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Reviewer's Choice
Mysteries of the Unknown
Time Inc. Home Entertainment
PO Box 11016, Des Moines, Iowa 50336-1016
c/o Goodman Media (publicity)
750 Seventh Avenue, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10019
9781618933522 $17.95 www.time.com
Illustrated with full-color photographs throughout, Mysteries of the Unknown: Inside the World
of the Strange and Unexplained is a reader-friendly compendium of the history, legends, and
science behind supernatural or metaphysical phenomena. From the real-life killers who inspired
tales of vampires (including the notorious Vlad the Impaler), to near-death experiences and
people's testimonies of "the other side", to American and Soviet attempts to study psychic powers
during the Cold War, to America's most haunted homes, Mysteries of the Unknown explores the
bizarre, the unexplained, and the mystical with a decidedly scientific tilt. Humanity may not have
all the answers about paranormal happenings, but Mysteries of the Unknown provides one with
as much information as modern science and history can offer, in order to make one's own
judgment! "Although Jewish law forbids praying for another's death, some believe in the
tradition of the pulsa denura (Aramaic for "lashes of fire"), a curse against those who break God's
commandments. Two Israeli prime ministers have died after supposedly becoming the target of
the pulsa denura..." Fascinating from cover to cover, Mysteries of the Unknown is highly
recommended.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
How to Make a Living Writing Articles for Newspapers, Magazines, and Online Sources
Wendy Vincent
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
9781601385673 $24.95 www.atlantic-pub.com
How to Make a Living Writing Articles for Newspapers, Magazines, and Online Sources:
Everything You Need to Know to Become a Successful Freelance Writer in 30 Days lives up to
its title as a "must-have" resource for any "writer with a day job" looking to make writing their
full-time career. Chapters are filled with tips, tricks, and techniques for dedicating a workspace to
the craft (and countering procrastination), marketing oneself, mastering the art of the query letter,
targeting one's submissions, supplemental writing income sources (including corporate materials,
contract books, travel writing, and more), how to ensure one gets paid, how to determine whether
one needs an agent, and much more. "[Never trust] Agents asking for a retainer - Reputable
agents are able to pay for their own expenses. They can determine whether a book is marketable
and do not request up-front fees or retainers from a writer." Accessible, practical, and grounded
in professional experience, How to Make a Living Writing Articles for Newspapers, Magazines,
and Online Sources is highly recommended.
Creating Graphic Novels
Sarah Beach
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
9781615931941 $26.95 www.mwp.com
Accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Creating Graphic Novels: Adapting and Marketing
Stories for a Multimillion-Dollar Industry is a guide especially for would-be
authors/marketers/publishers of graphic novels. The emphasis here is squarely upon transforming
one's story idea (or novel/movie/media) into a script that a comic artist can use to bring the
graphic novel to life. Creating Graphic Novels is not a "how to draw" book; it's a "how to write a
script that a professional artist can draw" book. The basics of the publishing industry are also
covered - what the industry expects from submissions, legal guidelines concerning copyright and
appropriate credit, how to understand the terminology of a publishing contract, and more. (The
legal basics in particular come with a strong disclaimer: "What follows is only a general
explanation of legal matters. Do not take it as legal advice. Always consult a lawyer regarding
rights and contracts", but before talking to an expensive lawyer it's very important to have a
thorough, personal understanding of these fundamental concepts). Creating Graphic Novels goes
in-depth on an seldom-covered aspect of the writing industry - translating a story from one
medium to another - and is an absolute "must-have" for anyone interested in seeing their work
(stories, movies, or plays) adapted to graphic novel format.
Organic Screenwriting
Mark David Gerson
MDG Media International
9708 Calle Chamisa NW, Albuquerque, NM 87114
9781499306750, $16.00, www.amazon.com
Screenwriting, also called script-writing is the art and craft of writing scripts for mass media such
as feature films, television productions or video games. It is frequently a freelance profession.
Screenwriters are responsible for researching the story, developing the narrative, writing the
screenplay, and delivering it, in the required format, to development executives. Screenwriters
therefore have great influence over the creative direction and emotional impact of the screenplay
and, arguably, of the finished film. They either pitch original ideas to producers in the hope that
they will be optioned or sold, or screenwriters are commissioned by a producer to create a
screenplay from a concept, true story, existing screen work or literary work, such as a novel,
poem, play, comic book or short story. "Organic Screenwriting: Writing for Film, Naturally" by
professional screenwriter Mark David Gerson is a 222 page instruction manual emphasizes what
he describes as a 'Muse Stream' approach to writing scripts. Replete with effective techniques,
exceptionally useful exercises, and practical inspiration, "Organic Screenwriting: Writing for
Film, Naturally" is a seminal work that should be read carefully by any and all aspiring writers
for film or television and will serve as an enduringly useful reference work. Very highly
recommended, it should be noted that "Organic Screenwriting: Writing for Film, Naturally" is
also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).
The Social Issues Shelf
Dangerous Friendship
Ben Kamin
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25
East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
9781611861310 $22.95 www.msupress.msu.edu
Dangerous Friendship: Stanley Levison, Martin Luther King Jr., and the Kennedy Brothers is a
fascinating examination of how four notable individuals in American history, and the friendship
they formed, played a pivotal role in the American Civil Rights movement promoting true social
equality regardless of race, and an end to segregation. Researched with scholarly precision, yet
eminently accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Dangerous Friendship is as fascinating as it is
enlightening... and tragic, as their efforts to make America a better nation earned assassins' ire
and an early grave for three of them. Highly recommended, especially for public and college
library political science and social issues shelves.
