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Reviewer's Choice
The Editor
Sara B. Franklin
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com
9781982134341, $29.99, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Editor-Publishing-Legend-Culture-America/dp/1982134348
Synopsis: When she was twenty-five years old, Judith Jones began working as a secretary at Doubleday's Paris office in 1949, she spent most of her time wading through manuscripts in the slush pile and passing on projects -- until one day, a book caught her eye. She read it in one sitting, then begged her boss to consider publishing it. A year later, "Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl" became a bestseller. It was the start of her culture-defining career in publishing.
During her more than fifty years as an editor at Knopf, Jones nurtured the careers of literary icons such as Sylvia Plath, Anne Tyler, and John Updike, and helped launched new genres and trends in literature. At the forefront of the cookbook revolution, she published the who's who of food writing: Edna Lewis, M.F.K. Fisher, Claudia Roden, Madhur Jaffrey, James Beard, and, most famously, Julia Child. Through her quiet and tenacious work behind the scenes, Jones helped turn these authors into household names, changing cultural mores and expectations along the way.
Judith's work spanned decades of America's most dramatic cultural change ranging from the end of World War II through the Cold War, from the civil rights movement to the fight for women's equality -- and the books she published acted as tools of quiet resistance.
Now, her astonishing career in publishing is explored for the first time in "The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America" by Professor Sara B. Franklin. Based on exclusive interviews, never-before-seen personal papers, and years of research, "The Editor" tells the riveting behind-the-scenes narrative of how stories are made -- and how Judith Jones used them to influence American popular culture.
Critique: "The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America" from Atria Press is a brilliant biography that will be of very special interest to authors, publishers, academia and bibliophiles with an interest in the history of the publishing industry as manifested in the lives and work of significant individuals who were employed in the process of publishing -- often without notice by the general public. An inherently fascinating and well crafted read from start to finish, "The Editor" by Professor Sara B. Franklin is a welcome and unreservedly recommended addition to community and college/university library American Women's Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Editor" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781797179384, $39.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Sara B. Franklin (www.sarabfranklin.com) is a writer and professor at New York University's Gallatin School for Individualized Study, where she teaches courses on food, oral history, embodied culture, and non-fiction writing. She has written for publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Literary Hub, The Nation, and Travel & Leisure. Her work has been supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Olders' Voices
Janet Benner, Ph.D
Newman Springs
https://www.newmansprings.com
https://oldersvoices.com
9798887636269, $18.95, PB, 202pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/olders-voices-janet-benner-ph-d/1145568113
Synopsis: With the publication of "Olders' Voices: Wisdom Gladly Shared By The Chronologically Gifted", Janet Benner describes what it's like to become and to be older. In its pages, twenty-nine people tell their stories. They are in their 70s and 80s, plus one is 99, and one is 68.
In "Olders' Voices" people from all over the United States and one from Canada talk about their feelings and well-being now and what they did before they were older. They come from a wide variety of professions and occupations and a wide variety of experiences and beliefs.
"Olders' Vocies" is a unique book that is impressively relevant for senior citizens to read especially when they feel alone -- and for their children and grandchildren to read in order to learn what their beloved elderly parents and grandparents are capable of doing and experiencing, including what might they need to make their lives more meaningful and comfortable.
Critique: Wisdom is the quality or state of being wise; of having a knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight. With age comes experience, with experience comes wisdom, with wisdom comes an appreciation for what life has to offer. Informative, fascinating, insightful, thought provoking, inspiring, memorable, the individual stories comprising "Olders' Voices: Wisdom Gladly Shared By The Chronologically Gifted" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library collections on aging, parenting, and Life Lessons/Life Skills collections. It should be noted that Janet Benner's "Olders' Voices" from Newman Springs is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.49).
Editorial Note: Janet Benner, Ph.D., at age 86 is herself an Older. She had been looking for a way to assist older people in her neighborhood, some caring for infirm spouses and some infirm themselves. She started a group for 80-something women that inspired her to believe a book would be the best way to reach lots of older people and those who care for them. She has authored three other non-fiction books including: "Parent Survival Training", "Football: Mysteries Revealed for the Feminine Fan", and "Smoking Cigarettes: The Unfiltered Truth".
The Education Shelf
50 Strategies for Summer School Engagement
Ana Marie Hernandez
Shell Education
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Shell-Education
9798765974063, $21.99, PB, 88pp
https://www.amazon.com/50-Strategies-Summer-School-Engagement/dp/B0CPTJYMHK
Synopsis: Summer school offers a unique opportunity for students to accomplish grade-level learning objectives in a more relaxed environment, often with smaller class sizes. "50 Strategies for Summer School Engagement" by Ana Marie Hernandez is specifically tailored to make summer learning enjoyable and engaging. Simply stated, "50 Strategies for Summer School Engagement" is the ultimate DIY guide to infusing your summer school sessions with creative, effective teaching strategies.
This strategy book is divided into seven main sections, each offering a diverse set of innovative approaches: Playful Practice; Hands-On Learning; Cultivating Community; Multimedia Adventures; Beyond the Classroom; Unleashing Literacy and Drama; Assessment Quick Checks.
"50 Strategies for Summer School Engagement", offers a wealth of educational ideas that can be swiftly integrated into any summer school program. Whether you are a seasoned educator or just beginning your teaching journey, "50 Strategies for Summer School Engagement" is designed to help you create an engaging, enriching summer school experience for your students. Get ready to transform your summer school sessions into a time of growth, exploration, and fun with this outstanding resource.
Critique: "50 Strategies for Summer School Engagement" is the latest addition to the highly acclaimed 50 Strategies series from Shell Education. Specifically designed to provide K-8 educators with practical, research-backed ideas to enhance the summer school experience, "50 Strategies for Summer School Engagement" is an especially practical and effective resource for teachers (and home schooling parents) seeking innovative and engaging approaches to summer learning for children ages 4-14. Highly recommended for school and community library educational activities collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "50 Strategies for Summer School Engagement" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.89).
Editorial Note: Ana Marie Hernandez is an experienced and accomplished educator with a strong background in various aspects of teaching and education. She has worked as a Certified K-6 educator for 14 years within the Miami Dade County Public Schools system, where she has specialized in gifted education, English as a second language (ESL) instruction, and STEAM programs. Her diverse expertise suggests a comprehensive understanding of different teaching strategies and student needs across these specialized areas. She has successfully operated a freelance education consulting firm for over 20 years. She frequently provides professional development trainings representing Teacher Created Materials for teachers in school districts all over the country in a variety of subjects. Most recently, she has joined the Primer Microschools' Team as a Microschool Leader.
The Politics of Comprehensive School Reforms
Katharina Sass
Cambridge University Press
www.cambridge.org
9781009235181, $118.11, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Politics-Comprehensive-School-Reforms-Comparative/dp/1009235184
Synopsis: Why are school systems structured differently across different countries?
"The Politics of Comprehensive School Reforms: Cleavages and Coalitions" by Professor Katharina Sass examines this question through an in-depth analysis of school politics in Germany and Norway during the post-war period of educational expansion.
Using a Rokkanian theoretical framework, Professor Sass argues that school politics can only be understood in light of the cleavages, or political divides, that shape actors' interests, ideologies, and inclinations for who they want to cooperate with -- or not.
"The Politics of Comprehensive School Reforms" analyzes cross-cutting cleavages connected to religion, geography, language, anti-communism, and gender, and demonstrates how Norwegian social democrats and German Christian democrats built successful coalitions by mobilizing support from different social groups.
Extensively researched and expansively applicable, "The Politics of Comprehensive School Reforms" contributes to the interdisciplinary literature on the politics of education, and to the field of comparative welfare and education regime research. It should be noted that "The Politics of Comprehensive School Reforms" is also available Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Critique: Informative enhanced for the reader's benefit with numerous figures and tables, "The Politics of Comprehensive School Reforms" is exceptionally well researched, written, organized and presented. A part of the Cambridge Studies in the Comparative Politics of Education series from the Cambridge University Press, this seminal and ground-breaking study is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, college and university library International Education Studies collections and graduate school curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Politics of Comprehensive School Reforms" is also available in a paperback edition (9781009235198, $34.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $26.49).
Editorial Note: Katharina Sass is the Associate Professor of Sociology and Didactics at the University of Bergen.
Teaching Reading Across the Day, Grades K-8
Jennifer Serravallo
www.jenniferserravallo.com
Corwin Press, Inc.
www.corwinpress.com
9781071924600, $37.95, PB, 344pp
https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Reading-Across-Day-Grades/dp/1071924605
Synopsis: With the publication of "Teaching Reading Across the Day", by literacy expert Jennifer Serravallo, classroom teachers are provided with nine effective, predictable, research-based lesson structures that help them to save planning time and focus their teaching (and student attention) -- on content rather than procedures.
Each of the nine lesson structures (read aloud, phonics and spelling, vocabulary, focus, shared reading, close reading, guided inquiry, reader's theater, and conversation) has its own chapter and features a wealth of resources that let you see the lessons in action in ELA, Science, and Social Studies classes, including: An annotated teaching vignette, lesson explanation, and research notes; Tips for planning, structure and timing suggestions, and ideas for responsive teaching; Detailed planning templates and 22 accompanying online videos covering over 3 hours of classroom footage; Reflections, key look-fors, and ideas for next steps
The nine lesson structures can be used with any curriculum or core program, text, and subject, making it easier for teachers to maximize explicit and engaging teaching time across the day, and simplify planning and preparation.
"Teaching Reading Across The Day" also incorporates a wide range of compelling research about how best to teach reading to every student in your class and translates the research (or the science of teaching reading) into high-leverage moves you can count on to deliver powerful lessons again and again. An experienced instructor, Jennifer Serravallo also honors the art of teaching reading, helping teachers tap into their experience and hone their expertise to make quick, effective classroom decisions that take student learning to the next level.
Critique: This large format (7.95 x 0.79 x 9.92 inches, 1.74 pounds) paperback edition of "Teaching Reading Across the Day, Grades K-8: Methods and Structures for Engaging, Explicit Instruction" from Corwin Press is an especially recommended addition to professional, school district in-service workshop, and college/university library Teacher Education, Language Arts, and Phonics collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Jennifer Serravallo is an award-winning educator, a literacy consultant, a frequently invited speaker at state and national conferences, and a former member of the Parents Magazine editorial board. Jen is best known for creating books (including The Reading Strategies Book 2.0) and resources rooted in research that help make responsive, strategic, differentiated literacy instruction possible for all educators. Jen's books are used around the world and several have been translated into French, Spanish, Chinese, and Italian. In 2023, she launched her podcast To the Classroom: Conversations with Researchers and Educators.
Jen holds a BA from Vassar College and an MA from Teachers College Columbia University, where she has also taught graduate and undergraduate classes. She can be followed on X (@jserravallo) and Instagram (@jenniferserravallo), and her website/blog at: www.jenniferserravallo.com
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Teaching Yoga, second edition
Mark Stephens
North Atlantic Books
www.northatlanticbooks.com
9781623178802, $24.95, PB, 448pp
https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Yoga-Second-Comprehensive-Alliance-Aligned/dp/1623178800
Synopsis: Now in a newly revised and updated second edition, "Teaching Yoga: A Comprehensive Guide for Yoga Teachers and Trainers" by yoga expert Mark Stephens is one of the most popular resources for new and experienced teachers, and has been a trusted guide since its original publication in 2010.
This classic resource covers fundamental topics of yoga history and philosophy, as well as each of the 11 major styles of contemporary yoga. There is also practical advice for every stage of the teaching process, including tools for teaching 108 yoga poses (asanas), the art of yoga sequencing, breathing techniques (pranayama), and meditation.
This new second edition of "Teaching Yoga" is adapted to meet the needs of the modern yoga teacher and features: Updated sections on yoga history and philosophy; Discussions of trauma-sensitive yoga; Coverage of cultural appropriation, racism, and sexism in yoga; An inclusive approach that expands beyond the traditional vinyasa flow style; Refined exploration of the art of yoga sequencing; New photos and illustrations; 1-page summaries after each chapter; An extended list of references for further learning.
Developed to meet 100% of the teacher training curriculum standards set by Yoga Alliance, the world's leading registry and accreditation source for yoga teachers and schools, this second edition of "Teaching Yoga" is ideal for use as a core textbook in yoga teacher training programs.
Critique: Impressively comprehensive, profusely illustrated with B/W photos, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Teaching Yoga: A Comprehensive Guide for Yoga Teachers and Trainers" is essential reading for anyone with the responsibility of teaching a yoga class or providing individual yoga exercise training. While unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Health/Exercise/Yoga collections, it should be noted that it is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note: Mark Stephens (www.markstephensyoga.com) is the author of Yoga Sequencing (2012), Yoga Adjustments (2014) and Yoga Therapy (2017), which are available in multiple languages. Mark has been practicing yoga since 1991 and teaching since 1996 years, training over 2,500 yoga teachers worldwide. With a rich background in Ashtanga Vinyasa, Iyengar, Vinyasa Flow, Tantra, and Yoga Healing, Mark brings an eclectic perspective to the practice that's all about making yoga more accessible, sustainable, and deeply transformational.
Vital Pulp Treatment
Henry F. Duncan & Ikhlas A. El-Karim, editors
Wiley-Blackwell
www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell
9781119930389, $185.00, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Vital-Pulp-Treatment-Henry-Duncan/dp/1119930383
Synopsis: Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by the team of Henry F. Duncan and Ikhlas A. El-Karim, "Vital Pulp Treatment" offers a comprehensive overview of existing and developing vital pulp therapies, the science that underpins them as well as their clinical applications.
Preserving dental pulp tissue is critical to oral health and vital pulp treatments are designed to maintain, repair, and regenerate this tissue. With a focus on clinical practice, "Vital Pulp Treatment" begins with the diagnosis and causes of pulpitis before elaborating on the application of vital pulp treatment after trauma, caries, or dental procedures. Later chapters cover a variety of extent treatment modalities including caries removal, pulpotomy, direct or indirect pulp capping and regenerative endodontic therapies.
"Vital Pulp Treatment" includes: Clinical photographs to support and highlight key parts of the text; Detailed discussion of topics including pulp diagnostics, deep caries, and pulp exposure management, as well as controversial and clinically relevant discussions; Dedicated treatment of each therapeutic modality with a summary of the state of the art in each case; Outcome measures and follow-up guidelines.
Critique: Comprehensive, up-to-date, and firmly founded upon evidence-based dentistry and robust scientific research, "Vital Pulp Treatment: is impressively organized, informatively essential, and strongly recommended for dentists, endodontists, restorative dentists, and dental students seeking information on this critical component of modern minimally-invasive dentistry. Especially recommended for professional, medical school, and college/university library Dentistry collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that this large format (7.2 x 0.83 x 10.24 inches, 1.44 pound) hardcover edition of "Vital Pulp Treatment" from Wiley-Blackwell is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $148.00).
Editorial Note #1: Henry F. Duncan BDS, FDS RCS (Ed), MClin Dent, MRD RCS, FFD RCSI, PhD is a Professor and Consultant in Endodontics in the Division of Restorative Dentistry and Periodontology at Dublin Dental University Hospital, Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland
Editorial Note #2: Ikhlas A. El-Karim BDS, FDS RCS (Ed), FFD RCSI, PGCHET, PhD is a Clinical Professor and Consultant in Restorative Dentistry in the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences at Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Local Anesthesia in Dentistry
Jesus Calatayud & Mana Saraghi
Wiley-Blackwell
www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell
9781394180158, $190.00, HC, 512pp
https://www.amazon.com/Local-Anesthesia-Dentistry-Locoregional-Approach/dp/1394180152
Synopsis: With the publication of "Local Anesthesia in Dentistry: A Locoregional Approach", co-authors Jesus Calatayud and Mana Saraghi provide comprehensive coverage of all aspects of local anesthetics, including anatomic considerations, pharmacology, armamentarium, injection techniques, indications, contraindications, complications, novel anesthetics formulations, and more.
The in-depth chapters comprising "Local Anesthesia in Dentistry: A Locoregional Approach" offers dental students clear criteria and guidelines for patient care, supported by hundreds of evidence-based references. Alongside this, standalone appendixes are hosted on the book's companion website. In these appendixes, the co-authors have distilled a wide body of research, summarizing the findings of the seminal studies in the field, including historical landmark studies and clinical trial data to support practical aspects of locoregional anesthesia discussed in the textbook.
In summation, "Local Anesthesia in Dentistry: A Locoregional Approach": Provides students and professionals with a one-stop resource on local anesthesia in dentistry; Offers critical evaluations of research and literature on each topic and subtopic; Addresses all common local anesthetic techniques, including basic injection, mandibular and maxillary anesthesia, and local anesthesia in children; Features practical quantitative data and step-by-step information on situations encountered in daily practice.
Critique: Specifically designed to support all levels of dental students and professionals, "Local Anesthesia in Dentistry: A Locoregional Approach" is co-authored by two highly experienced practitioners, Jesus Calatayud and Mana Saraghi, making this authoritative resource an essential instructional reference for dentists, dental nurses, dental technicians, hygienists, specialists, students, and researchers. While unreservedly recommended for professional, medical/dentistry school, and college/university library and supplemental Dentistry curriculum studies lists, it is also a valuable reference for other healthcare providers looking to support future study in a digital book format (Kindle, $152.00).
Editorial Note #1: Jesus Calatayud, MD, PhD, DMD is Associate Professor (Retired) of Pediatric Dentistry in the School of Dentistry at Complutense University of Madrid in Spain.
