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Reviewer's Choice
The China-India Rivalry in the Globalization Era
T. V. Paul, editor
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
www.press.georgetown.edu
9781626165991, $110.95, HC, 312pp, www.amazon.com
Compiled and edited by T.V. Paul (who is the James McGill Professor of International Relations
at McGill University) with the assistance of an international group of leading scholars, "The
China-India Rivalry in the Globalization Era" deftly examines in detail whether the rivalry
between the two countries that began in the 1950s will intensify or dissipate in the twenty-first
century. The China-India relationship is important to analyze because past experience has shown
that when two rising great powers share a border, the relationship is volatile and potentially
dangerous. India and China's relationship faces a number of challenges, including multiple border
disputes that periodically flare up, division over the status of Tibet and the Dalai Lama, the
strategic challenge to India posed by China's close relationship with Pakistan, the Chinese navy's
greater presence in the Indian Ocean, and the two states' competition for natural resources.
Despite these irritants, however, both countries agree on issues such as global financial reforms
and climate change and have much to gain from increasing trade and investment, so there are
reasons for optimism as well as pessimism. An exceptionally well organized and presented study
that includes a complete listing of the contributors and their credentials, "The China-India
Rivalry in the Globalization Era" is unreservedly recommended for community and academic
library Contemporary International Studies collections in general, and China/India Contemporary
Studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for students, governmental policy makers,
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The China-India Rivalry in
the Globalization Era" is also available in a paperback edition (978-1626166004, $36.95) and in
a digital book format (Ebook, 9781626266011, $36.95).
Inside the Neolithic Mind
David Lewis-Williams & David Pearce
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500294413, $16.95, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com
What do the headless figures found in the famous paintings at Catalhoyuk in Turkey have in
common with the interlinked spirals carved on the monumental tombs at Newgrange and Knowth
in Ireland? How can the concepts of "birth", "death", and "wild" cast light on the changes in
relationships between people and animals? In the new compact paperback version of "Inside the
Neolithic Mind: Consciousness, Cosmos and the Realm of the Gods", David Lewis-Williams
(Professor Emeritus and Senior Mentor at the Rock Art Research Institute, University of
Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa) and David Pearce (Associate Professor and Director
at the Rock Art Research Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa)
collaboratively examine the intricate web of belief, myth, and society in the Neolithic period,
arguably the most significant turning point in human history, when agriculture became a way of
life and the fractious society that we know today was born. The authors focus on two contrasting
times and places: the beginnings in the Near East, and Western Europe. "Inside the Neolithic
Mind" argues that neurological patterns hardwired into the brain help explain the nature of the
art, religion, and society that Neolithic people produced. In proposing provocative new theories
about religious motivation in ancient times, "Inside the Neolithic Mind" creates a fascinating
neurological bridge to the mysterious thought-lives of the past and reveal the essence of a
momentous period in human history. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, this
new edition of "Inside the Neolithic Mind" is very highly recommended for community, college,
and university library collections. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "Inside the Neolithic Mind" is also available in
a digital book format (Kindle, $15.30).
The Art of Reading
Jamie Camplin and Maria Ranauro
Getty Publications
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 500, Los Angeles, CA 90049-1682
www.getty.edu
9781606065860 $34.95 amazon.com
Featuring more than 150 striking, full-color reproductions of Western paintings by European and
American artists depicting books and reading, The Art of Reading: An Illustrated History of
Books in Paint is a studious cultural history. Chapters explore why artists love books; how books
and paintings are a key to understanding past and present human culture; how the importance of
reading has evolved in Western society; and much more. Written with scholarly insight, yet
thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, The Art of Reading is highly recommended
for personal, public, and college library collections.
The Science Shelf
The Universe Explained
Heather Couper & Nigel Henbest
Firefly Books Ltd.
50 Staples Avenue, Unit 1, Richmond Hill, ON, Canada L4B 0A7
www.fireflybooks.com
9780228100829, $19.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
"The Universe Explained: A Cosmic Q and A" by the team of Heather Couper (who studied
astrophysics at Oxford University and ran the Greenwich Planetarium, as well as a past President
of both the British Astronomical Association and the Society for Popular Astronomy, and a
Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and the Institute of Physics) and Nigel Henbest (wo
was Astronomy Consultant to New Scientist magazine, Editor of the Journal of the British
Astronomical Association, and Media Consultant to the Royal Greenwich Observatory) directly
answers the most popular astronomy questions of today. Over the course of their illustrious work
in astronomy, Couper and Henbest collected hundreds of the most popular astronomy questions
that they've been asked and herein explain the scientific answers to these questions with expertise
and a healthy dose of humor. "The Universe Explained" answers questions about space travel;
telescopes; the solar system; comets, asteroids and meteors; stars; black holes; the Milky Way
and other galaxies; the big bang and space and time; the possibility of life beyond our planet with
up-to-date space discoveries; and debunk persistent myths and legends. Fun, informative,
beautifully illustrated throughout, "The Universe Explained" is unreservedly recommended for
both school and community library collections as an ideal introduction to astronomy and is
especially appropriate for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the subject.
A Feast of Science
Joe Schwarcz
ECW Press
2120 Queen Street East, Suite 200, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4E 1E2
www.ecwpress.com
9781770411920, $17.95, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com
An entertaining and digestible volume that demystifies science, "A Feast of Science: Intriguing
Morsels from the Science of Everyday Life" deftly explains the chemistry of everyday life while
serving up practical knowledge to both inform and entertain the non-specialist general reader.
Guaranteed to satiate your hunger for palatable and relevant scientific information, Dr. Joe
Schwarcz (Director of the Office for Science and Society at McGill University, Montreal,
Canada) proves that "chemical" is not necessarily synonymous with "toxic", and addresses a
variety of other science-based questions such as: Are there fish genes in tomatoes? Can
snail-slime cream and bone broth really make your wrinkles disappear? What's the problem with
sugar, resistant starch, hops in beer, microbeads, and "secret" cancer cures? Are "natural"
products the key to good health? And what is "fake news" all about? In the pages of "A Feast of
Science", Dr. Joe answers these questions and more. Cutting through the fog of story, suggestion,
and social-media speculation, "A Feast of Science" gets neatly to the essence and heart of the
chemical reactions that make up our daily lives as human beings. Exceptionally well written,
organized and presented, "A Feast of Science" is unreservedly recommended for personal,
community, and academic library General Science collections and supplemental studies lists. It
should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with
an interest in the subject that "A Feast of Science" is also available in a digital book format
(eTextbook, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio,
9781721333721, $14.99, MP3 CD).
The American History Shelf
Women and the American Labor Movement
Philip S. Foner
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
www.haymarketbooks.org
9781608469215, $25.00, PB, 632pp, www.amazon.com
Now in a reprint edition of a groundbreaking history, "Women and the American Labor
Movement" by the late historian Philip S. Foner (1910 - 1994) deftly traces American women's
struggle for freedom, equality and unity in the labor movement as it follows the triumphs and set
backs of this fight from the early Colonial labor associations to the late twentieth century.
"Women and the American Labor Movement" gives an articulated voice to the women who had
to battle on the shop floor and in the union movement for dignity and respect and who through
courage and tenacity won significant victories in struggle for equal rights. Impressively
comprehensive, exceptionally informative, and an essential contribution of enduring value to
both community and academic library 20th Century Women's History, 20th Century American
History, and 20th Century Labor History collections and supplemental studies lists.
American Prisoner of War Camps in Arizona and Nevada
Kathy Kirkpatrick
Arcadia Publishing
420 Wando Park Blvd., Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
www.arcadiapublishing.com
9781634990530 $22.99 amazon.com
Part of the "America Through Time" series and featuring a wealth of historical black-and-white
and some full-color photography, American Prisoner of War Camps in Arizona and Nevada is a
window through time, revealing how the large prisoner of war camps affected the lives of people
in Arizona and Nevada during World War II. Chapters present an overview of daily life in the
camps, including care, employment, and even educational classes; they also tell of deaths and
burials that occurred in the camps, and occasional escapes (which nearly always resulted in
recapture). Thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, American Prisoner of War
Camps in Arizona and Nevada is fascinating from cover to cover, and highly recommended
especially for public library American History collections.