The Business Shelf
Customer Service Supply Chain Management
Alexandre Oliveira & Anne Gimeno
FT Pearson
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.ftpress.com
9780133764390, $79.99, www.amazon.com
A supply chain is a system of organizations, people, activities, information, and resources
involved in moving a product or service from supplier to customer. Supply chain activities
transform natural resources, raw materials, and components into a finished product that is
delivered to the end customer. In sophisticated supply chain systems, used products may re-enter
the supply chain at any point where residual value is recyclable. Supply chains link value chains.
The proper and effective management of a company's supply chain is essential in terms of
efficiency and customer satisfaction. "Customer Service Supply Chain Management: Models for
Achieving Customer Satisfaction, Supply Chain Performance, and Shareholder Value" by the
team of Alexandre Oliveira and AnneGimeno is a 208 page compendium covering every aspect
of supply chain management and the issues involved. "Customer Service Supply Chain
Management" will prove to be instrumental for novice managers in growing the company's sales
volume, improving overall customer experiences, and growing their corporate margins through
reducing the cost of sales, improving asset management, and effectively balancing service levels
and cost structures. ""Customer Service Supply Chain Management" is very highly recommended
for professional, business school, and corporate Business Management instructional reference
collections. It should be noted that "Customer Service Supply Chain Management" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($45.99).
The Language Studies Shelf
Interfaces and Domains of Quantification
Javier Gutierrez-Rexach
Ohio State University Press
180 Pressey Hall, 1070 Carmack Road
Columbus, OH 43210-1002
http://www.ohiostatepress.org
9780814293584, $69.95, www.amazon.com
Quantification is an intrinsically complex mechanism of expression in natural language,
comprising a variety of structural shapes and semantic domains whose inventory has not been
completely charted to date. Several linguistic forms associated with quantification in Spanish are
explored in "Interfaces and Domains of Quantification" by Javier Gutierrez-Rexach (Professor of
Spanish and Linguistics), from indefiniteness and ellipsis to the quantificational properties of
relative clauses and adverbial particles. "Interfaces and Domains of Quantification" advocates an
interface approach to the grammar of Spanish quantification. Only a precise characterization of
the syntactic properties of quantificational constructions and of their associated meanings allows
us to understand how more general syntactic and semantic constraints are at work. Among other
findings, the interaction of scope and parallelism with ellipsis is reconsidered; the structural
significance of modal anchoring and essential properties for the interpretation of indefiniteness is
explored in detail; additionally, quantificational variability and correlativity phenomena in
relative clauses are analyzed; degree expression is characterized for concessive conditionals and
superlatives; and, finally, several discourse particles with a quantificational core are shown to be
critical for the articulation of semantic and discourse-pragmatic relations. Taking a detailed look
at the different forms, patterns and structures associated with several quantificational domains
seems to be the only fully explanatory way to advance our knowledge of the syntax, semantics
and pragmatics of quantificational structures. Enhanced with a sixteen page Bibliography, an
Index of Abbreviations, and a comprehensive index, "Interfaces and Domains of Quantification"
is a seminal work of impressive scholarship and very highly recommended for academic library
Spanish Language Studies instructional reference collections and supplemental reading lists.
The Right Thing To Do
Cicero, author
G. B. Cobbold, translator
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
1570 Baskin Road, Mundelein, IL 60060
9780865168244, $15.00, www.bolchazy.com
Marcus Tullius Cicero (3 January 106 BC - 7 December 43 BC), was a Roman philosopher,
politician, lawyer, orator, political theorist, consul and constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy
municipal family of the Roman equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest
orators and prose stylists. His influence on the Latin language was so immense that the
subsequent history of prose in not only Latin but European languages up to the 19th century was
said to be either a reaction against or a return to his style. Cicero introduced the Romans to the
chief schools of Greek philosophy and created a Latin philosophical vocabulary (with neologisms
such as humanitas, qualitas, quantitas, and essentia) distinguishing himself as a linguist,
translator, and philosopher. His writings still form a core curriculum supplement for the study of
Latin. Ably translated into English for an American readership by academician G. B. Cobbold
(Classics Department, Tabor Academy, Marion, Massachusetts), "The Right Thing To Do:
Cicero's De Officiis" is the newest title from Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers and will be
welcomed as another Latin Studies supplemental curriculum reading list. In addition to an
extraordinarily informative introduction, this edition is enhanced with the inclusion of three
appendices, a glossary of Names, Places, and Technical Terms, Significant Dates in Roman
History and the Life of Cicero, and recommendations for Further Reading. While of primary
value for academic library Latin Studies collections, "The Right Thing To Do: Cicero's De
Officiis" will also prove to be of immense interest to non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the ethics of 'doing right' in contemporary ordinary life.
The Poetry Shelf
Hook and Eye
Judith Beveridge
George Braziller, Inc.
174 East 74th Street, Apt 16E, New York, NY 10021-3534
www.georgebraziller.com
9780807600009, $15.95, www.amazon.com
Judith Beveridge (born 1956) is a contemporary Australian poet, editor and academic. Edited for
publication by literary critic Paul Kane as the third volume in the outstanding George Braziller
series focusing on Australian poets, "Hook and Eye: A Selection of Poems" is a 96 page
compendium showcasing the poetry of Judith Beveridge's free verse. With an extraordinary
wordsmithing talent, this is a body of poetry that lingers in the mind long after the collection has
been closed and set back upon the shelf. "Hook and Eye: A Selection of Poems" is strongly
recommended for personal reading lists for poetry enthusiasts as well as both academic and
community library Contemporary Poetry collections. 'The Vow': I won't lie down until it walks
under my skin. / I won't stop until I hear its voice, / until its tone rings through the night. // I will
not give up, not until I feel its sun burn me, / until I feel its god crawl through all my follicles, //
until its moon pulls itself from its diet of light / and feeds upon the circles it has given / my
bereaved sight. // Brahmins--even among / the cuticles of the dead there is wisdom. / And I'll find
it--no matter / who says truth can't be scratched open.
