraordinary
and seminal work that every serious and dedicated photographer of the human form should give a
close and detailed study. They will be learning by example by the very best. Highly
recommended (especially as a Memorial Fund Acquisition selection), "Body: The Photography
Book is especially recommended for community, college, and university library Contemporary
Photography procurement.
The Literary Studies Shelf
The Global Wordsworth
Katherine Bergren
Bucknell University Press
Bucknell University
1 Dent Drive, Lewisburg, PA 17837
www.bucknell.edu/UniversityPress.xml
9781684480135, $99.95, HC, 226pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In "The Global Wordsworth: Romanticism Out of Place", Katherine Bergren (who is
an Assistant Professor of English at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut) charts the travels
of William Wordsworth's poetry around the English-speaking world. But, as Professor Bergren
shows, Wordsworth's afterlives reveal more than his influence on other writers; his appearances
in novels and essays from the antebellum U.S. to post-Apartheid South Africa change how we
understand a poet we think we know.
Professor Bergren deftly analyzes writers like Jamaica Kincaid, J. M. Coetzee, and Lydia Maria
Child who plant Wordsworth in their own writing and bring him to life in places and times far
from his own -- and then record what happens. By working beyond narratives of British
influence, Professor Bergren highlights a more complex dynamic of international response, in
which later writers engage Wordsworth in conversations about slavery and gardening, education
and daffodils, landscapes and national belonging.
His global reception (critical, appreciative, and ambivalent) inspires us to see that Wordsworth
was concerned not just with local, English landscapes and people, but also with their changing
place in a rapidly globalizing world. This erudite study demonstrates that Wordsworth is not
tangential but rather crucial to our understanding of Global Romanticism.
Critique: A model of academic excellent, this literary study of William Wordsworth upon various
cultures around the world is an extraordinarily informative and thought-provoking read.
Enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a two page listing of Acknowledgments, a fourteen
page Bibliography, and a six page Index, "The Global Wordsworth: Romanticism Out of Place "
is unreservedly recommended for college and university library collections. It should be noted for
the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "The Global Wordsworth" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781684480128, $34.95).
The Genealogy Shelf
Tracing Your Ancestors Using DNA
Graham S. Holton, editor
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781526733092, $24.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: DNA research is one of the most important and rapidly advancing areas in modern
science and the practical use of DNA testing in genealogy is one of its most exciting
applications.
Compiled and edited by Graham S. Holton (who is Principal Tutor in the University of
Strathclyde's Postgraduate Programme in Genealogical Studies), "Tracing Your Ancestors Using
DNA: A Guide for Family Historians" is the first publication in the field of genealogy offers a
clear and practical introduction into the subject of using DNA as a genealogical research tool, as
well as explaining the scientific discoveries and techniques and illustrating with case studies how
it can be used by genealogists to gain an insight into their ancestry.
The subject is complex and perhaps difficult for traditional genealogists to understand but, with
the aid of this book, novices who are keen to take advantage of it will be able to interpret test
results and use them to help answer genealogical questions which cannot be answered by
documentary evidence alone. "Tracing Your Ancestors Using DNA" will also appeal to those
with some experience in the field because it places the practical application of genetic genealogy
within a wider context, highlighting its role as a genealogical tool and suggesting how it can be
made more effective.
Critique: The first of its kind, "Tracing Your Ancestors Using DNA: A Guide for Family
Historians" is as thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation as it is invaluable as a
complete and comprehensive course of instruction in the role DNA can play for family historians
and genealogists. While absolutely and emphatically recommended as an indispensable core
addition to personal, professional, community and academic library Genealogy instructional
reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Tracing Your Ancestors
Using DNA" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Tracing Your Irish Ancestors
John Grenham
Genealogical Publishing Company
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 229, Baltimore, MD 21211
9780806320946, $37.50, PB, 674pp, www.genealogical.com
Synopsis: John Grenham wrote the Irish Roots column in the Irish Times for years and ran the
Irish Times Irish Ancestors website. He is a fellow of the Irish Genealogical Research Society
and the Genealogical Society of Ireland, having come to professional genealogy in 1981 as one of
the panel of researchers in the Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland. He features frequently in the
popular TV series Who Do You Think You Are?
In this newly updated and revised fifth edition of "Tracing Your Irish Ancestors" he shows the
aspiring genealogist how to discover and trace Irish ancestry.
Mr. Grenham's work combines all the best features of a textbook and a reference book, expertly
describing the various steps in the research process while at the same time providing an
indispensable body of source materials.
The new fifth edition retains the familiar three-part structure, combining a detailed guide for
beginners with thorough descriptions of all the relevant sources and county-by-county reference
lists. All the information has been expanded and updated, and the extensively expanded index
makes "Tracing Your Irish Ancestors" even easier to use.
Genealogical research in Ireland has always depended on records that are more fragmented,
localized, and difficult to access than anywhere else. The Internet is changing that. More and
more of these records are coming online. "Tracing Your Irish Ancestors" is an indispensable
guide to what these records are, where they are, and what they mean. It serves as a directory to
online records, discussing their uses and outlining research strategies. Most useful are the
subsections to each of the county source lists, showing county Internet sources.
References are given throughout for any online versions of the records dealt with. Along with its
step-by-step instructions in the location and use of traditional genealogical records, its discussion
of civil records of birth, marriage, and death as well as land records and wills, and its list of
Roman Catholic parish records and source lists, this guide is easily the most useful book in Irish
genealogy.