Virginia in the War of 1812
Christopher M. Bonin
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476671086, $35.00, PB, 185pp, www.amazon.com
The state of Virginia saw significant military action during the War of 1812, ranging from the
Chesapeake-Leopard Affair to the defense of Norfolk against British invaders. Many Virginians
supported the struggle for independence from Great Britain while others vehemently opposed
what they described as "Mr. Madison's War." A largely forgotten conflict, the war played an
important role in the history of the United States. While comprehensive histories of the war are
few, there is a positive lack of state-focused studies. Drawing on extensive primary and
secondary sources, "Virginia in the War of 1812" by historian Christopher M. Bonin provides an
in-depth portrait of the "Old Dominion" at war in the early years of the nation's history. Enhanced
for academia with the inclusion of thirteen pages of Chapter Notes; a five page Bibliography, and
a four page Index, "Virginia in the War of 1812" is an especially recommended addition to
community and academic library 19th Century American History collections in general, and War
of 1812 supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for students,
academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Virginia in the
War of 1812" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
The World History Shelf
Ancient Antioch
Andrea U. De Giorgi
Cambridge University Press
One Liberty Plaza, Fl. 20, New York, NY 10006
www.cambridge.org
9781107130739, $105.00, HC, 238pp, www.amazon.com
From late fourth century BC, the Seleucid enclave as they capital of the Roman east. Antioch on
the Orontes was one of the greatest cities of antiquity and served as a hinge between east and
west. In "Ancient Antioch: From the Seleucid Era to the Islamic Conquest". field archaeologist
Andrea U. De Giorgi (who is also an Assistant Professor, Classics Department, Florida State
University) draws on a century of archaeological fieldwork to offer a new narrative of Antioch's
origins and growth, as well as its resilience, civic pride, and economic opportunism. Situating the
urban nucleus in the context of the rural landscape, "Ancient Antioch" integrates hitherto
divorced cultural basins, including the Amuq Valley and the Massif Calcaire. "Ancient Antioch"
also brings into focus the archaeological data, thus proposing a concrete interpretative framework
that, grounded in the monuments of Antioch, enables the reader to move beyond text-based
reconstructions of the city's history. Finally, "Ancient Antioch" considers the interaction between
the environment and the people of the city who shaped this region and forged a distinct identity
within the broader Greco-Roman world. Enhanced with the inclusion of figures, maps, a list of
abbreviations, eighteen pages of Notes, a sixteen page Bibliography, and a nine page Index,
"Ancient Antioch" is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to college and university
library World History collections in general, and Antioch supplemental studies reading lists in
particular. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers that
"Ancient Antioch" is also available in a paperback edition (9781107576711, $32.99) and in a
digital book format (Kindle, $15.90).
This Fleeting World
David Christian
Berkshire Publishing Group
122 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230-1506
www.berkshirepublishing.com
9781933782041, $19.95, PB, 120pp, www.amazon.com
"This Fleeting World: A Short History of Humanity" by David Christian (who is Professor of
World History at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia) takes his readers on an informative
and fascinating the journey through human history from the first Homo sapiens down to mankind
as the dominant species on the Earth today. Professor Christian begins the story of mankind from
the Big Bang to the earliest foraging era to the present Anthropocene epoch. This newly revised
and expanded fifth edition includes material on what Professor Christian aptly calls "big history".
A compact, easy-to-read overview of world history, "This Fleeting World" is an ideal textbook
for highschool and college curriculums and very highly recommended for both community and
academic library World History collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of
students, history buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"This Fleeting World" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).
The Civil War Shelf
Union Soldiers in the American Civil War
Lance J. Herdegen
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611213393, $15.95, PB, 168pp, www.amazon.com
An award-winning journalist Lance J. Herdegen is the former director of the Institute of Civil
War Studies at Carroll University and presently an historical consultant for the Civil War
Museum of the Upper Middle West. In "Union Soldiers in the American Civil War: Facts and
Photos for Readers of All Ages" he offers a complete guide for Civil War enthusiasts of all ages.
Enhanced with 100 photographs that are coupled with clear and concise prose broken down into
short, easy to understand chapters to better understand these men. The coverage includes such
varied topics as the organization of the Union Army, learning to be soldiers, winter campaigning,
photography, sick call, nurses, religion, discipline, prisoner of war camps, weaponry, uniforms,
as well as numbers and losses and the strengths of the various Union armies. "Union Soldiers in
the American Civil War" also examines the participation of U.S. Color Troops and the role
played by African Americans during the Civil War. Featuring a list of Civil War points of
interest, some bookshelf suggestions, and a glossary of Civil War terms, "Union Soldiers in the
American Civil War" is unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of dedicated
American Civil War buffs and community library American Civil War History collections.
"The Devil's to Pay"
Eric J. Wittenberg
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611212082, $32.95, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Although many scholarly studies on Gettysburg have addressed the role played by Brig. Gen.
John Buford and his First Cavalry Division troops, there is not a single book-length study
devoted entirely to the critical delaying actions waged by Buford and his dismounted troopers
and his horse artillerists on the morning of July 1, 1863, until now. American Civil War historian
Eric J. Wittenberg rectifies this glaring oversight with "The Devil's to Pay": John Buford at
Gettysburg - A History and Walking Tour. This comprehensive tactical study examines the role
Buford and his horse soldiers played from June 29 through July 2, 1863, including the important
actions that saved the shattered remnants of the First and Eleventh Corps. Wittenberg relies upon
scores of rare primary sources, including many that have never before been used, to paint a
detailed picture of the critical role the quiet and modest cavalryman known to his men as "Honest
John" or "Old Steadfast" played at Gettysburg. Certain to be an enduringly popular and
impressively comprehensive contribution to the growing library of American Civil War histories,
"The Devil's to Pay" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to personal,
community, and academic library collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted
for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The
Devil's to Pay" is now also available in a paperback edition (9781611214444, $18.95) and in a
digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Literary Studies Shelf
On Reading Well
Karen Swallow Prior
Brazos Press
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
9781587433962, $19.99, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com
In "On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books", Karen Swallow Prior
(Professor of English, Liberty University) takes her readers on a guided tour through works of
great literature both ancient and modern, exploring twelve virtues that philosophers and
theologians throughout history have identified as most essential for good character and the good
life. In reintroducing ancient virtues that are as relevant and essential today as ever, Professor
Prior draws on the best classical and Christian thinkers, including Aristotle, Aquinas, and
Augustine. Covering authors ranging from Henry Fielding to Cormac McCarthy, Jane Austen to
George Saunders, and Flannery O'Connor to F. Scott Fitzgerald, Professor Prior explores some of
the most compelling universal themes found in the pages of classic books, helping readers learn
to love life, literature, and God through their encounters with great writing. In examining works
by these authors and more, Professor Prior shows why virtues such as prudence, temperance,
humility, and patience are still necessary for human flourishing and civil society. "On Reading
Well" also includes end-of-chapter reflection questions geared toward book club discussions,
features original artwork throughout, and includes an informative foreword from Leland Ryken.
