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Reviewer's Choice
The Oxford Illustrated History of the Book
James Raven
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016-4314
www.oup.com/us
9780198702986, $39.95, HC, 480pp
https://www.amazon.com/Oxford-Illustrated-History-Book/dp/0198702981
Synopsis: Comprised of 14 original essays, "The Oxford Illustrated History of the Book" reveals
the history of books in all their various forms, from the ancient world to the digital present.
Leading international scholars offer an original and richly illustrated narrative that is global in
scope.
"The Oxford Illustrated History of the Book" is the history of millions of written, printed, and
illustrated texts, their manufacture, distribution, and reception. Here are different types of
production, from clay tablets to scrolls, from inscribed codices to printed books, pamphlets,
magazines, and newspapers, from written parchment to digital texts.
"The Oxford Illustrated History of the Book" is a history of different methods of circulation and
dissemination, all dependent on innovations in transport, from coastal and transoceanic shipping
to roads, trains, planes and the internet.
"The Oxford Illustrated History of the Book" is a history of different modes of reading and
reception, from learned debate and individual study to public instruction and entertainment. It is
a history of manufacture, craftsmanship, dissemination, reading and debate.
Yet the history of books is not simply a question of material form, nor indeed of the history of
reading and reception. The larger question is of the effect of textual production, distribution and
reception - of how books themselves made history. To this end, each chapter of "The Oxford
Illustrated History of the Book", succinctly bounded by period and geography, offering incisive
and stimulating insights into the relationship between books and the story of their times.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated, "The Oxford Illustrated History of the Book" is a seminal and
original work of meticulous scholarship that is enhanced for academia and the dedicated
bibliophile with the inclusion of notes on the contributors and their credentials, a timeline, an
eight page listing of abbreviations and a glossary, a fourteen page bibliography of further
suggested reading, and an eight page index. A bibliophile's delight, "The Oxford Illustrated
History of the Book" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community and
college/university library Writing/Publishing collections. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of students, academia, author, publishers, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that "The Oxford Illustrated History of the Book" is also readily available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $27.99).
Editorial Note: James Raven is Professor of Modern History at the University of Essex and a
Fellow of Magdalene College, Cambridge. Formerly he was Reader in Social and Cultural
History, University of Oxford, and Professorial Fellow of Mansfield College. He is the author,
editor and co-editor of numerous books in early modern and modern British, European and
colonial history, including Judging New Wealth (1992); The Practice and Representation of
Reading (1996); The English Novel 1770-1829 (2000); Free Print and Non-Commercial
Publishing (2000); London Booksellers and American Customers (2002); Lost Libraries (2004);
The Business of Books: Booksellers and the English Book Trade (2007); Books between Europe
and the Americas (2011); Publishing Business (2014) and Bookscape: Geographies of Printing
and Publishing in London before 1800 (2014).
Christianity and Monasticism in Alexandria and the Egyptian Deserts
Gawdat Gabra & Hany N. Takla, editors
American University in Cairo Press
200 Park Avenue, Suite 1700, New York, NY 10166
www.aucpress.com
9789774169618, $69.95, HC, 416pp
https://www.amazon.com/Christianity-Monasticism-Alexandria-Egyptian-Deserts/dp/9774169611
Synopsis: The Copts are an ethnoreligious group indigenous to North Africa who primarily
inhabit the area of modern Egypt, where they are the largest Christian denomination in the
country. Copts are also the largest Christian denomination in Sudan and Libya. Historically, they
spoke the Coptic language, a direct descendant of the Demotic Egyptian that was spoken in late
antiquity.
The great city of Alexandria is undoubtedly the cradle of Egyptian Christianity, where the
Catechetical School was established in the second century and became a leading center in the
study of biblical exegesis and theology. According to tradition St. Mark the Evangelist brought
Christianity to Alexandria in the middle of the first century and was martyred in that city, which
was to become the residence of Egypt's Coptic patriarchs for nearly eleven centuries.
By the fourth century Egyptian monasticism had begun to flourish in the Egyptian deserts and
countryside. The contributors to "Christianity and Monasticism in Alexandria and the Egyptian
Deserts" are all international specialists in Coptology drawn from around the world. Collectively,
they examine the various aspects of Coptic civilization in Alexandria and its environs and in the
Egyptian deserts over the past two millennia.
The contributions also explore Coptic art, archaeology, architecture, language, and literature. The
impact of Alexandrian theology and its cultural heritage as well as the archaeology of its
university are highlighted. Christian epigraphy in the Kharga Oasis, the art and architecture of the
Bagawat cemetery, and the archaeological site of Kellis (Ismant al-Kharab) with its Manichaean
texts are also discussed.
Critique: Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by the team of Gawdat Gabra (the former
director of the Coptic Museum, and Emeritus Clinical Professor of Coptic Studies at Claremont
Graduate University, California, as well as the chief editor of the St. Mark Foundation for Coptic
History Studies) and Hani Takla (who is the founding president of the Saint Shenouda, a
Archimandrite Coptic Society), "Christianity and Monasticism in Alexandria and the Egyptian
Deserts" is a seminal work of simply outstanding scholarship whose twenty-nine essays are deftly
organized into three major sections: Language and Literature; Art, Archaeology and Material
Culture; Preservation. Enhanced with illustrations, a two page list of Abbreviatins, and a forty-
five page Bibliography, "Christianity and Monasticism in Alexandria and the Egyptian Deserts"
is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional,
community, and college/university library Coptic Christianity collections and supplemental
curriculum studies reading lists.
Editorial Note: The contributors include: Elizabeth Agaiby, Fr. Anthony, David Brakke, Jan
Ciglenecki, Jean-Daniel Dubois, Bishop Epiphanius, Lois M. Farag, Frank Feder, Cacilia Fluck,
Sherin Sadek El Gendi, Mary Ghattas, Gisele Hadji-Minaglou, Intisar Hazawi, Karel Innemee,
Mary Kupelian, Grzegorz Majcherek, Bishop Martyros, Samuel Moawad, Ashraf Nageh, Adel F.
Sadek, Ashraf Alexander Sadek, Ibrahim Saweros, Mark Sheridan, Fr. Bigoul al-Suriany, Hany
Takla, Gertrud J.M. van Loon, Jacques van der Vliet, Youhanna Nessim Youssef, Ewa D.
Zakrzewska, Nader Alfy Zekry
Junctures in Women's Leadership: Higher Education
Carmen Twille Ambar, et al
Rutgers University Press
106 Somerset Street, 3rd Floor, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
http://rutgerspress.rutgers.edu
9780813586229, $120.00, HC, 222pp
https://www.amazon.com/Junctures-Womens-Leadership-Education-Studies/dp/0813586224
Synopsis: Expertly compiled and co-edited by the team of Carmen Twillie Ambar (President of
Oberlin College, Ohio), Carol T. Christ (Chancellor at University of California, Berkeley), and
Michele H. Ozuma (a former president of Women's College Coalition, a nonprofit membership
organization of women's colleges and universities in the United States and Canada), the
contributors to "Junctures in Women's Leadership: Higher Education" collectively illuminate the
careers of twelve women leaders whose experiences reveal the complexities of contemporary
academic leadership through the intersection of gender, race, and institutional culture.
The individual chapters combine interviews and research to create distinct case studies that
identify the obstacles that challenged each woman's leadership, and the strategies deployed to
bring about resolution. The research presented in this volume reveals not only theoretical factors
of academic leadership, but also real time dynamics that give the reader deeper insights into the
multiple stakeholders and situations that require nimble, relationship-based leadership, in
addition to intellectual competency.
With chapters written by many of today's leading women in higher education, "Junctures in
Women's Leadership: Higher Education" brings into sharp focus the unique attributes of women
leaders in the academy and adds a new dimension of analysis to the field of women's leadership
studies. The women leaders interviewed in this volume include Bernice Sandler, Juliet Villarreal
Garcia, and Johnnetta Betsch Cole.
Critique: A seminal and impressively informative work of outstanding and meticulous
scholarship, "Junctures in Women's Leadership: Higher Education" is a thoughtful and thought-
provoking read and will prove to be an especially and welcome addition to Women's Studies
curriculum reading lists in general, and Contemporary Educational Issues supplemental studies
lists in particular. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Junctures in Women's Leadership:
Higher Education" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780813586212, $24.95) and
in a digital book format (Kindle, $24.95).
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Modern History Press
https://www.modernhistorypress.com
c/o Loving Healing Press
5145 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
www.lovinghealing.com
9781615995257, $24.95, HC, 56pp
https://www.amazon.com/Carolyn-Howard-Johnson-dp-1615995250/dp/1615995250
Synopsis: In "Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Reference
Guide for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting Gatekeeper-Perfect Copy", book publicist,
journalist, marketer, editor, and retailer, Carolyn Howard-Johnson picks the trip-you-up words
that her clients struggle with and puts them in a quick reference guide light enough and small
enough to be used as an quickie gift that the recipient can tuck into a glove compartment or purse
to keep their homonym skills fresh and explains why following grammar rules assiduously isn't
always the best choice for writers.
Critique: An absolute 'must' for aspiring authors seeking publication for their work, and having
substantial value for even the more experienced writer, "Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips
for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Reference Guide for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting
Gatekeeper-Perfect Copy" is the ideal DIY instructional guide and 'how to' reference directly
addressing the most common failing that authors (especially self-published authors) have -- an
insufficient editing of their work.
Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Great Little Last-Minute Editing
Tips for Writers: The Ultimate Frugal Reference Guide for Avoiding Word Trippers and Crafting
Gatekeeper-Perfect Copy" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community,
and college/university library Writing/Publishing collections. It should be noted that it is also
readily available in a paperback edition (9781450507653, $6.95) and in a digital book format
(Kindle, $2.99).
You Talkin' To Me?: How To Write Great Dialogue
Linda Seger & John Rainey
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
www.dreamscapeab.com/audiobooks
9781615933136, $19.99, PB, 251pp
https://www.amazon.com/You-Talkin-Me-Writing-Dialogue/dp/1615933131
Synopsis: Unlike the chitchat of everyday life, dialogue in stories must express character,
advance the story, suggest a theme, and include a few memorable lines that audiences will be
quoting for decades to come.
The best stories have dialogue that sparkles, but it's easy for inexperienced writers to fall into
common pitfalls like creating dialogue that's wooden or too on the nose. Other writers end up
with exposition awkwardly inserted into conversations, actors tripping over unnatural phrases, or
characters who all speak exactly the same way.
"You Talkin' to Me?: How to Write Great Dialogue", successful authors Linda Seger and John
Winston Rainey are here to help the aspiring writer to deal successfully with any kind or category
of dialogue problems. In each chapter, they explore dialogue from a different angle and discuss
examples of great dialogue from films and novels.
To cap it all off, each chapter ends with examples of poor dialogue, which are annotated by Linda
and then rewritten by John, so readers don't just learn how to recognize when it's done well --
they also learn how to make dialogue better.
Whether writing fiction or nonfiction, for the screen or for the page, "You Talkin' to Me?: How
to Write Great Dialogue" show how to will get characters talking!
Critique: A complete and throughly 'user friendly' course of instruction, "You Talkin' to Me?:
How to Write Great Dialogue" is a core addition to both community and college/university
library Writing/Publishing collections. Essential reading for every aspiring author seeking
publication of their work, it should be noted for personal reading lists that You Talkin' to Me?:
How to Write Great Dialogue" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.71)
and as a complete and unabridged audio book deftly narrated by George Newbern (Dreamscape
Media, 9781662032288, $22.99, CD, 5 discs, 5 hours 18 minutes).
The Jobs/Careers Shelf
Two Pieces of Paper
Skyler W. King
Morgan James Publishing
11815 Fountain Way, Suite 300, Newport News, VA 23606-4448
www.morganjamespublishing.com
9781642798111, $17.95, PB, 220pp
https://www.amazon.com/Two-Pieces-Paper-Getting-Working/dp/1642798118
Synopsis: "Two Pieces of Paper: Honest Advice for Getting a Degree and a Job in the Modern
Working World" is an advice book for future college graduates by Skyler King who is himself a
recent college.
Too often, career-driven students get distracted from the purpose of going to school; to get a
degree and get a job offer. "Two Pieces of Paper" specifically tackles this problem by offering a
strategic approach to conquering college for a career in the modern working world as well as
advice to make the journey easier.
The strategic approach presented by Skyler King has helped some of his most successful peers
become employed at notable companies, such as Charles Schwab, Blue Origin, International
Paper, Shell Norco, Kiewit, Walmart, General Dynamics: Information Technology, and
more.
"Two Pieces of Paper" will helps future college graduates to: Establish a solid academic
foundation; Leverage extracurricular activities to achieve experience requirements; Craft their
original resume and cover letters; Effectively use e-mail and LinkedIn; Nail any interview format
or question; Successfully complete internships and co-ops.
Critique: Expertly written, nicely organized and effectively presented, "Two Pieces of Paper:
Honest Advice for Getting a Degree and a Job in the Modern Working World" is an especially
and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library
Jobs/Careers instructional reference colleges. An invaluable information resource for all college
graduates, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Two Pieces of Paper: Honest Advice
for Getting a Degree and a Job in the Modern Working World" is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $8.69).
Editorial Note: Skyler W. King is a cybersecurity product manager for a major
telecommunications company. While attending school, Skyler completed three separate summer
internships with three different publicly traded companies (CSC, CSRA, Cisco) and maintained
part-time student employment sponsored by one of those companies working as a student lab
manager of an on-campus lab facility. He also owns and operates a small business where he
distributes an original all-purpose seasoning that has been in his family for over half a century.