Critique: The ultimate instructional guide and manual for engaging in Irish genealogy, this
thoroughly 'user friendly' fifth edition of "Tracing Your Irish Ancestors" should be considered as
setting the standard and is a core addition to personal, professional, community, and academic
library Contemporary Genealogy reference collections.
The American History Shelf
We the Resistance
Edited by Michael G. Long
City Lights Publishers
261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133
www.citylights.com
9780872867567 $23.95 amazon.com
Synopsis: While historical accounts of the United States typically focus on the nation's military
past, a rich and vibrant counterpoint remains basically unknown to most Americans. This
alternate story of the formation of our nation - and its character is one in which courageous
individuals and movements have wielded the weapons of nonviolence to resist policies and
practices they considered to be unjust, unfair, and immoral.
We the Resistance gives curious citizens and current resisters unfiltered access to the hearts and
minds - the rational and passionate voices - of their activist predecessors. Beginning with the
pre-Revolutionary era and continuing through the present day, readers will directly encounter the
voices of protesters sharing instructive stories about their methods (from sit-ins to tree-sitting)
and opponents (from Puritans to Wall Street bankers), as well as inspirational stories about their
failures (from slave petitions to the fight for the ERA) and successes (from enfranchisement for
women to today's reform of police practices). Instruction and inspiration run throughout this
captivating reader, generously illustrated with historic graphics and photographs of nonviolent
protests throughout U.S. history.
Critique: We the Resistance: Documenting a History of Nonviolent Protest in the United States is an anthology of first-person accounts from individuals who had the courage to resist injustice through nonviolent means, from the pre-Revolutionary War era to
modern times. From the Abolitionist movement, to strikes and other efforts to resist unjust labor
practices, to the struggle for women's rights, LGBT rights, the anti-globalization movement, and
more, these writings detail America's rich history of protest and fighting without weapons to
make the nation a better place. Erudite and inspirational, We the Resistance is highly
recommended, especially for personal, public, and college library American History
collections.
The Powell Expedition
Don Lago
University of Nevada Press
Mail Stop 0166, Reno, NV, 89557-0166
www.unpress.nevada.edu
9781943859436, $39.95, HC, 372pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: John Wesley Powell's 1869 expedition down the Green and Colorado Rivers and
through the Grand Canyon continues to be one of the most celebrated adventures in American
history, ranking with the Lewis and Clark expedition and the Apollo landings on the moon.
For nearly twenty years author Don Lago has researched the Powell expedition from new angles,
has traveled to thirteen states, and has looked into archives and other sources no one else has
searched. He has come up with many important new documents that change and expand our basic
understanding of the expedition by looking into Powell's crew members, some of whom have
been almost entirely ignored by Powell historians.
Historians tended to assume that Powell was the whole story and that his crew members were
irrelevant. More seriously, because several crew members made critical comments about Powell
and his leadership, historians who admired Powell were eager to ignore and discredit them.
In "The Powell Expedition: New Discoveries about John Wesley Powell's 1869 River Journey",
Lago offers a feast of new and important material about the river trip, and it will significantly
rewrite the story of Powell's famous expedition. This is not only a major work on the Powell
expedition, but on the history of American exploration of the West.
Critique: Now newly available in a paperback edition (9781948908207, $29.95) and in a digital
book format (Kindle, $19.75), "The Powell Expedition: New Discoveries about John Wesley
Powell's 1869 River Journey" is an extraordinarily informed and informative work of American
history that should be a part of every community and academic library collection, as well as on
the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject.
The Cornett-Whitley Gang
David Johnson
University of North Texas Press
1155 Union Circle #311336, Denton, TX 76203-5017
www.untpress.unt.edu
9781574417685, $29.95, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: During the late 1880s, the Cornett-Whitley gang rose on the Texas scene with a daring
train robbery at McNeil Station, only miles from the capital of Texas. In the frenzy that followed
the robbery, the media castigated both lawmen and government officials, at times lauded the
outlaws, and indulged in trial by media. At Flatonia the gang tortured the passengers and
indulged in an orgy of violence that earned them international recognition and infamy.
The damage that the gang caused is incalculable, including the destruction, temporarily, of a
Texas Ranger company. The gang tarnished reputations, shed light on what news media was
becoming, and claimed lives. As a whole the gang was psychopathic, sadistic, and murderous,
prone to violence. They had no loyalty to one another and no redeeming qualities.
But the legacy of the gang included an unexpected result. Private enterprises, such as Wells
Fargo, the railroads, and numerous banks, joined forces with law enforcement to combat them.
Lawmen from cities and counties joined forces with federal marshals and the Texas Rangers to
further cement what would become the "brotherhood of the badge." These efforts succeeded in
tracking down and killing or capturing a good number of the gang members.
Readers of the Old West and true crime stories will appreciate this sordid tale of outlawry and the
lawmen who put a stop to it. Those who study the media and "fake news" will appreciate the
parallels from the 1880s to today.
Critique: Impressively researched, exceptionally well written, deftly organized and expertly
presented, "The Cornett-Whitley Gang: Violence Unleashed in Texas" is enhanced for academia
with the inclusion of forty-six pages of Endnotes, a fifteen page Select Bibliography of Sources
Consulted, and a ten page Index. For the personal reading lists of dedicated western outlaw
history buffs as well as both community and academic library American History collections in
general, and Texas History supplemental studies reading lists in particular "The Cornett-Whitley
Gang" is an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition.