An inherently thoughtful and thought-provoking read throughout, "On Reading Well" is
unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library Contemporary
Literary Studies collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students,
academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "On Reading
Well" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Cookbook Shelf
The Ultimate Grain-Free Cookbook
Annabelle Lee
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781510729490, $24.99, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
What will be especially appreciated by those who must avoid sugar and starch in their diets, "The
Ultimate Grain-Free Cookbook" is a beautifully illustrated culinary compendium of delicious
dishes created by Annabelle Lee in her California kitchen. Beyond paleo and gluten-free, these
are palate-pleasing, appetite satisfying dishes that are quick, easy, and delectable from recipes
that combine fat-burning and nutritious ingredients to create both sweet and savory dishes, while
maintaining traditional tastes and textures. The thoroughly kitchen cook friendly recipes range
from a Blender BBQ Sauce; Carrot Yam Soup; Apple Spice Muffins, and Masa Flour Tortillas;
to Gnocchi with Brussels & Squash; German Chocolate Cake with Coconut Pecan Frosting; No-
Sugar Cookies; and a Sweet Chrry Pie. Of special note is the two page listing of Ingredient and
Kitchen Resources; a two page Bibliography; a one page author biography (About This
California Country Gal); a Conversion Chart; and a six page Index. Simply stated, "The Ultimate
Grain-Free Cookbook" is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal,
family, professional, and community library Sugar Free/Starch Free cookbook collections! It
should be noted that "The Ultimate Grain-Free Cookbook" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $14.49).
Asian Cuisines
Karen Christensen, editor
Berkshire Publishing Group
122 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230-1506
www.berkshirepublishing.com
9781614720300, $39.95, PB, 170pp, www.amazon.com
Asian Cuisines: Food Culture and History of Asia from Japan and China to Afghanistan and
Turkey is a compilation of expert-written articles on national and regional cuisines as well as
agriculture, important foodstuffs, and social and economic issues throughout the world's largest
and most diverse continent. Compiled and edited by Karen Christensen, "Asian Cuisines" is far
more than just another cookbook. It is a professional quality guide tour through specific Asian
cuisines ranging from China, Mongolia, Japan, Korea, India, Laos, and Thailand, to Vietnam,
Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and Turkey. Of special note is the
section devoted to the subject of Foodstuffs including: Rice and Rice Agriculture; Tofu; Tea -
East Asia; Tea - South Asia; Spice Trade. Featuring a culinary wealth of authentic ethnic recipes
adapted for American kitchens, "Asian Cuisines" also includes a listing of the contributors and
their credentials, a sixteen page Glossary, and a four page Index. Impressively informative, a
pleasure to plan menus with, and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and
presentation, "Asian Cuisines" is very highly recommended for personal, family, professional,
and community library Ethnic Cookbook collections.
The Graphic Novel Shelf
The Only Living Boy Omnibus
David Gallaher and Steve Ellis
Papercutz
160 Broadway, Suite 700E, New York, NY 10038
www.papercutz.com
9781545801260 $24.99 amazon.com
Written for readers of all ages, and nominated for 4 Harvey Awards, The Only Living Boy
Omnibus collects the entire, action-packed "Only Living Boy" comic book saga into a single,
full-color graphic novel, complete with a brand new twenty-page story (a brief tale that fits neatly
within the continuity of the larger whole). The story follows Erik, a young boy who is suddenly
and inexplicably transported into a patchwork, mishmash world filled with fantastic, dangerous
creatures, and ruled by a vicious dragon. There appear to be no other humans... a fact that works
ever-so-slightly to his advantage, since no one in this bizarre landscape knows what a preteen
boy is (or isn't) capable of! Yet his is not completely alone, as his desire to free prisoners and
right wrongs leads him to befriend a Mermidonian warrior-woman; the princess of a potentially
voracious race of insect-people; a gloomy captive subjected to horrific experimentation; and
much more. The excitement never stops right up to the magnificent conclusion, in this treasure
highly recommended for public library collections and connoisseurs of quality graphic
novels..
The Beatles Yellow Submarine
Bill Morrison, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785863943, $29.99, HC, 128pp, www.amazon.com
The music-loving, underwater paradise of Pepperland has been overrun by the music-hating Blue
Meanies and their leader, Chief Blue Meanie. They turn the people of Pepperland into living
statues by dropping apples on them and imprison the Pepperland's guardians, Sgt Pepper's Lonely
Hearts Club Band inside a soundproof blue glass globe, before confiscating all the music
instruments in the land. Pepperland's mayor sends aging sailor, Young Fred out in the fabled
Yellow Submarine to find help. He travels to our world where he stumbles across the Beatles and
begs them to help him free his world. They agree and head back to Pepperland, teaming up with
Jeremy The Nowhere Man along the way to help overthrow the evil Blue Meanies through the
power of music and love. This graphic novel is based on the popular Beatles song and vividly
illustrated by comic book artist, writer, editor, and co-founder of Bongo Comics Bill Morrison.
An enormously entertaining graphic novel that can be read with full enjoyment over and over
again, "The Beatles Yellow Submarine" is especially recommended to all Beatles fans and will
prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library graphic novel
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Beatles Yellow Submarine" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.79).
Sea of Thieves
Jeremy Whitley, author
Rhoald Marcellius, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781785864629, $16.99, PB, 112.pp, www.amazon.com
An original story by Jeremy Whitley brought vividly to life with the colorful artwork of Rhoald
Marcellius, "Sea of Thieves" features a crew of two bands of adventuring pirates, one led by the
daughter of the most famous pirate in history -- and the other by her brother! Followed by such
diverse personalities as a Japanese sharp shooting lady, a Portugese aristocratic boy in search of
adventure, a skilled pickpocketing girl, a massive Viking-style warrior, and others a as they sail
the Sea of Thieves! Voyaging to far islands in search of legendary buried treasure, our heroes (or
villains, depending on how you look at things) will face rival thieves, the wrath of undead hordes
guarding their riches, and the worst that the vast sea has to offer! Can they work together to
survive long enough to cash in their reward? Or will they end up as ghosts on the Ferry of the
Damned...? A simply riveting tale full of unexpected plot twists and turns, "Sea of Thieves" is a
terrific read and highly recommended for personal and community library graphic novel
collections. It should be noted that "Sea of Thieves" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.59).
The Quest of Ewilan Book One: From One World to Another
Based on the novel by Pierre Bottero
Adaptation by Lylian
Art by Laurence Baldetti
Coloring by Loic Chevallier
EuroComics
c/o IDW Publishing
2765 Truxton Road, San Diego, CA 92106
www.idwpublishing.com
9781684053254 $14.99 hc / $14.24 Kindle amazon.com
The Quest of Ewilan Book One: From One World to Another is the first graphic novel in a series
adapting Pierre Bottero's novel about a young woman who is heir to the power of "Imaginators",
able to harness her mind to transform reality and travel between two worlds. In the normal world,
she is exceptionally bright in school but her affluent caretakers are extremely distant; in the
mysterious other world, she may be civilization's best hope against the resurgence of a ferocious,
insect-like race. Suitable for all ages, The Quest of Ewilan Book One is highly recommended for
fantasy connoisseurs and public library graphic novel collections.
The Audiobook Shelf
Organized Crime
Georgios A. Antonopoulos, author
Georgios Papanicolaou, author
Steven Crossley, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
www.tantor.com
9781400172351, $24.99, CD, www.amazon.com
For many people around the world, instances of what is described as organized crime may be part
of their everyday experience; in their neighborhoods, their streets, and the places they work and
live. Policymakers, law enforcement, and the media rarely fail to bring up the issue when
discussing the nature and seriousness of contemporary criminal threats, and the appropriate
responses towards them. Many more people are familiar with the notion of organized crime, as
the film and TV industry regularly draw on fictional and real figures and situations. "Organized Crime: A Very Short Introduction" by criminologists and authors Georgios A.
Antonopoulos and Georgios Papanicolaou uncovers the reality of organized crime in our world
today. Shining a light on the people involved in organized crime, Antonopoulos and
Papanicolaou question whether the term "organized" is used to evoke the image, the operations,
and power of a legitimate organization, such as a corporation. Discussing whether there are
particular crimes that the label "organized crime" applies to, or if any crime can be organized,
they also consider what happens when organized crime extends beyond borders. Expertly
narrated by Steven Crossley, this complete and unabridged audio book edition is very highly
recommended for both community and academic library Criminology and audio book
collections. (4 CDs, 4.5 Hours).