Editorial Note #2: Mana Saraghi, DMD, DABDA is Director of the Dental Anesthesiology Residency Program at the Jacobi Medical Center in New York and Assistant Professor of Dentistry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, both in the United States. She is the President of the American Dental Board of Anesthesiology.
The Cookbook Shelf
Taste of Home Classic Family Favorites
Tastes of Home
c/o Trusted Media Brands
https://www.trustedmediabrands.com
9798889770251, $22.99, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Taste-Home-Classic-Family-Favorites/dp/B0CL3BMZD5
Synopsis: "Taste of Home Classic Family Favorites" is an illustrated compendium of 277 'standby' dishes that families have enjoyed generation after generation. These tried-and-true recipes include the dinners, desserts, soups and sandwiches that have proved to be enduringly popular. Additionally, here also are to be found DIY recipes for palate pleasing, appetite satisfying snacks, breakfasts and side dishes.
Contest-Winning Icon spotlights blue-ribbon foods throughout the book. 3 At-a- Glance Icons help you find slow-cooked and air-fried recipes as well as recipes prepared in the Instant Pot. There are reader reviews and tips from the Taste of Home Test Kitchen staff, as well as nutrition facts with every recipe and diabetic exchanges where applicable.
Critique: This large format (8.06 x 0.7 x 8.94 inches, 1.8 pounds) paperback edition of "Taste of Home Classic Family Favorites" is a delight to browse through and ideal for planning memorable and 'family friendly' menus with. The full page, full color photos of finished dishes is particularly inspiring. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99), "Taste of Home Classic Family Favorites" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections.
Editorial Note: Taste of Home magazine has hundreds of thousands of subscribers throughout North America and publishes best-selling cookbooks and newsstand specials. The brand's web site (www.tasteofhome.com) is a top destination, featuring kitchen-tested recipes, how-to techniques, cooking videos and more. Taste of Home has more than 6.3 million fans on Facebook, 2 million followers on Instagram, 2.6 million Pinterest followers and receives more than 28 million unique monthly visitors.
The Mediterranean Cook: A Year of Seasonal Eating
Meni Valle
Smith Street Books
c/o Rizzoli
www.rizzoliusa.com
9781922754875, $35.00, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mediterranean-Cook-Year-Seasonal-Eating/dp/1922754870
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Mediterranean Cook: A Year of Seasonal Eating" culinary expert Meni Valle celebrates of the fresh and flavor-packed cuisine of the region, with more than 75 vegetarian recipes. These beautifully illustrated dishes range from roasted eggplants and tangy artichokes to perfectly flaky pastry boats and juicy grilled plums and figs. Each individual dish is an invitation to savor the sensational flavors of the countries that border the Mediterranean.
Following slow food values, Valle's recipes are simple and seasonal, showcasing how to get the best out of fresh, local produce, all year round. Featuring beautiful photographs of each recipe, as well as step-by-step images to guide the reader through more intricate preparations, "The Mediterranean Cook: is a heartfelt and beautifully captured homage to a cuisine rich in flavor and history.
Critique: Showcasing authentic Mediterranean dishes made with fresh, seasonal produce, this large format (8.56 x 1.07 x 10.34 inches, 1.25 pounds) hardcover edition of "The Mediterranean Cook: A Year of Seasonal Eating" from Smith Street Books features an attached 'place saving' ribbon and a culinary wealth of kitchen cook friendly, palate pleasing, appetite satisfying recipes. A delight to page through and plan memorable menus with, "The Mediterranean Cook" will prove to be a prized pick for personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections.
Editorial Note: Meni Valle (www.menivalle.com.au) is a Greek-Australian cookbook author and food teacher. Her rich Greek heritage, coupled with her love for travel and food, has seen Meni become one of Australia's most-respected authorities on Mediterranean cuisine. When she is not writing cookbooks, Meni shares her knowledge and passion for Greek food through cooking classes and culinary tours to Greece, where she loves connecting with locals and discovering new recipes. She also regularly presents at festivals and conferences and contributes to magazines. "The Mediterranean Cook" is Meni's sixth cookbook, following My Greek Kitchen (2011), My Mediterranean Kitchen (2012), Everyday Mediterranean (2015), Mediterranean Lifestyle Cooking (2019), and Ikaria (2020).
Greekish: Everyday Recipes with Greek Roots
Georgina Hayden
Bloomsbury Press
www.bloomsbury.com
9781526630667, $35.00, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Greekish-Everyday-Recipes-Greek-Roots/dp/1526630664
Synopsis: Packed from cover to cover with simple Mediterranean recipes perfect for weeknight cooking and effortless weekend meals alike, "Greekish: Everyday Recipes with Greek Roots" is inspired by beloved author Georgina Hayden's Greek-Cypriot roots and travels.
After a lifetime of collecting favorite dishes that are easy to throw together, bursting with flavor, and sure to be cooked on repeat in countless kitchens, Georgina has homed in on the best ways to balance fresh, hearty ingredients with traditional methods-always keeping them easy, delicious, and balanced.
Leaning on familiar Mediterranean ingredients like olive oil, herbs, halloumi, tahini, and honey, Georgina offers "hero" recipes like crispy cauliflower with herby dressing, chicken thighs with figs and olives, and baklava French toast to provide both classic combinations and plenty of Greek-influenced dishes with playful, modern twists.
With fewer ingredients and less stress, "Greekish" delivers beloved Mediterranean flavors and satisfying, craveable meals every time.
Critique: This large format (7.75 x 1.05 x 9.95 inches, 1 pound) hardcover edition of "Greekish: Everyday Recipes with Greek Roots" from Bloomsbury Publishing is visually enhanced for the kitchen cook's benefit with full color, full page photos of finished dishes. The thoroughly 'user friendly' recipes will enable even the most novice of cooks to present Greek inspired, palate pleasing, appetite satisfying fare fit for any and all dining occasions. A culinary delight to browse through and inspiring to plan menus with, Georgina Hayden's "Greekish: Everyday Recipes with Greek Roots" is an unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Greekish: Everyday Recipes with Greek Roots" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $24.50).
Editorial Note: Georgina Hayden (https://georginahayden.com) is a cook, food writer and stylist from north London. She writes for publications such as The Telegraph, Delicious Magazine and Observer Food Monthly, and in 2021 she won the Fortnum & Mason Best Cookery Writer Award for her work in Waitrose Food magazine. She has appeared on Radio 4's Woman's Hour, and regularly appears on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch and BBC1's Saturday Kitchen.
Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons
Diana Henry
Aster
c/o Octopus Books
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781783256297, $29.99, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Water-Pickled-Lemons-Mediterranean/dp/178325629X
Synopsis: With the publication of "Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons: Enchanting Dishes from the Middle East, Mediterranean and North Africa", Diana Henry offers a culinary exploration of the Mediterranean, Middle East, and North Africa.
"Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons" is a compendium of recipes for dishes that combine exotic flavors in ways long forgotten (or never discovered) in many Western kitchens.
Colorful, aromatic and perfumed ingredients, from leathery pomegranates, with their insides bursting with ruby seeds, to flower-waters that allow you to drink in the scent of a garden,
combine to bring an intoxicating whiff of the exotic to your table and pleasure to your kitchen. The core ingredients of these cuisines are increasingly available so dishes such as Chermoula marinated Tuna, Fennel, Pomegranate and Feta Salad, and Lavender, Orange and Almond Cake are both delicious and accessible to cook.
Critique: This large format (7.75 x 0.77 x 10 inches, 2.07 pounds) hardcover edition of Diana Henry's "Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons: Enchanting Dishes from the Middle East, Mediterranean and North Africa" from Aster is beautifully illustrated throughout and is a significant source of inspiration for planning memorable menus with. Each recipes is throughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and inspiration. Offering a culinary wealth of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying Middle Eastern dishes for any and dining occasions, "Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons" is a welcome, unique, and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781845332846, $22.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Diana Henry is the food columnist for The Sunday Telegraph. A Bird in the Hand received a 2016 James Beard Award, and A Change of Appetite, voted Cookbook of the Year by the Guild of Food Writers in 2015, was a James Beard Award nominee. Diana was named "Cookery Writer of the Year" by The Guild of Food Writers in 2009 and in 2007 for her column in the Sunday Telegraph's Stella magazine. Diana has written nine other books including Cook Simple, Salt Sugar Smoke, and Roast Figs Sugar Snow.
The American History Shelf
Bygone Days of the Old West
Fred Lambert
Sunstone Press
www.sunstonepress.com
9781632936578, $52.00, HC, 490pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bygone-days-of-the-old-west-fred-lambert/1144849319
Synopsis: With the publication of "Bygone Days of the Old West", Fred Lambert and Sunstone Press provides a unique collection of poetry and pen and ink drawings that recall and evoke the lore, traditions and romance of the Old West.
Originating from recollections of Fred Lambert's childhood in New Mexico, as well as carefully chronicled stories gleaned from legends and traditions picked up during his years as a lawman, "Bygone Days of the Old West" provides the reader with a informative and entertaining glimpse into life on the American western frontier that is no more.
The bold artwork that accompanies each and individual tale entertains transports the reader back in time to a bygone era of American frontier history.
Critique: This large format (8.50 x 11.00 x 1.06) hardcover edition of "Bygone Days of the Old West" will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in the history and people of American West and is especially and unreservedly recommended as a prized addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library American Frontier History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Fred Lambert (1887 - 1971) was a lawman, poet and painting. He was sworn in at the age of 16, was the youngest Territorial Marshall from New Mexico. (www.legendsofamerica.com/nm-fredlambert)
One Week to Change the World
DW Gibson
Simon and Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9781668033562, $19.99, PB, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/One-Week-Change-World-Protests/dp/1668033569
Synopsis: One week in late 1999, more than 50,000 people converged on Seattle. Their goal was to shut down the World Trade Organization conference and send a message that working-class people would not quietly accept the runaway economic globalization that threatened their livelihoods.
Though their mission succeeded, it was not without blowback. Violent confrontations between police and protestors resulted in hundreds of arrests and millions of dollars in property damage. But the images of tear gas and smashed windows that flashed across TVs and newspapers were not an accurate representation of what actually happened that week.
With the publication of "One Week to Change the World: An Oral History of the 1999 WTO Protests", award-winning journalist DW Gibson pieces together a complex and compelling account of what really went down in Seattle, introducing the angst that defined the end of a millennium, complete with fight clubs and Y2K doomsday scenarios.
In more than 100 original interviews with protestors, police, politicians, anarchists, artists, activists, union members, and many others, Gibson reconstructs the events in gripping detail; documents its antecedents and aftermath; and shows how so many of its themes remain just as pressing today, including the vitalness and difficulty of grassroots activism, the aspirations and limitations of globalization, the militarization of policing, the sensationalism of the media, and the undeniable power of the people.
Timed to the 25th anniversary of the protests, "One Week to Change the World: An Oral History of the 1999 WTO Protests" is a dramatic and essential history, as well as a practical handbook for how to make one's voice heard in terms of social protest against perceived injustice.
Critique: A seminal, ground-breaking, extraordinary, impressively informative, and exceptionally well organized/presented study, "One Week to Change the World: An Oral History of the 1999 WTO Protests" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library late 20th Century American History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, political activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "One Week to Change the World: An Oral History of the 1999 WTO Protests" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781797177311, $49.99, CD).
Editorial Note: DW Gibson (https://dwgibson.net) is most recently the author of "14 Miles: Building the Border Wall". His previous books include the award-winning "The Edge Becomes the Center: An Oral History of Gentrification in the Twenty-First Century" and "Not Working: People Talk About Losing a Job and Finding Their Way in Today's Changing Economy". He shared a National Magazine Award for his work on "This is the Story of One Block in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn" for New York magazine. Gibson also serves as director of Art Omi: Writers in Ghent, New York, and he co-founded Sangam House, a writers' residency in India.
The World History Shelf
Two Roman Revolutions
John D. Grainger
Pen & Sword Books
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
9781399037181, $36.95, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Two-Roman-Revolutions-Emperors-Gallienus/dp/1399037188
Synopsis: The disastrous reign of the Emperor Commodus, which saw a great expansion of the power of the emperor, eventually resulted in his assassination, but also in a civil war, which was as revolutionary as that of 69. Though the original assassination had been in the name of a restoration of the authority of the Senate (the program of Pertinax and his supporters) the victory of Septimius Severus established a murderous autocracy, which degenerated into incompetence under his successors. It also set up a continuous tension within the government between imperial and senatorial powers and authority.
The weakness of the imperial power after Caracalla was emphasized by the assassination of all emperors between 217 and 238; it also produced an increase in warfare on all frontiers from Syria to Britannia.
In the later years of Alexander Severus the Senate began to recover its authority, thanks to the emperor's long absences from Rome in the east and in Germany. His frontier policy displeased the army, however, and his assassination produced the Emperor Maximinus. The recovery of the Senate was immediately stopped in its tracks and Maximinus disdained all authority apart from his own.
This was a classic pre-revolutionary situation, and the reaction amongst the senators was the revolution of 238, sparked by trouble in Africa under the Gordians, but also producing another civil war and the deaths of several emperors.
The authority of the Senate was enhanced by the senatorial victory but in in the end the Senate proved unable to defend the empire, and the contest between imperial and senatorial power continued until the 260s when in effect Gallienus returned to imperial autocracy.
This marked the end of real senatorial power, and the empire as an autocracy was finally established.
Critique: A seminal and ground breaking study, "Two Roman Revolutions: The Senate, the Emperors and Power, from Commodus to Gallienus (AD 180-260)" by historian John D. Grainger is informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a number of Maps and Illustrations, seventeen pages of Notes, a four page Bibliography/Abbreviations, and a six page Index. As an historian so well versed in the history and personalities of the Roman Empire, and a prolific writer, Granger has a positive knack for presenting history in an especially compelling and informative style that will be greatly appreciated by both scholars, students, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in Roman history. While unreservedly recommended as a core addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Roman History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that "Two Roman Revolutions" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
Editorial Note: John D Grainger (www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/John-D-Grainger/a/1657) is a former teacher and historian of great experience with a particular interest in Classical and Hellenistic Greek history. His many previous works include the following for Pen & Sword: Hellenistic and Roman Naval Wars (2011); The Wars of the Maccabees (2012); Roman Conquests: Egypt and Judaea (2013); a three-part history of the Seleukid Empire (2014-16), King's and Kingship in the Hellenistic World 350-30 BC (2017), Antipater's Dynasty (2018), Ancient Dynasties (2019), The Roman Imperial Succession (March 2020) and The Galatians (August 2020).
Babylonian Jews and Sasanian Imperialism in Late Antiquity
Simcha Gross
Cambridge University Press
www.cambridge.org
9781009280525, $130.00, HC, 360pp
https://www.amazon.com/Babylonian-Jews-Sasanian-Imperialism-Antiquity/dp/100928052X
Synopsis: From the image offered by the Babylonian Talmud, Jewish elites were deeply embedded within the Sasanian Empire (224-651 CE). The Talmud is replete with stories and discussions that feature Sasanian kings, Zoroastrian magi, fire temples, imperial administrators, Sasanian laws, Persian customs, and more quotidian details of Jewish life.
Yet, in the scholarly literature on the Babylonian Talmud and the Jews of Babylonia, the Sasanian Empire has principally served as a backdrop to a decidedly parochial Jewish story, having little if any direct impact on Babylonian Jewish life and especially the rabbis.
With the publication of "Babylonian Jews and Sasanian Imperialism in Late Antiquity", historian and academician Simcha Gross advances a radically different understanding of Babylonian Jewish history and Sasanian rule. Building upon recent scholarship, Professor Gross portrays a more immanent model of Sasanian rule, within and against which Jews invariably positioned and defined themselves. Babylonian Jews realized their traditions, teachings, and social position within the political, social, religious, and cultural conditions generated by Sasanian rule.
Critique: A seminal, erudite, and ground-breaking study, "Babylonian Jews and Sasanian Imperialism in Late Antiquity" is informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of an Introduction (Toward a New History of Jews and the Sasanian Empire), a fifty page Bibliography, a six page General Index, and a seven page Source Index. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, this edition of Professor Simcha Gross' definitive history, "Babylonian Jews and Sasanian Imperialism in Late Antiquity" from Cambridge University Press is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/library Judaic History and Assyrian/Babylonian/Sumer History collections, as well as a textbook for supplemental Late Antiquity Middle Eastern curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Babylonian Jews and Sasanian Imperialism in Late Antiquity" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $123.50).
Editorial Note: Simcha Gross (https://jwst.sas.upenn.edu/people/simcha-gross) is the Assistant Professor of Ancient Rabbinics in the Department of Near Eastern Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. His is co-author of The History of the 'Slave of Chris': From Jewish Child to Christian Martyr and co-editor of Jews and Syriac Christians. He also was an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellow for Assistant Professors at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton; and a recipient of an Alexander von Humboldt Foundation fellowship for experienced researchers.
The History and Natural History of Spices
Ian Anderson
The History Press
c/o Arcadia Publishing
www.arcadiapublishing.com
9781803991566, $35.00, HC, 328pp
https://www.amazon.com/History-Natural-Spices-5000-Year-Flavour/dp/1803991569
Synopsis: Spices have been highly valued since at least the Bronze Age, with the so-called Spice Trade, spanning Asia to the Mediterranean, developing from the late centuries BC. By the first century AD, Roman society spent vast sums fueling their demand for spices, importing black pepper from India and other exotics from further afield.