Editorial Note: David Johnson has received degrees from Pennsylvania State University and
Purdue University. He is the author of John Ringo, King of the Cowboys; The Horrell Wars; and
The Mason County "Hoo Doo" War, 1874 - 1902, all published by the University of North Texas
Press.
American Founders
Christina Proenza-Coles
New South Books
105 South Court Street, Montgomery, AL 36104
www.newsouthbooks.com
9781588383310 $29.95 hc / $8.69 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: American Founders reveals men and women of African descent as key protagonists in
the story of American democracy. It chronicles how black people developed and defended New
World settlements, undermined slavery, and championed freedom throughout the hemisphere
from the sixteenth thorough the twentieth centuries. While conventional history tends to reduce
the roles of African Americans to antebellum slavery and the civil rights movement, in reality
African residents preceded the English by a century and arrived in the Americas in numbers that
far exceeded European migrants up until 1820. Afro-Americans were omnipresent in the
founding and advancement of the Americas, and recurrently outnumbered Europeans at many
times and places, from colonial Peru to antebellum Virginia.
African-descended people contributed to every facet of American history as explorers,
conquistadores, settlers, soldiers, sailors, servants, slaves, rebels, leaders, lawyers, litigants,
laborers, artisans, artists, activists, translators, teachers, doctors, nurses, inventors, investors,
merchants, mathematicians, scientists, scholars, engineers, entrepreneurs, generals, cowboys,
pirates, professors, politicians, priests, poets, and presidents. The multitude of events and
mixed-race individuals included in the book underscores that black and white Americans share
the same history, and in many cases, the same ancestry. American Founders is meant to celebrate
this shared heritage and strengthen these bonds.
Critique: American Founders: How People Of African Descent Established Freedom In The New
World is a work of seminal scholarship about the oft-overlooked contributions that men and
women of African descent have made to American history. Particular emphasis is placed on how
African-Americans undermined slavery and championed freedom from the sixteenth century
onward. Expertly researched, yet thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, American
Founders is a welcome and highly recommended contribution to both public and college library
American History collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that American
Founders is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.69).
The Struggle and the Urban South
David Taft Terry
University of Georgia Press
Main Library, Third Floor, 320 South Jackson Street, Athens, Georgia 30602
www.ugapress.org
9780820355078 $59.95 hc / $30.95 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: Through the example of Baltimore, Maryland, David Taft Terry explores the historical
importance of African American resistance to Jim Crow laws in the South's largest cities. Terry
also adds to our understanding of the underexplored historical period of the civil rights
movement, prior to the 1960s.
Baltimore, one of the South largest cities, was a crucible of segregationist laws and practices. In
response, from the 1890s through the 1950s, African Americans there (like those in the South's
other major cities) shaped an evolving resistance to segregation across three themes. The first
theme involved black southerners' development of a counter-narrative to Jim Crow's demeaning
doctrines about them. Second, through participation in a national antisegregation agenda, urban
South blacks nurtured a dynamic tension between their local branches of social justice
organizations and national offices, so that southern blacks retained self-determination while
expanding local resources for resistance. Third, with the rise of new antisegregation orthodoxies
in the immediate post-World War II years, the urban South's black leaders, citizens, and students
and their allies worked ceaselessly to instigate confrontations between southern white
transgressors and federal white enforcers.
Along the way, African Americans worked to define equality for themselves and to gain the
required power to demand it. They forged the protest traditions of an enduring black struggle for
equality in the urban South. By 1960 that struggle had inspired a national civil rights
movement.
Critique: The Struggle and the Urban South: Confronting Jim Crow in Baltimore before the
Movement is an expertly researched, meticulously documented examination of African-
American efforts to resist the infamous Jim Crow racial segregation laws in the city of Baltimore,
prior to the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Baltimore is shown as an example of how black
leaders of the urban South labored for equality, formed traditions of protest, and set the stage for
the national movement. Extensive notes and an index round out this seminal work of scholarship,
highly recommended especially for public and college library American History collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that The Struggle and the Urban South is also available
in a Kindle edition ($30.95).
The World History Shelf
The Unknown Revolution 1917-1921
Voline
Introduction by Iain McKay
Foreword by Rudolf Rocker
PM Press
PO Box 23912, Oakland, CA 94623
www.pmpress.org
c/o Independent Publishers Group (dist.)
www.ipgbook.com
9781629635774 $32.95 pbk / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com
Synopsis: This in-depth, eyewitness history written by Voline, an outspoken activist in the
Russian Revolution, pays significant attention to what the author describes as "struggles for the
real Social Revolution" - that is, the uprising of the sailors and workers of Kronstadt in 1921 and
the peasant movement that Nestor Makhno led in the Ukraine. These movements provide a
clearer understanding of both the original objectives of the Russian Revolution and the problems
facing all revolutions with far-reaching social objectives. Of particular interest are the many
personal experiences and those in which the author reveals the deep divide between the
Libertarians and the Bolsheviks. This edition is a translation of the full text of La Revolution
inconnue, first published in 1947. It reinstates material omitted from earlier English-language
editions and reproduces the complete text of the original volumes.