He has industry certifications from CompTIA (Security+ and Network+) and Splunk (Core
Certified Power User) and is working on the (ISC)2 Certified Information Systems Security
Professional certification.
The Science Shelf
Ancient Bones
Madelaine Bohme, et al.
Greystone Books
www.greystonebooks.com
9781771647519, $28.95, HC, 376pp
https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Bones-Unearthing-Astonishing-Became/dp/1771647515
Synopsis: Somewhere west of Munich, paleontologist Madelaine B”hme and her colleagues dig
for clues to the origins of humankind. What they discover is beyond anything they ever imagined:
the twelve-million-year-old bones of Danuvius guggenmosi make headlines around the
world.
This ancient ape defies prevailing theories of human history because his skeletal adaptations
suggest a new common ancestor between apes and humans, one that dwelled in Europe, not
Africa. Might the great apes that traveled from Africa to Europe before Danuvius's time be the
key to understanding our own origins?
All this and more is explored in "Ancient Bones: Unearthing the Astonishing New Story of How
We Became Human". Using her expertise as a paleoclimatologist and paleontologist, B”hme
pieces together an awe-inspiring picture of great apes that crossed land bridges from Africa to
Europe millions of years ago, evolving in response to the challenging conditions they found.
In the pages of "Ancient Bones", Bohme also takes us behind the scenes of her research,
introducing us to former theories of human evolution (complete with helpful maps and
diagrams), and walks us through musty museum overflow storage where she finds forgotten
fossils with yellowed labels, before taking us along to the momentous dig where she and the team
unearthed Danuvius guggenmosi himself -- and the incredible reverberations his discovery
caused around the world!
Critique: An inherently fascinating, impressively informative, and exceptionally thought-
provoking read that is ably translated into English for an American readership by Jane
Billinghurst, "Ancient Bones: Unearthing the Astonishing New Story of How We Became
Human" is expertly written, organized and presented, making it a critically important and
unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university
library Physical Anthropology and Paleontology collections and supplemental curriculum studies
reading lists.
Editorial Note: Paleontologist Madelaine Bohme is a professor at the University of Tubingen,
and the founding director of the Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and
Palaeoenvironment.
Rudiger Braun is a journalist who translates cutting-edge science into gripping stories to affect
societal change.
Florian Breier is a journalist, filmmaker, and writer for various television networks.
David R. Begun is a professor of anthropology at the University of Toronto and co-author of the
2019 study that broke the story of the newly discovered bones to the world.
The Handy Physics Answer Book
Charles Liu
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Road, #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075
www.visibleinkpress.com
9781578597352, $49.95, PB, 416pp
https://www.amazon.com/Handy-Physics-Answer-Book/dp/1578597358
Synopsis: Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its motion and behavior through
space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. Physics is one of the most
fundamental scientific disciplines, and its main goal is to understand how the universe behaves.
Physics is one of the oldest academic disciplines and, through its inclusion of astronomy, perhaps
the oldest.Over much of the past two millennia, physics, chemistry, biology, and certain branches
of mathematics were a part of natural philosophy, but during the Scientific Revolution in the 17th
century these natural sciences emerged as unique research endeavors in their own right. Physics
intersects with many interdisciplinary areas of research, such as biophysics and quantum
chemistry, and the boundaries of physics are not rigidly defined. New ideas in physics often
explain the fundamental mechanisms studied by other sciences and suggest new avenues of
research in academic disciplines such as mathematics and philosophy. (Wikipedia)
Revised for the first time in a decade, the completely updated third edition of "The Handy
Physics Answer Book" by Charles Liu makes physics and its impact on us, the world, and the
universe entertaining and easy to grasp. It disposes with the dense jargon and overly-complicated
explanations often associated with physics, and instead it takes an accessible, conceptual
approach -- never dumbing down the amazing science, yet all written in everyday English.
"The Handy Physics Answer Book" tackles big issues and concepts, like motion, magnetism,
sound, and light, and lots of smaller topics too (like, why don't birds or squirrels on power lines
get electrocuted?) and makes them enlightening and enjoyable for anyone who picks up this
informative book.
For everyone who has ever wondered about the sources of energy production in the United
States, or how different kinds of light bulbs shine, or why wearing dark-colored clothes is
warmer than light-colored ones, or even what happens when you fall into a black hole, The
Handy Physics Answer Book examines more than 1,000 of the most frequently asked, most
interesting, and most unusual questions about physics, ranging from How can I be moving even
while I'm sitting still? to Why shouldn't metal objects be placed in microwave ovens? to How
will the universe end?
"The Handy Physics Answer Book" also includes a glossary of commonly used terms to cut
through the jargon, a helpful bibliography, and an extensive index. Ideal for students, curious
readers of all ages, and anyone reckoning with the essential questions about the universe. This
handy resource is an informative primer for applications in everyday life as well as the most
significant scientific theories and discoveries of our time.
Critique: Expertly organized and presented, this newly updated and expanded third edition of
"The Handy Physics Answer Book" should be considered as an essential and core addition to
every school and community library Science collection. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that "The Handy Physics Answer Book" is also readily available in a paperback edition
(9781578596959, $21.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
Editorial Note: Charles Liu is a professor of astrophysics at the City University of New York's
College of Staten Island and an associate with the Hayden Planetarium and Department of
Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History. His research focuses on colliding
galaxies, starburst galaxies, quasars, and the star formation history of the universe. In addition to
his research publications, Liu also writes for students and general audiences; including Visible
Ink Press' popular The Handy Astronomy Answer Book, as well as StarTalk with Neil DeGrasse
Tyson and Jeffery Lee Simons. For his work with students, he has received the American
Institute of Physics Science Writing Award and the Award for Popular Writing on Solar Physics
from the American Astronomical Society.
The General Fiction Shelf
The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma
Tadeusz Dolega-Mostowicz
Northwestern University Press
629 Noyes Street, Evanston, IL 60208
www.nupress.northwestern.edu
9780810142879 $24.95 pbk / $14.72 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Career-Nicodemus-Dyzma-Novel/dp/0810142872
Synopsis: First published in Polish in 1932, "The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma" was Tadeusz
Dolega-Mostowicz's breakout novel.
Dyzma is an unemployed clerk who crashes a swanky party, where he makes an offhand crass
remark that sets him on a new course. Soon high society (from government ministers to
drug-fueled aristocrats) wants a piece of him. As Dyzma's status grows, his vulgarity is
interpreted as authenticity and strength. He is unable to comprehend complicated political
matters, but his cryptic responses are celebrated as wise introspection. His willingness to do
anything to hold on to power (flip-flopping on political positions, inventing xenophobic plots,
even having enemies assaulted) only leads to greater success.
Dolega-Mostowicz wrote his novel in a newly independent Poland rampant with political
corruption and populist pandering. Jerzy Kosinski borrowed heavily from the novel when he
wrote Being There, and readers of both books will recognize similarities between their plots.
This biting political satire (by turns hilarious and disturbing, contemptuous and sympathetic) is
an indictment of a system in which money and connections matter above all else, bluster and
ignorance are valorized, and a deeply incompetent man rises to the highest spheres of
government.
Critique: A classic of Polish literature, this new Northwestern University Press paperback edition
of "The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma" by Tadeusz Dolega-Mostowicz is ably translated into
English for an American readership by the team of Ewa Malachowska-Pasek and Megan Tomas.
Enhanced for the reader and for academia with the inclusion of an informative Foreword by
Benjamin Paloff, "The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma is an especially appropriate and
unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library Literary Fiction
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Career of Nicodemus Dyzman"
is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $23.70).
Looking For the King
David C. Downing
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
www.paracletepress.com
9781640603493, $17.99, PB, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Looking-King-Inklings-David-Downing/dp/1640603492
Synopsis: In 1940, American Tom McCord is a 23-year-old graduate student studying in England
and researching the historical evidence for the legendary King Arthur. There he meets perky and
intuitive Laura Hartman, a fellow American staying with her aunt in Oxford, and the two of them
team up for an even more ambitious and dangerous quest.
Aided by the Inklings (that illustrious circle of scholars and writers made famous by its two most
prolific members, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien) Tom and Laura begin to suspect that the fabled
Spear of Destiny, the lance that pierced the side of Christ on the Cross, is hidden somewhere in
England!
Critique: A thoroughly entertaining and deftly crafted novel by an author with a genuine flair for
originality and the kind of narrative storytelling style that keeps the reader's total attention from
first page to last, "Looking For The King" by David C. Downing will prove to be an immediate
and enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary Fiction collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Looking For The King" is also readily available in
a digital book format (Kindle, $8.49).
The Orchard House
Heidi Chiavaroli
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781496434722, $24.99, HC, 432pp
https://www.amazon.com/Orchard-House-Christian-Historical-Massachusetts/dp/1496434722
Synopsis: 2001 - Abandoned by her own family, Taylor is determined not to mess up her chance
at joining the home of her best friend, Victoria Bennett. But despite attending summer camp at
Louisa May Alcott's historic Orchard House with Victoria and sharing dreams of becoming
famous authors, Taylor struggles to fit in. As she enters college and begins dating, it feels like
Taylor is finally finding her place and some stability . . . until Victoria's betrayal changes
everything.
1865 - While Louisa May Alcott is off traveling the world, Johanna Suhre accepts a job tending
Louisa's aging parents and their home in Concord. Soon after arriving at Orchard House, Johanna
meets Nathan Bancroft and, ignoring Louisa's words of caution, falls in love and accepts Nathan's
proposal. But before long, Johanna experiences her husband's dark side, and she can't hide the
bruises that appear.
2019 - After receiving news of Lorraine Bennett's cancer diagnosis, Taylor knows she must
return home to see her adoptive mother again. Now a successful author, Taylor is determined to
spend little time in Concord. Yet she becomes drawn into the story of a woman who lived there
centuries before. And through her story, Taylor may just find forgiveness and a place to
belong.
Critique: An historical fiction novel and part of the outstanding 'Time Slip' series from Tyndale
House Publishing, "The Orchard House" by Heidi Chiavaroli is inspired by the life of Louisa
May Alcott and is set in Concord, Massachusetts in 1865 and the 2000s. The result is an
inherently fascinating read that will be appreciated by the legions of Louisa May Alcott fans.
Impressively original and throughly entertaining from cover to cover, "The Orchard House" will
prove to be a welcome and popular addition to community library collections. It should be noted
for personal reading lists that "The Orchard House" is also readily available in a paperback
edition (9781496434739, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.99).
Moss
Klaus Modick
Bellevue Literary Press
c/o NYU School of Medicine
550 First Ave., OBV A612, New York, NY 10016
www.blpress.org
9781942658726, $16.99, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Moss-Klaus-Modick/dp/1942658729
Synopsis: An aging botanist withdraws to the seclusion of his family's vacation home in the
German countryside. In his final days, he realizes that his life's work of scientific classification
has led him astray from the hidden secrets of the natural world. As his body slows and his mind
expands, he recalls his family's escape from budding fascism in Germany, his father's need to
prune and control, and his tender moments with first loves. But as his disintegration into moss
begins, his fascination with botany culminates in a profound understanding of life's meaning and
his own mortality.
Critique: In his deftly scripted novel "Moss", visionary, poet and novelist Klaus Modick explores
our fundamental human desires for both transcendence and connection, as well as to our tenuous
and intimate relationship with nature. An inherent fascinating, thoughtful and thought-provoking
read from first page to last, "Moss" is an especially recommended addition to both community
and college/university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Moss" is readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$10.99).
Editorial Note: Klaus Modick is an award-winning author and translator who has published over
a dozen novels as well as short stories, essays, and poetry. His translations into German include
work by William Goldman, William Gaddis, and Victor LaValle, and he has taught at Dartmouth
College, Middlebury College, and several other universities in the United States, Japan, and
Germany. Moss, Modick's debut novel, is his first book to be published in English. He lives in
Oldenburg, Germany.
All Our Broken Idols
Paul M.M. Cooper
Bloomsbury
https://www.bloomsbury.com/us
9781408879405 $27.00 hc / $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Broken-Idols-Paul-M-M-Cooper/dp/1408879409
Synopsis: Assyria, in the reign of Ashurbanipal. For Aurya and her daydreaming brother Sharo,
every day is a struggle for survival, as they dodge the beatings of their drunken father and
scrabble for scraps of food. One violent evening, everything changes. Soon, they are on the barge
of King Ashurbanipal, bound for the beautiful, near-mythical city of Nineveh. Their fates become
inextricably bound to that of the king - and the injured lion captured by his men.
Twenty-six centuries later, British-Iraqi archaeologist Katya joins a dig in Mosul to protect the
ancient ruins of Nineveh from organised looters, following in the footsteps of her dead father.
When she and Salim, a fellow archaeologist, discover an astonishingly beautiful and rare carving,
they know their find will bring the world's attention to Mosul. But the real world crashes in to
their studious idyll to catastrophic, devastating effect when ISIL storm Mosul - and take Katya,
Salim and local girl Lola hostage.
All Our Broken Idols is hauntingly evocative, a novel in which past and present lives intertwine
and stories travel across the ages. It is a story about the importance of art and the threat it poses
to those in power. And it is about bravery; standing up for what you believe in, and who you
love.