The Library CD Shelf
Full Circle: The Music of Joni Mitchell
Debra Mann
Whaling City Sound
www.whalingcitysound.com
c/o Naxos (dist.)
www.naxosusa.com
$14.99 CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com
In the album Full Circle: The Music of Joni Mitchell, music artist Debra Mann celebrates
Mitchell's 75 years of life. Performing interpretations of Mitchell's music with a jazz quintet, Full
Circle is a smooth, sensuous treasure, highly recommended for connoisseurs of the genre, gift-
giving, and public library collections. The tracks are "Black Crow", "Jericho", "Be Cool",
"Goodbye Pork Pie Hat", "Both Sides Now", "The Circle Game", "Big Yellow Taxi", "Blue", "A
Case of You", "Dry Cleaner from Des Moines", "Urge for Going", and "Woodstock".
Been On Your Side
Courtney Hartman & Taylor Ashton
courtneyhartman.com
taylorashton.com
Free Dirt
freedirt.net
$14.98 CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
Songwriters Courtney Hartman and Taylor Ashton have created original songs for Been On Your
Side - some separately, and some together while living in New York City. Hartman's talents as a
guitarist, Ashton's gift for the clawhammer banjo, and the vocal harmony of both distinguish this
collaborative album of new American roots music. Been On Your Side makes an excellent gift
for connoisseurs of the genre, and is highly recommended for public library music collections.
The tracks are "Wayside", "Meadowlark", "Been on Your Side", "First of Us", "Which Will",
"Loving Hands", "Dead to Me", "Better", "Nature of Us", "Hold Still", "Neighborhood Name",
and "Liza".
Voyager
Lisa Swerdlow
LisaSwerdlowPiano.com
Heart Dance Records
HeartDanceRecords.com
$12.99 CD amazon.com
Voyager is a solo piano music album by talented music artist Lisa Swerdlow. Inspired by
NASA's twin Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft, these new and original compositions stir the heart's
dreams. Voyager is a rapturous treasure, highly recommended for personal and public library
music collections. The tracks are "Voyager", "Edge of Tranquility", "Mindful Moments",
"Autumn Speaks to Me", "Sundays in Paris", "Gone Too Soon", "Winter Solstice", "Into the
Center", "I Saw You Dancing With The Stars", and "Yuba River Journey".
Follow Your Heart
Eric Bikales
www.ericbikales.com
Libido Music Publishing
www.easygoingpiano.com
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3 amazon.com
Follow Your Heart is the fourth solo piano album by Eric Bikales, now fully remastered and re-
released. This rendition also includes three of Bikales' newest compositions, "Clockwork", "The
Meeting", and "The Saint". Vibrant and free-spirited, Follow Your Heart is highly recommended
for new age and solo piano connoisseurs as well as public library collections. The tracks are
"Clockwork", "Maybe Yes Maybe No", "Follow Your Heart", "The Closer You Get", "The
Meeting", "Someway Someday", "Fabulous Island", "Song For My Father", "Mysterier", "Miles
To Go", "Franklin Jubilee", and "The Saint". 39 min. 32 sec.
Beautiful You
Matthew Mayer
www.matthewmayer.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
The twelfth piano album by music artist Matthew Mayer, Beautiful You features new age style
music and a profoundly positive message about the importance of cherishing oneself. "You are
Beautiful... You are Enough" is the theme around which these sweeping, intricately mellifluous
songs are woven. Beautiful You is a choice pick for new age piano connoisseurs and gift-giving,
highly recommended. The tracks are "Raindrops of Amor", "Fly Little Bird", "You Are Enough",
"A Modern Introspection", "Beautiful You", "Of Haunt and Hope", "Broken Mirror", "Bill Next
Door", "Tranquility", "Ordinary Way", "Dreams VII", and "In Spirit".
Half Moon Bay
Rick Sparks
www.ricksparksmusic.net
Privately Published
$9.99 CD / $8.99 download cdbaby.com
The fifth album by new age keyboardist Rick Sparks, Half Moon Bay is a blissful soundscape
that encapsulates the leisurely splendor of a summer beach. Serene and drifting, Half Moon Bay
includes one solo piano piece ("You're So Nice") as well as contributions from electric guitar,
fingerstyle guitar, flute medley, and more in tribute to the sounds of nature. A blend of original
music and selected covers, Half Moon Day is a treasure for relaxation, meditation, or inspiration,
highly recommended. The tracks are "Sand and Stars", "Half Moon Bay", "Sunlight In Her Hair",
"You're So Nice", "Ocean Blue", "First Light", "Lonely Sea", "Whisper In the Wind", "Sunset
Dreams", and "Summer's Gone".
The Library DVD Shelf
Alone on the Island of the Blue Dolphins
A documentary by Paul Goldsmith
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
$19.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com
Alone on the Island of the Blue Dolphins is a documentary about the woman whose life inspired
the children's novel "Island of the Blue Dolphins". Here is the true-life story of a woman survived
on an island by herself, with only her beloved dog for company, for 18 years. She was eventually
'rescued' and brought to Santa Barbara. Although the language barrier impeded her
communication (she was the last native speaker of her language), she would sing for visitors. She
tragically died of disease seven weeks later. This is the first documentary about her that directly
visits the island on which she lived, including her campsite and cave. Alone on the Island of the
Blue Dolphins is utterly fascinating, and highly recommended especially for school and public
library documentary collections. 58 min.
The Parenting Shelf
Being a Grandparent
Ray Guarendi
Franciscan Media
https://info.franciscanmedia.org
9781632532312, $15.99, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Dr. Ray Guarendi believes that parenting is too important to be taken seriously - and that goes
double for grandparenting. As a father of ten, clinical psychologist, radio host and author of
many books about marriage and parenting, Dr. Ray has spent his career helping to strengthen
families through a combination of Catholic theology, common-sense insights and wry humor.
Now, having become a new grandpa himself, Dr. Ray is turning his attention to the joyful,
rejuvenating and sometimes complicated subject of grandparenting in "Being a Grandparent: Just
Like Being a Parent...Only Different" Here he answers real questions from grands. Some wonder
how being a grandparent will differ from being a parent, and want to mature into it with as few
wrinkles as possible. Some are a daily presence in their grandchildren's lives, perhaps even
sharing a home with them and wanting their interactions to be as smooth as possible. Others live
many miles away and fear yielding to the temptation of bribery to endear their distant
grandbabies to them. Some are baffled as to why their own children are raising the grandkids so
unlike they were raised - in practice, discipline or morals. Others see their grandchildren as
difficult to be around, and ask what, if anything, they can do about it. Accessibly written for the
non-specialist general reader, "Being a Grandparent" is very highly recommended, especially for
senior citizen center and community library Parenting instructional reference collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Being a Grandparent" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Art Shelf
Pueblo Bead Jewelry: Living Design
Paula A. Baxter, author
Barry Katzen, photographer
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764355851, $34.99, HC, 160pp, www.amazon.com
Paula A. Baxter is an art professional who has worked for such institutions as the Museum of
Modern Art, New York, and the New York Public Library. She is the author of Southwest Silver
Jewelry, Southwestern Indian Rings, and Southwestern Indian Bracelets. Beautifully illustrated
with the full color photography of Barry Katzen, "Pueblo Bead Jewelry: Living Design" features
more than 250 breathtaking images that integrates Paula Baxter's decades of research with
updated findings. Beads were made in the prehistoric American Southwest by the ancestors of
the Pueblo Indians, and survived into the historic era. Bead jewelry creations in shell, stone, and
silver are important in the Native American jewelry marketplace. "Pueblo Bead Jewelry: Living
Design" revisits some leading misconceptions about Pueblo jewelry-making in the existing
literature. A survey of modern Pueblo jewelry innovation confirms that its design is second to
none, and discusses how Pueblo design meshed with American mid-century modernist
expression. Today's Pueblo jewelers, also featured here, continue to offer invention and
originality. "Pueblo Bead Jewelry: Living Design" is an informed and informative testament that
the bead played a vital role in Pueblo Indian jewelry design, and its influence continues today in
modernist American design. A visual treasure to simply browse through, "Pueblo Bead Jewelry:
Living Design" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and
university library Contemporary Native American Art collections and supplemental studies
lists.