Critique: Expertly translated into English, with painstaking care taken to reinstate text that was
cut from previous English-language editions, The Unknown Revolution 1917-1921 is a detailed,
eyewitness history of the Russian Revolution by anarchist activist Voline (1882-1945), who
participated in the Russian and Ukrainian Revolutions, and was subsequently forced into exile by
the Bolshevik Party government. Voline writes bitterly of the deep gulf between the objectives of
the Libertarians and those of the Bolsheviks, ultimately resolved through the Bolsheviks' ruthless
elimination of any and all opposition. First published posthumously in 1947, The Unknown
Revolution 1917-1921 remains a "must-read" primary source about a pivotal time in modern
Russian history, highly recommended especially for college library collections. It should be noted
for personal reading lists that The Unknown Revolution 1917-1921 is also available in a Kindle
edition ($9.99).
The King's City
Don Jordan
Pegasus Books
148 West 37th Street, 13th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.pegasusbooks.com
9781681776385, $29.95, HC, 544pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: During the reign of Charles II, London was a city in flux. After years of civil war and
political turmoil, England's capital became the center for major advances in the sciences, the
theatre, architecture, trade and ship-building that paved the way for the creation of the British
Empire.
At the heart of this activity was the King, whose return to power from exile in 1660 lit the fuse
for an explosion in activity in all spheres of city life. London flourished, its wealth, vibrancy and
success due to many figures famous today including Christopher Wren, Samuel Pepys, and John
Dryden -- as well as others whom history has overlooked until now.
Throughout the quarter-century Charles was on the throne, London suffered several serious
reverses: the plague in 1665 and the Great Fire in 1666, and severe defeat in the Second
Anglo-Dutch War, which brought about notable economic decline. But thanks to the genius and
resilience of the people of London, and the occasionally wavering stewardship of the King, the
city rose from the ashes to become the economic capital of Europe.
"The King's City: A History of London During The Restoration: The City that Transformed a
Nation" by Don Jordan tells the gripping story of a city that defined a nation and birthed modern
Britain -- and how the vision of great individuals helped to build the richly diverse place we
know today.
Critique: Enhanced with the inclusion of eight pages of black and white illustrations, "The King's
City: A History of London During The Restoration: The City that Transformed a Nation" is one
of those meticulously researched and deftly written histories that will have immense appeal to
both scholars and non-specialist general readers alike. Impressively informative, exceptionally
well organized and presented, "The King's City" is unreservedly recommended for both
community and academic library 17th Century British History collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "The King's City" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781643131436, $28.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.61).
The Civil War Shelf
Confederate Soldiers in the American Civil War
Mark Hughes
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611213416, $15.95, PB, 168pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Mark Hughes is a retired college electronics instructor widely recognized as the
authority on Civil War cemeteries. He has written several books, including The New Civil War
Handbook, Bivouac of the Dead, The Unpublished Roll of Honor, and Confederate Cemeteries
(2 vols.).
In "Confederate Soldiers in the American Civil War" Hughes offers a complete guide for
students and non-specialist general reader alike. Enhanced with the inclusion of more than 200
photographs coupled with clear and concise prose broken down into short, easy to understand
chapters to better understand these men.
"Confederate Soldiers in the American Civil War" covers life in the military camps, weapons,
battles, technology, hospitals, prisons, the naval war, artillery, uniforms, and so much more.
"Confederate Soldiers in the American Civil War" also discusses African and Native American
participation in the war, and the war's effect on civilians in general and women in particular.
Also included is a timeline of the war, dozens of quotations from Confederate soldiers, a
complete glossary, and an extensive list of Civil War sites around the country, including contact
and website information.
Of special note is a helpful chapter detailing the Civil War on the Internet, listing some of the
most comprehensive and popular blogs and websites.
Mark Hughes completes his "Confederate Soldiers in the American Civil War" with a gallery of
photographs and the stories of more than 80 Confederate Soldiers and a guide to researching the
reader's own Confederate ancestor.
Critique: A succinct and information packed introduction for anyone with an interest in learning
about the Confederate troops in the American Civil War by an expert on the subject,
"Confederate Soldiers in the American Civil War" is unreservedly recommended for personal,
professional, community and academic library American Civil War History collections and
supplemental studies curriculums. It should be noted that "Confederate Soldiers in the American
Civil War" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.75).
The Martial Arts Shelf
Krav Maga Combatives: Maximum Effect
David Kahn
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
www.ymaa.com
9781594396816, $24.95, PB, 340pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Krav Maga (contact combat) is a military self-defense and fighting system developed
for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israeli security forces that is derived from a combination
of techniques drawn from boxing, wrestling, aikido, judo and karate, along with realistic fight
training.
"Krav Maga Combatives: Maximum Effect" by David Kahn is specifically designed for krav
maga trainees, security-conscious civilians, law enforcement officers, security professionals, and
military personnel alike who wish to refine their essential krav maga combatives, improve their
chances of surviving a hostile attack and prevail without serious injury.
It is irrefutable that you need only learn a few core combatives to be an effective fighter. Simple
is easy. Easy is effective. Effective is what is required to end a violent encounter quickly,
decisively, and on your terms. "Krav Maga Combatives: Maximum Effect" stresses doing the
right things and doing them in the right way.
Right technique + Correct execution = Maximum Effect.