Critique: All Our Broken Idols is an extraordinary historical fiction novel following lives in both
ancient Assyria and the present-day Middle East. Interconnections between past and present form
an unfolding drama in this suspenseful saga of ancient authoritarianism and modern-day
terrorism. All Our Broken Idols is compelling to the very end, and highly recommended. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that All Our Broken Idols is also available in a Kindle
edition ($9.99).
The Western Fiction Shelf
Stagecoach West
William Heuman
Sagebrush Large Print Westerns
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781785418495, $30.59, PB, Large Print, 166pp
https://www.amazon.com/Stagecoach-West-William-Heuman/dp/1785418491
Synopsis: Riding into town with pennies to his name after a venture to round up wild horses ends
with his pard riddled with arrows and everything they owned in the hands of the Utes, Grady
Mulvane has all the appearance of a saddlebum who is looking for a handout. But the sheriff of
Bottle Springs is quick to spot the seasoned outdoorsman underneath, and has a proposition:
work at a swing station for the local Concord line and keep his eyes and ears open for clues to the
identities of the road agents who have been robbing the stages of their Wells Fargo gold. With
suspicious characters and hard cases aplenty, and loose management that seems to prefer being
robbed to being protected, Grady's got his work cut out for him - especially when he finds the
muzzle of a Colt inches from his face!
Critique: As an author, William Heuman has a knack for the kind of narrative driven, plot
surprise laden, action packed western that will keep the reader's fully engaged attention from first
page to last. "Stagecoach Western" has it all -- ruthless bad guys, stagecoach holdups, a young
woman with a fancy for our hero, and an unexpected but fully satisfying finale! This large print
paperback edition is especially recommended for the personal reading lists of all dedicated
western action/adventure fans and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community
library Western Fiction collections.
Lightning Strike!
Brent Towns
Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444844917, $21.49, PB, Large Print, 248pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lightning-Strike-Brent-Towns/dp/1444844911
Synopsis: For five years it was thought the gunfighter known as Lightning Swift had crawled off
into the desert to die after being wounded in a gun battle that put an end to Harley Mossop and
his gang. But how wrong everyone was. Thanks to an old miner who took him in, patched him
up, and gave him a shot at a new life.
But then someone shot the man who saved his life, and the gunfighter with the lightning-fast
hands has returned from the grave, Colts blazing. He's mad and is not going to stop until the
person responsible is planted in the ground.
In addition to a crooked assayist and his hired gang of killer, from the past looms a killer -
Laredo Mossop, the brother of Harley Mossop, king of the fast-guns, and a man dedicated to
killing the man they called Lightning Strike!
Critique: Featuring a number of deftly presented gunfights, a pretty girl, an Apache ally, and a
determination for vengeance on the part of both hero and villain, "Lightning Strike!" by Brent
Towns is the consummate action/adventure western and this large print paperback edition from
the Linford Western Library is certain to be a welcome addition to the personal reading lists of
western novel fans and community library collections.
A Return To The Alamo
Paul Bedford
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444844061, $21.49, PB, Large Print, 296pp
https://www.amazon.com/Return-Alamo-Paul-Bedford/dp/1444844067
Synopsis: British Army deserter Thomas Collins is working with the Texas Rangers to bring
supplies of gunpowder back to San Antonio for the continuing struggle against the fearsome
Comanche Nation. As they slowly drive their heavy-laden wagons back, Thomas's past catches
up with him in the form of a ruthless British officer, Captain Speirs, who has crossed the Atlantic
to apprehend him. Further complicated by the accompaniment of a determined prostitute named
Vicki who is also a cousin of Thomas' fiancee Sarah, Thomas must take control of the Rangers if
they are to reach San Antonio safely. But Thomas faces some tough and lethal decisions leading
to a final climax nine-years to the day when the Alamo first fell.
Critique: The author of the Black Horse western novel "The Forgotten Land", Paul Bedford is a
consummate expert in the creation of unexpected plot twists and turns leading to a truly
memorable climax. This large print paperback edition of "A Return To The Alamo" from the
Linford Western Library has everything a western action/adventure fan could want and is a
terrific read from cover to cover -- making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to
community library collections.
Arizona Skyline
Allan Vaughan Elston
Sagebrush Large Print Westerns
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781785417009, $30.59, PB, Large Print, 246pp
https://www.amazon.com/Arizona-Skyline-Allan-Vaughan-Elston/dp/1785417002
Synopsis: One year earlier, Ron Garroway was in the right place at the wrong time: searching for
land to start a ranch near the fledgling town of Prescott, Arizona, he fell in with two men who
robbed a bank with a confederate. Although on a scouting expedition at the time, Ron was named
as the third man just before the two convicts were hanged. Tired of running, he knows he must
return to Prescott to clear his name. On the stage journey he meets the beautiful Christine
Mayberry, traveling from Ohio to discover why her prospector father disappeared from the town
without a trace nine years ago. Ron finds himself entangled in the mystery - but he never
anticipated getting kidnaped as soon as he arrives by a couple of hardcases after the money
they're convinced he's stashed away from the bank heist!
Critique: With two intertwined and deftly plotted stories, western author Allan Vaughan Elston
has written a riveting, action packed western novel that will fully appeal to any and all dedicated
western fiction fans. This large print edition of "Arizona Skyline" is an especially and
unreservedly recommended addition to personal reading lists and community library Western
Fiction collections.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Ellery Queen's Japanese Mystery Stories
Ellery Queen, editor
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805315521, $15.99, PB, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Ellery-Queens-Japanese-Mystery-Stories/dp/4805315520
Synopsis: "Ellery Queen's Japanese Mystery Stories: From Japan's Greatest Detective & Crime
Writers" is comprised of 12 short stories of mystery and suspense by award-winning Japanese
authors. Each story features dramatic twists and unexpected turns, which is what led the
legendary Ellery Queen to selected them from among many thousands published in postwar
Japan. Each story features an unusual crime and a complex set of clues investigated by a diverse
and colorful cast of characters that includes a calculating inspector, a tenacious journalist, and a
determined scientist.
"Ellery Queen's Japanese Mystery Stories" includes: "
Perfectly Lovely Ladies" by Kawabata Award winner Yasutaka Tsutsui: Eight women fight the
high cost of living using violent means but will they get away with murder?
"The Cooperative Defendant" by Akutagawa Prize winner Seicho Matsumoto: After a man
confesses to a killing, he retracts his confession and accuses the detectives of coercion. But who
is right?
"Devil of a Boy" by Edogawa Rampo Prize winner Seiichi Morimura: A schoolboy may still be
very young but he is as sinister as the most hardened of criminals...or is someone else
involved?
"The Kindly Blackmailer" by Mystery Writers of Japan Award winner Kyotaro Nishimura: A
man involved in a fatal hit-and-run is blackmailed by a mysterious witness. Who is this
enigmatic stranger?
A unique collection that is sure to delight lovers of great detective and crime fiction, "Ellery
Queen's Japanese Mystery Stories" also features an informative foreword by Japanese detective
fiction expert Satoru Saito which places the stories within the context of Japanese society and
modern Japanese literature.
Critique: A dedicated mystery lover's delight, this new paperback edition of "Ellery Queen's
Japanese Mystery Stories: From Japan's Greatest Detective & Crime Writers" from Tuttle
Publishing will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library
Mystery/Suspense collections and the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs.
Editorial Note: Ellery Queen was the pseudonym of Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington
Lee, two cousins from Brooklyn who became America's most successful authors of crime and
detective fiction in the 1930s and 1940s. It is also the name of the celebrated character they
created. From 1929 to 1971, Dannay and Lee published 36 novels under the Ellery Queen name,
establishing the pair as the leading detective writers of the genre's golden age. They also
collected stories and published several anthologies of detective fiction by other writers, including
this one.
Satoru Saito is Associate Professor of Japanese Literature at Rutgers University. His areas of
interest and specialization include modern and contemporary Japanese literature, Japanese film,
and Japanese popular culture. He has published articles on Edogawa Ranpo and Tsubouchi
Shoyo and the book Detective Fiction and the Rise of the Japanese Novel, 1880&;1930 which
explores the critical role detective fiction played in the formation of modern Japanese
literature.
Hanging Falls: A Timber Creek K-9 Mystery
Margaret Mizushima
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
www.dreamscapeab.com/audiobooks
9781643854458, $26.99, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hanging-Falls-Timber-Creek-Mystery/dp/1643854453
Synopsis: A deluge has flooded the high ground near Hanging Falls -- but heavy rains aren't the
only menace descending on Timber Creek. While on a scouting mission to pinpoint trail damage,
officer Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner Robo stumble upon a body floating at the edge of a lake.
Robo catches human scent, which leads to an enigmatic forest-dweller who quickly becomes
suspect number one.
With help from veterinarian Cole Walker, Mattie identifies the victim, and discovers an odd
religious cult whose dress and manners harken back to the 19th century. As the list of suspects
grows, an unexpected visit from members of Mattie's long-lost family sheds new light on her
childhood as they help Mattie piece together details of the fateful night when she was abducted at
age two.
The tangled threads of the investigation and family dynamics begin to intertwine -- but darkness
threatens to claim a new victim before Mattie and Robo can track down the killers.
Critique: A beautifully scripted and inherently riveting mystery by an author with a total mastery
of suspense and impressively narrative storytelling skills, "Hanging Falls" will prove to be a
welcome and enduringly appreciated addition to community library Mystery/Suspense
collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated mystery buffs that
"Hanging Falls" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99) and as a
complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781662031809, $22.99, CD).
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Uranus
Ben Bova
Tor/Forge Books
120 Broadway, 22nd Floor, New York, NY 10271
www.tor-forge.com
9781250296542, $27.99, HC, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Uranus-Outer-Planets-Trilogy-Bova/dp/1250296544
Synopsis: On a privately financed orbital habitat above the planet Uranus, political idealism
conflicts with pragmatic, and illegal, methods of financing. Add a scientist who has funding to
launch a probe deep into Uranus' ocean depths to search for signs of life, and you have a
three-way struggle for control.
Humans can't live on the gas giants, making instead a life in orbit. Kyle Umber, a religious
idealist, has built Haven, a sanctuary above the distant planet Uranus. He invites "the tired, the
sick, the poor" of Earth to his orbital retreat where men and women can find spiritual peace and
refuge from the world.
The billionaire who financed Haven, however, has his own designs: beyond the reach of the laws
of the inner planets Haven could become the center for an interplanetary web of narcotics,
prostitution, even hunting human prey.
Meanwhile a scientist has gotten funding from the Inner Planets to drop remote probes into the
"oceans" of Uranus, in search of life. He brings money and prestige, but he also brings journalists
and government oversight to Haven. And they can't have that.
Critique: Ben Bova is an legendary science fiction author of more than 120 published works of
science fact and fiction. He is a six-time winner of the Hugo Award, a former editor of Analog
Magazine, a former editorial director of Omni, and was also president of both the National Space
Society and the Science Fiction Writers of America.
"Uranus" is a classic Ben Bova science fiction novel replete with his trademark originality and a
deftly scripted showcasing his narrative driven story telling style that continues to justify his
reputation among dedicated science fiction fans. While also readily available for personal reading
lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99), this edition of "Uranus" from Tor Books is an
especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, college, and
university library Science Fiction collections.
The Road Not Taken
Susan Rubin
www.susanrubinwriter.com
Harvard Square Editions
2152 Beachwood Terrace, Hollywood, CA 90068
www.harvardsquareeditions.org
9781941861684, $19.95, PB, 292pp
https://www.amazon.com/Road-Not-Taken-Susan-Rubin/dp/1941861687
Synopsis: A woman suddenly widowed at 50, left with money but no direction to her life. Deep
in transition from suburban housewife status, she moves back to the West Village where she
grew up. When she meets a woman who appears to be an identical twin, she discovers the Lost: a
group of 100 fully-formed people dropped off on Earth as it cooled down they have lived on the
planet as it developed the many species and geography of today.
The Lost show her the myriad dimensions of Spacetime, taking her to ancient Egypt, Weimar
Germany, and planets without inhabitants, and reuniting her with loved ones she has lost to
death. Through a casual affair with Osiris, god of Egypt, and her friendship with Vincent Van
Gogh, she lives many truths that are new to her and learns who she needs to become to walk the
road not taken.
Critique: An inherently and absolutely fascinating science fiction novel by an author with a
genuine flair for original and the commendable ability to hold the reader's fully entertained
attention from first page to last, "The Road Not Taken" by Susan Rubin is an extraordinary treat
for all dedicated science fiction fans and unreservedly recommended for community library
Science Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading list that "The Road Note
Taken" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Military Shelf
Phoenix Rising
Col. Keith M. Nightingale (Ret.)
Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781612008776, $34.95, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Phoenix-Rising-Hostage-Rebirth-Operations/dp/1612008771
Synopsis: "Phoenix Rising: From the Ashes of Desert One to the Rebirth of U.S. Special
Operations" by Keith Nightingale recounts the paradoxical birth of SOF through the prism of
Operation Eagle Claw, the failed attempt to rescue fifty-two Americans held hostage in the U.S.
Embassy in Tehran forty years ago.
When terrorists captured the Embassy on November 4, 1979, the Joint Chiefs of Staff quickly
realized that the United States lacked the military capability to launch a rescue. There was no
precedent for the mission, a mission that came with extraordinary restrictions and required a
unique force to take it on. With no existent command structure or budget, this force would have
to be built from scratch in utmost secrecy, and draw on every branch of the U.S. military.
Nightingale was back then a major, and Deputy Operations Officer and the junior member of
Joint Task Force Eagle Claw, commanded by Major General James Vaught. Based on
Nightingale's detailed diary, "Phoenix Rising" vividly describes the personalities involved, the
issues they faced, and the actions they took, from the conception of the operation to its
hair-raising launch and execution.