Importing spices from the east was a daunting and dangerous task, whether by ship across the Indian Ocean, a perilous round journey of many months, or by caravan overland along the myriad routings of the Silk Road, or other trade routes. The search for spices in the 15th and 16th centuries led to Columbus' discovery of America (and the discovery of chili in Cuba and Hispaniola); Vasco da Gama's proving of the route to India around the coast of Africa; and Magellan's discovery of the western route to the Spice Islands.
With the publication of "The History and Natural History of Spices: The 5000-Year Search for Flavour", Ian Anderson presents a comprehensive history spices, including their uses, botanical descriptions and classifications, as well as delving into the trade routes and importance of spice through history in driving global events.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and thoroughly 'reader friendly' study that is informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of an Introduction (The Allure of Spices and Botanical Origin), an Epilogue (The Influence of Spice on Global Cuisine), an eight page Bibliography, thirty-two pages of Notes, and a five page Index, this edition of "The History and Natural History of Spices: The 5000-Year Search for Flavour" from The History Press, while unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Gastronomy, Food Science, and Herb/Spices history collections is also readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note: Ian Anderson is professional geologist with a long-standing interest in history and archaeology, who has lived and traveled extensively in SE Asia for over 25 years. He has previously published papers in geology and an article on travel by light aircraft in Mexico, and lives immersed in a 'foodie' environment as his wife is a cordon bleu chef.
The Military History Shelf
Skies of Thunder
Caroline Alexander
Viking Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
www.penguin.com
9781984879233, $32.00 HC, 496pp
https://www.amazon.com/Skies-Thunder-Deadly-World-Mission/dp/1984879235
Synopsis: In April 1942, the Imperial Japanese Army steam-rolled through Burma, capturing the only ground route from India to China. Supplies to this critical zone would now have to come from India by air -- meaning flying across the Himalaya mountains, on the most hazardous air route in the world.
"Skies of Thunder: The Deadly World War II Mission Over the Roof of the World" by Charlotte Alexander is the history of an epic human endeavor, in which Allied troops faced the monumental challenge of operating from airfields hacked from the jungle, and took on "the Hump" -- the fearsome mountain barrier that defined the air route.
They flew fickle, untested aircraft through monsoons and enemy fire, with inaccurate maps and only primitive navigation technology. The result was a litany of both deadly crashes and astonishing feats of survival. The most chaotic of all the war's arenas, the China-Burma-India theater was further confused by the conflicting political interests of Roosevelt, Churchill and their demanding, nominal ally, Chiang Kai-shek.
As an historian and author, Caroline Alexander (who wrote the defining books on Shackleton's Endurance and Bligh's Bounty) is simply brilliant at probing what it takes to survive extreme circumstances. She has unearthed obscure memoirs and long-ignored records to give us the pilots' and soldiers' eye views of flying and combat, as well as honest portraits of commanders like the celebrated "Vinegar Joe" Stillwell and Claire Lee Chennault. She assesses the real contributions of units like the Flying Tigers, Merrill's Marauders, and the British Chindits, who pioneered new and unconventional forms of warfare.
Decisions in this theater exposed the fault-lines between the Allies (America and Britain, Britain and India), and ultimately and most fatefully between America and China, as FDR pressed to help the Chinese nationalists in order to forge a bond with China after the war.
Critique: Clearly, "Skies of Thunder: The Deadly World War II Mission Over the Roof of the World" from Viking Books is a deftly written, magnum opus of military aviation history and an essential addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library World War II Military Aviation History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, military history buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Skies of Thunder: The Deadly World War II Mission Over the Roof of the World" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Editorial Note: Caroline Alexander is the author of The Endurance, The Bounty, and other acclaimed works of narrative nonfiction, as well as a new translation of Homer's Iliad. She studied philosophy and theology at University of Oxford as a Rhodes scholar and has a doctorate in classics from Columbia University. She has written for The New Yorker and National Geographic, among other publications.
The Second World War Illustrated: The Final Year
Jack Holroyd
Pen & Sword Books
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
9781399063081, $36.95, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Second-World-War-Illustrated-Final/dp/1399063081
Synopsis: "The Second World War Illustrated: The Final Year" follows the author Jack Holroyd's visual tour of the war by means of painstakingly researched and digitally restored pictures from the period of the key battlefields and events of the period from September 1944 until the end of the war.
This concluding volume to 'The Second World War Illustrated" series from Pen & Sword Books, "The Final Year" begins with Montgomery's Market Garden failure, devoting 60 pages to the planning, key individuals and forces involved in the operation and its outcome on both sides. Attention then turns to the Warsaw Uprising, where the Polish underground resistance attempted to liberate Warsaw from German occupation at the cost of thousands of resistance and civilian casualties. It then explore the importance of Walcheren and the port of Antwerp, culminating in the Battle of Scheldt.
Of special note is the chapter is devoted to the fighting along the Siegfried Line at Aachen, the Battle for Hurtgen Forest and the liberation of Alsace, before switching to the Battle of the Bulge: Hitler's final major offensive campaign of the war. From here "The Final Year" documents the decline of the Nazi war machine and the Allies' push to victory with Operation Varsity (the largest airborne operation in history), leading the way to the battles for Berlin.
Faced with impending defeat, Hitler's suicide marks the beginning of the end and the fate of the Fuhrer's party leaders is addressed. "The Final Years" concludes with VE celebrations, before turning attention to the Burmese Campaign, the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa and the dropping of the atomic bomb.
Critique: Featuring more than 1,000 original B/W historical photographs, "The Second World War Illustrated" series (concluding with the publication of "The Final Years") is a true labor of love and an ideal reading for students, academia, military history buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the history of the Second World War in a visual format. It is also unreservedly recommended as a core addition for community and college/university library World War II collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Jack Holroyd has been employed in printing and publishing for fifty years. His works several fictional titles, two books on aviation topics, five further titles on the First World War and one covering the actions of the SS Totenkopf Division in the invasion of France in May 1940.
The Breakthrough of Kampfgruppe Peiper in the Battle of the Bulge
Hugues Wenkin & Christian Dujardin
Pen & Sword Books
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
9781036104030, $42.95, HC, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Breakthrough-Kampfgruppe-Peiper-Battle-Bulge/dp/1036104036
Synopsis: Joachim Peiper (30 January 1915 - 14 July 1976) was a German Schutzstaffel (SS) officer and war criminal convicted for the Malmedy massacre of American POWs. Peiper served as personal adjutant to Heinrich Himmler, leader of the SS, and as a tank commander in the Waffen-SS.
Kampfgruppe Joachim Peiper was the spearhead of the German 6th Panzer-Army in the Ardennes, responsible for clearing the way for the German tanks towards the Meuse and Antwerp. His armored column was endowed with considerable firepower and brought together the most motivated veterans of the Third Reich. His unit had to rush forward without regard to its flanks, seizing the bridges over the Meuse before the American army had time to react.
After a difficult start, the German armored column broke through the defensive curtain of Gis and set off on its mission. It had to cross the Ardennes, an easy-to-defend area that the American command used to gain time. One after the other, bridges were being blown in front of Peiper. His fuel ran out, and he found himself at a standstill isolated on a promontory at La Gleize.
Using combat reports from both sides, "The Breakthrough of Kampfgruppe Peiper in the Battle of the Bulge" by co-authors Hugues Wenkin and Christian Dujardin analyzes the events as they occurred, minute by minute, explaining the reasons for Peiper's failure, even though, on paper at least, he had everything he needed to win.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout with B/W historical photographs, and enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of an informative Introduction, a five page Conclusion (The Impossible Blitzkrieg), a one page Appendix (Equivelent Military Ranks), nine pages of Notes, and a three page Bibliography, this hardcover edition from Pen & Sword Books of "The Breakthrough of Kampfgruppe Peiper in the Battle of the Bulge" is a seminal, ground-breaking, and unreservedly recommended contribution to personal, professional, community, and college/university library World War II history collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and military history buffs that "The Breakthrough of Kampfgruppe Peiper in the Battle of the Bulge" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $25.00).
Editorial Note #1: Hugues Wenkin, a historian and engineer, has been collaborating with the most important French historical publishers since 2006. Author of numerous monographs and historical studies on mechanised warfare, his works are always based on in-depth archival research. He makes it a point of honor to systematically confront his tactical analyzes with a return to the battlefield, while his factual, contrarian approach allows him to see the issues addressed in a new light. As a senior adviser to the editors of the Mook 1944 publications, he renews the genre through a scientific approach and the reinterrogation of primary sources.
Editorial Note #2: Author of several books on the Battle of the Bulge, Christian Dujardin is a well-known local historian in the Ardennes. As a field specialist, he trains local guides at the request of the official Belgian tourism services, and is a scientific advisor for the Bastogne War Museum.
Burma '44
James Holland
Atlantic Monthly Press
c/o Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
www.groveatlantic.com
9780802160584, $30.00, HC, 448pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/burma-44-james-holland/1144313061
Synopsis: In February 1944, in one of the most astonishing battles of World War II, a ragtag collection of British clerks, drivers, doctors, muleteers, and other base troops, stiffened by a few dogged Yorkshiremen and a handful of tank crews, managed to defeat a much larger and sophisticated contingent of some of the finest infantry in the Japanese army on their march towards India.
What became known as the Battle of the Admin Box, fought amongst the paddy fields and jungle of Northern Arakan over a fifteen-day period, turned the battle for Burma. Not only was it the first decisive victory for Allied troops against the Japanese, more significantly, it demonstrated how the Japanese could be defeated. Lessons learned in this otherwise insignificant corner of the Far East set up the campaign in Burma that would follow, as General William Slim's Fourteenth Army finally turned the tide of the war in the East.
With the publication of "Burma '44: The Battle That Turned World War II in the East", World War II historian James Holland offers a dramatic tale of victory against incredible odds. As momentous as the Battle of the Bulge ten months later, the Admin Box was a triumph of human grit and heroism and remains one of the most significant yet underappreciated conflicts of the entire war. "Burma '44" restores its proper place in the history of World War II.
Critique: Informative enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of seven Maps, a Cast List, an eight page Postscript, a four page Order of Battle, a six page Admin Box Timeline, a twelve page listing of Sources, a thirteen page section of historical photos, a two page Glossary, and eight page Index, "Burma '44: The Battle That Turned World War II in the East" is a seminal and ground-breaking history that must be considered an essential and core addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library World War II History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and military history buffs that "Burma '44" is also readily available from Atlantic Monthly Press in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.99).
Editorial Note: James Holland is an English historian, author and broadcaster, who specializes in the history of the Second World War. There is an extensive listing of his published books online at https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/78267.James_Holland
The Civil War Shelf
War in the Western Theater
Chris Mackowski & Sarah Kay Bierle, editors
Savas Beatie LLC
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611215960, $32.95, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/War-Western-Theater-Perspectives-Anniversary/dp/161121596X
Synopsis: The Western Theater of the American Civil War has long been pushed to the side by dramatic events in the Eastern Theater -- but it was arguably in the West where the Federal armies won the Civil War.
Interest in this complex region is finally increasing, and the authors at Savas Beatie Emerging Civil War series add substantially to that growing body of literature with the publication of "War in the Western Theater: Favorite Stories and Fresh Perspectives from the Historians at Emerging Civil War".
Dozens of entries offer fresh and insightful aspects and angles to key events that unfolded between the Appalachians and the Mississippi River. Revisit an important Confederate charge at Shiloh, discover how key decisions won (and lost) the bloody fighting at Chickamauga, and ponder how whiskey may have impacted the fighting at Corinth. Readers will walk the battlefield at Fort Blakeley outside Mobile, fight in the hellish cedars at Stones River, and mourn with a Mississippi family. Insights abound.
How many students of the war knew a Confederate major, watching the riverine bombardment of Fort Donelson up close and personal, rushed to send detailed sketches of the ironclads to Gen. Robert E. Lee to warn him of this new way of fighting -- and the lethal dangers it portended?
And these are just a taste of what's waiting inside "War in the Western Theater"!
The selections comprising this edition of "War in the Western Theater" herein bring together the best scholarship from Emerging Civil War's blog, symposia, and podcast, revised and updated, together with original pieces designed to shed new light and insight on some of the most important and fascinating events that have for too long flown under the radar of history's pens.
Critique: Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Civil War experts Chris Mackowski and Sarah Kay Bierle, and an absolutely essential and core addition to any personal, professional, community, or college/university library American Civil War history collection and supplemental curriculum studies lists, "War in the Western Theater: Favorite Stories and Fresh Perspectives from the Historians at Emerging Civil War" is an extraordinary compendium of erudite, informative, thoughtful, thought-provoking, and inherently fascinating articles about the American Civil War in the West. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The War in the Western Theater" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.95).
Editorial Note #1: Chris Mackowski, is the editor-in-chief of Emerging Civil War. He is a writing professor in the Jandoli School of Communication at St. Bonaventure University and the historian-in-residence at Stevenson Ridge, a historic property on the Spotsylvania battlefield. He has authored or co-authored more than two dozen books on the Civil War. Additional information is available at https://emergingcivilwar.com/contributor/chris-mackowski
Editorial Note #2: Sarah Kay Bierle (https://sarahkaybierle.com) is a managing editor for Emerging Civil War's blog. A graduate from Thomas Edison State University with a B.A. in History, she has spent the last few years researching, writing, and speaking about the American Civil War, helping audiences gain a better appreciation for the accounts of real people caught in the struggles of the past.
Dranesville
Ryan T. Quint
Savas Beatie LLC
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611216936, $32.95, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Dranesville-Northern-Virginia-December/dp/1611216931
Synopsis: After the guns of Manassas fell silent, the opposing armies grappled for position wondering what would come next. Popular history has us believe it was "All quiet along the Potomac." But the reality was altogether different.
The fall and early winter of 1861 was a hotbed of activity that culminated in the December combat at Dranesville. The Union victory, although small when measured against what was to come, was sorely needed after the string of defeats at Bull Run, Wilson's Creek, and Ball's Bluff. Tt also helped shape many of the players in the bloody years to come.
With the publication of "Dranesville: A Northern Virginia Town in the Crossfire of a Forgotten Battle, December 20, 1861", historian Ryan Quint provides the first full history of that narrow but critically important slice of the war. No one knew what was coming, but soon civilians (sympathetic to both sides) were thrown into a spreading civil war of their own as neighbor turned on neighbor. In time, this style of warfare, on the home front and on the battlefield, reached the town of Dranesville in Fairfax County.
This mostly forgotten story uses overlooked or underused sources to sweep readers along from the White House and Charleston's Secession Hall to midnight ambushes and the climactic Dranesville action. A host of characters and commanders that would become household names cut their teeth during these months, including Generals J. E. B. Stuart and Edward Ord. The men of the Pennsylvania Reserves saw their baptism of fire at Dranesville, setting the Keystone State soldiers on a path to becoming one of the best combat units of the entire war.
Though eclipsed by larger and bloodier battles, Dranesville remained a defining moment for many of its participants (soldiers and civilians alike) for the rest of their lives. Here for the first time, shared through the eyes of those who lived it, is the story of Dranesville and the early war in Northern Virginia.
Critique: A seminal and ground-breaking study, "Dranesville: A Northern Virginia Town in the Crossfire of a Forgotten Battle, December 20, 1861" is a fascinating, informatively detailed, and impressively well written study that is a critically important addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library American Civil War collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, Civil War buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Dranesville: A Northern Virginia Town in the Crossfire of a Forgotten Battle, December 20, 1861" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Ryan Quint is a native of Maine and earned his degree in history from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA. He has worked in the field of public history, including at the George Washington Foundation, Colonial Williamsburg, and the National Park Service. Ryan has been involved with Emerging Civil War since 2013, and his first book, "Determined to Stand and Fight: The Battle of Monocacy", was published by Savas Beatie in 2017 as part of their Emerging Civil War series (www.emergingcivilwar.com).
The Biography Shelf
Duty Calls: Lessons Learned From an Unexpected Life of Service
Dr. Antonia Coello Novello
Fulcrum Publishing
www.fulcrumbooks.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9781682754467, $19.95, PB, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Duty-Calls-Lessons-Learned-Unexpected/dp/1682754464
Synopsis: Dr. Antonia Novello's enduring commitment to service has left an indelible mark on the world of public health in the United States and Puerto Rico. With a distinguished career spanning more than four decades, including serving as the US Surgeon General and the New York State Commissioner of Health during 9/11, her story highlights an unwavering dedication to improving the well-being of individuals and communities.
Dr. Novello's personal life story is one of challenges faced and overcome, of resilience and perseverance, and of shattering glass ceilings and opening doors for future generations of leaders. With honesty and openness, she shares her early battles with childhood illness and her desire to overcome stereotypes, while also chronicling her meteoric rise through various roles in the field of health care, leading to her service as the nation's top medical officer.
From her struggles to her celebrations to her tireless advocacy for the health of young people, each chapter offers a glimpse into the resilience and wisdom that have shaped her life, unveiling the profound lessons she has gathered along the way.
Critique: Inherently interesting, fully fascinating, and ultimately inspiring, "Duty Calls: Lessons Learned From an Unexpected Life of Service" by Dr. Antonia Coello Novello will hold a very special attraction for readers with an interest in Hispanic/Latina memoirs and professional medical/political biographies. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Duty Calls: Lessons Learned From an Unexpected Life of Service" is unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Women's Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Duty Calls: Lessons Learned From an Unexpected Life of Service" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.49) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798874773892, $45.95, CD).