Critique: A comprehensive, profusely illustrated compendium of step-by-step instructions, "Krav
Maga Combatives: Maximum Effect" is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to
personal, professional, community, law enforcement training school, and academic library
Martial Arts instructional reference collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists
of martial arts students, instructors, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "Krav Maga Combatives: Maximum Effect" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: David Kahn is the United States chief instructor for the Israeli Krav Maga
Association. He has trained all branches of the US military in addition to federal, state, and local
law enforcement agencies. David is certified by the State of New Jersey Police Training
Commission. He has been featured in Men's Fitness, GQ, USA Today, Los Angeles Times,
Washington Post, New Yorker, Penthouse, Fitness, Marine Corps News, and on Armed Forces
Network and Military.com
The Theatre/Cinema Shelf
Discovering Musicals
Marc Raymond Strauss
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476674506, $34.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Covering both Broadway and Hollywood musicals, "Discovering Musicals: A Liberal
Arts Guide to Stage and Screen" by Marc Raymond Strauss (who is Professor Emeritus of
Theater and Dance from Southeast Missouri State University) explores a majority of the most
famous musicals over the past two centuries plus a select number of overlooked gems.
Effectively doubling as both an introductory college and university text for musical, dance and
theater majors as well as a guide for both musical connoisseurs and novices, "Discovering
Musicals" even includes YouTube references of nearly 1000 examples of dances and songs from
musicals.
Critique: An ideal curriculum textbook that is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a two
page Bibliography and a thirteen page Index, "Discovering Musicals: A Liberal Arts Guide to
Stage and Screen" is a densely informative and thoroughly 'reader friendly' volume that is
especially recommended for the personal reading lists of film and stage musical enthusiasts, as
well as both community and academic library Theatre Arts collections and supplemental
curriculum studies.
The Military Shelf
MacArthur's Air Force
Bill Yenne
Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B, Long Island City, NY 11101
www.ospreypublishing.com
9781472833235, $30.00, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: General Douglas MacArthur (January 26, 1880 - April 5, 1964) is one of the towering
figures of World War II, and indeed of the twentieth century, but his leadership of the second
largest air force in the USAAF is often overlooked. When World War II ended, the three
numbered air forces (the Fifth, Thirteenth and Seventh) under his command possessed 4,004
combat aircraft, 433 reconnaissance aircraft, and 922 transports.
After being humbled by the Japanese in the Philippines in 1942, MacArthur and his air chief
General George Kenney rebuilt the US aerial presence in the Pacific, helping Allied naval and
ground forces to push back the Japanese Air Force, re-take the Philippines, and carry the war
north towards the Home Islands.
Following the end of World War II MacArthur was the highest military and political authority in
Japan, and at the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950 he was named as Commander in
Chief, United Nations Command. In the ten months of his command his Far East Air Forces
increased dramatically and saw the first aerial combat between jet fighters.
Ably written by aviation historian Bill Yenne, "MacArthur's Air Force: American Airpower over
the Pacific and the Far East, 1941 - 51" traces the journey of American air forces in the Pacific
under General MacArthur's command, from their lowly beginnings to their eventual triumph over
Imperial Japan, followed by their entry into the jet age in the skies over Korea.
Critique: Meticulously researched and exceptionally well written, organized and presented,
"MacArthur's Air Force: American Airpower over the Pacific and the Far East, 1941 - 51" is an
impressively informative contribution to both community and academic library 20th Century
American Military Aviation collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of
students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with a interest in the subject that
"MacArthur's Air Force" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.22).
The Political Science Shelf
Resisting Throwaway Culture
Charles C. Camosy
New City Press
202 Cardinal Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538
www.newcitypress.com
9781565486874, $19.95, PB, 150pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: A Professor of Christian Ethics at Fordham University in New York City who is
interested in building conversation and solidarity between groups which sometimes find it
difficult to engage, Charles C. Camosy wants to show the overlap between 'pro-life
conservatives' and 'social justice liberals.'
In "Resisting Throwaway Culture", Camosy offers hope in the midst of our polarized political
culture. Camosy begins with the currently crumbling US political culture: two of every three
Americans constitute an exhausted majority who reject right/left polarization and are open to
alternative viewpoints.
Especially at this time of realignment, we have been given a unique moment to put aside the
frothy, angsty political debates and think harder about our deepest values. A 'Consistent Life
Ethic', especially one which embraces Pope Francis' challenge to resist throwaway culture, has
the capacity to unite people who for the last several decades imagined themselves in a polarized
culture war.
On issues ranging from hook-up culture, reproductive technology, abortion, euthanasia, poverty,
immigration, treatment of animals, and mass incarceration, "Resisting Throwaway Culture"
articulates a new moral vision in which a culture of encounter and hospitality replaces a
consumer culture in which the most vulnerable get used and discarded as so much trash.
At bottom, "Resisting Throwaway Culture" offers readers a golden opportunity to dialogue about
what kinds of values should serve as the foundation for a new political culture.
Critique: A deftly written and ultimately encouraging analysis of our currently polarized political
culture that seemingly breaks and fragments our country down into seemingly unreconcilable
factions, "Resisting Throwaway Culture" offers insights and solutions that are as thoughtful and
thought-provoking as they are ultimately inspired and inspiring. While very highly recommended
for both community and academic library Contemporary Political Science collections, it should
be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, political activists, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "Resisting Throwaway Culture" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Manufacturing Political Trust
Christina Boswell
Cambridge University Press
One Liberty Plaza, Fl. 20, New York, NY 10006
www.cambridge.org
9781108421201, $99.99, HC, 226pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Measurement and targets have been widely criticized as distorting policy and
engendering political gaming -- yet they continue to be widely used in government.