Nightingale's historically significant post-analysis of Eagle Claw gives unparalleled insight into
how a very dedicated group of people from the Chief of Staff of the Army to lower-ranking
personnel subjugated personal ambition to grow the forces necessary to address the emerging
terrorist threat -- a threat which the majority of uniformed leadership and their political masters
originally denied in 1979.
The Special Operations capability of the United States today is the ultimate proof of their
success.
Critique: Impressively informative and an inherently fascinating read, "Phoenix Rising: From the
Ashes of Desert One to the Rebirth of U.S. Special Operations" is extraordinarily detailed and
will prove to be an enduringly valued and critically important contribution to community and
college/university library 20th Century American Military History collections and supplemental
curriculum studies. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia,
military history buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"Phoenix Rising: From the Ashes of Desert One to the Rebirth of U.S. Special Operations" is
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Further Memoirs of a Bush War Operator
A. J. Balaam
Helion and Company
c/o Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781913118587, $24.95, PB, 172pp
https://www.amazon.com/Further-Memoirs-Bush-War-Operator/dp/1913118584
Synopsis: From the searing heat of the Zambezi valley to the freezing cold of the Chimanimani
mountains in Rhodesia; from the bars in Port St John's in the Transkei to the Drakensberg
Mountains in South Africa; to the slums of Maputo Mozambique and the violence and corruption
of Beira Mozambique to the beauty of the Portuguese Islands, "Further Memoirs of a Bush War
Operator" is is one man's story of his fight against terror and survival in a world that no longer
had any use for him or his skills.
Twice decorated with the Member Of The Legion of Merit (ML) and the Military Forces
Commendation (MFC), Andrew Balaam was a member of the Rhodesian Light Infantry and later
the Selous Scouts for twelve years. This is his account of his experiences whilst in the Rhodesian
Light Infantry, Selous Scouts, Transkei and South African Government.
His story is brutally truthful, frightening and sometimes humorous. It is also the story of the final
hours of one of the finest armies in the world, the fight for power amongst senior army officers,
the fighting, backstabbing and spying as seen through the eyes of the author.
Critique: Candid, vividly detailed, "Further Memoirs of a Bush War Operator" is an impressive
and extraordinary military memoir that will be enduringly appreciated and valued as part of any
community or college/university library Military History collection and is especially
recommended for the personal reading lists of all dedicated military history buffs..
Editorial Note: Andrew J. Balaam, one of ten children, spent his early life moving between
Bulawayo, in Southern Rhodesia (now known as Zimbabwe), and Livingstone in Northern
Rhodesia (now known as Zambia). In 1966 he was called up for National Service and decided to
join the Rhodesian Army. After doing a stint in the Rhodesian Light Infantry he left to join the
Rhodesian Railyways. However, war was on the horizon, and 8 months after leaving, he
re-joined the Rhodesian Light Infantry. Two years later he joined the famous Selous Scouts,
where he stayed until the end of the war. After leaving Rhodesia he ended up in the Transkei
with Ron Reid Daly and other former Scout members.
Across the Rhine: January - May 1945
Simon Forty
www.battledetective.com
Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781612008509, $29.95, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Across-Rhine-January-May-Simon-Forty/dp/161200850X
Synopsis: The final doom of the Third Reich came from the west with a massive concentration of
Allied forces and firepower. With France secured, Hitler's vain counterattack in the Ardennes
held and the Channel and North Sea ports cleared, little stood in the way of the Allies other than
the dominant geographical feature of western Europe: the mighty Rhine River stretching from the
North Sea almost to Switzerland.
In the north, the 21st Army Group executed one of the largest operations of the war: a huge
airdrop backed up by an amphibious crossing that made full use of 79th Armoured Division's
specialized armor including the Alligators of 4th Royal Tank Regiment. Further south, until it
collapsed under the pressure, the Ludendorff Bridge, captured intact at Remagen allowed US
First Army to create a bridgehead. They would use it to good effect, wheeling north to surround
the Ruhr, Germany's industrial heartland. Further south, where the river was narrower, Patton's
Third Army vaulted the Rhine with its customary elan, as did Devers' Sixth Army Group.
Ahead of the Allies were the remains of the German forces, often no more than Volkssturm or
Hitlerjugend, determined to resist for as long as possible so that Hitler had time to unleash his
super weapons. In the end, these proved figments of Hitler's fevered imagination and the
defenders crumbled in the face of units that, after nine months of training, had become deadly
proponents of the art of aggressive warfare with modern equipment (such as the M26 Pershing
and Comet) being rushed to the front in the hope it could see action before the war finished.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, "Across the Rhine: January - May 1945" by Simon
Forty is an extraordinary, impressively informative, and expertly presented study that will prove
to be an enduringly appreciated addition to personal, professional, community, and
college/university library World War II military history collections and supplemental curriculum
studies reading lists.
Editorial Note: Simon Forty has produced a range of highly illustrated books on the Normandy
battlefields, the Atlantic Wall and the liberation of the Low Countries with co-author Leo
Marriott -- and has an impressive website at: www.battledetective.com
The American History Shelf
A Dust Bowl Book of Days, 1932
Margaret Spader Neises, Joan Neises Volk & Craig Volk, authors
South Dakota Historical Society Press
900 Governors Drive, Pierre, SC 57501-2217
https://www.sdhspress.com
9781941813294, $22.95, HC, 85pp
https://www.amazon.com/Dust-Bowl-Book-Days-1932/dp/1941813291
Synopsis: The Dust Bowl was a period of severe dust storms that greatly damaged the ecology
and agriculture of the American and Canadian prairies during the 1930s; severe drought and a
failure to apply dryland farming methods to prevent the aeolian processes (wind erosion) caused
the phenomenon. The drought came in three waves, 1934, 1936, and 1939 - 1940, but some
regions of the High Plains experienced drought conditions for as many as eight years.
(Wikipedia)
Margaret Spader Neises (1897 - 1954) was a second-generation American, born to German
immigrants who moved to South Dakota to farm. She married Lawrence Neises in 1922, and they
settled near Howard, South Dakota, before leaving the farm and moving to Mitchell during the
Great Depression in the early 1930s.
"A Dust Bowl Book of Days, 1932" invites readers into the day-to-day life of Margaret Spader
Neises as she cares for her family. She bears witness to her husband's work struggles, her
children's illnesses, and the forces of nature beyond her control. Margaret's fears give rise to
pithy, poignant observations.
Whether documenting the escapades of a young temptress, her family's attempts to stay one step
ahead of the banker, or her own whimsies, Margaret creates a vivid portrait of her life in simple
prose.
Critique: An invaluable and inherently fascinating documentation of life during one year of the
Dust Bowl that would exacerbate the impact of the Great Depression upon millions of farm and
ranching families throughout the American Midwest, "A Dust Bowl Book of Days, 1932" is a
truly extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to community and college/university
library 20th Century American History collections, as well as the personal reading lists of
students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.
The World History Shelf
A History of Modern Japan
Christopher Harding
www.christopher-harding.com
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805315972, $16.99, PB, 512pp
https://www.amazon.com/History-Modern-Japan-Search-Present/dp/4805315970
Synopsis: In "A History of Modern Japan: In Search of a Nation: 1850 to the Present", cultural
historian Christopher Harding delves into the untold stories of Japan's recent history -- from
Japanese feminists who fought for an equal political voice in the 1890s, to a pop star's nuclear
power protest song in 2011.
Though highly successful, and typically portrayed as a unified effort, Japan's rebuilding
throughout the 20th century faced a lot of domestic criticism. "A History of Modern Japan" is
story-led account gives a voice to those who felt they didn't fit in with what Japan was becoming.
It's that push and pull that made the country what it is today.
"A History of Modern Japan" is a simply fascinating and informative read for anyone interested
in Japanese culture (whether film and literature, or pop culture and manga) as big shifts in
Japanese ideology and society tend to come from culture and the arts, rather than being
politically-driven.
It will also be of interest to those traveling to Japan who want a better sense of the place, or
anyone seeking to better understand Japan's role on the global stage.
With over 100 photographs, maps and prints, "A History of Modern Japan" showcases the
compelling story of Japan's amazing growth and its resulting struggles. For all the country's
advancement, the Japanese people continue to wrestle with the notion of what it means to be
Japanese in a changing world.
Critique: Impressively informed and informative, "A History of Modern Japan: In Search of a
Nation: 1850 to the Present" is an extraordinary and thoroughly 'reader friendly' history.
Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "A History of Modern Japan" is an
especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community library World History
collections in general, and Japanese history supplemental curriculum reading lists in
particular.
Editorial Note: Christopher Harding is a cultural historian of modern Japan, South Asia and the
UK, and a Senior Lecturer in Asian History at the University of Edinburgh. He lived and worked
in Japan for three years through a Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation scholarship. Professor
Harding has written numerous articles for scholarly journals as well as for newspapers and
magazines, including The Guardian, The New York Times, BBC History Magazine and History
Today. He also appears regularly on radio and TV (BBC, ABC), presenting on a wide range of
subjects such as religion, politics, culture and mental health. He maintains a web site at:
www.christopher-harding.com
Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World
Philip Matyszak
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500052150, $34.95, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Peoples-Ancient-Philip-Matyszak/dp/0500052158
Synopsis: The ancient world of the Mediterranean and the Near East saw the birth and collapse of
several great civilizations. While some of these are well known, many have been unjustly
forgotten. Our history is overflowing with different cultures that have all evolved over time,
sometimes dissolving or reforming, though ultimately shaping the way we continue to live. But
for every culture that has been remembered, what have we forgotten?
"Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World" is a thorough and informative guide that explores
those civilizations which have faded from the pages of our textbooks but played a significant role
in the development of modern society.
"Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World" covers the Hyksos to the Hephthalites and everyone in
between, providing a unique overview of humanity's history from approximately 3000 BCE - 550
CE.
A wide range of illustrated artifacts and artworks, as well as specially drawn maps, help to tell
the stories of forty lost peoples and allow readers to take a direct look into the past. Each entry
exposes a diverse culture, highlighting their important contributions and committing their
achievements to paper.
Critique: Having enormous informational value for both history students and non-professional
general readers with an interest in the subject, "Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World" is
further enhanced with the inclusion of 197 illustrations. While especially and unreservedly
recommended for both community and college/university library History of Ancient Civilization
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that 'History of Civilization & Culture" is
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note: Philip Matyszak has a doctorate in Roman history from St. John's College,
Oxford. He is the author of numerous books on the ancient world, including "Legionary: The
Roman Soldier's (Unofficial) Manual", "The Greek and Roman Myths", and "Ancient
Magic".
I am Ashurbanipal: King of the World, King of Assyria
Gareth Bereton
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500480441, $45.00, PB, 348pp
https://www.amazon.com/Ashurbanipal-king-world-Assyria/dp/0500480443
Synopsis: In 668 BCE Ashurbanipal inherited the largest empire in the ancient world, an empire
which stretched from the shores of the eastern Mediterranean to the mountains of western Iran.
He ruled from his massive capital at Nineveh, in present-day Iraq, where temples and palaces
adorned with brilliantly carved sculptures dominated the citadel mound, and an elaborate system
of canals brought water to his pleasure gardens and game parks. Ashurbanipal assembled the
greatest library in existence during his reign, and, guided by this knowledge, defined the course
of the empire, asserting his claim to be "King of the World."
Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "I am Ashurbanipal: King of the World, King of
Assyria" features images of objects excavated from all corners of the empire and highlights the
British Museum's unrivaled collection of Assyrian reliefs, which bring to life the tumultuous
story of Ashurbanipal's reign: his conquest of Egypt, the crushing defeat of his rebellious brother,
and his ruthless campaign against the Elamite rulers of southwest Iran.
Originally published in 2014 to accompany a once-in-a-generation exhibition at the British
Museum, this new coffee-table style (10 x 1.1 x 11 inches ) paperback edition gives an intriguing
account of the Assyrian Empire told through the story of its last great ruler, and shows the
importance of preserving Iraq's rich cultural heritage for future generations.
Critique: Impressively informed and informative and enhanced with the inclusion of 325 full
color illustrations, "I am Ashurbanipal: King of the World, King of Assyria" is an extraordinary
work of scholarship that is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, making
it an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, community, and
college/university library Ancient Mesopotamia History collections in general, and Assyrian,
Babylonian, and Sumerian History supplemental curriculum studies reading lists in
particular.
Editorial Note: Gareth Brereton is an archeologist and the curator responsible for the British
Museum's Ancient Mesopotamia collection. Brereton is also a Council Member and Trustee for
the British Institute for the Study of Iraq (BISI).
The Civil War Shelf
Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg
James M. McPherson
Crestline Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9780785835608, $17.99, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hallowed-Ground-Walk-at-Gettysburg/dp/0785835601
Synopsis: In the illustrated pages of "Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg", author and
historian James M. McPherson, (who is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Battle Cry of
Freedom, and arguably the finest Civil War historian in the world), walks readers through the
Gettysburg battlefield -- the site of the most consequential battle of the Civil War.
In "Hallowed Ground", McPherson makes stops at key locations, including Seminary Ridge, the
Peach Orchard, Cemetery Hill, and Little Round Top. He reflects on the meaning of the battle,
colorfully describes the events of those terrible three days in July 1863, and places the battle and
war in the greater context of American and world history.