The Literary Studies Shelf
Bram Stoker: Centenary Essays
Jarlath Killeen, editor
Four Courts Press
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR, 97213
www.isbs.com
9781846824074, $74.50, www.amazon.com
Abraham "Bram" Stoker (8 November 1847 - 20 April 1912) was an Irish novelist and short
story writer best known today for his 1897 Gothic novel, "Dracula". During his lifetime, he was
better known as personal assistant of actor Henry Irving and business manager of the Lyceum
Theatre in London, which Irving owned. Compiled by Jarlath Killeen (Lecturer in Victorian
Literature in English, Trinity College, Dublin), "Bram Stoker: Centenary Essays" is a 206 page
compendium comprised of ten erudite and informative essays on the life, accomplishments, and
enduring influence of Bram Stoker. Enhanced with occasional illustrations, and informative
introduction, a listing of the contributors and their credentials, as well as a comprehensive index,
"Bram Stoker: Centenary Essays" is a seminal contribution and highly recommended for
academic library Literary Studies reference collections in general, and studies of Bram Stoker's
literary works in particular.
Eddic, Skaldic, and Beyond
Martin Chase, editor
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue, Bronx, NY 10458-5172
www.fordhampress.com
9780823257812, $55.00, www.amazon.com
The Poetic Edda is a collection of Old Norse poems primarily preserved in the Icelandic
mediaeval manuscript Codex Regius. The term skald, meaning 'poet', is generally used for poets
who composed at the courts of Scandinavian and Icelandic leaders during the Viking Age and
Middle Ages. Skaldic poetry forms one of two main groupings of Old Norse poetry, the other
being the anonymous Eddic poetry. Knowledgeably compiled by Martin Chase (Associate Editor
of English and Medieval Studies, Fordham University), "Eddic, Skaldic, and Beyond: Poetic
Variety in Medieval Iceland and Norway" is a 296 page compendium comprised of eleven
scholarly articles focused on the traditions, mythological underpinnings, and diverse facets of
Eddic poetry and the skalds who performed them. Enhanced with sixty-two pages of Notes, a
twenty-four page Bibliography, a list of contributors and their credentials, as well as a
comprehensive Index, "Eddic, Skaldic, and Beyond: Poetic Variety in Medieval Iceland and
Norway" is a model of academic scholarship and a very highly recommended addition to
academic library collections. It should be noted that "Eddic, Skaldic, and Beyond" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($31.19).
The Religion/Spirituality Shelf
The Religious History of Wales
Edited by Richard C. Allen & David Ceri Jones with Trystan O. Hughes
Welsh Academic Press
www.welsh-academic-press.com
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300
Portland, OR, 97213
9781860570797 $65.00 www.isbs.com
The Religious History of Wales: Religious Life and Practice in Wales from the Seventeenth
Century to the Present Day lives up to its title as a scholarly chronicle of religion in Wales,
beginning in with the end of monolithic Christianity. The sixteenth-century Reformation sparked
Protestant sects that directly competed with the established Catholic sect. Divided into chapters
written by a diversity of learned authors, focusing on well over a dozen different Welsh religious
groups - including Baptists, Quakers, Unitarians, Jehovah's Witnesses, Judaism, Islam, Sikhism,
Islam, the Bahai faith and more - The Religious History of Wales is comprehensive,
thought-provoking, meticulous in its examination, and an invaluable addition to college and
public library Religious Studies shelves. "The Sikh presence in Cardiff is one of the earliest in
Britain, along with that of the community in Southall in west London... According to one of the
very rare studies on this small group of diaspora Sikhs, Paul Ghuman estimated their number
alone to be around 360 in 1980, compared with the current total Sikh population in Cardiff at just
over 900."
The Christian Studies Shelf
Apologetics Beyond Reason
James W. Sire
IVP Academic
c/o InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 605151426
www.ivpress.com
9780830840557, $18.00, www.amazon.com
Apologetics (from Greek and meaning "speaking in defense") is the discipline of defending a
position (often religious) through the systematic use of information. Early Christian writers (c.
120 - 220) who defended their faith against critics and recommended their faith to outsiders were
called apologists. "Apologetics Beyond Reason: Why Seeing Really Is Believing" by James W.
Sire (an academician and a former a senior editor at the InterVarsity Press) is a 160 page treatise
summing up this Christian scholar and author's personal defense of his Christian faith. As
informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, Sire writes with a true
eloquence and a genuine engagement in the form of six 'arguments' drawn from a variety of
sources ranging from Rene Descartes, Stanislaw Lem, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Virginia Woolf,
Francisco Goya, literary theory, Jesus, and Jehovah. Enhanced with ten pages of Notes, two
pages of Bibliography, and a comprehensive Index, "Apologetics Beyond Reason: Why Seeing
Really Is Believing" is a challenging and instructive read of extraordinary merit that is very
highly recommended for both academia and non-specialist general readers with an interest in
Christian apologetics. It should be noted that "Apologetics Beyond Reason: Why Seeing Really
Is Believing" is also available in a Kindle edition ($10.09).