"Manufacturing Political Trust" by Christina Boswell (Professor of Politics, University of
Edinburgh) offers an original new account explaining the persistent appeal of performance
measurement.
"Manufacturing Political Trust" argues that targets have been adopted to address a crisis of trust
in politics, through creating more robust mechanisms of accountability and monitoring. This
seminal study shows that such tools rarely have their intended effect. Through an in-depth
analysis of UK targets on immigration and asylum since 2000, it shows that far from shoring up
trust, targets have engendered cynicism and distrust in government. Moreover, they have
encouraged intrusive forms of monitoring and reform in public administration, with damaging
consequences for trust between politicians and civil servants.
Despite these problems, performance measurement has now become embedded in techniques of
public management. It has also become normalized as a way of framing policy problems and
responses. Thus despite their acknowledged problems, targets are likely to retain their allure as
techniques of political communication and governance.
Critique: Impressively informative, exceptional organized, accessibly presented, enhanced for
academia with the inclusion of a fifteen page Bibliography and a four page Index,
"Manufacturing Political Trust" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to
college and university library Contemporary Political Science collections and supplemental
studies curriculum lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia,
political activists, politicians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject
that "Manufacturing Political Trust" is also available in a paperback edition (978-1108431590,
$32.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $26.00).
Financing the 2016 Election
David B. Magleby, editor
Brookings Institution Press
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036-2188
www.brookings.edu
9780815736592, $39.99, PB, 391pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: David B. Magleby is the Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Brigham
Young University. He has published thirteen books on campaign finance. He is also known for
his work on direct democracy and party identification and is a coauthor of a leading text on the
American government, "Government by the People".
In "Financing the 2016 Election", Professor Magleby has compiled and edited contributions by
experts who collective explore the role of money in one of the most unconventional elections in
modern American history. A team of leading scholars has dug into the roles played by political
parties and special interest groups (including their "Super PACS") in the presidential and
congressional elections of 2016.
Professor Magleby and his team of experts have also examined Federal Elections Commission
reports and interviewed dozens of key participants, including representatives of virtually all the
major interest groups active in the 2016 election cycle. They place that election in the context of
how U.S. elections have been financed during recent decades -- a context that illustrates how
dramatically different campaign finance is today from the past. Among the most important
changes has been the growth of so-called Super PACS, which have become increasingly
important both in the financing they provide candidates and in their ability to act independently,
both for and against candidates. Overall, Super PACS doubled their spending in 2016 from four
years earlier.
Taking a comprehensive approach, "Financing the 2016 Election" helps readers understand how
the financing of elections (including the increasing reliance by candidates on outside special
interest groups) ultimately affects politics and public policy.
Critique: An impressive body of meticulous and informative research, "Financing the 2016
Election" is vital to understanding the 2016 presidential election that saw such unique
circumstances of Russian computer and social media based sabotage of the democratic process
and overt conspiracies between elements of the Trump campaign with Russian representatives
and the welcoming of White Supremacy support domestically. While unreservedly recommended
for community and academic library Contemporary Political Science collections in general, and
the 2016 election in particular, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students,
academia, political activists, politicians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "Financing the 2016 Election" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$31.99).
The Native American Studies Shelf
Stringing Rosaries
Denise K. Lajimodiere
North Dakota State University Press
North Dakota State University
Dept. 2360, PO Box 6050, Fargo, ND 58108-6050
https://ndsupress.org
9781946163103, $42.95, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Denise K. Lajimodiere is an enrolled Citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of
Chippewa, Belcourt, North Dakota. She has been involved in education for forty-four years as an
elementary school teacher, principal, and professor, earning her bachelor, master s, and doctoral
degrees from University of North Dakota. Denise recently retired as an associate professor from
the School of Education, Education Leadership program, North Dakota State University, Fargo.
She is one of the founders of the National Native America Board School Healing Coalition.
Living in a cozy cottage by a lake on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation, Professor
Lajimodiere is also a traditional Jingle Dress dancer, a writer (Thunderbird [North Dakota State
University Press, 2017], Bitter Tears [Mammoth Press, 2016], Dragonfly Dance [Michigan State
University Press, 2010], His Feathers Were Chains [in press with North Dakota State University
Press], Josie Dances [in press with Minnesota Historical Society Press]), and a Birch Bark Biting
artist.
Professor Lajimodiere's interest in American Indian boarding school survivors stories evolved
from recording her father and other family members speaking of their experiences. Her research
helped her to gain insight, a deeper understanding of her parents, and how and why she and her
siblings were parented in the way they were. That insight led her to an emotional ceremony of
forgiveness, described in the last chapter of Stringing Rosaries.
The journey to record survivors stories led her through the Dakotas and Minnesota and into the
personal and private space of boarding school survivors. While there, she heard stories that they
had never shared before. She came to an understanding of new terms: historical and
intergenerational trauma, soul wound.
"Stringing Rosaries: The History, the Unforgivable, and the Healing of Northern Plains American
Indian Boarding School Survivors" presents a brief history of the boarding school programs for
Indigenous Americans, followed by sixteen interviews with boarding school survivors, and
ending with the Professor Lajimodiere's own healing journey with her father.