The Fiction Shelf
Bear Haskell: U.S. Deputy Marshal
Peter Brandvold
Five Star Books
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432843045, $25.95, HC, 322pp, www.amazon.com
"Bear Haskell: U.S. Deputy Marshal" features two of author Peter Brandvold's western novels
featuring Bear Haskell, U.S. Deputy Marshal (a lawman who rides for Chief Marshal Henry
Dade out of Denver's First District Court) under one cover. Haskell is a former Union war hero
and Pinkerton agent, a big man over six and a half feet tall and as broad as a barn door. He wears
a necklace of bear claws taken from the grizzly that almost had him for supper. That's the kind of
man Bear Haskell is. He holds a grudge and he gives no quarter -- to grizzly bears or men. In the
first of two rapid-fire western stories, 'Gun Trouble at Diamondback', Bear is given the nasty
assignment of going after the man or men who backshot an old lawman friend. Then in 'The
Jackals of Sundown", Bear heads down to Texas to hunt a notorious, mysterious, and cruelly
cunning killer known only as "the Jackal". A consummate master of the western genre, novelist
Peter Brandvold's "Bear Haskell: U.S. Deputy Marshal" is unreservedly recommended for
community library collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated
western buffs that "Bear Haskell: U.S. Deputy Marshal" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $7.99).
Sundown Over The Sierras
Dale Graham
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444830422, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 248pp, www.amazon.com
When Marshal Chase Farlow responds to a break-in at Macy's gun shop, he has no inkling of the
ignominy it will unleash. His unfortunate shooting of the mayor's son forces him to leave town in
disgrace. It matters not that the injury is superficial, and Farlow was only doing his duty because
the boy and his friend were committing burglary. But the highly principled lawman has become a
thorn in Mayer Stanton's side and this was the perfect cover for his dismissal. Can Farlow
somehow resurrect his tarnished reputation? "Sundown Over The Sierras" has an attempted gold
robbery, a friend's betrayal, a lovely and headstrong and naive young girl, a young gun, lethally
dangerous mountain men, and an unexpected, unanticipated finale. A riveting great read from
cover to cover, this large print edition of Dale Graham's "Sundown Over The Sierras" is certain
to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal reading lists and community
library Western Fiction collections.
The Silver Trail
Ben Bridges
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444834123, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 224pp, www.amazon.com
Carter O'Brien's gun is for hire, but only when the job (and the money) is right. As tough as they
come, O'Brien has been everything from lawman to bounty hunter in his time. Right now he's
riding shotgun on an expedition led by an old Army buddy. The goal: to find a lost canyon of
silver down in Mexico. But the way is blocked not only by gunmen working for a greedy
businessman, but also an old enemy from O'Brien's past. Yet another riveting western by a
master of the genre, this large print edition of Ben Bridges' novel "The Silver Travel" is certain to
be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal reading lists and community library
Western Fiction large print collections.
The Land Grabbers
D. B. Newton
Sagebrush Large Print Westerns
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781785415517, $29.99, PB, Large Print, 198pp, www.amazon.com
During an outbreak of cattle rustling, ranchers blame the Cheyenne on the nearby reservation.
But Johnny Logan, a Cheyenne working on the Bar J, is sure his kinfolk are innocent. But when
he is hauled before the sheriff by Dallas Howbert (owner of the neighboring ranch) accused of
aiding and abetting the rustlers, he must defend himself and his people against the forces that
seek to remove the Cheyenne from their reservation so that they can claim the land as their own.
Another deftly crafted and inherently riveting western novel by D. B. Newton, this large print
edition is very highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library
collections.
Flame And Thunder
Ben Bridges
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444837575, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 280pp, www.amazon.com
The Katharyn stands to be the biggest oil well in the territory, providing wildcatter Bud Bishop
can bring it in before his lease runs out. However Hugh Quillan (the fastest gun in that part of the
west) wants to move in and keep the spoils for himself. So Bishop's backers hire freelance
fighting man Carter O'Brien to keep Quillan's bullyboys in check. But the closer it comes to the
deadline, the harder Quillan starts to play. With the threat of a full-scale war looming, O'Brien
does the only thing he can - he makes sure his guns are loaded and prepare to fight it out to the
death against Quillan and more than twenty of his hired guns. And O'Brien's only allies are a
sheriff with a dubious reputation, a handful of oil catters, and a rancher who is no friend to the oil
men. Featuring the further adventures of Carter O'Brien, "Flame And Thunder", Ben Bridges
knows how to craft a riveting western novel with more twists and turns than an Oklahoma
tornado, making this large print edition is very highly recommended and guaranteed entertaining
addition to the personal reading lists of dedicated western buffs and community library
collections.
The Last Gun
Peter Wilson
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444837612, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 320pp, www.amazon.com
Fighting on the Confederate side, Jack Crawford was badly wounded in the final action of the
Civil War and it takes two years of hospitalization for him to recover. Then he returns home to
only to discover that his parents have been massacred by a splinter group of the infamous
Quantrill raiders and that the family ranch has fallen into the hands of empire-building newcomer
Vic Bannon in collaboration with his older brother Clay. When Jack becomes the town sheriff
when his predecessor is found murdered in the sheriff's office, he finds himself in opposition to
the ruthless Bannon, with his own brother Clay who is helping to force the homesteaders and
farmers out of the valley. As the threat of range war looms, Crawford must defend the home he
now barely recognizes, before it disappears forever. Author Peter Wilson presents a simply
riveting read from first page to last in a western novel that is strong on action and winds up with
a completely unexpected conclusion. "The Last Gun" is strongly recommended for both personal
reading lists and community library Western Fiction collections.
Rimrock Renegade
Ned Oaks
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444837605, $20.99, PB, Large Print, 232pp, www.amazon.com
Released after spending five years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, Hank Chesham only
wants to return home to his ranch, the Rimrock, and resume his old life. But then he discovers
that he has been betrayed by both his wife, Phoebe, and his best friend, Ted Flynn, who have
conspired to steal the Rimrock from him. Now Chesham has but one thing on his mind:
vengeance. But before he can take action, Flynn unleashes his hired killers. But with the help of
Phoebe's sister Mandy, and a raging flame for vengeance in his quest, Chesham will take on all
comers -- beginning with Flynn's three hired guns who made the mistake of leaving Chesham
alive after their attempt to beat him to death. Set in 1882, "Rimrock Renegade" is another deftly
crafted and thoroughly engaging novel by Ned Oaks and is thoroughly recommended for the
personal reading lists of all western action/adventure fans and will prove to be an enduringly
popular addition to community library large print fiction collections.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
In Cold Chocolate
Dorothy St. James
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683317432, $26.99, HC, 327pp, www.amazon.com
The vintage seaside town of Camellia Beach, South Carolina seems like the perfect place for
romance with its quiet beach and its decadent chocolate shop that serves the world's richest dark
chocolates. The Chocolate Box's owner, Charity Penn, falls even further under the island's
moonlit spell as she joins Althea Bays and the rest of the turtle watch team to witness a new
generation of baby sea turtles hatch and make their way into the wide ocean. Before the babies
arrive, gunshots ring out in the night. Cassidy Jones, the local Casanova, is found dead in the
sand with his lover Jody Dalton (the same woman who has vowed to destroy the Chocolate Box)
holding the gun. It's an obvious crime of passion, or so everyone believes. But when Jody's
young son pleads with Penn to bring his mother back to him, she can't say no. She dives headfirst
into a chocolate swirl of truth and lies, and must pick through an assortment of likely (and
sometimes unsavory) suspects before it's too late for Penn and for those she loves. Another
deeply entertaining and superbly crafted mystery from Dorothy St. James, In Cold Chocolate" is
the third and latest entry in her 'A Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery" series and will prove to be
an immediate and lastingly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
It should be noted for the growing legions of Dorothy St. James fans that "In Cold Chocolate" is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Read and Gone
Allison Brook
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683317340, $26.99, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
A devoted dad is as precious as diamonds, but Carrie Singleton wouldn't know since her dad
Jim's been on the lam most of her life. In an unusual family reunion, she finds Jim breaking into
her cottage in the middle of the night. The fun really starts when he begs her to help him recover
his half of a twenty-million-dollar gem heist he pulled off with the local jeweler, Benton Parr.