Editorial Note: Dr. Antonia Coello Novello was born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. She graduated from the University of Puerto Rico with a B.S. and an M.D. She completed her residency/internship in pediatrics at University of Michigan, and a fellowship in pediatric nephrology at the University of Michigan and Georgetown University. Also, she received a Masters and a doctor of public health from Johns Hopkins University. In 1990, Dr. Antonia Novello was sworn as the fourteenth Surgeon General of the U.S. Public Health Service, and became the first woman and the first Hispanic ever to hold this position. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonia_Novello)
Francis Bacon: A Self-Portrait in Words
Michael Peppiatt, editor
Colm Toibin, foreword
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500021866, $50.00, HC, 480pp
https://www.amazon.com/Francis-Bacon-Self-Portrait-Michael-Peppiatt/dp/0500021864
Synopsis: The documents compiled and edited by Michael Peppiatt for "Francis Bacon: A Self-Portrait in Words" fully illustrate Bacon's sharp wit and ability to express complex ideas in highly personal, memorable language. Included here are not only letters to friends, patrons, and fellow artists, but also intriguing notes and lists of paintings. They often come with a sketch as an aide-memoire or an injunction to himself as he worked in the studio, and many have only come to light since his death.
Bacon's letters mirror and reveal his dominant preoccupations at different points throughout his long career. Most of Bacon's letters have never been published and include several that he wrote to author Michael Peppiatt. Particularly intriguing is the record of a dream that he jotted down, outlining impossibly beautiful paintings he had conjured up in his sleep. Together with photographs, archive material, and works by the artist are numerous reproductions of Bacon's characteristic handwriting, from the briefest jottings and notes to more extensive letters and statements.
Bacon frequently came up with memorable epithets and definitions. He delighted in doing with words what he set out to do in painting: "I like phrases that cut me." In his editorial role, Peppiatt explores the personal legacy of one of the twentieth century's most important painters and presents a compelling verbal self-portrait that reveals both man and artist.
Critique: Enhanced for the reader's benefit with some 209 color illustrations, two personal B/W photographs of Francis Bacon, an informative Foreword by Colm Toibin, and a four page Index, "Francis Bacon: A Self-Portrait in Words" is a seminal, detailed, exhaustive, original, and ground-breaking study that is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Biography & Art/Artist Essay collections.
Editorial Note #1: Michael Peppiatt (https://michaelpeppiatt.com) is an English art historian, curator and writer. He is internationally respected as an expert on 20th-century art.
Editorial Note #2: Colm Toibin (https://colmtoibin.com) is the author of 11 novels including The Master, Brooklyn, The Testament of Mary, Nora Webster, House of Names and The Magician. His work has been shortlisted for The Booker Prize three times, has won the Costa Novel Award and the IMPAC Award. He has also published two collections of stories and many works of non-fiction.
The General Fiction Shelf
How to Read a Book
Monica Wood
Mariner Books
www.marinerbooks.com
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063243675, $28.00, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Monica-Wood/dp/0063243679
Synopsis: Violet Powell is a twenty-two-year-old from rural Abbott Falls, Maine, who is being released from prison after serving twenty-two months for a drunk-driving crash that killed a local kindergarten teacher.
Harriet Larson, a retired English teacher who runs the prison book club, is facing the unsettling prospect of an empty nest.
Frank Daigle, a retired machinist, hasn't yet come to grips with the complications of his marriage to the woman Violet killed.
When the three encounter each other one morning in a bookstore in Portland (Violet to buy the novel she was reading in the prison book club before her release, Harriet to choose the next title for the women who remain, and Frank to dispatch his duties as the store handyman) their lives begin to intersect in transformative ways.
Critique: "How to Read a Book" by author Monica Wood is an inherently thoughtful, impressively hopeful, deftly crafted and original story about dealing with guilt, the value of second chances, and the power of books to impact on our lives. One of those work of such literary excellent that it will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the novel itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf, "How to Read a Book" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "How to Read a Book" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Monica Wood (www.monicawood.com) is a novelist, memoirist, and playwright; a recipient of the Maine Humanities Council Carlson Prize for contributions to the public humanities; and a recipient of the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance Distinguished Achievement Award for contributions to the literary arts.
The Historical Fiction Shelf
To Do Justice
Frank S. Joseph
https://www.frankjoseph.com
BookBaby
9798990440913, $19.95, PB, 291pp
https://www.amazon.com/DO-JUSTICE-Chicago-Trilogy/dp/B0D4TT8XSW
Synopsis: Pinkie, 11, is of mixed race and longs to connect with the White woman who gave her birth. Pinkie looks White but is being 'raised Black' by shiftless Jolene, who also raises biological daughter Bettina, 8. Bettina and Pinkie are devoted to one another. But how does Jolene have custody of Pinkie?
Mollie, 23, is a rookie Associated Press journalist, is a beautiful soul (plucky, honest, sensitive) who is trapped in a homely exterior. She longs for oafish colleague Steve, 27, who breaks her heart. But with the aid of 'Conrad the dying poet,' Mollie will make her name as a gutsy street reporter.
The "fire hydrant riot," Chicago's first of the tumultuous '60s, erupts outside Pinkie's home. Pinkie watches every night, realizing she could flee life with Jolene. She runs away.
Missus Sawhill, a powerful Democratic operative, takes Pinkie in, opening a new and seemingly better chapter for Pinkie.
The riots continue. Far worst is in North Lawndale. Pinkie and Bettina are separated in the melee. Pinkie searches all night but can't find Bettina.
Dr. King schedules a march through Gage Park, a White neighborhood known as racist. Bivens' plan is for Pinkie to be in the lead, her ambiguous identity symbolizing a meeting of the races. But Bettina is in the march too. After Dr. King is struck in head by a rock, Pinkie has her epiphany: Mrs. Sawhill's way to do good is wrong vs. Dr. King's way; but even bad people may do good things...
Critique: "To Do Justice" is the third novel in journalist and author Frank S. Joseph's "Chicago Trilogy" and is set in the city of Chicago during the years 1965 and 1966. "To Do Justice" is a deftly crafted and riveting novel that rises to a very high level of literary excellence. It is impressive as to how, as an author, Frank Joseph has drawn upon his own Chicago-based journalistic history and experience to create a work of fiction that is true and accurate to the turbulent times into which it is set. A vivid and inherently fascinating read from start to finish, "To Do Justice" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library American Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "To Do Justice" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
Editorial Note: Frank S. Joseph is Chicago born and bred. He cut his journalistic teeth at the storied City News Bureau of Chicago and served his apprenticeship in the Chicago bureau of The Associated Press covering the ghetto riots of the mid '60s. He left The AP as night city editor but returned the following summer to cover the 1968 Democratic Convention street disorders. Frank came to Washington in 1969, landing at The Washington Post during the Watergate years, then went on to a career in specialized publishing during which he co-founded or founded two companies that each won numerous awards.
The Literary Fiction Shelf
Vladivostok Circus
Elisa Shua Dusapin, author
Aneesa Abbas Higgins, translator
Open Letter Books
c/o University of Rochester
www.openletterbooks.org
9781960385123, $15.95, PB, 140pp
https://www.amazon.com/Vladivostok-Circus-Elisa-Shua-Dusapin/dp/1960385127
Synopsis: Nathalie arrives at the circus in Vladivostok, Russia, fresh out of fashion school in Geneva. She is there to design the costumes for a trio of artists who are due to perform one of the most dangerous acts of all: the Russian Bar.
As winter approaches, the season at Vladivostok is winding down, leaving the windy port city empty as the performers rush off to catch trains, boats and buses home; all except the Russian bar trio and their manager. They are scheduled to perform at a festival in Ulan Ude, just before Christmas.
What ensues in author Elisa Shua Dusapin's novel, "Vladivostok Circus" is an intimate and beguiling account of four people learning to work with and trust one another. This is an original novel about the delicate balance that must be achieved when flirting with death in such spectacular fashion, set against the backdrop of a cloudy ocean and immersing the reader into Dusapin's trademark dreamlike prose.
Critique: Ably translated from the French for an American readership by Aneesa Abbas Higgins, this paperback edition of "Vladivostock Circus" from Open Letter Books is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and college/university library French Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in French literature that "Vladivostock Circus" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note #1: Elisa Shua Dusapin was born in France in 1992 and raised in Paris, Seoul, and Switzerland. Winter in Sokcho is her first novel. Published in 2016 to wide acclaim, it was awarded the Prix Robert Walser and the Prix Regine Desforges and has been translated into six languages. Her novel, Winter In Sokcho, won the National Book Award for Translated Literature in 2021. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisa_Shua_Dusapin)
Editorial Note #2: Aneesa Abbas Higgins has translated books by Elisa Shua Dusapin, Venus Khoury-Ghata, Tahar Ben Jelloun, Ali Zamir, and Nina Bouraoui. Seven Stones by Venus Khoury-Ghata was short-listed for the Scott-Moncrieff Translation Prize, and both A Girl Called Eel by Ali Zamir and What Became of the White Savage by Francois Garde won PEN Translates awards. Her translation of Dusapin's Winter in Sokcho won the National Book Award for Translated Literature in 2021. (www2.societyofauthors.org/soa-member/aneesa-abbas-higgins)
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
A Wonderland Wish on Ever After Street
Jaimie Admans
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781804838808, $41.00, PB, Large Print, 466pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-wonderland-wish-on-ever-after-street-jaimie-admans/1144719188
Synopsis: Set in a picture-perfect town, a place where dreams come true. "A Wonderland Wish on Ever After Street" is the story of Cleo Jordan who has only ever wished for one thing -- to open her own teashop in memory of her lovely gran.
So when she accidentally fools the interview board into thinking she's a brilliant baker and is offered a prime spot on Ever After Street, she knows her dream is about to come true! But there's a complication -- Cleo has completely lost her love of baking! With her little white lie ticking in her ear, it seems her dream is over before it's begun.
Until she meets her very own Mad Hatter. Loved by everyone on Ever After Street, magician Bram brings an energy to the teashop that lifts everyone, and slowly, with his encouragement, Cleo is getting back to doing what she loves best.But with Bram hiding secrets of his own,
Cleo isn't sure she can put all her faith in him. And when things start going wrong at the teashop, Cleo wonders if the culprit sabotaging her dream is someone closer than she thinks? If Cleo wants her wish to work, she has to learn to trust again before she loses her head and heart completely -- although it might already be far too late for that!
Critique: A deftly crafted and impressively original novel that will have a very special appeal to romance fans, this large print paperback edition of Jaimie Admans novel "A Wonderland Wish on Ever After Street" from Boldwood Books is a fun read from start to finish and one that will prove to be an enduringly popular addition for personal reading lists and community library Romance Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Jaimie Admans is the author of several romantic comedies. Currently the Ever After Street series, and The Gingerbread House in Mistletoe Gardens for Boldwood Books, and she previously wrote ten books for HarperCollins including The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters, The Little Bookshop of Love Stories, The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane, The Post Box at the North Pole, and The Beekeeper at Elderflower Grove.
The Western Fiction Shelf
The Pinfire Lady Strikes Back
P. J. Gallagher
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444853087, $25.00, PB, Large Print, 234pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pinfire-lady-strikes-back-p-j-gallagher/1130920594
Synopsis: Abigail, Lady Penraven, is an Englishwoman set adrift in the wilderness of the Great American Desert. But Abbie is made of stern stuff, and she develops skills with firearms and establishes herself as a gunfighter and wagon master. During a trek westwards, seeking the supposed inheritance left by her deceased father, she encounters numerous perils that test her new skills to the full.
Critique: P. J. Gallagher is the consummate master of the western novel genre with a genuine flair for the kind of action/adventure storytelling that keeps the reader's riveted attention from first page to last. This new large print paperback edition of Gallaher's novel, "The Pinfire Lady Strikes Back" now available from the Linford Western Library collections will prove to be a high value and appreciated addition to personal reading lists and community library Western Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: P. J. Gallagher served in the British Army. He has written and had published close to 20 articles for The Journal of the Royal Artillery, competed for the past 20 years in Cowboy Action Shooting, and is a collector of antique firearms. There is an extensive listing of his books at: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/281621.Paul_Gallagher
Rage at the Devil
Dale Graham
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444853094, $25.00, PB, Large Print, 234pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rage-at-the-devil-dale-graham/1132682461
Synopsis: When stable hand Ben Cade returns home to visit his father, he is stunned to discover the old farmer has been killed by drinking poisoned whiskey. Suspicion falls on a peddler who has recently passed through the Nebraska town of Gothenburg asking strange questions, allegedly to locate old friends. Ben has vengeance in his heart, but his shooting ability is woefully lacking. A chance meeting with Wild Bill Hickok, his boyhood hero in dime novels, sees the legendary gunfighter teaching him the rudiments of his dubious profession. Ben proves to be an able student. A new confidence finds him setting out on a merciless quest for retribution. But the fortuitous acquisition of a gun-toting reputation brings dangers he could never have imagined. Will Ben have the maturity and wisdom to meet the unforeseen challenges fate throws in his path?
Critique: A fun and entertaining read throughout, this large print paperback edition of Dale Graham's "Rage at the Devil" will prove to be an immediately and enduringly popular pick for community library Western Fiction collections and the personal reading lists of dedicated action/adventure western novel fans.
Editorial Note: Graham Dugdale writes westerns under the two pen-names of Dale Graham and Ethan Flagg. He acquired his interest in American Western history following a period working as a teacher in New Mexico. He also compiles crossword puzzles for a weekly country sports newspaper and has produced 11 highly successful walking guides all based in the north of England.
Unfinished Business
Corba Sunman
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444853186, $25.00, PB, Large Print, 234pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unfinished-business-corba-sunman/1130920540
Synopsis: After hearing rumours of trouble in Benton County, deputy US Marshal Dale Banham visits his sister Hannah to investigate. Neighbouring rancher Matt Dolan is letting his steers roam across Hannah's land, eating her feed and drinking her water, and claims she's responsible for damaging his fences. Sheriff Bain warns her that she has no chance of standing up to the powerful cattlemen. But Banham won't let this injustice stand...
Critique: Corba Sunman writes action/adventure western novels with a particularly vivid flair from start to finish. -- "Banham cocked his gun. The remaining two men came up off the floor side by side, guns smoking. Banham fired. The nearest man toppled over as the slug thudded into his chest and broke two ribs before piercing his heart. The last man was already levelling his gun. Banham shaded him, fired first, and a torrent of blood erupted from his adversary's mouth when the half-inch chunk of lead tore out his throat...." A compelling page turner of a read from cover to cover, thie large print paperback edition of "Unfinished Business" from the Linford Western Library collections is strongly recommended for both the personal reading lists of dedicated western fans and community library Western Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Corba Sunman is the pseudonym for Peter Mallet, who has published more than 40 westerns and has also had published romantic fiction, science fiction, and romantic thrillers.
Marshal Flynn's Pilgrimage
Simon Webb
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444853292, $25.00, PB, Large Print, 228pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/marshal-flynns-pilgrimage-simon-webb/1132682478
Synopsis: Marshal Jedediah Flynn has resigned his office and is determined to become a church minister. While travelling to take up a place at a theological college in Illinois, however, he stumbles across a crime which he cannot ignore. It seems that before he can devote himself to the Lord's work, the marshal will be compelled to take up arms one last time.
Critique: Simon Webb is a master storyteller with a particular expertise when it comes to action/adventure westerns. A fun read from start to finish, this large print paperback edition from the Linford Western Library series of Simon Webb's novel, "Marshal Flynn's Pilgrimage", is specifically and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Western Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Simon Webb, who lives on the outskirts of London, is the author of more than thirty westerns, published under both his own name and also a number of pseudonyms; for example Brent Larssen, Harriet Cade, Ed Roberts, Ethan Harker and Fenton Sadler. In addition to westerns, he has written many non-fiction books, chiefly on the subjects of social history and education.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
S.S. Murder
Q. Patrick
American Mystery Classics
c/o Penzler Publishers
https://penzlerpublishers.com
9781613165379, $15.95, PB, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/S-S-Murder-Q-Patrick/dp/1613165374
Synopsis: Cub reporter Mary Llewellyn is on a soothing sea cruise to help her recover after a minor operation. Her fellow passengers are pleasant enough, gathering to play a friendly game of bridge to pass the time. But the game turns considerably less so when a wealthy businessman samples a cocktail -- and ends up dead at the table.
The news that someone onboard dumped a fatal dose of strychnine into the man's drink sends a ripple of panic through the voyagers. All too soon, it becomes clear that the murder was not an isolated incident when another passenger is shoved overboard during a storm.
Determined to stop a murderer, Mary decides to do some snooping above and below deck to get to the truth. If she doesn't figure out the mystery of the seagoing slayer, she might not make it back to land alive.
Critique: "S. S. Murder" is a traditional 'whodunnit' mystery set aboard a luxury cruise liner from the Golden Age of nautical travel. Deftly crafted and a fun read for dedicated mystery buffs from start to finish, this new paperback edition will hold special appeal for readers with an interest in historical detective mysteries featuring an amateur female sleuth.
Editorial Note: Curtis Evans is the author of several studies of classic crime fiction, including Masters of the "Humdrum" Mystery, The Spectrum of English Murder, and Clues and Corpses: The Detective Fiction and Mystery Criticism of Todd Downing. He edited the Edgar-nominated Murder in the Closet: Queer Clues in Crime Fiction Before Stonewall and blogs at The Passing Tramp.