Critique: Enhanced for academia with the inclusion of black and white photographs, a fold-out
supplement identifying 366 US boarding schools by state, an appendix, a bibliography, and an
index, "Stringing Rosaries: The History, the Unforgivable, and the Healing of Northern Plains
American Indian Boarding School Survivors" is an extraordinary work of seminal scholarship
that will prove to be an immediate and enduringly valued contribution to the growing library of
Native American History and is an unreservedly recommended 'core' addition to personal,
community and academic library Native American History & Culture collections, as well as the
personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in
the subject.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
The Field Herping Guide
Mike Pingleton & Joshua Holbrook
University of Georgia Press
Main Library, Third Floor, 320 South Jackson Street, Athens, Georgia 30602
www.ugapress.org
9780820354583, $26.95, PB, 264pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Herping is the observation of amphibians and reptiles for recreation or for the
production of citizen science -- essentially it is the cold-blooded equivalent of birding. "The Field
Herping Guide: Finding Amphibians and Reptiles in the Wild" by the team of professional
herpetologists Mike Pingleton and Joshua Holbrook is the first book to explore the fun and
fascinating world of observing herpetofauna across North America -- some as close as your own
backyard!
The informative and profusely illustrated guide addresses basic questions new field herpers have
about amphibians and reptiles such as: What do I need to know about their biology? Where do I
look for them, and when? All of these topics and more are covered in a straightforward manner,
with images, a glossary of essential terms, personal anecdotes, and informational vignettes that
support the subject material.
Critique: Impressively informative, thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation,
and an ideal choice for as herpetology curriculum textbook, "The Field Herping Guide: Finding
Amphibians and Reptiles in the Wild" is a part of the University of Georgia Press 'Wormsloe
Foundation Nature Book Series' and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional,
community, college, and university library Herpetology collections and supplemental studies
reading lists.
The Computer Shelf
Classic Game Design
Franz Lanzinger
Mercury Learning
c/o Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9781683923855, $59.95, PB, 293pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Now with "Classic Game Design" by Franz Lanzinger, anyone can learn to design and
develop classic arcade video games like Pong, Pac-Man, Space Invaders, and Scramble.
Collision detection, extra lives, power ups, and countless other essential design elements were
invented by the mostly anonymous designers at the early pioneering companies that produced
these great games. "Classic Game Design" takes the reader step by step (using modern, free
software tools such as Unity) through the creation of five games in the classic style, inspired by
retro favorites like: Pong, Breakout, Space Invaders, Scramble, and Pac-Man. All the source
code, art, and sound sources for the projects are available on the companion files of the
accompanying CD.
"Classic Game Design" uses Unity, C#, Blender, GIMP, and Audacity to make five fun classic
games; features 4-color throughout with companion files that include source code, art, and full
projects (also available for downloading from the publisher by emailing proof of purchase);
incorporates historical anecdotes direct from one of the fabled Atari coin-op programmers;
details step-by-step instructions, dozens of exercises, and rules of classic game design; and
contains unique insights on applying classic game design concepts to modern games.
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Classic Game Design" is a
complete and comprehensive do-it-yourself instructional guide and manual for either personal
study or as an introduction to computer game design curriculum textbook. While very highly
recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Computer
Technology & Game Design collections, it should be noted that "Classic Game Design" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $35.95).
The Business Shelf
The Multinational Enterprise: Theory and History
Mark Casson
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060-3815
www.e-elgar.com
9781788110051, $150.00, HC, 368pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: In "The Multinational Enterprise: Theory and History", Mark Casson (Professor of
Economics and Director, Centre for Institutions and Economic History, University of Reading,
UK) provides a state-of-the art review of recent developments in the economic theory of the
multinational enterprise. Professor Casson shows how recent developments in theory shed new
light on the historical emergence of multinational enterprises, and explains the various forms that
multinationality has taken in different industries and regions of the world.
Professor Casson also brings together his leading research on internalization theory as a general
theory of the multinational enterprise. He offers cutting-edge analysis across four distinct
sections: marketing and brands, supply chain coordination, methodology and the theory of the
firm, and risk management.
"The Multinational Enterprise" also sets out an exciting new research agenda, which explores the
future place of the multinational in the evolving 'knowledge economy' and in a politically
uncertain world.
Critique: With a special and particular appeal to doctoral students and faculty in business schools
in need of the latest theoretical developments and also those in economics departments that
specialize in business and industrial economics, "The Multinational Enterprise: Theory and
History" is a superbly organized and presented compendium the Professor Casson and his
contributors that should be considered as a critically important and core addition to corporate,
college, and university library International Business collections and supplemental curriculum
studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, corporate
executives, governmental policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "The Multinational Enterprise: Theory and History" is also available in a paperback
edition (9781789904291, $47.95)
Global Strategy and Management: Theory and Practice
Paul N. Gooderham, et al.
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060-3815
www.e-elgar.com
9781788114837, $225.00, HC, 392pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: The collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Paul N. Gooderham (NHH Norwegian
School of Economics, Norway and Middlesex University Business School, London, UK),
Birgitte Grogaard, (BI Norwegian Business School), and Kirsten Foss, (NHH Norwegian School
of Economics, Norway and Copenhagen Business School, Denmark), and now in a fully updated
second edition, "Global Strategy and Management: Theory and Practice" continues to be a
comprehensive textbook that directly addresses the most crucial strategic decisions and
management challenges facing managers of multinational enterprises (MNEs) operating across
different institutional settings and complex cultural contexts.