When she refuses, Jim takes off again. Carrie finds her father again behind bars for the recent
murder of Benton Parr. Who made the connection? Unbeknownst to her, Carrie's boyfriend
Dylan, an insurance investigator, has been searching for the gems. Determined to find the jewels
herself, she starts examining every facet of Parr's life. She turns up a treasure trove of suspects,
one of whom bashes her on the head as she's searching the victim's country cabin. Retreating to
the quiet confines of the library where she works, Carrie watches as Smokey Joe, the resident cat,
paws at a hole in the wall. Is he after the library's ghost Evelyn, or something shinier? Another
superbly crafted novel by a master of the mystery and suspense genre, "Read and Gone" is the
second title in the 'Haunted Library Mystery' series and will leave her readers looking eagerly
towards the next riveting adventure from the pen of Allison Brooks. While unreservedly
recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Read and Gone" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$12.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781982539719,
$29.95, MP3 CD).
Mrs. Jeffries and the Three Wise Women
Emily Brightwell
Berkley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780399584220, $25.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Christopher Gilhaney isn't a popular man, and he proves why once again when he insults every
guest at Abigail Chase's Guy Fawkes Night dinner party. When Gilhaney is shot dead under the
cover of the night's fireworks, his murder is deemed a robbery gone wrong. But when the case
hasn't been solved six weeks later, Inspector Witherspoon is called upon to find the killer -- and
quickly! With Christmas almost here, Inspector Witherspoon and everyone in his household is
upset at the possibility of having to cancel their holiday plans -- all to solve a case that seems
impossible. Only Luty Belle, Ruth, and Mrs. Goodge refuse to give up and let the crime become
a cold case. In fact, the American heiress, the charming next-door neighbor, and the formidable
cook use all of their persuasive powers to get the others on board, because these three wise
women know justice doesn't take time off for Christmas. Another beautifully crafted title in
author Emily Brightwell's 'A Victorian Mystery' series, "Mrs. Jeffries and the Three Wise
Women" is an especially recommended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense
collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Mrs.
Jeffries and the Three Wise Women" is also available in a paperback edition (978-0399584244,
$16.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Titan Books
c/o Titan Publishing Group
http://titanbooks.com
There is no more enduringly popular fictional detective than the illustrious Sherlock Holmes.
First brought to life by Sir Conan Doyle, this deductive crime solving genius comes back to life
in two new volumes of his stories from Titan Books. "The Further Adventures of Sherlock
Holmes - The Devil and the Four" (9781785657023, $14.95 PB, $6.15 Kindle, 352pp) by Sam
Siciliano finds that Sherlock Holmes's latest case takes him to Paris in pursuit of Marguerite
Hardy: a Frenchwoman who fled her London home in mysterious circumstances. Holmes
discovers she left after receiving a mysterious letter, containing an obituary and the words "four
for the devil". Holmes's investigations will take him and his cousin, Henry Vernier, into a world
of seduction and betrayal -- and lead them to uncover a secret buried for over twenty years.
"Sherlock Holmes vs. Cthulhu: The Adventure of the Neural Psychoses" (9781785652103,
$14.95 PB, $7.55 Kindle, 400pp) by Lois H. Gresh finds that entities are leaking into the human
realm and entering human minds. Two of the victims are Dr. Watson and leader of the cult, Prof.
Henry Fitzgerald -- who seeks to use human sacrifice to open the door to the Old Ones. As
violence erupts in London, Sherlock Holmes secludes himself in the Diogenes Club, developing
an antidote to counter the neural psychoses. Then even as the infamous Professor Moriarty is
using the drug to amass an army of addicts, Holmes discovers a link to a town in America called
Innsmouth. Two new titles that are both 'must read' additions to the growing cannon of Sherlock
Holmes adventures, ""The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Devil and the Four"
and "Sherlock Holmes vs. Cthulhu: The Adventure of the Neural Psychoses" will prove to be
immediate and enduringly popular additions to community library Mystery/Suspense
collections.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Pablo!
John Rechy
Arte Publico Press
University of Houston
4902 Gulf Freeway, Bldg 19, Rm 100, Houston, TX 77204-2004
www.artepublicopress.com
9781558858602, $17.95, PB, 180pp, www.amazon.com
In a jungle village an old man sees a strange girl who has collapsed in a field. Once a holy man,
he is sure she is not an evil spirit. He carries her inside and puts her in a hammock, despite his
wife's warning that the girl is the evil Xtabay, pretending to be lost and exhausted. The girl has
fled her home in search of a mysterious boy who wandered into her village. She senses in him her
own despair and loneliness: I loved him with the intensity of my soul and heart and body, and
intends to follow him to the "great modern city" he was seeking. Using archetypal figures the
man, the boy, the woman, John Rechy's novel "Pablo!" is steeped in indigenous myths and
superstitions. Restless spirits roam the dark jungle howling for redemption amid the pyramids of
their ancestors, witches predict doom and snakes stir ancient curses, like the disastrous loss of
crops. Native religious rituals conflict dangerously with the Catholic religion. A deftly crafted,
character driven, inherently engaging novel, this edition of "Pablo!" is unreservedly
recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Pablo!" is also available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Political Science Shelf
One Person, No Vote
Carol Anderson
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781635571370, $27.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
In her book "White Rage", Carol Anderson (who is the Charles Howard Candler Professor and
Chair of African American Studies at Emory University) laid bare an insidious history of policies
that have systematically impeded black progress in America, from 1865 to our combustible
present. Now in "One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression Is Destroying Our Democracy",
she chronicles a related history: the rollbacks to African American participation in the vote since
the 2013 Supreme Court decision that eviscerated the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Known as the
Shelby ruling, this decision effectively allowed districts with a demonstrated history of racial
discrimination to change voting requirements without approval from the Department of Justice.
Focusing on the aftermath of Shelby, Anderson follows the astonishing story of government
dictated racial discrimination unfolding before our very eyes as more and more states adopt voter
suppression laws. In gripping, enlightening detail she explains how voter suppression works,
from photo ID requirements to gerrymandering to poll closures. And with vivid characters,
Professor Anderson deftly explores the resistance: the organizing, activism, and court battles to
restore the basic right to vote to all Americans as the nation gears up for the 2018 midterm
elections. A timely and erudite work of documented research and impeccable scholarship, "One
Person, No Vote" is a critically important and invaluable contribution to our current national
dialogue and an unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university
library Contemporary Political Science and African American History collections. It should be
noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, political activists, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "One Person, No Vote" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Indefensible
Rohini Hensman
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
www.haymarketbooks.org
9781608469116, $24.00, PB, 400pp, www.amazon.com
Rohini Hensman is a writer, independent scholar and activist working on workers' rights,
feminism, minority rights and globalization. In the pages of "Indefensible: Democracy,
Counterrevolution, and the Rhetoric of Anti-Imperialism" she offers an essential alternative to
the ideology of those who claim to be anti-imperialists but oppose only Western imperialism and
the despots it supports. Instead of ignoring or even supporting other imperialist nations like
Russia and defending dictators such as Bashar al-Assad in Syria, Hensman takes on the question
of how we got here, using important case studies of conflicts such as those in Russia, Syria, Iraq,
Iran, Ukraine, and Bosnia. Indefensible powerfully argues for a genuine internationalism that
supports mass struggles for freedom and democracy, no matter what regime they are fighting
against, and suggests steps that can be taken to promote democracy, end the ongoing violence,
and promote human rights. A seminal work of impeccable scholarship that is impressively
informed and informative, "Indefensible" is enhanced for academia with the inclusion of an
erudite Introduction, a list of Abbreviations, six pages of Notes, a two page listing of
Acknowledgments; fifty-six pages of References; and a ten page Index. While unreservedly
recommended for community, college, and university library Contemporary Political Science
collections, it should be noted that "Indefensible" is also available for students, academia, and
non-specialist general readers in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.16).