This is the first illustrated version of this groundbreaking and important book and includes
vintage photographs, memorabilia, and maps, as well as full-color photography of the battlefields
and historical landmarks as they stand today. Of special note are the sidebars written by
contemporary soldiers, statesmen, and women of the day, as well as pieces by some of today's
best-known historians and writers, add context to this engaging study.
Critique: Impressively informative and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in commentary, organization
and presentation, "Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg" is an extraordinary and
unreservedly recommended addition to community and college/university library American Civil
War collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for students, academia,
and American Civil War history buffs that "Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg" is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Andersonville Raiders
Gary Morgan
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811738842, $27.95, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Andersonville-Raiders-Yankee-versus-Notorious/dp/0811738841
Synopsis: On the evening of July 11, 1864, six men were marched into Andersonville Prison,
surrounded by a cordon of guards, the prison commandant, and a Roman Catholic priest. The six
men were handed over to a small execution squad, and while more than 26,000 Union prisoners
looked on, the six were executed by hanging. The six, part of a larger group known as the
Raiders, were killed, not by their Rebel enemies but by their fellow prisoners, for the crimes of
robbing and assaulting their own comrades.
Who were these six men? Were they really guilty of the crimes they were accused of? Were they
really, as some prisoners alleged, murderers? What role did their Confederate captors play in
their trial and execution? What brought about their downfall?
Relying on military records, diaries, memoirs written within five years of the prison closing, and
the recently discovered trial transcript, author Gary Morgan has discovered a version of events
that is markedly different from the version told in later day "memoirs" and repeated in the history
books. In the pages of "Andersonville Raiders: Yankee versus Yankee in the Civil War's Most
Notorious Prison Camp" and for the first time in a century and a half, is the real story of the
Andersonville Raiders and the most witnessed execution in American history.
Critique: Impressively informative and a deftly crafted work of history that has all the drama of a
riveting novel, "Andersonville Raiders: Yankee versus Yankee in the Civil War's Most Notorious
Prison Camp" is a unique, extraordinary, and unreservedly recommended addition to both
community and college/university library American Civil War collections and supplemental
curriculum studies reading lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and dedicated
American Civil War history buffs that "Andersonville Raiders: Yankee versus Yankee in the
Civil War's Most Notorious Prison Camp" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $14.31).
Editorial Note: Gary Morgan is a high-school history teacher in western Massachusetts, a
long-time member of the Salisbury Confederate Prison Association, and recipient of a 2017
Friends of Andersonville grant.
The Aftermath of Battle
Meg Grocling
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611211894, $14.95, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Aftermath-Battle-Burial-Civil-Emerging/dp/1611211891
Synopsis: The clash of Union and Confederate armies in the American Civil War left hundreds of
thousands of men dead, wounded, or permanently damaged. Skirmishes and battles could result
in casualty numbers as low as one or two and as high as tens of thousands. The carnage of the
battlefield left a lasting impression on those who experienced or viewed it, but in most cases the
armies quickly moved on to meet again at another time and place. When the dust settled and the
living armies moved on, what happened to the dead left behind?
Unlike American Civil War battle narratives, "The Aftermath of Battle: The Burial of the Civil
War Dead" by Meg Grocling picks up the story as the battle ends.
The burial of the dead was an overwhelming experience for the armies or communities forced to
clean up after the destruction of battle. In the short-term action, bodies were hastily buried to
avoid the stench and the horrific health concerns of massive death; in the long-term, families
struggled to reclaim loved ones and properly reinter them in established cemeteries.
Visitors to a battlefield often wonder what happened to the dead once the battle was over. In this
easy-to-read overview that will complement any Civil War library, author and historian Grocling
provides a look at the aftermath of battle and the process of burying the Civil War dead.
With a masterful storytelling is richly enhanced with hundreds of photos and illustrations, "The
Aftermath of Battle" is part of the Emerging Civil War Series from Savas Beatie and offers
compelling, easy-to-read overviews of some of the Civil War's most important stories.
Critique: A unique, informative, and nicely illustrated historical study, "The Aftermath of Battle:
The Burial of the Civil War Dead" should be considered as an essential and core addition to
personal, professional, community, and college/university library American Civil War History
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading
lists of students, academia, and dedicated American Civil War history buffs that "The Aftermath
of Battle: The Burial of the Civil War Dead" is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $8.49).
Editorial Note: Meg Groeling is a contributing writer for the blog Emerging Civil War. She is
currently a master's candidate at American Public University, majoring in military history with a
Civil War emphasis.
The Environmental Studies Shelf
At the Precipice: New Mexico's Changing Climate
Laura Paskus
University of New Mexico Press
1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131-0001
www.unmpress.com
9780826359117, $19.95, PB, 200pp
https://www.amazon.com/At-Precipice-Mexicos-Changing-Climate/dp/0826359116
Synopsis: "At the Precipice: New Mexico's Changing Climate" by Laura Paskus explores the
question many of us have asked ourselves: What kind of world are we leaving to our children?
The realities of climate change consume the media and keep us up at night worrying about the
future. But in New Mexico and the larger Southwest, climate change has been silently wreaking
havoc: average temperatures in the Upper Rio Grande Basin are increasing at double the global
average, super fires like Las Conchas have devastated mountains, and sections of the Rio Grande
are drying up.
Paskus has tracked the issues of climate change at both the state and federal levels. In the pages
of "At the Precipice" she shares the frightening truth, both in terms of what is happening in
nature and what is not happening to counteract the mounting crisis. She writes, "I wonder about
the coming world. Which trees will grow, which birds will have survived. . . . The door to that
new world has opened. And there's no going back." And yet our future is not yet determined--or
is it?
Critique: An extraordinary, informative, and clarion call to action with respect to the issue of
Global Climate Change in general, and the impact of climate change on New Mexico and the
American southwest in particular, "At the Precipice: New Mexico's Changing Climate" is
especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and
college/university library Climate Change collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists
in particular.
Editorial Note: Laura Paskus is an environmental journalist and a correspondent whose work has
been widely published. She is the producer of New Mexico In Focus's series "Our Land: New
Mexico's Environmental Past, Present, and Future."
The Architecture Shelf
Little Worlds
Natasha Sandmeier, editor
AA Publications
https://www.aaschool.ac.uk/publications
c/o Actar D
http://actar.com
9781907896538, $39.95, PB, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Little-Worlds-AA-Agendas-Steele/dp/1907896538
Synopsis: Expertly compiled and knowledgeably edited by Natasha Sandmeier, "Little Worlds"
documents three years of conversations and projects in Diploma Unit 9's ongoing enquiry into
context. At a time when architecture is trying to redefine itself, the issue of context (how to
collect it, make it, shape it, talk about it, and enter one's architecture within it) continues to be
pressing issue in architecture.
"Little Worlds" pulls together a collection of utterly unique and singular worlds that collectively
argue for a positioning of architecture: not geographically, but rather set within its rich cultural
context shaped by real histories and imagined futures. Ultimately, the contributors to "Little
Worlds" addresses a question all architects face at the beginning of their bright futures -- how to
shape an identity.
Critique: Informed and informative, "Little Worlds" should be considered essential reading for
all architecture students and practitioners, making it an critically important and core addition to
professional and college/university library Contemporary Architecture collections in general, and
Architectural Criticism, Architecture Teaching, and Architecture Project Planning &
Management supplemental curriculum studies lists in particular.
An Anatomy of Influence
Thomas Daniell
AA Publications
https://www.aaschool.ac.uk/publications
c/o Actar D
http://actar.com
9781907896965, $49.95, HC, 292pp
https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Influence-Thomas-Daniell/dp/1907896961
Synopsis: Expertly written by Thomas Daniell (who is Professor of Architectural Theory and
Criticism at Kyoto University, Japan, and was previously Head of the Department of Architecture
at the University of Saint Joseph, Macau), and featuring an informative foreword by Thomas
Weaver as well an instructive afterword by Peter Cook, "An Anatomy of Influence" is comprised
of a informational wealth of texts and images that collectively present the theory and practice of
12 leading Japanese architects.
Rather than the usual array of exquisite yet autonomous buildings, "An Anatomy of Influence"
focuses on the hitherto unexplored lives of their architects and the febrile intellectual, social and
political environment in which they worked. The period covered spans from the postwar decades
up to the present day, but the emphasis is on the radical transformation of Japan's architectural
culture that occurred in the 1960s and 1970s.
Critique: A unique and seminal body of architectural scholarship and insights on contemporary
Japanese architecture, "An Anatomy of Influence" is an extraordinary and unreservedly
recommended addition to personal, professional, corporate, and college/university library
Architectural History collections and supplemental curriculum architectural studies lists.
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Leonardo Da Vinci: The Renaissance of the World
Marwan Kahil, author
Ariel Vittori, illustrator
NBM Publishing
160 Broadway, Ste. 700, East Wing, New York, NY 10038
www.nbmpub.com
9781681122595, $19.99, HC, 128pp
https://www.amazon.com/Leonardo-Vinci-Renaissance-Comics-Biographies/dp/1681122596
Synopsis: "Leonardo Da Vinci: The Renaissance of the World " by the team of author/storyteller
Marwan Kahil and artist/illustrator Ariel Vittori is an historical biography in the form of a
graphic novel that shows the process of Da Vinci's work and his inventions, his persecution as a
gay man, and how the changing politics of his country and ebbs and flows of those in power
affected him and his career -- all deftly complemented with background on his chronology, a list
of his oeuvres, and more!
Critique: Impressively informative and inherently fascinating, "Leonardo Da Vinci: The
Renaissance of the World" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to
highschool, community, and college/university library collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Leonardo Da Vinci: The Renaissance of the World" is also readily available in
a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Editorial Note: Graduate of the Ecole Speciale d'Architecture in Paris, Marwan Kahil won a
screenwriting competition at the Angoulˆme International Comics Festival in 2006 and then
collaborated with the Festival as an artistic assistant director, set designer, and speaker. He is
currently working on several projects of graphic novels, comics, movies, and theater.
Ariel Vittori can count the following among her past and present clients: Mondadori, Disney, and
Campari. She has done food illustration for gourmet events and various comics, and has
collaborated as an interpreter at the prestigious Idea Academy.
The Audiobook Shelf
Churchill's Hellraisers
Damien Lewis, author
Read by Matt Bates
HighBridge
www.highbridgeaudio.com
9781696600675 $39.99
https://highbridgeaudio.com/churchillshellraisers.html
Synopsis: It is the winter of 1944. Allied forces have succeeded in liberating most of
Axis-occupied Italy - with one crucial exception: the Nazi headquarters north of the Gothic Line.
Heavily guarded and surrounded by rugged terrain, the mountain fortress is nearly impenetrable.
But British Prime Minister Winston Churchill is determined to drive a dagger into the "soft
underbelly of Europe." The Allied's plan: drop two paratroopers into the mountains - and take the
fortress by storm...
The two brave men knew the risks involved, so they recruited an equally fearless team: Italian
resistance fighters, escaped POWs, downed US airmen, even a bagpipe-playing Scotsman known
as "The Mad Piper." Some had little military training, but all were willing to fight to the death to
defeat the Nazi enemy. Ultimately, the mission that began in broad daylight, in the enemy's line
of fire, would end one of the darkest chapters in history - through the courage and conviction of
the unsung heroes who dared the impossible...
Critique: Churchill's Hellraisers is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a gripping, true-life
military saga of World War II. Two brave Allied paratroopers operated behind enemy lines in
Italy to take down a bastion of the Nazis. These two men recruited an unlikely assortment of
allies including local resistance fighters, escaped prisoners of war, US airmen who had been shot
down, and more. An extraordinary tale of superlative heroism, Churchill's Hellraisers is highly
recommended for both personal and public library audiobook collections. 10 CDs, 12.25
hours.
Stanley Kubrick: American Filmmaker
David Mikics, author
Read by Steven Jay Cohen
Tantor Audio
tantor.com
9781705229545 $37.99
https://tantor.com/stanley-kubrick-david-mikics.html
Synopsis: Kubrick grew up in the Bronx, a doctor's son. From a young age he was consumed by
photography, chess, and, above all else, movies. He was a self taught filmmaker and self
proclaimed outsider, and his films exist in a unique world of their own outside the Hollywood
mainstream. Kubrick's Jewishness played a crucial role in his idea of himself as an outsider.
Obsessed with rebellion against authority, war, and male violence, Kubrick was himself a calm,
coolly masterful creator and a talkative, ever curious polymath immersed in friends and
family.
Drawing on interviews and new archival material, David Mikics for the first time explores the
personal side of Kubrick's films.
Critique: Stanley Kubrick: American Filmmaker is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a
candid, thoughtful portrayal of one of Hollywood's most groundbreaking filmmakers. A wealth
of new archival material as well as preserved interviews form the basis of this balanced
examination of the interconnections between Kubrick's personal life, his identity as Jew and an
"outsider" in Hollywood, and his legendary films. Stanley Kubrick: American Filmmaker is
highly recommended for both personal and public library audiobook collections. 7 CDs, 7.5
hours. It should be noted that Stanley Kubrick: American Filmmaker is also available in
hardcover (9780300224405, $26.00, Yale University Press) and in a Kindle edition
($14.04).