The Village Detectives & The Art Of Murder
Fiona Walker
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781835619261, $42.00, PB, Large Print, 488pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-art-of-murder-fiona-walker/1144703326
Synopsis: Former stand-up comic Juno Mulligan has been suffering a serious sense-of-humor failure. Not only has she lost the love of her life, but she's having to relocate to the (admittedly idyllic) village of Inkbury to watch out for her elderly mother, who she's genuinely worried might be marrying a wife-killer.
She hopes that her old friend, disgraced-journalist-turned-novelist Phoebe Fredericks can help her crack the case of whether her mother's perma-tanned, iceberg-smiled, three-times-a-widower fiance is hiding a murderous past.
But before they have a chance, the local art dealer washes up distinctly dead in the village's famous river. His lover is in the frame, but Juno and Phoebe suspect that there is a deeper secret. One that relates to Phoebe's own past and Juno's present.
Will the unofficial Village Detective Agency solve the mystery before the killer strikes again? In sleepy Inkbury, as they soon discover, living one's best midlife can be murder!
Critique: With the publication of "The Village Detectives & The Art of Murder", novelist Fiona Walker demonstrates her impressive mastery of the crime thriller genre complete with all the makings and elements of a successful and memorable cozy mystery. Memorable characters, clever plot twists, original and narrative driven storytelling, this larger print paperback edition of Fiona Walkers's "The Village Detectives & The Art of Murder" from Boldwood Books is especially recommended for both the personal reading lists of whodunnit murder mysteries and community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Fiona Walker (www.fionawalker.com) is the author of eighteen novels. Plucked out of the slush pile at twenty-three with her first novel, "French Relations", Fiona's unique brand of sharp-eyed romantic comedy and never-want-to-leave setting was an immediate hit, and her books have gone on to sell millions of copies worldwide.
Murder On The Italian Riviera
T. A. Williams
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781835187500, $42.00, PB, Large Print, 321pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-on-the-italian-riviera-t-a-williams/1144566024
Synopsis: Private investigator Dan Armstrong is no stranger to working with criminals, but when he's approached for help by Bianca Moretti, he's on high alert. Bianca is intelligent and beautiful, and Dan likes her -- but he also once sent her to prison.
Bianca explains that a guest has been found dead at her father's luxurious and private retreat on the beautiful Italian Riviera. The police are sure the death is accidental, but Bianca is convinced the man's been murdered. Dan's sure he can get to the bottom of things...as long as Bianca is telling him the whole truth.
But when Dan arrives at the resort, he's in for a shock. He finds that the place is a naturist retreat, and everybody is walking around stark naked! Dan is determined to discover the truth, but this is going to mean revealing a whole lot more of himself than he expected. Can Dan sniff out the truth about this case before Oscar's cold wet nose causes havoc?
Critique: "Murder On The Italian Riviera" is the brand-new and much awaited cozy crime novel by T. A. Williams. This time set in gorgeous Tuscany and part of the author's cozy mystery series that includes "Murder in Tuscany", Murder in Chianti", Murder in Florence", and "Murder in Siena" this large print paperback edition of "Murder on the Italian Riviera" is a 'must' for the growing legions of T. A. Williams fans and unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Writing under the androgynous name of T. A. Williams (because 65% of books are read by women) this author has written all sorts: thrillers, historical novels, short stories and is now writing romance and cozy mystery whodunnits. (www.bookseriesinorder.com/t-a-williams)
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Can't Spell Treason Without Tea
Rebecca Thorne
Bramble
c/o Tor Publishing Group
https://torpublishinggroup.com
9781250333292, $19.99, PB, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Cant-Spell-Treason-Without-Tomes/dp/1250333296
Synopsis: All Reyna and Kianthe want is to open a bookshop that serves tea. Worn wooden floors, plants on every table, firelight drifting between the rafters... all complemented by love and good company. Thing is, Reyna works as one of the Queen's private guards, and Kianthe is the most powerful mage in existence. Leaving their lives isn't so easy.
But after an assassin takes Reyna hostage, she decides she's thoroughly done risking her life for a self-centered queen. Meanwhile, Kianthe has been waiting for a chance to flee responsibility -- all the better that her girlfriend is on board. Together, they settle in Tawney, a town nestled in the icy tundra near dragon country, and open the shop of their dreams.
What follows in author Rebecca Thorne's "Can't Spell Treason Without Tea" is a cozy fantasy tale of mishaps, mysteries, and a murderous queen throwing the realm's biggest temper tantrum. In a story brimming with hurt/comfort and quiet fireside conversations, these two women will discover just what they mean to each other -- and the world.
Critique: An original and fun read from start to finish, "Can't Spell Treason Without Tea" is a 'must read' pick for fans of romantic fantasy laced with humor and featuring memorable characters set in an inherently fascinating story. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Fantasy Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Can't Spell Treason Without Tea" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, 9.99).
Editorial Note: Rebecca Thorne (https://rebeccathorne.net) is an author of all things fantasy, sci-fi, and romantic, such as the Tomes & Tea series. After years in the traditional publishing space, Rebecca pivoted into self-publishing. Now, she's found a happy medium as a hybrid author, and leans into her love of teaching by helping other authors find their perfect publication path.
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Let's Make Bread!: A Comic Book Cookbook
Ken Forkish, author
Sarah Becan, author/illustrator
Ten Speed Graphic
c/o Penguin Random House
https://prhcomics.com
9781984860873, $22.00, PB, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Make-Bread-Comic-Cookbook/dp/1984860879
Synopsis: With the publication of "Let's Make Bread!: A Comic Book Cookbook", author Ken Forkish adapts his expert bread baking tips and recipes from Evolutions in Bread and Flour Water Salt Yeast for the fun, beginner-friendly comic book format.
With comics artist Sarah Becan's lively and colorful illustrations, Let's Make Bread! invites readers to embark on the journey of making bread with this new visual twist.
Co-authors Forkish and Becan provide valuable tips for the first-time breadmaker, from the necessary equipment and ingredients to the basic eight-step bread method. They explain how to start, feed, maintain, and share a sourdough starter and include valuable troubleshooting tips for temperature, dough texture, proofing, and more. They also present seventeen gold-standard recipes for both traditional and customizable loaves, including The Saturday Bread, The Standard, Corn Kernel Bread, and Raisin-Pecan Bread, and more!
Pairing foolproof techniques and recipes with an exciting and inviting comic format," Let's Make Bread!" is an enjoyable (and effective) guide to making your own perfect loaf at home.
Critique: Presented in a kind of graphic novel style, this large format (7 x 0.54 x 9.97 inches, 1.09 pounds), paperback edition of "Let's Make Bread!: A Comic Book Cookbook" from Ten Speed Graphic is a unique, kitchen cook friendly, and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, family, home economics class, and community library bread-making cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Let's Make Bread!: A Comic Book Cookbook" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Editorial Note #1: Ken Forkish is the founder of Ken's Artisan Pizza and Ken's Artisan Bakery (https://kensartisan.com/bakery). He is the bestselling author of Evolutions in Bread and Flour Water Salt Yeast, which won both a James Beard and IACP award, and The Elements of Pizza.
Editorial Note #2: Sarah Becan (https://sarahbecan.com) is a comics artist, author, illustrator, and designer based in Chicago. She is also the creator of I Think You're Sauceome, a food-centric autobiographical webcomic. She illustrated the cookbook The Adventures of Fat Rice and is the coauthor and illustrator of Let's Make Ramen! and Let's Make Dumplings! Her work has appeared in various publications, including Saveur, Eater, Organic Life, StarChefs, and Tasting Table.
My Name Is Shingo 1
Kazuo Umezz
Viz Signature
www.viz.com
9781974742721, $35.00 hc / $17.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/My-Name-Shingo-Perfect-Vol/dp/1974742725
Synopsis: A chilling science fiction tale of humanity and artificial intelligence from classic horror manga creator Kazuo Umezz!
When an industrial robot named Monroe begins to work at his father's factory, Satoru is fascinated. As he and his friend Marin spend more time with Monroe, they start to suspect there's much more to the machine than anyone else realizes. But neither children nor adults are prepared for Monroe's violent awakening into consciousness.
Critique: Science fiction fans who enjoyed Isaac Asimov's classic "I, Robot" anthology will find My Name Is Shingo to be a fascinating take on a quintessential sci-fi theme! Originally published in the 1980's, My Name Is Shingo 1 collects the first volume of a classic black-and-white manga (Japanese comics) series by Kazuo Umezz. Although Umezz is best known for his horror manga including "The Drifting Classroom", "Orochi", and "Cat-Eyed Boy", the "My Name Is Shingo" series downplays horror elements to explore concepts of divinity, consciousness, and the metaphysical. My Name Is Shingo begins when a young boy named Satoru and a young girl named Marin become fascinated by an industrial robot named Monroe. But neither the children nor the adults around them are ready for the moment when Monroe gains consciousness! The intense line art weaves into immensely complex settings and materials, bringing to life this gritty sci-fi parable. The My Name Is Shingo series is highly recommended for both manga and sci-fi connoisseurs. It should be noted for personal reading lists that My Name Is Shingo 1 is also available in a Kindle edition ($17.99).
The Library CD Shelf
Ancestor Sounds
Africatown, AL
Free Dirt Records
https://freedirt.net
$14.99 CD
https://freedirt.net/products/africatown-al-ancestor-sounds
The brainchild of GRAMMY-winning producer Ian Brennan and his filmmaker wife Marilena Umuhoza Delli, Ancestor Sounds is a music album of recordings from the residents of the Africatown neighborhood in Mobile, Alabama, including music by descendants of the Clotilda, which was the final ship to bring enslaved people across the Atlantic Ocean to America. Some songs have musical accompaniment from the Africatown community; others include ambient recordings from the factories that surround and pollute the community today. Ancestor Sounds is intended to give a lasting emotional impression of the local community rather than serve as a meticulous historical document; all recordings were captured live, on-site, and as first takes. Ancestor Sounds defies traditional musical classifications, although it could be considered experimental folk due to its deep community roots. Highly recommended for both personal and public library music collections. The tracks are Run, If You Can; Family Secret; Do You Hear Me Now?; Lead Me Home; Black Part of Town; Illegal Factory (Smokestack Sighs); Africatown in Their Face; Kept Me; First Thing He Did When Freed Was Build a Drum; Haunted by Her Capture; Sent to Vietnam, But Never Been to Africa; Only Black School; Reconstructed Memory; Cudjoe's Statue Defiled; Birdsong Beside the Refinery; Walk With Thee; Graveyard Shift Emissions; and The Blues Returns (Taking Flight).
Another Heart
Ann Lavoy
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
https://folkways.si.edu
ASIN: B0CV84JFPY, $13.99, CD
https://www.amazon.com/Another-Heart-Ann-Savoy/dp/B0CV84JFPY
Synopsis: Ann Savoy has made her name as a leading musician and historian, digging deep into the traditions of Cajun life through more than 40 albums, thousands of concerts in dozens of countries, and definitive books that tell their stories. Her own stories of that life are remarkable, as she and her husband Marc (himself a National Heritage Fellow for both his accordion playing and for having revived the art of hand-crafted accordion making) and their children Sarah, Joel, Wilson, and Gabrielle stand as leaders in their community.
Now with the releases of "Another Heart" we join her in a different musical adventure -- the spiritual follow-up to her 2006 collaboration with Linda Ronstadt, Adieu, False Heart.
With the magical touch of producer Dirk Powell, Savoy explores a wide array of musical influences that date back to her childhood and adolescence in Richmond, Virginia. Featuring several new originals alongside renditions of tunes by The Kinks, Donovan, Bruce Springsteen, Sandy Denny, and more, this album offers a glimpse into Savoy's formative years and the sounds that set her on the path to become a cherished musical icon.
Critique: "Another Heart" is the latest album from traditional music legend Ann Savoy and was released digitally and on CD and LP on April 19h. A 'must' for the growing legions of Ann Savoy fans, "Another Heart" is comprised of eleven musical gems: Cajun Love Song; A Heart Needs a Home; Waterloo Sunset; Gabie's New Year's Lament; Stolen Car; Triste Samedi/A Hurricane Song; Time Goes On My Love; Something's Got a Hold on Me; Tin Angel; Lord of the Reedy River; Who Knows Where Time Goes. Especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library CD music collections, it should be noted that "Another Heart" is also available from Smithsonian Folkways Recording in a Vinyl edition ($19.99) and in an MP3-CD format ($9.49).
Out of the Question
Allegra Levy
www.allegralevy.com
SteepleChase Records
$TBA CD / $TBA digital
https://open.spotify.com/album/4jVJqd0tGPD1HDOEBBpE6y
Jazz vocalist Allegra Levy presents Out of the Question, an album of creative and inspired performances of jazz classics, all of which revolve around their titular questions. Out of the Question is intended for a teen and adult audience, as some of its songs - such as"Should I Stay or Should I Go?" and its question fraught with tangled romance and threat - deal with mature themes. Allegra Levy's memorable vocal performance is supported by Carman Staaf on piano, Mimi Jones on bass, Allison Miller on drums and shaker, Roxy Coss on tenor and soprano saxophone, Andrew Baird on guitar and ukulele, and Aubrey Johnson on background vocals. A treasure for connoisseurs of jazz and vibrant new interpretations of beloved favorite songs, Out of the Question is highly recommended for both personal and public library music collections. The track list is Are You Real?, What Are You Waiting For?, Where Are You Going?, Should I Stay or Should I Go?, What Is This Thing Called Love?, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?, Que Pasa?, What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life, Will You Still Be Mine?, What's in a Name?, How Deep is the Ocean?, What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?, and What'll I Do?
Searchin'
Anthony D'Alessandro
anthonydalessandro.ca
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $6.93 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CR32J116
Searchin' is a jazz album featuring five original compositions by Toronto-based pianist Anthony D'Alessandro plus two covers of classic songs, performed by Anthony D'Alessandro on piano, Benny Benack III on trumpet (and vocals for two numbers), Neil Swainson on bass, and Ernesto Cervini on drums. As the title suggests, Searchin' is meant to embody the human search for answers in music, art, and everyday life. The songs of Searchin' span a diversity of jazz styles, from intense swing ("Outbreak") to delicate jazz waltz ("Wonder"). Lively and captivating, Searchin' is a choice pick for jazz connoisseurs, highly recommended! The tracks are The Golden Mean, Tune for Monty, Blues for the Down and Out, Someone to Watch Over Me (by G. Gershwin and I. Gershwin), Outbreak, Wonder, and East of the Sun (by B. Bowman and S. Oliver).
As It Is
Gabriel Genest
gabrielgenest.ca
Odd Sound
$20.00 CAD CD / $10.00 CAD digital
https://gabrielgenest.bandcamp.com/album/as-it-is
A completely original contemporary jazz album composed by Gabriel Genest, As It Is features Genest on saxophone, Jeanne Laforest on vocals, Jean-Nicolas Trottier on trombone, Olivier Salazar on vibraphone, Yannick Anctil on piano, Alex Le Blanc on bass, and Guillaume Pilote on drums. A holistic intertwining of jazz improvisation and music conducive to mindfulness meditation, As It Is interlaces its predominantly instrumental tracks with musical settings of Zen poems. The result is resonant, entrancing, and highly recommended for both personal and public library music collections. The tracks are Sur le fil, Kairos, Effet papillon, Savor, As It Is, Stalemate, Voir au-dela, She Let Go, and Savor (alternate take).
Motherhood
Brenda Earle Stokes
brendaearle.com
Privately Published
$20.00 CD / $18.00 digital
https://brendaearlestokes.bandcamp.com/album/motherhood
Motherhood is a vocal jazz album of original songs by Brenda Earle Stokes, featuring Stokes on piano and vocals, Ingrid Jensen on trumpet, Evan Gregor on bass, Ross Pderson on drums, and both Melissa Stylianou and Nicole Zuraitis on background vocals. The songs of Motherhood explore many aspects of being a mother - identity, fear, expectations, body image, and working toward being a better person so that one can be a better parent. Motherhood is a heartwarming collection, a choice pick for public library collections and jazz connoisseurs, and also makes an excellent gift. The tracks are The Endless Wait, This Is Your Childhood, Who Am I Now?, Where are the Mothers?, Kathleen, Loose Teeth Blues, Saying Goodbye, Sharp Edges, The Strength of a Woman, and Happy Mother's Day.
Accolades of Time
Ruth Saphir
ruthsaphir.com
Orchard of Pomegranates
$TBA CD / $8.00 CAD MP3
https://ruthsaphir.bandcamp.com/album/accolades-of-time
Accolades of Time is the fifth album by Ruth Saphir, who composed all of its vocal jazz songs except for Lost At Sea, which was co-created with Cedric Speyer. Performed by Ruth Saphir on vocals and flute, Genevieve Gauthier on alto saxophone, Kate Wyatt on piano, Adrian Vedady on bass, Mili Hong on drums, and with Ky Brooks and Ayelet Rose Gottlieb contributing background vocals, Accolades of Time has a musical richness that complements its searching lyrics. The songs navigate time, love, loss, grief, and renewal, and celebrate the fragile beauty of close relationships. An unforgettable listening journey, Accolades of Time is inspiring, emotional, and highly recommended. The tracks are Ancestral Shadows; Where Do Dreams Go?; Hand-Me-Down Clothes; Lost At Sea; Go Home; Untethered; Twinkle, Twinkle; Find it in Your Body; and Accolades of Time.