The Theatre/Cinema Shelf
Telling Time: Essays of a Visionary Filmmaker
Stan Brakhage
McPherson & Company
PO Box 1126, Kingston, NY 12402
www.mcphersonco.com
9781620540275, $18.00, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Stan Brakhage was one of the most influential of independent American filmmakers. From 1952
to 2003 he issued nearly 400 original films, ranging in length from a few seconds to several
hours. "Telling Time: Essays of a Visionary Filmmaker" is a collection of his controversial
essays on the art of film and its intersections with poetry, music, dance, and painting. Published
in small circulation literary and arts journals, they were gathered later into such books as
"Metaphors on Vision" and "Film at Wit's End". Beginning in 1989, and for a decade thereafter,
Brakhage wrote some of the essays comprising "Telling Time" as an occasional column for
Musicworks, a Toronto quarterly. Ostensibly about the relation of film to music, they soon
enlarged to explore primary concerns beyond film, including Brakhage's aesthetic theories based
on the phenomenology of human cognition. In these essays he is as brilliant discussing Gertrude
Stein or romantic love as he is on child psychology, astronomy, and physiology, all the while
teasing out vital correspondences between the arts, and upending conventional ideas of how we
perceive. His investigations of other artists are models of sympathetic intuition and generosity.
Above all, he shares his theories, discoveries and understandings in the spirit of establishing a
groundwork for many varieties of human liberation. His prose is filled with flashes of insight,
elaborated metaphors, playful elisions, shorthand puns and neologisms, personal digressions,
surprising epiphanies, leaps of faith, affronts to authority. He appeals to the imagination, and
invites us to a more profound and personal experience of art. Thoughtful and thought-provoking,
this collection of deftly crafted, insightful, and occasionally iconoclastic essays is an especially
and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic
library Cinematic History collections and supplemental studies lists.
The Education Shelf
Close Reading the Media
Frank W. Baker
Routledge
711 - 3rd Avenue, Floor 8, New York, NY 10017-9209
www.routledge.com
9781138216020, $34.95, PB, 162pp, www.amazon.com
"Close Reading the Media: Literacy Lessons and Activities for Every Month of the School Year"
is a timely book written by media literacy expert Frank W. Baker who, as the subtitle declares,
offers thematic lessons for every month of the school year specifically designed to teach middle
school students to become savvy consumers of the TV, print, and online media that bombards
them every day over radio, television, the internet and social media. Students will learn to think
critically about photos, advertisements, and other media and consider the intended purposes and
messages. The topics covered in "Close Reading the Media" include: Helping students detect
fake news; Unraveling the messages in TV advertising; Looking at truth vs propaganda in
political ads and debates; Revealing how big media influences the news we read; Understanding
how pictures changed America during the Civil Rights Movement; Exploring the language of
film and the symbols of costume design; Thinking about how media appeals to our emotions;
Examining branding, product placement, and the role of celebrity; Reading and interpreting
iconic news images; and so much more! Additionally, the "Close Reading the Media" featured
lesson plans contain connections to key standards and step-by-step activities classroom teachers
can use immediately. With this practical instructional guide, teachers will have all the tools and
ideas they need to help today's students successfully navigate their media-filled world. While
unreservedly recommended for school district, college, and university library Teacher Education
collections, it should be noted for education students, teachers, and non-specialist general readers
with an interest in the subject that "Close Reading the Media" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $30.99).
Makerspaces in School
Lacy Brejcha
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
www.prufrock.com
9781618217806, $21.95, PB, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Organized into an easy-to-follow, month-by-month plan for implementation, "Makerspaces in
School: A Month-by-Month Schoolwide Model for Building Meaningful Makerspaces" by Lacy
Brejcha (an elementary education teacher for over 15 years) provides field-tested and
research-based knowledge that will serve educators as they create and maintain a meaningful
Makerspace. Although science, technology, engineering, arts, and math have made huge gains in
the past decade, STEAM jobs are not being filled at the rate they are being created or needed.
Makerspaces in School promotes innovative thinking in students that fills this need. Through
Makerspaces, project-based learning provides opportunities for credible, legitimate, and
authentic growth and development. "Makerspaces in School" will allow any educator to walk
away with a plan to create a Makerspace in his or her classroom or a school - or districtwide
model that works for many. Makerspaces are very fluid places with each being unique in its own
way! Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation,
"Makerspaces in School" is unreservedly recommended for school district, college, and
university library Teacher Education instructional reference collections and supplemental studies
reading lists.
The School Leader's Guide to Building and Sustaining Math Success
Marian Small & Doug Duff
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416626381, $28.95, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
How can K - 12 school leaders recognize and ensure that their school or district is supporting
good math instruction? In "The School Leader's Guide to Building and Sustaining Math
Success"
Marian Small (the former dean of education at the University of New Brunswick in Canada,
writes and speaks about K - 12 math around the world) and Doug Duff (who is currently a
Principal Instructional Leadership Coach with the Thames Valley District School Board in
London, Ontario, Canada) provide the answer. Drawing on their vast experience working with
administrators, Small and Duff provide a wealth of practical advice and helpful tools for
improving math instruction. They collaboratively guide the reader through the initial steps of
establishing a strong math culture, developing common tasks, and getting buy-in, and then offer
specific suggestions for monitoring, supporting, and sustaining improvement. "The School
Leader's Guide to Building and Sustaining Math Success" shows what sort of data to collect,
what to look for in the classroom, what to listen for in conversations with teachers and students,
and how to deal with reluctant staff or parents. With its real-world examples and insights, "The
School Leader's Guide to Building and Sustaining Math Success" is essential reading for any
principal or other school administrator who wants to bring about positive change and real growth
in the teaching and learning of math in their school. As informative as it is inspiring, "The School
Leader's Guide to Building and Sustaining Math Success" will prove a welcome and highly
regarded addition to professional, school district, college, and university library Contemporary
Education Issues collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
5 Steps to Healing Polarization in the Classroom
Amy Uelman & Michael Kessler
New City Press
202 Cardinal Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538
www.newcitypress.com
9781565486294, $7.95, PB, 64pp, www.amazon.com
The collaborative work of Amy Uelmen (who is a Lecturer at Georgetown Law School and a
Research Fellow with the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, and who from
2001 until July 2011 served as the founding Director of the Institute on Religion, Law &
Lawyer's Work at Fordham University School of Law) and Michael Kessler (who is the
Managing Director of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown
University), "5 Steps to Healing Polarization in the Classroom: Insights and Examples" is 'real
world' practical guide that will effectively helps teachers and students to foster a learning
environment where even the most difficult and divisive issues can be discussed. "5 Steps to
Healing Polarization in the Classroom" features examples that incorporate the voices and
experiences of students. In a society that is increasingly polarized over political, religious,
cultural, economic issues, "5 Steps to Healing Polarization in the Classroom" is essential reading
for all classroom teachers from elementary school through university level student populations.
While very highly and unreservedly recommended for school district, college, and university
library Teacher Education collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "5 Steps
to Healing Polarization in the Classroom" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$4.99).