The Library CD Shelf
16670
Matthew Mayer
www.matthewmayer.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
16670 is a solo piano tribute to the true story of a heroic man - Rajmund Maximilian Kolbe
(1894-1941), Auschwitz prisoner 16670. Kolbe was a Franciscan friar who provided shelter to
World War II refugees, including 2,000 Jews whom he hid from German persecution. In
Auschwitz, he voluntarily surrendered his life for execution in place of a stranger. 16670 is a
profound work to promote the legacy of a truly noble human being, highly recommended
especially for personal and public library collections. The tracks are "16670", "Glasses", "Simple
Humanity", "For a Stranger", "Polish Flowers", "Philosophy of End", "Choices", "Vision
(Dreams 8)", "Block 17", "Block 11", and "Kid Rajmund".
A Dark Murmuration of Words
Emily Barker
Thirty Tigers
thirtytigers.com
$10.99 CD / $7.99 MP3 amazon.com
United Kingdom folk singer Emily Barker presents A Dark Murmuration of Words, an original
soundscape that draws upon folk and blues traditions to explore the pervasive themes of gender
inequality, poverty and slavery, environmental exploitation and climate crisis, and their
combined repercussions on the past and future. A Dark Murmuration of Words is foreboding, but
also promises that the path to effect change and promote healing lies in the actions one chooses
to take, every day. Powerful, emotional, and soul-stirring, A Dark Murmuration of Words is
highly recommended. The tracks are "Return Me", "Geography", "The Woman Who Planted
Trees", "Where Have the Sparrows Gone?", "Strange Weather", "Machine", "When Stars Cannot
Be Found", "Ordinary", "Any More Goodbyes", and "Sonogram".
An American Classic
Jeannie Seely
jeannieseely.com
Curb Records
curb.com
$13.98 CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com
An American Classic is a studio album by country music performer Jeannie Seely. Comprised of
a mixture of new recordings and re-recordings of popular favorites by Seely. A great many of the
songs involve collaboration with other music artists. An American Classic is emotional,
inspiring, and highly recommended especially for country music connoisseurs. The tracks are "So
Far, So Good (feat. The Whites)", "If You Could Call It That (feat. Steve Wariner)", "To Make a
Dream Come True", "Teach Me Tonight", "Can I Sleep In Your Arms Tonight", "All Through
Crying Over You (feat. Rhonda Vincent)", "When Two Worlds Collide (feat. Bill Anderson)",
"Not a Dry Eye in the House (feat. Willie Nelson)", "Old Flames (feat. Waylon Payne)", "That's
How I Roll (feat. Lorrie Morgan & Vince Gill)", "Don't Touch Me", "Dance Tonight (feat. Ray
Stevens)", and "Peaceful Waters".
The Library DVD/Blu-ray Shelf
Dispatches from Elsewhere
AMC Networks
c/o Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
www.acornonline.com
$34.98 DVD / $44.98 Blu-ray
Complete in ten episodes, Dispatches from Elsewhere is an extraordinary drama shot in scenic
Philadelphia, about four strangers searching for meaning in their lives. They discover a
mysterious game and start following its clues, questing for solutions to a puzzle nestled amid the
events of everyday life. Insightful, extraordinary, and thought-provoking, Dispatches from
Elsewhere is highly recommended for both personal and public library DVD or Blu-ray
collections. Bonus materials include a behind-the-scenes featurette (19 min.), character profiles
(9 min.), and a Love Letter to Philly (4 min.). 10 episodes on 3 DVDs or 3 Blu-ray discs, 403
min. plus bonus, SDH subtitles.
Seachange: Paradise Reclaimed
Starring Sigrid Thornton
Acorn TV
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
www.acornonline.com
$49.99 DVD
Seachange: Paradise Reclaimed revives a hit Australian dramady series. After the breakup of her
marriage, lawyer Laura Gibson (played by Sigrid Thornton) returns to the coastal town of Pearl
Bay, only to find it drastically changed after twenty years. Her old magistrate position is taken;
her elder daughter is pregnant and trying to hide it; and her relationship with her daughters is
rocky at best. As she tries to rebuild her damaged family connections, she learns of a corrupt
business deal that could destroy the beautiful seaside environment. Perhaps Pearl Bay and her
family need her support as much as she needs theirs? Warm-hearted, witty, and thoroughly
entertaining, Seachange: Paradise Reclaimed is highly recommended for both personal and
public library DVD collections. Bonus materials include a disc with four episodes from the
original series. 8 episodes on 2 DVDs plus bonus disc, 372 min. plus 218 min. bonus, SDH
subtitles.
The Cookbook Shelf
Dairy Free Meal Prep
Silvana Nardone
Rockridge Press
www.rockridgepress.com
c/o Callisto Media
https://www.callistomedia.com
9781647392598, $14.99, PB, 194pp
https://www.amazon.com/Dairy-Free-Meal-Prep-Budget-Friendly/dp/1647392594
Synopsis: Whether you want to avoid allergens, save money and time, or eat healthier,
preplanned dairy free meals have a multitude of perks. With "Dairy Free Meal Prep: Easy,
Budget-Friendly Meals to Cook, Prep, Grab, and Go" by Silvana Nardone you can simplify your
daily routine with this complete culinary guide and dairy free cookbook that features 6 weeks of
meal plans and 70 scrumptious recipes.
Helpful and practical information about meal planning, convenient grocery lists, and step-by-step
prep directions mean spending less time in the kitchen and more time living life!
This dairy free cookbook includes: Why ditch dairy? (Learn the benefits of eliminating dairy,
from increased mental clarity to better digestion); Meal prep pointers (Discover a guide to meal
prep in this comprehensive dairy free cookbook, including storage tips, must-have kitchen
equipment, and tips for thawing and reheating); Dairy free staples (Try your hand at foundational
foods like Cashew Milk, Cheese Sauce, Green Goddess Dressing, and beyond).
Critique: Thoroughly 'user friendly' and ideal for the novice kitchen cook, "Dairy Free Meal Prep:
Easy, Budget-Friendly Meals to Cook, Prep, Grab, and Go" is a pleasure to browse through as a
meal planning culinary reference comprised of nutritious, well-balanced, and delicious dairy free
recipes -- making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional,
and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted for anyone having to adhere to
dairy product free meals that "Dairy Free Meal Prep" is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: Silvana Nardone is the author of The 30-Minute Dairy-Free Cookbook and
Silvana's Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Kitchen: Timeless Favorites Transformed. Previously,
Silvana was the founding editor-in-chief of celebrity chef Rachael Ray's magazine, Rachael Ray
Every Day, and the owner of an Italian bakery, Fanciulla.
Simply: Easy Everyday Dishes
Sabrina Ghayour
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784727031, $34.99, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Simply-everyday-dishes-bestselling-Persiana/dp/1784727032
Synopsis: Sabrina Ghayour (born 5 January 1976 in Tehran, Iran) is a British-Iranian Chef, food
writer and author. She is the host of the supper club 'Sabrina's Kitchen' and released her first
cookbook, Persiana, in May 2014. (Wikipedia)
"Simply: Easy Everyday Dishes" is Sabrina Ghayour's new collection of unmissable dishes
presented in her own signature style, and influenced by her love of fabulous flavors. "Simply:
Easy Everyday Dishes" comprised of thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes for delicious
foods that can be enjoyed with a minimum of fuss.
With recipes deftly organized into sections ranging from Effortless Eating to Traditions With a
Twist, "Simply: Easy Everyday Dishes" provides over 100 bold and exciting recipes that can be
enjoyed every day of the week that range from Pomegranate molasses & honey glazed meatballs;
to Harissa chicken noodle lettuce cups; to Tahini, almond & orange brownies; to Turmeric,
orange & coconut rice pudding, and more!
Critique: Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, "Simply: Easy Everyday Dishes" will
enjoy an immense and enduring popularity as part of family, professional, and community library
cookbook collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Simply: Easy Everyday
Dishes" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Little Vegan Dessert Cookbook
Laura Crotty
https://www.lauracrotty.com
Lincoln Square Books
https://www.lincolnsquarebooks.com
9781947187108, $19.99, 84pp
https://www.amazon.com/Little-Vegan-Dessert-Cookbook-Vintage/dp/1947187104
Synopsis: Laura Crotty has always had a thing for old cookbooks. For "The Little Vegan Dessert
Cookbook: Vintage Recipes Revised", she combed through her extensive recipe collection to
select the best recipes for cookies, cakes, doughnuts, bars, and breads -- and then experimented
with healthy ingredients to make them conducive to a plant-based vegan diet.
The resulting recipes include vegan versions of such classics as Toll House Inn Chocolate Chip
Cookies, Chocolate Cake from the 1934 Hershey's Cookbook, and S'mores from the 1927 Girl
Scout's Handbook. The book also contains plant-based takes on other standards she culled from
vintage cookbooks - like Brownies, Blondies, Peanut Butter Cookies, Linzer Tarts, Carrot Cake,
Coffee Cake, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Tea Bread, and Zucchini Bread. Vegan
interpretations of the author's family favorites make an appearance as well -- like her
grandmother's light and lemony Genets and her mother-in-law's Irish Soda Bread.
With a retro design and sections on Baking Tips (including different egg replacement methods)
and Pantry Items that every vegan baker should have, This edition of "The Little Vegan Dessert
Cookbook" offers treats that are right for every season and every occasion ranging from
campfires and picnics to birthdays and holidays -- all the while reminding us of the tastes that
have come to represent our childhood.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated throughout, nicely organized and expertly presented with step-
by-step culinary instructions for each showcased dessert, and especially impressive when
considering that "The Little Vegan Dessert Cookbook: Vintage Recipes Revised" is Laura
Crotty's debut as a cookbook writer, this specialized culinary compendium of vegan recipes will
prove to be an enduringly welcome addition to any and all vegan cookbook collections. While
this hardcover edition is especially appropriate for community library collections, it should be
noted for personal and family cookbook collections that "The Little Vegan Dessert Cookbook:
Vintage Recipes Revised" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781947187115,
$16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Seattle-based culinary writer Laura Crotty received her chef certification at the
Institute for Culinary Education under the instruction of the late Annemarie Colbin, PhD, an
early pioneer of the health-food movement. Laura is an ADDY Award recipient for her food
journalism, and her work has appeared in such outlets as Motherwell, the Huffington Post, and
Seattle Magazine.
The Music Shelf
The Rolling Stones In the Beginning
Bent Rej
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784727000, $50.00, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Rolling-Stones-Beginning-Unseen-Images/dp/1784727008
Synopsis: From March 1965 to May 1966, photographer Bent Rej enjoyed unparalleled access to
the Rolling Stones as one of the trusted inner circle, accompanying the band on its first full
European outing: the Satisfaction tour.
"The Rolling Stones In the Beginning: With Unseen Images" is Rej's collection of more than 300
intimate photographs of the band on stage, on the road and at home, documenting a year in the
life of the Rolling Stones as they enjoyed their first taste of popular success.
Critique: An inherently fascinating coffee-table style volume (9.6 x 1.4 x 11.4 inches" that is
unreservedly recommended for both community and college/university library collections, this
new and updated edition of "The Rolling Stones In the Beginning" will be especially prized for
its never-before-seen photographs that were newly unearthed from Rej's archive -- the result is a
'must' for the legions of dedicated Rolling Stones fans.
The Art Shelf
Watercolor: A History
Marie-Pierre Sale
Abbeville Press
116 West 23 Street, 5th Fl, New York, NY 10011
www.abbeville.com
9780789213730, $125.00, HC, 400pp
https://www.amazon.com/Watercolor-History-Marie-Pierre-Sal%C3%A9/dp/0789213737
Synopsis: Watercolor is a painting method in which the paints are made of pigments suspended
in a water-based solution. Watercolor refers to both the medium and the resulting artwork.
The term watercolor calls to mind atmosphere, luminosity, and immediacy -- qualities that derive
directly from the quick-drying, translucent nature of water-based pigments. In "Watercolor: A
History", Louvre curator Marie-Pierre Sale provides an authoritative and beautifully illustrated
account of this versatile and widely beloved artistic medium.
Sale's incisive text traces the development of watercolor from the thirteenth to the twentieth
century in Europe and the United States, encompassing every type of work, ranging from
plein-air sketches to finished studio pieces, and showcases a wide variety of artists. Here are
Durer's detailed animal studies, Turner's landscapes, Cezanne's tireless explorations, Sargent's
light-dappled sketches, O'Keeffe's pioneering abstractions.
"Watercolor: A History" is handsome coffee-table style volume (9.6 x 12.1 inches) that features
more than three hundred full-color illustrations that are specially printed on Munken paper to
capture the vibrancy and texture of the original works.
Critique: An elegantly beautiful and impressively informative history, "Watercolor: A History" is
an ideal Memorial Fund acquisition choice for community, college, and university library Art
History collections, and would be a prized and valued addition to the personal reading lists of art
students, art historians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in watercolor
painting.
Editorial Note: Marie-Pierre Sale is curator at the Musee du Louvre. She was previously a curator
at the Musee D'Orsay, and is the author of several books, including "Drawing Outdoors:
Variations of the Drawing on Nature in the First Half of the 19th Century", "Eugene Delacroix:
Pyrenees Notebook", and "Watercolor: Workshop and Outdoors".
The Gift of Color: Henry Lawrence Faulkner
Fine Art Editions
www.finearteditions.net
9781532353284, $95.00, HC, 289pp
https://www.finearteditions.net/product/the-gift-of-color-henry-lawrence-faulkner-paintings-poe
ms-and-writings-bookstore-edition
Synopsis: Henry Lawrence Faulkner (January 9, 1924 - December 3, 1981) was a Kentucky-born
artist and poet known as an eccentric rebel and bohemian. Faulkner is best known for his wildly
colorful oil paintings and eccentric acts, including his bringing a bourbon-drinking goat to parties
and art shows. He was a close friend of Tennessee Williams, who called him "a creative poet and
artist."