Ascending Primes
Modney
modney.art
Pyroclastic Records
pyroclasticrecords.com
$30.00 CD / $20.00 digital
https://modney.bandcamp.com/album/ascending-primes
Ascending Primes is an album of original compositions fusing elements of jazz and classical, fluidly improvised and meticulously noted musical traditions. The tracks are prime-numbered ensembles, performed by an array of talented musicians including Anna Webber, Nate Wooley, Ben LaMar Gay, Cory Smythe, Charmaine Lee, Dan Peck, Kate Gentile and members of the Wet Ink Ensemble and International Contemporary Ensemble. The result is a wondrous, atmospheric concert and a transcendent work of art, worthy of the highest recommendation for both personal and public library music collections. The tracks are Ascender, Lynx, Everything Around It Moves, Fragmentation and the Single Form - I. Source, Fragmentation and the Single Form - II. Vox, Fragmentation and the Single Form - III. Song, Fragmentation and the Single Form - IV. Call, Event Horizon - I. Serrated Scream, Event Horizon - II. Passacaglias, and Event Horizon - III. Ascenders.
Strange Medicine
Kaia Kater
Free Dirt Records
https://freedirt.net
$15.00 CD / $9.00 digital / $25.00 vinyl
https://kaiakater.bandcamp.com/album/strange-medicine
Banjo player and vocalist Kaia Kater presents Strange Medicine, an original roots music album that reflects upon the suffering and challenges that women and oppressed people have faced throughout history. Kater sings about women burnt at the stake as witches in 17th century Salem, Massachusetts, among others who have struggled, died, or sparked revolutions. Strange Medicine is passionate, evocative, and worthy of the highest recommendation for both personal and public library music collections. The tracks are The Witch (feat. Aoife O'Donovan), Maker Taker, Mechanics of the Mind, In Montreal (feat. Allison Russell), The Internet, Fedon (feat. Taj Mahal), Floodlights, Often as the Autumn, History in Motion, and Tigers.
Relentless
Fernando Huergo Big Band
Whaling City Sound
www.whalingcitysound.com
c/o Naxos (distribution)
https://www.naxos.com
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D18PPMBJ
Bassist, composer, and arranger Fernando Huergo presents Relentless, an album created with a big band of well over a dozen extraordinary and talented musicians, performing on trumpet, trombone, bass trombone, flute, alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax, piano, drums and congas. The original songs encompass social topics such as oppression, discrimination, and the need to protect the environment, as well as a call to renew compassion and the will to make a difference in the world. Individual songs reflect on the wake of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, offer a tribute to jazz legend Ornette Coleman, and more. Relentless is a "must-have" for connoisseurs of big band jazz, highly recommended. The tracks are Consciousness of Reality, Ornette, Vidalita, Panorama, La Vida Sigue, Relentless, Deluge, Modernities, Blues Sureno, The Illusion of Hope, and Groove Odds.
The Library DVD Shelf
Underdog
Tommy Hyde, director
First Run Features
www.firstrunfeatures.com
FRF 918336D, $19.95, DVD, (82 Minutes)
https://www.amazon.com/Underdog-DVD-Tommy-Hyde/dp/B0CV622Z1N
Synopsis: Doug Butler is a hardscrabble Vermont dairy farmer with an offbeat passion - dog mushing. A local folk hero, Doug's ease with cows, dogs and people is a joy to behold. And when he trains his team of mutts on the family farm with a dream to compete at the world championships in Alaska, his teenage exuberance seems to erase the tired lines on his sixty-five year old face.
Meticulously captured over the course of a decade, "Underdog" paints an intimate verite portrait of Doug Butler as he puts a curiously optimistic twist on the family farm tragedies that have so marked American rural life. The resonance of Doug's journey extends to all who have faced down loneliness, isolation and the struggle to make sense of forces beyond control.
Critique: A full color documentary featuring Doug and Casey Butler, "Underdog" is a fascinating and full color documentary that is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and college/university library Contemporary American Biography DVD collections. (http://www.firstrunfeatures.com/underdogvod.html)
Editorial Note: First Run Features was founded in 1979 by a group of filmmakers to advance the distribution of independent film. Under the leadership of the late Fran Spielman, First Run Features quickly gained a reputation for its controversial catalog of daring documentaries and fiction films. Seymour Wishman continued her legacy over the next 38 years. Today First Run remains one of the largest independent distributors in North America, releasing 10 films a year in theaters nationwide and an additional 20 films annually to educational institutions, on home video, to television broadcasters, and online through a diverse mix of digital platforms.
The Relationship Shelf
Loneliness For Dummies
Andrea Wigfield
For Dummies
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
https://www.dummies.com
9781394229321, $24.99, PB, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Loneliness-Dummies-Andrea-Wigfield/dp/1394229321
Synopsis: With the publication of "Loneliness For Dummies". Professor Andrea Wigfield helps her readers understand loneliness and how to take steps to overcome this unwanted feeling.
At some point in life, loneliness affects everyone. It can be triggered by unusual situations and events like children leaving home, losing a loved one, working remotely, moving, divorce, or retirement. It can also occur seemingly without reason.
But thanks to "Loneliness For Dummies", you don't have to be afraid of being lonely. Professor Wigfield deftly explains that loneliness is a natural reaction that signals us to make a change.
You will learn the signs to look out for to assess loneliness, understand why people feel lonely, and most importantly, the step-by-step actions you can take to reduce your own feelings of loneliness. Included in "Loneliness For Dummies" are real case studies of people who have felt lonely and seeing how they overcame loneliness.
"Loneliness For Dummies" includes a simple scale to help you measure how lonely you feel, so you can identify which changes to make and assess your progress. Of special note is the completion of a questionnaire to gauge your own loneliness and identify steps you can take to feel less lonely -- including changes to your lifestyle that will lead to greater satisfaction in the long run
Critique: Thoroughly 'reader friendly" in style, content, organization and presentation, "Loneliness For Dummies" is the perfect DIY guide for anyone who is currently feeling adrift without social connections and wants to make a change. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.00), "Loneliness For Dummies" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Interpersonal Relations, Self-Esteem, and Mental Health collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Andrea Wigfield is Professor of Applied Social and Policy Research and Director of the Centre for Loneliness Studies at Sheffield Hallam University. She is a prominent researcher working to understand loneliness, its implications, and the interventions that can reduce it. (https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrea-wigfield-325301).
The Architecture Shelf
Intimate Spaces
Miaden Jadric, author
Alexander Peer, contributor
Actar D
c/o Actar Publishers
https://actar.com
9781638401261, $24.95, HC, 220pp
https://www.amazon.com/Intimate-Spaces-Miaden-Jadri%C4%87/dp/1638401268
Synopsis: Good housing proved to be the savior of the working world in the last pandemic. The term "family" could also be understood much more broadly today: Neighborhoods, co-living, working groups have taken on much of the characteristics of a close-knit, jointly socialized group.
Comprised of three presented projects, "Intimate Spaces" from Actar D reflects three different rhythms of life for three families with respect to their privacy and the public. Three different ambiences, open and closed spaces, offer a range of uses lived through self-determination. Projects: Green House (Austin Texas 2013); Haus Grill-Reichenauer/Payerbach); (AUT 2020); and At Home In The Alps (Ramsau, AUT 2022).
Critique: Offering a wealth of B/W photos illustrating an informatively descriptive commentary, "Intimate Spaces" by Miaden Jadric ( and with contributions by Alexander Peer), "Intimate Spaces" is a high value and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, corporate, and college/university library Architecture & Interior Design collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Mladen Jadric teaches (TU) and practices architecture in Vienna, Austria. He has realized a wide range of projects of different scales: Architectural and urban design projects, residences, art installations and experiments with new materials and technologies in Austria, USA, Finland and China. He has had extensive experience as a visiting professor and guest lecturer in Europe, the USA, Asia, Australia and South America.
Editorial Note: Alexander Peer: Born in 1971 in Salzburg, he studied German language and literature, philosophy, and journalism. Peer now lives as a freelance writer in Vienna. He writes regularly about literature and architecture for various newspapers and magazines (www.peerfact.at).
Washington State's Round Barns
Tom Bartuska & Helen Bartuska
Basalt Books
c/o Washington State University Press
https://wsupress.wsu.edu
9781638640271, $45.00, HC, 200pp
https://www.amazon.com/Washington-States-Round-Barns-Preserving/dp/1638640270
https://wsupress.wsu.edu/product/washington-states-round-barns
Synopsis: Enchanted by their beauty, complexity, and historical significance, Tom and Helen Bartuska began researching, visiting, and photographing the region's round barns soon after Tom accepted a teaching position at Washington State University's architecture department in 1963.
Focusing on structures over fifty years old, at least two stories, and over fifty feet in diameter, the Bartuska couple eventually found twenty-one, and made it their mission to create a comprehensive inventory.
Since most of the barns were constructed in the early 1900s, the couple explored archives to gather remarkable historic photographs and paperwork. When possible, they also took interior and exterior photographs and talked with owners to tell the story of each one--who built it and when, original and current uses, individual characteristics, construction details, and extra anecdotes they learned along the way. They also revisited several sites to document what changed over time.
In addition, with this edition of "Washington State's Round Barns: Preserving a Vanishing Rural Heritage" from Basalt Books, the Bartuskas introduce the hows and whys, as well as the fascinating history and development of round barns across the United States.
The structures continue to succumb to economic and technological changes, as well as to fire, disrepair, and the forces of nature. Since the Bartuskas started their project, seven of the barns no longer exist, and several of the remaining fourteen are in serious trouble. Hoping to inspire others to help maintain, preserve, and restore these unique cultural icons, they include examples of successful re-use and creative conservation nationwide, along with other significant ways to save additional types of barns, buildings, and rural communities in order to preserve a vanishing rural heritage.
Critique: This large format (8.7 x 0.8 x 11.2 inches, 2.25 pounds) hardcover edition of "Washington State's Round Barns: Preserving a Vanishing Rural Heritage" is beautifully illustrated and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation. While also readily available for personal reading lists in a paperback edition (9781638640240, $29.95), "Washington State's Round Bounds" is a seminal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Regional Architecture collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Tom Bartuska received his Bachelor and Master of Architecture from the University of Illinois, and completed post graduate studies at the University of Manchester. After a forty-year teaching career, he is now a professor emeritus at Washington State University's School of Architecture and Construction Management.
Editorial Note #2: Helen Bartuska attended the University of Illinois and the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, and holds a BA in Home Economics, Child and Family Studies. She received her Montessori certification from England's St. Nicholas Montessori Training Center, and taught young children for over two decades.
The Political Science Shelf
The Handy Civics Answer Book
David L. Hudson, Jr.
Visible Ink Press
www.visibleinkpress.com
9781578598601, $64.95, HC, 400pp
https://www.amazon.com/Handy-Civics-Answer-Book-Citizen/dp/1578598605
Synopsis: Whether through the vote, exercising our free speech rights, defending our country, serving on a jury, respecting laws, staying informed, or respecting the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others, civic engagement empowers citizens to shape the policies and decisions that affect their lives, ensuring that government remains accountable and responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people it serves.
A vital guide that explores the duties and responsibilities of an American citizen, "The Handy Civics Answer Book: How to Be a Good Citizen" explains the Constitution, the three branches of government and the political processes that influence their functioning. A treasure trove of civics knowledge, this illuminating volume answers more than 500 of the most intriguing questions about civics, citizenship, and the government, including: What does the Declaration of Independence say?; How did the Constitutional Convention delegates deal with the issue of slavery?; Who actually wrote the U.S. Constitution?; What were the Federalist Papers?; What are the Powers of Congress?; Why did the Framers want to limit the powers of Congress?; What are the duties of the president of the United States?; What is the presidential oath?; How was the U.S. Supreme Court created?; Can Supreme Court justices be impeached?, and so much more!
"The Handy Civics Answer Book" will arm the reader with the knowledge needed to be an informed and active participant in the democratic process. This compelling resource to Washington, governance, and civic duties is ideal for anyone interested in American politics and government or who is simply seeking to become a more engaged citizen.
Critique: Comprehensive, illustrated, exceptionally well organized and presented, "The Handy Civics Answer Book: How to be a Good Citizen" is an incredibly important, essential, and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, highschool, and college/university library American Civics & Political Science collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. Also available in a paperback edition (9781578598113, $29.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99), "The Handy Civics Answer Book: How to be a Good Citizen" is especially relevant and recommended to anyone studying for their American citizenship test.
Editorial Note: David L. Hudson Jr., J.D., is an attorney and law professor at Belmont University's College of Law, a U.S. Constitution scholar, and a fellow for the First Amendment of the Freedom Forum. He is an author, co-author, or co-editor of more than 40 books, including Visible Ink Press's The Constitution Explained: A Guide for Every American and The Handy Supreme Court Answer Book: The History and Issues Explained. He writes regularly for the American Bar Association's Preview of United States Supreme Court Cases and ABA Journal.
The Illusion of Accountability
Justin H. Kirkland & Jeffrey J. Harden
Cambridge University Press
www.cambridge.org
9781009219631, $99.99, HC, 350pp
https://www.amazon.com/Illusion-Accountability-Transparency-Representation-Legislatures/dp/1009219634
Synopsis: Does open governance strengthen democracy?
With the publication of "The Illusion of Accountability: Transparency and Representation in American Legislatures" academicians and co-authors Professor Justin H. Kirkland and Professor Jeffrey J. Harden contends that it does not.
Leveraging a wealth of data from decades of legislative politics in the American states, "The Illusion of Accountability" assesses the causes and consequences of 'open meetings laws,' which require public access to proceedings in state legislatures. This extensive study traces the roots of these laws back to the founding constitutions of some states and analyzes the waves of adoptions and exemptions to open meetings that occurred in the twentieth century.
"The Illusion of Accountability" then examines the effects of these transparency laws on a host of politically consequential outcomes both inside and outside the legislature. This analysis consistently finds that open meetings do not influence legislators' behavior or citizens' capacity to alter that behavior. Instead, a link between transparent legislatures and an expanded system of organized interests is established.
An illuminating work, "The Illusion of Accountability" concludes that transparency reform only creates the illusion of accountability in state government.
Critique: A seminal and ground-breaking work by co-authors Justin H. Kirkland and Jeffrey J. Harden, "The Illusion of Accountability: Transparency and Representation in American Legislatures" is enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of Figures, Tables, a seventeen page listing of References, and a two page Index. An important and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary Political Science collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for students, academia, political activists, governmental policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Illusion of Accountability: Transparency and Representation in American Legislatures" is also available in a paperback edition (9781009219662, $34.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $33.24).
Editorial Note #1: Justin H. Kirkland is Associate Professor of Politics and Policy in the Department of Politics and the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia. He is the co-author of Indecision in American Legislatures (2018) and Roll Call Rebels (2018).
Editorial Note #2: Jeffrey J. Harden is Andrew J. McKenna Family Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and Concurrent Associate Professor in the Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Notre Dame. He is the author of Multidimensional Democracy (2016) and co-author of Indecision in American Legislatures (2018).
The Economic Studies Shelf
Plenty Good Room
Andrew Wilkes
Broadleaf Books
www.broadleafbooks.com
9781506491516, $19.99, PB, 179pp
https://www.amazon.com/Plenty-Good-Room-Co-creating-Economy/dp/1506491510
Synopsis: Economic inequality yawns as wide as ever. Capitalism is working as it was designed: replicating an uneven balance of power, constraining life chances, and limiting imaginations. Those of us concerned about injustice often confine ourselves to issue-by-issue activism. The end result? Owners, investors, and a politics of inequality win.
But what if there's another way to organize our common economic life -- and what if it's as homegrown as sweet potato pie? What if we could become moral engineers who co-create the world we all deserve?
With the publication of "Plenty Good Room: Co-creating an Economy of Enough for All", Reverend Andrew Wilkes helps readers understand Black Christian socialism, a stream of the Black radical tradition, from the perspective of a Brooklyn pastor and political scientist's civic awakening. As the former director of the Drum Major Institute, founded by America's most famous democratic socialist, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Reverend Wilkes mounts a challenge to the endless greed, inequality, and profiteering of racial capitalism.
Tugging on the threads of history and scripture and pointing to the work of Black radicals like W. E. B. Du Bois, Rev. Addie Wyatt, and Fannie Lou Hamer, Wilkes weaves a narrative of "plenty good room moments": times in which communities and individuals had sufficient resources, human rights, and beauty. Reverend Wilkes invites us to join a movement that a day-laboring Christ initiated as he organized the dispossessed, the disinherited, and those pushed to the edges of society. Wilkes also introduces contemporary efforts pushing for reparations, community ownership, participatory democracy, and solidarity economies.
These stories show us that we can create a world of care and reciprocity by envisioning an economy of enough for all -- one rooted in justice, equity, and the God whose spirit falls on all flesh.
Critique: Written with compelling eloquence, "Plenty Good Room: Co-creating an Economy of Enough for All" offers a Christian values approach to economic and social issues such as income inequality, the destructive anti-democratic excesses of capitalism, and the creation of an economy that will produce and distribute goods and services fairly and for all. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.49), "Plenty Good Room" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary Social & Economic Issues collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Rev. Andrew Wilkes, PhD, is co-pastor of the Double Love Experience Church in Brooklyn and the former executive director of the Drum Major Institute. He is the co-author, with his spouse Rev. Dr. Gabby Cudjoe-Wilkes, of Psalms for Black Lives and the author of Freedom Notes. His work and voice have appeared in the Washington Post, New York Times, and Sojourners, among other outlets. He serves on boards for the Labor-Religion Coalition of New York and the Institute for Christian Socialism. Dr. Wilkes is a graduate of Hampton University, Princeton Theological Seminary, the Coro Foundation's Fellowship in Public Affairs, and the CUNY Graduate Center.