Such questions as: How can managers of MNEs address pressures for local responsiveness and
global integration?; What are cultural and institutional differences and how do they impact the
management of MNEs?; How can managers create social capital across the MNE in the face of
such differences?; How can managers ensure knowledge transfer across the MNE?; How can
human resources be managed in a world of differing standards?
Taking a critical, multi-level approach to international business, "Global Strategy and
Management: Theory and Practice": Explores the strategic choices available to managers of
MNEs and their consequences in an interactive way, providing an original, and engaging
approach to the subject for students seeking to understand the issues faced by managers of
MNEs; Gives state-of-the-art theoretical overviews of topics related to global strategy and
management, making this textbook a useful reference for academics as well as students; Offers
thirteen original, rich, case studies to illustrate each chapter's theory, highlighting the key
challenges and dilemmas faced by managers of MNEs; Provides clear exposition and critique of
current literature to provide students with a firm theoretical understanding of the subject.
Critique: Deftly organized into three major sections (The Multinational Enterprise; The External
Context; Fundamental Managerial Challenges), the contributors to "Global Strategy and
Management: Theory and Practice" provide new and significant contributions to understanding
the proper management of MNEs and will prove to be essential reading for MBA students at
masters level, their course instructors, and to corporate executives dealing with the daily
challenges of managing MNEs. While unreservedly recommended for corporate, college and
university library International Business Management instructional reference collections and
supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for students, academia, corporate
executives, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Global Strategy
and Management: Theory and Practice" is also available in a paperback edition (9781788114851,
$65.00).
A Research Agenda for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
David B. Audretsch, et al.
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060-3815
www.e-elgar.com
9781788116008, $135.00, HC, 232pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Within the span of a generation, innovation and entrepreneurship have emerged as two
of the most vital forces in the economy and in society. "A Research Agenda for Entrepreneurship
and Innovation" is comprised of a an impressive roster of contributors (accomplished scholars
spanning economics, management, public policy and finance) who highlight new insights and
approaches to guide future thinking, research and policy with respect to entrepreneurship in the
modern business world.
Drawing on the experiences and insights of leading scholars textbook covers a broad array of rich
and promising topics, including entrepreneurial ecosystems, finance and the role of universities.
Focusing on the intersection and overlap between the two disciplines, "A Research Agenda for
Entrepreneurship and Innovation" begins by establishing the theoretical basis between the two
topics, before exploring impact, context, academic entrepreneurship, start-ups, policy and
corporate governance. The deftly organized textbook then concludes with three provocative
chapters: Friederike Welter highlighting the power of words and images, Sameeksha Desai
discussing the role of artificial intelligence and Mark Casson presenting a case for radical change
to how entrepreneurship is studied.
Critique: Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by David B. Audretsch (Distinguished
Professor and Ameritech Chair of Economic Development, Indiana University, Bloomington,
US), Erik E. Lehmann (Professor of Management and Organization, University of Augsburg,
Germany), and Albert N. Link (Virginia Batte Phillips Distinguished Professor of Economics,
University of North Carolina at Greensboro), "A Research Agenda for Entrepreneurship and
Innovation" is a compilation of the most salient findings and themes in current literature and is
essential for researchers in innovation, as well as policy makers at both the local and national
levels influenced by the increasing importance of entrepreneurship and innovation. Simply
stated, "A Research Agenda for Entrepreneurship and Innovation" is unreservedly recommended
as an essential, core addition to corporate, academic, professional Business Management &
Entrepreneurship collections, as well as the personal reading lists of MBA students, academia,
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.
The Poetry Shelf
Native Voices
Edited by CMarie Fuhrman and Dean Rader
Tupelo Press
www.tupelopress.org
9781946482181 $29.95 pbk amazon.com
Synopsis: In this groundbreaking anthology of Indigenous poetry and prose, Native poems,
stories, and essays are informed with a knowledge of both what has been lost and what is being
restored. It presents a diverse collection of stories told by Indigenous writers about themselves,
their histories, and their present; a celebration of culture and the possibilities of language, in
conversation with those poets and storytellers who have paved the way. A truly synergetic
collection of contemporary and early Native voices.
Featuring forty-four poets, including Simon Ortiz, Leslie Marmon Silko, Luci Tapahonso, Joy
Harjo, Sherwin Bitsui, Heid E. Erdrich, Layli Long Soldier, and Orlando White; original
influence essays by Diane Glancy on Lorca, Chrystos on Audre Lorde, Louise Erdrich on
Elizabeth Bishop, LeAnne Howe on W. D. Snodgrass, Allison Hedge Coke on Delmore
Schwartz, Suzanne Rancourt on Ai, and M. L. Smoker on Richard Hugo, among others; and, a
selection of resonant work chosen from previous generations of Native artists.
Critique: Native Voices: Indigenous American Poetry, Craft and Conversations is an
extraordinary anthology of Native American poetry, prose, stories, and essays, told by a variety
of Indigenous authors. A treasure of literary insight touching both personal and Indigenous
societal histories, Native Voices is a "must have" for public and college library collections.
Highly recommended. "In Lieu of a Communion Wafer": More often than not / growing up in
poverty / extinguishes any sense / of irony, but our humor / (often it's a cruel humor) / abounds &
saves, yeah, / it abounds & saves us / like a big, fat frybread / saves a watery soup.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
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