Facilitating Evidence-Based Practice for Students with ASD
Christina R. Carnahan & K. Alisa Lowrey
Brookes Publishing Company
PO Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
www.brookespublishing.com
9781598579413, $34.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Developed in collaboration with classroom teachers and administrators by Christina R. Carnahan,
(Associate Professor of Special Education and Director of Advancement and Transition Services
at the University of Cincinnati) and K. Alisa Lowrey (Associate Professor of Special Education
within the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education in the College of
Education and Psychology at the University of Southern Mississippi), "Facilitating
Evidence-Based Practice for Students with ASD: A Classroom Observation Tool for Building
Quality Education" is essentially a Classroom Observation Tool for supporting school evaluation
teams in implementing evidence-based practices for teaching students with ASD. After
uncovering strengths and needs with the tool, educational leaders can use the practical guidelines
and strategies in the book to strengthen instruction at the classroom, school, and district levels.
Readers will also get critical background information on students with ASD, including their
cognitive processes, the challenges they encounter in school, the fundamentals of intervention,
and the key laws and regulations every school leader needs to know. With this informative tool
and concise handbook, school leaders can make high-quality instruction the norm in every
classroom by developing new ways to support the engagement and learning of all students with
ASD. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Facilitating Evidence-Based Practice for
Students with ASD" is unreservedly recommended for school district, college, and university
library Teacher Education collections in general, and Student ASD supplemental studies reading
lists in particular.
The Technology Shelf
Engineering Trustworthy Systems
O. Sami Saydjari
McGraw Hill Educational
1221 Avenue of the Americas, 45th Floor, New York, NY 10020
www.mhprofessional.com
9781260118179, $60.00, PB, 592pp, www.amazon.com
The security of our computer databases and networks is one of the leading issues of our day.
"Engineering Trustworthy Systems: Get Cybersecurity Design Right the First Time" by O. Sami
Saydjari (who has been a visionary thought-leader in cybersecurity for over three decades,
working for elite organizations, including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
(DARPA), National Security Agency, and NASA, among others) is a professional guide that
shows, step by step, how to design and deploy highly secure systems on time and within budget.
"Engineering Trustworthy Systems" offers comprehensive examples, objectives, and best
practices and shows how to build and maintain powerful, cost-effective cybersecurity systems.
Readers will learn to think strategically, identify the highest priority risks, and apply advanced
countermeasures that address the entire attack space. "Engineering Trustworthy Systems"
showcases 35 years of practical engineering experience from an expert whose persuasive vision
has advanced national cybersecurity policy and practices and covers: Defining the fundamental
nature and full breadth of the cybersecurity problem; Adopting an essential perspective that
considers attacks, failures, and attacker mindsets; Developing and implementing risk-mitigating,
systems-based solutions; Transforming sound cybersecurity principles into effective architecture
and evaluation strategies that holistically address the entire complex attack space. Exceptionally
well organized and presented, "Engineering Trustworthy Systems" is an ideal textbook on cyber
security and unreservedly recommended for professional, corporate, community, college, and
university library instructional reference collections. It should be noted for the personal reading
lists of students, academia, cyber security professionals, corporate executives, governmental
security administrators, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"Engineering Trustworthy Systems" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$34.99).
The Photography Shelf
Unearthing Ancient Nubia
Lawrence Berman
MFA Publications
c/o Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
www.mfa-publications.org
9780878468546, $40.00, HC, 144pp, www.amazon.com
Specially trained Egyptian photographers were an integral part of the pioneering Harvard - MFA
expeditions during the first half of the 20th century. Over the course of some 40 years, their
photographs documented the excavations with thousands of images as the riches of a great
ancient civilization in northern Sudan were uncovered. George A. Reisner, the leader of the
expedition, was keenly aware of the challenges of creating photographs under these conditions:
"In judging the photographs, remember that the statues had to be photographed in the glaring
light of the tropics under great difficulties owing to the weight and size of the objects which
made it nearly impossible to put the statues together." In "Unearthing Ancient Nubia:
Photographs from the Harvard University - Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition" by
Lawrence Berman (who is the Norman Jean Calderwood Senior Curator of Ancient Egyptian,
Nubian, and Near Eastern Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston), the best of these photographs
bring to life the dramatic landscapes of the Nile Valley, the excitement of archaeological
discovery and the artistry of the photographers who recorded it all. "Unearthing Ancient Nubia"
deftly reveals the origins of the single most important collection of ancient Nubian art outside of
Khartoum. A unique and superbly presented volume of captioned photographs, "Unearthing
Ancient Nubia" will prove an enduringly valued addition to personal, professional, community,
and academic library History of Photography collections in general, and Nubian Archaeology
supplemental studies lists in particular.
NeoRealismo
Enrica Vigano, editor
DelMonico Books
c/o Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, New York, NY 10003
www.prestel.com
9783791357690, $65.00, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com
Originally used for Fascist propaganda, the camera in Italy became a tool for artists to reveal the
poverty and oppression of their country and a way to instigate positive social development and
create a national identity. The NeoRealismo style became a call for economic justice as well as
an artistic movement that influenced the modern world. The achievements of that movement are
celebrated in "NeoRealismo: The New Image in Italy 1932-1960", compiled with commentary by
Enrica Vigano who is a journalist, photographer, and founder of Admira, an organization that
oversees photographic exhibitions across Europe. Featuring more than 200 illustrations,
including exquisitely reproduced photographs and magazine images as well as film stills and
posters, collectively over some three decades these images portray the seismic changes that took
place throughout Italy during and after the war in terms of the migration from south to north,
rural and urban poverty, and the desire to establish a national identity. All are given expression
through the photographers' lenses. Accompanying essays discuss the technological changes that
transformed the country, trace the evolution of Neorealist cinema, and explore how writers
became part of this revolution. Beautiful, raw, and free of artifice, these images and the people
who created them ushered a unique and fascinating moment in modern art history,
"NeoRealismo: The New Image in Italy 1932-1960" is enhanced for academia with the inclusion
of an informative Foreword by Martin Scorsese, and index of the photographers, and a listing of
the contributors and their credentials. A collectively impressive body of work, "NeoRealismo:
The New Image in Italy 1932-1960" is an especially and unreservedly recommended volume for
personal, professional, community, and academic library photography collections in general, and
20th Century Italian history supplemental studies reading lists in particular.
The Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching
Raymond Bart Vespe
Regent Press
2747 Regent St., Berkeley, CA 94705
www.regentpress.net
9781587904295 $19.95 amazon.com
Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching: Soul Journeying Commentaries is a translation of a principal text of the
ancient spiritual and philosophical tradition of Chinese Taoism. This translation is the original
work of author and translator Raymond Bart Vespe, who interprets textual maxims as guides to a
soul-journey from identifying with the ego to identifying with the spirit. Each poetic
"transformative passage" translated from the original text is accompanied by an "explicative
summary" and a "meditative inquiry" to not only aid understanding, but also encourage the reader
to personally implement positive wisdom from this classic text. Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching is highly
recommended for both for public library collections and personal reading lists.
The Biography Shelf
Elisabeth Gilman: Crusader for Justice
Ross Jones
Secant Publishing
PO Box 79, Salisbury, MD 21803
9781944962456 $17.95 pbk
9781944962531 $24.95 hc
Elisabeth Gilman: Crusader for Justice is the biography of a truly remarkable and strong-willed
woman. Elisabeth Gilman was a Maryland native, born into a life of privilege in the nineteenth
century. In the twentieth, she transformed her resolve and her devotion to the Social Gospel into
the will to campaign for social justice, including the rights of workers, women, and African-
Americans. She joined the Socialist Party and was nominated as a candidate for governor of
Maryland, United States senator, mayor of Baltimore, and sheriff of Baltimore. Even though she
did not win any of these elections, she drove debate of the day's challenging issues, and even
founded a forum for debate and discussion in Baltimore that brought celebrities to the city.
Elisabeth Gilman: Crusader for Justice is a welcome addition to public and college library
American Biography collections, highly recommended.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
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