Faulkner studied as a scholarship student at the Louisville School of Art. Around the 1959,
Faulkner started to exhibit his paintings more frequently, which were often compared to the
Surrealist and Colorist movements and linked to famed artists such as Gustav Klimt. It is said he
took inspiration from sources ranging from California to Italy, but his most popular works are
abstractions of scenes in his native Kentucky. Today, his works are in the collections of the
Morris Museum of Art in Morristown, NJ, and The Johnson Collection in Spartanburg, SC,
among others.
Faulkner died in a car accident in Lexington, Kentucky, on December 3, 1981. In 2014, the
Faulkner Morgan Archive, Inc. was created, in part, to help preserve Henry Faulkner's legacy.
(Wikipedia)
In the spring of 1957, Henry Faulkner emerged onto the New York gallery scene with his first
sale to The Collectors of American Art co-op. From that moment forward, his career began a
meteoric rise to fame.
His life's story was as audacious as it was theatrical. He was deeply rooted in the classics and
self-educated. Truly artistic, partly mystic, and by any measure, a marketing genius, Faulkner's
uninhibited talents were predictably unpredictable. He synthesized painting, poetry and the
performing arts; he could turn a phrase into a song and glean transcendent colors that expressed
the music of his very being from a palette of paint.
Faulkner's artwork creatively incorporated mid-century European art styles with a primitive
flourish. At times he was prolific, producing art shows and filling patron requests that ranged
from New York to Miami, St. Louis to Nantucket, Cincinnati to Sicily, Key West to Lexington.
During this lime-light career, he created an estimated 5000 works of art.
Faulkner's gifts were apparent to everyone in the room, while his shortcomings and
idiosyncrasies glared back at the community at large. His flamboyant charm was often his way of
expressing a childlike joy with insights into the humor and pathos of love and loneliness.
Faulkner often showered this love upon a menagerie of animals that he expanded throughout his
33-year professional career; one of his most famous companions was Alice, his nanny goat.
Henry Lawrence Faulkner lived his own legend while creating it and became larger than life after
his unexpected death. He indeed bequeathed us his imagination; perhaps, he was the bearer of the
gifts - the gift of color. "The Gift of Color: Henry Lawrence Faulkner" from Fine Arts Editions is
beautifully presented and meticulously researched presentation of Faulkner's story, paintings, and
writings will be a welcome addition to any art lover's home collection.
Critique: Impressively informative and profusely, beautifully illustrated throughout, "The Gift of
Color: Henry Lawrence Faulkner" is a 'must' for the legions of Henry Lawrence Faulkner fans
and this coffee-table style edition will prove to be a welcome and enduringly appreciated addition
to personal, professional, community, and college/university library 20th Century American Art
History collections.
The Philosophy Shelf
The Handy Western Philosophy Answer Book
Ed D'Angelo
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Road, #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075
www.visibleinkpress.com
9781578597314, $49.95, HC, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1578597315
Synopsis: Western philosophy refers to the philosophical thought and work of the Western
world. Historically, the term refers to the philosophical thinking of Western culture, beginning
with Greek philosophy of the pre-Socratics such as Thales (c. 624 - c. 546 BC) and Pythagoras
(c. 570 - c. 495 BC), and eventually covering a large area of the globe. The word philosophy
itself originated from the Ancient Greek philosophia, literally, "the love of wisdom".
The scope of philosophy in the ancient understanding, and the writings of (at least some of) the
ancient philosophers, were all intellectual endeavors. This included the problems of philosophy
as they are understood today; but it also included many other disciplines, such as pure
mathematics and natural sciences such as physics, astronomy, and biology (Aristotle, for
example, wrote on all of these topics). (Wikipedia)
"The Handy Western Philosophy Answer Book: The Ancient Greek Influence on Modern
Understanding" by Ed D'Angelo offers answers to questions within the context of Western
Philosophy such as: What is philosophy?; What is metaphysics?; What is logic?; How is ethics
different than morality?; How did Pre-Socratic philosophy get started?; What is the arrow
paradox?; Who was Pythagoras?, How did Stoicism inspire modern cognitive psychotherapy?;
Who was the founder of Western philosophy?; How does democracy degenerate into tyranny?;
What impact did the Epicureans have on the modern world?; What is the postmodern condition?
and so much more.
Philosophy is the pursuit of answers to big questions about the purpose of life, death, and
existence. Philosophy is about how to reason and find the answers for yourself. Philosophy is a
puzzle in which you collect clues and you make connections.
Critique: An ideal introduction to Western Philosophy, Ed D'Angelo's "The Handy Western
Philosophy Answer Book" is a perfect companion for anyone seeking wider truths and happiness.
An informative, accessible, easy-to-understand guide to the big questions about living, "The
Handy Western Philosophy Answer Book" is enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of more
than 120 photos and graphics, a helpful bibliography, a glossary of terms, and an extensive index.
While an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and
college/university library Philosophy collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists
of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The
Handy Western Philosophy Answer Book" is also readily available in a paperback edition
(9781578595563, $24.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Education Shelf
Assessment, Evaluation, and Accountability in Adult Education
Lilian H. Hill, editor
Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9781620368510, $35.00, PB, 300pp
https://www.amazon.com/Assessment-Evaluation-Accountability-Adult-Education-dp-162036851X/dp/162036851X
Synopsis: Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by Lilian H. Hill, "Assessment, Evaluation,
and Accountability in Adult Education" is specifically intended to help practitioners in adult
education become better informed about assessment, evaluation, and accountability as these are
critical functions of administering and running adult education programs.
"Assessment, Evaluation, and Accountability in Adult Education" will prove to be an invaluable
and constructive resource for adult educators who have been asked to serve on assessment
committees, produce detailed reports for funders and accreditors, create a culture of assessment
within their program and organization, and/or develop reports for accountability purposes.
Section one presents an introductory overview of assessment and evaluation in adult
education.
Section two gives guidance on practices for specific areas of adult education practice, such as
army military education, human resource development, and continuing professional
education.
Section three provides assessment practices for adults in higher education, with chapters
dedicated to distance learning, health professions education, and graduate education.
Critique: The fourteen erudite and informative articles comprising "Assessment, Evaluation, and
Accountability in Adult Education" are enhanced for academia with the inclusion of a complete
listing of the contributors and their credentials, as well as a sixteen page Index. While a
significant and unreservedly recommended addition to college and university library Teacher
Education collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of student teachers,
classroom educators, adult edition administrators, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject of Adult Education that "Assessment, Evaluation, and Accountability in
Adult Education" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $27.99).
Editorial Note: Lilian H. Hill is Professor of Adult and Higher Education at the University of
Southern Mississippi. Her research interests are in adult health learning and health literacy,
professional education, and assessment and evaluation. She has held executive-level positions for
the Commission of Professors of Adult Education of the American Association of Adult and
Continuing Education and served as co-editor of Adult Learning in 1994 - 2005 and 2020 - 2023.
Hill served on the assessment committees of two universities, and her past administrative roles
have involved assessment, evaluation, and accreditation responsibilities. She was recipient of the
2015 Okes Award for outstanding Research in Adult Education; was inducted into the
International Adult and Continuing Education in 2018; and was selected for the UGA Circle of
50, honoring 50 alumni for the 50th anniversary of the Adult Education Program in 2019.
Building Capacity for Teaching Engineering in K-12 Education
Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education
National Academies Press
500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
www.nap.edu
9780309499422, $55.00, PB, 260pp
https://www.amazon.com/Building-Capacity-Teaching-Engineering-Education/dp/0309499429<
br>
Synopsis: Engineering education is emerging as an important component of US K-12 education.
Across the country, students in classrooms and after- and out-of-school programs are
participating in hands-on, problem-focused learning activities using the engineering design
process. These experiences can be engaging; support learning in other areas, such as science and
mathematics; and provide a window into the important role of engineering in society.
As the landscape of K-12 engineering education continues to grow and evolve, educators,
administrators, and policy makers should consider the capacity of the US education system to
meet current and anticipated needs for K-12 teachers of engineering.
"Building Capacity for Teaching Engineering in K-12 Education" reviews existing curricula and
programs as well as related research to understand current and anticipated future needs for
engineering-literate K-12 educators in the United States and determine how these needs might be
addressed. Key topics in this report include the preparation of K-12 engineering educators,
professional pathways for K-12 engineering educators, and the role of higher education in
preparing engineering educators.
This report also proposes steps that stakeholders (including professional development providers,
postsecondary preservice education programs, postsecondary engineering and engineering
technology programs, formal and informal educator credentialing organizations, and the
education and learning sciences research communities) might take to increase the number, skill
level, and confidence of K-12 teachers of engineering in the United States.
Critique: A central and significant contribution to college and university library Teacher
Education collections in general, and Higher & Continuing Education, Education Reform &
Policy, and Elementary Education supplemental curriculum studies lists in particular, "Building
Capacity for Teaching Engineering in K-12 Education" is extraordinarily well organized and
presented. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of education students, faculty, school
administrators, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Building
Capacity for Teaching Engineering in K-12 Education" is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $44.99).
Independent Thinking On MFL
Crista Hazell
Crown House Publishing
81 Brook Hills Circle, White Plains, NY 10605
www.crownhousepublishing.com
9781781353370, $16.95, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Crista-Hazell/dp/1781353379
Synopsis: MFL refers to Modern Foreign Language.
Crista Hazell is an MFL specialist with many years successful experience both in the classroom
and in positions of leadership. She has worked across the UK and internationally from Belgium
and Cyprus to Slovenia and Ghana with students, teachers and school leaders in developing
teaching, learning, relationships and behaviour. Her creativity and energy for bringing the
teaching of MFL alive for students during her time in the classroom was matched by her high
expectations and willingness to take on board that difficult class all without losing sight of the
children and young people in her care.
In "Independent Thinking on MFL: How to make modern foreign language teaching exciting,
inclusive and relevant" she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to show aspiring
and practicing MFL teachers and heads of languages departments in primary schools, secondary
schools and colleges how they can make modern foreign language teaching exciting, inclusive
and relevant by taking teachers on a instruction tour of how to get the teaching of a new language
right.
Critique: Deftly written, expertly organized and accessibly presented, "Independent Thinking on
MFL: How to make modern foreign language teaching exciting, inclusive and relevant" is an
ideal curriculum textbook and especially useful for DIY personal instruction making it an ideal
and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, and college/university Foreign
Language supplemental studies lists.
The Power of Student Agency
Anindya Kundu
Teachers College Press
1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
www.tcpress.com
9780807763896, $90.00, HC, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Student-Agency-Looking-Opportunity-dp-0807763896/dp/0807763896
Synopsis: How can we promote the learning and well-being of all students, especially those who
come from some of the most disadvantaged backgrounds? In "The Power of Student Agency:
Looking Beyond Grit to Close the Opportunity Gap" author and educator Anindya Kundu argues
that we can fight against deeply rooted inequalities in the American educational system by
harnessing student agency -- each person's unique capacity for positive change.
To make his case, Kundu draws powerful narratives from a population of individuals who beat
the odds to become academically and professionally successful. These strivers have overcome
challenges such as broken families, homelessness, unexpected pregnancies, forms of abuse,
incarceration, and more, to make it in the world. But it wasn't simply individualism, tenacity,
resilience, or grit that helped them. Rather, as Kundu illustrates, it was a combination of social
and cultural supports that paved the path towards their dreams, harnessing the inherent power of
their agency.
"The Power of Student Agency" features: A counter-narrative to the popular misconception that
all students need is "grit"; A strengths-based approach to education that is sensitive to students'
communities and cultures; First-person quotes from individuals who have overcome immense
odds; Useful diagrams for educational stakeholders on the relationship between grit and agency;
Descriptions of dense sociological concepts presented in plain terms; The inclusion of
fundamental and new waves in psychology.
Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "The Power of Student Agency: Looking
Beyond Grit to Close the Opportunity Gap" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition
to school district, college, and university library Teacher Education collections. It should be
noted for the personal reading lists of student teachers, classroom teachers, school administrators,
academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Power of
Student Agency: Looking Beyond Grit to Close the Opportunity Gap" is also readily available in
a paperback edition (9780807763889, $29.95) and in a digital book format (eTextbook,
$16.17).
Editorial Note: Anindya Kundu is currently a senior fellow at the City University of New York
Graduate Center. His work has appeared in TED Talks, NPR Education, MSNBC, and the
Huffington Post.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Pet Nation
Mark L. Cushing
Avery Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
https://www.penguin.com
9780593083864, $27.00, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Pet-Nation-Affair-Changed-America/dp/0593083865
Synopsis: In the last 20 years pets have gone from the backyard to sleeping on our beds, then
showing up in every corner of America. "Pet Nation: The Love Affair That Changed America" by
Mark L. Cusing tells the story of this seismic shift and the economic, media, legal, political, and
social dramas springing from this cultural transformation.
Since 1998 the pet population in the U.S. has almost doubled -- about two-thirds of the country
now owns a pet. No longer left to wander the neighborhood, dogs and cats eat special food, get
individualized medical attention, and are provided with all manner of toys. As founder of the
Animal Policy Group, Mark Cushing provides an inside look at the rise of what he has termed
our 'Pet Nation', tracking the myriad ways pets are acquired (a "Canine Freedom Train" runs
south to north), reporting on pet rights legislation (and the unseen problems that come with
elevating their status), pet healthcare (revealing the truth and myths about large scale breeders),
and discovering that despite what many organizations would have us believe, there is a shortage
of dogs.