The Buddhist Studies Shelf
The Shin Buddhist Classical Tradition
Alfred Bloom, editor
World Wisdom
1501 East Hillside Drive, Bloomington, IN 47401
www.worldwisdom.com
9781936597383, $22.95, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Jodo Shinshu, also known as Shin Buddhism, is a school of Pure Land Buddhism. It was founded
by the former Tendai Japanese monk Shinran. Shin Buddhism is considered the most widely
practiced branch of Buddhism in Japan, with 20% of the population of Japan identifying
membership of the sect. The latest volume in the World Wisdom 'Treasures of the World
Religions' series, "The Shin Buddhist Classical Tradition: A Reader in Pure Land Teaching" is an
anthology of passages gathered from the leading monks and teachers of the Pure Land, or Shin,
school of Buddhist teaching focuses on religious practice. Extending from the foundational texts
and first interpreters in the 4th century, to Rennyo in the 15th century, Professor Bloom's
selections trace the development of Shin Buddhist teaching from monastic visualization practices
to the widely popular path to salvation through faith in, and recitation of, the name of Amida
Buddha. Volume 2 features a foreword by Kenneth K. Tanaka and an introduction by renowned
scholar and editor, Alfred Bloom, whose selected passages have been arranged topically for easy
reference on issues of Pure Land teaching. The key interpreters featured are the Seven Great
Teachers from India, China, and Japan (Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu; T'an-luan, Tao-ch'o, Shan-tao;
Genshin, Honen), selected as doctrinal authorities by Shinran (1173-1263), the founder of the
Japanese Pure Land sect. Enhanced with a select Glossary of foreign terms, a Bibliography of
references, an Index of Quoted Sources, "The Shin Buddhist Classical Tradition: A Reader in
Pure Land Teaching" is a truly exceptional collection under the deft and knowledgeable
editorship of Alfred Bloom (an ordained Shin minister and member of the Honpa Hongwanji
Mission), making it strongly recommended reading to students of Buddhism, as well as a valued
addition to community and academic library Buddhist Studies reference collections and
supplement reading lists.
The Cookbook Shelf
Decadent Gluten-Free Vegan Baking
Cara Reed
Page Street Publishing Co.
27 Congress Street, Suite 103, Salem, MA 01970
c/o The Trina Kaye Organization (publicity)
9781624140716 $19.99 www.pagestreetpublishing.com
Decadent Gluten-Free Vegan Baking: Delicious Gluten-, Egg- and Dairy-Free Treats and Sweets
is a confection connoisseur's delight. Full-color, full-page illustrations wonderful, gluten and
animal product-free delicacies such as Chocolate Almond Biscotti (made with flaxseed meal), a
gluten-free flour blend (made from rice flour, sorghum flour, potato starch, and arrowroot
powder) used in a tremendous variety of desserts including Pumpkin Spice Muffins, Lazy Man's
Tiramisu (made from coconut cream and Chocolate Cloud Cookies), and much more. A treasury
especially for adventurous bakers and gourmet palates, Decadent Gluten-Free Vegan Baking is
highly recommended.
Easy, Affordable Raw
Lisa Viger
Quarry Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartous.com
Dalyne Miller Public Relations
9781592539291, $24.99, www.amazon.com
Properly prepared, the consumption of raw foods can provide a significantly less expensive and
yet more healthy culinary life than eating foods that have been cooked by heating them. "Easy,
Affordable Raw: How to Go Raw on $10 a Day" by raw food expert Lisa Viger is a profusely
illustrated, 176 page compendium showcasing a cornucopia of easy and delicious raw food
recipes. Beginning with four informed and informative chapters concerning raw foods (Why
Raw?; Common Questions Answered; Choosing Raw Foods; Tools & Techniques), "Easy,
Affordable Raw: How to Go Raw on $10 a Day" goes on to showcasing budget friendly, palate
pleasing, appetite satisfying recipes ranging from a Chocolate Nut Butter Smoothie; a Baby
Greens and Mango Lime Chipotle Dressing; Raw Farmers' Market Eggplant Tacos; and Cheesy
Buckwheat Crackers; to a Tomato Watermelon Salsa; Quick Coconut Macademia Yogurt with
Strawberries; Caramel Apple Pear Tart; and Raw Mocha Almond Brownie Bites. Remarkably
'kitchen cook friendly', "Easy, Affordable Raw: How to Go Raw on $10 a Day" is an
extraordinary culinary collection and a very highly recommended addition to personal, family,
and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Easy, Affordable Raw:
How to Go Raw on $10 a Day" is also available in a Kindle edition ($11.99).
The Book Of Kale & Friends
Sharon Hanna & Carol Pope
Douglas & McIntyre
2323 Quebec Street, Suite 201
Vancouver, BC, Canada, V5T 4S7
www.douglas-mcintyre.com
9781771620147, $22.95, www.amazon.com
Kale is a vegetable with green or purple leaves, in which the central leaves do not form a head. It
is considered by some to be closer to wild cabbage than most domesticated forms of vegetables.
Until the end of the Middle Ages, kale was one of the most common green vegetables in all of
Europe. Collaboratively compiled by Sharon Hanna and Carol Pope, "The Book of Kale and
Friends: 14 Easy-to-Grow Superfoods with 130+ Recipes" is a nicely illustrated, 224 page
compendium that begins with a solid introduction to the growing of kale, answers to most
frequently asked questions about kale, and basic descriptive information about arugula, basil,
chives, coriander, cilantro, herb fennel, garlic, lovage, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage,
and thyme. "The Book of Kale and Friends: 14 Easy-to-Grow Superfoods with 130+ Recipes"
then showcases kale recipes ranging from a Kale, White Bean & Caramelized Onion Dip;
Tuscan-Style Arugula Pizza with Kale Petals; Chiffonade of Kale with Salty Sweet Walnuts; and
Kale-a-Leekie Soup; to Garlicky Roast Potatoes & Kale; Tomato Kale Nirvana; Kale Pasta with
Rose Sauce; and Gluten-Free Kale Fruit Loaf. "The Book of Kale and Friends: 14 Easy-to-Grow
Superfoods with 130+ Recipes" is a delight to browse and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' to
use, making it an ideal and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, family, and
community library cookbook collections.