The Business Shelf
The Payroll Process: 24th Edition
Gregory R. Mostyn
Worthy and James Publishing
https://worthyjames.com
9798218000400, $35.95, PB, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Payroll-Proces-Procedures-Requirements-Practice/dp/B0CZ2935JN
Synopsis: "The Payroll Process: A Basic Guide to U.S. Payroll Procedures and Requirements Plus CPP Exam Practice - 2024 Edition " updates and adds new content to the popular prior editions. Uniquely, this instructional reference volume provides step-by-step coverage for both the Department of Labor's FLSA rules and calculations as well as the many IRS compliance requirements. The broad scope of the process, with clear explanations, numerous examples, practical advice, and references for further study address the variety of user needs.
For those wanting to achieve Certified Payroll Practitioner status, there are multiple practice exams containing over 500 questions, each question with its solution and page reference to the explanation and examples in "The Payroll Process 2024".
Payroll staff, HR staff, managers, owners, start-ups, and interested professionals can follow a mapping of all process steps with procedures and compliance explained clearly in each step. For employees, the discussion of employee rights and benefits will be of vital interest. Instructors and students will appreciate the clear explanations, many examples, and scope of topics.
"The Payroll Process 2024) covers: Employment law and methods; Gross wages and withholding; Employee benefits; Accounting / recording payroll; Making payments; Forms, reports, and audits; Employment of non-U.S. persons and expats; Internal control protection for payroll; CPP practice tests.
Critique: Comprehensive, up to date, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, this large format (7 x 0.57 x 10 inches, 2.02 pounds) paperback edition of "The Payroll Process: A Basic Guide to U.S. Payroll Procedures and Requirements Plus CPP Exam Practice - 2024 Edition" from Worth & James Publishing is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, corporate, and college/university library Financial Accounting Instructional Reference collections and supplemental MBA curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Gregory R. Mostyn, CPA, MBA, and College Instructor is the author of prior editions of this book. He is also the author of a two volume set Basic Accounting, Concepts, Principles, and Procedures, reviewed in Choice magazine, Issues in Accounting Education journal, and Kirkus magazine. He has worked both in public accounting and education as an instructor. (https://missioncollege.edu/-profiles/accounting/mostyn-gregory.html)
The Science of Business
Justin B. Craig and Ken Moores, authors
Edward Elgar Publishing
www.e-elgar.com
9781800370326, $116.00, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Science-Business-Justin-B-Craig/dp/1800370326
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Science of Business" and adopting a multidisciplinary approach, co-authors Justin Craig and Ken Moores reinforce the positioning of business as a science and remind the reader that those involved in the practice of business are, in fact, social scientists. Showcasing a novel science of business framework, "The Science of Business" is populated with economic, entrepreneurial, accounting, financial, marketing and management discipline perspectives.
Incorporating critical insights from practicing business scientists, this incisive study emphasizes the significance of theoretical explanations and scientific foundations, valuing science, theory and practice as equally important. Individual chapters rigorously analyse the works of seminal thinkers who have helped to formalise the position of business as a social science. The evolution of economics, entrepreneurship, accounting, finance, marketing and management disciplines as standalone scientific pursuits is explored.
"The Science of Business" is a reminder that there is a business component to most activities and will prove to be an indispensable resource for academics, researchers, educators and students in many arenas, including government, engineering, medicine, law as well as traditional domains such as entrepreneurship, management education, organization studies, and management.
Business practitioners and advisors across a broad spectrum will similarly benefit from the book's practical implications.
Critique: A seminal, impressively organized, ground-breaking, and well presented study, "The Science of Business" from Edward Elgar Publishing will prove to be a welcome and appreciated addition to personal, professional, community, corporate, and college/university library Business Research & Reference collections and supplemental MBA curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Justin B. Craig -- Bond Business School, Bond University, Australia and Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, US.
Editorial Note 32: Ken Moores -- Bond Business School, Bond University, Australia
Women in Family Business
Mary Barrett, Jolien Huysbrechts, & Jean S.K. Lee, editors
Edward Elgar Publishing
www.e-elgar.com
9781802206357, $161.00, HC, 316pp
https://www.amazon.com/Women-Family-Business-Perspectives-Contexts/dp/1802206353
Synopsis: Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by academicians Mary Barrett, Jolien Huysbrechts, and Jean S.K. Lee, "Women in Family Business: New Perspectives, Contexts and Roles" is forward-thinking volume that provides an invaluable contribution to the burgeoning field of research on women in family business.
Combining academic rigour with first-hand narrative accounts, "Women in Family Business" explores classic family business concerns while considering how gender, feminism and cultural differences play a part in these organizations.
Adopting a multidisciplinary method of enquiry, the co-editors have brought together expert researchers from across the globe to analyse and assess a variety of family business organizations. Individual chapters explore the gender equality differences between family and non-family firms, daughters' succession in Chinese family businesses, the development and functioning of spousal ownership teams and how daughters in Saudi Arabian family firms are conquering gender constraints.
Through quantitative data analysis, literature reviews and in-depth case studies, "Women in Family Business" provides important insights into women in family businesses in specific contexts and offers inspiring suggestions for future research.
Critique: Comprised of eleven eloquent, informative, and insightful articles by knowledgeable contributors that are deftly organized into three major sections (Women in Family Business Roles; Women and Family Business Entrepreneurship; Women and Family Succession), "Women in Family Business: New Perspectives, Contexts and Roles" also features a listing of the contributors and their credential, a Foreword by Justin Craig, and a four page Index. A seminal and ground-breaking study from Edward Elgar Publishing is recommended for personal, professional, community, corporate, and college/university library Women & Business collections and supplemental MBA curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Mary Barrett is Professor of Management, School of Business, Faculty of Business and Law, University of Wollongong, Australia.
Editorial Note #2: Jolien Huybrechts is Associate Professor in Family Business and Entrepreneurship, Department of Organization, Strategy and Entrepreneurship, School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, the Netherlands.
Editorial Note #3: Jean S.K. Lee is the Michelin Chair Professor in Leadership and Human Resources Management, Professor of Management, Associate Dean (Research) and Co-Director, CEIBS Centre for Family Heritage, Shanghai, China
Collaborative Learning
Nick Hernandez
Kogan Page Inc.
www.koganpage.com
9781398610552, $131.00, HC, 240pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/collaborative-learning-nick-hernandez/1143717185
Synopsis: With the publication of "Collaborative Learning: How to Upskill from Within and Turn L&D into Your Competitive Advantage", Nick Hernandez offers a practical guide that explains the basics of collaborative learning, outlines its many benefits, and explores why it is needed in a nimble, fast-moving business world. He also explains the science behind shared expertise and how to encourage people to learn from each other.
"Collaborative Learning" fully illustrates how a culture of collaborative learning can combat low learner engagement and employee burnout, as well as how it can guide the full employee journey from pre-boarding and onboarding through to promotion and progression. "Collaborative Learning" also explains why collaborative learning is not a top-down cascade of information from the most senior employee to the most junior, but is an inclusive approach to learning across functions and teams, across hierarchies, and across job titles or tenure.
"Collaborative Learning" is comprised of expert discussions about why collaborative learning is a culture enhancer and skills enabler, and contains advice for overcoming common obstacles when making collaborative learning part of a company's learning strategy. Packed with case studies and examples from global firms who have implemented and benefitted from collaborative learning including Mitsubishi Electric, Slack, AlphaSights, and Safran, "Collaborative Learning" is a blueprint for all L&D professionals who are looking to embed collaborative learning in the workplace and upskill from within, but aren't sure where to start.
Critique: Of particular value and relevance to readers with an interest in Human Resources, Personnel Management, and Leadership Training, "Collaborative Learning: How to Upskill from Within and Turn L&D into Your Competitive Advantage" will prove of extraordinary value as a text for an MBA curriculum textbook or a corporate in-service management training workshop. While also available for personal reading lists in a paperback edition (9781398610521, $41.99) and a digital book format (Kindle, $33.59), "Collaborative Learning: How to Upskill from Within and Turn L&D into Your Competitive Advantage" should be considered an essential and core addition to professional, corporate, and college/university library Business Management instructional reference collections.
Editorial Note: Nick Hernandez is the CEO and Founder of 360Learning, and a leading advisor and investor in the SaaS technology industry. Driven by his passion for improving the way we solve problems together through learning, Nick founded 360Learning in 2013, and has since grown the company into a leader in the EdTech sector. In late 2021, Nick and his team secured funding from Sumeru, SoftBank, and Silverlake for 360Learning to continue championing upskilling from within through collaborative learning.
The International Studies Shelf
The Nature of Politics
Annette A. LaRocco
Ohio University Press
www.ohioswallow.com
9780896803336, $80.00, HC, 408pp
https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Politics-Building-Conservation-Postcolonial/dp/0896803333
Synopsis: "The Nature of Politics: State Building and the Conservation Estate in Postcolonial Botswana" by Professor Annette A. LaRocco is a case study of Botswana that focuses on the state-building qualities of biodiversity conservation in southern Africa.
Drawing on extensive fieldwork, Professor LaRocco argues that discourses and practices related to biodiversity conservation are essential to state building in the postcolonial era. These discourses and practices invoke the ways the state exerts authority over people, places, and resources; enacts and remakes territorial control; crafts notions of ideal citizenship and identity; and structures economic relationships at the local, national, and global levels.
The study's key innovation is its conceptualization of the "conservation estate," a term most often used as an apolitical descriptor denoting land set aside for the purpose of conservation. LaRocco argues that this description is inadequate and proposes a novel and much-needed alternative definition that is tied to its political elements.
The components of conservation (control over land, policing of human behavior, and structuring of the authority that allows or disallows certain subjectivities) render conservation a political phenomenon that can be analyzed separately from considerations of "nature" or "wildlife".
In doing so, "The Nature of Politics" addresses a gap in the scholarship of rural African politics, which focuses overwhelmingly on productive agrarian dynamics and often fails to recognize that land nonuse can be as politically significant and wide reaching as land use.
Botswana is an ideal empirical case study upon which to base these theoretical claims. With 39 percent of its land set aside for conservation, Botswana is home to large populations of wildlife, particularly charismatic megafauna, such as the largest herd of elephants on the continent.
Utilizing more than two hundred interviews, participant observation, and document analysis, "The Nature of Politics" examines a series of conservation policies and their reception by people living on the conservation estate. These phenomena include securitized antipoaching enforcement, a national hunting ban (2014-19), restrictions on using wildlife products, forced evictions from conservation areas, limitations on mobility and freedom of movement, the political economy of Botswana's wildlife tourism industry, and the conservation of globally important charismatic megafauna species.
Critique: A seminal and ground-breaking study, "The Nature of Politics: State Building and the Conservation Estate in Postcolonial Botswana" by Professor Annette A. LaCrocco will prove to be of particular value to readers with an interest in environmental science, policy, and African politics. Informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of an Appendix (Primary Source Interviews), an eight page Glossary of Setswana Terms; twenty-two pages of Notes, a twenty-eight pages listing of References, and a thirteen page Index, "The Nature of Politics" from the Ohio University Press is an impressive and recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library International & Environmental Studies shelf and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Nature of Politics" is also available in a paperback edition (9780896803343, $34.95) a digital book format (Kindle, $33.20).
Editorial Note: Annette A. LaRocco (https://annettelarocco.com) is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Florida Atlantic University. Her work has appeared in Politics and Gender, Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space, the Journal of Southern African Studies, and other outlets. LaRocco was a 2022-23 US Fulbright Scholar conducting research in Botswana and Zimbabwe through the Africa Regional Research Program.
The Archaeology Shelf
Archaeology: An Introduction, sixth edition
Hannah Cobb, Kevin Greene, Tom Moore
Routledge
www.routledge.com
9780367485856, $180.00, HC, 514pp
https://www.amazon.com/Archaeology-Introduction-Hannah-Cobb/dp/0367485850
Synopsis: Now in a new sixth edition, "Archaeology: An Introduction" by the team of archaeologists Hannah Cobb, Kevin Greene, and Tom Moore explains how the subject emerged from an amateur pursuit in the eighteenth century into a serious discipline and explores changing trends in interpretation in recent decades.
The three authors collaborate to convey the excitement of archaeology while helping readers to evaluate new discoveries by explaining the methods and theories that lie behind them. In addition to drawing upon examples and case studies from many regions of the world and periods of the past, "Archaeology: An Introduction" incorporates the authors' own fieldwork, research and teaching. It continues to include key reference and further reading sections to help new readers find their way through the ever-expanding range of archaeological publications and online sources as well as colour illustrations and boxed topic sections to increase comprehension.
Serving as an accessible and lucid textbook, and engaging students with contemporary issues, this comprehensive volume is designed to support students studying Archaeology at an introductory level. New to it's sixth edition is: An inclusion of the latest survey and imaging techniques, such as the use of drones and eXtended reality; Updated material on developments in dating, DNA analysis, isotopes and population movement, including consideration of the ethical considerations of these techniques' Coverage of new developments in archaeological theory, such as the material turn/ontological turn, and work on issues of equality, diversity and inclusion; A whole new chapter covering archaeology in the present, including new sections on heritage and public archaeology, and an updated consideration of archaeology's relationship with the climate crisis; and a Revised Glossary with over 200 new additions or updates.
Critique: Also available in a paperback edition (9780367485825, $46.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $46.54) for students, academia, amateur and professional archaeologists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject, this new sixth edition of "Archaeology: An Introduction" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Archaeology collections and curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Hannah Cobb is Professor of Archaeology and Pedagogy at the University of Manchester, UK.
Editorial Note #2: Kevin Greene is Visiting Fellow in Archaeology at Newcastle University, UK.
Editorial Note #3: Tom Moore is Professor of Archaeology at Durham University, UK.
The Wildlife Shelf
Endangered and Disappearing Birds of Appalachia and the Southeast
Matt Williams
The University Press of Kentucky
www.kentuckypress.com
9780813198361, $40.00, HC, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Endangered-Disappearing-Birds-Appalachia-Southeast/dp/0813198364
Synopsis: From the most unforgiving of concrete jungles to the pastoral reaches of the countryside, birds are among the most plentiful and plainly visible animals on the planet. For millions of years, they have survived in every known biome, carving out ecological niches for themselves and their offspring and often thriving.
But this remarkable adaptability can only go so far. With the recent acceleration of habitat loss, climate change, spread of invasive species, and other detrimental environmental developments, birds are disappearing across the world. Yet despite such wide-ranging decimation, birdwatching remains one of the fastest growing hobbies in the United States.
With the publication of "Endangered and Disappearing Birds of Appalachia and the Southeast", by author and photographer Matt Williams, we know have access to an essential guide for the bird-curious in the Appalachian and southeastern regions of the United States.
Combining brilliant photography with taxonomic classification, identification tips, and other information, "Endangered and Disappearing Birds of Appalachia and the Southeast" goes beyond the scope of a traditional field guide. Each profile includes descriptions of current species conservation efforts, as well as tips on how to get involved in the ongoing work to save these endangered creatures.
This carefully compiled and beautifully illustrated guide offers a detailed introduction to the birds that most need our help and to the steps we can all take to protect their future.
Critique: An absolute 'must' for the legions of birdwatching enthusiasts and readers with concerns about how so many bird species are either already extinct or on endangered species lists, "Endangered and Disappearing Birds of Appalachia and the Southeast" is a seminal study and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Ornithology Studies collections and supplemental Ecosystem curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that this large format (7.8 x 0.9 x 9.7 inches, 2.2 pounds) hardcover edition from the University of Kentucky Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $38.00).
Editorial Note: Matt Williams (www.mattwilliamsnaturephotography.com) is an author and photographer from Crawfordsville, Indiana. His previous works include Indiana State Parks: A Centennial Celebration and Endangered and Disappearing Birds of the Midwest.
The Music Shelf
Experiencing Jazz, third edition
Richard J. Lawn & Justin G. Binek
Routledge
www.routledge.com
9781032231051, $170.00, HC, 390pp
https://www.amazon.com/Experiencing-Jazz-Richard-J-Lawn/dp/103223105X
Synopsis: Co-authored by Professors Richard J. Lawn and Justin G. Binek, "Experiencing Jazz, third edition" is an integrated textbook, website, and audio anthology for jazz appreciation and history courses. Through readings, illustrations, timelines, listening guides, and a playlist of tracks and performances, Experiencing Jazz journeys through the history of jazz and places the music within larger cultural and historical contexts. Designed for the jazz novice, this textbook introduces the reader to prominent artists, covers the evolution of styles, and makes stylistic comparisons to current trends and developments.
New to this third edition is: Expanded coverage of artists, particularly important vocalists and prominent women in jazz, including Bobby McFerrin, Kurt Elling, The Manhattan Transfer, and Terri Lyne Carrington; A dynamic, web-exclusive bonus chapter - Chapter 14.5: The Story Continues - exploring contemporary jazz artists who push the boundaries of jazz by creating new stylistic fusions and who utilize new media to create, collaborate, and share their artistry; A re-worked companion website featuring new recordings, a more comprehensive audio anthology, and a major revision of The Elements of Jazz section; Condensed musician biographies and updated content reflecting jazz's global impact; Revised listening guides for spotlighted recordings highlighting key moments worthy of closer listening and analysis.