Insightful, surprising, and with a wealth of great stories, "Pet Nation" reveals the big changes that
are happening in front of us right now. It shows us not only what our love of animals says about
pets, it shows us what it says about ourselves.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and impressively thought-provoking study, "Pet Nation: The
Love Affair That Changed America" is an extraordinarily informative and highly recommended
addition to community and college/university library Pets & Wildlife collections. A 'must read'
for everyone who has an animal companion as a part of their family, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Pet Nation" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$14.99).
Editorial Note: Mark Cushing is the founding partner and CEO of the Animal Policy Group and a
Stanford honors graduate. He acts as Trustees Counsel for Lincoln Memorial University and has
served as adjunct faculty and lecturer at Lincoln Memorial University, Lewis & Clark College,
and the University of Oregon law school.
The Money/Finance Shelf
Financial Freedom: Secrets of Debt-free Living
Simon Aranonu
Westbow Press
c/o Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.westbowpress.com
9781973675556, $11.95, PB, 138pp
https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Freedom-Secrets-Debt-free-Living/dp/1973675552
Synopsis: Simon Aranonu wrote "Financial Freedom: Secrets of Debt-free Living" specifically
for those people who are either in financial mess or may soon enter into financial mess because
they lack knowledge about personal finance. "Financial Freedom: Secrets of Debt-free Living"
bridging that financial information and expertise gap by equipping readers with the practical
knowledge and effective skills necessary to successfully manage personal finance regardless of
the amount of their particular revenues or state of their present financial debts and/or
obligations.
Critique: Expertly written, accessibly organized, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in presentation,
"Financial Freedom: Secrets of Debt-free Living" provides a complete DIY course of instruction
and guidance that will enable anyone to become free of the crippling burden of debt and to
achieve whatever their personal financial goals might be through identifying and avoiding the
factors that create 'debt bondage', what steps can be taken to remain debt free, and how to both
build and preserve personal wealth and prepare for eventual retirement. While especially and
unreservedly recommended for both community and college/university library Money/Finance
Management collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Financial Freedom:
Secrets of Debt-free Living" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$3.99).
Editorial Note: Currently the Executive Director at the Bank of Industry and the Author of
"Solution Capsules, Simon Aranonu as spent more than thirty-four years in accounting, banking,
and as a financial consultant.
The Psychology Shelf
The Art Therapists' Primer, third edition
Dr. Ellen G. Horovitz, editor
Charles C. Thomas, Publisher
2600 South First Street, Springfield, IL 62704
http://www.ccthomas.com
9780398093389, $59.95, PB, 408pp
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Therapists-Primer-Assessments-Diagnosis/dp/0398093385
Synopsis: Now in a newly updated and expanded third edition, "The Art Therapists' Primer: A
Clinical Guide to Writing Assessments, Diagnosis, and Treatment" is knowledgeably compiled
and deftly edited by Doctor Ellen G. Horovitz shares over 40 years of her professional experience
as she transliterates evidence-based art therapy into medical terminology.
Featuring impressively informative contributions by twenty-four experts in the field, "The Art
Therapists' Primer" collectively spells out the how-to's behind producing art therapy assessments,
process notes, significant sessions, objectives and modalities, termination summaries and
internet-based assessments into translatable documentation, designed to dovetail within an
interdisciplinary medical model. In addition, this third edition emphasizes information on how to
use psychological applications and art therapy based assessments to ensure best practices and
efficacy of patient care.
This step-by-step methodology fashions these reports, placing art therapy on equal footing with
all mental health clinicians and generates records, which serve as points of departure for
practitioners. This text is specifically designed as a teaching tool that lays the foundation to
enhance pertinent skills that are important to patient practice, including the armament to write up
clinically-based reports that serve as a model for the field.
Additionally, the practitioner is offered sample formats, legends and abbreviations of clinical and
psychiatric terms, guidelines for recordable events, instructions of writing up objectives,
modalities, and treatment goals as well as training on composing progress versus process
notes.
The Appendices provides a wealth of information and forms to use in one's clinical practice,
making "The Art Therapists' Primer" an essential reference manual that accessibly amasses
information that will serve as a companion guide for every art therapist to formulate clinical
reports, and it will aid patients toward their trajectory of wellness, recovery and, above all,
health.
Critique: Expertly written, organized and presented, "The Art Therapists' Primer: A Clinical
Guide to Writing Assessments, Diagnosis, and Treatment" is an ideal choice as a curriculum
textbook and is unreservedly recommended for professional, college and university library Art
Therapy Psychology & Counseling collections and supplemental studies lists for students and
practitioners alike.
The Library Science Shelf
Resource Discovery for the Twenty-First Century Library
Simon McLeish, editor
Facet Publishing
www.facetpublishing.co.uk
9781783301386, $64.95 British Pounds, 240pp
http://www.facetpublishing.co.uk/title.php?id=301386
Synopsis: Discovery is central to academic activities at all levels and is a major focus for libraries
and museums. Of all the parts of modern library provision, discovery services are the most
clearly affected by developments in IT, from databases to search engines to linked data to
machine learning. It is crucial to the relationship between libraries and their communities.
Knowledgeably compiled and expertly edited by Simon McLeish, "Resource Discovery for the
Twenty-First Century Library" will help community and academic librarians learn how to adapt
in a fast changing area to continue to provide a high level of service.
"Resource Discovery for the Twenty-First Century Library" contains a range of contributions by
experts that analyze the ways in which libraries are tackling the challenges facing them in
discovery in the (post)-Google era. Individual chapters describe specific areas of discovery and
local implementations and ideas. "Resource Discovery for the Twenty-First Century Library" will
help with enhancing discovery both inbound - making locally held resources globally
discoverable, and outbound -- making global resources locally discoverable, in ways which are
relevant to your user community.
"Resource Discovery for the Twenty-First Century Library" will also be quite useful for subject
librarians and others who give direct support to library users, digital library technicians,
managers, staff with responsibility for managing electronic resources, metadata and discovery
specialists, trainers and user education specialists. It will also be of particular use to curators and
others who give direct support to researchers, managers of digitisation and cataloguing products,
IT staff, trainers and user education specialists.
Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Resource Discovery for the Twenty-First
Century Library" will prove to be ideal as a curriculum textbook and is unreservedly
recommended for both college and university Library Science collections. Enhanced for
academia with the inclusion of numerous Figures and Table, as well as a complete listing of the
contributors and their credentials, it should be noted for personal reading lists that there is also a
digital edition of "Resource Discovery for the Twenty-First Century Library" available from
Facet Publishing in the form of an ebook PDF (9781783301409).
Editorial Note: Simon McLeish worked in conference organization before the planning of an
Internet conference led to work as a web designer during the dot com era. This developed into a
career in digital libraries, including the development of online academic journals, research
environments and authentication. Work on Shibboleth and Identity Management culminated in
the production of the JISC Identity Management Toolkit and the book Access and Identity
Management for Libraries. In 2013, Simon took up the post of Resource Discovery Architect for
the Bodleian Libraries of the University of Oxford, and now divides his time between managing
existing discovery and authentication services for the libraries and in research and
development.
The Theatre/Cinema Shelf
What Price Hollywood?
Elyce Rae Helford
The University Press of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40508-4008
www.kentuckypress.com
9780813179292, $40.00, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/What-Price-Hollywood-Gender-George/dp/0813179297
Synopsis: During the early Hollywood sound era, studio director George Cukor (July 7, 1899 -
January 24, 1983) produced nearly fifty films in as many years, famously winning the Best
Director Oscar at the 1964 Academy Awards for My Fair Lady. His collaborations with so-called
difficult actresses such as Katharine Hepburn, Judy Garland, and Marilyn Monroe unsettled
producers even as his ticket sales lined their pockets.
Fired from Gone with the Wind for giving Vivien Leigh more screen time than Clark Gable,
Cukor quickly earned a double-sided reputation as a "woman's director." While the label
celebrated his ability to help actresses deliver their best performances, the epithet also branded
the gay director as suitable only for work on female-centered movies such as melodramas and
romantic comedies. Desperate for success after a failed drag film nearly ended his career, Cukor
swore to work within Hollywood's constraints.
Nevertheless, "What Price Hollywood? Gender and Sex in the Films of George Cukor" by
Professor Elyce Rae Helford finds that Cukor continued to explore gender and sexuality
on-screen. Drawing on a broad array of theoretical lenses, Helford examines how Cukor's
award-winning films (including My Fair Lady and The Philadelphia Story) as well as his
lesser-known films engage Hollywood masculinity and gender performativity through camp,
drag, and mixed genres.
Blending biography with critical analysis of more than twenty-five films, "What Price
Hollywood?" tells story of a once-in-a-generation director who produced some of the best films
in history.
Critique: An extraordinarily informative and deftly presented study of one of the truly
outstanding Hollywood film directors of the 20th Century, "What Price Hollywood?: Gender and
Sex in the Films of George Cukor" will prove to be an immediately welcome and unreservedly
appreciated addition to both community and academic library American Cinema History
collections in general, and George Cukor supplemental studies lists in particular. It should be
noted for the personal reading lists of film students, academia, film buffs, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that "What Price Hollywood?: Gender and Sex in
the Films of George Cukor" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$24.49).
Editorial Note: Elyce Rae Helford is Professor of English, a former director of women's and
gender studies, and current Director of Jewish and Holocaust Studies at Middle Tennessee State
University. She is also the co-editor of "The Woman Fantastic in Contemporary American Media
Culture" and editor of "Fantasy Girls: Gender in the New Universe of Science Fiction and
Fantasy Television".
The Health/Medicine Shelf
What You Must Know About Strokes
Amytis Towfighi, MD & Laura J. Stevens, MSci
Square One Publishers
115 Herricks Road, Garden City Park, NY 11040
www.squareonepublishers.com
9780757004834, $16.95, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/What-Must-Know-About-Strokes/dp/0757004830
Synopsis: A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death.
There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to
bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functioning properly. Signs and symptoms of a
stroke may include an inability to move or feel on one side of the body, problems understanding
or speaking, dizziness, or loss of vision to one side. Signs and symptoms often appear soon after
the stroke has occurred. If symptoms last less than one or two hours, the stroke is a transient
ischemic attack (TIA), also called a mini-stroke. A hemorrhagic stroke may also be associated
with a severe headache.[3] The symptoms of a stroke can be permanent. Long-term
complications may include pneumonia and loss of bladder control. (Wikipedia)
No one is ever prepared for a stroke. It just happens, and when it does, the results can be life
altering. From difficulties with communication to weakness, numbness, and cognitive
difficulties, a stroke can have a wide range of consequences. For most people affected by a
stroke, a flood of questions come afterward: How did this happen? What do we do next? What
are our options? How long will recovery take? Am I at risk for another stroke?
To answer these questions and so many others, stroke specialist Dr. Amytis Towfighi and
best-selling health writer and stroke survivor Laura Stevens have written "What You Must Know
About Strokes: How to Recover from a Stroke and Prevent another Stroke". Written in plain
English, this useful guide offers all the information stroke survivors and their loved ones need to
know in order to ask the right questions and make informed decisions.
"What You Must Know About Strokes" is divided into five sections:
Part 1 explains what a stroke is and which risk factors increase the odds of having a stroke. It
also includes information on identifying the early signs of a stroke and what to do when they
appear.
Part 2 looks at the immediate care given to stroke survivors as they are brought into a hospital
setting.
Part 3 details the most common rehabilitation treatments given to stroke patients to help them
regain their ability to carry out their daily activities, mobility, speech, and cognition. These
include occupational, physical, and speech therapies. It also discusses a number of
complementary and alternative treatments that may be helpful.
Part 4 offers important suggestions on lifestyle and nutrition to help patients avoid another
stroke.
Part 5 provides a look at life after a stroke and the issues stroke survivors may face. It offers
practical and easy-to-follow advice on moving forward.
Of special note is that "What You Must Know About Strokes" also offers a section of resources,
listing services and agencies that provide answers and assistance to stroke patients and their
families.
The many challenges of dealing with a stroke are great -- for patients as well as their loved ones.
The road back is not always easy. Understanding what is happening and what treatment options
are available is crucial. The information contained in "What You Must Know About Strokes" can
greatly benefit anyone dealing with the aftermath of a stroke and make all the difference in the
world.
Critique: Impressively informative, comprehensive, and specifically written to benefit the non-
specialist general reader with an interest in the subject, "What You Must Know About Strokes:
How to Recover from a Stroke and Prevent another Stroke" is especially recommended for
community library Health/Medicine collections and the personal reading lists of anyone who has
to deal with stroke and its aftermath.
Editorial Note: Amytis Towfighi, received her MD from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She
completed her internship and residency at Harvard; she completed internship at Massachusetts
General Hospital (MGH) and Neurology Residency at MGH and Brigham and Women's
Hospital. She completed her Vascular Neurology fellowship at UCLA. She is currently an
associate professor of neurology at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern
California (USC). Dr. Towfighi is also the Director of Neurological Services for the Los Angeles
County Department of Health Services and the Associate Medical Director and Chief of
Neurological Services at Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center. She served as Chair of
Neurology at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center for eleven years.
Laura Stevens, MSci, received her master's degree in nutrition science from the Department of
Nutrition Science at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Since graduation, she has
worked at Purdue as a researcher, investigating the relationship between diet and health
disorders. Apart from her work at Purdue, Laura is also the author of eight books on diet,
behavior, and allergies.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
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