The Travel Shelf
Dan Poynter's Air Travel Handbook
Dan Poynter
Para Publishing
http://ParaPublishing.com
http://airtravelhandbook.com
9781568601502, $14.95, www.amazon.com
Air travel is a form of travel in vehicles such as airplanes, helicopters, hot air balloons, blimps,
gliders, hang gliding, parachuting, or anything else that can sustain flight. Use of air travel by
commercial airlines has greatly increased in recent decades - worldwide it doubled between the
mid-1980s and the year 2000. Today air travel can be fraught with frustration, delays, lost
luggage, high prices, added fees, problematic connections, confusing airport terminals, and more.
That's why "Dan Poynter's Air Travel Handbook: Tips, Tricks & Secrets on Flying" will prove to
be an invaluable and instructive resource for anyone having to book a flight for personal or
professional reasons. Packed with invaluable and practical insights, this 322 page compendium
shows how an ordinary air flight passenger can obtain better fares, better seas, and better
treatment; use 'airline speak' so as be perceived as an experienced and knowledgeable air traveler;
give the appearance of being a frequent flyer and obtain frequent flyer perks; and in general,
make travel less hazardous, less frustrating, and a lot more fun! Thoroughly 'user friendly', "Dan
Poynter's Air Travel Handbook" is very highly recommended for personal, community, and
corporate library collections -- and considered a 'must read' for anyone needing to avail
themselves of air travel to get to where they need to go.
The American History Shelf
Gentlemen Bootleggers
Bryce T. Bauer
Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
c/o Independent Publishers Group (distribution)
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.ipgbook.com
9781613748480 $27.95 hc / $11.99 Kindle www.amazon.com
Gentlemen Bootleggers: The True Story of Templeton, Rye, Prohibition, and a Small Town in
Cahoots is the fascinating, heavily-researched chronicle of tiny Iowa town called Templeton
during the Prohibition era. Templeton had a population of only 428, yet fostered a bootlegging
empire in its own right; its illegal alcohol became so popular that it was well-known by the
moniker "Templeton Rye". Prohibition agent Benjamin Franklin Wilson set out to demolish
Templeton's lucrative bootlegging business, but the fight over bootleg booze would not explode
into violence like it did in Al Capone's Chicago. Gentlemen Bootleggers tells of men who
devoted themselves to creating the finest black market whiskey not only for money, but also for
love of the drink, and is as intriguing to lay readers as it is to historians researching the
Prohibition era. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library American History
shelves.
America's Deadliest Twister
Geoff Partlow
Southern Illinois University Press
1915 University Press Drive
SIUC Mail Code 6806
Carbondale, IL 62901
9780809333462 $19.95 www.siupress.com
America's Deadliest Twister: The Tri-State Tornado of 1925 is the true story of a nightmarish
twister that wreaked havoc on southeast Missouri, southern Illinois, and southwestern Indiana,
killing 695 people. A handful of vintage black-and-white photographs illustrate this story of
everyday life in the 1920's when the monster tornado struck, heroes who worked to help people
recover, and the memories of a few still-living survivors. Of acute interest is how this terrible
disaster sparked a change in how people throughout America contemplated disaster relief,
inspiring the more unified relief systems in practice today. A "must-have" for public and college
library collections!
The Biography Shelf
The Remarkable Life and Career of Ellen Swallow Richards
Pamela Curtis Swallow
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
9781118923832, $59.95, www.amazon.com
Ellen Henrietta Swallow Richards (December 3, 1842 - March 30, 1911) was the foremost
female industrial and environmental chemist in the United States during the 19th century. Her
pioneering work in sanitary engineering and experimental research in domestic science widened
professional opportunities for women in the sciences and laid a foundation for the new science of
home economics. "The Remarkable Life and Career of Ellen Swallow Richards: Pioneer in
Science and Technology" by Pamela Curtis Swallow (who is a three generations removed first
cousin of Ellen Swallow Richards) is a 192 page compendium showcasing the personal life and
professional accomplishments of a most remarkable woman laid out in an informative prologue,
twenty-two succinct chapters, and a summary epilogue. Enhanced with a list of
Acknowledgments, two pages of Author Notes, four pages of Selected Bibliography, and a
comprehensive Index, "The Remarkable Life and Career of Ellen Swallow Richards: Pioneer in
Science and Technology" is an extraordinary and very highly recommended addition to academic
and community library American Biography collections and Women's Studies supplemental
reading lists. It should be noted that "The Remarkable Life and Career of Ellen Swallow
Richards" is also available in a Kindle edition ($34.49).
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Tonoharu Part One
Lars Martinson
larsmartinson.com
Pliant Press
pliantpress.com
c/o Top Shelf Productions (distribution)
9780980102369 $14.95 www.amazon.com
Now available in a brand new paperback edition, Tonoharu Part One is an original graphic novel
about living as an expatriate in a foreign land, and the steep language and cultural barriers that
obstruct interpersonal socialization. Although the story is fictional, author Lars Martinson draws
upon his three years of real-life experience as an assistant English teacher in Japan to present an
unvarnished glimpse into the good, the bad, and the ugly of day-to-day life in such a situation. In
Tonoharu, Dan Wells has started work as an English teacher in rural Japan. His workload is light,
but he struggles to speak basic Japanese, and feels isolated from the local society. Only a few
other foreigners live anywhere near Dan - an attractive young woman works a couple towns
away, and an extremely eccentric European family, known for their wild and crazy parties, is the
prime subject of hushed gossip! Tonoharu Part One features painstaking black-and-white artwork
of iconic caricatures and vividly authentic glimpses of Japanese scenery, yet its true soul lies in
its frank portrayal of the inherent challenges of living and working abroad. Highly
recommended!