Critique: Comprehensive, informative, nicely organized and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in presentation, the third edition of "Experiencing Jazz" provides a complete and foundational understanding of the history of the genre and is especially recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Jazz Music History/Criticism collections and supplemental American Music History curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and jazz enthusiasts that "Experiencing Jazz" is also available in a paperback edition (9781032231044, $79.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $75.95).
Editorial Note #1: Richard J. Lawn is Professor Emeritus and former Dean of the College of the Performing Arts at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Previously, he served as Director of Jazz Studies and Chair of the Department of Music at The University of Texas at Austin.
Editorial Note #2: Justin G. Binek, DMA, is an Associate Professor of Music Theory and Jazz Studies at Kansas City Kansas Community College. He also serves on the faculties of the Online Jazz Harmony Retreat and the Halewynstichting Jazz Workshop in Belgium.
The Theatre/Cinema Shelf
The Long Revolution
Zelda Fichandler, author
Todd London, editor
Theatre Communications Group
https://www.tcg.org
9781559369756, $25.95, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Long-Revolution-Writings-Frontlines-American/dp/1559369752
Synopsis: Written by the late Zelda Fichandler (September 18, 1924 - July 29, 2016) and edited by Todd London, "The Long Revolution: Sixty Years on the Frontlines of a New American Theater" gathers sixty years of essays, speeches, and manifestos by the founding mother of the resident professional theatre movement.
As a founder and artistic director of the flagship Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., and chair of New York University's Graduate Acting program, Zelda changed the where and how of the American theatre. "The Long Revolution" gathers under one cover Zelda's most prescient writing about that movement, ranging over such topics as The Institution as Art-Work, the Profit in NonProfit, Race and a Deepening Aesthetic, and Creativity and the Public Mind.
Also included is an intimate portraits of artists with whom Zelda frequently collaborated and her director's notes from the major productions that defined her vision. Celebrated as the defining architect and builder of the most sweeping transformation of twentieth-century American theatre, her brilliant writing reestablishes Fichandler as one of its most expansive and provocative thinkers.
Critique: Leaving this and future generations an extraordinary legacy. "The Long Revolution: Sixty Years on the Frontlines of a New American Theater" must be considered an essential and core addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library American Theatre History/Biography collections. It should be noted for theatre students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Long Revolution: Sixty Years on the Frontlines of a New American Theater" from the Theatre Communications Group is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note #1: Zelda Fichandler was a seminal figure in the regional theater movement, and led Arena Stage in Washington, DC, for forty-one years, producing more than four hundred shows and directing more than fifty for a company that helped spur the growth of professional theater around the country. She spent another twenty-five years training hundreds of actors as chair of NYU's Graduate Acting Program. She was a titan in the theater world, a visionary producer and teacher who was instrumental in seeding the American continent with the work of playwrights, directors, actors, and designers.
Editorial Note #2: Todd London (www.toddlondon.net) has been a leading figure in the U.S. nonprofit theater for more than thirty-five years. The first recipient of TCG's Visionary Leadership Award, his service has taken many forms: artistic director, educator, arts journalist and essayist, public speaker, theater historian, and advocate for artists. He is also an award-winning novelist.
To Repair the World
Mary B. Robinson
Routledge
www.routledge.com
9781032580913, $48.95, PB, 388pp
https://www.amazon.com/Routledge-Advances-Theatre-Performance-Studies/dp/1032580917
Synopsis: "To Repair the World: Zelda Fichandler and the Transformation of American Theater" by Mary B. Robinson is a biography in the form of an oral history about a woman whose founding of Arena Stage in Washington, DC in 1950 shifted live professional theater away from Broadway and inspired the creation of non-profit theaters around the country.
In the pages of "To Repair the World", actors Dianne Wiest, James Earl Jones, Stacy Keach, and Jane Alexander, among many others, share their memories of this intrepid pioneering woman during Arena Stage's early years.
As Head of New York University's Graduate Acting Program for 25 years, Zelda Fichandler also trained a younger generation of gifted actors. Marcia Gay Harden, Rainn Wilson, Mahershala Ali, and other developing actors who became "artist-citizens" under her guidance, talk about the ways in which she transformed their lives.
Theater practitioners who have lived during Zelda Fichandler's time will find "To Repair the World" to be a fascinating and entertaining read -- as will all theater lovers, especially those in Washington, DC. And through this vivid and compelling oral history, students and aspiring artists will come to grasp how the theatrical past can shed essential light on the theater of today and tomorrow.
Critique: A fitting tribute to the life and accomplishments of Zelda Fischandler (September 18, 1924 - July 29, 2016) who was a stellar member of the contemporary American theatrical community for decades, "To Repair the World: Zelda Fichandler and the Transformation of American Theater" is essential reading for the legions of Zelda Fischandler fans, as well as theater students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in American theater direction, production, and history. While a core pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library American Theater collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that "To Repair the World" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $46.50).
Editorial Note: Mary B. Robinson headed an undergraduate directing program at New York University (under the auspices of Playwrights Horizons Theater School) from 1999-2014. She has directed 70 productions at non-profit theaters (including Arena Stage, Manhattan Theatre Club, Second Stage, and Seattle Repertory Company), from 1981 to the present. She was one of 50 directors (along with Zelda Fichandler) featured in American Women Stage Directors of the Twentieth Century (University of Illinois Press, 2008). Author of Directing Plays, Directing People: A Collaborative Art, published by Smith & Kraus in 2012.
The Computer Shelf
Taming the Machine
Nell Watson
Kogan Page Inc.
www.koganpage.com
9781398614345, $68.00, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Taming-Machine-Ethically-Harness-Power/dp/1398614343
Synopsis: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already starting to transform our world, supercharging productivity and driving new innovations. With the publication of "Taming the Machine: Ethically Harness the Power of AI", Nell Watson (President of the European Responsible AI Office) uncovers how you can responsibly harness the power of AI with confidence.
AI has the potential to become a personal assistant, a creative partner, an editor and a research tool all at once. But it also represents a threat to your livelihood, data and privacy. "Taming the Machine" offers the practical insights and knowledge you need to work with AI with an ethical and responsible approach.
With "Taming the Machine", AI expert and ethicist Nell Watson offers practical insights on how you can ethically innovate with AI. With this instructive introduction to Artificial Intelligence Watson delves into the ethical issues of unbridled AI, highlighting the challenges that it will bring to society and business unless we fortify cybersecurity, safeguard our data, and understand the dangerous potential of artificial intelligence.
Critique: A exceptionally timely, impressively informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking contribution to our growing national conversation about AI, its values and liabilities, uses and abuses, "Taming the Machine: Ethically Harness the Power of AI" is a fundamental, essential, and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library AI collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, political activists, governmental policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Taming the Machine: Ethically Harness the Power of AI" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Nell Watson (www.nellwatson.com) is a researcher, writer, speaker and applied tech ethicist. She is President of the European Responsible AI Office, an AI Expert at Singularity University, and pioneers global standards as an AI Ethics Certification Maestro at IEEE. She advises leading organizations on their machine learning strategies, specializing in AI research and ethical advocacy.
Hacked: The Secrets Behind Cyber Attacks
Jessica Barker
Kogan Page Inc.
www.koganpage.com
9781398613720, $68.00, HC, 304pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hacked-jessica-barker/1144319440
Synopsis: Today, when it comes to cyber attacks, everyone and every business a potential target. But we don't have to be helpless against these threats from abroad or here at hom.
With the publication of "Hacked: The Secrets Behind Cyber Attacks", cybersecurity expert Jessica Barker offers the knowledge and strategies you will need in order to protect yourself and your business. "Hacked" reveals how hackers are weaponizing cutting-edge tactics and technologies to target individuals and organizations. It then goes on to showing how you can safeguard yourself against any potential attacks and how to react if you do become a target.
Featuring expert commentary from world-leading cybersecurity experts and ethical hackers, "Hacked: The Secrets Behind Cyber Attacks" uncovers the fascinating stories of the most insidious and notorious cyber attacks, including how the Mirai malware almost took down the internet and how a supply chain attack infiltrated the US government and other global institutions.
From social engineering and data theft to ransomware and Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, there are numerous strategies that hackers use to target our finances and data. Uncover their secrets and learn how to safeguard your data with "Hacked: The Secrets Behind Cyber Attacks".
Critique: Essential reading for anyone charged with the cyber security of their company, organization, as well as anyone concerned with their own cyber security, "Hacked: The Secrets Behind Cyber Attacks" is an unreservedly recommended and critically important addition to personal, professional, community, governmental, corporate, and college/university library Cyber Security & Anti-Computer Hacking collections. Absolutely appropriate for in-service workshops and cyber-security curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general reader with an interest in digital currencies, strategic business planning, and security systems, that "Hacked: The Secrets Behind Cyber Attacks" is also available in a paperback edition (9781398613706, $17.99) and in a digital book format Kindle ($14.39).
Editorial Note: Dr Jessica Barker MBE (https://cyber.uk/about/dr-jessica-barker) is an award-winning leader in the human side of cyber security and has delivered awareness sessions to over 50,000 people. She has appeared on media outlets such as BBC, Sky News and Wired and has delivered over 80 keynotes for organizations and conferences including NATO, the World Government Summit and RSA. She also serves on numerous boards, including the UK Government Cyber Security Advisory Board. Jessica Barker has been awarded an MBE for services to cyber security.
The Egyptology Shelf
Tourism in Egypt Through the Ages: A Historical Guide
Charlotte Booth
Pen & Sword Books
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
9781399043564, $49.95, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Tourism-Egypt-Through-Ages-Historical/dp/1399043560
Synopsis: With the publication of "Tourism in Egypt Through the Ages: A Historical Guide ", Charlotte Booth ( a freelance Egyptologist with a PhD in Egyptology who has had numerous books and articles published on all aspects of Egyptology) takes the reader on a journey through 5,000 years of tourism in Egypt starting with the pre-2011 economic height, back through the Thomas Cook cruises in the nineteenth century, to the ancient Egyptians themselves making journeys down the Nile to visit Abydos and Memphis on pilgrimage, or to travel for work.
While tourism for its own self is a new concept, exploring the local (and not so local environment) is almost hardwired into human nature. And considering the Giza pyramids were a thousand years old at the time of Ramses II, there would have been many wonderful things to see.
"Tourism in Egypt Through the Ages: A Historical Guide" explores the tourism industry and its development from selling amulets at ancient temples, through manufacturing mummies for tourists to buy to adventure trips in the modern day. As numbers of visitors increased so did the business of tourism including refreshments, accommodation, guided tours and souvenirs.
"Tourism in Egypt Through the Ages: A Historical Guide" will provide a comprehensive introduction to Egypt and its attraction to tourists from the pharaonic period to the modern day. while thousands of years separate us the evidence shows many traveled for the same reasons people do today.
Critique: With a fifteen page section of B/W photos, an informative Introduction and Epilogue (The Future of Tourism in Egypt), thirteen pages of Notes, a five page listing of References, and a two page Index, "Tourism in Egypt Through the Ages: A Historical Guide" from Pen & Sword Books is a seminal work of original scholarship that is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation. Informed and informative, "Tourism in Egypt Through the Ages: A Historical Guide" is a unique and recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Egyptian History & Travel collections. It should be noted that "Tourism in Egypt Through the Ages: A Historical Guide" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.99).
Editorial Note: Charlotte Booth earned both her Bachelor's and her master's degrees in Egyptian Archaeology at University College London. After graduating, Booth started teaching for Birkbeck, University of London. Her focus of study at university was the Hyksos period of Egypt. In 2018, she received her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree from the University of Birmingham. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_Booth)
Picturesque Palestine, Sinai and Egypt
Sue Rainey
George F Thompson Publishing
www.gftbooks.com
c/o Casemate (distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
9781938086533, $45.00, HC, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Picturesque-Palestine-Sinai-Egypt-1878-1879/dp/1938086538
Synopsis: Edited with commentary by Sue Rainey, "Picturesque Palestine, Sinai and Egypt: Artworks and Letters of John Douglas Woodward, 1878-1879 Hardcover - April 30, 2024" is a beautiful and engaging presentation of drawings and letters by John Douglas Woodward, (1846-1924), a prominent American artist/illustrator during the 1870s and 1880s.
He was on assignment for New York publisher D. Appleton and Co. to make on-the-spot drawings for illustrations for Picturesque Palestine, Sinai and Egypt (1881-1883), which has been called the most important book of illustrations of the region of its time. Some 200 of his compositions appeared in the book as wood engravings, the least expensive mass media of the time, while he contributed the art for 13 steel engravings.
Woodward traveled with the somewhat older and better-known artist, Harry Fenn, who was the lead artist for the very successful Picturesque America, published by D. Appleton in parts from 1872-1874. Woodward was the second most prolific contributor to Picturesque America and, like Fenn, also traveled and drew for Picturesque Europe (1878-1879).
Woodward's travels for Picturesque Palestine yielded a treasure trove of unique historical art and correspondence. Most drawings for book and magazine illustrations during this period were discarded by the artist after the printing plates were made. But Woodward saved his, providing a visual record, often in full color, of the region, in addition to the black-and-white illustrations in the book.
In presenting them alongside his lively, engaging letters, "Picturesque Palestine, Sinai and Egypt" will appeal to those interested in the history and art of the Middle East as well as in the appearance of places of importance mentioned in the Holy Bible and the specifics of travel to the region during the 1870s, when there was almost no tourist infrastructure and limited knowledge of other cultures.
Although Picturesque Palestine is well-known to scholars and connoisseurs and available in some libraries and on-line, Woodward's drawings and letters recording his trip to Palestine are not. The exquisite drawings, rendered in pencil, watercolor, and gouache, belong to the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia and have been stored since 1941 at Shrine Mont, a conference center in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley (founded by the artist's nephew). The letters to his wife and mother are in the collection of the Valentine History Museum in Richmond.
Critique: This large format (10.31 x 1.02 x 12.28 inches, 3.55 pounds) hardcover edition of "Picturesque Palestine, Sinai and Egypt: Artworks and Letters of John Douglas Woodward, 1878-1879" from George F Thompson Publishing will prove of immense and informative appeal to readers with an interest in the 19th Century Middle Eastern culture and landscape of Palestine, Sinai, and Egypt. A beautiful book compiled with notations by scholar and academician Sue Raney is an inherently fascinating and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and professional, community, and college/university library collections. A veritable A treasure trove of beautiful and informative illustrations of key areas of the Holy Land during the late nineteenth century, "Picturesque Palestine, Sinai and Egypt: Artworks and Letters of John Douglas Woodward, 1878-1879" would be an excellent selection choice as a public and academic library Memorial Fund acquisition.
Editorial Note: Sue Rainey is an esteemed scholar who has focused her research and writing on artists who prepared book and magazine illustrations in the latter half of the nineteenth century, especially John Douglas Woodward and Harry Fenn. Her Creating Picturesque America: Monument to the Natural and Cultural Landscape (Applewood Books, 1994; 2001) was the first study of that landmark 1872-1874 publication and won the 1997 Charles C. Eldredge Prize of the National Museum of American Art (Smithsonian) for Distinguished Scholarship in American Art. In 1997 she and Roger B. Stein curated an exhibit of Woodward's work at the University of Virginia's art museum, whose catalog, Shaping the Landscape Image, 1865-1910; John Douglas Woodward (Bayly Art Museum/University of Virginia, 1997) won the Award for an Outstanding Publication of the American Historical Print Collectors Society, as did her Creating a World on Paper: Harry Fenn's Career in Art (Studies in Print Culture and the History of the Book) (University of Massachusetts Press, 2013). For over thirty years, Rainey has served as volunteer curator of the Woodward collection owned by Shrine Mont, an Episcopal conference center in Orkney Springs, Virginia.
The Language Studies Shelf
Chinese Folktales for Language Learners
Vivian Ling & Wang Peng, authors
Yang Xi, illustrator
Tuttle
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9780804857284, $18.99 pbk / $18.04 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Folktales-Language-Learners-Recordings/dp/0804857288
Synopsis: Welcome to the fascinating world of Chinese folklore. The fifteen stories in this book address universal concerns such as the origins of humankind, the impact of wars and natural disasters, the great deeds of cultural heroes, the struggle for dignity and justice for the common man, and the yearnings of the human heart.
For readers from around the world, this book is a window to some of the historical and cultural facets of China that remain relevant today. These stories can be enjoyed in English by readers with no knowledge of Chinese, while the bilingual format and vocabulary lists are an added bonus for language students.
Each story is given in parallel Chinese and English versions, and is accompanied by a short essay about its historical context, a vocabulary list, discussion questions, and native speaker audio recordings.
Critique: Chinese Folktales for Language Learners lives up to its title with fifteen classic Chinese folktales, each presented in both English and Chinese. Readers with no knowledge of Chinese can still enjoy these venerable fables, each presented with an essay that offers historical and cultural context. Readers who are learning the Chinese language will find the vocabulary sections appended to each folktale helpful. A handful of black-and-white illustrations loosely in the style of ancient Chinese artwork rounds out this excellent supplemental resource for folktale aficionados and Chinese language learners alike. Chinese Folktales for Language Learners is accessible, enjoyable, educational, and highly recommended especially for school and public library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Chinese Folktales for Language Learners is also available in a Kindle edition ($18.04).
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Diane C. Donovan, Editor
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