Zombillenium 2: Human Resources
Arthur de Pins
NBM Publishing
160 Broadway, Ste. 700, East Wing
New York, NY 10038
9781561638505 $14.99 www.nbmpublishing.com
Zombillenium 2: Human Resources is the second full-color, horror-humor-spoof graphic novel
featuring the malevolently misadventurous demons, zombies, werewolves, vampires, witches,
and monsters of the Zombillenium amusement park. In Human Resources, the theme park's
booming business is beset by two groups of dangerous outsiders: murderous human activists who
aren't above kidnapping and dismembering a skeleton employee, and a mysterious woman who is
somehow connected to one of the park's most vicious little demons! The first rule of the park is
"kill no humans" - but as tempers escalate, could provoked monsters violate a decades-long
truce? A chilling glimpse of how infernal Human Resources scares up new undead recruits,
Zombillenium 2 is fiendishly delightful, twisted, surprising, and even a little tragic.
The Audiobook Shelf
In a Rocket Made of Ice
Gail Gutradt, author
Lorna Raver, narrator
Books on Tape
www.booksontape.com
c/o Random House Audio Books
1745 Broadway, 5th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780553546439 $45.00 www.randomhouse.com
Stage actress and award-winning narrator Lorna Raver reads aloud In a Rocket Made of Ice:
Among the Children of Wat Opot, the unabridged audiobook rendition of the true-life memoir of
a woman who volunteered at an orphanage in rural Cambodia. Author Gail Gutradt worked at the
Wat Opot Children's Community, a temple complex transformed into a sanctuary where children
with or orphaned by HIV/AIDS could survive and grow. In a Rocket Made of Ice is the story of
not only the children whose lives were changed by kindness, but also the transformative effect
they had on their caretakers, in a place that Gutradt rightfully describes as "a workshop for
souls". Heartwarming and inspirational, In a Rocket Made of Ice is highly recommended,
especially for public library audiobook collections. 10 CDs, 12 hours.
The Masqueraders
Georgette Heyer
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28, Franklin, TN 37064
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
9781843798514, $59.98, www.amazon.com
After participating in the Jacobite Rising of 1745, Robin and Prudence, brother and sister,
become engaged in a swashbuckling, romantic adventure. Our hero and heroine must cross-dress
and switch genders if they are to escape prosecution a humorous move that allows Heyer to
explore the manners and language affectations of the period as the two romp through the elite
saloons and clubs of London. But what the two don't foresee is that they might fall in love along
the way: Prudence with the elegant and dashing Sir Anthony Fanshawe, and Robin with the
charming Letitia Grayson. Can the two unmask themselves without losing their lives? Georgette
Heyer (16 August 1902 - 4 July 1974) was a prolific British historical romance and detective
fiction novelist. "The Masqueraders" is accounted as one of her best romance novels and this
complete and unabridged audio book edition, skillfully narrated by Ruth Sillers, is especially
recommended for personal and community library audio book collections. 9 CDs. Total Running
Time is 11:04:12.
The Moonstone
Wilkie Collins
Read by Ronald Pickup and cast
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28
Franklin, TN 37064
9781843797975 $98.98 www.naxosaudiobooks.com
The Moonstone is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of a classic English detective novel,
performed by a talented cast of actors. Rachel Verinder inherits the Moonstone, a diamond of
incalculable value; suddenly, the gem disappears. Who could have stolen it, and how? Sergeant
Cuff of Scotland Yard gradully uncovers and intricate plot, filled with misdirection and nefarious
motives, in this keenly timeless saga of whetted suspense. 17 CDs, 22 hours 27 min.
The Long Way Home
Louise Penny, author
Ralph Cosham, narrator
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9781427244291 $39.99 www.macmillanaudio.com
The Long Way Home is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a suspenseful novel featuring the
stolid Chief Inspector of Homicide, Armand Gamache. Gamache is happily retired in the quiet
village of Three Pines, but when his neighbor Clara Morrow asks Gamache to help find her
missing husband - who promised he would return after being separated for a year. Aided by his
former second-in-command Jean-Guy Beauvoir and Myrna Landers, Gamache journeys through
Quebec to a place so desolate, mariners have called it "the land God gave to Cain". A dark saga
of lost fame, desperation, and despair, The Long Way Home is finely tense to the very end. 10
CDs, 12 hours.
The Library CD Shelf
Road to Ambo
Adam Andrews
www.adamandrewsmusic.com
Privately Published
c/o The Creative Service Company
4360 Emerald Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.thecreativeservicecompany.com
$10.83 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com
The debut album of Adam Andrews, a former member of the world-touring folk-pop group Cede,
Road to Ambo is a solo piano music CD of entirely original compositions. The instrumental
songs convey emotion from the highs and lows of Andrews' own life - the trials that he and his
family braved to adopt an African orphan, his tribute to people who sacrifice and live selflessly,
support for a family member grappling with mental illness, and the sustaining, life-affirming gifts
that are meditations and breathing exercises. Road to Ambo is a superb gift for connoisseurs of
exquisite piano music, highly recommended. The tracks are "Road to Ambo" (3:17), "Unknown
Hero" (3:47), "Hope and Joy" (4:40), "We Are Brothers" (3:18), "You Were There" (3:16),
"Faces We See" (2:56), "Smoky Hill" (2:58), "Upside Down Church" (4:19), "New Normal"
(3:41), "The Well Within" (3:13), and "Breathe" (2:58).
After the Inferno
The Bad Things
Silent City Records
c/o Rock Paper Scissors (publicity)
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
$TBA www.rockpaperscissors.biz
Six-piece band The Bad Things (their instrumentation includes accordion, banjo, guitar, upright
bass, trumpet, keys, drums, and mandolin) present After the Inferno, an album that treads the
tenuous border between love and destruction. Songs resonate with a touch of sadness for the
tragedies of the past, but also build upon renewed hope for the future. Intense and powerful,
"After the Inferno" reflects resilience, perseverance, and remembrance. The tracks are "Young
Emily Rose", "Lincoln", "Bonnie to my Clyde", "Can't Get Enough of Love", "Green Grass",
"Grifter's Life", "Carless Maria", "Not Tonight", "Jalisco Serenade", and "Death of the
Inferno."
The Library DVD Shelf
Medieval Lives: Birth, Marriage, Death
Dr. Helen Castor
Athena Learning
c/o RLJ Entertainment
9781621722069 $34.99 athenalearning.com
Historian and author Dr. Helen Castor presents Medieval Lives: Birth, Marriage, Death, a DVD
documentary about major milestones of everyday life in medieval England. Three episodes
examine why physicians were of no use to women during the dangerous process of childbirth;
why newlywed couples were "put to bed" by the priest on their wedding night; and why death
was a notably more communal affair than now, including the concept of "dying well". The
Church was especially involved in all three processes, and the Protestant Reformation would
forever transform how society viewed and undertook birth, marriage, and death. As fascinating as
it is educational, Medieval Lives: Birth, Marriage, Death is a choice pick for public library
collections. Also highly recommended is Castor's previous documentary: "She-Wolves:
England's Early Queens". 3 episodes on 2 DVDs, 186 min., SDH subtitles, widescreen.
Eyes Wide Open
A film by Paula Weiman-Kelman
Sisu Home Entertainment
340 W 39th St., 6th. fl.
New York, NY 10018
$24.95 www.sisuent.com
Eyes Wide Open is a documentary about both the positive and the negative reactions that Jewish
travelers feel toward the holy land of Israel. Filmmaker Paula Wieman-Kelman asked American
Jews "What does Israel mean to you?" in synagogues, airports, ancient sites, and dangerous war
zones. An honest and unfettered collection of heartfelt emotions, Eyes Wide Open is
unforgettable. 68 min., English and Hebrew with English subtitles, widescreen.
The Geology Shelf
Iceland, second edition
Thor Thordarson & Armann Hoskuldsson
Dunedin Academic Press Ltd.
International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300
Portland, OR, 97213
9781780460215 $49.50 www.isbs.com
Part of the "Classic Geology in Europe" series, the updated second edition of Iceland surveys the
geology of Iceland with depth worthy of scientific professionals, and a presentation accessible to
students and amateur geologists. Full-color maps and photographs illustrate Iceland's
extraordinary landforms, many of which exemplify the legacy of volcanic and tectonic activity.
"Effusive eruptions occur when magma pours out onto the surface as lava flows, and Iceland
owes its existence to the steady accumulation of lava through time. Lava flows occur in various
sizes and shapes, and their form is a good indicator of how readily they flowed." A glossary,
bibliography, and index round out this "must-have" for public and college library geology
shelves.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
An Indomitable Beast
Alan Rabinowitz
Island Press
2000 M St NW Suite 650
Washington, DC 20036
9781597269964 $30.00 www.islandpress.org
Alan Rabinowitz (big cat expert and CEO of Panthera, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving wild
cat species) presents An Indomitable Beast: The Remarkable Journey of the Jaguar, an accessible
nonfiction book all about these great cats. From the reverence that ancient civilizations such as
the Maya and the Aztec had for jaguars, to the jaguar's struggling to survive amid the loss of its
habitat to deforestation and the expansion of agriculture, to exciting modern-day research about
the jaguar's DNA, An Indomitable Beast is an extraordinary examination of these dangerous yet
magnificent creatures. A bibliography, an index, and a handful of color plates enhance this
absolute "must-read" for fans of big cats in general, and jaguars in particular. Highly
recommended!
The Botany Shelf
Trees of Eastern North America
Gil Nelson, Christopher J. Earle, and Richard Spellenberg, authors
David More, illustrator
Amy K. Hughes, editor
Princeton University Press
41 William Street, Princeton, NJ 08540
9780691145914 $29.95 http://press.princeton.edu
Featuring detailed, full-color illustrations accurately representing the leaves, flowers, and seeds
of every tree, Trees of Eastern North America is well-organized, thorough field guide accessible
to botanists and lay readers alike. The entry for each tree species includes a "quick ID"
description, an extremely detailed in-depth description complementing the artwork, a
habitat/range listing given both in words and a simple diagram of North America, comments
about similar tree species, and any miscellaneous notes. (For example, "The nut of the American
Beech is a favorite food of small mammals and birds, especially grosbeaks. However, mature
trees usually produce abundant fruit only once every few years, particularly in the South, making
it unreliable as an annual crop..."). Highly recommended for botany reference shelves!
The Military Shelf
Fallujah Redux
Daniel R. Green and William F. Mullen III
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road
Annapolis, MD 21402
9781612511429 $37.95 www.nip.org
Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans Daniel R. Green and Brig. Gen. William F. Mullen III (USMC)
present Fallujah Redux: The Anbar Awakening and the Struggle with Al-Qaeda, an in-depth
examination of the American military's efforts to make the Iraqi city of Fallujah more secure,
despite an ongoing insurgency. Bringing about this change required more than military power; it
took leadership, and efforts to form connections with the local people. "Awakening" the people
of Fallujah proved to be pivotal, but sectarian misrule from Iraq's central government in Baghdad
had a negative effect on efforts to promote peace and democracy. Fallujah Redux is keenly
insightful, candid, and an absolute "must-read", especially recommended for collections about
modern military history, nation-building, and the ongoing conflicts in Iraq.
Fire on the Water
Robert Haddick
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road
Annapolis, MD 21402
9781612517957 $37.95 www.nip.org
Fire on the Water: China, America, and the Future of the Pacific is a strategic and studious
examination of how America can best prepare for forthcoming conflicts of interest with China in
the Asia-Pacific region. Expert military analyst Robert Haddick (currently a research contractor
for U.S. Special Operations Command) presents the evidence for a grim assessment - America
has been far too slow to adapt to China's rise in economic and military power; worse, current
policies tend to pit America against China's strengths, rather than its weaknesses. Fire on the
Water examines competitive strategies to improve America's influence and promote stability and
prosperity in the region. "America's allies and partners in the Asia-Pacific region are an
indispensable component of any successful U.S. strategy. These relationships are vital, both for
the political legitimacy of America's regional strategy and for supporting any military strategy...
America's partnerships in the region are perhaps its most important competitive advantage."
Serious-minded and forward-thinking, Fire on the Water is an invaluable wake-up call to counter
America's current drifting on diplomatic, trade, naval, and military matters in the Asia-Pacific
region. Highly recommended.
The Reference Shelf
Vital Statistics of the United States 2014
Shana Hertz-Hattis
Bernan Press
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200
Lanham, MD 20706
9781598887044 $110.00 www.rowman.com
Also available as an ebook, Vital Statistics of the United States 2014: Births, Life Expectancy,
Deaths, and Selected Health Data is a compendium of over 225 updated tables, offering a
thorough examination of births, mortality, health, marriage, and divorce in America. Nearly the
entire reference volume is devoted to tables of information compiled by the National Center for
Health Statistics and other government agencies. An index rounds out this straightforward
reference and resource, especially recommended for professional and university library statistics
shelves.
The Archaeology Shelf
Native American Artifacts of Wisconsin
Paul Schanen and David Hunzicker, authors
Lauric Press
1314 W. McDermott, Ste. 106-811, Allen, TX 75013
9781932113686 $79.95 www.LauricPress.com
Written to be accessible to professional and amateur archaeologists alike, Native American
Artifacts of Wisconsin is an in-depth reference and showcase of prehistoric Native American
tools and artifacts commonly found in Wisconsin. Color photographs as well as some
black-and-white diagrams illustrate the example pots, farming tools, hunting equipment, and
more. Descriptive, reader-friendly text complements the artifact portraits. "Prehistoric ceramics
in Wisconsin are one of the least understood and least documented of all artifact types. This is
primarily due to one simple factor, poor preservation. Our harsh winters and their freeze-thaw
cycles that penetrate deep into ground, frequently acidic soils, and relatively high amounts of
moisture combine to ensure that complete or even partially complete pottery vessels are
exceptionally rare in the state." A superb addition to college library archaeology collections,
Native American Artifacts of Wisconsin is highly recommended.
The Mythology Shelf
Cloudwalker
Roy Henry Vickers and Robert Budd, authors
Roy Henry Vickers, illustrator
Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219, Madeira Park, BC V0N 2H0 Canada
9781550176193, $19.95, www.harbourpublishing.com
"Cloudwalker" tells the traditional Tahltan legend of the creation of the Sacred Headwaters of
three important salmon bearing rivers of the Great Northwest Coast, in British Columbia. Long
ago a strong young man called Cloudwalker, or Astace lived before there were any rivers.
Cloudwalker won the contest of carrying the heaviest rock the farthest in his village. He was also
a gifted hunter with the bow and arrow, spear and knife. His hunting provided food for his
people. He was also a skilled fisherman, athlete, and swimmer, and he always provided food for
the elderly first. But he was lonely, for he could find no wife who would be strong like him, and
a mate for life. One day swans in a flock came to the lakes of the northern woods. Cloudwalker
planned to make strings from cedar bark to tie to the swans feet underwater, to catch them for
food for his people. Because he got greedy and tied too many swans' feet with his string, he was
pulled up and carried by the whole flock of swans when they panicked and began to fly. Up, up,
up he went until he finally had to let go of the swan strings, falling down, down, down, landing
softly on the clouds. He walked far over the clouds until he came to a guloonich, a cedar bucket
of water. He drank some but saved some for later, carrying the guloonich of saved water. As he
walked in a circle, tiring, he spilled water from the water box. It took him very long
cloudwalking to find a mountain that he hoped would lead him home. Finally he returned home
to his village and a great celebration. Where he had walked, spilling water from his cedar box,
there were new lakes and three new rivers, named the Ksien (the juice from the clouds), the Nass
River and the Stikine River, the juice from the clouds. The headwaters of these rivers form a
semicircle because these are the three points where Cloudwalker fell from the sky. Thus the three
great salmon bearing rivers were born, flowing to nurture the bears, the forest, the earth and
human beings. The riches of the clean rivers, land and sea are the source of all wealth to the
people of the Northwest Coast, so they teach children to be respectful and responsible, taking
only what they need, to preserve the river's life for future generations. This reverent telling of the
legend of Cloudwalker is stunningly enhanced by paintings in shadows, sky colors, and
silhouettes influenced by the traditional art styles of the native peoples of the Northwest
Coast.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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